Hey, God, I need your help

O Lord, I give my life to you. I trust in you, my God! Do not let me be disgraced, or let my enemies rejoice in my defeat. No one who trusts in you will ever be disgraced, but disgrace comes to those who try to deceive others. (Psalm 25:1-3)

If you have ever approached God with a bit of 'hey, God, I need your help' prayers, then you know how it is to feel a bit useless, helpless, and at risk for some reason. There is absolutely no better place to take your 'hey, God, I need your help' issues, for he is the only one capable to meet those needs. No one who trusts in God to help will ever be disappointed, or stand in the midst of the battle disgraced or defeated.

Disgrace might be the loss of respect for some, but it can also be the feeling of shame that comes from doing something we might now find ourselves regretting painfully. God's answer to that feeling of shame is repentance - to turn away from whatever brought those feelings and embrace his grace. There is absolutely no room for shame where grace exists and it exists in the presence of God. The 'hey, God, I need your help' prayer is exactly what begins to bathe us in that grace.

When we feel ashamed or like we aren't exactly 'right' with God or others, we might want to hide from them rather than open up to them. That is never going to begin the work of restoration, though. We need to trust God to hear our cry for help, listen intently to our heart, and then to begin to minister to us exactly as we need in order to be restored to right standing with him and others. Deceive others by covering over your 'wrong actions' that left you feeling a bit 'outside of grace' and you will never be at peace. Bring those actions to God first, then go to the other who you have been trying to deceive by your 'cover-up' God will be there to help because you trusted him to bring grace right there into the midst of that issue. Just saying!

Give us gladness

Teach us to realize the brevity of life, so that we may grow in wisdom. (Psalm 90:12)

As a young girl, it seemed as though time passed so slowly - making any 'waiting period' almost unbearable. Summer vacation away from the daily routine of school seemed like an eternity. The coming of Christmas took eons, with Christmas Eve being one of the longest days of the year for any child. When you were waiting for a day to come, the minutes passed slowly. As I have aged, time passes much more quickly - days pass without even realizing the week is gone. Perhaps time passes so slowly for the young because of all they still dream of doing. Maybe time passes so quickly for those who are in their older years because there aren't as many dreams that remain. The best we can do is live our life well today - because we have no way of knowing what tomorrow will bring.

Moses is the author of this psalm. He spends some time rehearsing the various things God has done for Israel as a nation, but he comes to this point after remembering that even with all God had done for them, they still found themselves with sin in their lives. In other words, they didn't always act as wisely as they should have, choosing to do their own thing instead of following the wisdom of God's counsel. They sometimes found they were left to their own devices until the pain and suffering of those choices caused them to turn again to their Lord. There is wisdom found in Moses' words - because he hopes in the mercy of God and in the power of God to set them back on course with him. Why? Life is brief and choosing to live it with self-determination is no way to live it.

O Lord, come back to us! How long will you delay? Take pity on your servants! Satisfy us each morning with your unfailing love, so we may sing for joy to the end of our lives. Give us gladness in proportion to our former misery! Replace the evil years with good. (Psalm 90:13-15)

Even if we have chosen to pursue God's best in our lives, no doubt there may come a time when we diverge a bit from that path - not always intentionally. The choices we made in haste, or without intentional thought and God's wisdom, led us away from the closeness we once had with him. As we realize the distance growing, we may actually become quite determined to 'find our way back' to that place of closeness with him. It is not uncommon for us to actually use words like Moses did all those years ago. "How long..." "Come back..." "Replace the evil..." All our pleas stem from one thing we know about our God - he gives grace. If you find yourself on a divergent path today, know this - God is more than able to replace the evil with good. All we need to do is acknowledge our need and he is right there to restore us. Just sayin!

Do you believe?

“I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying. Everyone who lives in me and believes in me will never ever die. Do you believe this?" (John 11:25-26)

Do you believe this? That is a very telling question, for all else in our life hinges on the answer. Anyone who believes - is that you? Do you believe that Jesus is the resurrection and the life? Do you believe he made a way for you to be reconciled to God? Do you accept this free gift? These are the questions we must answer - if not today, then when?

First, we believe in his finished work on the Cross - then we live in him. What does that mean? We don't become puppets in his hand, but we do relinquish the right to live in control of our lives. We willingly lay down our control and allow him to take the reins. The free gift opens the way for us to live free of things we don't even know have us bound. So many claim they have no need of a Savior because they have lived 'good lives'. Is it possible to be 'good enough' to be reconciled to God apart from the work Christ has done on our behalf?

The answer is an absolute 'no' - nothing we can 'do' will ever reconcile us to God. We would have to be 'doing' and 'doing' all the time - yet never really achieving the end goal. The moment we stop 'doing' and begin 'trusting' is the moment of transition. We ask Christ to enter into our lives and do you know what he does? He gives us immeasurable peace, eternal hope, and freedom from having to always be 'doing' in order to be 'right'.

I am the resurrection - life is possible only through the one who has conquered death. I am the life - life is empty when we attempt to fill the space within our spirit that belongs to him alone. Anyone - that means all who will believe - will live - even after dying. Eternal life is guaranteed to all of us - either alongside Christ in the heavenly realms, or alongside Satan and his renegade band of demons in hell. I think I will choose the heavenly realms. How about you? Just askin...

Wandering off?

I prayed to God, ‘Dear God, my Master, you created earth and sky by your great power—by merely stretching out your arm! There is nothing you can’t do. You’re loyal in your steadfast love to thousands upon thousands—but you also make children live with the fallout from their parents’ sins. Great and powerful God, named God-of-the-Angel-Armies, determined in purpose and relentless in following through, you see everything that men and women do and respond appropriately to the way they live, to the things they do. (Jeremiah 32:17)

NOTHING he cannot do. NO ONE he overlooks. NOTHING he will not respond to. Three very important things we must learn about the God we serve. He is ever-present, all-knowing, and all-powerful. This is the God who requires obedience of his children - of those who say 'yes' to his invitation to become part of his family. God is also LOYAL. I don't believe we fully grasp the meaning of loyalty, for at best, we have seen 'images' of loyalty, but not true loyalty. He is faithful to each and every oath he makes. No promise is given in haste - it is well-planned and backed by his power, love, and presence. The steadfastness of God might just mystify those of us who tend to waver back and forth between obedience and doing our own thing. That 'steadfastness' of God is something we can 'bank on' even when our 'loyalty' to him isn't all that 'loyal'.

Steadfast means he remains when we wander. When our commitment is very 'flexible', his loyalty to us is 'inflexible'. This 'inflexibility' of God's commitment to us is based in his tremendous love, cemented in his never-ending grace, and 'redoubled' in our hearts and minds each time we feel his presence within us. God's love is relentless - it pursues and pursues, never letting go of even the most hard-hearted of us. This should come as good news to those of us who pretty much struggle with this thing we call 'obedience'. The other thing about God's steadfastness that we may not recognize at first is that it is 'unquestioning'. We can go our own way for a while, but when we decide we have had enough of our own wandering, God looks at us through eyes of unquestioning love. Yes, his heart breaks with our disobedience, but his heart never turns away from us.

Do we always get what we deserve by our wandering? Indeed, we do not. There are many circumstances in my own life where I put myself smack-dab in the middle of a muddle that should have ended poorly. Did I always reap the ugliness of my sin? Indeed, I did not. Did I regret it and deal with emotional upheaval over it? Absolutely, but I did not have to dwell in it because God's love restored what I could not do on my own. Nothing he cannot do, no one he will ever forget, and nothing he will not respond to - remember these things about God the next time you decide to 'change your loyalty' a bit and wander off for a while. It is these very things about God's steadfast love and commitment to us that bring us back time and time again. Just sayin!

Bolstered

 If someone falls into sin, forgivingly restore him, saving your critical comments for yourself. You might be needing forgiveness before the day’s out. (Galatians 6:2)

Maybe this passage should read, "WHEN someone falls..." It would probably read more accurately as we ALL fall from time to time and need restoration without criticism for having fallen. The 'fallen' fall - it is that simple. The 'not so simple' part is this business of 'forgivingly restoring the fallen'. How easy it is to be critical of those around us who are struggling to live an upright life. The rest of the passage is pretty much the summary of why we need to reserve our criticisms - we are likely to need forgiveness before the day ends! Mom always used to tell me it takes one to know one - meaning we recognize those struggling with our same issues / faults because those faults bother us so much in ourselves. We dial-in on those same things in others that we seem to know we could be equally as critical of in ourselves. 

If we don't want to endure the criticism for our failures or faults, what makes us think it is ever acceptable to criticize others who are going through similar struggles? Stop for a moment to consider the meaning of criticism - it is a form of denouncing something and condemning the one engaged in the thing we find are criticizing. That is exactly why we don't want to engage in criticism - we are in no position to denounce and condemn anyone because we would be denouncing and condemning ourselves because of our equally 'wrong' behavior! Lovingly forgive - how on earth do we do this? I think it begins with learning how much we are forgiven ourselves and then realizing that forgiveness is never deserved. It is a 'loving gift' from our heavenly Father. 

To restore has a few meanings, but the main one is to 'bring back' to a former condition (untarnished, whole, and complete). Do you know 'to restore' also means to reinforce and strengthen? When we forgive, we are beginning the work of restoration - lovingly reinforcing and strengthening the character of the other person without any criticism for having fallen. Fallen creatures need a little 'reinforcing and strengthening' from time to time - if we could stand on our own, would we have fallen? Restoration also carries the idea of being renewed - not just made new, but improved upon. Maybe God intends for us to come alongside each other - to help each other up, but also to ensure we receive the 'reinforcement' to help us avoid falling again. Just sayin!

Follow or Lead

Because you have satisfied me, God, I promise to do everything you say. I beg you from the bottom of my heart: smile, be gracious to me just as you promised. When I took a long, careful look at your ways, I got my feet back on the trail you blazed. I was up at once, didn’t drag my feet, was quick to follow your orders. The wicked hemmed me in—there was no way out— but not for a minute did I forget your plan for me. I get up in the middle of the night to thank you; your decisions are so right, so true—I can’t wait till morning! I’m a friend and companion of all who fear you, of those committed to living by your rules. Your love, God, fills the earth! Train me to live by your counsel. (Psalm 119:60)

A long, careful look - more than a casual, once a week relationship with God - it takes us stopping long enough to take that look. We have to stop what we are doing - what we are deciding to do on our own - to really listen. It means we have to stop trying to figure things out on our own and lean into Jesus long enough and often enough to get our feet firmly planted on the trail God has blazed for us. 

What does 'feet back on the trail' really suggest? We don't need to get back on a trail unless we have somehow veered from the trail. If you have ever gone off a trail to bump along on where there is no trail, you know how likely you are to encounter things that bump up against you, presenting all manner of obstacles to your successful passage. Some of us have 'blazed' a few trails on our own, only to find those trails have left us way off-course. 

It often takes a long, careful look back at the trail God has laid out for us to remind us how difficult the trail we are blazing on our own really has become. We find ourselves hemmed in, surrounded by things that limit our progress forward - we may even feel like there is no way out of our present circumstances. A long look - attentiveness. A careful look - intent. This is what gets us back on our feet - not self-will, self-determination, or self-anything.

At the end of a rough trail we usually come to the realization that God's decisions - his plans for our lives - are the best. They are the most trust-worthy and reliable. How do we get to know his plans again if we have stepped off the trail he has prepared? We turn around and let him place our feet on that trail again. We don't get to that trail on our own - he brings us back and trains us how to stay attentive to the right path once again. 

We might think we find our own way back, but the truth is that God never let us get out of his sight. He guides us back at the point we are ready to return. Today you may find yourself on a path you didn't really think you would ever be on, but God isn't far away. He is right there waiting for you to call out - to seek to return to the path he has blazed - the one he has specifically prepared for you. Call out, get on your knees, seek his face - be open to being trained to follow and to no longer lead. Just sayin!

A little spring cleaning?

Count yourself lucky, how happy you must be—you get a fresh start, your slate’s wiped clean. Count yourself lucky—God holds nothing against you and you’re holding nothing back from him. When I kept it all inside, my bones turned to powder, my words became daylong groans. The pressure never let up; all the juices of my life dried up. Then I let it all out; I said, “I’ll come clean about my failures to God.” Suddenly the pressure was gone—my guilt dissolved, my sin disappeared. These things add up. Every one of us needs to pray; when all hell breaks loose and the dam bursts we’ll be on high ground, untouched. God’s my island hideaway, keeps danger far from the shore, throws garlands of hosannas around my neck. Let me give you some good advice; I’m looking you in the eye and giving it to you straight: “Don’t be ornery like a horse or mule that needs bit and bridle to stay on track.” God-defiers are always in trouble; God-affirmers find themselves loved every time they turn around. (Psalm 32)

As I grew up, there were times when I backed myself into a few corners - lying to cover up something I did, but didn't want my parents to know I did. You may not have ever felt 'cornered' before, but I can recount one such occasion when I got into my grandma's stash of 'All-Sorts' licorice candy. That may not seem like a big deal to you, but it was one of her favorites so it was not really for my consumption. I was encountered by mom as she returned home, asking why I had been in the candy. She hadn't even stepped into the room where it was kept, nor opened the drawer in the hutch - so how on earth had my 'sin' been discovered? That saying about parents having eyes in the back of their heads took on a whole new meaning that day! She kept asking me over and over again why I had eaten my grandma's candy. I kept maintaining I had not, but somehow she knew I had! I was cornered. Little did I know it didn't take eyes in the back of her head to tell - the smell of licorice on one's breath is a dead give-away - let alone the tell-tale black tongue! I laugh at that now, thinking how ridiculous it was to maintain my 'innocence' when the truth was all so apparent. I wonder how many times we maintain we are 'innocent' when we are clearly in the wrong - just not really feeling like we want to admit our 'wrong-doing' for fear of the consequences?

The good news for all of us is that God doesn't 'back us into a corner' just to make us squirm. He knows our sin is eating away at us - guilt weighing heavily on our hearts - all the while looking for a way of 'escape'. We are the ones that back ourselves into that 'guilt corner', my friends! God is just there to do what any good parent will do - help us find a way out of the corner and back into the good graces of his arms. Mom didn't ground me, nor did she give me extra chores. My 'way out' of the corner was to go to grandma and let her know I had consumed nearly half of her favorite candies. Do you know what grandma did? She hugged me, thanked me for my honesty, and warned me I might not want to be far from the restroom for the next couple of hours! I had no idea what that much licorice would do to a gal!!! God's forgiveness is there - we just get 'cornered' by our sin and we think there is no way out, so we keep attempting to cover up what is so very obvious. Silly us - trying to conceal what is so apparent. We are indeed like the 'ornery horse or mule' that needs the bit and bridle - almost needing to be 'drug out' of the corner in order to realize how liberating the freedom from our sinful shame can be.

Keep sin bottled up inside - allowing that guilt to eat away at you over and over again - inventing one more cover-up to attempt to conceal it and you will find yourself in a truly miserable place. The 'corner' is no place to dwell. What goes to the corners in your rooms? Look closely - there are dust bunnies, gathered tufts of fallen hairs, perhaps even a few dead bugs that found their way into your home. Does light get into the corners very well? Not usually - but when it does, we see all the 'mess' there. The corner is no place for 'good people' to dwell - it is filled with all manner of yucky stuff. Isn't it about time we allowed ourselves a little 'breathing room' from our guilt and shame? We won't find it buried under the dust of our sin - we find it as the corners are swept clean. Just sayin!

Who's better?

You're the One I've violated, and you've seen it all, seen the full extent of my evil. You have all the facts before you; whatever you decide about me is fair. I've been out of step with you for a long time, in the wrong since before I was born. What you're after is truth from the inside out. Enter me, then; conceive a new, true life. (Psalm 51:4-6)

We probably all have a close friend - someone who seems to know most of the "dirt" in our lives - hopefully it is someone you can call your BFF. To be totally transparent here, these "besties", "BFFs", and "best buds" only know us "most of the way", though. There are always some parts of "us" that we honestly believe are kept hidden away from everyone - those really secret things we just hope no one ever learns about us because if they do, we wonder if they will ever be able to love us, much less like us! The only one who really knows us "all the way" is the one who actually created us - God himself. Our 'besties' get really, really close to that level of intimacy, but if we are truthful with ourselves right now, there are things we keep to ourselves simply because we know they are the 'hard things' that make it hard to deal with us. It could be we just need someone to point out those hard places, though.

God has all the facts about us and he still loves us! Now, if that doesn't amaze you even a little, you will miss the rest of what I am about to tell you! David, with a little help from a faithful friend he's likely have called one of his 'friends', comes to the realization of just how much his sin has driven a wedge between him and God. There was something there in his life that needed to be 'pointed out' so God could deal with it and help him overcome. It was likely God's love for David that caused Nathan (the prophet) to bring the message of "conviction" to David. David had wallowed in his sin long enough - Nathan was about to turn the tide for David with the message of forgiveness he would bring him. How does God know the right time, the right method, and the right messenger to send? It always amazes me to know God has that all in his control and he comes through each and every time.

A faithful God provides a faithful friend. Did you ever stop to consider the friend God has placed alongside you for the journey you are on today? In reality, this one may be able to see and know some things about you, but when God is in these friends of ours, they see much more than we might imagine! In the moment of our greatest need, a faithful friend is always willing to point us directly to the source of where our need will be met - Christ! A friend doesn't consider it too much to go out on the line and tell it like it is. Maybe that is one way we know when we have been given a 'real friend' in our lives. David's confession is a hard one for him to make to God, much less have anyone else in humanity know what he has been dealing with. He has been "out of step" with God for a long time. He has let time pass, making the shame and guilt he has experienced about his sin simply mount to almost insurmountable levels. In fact,  he is sinking deeper and deeper into depression. His body aches, he cannot sleep, he feels like his bones are withering away inside. He needs deliverance - and God prepares the messenger - Nathan. The time is right, the message is true, and the messenger has been prepared.

We may not know the exact one God will use to point us in the right direction again when we most need that redirection. The truth remains - God cares too much about us for him to leave us wallowing in our self-pity and sin for very long. He will send a faithful friend - one who will bring the message of forgiveness and restoration we so desperately need. Whenever we are faced with the choice between self-pity and total restoration, the choice should be simple, right? But...how many times do we reject the words of restoration simply because we don't "feel" forgiven? David said it well, "What you are after is truth from the inside out." How this is accomplished is in the very next sentence: "Enter me and conceive a new life - one that is true." No amount of self-help will do what God intends to do himself. The faithfulness of Nathan's message of forgiveness opens David's heart to the possibility of God's touch. Change is possible - but it will require the exchange of our self-pity for this truth of forgiveness. 

As long as we "wallow", we never allow God to enter into us afresh. Self-pity is really just doubt disguised in some way that means we really doubt God's willingness to forgive us and our inability to move beyond the consequences of our sin. When we "wallow", we are moving kind of clumsily, floundering about as best we can, but never really enjoying the journey. When we yield our "wallowing", we find deliverance. A faithful friend opened the door for David to realize the fact he needed God to "enter him" - taking over his doubt and self-pity, erasing his guilt, eliminating his shame, and righting him on solid ground. It is not so much about us "entering" into God - it is much more about God entering into us! We often get this backward - we want to wash away our own guilt and shame. God reminds David (through a faithful friend) - the washing is HIS business! In entering in, God makes all things new. Figures, doesn't it - the Creator knows the creation best! Who can make "new" better than the one who made it in the first place? Just askin!

Look again

Because of this decision we don’t evaluate people by what they have or how they look. We looked at the Messiah that way once and got it all wrong, as you know. We certainly don’t look at him that way anymore. Now we look inside, and what we see is that anyone united with the Messiah gets a fresh start, is created new. The old life is gone; a new life burgeons! Look at it! All this comes from the God who settled the relationship between us and him, and then called us to settle our relationships with each other. God put the world square with himself through the Messiah, giving the world a fresh start by offering forgiveness of sins. God has given us the task of telling everyone what he is doing. We’re Christ’s representatives. God uses us to persuade men and women to drop their differences and enter into God’s work of making things right between them. We’re speaking for Christ himself now: Become friends with God; he’s already a friend with you. (2 Corinthians 5:17)

I like the hope proclaimed in this passage because it speaks of all that Christ accomplishes within us. His presence within us helps us to stop looking at the outside of an individual - it helps us to see the heart, to realize the presence of God within them, and to keep us away from the terrible habit of judging a book by its cover! As a result of the decision to welcome Christ into our hearts, and into our new year, we are able to move away from our past habits of judging others - seeing how they have been given a fresh start just like us. Yes, they still have hurts and hang-ups, but so do we. No, they don't always get things right in their lives, but neither do we. God's message to us today is to remember the decision to follow him gives each of us a 'fresh perspective', not only in how we see our lives, but in how we observe and interpret the actions of those we are in relationship with, as well.

We get it 'all wrong' when we only look upon the outside - because we all put forth our 'best us' for the outside world to see, don't we? We can see something quite different when we look underneath that 'best us' front! Anyone united with Christ - don't miss that - united with him means there has been a choice to enter into relationship, to remain close to him, and to afford specific opportunities for the relationship to grow. Have you ever tried to use regular white glue to hold two pieces of wood together? It works, yes, but there is something insufficient in the attachment because white glue was not intended to bind to wood. Wood glue, on the other hand, creates a bond so tight it is almost impossible to break the bond without damaging the wood it binds together! Why? It was designed to create the bond - to create a tight hold. When we make the choice to be 'united' with Christ, it is like the perfect 'glue' has been applied to our lives - we are 'bound' together and that 'bond' is not easily broken!

As I have begun to experiment with my woodworking hobby, I have done a lot of 'looking' at the underside of a project. You see, I have learned there are particular joints that work well to hold the box together, or that a screw can bind something together in such a way so as to be hidden from view. It is oftentimes what is concealed from our immediate view that betrays either the strength or weakness of an object. What is in a man's heart determines either the strength or weakness of that man - not his statement of faith - but the living of that faith. The one who enters into relationship with (united with) Christ bears the marks of forgiveness. There are clear signs of having the grace of God applied in their life - signs we don't see by merely looking at what is portrayed on the surface. Grace leaves tell-tale signs that a master 'craftsman' has been at work! You won't see where bonds have been created on the outside, but look beneath the surface and you might just begin to see how God's craftmanship shines over and over again! Just sayin!

I did it again!

Failures, repeated failures, are finger posts on the road to achievement. One fails forward toward success. (C.S. Lewis)

If you have ever tried to read trail signs on some forest trail, or around some preserve land, you may have noticed that it is kind of like an art you must master. Certain symbols mean that the path will go straight, increase your climb, maneuver through harder territory, or even turn you toward a new destination. Those markers are there for a reason - to help you find your way. Have you ever been off-course so badly you totally missed a few of those signs? I have! In fact, I have blazed new trails where no one seems to have gone before! I don't just mean the paths in the forest, my friends, because I have blazed paths into relationship faux-pas where none have gone, cut trail through 'new idea' territory that didn't end so well, and stumbled through some character choice pathways that some would never even consider traversing! What did I learn from these 'not so well-traveled paths'? As Lewis indicated, these failure paths became 'milestones' on the road to actually finding the right course to take!

For all my wanting, I don’t have anyone but You in heaven. There is nothing on earth that I desire other than You. I admit how broken I am in body and spirit, but God is my strength, and He will be mine forever. Psalm 73:25-26 VOICE

I am prone to repeated failure - it is something I do well! I am not sure why I find myself blazing new paths, or worse yet, traversing old ones that only ended up in me pursuing wrong choices. I guess it is because I am human and I am definitely not perfect yet. I open my mouth and out comes words best left unspoken. I act upon impulse and the reverberations of that impulse create relationship aftershocks I have to maneuver through time and time again. Am I much different than the rest of us? Probably not! We don't realize how much the other person right next to us is struggling to get through repeated failures until we stop long enough to recognize the 'pathway signs' that eventually become evident in their lives.

The other day I shared with my BFF my continued concern with managing my emotions when I have to continuously remind mom that she needs to do the simplest of tasks, or answer the same question for the twentieth time in a day. At 101, mom doesn't remember a long series of tasks, so the fewer I give her at one time, the more successful she will be in doing them. That works most of the time, but with age comes this thing called 'short-term memory failure'. Plain and simple - she can ask the same question twenty times over, never even realizing she has already asked it. At times, I can let a little of my frustration come through because it is the twentieth time I have told her what day it is, what we are having for dinner, or that we are the only two people in the house. Mom hears that frustration and thinks I am mad at her. Yup, there I go down the relationship faux-pas path!

If you think it is easy caring for an elderly parent, think again. There can be constant frustrations on both sides of the fence. Hers perhaps because she can no longer do the things she once did and mine because she puts herself in danger every time she tries to do one of those things. If you think it is easy caring for a toddler, husband, wife, or even a good friend in all the 'right ways' that we are supposed to 'take care' of them, it isn't. We all face times when we are going to go down the wrong path in these relationships - what we do in those moments makes all the difference. I have had to learn to step back, allow mom time, not demand so much from her, being willing to step in and do what she cannot. The one who cares for the toddler has to learn to model good behavior, love them when they are acting like spoiled little kiddos, and gently give them guidance to grow in all the right ways.

The thing I have found is that as important as the path is that we are choosing to travel, it is more important that we keep the right traveling companion on that path with us. When our psalmist reminds us that God is his strength, he isn't just spouting 'religious' words. Broken in body and spirit, but God is his strength forever. We learn from the repeated failures - never alone in the journey. Just sayin!

Whew! Glad that is off my mind!

I am not proud of those things I did 'before Christ', but there are things that taught me life lessons. There are things 'after Christ' in my life that have still been struggles and those things have taught me even bigger lessons. Lessons come in the oddest ways sometimes. I remember one lesson that came while holding a pen. Have you ever looked down, found you are using a really nice pen, then wondered, "Where did I pick this up?" Then, as quickly as you realize you have walked off with someone's pen, there is a twinge of guilt about having absconded with something which clearly does not belong to you! Or perhaps you have been in the grocery line, received a bundle of change from your purchase, then on the way to the car, you count it to make sure it is all there. To your surprise, there is an extra ten dollars in the mix! Some would face each situation with a triumphant, "SCORE!!!" Others would likely take a few moments to consider if anyone will really notice the missing pen, or argue the store has overcharged you at some point in history. Yet, the pen is not truly ours, and the extra money in our hand is making someone short in their till. In fact, the dilemma of "conscience" we go through is because we know it is not right to steal.

“You must not steal." (Exodus 20:15)

In a very "technical" sense, stealing is taking anything without someone's permission, or the right to take what it is we are taking. I never took the car keys in order to take the car on a joy ride when mom and dad weren't home, but I did my share of grabbing a few bucks from the cookie jar when I didn't think mom would notice! Even more telling about us is the ability to take something without even acknowledging an awareness of the issue in taking the item we are taking that clearly does not belong to us. I think God knows we may end up with a pen in our pocket on occasion, quite by accident, but I don't think he is very pleased when we justify why we are pocketing the extra ten dollars from someone's till! Nor was he pleased with the dips into the cookie jar! Look at our simple command: You must not steal. The one being addressed is "you" - that includes all of us. The imperative in this sentence are the words "must not". It does not say try your best not to, or if the circumstances are right, then don't. It is quite plain - we "MUST NOT" steal. We must not take what is not ours, or engage in any action that seeks to cover up using something without someone's permission.

What kinds of things do we "steal" on a daily basis? How about time? What we do with our time in secret is as important as what we do when we are being observed. How about credit? God tells us a laborer is worth his hire - in other words, if he is due credit for a job well-done, we ought to point it out. There are tons of things we probably "steal" everyday without really knowing we are doing it - especially when we consider it is taking/using anything without someone's permission, or the outright taking of what is not ours (even if by accident). God takes this whole idea of stealing so seriously. He made additional "rules" around stealing such as, "Take a man's ox and repay him five in return" (Exodus 22:1); "Take a man's sheep and repay him four in return" (Exodus 22:1); "A thief is to make full restitution - if not able, his life was to be sold in order to accomplish it" (Exodus 22:3). This principle of restitution is found throughout scripture. Clearly God wants us to 'own our mistake' and make a clear break from it!

So, if God takes it this seriously, shouldn't we? If we become aware of our sin, God's plan is for us to make restitution - to restore it. So, at the point I realize I am in possession of my friend's favorite writing instrument - it is time for me to let them know I will return it when we meet next, if not sooner. If I get the extra change in my grocery "bounty" - I may have to make a trip back to the cashier with the money in hand. God may ask you to point out where credit is due instead of hogging it all for yourself. He may ask you to do little extras around at time in order to "give back" what you have been taking away in non-productive time. Whatever it is, do it! The reward of a clear conscience is much better than anything else we could imagine! Just sayin!

Hey, can you take a look at me?

A farmer or rancher relies on his barn because it serves a variety of purposes. If he raises livestock, it can house the feed and provide shelter for an occasional animal from his herd. If he is a farmer, he may store his much needed farm implements within it and give shelter to his tractors. It could be it is a 'catch-all' for all the various tools of his trade, but without it those tools would be subject to the weather and loss. We may not fully realize or value the true value of the barn until it is in need of repair!

My sad life's dilapidated, a falling-down barn; build me up again by your Word. (Psalm 119:28)

Reduced to ruin or decay, that old barn is not going to be of much use to the farmer. It could have occurred due to neglect - the owners simply not making any investment into keeping it up. It may be a result of simple age because we all know nothing lasts forever. Or maybe it is just occurs because of a lack of resources - the owners unable to keep it up because their source of income dried up due to a turn of events. Regardless, the building could just stand in total ruin - beyond repair. The most desirable thing for the owner to do is to tear it down. As the dilapidated building stands in that state of ruin or disrepair, it becomes a fire hazard, an entrapment potential, and an eye-sore.

Have you observed the condition of your "barns" lately? I am not speaking of a literal "barn" here - but the condition of your mind, emotions, and spirit. You see, our minds are like big "barns" - housing all kinds of "stuff" we "put away" for future use. Without the proper "maintenance", these "barns" fall into disrepair. Our emotions are like the house that once provided shelter to the many inhabitants - they can be warm and welcoming, or turn cold and scary when left without attentive care. The spirit is where we make connection with God - like the barns of old, it becomes a storehouse of great comfort when times are lean.

The "barns" of our life don't "fall into" disrepair overnight. They are "worn down" by what the "elements of life" throw at them. They stand in need of repair because the investment of time and energy is no longer made to "keep them up". They no longer seem to serve us well - simply because we have neglected them so long! The only hope for "repair" is outside of our control - so we need to go to God with the request: "Build me up again!" There is a state of mind, a condition of our soul, and a desperation in our spirit that makes God the only hope for our "repair". In Christian circles, we call this being "restored" - being brought back to useful / productive condition. Our only hope for restoration is if God does the work. How does God choose to do this work of restoration? It is through the skillful application of his Word. The Word is the source of all we need to go from a place of dilapidation in mind, emotions, or spirit, into a place of restored usefulness.

We often don't know the condition of our "barns" because we don't stand back long enough to see them through the eyes of another. This is why God gives us accountability partners in life - people who help us see the true condition of our "barns". We are too close to our "barns" every day. Those that pass by or through our lives, observing it from "outside", have the "bird's eye view" of the place. They see the missing shingles, the blown off roofing tin, the leaning beams, and the cracked seams in the mortar. Maybe it is time for a full "inspection" of our barns! In order to recognize the need for repair, we often need the insight of another set of eyes! Just sayin!

A well-worn path

We all probably have heard some variation of the 'confession is good for the soul' terminology. The fact of the matter is that it is one of the most powerful 'actions' we take on behalf of our soul that actually begins to touch the souls of those around us. Being able to own up to your mistakes is hard, but there comes a time when the soul is changed by one simple confession. There is nothing that binds two people together in a more committed manner than being able to confess one's mistakes to the other. Too many times, we hold out for the other to come to the place of admitting they were wrong before we will take even one step in that direction. When we choose to do this, we alienate ourselves from that which will bring health to our own lives. It is in confession that we find healing. The first place of healing is at the foot of the cross - in confession we find deliverance. The next place we may need to make confession is at the feet of a friend - for in confession, we find wholeness in the relationship is restored.

"This is how I want you to conduct yourself in these matters. If you enter your place of worship and, about to make an offering, you suddenly remember a grudge a friend has against you, abandon your offering, leave immediately, go to this friend and make things right. Then and only then, come back and work things out with God. Or say you're out on the street and an old enemy accosts you. Don't lose a minute. Make the first move; make things right with him. After all, if you leave the first move to him, knowing his track record, you're likely to end up in court, maybe even jail. If that happens, you won't get out without a stiff fine." (Matthew 5:23-26)

Jesus is talking about making the "first" move. Whenever you have knowledge that you have offended, or that the other feels that you have offended them, it is your responsibility to make the first move toward reconciliation. Sometimes we think that we did nothing wrong and in actuality, when the facts are examined, we probably didn't have much to do with the thing that now drives a wedge between us! But...the other person interpreted something you said or did as offensive to them. It was a very difficult thing for me to actually learn that I was responsible for the way others perceive me. I wanted to believe how they saw me was their problem - not mine. After all, if it was their problem, then I didn't need to do anything to 'fix' the problem!

It is in my actions, words, or lack of these, that you form an impression of me. You "perceive" me as kind, caring, and a joy to be around, OR you see me as meddlesome, overbearing, and a pain to be associated with at all. The way I "come across" is my doing - it is my responsibility! Sometimes, we don't do such a good job at putting our best effort into being our best in relationship. Whenever this happens riffs are apt to occur. Jesus gave us the picture of being at the altar, ready to offer a sacrifice of worship, and realizing that a "riff" had occurred. His instruction: Leave the sacrifice (abandon what you are doing) and beat a path to the doorway of the one you have offended - the sacrifice matters little if there is discontent and misunderstanding in relationship.

Now, for some of us, this "pathway" to the door of the one we have offended may be a little better worn! I have been in relationships where I find that the two of us are just like course sandpaper to each other - constantly rubbing each other wrong. Those "paths" are a little deeper worn than in some of my other relationships. In fact, I "know the way" without even looking - simply because I have made my way to them often enough that the way is familiar to me. At first, it was very awkward and uncomfortable. Now, it is a little easier, but no less important! If we are always waiting for the other to make the first move, we may wait a long, long time. In that passage of time, the mind and heart has a chance to "formulate" all kinds of imagined reasons for why the relationship will never work again. It is that very passage of time that Jesus was focusing on us avoiding. He even says that worship is not more important than making things right when an offense exists. It matters that much to him to see us living well with each other!

We are not "overlooking" an offense and just letting someone get by with something. Instead, we are coming together to "settle the differences" - making a clean slate of things. Sometimes, it means we both confess we were wrong - at other times, it may only be one of us that comes to the place of confession. It does not have to be both of us realizing the error in our ways to bring reconciliation - it only takes one of us making the move! In time, God will do the rest. In the times of open dialogue within relationship, confession plays an important part in the destruction of "dividing walls" that serve to drive us far apart. That 'well-worn' path is not a bad thing, but remember - as important as the pathway is, avoiding the need to use it at all is something we should learn over time! Just sayin!

More than a new paint job

What does authenticity look like to you? When I see a classic  or historical era automobile restored to all the beauty it once had, parts gleaming and engine purring away without a sputter, I know someone has been hard at work. The work of restoration has cost them hours of endless polishing and patient fine tuning, but those parts that needed a little more restorative work, such as the finely sewn hand-tufted seats catch my attention the most. That level of intricate detail - the investment of such time and effort - this is what moves my heart as I behold the beauty of the whole. I wonder if God takes such a view of us? Looking at all those areas where he has invested such time and effort into creating every intricate detail and restoring it ever so carefully to the way we were designed.

Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart...
(Jeremiah 1:5)

God wants us to be authentic. There is nothing more disappointing than to see someone trying to be something they are not. Try as they might, when what they are trying to be is not authentic, it just is not very convincing. They are trying too hard and what is coming across is just not all that 'real'. The 'work' might be good, but is it authentic? We are uniquely made - fashioned for a specific purpose. We have unique talents - mine do not match yours and vice versa. Even identical twins have a unique make-up of personality, temperament, and talents. So, why is it that we are often struggling to be something that we are not? It is really quite simple - we have never accepted our unique make-up and we are resisting the 'restorative' touch of the one who knows how we were made in the first place!

The uniqueness of each human is not to be mocked, envied, or feared. Yet many of us are not happy with our uniqueness - not very comfortable in our own skin at all. Not accepting the unique way we are made is really a complaint against God! We are saying we know better than God - that he did not create us as we should have been created. The more we find fault with the 'original', the less we will want the restorative power of God to work in our lives - because we aren't going to be content with ourselves no matter what God does! If we are to understand the unique call (purpose) upon our lives, we need to understand the make-up of our souls (our mind, will and emotions). We often find answers where we least expect to find them - when we examine the right stuff! It is when we stop focusing on what we see as "wrong" in our lives and begin to focus on what God sees as "possible" through our lives, we begin to get a revelation into the purpose of our make-up.

I am not a salesperson - I really don't like to have to 'sell' something to someone who may or may not really want it. I am good at some things that others aren't and I appreciate they are good at things I am not all that interested or good at, such as selling stuff.  When I explore how my mind works - analytical, organized, deliberate - I begin to see the possibilities God has created within my life and the ways he wishes to use me in this world. When I explore how my will is directed - focused, determined, and structured - I see even more possibilities. Add to those the way my emotions are formed - reasonable, not reactionary, balanced - I begin to get a picture of what my make-up really is.  I also begin to see just how much restorative work God may have to do in some of those areas of my make-up that got a little damaged by the wear and tear of time and choices!

I begin to see that I can function well in a couple of different areas - a good leader (balanced, fair, organized); a structured teacher (analytical, organized, focused); a reliable friend (true, loving, committed). The list could go on, but I think you might get the picture by now. I did not have to go to a lot of classes or spend months in counseling to figure this out. I simply asked God to show me my make-up and where he needs to focus his attention in order to make all that 'make-up' he created original needs in order to be fully restored to the brilliance he sees. Ask him to reveal how your mind functions - what is it that you seem to get the very first time someone explains it; what comes naturally for you when you first see it. Rely upon him to show you what it is that you have a will to do, to be involved in. But...don't forget to ask him what emotions are both your strength and your weakness. Learning what we are strong in is important - but also learning what we have a weakness toward can keep us from many a wrong pursuit! Authentic people please God! Learn what it is that makes you authentic and step out in the freedom of being who you really are! Just sayin!

Can you re-purpose this?

Construction projects come in all forms. What is built is really determined by a few things such as how much someone is willing to invest, the place where the constructed item will rest, and what the purpose of the construction holds. We might not all see the constructed thing the same way, as some may look at an old barn and see a venue for weddings, or an old grain silo and see a new home for their family. The thing constructed can be 're-purposed' if it has the right attention and the right hands doing the work! All of us are capable of having 'constructed' many things in this lifetime, but none of what we construct measures up to what God can 're-construct' from our lives when they are firmly placed in his hands.

What the wicked construct finally falls into ruin, while the roots of the righteous give life, and more life. (Proverbs 12:12 MSG)

As I have pointed out before, that which is constructed sometimes needs to be deconstructed before it can be reconstructed. The demolition process can go very, very fast compared to the reconstruction process, though. The effort to remove all the things that no longer belong can oftentimes turn up things that we never knew were there. I have watched a couple of series with people doing home remodeling or the demolition of older buildings. The most amazing discoveries can be found buried deep within walls, or under floor-boards hidden away by years and years of 'recovering' the surface time and time again. Sometimes what we have sought to 'cover over' for so long can be the one thing that lends the greatest beauty to the entire 'reconstructed' life!

It is awesome to see old, once hidden hardwood flooring, weathered and worn by the years and years of misuse and 'cover-up' to finally be uncovered and restored. The weathered and worn look only lends character to the dwelling - allowing the true character to show through lends warmth that invites others into the dwelling - it doesn't drive them away. What we sometimes think will repel others can become a thing of great beauty that actually invites others to 'uncover' what has been hidden in their lives, as well. The hidden only masks the true beauty - we might not think it possible for beauty to emerge from what is cleverly masked over, but with the right attention that which has been hidden away can become a glowing reminder of how much God's tender care can restore a damaged life to the most beautiful showcase of his grace.

What matters most when the deconstructing work is occurring is our trust in what God sees as the finished project. He knows what he is doing by uncovering all those hidden places and taking out what no longer belongs in our lives. He knows where the 'root' of our lives will reveal beauty instead of masked flaws. The moment we trust him with the 'reconstruction' of our lives it might become a little uncomfortable to see all those flaws brought out 'front and center' in our lives, but when we see how his tender care begins to do more than 'mask' those flaws, we begin to see that he has done much to 're-purpose' what we thought would serve no further purpose in our lives ever again. Just sayin!

A few missed steps...

James C. Maxwell is quoted as saying: "God uses people who fail - cause there aren't any other kind around." Good to know I am not in this thing alone! When did we start to look at failure as a bad thing, or better yet, when did we start to look at it as defining who or what someone actually is? Simon Peter, one of the twelve disciples Jesus came to call one of his closest companions while on this earth might have just thought of himself as a "failure" on occasion. Why? He did and said dumb stuff! He got himself in messes which Jesus had to bail him out of at times, and at others, he just couldn't "get it right" no matter how hard he thought about it. He slept when he should have been awake, had a hard time grasping what Jesus said at times, acted impulsively, wasn't always "kind" toward others, and even doubts his actions on occasion. Sounds a little like the words of a country song!

Simon’s fishing partners, James and John (two of Zebedee’s sons), along with the rest of the fishermen, see this incredible haul of fish. They’re all stunned, especially Simon. He comes close to Jesus and kneels in front of His knees. Simon: I can’t take this, Lord. I’m a sinful man. You shouldn’t be around the likes of me.  Jesus: Don’t be afraid, Simon. From now on, I’ll ask you to bring Me people instead of fish. (Luke 5:8-10 VOICE)

If "failure" becomes the term by which we describe a person, not an action, we have crossed the line.  Failure might be the result of a misstep, but at least you took the step.  Failure could be the feeling we associate with losing something, but we engaged in something and took the risk.  It is pretty hard to walk with Jesus if we never take the first step.  It is equally as hard to remain steadfastly in love with Jesus if we never take the time to get to know with him.  We might mess up this thing we call our "daily lives" on occasion, but those mess ups don't define us any differently in his eyes.  God doesn't give us the label "failure" - we do that to ourselves!

Simon Peter's words are so often what we may think ourselves, or even say right out loud:  "You shouldn't be around the likes of me, Jesus."  You might be right on that one, but as Jesus put it himself:  "People who have their health don't need to see a doctor.  Only those who are sick do. I'm not here to call those already in good standing with God; I'm here to call sinners back to him." (Mark 2:17 VOICE) When we sin (fail), we need a loving God reaching out to bring us back into good standing with God.  Notice I said "when we sin or fail" - it is a "given" we will take an occasional misstep (even a bunch of them one right after the other at times).  Jesus knows the condition of our heart, the weakness of our emotions, and the direction of our will.  He isn't labeling us "failure" just because we struggle with those three things!  He makes a way for us to continue in our "good standing with God" because of those things!

I want to challenge us a little here.  I am going to ask us to change how we use the term "fail" or "failure" in our everyday vernacular.  In fact, I am going to ask us to also begin to change the "actions" we associate with failing.  Instead of seeing them as "final" or as the thing which "determines" who or what we are, let's begin to see them as he does - missed steps, but steps nonetheless!  If you have ever tripped up the stairs, or slid down a couple because your footing was slightly "off" in its landing, you know what it is like to take a "missed step".  Truth be told, it was our inattention, or even the fact we were "hurried" in our steps which led to our stumble. We might want to blame the steps for our fall, but they weren't really to blame.  Those steps didn't change since the last time we took them, and they will be the same the next time we take them, as well!

Failed steps are steps nonetheless - they don't define who we are as a person.  They may not lead to the destination we hoped they would - like when you find yourself having to go all the way to the bottom of a stairwell full of steps when you step into it because the door locks behind you when you enter it.  They may not make passage easy because of what we take with us along that passage - like when you have to go up several flights with arms full in order to reach your next destination.  Sometimes we don't think things through. Sometimes we try to do things under our own power.  Either way, we don't allow those steps to define who or what we are. We realize the value of those steps, even if the value isn't apparent at first glance!  If we go through a locked door and find ourselves "trapped" in the cycle of "steps" we are taking, we aren't locked there forever - there is an exit!  If we try to navigate life with burdens too heavy for us to carry, we aren't working "wisely", but that doesn't define us as a fool!

Don't allow missed steps to define you.  Use them to draw you into a new path with a greater focus.  We don't need to embrace the failure as our destination - we should allow the missed steps to become the pathway to our next destination! Just sayin!