Traffic Jam - Exit Here

Attention, all! See the marvels of God! He plants flowers and trees all over the earth, Bans war from pole to pole, breaks all the weapons across his knee. “Step out of the traffic! Take a long, loving look at me, your High God, above politics, above everything.” (Psalm 46:10)

I know life gets hairy from time to time and the busy-ness of life just seems to consume us like a black hole, but when we take time to step out of the traffic for even a short while we could just be amazed at how much smoother the journey is when we have to step back into it! There is much to be said about taking time to rest and relax, but much more to be found in taking specific time in those times that is set aside specifically to spend a little time just meditating upon Jesus. There is more refreshing to be found in those times than any other - even when he may pinpoint a particular 'rough area' of your life that requires a little attention. 

Whenever we step out of the traffic long enough to just 'listen' and 'learn' we aren't going to 'get behind' in all the other stuff that has kept us so busy. I didn't believe this at first, but when I began to take time for Jesus as a priority in my life something amazing happened. I actually got MORE done than I imagined, sometimes leaving something 'undone' that I imagined was a priority for me, but really wasn't all that important in the long run. In the moments I spent with him, he helped give me clarity, showing me the things that really rose to the top of the list for the day. If we were each honest here, we probably had way too much on our 'list' anyway!

I like how God tells us to put politics aside when we 'step out of the traffic' - almost implying that our 'agendas' get us bogged down. Politics is really anything that we have a strong opinion or allegiance toward that is kind of directing our actions at that moment. When we say someone is 'politicking', we are acknowledging they have an agenda - putting themselves forward, promoting their ideas and agenda. If we go through life always caught up in our own 'politics' or the 'politicking' of another, we are always going to be caught up in the fray of the agenda put forward. When we step out of that traffic for a while, we can see clearly that some of our 'agenda items' are not always the right ones for us to be pursuing.

Take a long look at God - what does this entail? It is probably more than staring into the vast expanse of the sky and 'pondering' his greatness, although it may include times of enjoying the things he has created around us in nature. It is likely we may take a long look at him when we ponder the scriptures over and over again, beginning to see how each time we consider a particular passage we find something 'fresh' to our spirits from within it. It is also possible we take a look at him when we draw near to him in praise, worship, and surrender of our hearts. Taking a look is done with more than our eyes, my friends -  it is done with our entire being. Just sayin!

Let it unfold, God

At times I expect God to do things a certain way just because I know he did them that way before. I forget that he is the God of Creation - meaning he is not 'locked into' one way of doing things. He doesn't have to do things he same way each time, but the principles of how he moves are generally pretty consistent. Do you ever expect God to "appear" or "move" one way (the way you imagine in your mind)? Do you expect him to "perform" in a certain manner (the plans you have so carefully calculated or devised that you want him to follow)? When he doesn't "appear" or "perform" as we imagined, how do we handle it? For some of us, we get mad at God for a while, or a little bit confused by his actions - because he did not "fit" our "mold" of how we thought he should act. The Pharisees probably had this same kind of "mental argument" with Jesus as he walked this earth - simply because he didn't "fit the mold" of how they envisioned the arrival of their Messiah - he didn't "fit" the mold of the religion of the day! They missed out on so much of what Jesus wanted to do in and through them simply because they refused to believe Jesus could "operate" outside of their mind's conceived "box" - their image of who Jesus would be and how he would move among them.

A lot of people followed him, and he healed them all. He also cautioned them to keep it quiet, following guidelines set down by Isaiah: Look well at my handpicked servant; I love him so much, take such delight in him. I've placed my Spirit on him; he'll decree justice to the nations. But he won't yell, won't raise his voice; there'll be no commotion in the streets. He won't walk over anyone's feelings, won't push you into a corner. Before you know it, his justice will triumph; the mere sound of his name will signal hope, even among far-off unbelievers. (Matthew 12:15-21)

There was quite a group of followers - some more curious than dedicated to his service - but all following with some form of hope they might receive his touch. He never asked them to get "rowdy" or have a revolution against the leaders of the time. Instead, he went about his work, healing those who came to him, teaching those with open hearts, and spreading hope to the hopeless. Why did Jesus caution the crowds to keep quiet? He knew the cross would come, but he knew the time was NOT NOW. He had much to do before that day - and each thing he did something 'miraculous', it fulfilled scripture's recorded prophesies of him. He was led by the Spirit of God. Even Jesus took his lead from the Holy Spirit as he walked this earth! Is it any wonder God asks (and even expects) the same of us? Certainly not! There is not only guidance in taking our lead from the Holy Spirit, but their is protection and great wisdom! If Jesus was directed by the Spirit of God, we can assuredly see the need for this same direction in our lives - because we don't know it all, we aren't always spot on with our timing, and we aren't always sure of where we are headed!

He was not boisterous or loud in his action. Jesus did more in the quietness of a single touch than any man could ever hope to accomplish in the many activities of their own efforts! He doesn't need to yell to get noticed - he is all around us, as he was all around them - we simply need to look hard enough to see him - to notice he is there! He respected the feelings of others. Jesus never needed to back a soul into the corner in order to touch that individual's life! There are times we may feel a little "backed into the corner" - but it usually our own doing which gets us into that corner! Jesus simply waits for us to discover the limits of our own attempts at "saving ourselves", respectfully waiting for our surrender, admitting that the "corner" has us pretty doggone confined. He knew the power and hope in his name. He was never afraid to have his name spoken. Have you ever overheard someone speaking your name in a conversation and wondered just what it was they were saying about you? In a moment, you may run several scenarios through your head - considering if you said, did, or overlooked something for which you were now the topic of discussion. We could call this "paranoia"! Jesus never worried about his name being spoken - simply because it was backed up with his power and his hope (something we would come to discover meant grace).

The various ways we "imagine" God will move or act may not always align with the image we actually should have of him! He is a quiet God - yet his name carries such "weight" (power) - he doesn't need to shout to get our attention. He is a caring God - yet his "delay" in some timing within our lives may give us the fear he is not aware of our need. He is a compassionate God - respecting us enough to give us time to yield to his touch even when we may not have any inclination to do so at first. Maybe today is your day to meet God in the stillness of this very moment! He won't yell to be noticed. In fact...we may just have to get a little quieter to actually hear him speak and observe him move. When we are quiet enough and cease from other activities that actually keep us from noticing how he is moving, we might just be amazed to discover what it is he has been unfolding all around us. Just sayin!

STOP, just STOP

Ever take time to consider some of the 'four-letter' words you use on a daily basis? Maybe some of them aren't all that 'good' for us to be using, but there are others we may use that we haven't really taken time to consider their meaning. GIVE is a four-letter word that can mean we seek something that we desire to have in our possession to the idea of having some flexibility in a situation. STOP is a powerful four-letter word. There are 39 individual definitions of this one word in the dictionary! Did you have any idea? When we come up to one of these signs on our drive to work this morning, we will obligingly bring the vehicle to a halt, look all four directions, and then take our turn in making the next move we need to make along the way. That is the purpose of the sign! Ignore it and you could find yourself with a dent in your fender, a ticket in your wallet, and more than a little late to work!

Live creatively, friends. If someone falls into sin, forgivingly restore him, saving your critical comments for yourself. You might be needing forgiveness before the day's out. Stoop down and reach out to those who are oppressed. Share their burdens, and so complete Christ's law. If you think you are too good for that, you are badly deceived. (Galatians 6:1-3)

This is a call for us to "stop" long enough to evaluate our response to our brother's actions - the things that bring "burden" into their lives. It is a sad thing, but we rarely "stop" what we are doing, cease from what we are saying, long enough to actually look at the one who is hurting so badly. Sin is a really simple word that has become an issue because compromise is at the core of some decision that is made. We often know what it is we were SUPPOSED to do, but then do exactly the opposite of whatever that was. When we didn't 'stop' before we went too far we find ourselves standing squarely in the need of forgiveness. Not only do we need forgiveness, but we need restoration. Is it possible to do one without the other? I think we often give "lip-service" to our forgiveness without really reaching out to embrace the one who has sinned - because it means we have to 'stop' reacting and begin responding. That is what restoration does - it brings the one who has compromised too much back into a place of being "unimpaired" by the sin. Until there is restoration, forgiveness is incomplete.

Have you ever heard "There, but for the grace of God, go I" come from someone's lips? I find myself sometimes being hard on the "sinner", not just the "sin". I forget that "there, but for the grace of God, go I" and I never should forget that! I have learned that I am really just one step away from the same fall from grace - if I fail to "stop" long enough to realize my course of action, I will end up with compromise in my own life! We need to act in love. It is impossible to really forgive - to restore - without love being at the root of our actions. Forgiveness is more than a mental choice - it is backed by actions that reveal restoration has occurred. We might not realize how close we are to needing the same act of love! We are probably just a few steps away from our own compromises in life and will need the love of Christ to prevail in our lives, as well.

Forgiveness costs us something. Really, it cost Jesus everything, but it does cost us something, as well. It costs us the "right" to be judgmental - harsh on the sinner. We may feel violated by an action of another - with our immediate response being that we want to "hold it against them". When we truly realize that forgiveness has a cost associated with it, we begin to realize that judgment does, too. Judgment actually puts us in a place of bondage to holding the "grudge" long term - continually remembering the "debt" of another and allowing the "interest" on that debt to compound! We have to get out of our place of comfort in order to forgive. Stooping down, sharing the burden, is really not suggestive of "being comfortable" or at ease as it comes to the restoration process. If you have ever tried to restore an old piece of furniture, you will realize the tedious amount of work that goes into it. Stripping away the old, getting rid of all hint that the old even existed, and then replacing that with the new is a lot of work! The same is true with our sin and that of our brother.

When we want to "stop" our compromise, "go" into a place of graceful restoration, and then we need to "remain" in a place free of things that impede our progress in our journey with Christ - we need each other in this place. The next time you see a stop sign in your journey, will you just take a moment to look inward? Is there someone in your life who has been "hung up" at a point of "immobility" in their walk for a while? Perhaps God is asking you to stop what you are doing long enough to reach out to that one who so desperately needs to get moving again. Is there some place in your life where compromise has you "stopped" in your tracks? Perhaps God has brought you to a place where you are face-to-face with your sin. If so, you need the grace he gives, but you also need the "embrace" of another to help you walk out that forgiveness until it becomes "real" in your life. When you come to a place of "stop" in your life - look up! Your forward progress doesn't depend on what lays behind you, but on what is in front of you! Just sayin!

Heed that flag

There is seldom a time when "going in circles" isn't a waste of time. I think that someone like a race car driver would be the exception. He accomplishes either the winning or the losing of the race while staying on that oval track - going around and around at a calculated pace to accomplish the goal. For most of us, going in circles is another story - we find that we accomplish very little in the course of our efforts. The people of Israel had been "going in circles" in the wilderness for years. They had shed more than a few tears of grief over their choice to doubt God's provision for them. Something I have seen over the years (even in my own life) is that tears don't make someone change! You cannot equate tears with repentance. We can shed real tears without any real sense for what we need to change or how to change.

Then we turned around and went back into the wilderness following the route to the Red Sea, as God had instructed me. We worked our way in and around the hills of Seir for a long, long time. Then God said, "You've been going around in circles in these hills long enough; go north." (Deuteronomy 2:1-2)

Some of us just 'go in circles'. "Circle runners" find themselves doing the same old things over and over again, wondering why they are not getting a different response. In turn, they get frustrated and their self-will becomes even more determined to accomplish something, but it just means we find ourselves "taking another lap". It grieves God for us to stay in our self-willed 'circling the track' disobedience, but he allows us to "do the laps" until we come to a place where we recognize the futility of our having gone in circles so long! We often find ourselves complaining about the multitude of "circles" we travel - but if the truth is really known, we don't really want any other path!

"Circle runners" often don't realize what it is that keeps them doing the same things. There is a lack of awareness because there is a lack of awareness that could help the "circle runner" to "exit the track". As long as self-will and self-direction is our plan, we may shed some tears at our outcome, but we are still not "uncomfortable" enough in our present circumstances to want any change. We don't look for an exit when we are comfortable! God's promise is to be our guide - to give us clear direction. The only thing is that we have to be near enough to him to actually catch the movement he makes. A guide is useless if those being guided are not paying attention to the guide's directions. Just as the race car driver must be ever-vigilant in monitoring the conditions of the course by watching the man with the "flags" - so we must be with keeping our eyes on God. I had no idea that there were so many flags they use in a race, but the list below gives us some idea. Notice that some of these flags are what they call "conditional" flags - once a specific condition is met, the flag is raised.

Green - Race begins or resumes. Without this flag being displayed, we don't move. We are anchored to where we are - poised to begin, but never really hitting the gas.
Yellow - Racing under caution. Conditions adverse or hazardous. It isn't safe for us on the track - we might find a hazard or two we weren't counting on finding!
Red - Racing has come to a halt. All pit crew and repair work must cease. There is some reason for the 'stoppage', but the main response elicited from this flag is to just stop and pay attention.
Black - The "consultation flag". Driver must pit. Usually due to rule violation. Huh...there is even a flag for violating rules! If we were really smart, we'd look for these flags in our own "circle running".
Black with White "X" - Driver no longer scored for failing to pit under black. Ouch! This one really speaks to the self-will, doesn't it? The flag was out there to advise us it was time to hit the place of repair and safety, but we just took another lap!
White Flag - Last lap of the race. Woohoo! We have an end in sight! When this is displayed, the racers all know it is their time to make their last 'big push' for the finish line.
Checkered flag - Race is over. Winner is about to be declared.

The simple truth is that God looks for two things: 1) A waiting heart - one that is "tuned into" the exits and the warnings along the way! 2) An obedient heart - one that actually takes the exits, heeds the warnings, and is tuned into the conditions of the path ahead! If you are running in circles today, perhaps it is time to examine the "flag" that is flying in your life today! Then heed it! Just sayin!