Pulled or Pushed

If the highest aim of a captain were to preserve his ship, he would keep it in port forever. 

(Thomas Aquinas)

So roll up your sleeves, get your head in the game, be totally ready to receive the gift that’s coming when Jesus arrives. Don’t lazily slip back into those old grooves of evil, doing just what you feel like doing. You didn’t know any better then; you do now. As obedient children, let yourselves be pulled into a way of life shaped by God’s life, a life energetic and blazing with holiness. God said, “I am holy; you be holy.” (I Peter 1:15-16)

Seafaring men would tell you a storm is no time to launch out on a journey, but when a storm erupts right smack dab in the middle of the journey, you have no choice but to navigate through! The ship has left port and it there is no time to debate what to do next - the captain urges his crew onward. In just the same manner, Jesus urges us onward in spite of the storms, rough conditions, or 'unease' we may feel with the progress we are making in the midst of those conditions. We have 'set sail', now it is time to navigate as he directs.

I urge us to lay hold of what our passage urges today: "Let yourselves be PULLED into a way of life shaped by God's life..." It isn't us pushing our way into a life of obedience, as some might have imagined. It is us being PULLED into this life of obedience. Think on that one just a bit and you might realize that when we are dragging our feet it isn't because we are trudging forward - it is because we are being PULLED onward! Does the sailor want to turn into the storm, or does he desire more to turn away from it? 

He desires to be far away from the shallows so he doesn't shipwreck. We need to press into the depths of God's Word, his love, and his provision in the midst of the storm. He looks for shelter at the earliest possible point so he can weather the storm without damage to his vessel. We might want to curl up in the shelter of God's protection, but the journey needs to continue once we have weathered the present storm. Obedience isn't easy - but when we want to pull back, Jesus is right there to navigate us forward. Just sayin!

Stop and watch

God’s voice is glorious in the thunder. We can’t even imagine the greatness of his power. He directs the snow to fall on the earth and tells the rain to pour down. Then everyone stops working so they can watch his power. (Job 37:5-7)

If you have ever been in the midst of a thunderstorm, you might have just sat and listened as the drops of rain came down and the winds billowed a bit. The patter of the drops on the rooftop aren't all that threatening, but when the huge crack of thunder comes and the sky lights up with lightening, it is another thing. As a wee kid, I'd be outside playing when the winds would start, but they didn't faze me. As soon as I heard that first rumble of thunder, I bolted to the fence line and called to mom. Why? I wanted deliverance from the storm! Within a matter of minutes, mom's arms would be around me and we would be safe inside the protection of the house. The rains came, the winds blew, lightening crisscrossed the sky, and some of the louder thundering even shook the panes in the windows, but I was safe, no longer 'in the storm', but an observer of it all. 

In much the same manner, the storms of life will come, and we will call out for deliverance from the fright of it all. At first, the winds may not really faze us or change our course of action, but as the thunder begins to roll, we head for our place of safety. If that place of refuge is not in Christ, chances are we become a bit more fearful of the blustering storm than we should be. Without Christ, the storm doesn't just threaten us, it causes us to run for cover and then to fret about the outcome. As a kid, I didn't fret about the outcome of the worst of the storms because I was secure within the house and mom was there with me. As a child of God, I don't fret the worst of life's storms because I am secure in his presence and under his watchful care no matter how big the 'bluster' might become. How about you? Do you have that place of safety where you can just 'stop everything and watch his power'? 

Do you know how God controls the storm and causes the lightning to flash from his clouds? Do you understand how he moves the clouds with wonderful perfection and skill? (vs 15-16) We don't know how God moves as much as we know he is with us. We don't understand all he uses to control the storm, but we sense his movement even when we don't see any hope of it passing. He exercises such perfection and skill at navigating us through the storm, giving us peace in that place of refuge we find in him, and he allows us to simply observe his action on our behalf. We don't have to understand all that is happening around us - good, bad, or a mix of both. We just need to know who it is that is in control of the storm - God. 

We might want to attempt to control it ourselves with words that aren't all that powerful, actions that aren't all the effectual, or thoughts that don't change a thing we are experiencing. The more we try to control the storm, the worse the terror of it all becomes. To know peace in the midst of chaos, one must reach up for the security of his refuge, just like a little girl reaches for the security of her momma's arms and the strength of the walls that surround her on a stormy day. We only 'feel secure' when we 'are secure' - secure to stop and watch the glory of his majesty on display in our lives. Just sayin!

You ready?

God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble. (Psalm 46:1)

Have you ever needed to take refuge in the midst of a storm? How about in the midst of a huge battle? Growing up in Arizona, monsoon season hits each summer, bringing these huge winds, walls of dust for miles and miles, and some pretty terrifying thunder and lightning to boot. As a wee lass, I would feel the winds picking up, but I would play on because nothing could distract me from my play. Then all of a sudden, the skies would rumble and roar, and that peace I had felt was no more! I'd call out for mom, run quickly to the fence line between my friend's home and ours, standing there waiting. Waiting for what? For those 'rescuing arms' of mom's that would reach over that fence to lift me to safety. As soon as she had me safely over the fence, all was well, for I knew I was going to be 'sheltered' from the worst of the storm and safe in her care.

I wonder how many times we find ourselves in the midst of the winds, sensing that things are about to change big time, but still finding ourselves content to just remain where we are, going about whatever holds our interest so dearly, until something 'bigger' awakens us to the imminent danger approaching. In instant things change, going from okay to freaky in the blink of an eye. What only gave us mild 'concern' is now a full-fledged storm, and we are right there in the midst of it all. We can be 'undone' by the storms of life or the battles that rage around us, can't we? In those moments where we find ourselves in need of a refuge, do we call out? Do we move away from what has distracted us up to that point and move toward who it is we will find our safety within? God's arms are stronger than mom's ever were, but we might just have to reach out for them if we want to experience that refuge.

Two things we need to keep in mind. First, we have to leave whatever it is that has us distracted in the midst of the storm or battle. We must put ourselves in a state of mind that is aware of the dangers approaching. That could very well mean we have to stop, get focused, and then respond to whatever the dangers are that are fast approaching. Second, we have to put ourselves in a position to be 'helped' in the midst of the mess we are in. I moved away from the pile of cars and twigs toward the fence, but that wasn't the only move I made. I would stand there with my arms outstretched in anticipation of mom's arms coming to my rescue. We might call out, but do we always move away from the distractions and toward the one who wants to be our refuge? We might call out, get a little nearer to his help, but are we ready to find refuge - reaching out to take hold of what God has prepared for us? Just askin!

Kicking it up a little

"Don't bargain with God. Be direct. Ask for what you need. This is not a cat-and-mouse, hide-and-seek game we're in. If your little boy asks for a serving of fish, do you scare him with a live snake on his plate? If your little girl asks for an egg, do you trick her with a spider? As bad as you are, you wouldn't think of such a thing—you're at least decent to your own children. And don't you think the Father who conceived you in love will give the Holy Spirit when you ask him?"  

(Luke 11:10-13 MSG)

Storms in life are tests that prepare us for what comes behind them - sometimes the storms get pretty scary even when we know there is about to come a clearing that will bring us some relief.  Without the storm, we'd never be prepared for the growth that comes as a result of the storm.  It may seem like we have been in the storm a while - what we need is for God to intervene and get us to the end of our storm a little quicker - right?  Luke tells us that we are not to bargain with God - he doesn't need our negotiations - he needs our obedience.  The delay in the ending of the storm may be the direct result of God needing our obedience in an area of our life - an area in which we still haven't bent our knee.  In the storm, God expects that we will "be direct and ask for what we need" - God already knows our needs, but in expressing them to God, our faith grows and our will is exposed. It is the will that we often struggle with the most - needing the greatest exposure of all!

The storm (or test) in our lives demonstrates the reality of who he is and what he is working to bring forth from our lives.  In this same chapter of Luke, a man that had been mute for many years is totally healed.  It says of him that he started talking up a blue streak, taking the crowd by complete surprise.  That is how it is God when God intervenes in the storm of our lives - he takes us (and those that are looking on) by complete surprise sometimes.  God moves in ways that get the attention of those who need most to see and experience the evidence of his grace. We often don't fully understand the storm until God reveals the end of that storm.

The storm is a time of intensity in our lives - hopefully moving us out of areas of only so-so commitment and drive into places where we are challenged and focused intently on his purposes.  The storm stirs, the Spirit speaks, the believer is made strong - it is his method or mode of helping us to grow.  We experience monsoon type storms in the Arizona desert each summer season with a  tremendous build up of wind, thunder, lightening, and if we are very, very lucky, a downpour of rain that drops huge amounts of water in a short period of time.  Those strong winds kick up quite a bit of dust - sometimes manifest in rolling dust storms that seem to just come at you across the desert in slow motion. The sky becomes red with dust and the hue cast gives the scenery an odd yellow orange appearance. What is 'kicked up' in the storm can be very evident, but there are times when the winds will blow and you just don't see what is getting 'kicked up' in your life.

The purpose of the wind is to expose and spread the seeds.  The springtime produced quick growth in the desert that has gone to seed in the hot summer sun.  Those seeds lay covered by layers of shed leaves, dropped petals, and shifting dirt.  The winds of the monsoon sweep across the desert, exposing what lays just hidden beneath the surface - things previously unseen get 'kicked up'.  In turn, the winds pick up what has been exposed and scatter those seeds into parts of the earth where growth may occur when the conditions are right.  Nothing may happen to that seed for quite sometime, but when the rains finally come, the seed is given that which it needs to begin the germination process - water.  As the rains move on and the hot Arizona sun comes out again, the seed is now free to take root, send up its growth and reveal evidence of its true character - even that which is concealed in the seed is now exposed.

That is how it is with us in the midst of life's storms - we have the character of Christ within us in seed-form, just waiting to take root in areas of barrenness in our lives.  The storms expose the seed, carrying it into those areas where we need to experience the growth of God's grace, and then provide for that seed to take root and grow.  Next time you are in a storm, ask God what seed he is trying to plant in an area of barrenness in your life.  Ask him what "soil" of your heart he is trying to expose so it can be yielded to his touch.  Let God kick things up a little in order bring the germination of his new life within that area. Just sayin!

Who's at the helm?

Show me your faithful love this morning. I trust in you. Show me what I should do.  I put my life in your hands! Show me what you want me to do. You are my God. Let your good Spirit lead me over level ground. (Psalm 143:8,10 ERV)

Edward Gibbons reminds us, "The winds and the waves are always on the side of the ablest navigators." Sometimes I find myself navigating on the worst side of the winds and waves, how about you? It is like all I can do is barely keep the boat of my life from capsizing and the wind and waves seem to be working against me at every turn. In those moments, all our efforts are placed in just making it through the storm. The ability to navigate the storms of life aren't so much found in our own strength or "navigation skills". The ability we need to navigate the wind and waves is that which comes from the Spirit of God helping us to read those winds, observe the movement of the waves coming against us, and then to successfully point the nose of our "life boat" at the right "attitude" so we don't capsize. The attitude of the nose too high and we could end up in pieces; too low and we will take on way too much water; turned sideways and we will likely end up in the drink. The "attitude" makes all the difference.

Our psalmist reveals a couple things about his "attitude" we might do well to keep in mind when the winds and wave come our way:

Expectancy - there is an attitude of actively awaiting what is needed to endure and overcome these winds and waves. It isn't passive waiting, but active looking ahead. Too many times we don't look beyond the present wave - we just get so focused on the one right in front of us. The psalmist reminds us of the importance of keeping our gaze fixed on what is in our immediate focus, but what also is about to come as a result of the movement or position we assume throughout each rise and fall of the waves.

Trust - here is the crux of learning to be wise navigators in the storms of life. We must learn where it is we will place our trust. It isn't in the strength of the boat, but in the wisdom of the one who we allow to navigate it through the storm. I recently rented a motorboat to do some fishing. I was so busy trying to navigate the boat, I barely got to enjoy the fishing! The one navigating the vessel is ensuring the safety of all that is within the vessel. To trust the navigation of our life's "boat" to anyone other than Christ is dangerous.

Faith - he knows the destination is level ground. In maintaining the right attitude as it applies to the wind and waves, the psalmist reminds us we can look forward to the level grounds. They may not be in our immediate line of sight, but when we are expectant and trusting in the right navigator, they are assured! Just sayin!

Cloudy with a chance of sunshine

Let all that I am praise the Lord; with my whole heart, I will praise his holy name. Let all that I am praise the Lord; may I never forget the good things he does for me.  (Psalm 103:1-2 NLT)

Has anyone else realized how tremendously easy it is to forget some of the good stuff God does for us just because there is a load of pretty ugly stuff happening right now? It is easy for us to forget their is a blue lining just behind those storm clouds because all we can really see is the cloud cover. I once heard it said that clouds can come to bring rain, give a break from the sun's intense rays, or just to add a little different hue to the sunset or sunrise in your life. If clouds can change the perspective we have so much, I wonder if we should learn to appreciate them a little more.

As a child I remember laying in the grass, gazing lazily up at the clouds passing overhead, and making believe we could make out various shapes of animals, cars, trucks, and the like. Most kids do this at some point or another - but we somehow lose the enjoyment of such "luxuries" as adults. We forget what it is like to just sit and ponder - to imagine and create from what is before us. It may be our busy schedules, over-complicated lives, or the constant pursuit of social media feeds, but we have lost the moments of just pondering.

It was Christmas day and I was gazing out the window toward the horizon. In rather short order, clouds were building over the mountain tops and they were pretty serious clouds. They carried rain, snow, or something big. They never made their way over my home, but they did carry a whole lot of that white stuff up in the northern country. What dawned on me is how often we consider the clouds in life and either anticipate what they might bring or hope for them to go away because we only want the clear blue skies.

To anticipate what might come is okay, but to focus entirely on the hope of what might come "from" the clouds may not always be the most sensible. Most of the clouds I observe in life just block the sun or keep me from seeing the blue sky a while - they don't carry much rain. Yet, even these clouds have a purpose - although not for rain, they provide a beauty all their own. If we always had blue skies, would we ever appreciate beauty of the painted sky filled with all manner of clouds? If we always saw clouds as having just one purpose, would we stop to consider how much contribute to the changing in the color of the leaves, or the perception of the sun's intensity?

We may not have asked for the present clouds in our lives, but when we gaze into them, considering their path and their purpose, we might just not dread them so much. We might actually begin to allow something of beauty to be created from their passing - for all clouds pass. Just sayin!

Passing Through

Robert Frost once said, "The best way out is always the way through." Most of the time, the way "through" is not always the most comfortable, but it is the most rewarding!  We could all probably fill a book or two with all the things we have been "through", but those which might just rise to the top for me are those which left the most permanent mark on my life.  There are good things, like the birth of my two children - each uniquely lasting memories in my mind which brought such joy.  The purchase of my first home - a fixer-upper to say the least, but mine nonetheless - a place we could call our own.  The day I watched each of my children receive their diplomas from high school - marking a right of passage for each of them and a time of transition for me as my nest would soon be empty and quiet.  The morning my dad passed - with all the corresponding rehearsal of memories we had made through our years together, knowing no more memories would be ever be made. The day my marriage was ended - complete with the lingering darkness and void it left in my soul. We get nowhere in just standing still - we only get out as we go through! Sometimes we don't want "out" because the thing we are going "through" is rather enjoyable, but at others, we cannot find the "other side" quick enough!

When you face stormy seas I will be there with you with endurance and calm; you will not be engulfed in raging rivers. If it seems like you’re walking through fire with flames licking at your limbs, keep going; you won’t be burned.  (Isaiah 43:2 VOICE)

There is much "meat" in this passage for the hungry soul - the soul yearning for "passage" from where they are now to where they really desire to be.  Notice God doesn't tell us "if" we face stormy seas - it is "when" we face them.  To me, this speaks of the inevitability of the storms - they cannot be permanently avoided. We will go through them - so we need to know how to make it through those dark places and to not linger too long in those places where we are only meant to "pass through".

God comes into the midst of our storm, but he never arrives empty-handed.  He brings endurance and calm - two things we cannot muster on our own.  We might think we could endure, but when the waves start tossing us a little more aggressively than we might like, we want a life vest, don't we?  One would think God would bring calm, but why endurance?  If he is the all-powerful one, why doesn't he just calm everything down, set everything in order, and let us get on with life?  I think it is a little obvious - we don't get much of anything out of the storm that way!  Deliverance might be a good plan in our eyes, but endurance is God's!  He knows the storm has lessons within it, so he gives us endurance in order to make it "through".

Next, we need to see that no matter how "engulfing" the storm, we won't be overtaken by it.  Two word pictures are given here - that of the waves engulfing the one on the high seas, and one of the fire licking at our heels.  If you have ever sailed the seas, you might have looked down from the railing of the ship to see dark and expansive water.  As far as you could look, water was in your view and not a speck of land was to be seen.  The waters churned underneath you, but the depth of their expanse was totally unrealized to you.  You were "sailing over" them, safe in a large sailing vessel.  Imagine being out there in a canoe!  The moment a small swell started to toss you here and there, you might begin to consider the expanse and the depth of the waters a little more carefully!  We sometimes don't know the "engulfing" power of the seas we set sail on until we realize how small we are in comparison to the effects of the sea!  

The fire licking at our heels may not seem like much, but most know the reality of fire - it is fueled by the storm!  The winds serve to increase the size of those flames, spreading red-hot embers into places previously unaffected by the fiery flames.  Worse yet, the effects of the smoke creep closer and closer until everything in the path of that smoke plume are engulfed in its darkness and smothering hold.  The fire may get close - for licking at your heels is closer than I'd like.  Yet, the fire can do no damage to one who is covered with the fire retardant only God provides!  Forest fires are fought by valiant men and women who learn an important skill - to duck and cover when the flames turn their way.  In the midst of the fire, the most effective means of escape isn't always to outrun it - sometimes we allow it to pass over us, "ducking and covering" under God's grace until the flames have passed us by.  Just sayin!

Flash Flood Warnings!

To whom do you run when you face troubles?  I remember awful summer storms in the Arizona desert, lightning flashing across the sky, black clouds rolling in around on all sides, and loud rolls of thunder shaking the very panes in the windows.  It wasn't so bad when I was nestled all secure in the safety of my home, mom close at hand.  It was terrifying when I found myself a couple doors down, caught in the sudden down pour and only fence upon fence separating me from that absolute safety of mom's care!  I would remember hearing her calling for me and before long, her arms would come over the fence, lifting me to "safety" in those loving arms of hers.  She'd rush me inside and then all would be well.  You know, God is kind of like my mom - he has big enough arms to reach over obstacles in my path; a loud enough voice to be heard over the cacophony of noise in my world; and a tender, enveloping embrace which makes me feel at peace once I enter into it!

I run to you, God; I run for dear life.  Don’t let me down!  Take me seriously this time!  Get down on my level and listen, and please—no procrastination! Your granite cave a hiding place, your high cliff aerie a place of safety. You’re my cave to hide in, my cliff to climb. Be my safe leader, be my true mountain guide.  Free me from hidden traps; I want to hide in you.  I’ve put my life in your hands.  You won’t drop me, you’ll never let me down.  (Psalm 31:1-5 MSG)

When those summer storms hit, my greatest fears were the tremendous "energy" which seemed to be generated in the midst of them.  The winds were horrendous - gusts in excess of 50 miles per hour sometimes.  The dust billowing in around seemed to almost occlude the visibility.  The tremendous lightning show would take down trees, light up the sky, and put the fear of being fried to a frizzle into almost all of us.  Then there came the down pour of rain, with sudden force and the gully-washers of flash-floods.  Dry washes would fill with muddied waters flowing at tremendous force, making passage across them impossible. To be caught on the opposite side of where you needed to be almost ensured you were riding out the storm right where you were!  

There are times in our lives when the same sudden force and fury of chaotic frenzy comes in upon us in ways we cannot imagine possible.  We face the fear of the moment with almost the same response:  "Daddy - rescue me!"  It might sound like "God I need your help here" when you say it, but it all means the same thing!  As our heavenly Father, he delights in hearing our cries for help and he is quick to reach over those obstacles of life with his big arms, lifting us safely into his embrace!  

As our writer aptly puts it, God "gets down on our level and listens to our needs".  His response is to meet us right where we are, but not to leave us there - he lifts us up to a new level - one which we could not see because of the obstacles in our midst.  He becomes the granite cave we hide within and the high cliff from which we can see above the "storm".  I have flown in airplanes, knowing full-well all manner of snow, wind, rain, hail, etc., was going on below me.  From up above the storm, it doesn't look as ominous, does it?  In fact, it kind of pales in comparison to the vastness of the blue sky spread out on all sides of us!  I think this is what God does for us when we cannot see the vastness of his love and care because of the horror of the storms billowing.  

Most importantly, we can rest in this fact - God never fails to see the storm long before it comes our way.  He prepares for the very help we will need when the winds blow and the noise almost overwhelms us.  To this day, my daughter is scared of thunder and lightning.  It wasn't because I didn't rescue her the way my mom did, but because she just is.  But...she isn't when I am around, or she can call me to just talk, or when she is safely buttoned up in the comfort of her home.  Why?  As long as she is sheltered and she hears the familiar voice, she is safe!  Guess what?  As long as we know we are able to run into his shelter and hear his familiar voice, we will not fear the storm either!  Just sayin!

Uh, oh! Another storm tossed journey!

Storm:  A disturbance of the normal condition.  Pretty much sums up most of life for some folks today, huh?  No matter which way they look, everything about their "normal" is in a place of disturbance!  "Normal" is no longer smooth sailing with calms seas and pretty skies above.  "Normal" is really pretty rocky waters, waves almost overwhelming you so as to affect your ability to stay upright, and torrential downpours which just seem to add to the problems at hand.  What we do in the midst of the storm often is our best defense against the storm!

Next day, out on the high seas again and badly damaged now by the storm, we dumped the cargo overboard. The third day the sailors lightened the ship further by throwing off all the tackle and provisions. It had been many days since we had seen either sun or stars. Wind and waves were battering us unmercifully, and we lost all hope of rescue.  With our appetite for both food and life long gone, Paul took his place in our midst and said, “Friends, you really should have listened to me back in Crete. We could have avoided all this trouble and trial. But there’s no need to dwell on that now. From now on, things are looking up! I can assure you that there’ll not be a single drowning among us, although I can’t say as much for the ship—the ship itself is doomed.  (Acts 27-18-22 MSG)

If you haven't read this entire chapter, you might just find it helpful to define some things you should "NOT" do in the midst of the storm.  It also does a good job of telling us the things we are supposed to do in the midst of the raging storms which disturb our "normal" in life!  So, hold on, we are gonna navigate these rocky waters together...

The storm might just have come because we weren't listening too well to God in the first place.  If you have ever felt that little "niggling" to NOT do something, but then just went right on ahead and set your sails in that direction, you probably have encountered some rough seas as a result!  Truth be told, we all are guilty of taking some courses in life God would have rather seen us leave as "uncharted"!

Too many times all we focus on in the storm is the storm itself - the winds billow, the choppy seas rock us beyond comfort, and the grey skies just make it hard to see any hope of an end.  Nothing discourages our hearts more than having the wrong focus in life.  Get your eyes on the bad stuff and you will see only the bad stuff.  Get your eyes focused on Jesus and you will begin to see a glimmer of light just beckoning you out of the storm.

Some things we see from the 27th chapter of Acts about what it is we MUST do in the midst of the storm seem pretty easy, but in reality are almost always NOT the way we respond to the storm.  So, if we learn these truths, recall them the next time the seas get a little choppy, we might just fair the storm a little better!

- First things first - remember who is in control of the storm.  It is not you!  God controls the storm.  We cannot try to maintain control of the storm - it is like bailing with a teaspoon!  We will never be able to keep up or resist the force of the storm if we want to maintain control.  Some of us think giving up control means we are weak and incapable - the opposite is quite true, for it takes a tremendous degree of strength and commitment to actually turn the helm over to God!

- Second, get rid of the excess stuff you are carrying around.  Look at what these guys did - they threw stuff overboard which really was not crucial to their survival.  Sometimes we hold onto stuff in our lives like our lives depended upon it.  When we are in the midst of the storm, we actually could do some soul-searching to see just how much of this "baggage" we are carrying around with us is really not necessary for us to keep holding onto!  Our baggage comes in all shapes and sizes, but suffice it to say, the stuff we carry often weighs us down much more than we realize.  Things like unforgiveness, pettiness, resentment, anger, etc. - they weigh you down and will actually serve to capsize your ship in the storm.

- Third, there is absolutely no place for pride in the midst of the storm.  When pride is on board - you won't want to give up control, nor will you want to ever part with your "precious baggage".  Pride is a killer in the midst of the storm.  It tells us it can "manage", but in truth, it can only manipulate - change direction this way or that for a while, but in the end, you don't escape the storm, you just sail around it in a whole lot longer!

- Fourth, we find there are some storms we just cannot escape, so the best we can do is maintain our focus and ride them out hand-in-hand with Jesus.  There might be some correction God asks for on our part, but when all is said and done, he remains in control and will bring the storm to an end when the storm has done its work.  Storms have a way of stirring things up, clearing things away, and revealing what has previously been hidden.  Just let the storm do its work and stop resisting it.

- Last, but definitely not least, you don't leave the ship!  You won't fair well in the waters - so don't think things will be better if you just leave where it is you are experiencing the greatest tossing and turbulence.  The tossing of the seas is no less in the swirling seas of the circumstances!  Just take hold of what is underneath you at the moment - it is God's vessel, he controls its course, and he will bring you to the place you can safely get on solid ground again.  Just sayin!

"IS"

Is:  To exist or live; to occupy a place or position; to continue or remain as before.  A small word, but it tells us much, doesn't it?  One that "is" really is one who exists and lives - occupying a placement or position unlike any other.  The most amazing part of the definition of "is" can be found in the last part - the concept of continuing or remaining as before - unchanged by what has come or what lies ahead.  This is the definition of the character of God - unchanged by what has been - what is today - or what will come in the future.  Solomon spends a great deal of time outlining all the accomplishments of a man on a quest - getting more of everything, living without restraint, not held back by anything.  He even tells us of his tremendous struggle with "accumulating" all (wisdom, houses, wives, lands, personal property - you name it).  It comes at a price - after all is said and done, time spent and body worn, nothing really all that satisfying emerges from the pursuit.  Then when it seems like he is going to really leave us with a "downer" in this book, he drops in little tidbits like the one below.

I know that whatever God does, it endures forever; nothing can be added to it nor anything taken from it. And God does it so that men will [reverently] fear Him [revere and worship Him, knowing that He is].  (Ecclesiastes 3:14 AMP)

Whatever God does - it endures.  Whatever he does is perfect - nothing can be added which will lend to its perfection, nothing can be taken from it which will leave it less than perfect.  Whatever God does, it is with the intention of capturing the attention of man's heart - so man might enter into relationship with the one who "is".  

The "whatever" of God - do we really understand it?  I doubt we do, for the "whatever" encompasses all he does - the full extent of his love, grace, peace, provision, and power.  Solomon says God "is" - he is continuing as before - he changes not.  If this doesn't give you hope, then I don't know what will for everything around us changes - except God.  

"Whatever" really means "no matter what".  Solomon is saying "no matter what God does - it endures".  I often use the expression, "Whatever!"  What I am really saying when I use it is that no matter the circumstances or choices, what will be will be.  Solomon was likely saying something quite similar - no matter the circumstances - God "IS".  He IS our ability to overcome.  He IS our refuge and strength.  He IS our hope and trust.  He IS all we need.

Knowing that he IS - Solomon comes to this conclusion for all man faces in life.  It is God's goal to show himself as continually present - constant in all circumstances - always faithful to his promises.  Now, this may not seem like much to you, but when we put this in perspective, we begin to see the truth of God occupying a placement in each of these circumstances - not just "present" to observe, but to be our "whatever" in the midst of them!  

Solomon concludes from all his life's events - seeking all that would promise satisfaction:  Nothing satisfies like the "whatever" of truly recognizing the one who IS.  When men come to a place of recognizing God as the one who existed before our circumstances overwhelmed us, present in the midst of the pressing storms, and ever-faithful to navigate us through the continual flux of the future, he determines a need for the one who will not change his position - he remains central in our lives no matter the circumstances.

I think it might help us to see another translation of this passage to put this all together:  I’ve also concluded that whatever God does, that’s the way it’s going to be, always. No addition, no subtraction. God’s done it and that’s it. That’s so we’ll quit asking questions and simply worship in holy fear. (MSG)  The thing God asks of us - trust the one who IS.  Stop asking questions and simply worship him (his consistency, his unchangeable character, his faithfulness).  Life deals us different hands at different stages - much like a game of cards.  One hand may seem quite good, allowing us to "score a few points".  Another may seem to "subtract" from the overall "score".  The truth is, life is not a game of chance like cards.  God IS - he has been in our past, he is in our present, and he will be in our future.  All these are "tenses" of "IS" - to have BEEN, IS, and BE.  If you don't get it by now - Solomon is really helping us disconnect from what will constantly change - amassed treasures, positions, etc.  He is pointing us toward the connection which will remain constant - humbly submitted to the one who IS.

Not sure where you stand today, but when I face the "whatever" of life, I want to know I am walking through it with the one who IS.  Just sayin!

Mine Fields and Waves Galore

¹⁸ If people can't see what God is doing, they stumble all over themselves;
But when they attend to what he reveals, they are most blessed. 

(Proverbs 29:18  The Message Bible)

This same passage can be translated: "Where there is no revelation, people cast off restraint; but blessed is the one who heeds wisdom’s instruction."  (NIV)  The idea is that we are often people that seem to require being "in the know" as it applies to what is coming next in our lives.  As we well know, this seldom happens.  We plan and prepare, but often the best of plans becomes nonsensical when dealing with the things that present themselves at our doorstep demanding our attention and energies.  This passage considers the idea of "revelation".  For us to understand the passage, we must understand that word.

First, revelation carries the idea of disclosing something that had otherwise or previously been hidden.  It is common in church circles to say that we don't know what God is doing, but that we will just trust him with the outcome.  That is certainly commendable, but we fail to admit just how much we are struggling with "not knowing" what God is doing!  We find ourselves stumbling around in the dark and hoping that we are going to come into a place of light sometime soon.  This is not the way God wants to have us proceeding through life.  He wants to give us opportunities for disclosure - times when he brings us into the knowledge of what he is about to do.

Second, revelation brings the idea of communication.  For communication to be effective, it must be two-way.  Much of our communication with God is simply one-way....we pray and expect him to listen, answer, and reveal.  There are times when God may be asking us to do the listening, answering, and revealing - in hopes that true communication will occur.  There is something powerful in "good" communication - it cements relationship, building strong foundations.

Last, but not least, it carries the idea of inspiration.  When we are brought to a place where vision is created, there is an internal igniting of passion to pursue what we are seeing clearly.  A good leader will first create the vision around what he is desiring to accomplish, then will assist those around him to lay hold of that vision, its possibilities, and its challenges.  Together, they tackle the challenges - through the innovation of the whole, there is an ability to overcome what challenges the one.

Without revelation (disclosure, communication, and inspiration), we cast off restraint.  In other words, there is nothing to restrain us from taking one course of action over another.  We are aimless.  Aimless people accomplish absolutely random things.  There is no order to what is created.  Good may come out of this type of effort, but it is certainly not as good as if we understood what we were doing, its purpose, and how it fits into a bigger plan.

Attending to what God discloses is the key within this passage.  There is a song I have come to love.  Some of the lyrics of this song present the idea that we are going through life "dancing through the mine-fields" and "sailing through the storms".  Now, most of you will admit that you rarely see mine-fields as places to dance!  In fact, you'd avoid them at all costs.  Putting to sail in the midst of a storm is also another treacherous venture that none undertake too willingly.  The thing is, we can dance through the mine-fields and sail through the storms if there is "disclosure" about how to navigate them! 

Mine-fields are nothing to God!  Neither is the storm!  Where there is revelation, there is the ability to navigate safely.  Not just picking through them a little step here or there, but dancing through them!  Not just taking one wave at a time, but riding high upon the peaks of white-water and propelled forward by the winds of adversity!  Revelation is the key to dancing and sailing!  Have you stopped long enough today to seek some revelation (disclosure, communication, and inspiration) from the one who knows where the mines are or when the next wave will come?