Kept in flight

So let God work his will in you. Yell a loud no to the Devil and watch him scamper. Say a quiet yes to God and he’ll be there in no time. Quit dabbling in sin. Purify your inner life. Quit playing the field. Hit bottom, and cry your eyes out. The fun and games are over. Get serious, really serious. Get down on your knees before the Master; it’s the only way you’ll get on your feet. (James 4:7-10)

Does this sound close to what we are seeing today in our world: Wars, quarrels, wanting our own way, lusting for what we don't have, but probably also don't need? If you said "yes", you are probably observing some of the same things I am. The problem begins with the "war within" each of us - wanting things we really don't need or things which will eventually be our undoing. Life deals us all kinds of options - learning how to sort through those options is imperative to living well. 

Getting so close to the things this world has to offer can actually lead to us straying dangerously close to the line of compromise all the time. As Christians, we are to be controlling the temperature of the culture around us, not being thermometers who just "adjust" to the temperature the culture affords. Are we bringing society into alignment with the principles God desires, or are we adjusting our beliefs, principles, and morals to what society declares to be the "norm" of the day? If we are just adjusting all the time, we end up flirting with the things of this world every chance we get, and this will ultimately end in us being enemies of God. Something I don't think any of us really desires!

How do we accomplish this "living in the world" without becoming just "like the world"? We let God work his will in us. We don't just "give God permission" to work his will in us - we LET him actually do it. We do a lot of giving God permission - as when we pray "change me", "create this or that anew in me", but we also do a whole lot less of the "letting" God do what it is he wants to do in us.

Letting God do his will in our lives is something akin to stepping back, yielding control of the reins, and then allowing the direction of our lives by the expert. As a teen, a friend of the family would take me up in his small plane and as soon as we were airborne, he'd turn to me and say, "take the controls". To say the least, I never learned how to fly that plane - I just learned how to keep the nose of the plane headed in the right direction! I know the truth - he still was operating everything from the pilot's seat. He remained the expert pilot - I was only "playing" at being in control. At best, we all play at being in control of our lives - I think we might just want to consider how fortunate we are to actually have someone still truthfully in control!

When we turn our back on the sin and focus instead on the one who desires to take control (Jesus), we no longer see the sin in front of us. We see the Lord - and when we see him - we don't have room for the sin in our view! God tells us to determine our focus - HIM. Then choose to remain consistent in that focus - not dabbling in the things of this world one day, and then the heavenly the next. Whenever we dabble, we don't have a determined focus.

In the world, but not of it? In the world, and having a hard time leaving it behind? Get your focus redirected. Our eyes fixed on Jesus yields someone in control who actually knows how the controls work together to keep us in flight! Just sayin!

Toward the Sunrise

This is the crisis we’re in: God-light streamed into the world, but men and women everywhere ran for the darkness. They went for the darkness because they were not really interested in pleasing God. Everyone who makes a practice of doing evil, addicted to denial and illusion, hates God-light and won’t come near it, fearing a painful exposure. But anyone working and living in truth and reality welcomes God-light so the work can be seen for the God-work it is. (John 3:20-21)

A crisis is a stage in a sequence of events at which the trend of all future events, especially for better or for worse, is determined - some call this a turning point. It can represent a condition of instability or danger, leading to a decisive change - not always for the best. Equally so, it can represent one of those events where there is a lot of dramatic emotional or circumstantial upheaval in a person's life - leaving one to sort out the pieces when all is said and done. When a person is not interested in pleasing God, their entire life may seem like one crisis right after another - barely bailing out of one and stepping into another. Darkness is like that - you stumble around a lot, not sure of where you are going, and doing a pretty poor job of avoiding all the obstacles in your path.

We can observe all manner of folk around us who are 'addicted to denial and illusion' - believing whatever the 'fad of the day' is at the moment. Their illusions are fed by the media - their denial is spurred on by all manner of imaginary belief formed on nothing more than opinion. They could be what some refer to as 'naysayers' - never having a good word to say about anything. It is quite possible they are well enough educated, just 'dumb' where it comes to the things we call 'spiritual'. They need to understand, or they will not believe, but spiritual things are not always easily understood. What a way to go through life! I don't want to see the dark side of things, much less experience them! I want the light to show me how to live, where my thoughts aren't quite right, and what choices I should make. I don't want to live from one crisis to another - how about you?

When you reject light, you are left 'running for the darkness'. I do just the opposite - I run for the light, fleeing the darkness whenever I can. I like to walk early in the morning as the sun is coming up, but as the fall and winter season is upon us, the sunrise comes a wee bit later each new day. That means I may start my walk in a bit of darkness, but I head toward the sunrise so the light will be upon me, leading my steps as I go. It is like that when we say 'yes' to Jesus - we leave darkness behind and begin to walk into the light. We begin to see our path illuminated by that 'spiritual light' and as we take each step, it is more certain, solid, and taken with conviction. If I ever take a step that is without conviction, I usually know it is away from the light, not toward it! Just sayin!

Committed to one focus

Lord, who shall dwell [temporarily] in Your tabernacle? Who shall dwell [permanently] on Your holy hill? He who walks and lives uprightly and blamelessly, who works rightness and justice and speaks and thinks the truth in his heart... (Psalm 15:1-2)

Men and women of understanding know there is a time and place for everything. The events of today prepare us for those of tomorrow. We may not always see clearly today what tomorrow holds, but we do know if we conduct our affairs to the best of our ability today, listening intently to the voice of God as we do, we will be in a better position for what tomorrow brings. Most of us think of living 'uprightly' as being in line with what is right, but it also means being directed vertically. In a spiritual sense, we are to conduct our "business" of today - directed vertically, upward in our focus. The opening statement of this psalm causes us to consider two aspects of our walk - the here and now, and the future state of our existence. The here and now is temporary - the future is permanent. The question - who gets to commune with the Holy God? The answer - those who walk blamelessly (upright). 

There is evidence in the life of the one who actually walks in an upright manner - things like being just, speaking and thinking truth in his/her heart. Walk above the defilement of this present day. This may seem difficult to some, but I believe it is possible when we keep our focus "vertical". If we stop viewing things from the "horizontal" perspective, we begin to see them differently. When we are "horizontal" in our focus, we see others, often comparing our actions to theirs. We get wrapped up in the "littleness" of today's demands and forget to maintain the perspective of one who is on mission for Jesus. "Vertical" focus provides a framework for living in this world without being overcome by its pulls.

Stand up where you are right now. Look around the room or place you are standing while maintaining a focus which is at eye level (don't raise or lower your head). What do you see? I am in my den, so I see computer, computer desk, bookshelf, a small table, and the window looking outside. Now, look up. What do you see now? How much of what you saw when you were just focusing on a "horizontal" level do you still have in your view? Some of it, right? Yet, it is less than you had before. On a "horizontal" level, we tend to look as far as our eye can see from the ground up to about a foot over our eye level. Turn your eyes upward and the possibilities of focus are vastly different. If you are able, climb up on a step stool for a moment in your same room. Now, look horizontally again - what changed? Your perspective is affected by where you are standing, is it not? The same is true in a spiritual sense. Where we are "standing" at the moment creates a vantage point for a variety of different perspectives.

From the step stool vantage point, you might see some spots you haven't dusted in a while, or perhaps a little cobweb gathering in the corner of the ceiling. Maybe you look down and see just how cluttered your "space" really is. Vantage point is important, isn't it? This is why God doesn't want his kids just living continually on the horizontal level. He knows we see a whole lot of obstacles and impossibilities on that level! When we take our eyes off the obstacles and begin to anchor them vertically on him, the obstacles are no longer in our view. The "clutter" doesn't get us all muddled up and unable to see beyond the mess we are in. Instead, we can sort out some things and see them in an entirely new perspective.  Perspective helps us "right size" our life's challenges. Maintaining an upright focus is key to getting right perspective. Uprightness is merely determining where our focus will be and maintaining it regardless of the pull to do otherwise. Just sayin!

More Moxie, Please

Anyone who meets a testing challenge head-on and manages to stick it out is mighty fortunate. For such persons loyally in love with God, the reward is life and more life. (James 1:12)

I know many of us don't feel very 'fortunate' when we are faced with challenges that test our faith or fortitude. In fact, we probably groan a bit and wish the doggone thing would just evaporate before our eyes. We might dig in because we know it isn't going to just go 'poof' and be gone, but then somehow we don't have the fortitude to stick it out. Fortitude is both the mental and physical strength to face the difficulty with courage. If you are like me, getting my mind and body to align is a challenge a great deal of time - I get one motivated and moving, but the other seems to lag behind or go in a totally different direction! Have you ever seen something coming at your head-on? As a teen, I remember a group of boys in the neighborhood playing 'chicken' with their bikes. They would ride at each other, picking up more and more speed, all in an attempt to prove one had more 'moxie' than the other. The courage of spirit and the determination of the mind to persevere in an attempt to be declared the one who was 'more courageous' than the other, combined with the testosterone wafting in the air made for a dangerous combination! God isn't looking for 'moxie' from us, but he is asking that we face challenges far harder than 'bike chicken' and that we do them with faith and fortitude.

The one that 'manages to stick it out' implies to me that some face life with their only little bit of 'moxie', but when the challenges become too much to handle, that moxie doesn't carry them through. I don't want us to miss a few things within this passage, so indulge me while I break them down for us this morning:

- You don't invite a challenge - you meet it in your path. It isn't always a 'welcomed' or 'planned for' guest in our lives. In most cases, it just jumps out in front of us and we either veer off-course to avoid it, or we face it head-on. I have had elk, moose, and even deer bound across the road as I have been driving along. I avoided all of them due to both defensive driving techniques and sheer dumb luck! I have also had jack-rabbits and mourning doves dart out in front of the car, so close that I have been unable to divert my grill from their flight or my tires from their speedy attempt to cross to the other side. It is a sickening feeling to hit something 'head-on', but sometimes there is no other course for us to take. Any other course would put us in dangerous places - in line with oncoming traffic, off into a field, or into the unsuspecting fellow driver's side panel. We didn't invite the challenge, but we were faced with it. It met us right where we were - we didn't have to seek it out. Life is full of challenges that just 'dart out' at us. Some we will deftly maneuver to escape - others we clearly have no other alternative than to face them head-on. Some we will do well to get through unscathed, others will leave us feeling a little saddened by the outcome. Stick with it - have the faith to trust God with the outcome - even when you are a little saddened by it.

- Sticking it out isn't in our own effort (moxie) - it is made easier because of our intense love for Jesus and his even more intense love for us. Our boldness isn't based in us - it is based in the work of Christ within us. What makes us 'dauntless' in the challenge? It isn't our own mental determination - thinking a certain way doesn't make it any easier to avoid the flight of the mourning dove into your grill! It isn't our own physical strength or stamina - not every battle is won on sheer might alone. I think God wants us to here clearly there is a basis in our 'moxie' that goes way beyond what we can 'muster' or 'maintain' on our own. It is his strength within us that gives us the 'moxie' that helps us make it to the other side of that challenge. What gives us 'spiritual moxie' for the challenges we face? I believe it is our desire to keep Christ first in the midst of everything else that seeks to move him to the back places in our lives. Some call this loyalty - I call it being 'right-focused'. Get Christ in the right place in your life and the challenges will still come, but you will face them with a 'spiritual moxie' that far outweighs the things coming at you 'head-on'. Just sayin!

Motivated, but not determined

There is a 'determination' and 'willingness' phase to repentance - but I think we forget about the latter. We get all the determination we can muster, but we sometimes don't do very well in the willingness component because our 'will' is kind of selfish. Some say motivation is based on what we 'want', while determination is based on what we 'need'. For example, I 'need' to lose weight - I don't always 'want' to go to the extremes it takes to get to my desired goal! Motivation doesn't come from without - it is based on wanting something so bad we will do whatever it takes to get it. Determination can be spurred from without, coached to do something we may not have had the know-how to do on our own. We actually need both for repentance to actually 'work' in our lives.

Restore to me again the joy of your salvation, and make me willing to obey you. (Psalm 51:12 TLB)

Of all the things I can be 'made' to do in life, obedience is probably at the core of every 'need'. We have been sufficiently disobedient to the degree we realize our 'need' is somewhere far removed from where we are at this very moment. Without an obedient response to our 'need', we never seek the 'determination' to have that need met. We fill up the space where that 'need' should be with all kinds of other things, but not with what will really fulfill the 'need'. Motivation (need-based actions) might actually get me to the place I begin to put into play the things that will help me realize my need (determination) without wavering from my commitment to see that need met. 

Some have said motivation is what gets us started on the journey, but determination is what keeps us going until we have reached our destination. I think this may be very true, but until we realize our true 'need', all the movement we make is really not going to get us to our desired outcome. Obedience is good, but if it is not in the right direction, we are determined to finish, but we won't realize our need fully fulfilled. We are really wishy-washy about our needs - we must have God's clarity as to what we truly need and what it is that will get us to the full fulfillment of that need as he intends for it to be in our lives. Obedience begins by asking the hard questions - like "Is this truly what will get me over this grudge?", "If I take these steps, will I finally be able to resist this temptation?", or perhaps "If I lay down this desire to constantly fill that emptiness within with _______, will I begin to realize a closer walk with Jesus?"

The right questions can help us determine our true need. The need identified can help set out a course for us to follow. Motivation now meets up with determination - with both working to move us forward - but not on our own. We have God's help to obey - we aren't doing it alone. Until we have both, we are just aimless in our direction - we are not going to 'land' on obedience no matter how hard we try. Just sayin!

Start, stop, begin again

Have you ever started watching a movie and not finished it? How about a book? We make all kinds of attempts to get into the show, but find ourselves just not enthralled by the story line. We aren't 'hooked' by it - making it easier to turn it off than something that absolutely catches our attention and holds us enthralled till the end. Beginnings all have one thing in common - it is a start. Endings also have one thing in common - there has been endurance to push past even the hardest places that threatened to keep us from moving on.

Endings are better than beginnings. Sticking to it is better than standing out. (Ecclesiastes 7:8)

Our year has flown by at record speed and as many of us sit looking at our "resolutions" made at some point within the year, we find ourselves conducting an inventory of our progress toward goals we had set for ourselves. Some of us will find ourselves having made a good start, but then petering out somewhere along the way! Isn't that always the case with our "resolutions" - they are good while they last, but they tend not to last! I have mentioned before that we might do well to focus on making a "revolution" in our life - not a "resolution". To some, those are just words, but if you know me by now - you know how much I enjoy looking at the words!

A resolution is simply an intention - formalized by some sort of plan. It is a determination of heart or mind, but it often lacks the quality of perseverance that is required to see it all the way through to completion. A revolution is the process whereby one set of actions is diminished (stopped, forsaken, or redirected) and replaced thoroughly by another. There is a clear difference when we look at them this way - one is well-intended, the other is well-planned, well-executed, and in the end, well-performed.

Revolution is similar to the process of metamorphosis - the process whereby the caterpillar emerges as a beautiful butterfly or delightfully colored moth. At one season, it appears one way, and at a different season it has been transformed into something that no longer resembles the former appearance! Now, translate that into everyday life with Jesus. We need revolution, not just resolution. Yes, we need to be resolute in our commitment to what he asks of us, but we need the revolutionary transformation of our lives that only he can bring.

Solomon reminds us that endings are better than beginnings. We often do much to celebrate the beginning of something. Yet, the ending is the most important part! Sticking to it is better than standing out. That's the key to "revolution" in our lives. If we want Jesus to transform us (create a metamorphic change in us), then we need the "stick-to-it" kind of commitment - even when something doesn't always have the greatest of appeal or seems a little harder than we imagined when we set out in that direction. There is a place for resolution, but the outcome we all desire is revolution.

As we look back over the year - evaluating the "resolution" we once exhibited toward the goals we might have set, we need to remember that  God is the MOST concerned with the revolution of our mind, emotions, and spirit - not with the loftiness of the resolution or the magnificence of the plan. Maybe it is time that we examine our "resolutions" in the spirit of making them "revolutions" in our life! It isn't that we begin - it is that we finish well. Just sayin!

Destiny or not

12 I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. 13 No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us. (Philippians 3:12-14 NLT)

It is a well-known fact that an object moves toward where it is pointed or directed. In terms of our lives, it has to do with our "line of sight" - we focus on something and we move toward it - or avoid it all together as something dangerous we should stay away from. Unless we are cliff diving we probably don't move beyond the edge of the cliff - but how many times do we get right up to the edge just to "look over" to see what is there? There are times we allow things into our focus, getting just a little too close to the edge for our safety and security - whether it be in the realm of our emotions, spiritual lives, or our physical body. We push beyond where we should go all because our focus draws us into someplace we probably shouldn't go.

Focus is a BIG deal, friends. It most certainly has a great deal to do with our destination, but it may also have a great deal to do with our destiny! Some think of one's destiny in life as one's "lot" in life - it is the combined set of circumstances that lead up to the outcome one realizes. It is more than fate that determines our course, though. It is a whole lot of choices along the way, sometimes with multiple course changes just based on what it is we are choosing to focus on at that moment. The destination is our target - destiny is what we feel we have little to no control over - it just is what it is. 

The truth is that we often do more to affect our destiny by the destination we are determined to reach than we might first want to admit. We make choices - both good and bad - and the sum of these choices often is described by some as our "destiny" in life - simply based on what they see as a result of our choices. The destination we reach at one point in our lives is determined by what it is we choose to focus upon with the greatest of determination. If I focus on losing weight and getting in shape, I drop pounds, lower my cholesterol, and generally feel more energized. The destination was a certain "pound range" or "size range", but was this my "destiny" in life? Not really, it was a place I wanted to reach - a point in time I hoped I would sustain, but it doesn't sustain me!

Our destiny often can be thought of more as what sustains us - what keeps us in the race, so to speak. I am determined to realize my eternity is spent with Jesus. That determination affects the choices I make, but I'll have to admit it doesn't affect ALL of the choices I make. Some of the time I choose to focus on stuff not really helping me grow in Christ - it isn't that I am changing my destiny by that lack of focus, because I am still a child of God. It is that I may not realize the fullness of the destination God has planned for me in this lifetime! While they are very similar, one thing is for sure - what we determine to be our focus in life will define our destiny into eternity. Just sayin!

How surefooted are you?

The Sovereign Lord is my strength! He makes me as surefooted as a deer, able to tread upon the heights. 

(Habakkuk 3:19 NLT)

How "surefooted" are you these days? Mom shared with me last night that she is feeling a little less than steady on her feet these days. It is apparent that she is shuffling her feet a little more and she is definitely not "putting the miles on" her legs like she used to as she ages. It is also apparent to me that these physiologic changes in her body bring with them mental and spiritual changes, as well. Herein is the rub for many of us where it comes to "growing on in years" with Jesus. It isn't that we are engaged in the activities of growing up so much, but that we are "growing on". We find ourselves appreciating or even considering truth in a new way. It is as though things we might have missed while we were doing all that "growing up" somehow makes sense now!

A deer is pretty doggone surefooted, but as a tiny fawn is born into this world, do we observe that same "surefooted" stance? Nope! In fact, they are kind of wobbly on those spindly legs at first and eventually they get a little bit "bouncy" and "flouncy" in their jumping about, exploring new things and facing the challenges of discovery. The tiny baby begins to grow up and in turn, all that energy of youth gives them tremendous ability to bound here and there, jumping high in the tall summer grass, and exploring new things with vigor and what appears to be limitless stamina. As the deer grows, it adds "weight" and begins to develop into the adult stages of life. In those stages, the deer is still rather nimble and able to take on the new challenges of difficult paths and hard climbs, not because it wants to climb higher, but because it knows there is provision awaiting them within the climb. There remains lots of "muscle" and pretty much limitless energies. In this stage, there is a lot of time and effort put into nurturing the offspring produced and training them to be safe and secure in their own "walk".

As the deer advances, carrying more and more weight, it struggles to be as nimble as it once was. While it remains "surefooted", the wisdom in where it makes its footing is more and more apparent. It doesn't strive for the unexplored path as much, but trusts in the ones that have proven to be rewarding time and time again. We have passed on wisdom along the way, leading little ones young in their faith to grow up and grow strong. As we grow on in years walking with Jesus, we have accumulated the weight that matters - the wisdom of the years and the weight of his truth within. We know where to find our footing and where it makes sense to look for our provision. We find ourselves exploring less and trusting more. Why? Is it because we are "growing old" in our walk? Not necessarily. It may just mean that we are more aware of our ability, his provision, and how those two intersect. In this sense, we have become "surefooted" in our trek with Jesus. We are trusting his path much more than we used to and we are stable in our walk as a result. Just sayin!

Learning from each other

What would you say is your "style" of learning?  There are those who would report they learn "best" when they can see something done for them a couple of times and then they "get the hang of it".  Many are quite adept at reading something in a book, such as a recipe or instructions, then replicating what they have read without much effort.  Then there are those who need to hear something described, see it in action, then be guided through step-by-step until they finally get it.  Most of us will say we "fit" into one style or another, but there are times in my life, depending upon the "thing" I need to learn where I need the teaching style to vary a little to accommodate what it is I need to learn.  For example, I would not say math is my strongest suite in life, but I get along pretty well. It took me a little longer to grasp some of the math "concepts" such as exponents and which fraction had to be "inverted" when you want to divide it and then be multiplied to get the answer.  Once I saw it a few times, heard the instruction, and even read it a couple more, I began to associate the "steps" to take with what I needed to replicate.  Now, knowing "when" to apply each type of equation or mathematical "experience" is another matter!  When does this situation "fit" into this type of expression in mathematical terms - this was the challenge!  Sometimes I go about things in the "long way" because that is how I "get" to where I need to be, but if I get there, does it matter?  My math teacher always told me it did!  I think God thinks it does, too.  He doesn't want us using "any old means" to accomplish the end result - he wants us using the "designed means" each and every time.  Maybe this is why he takes such great effort to help us learn as we need to learn so we can apply as we need to apply! 

Teach children in a way that fits their needs, and even when they are old, they will not leave the right path. (Proverbs 24:6 ERV)

I like how God gives us the same practical advice when it comes to raising our own children.  We aren't supposed to make them fit into some mold we imagine for them, but to design their learning opportunities around their "needs".  In essence, God is saying we don't all learn the same way and to think we do is kind of silly. When we begin to realize the uniqueness of each person we deal with on a daily basis - even those outside of our family - we begin to see there are different needs each of us has in this life.  At times we can be quite "needy" of another's hand-holding and instruction-repeating actions.  At others, we can hear it once and then strike off to get er done!  The issue isn't IF we can learn the needed lesson, but how it is that we will best learn it. 

What "way" fits your needs when it comes to whatever is in front of you today?  I think the "way" is important because it defines how it is we need to approach each other and not just the situation.  In essence, God is telling us people are not made with cookie cutters and our life-lesson opportunities are going to be as varied and unique as each of us is!  If God knows this about us, then he designs various opportunities for us which will help us learn whatever it is he needs to impart into our lives.  He is a creative God - after all, he made you and I and everything we see, feel, hear, taste, or just plain "know" is there even though we cannot see it (like gravity).  So, isn't it reasonable to assume he will be creative in how we learn as we grow in him?

If this is the case, then we might do well to not expect or dictate that another "learn" in the same way we do.  This applies to all manner of things from learning how to manage one's money to learning how to tie one's shoes.  My grandsons learned some "bunny ear" way to tie shoes, while mom "bribed" me with a penny each time I sat down and tied the bow in the "traditional" way.  Now, both of us are able to tie our shoes - but we learned it in a completely unique way. My grandsons are learning this "core math" stuff and coming to the right answers with simple math equations which I just somehow don't always get, but they do!  So, if they get it, who am I to say it is wrong?  I just didn't see the need for "new math" when we already had what everyone touted as "new math" when I was coming through school!

We often criticize or discount as "unworthy" whenever we don't understand something another is going through in their learning process.  We forget they are unique, complete with a unique set of learning needs, and God is designing the perfect "means" or "way" for the life lesson to be worked out in their lives.  We shouldn't criticize, but help them to embrace it according to their "style of learning".  After all, the God who created their very breath created the means by which they would learn this present lesson!  It isn't one-size-fits-all in this thing called life.  It might just take a few tries at the same thing until we get it.  If we stick with it and don't give up, we can count on getting it.  We just might learn something by watching how another learns in this life - because even in "their" lesson, we might take a lesson or two!  Just sayin!

A couple lessons from the hunter

Okay, occasionally I need a wake-up call, and I know you are probably like that, as well.  We all get to the point sometimes in life when we just are coasting along, finding ourselves with things pretty much going our way, and then all of a sudden we find ourselves smack-dab in the middle of a muddle and we wonder, "How'd this happen?"  Fortunately, those times happen less often for me now than they did when I was a little younger and kind of into doing stuff without thinking about it.  Now that I have a little water under the bridge, I spend a little more time thinking about things before I take the plunge and that has saved me a great deal of hassle and heartache.  One thing I have come to count on as a surety in my life:  God's way is perfect.  Mine may be a little flawed on occasion, but if I will pause long enough to just listen and look for his way, I find it!

God’s way is perfect. The Lord’s promise always proves to be true. He protects those who trust in him. (Psalm 18:30 ERV)

Yep, we need a twofold approach to discovering God's way - listening and looking.  A good hunter will tell you they do a lot of "sitting" and "waiting", all the while they are "gathering information" by listening and watching carefully for signs of the entry of that animal into the place where they are sitting.  I am not suggesting we "catch God" in a trap or anything, but that we can take a lesson or two from a good "hunter".  Here's a couple of things I learned about hunting from those who do this with some frequency:

- They have to scout around a while before they actually determine where it is they want to erect their blind.  They just don't put up their blind (that thing they hide inside which forms a way of camouflaging them) and hope for the best. Some might even spend a little time just hiking the region a few weeks ahead of the hunt just getting to know where the animals look for food, get their water, enjoy the heat of the sunshine through in an open meadow, etc.  They look for tracks, observe trail "signs", and the like.  Why?  If they get to know more about the object they are hunting, they soon will understand where they can be consistently found.  The same is true where it applies to our relationship with God.  When we get to know more about where he moves, when he moves, what he does when he moves, etc., we begin to understand where and how he can consistently be found!

- They learn the "call" of the animal they seek.  My brother can tell you it is a ring-neck dove, quail, etc., just by the call long before he ever sees the bird. Why does he know this?  He has spent a lot of time out in the place these birds live.  He has studied them and he has listened to their calls.  The voice of God is not a mystery to us - we may just not have taken much time to actually listen to it so we aren't all that familiar with it!  When we stop long enough, still our inner voice a little (you know, those voices in our head which keep mulling ideas around over and over), and just listen, we soon find we might hear a different voice speaking.  As we begin to respond to his voice, we find we get a clearer and clearer perception of the way he speaks to us.  In time, we grow accustomed to hearing his voice and we recognize it right away.  

- They are protective about what they hunt.  Most hunters will tell you they aren't just in it for the elimination of a species, but there is a "thinning of the herd" kind of thing going on which some refer to as "wildlife management" techniques.  Only so many licenses are issued, with limits on how many dove, quail, turkeys, etc., one may "bag".  Since they are "licensed" or "permitted" to take only that which their "permits" allow them to take, they aren't there to hunt the other things which come into their focus.  They have their eye on one prize and one prize alone.  This is something we might just do well to learn from our hunter friends - having eyes for only one!  

We may not all be hunters in the sense of taking to the forests and fields in search of wild game, but we are all in search of someone or something in life. When the search is directed toward the one who can fulfill our needs, renew our hearts, and protect our souls from the things which harm us, then the "hunt" is certainly for the right object!  Just sayin!

Devotion, Determination and Delight

Devotion is one character trait which really cannot be "seen" in the way we dress, what we drive, or the things we amass.  In fact, it is "seen" more in the people we hang around with, the way we spend our time, and the attitude of heart which is exhibited in the actions we take toward others.  If you really stop to consider it, devotion is just a synonym of love.  Devotion is evident in where we find our foundation for life, who it is we emulate in our actions, and what it is we commit to without wavering.  Devotion also determines our delight - there is very little in which we take delight that does not first begin with an appeal to our hearts.  Devotion then is linked with determination - for what we come to value we develop a strong determination to obtain and make out own.

But he knows where I am and what I’ve done.  He can cross-examine me all he wants, and I’ll pass the test with honors.  I’ve followed him closely, my feet in his footprints, not once swerving from his way.  I’ve obeyed every word he’s spoken, and not just obeyed his advice—I’ve treasured it.  (Job 23:10-12 MSG)

So, our "D" List of character traits are really threefold:  Devotion, Delight, and Determination.  For some, the word devotion conjures up the idea of profound dedication.  This is not far off the mark of what I think God has in mind when he looks for this trait in us - he searches for even a small hint of us being willing to align with his heart.  When he sees this tiny bud of devotion, he begins to nurture it until it becomes a fully adorned "tree" of dedication - anchored with three strongly attached roots of commitment, allegiance, and loyalty.  

When our roots are solid, the growth produced and the ability to withstand the various influences which seek to uproot us are evident.  If we "align" ourselves within "good soil", the chances of giving into every wind of change which comes across our lives is a little less likely.  Instead, we will remain securely rooted in that which gives us "grounding".  Yet, even a tree firmly rooted will begin to grow "toward" the most influential "winds" in their life.  This is where we need the "winds of devotion" to blow stronger than any other wind which might seek to change the course of our growth.  

As I travel, I have the delight of taking in much scenery.  One thing which consistently catches my attention is the way trees grow in various regions.  As I traveled near the beaches of Torrey Pines near San Diego, California, I noticed these "spindly" looking pines, almost "lopsided" in their growth.  You see, they were affected by the strong winds which came off the ocean, directing their growth inward toward the land and almost making them devoid of growth on the side which faced the ocean.  I have also observed this in some regions where strong winds have blown the birch trees, such as in Birch Bay, Washington.  The birch are tall and straight, but devoid of limbs on one side of the tree.  Why is it these two different trees grew this way?  They gave into the "prevailing" winds in their lives.  

Devotion occurs when we determine which "wind" we will accept as "prevailing" in our lives.  We can give into the winds of the times, or even the winds of circumstance.  Yet, nothing makes us grow as strong, tall, and "equally balanced" as the gentle breezes of the Holy Spirit in our lives!  When we are determined to grow, not toward the "loudest" winds, but toward the gentle breath of God, we have a much more balanced growth!

As a tree takes root, the promised growth is dependent upon what care it receives in its "growth cycle".  This is where delight comes into view - for it is the heart of God that each of us "delight" in the tender care of his watchful "gardening" of our lives.  We need those withered "branches" lopped off - for they only take up space, hindering other growth from appearing.  We need the soil "turned over" on occasion, because we only get new growth when the soil of our hearts find new "oxygenation" on occasion!  Delight is an off-shoot of our determination and our devotion.  I guess you sum all three of these into one word - desire!  

Job said it well, "I have not just obeyed his advice - I've enjoyed it!"  Why?  Simply put - he has made a determination to make God his primary desire!  He delights in the counsel of God - determined to have it affect his course.  He has devoted himself to God's plans - no matter how difficult they may seem at the moment (and heaven knows Job faced many a tough blow in life).  He makes no attempt to remove himself from being aligned with God's best - no matter how much it appears on the outside as though "all hell is breaking loose".  He is devoted, determined, and he takes great delight in the things and choices which please the one he has the greatest desire to please - not himself, not his peers, but God!  Now, that is something which "tickles" the heart of God!  Just sayin!

You looking for love?

Much earlier in this psalm, we find the words, "For God’s Word is solid to the core; everything he makes is sound inside and out."  Those words may not seem like much at first, but when you re-read them a few times, maybe they will begin to sink in.  God's Word is solid!  Nothing can rock its truth.  Most importantly, when his Word is embraced - spoken, heard and acted upon - it has an effect beyond our imagining.  Not to be missed - EVERYTHING God makes is SOUND - inside and out!  Now, if that doesn't rock your world - I don't know what will.  Most of the struggle we face in life is the struggle between knowing right and doing it - we get defeated with the "disconnect" between knowing and doing.  Look at the passage - EVERYTHING (and that also means EVERYONE) is sound - because God's Word brings order, peace and hope! 

Watch this: God’s eye is on those who respect him, the ones who are looking for his love.  He’s ready to come to their rescue in bad times; in lean times he keeps body and soul together.  We’re depending on God; he’s everything we need.  What’s more, our hearts brim with joy since we’ve taken for our own his holy name.  Love us, God, with all you’ve got—that’s what we’re depending on.  (Psalm 33:18-22 MSG)

When something is "sound", it is declared to have a solid foundation.  Nothing gives quite the same foundation to our lives than the Word of God.  It is by the Word that all things are held together - making us "solid" to the core.  Now, if we tried to build upon a foundation which was lacking in structure or soundness, what would be the final result?  A not very sturdy structure, right? What lends to the strength of the structure?  Isn't it that which it is anchored upon?  Even a tree-house needs some kind of anchor!  If the limbs upon which it is suspended are not sound, the thing will not support the weight of the structure for very long!  

As we examine our passage in this light, we must keep in mind what has been presupposed earlier in this chapter - God's Word provides a foundation for our lives - it makes us sound inside and out.  Not just some of us, but all of us!  As a result, we can stand assured of God's watchfulness over our lives.  I don't know about you, but knowing someone much more powerful than I am has my back really does give me a sense of peace!  

Now, let's take apart our passage, shall we?  God's eye is on those who respect him - revere him, worship him, hold him in honor in their lives.  When we focus our eyes on him, his eyes are on us.  There is something exchanged in the face-to-face encounter with God - something which gives permanence or foundation to our lives.  It has been said the eyes are windows to the soul - they allow us to see deeply into the thinking of a man, the emotional make-up he has, and the determination of spirit which drives him.  In turning our eyes to God - to behold his face - we also see something quite similar.  We see the determination of his spirit to put things right within us - making us sound inside and out.  We see the intensity of his love toward us - moving upon the hardness of our heart to make it pliable in his hand.  We see the truth he reveals in the Word he speaks - setting the things in motion which we could not do ourselves.

There is something powerful in looking for another's love - it has a driving force, doesn't it?  Whenever we seek to be loved, the entire make-up of our being is behind that endeavor.  What our psalmist reveals is the "position" of standing in the need of love.  We ALL stand in this position - no one is exempt from needing love.  Now, if we'd pursue HIS love with even a tenth of the determination his love has pursued us, imagine how much we'd find ourselves transformed by that love!  Those who are looking for his love find it.  It is not an elusive thing - it is right in the midst of us - we often just need to reach out and embrace it.

I cannot help but imagine the scene at the altar - bride and groom standing face-to-face - expectancy written deeply on each other's face.  In those brief moments of intense connection, the very longing of the heart is revealed in two tiny words:  "I DO".  What do these words imply?  Don't they imply intent?  The minister may be giving a long list of "will you" questions - the answer from the bride and groom reveals the "intent" of their heart to DO exactly as they are committing to at that very moment - not just today, but into the "tomorrows" which will come.  

Throughout scripture, we see a parallel between the church and Jesus - the church being the bride and he being the bridegroom.  At the point of our "conversion" into Christianity, we are saying "I DO".  We look into the bridegroom's face, expectancy evident in our longing for his love, and utter these tiny words which reveal so much about "commitment" and "intent".  "I DO" - nothing speaks louder to God's heart than these two words!  In "looking" for his love, we are sure to find it - his heart is moved by the need of ours!  There is something of "foundation" built in the exchange of "vows" between a man and a woman - a commitment to be there for each other.  We have somehow lost that in today's world, but remember this about God - his commitments are impossible for him to break!  When he commits to love us, he will.  When he commits to making us sound inside and out, he will not stop short of this promise.

I don't know about you, but what I lack in "commitment", God is faithful to provide in his love.  All he asks of me is to LOOK to him.  Plain and simple - get our focus right and nothing will be able to deter us from seeing the evidence of his strong foundation in our lives!  Remember this - focus determines outcome - keeping the focus right assures the right outcomes.  Make your "I DO" count!  Keep your focus right!  Just sayin!

Is it really "put up or shut up"?

To "commit" one has to pledge oneself to the task at hand - placing oneself under an obligation to "put up or shut up", so to speak.  At least this is what we primarily think of as "committing" to do something or perform a certain way.  I like the other definition of "commit" which we don't use as often, but which I think captures the meaning as it is laid out in our passage today - to entrust for safekeeping so that one is preserved.  David positions himself into the safekeeping of his Lord and Savior - he doesn't just "promise" to follow God's path as laid out in the word, but he puts himself exactly where he needs to be in order to see the fulfillment of the commitment he has made.

By your words I can see where I’m going; they throw a beam of light on my dark path.  I’ve committed myself and I’ll never turn back from living by your righteous order.  (Psalm 119:105-106 MSG)

Several key concepts are found in this passage and the stanza in which these words are penned.  Let's explore:

*  The Word of God gives not only direction, but it "illuminates" where it is we are heading.  I have a "smart phone" with an app called "flashlight".  What a handy little addition to have!  I am never without a light as long as I have my cell with me.  I can use it to explore some dark recess in the cabinet, or navigate a path to my car in the darkness of the garage when a light bulb is burned out in the overhead light.  It comes in quite handy.  My cell also has another app for GPS - getting me from point A to B with the greatest of ease. One gives me the direction - the other illuminates my path as I head in down that course.  The Word of God is like that - giving us not only the "direction" by which we live, but illuminating the path we are on, outlining the hazards along the way.

*  The place of commitment is really determined by how well we are able to "place ourselves" into his hands - allowing him to guide us down the path.  I have been both a leader and a follower.  In some circumstances, I would rather follow!  Especially when it is uncharted territory!  Most of the issues I deal with in my spiritual and emotional life are really uncharted territory - at least I haven't charted them yet!  So, I want someone to guide me into these territories who has already walked them!  Jesus came into this world as a man, laying aside his divinity for a season, not just so we could have Christmas and Easter!  He identified with us - with our "human" side - experiencing the very things we experience today.  He has charted a path - knowing full-well what each temptation "feels like" - because he took on the form of taking on human flesh.  So, when we really want to commit to rising above our emotions, there is no better one to guide us through than Jesus - we "place ourselves" into his hands and he does the rest.

*  This passage is placed in between a couple of verses which outline some of the struggles David is going through.  He is faced with enemies - those out to do him in.  Today, we don't have so many "kings and armies" trying to chase us down and do us in, but we do face "kings and armies" in the spiritual, emotional, and relationship "battles" we face.  David reminds us of the importance of "facing" battles of ALL kinds square-on, not in our own power or by our own wisdom.  In fact, he reminds us that it is God's Word which outlines the best "battle plans" for those times when enemies seem to mount their attacks.

The last verses of this stanza are probably most important for us to consider as we wrap up this study today.  You see, David gives us just a little further revelation into what it means to "commit" - so we cannot exclude these verses:

I inherited your book on living; it’s mine forever—what a gift! And how happy it makes me!  I concentrate on doing exactly what you say—I always have and always will.  (vs. 111-112 MSG)

How we treat the Word of God in our lives is often an indicator of our "success" in the battle.  Our level of "happiness" is also gauged by where it is we seek to find it!  As long as I look for the "smoothness" of circumstances (like the calmness of the seas) upon which to "sail" through life, I miss the opportunity of "testing" the soundness of the vessel (my life) by the roughness of the "wild seas" which put it to the test.  Our chance to reveal our commitment - our ability to place ourselves squarely into the hands of Jesus for his safekeeping - is not so much determined in the calmness of charted territory, but in the uncertainty of the uncharted - complete with its ups and downs.  I can be "happy" in smooth waters - the path I take most often.  I begin to realize that happiness is more than an attitude when I am faced with the roughness of the "high seas"!  What I choose to hold onto in the midst of the storm determines how well I will fair!  Just sayin!