My granddaughter likes the “power of the pen”. She likes to draw animals on random family member hands with Sharpie pens. At our last family dinner, she was leaving her initials on those who were not quick enough to pull away.
“I’ve branded you. You are now mine.” Those eyes twinkled at me.
Her dad, who is studying to be a lawyer, was quick to use it as a teaching moment. “You have ownership now—that means you are now responsible for the care and feeding of everyone you just branded.”
When she realized that would include the care and feeding of her younger brother—she reconsidered her impromptu ink party.
When I think about branding, I think about my family tree and the cattle they had. They didn’t have GPS tags in their day—a hot brand was applied to the hide of a calf. That way, if the animal wandered away or was stolen, you knew which rancher they belonged to. Cattle rustlers would sometimes try to change the brand, but I have to think you could tell a fresh brand from the old original.
Jeremiah wrote down God’s words:
For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Jeremiah 31:33 (ESV)
God doesn’t mark us with ink or hot branding iron. He engraves it on our hearts. This is how our spirit knows we are His. He has ownership and is now responsible for our care and daily bread.
When Christ returned to heaven to sit at the right hand of God, He left the Holy Spirit for us. That is also a seal, or brand, that every Christ follower bears. It is not physically visible like a tattoo or mark, but it is spiritually discernible.
In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory. Ephesians 1:13-14 (ESV)
Haven’t you been around someone that seemed familiar? Later, after getting to know them, you find out they are a Christian and there is an immediate bond. Our spirit recognizes the seal on their heart. We know we belong to the same Shepherd.
It is a comfort to me, that if I wander outside and stray from God…I still bear His mark and I know He sends a rider out to find me and bring His lost sheep back. Even if I get buried in the world, all I need to realize is that I am His and there is nothing that will separate me from His love.
So stop wondering if it’s too late. You bear His mark on your heart. Why don’t you start home now and meet Jesus our Shepherd halfway?
Isaiah 43:1-7 (ESV)
1 But now thus says the Lord,
he who created you, O Jacob,
he who formed you, O Israel:
“Fear not, for I have redeemed you;
I have called you by name, you are mine.
2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you;
when you walk through fire you shall not be burned,
and the flame shall not consume you.
3 For I am the Lord your God,
the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.
I give Egypt as your ransom,
Cush and Seba in exchange for you.
4 Because you are precious in my eyes,
and honored, and I love you,
I give men in return for you,
peoples in exchange for your life.
5 Fear not, for I am with you;
I will bring your offspring from the east,
and from the west I will gather you.
6 I will say to the north, Give up,
and to the south, Do not withhold;
bring my sons from afar
and my daughters from the end of the earth,
7 everyone who is called by my name,
whom I created for my glory,
whom I formed and made.”
Friday, November 15, 2013
Tuesday, November 12, 2013
Sweet Words
By now, the least favorite candy is picked through and reluctantly consumed. In my trick or treating days, it was the root beer flavored barrels and the taffy chews with the peanut butter center that remained. The chocolate was long gone. In fact, we sometimes didn't wait to get home for some--it was consumed while walking the Halloween sidewalks. With every doorbell and greeting, we'd check for that Hershey logo as it was tossed into our bag.
Then there was the house that always had homemade caramel corn balls. Which is a bad idea in Florida. By the time we got home, it was a sticky mess that attracted every lint molecule in the neighborhood--no matter how much plastic it was wrapped in!
Word would get around about which house has what. And the house with the party that left an honor system bowl? I pitied them for the tricks they endured when a not so honorable goblin took the whole bowl early in the evening.
Our pastor was talking about our words and how they are the fruit of our heart. What you say can be a clue to what is going on within.
But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person. Matthew 15:18 (ESV)
There are sweet words of encouragement or bitter words of judgment. Do you dole out kind words generously or do loved ones feel they need to jump through hoops to hear just one? You never know what's going on behind someone's mask. So before you speak, make sure it's something that is life-giving.
Beware of your words dear Christian. Like the unwanted trick or treat candy, you may have to eat them some day. Be sure that they are nourishing to the soul, not just a sweet treat that is gone in a moment. Consider them as treasures, to be shared in love.
A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in a setting of silver. Proverbs 25:11
Then there was the house that always had homemade caramel corn balls. Which is a bad idea in Florida. By the time we got home, it was a sticky mess that attracted every lint molecule in the neighborhood--no matter how much plastic it was wrapped in!
Word would get around about which house has what. And the house with the party that left an honor system bowl? I pitied them for the tricks they endured when a not so honorable goblin took the whole bowl early in the evening.
Our pastor was talking about our words and how they are the fruit of our heart. What you say can be a clue to what is going on within.
But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person. Matthew 15:18 (ESV)
There are sweet words of encouragement or bitter words of judgment. Do you dole out kind words generously or do loved ones feel they need to jump through hoops to hear just one? You never know what's going on behind someone's mask. So before you speak, make sure it's something that is life-giving.
Beware of your words dear Christian. Like the unwanted trick or treat candy, you may have to eat them some day. Be sure that they are nourishing to the soul, not just a sweet treat that is gone in a moment. Consider them as treasures, to be shared in love.
A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in a setting of silver. Proverbs 25:11
Monday, October 28, 2013
Lights On
It is an unspoken rule of Halloween--you don't ring the doorbell of a house with no porch light on. These people are either neighbors who had a party to attend, or someone who'd rather not join in on the festivities.
Heaven help the one who forgot and left their light on and then didn't answer their doorbell! It attracts all sorts of frustrated goblins during the night. They have been known to leave a few smashed eggs on the windows or t.p. draped in the trees.
Isn't it interesting how much promise a single light bulb could bring on a dark evening? The sticky-fingered super heroes, glass slippered princesses and grease-painted clowns spend hours of walking through neighborhoods, dragging a sack of candy that only grows heavier by the block.
We live in a dark world these days--we could use a few more porch lights on. So many people are searching for sweet words to carry in their own heart sacks. Why do we lock ourselves away in our homes and refuse to answer when someone comes knocking?
Some people seem to have all the signs of welcome to those seeking. But once the threshold is crossed and the Lost in their self-made masks come tapping on their door it remains tightly shut. The world seems farther away through that peep hole. It's scary to open your heart to someone who seems so different from you! (But you know, underneath that mask they're just as scared of you as you are of them.)
Meanwhile, the Lost in this world walk back into the dark with empty hearts--with no sweet taste of His Word, His love, His Grace in their life. Only the bitterness of apathy that erodes the hope of the next light that beckons.
A wise pastor once told me, "When you evangelize the world...be prepared for them to show up. They may not look or talk like you, they might not even smell like you. But they will show up and it's up to us to love them."
So be brave dear Christ-follower...and when someone is drawn to your flickering faith, don't be alarmed. God wants you to be the His treat in someone's tricky life.
“Here’s another way to put it: You’re here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept. We’re going public with this, as public as a city on a hill. If I make you light-bearers, you don’t think I’m going to hide you under a bucket, do you? I’m putting you on a light stand. Now that I’ve put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand—shine! Keep open house; be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you’ll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven.
Matthew 5:14-16 (MSG)
Heaven help the one who forgot and left their light on and then didn't answer their doorbell! It attracts all sorts of frustrated goblins during the night. They have been known to leave a few smashed eggs on the windows or t.p. draped in the trees.
Isn't it interesting how much promise a single light bulb could bring on a dark evening? The sticky-fingered super heroes, glass slippered princesses and grease-painted clowns spend hours of walking through neighborhoods, dragging a sack of candy that only grows heavier by the block.
We live in a dark world these days--we could use a few more porch lights on. So many people are searching for sweet words to carry in their own heart sacks. Why do we lock ourselves away in our homes and refuse to answer when someone comes knocking?
Some people seem to have all the signs of welcome to those seeking. But once the threshold is crossed and the Lost in their self-made masks come tapping on their door it remains tightly shut. The world seems farther away through that peep hole. It's scary to open your heart to someone who seems so different from you! (But you know, underneath that mask they're just as scared of you as you are of them.)
Meanwhile, the Lost in this world walk back into the dark with empty hearts--with no sweet taste of His Word, His love, His Grace in their life. Only the bitterness of apathy that erodes the hope of the next light that beckons.
A wise pastor once told me, "When you evangelize the world...be prepared for them to show up. They may not look or talk like you, they might not even smell like you. But they will show up and it's up to us to love them."
So be brave dear Christ-follower...and when someone is drawn to your flickering faith, don't be alarmed. God wants you to be the His treat in someone's tricky life.
“Here’s another way to put it: You’re here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept. We’re going public with this, as public as a city on a hill. If I make you light-bearers, you don’t think I’m going to hide you under a bucket, do you? I’m putting you on a light stand. Now that I’ve put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand—shine! Keep open house; be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you’ll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven.
Matthew 5:14-16 (MSG)
Tuesday, October 22, 2013
Shattered
I was barefoot in the kitchen when my glass full of ice hit the tile floor. I had misjudged the counter's edge by the width of a drinking glass. It hit the floor inches from my toes and scattered a large radius with blue shards and ice cubes.
From experience, I knew better than to do the dance of avoidance and risk getting cut. Those slippery splinters stopped dancing after a few seconds and I remained still to survey the debris field. My husband had heard the crash and knew better than to run in sock-footed. He went to get the broom and dust pan while I backed to the edge of the kitchen.
We started on the outer edge and swept our way to the center, coaxing those sapphire slivers into a glittery pile. The larger pieces I gingerly plucked with my thumb and finger, careful not to press on the razor edges and tossed them into the garbage.
When it seemed clear, I did one more cleanup with a damp paper towel with a better vantage point from my knees. This snagged sand sized glass that would deliver sneaky foot punctures.
I found a bit of melancholy there as well...this was one of the glasses from a set my mom purchased for our home before she died.
When life seems to shatter at our feet, how do we handle it? Do we dance around, trying to avoid the flying debris of broken dreams and hearts? Or do we sweep them under the carpet, only to find them resurfacing at inopportune times? Do we tip toe around the shards and ignore the pain waiting to immobilize our walk in life? Or do we survey the damage and go right to work...with loved ones stepping in with just what we need? Do we work our way around the edges, gathering the pieces as we kneel in prayer--not missing a fragment that skittered away into a dark corner?
I realize the only way I'll get that glass put back together is if I was a glass blower. No amount of super glue will restore that drinking glass. The same goes with the crises in my life. The only One I can turn over the pieces to is God. He is the creator of this earthly vessel and He is the only one who will make something amazing out of the shards of my life.
But I have to be the one willing to get to work and pick up the pieces first.
Is anyone crying for help? God is listening, ready to rescue you.
If your heart is broken, you’ll find God right there; if you’re kicked in the gut, he’ll help you catch your breath.
Disciples so often get into trouble; still, God is there every time.
Psalm 34:17-19 (MSG)
From experience, I knew better than to do the dance of avoidance and risk getting cut. Those slippery splinters stopped dancing after a few seconds and I remained still to survey the debris field. My husband had heard the crash and knew better than to run in sock-footed. He went to get the broom and dust pan while I backed to the edge of the kitchen.
We started on the outer edge and swept our way to the center, coaxing those sapphire slivers into a glittery pile. The larger pieces I gingerly plucked with my thumb and finger, careful not to press on the razor edges and tossed them into the garbage.
When it seemed clear, I did one more cleanup with a damp paper towel with a better vantage point from my knees. This snagged sand sized glass that would deliver sneaky foot punctures.
I found a bit of melancholy there as well...this was one of the glasses from a set my mom purchased for our home before she died.
When life seems to shatter at our feet, how do we handle it? Do we dance around, trying to avoid the flying debris of broken dreams and hearts? Or do we sweep them under the carpet, only to find them resurfacing at inopportune times? Do we tip toe around the shards and ignore the pain waiting to immobilize our walk in life? Or do we survey the damage and go right to work...with loved ones stepping in with just what we need? Do we work our way around the edges, gathering the pieces as we kneel in prayer--not missing a fragment that skittered away into a dark corner?
I realize the only way I'll get that glass put back together is if I was a glass blower. No amount of super glue will restore that drinking glass. The same goes with the crises in my life. The only One I can turn over the pieces to is God. He is the creator of this earthly vessel and He is the only one who will make something amazing out of the shards of my life.
But I have to be the one willing to get to work and pick up the pieces first.
Is anyone crying for help? God is listening, ready to rescue you.
If your heart is broken, you’ll find God right there; if you’re kicked in the gut, he’ll help you catch your breath.
Disciples so often get into trouble; still, God is there every time.
Psalm 34:17-19 (MSG)
Friday, October 18, 2013
Dried Fruit
The Fall season is here, and instead of colored leaves in Florida, the produce section is showing the signs of autumn. Pumpkins, nuts and dried fruits are more numerous than the pineapples and watermelons.
I had some dried apricots the other day and really enjoyed their concentrated flavor. I was amazed that an apricot could be condensed down into such a tasty morsel. Cooks like to use dried fruit because they store well--dried fruit doesn't rot because moisture is absent and bacteria cannot take a foothold. The leathery fruit can be "revived" with different liquids besides water--fruit juices and liquor.
I got to thinking while munching on my apricots and toasted almonds the other day and applied this concept to the "spiritual fruit" mentioned in the Bible.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. Galatians 5:22-23 (NASB)
I wondered, could that be one reason why some Christians complain of a "dry season"? Could God actually be withdrawing Himself for the reason of preserving or concentrating a specific spiritual fruit in our life?
I thought of Moses and his ministry...he had killed a man just after he started to step into the leadership role of the Israelites. God sent him into the wilderness. This was no evergreen retreat with babbling brooks...it was a rocky, arid wilderness where water had to be pulled up from deep wells. For 40 years he was hung out to dry before God spoke to him and called him into action.
Then the grumbling Israelites that Moses led to the Promised Land...they longed for the abundant waters of the Nile, the cucumbers and fruits from the irrigated land in Egypt. They wanted to turn back and figured slavery was better than what God had to offer. And again...God led them into a serious drying time in the desert, another 40 years!
Before Jesus went into ministry, He was led by the Spirit into the wilderness...but not for 40 years. He had no sin to be dealt with. He was there for 40 days and He was tested by satan. I wonder if Jesus felt like God had abandoned Him for a time?
I want to give you hope during your own "dry time" with God. After searching your heart and making sure there is not some unconfessed sin in your life, maybe God is working on some dried fruit with you. How's your patience lately? And your self-control, is it doing well? What about your joy, is it present during the day?
When you have waited on God for a season, how is that fruit of patience? And how much more joy is there when you have years of silence shattered by news of God's joy coming round the bend? Our kindness can become so much sweeter when we experience the dust of apathy--the trick is not to allow your fruit to become bitter.
When we tend our garden properly with prayer and confession, we harvest sweet spirit fruit. Then, when the Lord withdraws and His presence seems to be drawn from our souls with a thunderclap--get ready! Your spirit fruit is being condensed, preserved and room is being made for His Living Water to revive it into a more intense experience.
He will pour out His Spirit and Living Water into and onto your life again. And oh how sweet and intense that fruit will become! Just promise me you won't make fruitcake with it.
Open your mouth and taste, open your eyes and see—
how good God is.
Blessed are you who run to him.
Psalm 34:8 (MSG)
I had some dried apricots the other day and really enjoyed their concentrated flavor. I was amazed that an apricot could be condensed down into such a tasty morsel. Cooks like to use dried fruit because they store well--dried fruit doesn't rot because moisture is absent and bacteria cannot take a foothold. The leathery fruit can be "revived" with different liquids besides water--fruit juices and liquor.
I got to thinking while munching on my apricots and toasted almonds the other day and applied this concept to the "spiritual fruit" mentioned in the Bible.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. Galatians 5:22-23 (NASB)
I wondered, could that be one reason why some Christians complain of a "dry season"? Could God actually be withdrawing Himself for the reason of preserving or concentrating a specific spiritual fruit in our life?
I thought of Moses and his ministry...he had killed a man just after he started to step into the leadership role of the Israelites. God sent him into the wilderness. This was no evergreen retreat with babbling brooks...it was a rocky, arid wilderness where water had to be pulled up from deep wells. For 40 years he was hung out to dry before God spoke to him and called him into action.
Then the grumbling Israelites that Moses led to the Promised Land...they longed for the abundant waters of the Nile, the cucumbers and fruits from the irrigated land in Egypt. They wanted to turn back and figured slavery was better than what God had to offer. And again...God led them into a serious drying time in the desert, another 40 years!
Before Jesus went into ministry, He was led by the Spirit into the wilderness...but not for 40 years. He had no sin to be dealt with. He was there for 40 days and He was tested by satan. I wonder if Jesus felt like God had abandoned Him for a time?
I want to give you hope during your own "dry time" with God. After searching your heart and making sure there is not some unconfessed sin in your life, maybe God is working on some dried fruit with you. How's your patience lately? And your self-control, is it doing well? What about your joy, is it present during the day?
When you have waited on God for a season, how is that fruit of patience? And how much more joy is there when you have years of silence shattered by news of God's joy coming round the bend? Our kindness can become so much sweeter when we experience the dust of apathy--the trick is not to allow your fruit to become bitter.
When we tend our garden properly with prayer and confession, we harvest sweet spirit fruit. Then, when the Lord withdraws and His presence seems to be drawn from our souls with a thunderclap--get ready! Your spirit fruit is being condensed, preserved and room is being made for His Living Water to revive it into a more intense experience.
He will pour out His Spirit and Living Water into and onto your life again. And oh how sweet and intense that fruit will become! Just promise me you won't make fruitcake with it.
Open your mouth and taste, open your eyes and see—
how good God is.
Blessed are you who run to him.
Psalm 34:8 (MSG)
Saturday, August 24, 2013
Barefoot 2
Summer is coming to a close and our feet have been free from boundaries. Ever since the jump of the thermometer I have painted my toenails and savored the grass and even gravel under my feet. Now with autumn on the way, I look at those winter shoes and know that they will feel tight.
It has been 4 years since my last post about being barefoot. It is indeed a physical manifestation of a spiritual change...when you have put your mind toward seeking God, He removes the boundaries of your "walk". Like Moses, the sandals are off because we are on Holy Ground.
Have you ever noticed when you injure your foot (usually a toe or two) that your walk is immediately affected? People notice and will ask, "What did you do?" If you injure a finger or bonk your head, it's not immediately visible. But your feet...they are where the world touches your life and it shows if something is going on.
If you have ever caught your pinky toe on a chair, you know what I mean. That little appendage rules the whole body and sets you into writhing and spouting unintelligible language. Time stops for that tiny ruler on your foot and all means of placating it are put into action: ice, elevation and aspirin. The pinky toe is a master at stopping people in their tracks. Sometimes it is best to keep moving, the pain subsides a little more quickly that way. Focusing on the pain sometimes magnifies it.
Once I stepped on a wasp barefoot. Let me tell you, they are sneaky little devils hovering in the grass. When you find one with the soft arch of your foot, it's like stepping on an electrical wire. The jolt to your system is immediate and you look for that sizzling copper wire jutting from the ground, only to see a black wasp zipping away into the sky. Unlike honeybees, wasps will live to sting another day. Even a dead wasp can sting you. Some people find this life threatening and if they don't receive immediate medication, they can suffer anaphylactic shock and die.
So how's your walk lately? Have you frolicked in the sun barefoot and boundary free, enjoying the time you've set aside for building your spiritual walk? Or have you been sidelined with an injury that seemed to come from nowhere? Did that injury come from a clumsy move that splayed your life into a painful turn? Are you too focused on the pain? With Christ you will get through it. The trick is to keep moving forward with Him.
Beware of the spiritual wasps in life. It's not the trips and falls that are dangerous to your walk. The Bible talks about the sting of sin. (1 Corinthians 15:56-57) Much like a wasp, sin has a sting that can lead to death. And hanging on to that sin, it will only continue to sting and put your life in danger.
Time to let go what's bugging you dear reader. Let's walk in that pasture with our Shepherd and beware of the sting that waits in the cool grass. I have people to hold me accountable to my sins...do you? Maybe it's time. Summer is ending and a new season is arriving.
The Lord is my shepherd,
I shall not want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside quiet waters.
He restores my soul;
He guides me in the paths of righteousness
For His name’s sake.
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I fear no evil, for You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
You have anointed my head with oil;
My cup overflows.
Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life,
And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
Psalm 23 (NASB)
It has been 4 years since my last post about being barefoot. It is indeed a physical manifestation of a spiritual change...when you have put your mind toward seeking God, He removes the boundaries of your "walk". Like Moses, the sandals are off because we are on Holy Ground.
Have you ever noticed when you injure your foot (usually a toe or two) that your walk is immediately affected? People notice and will ask, "What did you do?" If you injure a finger or bonk your head, it's not immediately visible. But your feet...they are where the world touches your life and it shows if something is going on.
If you have ever caught your pinky toe on a chair, you know what I mean. That little appendage rules the whole body and sets you into writhing and spouting unintelligible language. Time stops for that tiny ruler on your foot and all means of placating it are put into action: ice, elevation and aspirin. The pinky toe is a master at stopping people in their tracks. Sometimes it is best to keep moving, the pain subsides a little more quickly that way. Focusing on the pain sometimes magnifies it.
Once I stepped on a wasp barefoot. Let me tell you, they are sneaky little devils hovering in the grass. When you find one with the soft arch of your foot, it's like stepping on an electrical wire. The jolt to your system is immediate and you look for that sizzling copper wire jutting from the ground, only to see a black wasp zipping away into the sky. Unlike honeybees, wasps will live to sting another day. Even a dead wasp can sting you. Some people find this life threatening and if they don't receive immediate medication, they can suffer anaphylactic shock and die.
So how's your walk lately? Have you frolicked in the sun barefoot and boundary free, enjoying the time you've set aside for building your spiritual walk? Or have you been sidelined with an injury that seemed to come from nowhere? Did that injury come from a clumsy move that splayed your life into a painful turn? Are you too focused on the pain? With Christ you will get through it. The trick is to keep moving forward with Him.
Beware of the spiritual wasps in life. It's not the trips and falls that are dangerous to your walk. The Bible talks about the sting of sin. (1 Corinthians 15:56-57) Much like a wasp, sin has a sting that can lead to death. And hanging on to that sin, it will only continue to sting and put your life in danger.
Time to let go what's bugging you dear reader. Let's walk in that pasture with our Shepherd and beware of the sting that waits in the cool grass. I have people to hold me accountable to my sins...do you? Maybe it's time. Summer is ending and a new season is arriving.
The Lord is my shepherd,
I shall not want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside quiet waters.
He restores my soul;
He guides me in the paths of righteousness
For His name’s sake.
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I fear no evil, for You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
You have anointed my head with oil;
My cup overflows.
Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life,
And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
Psalm 23 (NASB)
Sunday, August 18, 2013
Beauty Secret
The World is an annoying suitor. He is pushy and thinks he knows what is best for you.
Can I tell you about two beautiful ladies who avoided his advances and discovered the Love of their life?
The first one is Lilly. I met her for lunch the other day and was struck by her radiance. You see, she had just returned from a missions trip--her FIRST--to Africa, to South Sudan! The glow about her was unmistakable. She had changed.
Later, I was able to put what I saw into words. She had the look of being in love for the first time. You see, she had answered the call of the Lover of her soul to come away with Him to Africa. There, Lilly found herself pulled out of the American barrage of "buy this, eat this, take this and you'll feel better". Instead, she saw the clear night skies with jeweled heavens that pulsed with God's glory. She met curious children and babies needing to be held and plenty of people who needed her smile. She was tasked with menial jobs at a clinic and felt like she could do anything for God.
She discovered who she was in Christ out there in the quiet heat and my friend blossomed in the desert.
The other lady is Ann. She retired from about 30 years in a cubicle office accounting job. Surrounded by numbers and bills, she made sure checks made it out on time and things balanced. This delightful lady also answered a call to her soul. (You are never too old to fall in love with God.)
This friend was not going overseas, but to some people she might as well be. Her call was coming from prison--to minister to those the enemy has locked away. When I saw her stop by work the other day, the glow was so evident on this lovely lady as well...so much so that it had erased many years from her smile. She shared all the Savior had led her to in just one week of retirement--she was simply giddy and giggly and beautiful.
Christ is a patient suitor. He calls our name and waits for an answer. He bids us to come to Him with what is in our hand and heart. And He takes it, breaks it open and lets loose an amazing soul-perfume that draws others to Him as we work in His will. You could be a Mom doing dishes or a woman counting pills in an African clinic...He is in it all if we just let Him. (1 Corinthians 13)
He is not like the World that chases us with offers of finer things, fancy cars, better jobs or titles. Once the World catches someone, they find themselves tied to something that practically sucks the life out of them. The promises fade into tattered lies and they waste away in dead end jobs or "the next big deal".
Some chase the Hollywood camera only to find a trap door to a glass house that has no privacy or peace. The only comfort they do find is in numbing the pain with medication, alcohol, or worse. Sometimes that camera is a carrot that leads them to selling more than just their image on a magazine cover.
Still, even for them all is not lost. Jesus calls them as well! As long as you are breathing, there is still time to answer His call on your life. What are you waiting for? The invitation has been given. (Matthew 11:28)
The best beauty secret I know is to step into the will of God for your life. Christ is calling, and is waiting for you to come away with Him. Where do you think He will lead you? I guess you'll never know until you answer.
If you find the World standing there instead, with his rumpled suit, convenience store flowers and an offer to take you away from "all this". Tell him, "No thanks. I'm already taken...for eternity!"
Better yet, let Christ answer the door.
My beloved speaks and says to me:
“Arise, my love, my beautiful one,
and come away,
for behold, the winter is past;
the rain is over and gone.
The flowers appear on the earth,
the time of singing has come,
and the voice of the turtledove
is heard in our land.
The fig tree ripens its figs,
and the vines are in blossom;
they give forth fragrance.
Arise, my love, my beautiful one,
and come away.
Song of Solomon 2:10-13 (ESV)
Can I tell you about two beautiful ladies who avoided his advances and discovered the Love of their life?
The first one is Lilly. I met her for lunch the other day and was struck by her radiance. You see, she had just returned from a missions trip--her FIRST--to Africa, to South Sudan! The glow about her was unmistakable. She had changed.
Later, I was able to put what I saw into words. She had the look of being in love for the first time. You see, she had answered the call of the Lover of her soul to come away with Him to Africa. There, Lilly found herself pulled out of the American barrage of "buy this, eat this, take this and you'll feel better". Instead, she saw the clear night skies with jeweled heavens that pulsed with God's glory. She met curious children and babies needing to be held and plenty of people who needed her smile. She was tasked with menial jobs at a clinic and felt like she could do anything for God.
She discovered who she was in Christ out there in the quiet heat and my friend blossomed in the desert.
The other lady is Ann. She retired from about 30 years in a cubicle office accounting job. Surrounded by numbers and bills, she made sure checks made it out on time and things balanced. This delightful lady also answered a call to her soul. (You are never too old to fall in love with God.)
This friend was not going overseas, but to some people she might as well be. Her call was coming from prison--to minister to those the enemy has locked away. When I saw her stop by work the other day, the glow was so evident on this lovely lady as well...so much so that it had erased many years from her smile. She shared all the Savior had led her to in just one week of retirement--she was simply giddy and giggly and beautiful.
Christ is a patient suitor. He calls our name and waits for an answer. He bids us to come to Him with what is in our hand and heart. And He takes it, breaks it open and lets loose an amazing soul-perfume that draws others to Him as we work in His will. You could be a Mom doing dishes or a woman counting pills in an African clinic...He is in it all if we just let Him. (1 Corinthians 13)
He is not like the World that chases us with offers of finer things, fancy cars, better jobs or titles. Once the World catches someone, they find themselves tied to something that practically sucks the life out of them. The promises fade into tattered lies and they waste away in dead end jobs or "the next big deal".
Some chase the Hollywood camera only to find a trap door to a glass house that has no privacy or peace. The only comfort they do find is in numbing the pain with medication, alcohol, or worse. Sometimes that camera is a carrot that leads them to selling more than just their image on a magazine cover.
Still, even for them all is not lost. Jesus calls them as well! As long as you are breathing, there is still time to answer His call on your life. What are you waiting for? The invitation has been given. (Matthew 11:28)
The best beauty secret I know is to step into the will of God for your life. Christ is calling, and is waiting for you to come away with Him. Where do you think He will lead you? I guess you'll never know until you answer.
If you find the World standing there instead, with his rumpled suit, convenience store flowers and an offer to take you away from "all this". Tell him, "No thanks. I'm already taken...for eternity!"
Better yet, let Christ answer the door.
My beloved speaks and says to me:
“Arise, my love, my beautiful one,
and come away,
for behold, the winter is past;
the rain is over and gone.
The flowers appear on the earth,
the time of singing has come,
and the voice of the turtledove
is heard in our land.
The fig tree ripens its figs,
and the vines are in blossom;
they give forth fragrance.
Arise, my love, my beautiful one,
and come away.
Song of Solomon 2:10-13 (ESV)
Friday, May 10, 2013
Bridges
I had a puzzle lay itself out for me the other night at Bible study. We are currently working on Ann Voskamp's One Thousand Gifts and we had hit the chapter entitled "Trust: The Bridge to Joy". It was a difficult discussion, with admissions of roadblocks, hindrances and hobbled aspirations.
One of my childhood fears has been bridges. I bear a physical scar from taking a plunge off a mountain footbridge head first. I had trusted the man-made railing and leaned heavy as I was antagonizing my cousins below. They were catching minnows in the rocky pools. In one moment, the railing gave way and I landed in the creek.
Seventeen stitches later I said goodbye to the enjoyment a bridge could bring.
Later years brought anxiety and stress in a simple drive over causeways, suspension bridges and even lookouts on mountain ranges. My knees would go rubbery just getting near the edge. That sense of falling was at the back of my throat, waiting to squeal.
During the study another memory came forward...Gym class and the balance beam. It actually made me look forward to PE. I loved to walk the narrow plank and in remembering, that old fear tried to shout it down.
How could a young girl who had no trust of bridges walk on a narrow piece of wood? My memories were pure delight in jumping on that beam, perching, learning a twirl or leaping. How was that possible?
The thing that I learned about a balance beam is that your eyes need to stay focused at the end of the beam--the end of the walk. If you looked on either side, or your feet, you would start a domino effect and the flapping of arms and a flailing dance of balance would begin.
If I could keep my eyes on my destination, with practice, I could do so many things on that one plank bridge.
When I look back and see where I have fallen, many times it was when I trusted in man's railing--my own pride or putting trust in someone who was simply a fallen human.
I remember another from the Bible-Peter. He too stepped out to walk a difficult path. He saw Jesus out on the water and said, "...if it’s really you, call me to come to you on the water.”
And so the walk began with Jesus beckoning. Amazingly Peter walked on water, but there was a storm. And once he started to look at the waves and how high the water was on his feet, he started to sink. You see, Peter took his eyes of his goal: Christ. And he sunk like a rock. In a desperate cry he was able to get some words out and asked Jesus to save him.
Jesus didn’t hesitate. He reached down and grabbed his hand. Then he said, “Faint-heart, what got into you?” Matthew 14:31 (MSG)
If I continue my walk--and it is a narrow one--and I keep my eyes on my Goal which is Christ Jesus, then I can do anything on the narrow beam of life.
The puzzle completes itself and there is Joy in that discovery.
People will eventually let you down, they crumble sometimes under pressure and can barely keep their own selves above water. Why not trust in The One who will drop everything and grab your hand and keep you from falling?
Time to leave man's bridge and put one foot in front of the other on that narrow beam. Don't take your eyes off the goal or you will fall. That goal is Christ and He calls you to step out to JOY!
Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it. Matthew 7:13-14 (NASB)
One of my childhood fears has been bridges. I bear a physical scar from taking a plunge off a mountain footbridge head first. I had trusted the man-made railing and leaned heavy as I was antagonizing my cousins below. They were catching minnows in the rocky pools. In one moment, the railing gave way and I landed in the creek.
Seventeen stitches later I said goodbye to the enjoyment a bridge could bring.
Later years brought anxiety and stress in a simple drive over causeways, suspension bridges and even lookouts on mountain ranges. My knees would go rubbery just getting near the edge. That sense of falling was at the back of my throat, waiting to squeal.
During the study another memory came forward...Gym class and the balance beam. It actually made me look forward to PE. I loved to walk the narrow plank and in remembering, that old fear tried to shout it down.
How could a young girl who had no trust of bridges walk on a narrow piece of wood? My memories were pure delight in jumping on that beam, perching, learning a twirl or leaping. How was that possible?
The thing that I learned about a balance beam is that your eyes need to stay focused at the end of the beam--the end of the walk. If you looked on either side, or your feet, you would start a domino effect and the flapping of arms and a flailing dance of balance would begin.
If I could keep my eyes on my destination, with practice, I could do so many things on that one plank bridge.
When I look back and see where I have fallen, many times it was when I trusted in man's railing--my own pride or putting trust in someone who was simply a fallen human.
I remember another from the Bible-Peter. He too stepped out to walk a difficult path. He saw Jesus out on the water and said, "...if it’s really you, call me to come to you on the water.”
And so the walk began with Jesus beckoning. Amazingly Peter walked on water, but there was a storm. And once he started to look at the waves and how high the water was on his feet, he started to sink. You see, Peter took his eyes of his goal: Christ. And he sunk like a rock. In a desperate cry he was able to get some words out and asked Jesus to save him.
Jesus didn’t hesitate. He reached down and grabbed his hand. Then he said, “Faint-heart, what got into you?” Matthew 14:31 (MSG)
If I continue my walk--and it is a narrow one--and I keep my eyes on my Goal which is Christ Jesus, then I can do anything on the narrow beam of life.
The puzzle completes itself and there is Joy in that discovery.
People will eventually let you down, they crumble sometimes under pressure and can barely keep their own selves above water. Why not trust in The One who will drop everything and grab your hand and keep you from falling?
Time to leave man's bridge and put one foot in front of the other on that narrow beam. Don't take your eyes off the goal or you will fall. That goal is Christ and He calls you to step out to JOY!
Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it. Matthew 7:13-14 (NASB)
Thursday, May 02, 2013
About Dot
She was about as tall as her nickname was short. She was about as abrupt too--she had to be sometimes. She was a cancer survivor and didn't want to waste time fiddlin' in her 70's. You could always count on Dot to tell it like it was.
She was a transplant from up north that had lived her long enough to be considered a native. She told stories of riding horses in to another town before the highway was put in.
She managed her small parcel of land from the seat of a riding lawnmower. I knew she was feeling pretty spry when I heard that engine running next door.
When she replaced her fence, she kept the neighbor gate between our houses. My dog would wait there patiently while I hung out the laundry. He knew she would be there with a treat and a pat.
Every once in a while my phone would ring--and she'd ask to meet me at that neighbor gate. She'd be there with a smile and a pie, or extra of whatever she was busy making that day.
Ever since her "guardian" dog Katie passed away a few years ago, I sensed a little more sadness in that smile. She walked a little more slowly and that mower took a little longer in the yard. She would never admit getting attached to a dog, but I do believe she missed that poodle-ish dog. Oh how she would complain about her barking--but she was the best watch dog Dot ever had.
And then there was Fred...We were introduced to him as "Fred--he's just a friend". From then on when we saw that truck pull in we'd know that Dot and "just a friend Fred" were working on a project for her house, the pond or the yard.
One time, after a particularly busy hurricane season, my sister in law stopped by to visit and mentioned that Dot was on the roof. I ran out to see Dot--with pink curlers in her hair--and Fred, patching up some loose shingles on the roof of her house. When I begged her to come down off that wet roof, she assured me she was almost done. When I told her she was scaring me up there she just laughed and waved me off like a fly that was interrupting her work.
I am going to miss my dear neighbor with her rumbling lawnmower, the air gun pops taking out vagrant squirrels and her generosity of baked goods. But most of all I will miss her heart.
Once she asked me where my son was. Expecting to hear about a move or college, I shared that he was in prison for a while. My eyes welled up and she smiled. She then shared that her son was also in prison and she gave me the best advice.
She said, "Remember Kelly, at least we know our boys have a roof over their head and somethin' to eat. And we'll never worry about where they are." I thank God for my neighbor, she helped me get through one of the roughest patches of parenthood.
To make sure she knew she was loved, I asked her one day last year if she knew Jesus. It was like I was asking if she knew we were in Florida. She had given her life a long time ago to Jesus at a Baptist church.
So like my son, I know where Dot is today and I don't have to worry about a roof over her head or if she has enough to eat. She is with our Father in Heaven...and I like to think Katie and just a friend Fred were waiting patiently at The Gate for her.
A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” John 13:34-35 (NASB)
She was a transplant from up north that had lived her long enough to be considered a native. She told stories of riding horses in to another town before the highway was put in.
She managed her small parcel of land from the seat of a riding lawnmower. I knew she was feeling pretty spry when I heard that engine running next door.
When she replaced her fence, she kept the neighbor gate between our houses. My dog would wait there patiently while I hung out the laundry. He knew she would be there with a treat and a pat.
Every once in a while my phone would ring--and she'd ask to meet me at that neighbor gate. She'd be there with a smile and a pie, or extra of whatever she was busy making that day.
Ever since her "guardian" dog Katie passed away a few years ago, I sensed a little more sadness in that smile. She walked a little more slowly and that mower took a little longer in the yard. She would never admit getting attached to a dog, but I do believe she missed that poodle-ish dog. Oh how she would complain about her barking--but she was the best watch dog Dot ever had.
And then there was Fred...We were introduced to him as "Fred--he's just a friend". From then on when we saw that truck pull in we'd know that Dot and "just a friend Fred" were working on a project for her house, the pond or the yard.
One time, after a particularly busy hurricane season, my sister in law stopped by to visit and mentioned that Dot was on the roof. I ran out to see Dot--with pink curlers in her hair--and Fred, patching up some loose shingles on the roof of her house. When I begged her to come down off that wet roof, she assured me she was almost done. When I told her she was scaring me up there she just laughed and waved me off like a fly that was interrupting her work.
I am going to miss my dear neighbor with her rumbling lawnmower, the air gun pops taking out vagrant squirrels and her generosity of baked goods. But most of all I will miss her heart.
Once she asked me where my son was. Expecting to hear about a move or college, I shared that he was in prison for a while. My eyes welled up and she smiled. She then shared that her son was also in prison and she gave me the best advice.
She said, "Remember Kelly, at least we know our boys have a roof over their head and somethin' to eat. And we'll never worry about where they are." I thank God for my neighbor, she helped me get through one of the roughest patches of parenthood.
To make sure she knew she was loved, I asked her one day last year if she knew Jesus. It was like I was asking if she knew we were in Florida. She had given her life a long time ago to Jesus at a Baptist church.
So like my son, I know where Dot is today and I don't have to worry about a roof over her head or if she has enough to eat. She is with our Father in Heaven...and I like to think Katie and just a friend Fred were waiting patiently at The Gate for her.
A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” John 13:34-35 (NASB)
Monday, March 11, 2013
About God
After a short study on the Song of Hannah in the Old Testament (1 Samuel 2:1-10), I felt my own Psalm welling up in my heart...here is the overflow:
My heart hears the Lord and amplifies His voice in my life
He echoes through my day in one word or thousands, in whispers or in song
I am more brave to my enemies because I hear the shout of His battle cry as He goes on ahead to fight for me
He blesses me with His presence; I feel my spirit respond in goose bumps or adrenalin
I have joy that is hard to contain
He is the saddle on my galloping life, the harness as I dangle on a zip line…
He is the steel between me and a semi, the light switch in a dark and unfamiliar room…
He is my safe place, my shelter from the enemy’s acid rain
I take care how I speak, because I feel my every word in His scales
My words can create pain or comfort
I discard the heavier ones from my mind before they slip from my mouth—sometimes not fast enough!
He heard my prayer for children and has given me so many more children than I could ever bear in childbirth—He continues to bless me with more
My God gives and takes away, He humbles and promotes, He creates as He wants and burns away what He doesn’t.
There is not one that can change my God; He has His own ways that will continue to multiply the questions in my mind.
He is a Holy mystery that cannot be deciphered by His children—but will be revealed to them soon.
The weakest are first, honored and protected.
The evil are hobbled in their own darkness.
He will judge the world one day, may He find me still praising His name no matter what my situation.
O magnify the Lord with me, And let us exalt His name together.
Psalm 34:3 (NASB)
Friday, February 08, 2013
Inconvenient Mirrors
We've all been accosted by them--those reflective ninjas of glass. They surprise us in the early morning with bed head and pillow case wrinkles. They stalk us in the department stores with 15ft pillars that compare us to nimble mannequins...and when we're our most vulnerable, in the dressing room with their dreaded three-sided assault.
The one that I hate the most is that forgotten mirror hanging in a dark room. It is stealthy like the closet bogeyman. I think I see movement, flick on the light and invariably scare myself.
I have found another type of mirror, a spiritual one that God uses on me when I least expect it: difficult people. I try to avoid them most of the time like that 3-sided dressing room mirror.
They say you always notice your flaws in a mirror, maybe that's why we don't like difficult people. They reflect a part of us we'd rather not like to admit we have. Can you pull a sweater over puffed up pride? Can you retouch a snide remark with a dash of powder? Yes, what they do bothers us...but don't we do the same things around other people?
I have discovered that I can either try and cover up that part of me God wants to work on, or I can gaze intently at that flaw and say to myself, "Honey, that's gotta go!"
We are made in the image of God. We are tarnished, foggy and yes our frames are a bit wonky...we are in need of His polish so we can see Him better in our life instead of our own spiritual bed head!
It’s easy to see a smudge on your neighbor’s face and be oblivious to the ugly sneer on your own. Do you have the nerve to say, ‘Let me wash your face for you,’ when your own face is distorted by contempt? It’s this I-know-better-than-you mentality again, playing a holier-than-thou part instead of just living your own part. Wipe that ugly sneer off your own face and you might be fit to offer a washcloth to your neighbor. Luke 6:42 (MSG)
The one that I hate the most is that forgotten mirror hanging in a dark room. It is stealthy like the closet bogeyman. I think I see movement, flick on the light and invariably scare myself.
I have found another type of mirror, a spiritual one that God uses on me when I least expect it: difficult people. I try to avoid them most of the time like that 3-sided dressing room mirror.
They say you always notice your flaws in a mirror, maybe that's why we don't like difficult people. They reflect a part of us we'd rather not like to admit we have. Can you pull a sweater over puffed up pride? Can you retouch a snide remark with a dash of powder? Yes, what they do bothers us...but don't we do the same things around other people?
I have discovered that I can either try and cover up that part of me God wants to work on, or I can gaze intently at that flaw and say to myself, "Honey, that's gotta go!"
We are made in the image of God. We are tarnished, foggy and yes our frames are a bit wonky...we are in need of His polish so we can see Him better in our life instead of our own spiritual bed head!
It’s easy to see a smudge on your neighbor’s face and be oblivious to the ugly sneer on your own. Do you have the nerve to say, ‘Let me wash your face for you,’ when your own face is distorted by contempt? It’s this I-know-better-than-you mentality again, playing a holier-than-thou part instead of just living your own part. Wipe that ugly sneer off your own face and you might be fit to offer a washcloth to your neighbor. Luke 6:42 (MSG)
Tuesday, January 15, 2013
Feathered Friends
I commute to work every day. Along with the usual cars and trucks, I see wildlife now and then. There is a section of highway that seems to have another level of traffic on it. About 40 feet in the air, there is a continuous stream of birds. They are going one way in the early mornings, and back "home" to roost in the evenings. It's amazing...so many of them and all heading in one direction-like being pulled by a tractor beam.
When I mentioned this to my husband he told me they were heading off to where they feed. I told him I thought there must be a great body of water or something for so many birds to feast on. He said, "Nope, just the dump."
My serene visual of a special bird sanctuary with lovely trees and waterways went up in feathers. The dump? Really?
On another highway trip, we were off to dinner out and we were driving by a huge area of marsh. The marsh grass went all the way to the horizon with dots of palm trees here and there. As I was talking about the day, I started to notice a motion in the air.
As I focused my computer-weary eyes, I noticed hundreds if not thousands of tiny wrens...dipping and weaving like a feathered school of fish! They had to be catching bugs--hopefully mosquitoes--and there were myriads of them! How they avoided mid-air collisons I'll never know. It was a sight to behold. There seemed to be pure joy in the flick of each wing.
Where am I going with this one? Well with it being January and a new year, and after just turning 50, I find myself thinking about where I'm going these days. What does my spiritual flight schedule look like? Am I following the crowd to the dump every day? Do I put up with stuff that really should'nt be in my spiritual diet? Or have I found joy in my natural habitat, feasting on His word...caught up in the flight of faith with others?
By the end of 2012 I have found myself making a u-turn in the mornings. I like what my pastor said the other day, "No Bible, no breakfast!"
So join me dear reader...shut off the morning tv news, put down the newspaper, turn off the radio and feast on what the Heavenly Father has for us. Because after all, He knows just what we need!
Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they?
Matthew 6:26
New American Standard Bible
When I mentioned this to my husband he told me they were heading off to where they feed. I told him I thought there must be a great body of water or something for so many birds to feast on. He said, "Nope, just the dump."
My serene visual of a special bird sanctuary with lovely trees and waterways went up in feathers. The dump? Really?
On another highway trip, we were off to dinner out and we were driving by a huge area of marsh. The marsh grass went all the way to the horizon with dots of palm trees here and there. As I was talking about the day, I started to notice a motion in the air.
As I focused my computer-weary eyes, I noticed hundreds if not thousands of tiny wrens...dipping and weaving like a feathered school of fish! They had to be catching bugs--hopefully mosquitoes--and there were myriads of them! How they avoided mid-air collisons I'll never know. It was a sight to behold. There seemed to be pure joy in the flick of each wing.
Where am I going with this one? Well with it being January and a new year, and after just turning 50, I find myself thinking about where I'm going these days. What does my spiritual flight schedule look like? Am I following the crowd to the dump every day? Do I put up with stuff that really should'nt be in my spiritual diet? Or have I found joy in my natural habitat, feasting on His word...caught up in the flight of faith with others?
By the end of 2012 I have found myself making a u-turn in the mornings. I like what my pastor said the other day, "No Bible, no breakfast!"
So join me dear reader...shut off the morning tv news, put down the newspaper, turn off the radio and feast on what the Heavenly Father has for us. Because after all, He knows just what we need!
Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they?
Matthew 6:26
New American Standard Bible
Friday, December 07, 2012
Radio Silence
I met a submarine guy the other day. He mentioned how well sound travels through water. During their training, some days they have to go on radio silence plus stop all movement inside the sub. The slightest sound could give away their location to other submarines lurking nearby during sub exercises.
That set me to thinking about some things...especially since this blog has been on "radio silence" since August. I checked out some things online.
In the military, an order for Radio silence is generally issued by the military where any radio transmission may reveal troop positions, either audibly from the sound of talking, or by radio direction finding.
The subs of WWII made a huge difference in the war. By going on radio silence they could glide by enemy coastlines and gather information to send back to HQ. They could also sneak up on battle ships and take them by surprise. The enemy couldn't hear or see them, so the element of surprise was key in battle.
Another reason for radio silence is in radio astronomy and nautical or aeronautical communications. They need to be able to hear faint distress calls. If someone is lost at sea or on the side of a mountain and their SOS transmission is faint due to batteries failing or storms, an order of radio silence is given so the Coast Guard or rescue teams can zero in on the transmission and find them.
Silence, when used in a play or movie, it is a dramatic pause to let the audience know someone big is about to be said or done.
Did you know God uses "radio silence"? The time between the Old and New Testament was 400 years. Imagine that...God's word silent until someone picked up the pen again because God began to speak. (2 Timothy 3:16)
Something big did happen. God came down in human form as a baby to spend time with us and then gave His life for us as a ransom. That 400 year dramatic pause was a huge flag that something big was coming. (Matthew 1)
Now, it's been way more than 400 years since the last book of the Bible was written. My question to you is, are you ready for His next big thing?
I can guarantee it will not be a tiny baby in a stable...meek and humble. Revelation speaks of Jesus coming back on the clouds. This time He will not be riding a colt as He did on His final ride into Jerusalem. (John 12:12-15) He will be on a white horse, ready for battle. (Revelation 19:11)
He hears the SOS of the world calling out for justice, rescue and redemption. Like a Holy submarine, God is on stealth mode, surveying the enemy's buildup of weapons and taking note of all prisoners of war. Satan has no clue when He will strike, so he’s always stirring up trouble with his minions in every generation.
So how would you like to meet Him, as the enemy combatant or as a fellow countryman? It's your choice. He does not force allegiance on anyone. All it takes for you to “enlist” is to accept Jesus Christ as your leader for life. Realize the price He paid for your eternal life and live as if you are under His authority.
He’s been silent for a long time now, but sometimes I think I can hear the angels holding their breath in heavenly radio silence…and I will continue to tap out the SOS of our world…
He who testifies to all these things says it again: “I’m on my way! I’ll be there soon!”
Yes! Come, Master Jesus!
Revelation 22:20 (MSG)
That set me to thinking about some things...especially since this blog has been on "radio silence" since August. I checked out some things online.
In the military, an order for Radio silence is generally issued by the military where any radio transmission may reveal troop positions, either audibly from the sound of talking, or by radio direction finding.
The subs of WWII made a huge difference in the war. By going on radio silence they could glide by enemy coastlines and gather information to send back to HQ. They could also sneak up on battle ships and take them by surprise. The enemy couldn't hear or see them, so the element of surprise was key in battle.
Another reason for radio silence is in radio astronomy and nautical or aeronautical communications. They need to be able to hear faint distress calls. If someone is lost at sea or on the side of a mountain and their SOS transmission is faint due to batteries failing or storms, an order of radio silence is given so the Coast Guard or rescue teams can zero in on the transmission and find them.
Silence, when used in a play or movie, it is a dramatic pause to let the audience know someone big is about to be said or done.
Did you know God uses "radio silence"? The time between the Old and New Testament was 400 years. Imagine that...God's word silent until someone picked up the pen again because God began to speak. (2 Timothy 3:16)
Something big did happen. God came down in human form as a baby to spend time with us and then gave His life for us as a ransom. That 400 year dramatic pause was a huge flag that something big was coming. (Matthew 1)
Now, it's been way more than 400 years since the last book of the Bible was written. My question to you is, are you ready for His next big thing?
I can guarantee it will not be a tiny baby in a stable...meek and humble. Revelation speaks of Jesus coming back on the clouds. This time He will not be riding a colt as He did on His final ride into Jerusalem. (John 12:12-15) He will be on a white horse, ready for battle. (Revelation 19:11)
He hears the SOS of the world calling out for justice, rescue and redemption. Like a Holy submarine, God is on stealth mode, surveying the enemy's buildup of weapons and taking note of all prisoners of war. Satan has no clue when He will strike, so he’s always stirring up trouble with his minions in every generation.
So how would you like to meet Him, as the enemy combatant or as a fellow countryman? It's your choice. He does not force allegiance on anyone. All it takes for you to “enlist” is to accept Jesus Christ as your leader for life. Realize the price He paid for your eternal life and live as if you are under His authority.
He’s been silent for a long time now, but sometimes I think I can hear the angels holding their breath in heavenly radio silence…and I will continue to tap out the SOS of our world…
He who testifies to all these things says it again: “I’m on my way! I’ll be there soon!”
Yes! Come, Master Jesus!
Revelation 22:20 (MSG)
Tuesday, August 21, 2012
Put On
I will rejoice greatly in the LORD,
My soul will exult in my God;
For He has clothed me with garments of salvation,
He has wrapped me with a robe of righteousness,
As a bridegroom decks himself with a garland,
And as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.
Isaiah 61:10, New American Standard Bible (NASB)
I must confess that for a long time I was dressed in my own righteousness…I was raised in a church, faithfully attended Sunday services, fellowship dinners, youth group, Sunday school…I volunteered and gave tithes like I thought I should.
But striving to be a “good Christian” never seemed to be enough. I had packed my calendar so full of things to do for God because it was “the right thing to do”. I wanted to measure up in God’s eyes.
God was saying to come to His wedding banquet, and I felt like I didn’t have a thing to wear! I kept trying to piece together something, but there was always a spot, a crooked hem, a lost button. I was striving to be holy, and only ended up feeling like anyone could see right through me.
Then I heard Isaiah 64:6 and realized I never could be covered in my self-righteousness… all our righteous deeds are like a filthy garment;…
Much like Lazarus, I could hear my name being called to come forth—even when I thought I was already “there”. (You did not choose me, I chose you...John 15:16a) I was dead in my trespasses…my hands were tied with busyness, my walk was hobbled with wrappings of my own making. Self-righteousness can be such a sneaky trap. I didn’t realize I was a walking dead…a self-righteous zombie!
If you remember, when Lazarus came forth, he was still wrapped in grave clothes …that’s why Jesus told the others… “Take off the grave clothes and let him go.” (John 11:44) I needed that freedom…
So if I am called out of death to life, what does one wear? Romans 13:14 says to “clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ”. How do you do that?
In all my church life I had never heard about accepting Christ and making Him Lord of my life. Where was I during that sermon? Probably busy judging someone else’s righteousness in the next pew. I was reluctant at first…that’s too easy! It’s a gift? I don’t have to do anything to earn it? I just have to admit I am a sinner, accept His sacrifice and that’s it?
So I did…and I could feel the weight of righteous works drop off my shoulders. I left my filthy zombie rags in that cave of self-righteousness and put on Christ.
God sees Christ’s righteousness standing here, because I am covered by Christ. Now I can truly say:
I will rejoice greatly in the LORD,
My soul will exult in my God;
For He has clothed me with garments of salvation,
He has wrapped me with a robe of righteousness,
As a bridegroom decks himself with a garland,
And as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.
Isaiah 61:10, New American Standard Bible (NASB)
Now the things I do are done not to make brownie points but because I am greatful for His Grace. I continue to grow with prayer, study and action.
How about you? What have you put on today?
My soul will exult in my God;
For He has clothed me with garments of salvation,
He has wrapped me with a robe of righteousness,
As a bridegroom decks himself with a garland,
And as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.
Isaiah 61:10, New American Standard Bible (NASB)
I must confess that for a long time I was dressed in my own righteousness…I was raised in a church, faithfully attended Sunday services, fellowship dinners, youth group, Sunday school…I volunteered and gave tithes like I thought I should.
But striving to be a “good Christian” never seemed to be enough. I had packed my calendar so full of things to do for God because it was “the right thing to do”. I wanted to measure up in God’s eyes.
God was saying to come to His wedding banquet, and I felt like I didn’t have a thing to wear! I kept trying to piece together something, but there was always a spot, a crooked hem, a lost button. I was striving to be holy, and only ended up feeling like anyone could see right through me.
Then I heard Isaiah 64:6 and realized I never could be covered in my self-righteousness… all our righteous deeds are like a filthy garment;…
Much like Lazarus, I could hear my name being called to come forth—even when I thought I was already “there”. (You did not choose me, I chose you...John 15:16a) I was dead in my trespasses…my hands were tied with busyness, my walk was hobbled with wrappings of my own making. Self-righteousness can be such a sneaky trap. I didn’t realize I was a walking dead…a self-righteous zombie!
If you remember, when Lazarus came forth, he was still wrapped in grave clothes …that’s why Jesus told the others… “Take off the grave clothes and let him go.” (John 11:44) I needed that freedom…
So if I am called out of death to life, what does one wear? Romans 13:14 says to “clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ”. How do you do that?
In all my church life I had never heard about accepting Christ and making Him Lord of my life. Where was I during that sermon? Probably busy judging someone else’s righteousness in the next pew. I was reluctant at first…that’s too easy! It’s a gift? I don’t have to do anything to earn it? I just have to admit I am a sinner, accept His sacrifice and that’s it?
So I did…and I could feel the weight of righteous works drop off my shoulders. I left my filthy zombie rags in that cave of self-righteousness and put on Christ.
God sees Christ’s righteousness standing here, because I am covered by Christ. Now I can truly say:
I will rejoice greatly in the LORD,
My soul will exult in my God;
For He has clothed me with garments of salvation,
He has wrapped me with a robe of righteousness,
As a bridegroom decks himself with a garland,
And as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.
Isaiah 61:10, New American Standard Bible (NASB)
Now the things I do are done not to make brownie points but because I am greatful for His Grace. I continue to grow with prayer, study and action.
How about you? What have you put on today?
Friday, August 03, 2012
Move Me
I work in an office on the second floor. Another department decided to move some very large lateral file cabinets from one side of the building to the other. The man that moved them had a hand truck and a work order to get it done. The hard part is that the files were still in the cabinets, so it made the move a little difficult.
He was a man on a mission and in no time the first 5ft high cabinet was in place on the other side of the building. I figured this early work day task was soon to be over with. When I didn't see him as quickly with the second set of files, I peeked around the doorway from my office and saw him struggling a little more than the first time. He seemed to be trying to move this one with one arm.
I asked if he was ok and he said, "Nah, I'm fine. It's this gecko in my other hand that's giving me some trouble. "
It turned out that this guy had found a lizard and wanted to make sure he got it outside safely...it wouldn't survive in an air conditioned, bug-free zone. He was multi-tasking...moving the cabinet and the gecko.
"It wouldn't be so bad," he said, "but that lizard has bit me twice now and that doesn't help!"
I plopped back in the chair behind my desk and realized how much the gecko and I had in common.
How many times have I shook my fist at God, not understanding what was going on...biting the hand that fed me...refusing the help He offered because I thought I could do it all by myself?
How many times did I turn from His grace, His favor...consumed by self-rightousness because I was not where I thought I should be? Some days it was an endless bumping into mental corners and getting stepped on by the world.
If I would just be still in His hand, He would literally move heaven and earth for me...if I let Him. Because unlike my friend who moved the cabinets...it's my choice to remain in the will (hand) of God. He doesn't take away that choice from me.
Yes the little gecko made it back outside and my friend moved those cabinets without injury except for a few gecko nibbles.
But as for me? I think my heart was moved farther than those cabinets. I want to resolve to stay in God's will for the rest of my life. Because when my life starts to feel like it's changing up the floorplan, the best place to be is in my Father's hands.
Jesus answered, "I told you, but you don't believe. Everything I have done has been authorized by my Father, actions that speak louder than words. You don't believe because you're not my sheep. My sheep recognize my voice. I know them, and they follow me. I give them real and eternal life. They are protected from the Destroyer for good. No one can steal them from out of my hand. The Father who put them under my care is so much greater than the Destroyer and Thief. No one could ever get them away from him. I and the Father are one heart and mind."
John 10:25-30 (MSG)
He was a man on a mission and in no time the first 5ft high cabinet was in place on the other side of the building. I figured this early work day task was soon to be over with. When I didn't see him as quickly with the second set of files, I peeked around the doorway from my office and saw him struggling a little more than the first time. He seemed to be trying to move this one with one arm.
I asked if he was ok and he said, "Nah, I'm fine. It's this gecko in my other hand that's giving me some trouble. "
It turned out that this guy had found a lizard and wanted to make sure he got it outside safely...it wouldn't survive in an air conditioned, bug-free zone. He was multi-tasking...moving the cabinet and the gecko.
"It wouldn't be so bad," he said, "but that lizard has bit me twice now and that doesn't help!"
How many times have I shook my fist at God, not understanding what was going on...biting the hand that fed me...refusing the help He offered because I thought I could do it all by myself?
How many times did I turn from His grace, His favor...consumed by self-rightousness because I was not where I thought I should be? Some days it was an endless bumping into mental corners and getting stepped on by the world.
If I would just be still in His hand, He would literally move heaven and earth for me...if I let Him. Because unlike my friend who moved the cabinets...it's my choice to remain in the will (hand) of God. He doesn't take away that choice from me.
Yes the little gecko made it back outside and my friend moved those cabinets without injury except for a few gecko nibbles.
But as for me? I think my heart was moved farther than those cabinets. I want to resolve to stay in God's will for the rest of my life. Because when my life starts to feel like it's changing up the floorplan, the best place to be is in my Father's hands.
Jesus answered, "I told you, but you don't believe. Everything I have done has been authorized by my Father, actions that speak louder than words. You don't believe because you're not my sheep. My sheep recognize my voice. I know them, and they follow me. I give them real and eternal life. They are protected from the Destroyer for good. No one can steal them from out of my hand. The Father who put them under my care is so much greater than the Destroyer and Thief. No one could ever get them away from him. I and the Father are one heart and mind."
John 10:25-30 (MSG)
Saturday, June 16, 2012
About Nancy
I met my friend Nancy in Mr. Holden's 7th grade Science class. We had to choose a buddy to sit with the whole year. She was at the back of the room with braids, braces and a big smile. She looked friendly...almost like she was saving a seat for me...so I sat with her. We became best friends.
Through our school years, Nancy grew in grace and elegance. She was good for me. She dared me to set aside my dad's shirts and jeans every once in a while to "try pretty". I enticed her with the comfort of blue jeans and barefeet, and gave her driving lessons in my dad's truck.
Her talent in art was obvious from the start. She used to "doodle" on our school folders so we had something to color during boring classes. I loved her music too, she would take out her guitar and sing "Time in a Bottle" and it warmed my soul. She loved what she did so much she encouraged us to express ourselves in art, music and writing.
Being pretty and outgoing brought popularity, boyfriends and the eventual heart break. But, I never heard an unkind word for anyone. She always looked for the best in everyone...she saw the masterpiece God had planted within them.
She loved going to youth group...she was always game for a camp adventure or spaghetti supper. Her involvement with Young Life drew others in her own walk with Christ.
Nancy wanted to be so many things: artist, opera singer, teacher, pianist, wife and mother. But I think the greatest career that God bestowed upon her was Evangelist. You see, early on she started to have physical challenges, seizures, strokes and Lupus...this kept her in a constant dance with doctors and nurses. And wherever she went, she brought Jesus with her.
Her survival to 50 was a miracle to the medical community--but not to her. She had a testimony to share with the world...and what better podium than "patient"? (And she surely was a patient patient.) She reached so many with her life! If you look around to family, friends, neighbors and community, you will see a legacy of celebration she has left for us to share in our own lives.
In the Bible the 50th year is the Year of Jubilee...it is a year of celebration where debts are forgiven, slaves were freed and land was returned to original owners. Did you know that Nancy turned 50 this year?
So why am I not surprised that my friend...my sister...is celebrating her Jubilee year with the One who created her? She is free from the slavery of sickness, her debts were already paid by Christ and she has arrived in the land that Jesus promised to prepare for her. I can imagine that smile, and a few empty seats she's saving for us all.
How can we not celebrate this life who gave us a peek at the Creator and Artist of us all? She lived the Good News--and now she rests in the arms of the One who sent her.
Nancy would want me to ask you this...would you like to know the joy and peace that kept her going through sickness, heart break and disappointment? Do you know Jesus? She knew Him and lived for Him...not a religion, not a belief...but a relationship that compelled her to Celebrate every Day.
"Or imagine a woman who has ten coins and loses one. Won't she light a lamp and scour the house, looking in every nook and cranny until she finds it? And when she finds it you can be sure she'll call her friends and neighbors: 'Celebrate with me! I found my lost coin!' Count on it—that's the kind of party God's angels throw every time one lost soul turns to God."
Luke 15:8-10 (MSG)
Through our school years, Nancy grew in grace and elegance. She was good for me. She dared me to set aside my dad's shirts and jeans every once in a while to "try pretty". I enticed her with the comfort of blue jeans and barefeet, and gave her driving lessons in my dad's truck.
Her talent in art was obvious from the start. She used to "doodle" on our school folders so we had something to color during boring classes. I loved her music too, she would take out her guitar and sing "Time in a Bottle" and it warmed my soul. She loved what she did so much she encouraged us to express ourselves in art, music and writing.
Being pretty and outgoing brought popularity, boyfriends and the eventual heart break. But, I never heard an unkind word for anyone. She always looked for the best in everyone...she saw the masterpiece God had planted within them.
Nancy wanted to be so many things: artist, opera singer, teacher, pianist, wife and mother. But I think the greatest career that God bestowed upon her was Evangelist. You see, early on she started to have physical challenges, seizures, strokes and Lupus...this kept her in a constant dance with doctors and nurses. And wherever she went, she brought Jesus with her.
Her survival to 50 was a miracle to the medical community--but not to her. She had a testimony to share with the world...and what better podium than "patient"? (And she surely was a patient patient.) She reached so many with her life! If you look around to family, friends, neighbors and community, you will see a legacy of celebration she has left for us to share in our own lives.
In the Bible the 50th year is the Year of Jubilee...it is a year of celebration where debts are forgiven, slaves were freed and land was returned to original owners. Did you know that Nancy turned 50 this year?
So why am I not surprised that my friend...my sister...is celebrating her Jubilee year with the One who created her? She is free from the slavery of sickness, her debts were already paid by Christ and she has arrived in the land that Jesus promised to prepare for her. I can imagine that smile, and a few empty seats she's saving for us all.
How can we not celebrate this life who gave us a peek at the Creator and Artist of us all? She lived the Good News--and now she rests in the arms of the One who sent her.
Nancy would want me to ask you this...would you like to know the joy and peace that kept her going through sickness, heart break and disappointment? Do you know Jesus? She knew Him and lived for Him...not a religion, not a belief...but a relationship that compelled her to Celebrate every Day.
"Or imagine a woman who has ten coins and loses one. Won't she light a lamp and scour the house, looking in every nook and cranny until she finds it? And when she finds it you can be sure she'll call her friends and neighbors: 'Celebrate with me! I found my lost coin!' Count on it—that's the kind of party God's angels throw every time one lost soul turns to God."
Luke 15:8-10 (MSG)
Friday, May 25, 2012
Let's Dance
Can dance lessons save your marriage? My friend thinks so. They decided to spend a little money...and took up dance lessons...and she learned a HUGE lesson about marriage. She went on to explain...as a couple begins to learn the steps, the guy leads. He telegraphs his moves to his partner with subtle touches and signals, and she follows through with her movement. A couple's dance is a sight to behold when the couple is communicating well. Anyone who has watched "Dancing with the Stars" can attest to that! It is poetry in motion.
My friend and her husband took what they learned on the dance floor and has carried it into their home. It's pure and simple communication...without words.
The same is true for Christians. We are in an eternal dance with Christ. He asked us simply to let Him lead us in the dance of life. We just need to sense His lead...and watch out for those dips!
The Bible is our dance instructor...we find out where the dance begins and ends in Christ. We learn where the pitfalls and missteps of past dancers have been and we skirt those areas. We tune our ears to the beat of centuries, keeping our feet moving and our head lifted high for the next turn.
Dear reader, my question for you today is, have you been asked by the Lord of the Dance to join Him? Are you willing for Him to lead? Are you ready to follow His will in your life and follow Him no matter where the dance steps take you? You will never be alone my friend...because this dance takes two. Take His hand, trust His leading and enjoy the music.
We look at this Son and see the God who cannot be seen. We look at this Son and see God's original purpose in everything created. For everything, absolutely everything, above and below, visible and invisible, rank after rank after rank of angels—everything got started in him and finds its purpose in him. He was there before any of it came into existence and holds it all together right up to this moment. And when it comes to the church, he organizes and holds it together, like a head does a body.
He was supreme in the beginning and—leading the resurrection parade—he is supreme in the end. From beginning to end he's there, towering far above everything, everyone. So spacious is he, so roomy, that everything of God finds its proper place in him without crowding. Not only that, but all the broken and dislocated pieces of the universe—people and things, animals and atoms—get properly fixed and fit together in vibrant harmonies, all because of his death, his blood that poured down from the cross.
Colossians 1:15-20, The Message (MSG)
My friend and her husband took what they learned on the dance floor and has carried it into their home. It's pure and simple communication...without words.
The same is true for Christians. We are in an eternal dance with Christ. He asked us simply to let Him lead us in the dance of life. We just need to sense His lead...and watch out for those dips!
The Bible is our dance instructor...we find out where the dance begins and ends in Christ. We learn where the pitfalls and missteps of past dancers have been and we skirt those areas. We tune our ears to the beat of centuries, keeping our feet moving and our head lifted high for the next turn.
Dear reader, my question for you today is, have you been asked by the Lord of the Dance to join Him? Are you willing for Him to lead? Are you ready to follow His will in your life and follow Him no matter where the dance steps take you? You will never be alone my friend...because this dance takes two. Take His hand, trust His leading and enjoy the music.
I am the heart, I need the heartbeat
I am the eyes, I need the sight
I realize that I am just a body
I need the life
I move my feet, I go through the motions
But who'll give purpose to chance
I am the dancer
I need the Lord of the dance
We look at this Son and see the God who cannot be seen. We look at this Son and see God's original purpose in everything created. For everything, absolutely everything, above and below, visible and invisible, rank after rank after rank of angels—everything got started in him and finds its purpose in him. He was there before any of it came into existence and holds it all together right up to this moment. And when it comes to the church, he organizes and holds it together, like a head does a body.
He was supreme in the beginning and—leading the resurrection parade—he is supreme in the end. From beginning to end he's there, towering far above everything, everyone. So spacious is he, so roomy, that everything of God finds its proper place in him without crowding. Not only that, but all the broken and dislocated pieces of the universe—people and things, animals and atoms—get properly fixed and fit together in vibrant harmonies, all because of his death, his blood that poured down from the cross.
Colossians 1:15-20, The Message (MSG)
Saturday, April 28, 2012
Smooth Sailing
At one of our family dinners we had an interesting question come from our dear sister-in-law. It was, "Why do bad things happen to good people?"
My instinctive reply was to say, "Why not?" but I held my tongue. We had a good discussion, but in the back of my mind I could hear a tune starting to build...
Now for some of you those few words have started an ear worm or endless tune for the day and you're cursing me. Some might not recognize it. Can you take a little blog trip with me? I promise it won't be a three hour tour...
I grew up watching Gilligan's Island in the afternoons. (After homework of course Dad!) I was happy to take a journey from reality on a tropical island with the antics of Gilligan and his friends.
There were some who made the best of it like Maryann, she made coconut cream pies and smiled...a lot. And then there were Mr. and Mrs. Howell, who just didn't want to accept reality and wanted everything to be like back home. The rest of them (except Ginger, another queen of denial) would try and help make it as close to luxury as possible for them. The Professor looked at the situation as one big experiment, he was always researching, discovering, inventing. The Skipper was desperate in his attempts to get his precious cargo of people off that island...but Gilligan, he was a little more like Maryann. He seemed to be happy wherever he landed...literally.
Where am I going with this? If you go back to the story of Adam and Eve, you'll see they had the Garden of Eden. All was wonderful...even the animals got along! God walked the garden with them. After they sinned, they were exiled...sent to live in the world outside the garden. You can say they were castaways...almost. (Genesis 3)
Adam and Eve are no longer with us, but we are still shipwrecked on this "island". It's no longer paradise. Things don't work the way they should sometimes, but should that surprise us? It's not our home!
Just like the Howells, we crave more comfort and money...but it's out of reach. Just like Ginger, we seek approval and applause...but it's never enough. Like the Professor, we make improvements to our world with inventions and research...but people still get sick and sometimes die. We're even like Maryann at times, making the best with what we have...but we realize food is not the comfort we need. The Skipper in us is always building that raft, trying to stay afloat with whatever means possible whether it's psychology or self-medication.
The castaways did get one thing right...they knew they were not going to stay on that island. They knew there was a better place out there. They had Hope, and so do we!
As you read through the whole Bible, you can see God making a way back for us all...to rescue. He is like the Coast Guard, working the search grid...making a way for our rescue. And do we just sit there and do nothing, nibbling our coconut cream pie? No, we are to be like Gilligan...making the best of all situations good or bad. We are to keep hope alive and help others live the best way they can while we're stranded here.
What is that Hope? It is His son Jesus Christ. He is your life preserver. And until the He returns to rescue us all, we are to hang on to Christ like our lives depend on Him. Because when the bad stuff happens, (we're all on the same island) we know rescue is imminent...we can hear the ship's horn blowing in the distance!
That's why we live with such good cheer. You won't see us drooping our heads or dragging our feet! Cramped conditions here don't get us down. They only remind us of the spacious living conditions ahead. It's what we trust in but don't yet see that keeps us going. Do you suppose a few ruts in the road or rocks in the path are going to stop us? When the time comes, we'll be plenty ready to exchange exile for homecoming.2 Corinthians 5:6-8 (MSG)
My instinctive reply was to say, "Why not?" but I held my tongue. We had a good discussion, but in the back of my mind I could hear a tune starting to build...
"Just sit right back and you'll hear a tale, a tale of a fateful trip,"
Now for some of you those few words have started an ear worm or endless tune for the day and you're cursing me. Some might not recognize it. Can you take a little blog trip with me? I promise it won't be a three hour tour...
I grew up watching Gilligan's Island in the afternoons. (After homework of course Dad!) I was happy to take a journey from reality on a tropical island with the antics of Gilligan and his friends.
There were some who made the best of it like Maryann, she made coconut cream pies and smiled...a lot. And then there were Mr. and Mrs. Howell, who just didn't want to accept reality and wanted everything to be like back home. The rest of them (except Ginger, another queen of denial) would try and help make it as close to luxury as possible for them. The Professor looked at the situation as one big experiment, he was always researching, discovering, inventing. The Skipper was desperate in his attempts to get his precious cargo of people off that island...but Gilligan, he was a little more like Maryann. He seemed to be happy wherever he landed...literally.
Where am I going with this? If you go back to the story of Adam and Eve, you'll see they had the Garden of Eden. All was wonderful...even the animals got along! God walked the garden with them. After they sinned, they were exiled...sent to live in the world outside the garden. You can say they were castaways...almost. (Genesis 3)
Adam and Eve are no longer with us, but we are still shipwrecked on this "island". It's no longer paradise. Things don't work the way they should sometimes, but should that surprise us? It's not our home!
Just like the Howells, we crave more comfort and money...but it's out of reach. Just like Ginger, we seek approval and applause...but it's never enough. Like the Professor, we make improvements to our world with inventions and research...but people still get sick and sometimes die. We're even like Maryann at times, making the best with what we have...but we realize food is not the comfort we need. The Skipper in us is always building that raft, trying to stay afloat with whatever means possible whether it's psychology or self-medication.
The castaways did get one thing right...they knew they were not going to stay on that island. They knew there was a better place out there. They had Hope, and so do we!
As you read through the whole Bible, you can see God making a way back for us all...to rescue. He is like the Coast Guard, working the search grid...making a way for our rescue. And do we just sit there and do nothing, nibbling our coconut cream pie? No, we are to be like Gilligan...making the best of all situations good or bad. We are to keep hope alive and help others live the best way they can while we're stranded here.
What is that Hope? It is His son Jesus Christ. He is your life preserver. And until the He returns to rescue us all, we are to hang on to Christ like our lives depend on Him. Because when the bad stuff happens, (we're all on the same island) we know rescue is imminent...we can hear the ship's horn blowing in the distance!
That's why we live with such good cheer. You won't see us drooping our heads or dragging our feet! Cramped conditions here don't get us down. They only remind us of the spacious living conditions ahead. It's what we trust in but don't yet see that keeps us going. Do you suppose a few ruts in the road or rocks in the path are going to stop us? When the time comes, we'll be plenty ready to exchange exile for homecoming.2 Corinthians 5:6-8 (MSG)
Sunday, March 11, 2012
Playing Chicken
We live in a semi-rural place and our neighbor recently acquired chickens for her yard. Now when I say, "chicken", what comes to mind? Is it a proud white-feathered, orange legged, red-crowned creature that scratches around in the yard? That's what I was expecting...until I saw these. "Japanese Silkie" are the name of these elegant chickens and they are as fancy looking as their name. To me they are the high-fashion feathered city-cousins of Foghorn Leghorn. Think irridescent black or powder puff white...and no bare orange legs here...these creatures have their spurs nicely concealed with fine frills of feathers. And their red crowns are overrun with feathers every which-way like some long-gone 80's band!
Now my neighbor was worried that her two roosters, pictured here, would disturb our mornings. We do hear them, but they seem like they are way off in the distance. The resident Mocking bird and woodpecker are more obnoxious than they!
One morning I was checking my email and I heard one of the roosters call to the world, "Get up! It's time to start the day!" But as I let the call linger in my heart I heard another call to action, "Do not deny me today!" And the conversation with God began...
You see there is another rooster in the New Testament that made a huge impact on one of Jesus' disciples, Peter. He was a very devoted follower of Christ...He is the one who stepped onto the stormy sea and walked to Jesus on water. He was a strong leader, ready for anything.
Jesus warned him about all hell breaking loose, "...stay on your toes. Satan has tried his best to separate all of you from me, like chaff from wheat. ...I've prayed for you in particular that you not give in or give out." (Luke 22:31)
But Peter, being a devoted guy and so sure of that devotion said, "Master, I'm ready for anything with you. I'd go to jail for you. I'd die for you!"
Sadly Jesus answered: "I'm sorry to have to tell you this, Peter, but before the rooster crows you will have three times denied that you know me." (For the rest of the story, check out Luke 22.)
So this is the context in which my heart was pinging me...remember Peter, remember the rooster...and I thought, I wouldn't deny Christ! Would I? If someone came up to me and asked me if I knew Christ I would tell them...I had before. Why did I feel this warning buzzer going off? And I listened to what the Holy Spirit was teaching me...
There are more ways to deny Christ than just flat out saying you're not a Christian. There are subtle ways to deny Him. If you think about it, your actions speak so much louder than words.
What do you do when an off-color joke is told? Do you smile or laugh with the rest of the group? How about when you are home alone with the tv remote, do you go to that channel that should be blocked? Or maybe that website that you happened to click on one day...it sent you an email, beckoning you to see some pictures you wouldn't let your own mother see. (Ephesians 5:4)
How about your wallet? Do you have money for that new upgraded gadget, but when the offering at church comes around you toss in a $20? How many mortgages do you have on your house or how many credit cards do you have with balances--and for what? A huge house that is hard to keep clean and nobody comes to because you are working multiple jobs to make all those payments? (Proverbs 22:7)
What about relationships? Is there a person who has rubbed you the wrong way and you have banished them from your presence? Did they do something that you know is wrong or hurt your feelings so you've locked them in your prison of unforgiveness? (Matthew 6:15)
Dear reader, listen to the rooster crowing in your life. Do not deny Christ by your actions...It's easy to go with the flow, or keep up with the Joneses or shut someone off.
When you toy with the idea that, "Yeah I can do all that stuff and God will still forgive me"...you are playing chicken with the devil my friend...and his aim is to separate you from Christ.
Listen carefully, your pride is crowing my friend!
You groped your way through that murk once, but no longer. You're out in the open now. The bright light of Christ makes your way plain. So no more stumbling around. Get on with it! The good, the right, the true—these are the actions appropriate for daylight hours. Figure out what will please Christ, and then do it. Ephesians 5:8-10 (MSG)
Now my neighbor was worried that her two roosters, pictured here, would disturb our mornings. We do hear them, but they seem like they are way off in the distance. The resident Mocking bird and woodpecker are more obnoxious than they!
One morning I was checking my email and I heard one of the roosters call to the world, "Get up! It's time to start the day!" But as I let the call linger in my heart I heard another call to action, "Do not deny me today!" And the conversation with God began...
You see there is another rooster in the New Testament that made a huge impact on one of Jesus' disciples, Peter. He was a very devoted follower of Christ...He is the one who stepped onto the stormy sea and walked to Jesus on water. He was a strong leader, ready for anything.
Jesus warned him about all hell breaking loose, "...stay on your toes. Satan has tried his best to separate all of you from me, like chaff from wheat. ...I've prayed for you in particular that you not give in or give out." (Luke 22:31)
But Peter, being a devoted guy and so sure of that devotion said, "Master, I'm ready for anything with you. I'd go to jail for you. I'd die for you!"
Sadly Jesus answered: "I'm sorry to have to tell you this, Peter, but before the rooster crows you will have three times denied that you know me." (For the rest of the story, check out Luke 22.)
So this is the context in which my heart was pinging me...remember Peter, remember the rooster...and I thought, I wouldn't deny Christ! Would I? If someone came up to me and asked me if I knew Christ I would tell them...I had before. Why did I feel this warning buzzer going off? And I listened to what the Holy Spirit was teaching me...
There are more ways to deny Christ than just flat out saying you're not a Christian. There are subtle ways to deny Him. If you think about it, your actions speak so much louder than words.
What do you do when an off-color joke is told? Do you smile or laugh with the rest of the group? How about when you are home alone with the tv remote, do you go to that channel that should be blocked? Or maybe that website that you happened to click on one day...it sent you an email, beckoning you to see some pictures you wouldn't let your own mother see. (Ephesians 5:4)
How about your wallet? Do you have money for that new upgraded gadget, but when the offering at church comes around you toss in a $20? How many mortgages do you have on your house or how many credit cards do you have with balances--and for what? A huge house that is hard to keep clean and nobody comes to because you are working multiple jobs to make all those payments? (Proverbs 22:7)
What about relationships? Is there a person who has rubbed you the wrong way and you have banished them from your presence? Did they do something that you know is wrong or hurt your feelings so you've locked them in your prison of unforgiveness? (Matthew 6:15)
Dear reader, listen to the rooster crowing in your life. Do not deny Christ by your actions...It's easy to go with the flow, or keep up with the Joneses or shut someone off.
When you toy with the idea that, "Yeah I can do all that stuff and God will still forgive me"...you are playing chicken with the devil my friend...and his aim is to separate you from Christ.
Listen carefully, your pride is crowing my friend!
You groped your way through that murk once, but no longer. You're out in the open now. The bright light of Christ makes your way plain. So no more stumbling around. Get on with it! The good, the right, the true—these are the actions appropriate for daylight hours. Figure out what will please Christ, and then do it. Ephesians 5:8-10 (MSG)
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Dress Up
Ever wish you had a wardrobe assistant? Someone who would pick outfits, coordinate accessories and organize your closet? Someone who would weed out the acid-washed jeans because you never really are ever going to wear, (or fit into) them again...someone who would take one look at your attempt at a power suit and say, "Eh...not so much!" Will you agree that sometimes even a mirror will lie to you?
I was reading some scripture I really like in a new translation the other day. It's called "The Message". The comedian Tim Hawkins likes to say it's a "laid back" version of the Bible and I'll agree with that. But sometimes you need a different perspective on the words for it to hit your heart with a new zing.
Before we go there, can I bring up some memories for you to help prime the pump of your thought processes?
Do you remember your mom picking out your clothes and laying them out the night before the first day of school? Do you remember as a preteen running out the door for the bus only to be stopped by a certain pitch of your parent's voice using your first AND middle name because they wanted you to come back inside "right this very moment" and edit your outfit? How about a few years later and your friend decides to give you a makeover, complete with the latest hair and latest "what were you thinking" accessory? Or maybe you saw someone you liked and saw who they liked, and decided to become what you thought was a stylish (tho somewhat creepy) copy of them?
Skipping ahead some more years and you're engaged...and your fiance decides to pick out something in the store and gift it to you...it never fits because it's too small, and you can't see how they thought you'd ever wear something like that! Then after you're married and you get another similar item of clothing and it's too big...
You start to wonder if anyone has ever really known you at all.
So now I want to take you to Colossians 3:12-14 in The Message...
So, chosen by God for this new life of love, dress in the wardrobe God picked out for you: compassion, kindness, humility, quiet strength, discipline. Be even-tempered, content with second place, quick to forgive an offense. Forgive as quickly and completely as the Master forgave you. And regardless of what else you put on, wear love. It's your basic, all-purpose garment. Never be without it.
God knows everything about you and knows just what you need to put on every day. It's not the latest style, the wrong size or something that's on the What Not to Wear list. It's tailor-made, one of a kind and makes you glow. (Well, guys don't glow...I guess they smile more.)
Don't forget to put on Love every morning. Stop listening to what others tell you about yourself, and stop listening to those tapes in your head! And for goodness' sake get rid of the full length mirror! God made you and knows exactly how you're wired. It's all about Love...His Love for you.
But make sure that you don't get so absorbed and exhausted in taking care of all your day-by-day obligations that you lose track of the time and doze off, oblivious to God. The night is about over, dawn is about to break. Be up and awake to what God is doing! God is putting the finishing touches on the salvation work he began when we first believed. We can't afford to waste a minute, must not squander these precious daylight hours in frivolity and indulgence, in sleeping around and dissipation, in bickering and grabbing everything in sight. Get out of bed and get dressed! Don't loiter and linger, waiting until the very last minute. Dress yourselves in Christ, and be up and about! Romans 13:11-14 (MSG)
I was reading some scripture I really like in a new translation the other day. It's called "The Message". The comedian Tim Hawkins likes to say it's a "laid back" version of the Bible and I'll agree with that. But sometimes you need a different perspective on the words for it to hit your heart with a new zing.
Before we go there, can I bring up some memories for you to help prime the pump of your thought processes?
Do you remember your mom picking out your clothes and laying them out the night before the first day of school? Do you remember as a preteen running out the door for the bus only to be stopped by a certain pitch of your parent's voice using your first AND middle name because they wanted you to come back inside "right this very moment" and edit your outfit? How about a few years later and your friend decides to give you a makeover, complete with the latest hair and latest "what were you thinking" accessory? Or maybe you saw someone you liked and saw who they liked, and decided to become what you thought was a stylish (tho somewhat creepy) copy of them?
Skipping ahead some more years and you're engaged...and your fiance decides to pick out something in the store and gift it to you...it never fits because it's too small, and you can't see how they thought you'd ever wear something like that! Then after you're married and you get another similar item of clothing and it's too big...
You start to wonder if anyone has ever really known you at all.
So now I want to take you to Colossians 3:12-14 in The Message...
So, chosen by God for this new life of love, dress in the wardrobe God picked out for you: compassion, kindness, humility, quiet strength, discipline. Be even-tempered, content with second place, quick to forgive an offense. Forgive as quickly and completely as the Master forgave you. And regardless of what else you put on, wear love. It's your basic, all-purpose garment. Never be without it.
God knows everything about you and knows just what you need to put on every day. It's not the latest style, the wrong size or something that's on the What Not to Wear list. It's tailor-made, one of a kind and makes you glow. (Well, guys don't glow...I guess they smile more.)
Don't forget to put on Love every morning. Stop listening to what others tell you about yourself, and stop listening to those tapes in your head! And for goodness' sake get rid of the full length mirror! God made you and knows exactly how you're wired. It's all about Love...His Love for you.
But make sure that you don't get so absorbed and exhausted in taking care of all your day-by-day obligations that you lose track of the time and doze off, oblivious to God. The night is about over, dawn is about to break. Be up and awake to what God is doing! God is putting the finishing touches on the salvation work he began when we first believed. We can't afford to waste a minute, must not squander these precious daylight hours in frivolity and indulgence, in sleeping around and dissipation, in bickering and grabbing everything in sight. Get out of bed and get dressed! Don't loiter and linger, waiting until the very last minute. Dress yourselves in Christ, and be up and about! Romans 13:11-14 (MSG)
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