It happened again. Another dog encounter.
By now you are probably sick and tired of reading about neighborhood dogs chasing after Pippy and me on our walks. I can't blame you. I myself am just as sick and tired of the reoccurring chase scenes. I don't enjoy the thrill of a high speed chase on a movie screen nor do I enjoy it in my real life. I prefer the leisurely walks where barking dogs are safely locked behind fences. I like walks even better when the barking dogs are asleep in their homes, away from the window and out of sniffing reach of my little pup. But that is a bit picky. I'd settle for a tall fence and double locked gate. But even that is too much to ask in my neighborhood.
This morning's saga was another story of a big dog running after Pippy and I at warp speed, catching me completely off guard. At the same time that one dog was breaking free of his electric fence and charging at Pippy, another dog in the same area was barking viciously. The whole scene happened so fast that I thought the running dog was also the barking dog. I reached down to scoop Pippy up in an attempt to protect her from the vicious attacker. The running dog was already at my side as I tried to get Pippy. He was moving so quickly that he knocked me forward, causing me to lose my balance. My grip on Pippy was compromised and I ended up catching her leg in my arms, causing her to yelp while I went tumbling to the ground.
From start to finish the scene only lasted a few brief seconds but it felt agonizingly slow. My fall felt cartoonish. All the while the dog who had been running at us was not the dog who was barking. So my frantic attempt to save Pippy was all in vain. I ended up doing her more harm than good.
In that moment when I was falling forward my eyes were wide open, taking in the looming pavement that was before me. I was able to stretch out my hands just far enough in front of me to break my fall. My knees took the rest of the impact. Once I hit the ground I paused for a moment, taking in the reality of what was happening…again. I was once again flat on the ground, my nose just inches from the pavement. And Pippy was once again frozen stock still as a large dog sniffed her butt with such intensity I thought he might pick her up off the ground with his big nose. The scene was all too familiar. I couldn't believe it was repeating itself. I wondered to myself, is this Groundhog Day?
The time for contemplation didn't last long. I quickly rose to my feet, quickly gaining my stability and equilibrium. I scooped Pippy up, saving her from the sniffing intruder. The owner brought his dog back in his own yard as Pippy and I quickly continued down the road on our walk.
Today I realized something about all of these reoccurring frantic falls. Every time I've been knocked down I've been given the strength to jump right back up. No matter how hard the fall or how rocky the pavement, I've gotten back on my feet.
This certainly hasn't occurred on account on my own strength. This is not a secret: I am weak. All it takes is one look and anyone could confirm that fact. I could easily wear the label "Fragile. Handle with care." I look like I could be easily broken. I don't have built-in padding and cushioning on my little bones. I don't have muscles indicating power and might. My appearance sends quite a different message. "Downright wimpy" seems to be a more appropriate fit.
And yet God…
Isn't that the greatest start to any sentence?
And yet God's strength is bigger than my frailty. He is not limited by my low weight or lack of fat and muscle. When I am knocked down He is powerful and stable enough to get me back up on my feet. It is not by any force found within me. It is entirely through the rock solid foundation of God and His unshakable strength. God, dwelling in me, has the power to show His limitless, mighty power in my tiny being. As Isaiah 40:29 reassures, "He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak."
My weakness is undeniable. It is visible. And the weakness doesn't stop at my appearance. I am not only physically weak but I am spiritually weak, too. I need God to lift me up in both my body and my soul. I need His power to lift me up off the pavement when I fall and out of the pit when I am dragged down in spirit. Thankfully, His power is great enough to do both. He can physically sustain me, enabling me to overcome the limits of my physical body. And He is able to life my spirit to new heights by His forgiveness and indwelling of His Holy Spirit that fills me with grace and love.
When I rely on God's strength I am able to overcome the weakness of my human frailty. On my own I am helpless, easily grounded by a simple trip and certainly broken by a face-plant on the pavement. But with God I am able to get back up again. By His power I am able to rise to my feet with energy and vitality that is from Him alone.
So although I may appear weak and fragile, don't be fooled… I have the strength of God in me.
Sunday, March 9, 2014
Lost and found
My teddy bear was small, white and fluffy. He had no distinguishing features and didn't wear an outfit. He was just a simple little bear, but I was attached to him.
That is, until the day I lost him in the grocery store. At least, I thought that's where I last had him. I must have been three or four when my beloved bear went missing. I was sure the last place I had been carrying him was the grocery store, so my parents went back to check the lost and found. But no luck. They combed the store looking in the aisles and shelves, but he wasn't there either. After leaving their names and numbers with the service desk, my parents had to give up their search. They kept looking elsewhere, covering every square inch of the house and car, but that bear was no where to be found.
I was brokenhearted to lose my dear bear. My parents replaced him with another white stuffed animal, but it would never be the same. The new bear wasn't "my bear." My bear was gone forever.
My precious bear didn't have any monetary value. He wasn't a special edition or an antique. He didn't come from a designer store or even a Build-A-Bear Workshop where he would have been given a name and his own red heart. No, my bear was precious because he was mine. I loved him because I had claimed him and made him my very own.
That, my friend, is how God sees you, too. You are His precious, beloved child. You may not feel precious. Maybe you just feel ordinary, like a bear bought at the CVS checkout counter. But let me assure you, God has no ordinary children. He has chosen you and made you His own.
Just think about that...the maker of all the earth, the One who has put every star in the sky and makes the sun rise and set, has chosen you! Before you were even born He chose to love you and make you His very own. He has numbered every hair on your head and knows your very thoughts. To God you are worth more than silver or gold. You are His beloved white teddy bear. He loves you deeply.
When you and I go astray or become lost God yearns for us, just like I longed to find my missing bear. God does just what my parents and I did: He searches for us; He seeks us out. But unlike my lost bear who I had to give up searching for, God never ever gives up looking for us. He doesn't go out and buy another replacement for His lost child. There is no replacement to be had! So He never gives up His search and rescue efforts for that one precious, lost child. He never ceases in His search.
If you have never come to put your belief, trust and faith in Jesus Christ then God is still looking for you. Won't you come out of your hiding place? He is longing for you and searching for you. Today, right now, you can end that search. You can be found in Christ Jesus by repenting of your sins and declaring Jesus Christ as your risen Savior who died on the cross to forgive you of all your sins.The God of the universe is looking for you. He sent His one and only Son to save you. That is how precious and special you are to God. The love He has for you is so great that He will never give up searching for you. He will seek you out until you are found because you are His beloved "teddy bear" and there is no other that could ever replace you.
That is, until the day I lost him in the grocery store. At least, I thought that's where I last had him. I must have been three or four when my beloved bear went missing. I was sure the last place I had been carrying him was the grocery store, so my parents went back to check the lost and found. But no luck. They combed the store looking in the aisles and shelves, but he wasn't there either. After leaving their names and numbers with the service desk, my parents had to give up their search. They kept looking elsewhere, covering every square inch of the house and car, but that bear was no where to be found.
I was brokenhearted to lose my dear bear. My parents replaced him with another white stuffed animal, but it would never be the same. The new bear wasn't "my bear." My bear was gone forever.
My precious bear didn't have any monetary value. He wasn't a special edition or an antique. He didn't come from a designer store or even a Build-A-Bear Workshop where he would have been given a name and his own red heart. No, my bear was precious because he was mine. I loved him because I had claimed him and made him my very own.
That, my friend, is how God sees you, too. You are His precious, beloved child. You may not feel precious. Maybe you just feel ordinary, like a bear bought at the CVS checkout counter. But let me assure you, God has no ordinary children. He has chosen you and made you His own.
Just think about that...the maker of all the earth, the One who has put every star in the sky and makes the sun rise and set, has chosen you! Before you were even born He chose to love you and make you His very own. He has numbered every hair on your head and knows your very thoughts. To God you are worth more than silver or gold. You are His beloved white teddy bear. He loves you deeply.
When you and I go astray or become lost God yearns for us, just like I longed to find my missing bear. God does just what my parents and I did: He searches for us; He seeks us out. But unlike my lost bear who I had to give up searching for, God never ever gives up looking for us. He doesn't go out and buy another replacement for His lost child. There is no replacement to be had! So He never gives up His search and rescue efforts for that one precious, lost child. He never ceases in His search.
If you have never come to put your belief, trust and faith in Jesus Christ then God is still looking for you. Won't you come out of your hiding place? He is longing for you and searching for you. Today, right now, you can end that search. You can be found in Christ Jesus by repenting of your sins and declaring Jesus Christ as your risen Savior who died on the cross to forgive you of all your sins.The God of the universe is looking for you. He sent His one and only Son to save you. That is how precious and special you are to God. The love He has for you is so great that He will never give up searching for you. He will seek you out until you are found because you are His beloved "teddy bear" and there is no other that could ever replace you.
"Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. Doesn't she light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it?"
Luke 15:8
Luke 15:8
Saturday, March 8, 2014
"Stuff"
We could picture the sign on the door, written in a fanciful script with whimsical charm. We could see the striped awnings hanging over the windows and the black and white checkered floor greeting customers at the door. Mom's imagination had given birth to a new business venture brainchild: "Stuff."
The idea was to take old, neglected furniture and home decor and refurbish it. Mom would take old chairs, end tables, lamps, mirrors - any piece she could find that had hidden potential - and breath into it new life. Revitalize and redesign it! She started putting her plan into motion by visiting estate sales, purchasing chairs with missing seats and dressers standing on their last legs. All were gems in disguise, treasures just waiting to be uncovered.
My Dad, the ever plotting and planning entrepreneur, was all for this new business idea. He even bought my Mom a hand sander for Christmas. Romantic, don't you think?
Around the kitchen table Mom and I used to dream up more ideas about how the store front would look and where we would travel to find our hidden treasures. We discussed the eye-catching displays and catchy advertising phrases that would draw in customers. We were all excited about the impending opening of "Stuff."
But time passed and so did "Stuff." The doors never opened. In fact, the black and white checkered floor was never even ordered, let alone installed. All of those mismatched, broken chairs never did experience the transformational work that could have been accomplished with that new hand sander. Instead, "Stuff" became a storage unit piled high. "Stuff" became what my brothers and I affectionately called, "Crap."
"Stuff" was a genius business idea at the time. For a few moments, even my brothers, always the jokesters, agreed. But the bloom was quickly off the rose when the reality of "Stuff" came to light. The money that would need to be spent to get the store up and running, the time spent having to man the hours of operation once we were open for business, the restraint owning "Stuff" would put on our families ability to pick up and travel all together…the reality of "Stuff" looked drastically different than the dream of "Stuff."
Isn't that how most "stuff" ends up? All of the treasured stuff becomes random knicknacks and whatchacall-its that no one knows what to do with! The latest must have item ends up being a dust-covered, space-sucking burden, buried under a pile of other "stuff" that was, at one point, an absolute essential.
The story of "Stuff" is now ancient family history. The jokes continue on - they always will - but the dream and the broken chairs are long gone. But the lesson of "Stuff" is just as real and just as relevant today as it was the day we put the lock on the storage unit: stuff doesn't satisfy.
I was reminded of the lesson of stuff this morning as I read Psalm 23. Never before had I read that particular Psalm and thought in terms of material possessions. The moment I read verse one my mind was stopped dead in its tracks: "The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want."
Stuff. I shall not want stuff….
Biblical scholars and seasoned pastors might not preach with materialism in mind when they preach on the beloved Psalm 23 but this morning that was precisely how God preached it to my heart. I didn't even need to go on to verse two. Verse one was a sermon all of its own. It was as if God were speaking directly to me through words I've known by heart for years but never applied in this particular way: "Stephanie, you shall not want stuff."
"But God," my mind said, "I happen to like stuff. I like stuff so much I even jumped on board with opening a store bearing the name 'Stuff.' Stuff is appealing to me. I don't worship stuff, but I enjoy stuff. Purchasing stuff can be fun. Finding just the right stuff can be a thrill! I know stuff isn't as good as you, God, and I don't worship the stuff. So what's the harm?"
Then I read the first part of that verse again and I shut my mouth. "The Lord is my shepherd."
By declaring that the Lord alone is my shepherd I lay down my own wants. Maybe my wants aren't evil or malicious in nature - that isn't the point. The point is that I lay down all wants no matter what they are so that I can devote myself entirely to my Shepherd. If I am dedicated to both His guiding and my own wants then I can easily become torn. But when I cast off my own wants I can submit to the care of my Shepherd wholeheartedly and completely.
Stuff can be tempting. But all that glitters is not gold, even the shiniest jewelry loses its sparkle. The latest and greatest technology becomes obsolete. But the Word of the Lord stands forever. The great Shepherd, the Lord Jesus Christ, remains the same yesterday, today and every day to come. There is no stuff on earth that can compare or satisfy like Christ. Every material possession on this earth will end up like my family's fantasy store, "Stuff." It will sound great on paper, excite the dream life but in reality it won't live up to all the hype.
God alone can truly satisfy and sustain. He alone can surpass our wildest dreams and bring true excitement to our reality. When we want for Him alone, when we yearn for and desire Jesus Christ, our souls won't be in want for all of the stuff of this world. They will be filled to the overflowing with the goodness of God. The need for "stuff" will be satisfied by the Savior.
The idea was to take old, neglected furniture and home decor and refurbish it. Mom would take old chairs, end tables, lamps, mirrors - any piece she could find that had hidden potential - and breath into it new life. Revitalize and redesign it! She started putting her plan into motion by visiting estate sales, purchasing chairs with missing seats and dressers standing on their last legs. All were gems in disguise, treasures just waiting to be uncovered.
My Dad, the ever plotting and planning entrepreneur, was all for this new business idea. He even bought my Mom a hand sander for Christmas. Romantic, don't you think?
Around the kitchen table Mom and I used to dream up more ideas about how the store front would look and where we would travel to find our hidden treasures. We discussed the eye-catching displays and catchy advertising phrases that would draw in customers. We were all excited about the impending opening of "Stuff."
But time passed and so did "Stuff." The doors never opened. In fact, the black and white checkered floor was never even ordered, let alone installed. All of those mismatched, broken chairs never did experience the transformational work that could have been accomplished with that new hand sander. Instead, "Stuff" became a storage unit piled high. "Stuff" became what my brothers and I affectionately called, "Crap."
"Stuff" was a genius business idea at the time. For a few moments, even my brothers, always the jokesters, agreed. But the bloom was quickly off the rose when the reality of "Stuff" came to light. The money that would need to be spent to get the store up and running, the time spent having to man the hours of operation once we were open for business, the restraint owning "Stuff" would put on our families ability to pick up and travel all together…the reality of "Stuff" looked drastically different than the dream of "Stuff."
Isn't that how most "stuff" ends up? All of the treasured stuff becomes random knicknacks and whatchacall-its that no one knows what to do with! The latest must have item ends up being a dust-covered, space-sucking burden, buried under a pile of other "stuff" that was, at one point, an absolute essential.
The story of "Stuff" is now ancient family history. The jokes continue on - they always will - but the dream and the broken chairs are long gone. But the lesson of "Stuff" is just as real and just as relevant today as it was the day we put the lock on the storage unit: stuff doesn't satisfy.
I was reminded of the lesson of stuff this morning as I read Psalm 23. Never before had I read that particular Psalm and thought in terms of material possessions. The moment I read verse one my mind was stopped dead in its tracks: "The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want."
Stuff. I shall not want stuff….
Biblical scholars and seasoned pastors might not preach with materialism in mind when they preach on the beloved Psalm 23 but this morning that was precisely how God preached it to my heart. I didn't even need to go on to verse two. Verse one was a sermon all of its own. It was as if God were speaking directly to me through words I've known by heart for years but never applied in this particular way: "Stephanie, you shall not want stuff."
"But God," my mind said, "I happen to like stuff. I like stuff so much I even jumped on board with opening a store bearing the name 'Stuff.' Stuff is appealing to me. I don't worship stuff, but I enjoy stuff. Purchasing stuff can be fun. Finding just the right stuff can be a thrill! I know stuff isn't as good as you, God, and I don't worship the stuff. So what's the harm?"
Then I read the first part of that verse again and I shut my mouth. "The Lord is my shepherd."
By declaring that the Lord alone is my shepherd I lay down my own wants. Maybe my wants aren't evil or malicious in nature - that isn't the point. The point is that I lay down all wants no matter what they are so that I can devote myself entirely to my Shepherd. If I am dedicated to both His guiding and my own wants then I can easily become torn. But when I cast off my own wants I can submit to the care of my Shepherd wholeheartedly and completely.
Stuff can be tempting. But all that glitters is not gold, even the shiniest jewelry loses its sparkle. The latest and greatest technology becomes obsolete. But the Word of the Lord stands forever. The great Shepherd, the Lord Jesus Christ, remains the same yesterday, today and every day to come. There is no stuff on earth that can compare or satisfy like Christ. Every material possession on this earth will end up like my family's fantasy store, "Stuff." It will sound great on paper, excite the dream life but in reality it won't live up to all the hype.
God alone can truly satisfy and sustain. He alone can surpass our wildest dreams and bring true excitement to our reality. When we want for Him alone, when we yearn for and desire Jesus Christ, our souls won't be in want for all of the stuff of this world. They will be filled to the overflowing with the goodness of God. The need for "stuff" will be satisfied by the Savior.
Friday, March 7, 2014
No such thing as spiritual Spanx
Women everywhere know about Spanx. This product came to life in 2000 when a woman was distressed over the unsightly appearance of panty lines. Her crafty handiwork with a pair of scissors and some pantyhose, gave birth to a new phenomenon known affectionately as Spanx. The idea was to eliminate the embarrassing lines and create a smooth, sleek shape.
The concept took off. From her kitchen counter, the founder handled calls and fulfilled orders. But that simple business model didn't last long. By 2008 her small start-up had flourished into a thriving company worth over $750 million dollars.
Not too shabby for some shape wear!
You may be wondering why I'm spending your precious reading time covering the history of a women's undergarment company. I promise, there is a purpose to this random history lesson.
Spanx is proof that we human beings are concerned with our shape. And it's not just women. Men have gotten on board, too, purchasing their own line of Spanx for men's products. The desire to be formed and molded into the right looking package is a universal desire that spans generations and genders. Men and women want curves in the right places, muscles with the right definition and figures that flatter. And we humans would like it all with minimal effort which is precisely why Spanx is so popular. Spanx provides the shape and all you have to do is put it on! Spanx does the job of molding and forming for you.
No wonder this business took off.
The love of a simple solution that is easily purchased and requires no effort has made Spanx a huge success story. The concept has worked wonders for the physiques of women and men worldwide. But this concept has its limits. The Spanx solution isn't transferable to all manner of shapes. Consider, for example, your spiritual shape. There is no Spanx for our spiritual shape.There is no "shapewear" that can be purchased and put on that can fix all of our spiritual problems or give us the desired spiritual physique.
Our spiritual shape is doomed to flab and ghastly panty lines without Christ. The saving work of Jesus is our only solution to poor spiritual shape.
Unlike Spanx, getting into spiritual shape does take sacrifice. To attain a desirable spiritual shape takes dedication and commitment. You can't buy spiritual shape. There isn't a product on the market that can be put on, injected or ingested that can improve our spiritual shape.
Spiritual shape comes from being molded to the image of God. It is His shape that we are to strive to attain. He doesn't give us shapewear. Instead He has given us the Holy Spirit. By submitting to the indwelling of the Spirit and living in obedience to the commands of God we can be formed into the image of Christ.
2 Corinthians 3:17-18 tells us how to get into spiritual shape. "Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit."
You and I get to choose our spiritual shape by opening the door to the Holy Spirit who is the Lord Jesus. When we invite Him into our hearts He can do the work of molding, forming and shaping us from the inside out.
The work God has to do in us to change our shape won't be painless. Sometimes it will be uncomfortable. It won't happen overnight. We won't be able to simply slide on this new shape like a fresh pair of Spanx. The work of the Holy Spirit comes through trials and challenges, requiring patience and a building of faith.
But God never told us that our walk with Him would be as effortless as putting on shapewear. To the contrary! He warned that we would have tribulation and hardship. Yet, in all of the difficulties there is a miraculous change of spiritual shape taking place. Thanks be to God as He sculpts and molds each one of us into the likeness of our Savior, Jesus Christ.
The concept took off. From her kitchen counter, the founder handled calls and fulfilled orders. But that simple business model didn't last long. By 2008 her small start-up had flourished into a thriving company worth over $750 million dollars.
Not too shabby for some shape wear!
You may be wondering why I'm spending your precious reading time covering the history of a women's undergarment company. I promise, there is a purpose to this random history lesson.
Spanx is proof that we human beings are concerned with our shape. And it's not just women. Men have gotten on board, too, purchasing their own line of Spanx for men's products. The desire to be formed and molded into the right looking package is a universal desire that spans generations and genders. Men and women want curves in the right places, muscles with the right definition and figures that flatter. And we humans would like it all with minimal effort which is precisely why Spanx is so popular. Spanx provides the shape and all you have to do is put it on! Spanx does the job of molding and forming for you.
No wonder this business took off.
The love of a simple solution that is easily purchased and requires no effort has made Spanx a huge success story. The concept has worked wonders for the physiques of women and men worldwide. But this concept has its limits. The Spanx solution isn't transferable to all manner of shapes. Consider, for example, your spiritual shape. There is no Spanx for our spiritual shape.There is no "shapewear" that can be purchased and put on that can fix all of our spiritual problems or give us the desired spiritual physique.
Our spiritual shape is doomed to flab and ghastly panty lines without Christ. The saving work of Jesus is our only solution to poor spiritual shape.
Unlike Spanx, getting into spiritual shape does take sacrifice. To attain a desirable spiritual shape takes dedication and commitment. You can't buy spiritual shape. There isn't a product on the market that can be put on, injected or ingested that can improve our spiritual shape.
Spiritual shape comes from being molded to the image of God. It is His shape that we are to strive to attain. He doesn't give us shapewear. Instead He has given us the Holy Spirit. By submitting to the indwelling of the Spirit and living in obedience to the commands of God we can be formed into the image of Christ.
2 Corinthians 3:17-18 tells us how to get into spiritual shape. "Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit."
You and I get to choose our spiritual shape by opening the door to the Holy Spirit who is the Lord Jesus. When we invite Him into our hearts He can do the work of molding, forming and shaping us from the inside out.
The work God has to do in us to change our shape won't be painless. Sometimes it will be uncomfortable. It won't happen overnight. We won't be able to simply slide on this new shape like a fresh pair of Spanx. The work of the Holy Spirit comes through trials and challenges, requiring patience and a building of faith.
But God never told us that our walk with Him would be as effortless as putting on shapewear. To the contrary! He warned that we would have tribulation and hardship. Yet, in all of the difficulties there is a miraculous change of spiritual shape taking place. Thanks be to God as He sculpts and molds each one of us into the likeness of our Savior, Jesus Christ.
Thursday, March 6, 2014
A healing crisis
Webster defines crisis as "the decisive moment."
I like that definition. It speaks of the great significance of a crisis.
In a crisis there comes a turning point, either for better or worse. There is a change on the horizon, the question is what will the change bring?
In Acts 9 Saul encounters a situation of crisis proportions. He is traveling along the road headed to Damascus when he is literally brought to the ground when he encounters the voice of God. There was a great light, a thundering sound and Saul heard God speak. When Saul was able to stand up again he was faced with a sudden crisis of sight. He was left completely blind.
Just moments earlier he had been capable of seeing. He had been walking along with his traveling companions on a journey to continue spreading murderous threats to Christians whom he had a reputation of persecuting. And then, in an instant, he was brought to his knees and rendered blind.
I would call that a crisis.
Saul was at a critical point in his life. He had to choose whether or not to follow the directive given to him by God: “Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.” (Acts 9:6). In the climax of his crisis he had to decide if he would get up and rely on God to provide direction for his next steps.
Saul listened and got up. For three days he was blind. But then God sent Ananias to touch Saul's eyes and bring restoration to his sight.
Immediately following his healing Saul "got up and was baptized" (Acts 9:18). Through his obedience to God's command given in crisis Saul was brought to repentance and given miraculous healing of his soul. It was through the acute trauma of his crisis that he was brought to his knees, literally and spiritually, before the Almighty God.
Saul's conversion is a powerful display of God's ability to use crises to claim His lost children. He uses crises to restore and renew. He uses crises to heal and repair. He uses crisis to save wayward souls.
God still uses crisis to redeem His beloved. I know because He's done it for me.
I've had crises of faith and crises of the physical nature. Sin has sent my world crashing down around me, leading to a critical decision point in my walk of faith.
More recently I've been faced with a health crisis. The faltering state of my physical being has put me into crisis mode. In all of the pain and suffering I know that I am at a turning point. This is my cross roads, my decisive moment.
I have a choice. I can rely on God, trusting that He has a way out of the crisis already plotted and planned for me. Or I can turn from God in anger and frustration, losing patience with His process and doubting His omnipotence.
Saul was faced with a similar predicament. He was left blinded on the road. His options were clear. He could continue to scorn and mock God or he could stop persecuting God and submit to His will, trusting that God would provide the directive and steps to take on the road ahead.
Saul got up.
At the most critical moment of his crisis, Saul got up off the ground and followed God.
That decision changed everything for Saul. It led to his physical healing and, more importantly, it brought about repentance and a rebirth of his spirit.
When I am faced with a crisis I need to remind myself of Saul fallen on his knees on that rocky, dusty road to Damascus. I need to remember God's words that commanded, "get up."
In a crisis it can be tempting to stay flat out on the ground, paralyzed by fear, frustration, impatience and confusion. But God has shown that when we get up and follow His guidance He will lead us out of our crisis into renewed healing and salvation! He uses the crisis to restore us, better than we were before. Saul had once been a persecutor of Christians, threatening and jailing those who proclaimed Jesus Christ as their Savior. But God used a crisis to break Saul's sin and bring him to repentance and salvation. He used a crisis to bring about healing for his sight and his soul.
I needed reminded that God can use my most dire of circumstances and critical of crises to save me and renew me. There are times I want to curl up in a ball, refusing to get up and face the difficulty of the crisis. But if I will allow God to use my crisis He can use it to bring about glorious redemption and restoration.
God has the power to touch this broken and weak physical body, making it strong, beautiful and whole! He has already shown His healing power by saving my soul that was deep in sin, lost in a sea of evil and corruption. He took me through a crisis of faith so He could bring about my rebirth. His power to heal is still just as powerful today as it was then. I know that God can use the crisis in my physical body to bring about glorious healing for His name's sake.
Beloved, if you are faced with a crisis today I urge you to get up. Follow God. Give Him the glory in the midst of your crisis. He has the power to do a miraculous work in you through this decisive moment in your life. Give Him that honor. Submit to that power. Let God have His way in your life through the work of your crisis.
I like that definition. It speaks of the great significance of a crisis.
In a crisis there comes a turning point, either for better or worse. There is a change on the horizon, the question is what will the change bring?
In Acts 9 Saul encounters a situation of crisis proportions. He is traveling along the road headed to Damascus when he is literally brought to the ground when he encounters the voice of God. There was a great light, a thundering sound and Saul heard God speak. When Saul was able to stand up again he was faced with a sudden crisis of sight. He was left completely blind.
Just moments earlier he had been capable of seeing. He had been walking along with his traveling companions on a journey to continue spreading murderous threats to Christians whom he had a reputation of persecuting. And then, in an instant, he was brought to his knees and rendered blind.
I would call that a crisis.
Saul was at a critical point in his life. He had to choose whether or not to follow the directive given to him by God: “Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.” (Acts 9:6). In the climax of his crisis he had to decide if he would get up and rely on God to provide direction for his next steps.
Saul listened and got up. For three days he was blind. But then God sent Ananias to touch Saul's eyes and bring restoration to his sight.
Immediately following his healing Saul "got up and was baptized" (Acts 9:18). Through his obedience to God's command given in crisis Saul was brought to repentance and given miraculous healing of his soul. It was through the acute trauma of his crisis that he was brought to his knees, literally and spiritually, before the Almighty God.
Saul's conversion is a powerful display of God's ability to use crises to claim His lost children. He uses crises to restore and renew. He uses crises to heal and repair. He uses crisis to save wayward souls.
God still uses crisis to redeem His beloved. I know because He's done it for me.
I've had crises of faith and crises of the physical nature. Sin has sent my world crashing down around me, leading to a critical decision point in my walk of faith.
More recently I've been faced with a health crisis. The faltering state of my physical being has put me into crisis mode. In all of the pain and suffering I know that I am at a turning point. This is my cross roads, my decisive moment.
I have a choice. I can rely on God, trusting that He has a way out of the crisis already plotted and planned for me. Or I can turn from God in anger and frustration, losing patience with His process and doubting His omnipotence.
Saul was faced with a similar predicament. He was left blinded on the road. His options were clear. He could continue to scorn and mock God or he could stop persecuting God and submit to His will, trusting that God would provide the directive and steps to take on the road ahead.
Saul got up.
At the most critical moment of his crisis, Saul got up off the ground and followed God.
That decision changed everything for Saul. It led to his physical healing and, more importantly, it brought about repentance and a rebirth of his spirit.
When I am faced with a crisis I need to remind myself of Saul fallen on his knees on that rocky, dusty road to Damascus. I need to remember God's words that commanded, "get up."
In a crisis it can be tempting to stay flat out on the ground, paralyzed by fear, frustration, impatience and confusion. But God has shown that when we get up and follow His guidance He will lead us out of our crisis into renewed healing and salvation! He uses the crisis to restore us, better than we were before. Saul had once been a persecutor of Christians, threatening and jailing those who proclaimed Jesus Christ as their Savior. But God used a crisis to break Saul's sin and bring him to repentance and salvation. He used a crisis to bring about healing for his sight and his soul.
I needed reminded that God can use my most dire of circumstances and critical of crises to save me and renew me. There are times I want to curl up in a ball, refusing to get up and face the difficulty of the crisis. But if I will allow God to use my crisis He can use it to bring about glorious redemption and restoration.
God has the power to touch this broken and weak physical body, making it strong, beautiful and whole! He has already shown His healing power by saving my soul that was deep in sin, lost in a sea of evil and corruption. He took me through a crisis of faith so He could bring about my rebirth. His power to heal is still just as powerful today as it was then. I know that God can use the crisis in my physical body to bring about glorious healing for His name's sake.
Beloved, if you are faced with a crisis today I urge you to get up. Follow God. Give Him the glory in the midst of your crisis. He has the power to do a miraculous work in you through this decisive moment in your life. Give Him that honor. Submit to that power. Let God have His way in your life through the work of your crisis.
Wednesday, March 5, 2014
Till there was you
I love The Music Man. It is in the top fie of my absolute favorite musicals of all time. The show is tied together with a heartwarming plot, lovable characters and list of songs that are stand-outs in their own right. It is the songs that often pop into my head. The tunes are easy to hum and the lyrics are flowing and poetic. The particular song that played in my mind this morning was "Till There Was You."
For any reader that may not be familiar with this classic I encourage you to find a rendition of it on Youtube. Before you click play consider yourself warned: you will be unable to get the tune and lyrics out of your mind for the rest of the day. But don't worry, you won't want to. The words are so beautiful and the notes so peaceful that you will be pleased to be stuck with such a melody playing on repeat.
For any reader that may not be familiar with this classic I encourage you to find a rendition of it on Youtube. Before you click play consider yourself warned: you will be unable to get the tune and lyrics out of your mind for the rest of the day. But don't worry, you won't want to. The words are so beautiful and the notes so peaceful that you will be pleased to be stuck with such a melody playing on repeat.
As I walked outside on this brisk morning I began to sing (to myself, I'm not so crazy that I sing out loud as I walk!), "There were bells on the hill, but I never heard them ringing. No, I never heard them at all, till there was you… There were birds in the sky, but I never saw them winging. No, I never saw them at all, till there was you." At that last refrain of "till there was you" I suddenly realized the beauty of my surroundings and the glorious notes the birds were singing. I hadn't noticed them before.
I was ten minutes into my walk before my ears and eyes were opened to the marvel of creation that was bustling all around me. All winter long the birds haven't been out singing, they've been tucked away, huddling for warmth.
But this morning that had all changed. The birds had ventured out, uniting their voices in song.
I instantly became aware of how God alone gives us the ability to see. And I don't mean physically see. Sure, God does that too, but the sight I was mediating on this morning was that of the spiritual nature. Before Christ enters into our hearts we are unable to see. We don't see truth. We don't see grace and mercy. Our eyes don't take in the works of God and His marvelous ways. We are spiritually blind.
But when we surrender our lives to Christ - that is truly surrender, holding nothing back - we are able to see the truth of God and all of His attributes. We are able to see His love at work in our lives. We see how He orchestrates circumstances and situations for our good. Sometimes His ways are beyond our understanding but even then we see that He is all-powerful and all-knowing.
Until Christ becomes our Savior we don't see any of this. God is a mystery to us. His ways baffle us. And His truths eludes us.
By coming to salvation in Jesus Christ and experiencing a new birth our eyes are given a whole new view. Till there is Jesus there is no way in which to receive this new sight or understanding. But, just like in the lyrics in that classic from The Music Man, with the entrance of that one special person, Jesus Christ, everything changes.
The redeemed is graced with opens eyes and ears. It is as if bells that had tolled unheard are now bursting with glorious sound. Birds that were fluttering about unseen are now on full display in bold, brilliant color.
Without the saving work of Jesus Christ all of the beauties of God remain unseen and unheard to you and I. It is through Christ that we are able to see our mighty God, how He works and all that He has created. He brings the reality of Himself into full view when we become His children through the saving work of His Son on the cross.
The last verse of "Till There Was You" says, "There was love all around, but I never heard it singing. No, I never heard it at all, till there was you!"
Isn't that the truth for all of us? Love is all around us. God is all around us. He is alive, intimately involved in our lives and world. Yet we will never see Him or hear Him until we surrender to the saving grace of Jesus Christ. Until we put our faith, hope and trust in Him we'll never hear the bells, see the birds or feel that love. But when we come to Jesus Christ our spiritual eyes will be opened so that the overwhelming and all consuming power and love of our Almighty Father will be revealed to us, giving our lives a whole new view and our ears a whole new melody.
Till there was you, Jesus Christ, I never knew such marvelous Love! Yes, till there was YOU.
Monday, March 3, 2014
Perfect Harmony
Paul's words to the church in Corinth might have been on Pippy's mind this morning as she lay peacefully next to Patches on their cushioned, community "pet" bed.
Paul wrote in I Corinthians 1:10, "I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another in what you say and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly united in mind and thought."
I assume that Pippy and Patches were heeding his direction given their relaxed, comfortable positions. Their thoughts were clearly united: sleep.
Paul wrote in I Corinthians 1:10, "I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another in what you say and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly united in mind and thought."
I assume that Pippy and Patches were heeding his direction given their relaxed, comfortable positions. Their thoughts were clearly united: sleep.
I don't know how they came to this mutual agreement. Pippy was alone on the bed to begin with but then Patches entered the room. Normally Pippy flies off her bed to greet Patches but this morning was different. Somehow she must have known that Patches intended to snuggle up with her if only Pippy would remain still enough to enjoy the companionship.
Pippy didn't leave her bed. Instead she lay perfectly still as Patches stepped onto her side of the large cushion, walked in a small circle and then proceeded to curl up into the shape of a cinnamon roll. Pippy never disturbed her process of finding the perfect resting position. Pippy also didn't stretch out on the bed to ensure that Patches wouldn't have room to curl up on the comfy cushion. Pippy stayed on her side and let Patches enjoy the rest.
I must hand it to Pippy, she is forgiving and welcoming despite the fact that Patches has not always been friendly, to say the least. Pippy doesn't hold that against her cat companion. She lets Patches be her cynical cat self while Pippy remains her congenial doggie self.
I, on the other hand, am not always so agreeable.
Unlike Pippy, I don't always heed the words of Paul and live in harmony with my fellow life travelers. I allow division to grow and fester because of past hurts and human shortcomings. Instead of choosing forgiveness, I choose to let resentment and hostility fester, creating a great divide.
Pippy isn't so flawed in her love and acceptance. Patches has hissed at her. Patches has shown her plenty of disgust and antagonism. And still Pippy doesn't push her off the bed!
If I were Pippy I'd be telling that cat to go find her own over-sized cushion. You want to share? Then be nice, you big lazy cat! (I would not be as sweet a dog as Pippy, can you tell?)
But Pippy doesn't demand that the cat change her attitude or offer up an apology in order to share in the comfort of the pet bed. Pippy just accepts her for who she is and then lives her life peacefully and harmoniously despite how the cat might be acting that particular day. Is the cat hissing? Pippy still loves her. Is the cat hiding from Pippy's affection? Doesn't matter, Pippy will still welcome her back onto the big cushion when she reappears.
Pippy doesn't treat Patches a certain way because Patches deserves it. She doesn't choose peace and happiness and harmony because Patches is so darn easy to get along with! No, Pippy is going to be a content, joyful, peaceful dog no matter what little funk Patches is in that day. Patches can be rude and mean yet Pippy won't let it divide her unity with her fellow pet companion.
I could learn a thing or two (or three or four) from Pippy. It doesn't matter how other people treat me. I decide whether or not I am going to forgive them, move on and live in united peace with my offender. Holding hostility and resentment in my heart doesn't do anyone any good. It doesn't change that person's behavior and it doesn't bring me joy or contentment. The resentment just simmers, souring my attitude and ruining my witness for Christ.
Paul made the point clear: live in unity. Pippy appears to have mastered that command. Now it is my turn by choosing to forgive others - choosing to live in unity and harmony.
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