Rest and relaxation. It sounds like a beach vacation, doesn't it? A get away, removed from the chaos and demands of life, separated from the normal routine so that the joy of calm and peace can be enjoyed. Just close your eyes and you can feel the sand beneath your toes and the sun on your face. Not a care in the world. Nothing on the day's agenda. Just pure and simple R&R.
Once you open your eyes it is back to reality and chances are you aren't on a beach. Maybe you are in your kitchen, looking out the window at a world covered in white and trapped in subzero temperatures. So much for R&R, right?
Not so fast. Rest doesn't require a beach vacation or secluded weekend in the mountains. Rest requires God. In God alone we find rest no matter where we lay our head at night, what the temperature is outside or what is on the day's agenda. God provides rest in the midst of every and all circumstances.
Finding our rest in God doesn't always come easily. It is our tendency to save rest for particular times in life. Most days are spent in the routine of work, taking care of the home and running errands. Rest is reserved for the hour on the couch before bed and then, of course, those blessed eight hours of sleep.
God's rest is bigger than taking a load off the feet or putting our heads down on our pillows at night. The rest God provides can be found while doing the most grueling of labor or enduring the longest of traffic jams. True rest is found in walking steadily with God. Jeremiah 6:16 says, "Thus says the LORD: 'Stand by the roads, and look, and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is; and walk in it, and find rest for your souls.'…"
Laying down and resting the body certainly has its benefits but the ultimate rest is that which we have in our souls when we are obediently following the way of the Lord. Walking with Him, following His commands and living in accordance with His word, will lead us on a path that is bathed in rest. Even in the midst of drudgery or challenges, He can still pour out His rest if we are living within His will.
In Jeremiah 6 the people respond to the command of God by refusing to "walk in it." They plainly deny following God and the result produces terrible unrest. God brought about disaster and trouble upon those people. Apart from God they found no rest. In their denial to follow God they chose to make their own decisions and forge their own path but that path led to destruction. There was no life and no rest in going their own way.
Today we have the same question posed to us and the same decision to make in how we will respond. The Lord has for us a path for our lives that will provide us with rest along the journey. We can choose to follow the Lord and walk on that path. The alternative is to go our own way and deny God sovereignty over our lives, choosing instead to live in disobedience and rebellion. There is no rest on that path.
Thankfully, no matter how many times we have denied God's path of rest in the past, today we can make a different choice. We can tell God "yes", even if our answer yesterday was a "no." He is forgiving and loving. When we repent and humbly bow at His feet we can enter into His rest by entering onto His path for our lives. By walking forward in obedience we will find the unshakable rest we so crave. We won't need to be on a beach to experience the benefits and beauty of rest. God will shower us in His rest as we follow where He leads.
Tuesday, February 11, 2014
Sunday, February 9, 2014
Why, God, why?
Today a heaviness and weight has descended over my home with the news of a twenty-one year old college student from Erie who died over the weekend. He was away at college when he went missing on Friday night. He was found late Saturday night lying outside, without a jacket just miles away form a brewery where he was last seen on a surveillance camera.
The circumstances surrounding his death are still being investigated while news of the tragedy has begun to spread all over Facebook and news sites.
I didn't know this young man but I did know his girlfriend from high school. She was always a sweet person who never was caught up in the wrong crowd and seemed to be one of the few girls with a friendly personality and good head on her shoulders. A true rarity in high school.
Just a few months ago at the annual Turkey Trot I spotted her and her boyfriend lined up ready to run the 5k. I watched them as they interacted with their family and friends. The bond they shared was evident even from afar, without exchanging a word with either of them. They weren't glued at the hip and I never saw them exchange a kiss or any romantic gesture. They had a simple comfort together and an ease that was undeniable. You could tell that they were at home with each other.
Now, that young man is gone. It is a tragic reminder that life can, in an instant, be turned upside down. I can't even imagine the pain and grief his girlfriend and family feel today. There are no words that could ever convey the anguish of such a loss.
One question is inescapable at such a time as this…why? Why does God allow such a tragedy to ever happen? Maybe this boy made a mistake that Friday night and drank too much or went out with the wrong crowd, but who hasn't made those same mistakes? Why did it lead to the ending of his life? Why him and not me, or so many others who have gone to the wrong places with the wrong people at the wrong time? In all of your love and grace, God, how could you let this happen?
In the midst of all the questions, the truth of God's omnipotence remains the same. This is where faith has to take over if God is still going to remain our God, seated on the throne. To reconcile all that we don't understand we must be prepared to face the difficult questions of "why" with faith that is bigger than our questions.
This side of Heaven we will never fully understand why God allows certain lives to be short while others go on for a hundred years. In our limited insight and understanding we look at the death of someone so young, with such a bright future, and all we can do is beg God to explain the why of it all. But it isn't ours to understand just yet. As 1 Corinthians 13:12 says, "For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known."
God's purpose for this young man leaving this earth at the tender age of twenty-one isn't ours to comprehend. For now all we can do is rely on God through faith, trusting that His plan is greater than ours.
There is little that can be said to comfort the grieving. All any of us can do is pray for his loved ones whose hearts are heavy with sorrow and the searing pain of loss. May God's love embrace them, showering them with a peace that surpasses all human understanding. There are no words we can offer that will minimize the pain. It is only God who can provide the peace the grieving so desperately need. He is the creator of life and the one who calls His children home. It is He who can give rest and comfort to those who mourn their loss.
My prayer is that God will show Himself in a mighty way to the family and girlfriend of this young man. God, descend on their homes. May your peace invade their lives in the midst of their heartache.
The circumstances surrounding his death are still being investigated while news of the tragedy has begun to spread all over Facebook and news sites.
I didn't know this young man but I did know his girlfriend from high school. She was always a sweet person who never was caught up in the wrong crowd and seemed to be one of the few girls with a friendly personality and good head on her shoulders. A true rarity in high school.
Just a few months ago at the annual Turkey Trot I spotted her and her boyfriend lined up ready to run the 5k. I watched them as they interacted with their family and friends. The bond they shared was evident even from afar, without exchanging a word with either of them. They weren't glued at the hip and I never saw them exchange a kiss or any romantic gesture. They had a simple comfort together and an ease that was undeniable. You could tell that they were at home with each other.
Now, that young man is gone. It is a tragic reminder that life can, in an instant, be turned upside down. I can't even imagine the pain and grief his girlfriend and family feel today. There are no words that could ever convey the anguish of such a loss.
One question is inescapable at such a time as this…why? Why does God allow such a tragedy to ever happen? Maybe this boy made a mistake that Friday night and drank too much or went out with the wrong crowd, but who hasn't made those same mistakes? Why did it lead to the ending of his life? Why him and not me, or so many others who have gone to the wrong places with the wrong people at the wrong time? In all of your love and grace, God, how could you let this happen?
In the midst of all the questions, the truth of God's omnipotence remains the same. This is where faith has to take over if God is still going to remain our God, seated on the throne. To reconcile all that we don't understand we must be prepared to face the difficult questions of "why" with faith that is bigger than our questions.
This side of Heaven we will never fully understand why God allows certain lives to be short while others go on for a hundred years. In our limited insight and understanding we look at the death of someone so young, with such a bright future, and all we can do is beg God to explain the why of it all. But it isn't ours to understand just yet. As 1 Corinthians 13:12 says, "For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known."
God's purpose for this young man leaving this earth at the tender age of twenty-one isn't ours to comprehend. For now all we can do is rely on God through faith, trusting that His plan is greater than ours.
There is little that can be said to comfort the grieving. All any of us can do is pray for his loved ones whose hearts are heavy with sorrow and the searing pain of loss. May God's love embrace them, showering them with a peace that surpasses all human understanding. There are no words we can offer that will minimize the pain. It is only God who can provide the peace the grieving so desperately need. He is the creator of life and the one who calls His children home. It is He who can give rest and comfort to those who mourn their loss.
My prayer is that God will show Himself in a mighty way to the family and girlfriend of this young man. God, descend on their homes. May your peace invade their lives in the midst of their heartache.
How to pray
Click on to wikihow.com, type in practically any "how to" question and up will pop an array of answers, many in easy to follow, step-by-step directions.
Take for example, "How to Make a Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich: 4 Steps." First, you get your ingredients together: bread (usually one or two slices per sandwich, the site says), peanut butter and jelly or jam. Next there are steps accompanied by video. Step one: spread peanut butter evenly onto one slice of bread using a knife. Easy enough. Step two: spread jelly or jam evenly onto the other slice of bread with a teaspoon or knife. Step three: press the two slices of bread together. Step 4: enjoy your easy and yummy looking sandwich!
Well, thanks to wikiHow we all now know how to make a proper and delicious PB&J. But maybe you had already mastered that delicate technique. Maybe you are onto more complex culinary dishes. Maybe you want to roast a duck! Well, do not fear, wikiHow has seventeen steps to easily guide you through the process.
WikiHow contains a wealth of knowledge and it doesn't end in the kitchen. Did you know that you can get marital counseling on wikiHow? "How to Communicate to Save Your Marriage: 14 Steps" is here to rescue your failing marriage - in simple and easy to follow steps, accompanied by pictures. And you thought you had to shell out a hundred dollars an hour for some "specialist" with a degree and a couple of letters by their name. Not so. All you need is an internet connection.
WikiHow teaches the communication-impared how to utilize specific "tools" to improve communication with one's partner. Time, an understanding attitude, patience and empathy are the fundamentals of what wikiHow deems "good communication" and the fourteen steps they outline are built on these principles. Put them into practice and you just might be able to save your marriage.
The basic principle of communication being key to marriage success isn't unique to wikiHow. Books, websites, counselors and magazine articles love to talk about how communication is crucial and how couples can improve their communication with long walks on the beach, date nights, heart-to-heart talks and being willing to say, "I'm sorry." WikiHow breaks it down into steps. Other resources break it down into one hundred and one conversation starts or five love languages. Some authors even try to fix a broken marriage by not talking about it - a real book that gets rave reviews if you ask readers on Amazon.com!
Are self-help books and step-by-step instructions really the key to communication success? In putting all of the focus on husbands' and wives' ability to talk are we missing the truly severed communication system?
Our most fundamental and important communication partner is God. All the other lines of communication are secondary. Husband and wife, mother and daughter, best friends - they all matter but our communication with God is not only the most important, it is the key to all the rest of our communication success.
Is there a wikiHow on how to communicate with God? In fact, there is, but you don't need an internet connection to learn how to talk with God. Just open your Bible and learn from Jesus.
Jesus took time alone, separated from His disciples and then, to pray. In Luke 6:12 a simple sentence tells us exactly what Jesus did, "In these days he went out to the mountain to pray, and all night he continued in prayer to God." Jesus stepped away from the world around Him so He could step into a more intimate exchange with God. He chose the solitude and quiet of a lonely mountaintop to talk with God.
Not only did Jesus display in His actions how to communicate with God, but He laid it out with words as clear to understand as a wikiHow article. In the Sermon on the Mount He told us exactly how we are to pray:
Take for example, "How to Make a Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich: 4 Steps." First, you get your ingredients together: bread (usually one or two slices per sandwich, the site says), peanut butter and jelly or jam. Next there are steps accompanied by video. Step one: spread peanut butter evenly onto one slice of bread using a knife. Easy enough. Step two: spread jelly or jam evenly onto the other slice of bread with a teaspoon or knife. Step three: press the two slices of bread together. Step 4: enjoy your easy and yummy looking sandwich!
Well, thanks to wikiHow we all now know how to make a proper and delicious PB&J. But maybe you had already mastered that delicate technique. Maybe you are onto more complex culinary dishes. Maybe you want to roast a duck! Well, do not fear, wikiHow has seventeen steps to easily guide you through the process.
WikiHow contains a wealth of knowledge and it doesn't end in the kitchen. Did you know that you can get marital counseling on wikiHow? "How to Communicate to Save Your Marriage: 14 Steps" is here to rescue your failing marriage - in simple and easy to follow steps, accompanied by pictures. And you thought you had to shell out a hundred dollars an hour for some "specialist" with a degree and a couple of letters by their name. Not so. All you need is an internet connection.
WikiHow teaches the communication-impared how to utilize specific "tools" to improve communication with one's partner. Time, an understanding attitude, patience and empathy are the fundamentals of what wikiHow deems "good communication" and the fourteen steps they outline are built on these principles. Put them into practice and you just might be able to save your marriage.
The basic principle of communication being key to marriage success isn't unique to wikiHow. Books, websites, counselors and magazine articles love to talk about how communication is crucial and how couples can improve their communication with long walks on the beach, date nights, heart-to-heart talks and being willing to say, "I'm sorry." WikiHow breaks it down into steps. Other resources break it down into one hundred and one conversation starts or five love languages. Some authors even try to fix a broken marriage by not talking about it - a real book that gets rave reviews if you ask readers on Amazon.com!
Are self-help books and step-by-step instructions really the key to communication success? In putting all of the focus on husbands' and wives' ability to talk are we missing the truly severed communication system?
Our most fundamental and important communication partner is God. All the other lines of communication are secondary. Husband and wife, mother and daughter, best friends - they all matter but our communication with God is not only the most important, it is the key to all the rest of our communication success.
Is there a wikiHow on how to communicate with God? In fact, there is, but you don't need an internet connection to learn how to talk with God. Just open your Bible and learn from Jesus.
Jesus took time alone, separated from His disciples and then, to pray. In Luke 6:12 a simple sentence tells us exactly what Jesus did, "In these days he went out to the mountain to pray, and all night he continued in prayer to God." Jesus stepped away from the world around Him so He could step into a more intimate exchange with God. He chose the solitude and quiet of a lonely mountaintop to talk with God.
Not only did Jesus display in His actions how to communicate with God, but He laid it out with words as clear to understand as a wikiHow article. In the Sermon on the Mount He told us exactly how we are to pray:
“And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. This, then, is how you should pray: “‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one" (Matthew 6:5-13).
Jesus made it undeniably clear in His words spoken on the Mount that communication is key. Taking time set apart to talk with God and listen to Him speak is of vital importance to the health and wellbeing of our relationship with Him. Jesus displayed the necessity of good communication in His words and deeds. Even as He was dying on the cross to save you and I from our sins, He spoke to His Father. He cried out to Him in honest and heartfelt communication. Jesus Christ, sinless, blameless and perfect, reached out to God and searched out God's voice. If it was vital to His life, how critical it is for ours as well!
All good relationships require good communication. Both our earthly relationships and the relationship with our God in Heaven. To know how a friend or loved one thinks and feels you must talk to them. So how can we expect to know God if we never talk to Him and, more importantly, listen to Him? The lines of communication must be open. When we follow the directions and example of Jesus' prayer life we will have the successful communication that is the hallmark of a good relationship.
WikiHow can't provide the secret to successful communication in marriage by giving a list of steps. Let them guide you on how to make a PB&J but leave the communication to the Bible. Jesus has already given us the guidance and direction we need. By following in His footsteps and obeying His words we can have the most precious of exchanges by communicating regularly, wholeheartedly and passionately with our Father God. Saturday, February 8, 2014
Promises promises
God has made promises to His beloved. And you, my dear, are His beloved.
As His loved, saved, children you have a covenant with God. He has give you His word, made a sacred oath to you that will never be broken. He signed it with the blood of Jesus Christ. He continues to keep His promises, actively working through the presence of the Holy Spirit.
The promises of God are too great to number in a simple devotional. The promises begin in Genesis and proceed through every book of the Bible, all the way to Revelation. We have, in the gift of the Bible, a love letter of promises poured out to us by our loving and thoughtful Creator. Not only has He made promises that He will never break, but He has given us a tangible way to hold onto those promises through the scriptures that He inspired and breathed into man in order that they may be poured out for the benefit of the children of God.
In every promise there is an overwhelming principle: God will never leave. Found in every promise is God's consistent presence. He will never forsake us or abandon us. No matter what our life may look like today or what happened in our past, God will remain faithful and true. The future, unknown to us in many ways, can be known in this one way, that God will be there and will oversee it all. The one promise that is woven into every other is that God will always be there.
In the darkness of night, be it the physical night or an emotional darkness that takes hold, we have the promise that God has not left us. We may not be able to see Him and we may not acknowledge His presence, but He is still there, forever and always.
There is no way in which we can escape Him. We can climb the biggest mountain and He will be there. We can dig the deepest of holes and still, He will be there. He did not create us and vanish, leaving us to our own devices. No, He is still here, intimately involved, all-knowing and all-powerful.
Romans 8:38-39 says, "For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Nothing on earth. Nothing that we have done or will do. No trial is too big or circumstance too trivial. In all things God will remain true to His promise: He isn't going anywhere.
In a world of broken promises it is comforting to know that we have One in whom we can always rely. If every other promise made by human hearts is broken we still have our hope rooted in Heaven, in our God on the throne. He has and always will keep His promises. The world will let us down. People will fail us. But God never will. He is forever constant and He will never break His promises.
As His loved, saved, children you have a covenant with God. He has give you His word, made a sacred oath to you that will never be broken. He signed it with the blood of Jesus Christ. He continues to keep His promises, actively working through the presence of the Holy Spirit.
The promises of God are too great to number in a simple devotional. The promises begin in Genesis and proceed through every book of the Bible, all the way to Revelation. We have, in the gift of the Bible, a love letter of promises poured out to us by our loving and thoughtful Creator. Not only has He made promises that He will never break, but He has given us a tangible way to hold onto those promises through the scriptures that He inspired and breathed into man in order that they may be poured out for the benefit of the children of God.
In every promise there is an overwhelming principle: God will never leave. Found in every promise is God's consistent presence. He will never forsake us or abandon us. No matter what our life may look like today or what happened in our past, God will remain faithful and true. The future, unknown to us in many ways, can be known in this one way, that God will be there and will oversee it all. The one promise that is woven into every other is that God will always be there.
In the darkness of night, be it the physical night or an emotional darkness that takes hold, we have the promise that God has not left us. We may not be able to see Him and we may not acknowledge His presence, but He is still there, forever and always.
There is no way in which we can escape Him. We can climb the biggest mountain and He will be there. We can dig the deepest of holes and still, He will be there. He did not create us and vanish, leaving us to our own devices. No, He is still here, intimately involved, all-knowing and all-powerful.
Romans 8:38-39 says, "For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Nothing on earth. Nothing that we have done or will do. No trial is too big or circumstance too trivial. In all things God will remain true to His promise: He isn't going anywhere.
In a world of broken promises it is comforting to know that we have One in whom we can always rely. If every other promise made by human hearts is broken we still have our hope rooted in Heaven, in our God on the throne. He has and always will keep His promises. The world will let us down. People will fail us. But God never will. He is forever constant and He will never break His promises.
Stop signs and green lights
The Bible provides a big stop sign for our natural, sinful human tendencies. Stop sinning! Stop worrying! Stop rebellion! Stop complaining! Stop envying! Stop immorality, jealousy, lying, cheating! The list seems to go on and on. A quick journey through the Bible provides so many commands to stop it can leave the reader seeing nothing but a field of red, hexagon signs mixed in with some bright red flashing lights just in case you missed the message. Do not go another step forward. Immediately halt the ways of man.
1 Corinthians 15:34 puts it this way, "Come back to your sense as you ought and stop sinning…" Well that makes it pretty clear, doesn't it? Put on the brakes; put it in park. Walk away from the vehicle. Leave behind the sin. But where do you go?
Once you throw off the sinful nature of gossip, lying, complaining, envying, drinking, slandering, cheating, worrying, and (insert sin here), what do you replace it with? If these are common practices in our lives and we remove them all we are essentially a car without an engine. Existing, taking up space but at a loss of how to get anywhere.
You have to get a new engine.
The words and deeds that once characterized the sinful behavior must be replaced with words and deeds that are in obedience to God. The Bible provides plenty of stop signs, but it also gives us green lights, too. He demands that we cast off our acts and thoughts rooted in hatred and exchange them for unconditional love. Our immorality must be traded in for honesty and integrity. Our worries laid down at the feet of Jesus so that we can put on peace.
Before we can go forth in obedience we have to put a stop to our sin. We will never be able to walk in the ways of the Lord if we are still operating with sinful tendencies behind the wheel. Hebrews 12:1 say, "Let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles." Sin stands in our way of obedience. The two simply cannot coexist. It is as fundamental and straightforward as that. When we open our Bibles and look face-to-face with truth, we cannot escape the fact that we must first put a stop to our old ways before we can walk in His ways and truly live a life that is marked by His saving grace.
The old life is one of selfishness and sin. God wants us to be obedient and filled with praise for Him. With our eyes fixed on the throne of God, praising His name, we silence the sinful voices in our mind that so easily entangle. Temptation to sin might sometimes sneak in but with the power of scripture we can command it, in the name of Jesus Christ, to stop. Use the stop signs of scripture to put a stop to sin in your own life.
Then you can speak the words of praise, just as the angels in heaven do all day and night. Without ceasing they say the words, "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty who was, and is, and is to come….You are worthy, our Lord and God to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being." (Revelation 4:8,11). When the proclamation of truth flows from your lips it gives a green light to surrender and throws up a stop sign in the way of the sinful tendencies that threaten do derail your walk with Christ.
Heed the stop signs and give a green light to obedience and praise to the God on High.
1 Corinthians 15:34 puts it this way, "Come back to your sense as you ought and stop sinning…" Well that makes it pretty clear, doesn't it? Put on the brakes; put it in park. Walk away from the vehicle. Leave behind the sin. But where do you go?
Once you throw off the sinful nature of gossip, lying, complaining, envying, drinking, slandering, cheating, worrying, and (insert sin here), what do you replace it with? If these are common practices in our lives and we remove them all we are essentially a car without an engine. Existing, taking up space but at a loss of how to get anywhere.
You have to get a new engine.
The words and deeds that once characterized the sinful behavior must be replaced with words and deeds that are in obedience to God. The Bible provides plenty of stop signs, but it also gives us green lights, too. He demands that we cast off our acts and thoughts rooted in hatred and exchange them for unconditional love. Our immorality must be traded in for honesty and integrity. Our worries laid down at the feet of Jesus so that we can put on peace.
Before we can go forth in obedience we have to put a stop to our sin. We will never be able to walk in the ways of the Lord if we are still operating with sinful tendencies behind the wheel. Hebrews 12:1 say, "Let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles." Sin stands in our way of obedience. The two simply cannot coexist. It is as fundamental and straightforward as that. When we open our Bibles and look face-to-face with truth, we cannot escape the fact that we must first put a stop to our old ways before we can walk in His ways and truly live a life that is marked by His saving grace.
The old life is one of selfishness and sin. God wants us to be obedient and filled with praise for Him. With our eyes fixed on the throne of God, praising His name, we silence the sinful voices in our mind that so easily entangle. Temptation to sin might sometimes sneak in but with the power of scripture we can command it, in the name of Jesus Christ, to stop. Use the stop signs of scripture to put a stop to sin in your own life.
Then you can speak the words of praise, just as the angels in heaven do all day and night. Without ceasing they say the words, "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty who was, and is, and is to come….You are worthy, our Lord and God to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being." (Revelation 4:8,11). When the proclamation of truth flows from your lips it gives a green light to surrender and throws up a stop sign in the way of the sinful tendencies that threaten do derail your walk with Christ.
Heed the stop signs and give a green light to obedience and praise to the God on High.
Friday, February 7, 2014
Dream love
Dreams are a curious phenomenon and sometimes they can be a bit troubling. This morning I awoke with one of those unsettling dreams that leaves you wondering, "Where did that come from?" and "What does that mean?"
In my dream I was engaged to a man. In the dream I obviously knew him and wanted to marry him but he is not someone I know in this life. The dream took place in what seemed to be a massive park shelter filled with picnic tables, friends and family. I was sitting in the back and my fiancé was up front, in front of another girl who was parading around on a makeshift stage that was the focal point of the room. During the dream I was aware that this event was supposed to be a wedding shower but there was a problem with the celebration. The guests seemed to think that the couple with the impending marriage was not my fiancé and ME, but my fiancé and the girl parading around up front. Even during the dream I knew there was something terribly wrong taking place. Words weren't even exchanged, but I knew that my fiancé was leaving me for another woman at our wedding shower!
I'm not sure how long I spent watching this scene unfold until I bolted out of the camp shelter and into a nearby home. My "fiancé" never came after me. Next thing I knew it I was packing my bags and getting ready to flee. Then I woke up.
In the still of the night my eyes abruptly popped open. Where on earth did that dream come from? I was perplexed. I still am perplexed. I haven't been knowingly pinning for a fiancé or even a date and the last broken relationship I had was over three years ago. There is no fresh love triangle trauma to ignite such a startling dream. So what does all of this mean?
Sometimes I wish I had the dream-interpreting talents of Joseph. I wish I could hear this twisted tale and explain the hidden truth behind the strange scenario. But, alas, I am not Joseph. I am just Stephanie, a girl with uninterpreted perplexing dreams.
The precise meaning of my dream I can't claim to understand but there is certainly an important truth found in this convoluted tale. God's love is faithful. The love of a man, even a man in a dream, can prove utterly unfaithful. Lovers can leave us without warning and without explanation. Friends can abandon us. The relationships that we enjoy one day can be lost the next, changing as quickly as the winds.
The only one who never changes is God. He is the only one who will never, ever leave us.
You and I have been hurt and betrayed by the abandonment of the people we loved and trusted. We put our hearts on the line, revealed our vulnerabilities and gave of our love. Then that person took our precious heart and stomped on it, threw it in the trash or simply let it fall to the ground as if it meant nothing at all. The sting of abandonment is excruciating. Being betrayed is devastating.
Haven't we all experienced this kind of rejection? Haven't we all been hurt by someone we trusted wholeheartedly?
The love of a man or a friend is always flawed. There is no perfect human love. It simply doesn't exist. There is only one Love that is perfect - never betraying, never hurting, never abandoning. The love of God is the only completely faithful love that will never disappoint us.
Lamentations 3:22-23 proclaims the truth of perfect love. "The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness." In the Lord we find the love that this world can never provide. He alone is the perfect lover of our souls. The love He lavishes on us is unconditional and constant. He won't suddenly leave us. The nightmare of being rejected at the wedding shower, or worse still, at the alter, is a concern the beloved of God don't have to even consider. He will never walk away from you. His love doesn't shift with the wind and it doesn't have a wandering eye. His love for you and for me is constant, from now until the end of time.
There is nothing that can separate us from the love of God. The beautiful truth of His love is that even when we don't deserve it and even when we've abandoned and betrayed Him, He hasn't given up on us. He is still waiting with open arms to welcome us back into relationship with Him. Unlike in my dream when I ran away when my heart as broken, God doesn't run. His steadfast love is so secure that not even our betrayal can shake His faithfulness.
The only perfect love story is the one written about God and the love He has for His children. All other dream weddings and "happily ever afters" can turn into a nightmare. A groom can run away and a fiancé can ask for his shiny diamond ring back. But God will never leave. We never have to worry that He will abandon or betray our trust. He will never break our delicate hearts. His perfect love remains forever.
In my dream I was engaged to a man. In the dream I obviously knew him and wanted to marry him but he is not someone I know in this life. The dream took place in what seemed to be a massive park shelter filled with picnic tables, friends and family. I was sitting in the back and my fiancé was up front, in front of another girl who was parading around on a makeshift stage that was the focal point of the room. During the dream I was aware that this event was supposed to be a wedding shower but there was a problem with the celebration. The guests seemed to think that the couple with the impending marriage was not my fiancé and ME, but my fiancé and the girl parading around up front. Even during the dream I knew there was something terribly wrong taking place. Words weren't even exchanged, but I knew that my fiancé was leaving me for another woman at our wedding shower!
I'm not sure how long I spent watching this scene unfold until I bolted out of the camp shelter and into a nearby home. My "fiancé" never came after me. Next thing I knew it I was packing my bags and getting ready to flee. Then I woke up.
In the still of the night my eyes abruptly popped open. Where on earth did that dream come from? I was perplexed. I still am perplexed. I haven't been knowingly pinning for a fiancé or even a date and the last broken relationship I had was over three years ago. There is no fresh love triangle trauma to ignite such a startling dream. So what does all of this mean?
Sometimes I wish I had the dream-interpreting talents of Joseph. I wish I could hear this twisted tale and explain the hidden truth behind the strange scenario. But, alas, I am not Joseph. I am just Stephanie, a girl with uninterpreted perplexing dreams.
The precise meaning of my dream I can't claim to understand but there is certainly an important truth found in this convoluted tale. God's love is faithful. The love of a man, even a man in a dream, can prove utterly unfaithful. Lovers can leave us without warning and without explanation. Friends can abandon us. The relationships that we enjoy one day can be lost the next, changing as quickly as the winds.
The only one who never changes is God. He is the only one who will never, ever leave us.
You and I have been hurt and betrayed by the abandonment of the people we loved and trusted. We put our hearts on the line, revealed our vulnerabilities and gave of our love. Then that person took our precious heart and stomped on it, threw it in the trash or simply let it fall to the ground as if it meant nothing at all. The sting of abandonment is excruciating. Being betrayed is devastating.
Haven't we all experienced this kind of rejection? Haven't we all been hurt by someone we trusted wholeheartedly?
The love of a man or a friend is always flawed. There is no perfect human love. It simply doesn't exist. There is only one Love that is perfect - never betraying, never hurting, never abandoning. The love of God is the only completely faithful love that will never disappoint us.
Lamentations 3:22-23 proclaims the truth of perfect love. "The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness." In the Lord we find the love that this world can never provide. He alone is the perfect lover of our souls. The love He lavishes on us is unconditional and constant. He won't suddenly leave us. The nightmare of being rejected at the wedding shower, or worse still, at the alter, is a concern the beloved of God don't have to even consider. He will never walk away from you. His love doesn't shift with the wind and it doesn't have a wandering eye. His love for you and for me is constant, from now until the end of time.
There is nothing that can separate us from the love of God. The beautiful truth of His love is that even when we don't deserve it and even when we've abandoned and betrayed Him, He hasn't given up on us. He is still waiting with open arms to welcome us back into relationship with Him. Unlike in my dream when I ran away when my heart as broken, God doesn't run. His steadfast love is so secure that not even our betrayal can shake His faithfulness.
The only perfect love story is the one written about God and the love He has for His children. All other dream weddings and "happily ever afters" can turn into a nightmare. A groom can run away and a fiancé can ask for his shiny diamond ring back. But God will never leave. We never have to worry that He will abandon or betray our trust. He will never break our delicate hearts. His perfect love remains forever.
Thursday, February 6, 2014
True value
In 2009 someone cleaned out their attic. Actually, lots of people cleaned out their attics but only one has a thirty million dollar story to tell about the experience.
For one hundred and twenty five years a painting sat in an attic on Long Island, simply collecting dust. When the painting was uncovered and evaluated the truth of its origin became clear. This was no ordinary painting. The art work that had taken residence in the attic was a rare full sized canvas created by Van Gogh called "Sunset at Montmajour" worth nearly thirty million dollars.
The family that housed the lost work of art had no idea that what they had hiding in their attic was a treasured masterpiece painted by one of the greatest artists of all time. In the midst of an ordinary attic, typically the junk depository of a home, contained a fortune in the form of a simple canvas.
The painting, once covered in dust, went from occupying a dark corner of an attic to taking a place of honor on the walls of the famed Van Gogh Museum.
This story makes you want to organize your attic, doesn't it? Who knows what you could find! Maybe a valuable coin, a box of gold jewelry or maybe the pen used by Lincoln to write out his famous Gettysburg Address. Okay, so maybe that is a little far fetched. But a girl can dream about junk in her attic, can't she?
Chances are that in my attic I won't find a long-lost masterpiece or rare Presidential artifact. My odds are more in favor of finding coloring pages completed by my five year old artistic hand. Not exactly the kind of art that brings in a hefty sum at an auction. Oh well, at least it could help with kindling for the next evening fire.
Even if your attic is like mine, that is masterpiece-less, don't lose heart. You are not without hidden treasure. In all of our lives we have something of value that God is just waiting to uncover. We are precious in His sight.
You and I might look at our lives and see an attic filled to the brim with junk. Our past is shameful, our present is ordinary at best and our future doesn't look too bright. In the attic of our life we don't see anything that resembles a Van Gogh.
But God sees past the dust and disorganization of our attics. He sees beauty. Ephesians 2:10 tells us, "For we are God's masterpiece. He has us anew in Jesus Christ, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago."
Just because we can't see the masterpiece doesn't mean it isn't there. We may not know the treasure we have hidden within, but God knows. God sees our worth and our beauty. He wants to dust us off, bring us out of the attic and put us on display to bring honor and glory to His name. He created us and restored us in Jesus Christ and He wants to show the world His magnificent creation.
No matter how messy your life might look or how worthless you may feel, remember the value you have in Jesus Christ. You are a beloved masterpiece created in the image of God. He loves you passionately. He longs to bring you out of the shadows of the attic and into the bright, glowing hallways of His light. He will take you, dust and all, to further His kingdom and bring praise to His great name. What could be more valuable than that?
For one hundred and twenty five years a painting sat in an attic on Long Island, simply collecting dust. When the painting was uncovered and evaluated the truth of its origin became clear. This was no ordinary painting. The art work that had taken residence in the attic was a rare full sized canvas created by Van Gogh called "Sunset at Montmajour" worth nearly thirty million dollars.
The family that housed the lost work of art had no idea that what they had hiding in their attic was a treasured masterpiece painted by one of the greatest artists of all time. In the midst of an ordinary attic, typically the junk depository of a home, contained a fortune in the form of a simple canvas.
The painting, once covered in dust, went from occupying a dark corner of an attic to taking a place of honor on the walls of the famed Van Gogh Museum.
This story makes you want to organize your attic, doesn't it? Who knows what you could find! Maybe a valuable coin, a box of gold jewelry or maybe the pen used by Lincoln to write out his famous Gettysburg Address. Okay, so maybe that is a little far fetched. But a girl can dream about junk in her attic, can't she?
Chances are that in my attic I won't find a long-lost masterpiece or rare Presidential artifact. My odds are more in favor of finding coloring pages completed by my five year old artistic hand. Not exactly the kind of art that brings in a hefty sum at an auction. Oh well, at least it could help with kindling for the next evening fire.
Even if your attic is like mine, that is masterpiece-less, don't lose heart. You are not without hidden treasure. In all of our lives we have something of value that God is just waiting to uncover. We are precious in His sight.
You and I might look at our lives and see an attic filled to the brim with junk. Our past is shameful, our present is ordinary at best and our future doesn't look too bright. In the attic of our life we don't see anything that resembles a Van Gogh.
But God sees past the dust and disorganization of our attics. He sees beauty. Ephesians 2:10 tells us, "For we are God's masterpiece. He has us anew in Jesus Christ, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago."
Just because we can't see the masterpiece doesn't mean it isn't there. We may not know the treasure we have hidden within, but God knows. God sees our worth and our beauty. He wants to dust us off, bring us out of the attic and put us on display to bring honor and glory to His name. He created us and restored us in Jesus Christ and He wants to show the world His magnificent creation.
No matter how messy your life might look or how worthless you may feel, remember the value you have in Jesus Christ. You are a beloved masterpiece created in the image of God. He loves you passionately. He longs to bring you out of the shadows of the attic and into the bright, glowing hallways of His light. He will take you, dust and all, to further His kingdom and bring praise to His great name. What could be more valuable than that?
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