Do you think God is stingy?
Before you point and shout
"sacrilegious" hear me out. I am prone to a belief that God doesn't want
me to have "much more." Sure, the Bible says that God will give me much
more and that He is a God of abundance but I don't always live like I
truly believe those words. I claim to believe the Bible with my whole
heart yet I skim past the abundance and focus on the "sell everything,"
"don't take an extra cloak" scriptures. Those passages convince me that
God wants me to live with the bare minimum - nothing extra, frivolous or
unnecessary. Dare I say, stingy.
This line of thinking has
suited me just fine until I opened my Bible to the story of Joseph.
Although I've read the account of Joseph more times than I can count and have
seen it on the stage and TV, I had never really grasped the entire
message of Joseph's life.
My previous understanding was that Joseph was a man who was treated unfairly and unjustly but was spared by God and
ultimately used by God. This is all true. But there is something more
to Joseph that I had always missed.
Let's start from the beginning.
Joseph
wore a multicolored robe given to him by his father. That is until his
brothers stripped him of it, threw him in a well, sold him into slavery
and thought they had gotten rid of that little twerp for good. They
didn't like their little brother's attitude or the favoritism his father
showed him so they devised a plan to do away with the thorn in their
side, the unwanted member of their clan.
You know the rest of the
story, don't you? Joseph gets sold to Potiphar and falsely accused of
adultery with Potiphar's wife. He is thrown in jail where he interprets
the dreams of two men - both of which come to pass just as Joseph had
predicted through the mind of God. In time Pharaoh has a dream that
needs interpreted and Joseph is brought forth to see if he can do the
job. Of course, with God, he can. Pharaoh is so pleased that he puts
Joseph in charge of protecting the land from an impending famine.
But
guess what else Pharaoh did. He gave Joseph a fancy robe made of the
finest of linens and a gold chain to wear around his neck.
Time to take a pause and reflect on that little, profound detail. Fine linen robe. Gold chain.
The
Devil had tried to strip Joseph of everything he had, starting
with his clothes and working up to his very life blood, but God restored it
all. He spared his life and even restored his fine robe. God didn't
just spare Joseph's life against the threatening ordeal of slavery and
jail, He blessed Him with abundance. Stingy? Not in the least. God
proved that He is the very opposite of stingy by restoring to Joseph his
robe and exceeding his past adornment by adding a gold chain to the
attire.
In the New Testament, years after Joseph departed from
this earth, Jesus told His followers not to worry about what they would
eat, drink or even wear. God, He assured us, is well aware of our need
and He'll see to it that we are taken care of. Just like He took care of
Joseph.
Despite being jailed, beaten and sold as a slave Joseph
was protected, sustained and even clothed with luxurious linen and
jewels. God was truly with Joseph in so many ways. He didn't just give
Joseph the bare minimum, He lavished upon Joseph blessings and favor
because Joseph was faithful.
God isn't stingy. He
doesn't just dish out the bare minimum. He is interested in more than
just surviving. He is in the business of thriving, blessing and giving
abundantly and lavishly! Even when we are in the pits of life, like
Joseph was for so many years, we still have the promise that God will
take care of us beyond our wildest imaginations. Do you think Joseph
imagined a fancy robe and gold chain while he sat in jail? Could he see
the future as second in command over all of Egypt? Likewise, you and I
don't know the plan God has in store for us. But we do know this: God
has a beautiful, bountiful plan for us and rich blessings to shower up
on. He isn't stingy and He is the furthest thing from a cheapskate. You and I serve the God of abundance and glory.
Monday, January 26, 2015
Tuesday, January 20, 2015
True Satisfaction
I don't often look to the secular world for my spiritual advice but every now and again a man or woman of the world stumbles upon a profound truth. Steve Jobs once said, "Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way
to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the
only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven't found
it yet, keep looking. Don't settle. As with all matters of the heart,
you'll know when you find it. And, like any great relationship, it just
gets better and better as the years roll on. So keep looking until you
find it. Don't settle."
I think it is safe to say that we don't have to wonder if Steve Jobs achieved this objective. From all accounts he believed he was doing a great, noteworthy work and seemed to find fulfillment in the creative and inventive process. He found great success and monetary rewards in this life as a result of his endeavors. He became a household name and will certainly be remembered and written about for years to come.
So the question is, is that the measure of great work? Notoriety? Fame? Fortune? Applause and a massive memorial of flowers and apples upon one's passing?
Sarah Adams would say no. In fact she would probably have argued that there is an even greater work to be done.
Sarah was born in 1981 to a normal, middle class family in middle America. She went to a normal high school, normal college and went back to a normal job as a field hockey coach for girls in her hometown.
But she wasn't doing her great work yet.
A lifelong Christian, Sarah had an itch to do more for the Kingdom of God and that more was in Africa working with children affected by the AIDS epidemic. In 2008 she made the move to Malawi and began working as a full time missionary.
Sarah's name never became famous outside of her family who missed her terribly. Other than her local community, Sarah was just another face. To look at her you would never guess that she gave up a life of comfort in the United States to live everyday in service to the Kingdom of God, sharing the love of Christ with children in Africa. Sarah did her great work without fanfare, without a camera crew and without a book deal. But she loved every minute of it. She had found her calling, her place in the world and the pocket of the world where she was born to do God's work.
And then she was tragically killed. Sarah died in a car accident in Africa in 2013. There was no media coverage or gigantic memorial service or TV coverage of the funeral service. Just like Sarah quietly served, she quietly passed from this life to the next where she is dwelling eternally with Christ.
Steve Jobs was right, you will only be satisfied with your life if you do a great work. For him that meant technology and computers and innovation. To Sarah that meant spreading the Gospel and the love of Christ.
I thank Steve Jobs for his contributions to this world and my life (as I write on an iMac computer) but I don't believe he did the greatest of works. I think Sarah did. She understood something in her short 32 years that some people three times her age never understand. The greatest work we can do in this life is work for God. That might mean going to Africa or it might mean scooping out mashed potatoes at the local soup kitchen. The great work isn't one size fits all but it is in service to the one true, perfect, Holy and living God. When we devote our lives to the work of God we are continually putting our labor and pursuits towards an eternal purpose that will never go out of style or become outdated. When we devote our lives to work for Him and His Kingdom we will be forever satisfied - in this life and, more importantly, in the life to come.
I think it is safe to say that we don't have to wonder if Steve Jobs achieved this objective. From all accounts he believed he was doing a great, noteworthy work and seemed to find fulfillment in the creative and inventive process. He found great success and monetary rewards in this life as a result of his endeavors. He became a household name and will certainly be remembered and written about for years to come.
So the question is, is that the measure of great work? Notoriety? Fame? Fortune? Applause and a massive memorial of flowers and apples upon one's passing?
Sarah Adams would say no. In fact she would probably have argued that there is an even greater work to be done.
Sarah was born in 1981 to a normal, middle class family in middle America. She went to a normal high school, normal college and went back to a normal job as a field hockey coach for girls in her hometown.
But she wasn't doing her great work yet.
A lifelong Christian, Sarah had an itch to do more for the Kingdom of God and that more was in Africa working with children affected by the AIDS epidemic. In 2008 she made the move to Malawi and began working as a full time missionary.
Sarah's name never became famous outside of her family who missed her terribly. Other than her local community, Sarah was just another face. To look at her you would never guess that she gave up a life of comfort in the United States to live everyday in service to the Kingdom of God, sharing the love of Christ with children in Africa. Sarah did her great work without fanfare, without a camera crew and without a book deal. But she loved every minute of it. She had found her calling, her place in the world and the pocket of the world where she was born to do God's work.
And then she was tragically killed. Sarah died in a car accident in Africa in 2013. There was no media coverage or gigantic memorial service or TV coverage of the funeral service. Just like Sarah quietly served, she quietly passed from this life to the next where she is dwelling eternally with Christ.
Steve Jobs was right, you will only be satisfied with your life if you do a great work. For him that meant technology and computers and innovation. To Sarah that meant spreading the Gospel and the love of Christ.
I thank Steve Jobs for his contributions to this world and my life (as I write on an iMac computer) but I don't believe he did the greatest of works. I think Sarah did. She understood something in her short 32 years that some people three times her age never understand. The greatest work we can do in this life is work for God. That might mean going to Africa or it might mean scooping out mashed potatoes at the local soup kitchen. The great work isn't one size fits all but it is in service to the one true, perfect, Holy and living God. When we devote our lives to the work of God we are continually putting our labor and pursuits towards an eternal purpose that will never go out of style or become outdated. When we devote our lives to work for Him and His Kingdom we will be forever satisfied - in this life and, more importantly, in the life to come.
Sunday, January 18, 2015
Spiritual toilet paper
The shelf was full of hygiene products. Body wash, tooth brushes,
lotions, shampoos, razors, shaving gel and the most basic of hygiene
necessitates, toilet paper. It was my first day at the City Mission Food
Pantry and the volunteer coordinator instructed me to hand out
particular quantities of each food item, fruit and vegetable. "Then they
can pick out just one hygiene product off of this display" he told me,
pointing to the rack full of miscellaneous products with a bottom row
stacked with generic, scratchy toilet paper.
The time came for me to assist my first individual through the line. He took every food item I offered, even the jar of pickled pigs feet. Then we arrived at the hygiene products. "You can pick any one item off of this shelf," I told him. He didn't even need to survey his options, he immediately reached down and grabbed the toilet paper. Then he thanked me and left.
The next three individuals followed suit, taking home an array of food times, including a jar of pigs feet and a roll of the cheapest toilet paper known to man. Over a few days of assisting individuals at the food pantry the trend continued. Very few people reached for the Aveeno Moisturizing lotion, Suave Body Wash and not one single man grabbed a can of shaving cream. Almost every single person through the line reached quickly and without hesitation for the toilet paper. Some even asked, with a wink and a nod, if they could sneak out an extra roll.
How could it be that in this land of abundance, where six year olds have cell phones and coffee shops and drug stores are on every corner, that there are so many among us who are in such desperate need for the most basic of necessities? We are overwhelmed with a bounty of excess stuff everywhere we look and yet there are individuals who are still needy for the utter basics, the things that I can't ever imagine waking up without, things like toilet paper.
The saddest fact of the plight of the needy is that, for many, they will remain in their destitution for the entirety of their lives. Each week they will continue to stand in line for their turn through the food pantry and each day they will go back to the soup kitchen, grab a tray and get their fill of whatever is being offered. Few will break out of this life and overcome the depths of poverty they have come to know as their normal.
It is so easy to see the destitution in these individuals at the food pantry. They are so impoverished and needy that they don't even contemplate taking home an indulgence such as a body lotion or shaving gel. They are still desperate for the necessities - for the toilet paper.
You and I may be well stocked with soft toilet paper and more body lotions than our skin could ever absorb but many of us are still impoverished, needy and destitute when it comes to our spirit. We reach for spiritual toilet paper. We clean ourselves up but never experience the healing, cleansing and rejuvenating that God offers. We are stuck in a never-ending cycle of just cleaning up our messes, dealing with our sin and never experiencing the freedom and power found in Christ.
Just like the individuals at the food pantry, none of us will ever break out of our spiritual poverty until we are reborn. We cannot continue in our old ways and expect to see a new life. We have to put to death our old self and the sin that entangles. The dear souls at the City Mission Food Pantry won't ever be able to afford their own toilet paper and overcome their need for basic necessities until they change their way of living. That might mean breaking free of an addiction that sucks up all of their money or finding a job after years of unemployment. Whatever their circumstance may be it must change for their neediness to be relieved.
There are ways out of financial and physical poverty and thankfully, there are people willing to aid and assist those in that destitution break free from that life. There is also a way out of spiritual poverty and it is found in Jesus Christ. The ticket out is free and readily available. At any moment the lost sinner can surrender their life to Christ, repent of their sins and receive salvation through the blood of Jesus. Then that person must turn from their old life. No more grabbing the spiritual toilet paper to cover up a continual cycle of sin and separation from God. When a person comes to Christ they must come fully surrendered and obedient, willing to turn completely from the old life so that they can experience the goodness God has promised.
Once we are born anew God does a work of regeneration in our souls. He breaks out lotions, creams and shampoos to restore our souls and make us into shining examples of His restorative power. Scratchy toilet paper just won't do in the Kingdom of God. He has much bigger blessings and promises for His beloved children.
Dear Friend, don't reach for the spiritual toilet paper any longer. God offers so much more and it is available to you just up on the next self.
The time came for me to assist my first individual through the line. He took every food item I offered, even the jar of pickled pigs feet. Then we arrived at the hygiene products. "You can pick any one item off of this shelf," I told him. He didn't even need to survey his options, he immediately reached down and grabbed the toilet paper. Then he thanked me and left.
The next three individuals followed suit, taking home an array of food times, including a jar of pigs feet and a roll of the cheapest toilet paper known to man. Over a few days of assisting individuals at the food pantry the trend continued. Very few people reached for the Aveeno Moisturizing lotion, Suave Body Wash and not one single man grabbed a can of shaving cream. Almost every single person through the line reached quickly and without hesitation for the toilet paper. Some even asked, with a wink and a nod, if they could sneak out an extra roll.
How could it be that in this land of abundance, where six year olds have cell phones and coffee shops and drug stores are on every corner, that there are so many among us who are in such desperate need for the most basic of necessities? We are overwhelmed with a bounty of excess stuff everywhere we look and yet there are individuals who are still needy for the utter basics, the things that I can't ever imagine waking up without, things like toilet paper.
The saddest fact of the plight of the needy is that, for many, they will remain in their destitution for the entirety of their lives. Each week they will continue to stand in line for their turn through the food pantry and each day they will go back to the soup kitchen, grab a tray and get their fill of whatever is being offered. Few will break out of this life and overcome the depths of poverty they have come to know as their normal.
It is so easy to see the destitution in these individuals at the food pantry. They are so impoverished and needy that they don't even contemplate taking home an indulgence such as a body lotion or shaving gel. They are still desperate for the necessities - for the toilet paper.
You and I may be well stocked with soft toilet paper and more body lotions than our skin could ever absorb but many of us are still impoverished, needy and destitute when it comes to our spirit. We reach for spiritual toilet paper. We clean ourselves up but never experience the healing, cleansing and rejuvenating that God offers. We are stuck in a never-ending cycle of just cleaning up our messes, dealing with our sin and never experiencing the freedom and power found in Christ.
Just like the individuals at the food pantry, none of us will ever break out of our spiritual poverty until we are reborn. We cannot continue in our old ways and expect to see a new life. We have to put to death our old self and the sin that entangles. The dear souls at the City Mission Food Pantry won't ever be able to afford their own toilet paper and overcome their need for basic necessities until they change their way of living. That might mean breaking free of an addiction that sucks up all of their money or finding a job after years of unemployment. Whatever their circumstance may be it must change for their neediness to be relieved.
There are ways out of financial and physical poverty and thankfully, there are people willing to aid and assist those in that destitution break free from that life. There is also a way out of spiritual poverty and it is found in Jesus Christ. The ticket out is free and readily available. At any moment the lost sinner can surrender their life to Christ, repent of their sins and receive salvation through the blood of Jesus. Then that person must turn from their old life. No more grabbing the spiritual toilet paper to cover up a continual cycle of sin and separation from God. When a person comes to Christ they must come fully surrendered and obedient, willing to turn completely from the old life so that they can experience the goodness God has promised.
Once we are born anew God does a work of regeneration in our souls. He breaks out lotions, creams and shampoos to restore our souls and make us into shining examples of His restorative power. Scratchy toilet paper just won't do in the Kingdom of God. He has much bigger blessings and promises for His beloved children.
Dear Friend, don't reach for the spiritual toilet paper any longer. God offers so much more and it is available to you just up on the next self.
Friday, January 9, 2015
Don't miss Him
"You missed it!"
We've all said it and we've all had it said to us and about us. We missed the big moment, the funny part of the movie, the big lift that the dancers had worked so hard to perfect, the catchy sign on the side of the road... We missed something and we can't get it back. That split second has passed and now we will forever be the one who missed it.
The worst part of missing it is that we usually miss something spectacular because we are too engrossed in something completely unspectacular! I'm looking at my phone, I'm glued to the TV or the computer or I'm so locked in on my own world that I neglect to see the world around me. Exciting, interesting, remarkable occurrences are happening all around me yet all I see is my little personal universe. I don't take my eyes off of it long enough to catch all the great things that are right there in front of me.
This is a terrible problem that I must learn to remedy. The problem causes more than just missed dance moves and missed road signs. It results in missed opportunities and missed blessings. When I am glued to my own ideas, will and circumstances I miss what God has to show me.
Matthew 25:13 says, "Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the hour or the day." Jesus is coming back and in that scripture He tells His followers that they can count on Him coming but not when. You and I still have that same promise. Jesus is coming back and we don't know when. Jesus is also working in our daily lives and we don't know exactly when or how. Just like His return is going to be a surprise, His orchestrating of our daily lives come as surprises. Therefore we must keep watch and be ready to experience God in ways we never thought possible and never anticipated. If we aren't keeping watch then we very well might miss Him.
The devil loves to distract us and keep our eyes on our little puny lives and menial daily circumstances. He doesn't want us looking up and seeing Jesus. The devil knows his enemy and he knows that Jesus is active and all around us. He has blessings to shower on us and more of Himself to reveal to us but if we aren't looking we will miss Him entirely. And then the devil has accomplished his mission. When we don't see Jesus we start to doubt Him and our faith waivers. The truth is we don't see Jesus because we aren't looking up. We're looking down - we're distracted. As a result we blame God for His lack of presence while all the while it is we who aren't paying any attention to the flurry of God's activity swirling all around us.
If only we would keep watch, if only we would look up, I know we would see Jesus. He's all around. Don't miss Him.
We've all said it and we've all had it said to us and about us. We missed the big moment, the funny part of the movie, the big lift that the dancers had worked so hard to perfect, the catchy sign on the side of the road... We missed something and we can't get it back. That split second has passed and now we will forever be the one who missed it.
The worst part of missing it is that we usually miss something spectacular because we are too engrossed in something completely unspectacular! I'm looking at my phone, I'm glued to the TV or the computer or I'm so locked in on my own world that I neglect to see the world around me. Exciting, interesting, remarkable occurrences are happening all around me yet all I see is my little personal universe. I don't take my eyes off of it long enough to catch all the great things that are right there in front of me.
This is a terrible problem that I must learn to remedy. The problem causes more than just missed dance moves and missed road signs. It results in missed opportunities and missed blessings. When I am glued to my own ideas, will and circumstances I miss what God has to show me.
Matthew 25:13 says, "Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the hour or the day." Jesus is coming back and in that scripture He tells His followers that they can count on Him coming but not when. You and I still have that same promise. Jesus is coming back and we don't know when. Jesus is also working in our daily lives and we don't know exactly when or how. Just like His return is going to be a surprise, His orchestrating of our daily lives come as surprises. Therefore we must keep watch and be ready to experience God in ways we never thought possible and never anticipated. If we aren't keeping watch then we very well might miss Him.
The devil loves to distract us and keep our eyes on our little puny lives and menial daily circumstances. He doesn't want us looking up and seeing Jesus. The devil knows his enemy and he knows that Jesus is active and all around us. He has blessings to shower on us and more of Himself to reveal to us but if we aren't looking we will miss Him entirely. And then the devil has accomplished his mission. When we don't see Jesus we start to doubt Him and our faith waivers. The truth is we don't see Jesus because we aren't looking up. We're looking down - we're distracted. As a result we blame God for His lack of presence while all the while it is we who aren't paying any attention to the flurry of God's activity swirling all around us.
If only we would keep watch, if only we would look up, I know we would see Jesus. He's all around. Don't miss Him.
Wednesday, December 31, 2014
Pathetic prayers
The prayer life of a Monk is not one I can claim to practice. I don't spend my days on bended knee and I don't even have a designated "prayer closet" where I go to find solitude with the Lord. To be quite honest, my prayer life is often quite pitiful. It ranges from practically non-existent to self-seeking to tearful distress calls. Picture an SOS written in sand and you have a pretty clear picture of my prayer life.
I used to pray for healing. Oh, how I prayed for healing and relief from my physical ailments. I prayed so long and hard for that and it didn't come. So then I gave up. I stopped praying and embraced that Beatles hit, "Let it Be."
Then I decided to pray for companionship. I prayed so long and hard that God would relieve me of my loneliness and send me a mate. I prayed and still the mate hasn't come. I've had rejection after rejection and never an answer to my prayer.
So, you guess it, I've given up on that prayer, too. I've decided to stop praying for healing and stop praying for companionship. But even more than that, I've decided to stop praying self-seeking prayers. The laments and cries to the Lord on behalf of my own lot in life have left me feeling empty and pathetic. I get discouraged when I don't get the outcome I'm looking for. And all along I'm missing the point of prayer. It isn't to serve the self, it is to serve the Lord. By taking my precious prayer time to focus on my own desires, wants and complaints I am denying God the prayers He longs to hear.
So I'm changing my prayer life. The new prayer on my lips is this: "Lord, make me your reflection."
What does that look like? What does that mean for my life? What does that do for my healing or my loneliness?
Quite frankly, I don't know. But I do know this. Jesus was alone. Jesus was rejected. Jesus was beaten. Jesus didn't have an easy life full of the "stuff" of prayer lists. He encountered push back from His followers and isolation. He was hunted down and taken to the Cross to be killed. And all the while He was the only truly innocent man to ever live, the only perfect man to ever walk this earth and the only man who was and is God in flesh.
When I ask God to make me a reflection of Jesus I'm not guaranteeing easy street. Just the opposite is more likely. To reflect Jesus I must understand Jesus and to understand Jesus I must suffer. My suffering probably won't lead to a cross with nails and mocking but the struggle will still be unpleasant, painful and trying. But how can I reflect Jesus if I don't know Jesus intimately and partake in what He endured in this life?
Self-seeking prayers aren't what the Lord desires. He wants our lives to be a mirror of His Son. I don't want to be caught up in anything other than being more like Jesus. Not even desires that seem harmless and maybe even good - after all isn't health good? It may be good and who knows, it may be what God has for me in the future. That is for Him to know and for me to find out in His time.
My focus and the cry of my heart is to be a reflection of Jesus and His love. I want to be so fixated on my Savior that I completely forget about the desires of my heart and become surrendered, sold out and committed to being a mirror of the image of Christ.
I used to pray for healing. Oh, how I prayed for healing and relief from my physical ailments. I prayed so long and hard for that and it didn't come. So then I gave up. I stopped praying and embraced that Beatles hit, "Let it Be."
Then I decided to pray for companionship. I prayed so long and hard that God would relieve me of my loneliness and send me a mate. I prayed and still the mate hasn't come. I've had rejection after rejection and never an answer to my prayer.
So, you guess it, I've given up on that prayer, too. I've decided to stop praying for healing and stop praying for companionship. But even more than that, I've decided to stop praying self-seeking prayers. The laments and cries to the Lord on behalf of my own lot in life have left me feeling empty and pathetic. I get discouraged when I don't get the outcome I'm looking for. And all along I'm missing the point of prayer. It isn't to serve the self, it is to serve the Lord. By taking my precious prayer time to focus on my own desires, wants and complaints I am denying God the prayers He longs to hear.
So I'm changing my prayer life. The new prayer on my lips is this: "Lord, make me your reflection."
What does that look like? What does that mean for my life? What does that do for my healing or my loneliness?
Quite frankly, I don't know. But I do know this. Jesus was alone. Jesus was rejected. Jesus was beaten. Jesus didn't have an easy life full of the "stuff" of prayer lists. He encountered push back from His followers and isolation. He was hunted down and taken to the Cross to be killed. And all the while He was the only truly innocent man to ever live, the only perfect man to ever walk this earth and the only man who was and is God in flesh.
When I ask God to make me a reflection of Jesus I'm not guaranteeing easy street. Just the opposite is more likely. To reflect Jesus I must understand Jesus and to understand Jesus I must suffer. My suffering probably won't lead to a cross with nails and mocking but the struggle will still be unpleasant, painful and trying. But how can I reflect Jesus if I don't know Jesus intimately and partake in what He endured in this life?
Self-seeking prayers aren't what the Lord desires. He wants our lives to be a mirror of His Son. I don't want to be caught up in anything other than being more like Jesus. Not even desires that seem harmless and maybe even good - after all isn't health good? It may be good and who knows, it may be what God has for me in the future. That is for Him to know and for me to find out in His time.
My focus and the cry of my heart is to be a reflection of Jesus and His love. I want to be so fixated on my Savior that I completely forget about the desires of my heart and become surrendered, sold out and committed to being a mirror of the image of Christ.
Wednesday, December 17, 2014
We've all got bruises
I remember falling off my bike. It happened on the road right in front of my house when I was in elementary school. It was painful and bloody and it stung like you wouldn't believe. I don't know if I was trying to do a fancy trick or just cruise up and down the road, but somehow I ended up knee to ground,
hands outstretched with my bike on top of me. I cried...a lot. And my
knee bled... a lot. But, of course, I survived. The pain subsided, I got
some neosporone and a dose of comforting from my mother. Now I have a scar to remind me of that fateful day.
Every scar we wear provides a good, "Oh, wait till you hear this!" story. And lets be honest, who hasn't recounted an intense, edge-of-your-seat account of a situation gone wrong, a painful wound and the resulting scar it has left behind. We've all told the stories. We've all heard the stories. Living has given us these scars and has given us these tales to recount years after the pain of the fall has long ago subsided.
As we travel this road called life we are bound to get nicked up along the way - both physically and emotionally. We'll accumulate our fair share of bruises. Life pushes us around and knocks us down and when we pick ourselves up again we realize that we are a little black and blue and there are cuts and scraps that weren't there before.
In life we are going to fall off our bikes, so to speak. Our cuts heal and leave us with scars that remind us that even the most painful of wounds won't be open forever and suffering will end. The pain subsides but the story lives on as a reminder that suffering is not perpetual. No matter how much the cut may sting today it will not go on forever. Someday, probably not so very far away, our pain will be nothing more than a memory, only to be remembered when our stories are retold in great detail and we will marvel at the healing that has taken place.
I think God lets us have scars as a physical, observable reminder of the promise of healing. As we walk this road of life we can look to our bruised and scared knees and remember that God heals in good time. Whether it is physical or emotional we need to be reminded that it is not going to last forever and ever amen. It may sting and hurt like hell but it won't be that way forever.
Some days I need to look at that scar on my knee, or the one on my ankle, or the one on my ring finger and remember, this pain won't last forever. Whatever pain I'm dealing with today will be a scar in the future. Maybe it will take a few days to heal, maybe it will take a few years but the physical scars of my childhood are my ever present reminder that even the most punishing of falls ends up being a good story in the end.
Every scar we wear provides a good, "Oh, wait till you hear this!" story. And lets be honest, who hasn't recounted an intense, edge-of-your-seat account of a situation gone wrong, a painful wound and the resulting scar it has left behind. We've all told the stories. We've all heard the stories. Living has given us these scars and has given us these tales to recount years after the pain of the fall has long ago subsided.
As we travel this road called life we are bound to get nicked up along the way - both physically and emotionally. We'll accumulate our fair share of bruises. Life pushes us around and knocks us down and when we pick ourselves up again we realize that we are a little black and blue and there are cuts and scraps that weren't there before.
In life we are going to fall off our bikes, so to speak. Our cuts heal and leave us with scars that remind us that even the most painful of wounds won't be open forever and suffering will end. The pain subsides but the story lives on as a reminder that suffering is not perpetual. No matter how much the cut may sting today it will not go on forever. Someday, probably not so very far away, our pain will be nothing more than a memory, only to be remembered when our stories are retold in great detail and we will marvel at the healing that has taken place.
I think God lets us have scars as a physical, observable reminder of the promise of healing. As we walk this road of life we can look to our bruised and scared knees and remember that God heals in good time. Whether it is physical or emotional we need to be reminded that it is not going to last forever and ever amen. It may sting and hurt like hell but it won't be that way forever.
Some days I need to look at that scar on my knee, or the one on my ankle, or the one on my ring finger and remember, this pain won't last forever. Whatever pain I'm dealing with today will be a scar in the future. Maybe it will take a few days to heal, maybe it will take a few years but the physical scars of my childhood are my ever present reminder that even the most punishing of falls ends up being a good story in the end.
Tuesday, December 16, 2014
Holding lightly
A wise woman once said that if you hold a bird too tightly you will crush its wings (V.C. Andrews). Of course anyone reading those words knows that the truth of the statement applies to more than just flying fowl but to human beings, love, dreams, wishes, aspirations...the wings of life that cause us to soar will inevitably be crushed if held with a fierce grip.
The trouble is that a light grip is often hard to manage. You and I are always so afraid we'll lose what it is we want most, what we cherish. So we grab hold of that something special and squeeze. What will happen if we loosen up just a bit? The thought is too devastating to even consider. Best hold onto it with everything we've got so that we never have to face a day without it.
In our desire to keep hold of that something we lose sight of the life of the something. Just like that bird with its delicate wings we too will crush the life out of anything we hold too tightly. The wings won't work. The bird won't fly. Our dreams, love, wishes they can all die, too, when held with a vise like force.
When we grasp too tightly at the things of this world we not only cause harm to that something but we cause harm to ourselves. You may ask, how can love be harmful? How can the dream of success be harmful? How can wanting to have a thriving ministry or a happy family or a fruitful career be harmful? The truth is that anything that we hold too tightly, apart from the Lord himself, will cause harm. A death grip will cause the loss of circulation and a severing of our direct line God. The free flowing communion with the Holy Spirit can't reside in a heart that has an unrelenting grip on the things of this world.
In all things, with all things and through all things we must be willing to keep our hand open and our grip relaxed. God may have another "thing" or "person" or "dream" He wants to place in our hand and to receive it we must be willing to have the old plucked away. Or maybe God wants us to continue having that love, dream or wish but just don't want us to hold it so tightly that we crush its wings!
By keeping a loose grip we are not showing indifference or complacency but submission and obedience to God. To follow God wholeheartedly we cannot be attached to anything apart from Him. We must be willing to deny every desire of our human heart so that we can pursue the desires of God's heart without competition for our attention or distraction from the ultimate purpose of our existence, furthering the Kingdom of God.
Jesus told His disciples in Luke 9 that when they went out to proclaim the Kingdom of God and do miraculous works in the name of God that they should, "...take nothing for the journey--no staff, no bag, no bread, no money, no extra shirt." (v. 3).
To be effective for the Kingdom the disciples couldn't be gripping anything that they had come to know, depend upon and value. They had to give it all up for the sake of Christ. A tight grip on their livelihood, their money and even their family would have made them useless to Jesus' great mission of soul saving. They had to abandon it all to be abandoned to God.
If God asks us to drop the thing in the palm of our hand will we do it? Or are we holding on to it so tightly that our fingers are locked in that white-knuckled, death-grip position? Dear Reader, hold loosely to the things of this world. No matter how much you may love that person, value that possession or crave to see the reality of that dream, hold it with a palm wide open. Allow God to give and take away that which He sees fit. It is much less painful to drop that dream than to have it pried out of your locked fist.
The trouble is that a light grip is often hard to manage. You and I are always so afraid we'll lose what it is we want most, what we cherish. So we grab hold of that something special and squeeze. What will happen if we loosen up just a bit? The thought is too devastating to even consider. Best hold onto it with everything we've got so that we never have to face a day without it.
In our desire to keep hold of that something we lose sight of the life of the something. Just like that bird with its delicate wings we too will crush the life out of anything we hold too tightly. The wings won't work. The bird won't fly. Our dreams, love, wishes they can all die, too, when held with a vise like force.
When we grasp too tightly at the things of this world we not only cause harm to that something but we cause harm to ourselves. You may ask, how can love be harmful? How can the dream of success be harmful? How can wanting to have a thriving ministry or a happy family or a fruitful career be harmful? The truth is that anything that we hold too tightly, apart from the Lord himself, will cause harm. A death grip will cause the loss of circulation and a severing of our direct line God. The free flowing communion with the Holy Spirit can't reside in a heart that has an unrelenting grip on the things of this world.
In all things, with all things and through all things we must be willing to keep our hand open and our grip relaxed. God may have another "thing" or "person" or "dream" He wants to place in our hand and to receive it we must be willing to have the old plucked away. Or maybe God wants us to continue having that love, dream or wish but just don't want us to hold it so tightly that we crush its wings!
By keeping a loose grip we are not showing indifference or complacency but submission and obedience to God. To follow God wholeheartedly we cannot be attached to anything apart from Him. We must be willing to deny every desire of our human heart so that we can pursue the desires of God's heart without competition for our attention or distraction from the ultimate purpose of our existence, furthering the Kingdom of God.
Jesus told His disciples in Luke 9 that when they went out to proclaim the Kingdom of God and do miraculous works in the name of God that they should, "...take nothing for the journey--no staff, no bag, no bread, no money, no extra shirt." (v. 3).
To be effective for the Kingdom the disciples couldn't be gripping anything that they had come to know, depend upon and value. They had to give it all up for the sake of Christ. A tight grip on their livelihood, their money and even their family would have made them useless to Jesus' great mission of soul saving. They had to abandon it all to be abandoned to God.
If God asks us to drop the thing in the palm of our hand will we do it? Or are we holding on to it so tightly that our fingers are locked in that white-knuckled, death-grip position? Dear Reader, hold loosely to the things of this world. No matter how much you may love that person, value that possession or crave to see the reality of that dream, hold it with a palm wide open. Allow God to give and take away that which He sees fit. It is much less painful to drop that dream than to have it pried out of your locked fist.
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