The Protection of Discipline

How often have you ever been grateful for discipline as it is being administered? Whether it was in the parent/child relationship, teacher/student relationship, coach/athlete relationship, etc. we usually do not appreciate discipline until long after it is over. In fact, sometimes we do not even recognize that discipline is discipline at the time. Many times we believe it is pointless punishment and our question is, “Why me?” instead of, “Father, thank you for loving me and how are you going to use this in my life?”

As a part of our reading today we cover Psalm 94:12-15 and it is there that we see the truth that God uses discipline for correction today and protection in the future. Are there difficult circumstances that are going on around you? Perhaps God is using some poor choices you have made to reap difficult results. More than just punishment, though, God is most likely using these difficult circumstances to make you wiser and to help you in your decision making process.

If this is true, the most God-honoring question is how will you apply the lessons you are learning? The answer will be different for each of us. Deep down you probably have a good idea of why you are reaping the consequences you are receiving. So, the question is not why, but how will God use this. How will your life change so the ungodly practices are replaced with ones that please God? God promises faithfulness. He promises He will not forsake His child and in that promise you may rest in the confidence that only He can provide. Therefore, be bold and ask this hard question – Father, how will you use this discipline to make me more like Christ?

The Heart of Talk

John Powell says, “Communication works for those who work at it.” When you hear that quote you know it to be true. Yet, how often do you work on communication? In the book of Ephesians, Paul says, “Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.” (Eph. 4:29, ESV) Accomplishing this feat will certainly take work on our part. Let us spend some time thinking about our conversation by covering three helpful questions that can aid you in accomplishing what this passage calls Christians to do.

• Why am I saying this?
• How am I saying this?
• When am I saying this?

First, we have motivations for everything we do. That certainly includes what we say. So we must ask ourselves why we are making this particular statement. In your conversation, are you trying to be kind? Are you trying to be cruel? Are you expressing grace and forgiveness? Are you expressing anger and revenge? You get the picture. Deep down you know why you are saying what you are saying. To live in a way that honors God and builds others up, we must stop and consider why we are saying what we are saying.

Next, we should ask ourselves how we are speaking. What are you communicating by your tone of voice and other non-verbal signals? What are you saying with your eyes, face, hands or posture? Even the sweetest comment can be undermined by a sarcastic tone and rolling of the eyes. Have you ever considered what the other person is seeing when you are speaking?

Finally, when are you making your comments? Is it a time when you are outraged to the point that you cannot control your emotions? Are you or your hearer physically exhausted? Is it possible that the other person has previously been through some trying times during the day? All of these factors will affect the conversation you hope to have. Remember, Paul says our conversation should fit the occasion. That can be taken to mean many things, but it can certainly include a person’s mental, physical or emotional condition.

Unfortunately, we do tend to speak without thinking. For the sake of the glory of God, let us slow down our words and run them through this filter. Perhaps our conversations will be more constructive and beneficial if we do.

God Provides

Do you truly live as if you believe God provides? In your day to day life, are you moving forward with the confidence that God knows your needs and will provide for them? Now, that promise certainly does not give you the liberty to avoid managing your money well or working hard in the job you have, but, where is your trust? In yourself? In the company? In God?

In 1 Kings 4:1-7 we hear the startling story of a mother who is preparing to lose her two sons because of an outstanding debt. Our heart goes out to her as she is struggling to make ends meet and has nothing in her house except a small, simple jar of oil. Yet, this proves to be more than enough for God to provide for her family. The prophet Elisha helps her see the faithfulness of God as He miraculously provides enough oil for her to raise the funds to pay her debts and sustain her family.

Isn’t it interesting that God uses something as common as oil in this narrative? Would this single mother ever have imagined that God would use such a routine household item? We tend to want God to provide lightning, pillars of fire and other awe-inspiring sights when He works in our lives. Yet, He almost always seems to work in the most common, simple ways. Whatever your need is…there is a good chance that God’s means of working are already nearby. Do you trust Him to work? Will you wait for Him to work in His time? God will provide. And His way just might surprise you.

He Knows Your Name

There were no paparazzi in attendance. The celebrity entertainment commentators were no where to be found. But don’t think for a moment there wasn’t electricity in the air. The controversial healer was passing. He had returned sight to the blind, hearing to the deaf and walking to the lame. More astounding than that though, was the apparent fact that just a few days prior he brought a dead man out of the tomb and returned him to life. The word sensational was an understatement and the buzz spread throughout every community and social class.

The wealthy tax collector was no different. He was infected with curiosity just like everyone else. He wanted to catch a glimpse of this miracle man along the road. His enthusiasm was so great it led him to climb a small tree where he would be able to find a better vantage point. Being out on the limb wasn’t dignified for a man of his status, but he was desperate. The holy man wouldn’t know his name anyway, so his reputation wasn’t on the line. Or so he thought.

The moments seemed like an eternity, but that tree limb finally provide a seat that was front and center. Then, in an instant, something unexpected happened. The healer turned and spoke to the tax collector by name. Jesus knew his name. How could this be? And, if he knew his name, how much more did he know about his life?

It was the only time in the three years of public ministry that Jesus invited himself over to a person’s home for dinner. And what a dinner it was. We don’t know the nature of the conversation, but we certainly see the fruit. The rich man’s questionable practices are reversed in an instance. His desire to attain wealth turns into a passion to give it away. The Son of God wouldn’t allow him to blend in anymore and changes had to be made.

Though we are known by our friends, family and the community, we often find ourselves wanting to be invisible to God. We aren’t. He knows which limb we’re on. He sees us sneaking around to catch a glimpse of Him. He sees us in the shadows trying to fill our own pockets. Yet, He desires to change us. He created us after all. He has better plans and better dreams for us. Will you come down, accept his invitation and join Him at the table to hear His challenge for your life?

-- based on Luke 19:1-10

He Knows Your Name

There were no paparazzi in attendance. The celebrity entertainment commentators were no where to be found. But don’t think for a moment there wasn’t electricity in the air. The controversial healer was passing. He had returned sight to the blind, hearing to the deaf and walking to the lame. More astounding than that though, was the apparent fact that just a few days prior he brought a dead man out of the tomb and returned him to life. The word sensational was an understatement and the buzz spread throughout every community and social class.

The wealthy tax collector was no different. He was infected with curiosity just like everyone else. He wanted to catch a glimpse of this miracle man along the road. His enthusiasm was so great it led him to climb a small tree where he would be able to find a better vantage point. Being out on the limb wasn’t dignified for a man of his status, but he was desperate. The holy man wouldn’t know his name anyway, so his reputation wasn’t on the line. Or so he thought.

The moments seemed like an eternity, but that tree limb finally provide a seat that was front and center. Then, in an instant, something unexpected happened. The healer turned and spoke to the tax collector by name. Jesus knew his name. How could this be? And, if he knew his name, how much more did he know about his life?

It was the only time in the three years of public ministry that Jesus invited himself over to a person’s home for dinner. And what a dinner it was. We don’t know the nature of the conversation, but we certainly see the fruit. The rich man’s questionable practices are reversed in an instance. His desire to attain wealth turns into a passion to give it away. The Son of God wouldn’t allow him to blend in anymore and changes had to be made.

Though we are known by our friends, family and the community, we often find ourselves wanting to be invisible to God. We aren’t. He knows which limb we’re on. He sees us sneaking around to catch a glimpse of Him. He sees us in the shadows trying to fill our own pockets. Yet, He desires to change us. He created us after all. He has better plans and better dreams for us. Will you come down, accept his invitation and join Him at the table to hear His challenge for your life?

-- based on Luke 19:1-10

The Divisive Gospel

I don’t know why you want to be around all of those Christians all the time. All they want from you is your time and money. If you were strong, like I am, you wouldn’t need that kind of support. In fact, you wouldn’t need anyone,” it seemed that this is what he said to her week after week. They had been married for 17 years, and she loved him dearly, but it was certainly difficult to live with him and be a follower of Jesus Christ at the same time.

Do you know people like? Are you that person that is struggling to live in household filled with unbelievers while you try to grow in the Christian faith? Jesus tells us to expect this struggle in life.

In today’s Bible reading from Luke 12:41-59, Jesus says that He has not come to bring peace, but division. What? Now, this does not mean that Jesus does not provide peace. He certainly does. He gives us peace with God through the forgiveness of our sins. He gives us peace through the One that is actually called the Comforter, the Holy Spirit. There are numerous ways that Jesus gives and promises peace. However, He does not promise that the Christian life will be all peace. No, in fact He promises that there will be turmoil.

So, how do you deal with this problem of divisiveness in your relationships with family, friends and coworkers?

Do Not Return Evil for Evil

First, recognize that Jesus does not call us to return evil for evil. When non-Christians say derogatory things to us because of our faith, we are not to return their snide remarks. In fact, we are to speak to them in kindness even though they persecute us through their words and actions. This is difficult battle. Our sinful desire is to fight fire with fire. Yet, we are called to be a witness to even the most difficult people in our lives. This leads us to our second way to deal with hostile non-believers.

Be A Light for Christ

The second way we can work through this strain is by realizing we have a wonderful witnessing opportunity. Remember those fights back in the school yard? When one boy hit another, and the match was on that seemed very predictable. Yet, when one boy hit another and the victim walked away, we were left with questions. In a similar way, when a non-believer mocks or ridicules you, they expect you to return the venom. When you don’t it leaves them to wonder how or why you could walk away. Make it your hope that this mysterious behavior will eventually lead the non-Christian to ask you why you react the way you do to hostility. Then, you will have the opportunity to be the light Christ desires you to be in a dark place.

Pursue Peace

Finally, we are called to be at peace with all people if at all possible. As we have already said, even though you are being assailed, you should not look to return the evil. The Apostle Paul tells us that we should be at peace with all people if at all possible. There are some people that will not allow peace to exist around them, but there are others that can live peacefully around Christians when they feel as if they are not being judged or bashed over the head. Our responsibility, then, is to find ways to share and live out the Gospel without doing it in a preachy way. Stand firm, but do it gently and thoughtfully.

Jesus promises this will be hard. The Gospel will turn people against us. Our love for Christ will remind them of their sin and rebellion against God. While we certainly don’t want to minimize our faith to the point that we fade into the background, we must strive to speak and live the truth in love. Remember, God uses these challenges to help us grow to be more like faith and to share the Gospel with those we love.

Pursuing Your Calling

What were your responsibilities in life five years ago? Are they more or less today? Do they take more energy or are they more leisurely? Life is constantly changing. That means many of our callings in life are constantly changing. In this week's radio program we talk with Colin Creel, the author of the book Crossroads. In his book, Colin talks about how there are many ways that we can use all of our callings in life to honor God.

First, we discussed how our primary calling is to be a child of God. Any other calling in life will only make sense if you have this primary calling secured. It is only through Jesus Christ that we are able to truly understand our purpose for life. The Apostle Paul says in Colossians 1 that the creation was created by Christ, for Christ and it only makes sense when it flows through Christ. This means that we must have a relationship with Jesus Christ if we are to make sense of life and live it for real purpose. We must constantly be seeking Him to change our hearts so that our desire is to love Him and others more.

The secondary calling is not quite so easy to explain. According to Creel, this calling is subjective and changes from person to person. Your calling changes based upon the abilities, talents and desires God has given you. In addition, it changes throughout life. This means that a 35 year old father has a different secondary calling than a 65 year old grandfather. This relieves the pressure of this comparison when it comes to our secondary calling because too often I find myself comparing me to others. I am freed up to pursue pleasing God with callings in life and turn loose of my worry about how I stack up to others.

By secondary calling we mean our families, our community, our careers and so forth. God desires for us to pursue this secondary calling for His glory. That means that our constant objective, even in this calling...whatever it may be for you, is to honor Christ. How do you do that? It will take some thinking and imagination. How do you work in the factory for the glory of God? How do you work in the sandwich shop for the glory of God? How do you raise your children, grandchildren or great-grandchildren for the glory of God? How do you relate to your next door neighbor for the glory of God? Get the point? It takes conscience effort to think about how we can use this secondary calling for the glory of God. Then, we must be intentional in carrying it out.

Please find the freedom God intends here. This is not to be a stone bound around your neck. It is a concept that will help turn the daily work of life into something that has eternal impact. It makes those ordinary conversations out by the driveway or at the mailbox significant. Are you pursuing your calling? Or, are you missing out on the right-in-your-face opportunities God is giving you? You want your life to make an impact on this world...good news...God does too!

Big Promises...Little Faith

Have you noticed the increase in the storage unit business across the United States? It seems to be common everywhere that people need more and more space to store their stuff. Is that because their homes are smaller than ever before? I don’t think so. At least where we live, I am often surprised at the large size of homes that are being built on lots that don’t seem to be much larger than postage stamps. What is going on? I think we are in a real battle between our wants and our needs.

What is your definition of success? Does it include your income? Is the neighborhood you live in thrown in there? How about the car you drive? Maybe its how many storage units you can fill up?

All the while we are left wondering if we have enough. Can we ever really have enough?

This is not an uncommon human problem. Think about the children of Israel as they are wandering in the wilderness. God tells us them that He will provide a bread-like food called manna for them every day. On six out of seven days every week they are to take only enough for their family that day. What happens when they take too much? It spoils making a nasty and smelly mess overnight. They knew this in advance and they actually took more than they needed? Yes, and their neighbors greatly regretted it.

Why would they do this?

There are several possibilities here. Perhaps they didn’t trust God. They didn’t believe that He would actually provide for them the next day. What if He overslept one day or was just too busy working on some other project. They needed to take matters into their own hands to make sure their needs are met. This led them to falsely believe that they were the only ones that could adequately care for their own needs so they stored more than they needed. In essence, they turned from trusting God to trusting themselves.

Isn’t that the root of many of our fears, worries and anxieties? We want to provide for ourselves even though we are often powerless to do so. I can’t end a drought or cause a tsunami to turn back. I can’t control how long I am going to live or what the economy is going to do in three months. Yet, I worry as if I can. I waste tons of thought and energy fearing that my little kingdom will fall apart if I can’t get a grip on these things.

Why don’t I trust God more than I do? He has certainly proved to be faithful in the past. Why would He be any different in the future? I’m not saying that we shouldn’t save and prepare for the future. After all, it was God that gave us the intelligence to plan. We must be cautious in our planning though. Are we planning for our wants or for our needs? And, one more time for me…the slow learner, who promises to provide our needs? In Matthew 6:32, Jesus says that God knows our needs and will provide for us. What should we get busy doing? We should go to work seeking the Kingdom of God and His righteousness in our life daily and start finding ways to turn in the keys to our storage buildings.

The Savior That Is A Servant

Take a moment to reflect on John 13:1-20 where we get a glimpse of Jesus washing the feet of His disciples. These are some thoughts on that passage.

Disciples are supposed to wash the feet of their teachers. That is not what happened the night before Jesus went to the cross. In fact, before these moments are past, these close followers of Jesus Christ would know that He is a servant...and that they ought to be also.

In that Greek-Roman world, the Jews still stood as humble people. But what happened that night was beyond the typical sense of humility.

The Outer Garment

You see, Jesus took off his outer garment...that only happened in a place of intimate relationship. A person did not remove their outer garment in the home or presence of a stranger or some general acquaintance. When Jesus removes his outer coat, He is telling them that they are invited in to a close relationship with Him.

The Towel

He goes a step further, though. Then he replaces that outer garment with the towel...which would signify to the disciples what was about to happen. He was about to honor them by performing a task that was well beneath a teacher.

The Teacher’s Knowledge

You see, there are many teachers who understand the past. This understanding gives them understanding of what has happened and why it happened. There are teachers that are able to use their understanding of the past and help make sense of the present.

But teachers that can work in the present with complete knowledge of what is coming in the future...there has only truly been One. The One.

He Knew

He knew the betrayer was in the room at that moment.

He knew the great enemy was at work.

He knew the sorrow that was to come.

But He knew more than just this.

He knew the end from the beginning.

As real as the cross was to Him, the empty tomb was reality as well.

He knew the confusion of the disciples.

He knew the fear they would soon experience.

Yet He served them anyway.

He led them any way.

He loved them any way.

He knows your doubt, and He loves you any way.

He knows your confusion, and He loves you any way.

He knows your fear, and He loves you any way.

He is serving You today.

Just as He washed the disciples feet...He is at work for you today.

Jesus is actively interceding for His disciples even now.

As You Pray

As you pray, surrender your fears.

Seek His forgiveness.

Seek His cleansing.

Ask for His heart.

To love the dirty.

To love the unlovable.

To know someone’s sin...and love them any way.

Ask Him to help you trust Him.

Thank Him.

Thank Him for washing the feet of His disciples.

Thank Him for inviting us in to that intimate relationship.

Thank Him for teaching, leading and loving like no one else could do.

Fighting False Prophets

I don’t know anyone that doesn’t hope for a bright tomorrow. We all have hopes and dreams that life will be wonderful in the days ahead. Yet, when we get to the edge of seeing some of those dreams become reality we can become consumed with worry or dread. There can be many sources of fear, but one of them is that we often listen to misinformation. Many times we can find ourselves listening to lies.

In his book Running Scared, Dr. Ed Welch says that many of our fears are a result of listening to false prophets. A false prophet is someone that doesn’t give accurate information when forecasting the future. They offer the wrong answer as to what is to come. If you will take a moment to think about that you will find it is very true. Anxiety and fear is usually a result of worrying about things that will never happen. We worry about our needs, family, health, finances, career path, safety and the list could go on and on. We should be concerned about these things, but they can become points of fear when the “what if” questions we ask aren’t the right questions to be asking.

So, how do we battle against this? We need to turn to promises that are true.

Followers of Jesus should cling to promises such as Hebrews 13:5 where God says He will never leave us. We should look at Matthew 6:25-34 where Jesus tells us that the Heavenly Father is aware of our needs and will take care of us. Lean on the promises such as 1 Corinthians 1:13 where we learn that God gives us strength when we face temptation. Remember that Ephesians 2:10 says that we are created in Christ for accomplishing good works. You should rest in the truth that nothing can ultimately separate believers from Jesus Christ according to Romans 8:31-39.

As I think through these verses, many more come to mind. What verses can you think of that will help you battle the false prophets that want to steal your hope? Why not make a list of verses that you can quickly recall so that you will be able to stand on the promises God has made to His children.

Patience Is A Value

How many decisions have you made that you regretted? How many words have you spoken that you wish you could take back? Did you let patience run its course before you made those mistakes? If you are like me, my greatest mistakes have been accompanied by impatience.

I am always looking for connections in life. I think God is using every situation in life to make me more like Christ and to change my heart (Romans 8:28-29). Recently, I have been witnessing impatience in word and deed and have been struck by how often I have asked people to be patient. As you might assume, this has led me to wonder just how patient I am. Please do not think that I am calling you to wait to the point of inaction, but I want to ask you to do more than just count to ten before making an important decision.

Scripture says quite a bit about patience. First, Galatians 5:22 says patience is a fruit or result of the Holy Spirit’s work in a believer. In another place, 2 Corinthians 6:6, Paul says that patience is an indicator of spiritual maturity. We see first that our ability to be patient as we think about the Godliest response to a situation is a work of God and an evidence to prove that God is at work in us. Patience and wise deliberation comes form God.

Then, we read passages that advise us on what we are to do while we are thinking patiently. There is more to the story than just thinking about a problem on our own or reading a Scripture passage that deals with it. Proverbs 15:22 says, “Without counsel a plan fails, but with many advisers they succeed.” We have been created as needy people. We need God and we need other people. When facing a decision we should seek the wisdom of the spiritually mature people we know. We need to talk with people that we know have made wise and Godly decisions in life. This may not be the people that have made the most successful decisions because sometimes success in our eyes does not equal Godliness. So we must be careful in choosing those advisors, but if we are in a local church there is a good chance they are close.

Today is a day of decision. Every day is a day of decision. Some are bigger than others, but there aren't really any insignificant decisions. Will you exercise patience? Will you seek Godly counsel? May your decisions honor God and be the best for you, your family, and the world around you.

The Present Glory of God

She was on her fifth day of being a widow. This was probably going to be the most difficult because she was just moments away from laying her greatest earthly love to rest. I waited in the long line to try to encourage her as she stood beside her husband’s casket. After only one small sentence of introduction, she turned and placed her hand on his rigid chest and said, “This is a display of God’s grace.” In an instant I knew what she meant. I had already been told that he had become a follower of Jesus late in life. The people in that room knew this man well. They knew he loved to laugh and to work hard. They knew he was kind and caring. But she knew him best. She knew what God needed to change in him. Even more, she knew how God had changed him.

The comment left me almost speechless. Here was a widow, just moments away from the start of a heart wrenching funeral, and now I had no question as to where her mind was. In that instant my mind was changed as well. I was pulled out of that moment and sent spinning to a world that had no funeral homes or cemeteries. Somehow, though, I was seeing a sort of intersection of these two worlds.

Just recently I read a line in a book that said, “The glory of God is the presence of God.” (Ed Welch, Running Scared) Just as the experience at the funeral home had given me a jolt, this sentence had as well. I suppose I had never thought of the glory of God in that way. If this sentence is true, then the glory of God is not stored up only in Heaven. We can experience the glory of God even now because we can see His presence now.

I see the presence of God in the beautiful creation all around me. I think I see it in a thousand places. But this one surprised me. I saw the presence of God in a funeral home at what should have been one of the saddest moments of life for this widow. I saw the presence of God filling her with strength. The glory of God was on display right there in front of me because she was testifying to the very presence of God.

God, help me to live in this reality. Remind me that you are close. Let me be daily swept away by Your glory in the presence of every day life.

Growing To Give

Have you ever planted a garden? It is so interesting to watch those little seeds turn in to baby sprouts and then mature into vegetable-bearing plants. It takes months for the process and a lot of hard work, but it is amazing that one little seed can produce so many vegetables.

Jesus said that the Kingdom of Heaven is like a seed. Listen to Him in Matthew 13, “The kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his field. It is the smallest of all seeds, but when it has grown it is larger than all the garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches.” (Matthew 13:31-32, ESV)

Do you see the process of change for the little seed? When it is grown it becomes a tree that provides rest and security for the birds. There is no doubt that we are needy people. However, there are times when we allow this neediness to spiral out of control. We use our poor condition for selfish purposes. We use it for attention or for pity. We use it to gain a benefit that we really do not deserve.

Jesus desires for the Kingdom of Heaven to become manifested in His followers. He desires for us to do everything we can to join with Him in redeeming this world as we wait for Him to take us to the New Creation. This means we need to move from the place of need to the place of generosity. To be generous means that we are to be givers.

Yes, it is true that we will always have needs and those needs should be cared for, but do your perceived needs dominate every corner of your life? Are you always looking for the spotlight to shine on you? Do you wait for the right moment to hijack the conversation so it will revolve around you? Are your true desires that everyone would serve you at home, work, etc.?

Jesus says that maturity means we give. We give rest and comfort. We become a source of comfort and strength. Where are you in the growth process? Are you waiting for someone to pour more fertilizer on you, the little seed? Or, are you providing rest and help to those God has placed in your corner of the garden?

Full(er) Joy

There are times in life when we need to make a correction or modification to what we think or how we live. The last few months have been this sort of time for me in an area that I once spoke about boldly. The fact is not that my mind has changed completely, but I believe my thought has been expanded to be richer and more accurate.

There was a time that I would have said that you must want to go to Heaven or experience the New Creation for the singular reason of Jesus Christ being there. For instance, a quote might be, “Can you say that if no one else or nothing else was in Heaven, except Jesus Christ, you would still want to go?” Now, I do not want to change the fact that Jesus Christ is the greatest treasure of eternity. I still believe that the greatest joy we will experience will be seeing Him face to face and learning to love Him more deeply throughout eternity.

However, I now believe this mindset takes away some of the joy that God desires for us in eternity. My point is that I believe our joy will be made richer by being with other people, in addition to Christ, throughout eternity. The first factor that shifted my thinking was passages such as Philippians 2:2 and 1 John 1:4. These passages indicate that Paul’s joy and John’s joy will be fuller if they can have the confidence that the Christians they have been equipping will be faithful, will finish the race of life well, and will join them in the presence of Christ. I understand that. There are plenty of people that I have worked with over the years and I long for them to remain faithful to Christ so that we will be together in the New Creation. Sometimes just the sight of them brings tears to my eyes because I long to be with them in the presence of Christ someday. I can understand how a reunion with them in the New Creation would not take away from my love for Christ, but increase it.

A good example of this is the fact that my love for my wife does not diminish my love for my children; in fact it should cause it to become stronger. I am not filled with a limited supply of love. Really there is a domino effect of loving one person causes me to love someone else more. For instance, when I see a marriage repaired through Biblical counseling I grow to love God more because I have seen more of His grace at work. Please do not get me wrong, there are times when my love has to shift in order to please God. I must love God more and love sin less. Yet, that same equation does not fit when it comes to people that I truly love in life and can bring glory to God by loving. So, my point is that my love for Christ will not be reduced when I rejoice in seeing another person that I have dearly loved when we are reunited in Heaven. In fact, it will be made stronger because I will more fully realize that this is another life that Jesus has shown mercy and has tenderly shepherded into His presence.

Another source that has developed this idea is the book Heaven by Randly Alcorn. One specific quote there really grabbed my attention. It is found on page 329 and it is from Jonathan Edwards. Edwards says,

“Every Christian friend that goes before us from this world is a ransomed spirit waiting to welcome us in heaven. There will be the infant of days that we have lost below, through grace to be found above. There the Christian father, and mother, and wife, and child, and friend, with whom we shall renew the holy fellowship of the saints, which was interrupted by death here, but shall be commenced again in the upper sanctuary, and then shall never end. There we shall have companionship with the patriarchs and fathers and saints of the Old and New Testaments, and those of whom the world was not worthy…And there, above all, we shall enjoy and dwell with God the Father, whom we have loved with all our hearts on earth; and with Jesus Christ, our beloved Savior, who has always been to us the chief among ten thousands, and altogether lovely; and with the Holy Spirit, our Sanctifier, and Guide, and Comforter; and shall be filled with all the fullness of the Godhead forever!”

This longing to be with Christ and with those that I have loved only increases my intensity to be faithful to Christ so that I may be with Him (and them) for eternity. I am looking forward to the joy that will flood my heart when I am face to face with Jesus and fully understand the blessing of being reunited with people that have been significant to me and important to Christ. That joy will be even stronger because I will know more truly that these relationships are only possible because the King laid down His life for those of us that love Him.

Love Seen

Inspired by Matthew 7:15-27...

What can I do for you to see
All my love through life’s small deeds?

I can trust and hope in your great Name
And speak boldly when others bring defame

Yet, there must be more that I can do
To show my great love for You

Something more common from day to day
Simple acts along the way

You must make my mind anew
So that my thoughts are filled with You

Then my actions may show the love
That has come down from above

So You will see and know and feel
That my heart’s desire for You is real

The Wanders of Life

Aimless wanderings. Doesn’t that sound like life much of the time? Even when we have set what we think is a sure and steady course for life there is still some part of us that constantly reminds us that we are not in control of the end results. These wanderings encompass all of our being. How many questions could we generate along the lines of aimless wanderings when we examine our marriage, parenting, family life, health, finances, work, education, recreation? We could literally fill this page with questions concerning these dimensions of life as we regularly try to navigate through them. Many times we are trying to navigate through these waters even though we feel as if we are sinking in them.

Scripture is a wonderful place to go to find answers, and to realize that we are not alone in our wanderings. For instance, Psalm 56:8 speaks of David’s wanderings. In the psalm we observe a very young David that has not been able to find rest. He has found turmoil, transition and chaos most often. He has left home to pursue giants, and to prepare for the chief role of leadership among people he dearly loves, but, instead he has found turmoil, jealousy and threats. He is literally chased into the hill country and out of Israel by the standing King, yet he cannot find solace in other countries because his winsome reputation has preceded him. In Psalm 56 he feels isolated in his aimless wanderings.

At the brink of discouragement, in a dungeon cut off and alone he writes these words to God, “You have taken account of my wanderings, put my tears in Your bottle.” In a very lonely place, something stirred deep down to remind David he was not alone. There in the darkness he recognizes that God is not far away. At the moment when he is left to hang his head and begin to wonder about his wandering, He is reminded that God has kept count of every step. God has collected every tear. It is more than God just knowing about his struggle; David finds hope when he realizes God has been involved in the struggle. God has provided strength and comfort for David during a time of turbulence. He has propelled David to keep moving forward in obedience so that His plan would be accomplished through this young life and David could know the joy of faithfulness.

Could God be shaping his character and building his faith even with this terrible struggle?

Maybe David needed that dungeon. Did I really just say that? Because when I say that I might also be saying that I might need my struggle and you might need yours. If there had been no dungeon, Psalm 56 would never have been written and we would never have known of the sweetness of God’s care. If we were not at our place of aimless wandering, we might not have the chance to learn about the compassionate Father that has been counting every step.

What are you learning in your aimless wandering?

When I Am Afraid

My wife, Monica, and I went to the Doctor's Office today. We didn't go to just any doctor, we visited the Chair of the OB/GYN Department at the Vanderbilt Clinic in Nashville, TN. We went to see this Doctor because Monica is 23 weeks pregnant with our fifth child. Our local Doctor made an appointment for us at Vanderbilt because of the mysterious death of our previous son, Benjamin, when Monica was 26 weeks pregnant. We felt quite privileged to have the opportunity to visit with this medical authority.
It was quite obvious the Doctor at the Vanderbilt Clinic studied all of the material and records that had been sent to her from our personal Doctor. She knew the information, without notes, to the point that I believed she knew more about us than we knew about ourselves. It was quite impressive. However, the journey led us to the same spot we have been sitting since April of 2006. We just don't know why Benjamin died in his 26th week of life.
We don't live in those moments very often. Please don't think that the details aren't there in extreme clarity though. Visitors, prayers, thoughts, pain, sorrow, sobs...all of the memories from the days when Benjamin's life slowly ended to the day we returned him to the dust of the ground exist in painful clarity. Like piercing daggers they come alive when we are forced into those moments.
I sat in the room with a brilliant Doctor surrounded by all of the scientific technology you could buy and a cutting edge medical education program and I found myself mentally searching for Scriptures that declare the Sovereignty of a trustworthy God. A few came to mind. When we were back home I found another: "When I am afraid, I put my trust in You. In God, whose word I praise, in God who I trust; I shall not be afraid." Psalm 56:3-4 (ESV) Isn't that beautiful? David acknowledges his fear. Yet, he declares that he will not be afraid. Instead, he will trust.
In that room at the Vanderbilt Clinic we sat at the intersection of fear and trust. We decided, by the grace of God, to travel down the highway of trust. God is sovereign. He does not waste a hurt. We will remember His Word. We will praise Him.
Just a few moments before we joined the Doctor in an examining office we enjoyed a lengthy ultra sound with a sonographer that graciously acted as a tour guide for us to look at a healthy baby boy in Monica's tummy. There were many interesting pictures along the way, but this one caught our eye. In the picture you see Jameson's hand made into a fist with his thumb sticking up. At our house this is a sign for "Good Job!" or "It's alright!"
Now, I'm not one for signs. But I'm not one for coincidences either. So, you see, I'm sort of stuck. No matter what though, I think this was God moving my thinking toward trust. One day I hope to show Jameson how God used him to encourage his Mom and Dad. Obviously, Jameson won't be able to take credit for it, but I hope we can smile, laugh and praise God together for his little gifts that help to remind us that when we are afraid we find our hope by trusting Him.