THIS WEEK, of course we are all getting ready for Christmas. We are getting everything together and lighting up everything we see with color. Tonight my family and I took a drive around our neighborhood to see all the lights and hear the music.
I began rereading Charles Dickens' "A Christmas Carol," and my family watched the movie version with Jim Carrey, who is a very good actor. I really love that story, and the movie always amazes me. You probably know it: a chronically stingy old man named Mr. Scrooge is driven to repentance by visions brought by spirits representing Christmases of the past, present, and future. By the end he is so radically changed and overflowing with goodwill and sincere love that everyone he knows is stunned by him.
You're probably also familiar with Dr. Seuss' story of the Grinch who Stole Christmas. That story also happens to have a new movie version with Jim Carrey. If you've seen that version you'll remember the scene where the Grinch stands on a cliff on the side of Mount Crumpit with a book full of the names of every Who. He begins to read them aloud alphabetically and shout in the direction of Whoville, "I... HATE YOU!!!" "Hate hate hate, hate hate hate, LOATHE ENTIRELY." After seeing his attempt to ruin Christmas by stealing the presents is foiled by the Whos' joy in singing their Christmas song together, he understands his error and is, like Scrooge, converted to a kindhearted soul.
God Himself is love. What better way to celebrate the coming of Jesus than to do as He did, and show love to people? Christmas is a great time to be reminded of what we should be doing throughout the entire year: loving Jesus by loving people. It's easy to think we are good at that, but Jesus also made it clear that love doesn't come naturally. True love is supernatural, so it takes God's help and our hearts to make it happen.
In Matthew 5:46 He tells us, "For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?"
Neither Scrooge nor the Grinch was loved by anyone, because neither loved anyone. The Grinch didn't even really love his dog Max, to whose head he tied an oversized antler to make him a reindeer to pull his heay-laden sleigh of stolen goods. But in the movie, after his heart has just grown three sizes because of the Whos, he looks at his dog in bewilderment and tearfully exclaims, "Max! I love ya!"
Love is infectious and powerful. It makes all the difference, whether it is done openly, as in the Grinch's returning of the gifts, or in secret, like Scrooge's anonymous sending of an expensive turkey to his employee's poor family. It is the first in the list of the fruits of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) and the greatest thing we have according to Paul in 1 Corinthians 13:13, "And now abide faith, hope, and love, these three: but the greatest of these is love."
Jesus emphasized loving people we don't immediately think to love - not only our enemies, but strangers, too. Poor, rich, pretty, ugly, mean, stupid, pink, green. The Ghost of Christmas Past shows Scrooge a party held by Fezziwig, an employer he had when he was a young man. Fezziwig invited everybody he knew, and every kind and age of person walked in. But Scrooge did not even celebrate during Christmas, nor would he pay mind to the plight of the poor or let his employee make a hotter fire at night.
In Luke 14:13-14, Jesus tells us what we should do: "But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind. And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you; for you shall be repaid at the resurrection of the just."
"Scrooge" and "Grinch" have become names for people who don't enjoy celebrating with people or share in joy with others. I'm afraid that most of us are like that sometimes, and forget to love. We may not even notice, because it might seem justifiable not to love. People are often very terrible to one another, and we don't deserve to be loved or forgiven. But what Jesus said about loving even those who do wrong to us still applies. It's not like forgiving them would be as profound as God forgiving us.
And that's just what we are celebrating right now. The coming of God in the flesh to break down every wall out of love for us, only to come knock on our doors and ask to be let in. That's love. And whether we are sharing that good news or just treating people with gentleness and charity, it is not only our job but our greatest blessing in life to love like Jesus does. Doing that, we can celebrate Him properly throughout the year.
Sunday, December 18, 2011
Monday, December 12, 2011
Go Tell it on the Mountain
THIS WEEK I finished my finals and went home. In fact, tonight I completed my 6000 word history paper and submitted it online, so my first semester of college is finally over. I cannot believe it has been three months of school already. It sure is wonderful to be home.
I've spent much needed time with my family this week. On Friday my brother and sister, her boyfriend and I went to the Community Nutcracker, which was lovely to see again. Last night I helped my mom deliver a wedding cake, and afterward we went to a choir recital at a church in Middleburg, where my five-year-old cousin had a solo.
The recital featured a small drama about a man who used Christmas as an opportunity to lead his coworker to the Lord. What I loved about it was that it was very simple, yet very realistic. His friend just saw a change in him after he complained about holiday stress, and he answered his curiosity by telling him about how he had prayed to Jesus and made it through, and how He had totally altered his attitude and point of view. The coworker kept wanting to know more, to get his questions answered, and eventually through talking to his friend he got to respond to the gospel.
What I noticed is that it wasn't very complicated at all. The fact of the matter is that a lot of details of the Truth are a little confusing to our human frame of reference. Some points get the theologians and agnostics talking and writing books, and they are really interesting to read about. But talk isn't what saves people. Logic is a good tool, but love is what draws people in.
1 Peter 1:17-19, "[17] And if you call on the Father, who without partiality judges according to each one's work, conduct yourselves through the time of your stay here in fear; [18] knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, fro myour aimless conduct received by the tradition from your fathers, [19] but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot."
We are supposed to live in reverence, knowing who is was that died for our redemption. That is what Christmas is about: that God Himself came to earth to take our sin on Himself and suffer for it, so we could be His again. Think about that. That's what love means.
When Jesus taught and preached, He spoke in love. He spoke like nobody else ever had. Of course He spoke in wisdom, and He wasn't just trying to confuse everybody. But His goal was not that we would wrap our heads around Him but that we would let Him take our hearts and rescue our sinking souls. He gave us parables and explained a lot of things so that we could understand what we believe, but it's more important just to know and love Him. We can't understand a person or know him completely before having a relationship with him. And after we are, learning more is part of the joy of growing closer. We should talk about Him like He talked about Himself, not as a subject to be discussed, but as a Person to be known.
This gives me encouragement for the next semester of school, and for my friends. If they can see some of that love and if we can give it some patience, I know people will be saved because that is what God wants.
In Matthew 28:19-20 Jesus commands us "[19] 'Go theerefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, [20] teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you, and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.' Amen."
Pastor Aaron, who leads the college ministry at my church for UNF, said today that two students there had gone up to two complete strangers, and led them to Jesus right then. It doesn't always happen in a day, or over a month, or in the office, or overseas. But it always happens in the will of God. That is because we aren't saving anybody. God is doing the saving, and one of the greatest blessings He has given us as His adopted children is the opportunity to be a part of His work to bring more children home.
The prophets couldn't stop talking about Jesus hundreds of years before He came: Isaiah 53:5, "But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed."
The shepherds couldn't be quiet after they saw Him in the manger:
Luke 2:16-18, "[16] And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger. [17] Now when they had seen Him, they made widely known the saying which was told them concerning the Child. [18] And all those who heard it marveled at those things which were told them by the shepherds."
The earliest Christians wouldn't cease to spread the good news, and they got into trouble for it:
Acts 4:19-20, "[19] But Peter and John answered and said to them, 'Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you more than to God, you judge. [20] For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.'"
Now it is our turn. I'm feeling convicted about this, and I think a lot of us should. Something great is about to happen, because great things happen when the Holy Spirit moves. Watch the world change as we dare to change it in Jesus' name.
I've spent much needed time with my family this week. On Friday my brother and sister, her boyfriend and I went to the Community Nutcracker, which was lovely to see again. Last night I helped my mom deliver a wedding cake, and afterward we went to a choir recital at a church in Middleburg, where my five-year-old cousin had a solo.
The recital featured a small drama about a man who used Christmas as an opportunity to lead his coworker to the Lord. What I loved about it was that it was very simple, yet very realistic. His friend just saw a change in him after he complained about holiday stress, and he answered his curiosity by telling him about how he had prayed to Jesus and made it through, and how He had totally altered his attitude and point of view. The coworker kept wanting to know more, to get his questions answered, and eventually through talking to his friend he got to respond to the gospel.
What I noticed is that it wasn't very complicated at all. The fact of the matter is that a lot of details of the Truth are a little confusing to our human frame of reference. Some points get the theologians and agnostics talking and writing books, and they are really interesting to read about. But talk isn't what saves people. Logic is a good tool, but love is what draws people in.
1 Peter 1:17-19, "[17] And if you call on the Father, who without partiality judges according to each one's work, conduct yourselves through the time of your stay here in fear; [18] knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, fro myour aimless conduct received by the tradition from your fathers, [19] but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot."
We are supposed to live in reverence, knowing who is was that died for our redemption. That is what Christmas is about: that God Himself came to earth to take our sin on Himself and suffer for it, so we could be His again. Think about that. That's what love means.
When Jesus taught and preached, He spoke in love. He spoke like nobody else ever had. Of course He spoke in wisdom, and He wasn't just trying to confuse everybody. But His goal was not that we would wrap our heads around Him but that we would let Him take our hearts and rescue our sinking souls. He gave us parables and explained a lot of things so that we could understand what we believe, but it's more important just to know and love Him. We can't understand a person or know him completely before having a relationship with him. And after we are, learning more is part of the joy of growing closer. We should talk about Him like He talked about Himself, not as a subject to be discussed, but as a Person to be known.
This gives me encouragement for the next semester of school, and for my friends. If they can see some of that love and if we can give it some patience, I know people will be saved because that is what God wants.
In Matthew 28:19-20 Jesus commands us "[19] 'Go theerefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, [20] teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you, and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.' Amen."
Pastor Aaron, who leads the college ministry at my church for UNF, said today that two students there had gone up to two complete strangers, and led them to Jesus right then. It doesn't always happen in a day, or over a month, or in the office, or overseas. But it always happens in the will of God. That is because we aren't saving anybody. God is doing the saving, and one of the greatest blessings He has given us as His adopted children is the opportunity to be a part of His work to bring more children home.
The prophets couldn't stop talking about Jesus hundreds of years before He came: Isaiah 53:5, "But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed."
The shepherds couldn't be quiet after they saw Him in the manger:
Luke 2:16-18, "[16] And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Babe lying in a manger. [17] Now when they had seen Him, they made widely known the saying which was told them concerning the Child. [18] And all those who heard it marveled at those things which were told them by the shepherds."
The earliest Christians wouldn't cease to spread the good news, and they got into trouble for it:
Acts 4:19-20, "[19] But Peter and John answered and said to them, 'Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you more than to God, you judge. [20] For we cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard.'"
Now it is our turn. I'm feeling convicted about this, and I think a lot of us should. Something great is about to happen, because great things happen when the Holy Spirit moves. Watch the world change as we dare to change it in Jesus' name.
Sunday, December 4, 2011
God Only Knows
THIS WEEK will be my last week of classes of my first semester of college. I'm thankful that I'm going to have about a month to just be with my family, and that I've made it through three months of classes away from home.
For many of us this month is one of the best in the year. We get to celebrate Christmas and the new year, and just take a break to enjoy being warm on cold days. But it's still earth, so there is still a dash of hell thrown in.
Last week a student in Architecture named Jade, a couple years ahead of me, died when her car flipped as she drove back to school from Thanksgiving break. She was buckled in and sober. But now she is gone, and everyone she knew is devastated. I have read some of the notes they left for her beside the flowers and the display of her work. She was a really lovely person, not just somebody people say nice things about once they're gone. She was known for bringing color and smiles, and for her promising skill in architecture. She was going places.
Doesn't God love us? Isn't He good? From our earthbound eye level, it isn't easy to understand. We know by faith that God sees more than we do, and that He understands what we don't. But He also knows that when the world goes dark, that is still hard for us to see.
Psalm 90:2 declares, "Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever You had formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God."
And verse 12 says, "So teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom." Our lives here are brief. But God is not bound by time. Our perspective is small, but His is as wide as can be.
I think that what He wants us to understand that not everything is good, but He is good, and He can make good come out of everything. When hell rains out of the sky, He is God, and He understands pain. When we are on the mountain tasting heaven, He is still God, and He delights in showing us His goodness.
Isaiah 43:13, "Indeed before the day was, I am He; and there is no one who can deliver out of My hand; I work, and who will reverse it?"
God is sovereign, so no part of our lives goes unnoticed by Him. Those who trust in Him can see hope in the distance, because a change of situation does not mean that God has changed, or that His promises have faltered. It only means there is more left to see. He is not done working.
Isaiah 43:19, "Behold, I will do a new thing, now it shall spring forth; shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness and rivers in the desert."
Repeatedly in the Old Testament He is promising to do something new, something amazing. He says He will send His Servant to bring salvation to the world. Then in the New Testament, He does it and almost everybody is surprised.
Isaiah 49:6, "Indeed He says, 'It is too small a thing that You should be My Servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved ones of Israel; I will also give You as a light to the Gentiles, that You should be My salvation to the ends of the erath.'"
When He sent Israel into captivity, He promised that it would not be forever. In fact, He sent them with a promise of love tagged on.
v.29:10-13, "[10] For thus says the Lord: After seventy years are completed at Babylon, I will visit you and perform my good word toward you, and cause you to return to this place. [11] For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. [12] Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. [13] And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart."
God fulfilled His promise to Israel. He wants His children to understand that He doesn't do things or let them be done for no good reason. He hates when we are hurting, and it hurts Him too. But so does our sin because it makes us far from Him.
God makes miracles out of madness. Maybe the miracle is that Jade was even born to bring so much joy to people's lives. Tomorrow isn't promised, but she lived each today fully. Maybe the miracle is what she left behind. I didn't have to know her to know that she's taught a lot of good things to a lot of people. She didn't live in vain.
One thing we know about life is that we really don't know very much about our lives. Will the milk go bad too soon? Will you ever find a guy you can bring home to your daddy, or, as the case may be, a girl to bring home to your mama? Will you pay off your loans? Will your loved one get better? God only knows.
But don't be discouraged, because He not only knows but cares.
Isaiah 49:15-16, "[15]Can a woman forget her nursing child, and not have compassion on the son of her womb? Surely they may forget, yet I will not forget you. [16] See, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands. Your walls are continually before Me."
For many of us this month is one of the best in the year. We get to celebrate Christmas and the new year, and just take a break to enjoy being warm on cold days. But it's still earth, so there is still a dash of hell thrown in.
Last week a student in Architecture named Jade, a couple years ahead of me, died when her car flipped as she drove back to school from Thanksgiving break. She was buckled in and sober. But now she is gone, and everyone she knew is devastated. I have read some of the notes they left for her beside the flowers and the display of her work. She was a really lovely person, not just somebody people say nice things about once they're gone. She was known for bringing color and smiles, and for her promising skill in architecture. She was going places.
Doesn't God love us? Isn't He good? From our earthbound eye level, it isn't easy to understand. We know by faith that God sees more than we do, and that He understands what we don't. But He also knows that when the world goes dark, that is still hard for us to see.
Psalm 90:2 declares, "Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever You had formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God."
And verse 12 says, "So teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom." Our lives here are brief. But God is not bound by time. Our perspective is small, but His is as wide as can be.
I think that what He wants us to understand that not everything is good, but He is good, and He can make good come out of everything. When hell rains out of the sky, He is God, and He understands pain. When we are on the mountain tasting heaven, He is still God, and He delights in showing us His goodness.
Isaiah 43:13, "Indeed before the day was, I am He; and there is no one who can deliver out of My hand; I work, and who will reverse it?"
God is sovereign, so no part of our lives goes unnoticed by Him. Those who trust in Him can see hope in the distance, because a change of situation does not mean that God has changed, or that His promises have faltered. It only means there is more left to see. He is not done working.
Isaiah 43:19, "Behold, I will do a new thing, now it shall spring forth; shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness and rivers in the desert."
Repeatedly in the Old Testament He is promising to do something new, something amazing. He says He will send His Servant to bring salvation to the world. Then in the New Testament, He does it and almost everybody is surprised.
Isaiah 49:6, "Indeed He says, 'It is too small a thing that You should be My Servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved ones of Israel; I will also give You as a light to the Gentiles, that You should be My salvation to the ends of the erath.'"
When He sent Israel into captivity, He promised that it would not be forever. In fact, He sent them with a promise of love tagged on.
v.29:10-13, "[10] For thus says the Lord: After seventy years are completed at Babylon, I will visit you and perform my good word toward you, and cause you to return to this place. [11] For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. [12] Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. [13] And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart."
God fulfilled His promise to Israel. He wants His children to understand that He doesn't do things or let them be done for no good reason. He hates when we are hurting, and it hurts Him too. But so does our sin because it makes us far from Him.
God makes miracles out of madness. Maybe the miracle is that Jade was even born to bring so much joy to people's lives. Tomorrow isn't promised, but she lived each today fully. Maybe the miracle is what she left behind. I didn't have to know her to know that she's taught a lot of good things to a lot of people. She didn't live in vain.
One thing we know about life is that we really don't know very much about our lives. Will the milk go bad too soon? Will you ever find a guy you can bring home to your daddy, or, as the case may be, a girl to bring home to your mama? Will you pay off your loans? Will your loved one get better? God only knows.
But don't be discouraged, because He not only knows but cares.
Isaiah 49:15-16, "[15]Can a woman forget her nursing child, and not have compassion on the son of her womb? Surely they may forget, yet I will not forget you. [16] See, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands. Your walls are continually before Me."
Sunday, November 27, 2011
The Greatest Blessing
THIS WEEK was Thanksgiving, the day we devote to remembering to be thankful for the mounds of blessings heaped up on our lives. I got to spend it with my family, and nobody was missing when we ate together.
I'm glad we have this holiday in America, because gratitude is one of the most important things to maintain and yet one of the easiest to dismiss. When we aren't thankful, our problems seem a lot bigger because we aren't thinking about how good we have it.
Please watch this video I saw on Godvine.com a couple weeks ago. I saved it to show it to you this week, because it made me thankful for everything I have no matter how bad a day I was having.
That sure makes our problems look smaller. What's amazing is that this man was thankful for everything even, and especially, when it looked like he was about to lose it all. That was because he saw that he was about to gain it all when he came to stand before God. He passed away in May of 2010.
What are you thankful for? Nothing is too big or small to be thankful for.
I'm thankful for my family. My talented and wonderfully understanding mom, my dad who is the perfect balance of responsible and fun, my clever and beautiful sister, and my funny and brilliant brother. I am thankful for days when I get to be with them and do anything, or nothing, and see my yellow house with flowers and citrus trees.
I'm thankful for not one Bible, but two, in a world where so many Christians struggle to get their hands on one. In many countries it is dangerous to carry them to give to other people. I'm thankful that I get to go to church in the same place every week, without fear of being punished or pressured because of it.
I'm thankful for my friends at school, for my life group, and for my awesome room mate. I'm thankful for the chance to study what I love in a university, and to go outside every day and see the things God made.
Psalm 100 is my Thanksgiving Psalm that I love to read this time of year.
v.3-4 "[3] Know that the Lord, He is God; It is He who made us, and not we ourselves; we are His people and the sheep of His pasture. [4] Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and enter into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name."
This makes me realize that gratitude comes from the recognition of need. We are thankful to God because He provides for our needs. So let's not become ungrateful and think that we can make ourselves, and reach the heights beyond ourdreams without the strength of His wings.
In John 10:11 Jesus tells us how He relates to us: "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep."
We have so much to be thankful for. I hope we can practice gratitude as much during the year as we do in late November.
If we're thankful to God because He provides abundantly for our needs, and if He has provided most abundantly for our greatest need of salvation by giving Himself, then we should be most thankful to Him, for Him. He is our greatest blessing.
More than anything I am thankful to my Savior for saving me, and that He is close enough to hear. I love hearing Him remind me of promises like Jeremiah 29:11, as He did just a couple nights ago: "Fir I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thuoghts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope." I'm thankful for His sovereignty in my life, even on days when it all looks like it's falling apart, because it isn't really.
Take a little while to think about what you're most thankful for, and stay thankful. You'll find that when we are thankful for our blessings and bless the Lord because of them, our gratitude blesses us even more.
I'm glad we have this holiday in America, because gratitude is one of the most important things to maintain and yet one of the easiest to dismiss. When we aren't thankful, our problems seem a lot bigger because we aren't thinking about how good we have it.
Please watch this video I saw on Godvine.com a couple weeks ago. I saved it to show it to you this week, because it made me thankful for everything I have no matter how bad a day I was having.
That sure makes our problems look smaller. What's amazing is that this man was thankful for everything even, and especially, when it looked like he was about to lose it all. That was because he saw that he was about to gain it all when he came to stand before God. He passed away in May of 2010.
What are you thankful for? Nothing is too big or small to be thankful for.
I'm thankful for my family. My talented and wonderfully understanding mom, my dad who is the perfect balance of responsible and fun, my clever and beautiful sister, and my funny and brilliant brother. I am thankful for days when I get to be with them and do anything, or nothing, and see my yellow house with flowers and citrus trees.
I'm thankful for not one Bible, but two, in a world where so many Christians struggle to get their hands on one. In many countries it is dangerous to carry them to give to other people. I'm thankful that I get to go to church in the same place every week, without fear of being punished or pressured because of it.
I'm thankful for my friends at school, for my life group, and for my awesome room mate. I'm thankful for the chance to study what I love in a university, and to go outside every day and see the things God made.
Psalm 100 is my Thanksgiving Psalm that I love to read this time of year.
v.3-4 "[3] Know that the Lord, He is God; It is He who made us, and not we ourselves; we are His people and the sheep of His pasture. [4] Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and enter into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name."
This makes me realize that gratitude comes from the recognition of need. We are thankful to God because He provides for our needs. So let's not become ungrateful and think that we can make ourselves, and reach the heights beyond ourdreams without the strength of His wings.
In John 10:11 Jesus tells us how He relates to us: "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep."
We have so much to be thankful for. I hope we can practice gratitude as much during the year as we do in late November.
If we're thankful to God because He provides abundantly for our needs, and if He has provided most abundantly for our greatest need of salvation by giving Himself, then we should be most thankful to Him, for Him. He is our greatest blessing.
More than anything I am thankful to my Savior for saving me, and that He is close enough to hear. I love hearing Him remind me of promises like Jeremiah 29:11, as He did just a couple nights ago: "Fir I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thuoghts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope." I'm thankful for His sovereignty in my life, even on days when it all looks like it's falling apart, because it isn't really.
Take a little while to think about what you're most thankful for, and stay thankful. You'll find that when we are thankful for our blessings and bless the Lord because of them, our gratitude blesses us even more.
Sunday, November 20, 2011
Dead Hamsters
THIS WEEK I remember something a teacher of mine used to say. He saw too many people walking around "looking like somebody killed their hamster." Too many sad faces. The truth is there's a lot of sad stuff going on under the wide blue sky. What can we do to put a smile on?
I've had a week of ups and downs. I've had a lot of work to do building my last model for my Design One class, and I'm going to me staying up late tonight finishing my project. But I also had the chance to spend time with my cousin who visited me, and we had a great time. I had to miss my cousin's Christening today, but Thanksgiving is in a few days and I will see my whole family then.
There's a lot of good to celebrate, because God loves to bless us. But troublesome things sometimes block out our view of them. What I've learned is that stress and frustration just lets us learn how to depend on God more, and it reminds us that this is not heaven. If every day were good we would start feeling entitled to convenience. We would take everything for granted and forget our essential need for God. So I'm thankful for occasional long nights when nothing is working and I don't get enough sleep, because in the dark we can see the light more clearly.
Two things are most important to have when you feel like somebody killed your hamster: first, God, and second, godly friends.
God's word is full of instances where He saw the need of someone who called out to Him, and he answered him. He will still do that for us.
Psalm 43:5 says, "Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God; for I shall yet praise Him, the help of my countenance and my God."
We should remember that praise isn't something we give God to tell Him, "Good job giving me everything I want!" Instead praise says, "You are worthy regardless of what happens, and I know You want and will give me what is good for me!" Nothing in life changes who God is, and discomfort doesn't mean He is far away. It's an opportunity to pray and see Him answer, and to praise Him and see your faith rise. Not problem is too big or too small for Him to care for.
He is the "help of our countenance." What does that mean? It means He upholds us, giving us a reason to turn our frowns upside down. It doesn't mean He will answer all our prayers with a Yes, but it does mean that when we praise Him despite trouble, all our reasons to praise will overwhelm our reasons to whimper and complain.
The other important thing to have is godly friends around us to lift us up. Friends must both encourage each other and give constructive criticism. We must embolden each other toward righteousness and call each other out about sin.
I've seen Proverbs 27:17 around a lot lately, "As iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend." This means that friends help each other succeed, and to see clearly to make good choices. When iron sharpens iron it is an act of love, because if either of those swords tries to go into battle dull, the one using it will probably die.
On Tuesday during one of my late nights in the studio my friend Debbie came while I was away. When I came back I found she had left me an encouraging note and a Mountain Dew that would keep me awake all evening. The note had a reference to 2 Corinthians 12:9, one of my favorites, "[9] And He said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me."
My friend didn't even sign her name on the note. She was acting completely unselfishly. And her gift really helped me to make it through that long Tuesday night. I'm reminded that we serve a God who turns things into the opposite of what they seem. So when we're weak we're really strong by His stength. And maybe when we're troubled we're really the most blessed for having a view of our need for God. Maybe when we're thankful despite frustration we really have the most to be thankful for.
I know I'm not going to get through everything this evening without the help of my God and my friends, and I'm thankful for them. So when my plexiglas isn't sticking together and when I have printer trouble at midnight tonight, I will do my best to smile anyway. To laugh and look forward to Thanksgiving. So grab a Bible and a friend this week and take your day by storm. Show the world that the children of God live victoriously in His name, for the glory of His name. Don't walk around like your hamster is dead. Every now and then, look up from the sidewalk and sing a song of praise instead.
I've had a week of ups and downs. I've had a lot of work to do building my last model for my Design One class, and I'm going to me staying up late tonight finishing my project. But I also had the chance to spend time with my cousin who visited me, and we had a great time. I had to miss my cousin's Christening today, but Thanksgiving is in a few days and I will see my whole family then.
There's a lot of good to celebrate, because God loves to bless us. But troublesome things sometimes block out our view of them. What I've learned is that stress and frustration just lets us learn how to depend on God more, and it reminds us that this is not heaven. If every day were good we would start feeling entitled to convenience. We would take everything for granted and forget our essential need for God. So I'm thankful for occasional long nights when nothing is working and I don't get enough sleep, because in the dark we can see the light more clearly.
Two things are most important to have when you feel like somebody killed your hamster: first, God, and second, godly friends.
God's word is full of instances where He saw the need of someone who called out to Him, and he answered him. He will still do that for us.
Psalm 43:5 says, "Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God; for I shall yet praise Him, the help of my countenance and my God."
We should remember that praise isn't something we give God to tell Him, "Good job giving me everything I want!" Instead praise says, "You are worthy regardless of what happens, and I know You want and will give me what is good for me!" Nothing in life changes who God is, and discomfort doesn't mean He is far away. It's an opportunity to pray and see Him answer, and to praise Him and see your faith rise. Not problem is too big or too small for Him to care for.
He is the "help of our countenance." What does that mean? It means He upholds us, giving us a reason to turn our frowns upside down. It doesn't mean He will answer all our prayers with a Yes, but it does mean that when we praise Him despite trouble, all our reasons to praise will overwhelm our reasons to whimper and complain.
The other important thing to have is godly friends around us to lift us up. Friends must both encourage each other and give constructive criticism. We must embolden each other toward righteousness and call each other out about sin.
I've seen Proverbs 27:17 around a lot lately, "As iron sharpens iron, so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend." This means that friends help each other succeed, and to see clearly to make good choices. When iron sharpens iron it is an act of love, because if either of those swords tries to go into battle dull, the one using it will probably die.
On Tuesday during one of my late nights in the studio my friend Debbie came while I was away. When I came back I found she had left me an encouraging note and a Mountain Dew that would keep me awake all evening. The note had a reference to 2 Corinthians 12:9, one of my favorites, "[9] And He said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me."
My friend didn't even sign her name on the note. She was acting completely unselfishly. And her gift really helped me to make it through that long Tuesday night. I'm reminded that we serve a God who turns things into the opposite of what they seem. So when we're weak we're really strong by His stength. And maybe when we're troubled we're really the most blessed for having a view of our need for God. Maybe when we're thankful despite frustration we really have the most to be thankful for.
I know I'm not going to get through everything this evening without the help of my God and my friends, and I'm thankful for them. So when my plexiglas isn't sticking together and when I have printer trouble at midnight tonight, I will do my best to smile anyway. To laugh and look forward to Thanksgiving. So grab a Bible and a friend this week and take your day by storm. Show the world that the children of God live victoriously in His name, for the glory of His name. Don't walk around like your hamster is dead. Every now and then, look up from the sidewalk and sing a song of praise instead.
Sunday, November 13, 2011
How Big is a Mustard Seed?
THIS WEEK I discovered GodVine.com for the first time. It's a website all about videos meant to inspire, ecourage, and amaze you. It's just my kind of thing, especially categorized as "Miracle."
There's one I really want to share with you, about a man who had a heart attack:
Watch that real quick. It only takes 6 minutes and 15 seconds. I'll wait here.
That was amazing, right? It's so awesome that God still does these things in response to our faith. My favorite part was when the cardiologist confessed that he was having a day of very small faith, but when he took the little bit of faith he did have and obeyed God with it, he saw God's power.
It isn't hard to have faith, and it isn't a weakness to have faith. Faithful people aren't dumb. It takes faith to drive a car, that when you make a turn the light will stay red for everybody else and you won't be hit. It takes faith to eat spagetti, as I did earlier this week, because you must wait patiently for it to cool before you eat it, hoping for the promise that it will be much better after it won't burn your tongue. It even takes faith to pick up a new, unsharpened pencil, faith that when you sharpen it the graphite inside won't be made of chalk and disintegrate, and that it isn't already broken straight from the pencil company.
People need some level of faith just to function in the world. Disappointment comes from putting faith in the wrong things. Pure joy comes from putting our faith where it belongs, in God.
My Life Group talked about faith and faithfulness this week, and my favorite thing we talked about was this: that it isn't how much faith you have that matters, but whether your faith is true. Jesus said that even a faith the size of a mustard seed, which is about the size of the letter O on this page, is enough to see Him move. That is because He respects and appreciates our faith and He is not shy about proving it is not in vain.
I read Psalm 27 this week and it really blew my mind.
v.1 "The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?"
It seems so easy to think about, but when trouble comes, aren't I afraid and fearful sometimes? God is completely trustworthy and it isn't hard to trust Him. The hard part about faith is learning to trust Him more than we trust ourselves. Do we try to climb the mountain alone, or do we bring a guide who knows every rock on the mountain? He makes us stroner because He is strong enough for anything.
v. 3 "Though an army may encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war may rise against me, in this I will be confident." Can you imagine having an actual war rise against you? What kind of faith does it take to make impossible odds turn out in our favor? What does that look like?
Joshua 6 tells the story of the Israelites under the leadership of Moses' successor, Joshua. God told them they could have Jericho, an extremely well-forified city with a thick wall all the way around. Okay, what should they do? Should they get out jackhammers and bulldozers and knock the wall down? No. God said just to take a walk around the city once a day for six days, carrying the Ark of the Covenant. On the seventh day they would walk around seven times, and then shout really loud, and the wall would come down. That makes sense.
I'm reminded of the Kiwi and the Dragonfruit again, how God chooses the foolish things to put to shame the wise. They Israelites knew what God was telling them to do, and He hadn't failed them before. So they walked, and they shouted, and they ran for the city, and the wall fell. All it took was faith that God is wise and has good intentions for our benefit.
That's the kind of faith we are supposed to have. Faith that whether the sun is shining or there is a hurricane outside your window, whether the answer is to walk back into a room and pray for a dead man, or to just walk around a wall a few times, God will keep the promises He has made. One way or another.
Faith in God gives us access to the power of God. It doesn't take much.
We are called the descendents of Abraham because his faith in God was enough for him to me called righteous. His faith was imputed as righteousness.
Romans 4:23-25, "[23] Now it was not written for his sake alone that it was imputed to him, [24] but also for us. It shall be imputed to us who believe in Him who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead, [25] who was delivered up because of our offenses, and was raised because of our justification."
If an ounce of faith is enough for us to be saved and reconciled with God because of His sacrifice, then faith must be very strong indeed. Imagine what else can happen. Go ahead and ask.
There's one I really want to share with you, about a man who had a heart attack:
Watch that real quick. It only takes 6 minutes and 15 seconds. I'll wait here.
That was amazing, right? It's so awesome that God still does these things in response to our faith. My favorite part was when the cardiologist confessed that he was having a day of very small faith, but when he took the little bit of faith he did have and obeyed God with it, he saw God's power.
It isn't hard to have faith, and it isn't a weakness to have faith. Faithful people aren't dumb. It takes faith to drive a car, that when you make a turn the light will stay red for everybody else and you won't be hit. It takes faith to eat spagetti, as I did earlier this week, because you must wait patiently for it to cool before you eat it, hoping for the promise that it will be much better after it won't burn your tongue. It even takes faith to pick up a new, unsharpened pencil, faith that when you sharpen it the graphite inside won't be made of chalk and disintegrate, and that it isn't already broken straight from the pencil company.
People need some level of faith just to function in the world. Disappointment comes from putting faith in the wrong things. Pure joy comes from putting our faith where it belongs, in God.
My Life Group talked about faith and faithfulness this week, and my favorite thing we talked about was this: that it isn't how much faith you have that matters, but whether your faith is true. Jesus said that even a faith the size of a mustard seed, which is about the size of the letter O on this page, is enough to see Him move. That is because He respects and appreciates our faith and He is not shy about proving it is not in vain.
I read Psalm 27 this week and it really blew my mind.
v.1 "The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?"
It seems so easy to think about, but when trouble comes, aren't I afraid and fearful sometimes? God is completely trustworthy and it isn't hard to trust Him. The hard part about faith is learning to trust Him more than we trust ourselves. Do we try to climb the mountain alone, or do we bring a guide who knows every rock on the mountain? He makes us stroner because He is strong enough for anything.
v. 3 "Though an army may encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war may rise against me, in this I will be confident." Can you imagine having an actual war rise against you? What kind of faith does it take to make impossible odds turn out in our favor? What does that look like?
Joshua 6 tells the story of the Israelites under the leadership of Moses' successor, Joshua. God told them they could have Jericho, an extremely well-forified city with a thick wall all the way around. Okay, what should they do? Should they get out jackhammers and bulldozers and knock the wall down? No. God said just to take a walk around the city once a day for six days, carrying the Ark of the Covenant. On the seventh day they would walk around seven times, and then shout really loud, and the wall would come down. That makes sense.
I'm reminded of the Kiwi and the Dragonfruit again, how God chooses the foolish things to put to shame the wise. They Israelites knew what God was telling them to do, and He hadn't failed them before. So they walked, and they shouted, and they ran for the city, and the wall fell. All it took was faith that God is wise and has good intentions for our benefit.
That's the kind of faith we are supposed to have. Faith that whether the sun is shining or there is a hurricane outside your window, whether the answer is to walk back into a room and pray for a dead man, or to just walk around a wall a few times, God will keep the promises He has made. One way or another.
Faith in God gives us access to the power of God. It doesn't take much.
We are called the descendents of Abraham because his faith in God was enough for him to me called righteous. His faith was imputed as righteousness.
Romans 4:23-25, "[23] Now it was not written for his sake alone that it was imputed to him, [24] but also for us. It shall be imputed to us who believe in Him who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead, [25] who was delivered up because of our offenses, and was raised because of our justification."
If an ounce of faith is enough for us to be saved and reconciled with God because of His sacrifice, then faith must be very strong indeed. Imagine what else can happen. Go ahead and ask.
Monday, November 7, 2011
Kiwis and Dragonfruit
THIS WEEK I ate a kiwi. Have you ever eaten a kiwi? If you haven't it's probably because you were afraid to. It's not a good-looking fruit. It's a fuzzy, soft brown oval the about the size of an egg.
If you haven't eaten a kiwi, you should get one. They cost about 33 cents each at Walmart. You should eat a kiwi because, despite its weird appearance, it has a treasure inside.
If you cut a kiwi in half you see a lovely pattern of black seeds and bright green fruit. You can eat it right out of the skin with a spoon. It's tangy and sweet and wonderful.
The kiwi takes faith. You have to believe that when you cut it open it won't be as boring as it looks, because it isn't. That's what I thought of when I read 1 Corinthians 1 this week. Check it out:
v.27 "But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty."
God invented the kiwi in a way that it doesn't look like much, but within it shows His goodness and His ability to provide wonderful things for us.
When I thought about that, I remembered the one time I tried somethign called a dragonfruit. When I heard there was a fruit called dragonfruit, I decided I wanted it to be my favorite fruit. I couldn't wait to try it. Its skin is bright pinkish purple with frills, and inside it is pure white with thousands of little black seeds. It's pretty enough to decorate your house with.
If you haven't eaten a dragonfruit, don't bother. They don't taste good or bad. They literally taste like nothing at all. They should be called "Disappointmentfruit."
Despite the wonderful appearance of the dragonfruit, the kiwi outdoes it. God has chosen the kiwi to put to shame the dragonfruit, in a way. Of course, He made both. But I can't help but think this is something like the world. God loves to use all kinds of people to show His power and faithfulness. But His word is especially full of fishermen, shepherds, carpenters, poor people, and children. Whether He turns them into kings or reveals to them His mysteries, He honors the humble because they don't exalt themselves. Their low position is perfect for showing how He cares for those we tend to forget, and how He can provide in any situation. When He came in the flesh He even chose the humble position of a carpenter born in tiny Bethlehem and raised in backwoods Galilee, and He saved the world.
1 Corinthians 1:18-19 "[18] For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. [19] For it is written, 'I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.'"
His ways are different from our ways. He loves to do things in ways nobody expects, ways that nobody really understands right away.
He told us in Matthew 23:11-12, "[11] But he who is greatest among you shall be your servant. [12] And whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."
I'm inclined to think that what God thinks is great is better than what the whole world thinks is great. 1 Corinthians 1:25 "Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men."
There is a lot of good stuff in this world. People and money and theme parks and lemonade and glitter all seem pretty wonderful, and they are blessings. But next to God, everything else is dragonfruit. God puts the kiwi on the table and says that the weaker things can be greatest. He says that a mighty nation can come from a single child of old parents. He says the whole world can be saved through the sacrifice of one Man, if that Man is His Son. He says twelve guys from no special background can become fierce witnesses of a life-changing faith that sweeps over the entire world.
Then, in Matthew 16:24-25, Jesus says this "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for My sake will find it."
How do we respond when He says this? Remembering that He has always been right and always does what He says, and knowing that He honors our faith and humility, there's only one thing to do. We take up the cross and follow Him daily. We choose the funny-looking kiwi for the brilliant promise that waits inside it. Because life in Christ, no matter the cost, will always be more wonderful than all the beautiful and bland dragonfruit the world could hold.
If you haven't eaten a kiwi, you should get one. They cost about 33 cents each at Walmart. You should eat a kiwi because, despite its weird appearance, it has a treasure inside.
If you cut a kiwi in half you see a lovely pattern of black seeds and bright green fruit. You can eat it right out of the skin with a spoon. It's tangy and sweet and wonderful.
The kiwi takes faith. You have to believe that when you cut it open it won't be as boring as it looks, because it isn't. That's what I thought of when I read 1 Corinthians 1 this week. Check it out:
v.27 "But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty."
God invented the kiwi in a way that it doesn't look like much, but within it shows His goodness and His ability to provide wonderful things for us.
When I thought about that, I remembered the one time I tried somethign called a dragonfruit. When I heard there was a fruit called dragonfruit, I decided I wanted it to be my favorite fruit. I couldn't wait to try it. Its skin is bright pinkish purple with frills, and inside it is pure white with thousands of little black seeds. It's pretty enough to decorate your house with.
If you haven't eaten a dragonfruit, don't bother. They don't taste good or bad. They literally taste like nothing at all. They should be called "Disappointmentfruit."
Despite the wonderful appearance of the dragonfruit, the kiwi outdoes it. God has chosen the kiwi to put to shame the dragonfruit, in a way. Of course, He made both. But I can't help but think this is something like the world. God loves to use all kinds of people to show His power and faithfulness. But His word is especially full of fishermen, shepherds, carpenters, poor people, and children. Whether He turns them into kings or reveals to them His mysteries, He honors the humble because they don't exalt themselves. Their low position is perfect for showing how He cares for those we tend to forget, and how He can provide in any situation. When He came in the flesh He even chose the humble position of a carpenter born in tiny Bethlehem and raised in backwoods Galilee, and He saved the world.
1 Corinthians 1:18-19 "[18] For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. [19] For it is written, 'I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.'"
His ways are different from our ways. He loves to do things in ways nobody expects, ways that nobody really understands right away.
He told us in Matthew 23:11-12, "[11] But he who is greatest among you shall be your servant. [12] And whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."
I'm inclined to think that what God thinks is great is better than what the whole world thinks is great. 1 Corinthians 1:25 "Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men."
There is a lot of good stuff in this world. People and money and theme parks and lemonade and glitter all seem pretty wonderful, and they are blessings. But next to God, everything else is dragonfruit. God puts the kiwi on the table and says that the weaker things can be greatest. He says that a mighty nation can come from a single child of old parents. He says the whole world can be saved through the sacrifice of one Man, if that Man is His Son. He says twelve guys from no special background can become fierce witnesses of a life-changing faith that sweeps over the entire world.
Then, in Matthew 16:24-25, Jesus says this "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for My sake will find it."
How do we respond when He says this? Remembering that He has always been right and always does what He says, and knowing that He honors our faith and humility, there's only one thing to do. We take up the cross and follow Him daily. We choose the funny-looking kiwi for the brilliant promise that waits inside it. Because life in Christ, no matter the cost, will always be more wonderful than all the beautiful and bland dragonfruit the world could hold.
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