What is the biblical definition of success? Joshua was told to obey all that was commanded – for then he would be prosperous and have success (Joshua 1:6-9). Do you think God’s view of success is anything like ours?
I’m relating this passage to Psalm 1 – it also promises success and prosperity if we mediate on and follow the “Book of the Law”. However, my mind is filled with images of Paul, chained to a stone wall in a dank, dark prison cell. Prosperity and success…? Paul successfully witnessed to the jailor and his whole household was saved. He was rejoicing for the opportunity to share the gospel with a captive audience while in prison (Acts 16: 22-34).
I’m also remembering the blessings poured out on Job after he withstood his trials – but before those blessings came, and none were promised to come, Job’s faith stood fast. “The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away, Blessed be the name of the Lord!” (Job 1:21). Job saw his relationship with the Lord in much the same way as a marriage covenant – in sickness and in health, for richer or for poorer – regardless of our circumstances, we are to love the Lord and bless His holy name.
I guess the bottom line is this, if I were obeying God because of His promises of success and prosperity, it wouldn’t really be obedience at all. God commands that first of all, we love Him with all our hearts, our souls, and our minds (Deuteronomy 6:5).
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
Sunday, January 2, 2011
Steward of the Word
Happy New Year! I’m excited to see what 2011 will bring, I hope you are too!
Lately, I’ve been thinking about stewardship and I’m amazed at all the ways God has shown me to apply this word in my life.
It began a few weeks ago when I noticed the bathroom scale was giving me some un-wanted news and I acknowledged that tackling my weight-eating-health problem alone would probably end in failure – again. I realized then that my body was something on loan to me from God to be a steward over – to care for on His behalf.
But as I said, that was only the beginning. Over the next few days I jotted down several other “things” God has entrusted into my care. And then, I stumbled across this definition of stewardship: a minister of Christ, whose duty is to dispense the provisions of the gospel. If that doesn’t sound like anything you find in your dictionary, don’t toss the thing out, there’s a good explanation. I recently got my hands on a newly published copy of Noah Webster’s 1828 English Dictionary. I’ve really enjoyed thumbing through it to compare old definitions with those in our modern dictionaries. What an eye-opening experience! But, I’ve digressed here a bit . . .
So a steward is one who cares for someone else’s property and looks out for their best interests. A Christian Steward is one who cares for God’s property on His behalf. And according to Noah Webster at least, one of those pieces of property in our care is the Gospel. What a glorious gift! What a marvelous thing it is to share the good news of Jesus Christ with someone! But also, what an awesome responsibility it is to be charged with “dispensing the provisions” of the very words of God.
As Christians we often find ourselves over-focused on our great privileges – and yes, they are great and many and we should be eternally thankful. However, in doing so, we have often overlooked our solemn duties and responsibilities. Throughout Ephesians 3, the Apostle Paul challenges each of us to be faithful stewards and bring God’s Gospel of Grace to all the nations. And may I add, beginning with those living in our own neighborhoods.
Maybe 2011 is the year you’ll become bold for Christ. How many people have known you for years and you’ve never spoken with them of your faith? Are there people in your life who would be surprised to bump into you if they visited your church? If so, resolve to be a better steward of the gospel this year – be bold about your faith, not offensive, but not ashamed either. . . . “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.” Romans 1:16
But witnessing to the lost is only part of the steward’s challenge. We also are responsible for knowing and applying God’s Word to our own lives. If you don’t already have a new year’s resolution, please allow me to suggest one for you: read your Bible through this year. If that seems too daunting and difficult, get your hands on a copy of Halley’s Bible Handbook. This gem has been in print several decades so even used copies are readily available. A friend of mine shared with me just a couple weeks ago how she always reads along in her Halley’s as she studies the Scriptures. And I applaud her method of choice – Henry Halley is an excellent “Tour Guide”!
But perhaps for others, the idea is little ho-hum because you’ve “been there and done that” so many times before. If that’s the case, then offer to be that Tour Guide for someone tackling Scriptures for the first time. Seeing their excitement is guaranteed to put fresh meaning into every golden nugget of Truth you unearth together.
In the end it doesn’t matter how you do it, just as long as you do it! Letting your Bible sit on the coffee table or book shelf and gather dust is an awful waste of knowledge. But it is also against God’s will for your life: “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth.” (II Timothy 2:15). This book contains God’s revelation to us, and He longs for us to know what is there. The English preacher Charles Spurgeon had an interesting twist on our need to be stewards of God’s Word. He said we should never let our fingers be defiled by Bible dust.
Unfortunately, here in the United States, we often take for granted we will always have access to God’s Word – that it will be there for us, whenever we manage to get around to making time for it. We’ve lost our passion – we’ve forgotten how precious Scriptures are. Just five hundred years ago, Gutenberg’s printing press first allowed non-clergy folks to hold God’s Word in their own hands. And Reformers, like Martin Luther, fought to have Scriptures written in the common language of the people. Our nation’s Founding Fathers saw to it that every child had an opportunity to learn reading so they could study Scriptures.
In the book of Revelation, the Apostle John passes along God’s warning to the church at Ephesus, “But I have this against you, that you have left your first love.” (Revelation 2:4). If these sad words describe you, don’t lose heart. Today marks a new beginning. Start the year off right -- cherish the Word, be a good steward of the Gospel. Here are some practical suggestions to get you going:
• Be a better steward of your time -- schedule a regular meeting with your Bible.
• Volunteer to be a teacher or work with the youth of your church, share with others the knowledge of Scriptures God has entrusted to you.
• Consider giving financial support to organizations dedicated to sharing the Bible around the world. The Gideon’s and Wycliffe Bible Translators come to mind, but check with your clergy for other suggestions.
• Start a neighborhood Bible study group and watch God do great things as you maintain an “open to all” atmosphere.
• Commit to memory one Bible verse or short passage each week or month. And plan to review these regularly in order to keep them sharp in your mind.
• Search out opportunities to personally share the gospel with others. Be a faithful witness for the Lord, telling others what great things He has done for you. You don’t need to memorize fancy scripts, just speak the truth from your heart.
Lately, I’ve been thinking about stewardship and I’m amazed at all the ways God has shown me to apply this word in my life.
It began a few weeks ago when I noticed the bathroom scale was giving me some un-wanted news and I acknowledged that tackling my weight-eating-health problem alone would probably end in failure – again. I realized then that my body was something on loan to me from God to be a steward over – to care for on His behalf.
But as I said, that was only the beginning. Over the next few days I jotted down several other “things” God has entrusted into my care. And then, I stumbled across this definition of stewardship: a minister of Christ, whose duty is to dispense the provisions of the gospel. If that doesn’t sound like anything you find in your dictionary, don’t toss the thing out, there’s a good explanation. I recently got my hands on a newly published copy of Noah Webster’s 1828 English Dictionary. I’ve really enjoyed thumbing through it to compare old definitions with those in our modern dictionaries. What an eye-opening experience! But, I’ve digressed here a bit . . .
So a steward is one who cares for someone else’s property and looks out for their best interests. A Christian Steward is one who cares for God’s property on His behalf. And according to Noah Webster at least, one of those pieces of property in our care is the Gospel. What a glorious gift! What a marvelous thing it is to share the good news of Jesus Christ with someone! But also, what an awesome responsibility it is to be charged with “dispensing the provisions” of the very words of God.
As Christians we often find ourselves over-focused on our great privileges – and yes, they are great and many and we should be eternally thankful. However, in doing so, we have often overlooked our solemn duties and responsibilities. Throughout Ephesians 3, the Apostle Paul challenges each of us to be faithful stewards and bring God’s Gospel of Grace to all the nations. And may I add, beginning with those living in our own neighborhoods.
Maybe 2011 is the year you’ll become bold for Christ. How many people have known you for years and you’ve never spoken with them of your faith? Are there people in your life who would be surprised to bump into you if they visited your church? If so, resolve to be a better steward of the gospel this year – be bold about your faith, not offensive, but not ashamed either. . . . “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.” Romans 1:16
But witnessing to the lost is only part of the steward’s challenge. We also are responsible for knowing and applying God’s Word to our own lives. If you don’t already have a new year’s resolution, please allow me to suggest one for you: read your Bible through this year. If that seems too daunting and difficult, get your hands on a copy of Halley’s Bible Handbook. This gem has been in print several decades so even used copies are readily available. A friend of mine shared with me just a couple weeks ago how she always reads along in her Halley’s as she studies the Scriptures. And I applaud her method of choice – Henry Halley is an excellent “Tour Guide”!
But perhaps for others, the idea is little ho-hum because you’ve “been there and done that” so many times before. If that’s the case, then offer to be that Tour Guide for someone tackling Scriptures for the first time. Seeing their excitement is guaranteed to put fresh meaning into every golden nugget of Truth you unearth together.
In the end it doesn’t matter how you do it, just as long as you do it! Letting your Bible sit on the coffee table or book shelf and gather dust is an awful waste of knowledge. But it is also against God’s will for your life: “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth.” (II Timothy 2:15). This book contains God’s revelation to us, and He longs for us to know what is there. The English preacher Charles Spurgeon had an interesting twist on our need to be stewards of God’s Word. He said we should never let our fingers be defiled by Bible dust.
Unfortunately, here in the United States, we often take for granted we will always have access to God’s Word – that it will be there for us, whenever we manage to get around to making time for it. We’ve lost our passion – we’ve forgotten how precious Scriptures are. Just five hundred years ago, Gutenberg’s printing press first allowed non-clergy folks to hold God’s Word in their own hands. And Reformers, like Martin Luther, fought to have Scriptures written in the common language of the people. Our nation’s Founding Fathers saw to it that every child had an opportunity to learn reading so they could study Scriptures.
In the book of Revelation, the Apostle John passes along God’s warning to the church at Ephesus, “But I have this against you, that you have left your first love.” (Revelation 2:4). If these sad words describe you, don’t lose heart. Today marks a new beginning. Start the year off right -- cherish the Word, be a good steward of the Gospel. Here are some practical suggestions to get you going:
• Be a better steward of your time -- schedule a regular meeting with your Bible.
• Volunteer to be a teacher or work with the youth of your church, share with others the knowledge of Scriptures God has entrusted to you.
• Consider giving financial support to organizations dedicated to sharing the Bible around the world. The Gideon’s and Wycliffe Bible Translators come to mind, but check with your clergy for other suggestions.
• Start a neighborhood Bible study group and watch God do great things as you maintain an “open to all” atmosphere.
• Commit to memory one Bible verse or short passage each week or month. And plan to review these regularly in order to keep them sharp in your mind.
• Search out opportunities to personally share the gospel with others. Be a faithful witness for the Lord, telling others what great things He has done for you. You don’t need to memorize fancy scripts, just speak the truth from your heart.
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Why I Blog
I’ve kept journals about my walk with the Lord Jesus for over 25 years. I don’t write every day. Until 6 months ago, I didn’t even date my entries. I wasn’t consistent about length, style, or anything. I just wrote.
From 1983 when I became a born-again Christian to 1993 when my mother died, I wrote about what I discovered as I read and studied the Bible. Everything was new to me and I was basically just trying to take notes as if I was in a college class and there was a huge test next week.
As a botanist and former evolutionist, the creation account in Genesis holds a special place in my heart. A large portion of my early notes focus on Genesis and some of these take the form of actual essays that I have edited and polished over the years. Three or four of these even seem “blog worthy” and I hope to get them posted in the next few weeks or months.
In 1993, following my mother’s death, I began writing with more of myself in the storyline. My focus changed, almost over night, from “this is what the Bible teaches” to “this is what God is doing in my life”. I was catching a glimpse of the big picture – of God’s plan and purpose for me – and it was (and is) glorious! Not because of who I am, but I am amazed at what He is able to do with this lump of clay.
I was now writing for my children – the “story” of my life, of my walk with our Lord. It was intensely personal. I imagined an audience of maybe 15-20 people at most -- close friends, my children and grandchildren, and that was it. My journals became word-pictures of important events I wanted to capture, with as many details as possible. I included names, dates, and places. I wrote about meeting my husband, becoming a Christian, and the event that brought about this new writing style: my mother’s funeral.
Then in November of 2009, I felt God was leading me to make my writing public – very public – in other words, start this blog. But there was a problem – and I’ve been considering how to remedy this situation for the past 6 months. My earliest writing was “flat”. There are great truths, but there isn’t really anything there that makes it mine. By contrast, the later writing was too personal for exposure to the whole world-wide-web. I felt I needed to re-write every essay or abandon them and start fresh, blogging only new stuff.
After months of prayer and procrastination, I’ve decided to edit about a dozen of my old favorite stories to include here over the next several months. I’m feeling it is important to share with you who I was back then so you can make more sense of who I am now. And I’ve noticed that sometimes even my newest writing still refers back to some of these old essays. But the old flat essays will, hopefully, be infused with bits and pieces of my personal walk, thus making them more interesting to read. And those ultra-personal essays will have to become a little less revealing for my family and friends’ sake.
My advice for others who would like to start a spiritual journal is simple – do it! Even if no one else reads your words, it will bring you closer to God. Keep your papers in order by using a 3-ring binder or spiral notebooks. Date and/or number each page as you go. Be personal and include yourself in the storyline. At the same time, be considerate of others. If you’re writing something no one should ever read, then you should never write it. Truly, not everything is fit to be put on paper.
Finally, you’ll notice I’m including a couple “Journal Suggestions” at the end of most entries. My prayer is that these prompts are general enough that almost any reader could use them as a jumping-off point to start writing a story of their own. And of course, if you already have a blog, or are just starting one, I hope you will tell me about it.
From 1983 when I became a born-again Christian to 1993 when my mother died, I wrote about what I discovered as I read and studied the Bible. Everything was new to me and I was basically just trying to take notes as if I was in a college class and there was a huge test next week.
As a botanist and former evolutionist, the creation account in Genesis holds a special place in my heart. A large portion of my early notes focus on Genesis and some of these take the form of actual essays that I have edited and polished over the years. Three or four of these even seem “blog worthy” and I hope to get them posted in the next few weeks or months.
In 1993, following my mother’s death, I began writing with more of myself in the storyline. My focus changed, almost over night, from “this is what the Bible teaches” to “this is what God is doing in my life”. I was catching a glimpse of the big picture – of God’s plan and purpose for me – and it was (and is) glorious! Not because of who I am, but I am amazed at what He is able to do with this lump of clay.
I was now writing for my children – the “story” of my life, of my walk with our Lord. It was intensely personal. I imagined an audience of maybe 15-20 people at most -- close friends, my children and grandchildren, and that was it. My journals became word-pictures of important events I wanted to capture, with as many details as possible. I included names, dates, and places. I wrote about meeting my husband, becoming a Christian, and the event that brought about this new writing style: my mother’s funeral.
Then in November of 2009, I felt God was leading me to make my writing public – very public – in other words, start this blog. But there was a problem – and I’ve been considering how to remedy this situation for the past 6 months. My earliest writing was “flat”. There are great truths, but there isn’t really anything there that makes it mine. By contrast, the later writing was too personal for exposure to the whole world-wide-web. I felt I needed to re-write every essay or abandon them and start fresh, blogging only new stuff.
After months of prayer and procrastination, I’ve decided to edit about a dozen of my old favorite stories to include here over the next several months. I’m feeling it is important to share with you who I was back then so you can make more sense of who I am now. And I’ve noticed that sometimes even my newest writing still refers back to some of these old essays. But the old flat essays will, hopefully, be infused with bits and pieces of my personal walk, thus making them more interesting to read. And those ultra-personal essays will have to become a little less revealing for my family and friends’ sake.
My advice for others who would like to start a spiritual journal is simple – do it! Even if no one else reads your words, it will bring you closer to God. Keep your papers in order by using a 3-ring binder or spiral notebooks. Date and/or number each page as you go. Be personal and include yourself in the storyline. At the same time, be considerate of others. If you’re writing something no one should ever read, then you should never write it. Truly, not everything is fit to be put on paper.
Finally, you’ll notice I’m including a couple “Journal Suggestions” at the end of most entries. My prayer is that these prompts are general enough that almost any reader could use them as a jumping-off point to start writing a story of their own. And of course, if you already have a blog, or are just starting one, I hope you will tell me about it.
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Idolatry
How can anyone read the Prophet Jeremiah and not find themselves focusing on idolatry and doing a little soul-searching to see what idols might be lurking in their own lives? Well, as overdone as that may be, that’s what I’ve done here too. From Jeremiah 1:16, we learn that worshiping other gods is not to be taken lightly; God considers it to be wicked and says those who practice idolatry have forsaken Him.
That is a pretty serious indictment, sure hope I’m not guilty of that! But the sad fact is, I often am, and you probably are too. It is sometimes easy to forget about the sin of idolatry. After all, we don’t make little statues to worship or burn a lot of incense in our culture. But that doesn’t mean we Americans don’t have a major idolatry problem.
An idol is anything, any idea, any person, any hope or dream that has become more important to you than the Lord God. What are the excuses you’ve given for missing church? The big game on TV, sleeping in, time with my family, golfing with your buddies -- all these can become idols if left unchecked. Why did we fail to do our Bible study this week? The same excuses, plus the demands of a career, primping the house for company, too many “good” shows on TV this week, I’m on vacation! Whatever it is you’ve been telling yourself is a good excuse is probably not – it is just Satan’s ploy to keep you from growing closer to our Lord Jesus.
And the result? God considers it wicked idolatry and says you have forsaken him to worship other gods. Is that what we meant to say when we ignored God for these other activities and desires? I hope not! Next time you make an excuse, check your motives for wicked idolatry. Where your heart is, there will be your treasure also.
One way I’ve personally chosen to apply this verse is to ask myself what was the first thing on my mind when I woke up this morning? If my thoughts were racing to some pet project I’ve been looking forward to, then I can be pretty sure I’m off worshiping some other god, practicing idolatry. But when I wake and I’m praising the Lord and anxious to dig into his Word to start my day, then I can be assured that my heart is where it should be.
Jeremiah 1:16 “I will pronounce my judgments on my people because of their wickedness in forsaking me, in burning incense to other gods and in worshiping what their hands have made.”
Journal Suggestions:
What idols did you have to destroy when you first came to the Lord by faith?
Discuss one of the 10 Commandments as it applies to your life.
That is a pretty serious indictment, sure hope I’m not guilty of that! But the sad fact is, I often am, and you probably are too. It is sometimes easy to forget about the sin of idolatry. After all, we don’t make little statues to worship or burn a lot of incense in our culture. But that doesn’t mean we Americans don’t have a major idolatry problem.
An idol is anything, any idea, any person, any hope or dream that has become more important to you than the Lord God. What are the excuses you’ve given for missing church? The big game on TV, sleeping in, time with my family, golfing with your buddies -- all these can become idols if left unchecked. Why did we fail to do our Bible study this week? The same excuses, plus the demands of a career, primping the house for company, too many “good” shows on TV this week, I’m on vacation! Whatever it is you’ve been telling yourself is a good excuse is probably not – it is just Satan’s ploy to keep you from growing closer to our Lord Jesus.
And the result? God considers it wicked idolatry and says you have forsaken him to worship other gods. Is that what we meant to say when we ignored God for these other activities and desires? I hope not! Next time you make an excuse, check your motives for wicked idolatry. Where your heart is, there will be your treasure also.
One way I’ve personally chosen to apply this verse is to ask myself what was the first thing on my mind when I woke up this morning? If my thoughts were racing to some pet project I’ve been looking forward to, then I can be pretty sure I’m off worshiping some other god, practicing idolatry. But when I wake and I’m praising the Lord and anxious to dig into his Word to start my day, then I can be assured that my heart is where it should be.
Jeremiah 1:16 “I will pronounce my judgments on my people because of their wickedness in forsaking me, in burning incense to other gods and in worshiping what their hands have made.”
Journal Suggestions:
What idols did you have to destroy when you first came to the Lord by faith?
Discuss one of the 10 Commandments as it applies to your life.
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Jealousy
This is a short little essay I wrote last Fall. It was the beginning of a wonderful time in my life. I was able to draw near to God and find a sort of fellowship that was so sweet it seemed almost unreal. But it was real, and it still is real. It began by realizing something about God’s character that I had overlooked. Yes, He has billions of people on this planet to care for and fellowship with. But He honestly WANTS to have fellowship with ME. Not because of who I am, but because of who He is. . . .
There are two kinds of jealousy – sinful and righteous. Wanting what is not yours is sinful – and I’m not even sure it is really jealousy at all – just covetousness – which is sin.
Righteous jealousy is wanting what is supposed to be yours but SIN has caused it to not be that way. A husband has righteous jealousy when he sees his wife with another man.
God is a jealous God. He burns with jealousy when we fail in our duty (sin!) to worship Him. When we’re off on our own path – seeking out worldly idolatrous and adulterous pleasures we’re grieving God. We’re being the lost, wayward, unfaithful Bride of Christ and God has righteous jealousy when we act that way.
And God always wants MORE of us. Two people in love are never satisfied when they are separated.
So God loves me – He has all these intense feelings, desiring fellowship ALWAYS. The question is – do I love God in any way like that? Is my heart aching when I don’t have fellowship? Am I ever satisfied?
Do I pat myself on the back after one hour of Bible study? Or do I thirst for more?
Is quiet time with God an item on my to-do list or an unquenchable passion in my life?
God is jealous for me. Am I jealous for God?
Does my heart ache when sin draws me away from fellowship? (Nov 1, 2009)
Exodus 20: 3, 5 “You shall have no other gods before me. . . . for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God . . . “
Journal Suggestions:
Describe a time you felt particularly close to the Lord.
Tell about an attribute of God that has recently become more real for you.
There are two kinds of jealousy – sinful and righteous. Wanting what is not yours is sinful – and I’m not even sure it is really jealousy at all – just covetousness – which is sin.
Righteous jealousy is wanting what is supposed to be yours but SIN has caused it to not be that way. A husband has righteous jealousy when he sees his wife with another man.
God is a jealous God. He burns with jealousy when we fail in our duty (sin!) to worship Him. When we’re off on our own path – seeking out worldly idolatrous and adulterous pleasures we’re grieving God. We’re being the lost, wayward, unfaithful Bride of Christ and God has righteous jealousy when we act that way.
And God always wants MORE of us. Two people in love are never satisfied when they are separated.
So God loves me – He has all these intense feelings, desiring fellowship ALWAYS. The question is – do I love God in any way like that? Is my heart aching when I don’t have fellowship? Am I ever satisfied?
Do I pat myself on the back after one hour of Bible study? Or do I thirst for more?
Is quiet time with God an item on my to-do list or an unquenchable passion in my life?
God is jealous for me. Am I jealous for God?
Does my heart ache when sin draws me away from fellowship? (Nov 1, 2009)
Exodus 20: 3, 5 “You shall have no other gods before me. . . . for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God . . . “
Journal Suggestions:
Describe a time you felt particularly close to the Lord.
Tell about an attribute of God that has recently become more real for you.
Thursday, August 5, 2010
From Reading to Writing to Living
Over the years, my writing style has changed from being aloof and preachy to very personal. But lately I am finding myself judging an essay or blog post by one simple standard – is this Old Testament or New Testament stuff? Now I’m not talking about if the subject material comes from a date of BC or not. I’m evaluating my writing style compared to the Old Testament and New Testament writing styles.
I got the idea from a book I’ve been enjoying this summer, The Bible Jesus Read by Philip Yancey. It has an odd title, so let me explain to those who aren’t familiar with Yancey’s work. The author tells why the Old Testament is relevant to New Testament believers and the answer, in large part, is because this is the Scripture Jesus learned as a child and taught from in His ministry. But that summary of the book is really too over-simplified. The author also explains how different the two testaments are based on their biographical content.
In the New Testament we learn mostly about the lives of Jesus and Paul; two people we as Christians should strive to follow. The life of Jesus tells the story of the Perfect Man, living a sinless life, loving everyone, sharing the gospel. Paul, while not perfect, exhorts us to be like Christ and gives us many lofty ideals to strive after in our personal lives. He is also presented as a guy who has it all together. He is obviously following after Jesus, picking up his cross daily, witnessing, loving, and being the guy we’d like to think we are on our “good” days.
But from what we know of his life in the New Testament, every day was a “good” day for Paul. I’m not talking about being beaten and imprisoned as good, but I mean that every day he was out there doing the Lord’s work – and THAT is definitely a “good” day. The problem is that we don’t have a “good” day every day; I think a lot of folks might think these “good” days are maybe once a week or even once a month. In other words, the distance between the example of Jesus or Paul and my life is huge! And at times it can be very discouraging . . .
So Yancey suggests that when this happens, it is time to turn to the Old Testament and be reminded of the more “real” characters from that part of Scriptures. Here you’ll find Adam and Eve eating forbidden fruit, Noah getting drunk after getting off the Ark, Abraham lying about Sarah being his wife, Jonah trying to outrun God’s call to Nineveh, and the sad story of David – a man truly after God’s heart, being guilty of both adultery and murder. You’ll also find companionship in the Psalms, where you can read how real people dealt with fear, loneliness, anger, depression, abandonment, and disappointment.
So, it sounds like a great book, doesn’t it? But maybe you’re wondering what this has to do with my writing style. Well, the truth is that my writing can sometimes sound a lot like Paul, exhorting myself and my readers to follow Christ and live holy lives. And this is all well and good, and we should each strive for that. But wait -- that’s what the New Testament is for! No one needs ME to come along and tell them what God has already revealed in His Word.
However, I do think my writing can be an encouragement to someone who may be suffering from depression or disappointment, maybe they’re feeling angry with God over a nasty turn their life has taken. I get that, I understand, I’ve been thrown some nasty curve balls too! I think the purpose of my writing should be to be more “real” for you, my readers, whoever you are. I need to be willing to let down my guard and be honest with you about my own shortcomings. I think as Christians we run around with masks on, trying to look like Perfect Pauls on Sunday morning -- never letting anyone see the hurts and struggles we’re having.
Thanks to Yancey’s book, I’ve become more thankful for the imperfect “real” characters of the Old Testament. And I’d like to not just write more “real” but also live more “real”, letting the people around me know when I’m hurting or struggling. In other words, take off the Perfect Paul mask. . . So now for a little peek at the real me . . . I’m changing, The Lord is working in my life and I am so very thankful for this. And this means I’m not the same person I was this time last year; not by a long shot. I went through some intense biblical training last fall with Focus on the Family’s The Truth Project. As a result, I’ve quit going to a church that was 20 miles from home and now I attend a church just 6 houses away. I made this change so I wouldn’t have any excuse to not be involved with mid-week programs, and it’s working like a charm! The problem is, I may be over-extending myself. I’m pretty much exhausted – very, very happy, but also very tired. As a result, I missed my Wednesday blog deadline this week. I failed to use my time wisely. I’m not perfect. But I still want to do more, including bringing The Truth Project to this new church. I'll be leading the 13-week course starting a week from Tuesday -- so please pray for me that I’ll get organized, focused and set proper priorities.
There’s also the problem of people; there are persons in my life who need my attention, and I’m failing at times to be there for them. I’m letting distant old friends be ignored while working to build new friendships in my new town and I’m struggling with knowing if that is even biblical or not. And lastly, there are those around me that are hurting, really hurting and I’m still recovering myself from a spring with 7 funerals to attend. At times, I don’t know if I have the strength to reach out and help them when I’m hurting too. I know my over-activity at church is partly denial, not wanting to stop long enough and think about what all those lives meant to me and how much they are missed. But I need to connect with these folks, the ones who are here, still hurting – and let them know I’m really here for them, with more than “just” my prayers and cliché platitudes. So again, I need your prayers – that I will make time to do that which is truly important and have the right words to say for those around me. Thank you . . . !
James 5:16 “Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.”
Journal Suggestions:
Describe how a book or movie has changed your worldview.
Which parts of the Bible are your favorite / least favorite and why?
Want information on The Truth Project? visit www.truthproject.org
I got the idea from a book I’ve been enjoying this summer, The Bible Jesus Read by Philip Yancey. It has an odd title, so let me explain to those who aren’t familiar with Yancey’s work. The author tells why the Old Testament is relevant to New Testament believers and the answer, in large part, is because this is the Scripture Jesus learned as a child and taught from in His ministry. But that summary of the book is really too over-simplified. The author also explains how different the two testaments are based on their biographical content.
In the New Testament we learn mostly about the lives of Jesus and Paul; two people we as Christians should strive to follow. The life of Jesus tells the story of the Perfect Man, living a sinless life, loving everyone, sharing the gospel. Paul, while not perfect, exhorts us to be like Christ and gives us many lofty ideals to strive after in our personal lives. He is also presented as a guy who has it all together. He is obviously following after Jesus, picking up his cross daily, witnessing, loving, and being the guy we’d like to think we are on our “good” days.
But from what we know of his life in the New Testament, every day was a “good” day for Paul. I’m not talking about being beaten and imprisoned as good, but I mean that every day he was out there doing the Lord’s work – and THAT is definitely a “good” day. The problem is that we don’t have a “good” day every day; I think a lot of folks might think these “good” days are maybe once a week or even once a month. In other words, the distance between the example of Jesus or Paul and my life is huge! And at times it can be very discouraging . . .
So Yancey suggests that when this happens, it is time to turn to the Old Testament and be reminded of the more “real” characters from that part of Scriptures. Here you’ll find Adam and Eve eating forbidden fruit, Noah getting drunk after getting off the Ark, Abraham lying about Sarah being his wife, Jonah trying to outrun God’s call to Nineveh, and the sad story of David – a man truly after God’s heart, being guilty of both adultery and murder. You’ll also find companionship in the Psalms, where you can read how real people dealt with fear, loneliness, anger, depression, abandonment, and disappointment.
So, it sounds like a great book, doesn’t it? But maybe you’re wondering what this has to do with my writing style. Well, the truth is that my writing can sometimes sound a lot like Paul, exhorting myself and my readers to follow Christ and live holy lives. And this is all well and good, and we should each strive for that. But wait -- that’s what the New Testament is for! No one needs ME to come along and tell them what God has already revealed in His Word.
However, I do think my writing can be an encouragement to someone who may be suffering from depression or disappointment, maybe they’re feeling angry with God over a nasty turn their life has taken. I get that, I understand, I’ve been thrown some nasty curve balls too! I think the purpose of my writing should be to be more “real” for you, my readers, whoever you are. I need to be willing to let down my guard and be honest with you about my own shortcomings. I think as Christians we run around with masks on, trying to look like Perfect Pauls on Sunday morning -- never letting anyone see the hurts and struggles we’re having.
Thanks to Yancey’s book, I’ve become more thankful for the imperfect “real” characters of the Old Testament. And I’d like to not just write more “real” but also live more “real”, letting the people around me know when I’m hurting or struggling. In other words, take off the Perfect Paul mask. . . So now for a little peek at the real me . . . I’m changing, The Lord is working in my life and I am so very thankful for this. And this means I’m not the same person I was this time last year; not by a long shot. I went through some intense biblical training last fall with Focus on the Family’s The Truth Project. As a result, I’ve quit going to a church that was 20 miles from home and now I attend a church just 6 houses away. I made this change so I wouldn’t have any excuse to not be involved with mid-week programs, and it’s working like a charm! The problem is, I may be over-extending myself. I’m pretty much exhausted – very, very happy, but also very tired. As a result, I missed my Wednesday blog deadline this week. I failed to use my time wisely. I’m not perfect. But I still want to do more, including bringing The Truth Project to this new church. I'll be leading the 13-week course starting a week from Tuesday -- so please pray for me that I’ll get organized, focused and set proper priorities.
There’s also the problem of people; there are persons in my life who need my attention, and I’m failing at times to be there for them. I’m letting distant old friends be ignored while working to build new friendships in my new town and I’m struggling with knowing if that is even biblical or not. And lastly, there are those around me that are hurting, really hurting and I’m still recovering myself from a spring with 7 funerals to attend. At times, I don’t know if I have the strength to reach out and help them when I’m hurting too. I know my over-activity at church is partly denial, not wanting to stop long enough and think about what all those lives meant to me and how much they are missed. But I need to connect with these folks, the ones who are here, still hurting – and let them know I’m really here for them, with more than “just” my prayers and cliché platitudes. So again, I need your prayers – that I will make time to do that which is truly important and have the right words to say for those around me. Thank you . . . !
James 5:16 “Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.”
Journal Suggestions:
Describe how a book or movie has changed your worldview.
Which parts of the Bible are your favorite / least favorite and why?
Want information on The Truth Project? visit www.truthproject.org
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Home Sweet Home
As you walk around my house you’ll probably notice a few odd things. One of them would be the stacks of books and papers haphazardly piled here and there, some of them even tumbling over having been stacked too tall and too hurriedly. Reading and writing are two very important things to me, and while most piles are associated in one way or another with my faith, there’s also the ‘bills to pay’ pile, the ‘junk mail to shred’ pile, the ‘recipes to try’ pile, and the list goes on and on. Another thing, in contrast to my apparent hording tendencies, is that I’ve uncluttered my living spaces. For the most part I don’t have a lot of nick-knacks sitting around my rooms. The one’s I’ve kept on display are all pretty important to me. They each tell a story, some obvious, others not so obvious.
One of the not-so-obvious things is a heart-shaped sign that reads, “Home Sweet Home”. It hangs from one of the pegs on a cup holder on my kitchen wall. The sign was a welcome gift from the ladies at my church when I became a member a few months ago. It isn’t very valuable, but I treasure it. It really is one of those things that no one would realize how important it is unless you explained it. But it hangs there so innocently, who would think to even ask for an explanation. So here it is . . . .
I’ve lived in too many places to really remember them all. But still, I’ve tried to do that for the sake of this essay, and I’ve come up with a list of 36 different residences. If you take out that one childhood place of 4 years and the other place as an adult of just over 6 years, then you come up with the average of one move per year. You can see why I’ve grown fond of traveling “light”; taking too much stuff with you each time is just too much of a hassle.
But mostly, all this moving has just been hard on my heart. I ache to finally feel settled and comfortable, to get connected into a church and a community without the fear and reality-check that in a few months I’ll likely be somewhere else. It has made me a very guarded person and I hate that about myself. Those first 20 or 30 moves seemed adventurous and I was a willing participant. I know that sounds absurd, but for the longest time I just thought it was sort of fun. However, the last few moves have been accompanied by tearful rants, a lot foot stomping, empty threats, broken promises, etc. The reasons for all the moves blur together in my head, but in the end, it always boiled down to finances. In hindsight, I’m not sure there was ever a move made for any other reason.
So you can imagine why my sign reading, “Home Sweet Home” might be so meaningful. And you’re partially right, having a place to finally call home and feel like the Lord is going to let me stay for a significant amount of time is wonderful, and overwhelming, even frightening. Am I up to the challenge? Building and keeping long-term friendships is something I haven’t had a lot of experience with. Eventually I move away and both our lives get too busy to keep in touch for long. But for me, there’s more to this sign than just this very obvious meaning.
When I see that sign hanging in my kitchen I’m reminded to make others feel welcome here too. The friend I’m sharing a cup of tea with may be feeling like she needs a place to come and escape, to feel safe and secure from whatever storms are raging in her life. Maybe her heart aches and she’s in the middle of some tearful rant and doing a lot of foot stomping too. She needs a place to hide from all these problems, even for just an hour, a place to feel comfortable and let down her guard. And so I’m reminded to practice hospitality, sharing my “Home Sweet Home” with whoever may come knocking on my door that day.
The sign also reminds me of my new church family and how wonderful it was for these ladies to reach out to me the way they did. It wasn’t much; it didn’t take a lot of time or money. But it did take some thoughtfulness, and I am so thankful for their efforts. The gift came with a card that welcomed me into the Church Family and it was at a time when I felt so lonesome, I just wept as I read it over. I truly believe that the Lord has given me this church home – a “Home Sweet Home” where I can get comfortable, become involved, and even make a difference. And so looking at this simple sign I’m reminded to try and be equally welcoming with whoever may visit our church each week, making them comfortable and feeling like they’ve found a home too.
But lastly, the same sign oddly reminds me that my home isn’t here at all. No matter how wonderful my church is, no matter how many fabulous friends I gather round me, no matter how grand the house I’m blessed to be living in, or many years I’m allowed to stay in one place, in the end I’m still just a pilgrim, wandering this earth until I can go to my true “Home Sweet Home” in heaven. For you see, most of all, this sign reminds me to not get too comfortable here; Jesus has promised me I have at least one more move to make!
John 14:2 “In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you.”
Journal Suggestions:
Describe a place you lived as a child.
What does “Home Sweet Home” mean to you?
One of the not-so-obvious things is a heart-shaped sign that reads, “Home Sweet Home”. It hangs from one of the pegs on a cup holder on my kitchen wall. The sign was a welcome gift from the ladies at my church when I became a member a few months ago. It isn’t very valuable, but I treasure it. It really is one of those things that no one would realize how important it is unless you explained it. But it hangs there so innocently, who would think to even ask for an explanation. So here it is . . . .
I’ve lived in too many places to really remember them all. But still, I’ve tried to do that for the sake of this essay, and I’ve come up with a list of 36 different residences. If you take out that one childhood place of 4 years and the other place as an adult of just over 6 years, then you come up with the average of one move per year. You can see why I’ve grown fond of traveling “light”; taking too much stuff with you each time is just too much of a hassle.
But mostly, all this moving has just been hard on my heart. I ache to finally feel settled and comfortable, to get connected into a church and a community without the fear and reality-check that in a few months I’ll likely be somewhere else. It has made me a very guarded person and I hate that about myself. Those first 20 or 30 moves seemed adventurous and I was a willing participant. I know that sounds absurd, but for the longest time I just thought it was sort of fun. However, the last few moves have been accompanied by tearful rants, a lot foot stomping, empty threats, broken promises, etc. The reasons for all the moves blur together in my head, but in the end, it always boiled down to finances. In hindsight, I’m not sure there was ever a move made for any other reason.
So you can imagine why my sign reading, “Home Sweet Home” might be so meaningful. And you’re partially right, having a place to finally call home and feel like the Lord is going to let me stay for a significant amount of time is wonderful, and overwhelming, even frightening. Am I up to the challenge? Building and keeping long-term friendships is something I haven’t had a lot of experience with. Eventually I move away and both our lives get too busy to keep in touch for long. But for me, there’s more to this sign than just this very obvious meaning.
When I see that sign hanging in my kitchen I’m reminded to make others feel welcome here too. The friend I’m sharing a cup of tea with may be feeling like she needs a place to come and escape, to feel safe and secure from whatever storms are raging in her life. Maybe her heart aches and she’s in the middle of some tearful rant and doing a lot of foot stomping too. She needs a place to hide from all these problems, even for just an hour, a place to feel comfortable and let down her guard. And so I’m reminded to practice hospitality, sharing my “Home Sweet Home” with whoever may come knocking on my door that day.
The sign also reminds me of my new church family and how wonderful it was for these ladies to reach out to me the way they did. It wasn’t much; it didn’t take a lot of time or money. But it did take some thoughtfulness, and I am so thankful for their efforts. The gift came with a card that welcomed me into the Church Family and it was at a time when I felt so lonesome, I just wept as I read it over. I truly believe that the Lord has given me this church home – a “Home Sweet Home” where I can get comfortable, become involved, and even make a difference. And so looking at this simple sign I’m reminded to try and be equally welcoming with whoever may visit our church each week, making them comfortable and feeling like they’ve found a home too.
But lastly, the same sign oddly reminds me that my home isn’t here at all. No matter how wonderful my church is, no matter how many fabulous friends I gather round me, no matter how grand the house I’m blessed to be living in, or many years I’m allowed to stay in one place, in the end I’m still just a pilgrim, wandering this earth until I can go to my true “Home Sweet Home” in heaven. For you see, most of all, this sign reminds me to not get too comfortable here; Jesus has promised me I have at least one more move to make!
John 14:2 “In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you.”
Journal Suggestions:
Describe a place you lived as a child.
What does “Home Sweet Home” mean to you?
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