I want to paint a picture for you:
Twenty-five year old female stands five-foot-six and tackles the world every day in dress slacks and a pair of four-inch heels. There's the planes, trains, taxis, and rented automobiles, the always pesky airport security, lost luggage, and a team full of people to coordinate. Lest we forget e-mail, snail mail, text message, and a habitually low phone battery. It would appear as though nothing can slow slow her down, right?
Except that spider, who is the size of a dime and her own backyard after dark, because after all, an ax-murderer could be lurking in the shadows and intend to inflict a slow and unusual death upon her as she innocently disposes of the trash on Monday evenings. Legitimate concern, right?
Fear is an interesting concept. It plagues immeasurable amounts of people, but often has no validity. One of my very good friends uses an acronym to describe fear: false evidence appearing real. I've often seen self-help slogans proclaiming, "Fear is a liar," and "On the other side of fear lies freedom." I don't disagree, but with all of these adamant declarations and soothing techniques aimed at vanquishing fear, why are so many people still afraid?
Let's go back to that newly painted picture of yours truly. Admittedly, I'm afraid of spiders and ax-murderers...and drowning, and needles, and snakes, and strangers, and awkward social situations, and dark quiet places, but why? Do fears have any reasonable function or foundation?
For grins and giggles, let's use the words, "function" and "purpose" interchangeably for a moment. Does fear have a purpose? When I posed this question to myself, I automatically thought of the body's fight-or-flight mechanism. In this process, our mind perceives a threat and our body automatically responds by releasing stress hormones, increasing our heart rate, and speeding up our breathing. Essentially, our body prepares for battle. Fear could, and probably would, illicit this fight-or-flight response, which would certainly be beneficial in the event of an actual threat; however, the brain can actually respond with the fight-or-flight process without actually being in any sort of danger. Basically, what we perceive as danger isn't always so.
Let's move on to phase two of this equation. Does fear have any real foundation? If Little Suzie or Cousin Joe had been mauled by a bear, was laid up in a hospital for weeks, and escaped with only one leg and a few fingers, chances are, most people would agree they would have a reasonable cause (or foundation) for fear and intimidation. I would agree, but that doesn't free Suzie or Joe from any of the crippling effects of fear. The bear may have stolen their legs and fingers, but fear could potentially steal a lifetime of adventures from them if they were too afraid to step outside again.
Also important to consider is that fear (or lack thereof) has no bearing on actual danger. Earlier, we established our ability to distinguish between actual and assumed threats is sometimes skewed. On the contrary, consider those bozos on television that play with boa constrictors and wear rattle snakes around their necks like costume jewelry. They claim they're not afraid, and they certainly don't act the part, but that doesn't make handling deadly snakes any less dangerous. Their perception is skewed.
Fear distorts perception and reality. Fear limits, confines, suffocates, and destroys. Why do we continue to allow ourselves to be help captive by such fantasies? Isn't true that we're often confined by the walls we build ourselves?
"Fear isn't a fantasy, Lindsay. You have no idea how scary ________ (fill in the blank) is!" You're right, maybe I don't, but I do very well know what it is to be totally afraid, and I'm saying there is a better alternative. The bottom line is life is scary. Sometimes it's even one big giant mess, but there is a more peaceful, happy, able-to-live-life-again solution. We just have to want it. You and I, we have to want to be free from that which binds us up. And after the wanting, we have to seek it out with everything we have. We have to refuse to give up, give in, or quit.
So here's to you, and here's to me. Here's to happier days, more restful nights, and a life free from fear. It's out there, and it's ours for the taking.
Isaiah 41:10: Do not fear, for I am with you; Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you. Surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.
Philippians 4:6-7: Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Friday, October 3, 2014
Tuesday, August 12, 2014
The curse and the rainbow
When's the last time you read the story of Noah? I mean, actually sat down with a Bible and read the four chapters in Genesis that outline Noah's life? I'll be honest- up until two weeks ago, I don't think I had ever read the story, or at least as an adult anyways. I had allowed myself to believe it was a cute children's story God included in documenting early history, and as a bonus, it doubled as a suitable nursery theme. You can imagine (or maybe, like me, you can't) my surprise when there wasn't a single "cute" aspect of this man's story. I was blown away.
Let me back up. A friend and I were having a casual Sunday evening cup of java and discussing our current personal studies, and waaa-laaa, our good friend Noah entered the picture. She mentioned how her pastor was doing a sermon series on the book of Genesis and how intriguing it was. Her statements sent me on the search, and that prompted this writing.
To lay down some basics for you, God created the world and all that filled it in Genesis 1 and 2. Sin entered the world and Adam and Eve were unrepentant, therefore loosing their place in the Garden in chapter 3. Sin continues to flourish and the first murder occurs in Genesis 4, and then the bloodline of Adam is documented in great detail in Genesis 5.
Now that you're caught up, you realize how far sin has evolved in chapter 6. The situation quickly turns tragic.
Genesis 6:5-6: Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. The Lord was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. The Lord said, "I will blot out man, whom I have created, from the face of the land, from man to animals to creeping things and to birds of the sky; for I am sorry that I have made them."
Just five chapters earlier, "God saw all that He had made, and behold, it was very good." It only took the human race five chapters to cause God such a disturbing grief in His heart that He was filled with deep regret. God hates sin, period. The wages of sin was death for Noah's generation, and the story remains the same today. Without the shed blood of Jesus Christ and the acceptance of salvation, the wages of sin is still death (Romans 6:23).
Then God introduces Noah...
Genesis 6:8-9: But Noah found grace (favor) in the eyes of the Lord. This is the history of the generations of Noah. Noah was a just and righteous man, blameless in his [evil] generation; Noah walked [in habitual fellowship] with God.
I had to chew on these two verses for a few days. Talk about loneliness! Here's Noah, his wife, their three sons, and their three daughters in law amongst an entire generation of faithless people. I can only begin to imagine the ridicule they received before Noah ever started building the ark, much less afterwards. Noah's family was a family of integrity. I can guarantee they weren't doing the same things or hanging out at the same places as the rest of the block. They had no intentions of keeping up with the Jones'. They were committed to a much higher calling.
It's so easy sometimes as a believer to look around and think of the things we're "missing," and the path can (and does) get lonely sometimes. "God everyone else is [insert complaint here] and they seem to be having the time of their lives!" Maybe I'm the only one who's ever had such a thought, but Genesis 6:8-9 provided a lovely reality check on my poor, pitiful me way of thinking. Discipleship isn't popular.
Matthew 16:24-26: Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?"
This is a New Testament description of the Old Testament story. I'm sure by the world's standards, the people of Noah's seemed to have the world at their fingertips. My guess is they were seemingly happy and totally indifferent to their sin. Sounds familiar, doesn't it?
Fast forward. Noah builds an ark, God brings the animals, everybody loads up in the boat, God shuts the door, the heavens open and pour rain, everything outside the ark that had breath died, and Noah and his shipmates floated for a year and a few days. Amidst all this trial and tribulation, God is silent. He thinks of Noah, but we don't have any record of God speaking to Noah until Genesis 8:15. Three hundred and sixty five days Noah is on that boat, surrounded by nothing but water and I'm sure an unimaginable stench, and God says nothing. This should give us great hope. Maybe you're waiting on an answer; maybe you're facing a storm. Take heart, friends. Noah waited over a year. Your answer will come, too. Your miracle will happen. God didn't forget about Noah, and He won't forget about you, either. (P.S.- This segment wasn't my original thought. It was part of that Sunday night java conversation I told you about, but I thought it was worth repeating).
Finally, after what probably seemed like the longest year of his 601, Noah, his family, and his zoo of animals exited the boat. Interestingly enough, immediately thereafter, Noah built an altar and offered sacrifices to the Lord. Again, this amazes me. The man had been held captive at sea with seven people and a whole bunch of wildlife. If I were casting the vote, I'd say that outdoes any other sacrifice imaginable, but Noah, being the man of integrity he was, took the time to give back to God.
Genesis 8:21- The Lord smelled the soothing aroma; and the Lord said to Himself, "I will never again curse the ground on account of man, for the intent of man's heart is evil from his youth; and I will never again destroy every living thing, as I have done."
I'm not a Bible scholar. In fact, I have a very limited amount of Bible knowledge, but it sounds to me like Noah's sacrifice changed the heart of God to such an extent that it may have potentially altered the course of history. If that thought process is way off base, then at the very least, Noah ministered to God. Think about that for a minute. Noah's sacrifice ministered to the God of the universe. Everybody thinks about and expects God to minister to people, but when is the last time we stopped to think about how we can minister to God? No, God doesn't need us in the same way we need Him (and thank God for that, because I would certainly fail Him), but any healthy relationship is a two-way street. As believers, maybe we need to focus a little more attention on giving and not be constantly caught up in a cycle of asking God for the next favor or bailout.
And finally, the grand finale. If you've made it this far, congratulations, you are a real trooper. Now let's get to the rainbow segment I promised in my title. The fast-track ending goes like this- God is pleased by Noah's sacrifice, tells Noah and the fam to fill the earth, gives a few commands, and then makes a covenant with Noah that has no expiration date or withdraw clauses.
Genesis 9:12-16: God said, "This is the sign of the covenant which I am making between Me and you and every living creature that is with you, for all successive generations; I set My bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a sign of a covenant between Me and the earth. It shall come about, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the bow will be seen in the could, and I will remember my covenant, which is between Me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and never again shall the water become a flood to destroy all flesh. When the bow is in the cloud, then I will look upon it, to remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth."
Ahhh, the rainbow. The covenant. The promise. You know, God does what God does, and it's cool. I've been studying these chapters now for two weeks, and Saturday evening, I saw a rainbow. That rainbow changed my entire perspective. It was glorious and beautiful, but it was also weighty in purpose. The rainbow covenant was birthed from sin and God's reaction to that sin. The heart of God broke and the earth was cursed and destroyed, minus a few faithful followers. God made a promise to man, then set a reminder (the rainbow) for Himself.
I wonder how God feels when He paints a rainbow? Does He think back to the pain and regret of seeing sin destroy His creation, or does He go back to the pleasing aroma of Noah's sacrifice? How about us? How about Lindsay Lee? How do we see rainbows? May we never forget the curse before the covenant, and may we too, have the faith, determination, leadership,and integrity of Noah.
Hebrews 11:7: By faith Noah, being warned by God about things not yet seen, in reverence prepared an ark for the salvation of his household, by which he condemned the world, and became an heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.
Let me back up. A friend and I were having a casual Sunday evening cup of java and discussing our current personal studies, and waaa-laaa, our good friend Noah entered the picture. She mentioned how her pastor was doing a sermon series on the book of Genesis and how intriguing it was. Her statements sent me on the search, and that prompted this writing.
To lay down some basics for you, God created the world and all that filled it in Genesis 1 and 2. Sin entered the world and Adam and Eve were unrepentant, therefore loosing their place in the Garden in chapter 3. Sin continues to flourish and the first murder occurs in Genesis 4, and then the bloodline of Adam is documented in great detail in Genesis 5.
Now that you're caught up, you realize how far sin has evolved in chapter 6. The situation quickly turns tragic.
Genesis 6:5-6: Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. The Lord was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. The Lord said, "I will blot out man, whom I have created, from the face of the land, from man to animals to creeping things and to birds of the sky; for I am sorry that I have made them."
Just five chapters earlier, "God saw all that He had made, and behold, it was very good." It only took the human race five chapters to cause God such a disturbing grief in His heart that He was filled with deep regret. God hates sin, period. The wages of sin was death for Noah's generation, and the story remains the same today. Without the shed blood of Jesus Christ and the acceptance of salvation, the wages of sin is still death (Romans 6:23).
Then God introduces Noah...
Genesis 6:8-9: But Noah found grace (favor) in the eyes of the Lord. This is the history of the generations of Noah. Noah was a just and righteous man, blameless in his [evil] generation; Noah walked [in habitual fellowship] with God.
I had to chew on these two verses for a few days. Talk about loneliness! Here's Noah, his wife, their three sons, and their three daughters in law amongst an entire generation of faithless people. I can only begin to imagine the ridicule they received before Noah ever started building the ark, much less afterwards. Noah's family was a family of integrity. I can guarantee they weren't doing the same things or hanging out at the same places as the rest of the block. They had no intentions of keeping up with the Jones'. They were committed to a much higher calling.
It's so easy sometimes as a believer to look around and think of the things we're "missing," and the path can (and does) get lonely sometimes. "God everyone else is [insert complaint here] and they seem to be having the time of their lives!" Maybe I'm the only one who's ever had such a thought, but Genesis 6:8-9 provided a lovely reality check on my poor, pitiful me way of thinking. Discipleship isn't popular.
Matthew 16:24-26: Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?"
This is a New Testament description of the Old Testament story. I'm sure by the world's standards, the people of Noah's seemed to have the world at their fingertips. My guess is they were seemingly happy and totally indifferent to their sin. Sounds familiar, doesn't it?
Fast forward. Noah builds an ark, God brings the animals, everybody loads up in the boat, God shuts the door, the heavens open and pour rain, everything outside the ark that had breath died, and Noah and his shipmates floated for a year and a few days. Amidst all this trial and tribulation, God is silent. He thinks of Noah, but we don't have any record of God speaking to Noah until Genesis 8:15. Three hundred and sixty five days Noah is on that boat, surrounded by nothing but water and I'm sure an unimaginable stench, and God says nothing. This should give us great hope. Maybe you're waiting on an answer; maybe you're facing a storm. Take heart, friends. Noah waited over a year. Your answer will come, too. Your miracle will happen. God didn't forget about Noah, and He won't forget about you, either. (P.S.- This segment wasn't my original thought. It was part of that Sunday night java conversation I told you about, but I thought it was worth repeating).
Finally, after what probably seemed like the longest year of his 601, Noah, his family, and his zoo of animals exited the boat. Interestingly enough, immediately thereafter, Noah built an altar and offered sacrifices to the Lord. Again, this amazes me. The man had been held captive at sea with seven people and a whole bunch of wildlife. If I were casting the vote, I'd say that outdoes any other sacrifice imaginable, but Noah, being the man of integrity he was, took the time to give back to God.
Genesis 8:21- The Lord smelled the soothing aroma; and the Lord said to Himself, "I will never again curse the ground on account of man, for the intent of man's heart is evil from his youth; and I will never again destroy every living thing, as I have done."
I'm not a Bible scholar. In fact, I have a very limited amount of Bible knowledge, but it sounds to me like Noah's sacrifice changed the heart of God to such an extent that it may have potentially altered the course of history. If that thought process is way off base, then at the very least, Noah ministered to God. Think about that for a minute. Noah's sacrifice ministered to the God of the universe. Everybody thinks about and expects God to minister to people, but when is the last time we stopped to think about how we can minister to God? No, God doesn't need us in the same way we need Him (and thank God for that, because I would certainly fail Him), but any healthy relationship is a two-way street. As believers, maybe we need to focus a little more attention on giving and not be constantly caught up in a cycle of asking God for the next favor or bailout.
And finally, the grand finale. If you've made it this far, congratulations, you are a real trooper. Now let's get to the rainbow segment I promised in my title. The fast-track ending goes like this- God is pleased by Noah's sacrifice, tells Noah and the fam to fill the earth, gives a few commands, and then makes a covenant with Noah that has no expiration date or withdraw clauses.
Genesis 9:12-16: God said, "This is the sign of the covenant which I am making between Me and you and every living creature that is with you, for all successive generations; I set My bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a sign of a covenant between Me and the earth. It shall come about, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the bow will be seen in the could, and I will remember my covenant, which is between Me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and never again shall the water become a flood to destroy all flesh. When the bow is in the cloud, then I will look upon it, to remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is on the earth."
Ahhh, the rainbow. The covenant. The promise. You know, God does what God does, and it's cool. I've been studying these chapters now for two weeks, and Saturday evening, I saw a rainbow. That rainbow changed my entire perspective. It was glorious and beautiful, but it was also weighty in purpose. The rainbow covenant was birthed from sin and God's reaction to that sin. The heart of God broke and the earth was cursed and destroyed, minus a few faithful followers. God made a promise to man, then set a reminder (the rainbow) for Himself.
I wonder how God feels when He paints a rainbow? Does He think back to the pain and regret of seeing sin destroy His creation, or does He go back to the pleasing aroma of Noah's sacrifice? How about us? How about Lindsay Lee? How do we see rainbows? May we never forget the curse before the covenant, and may we too, have the faith, determination, leadership,and integrity of Noah.
Hebrews 11:7: By faith Noah, being warned by God about things not yet seen, in reverence prepared an ark for the salvation of his household, by which he condemned the world, and became an heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.
Tuesday, June 10, 2014
Finding God in the Storm
A few weeks back, a friend and I were discussing the heart of God towards human kind and how His heart must break when sin wounds people. Good people, bad people, innocent people. It's the age old question; the question everyone asks, but no one wants to answer: "Where's God when...?"
How do you look into the tearful eyes of a hurting person and explain the love and mercy of a God who, in their moment, seems far off? This "Where's God?" question used to intimidate me, as if God's character was dependent upon my ability to adequately defend Him. Going deeper, I think I felt as though if I couldn't explain away the sheer terror that abounds on earth, my own belief foundation may shake or shatter. In all of my explaining, I never considered how this same opposition might wound the heart of God, as my friend recently suggested.
Though I've blogged similar thoughts for you before, this writing reflects a new perspective. I've included Scripture references in case you want to do your own study.
We are God's precious, beloved children. He loves us with a love we often don't understand or comprehend, as His love surpasses our limited knowledge (Ephesians 3:18-19). When He first created the world, He glazed down from the heavenly loft and saw that it was good (Genesis 1:31). Imagine a world that was perfect, sinless, and happy. How incredible and vastly different it was from our current reality.
God is a good Father, and because of His goodness, He gave us a free-will. I've questioned Him on this point, too, but if He didn't give us reign over our choices, He would be considered a controlling monster. He knew we would choose to act outside His boundaries, and He knew the consequences of those actions, yet He stepped aside anyways. He wanted us to choose Him out of our own desire, rather than duty or fear. True love is never forced or coerced, but instead is freely given and received.
Yes, we often wonder, "Where's God when...?" I don't think it's our doubts that really wound God. He's big enough to handle our fears, and in His presence, He dispels darkness. I think it's the work of the evil one that we allow in our hearts and minds that upsets God. Satan is a murderer and a liar (John 8:44). When we allow him, he twists our thoughts to deflect blame and rage from himself and vile acts of sin to God, our Father. God did not choose sin for His people, but Satan gloats when believers launch arrows of accusation towards His heavenly places. "Why God, why???!!!" Time and again He invites us to renew our minds and shift old patterns of thinking (Romans 12:2). Instead of asking, "Why, God?", when will His people begin declaring, "No more, Satan!" It's time for the righteous to tremble with holy indignation against the ruler of darkness.
The God of all heaven and earth takes pleasure in His people. He beautifies the afflicted ones with salvation (Psalm 149:4)! He is in our midst as a victorious warrior. He exults over us with joy. He is quiet in His love. He rejoices over us with shouting (Zephaniah 3:17). When will this be enough for us? When will we believe His heart towards us? When will we trust His love?
I truly believe God's heart shatters at the sound of our groaning. I think it agonizes Him to see His children anguishing as a result of sin. I think He trembles with holy rage when the works of the enemy seem to prevail against us. I imagine He weeps as we weep and aches as we ache. It's not that He can't save us from our despair, but that He already did. The moment Adam allowed sin to manifest in his heart, God began working out a plan of salvation for us. We do not have to grieve as those who have no hope! Our hope springs eternal.
We are in a war, folks. Not a war against flesh and blood, but against principalities, powers, and the ruler of darkness (Ephesians 6:10-12). Sometimes, as often is the case in war, the innocent are afflicted and even parish. It's a cruel reality, but so is sin. Satan has no partiality. He'll cast down whomever he can reach and devour (1 Peter 5:8). You see, that's his nature- death, destruction, heartache, abuse, sickness, disease, divorce, debt, abandonment, anger, lust, rage, brokenness, and all other sorts of evil. Make no mistake, Satan joys in our affliction.
However, I assure you that God does not joy in our afflictions. I know His heart aches and yearns for our healing. Our enemy is already a defeated foe!
God is not far-off, uninterested, or uncaring. He is a good Father. He loves us with an unending love (Romans 8:38-39). He yearns for our hearts, and I believe He longs for that glorious day when He will complete our transformation in heaven. He will clothe us with robes of righteousness and we will finally be whole and complete, not lacking anything. Imagine the joy that awaits us if we choose Him, friends. Let us fix our eyes on Him and walk alongside Him as we venture through earth's shadows. He promises we'll never be alone. (Psalm 23:4).
How do you look into the tearful eyes of a hurting person and explain the love and mercy of a God who, in their moment, seems far off? This "Where's God?" question used to intimidate me, as if God's character was dependent upon my ability to adequately defend Him. Going deeper, I think I felt as though if I couldn't explain away the sheer terror that abounds on earth, my own belief foundation may shake or shatter. In all of my explaining, I never considered how this same opposition might wound the heart of God, as my friend recently suggested.
Though I've blogged similar thoughts for you before, this writing reflects a new perspective. I've included Scripture references in case you want to do your own study.
We are God's precious, beloved children. He loves us with a love we often don't understand or comprehend, as His love surpasses our limited knowledge (Ephesians 3:18-19). When He first created the world, He glazed down from the heavenly loft and saw that it was good (Genesis 1:31). Imagine a world that was perfect, sinless, and happy. How incredible and vastly different it was from our current reality.
God is a good Father, and because of His goodness, He gave us a free-will. I've questioned Him on this point, too, but if He didn't give us reign over our choices, He would be considered a controlling monster. He knew we would choose to act outside His boundaries, and He knew the consequences of those actions, yet He stepped aside anyways. He wanted us to choose Him out of our own desire, rather than duty or fear. True love is never forced or coerced, but instead is freely given and received.
Yes, we often wonder, "Where's God when...?" I don't think it's our doubts that really wound God. He's big enough to handle our fears, and in His presence, He dispels darkness. I think it's the work of the evil one that we allow in our hearts and minds that upsets God. Satan is a murderer and a liar (John 8:44). When we allow him, he twists our thoughts to deflect blame and rage from himself and vile acts of sin to God, our Father. God did not choose sin for His people, but Satan gloats when believers launch arrows of accusation towards His heavenly places. "Why God, why???!!!" Time and again He invites us to renew our minds and shift old patterns of thinking (Romans 12:2). Instead of asking, "Why, God?", when will His people begin declaring, "No more, Satan!" It's time for the righteous to tremble with holy indignation against the ruler of darkness.
The God of all heaven and earth takes pleasure in His people. He beautifies the afflicted ones with salvation (Psalm 149:4)! He is in our midst as a victorious warrior. He exults over us with joy. He is quiet in His love. He rejoices over us with shouting (Zephaniah 3:17). When will this be enough for us? When will we believe His heart towards us? When will we trust His love?
I truly believe God's heart shatters at the sound of our groaning. I think it agonizes Him to see His children anguishing as a result of sin. I think He trembles with holy rage when the works of the enemy seem to prevail against us. I imagine He weeps as we weep and aches as we ache. It's not that He can't save us from our despair, but that He already did. The moment Adam allowed sin to manifest in his heart, God began working out a plan of salvation for us. We do not have to grieve as those who have no hope! Our hope springs eternal.
We are in a war, folks. Not a war against flesh and blood, but against principalities, powers, and the ruler of darkness (Ephesians 6:10-12). Sometimes, as often is the case in war, the innocent are afflicted and even parish. It's a cruel reality, but so is sin. Satan has no partiality. He'll cast down whomever he can reach and devour (1 Peter 5:8). You see, that's his nature- death, destruction, heartache, abuse, sickness, disease, divorce, debt, abandonment, anger, lust, rage, brokenness, and all other sorts of evil. Make no mistake, Satan joys in our affliction.
However, I assure you that God does not joy in our afflictions. I know His heart aches and yearns for our healing. Our enemy is already a defeated foe!
God is not far-off, uninterested, or uncaring. He is a good Father. He loves us with an unending love (Romans 8:38-39). He yearns for our hearts, and I believe He longs for that glorious day when He will complete our transformation in heaven. He will clothe us with robes of righteousness and we will finally be whole and complete, not lacking anything. Imagine the joy that awaits us if we choose Him, friends. Let us fix our eyes on Him and walk alongside Him as we venture through earth's shadows. He promises we'll never be alone. (Psalm 23:4).
Tuesday, April 29, 2014
Beauty and the Beholder
I have the most precious, fun-loving, energetic, adorable, smart, caring, sweet, ornery 23 month old niece in the whole world, and yes, I am biased. No, we're of no blood relation, but when she runs up to me, arms waving in the air, yelling, "Nea nea, hold you!" blood means nothing. She's won my heart, and I'll forever be her auntie.
This adored niece of mine has taught me quite a lot about life in her short time span thus far. Through her eyes, the world is pure and full of potential. Love is clean and laughter is genuine, just as it should be. She is the epitome of all things lovely.
Today, as we endeavored through a two and a half hour morning marathon process of relatively simple tasks like showering, dressing, and general hygiene, she said three of the most prized words I've ever heard:
Nea nea, so pretty! Nea nea, so pretty!
For clarity's sake, I didn't consider her words prized because they stroked my ego or embellished my vanity. In that moment, I can assure you I fit no widely accepted definition of beauty, if any definition at all. My hair resembled that of Albert Einstein, my breath smelled like something out of a horror story, and I didn't have the first stitch of make-up covering my less than perfect skin...
..but maybe that's the point. Her little 23 month old mind isn't tainted by the North American definition of beauty that fades with a washcloth. She isn't yet stained by a culture that values attraction over attributes. Her perception isn't defined by cheap standards, but she recognizes beautiful things in a raw, unfiltered form that I wish I could comprehend.
She can't articulate that by which she measures beauty, but if she could, I imagine it might be something like this: Beauty is love, snuggling, playing with rocks, sharing half eaten food, and giving a thousand and two kisses. Beauty is the cat licking her paw, the weeds growing along the sidewalk, and a thousand other things that capture her attention and engage her senses. Love isn't a vocabulary lesson to this precious child, but rather an active and growing feeling in her heart that isn't bruised, broken, or jaded.
I think we can all learn something from this oversimplified reality. No, I don't think we have to abandoned cosmetics or start wearing around potato sacks to grasp accurate beauty standards, but I think we ought to examine the what, who, and how of our own adopted, internal specifications of beauty and challenge the voices in our minds that lie. We owe it to ourselves, our friends, our siblings, and our children to expand our definitions beyond that which is temporal. Seek out truth, my friends.
"Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and it may be necessary from time to time to give a stupid or misinformed beholder a black eye."
-Miss Piggy, The Muppets
This adored niece of mine has taught me quite a lot about life in her short time span thus far. Through her eyes, the world is pure and full of potential. Love is clean and laughter is genuine, just as it should be. She is the epitome of all things lovely.
Today, as we endeavored through a two and a half hour morning marathon process of relatively simple tasks like showering, dressing, and general hygiene, she said three of the most prized words I've ever heard:
Nea nea, so pretty! Nea nea, so pretty!
For clarity's sake, I didn't consider her words prized because they stroked my ego or embellished my vanity. In that moment, I can assure you I fit no widely accepted definition of beauty, if any definition at all. My hair resembled that of Albert Einstein, my breath smelled like something out of a horror story, and I didn't have the first stitch of make-up covering my less than perfect skin...
..but maybe that's the point. Her little 23 month old mind isn't tainted by the North American definition of beauty that fades with a washcloth. She isn't yet stained by a culture that values attraction over attributes. Her perception isn't defined by cheap standards, but she recognizes beautiful things in a raw, unfiltered form that I wish I could comprehend.
She can't articulate that by which she measures beauty, but if she could, I imagine it might be something like this: Beauty is love, snuggling, playing with rocks, sharing half eaten food, and giving a thousand and two kisses. Beauty is the cat licking her paw, the weeds growing along the sidewalk, and a thousand other things that capture her attention and engage her senses. Love isn't a vocabulary lesson to this precious child, but rather an active and growing feeling in her heart that isn't bruised, broken, or jaded.
I think we can all learn something from this oversimplified reality. No, I don't think we have to abandoned cosmetics or start wearing around potato sacks to grasp accurate beauty standards, but I think we ought to examine the what, who, and how of our own adopted, internal specifications of beauty and challenge the voices in our minds that lie. We owe it to ourselves, our friends, our siblings, and our children to expand our definitions beyond that which is temporal. Seek out truth, my friends.
"Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and it may be necessary from time to time to give a stupid or misinformed beholder a black eye."
-Miss Piggy, The Muppets
Thursday, April 17, 2014
Music and Jesus
Have you ever really considered music? If you asked my opinion, I would tell you that I think music is one of the most beautiful expressions of the human language. It encompasses moods, conquers emotions, and unites strangers; it can lift spirits and break through even the most rugged of hearts. Music speaks to people, and when there aren't any other appropriate words, sometimes a song can say it all.
Yesterday afternoon I was driving all around town, clinging to any shred of sanity I had left. I had worship music playing quietly through my stereo, though I wasn't much engaged. I got caught at a red light that I didn't have time for and the following song lyrics demanded my attention:
Lord, reign in me.
Reign in your power.
Over all my dreams, in my darkest hour.
You are the Lord, of all I am.
Won't you reign in me again?
This song is probably older than I am, and I've heard it close to a bazillion times; even so, it stopped me in my tracks. It's easy for the believer to ask for the Lord's reign when times are good, life is going exactly according to our human plans, our dreams our big, our bank accounts flourishing, and we don't have a single scenario before us that would require a trust walk. It is, however, not so easy when the opposite is true and we're walking through our darkest hours. Maybe, just maybe, that's when we need this song the most.
Lord, reign in me. Yes, by all means, because even my best laid plans are fizzling. I need your authority to guide my life. I know your reign is far better.
Reign in your power. I feel powerless, but I know you have conquered all. Whatever today brings and despite the situations I'm facing, you are greater still.
Over all my dreams, in my darkest hour. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death... Lord, I need you.
You are the Lord, of all I am. The good, the bad, and the ugly, I give it to you. I am yours. Do what you will. Use me where you can. I may be chipped and cracked and nearly broken, but I am still your vessel.
Won't you reign in me again? And again, and again, and again. I need you, oh I need you. Every hour, I need you.
I don't know about any of you reading this blog, but I don't always feel very spiritual when I'm in the midst of a battle, or battles, as sometimes the case may be, but it's refreshing to know that I don't war alone. It's also encouraging to know that I can sit at an over-timed traffic light and whisper five lines of quiet trust and know the God of the universe hears my utterances. The best news yet is that He'll hear your calls of desperation, too. He's waiting...
Happy Easter, my friends!
Yesterday afternoon I was driving all around town, clinging to any shred of sanity I had left. I had worship music playing quietly through my stereo, though I wasn't much engaged. I got caught at a red light that I didn't have time for and the following song lyrics demanded my attention:
Lord, reign in me.
Reign in your power.
Over all my dreams, in my darkest hour.
You are the Lord, of all I am.
Won't you reign in me again?
This song is probably older than I am, and I've heard it close to a bazillion times; even so, it stopped me in my tracks. It's easy for the believer to ask for the Lord's reign when times are good, life is going exactly according to our human plans, our dreams our big, our bank accounts flourishing, and we don't have a single scenario before us that would require a trust walk. It is, however, not so easy when the opposite is true and we're walking through our darkest hours. Maybe, just maybe, that's when we need this song the most.
Lord, reign in me. Yes, by all means, because even my best laid plans are fizzling. I need your authority to guide my life. I know your reign is far better.
Reign in your power. I feel powerless, but I know you have conquered all. Whatever today brings and despite the situations I'm facing, you are greater still.
Over all my dreams, in my darkest hour. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death... Lord, I need you.
You are the Lord, of all I am. The good, the bad, and the ugly, I give it to you. I am yours. Do what you will. Use me where you can. I may be chipped and cracked and nearly broken, but I am still your vessel.
Won't you reign in me again? And again, and again, and again. I need you, oh I need you. Every hour, I need you.
I don't know about any of you reading this blog, but I don't always feel very spiritual when I'm in the midst of a battle, or battles, as sometimes the case may be, but it's refreshing to know that I don't war alone. It's also encouraging to know that I can sit at an over-timed traffic light and whisper five lines of quiet trust and know the God of the universe hears my utterances. The best news yet is that He'll hear your calls of desperation, too. He's waiting...
Happy Easter, my friends!
Monday, March 31, 2014
Our most valuable assets
Hi readers,
I'm writing with a heavy heart today, but after much pondering, I think what I have to say must be spoken, or written, anyways.
This past weekend, I was taking one of my favorite three-year-olds to the local park for a few hours. It was a beautiful afternoon, and I couldn't fathom staying indoors all day. As I was standing at the base of the play equipment looking up at him, I felt someone grab at my mid-section. I glanced down and behind me to find a small boy who I'd guess to be 4 or 5 years old with his arms wrapped around my legs.
Surprised, I started quizzing the blue-eyed beauty who was dressed in pajamas and smelled worse than my dog after she rolls in the mud. His answers were more heart-wrenching with each question I asked. The truth I gleaned from our short exchange made me sick to my stomach.
He wanted nothing from me but attention, and it brightened his face to know someone was watching him climb up the biggest slide in the park. Eventually, he asked me to hold him. Without any thought, I picked up the child, grabbed the one entrusted to my care by the hand, and we started towards grandma, who was not in the least interested in our exchange. She saw us walking towards her and yelled, "Put him down! He's only a womanizing bastard like his father," and simply went back to her earth-shattering phone conversation.
"A womanizing bastard like his father? Really? He's only a child!!!" I thought to myself. Any words I had to say weren't even remotely appropriate for the little ears that surrounded me, so I said nothing in that moment. Instead, I turned back around with her grandson in my arms, held him tightly, and said, "Honey, you're not a bastard and you don't have to be like your daddy at all. You are precious, do you understand?" He was quiet. I wanted nothing more than to take him home, give him a bath, put him in clean clothes, feed him actual food, and let love wash over his little heart until he actually felt wanted. Unfortunately for him, the law wasn't in either of our favor.
The afternoon carried on, and finally, grandma whisked him away up the hill and out of sight. Nothing I had to say changed her mind, and to her, that child was nothing more than nuisance. That boy was crying out for help that day, and yet he still left as a neglected, and most probably, abused child. The law, the system, the state, his sperm and egg donors, his blood family, and myself all failed the kid. That's a hard pill to swallow.
Where do we go from here? To a world where child abuse and neglect didn't exist, I wish. Instead, let me leave you with some food for thought.
First of all, anyone that might hurt a child will answer for their actions. If not in this life, most certainly in the next. I know the heart of God breaks when children are treated like trash, and I know there is great healing that can be had by any broken person, including the discarded, unwanted, abused, and unloved.
Secondly, treasure the babies around you, whether they're 3 days, 3 years, or 30 years old. God hasn't blessed with me children yet. If He'd give me the go-ahead, I'd have half a dozen stair-steppers, but I'm still waiting. All things fair and that being said, love the ones around you. Kids, grand kids, god-children, nieces, nephews, neighbor kids, school kids, the secretary's kids, whoever. I'm not saying raise them (unless their yours, of course), but love them. Value them. Respect them. Stick up for them. Give them the time of day. Fat, thin, stupid, smart, impaired, fully-functioning, whatever, they are worth it. Red and yellow, black and white, they are precious in His sight...
Finally, do something to change the status quo. How can you, an ordinary, overbooked citizen make a change?
1. Start with your own family first. If you've made mistakes with your children, make it right. Say "I'm sorry." Be the agent of change in your own home. Quit bullying, stop talking trash, and don't take a single moment for granted. Your kids (no matter their age) don't need perfect parents, but they do deserve your best efforts.
2. Vote for politicians that favor children's rights and common sense laws. Have no misunderstanding and make no mistake, I'm not talking about stripping parents of their right to parent, discipline, educate, make medical decisions, or the like. I'm talking about providing basic human rights of safety and care to those children who aren't old enough or able enough to speak up or fight for themselves. Let's do away with all of the red tape, the thousand foster home placements, the million second chances given to free-will adults who have no desire to change. Anyone can create a baby, but not everyone should raise one.
3. Volunteer. There are countless organizations in Jasper County alone that need your help supporting our youth. Maybe you have a half hour once a week to have lunch with a grade-school child. Call the admin building; they have a spot for you! Maybe you have three afternoons a week to be a TREK coach; call the district and you can start tomorrow. Maybe you have no time at all, but you could easily swing donating a package of diapers to the Children's Haven or a box of cookies to Bright Futures so a child can celebrate their birthday with their classmates. Nobody can do it all, but everybody can do something.
4. Actively fight against injustice. Stand up to the b**ches at the park that think it's okay to call their young grandsons "womanizing bastards." Don't sit in silence when you see a child being neglected or abused. Report said instances, even if your voice isn't heard or well accepted the first time, the second time, or even the tenth time. Eventually, ignoring you, and more important ignoring them, won't be an option.
The end.
Safety and security don't just happen, they are the result of collective consensus and public investment. We owe our children, the most vulnerable citizens in our society, a life free of violence and fear. - Nelson Mandela
A person's a person, no matter how small. -Dr. Seuss
A hundred years from now it will not matter what my bank account was, the sort of house I lived in, or the kind of car I drove...but the world may be different because I was important in the life of a child. - Forest Witcraft
I'm writing with a heavy heart today, but after much pondering, I think what I have to say must be spoken, or written, anyways.
This past weekend, I was taking one of my favorite three-year-olds to the local park for a few hours. It was a beautiful afternoon, and I couldn't fathom staying indoors all day. As I was standing at the base of the play equipment looking up at him, I felt someone grab at my mid-section. I glanced down and behind me to find a small boy who I'd guess to be 4 or 5 years old with his arms wrapped around my legs.
Surprised, I started quizzing the blue-eyed beauty who was dressed in pajamas and smelled worse than my dog after she rolls in the mud. His answers were more heart-wrenching with each question I asked. The truth I gleaned from our short exchange made me sick to my stomach.
He wanted nothing from me but attention, and it brightened his face to know someone was watching him climb up the biggest slide in the park. Eventually, he asked me to hold him. Without any thought, I picked up the child, grabbed the one entrusted to my care by the hand, and we started towards grandma, who was not in the least interested in our exchange. She saw us walking towards her and yelled, "Put him down! He's only a womanizing bastard like his father," and simply went back to her earth-shattering phone conversation.
"A womanizing bastard like his father? Really? He's only a child!!!" I thought to myself. Any words I had to say weren't even remotely appropriate for the little ears that surrounded me, so I said nothing in that moment. Instead, I turned back around with her grandson in my arms, held him tightly, and said, "Honey, you're not a bastard and you don't have to be like your daddy at all. You are precious, do you understand?" He was quiet. I wanted nothing more than to take him home, give him a bath, put him in clean clothes, feed him actual food, and let love wash over his little heart until he actually felt wanted. Unfortunately for him, the law wasn't in either of our favor.
The afternoon carried on, and finally, grandma whisked him away up the hill and out of sight. Nothing I had to say changed her mind, and to her, that child was nothing more than nuisance. That boy was crying out for help that day, and yet he still left as a neglected, and most probably, abused child. The law, the system, the state, his sperm and egg donors, his blood family, and myself all failed the kid. That's a hard pill to swallow.
Where do we go from here? To a world where child abuse and neglect didn't exist, I wish. Instead, let me leave you with some food for thought.
First of all, anyone that might hurt a child will answer for their actions. If not in this life, most certainly in the next. I know the heart of God breaks when children are treated like trash, and I know there is great healing that can be had by any broken person, including the discarded, unwanted, abused, and unloved.
Secondly, treasure the babies around you, whether they're 3 days, 3 years, or 30 years old. God hasn't blessed with me children yet. If He'd give me the go-ahead, I'd have half a dozen stair-steppers, but I'm still waiting. All things fair and that being said, love the ones around you. Kids, grand kids, god-children, nieces, nephews, neighbor kids, school kids, the secretary's kids, whoever. I'm not saying raise them (unless their yours, of course), but love them. Value them. Respect them. Stick up for them. Give them the time of day. Fat, thin, stupid, smart, impaired, fully-functioning, whatever, they are worth it. Red and yellow, black and white, they are precious in His sight...
Finally, do something to change the status quo. How can you, an ordinary, overbooked citizen make a change?
1. Start with your own family first. If you've made mistakes with your children, make it right. Say "I'm sorry." Be the agent of change in your own home. Quit bullying, stop talking trash, and don't take a single moment for granted. Your kids (no matter their age) don't need perfect parents, but they do deserve your best efforts.
2. Vote for politicians that favor children's rights and common sense laws. Have no misunderstanding and make no mistake, I'm not talking about stripping parents of their right to parent, discipline, educate, make medical decisions, or the like. I'm talking about providing basic human rights of safety and care to those children who aren't old enough or able enough to speak up or fight for themselves. Let's do away with all of the red tape, the thousand foster home placements, the million second chances given to free-will adults who have no desire to change. Anyone can create a baby, but not everyone should raise one.
3. Volunteer. There are countless organizations in Jasper County alone that need your help supporting our youth. Maybe you have a half hour once a week to have lunch with a grade-school child. Call the admin building; they have a spot for you! Maybe you have three afternoons a week to be a TREK coach; call the district and you can start tomorrow. Maybe you have no time at all, but you could easily swing donating a package of diapers to the Children's Haven or a box of cookies to Bright Futures so a child can celebrate their birthday with their classmates. Nobody can do it all, but everybody can do something.
4. Actively fight against injustice. Stand up to the b**ches at the park that think it's okay to call their young grandsons "womanizing bastards." Don't sit in silence when you see a child being neglected or abused. Report said instances, even if your voice isn't heard or well accepted the first time, the second time, or even the tenth time. Eventually, ignoring you, and more important ignoring them, won't be an option.
The end.
Safety and security don't just happen, they are the result of collective consensus and public investment. We owe our children, the most vulnerable citizens in our society, a life free of violence and fear. - Nelson Mandela
A person's a person, no matter how small. -Dr. Seuss
A hundred years from now it will not matter what my bank account was, the sort of house I lived in, or the kind of car I drove...but the world may be different because I was important in the life of a child. - Forest Witcraft
Thursday, March 13, 2014
Delightful Details
I witnessed the scariest phenomena last week. While partaking in my $0.99 daily dose of raspberry flavored Sonic water, I watched a semi truck make a left turn through a red light. He was succeeded by not one, not two, not even three, but eight additional vehicles who followed with reckless abandon. It took a near head-on collision for anyone to recognize their error.
I am not here to attack less than perfect drivers. If there were a club, I could certainly chair it. I am, however, motivated to implore you not to get so caught up in the big picture (I've gotta make it to my next appointment!) that you miss all the delightful details (red lights) that life has to offer.
It is so inexplicably easy to overbook, over plan, and overexert our schedules that often times, life seems rushed. We can get so caught up in the deadlines that we neglect the ever-so-important details.
Last year, I was caring for a precious four year old who loved nature and all things beautiful. One Sunday morning we were running late for church, and since I oversee the doughnut ministry, timeliness is next to godliness. As I hurried little man out of his car seat and into the store, he was drawn to have his weekly exchange with the elderly people greeter (tick tock, tick tock), investigate the reasoning behind the crying child (who cares, he's not our crying child), and seek out the doughnuts with the prettiest design (oh please! what's wrong with good, ole fashioned plain doughnuts?) After what seemed like an eternity, we made it past the check-out lane and into the parking lot, only to stop, mid-hurried step, to gaze at a momma bird camped out underneath a car feeding her babies off a piece of dropped bread (I am really out of patience now).
Settled in the car and flying to church, I was hit with the big whammy. "We should have stopped and gave that mommy bird some more food for her babies. What if nobody gives them food? The babies won't grow if they don't have food and the mommy will be sad."
The delightful details of life. So caught up in "big picture," I neglected the other puzzle-piece- portions of the day. No, the bird family probably wasn't going to starve because of my lack of time and bird seed, but the truth is, I wouldn't have even noticed the birds if it wasn't for an unhurried child with a big heart.
Let's up the ante. What else was I missing? What else do you miss? In the fast-paced chaos of life, it can be easy to overlook life's biggest blessings: our spouses, our children, our parents, our siblings, and even our friends. What about the beautiful world around us? Have you ever taken a few minutes to watch a sunrise or a sunset? How about a half hour to listen to a soothing spring rain? Ever gone hiking and noticed all the different shades of color amongst the trees, flowers, weeds, grass, or sky? Life is beautiful, and it's ours for the taking!
I leave you with a challenge: Set your eyes on the big picture and run towards your goals with everything you have, but don't neglect the moments. Seek out the delightful details, and be conscious of today. It's so worth it!
I am not here to attack less than perfect drivers. If there were a club, I could certainly chair it. I am, however, motivated to implore you not to get so caught up in the big picture (I've gotta make it to my next appointment!) that you miss all the delightful details (red lights) that life has to offer.
It is so inexplicably easy to overbook, over plan, and overexert our schedules that often times, life seems rushed. We can get so caught up in the deadlines that we neglect the ever-so-important details.
Last year, I was caring for a precious four year old who loved nature and all things beautiful. One Sunday morning we were running late for church, and since I oversee the doughnut ministry, timeliness is next to godliness. As I hurried little man out of his car seat and into the store, he was drawn to have his weekly exchange with the elderly people greeter (tick tock, tick tock), investigate the reasoning behind the crying child (who cares, he's not our crying child), and seek out the doughnuts with the prettiest design (oh please! what's wrong with good, ole fashioned plain doughnuts?) After what seemed like an eternity, we made it past the check-out lane and into the parking lot, only to stop, mid-hurried step, to gaze at a momma bird camped out underneath a car feeding her babies off a piece of dropped bread (I am really out of patience now).
Settled in the car and flying to church, I was hit with the big whammy. "We should have stopped and gave that mommy bird some more food for her babies. What if nobody gives them food? The babies won't grow if they don't have food and the mommy will be sad."
The delightful details of life. So caught up in "big picture," I neglected the other puzzle-piece- portions of the day. No, the bird family probably wasn't going to starve because of my lack of time and bird seed, but the truth is, I wouldn't have even noticed the birds if it wasn't for an unhurried child with a big heart.
Let's up the ante. What else was I missing? What else do you miss? In the fast-paced chaos of life, it can be easy to overlook life's biggest blessings: our spouses, our children, our parents, our siblings, and even our friends. What about the beautiful world around us? Have you ever taken a few minutes to watch a sunrise or a sunset? How about a half hour to listen to a soothing spring rain? Ever gone hiking and noticed all the different shades of color amongst the trees, flowers, weeds, grass, or sky? Life is beautiful, and it's ours for the taking!
I leave you with a challenge: Set your eyes on the big picture and run towards your goals with everything you have, but don't neglect the moments. Seek out the delightful details, and be conscious of today. It's so worth it!
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