God’s Questions Changes Everything

/0 Comments/in , , , , /by

As Jesus approached Jericho, a blind man was sitting by the roadside begging…Jesus stopped and ordered the man to be brought to him. When he came near, Jesus asked him, “What do you want me to do for you?” “Lord, I want to see,” he replied. Luke 18:35,40-41 NIV

What kind of cheese is the moon made of? How did the man get in the moon? Why can’t grass be blue and the sky green? If you have or have had toddlers, you know the routine. According to Harvard child psychologist Paul Harris, children between the ages of 2 and 5 will ask roughly 40,000 questions. Research suggests an average of 100-300 questions per day, with the peak volume usually coming from four-year-olds. (data from A More Beautiful Question, Warren Berger)

When our son was in that age range, I would come home in the evening, and Connie would hand him to me and tell me she needed a quiet break. If you have children, grandchildren, or are around little ones, just know that the endless why, when, where, who, and how questions are normal. God wired these little brains to be inquisitive, information-gathering creatures. On the downside, adults find themselves unable to answer their questions 35% of the time.

As we grow older, we may not ask 300 questions every day, but questions remain an important part of our lives. We live in a world where questions shape our daily lives. We ask questions to get opinions, directions, information, or for a thousand other reasons. What do you want for dinner? Can you tell me how to get to Walmart? How long will the sermon last? Now the world of questions has expanded to asking Google, Siri, Alexa, and Bixby, among others, life’s poignant questions. Hey Google, how long does it take to boil an egg?

Scripture gives us the first recorded question. It is not a question seeking information or directions but one meant to deceive. “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden?” (Gen 3:1) God had finished an unblemished creation, and mankind was given free range of the most incredible home. It was a perfect paradise until a question was asked to sow doubt, create envy, and stir longing for something they couldn’t be, namely God himself. The Bible tells us that “the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the LORD God had made.” The great deceiver disguised himself as a serpent to sow doubt.

It was one question that sowed doubt and one response that changed the course of human history. “When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it.” Deception was planted like a fragile seed until it gave root to the bitter fruit of sin.

The deception hung over the Garden of Eden like a heavy blanket. “Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the LORD God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the LORD God among the trees of the garden.”

A question of deception had been asked, but now God uses a question to begin the process of healing and confrontation. A simple question, yet it would require a difficult answer: “Where are you?” I have no doubt that God, who had just finished creating the world, knew the surface-level answer to where they were physically. What God wanted to know, and what he still wants to know, is not where we are physically but where we are with Him. It was a question that stirred the soul, forced self-reflection, and opened the door to repentance, and it still does.

Fast-forward through the pages of history, and the same deceptive questions have been asked of people. They are the questions that arouse envy, lust, anger, revenge, and greed. The questions that leave us doubting God’s goodness and love.

It doesn’t take much of life space to get asked a question that plants seeds of doubt in our souls.  Were you really the most qualified to get that promotion? Are you really entitled to that award? Did you really—you fill in the blank. At one time or another, most of us have had questions asked that belittled us, made us doubt our abilities, and cast suspicion on us.

 The Great Deceiver has had lots of practice at planting these questions. A question of envy caused Cain to murder his brother. A question of lust caused David to commit adultery and eventually murder. A question of greed caused Judas to betray Jesus for a few coins. A question of fear caused Peter to deny his friend and mentor.

God has a way of asking questions that bring healing, life, and redemption, questions that prompt us to say, “Yes, God, I blew it; I need you.” When God asked Cain where Abel was, it wasn’t for information. God asked Jacob, “What is your name?” not for His knowledge, but to force Jacob to confront who he was and had been, and to surrender to Him what he could be. “Your name will no longer be Jacob, but Israel.” (Gen 32:27,28)

God’s questions force us to look beyond the obvious answer to what lies deep within ourselves to the place only God can touch and restore. God used questions to compel Moses to look beyond his limitations, “Who gave human beings their mouths?” When Job was on the brink of despair, God asked questions to help him look beyond himself: “Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation?” When Peter thought he was beyond grace, Jesus used questions to begin his healing: “Simon, son of John, do you love me?”

God’s questions are never superficial, nor are answers always obvious. There is an obvious answer to a blind man: Do you want to see? Though Jesus cared that Bartimaeus could physically see, he was even more concerned that he could see spiritually. Today, how will you respond to Jesus when he asks you, “What do you want me to do for you?”

God is great!

Together

/1 Comment/in , , , , , /by

Now, in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, He went out and departed to a solitary place; and there He prayed. Mark 1:35 NKJV

“This world is tricky and getting trickier every day. Man, sometimes it confuses me. Sometimes I lose my way in this world. Can ya’ll relate to that?”  I, for one, can relate to this statement by Grammy Award-winning Christian artist TobyMac (Toby McKeehan). During his concert in Colorado Springs last month, McKeehan shared about the challenges that he faced following the death of his son in 2019, and what he learned about God being there for him.

“What I’ve been hanging on to with everything in me for the last six-and-a-half years is this: God promises that if you have a relationship with him, he will never leave you or forsake you. It gets confusing when your heart gets broken, for all of us…You see, God didn’t promise us that we wouldn’t be hurt on this earth. He didn’t promise us that our hearts would not be broken. He didn’t promise us that we wouldn’t lose the ones that we love. What he promised is that he would never leave. And I can only tell you this from my own personal experience: He was there in the deepest of valleys.”  (Jessical Mouser, ChurchLeaders.com)

McKeehan, in the midst of his pain and sorrow, used his music as an avenue to express his deepest feelings as he journeyed through his loss. In his valley, he wrote the song “Help Is On the Way,” in which he expressed that the only way to survive was through Jesus.

I heard your heart
I see your pain
Out in the dark
Out in the rain
Feel so alone
Feel so afraid
I heard you pray in Jesus’ name

It may be midnight or midday
It’s never early, never late
He gon’ stand by what He claim
I’ve lived enough life to say (words from Help Is On The Way by TobyMac)

God is/will always be faithful in his promises to be with us, through days of bright light and most critical during the nights of deepest darkness. On this side of eternity, we will be faced with chapters of unexplainable events in our lives. We can trust that God will be there, even as we face unbearable pain. We find that there is only one place that will keep us sheltered: in God. We may still hurt, but He is there to prevent us from falling completely apart. James encourages us to “Come near to God and he will come near to you.” (James 4:8a). “One of the best ways to prevent your heart from growing cold is to regularly talk with God.” (Henry Blackaby)

“The reason many of us leave off praying and become hard towards God is because we have only a sentimental interest in prayer…We hurl our own petitions at God’s throne and dictate to Him as to what we wish Him to do. It is when a crisis arises that we instantly reveal upon whom we rely. If we have been learning to worship God and to place our trust in Him, the crisis will reveal that we can go to the point of breaking, yet without breaking our confidence in Him.” (Oswald Chambers)

“May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you. May he strengthen your hearts so that you will be blameless and holy in the presence of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with all his holy ones.” I Thessalonians 3:12-13)

Hopefully, we realize quickly that we need others to walk with us as an engaged prayer community. Trusting our deepest needs with those who will become “rope holders” to keep us from falling off the edge. A community of prayerful pilgrims who stand with us. I witnessed a powerful prayer community surrounding a little 16-month-old facing a life-threatening incident this past week. A community calling on God for healing and holding the ropes for her parents and grandparents.  “Listen to my prayer, O God, do not ignore my plea; hear me and answer me. Psalm 55:1 (NIV). What seemed impossible is now a place where a community and a family rejoice, as God has miraculously intervened.

What does a prayer community look like? One example given by John Michael Talbot is a great starting point.  “Prayer is the strength of our individual and community existence. It is through prayer that we find the heart of our love relationship with Jesus as individuals, and it is through the love relationship of Jesus working in individual lives that communities prosper in peace and unity. It is in the solitude of prayer that we find our true companion and thus learn to be better companions of others. It is in the inner silence of prayer that we hear the living word of God, and thus learn to speak words that flow from the love of God to one another.”

We do not always get the answer we expected, but we always have God’s presence to see us through every circumstance. We never give up because God never gives up. Whatever situation you or I may face, we have a Savior who provides a way. Together, may we find encouragement in this prayer of benediction:

The LORD bless you and keep you;

The LORD make his face shine on you and be gracious to you;

The LORD turn his face toward you and give you peace – Numbers 6:24-26

 

God is great!

Lasting Treasure

/0 Comments/in , , , , /by

Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written. John 21:25

How does your digital clutter compare to recent surveys? It shows that the average person has over 1,000 unread emails, 12 unread text messages, 17 unread social media notifications, 15 open browser tabs, 9 unused phone apps, 2 pending software updates, and 11 other unread app messages. If you often get overwhelmed by clutter, the good news is that over 31% of people have spent money to upgrade to devices with more storage. The bad news is that 77% of people feel digital clutter negatively affects their lives. (Information from an article by Josh Koebert, All About Cookies)

I don’t know where you stand in the digital clutter world, but I will say I am above average. Sometimes, I clean out my email inbox, but not every day. Maybe what Johann Wolfgang von Goethe wrote over 300 years ago still applies today to the world’s digital clutter: “Let everyone sweep in front of his own door, and the whole world will be clean.” The issue isn’t that our email boxes are cluttered, but that we live in a world with so much information that we can’t process it all. Digital clutter keeps expanding because technology keeps adding ways to store it.

Yesterday, or Easter Sunday, depending upon when you read this post, we celebrated a risen Savior. Churches were packed with people worshipping Jesus, who brought hope to a dying world. Sunday reminded us of his final words from the cross, words that forever challenged us to live a life fully surrendered to Him.

Scripture contains a wealth of truth that points us to salvation in Jesus, including the prophecies of His coming, the history of God’s story, the Psalms of worship, and Proverbs for living a godly life. It is truth that is ageless. What an amazing comparison to our world filled with digital clutter, especially in light of reading John’s ending: “I suppose even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written.” (John 21:25)

I would almost guess that most of the digital clutter on our electronic devices will end up in the great digital trash can—information needed for the moment but with little future value.  The Bible, however, contains a life-giving, life-changing, and life-sustaining message.  Dwight Moody wrote, “The Bible was not given for our information, but for our transformation.”

Even though we will never know all the additional stories that Jesus told, what we do know is a treasure hoard beyond anything we can imagine. As we read the Bible, the treasure is not found in what we don’t have but in what is written.

What we do know is that the recorded words of Jesus bring wisdom. “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.” Matthew 7:24

What we do know is that Jesus’ words brought amazement. “When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching.” Matthew 7:28

What we do know is that no one can top Jesus. “No one ever spoke the way this man does.” John 7:46

What we do know is that Jesus left specific directions for eternal life. “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life.“ John 6:68

Paul Dayes found life-changing words reading John 5:24, “Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life.” Dayes was in both a physical and spiritual prison. He had been in and out of prison since he was 14. He was serving a prison term for robbery when he encountered Jesus.

Dayes said in an interview, “I remember having the urge to read the Bible. I don’t know why.”  The problem was that he didn’t have access to a Bible. However, the next morning, coincidence or miracle, when he stepped out of his cell, there was a brand-new Gideon Bible lying on the radiator. Dayes started reading, and as he read Matthew 9:13, he came across the verse, “For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”  He said, “It spoke straight to my heart, and I found myself praying the sinner’s prayer and gave my life to Christ.” After his release, Teen Challenge helped him, through their substance abuse program, escape his addiction.  (information from an article by Charles Gardner)

“When we submit our lives to what we read in Scripture, we find that we are not being led to see God in our stories but our stories in God’s. God is the larger context and plot in which our stories find themselves.” (Eugene Peterson, Eat This Book)

As we finished celebrating Easter, we were once again reminded of the great hope we have in Jesus. In Him, the world will never be the same. Easter marked the beginning of change; circumstances and people will never be the same. “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.” Matthew 24:35

God is great!

No Longer I, but Christ

/in , , , , , /by

But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake, I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ. Philippians 3:7-8 ESV

“May the road rise to meet you, May the wind be always at your back. May the sun shine warm upon your face, The rains fall soft upon your fields. And until we meet again, May God hold you in the palm of his hand.” I offer this traditional Irish blessing to you as a greeting on Tuesday (March 17) as you celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. It is the one day of the year that totally disregards your Ancestry.com results. You may have traced your roots, but on St. Patrick’s Day, all of that goes out the window so that you can claim your Irish heritage.

President Dwight D. Eisenhower wrote, “Everybody is Irish on St. Patrick’s Day, but if your name is Eisenhower, you’ve got to wear something green to show it.” The city of Chicago must have taken President Eisenhower at his word and decided to dye the Chicago River green. Around the world, shades of green appear everywhere, in hair, clothes, drinks, and food. “I do so like green eggs and ham! Thank you! Thank you, Sam-I-Am.” (Dr. Seuss, Green Eggs and Ham)

St. Patrick’s Day is more than dying your eggs green, wearing green clothes, or eating corned beef and cabbage; it is a day set aside to commemorate a once enslaved teenager in Ireland who would later return to the same country as a missionary. Maewyn Succat was born into a wealthy family in what is now Kilpatrick, Scotland. He was captured by Druid raiders and sold into slavery as a shepherd.

Though born into a Christian family, he wrote in his spiritual autobiography, “It was there that the Lord opened up my awareness of my lack of faith. Even though it came about late, I recognized my failings. So I turned with all my heart to the Lord my God (Joel 2:12), and he looked down on my lowliness (Luke 1:48). (From Confessio 2)

Maewyn Succat escaped his captors and made his way to a monastery in Gaul (France). There, he entered the priesthood and took the name Patrick. He would return to the very people who had enslaved him with a singular zeal to share about God who had completely set him free.

Millions will celebrate St. Patrick’s Day on Tuesday, having fun, but most will forget the real story behind the name. Patrick was a devoted servant of God, known for his faith and deep prayer. He was totally abandoned to Christ, and his faith and prayer life would transform a nation. It was a life that would serve as an example of surrender and as a testimony to the generations that followed. I think Patrick would have identified with the ideas that Oswald Chambers expressed centuries later: “Salvation is not merely deliverance from sin, nor the experience of personal holiness; the salvation of God is deliverance out of self entirely into union with Himself…In your abandonment we give ourselves over to God just as God gave Himself for us, without any calculation. The consequence of abandonment never enters into our outlook because our life is taken up with Him.”

Patrick escaped from his captors and could have returned to his life as Maewyn Succat. He might have chosen a much easier and more comfortable life than that of a 5th-century pioneer missionary. He could have taken an easier path as a priest rather than going back to those who had enslaved him for years. Yet, what he chose was a life of total abandonment to do the will of God. Through his work, he inspired a generation in Ireland to be faithful, overseeing the launch of 300 churches and helping over 135,000 people come to faith.

“The thing that tells in the long run for God and for men is the steady persevering work in the unseen, and the only way to keep the life uncrushed is to live looking to God. Ask God to keep the eyes of your spirit open to the Risen Christ, and it will be impossible for drudgery to damp you.” (Oswald Chambers)

Patrick lived out what Paul wrote to the churches in Galatia of the only thing that truly matters, complete surrender to Christ. “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” Galatians 2:20 ESV

There are several variations of St. Patrick’s Breastplate (song), but I hope this portion of the longer versions will be both an encouragement and blessing to you as you celebrate St. Patrick’s Day.

 I arise today, through God’s strength to pilot me…

Christ with me, Christ before me,
Christ behind me,
Christ in me, Christ beneath me,
Christ above me,
Christ on my right, Christ on my left,
Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit down,
Christ when I arise,
Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me,
Christ in every eye that sees me,
Christ in every ear that hears me.
~ St. Patrick

May this day, as all days, be filled with Christ. God is great!

Refuge in the Shelter of God’s Wings

/in , , , , , /by

Let me dwell in your tent forever; let me take refuge in the shelter of your wings. Psalm 61:4 NASB

The better part of prayer is not the asking but the being with God, resting in His shelter, knowing He knows me and wants to be with me. Why would I not want to be with Him? It is easy to pray in the easy afternoons of spring, but it is in the cold nights of winter that our prayers give life.

Ben Sasse is now living in the cold winter of the night, yet not with fear and defeat. You would know Sasse as a former U.S. Senator from Nebraska, President of the University of Florida, public servant, devoted husband and father, but also a man dying of Stage 4 pancreatic cancer.

What gives him hope isn’t the chance of a medical cure, although he is exploring all options. What gives him hope isn’t his determination, even though he writes, “he would not be going down without a fight.” What sustains his hope is his unwavering faith in Jesus Christ. Sasse announced his battle with cancer in December 2025, two days before Christmas. In his news release, he said, “As a Christian, the weeks running up to Christmas are a time to orient our hearts toward the hope of what’s to come. Not an abstract hope in fanciful human goodness; not hope in vague hallmark-sappy spirituality; not a bootstrapped hope in our own strength… We hope in a real Deliverer—a rescuing God, born at a real time, in a real place. But the eternal city—with foundations and without cancer—is not yet.”

Life often catches us off guard. What will we do when it does? The Psalmist encourages us to learn to rest in God’s shelter. It will be the only place where we can endure the storms that might otherwise overwhelm us quickly. “The trials of life are sent to make us, not to break us. Financial troubles may destroy a person’s business, but build up his character. And a direct blow to the outer person may be the greatest blessing possible to the inner person. So if God places or allows anything difficult in our lives, we can be sure that the real danger or trouble will be what we will lose if we run or rebel against it.” (Maltbie D. Babcock)

Our prayer life is a pivotal hinge that prevents everything from coming completely unhinged. Yet, walking into those dark winters of our soul, prayer can seem the most unattainable place we can find. One of my favorite writers is Tim Keller, who wrote a great book simply called “Prayer.” Keller wrote, “What is prayer, then, in the fullest sense? Prayer is continuing a conversation that God has started through his Word and his grace, which eventually becomes a full encounter with him.” (Prayer, p 48)

Keller outlined the importance and power of prayer throughout nearly 321 pages of his book. However, it was during his own dark night a decade later, when he was diagnosed with Stage 4 Pancreatic Cancer, that he would say in an interview on the podcast Premier Unbelievable, “Despite the pain and fear associated with cancer, he and his wife, Kathy, would never want to go back to the kind of prayer life and spiritual life we had before the cancer. Never.”

 Jim Denison, writing in Denison Forum, shared what it means to trust God with our pain. “First, when we trust God with our pain, we can experience his presence and comfort on a level we could not before the suffering came. Second, when we trust God with our pain, he can use us in ways he could not before the suffering came. Third, when we trust God with our pain, he can use our suffering to guide us into his purpose in ways he could not before the suffering came.”

Learning to take refuge in God’s shelter is critical because it is life-giving. The Apostle Paul understood what it meant to face challenges. Paul’s resume of suffering and pain was impressive: “Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was pelted with stones, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and day in the open sea, I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my fellow Jews, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false believers…I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked…If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness.” (2 Corinthians 11:24-27,30)

Paul understood the meaning of pain and didn’t shy away from these challenges for the sake of Jesus. Yet he also wasn’t afraid to ask God to remove the thorn that tormented him. “Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me.” Still, Paul trusted God for the outcome even as he heard God say, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Paul may have desired a different answer, but he valued God’s purpose more—so much so that he was willing to say, “That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” (2 Cor 12:8-9,10)

It is in the shelter of God’s wings that we finally become all we are meant to be. Tim Keller has completed his earthly journey; Ben Sasse will finish his, as will we. Yet it is only then that we will truly understand what it means to live. “You must hand yourself and all your inward experiences, your temptations, your temperament, your frames and feelings, all over into the care and keeping of your God, and leave them there. He made you and therefore He understands you, and knows how to manage you, and you must trust Him to do it.” –Hannah Whitall Smith

God is great!

Handiwork of God On Display

/1 Comment/in , , , /by

Let heaven celebrate! Let the earth rejoice! Let the sea and everything in it roar! Let the countryside and everything in it celebrate! Then all the trees of the forest too will shout out joyfully. Psalm 96: 11-12 CEB

When was the last time you read Genesis One, and all you could say at the end was wow? You did not read it to defend creation over evolution, whether it was a literal 24-hour day or any other theological viewpoint. You simply read Genesis One with awe and wonder, like a child excited over some new discovery. We must guard against becoming old and jaded in our view of the world. We need to see God’s handiwork with excitement and shout with joy that, “The world and all that is in it belong to the Lord; the earth and all who live on it are his.” (Psalm 24:1 GNT)

 “Everyone begins as a child by liking the weather. You learn the art of disliking it as you grow up. Notice it on a snowy day? The grown-ups are all going about with long faces, but look at the children—and the dogs? They know what snows are made for.” (unknown author). This quote is often misattributed to C.S. Lewis, yet it still captures his reflections on living with childhood wonder and joy.

It is often during the very unknown and unpredictable events of life that we are prompted to reflect, especially on life with God. We may find ourselves focusing too much on the outcome and overlooking the wonder of the process of creation, whether in nature, work, or home. If we are not careful, we can end up living each day as a reaction to events rather than as a new creation.

Tomorrow morning (March 3), you get to join 6 billion other people on planet Earth to witness 82 minutes of God’s incredible creation. God doesn’t always stay in the lines when He colors, and this extravagant display of a masterpiece is no exception. So, grab your cup of coffee, warm jacket, and ‘aweness,’ and head outside between 5 and 6:30 am (in Atlanta, Georgia, check your local viewing time) to experience a total Lunar Eclipse. This is more commonly known as a ‘blood moon’ when the Earth is positioned directly between the sun and the full moon, casting a shadow on the moon.

The moon’s usual bright white color will shift to deep reds and oranges, casting an eerie yet beautiful glow. Throughout history, the blood moon has been associated with many ideas, from omens of disaster to moments of deep spiritual renewal. For those who follow Jesus, the blood moon encourages us to admire God’s creation and consider the relevance of Romans 1:20: “For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God.” –Romans 1:20 NLT

B.F. Skinner was a pioneer in behavioral psychology who believed that human actions are shaped by reinforcement and punishment. If I receive a reward, I will do it again. If I am punished, I will avoid it. Humans will often respond similarly to rats in the famous Skinner Box experiment, pushing the lever for a desired outcome.

Psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, however, believed Dr. Skinner’s view of humanity was depressing and limiting. He conducted his own psychological study of human behavior, not from what was needed for survival, but from the perspective of creating art. He observed artists who were completely absorbed in their work; time was irrelevant, and they often forgot to even eat. “Despite the intensity of this devotion during the creative process, after a painting was complete, the artist would set it aside and begin the next project…The artist was not driven by measuring the greatness of the finished product but by the creative act itself.” (Tyler Staton from The Familiar Stranger)

There is truth to the fact that what we put into our mind, body, and soul influences certain outcomes. However, we are not forced to respond to external triggers, and we react accordingly. Thankfully, because of the complexity of God’s creation, we are not confined to a behavior box, simply running back and forth to pull levers. God is the original creator and made human beings in His image. We were called to co-create with Him, and although it was distorted by the serpent in the garden, it has been redeemed and restored by Jesus in another garden.

“Every attribute of God is infinitely complex. Believing anything less is believing in a flannelgraph god, and you get stuck in Flatland. The Ancient of Days can’t be reduced to time or space. The Alpha and Omega can’t be reduced to numbers or letters. The Omniscient One can’t be reduced to our finite thoughts about Him.” (Mark Batterson, A Million Little Miracles)

“By faith we understand that the universe has been created by a word from God so that the visible came into existence from the invisible.” –Hebrews 11:3 CEB

Look up to be reminded of God’s creation, look beside you to see those who walk with you, look forward to see that God has made a way for you, look behind you to know that God dwells unmovable, and look within you to see a God who loves you beyond measure. A. W. Tozer wrote of God’s love, “Because He is infinite, that love can enfold the whole created world in itself and have room for ten thousand times ten thousand worlds beside.”

Walk outside tomorrow not only to see an astronomical display but to reflect on the good news that you are part of this amazing creation still in motion. When you follow Jesus, you become part of the unexpected. Enjoy!

God is great!

Hope When It Doesn’t Look Like Hope

/1 Comment/in , , , , /by

But I pray to you, LORD, in the time of your favor; in your great love, O God, answer me with your sure salvation. Rescue me from the mire, do not let me sink; deliver me from those who hate me, from the deep waters. Do not let the floodwaters engulf me or the depths swallow me up or the pit close its mouth over me. Psalm 69:13-15 NIV

When hope doesn’t look like hope, what do you do? Hope might mean a 2.5-mile swim in shark-infested waters. Last Friday, that was what it looked like for 13-year-old Austin Appelbee when he, his mom, brother, and sister were having a last-minute swim off the shore near Quindalup, Australia, before heading home. Unexpected strong winds came up, sweeping them out into the ocean, farther from shore. Austin and his mother decided he should try to swim back to shore to get help for his family.

Austin reached the shore at sunset and called for help. After a large rescue effort, Austin’s family was located about 14 kilometers offshore. In an interview with the BBC, Austin reflected on the experience, saying, “that prayer, Christian songs, and thoughts of his family kept him going. I don’t think it was me who did it—it was God the whole time. I kept praying and praying, and I said to God, ‘I’ll get baptized, I’ll get baptized.”

Cerith Gardiner, writing about the incident, said, “Courage often looks like persistence, faith often sounds like a song half-remembered, and God’s presence is sometimes felt most clearly in the simple resolve to keep swimming—one stroke, one prayer, one hopeful thought at a time.”

Hope might mean standing before millions to show what God can do. Jelly Roll, a former convicted felon, was not the same man on stage Sunday night as he stood on the biggest stage in the music world to accept a Grammy Award. He credited Jesus Christ, who is “for everybody.” Jelly Roll walked onto the stage with a Bible in hand to accept the award for best contemporary country album, Beautifully Broken.

“First of all, Jesus, I hear you and I am listening, Lord! Second of all, I want to thank my beautiful wife. I would have never changed my life without you. I’d have ended up dead or in jail. I’d have killed myself if it wasn’t for you and Jesus. I thank you for that.”  Jelly Roll went on to say, “There was a time in my life when I was broken. That’s why I wrote this album. I didn’t think I had a chance, y‘all. There was days I thought the darkest things. I was a horrible human. … I believe that music had the power to change my life and God had the power to change my life.”  (Today.com)

He ended his speech by saying, “I want to tell y’all right now: Jesus is for everybody. Jesus is not owned by one political party. Jesus is not owned by no musical label. Jesus is Jesus and anybody can have a relationship with him. I love you, Lord.”

“This is what the Gospel does. God does not look for perfect people—He redeems broken ones. He meets people in jail cells, addiction, shame, failure, and despair, and He rewrites their stories. Jelly Roll’s life is living proof that your past does not disqualify you from God’s purpose. In fact, it often becomes the very platform God uses to display His power.” Craig Johnson

Hope might look like Jesus walking on water to rescue us. Storms will come up, and we realize life doesn’t always turn out the way we thought it would. We may find ourselves knee deep in sickness, job loss, marriage struggles, wayward children, or even the death of loved ones. Yet hope lives as we see Jesus walking towards us, hands held out. When the disciples saw Jesus walking towards them on the water, they were terrified. Jesus told them, “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”  (Matthew 14:27)

Hope might look as if it will never come. Matthew records a powerful and moving narrative of a concerned mother for her daughter’s healing and Jesus. “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is demon-possessed and suffering terribly.” (15:22b) Jesus looked at her and told her not today, but she kept on asking. Please Jesus. I need your help. “Then Jesus said to her, “Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted.” And her daughter was healed at that moment.” (15:28)

“When God gives a vision and darkness follows, wait. God will make you in accordance with the vision He has given if you will wait His time. Never try and help God fulfill His word.” (Oswald Chambers)

Learning to wait is challenging. We live in a time when action is often valued more than patience. It’s probably less true than we think that God can only guide a moving object. We’ve often been told that God needs you to take the first step, and then He will guide your steps. Still, we must realize that waiting is not passive; it involves active trust. Allowing God to speak requires silence, which is a difficult discipline for many of us. In the waiting, we find hope and, much like the Canaanite woman, healing.

Hope may look different in every situation, but the one constant is Jesus, the ultimate hope. “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” (Romans 15:13 NIV)

God is great!

Melody of Joy and Hope

/1 Comment/in , , , , /by

The whole earth is filled with awe at your wonders; where morning dawns, where evening fades, you call forth songs of Joy. Psalm 65:8 NIV

When we moved to Georgia, it had many advantages, but one thing it lacked was the steady winds of Oklahoma. You can rely on Oklahoma winds to have enough force to produce a beautiful sound as they blow through the wind chimes, although sometimes the wind is a little too strong, knocking the wind chimes off their hooks. Granted, winter keeps you indoors, but even these cold days can’t stop the winds from creating a melody of joy and hope.

There is a legend about a German baron who wanted to build a gigantic wind harp at his castle to play continuous music. He had wires strung from tower to tower to catch the wind blowing across them. Unfortunately, the gentle breezes that swirled through the castle did not have enough force to make any noise. He was disappointed until one night when a fierce storm arose, sending strong winds against the castle. Awakened by the powerful winds beating against the castle walls, he was surprised to hear the most beautiful melody, even above the roar of the storm. “It had taken a fierce storm to produce the music!” (paraphrase from Streams in the Desert)

Upheaval seems to be the main story on the nightly news. Like the 90s movie, Groundhog Day, where the weather anchor keeps reliving the same day over and over, it feels like we are living the same stories repeatedly. These stories might focus on recent snow and ice storms, violence in Minnesota or Iran, or who knows what.

It is almost impossible to hear anything other than the noise of the day. Too often, we are like The Baron, who wanted to sit in his easy chair and listen to the sounds of his wind harp. But the gentle winds did not produce music until a fierce storm arose that could move the strings. It is in storms that we can truly hear and appreciate what emerges from the chaos.

Jesus knew that the upheaval of this world could feel overwhelming, but he wasn’t surprised. Jesus reminded us to turn to the Father and to remember that God will always be in control, even when it looks darkest. “Watch out that no one deceives you. Many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am he,’ and will deceive many. When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places, and famines. These are the beginning of birth pains. You must be on your guard.” (Mark 13:5-9a)

C.S. Lewis, in his book The Screwtape Letters, writes that Satan’s “cause is never in more danger than when a human, no longer desiring, but still intending, to do God’s will, looks round upon a universe from which every trace of him seems to have vanished, and asks why he has been forsaken, and still obeys.”

What should we do during this waiting period? God said to pray, not only for ourselves but also for the nation. “Seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the LORD for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper.” (Jeremiah 29:7) Israel was captive in the hostile land of Babylon, with nowhere to go, their homeland completely destroyed, and hope all but lost—which is where God steps in. God reminds them that even in their darkest days, “I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future,” (29:11)

David encouraged the people in Psalm 122 to “pray for the peace of Jerusalem.” “I rejoiced with those who said to me, Let us go to the house of the LORD. Our feet are standing in your gates, Jerusalem.”

Praying scripture is a powerful way to align our needs, desires, and burdens with God. When we’re overwhelmed by problems, frustrated with our nation’s leadership—whether elected or not—or simply heartbroken over a particular incident, the best and only place to pray is from God’s perspective.

Psalm 122 is one of many scriptural passages that express the words we so desperately need to say. Words that have been prayers for generations, asking God to intervene on behalf of their city, state, province, or nation. This powerful prayer enables us to watch the evening news without feeling anxious or fearful. It provides a way to pray for peace in Washington, Minneapolis, Nairobi, Johannesburg, London, or wherever you lay your head tonight. We can watch the broadcasts, read the stories, scroll through the internet, or listen to friends’ pain, but now with hope and promise.

“Pray for the peace of (you voice the location); May those who love you be secure. May there be peace within your walls and security within your citadels. For the sake of my family and friends, I will say, Peace be within you. For the sake of the house of the LORD our God, I will seek your prosperity,” (122:6-9)

We can carefully position our wind chimes in just the right spot to catch the wind, but there is silence until the wind blows through them. “Let all your thoughts be with the Most High and direct your humble prayers unceasingly to Christ.” (Thomas a Kempis). Can you only imagine what a beautiful sound in heaven as our prayers echo through the streets of Heaven? Can you only imagine the chorus of millions praying for the peace of their city?

God is great!

When Others Dismiss You, What Do You Do?

/1 Comment/in , , , , /by

Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ. Galatians 1:10 NIV

“This hobbit was a very well-to-do hobbit, and his name was Baggins. The Bagginses had lived in the neighbourhood of The Hill for time out of mind, and people considered them very respectable, not only because most of them were rich, but also because they never had any adventures or did anything unexpected: you could tell what a Baggins would say on any question without the bother of asking him. This is a story of how a Baggins had an adventure and found himself doing and saying things altogether unexpected. He may have lost the neighbours’ respect, but he gained—well, you will see whether he gained anything in the end.” (from The Hobbit, J.R.R. Tolkien)

J.R.R. Tolkien opened our imaginations to adventure. One thing we learned about Bilbo Baggins was that as long as he lived according to Hobbit expectations, all was fine. However, when he went on his great adventure with Gandalf, everything changed.

 Tolkien experienced a similar kind of rejection after he was nominated by his good friend C.S. Lewis for the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1961. Lewis believed his friend showed a unique, imaginative scope and depth in storytelling that deserved acknowledgment. Unfortunately, the Nobel Prize committee didn’t agree and rejected the nomination, stating that “Tolkien’s storytelling lacked the literary quality required for the prize.” Tolkien may not have matched others’ expectations, but he kept doing what he did best: writing. He became known as the “father” of modern fantasy literature and is considered one of the most influential authors of all time.

When others dismiss you, what do you do? You look for God’s view. When Samuel the prophet was given the task of anointing the next king of Israel after Saul failed, he first looked at the outward appearance of the sons of Jesse. “Surely the LORD’s anointed stands here before the LORD.”  Wrong! God told Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” (I Samuel 16:7)

Fernando Mendoza faced 130 rejections before finally being signed by Cal University as a third-string quarterback. When a transfer was brought in to compete for his position, he entered the transfer portal and moved to Indiana University, the losingest program in college football history. That all changed Monday night when Mendoza led Indiana University to its first national championship and undefeated season.

When others dismiss you, what do you do? You find God’s confidence to stand firm. The Psalmist understood that only in God do we have the confidence to withstand the rejections of others. “When hard pressed, I cried to the LORD; he brought me into a spacious place. The LORD is with me; I will not be afraid. What can mere mortals do to me? The LORD is with me; he is my helper. I look in triumph on my enemies.” (Psalm 118: 5-7 NIV)

“Never mind if you think you are unable to take another step, for either he will strengthen you to make you able, or he will call a sudden halt, and you will not have to take it at all.” (Frances Ridley Havergal)

When others dismiss you, what do you do? Keep your focus on God. Our darkest hours are often just moments away from when God will do His greatest work. The Book of Genesis offers a glimpse of God’s work in Joseph’s life. Joseph’s journey—from the favorite son to the despised brother, then sold into slavery, falsely accused, imprisoned, interpreter of dreams, and eventually becoming a prime minister—culminates with him as the rescuer of a nation. At any point, Joseph could have made his life easier by choosing a different path. Yet he chose to stay focused on God and was able to end his story by saying, “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives” Gen 50:20.

“All the good that you will do will come not from you but from the fact that you have allowed yourself to be used by God’s love. Think of this more, and gradually you will be free from the need to prove yourself, and you can be more open to the power that will work through you without your knowing it.” Thomas Merton

When others dismiss you, what do you do? Make sure your identity is firmly rooted in Jesus Christ. Paul was a no-exception rule-keeping religionist until the day he finally encountered living grace. From that day on, there was no mistaking that Paul’s identity was rooted in Jesus. “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” (Galatians 2:20)

The answer to everything we need, every answer we seek, every problem we must overcome is from our identity rooted in Jesus. “God is not a retailer dispensing grace to us in doses. God is not measuring out some patience to the impatient, some love to the unloving, some meekness to the proud in quantities that we take and work on as a kind of capital. God has given only one gift to meet all our need—His Son, Christ Jesus. As I look to Him to live out His life in me, He will be humble and patient and loving and everything else I need—in my stead… (Watchman Nee)

Father, because I am in Christ Jesus, I have everything I need regardless of what others may think or say. I place my trust in you to work out your plans in my life. I take my hands off, letting you have full control. “I will run after you with delight in my heart.” My soul delights in you.

God is great!

Choosing Wisely

/1 Comment/in , , , , /by

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:4-7 NIV

“Marriage is hard. Divorce is hard. Choose your hard.

Obesity is hard. Being fit is hard. Choose your hard.

Being in debt is hard. Being financially disciplined is hard. Choose your hard.

Communication is hard. Not communicating is hard. Choose your hard.

Life will never be easy. It will always be hard. But we can choose our hard. Pick Wisely.”

I appreciate the effort of this wannabe philosopher who came up with this little capsule of truth. I can’t acknowledge the author because I don’t know who wrote it, but we could all add a few lines to the meme. We can add our own “hard” to create a new line or two.

We seldom get to choose our hard; they come to us. Ann Hodges simply wanted a nap, but instead she gained notoriety as the only person documented as being struck by a meteorite. Little did she know that when she lay down on her couch over Sylacauga, Alabama, on November 30, 1954, a meteorite was falling through the sky.

The fragment crashed through her roof, leaving a three-foot hole, bounced off the family’s radio, and hit Mrs. Hodges. The meteorite fragment left a bruise on her upper thigh and caused years of emotional trauma. The piece is now on display in an exhibit at the Alabama Museum of Natural History and is known as the Hodges Fragment. Just for some random information, scientists estimate that more than 50,000 meteorites have hit Earth; you just never know.

 I don’t think you need to put getting hit by a meteorite in your hard category, since you have only a 1 in several million chance of being hit. However, you will face hard. So how do you choose which hard? What do you do when the hard times come? Life is always about choices, what we will do, what we will not do, and it all depends upon you.

You can handle the “hard” on your own. You choose your response by copying what others do, what you think you should do, or how you’ve always dealt with “hard” choices. What we find when we do it ourselves is that it doesn’t always work.

 Jesus knew a few things about making wise decisions when faced with difficult choices. He told his disciples and now shares this truth with us: “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)

Choosing wisely requires a dependable source. Trust God. He will guide. In Proverbs, we are reminded to “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” (3:5-6)

Choosing wisely requires more than we possess. Ask God for wisdom. James reminds us that “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.” (1:5)

Choosing wisely requires knowing whom you will serve. Joshua reminds us that when faced with a choice of whom to serve, he knows exactly whom to serve. “But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve…But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.” (Joshua 24:15)

Choosing wisely requires knowing we are not alone. David reminds us that “The LORD is my shepherd, I lack nothing…He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.” (Psalm 23: 1,3-4)

We will face competing choices on which “hard” to make. When we face difficult choices about which “hard” to choose, it is good to know we have a God who listens and cares for us. God is more than willing to help us navigate the options to choose the best outcome. Howard Thurman’s wise saying from Meditations of the Heart beautifully expresses our dependence upon God.

Open unto me—light for my darkness.

Open unto me—courage for my fear.

Open unto me—hope for my despair.

Open unto me—peace for my turmoil.

Open unto me—joy for my sorrow.

Open unto me—strength for my weakness.

Open unto me—wisdom for my confusion.

Open unto me—forgiveness for my sins.

Open unto me—love for my hates.

Open unto me—thyself for myself.

Lord—Lord, open unto me!

Amen. (Meditations of the Heart: LORD, Open Unto Me)

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.” (Philippians 4:8)

God is great!

“The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.” Martin Luther King, Jr.