Perfection or Nothing

Devotional originally posted September 21, 2016.

Many years ago someone said to me, “If you expect either perfection or nothing, you’ll get nothing.” I think I understood the meaning of this in a vague sort of way, thought it sounded wise, and then banked it somewhere in my subconscious.

This idea has been brought back to me recently with different words that have really caught my attention. Someone said, “If you’re always looking for the ideal in life, you can’t be really living in the moment. You will always be dissatisfied.”

Although I don’t think of myself as a perfectionist, I do know myself to be always looking for the ideal, the best, the greatest, the number one, the most beautiful, the first-class, the most famous, the smartest, the way things SHOULD be. I think this comes from somehow being taught never to settle, never to give up, to set my sights high, to strive, strive, strive. And I have expected this from others too.

There are certainly some good points to trying our best and setting good standards, but for myself I’ve realized that if I am extreme in this way, I am always unhappy with real life. I can’t fully enjoy life, I can’t experience the real moment I’m living in and I can’t fully appreciate the people around me. I even have a hard time with my relationship with God. This is because I’m wanting every connection with Him to be the best, better than the last, electric, dynamic, life-changing. So, in reality, how often does a human experience those moments with God? Probably only once in a great while. And that’s probably a good thing, because otherwise we’d find it extremely hard to live in this often mundane, everyday kind of world, with all its imperfections.

If I think about it, my way of thinking has been very covetous, to use a Biblical word. I always want something I don’t have, or want to be someone I’m not, or want others to be someone they’re not….and then I live with either a low-grade or high-grade sense of dissatisfaction and fail to see the goodness and grace of what IS.

So with God’s help, I’m trying to find the right balance in my life: not expecting too much and not expecting too little. No perfection, and no nothing. I’m open to starting to see the beauty of God’s goodness and grace in all the regular, day-to-day little happenings. This even reminds me of the many places in Scripture where God’s people were often drawn to their captors (Egyptians, Assyrians and Babylonians) because of the rich, beautiful and exciting things those cultures offered, but at the same time ignoring the quiet waters of the Promised Land which God had given them for their sustenance and pleasure. Like me, the Israelites wanted the exciting wealthy, cool and hip - the happening place and culture of the powerful. They got bored with the gentle, quiet waters of everyday Israel, though that’s where the Lord’s goodness and presence were strongest.

God’s goodness is everywhere. His glory is all over creation; His image is somewhere to be found in all humans, however buried it may be. How much better to allow ourselves to be amazed at His presence day-to-day in the mundane, rather than to be craning our necks for something more, always something more.

Isaiah 8:6 (NLT)
“My care for the people of Judah is like the gently flowing waters of Shiloah, but they have rejected it. They are rejoicing over what will happen to King Rezin and King Pekah.

Psalms 16:11 (NLT)
You will show me the way of life,
granting me the joy of your presence
and the pleasures of living with you forever. 

Matthew 7:9-11 (NLT)
“You parents—if your children ask for a loaf of bread, do you give them a stone instead? Or if they ask for a fish, do you give them a snake? Of course not! So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him.

"A Letter to Parents"

Recently my wife shared with me the following letter. It was an honest, yet painful encouragement to parents who are contending for better days ahead with a teen or young adult. Our guiding phrase over the years has been, "We'll fight for you and even fight YOU for you" but this does not lead to warm and fuzzy parenting feelings!

This letter was written by Gretchen L Schmelzer Ph from the perspective of a teen to their parent. It seems to address much of the pain many parents experience while raising young men and women through the adolescent and young adult years.  I felt is was worth passing on to any parent who may feel like they are in a lose-lose situation with a child they love and are desperately trying to hold space for a better day in the future.

Hang in there my friends! May you sense the heart of a suffering Savior that modeled love and served the highest and best in us even we couldn't see or appreciate it. I hope you are encouraged and strengthened in your journey today.

- Pastor Dusty

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Dear Parent:

This is the letter I wish I could write. This fight we are in right now. I need it. I need this fight. I can’t tell you this because I don’t have the language for it and it wouldn’t make sense anyway. But I need this fight. Badly. I need to hate you right now and I need you to survive it. I need you to survive my hating you and you hating me. I need this fight even though I hate it too. It doesn’t matter what this fight is even about: curfew, homework, laundry, my messy room, going out, staying in, leaving, not leaving, boyfriend, girlfriend, no friends, bad friends. It doesn’t matter. I need to fight you on it and I need you to fight me back.

I desperately need you to hold the other end of the rope. To hang on tightly while I thrash on the other end—while I find the handholds and footholds in this new world I feel like I am in. I used to know who I was, who you were, who we were. But right now I don’t. Right now I am looking for my edges and I can sometimes only find them when I am pulling on you. When I push everything I used to know to its edge. Then I feel like I exist and for a minute I can breathe. I know you long for the sweeter kid that I was. I know this because I long for that kid too, and some of that longing is what is so painful for me right now.

I need this fight and I need to see that no matter how bad or big my feelings are—they won’t destroy you or me. I need you to love me even at my worst, even when it looks like I don’t love you. I need you to love yourself and me for the both of us right now. I know it sucks to be disliked and labeled the bad guy. I feel the same way on the inside, but I need you to tolerate it and get other grownups to help you. Because I can’t right now. If you want to get all of your grown up friends together and have a ‘surviving-your-teenager-support-group-rage-fest’ that’s fine with me. Or talk about me behind my back--I don’t care. Just don’t give up on me. Don’t give up on this fight. I need it. This is the fight that will teach me that my shadow is not bigger than my light. This is the fight that will teach me that bad feelings don’t mean the end of a relationship. This is the fight that will teach me how to listen to myself, even when it might disappoint others.

And this particular fight will end. Like any storm, it will blow over. And I will forget and you will forget. And then it will come back. And I will need you to hang on to the rope again. I will need this over and over for years. I know there is nothing inherently satisfying in this job for you. I know I will likely never thank you for it or even acknowledge your side of it. In fact I will probably criticize you for all this hard work. It will seem like nothing you do will be enough. And yet, I am relying entirely on your ability to stay in this fight. No matter how much I argue. No matter how much I sulk. No matter how silent I get. Please hang on to the other end of the rope. And know that you are doing the most important job that anyone could possibly be doing for me right now.
 

Love, Your Teenager

by Gretchen L Schmelzer Ph, 2015

When Fall Comes, I Welcome Death Like a Tree

On Tuesdays I work for my friend Katherine in her expansive garden that encircles a peach-colored gingerbread Victorian called “the Marlahan House” where she lives and grows vegetables for the Saturday farmer’s market in Etna.

All summer long, Katherine’s garden was a lush forest of blossoming, fruiting things: rows of peppers, tomatoes, and tomatillos, boxed hedges of brassicas: kale, broccoli and cauliflower with lazy cabbage moths flitting through the leaves, thickets of fragrant herbs tucked under the shade of swooping maples and black locust trees. My very favorite piece of the edible landscape is a blanket of grapevines growing up against the patio as a living sun shade; the clusters of fruit hung down just within reach. These vibrant colors and flavors saturate my summer memories like raspberry-stained fingers.

Yesterday, I returned to the garden only to find the dramatic shift that takes place after the first freezes of fall. Stalks have lost their will to stand and droop like a row of sad Charlie Browns, leaves wither and their colors fade, vines seal off and shrivel like shed snakeskin. All this loss marks the end of the annual plants’ life cycle. We pull them from the ground and mix their remains with water, ready compost and nitrogen-rich used chicken bedding to make a feast for the microbes that will return a summer’s worth of plants into ready soil for next year’s garden. New life from death.

Death seems like such a manageable, and perhaps even quaint, participant in the beautiful scenes of fall. We never think of the glorious rusts, golds and ochres splashed throughout the treeline as the plants’ sighing goodbye from a season of plenty to a season of lonely want. The deciduous trees let go of the only part of their bodies that metabolized sunlight into energy and let those precious little food-machines fall on the ground and die! On crisp, sunny afternoons we are actually raking up thousands of little symbols of the great cost and courageous risk of embracing death.

But the autumnal deaths we see happening in nature don’t really scare us or make us sad, right? We know that spring is coming. We have unwavering faith that everything will be restored by April at the very latest. Why is it, then that we have such difficult time accepting the onset of autumn in our lives? Why does a pay cut feel like the end of the world? Or the loss of a job, a friend, a car, a house? What do we do when the savings account is drained? When you are passed over for a promotion again? When a loved one fails you again? When a dream is deferred again, again and again?

Let the Leaves Fall
The only way I have come to accept the onset of fall and its season of death in my life is to recognize that all the things I have been given; jobs, money, possessions, friendships, goals, etc -they are all like leaves. Each one is a gift that can offer joy but cannot sustain the tree forever. Just as leaves come and go, all things in our lives will fluctuate throughout the seasons. Whether we’re ready for it or not, they can fall at any time.

That being said, I find that just telling myself “attachment is futile” doesn’t really cut it. Losing things really hurts, and platitudes about the fleetingness of life usually make me feel worse. I’m not very zen like the trees outside -I desperately cling to my leaves and try to glue them back on!

The Psalms of David have been a healing place for me in the midst of autumnal circumstances, because David strikes an insightful balance between blunt honesty about his feelings of struggle and pointed truth about what God is already doing for him. In Psalm 62 David reminds himself that God is his true sustenance —all the rest is just leaves.

Psalm 62:6-10
“For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence,
 for my hope is from him.
 He only is my rock and my salvation,
my fortress; I shall not be shaken.
On God rests my salvation and my glory;
my mighty rock, my refuge is God.
Trust in him at all times, O people;
pour out your heart before him;
God is a refuge for us.
Selah
Those of low estate are but a breath;
those of high estate are a delusion;
in the balances they go up;
they are together lighter than a breath.
Put no trust in extortion;
set no vain hopes on robbery;
if riches increase, set not your heart on them.”

Don’t Dry Up
When the outside circumstances are dried up and lifeless it is absolutely critical that a tree not do the same inside. As the temperatures drop, deciduous trees actually change their cell contents to prevent the freezes from breaking each cell. The tree carefully saves the water it has gathered and actually enjoys a tiny amount of heat from the movement of water in and out of the cell wall. In the autumnal Psalm 22, David is candid about his sadness and yet he still lets the truth of God that he absorbed in the springtime of his life flow in and out of his cells like a frost-bound tree. Truth can renew us this way, and warm our souls during the autumn freeze.

Psalm 22:1-5
“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
Why are you so far from saving me,
from the words of my groaning?
O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer,
and by night, but I find no rest.
Yet you are holy,
enthroned on the praises of Israel.
In you our fathers trusted;
they trusted, and you delivered them.
To you they cried and were rescued;
 in you they trusted and were not put to shame.”

Spring Is Coming
While the tree sustains itself through its slow, methodical water circulation, it rests. While it is resting, the season slowly changes: each leaf that was released to the ground is metabolized by microbes in the soil, fertilizing the root systems of the tree as the thaw brings it back to life. In the same way, allowing the hope we placed in our leaves fall to the ground and die is like fertilizer for a renewed sense of hope God is cultivating in us.

Psalm 51:7-12
“Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;
wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
Let me hear joy and gladness;
let the bones that you have broken rejoice.
Hide your face from my sins,
and blot out all my iniquities.
Create in me a clean heart, O God,
and renew a right spirit within me.
Cast me not away from your presence,
and take not your Holy Spirit from me.
Restore to me the joy of your salvation,
and uphold me with a willing spirit.”

Fall is as important to the renewal and restoration of each ecological system as the more fruitful, growing seasons. That’s the mind-blowing thing. Death clears the way for new life; it enables and empowers growth and transformation.

Maybe this is what Paul means when he writes in Romans 6, “Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?  We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.”

What is God renewing in you this fall? Are there leaves you need to let go of?
What truths do you meditate on to keep from drying up?

Allie Hymas is a mother, writer, and textile enthusiast raising two kids and a little herd of Icelandic Sheep with her husband Justin in Etna, California. Allie is passionate about worshipping God through music and gathering people around delicious food.

Allie has been a guest worship leader at CitySalt twice in the past year.

“I AM WHO I AM.”

Exodus 3:14
God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I AM has sent me to you.’”

Sometimes I wonder where exactly God hangs out. We are given an image of God in a cloud shrouded, pearly gated heaven where He looks down upon us from a reclining position with flowing white beard. As comforting as that image is, I find it a bit confusing; if God is reclining in a cloud bank somewhere, how could He hear all of our prayers or keep track of everything; like the declining number of hairs on my head (Matthew 10:30)? We know that Jesus came to live among us a couple of millennia ago, died for our sins and then rose again. But where did he really go when he finally ascended into heaven and where does He hang out as we await the promise of His return?  Maybe we are not supposed to know where God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit reside… and we probably wouldn’t be able to comprehend it anyway. But I can’t help it, I am curious. I really want to know.

Where would God need to be in order to know everything about me long before I was born and still be with me at the moment my body passes from this earth? Where in our known universe could God exist in order to know all of my thoughts, words and deeds? There must be another place where God operates that is outside of our understanding of time and space. That this place (wherever it is) allows God to connect with each of us is no small miracle.

2 Peter 3:8
But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day.

The place that most people ask the “where is God” question is when He seems absent. Yes, where is God in the moment of a terrorist act? Where is God when thousands are dying in wars and where is God in the face of man’s overwhelming inhumanity to man?

Sorry to disappoint but I don’t know the answer to these questions. As far as where God is when things go horribly wrong, I believe God is present but we are simply seeing the consequences of our free will actions in a culture where so many choose to live godlessly. Despite our godless culture, my sense is that God does indeed somehow live within each and every one of us and within the world around us. I don’t pretend to understand this but believe I have encountered God on many occasions here on earth through His people and through His amazing creation: a hug or a touch in a time of need… the cry of a newborn… the beauty of a sunrise… the graceful flight of a heron… a thoughtful gesture… a smile… a random act of kindness… that familiar melody that stirs your heart. Sometimes the trick is recognizing when we are in the midst of an encounter with God. Understanding these moments as the gifts they are is a true blessing.

Time is God’s way to keep everything from happening at once.
~Anonymous

Considering God’s ability to exist outside of time, it’s ironic that we can only connect with God in the present moment. I think sometimes we get so caught up regretting the past or worrying about the future that we neglect our continuous connection with God in the present. When we are able to enjoy each moment as a gift we understand how God’s timing is always perfect.

In-Between Plans

Someone once said that life is what happens in-between our plans. I suppose we are all in a bit of denial with this because we assume our best laid plans will go well if we just plan well. I am at heart a spontaneous guy. But I also have a penchant for over-planning sometimes. I will, for example, pack a weekend trip with too much activity, then wonder why I’m so tired afterwards.

Ideally anyway, turbo-planning can be a smart and responsible way to accomplish something, right? But it can also be harmful to people in our lives if we let our frustrations get the best of us. Been there, done that. Way too much.

Recently “life happened" to me in-between my plans, but with an unexpected result. It was during Colby and my recent anniversary weekend,. We were on our way to Portland on a Friday evening, heading to our first stop, a Piano Guys concert. After weeks of scheming and dreaming, I was glad to finally be moving down the road. Following close behind was our recently purchased vintage camp trailer, Buttercup. This was our maiden voyage. I have this thing for trying to surprise Colby with trips like this, and this time she wasn't able to guess (much of) what was coming. But a surprise was coming my way too.

A sudden bump, a muffled noise, then swerving. I instantly knew what it was - a blown out tire on the trailer. I managed to safely pull over on I-5's busy shoulder. Traffic was screaming by as my mind raced with the tasks ahead, to get this trailer, and our weekend moving again. Over the next hour and a half, I met with a cascade of unfortunate events. Jacks that were too small, not much space to work under the trailer, and the kicker that stopped me in my tracks - the spare wheel was inexplicably too small for the axle! Really.

I was exhausted and deeply frustrated. I won't mention all the details here, but we split company with ol' Buttercup, had her towed back to town while we continued north. We were late, but enjoyed most of the concert. Our friends who we met at our campsite on the second night brought us their backpacking tent to sleep in. It rained on us here and there during our epic bike ride and throughout the night, but we remained in good spirits (ok, I tried to anyway).

What I learned was this: People are always more important than our plans. At one point Colby pulled me aside and told me what a great weekend it was. Not because, she said, of my big time plans, but because we worked well together to get through our challenges. Yes, she and the Lord are so good for me.

We trusted God to help us through. We kept our sense of humor and we made the best of it. We laughed and ate and played with great friends. And we refused to lose focus on what was important.

I hadn't planned on it, but lesson learned.

Good Things Are Waiting for Us

I learned another life lesson after two built-in bookcases were recently installed in my living room. I needed to hire an electrician to add a spark guard to the two electrical outlets that the bookcases were built around. This was an important safety precaution that prevented the electrical current from arcing out beyond the electrical boxes.

I was anxious about choosing and hiring an electrician due to an expensive previous experience. Prayerfully, I asked God to please protect me from hiring the wrong electrician and guide me to the right one. I lost sleep and had a knot in my stomach for most of this process.

God’s faithful answer came to me while I was washing dishes. My kitchen sink is directly in front of my kitchen window which looks out over the parking lot of our condo complex. I looked up while rinsing a dish and saw a contractor’s van parked directly in front of my window. The name and phone number of an electrical company was prominently painted on the front of the van over the windshield. God’s answer literally stared me in the face. Our loving Heavenly Father is indeed merciful and can have a delightfully dry sense of humor. I laughed out loud as I dried my hands and quickly scribbled down this information.

An inspired thought, not of my own creation, suddenly dropped into my mind. I grabbed my smart phone and took photos of the electrical outlets that needed the spark guards. As I briskly walked outside, I heard the electrician thank one of my neighbors and say good bye. I thanked God for his perfect timing.

I met the electrician at the driver’s side of his van and introduced myself and my project needs. He looked at my photos and explained what was needed to be done. He also walked me to the other side of the van, opened the sliding door and showed me the parts that would be used. I thanked him for his time and walked back inside my home. I inhaled and exhaled a long and relaxing breath then broke into peals of laughter. And as I laughed I thanked God for his faithful and much appreciated provision!

Later, my neighbor confirmed this company had done a great job on his project. My experience was also very positive. The electrician was efficient and patiently answered my occasional questions. He worked for a half hour and the bill was reasonable. How wonderful life can be when we ask God for help, choose to trust Him completely, and remember we can wait for his faithful provision with joyful expectation!

Proverbs 4:18 NIV
“The path of the righteous is like the morning sun, shining ever brighter till the full light of day.”

Community Prayer Guide | October 2017

Each month we receive an updated Community Prayer Guide from One Hope ministry network that helps the church draw near to God and pray for various areas of our city life together. We invite you to take time to join hundreds of people who are praying each month for 10 strategic areas that shape our community's culture.

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One Church - One Day Community Prayer                           October 2017

After Jesus said this, he looked toward heaven and prayed: “Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you.  For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him.”   John 17:1-2
 

Church
Pray for Jesus-followers to receive renewed grace and power to share the Gospel.
Pray for all pastors and ministry leaders to love each other in greater measure.
Pray for all Christ-honoring churches to clearly demonstrate God’s love and truth.
Pray for CityFest: for the Lord’s wisdom and direction as churches collaborate to serve our community.

Education
Pray for outreach ministries on school & college campuses to make quick & lasting connections with students, so they can lead them to Jesus & into true community.
Pray for Jesus-following students to grow in their unity, boldness, prayer & outreach on their campuses.
Pray for Jesus-following educators to give peace & hope to students dealing with anxiety and fear.  
Pray for Jesus-following teachers to find each other & pray together on/for their campuses, especially at LCC.

Family
Pray for the Lord to “set the lonely in families,” that children and lonely people experience “family.”
Pray God’s blessing on all parenting classes, and for parents to be equipped to love and lead their children.
Pray for marriages that are struggling to have hope, help and the resources they need to heal.
Pray for marriages to be strengthened and for marriage to be honored in our community

Government
Pray for light, safety and security in all of our public parks.
Pray for the Lord’s blessing, wisdom and grace to be upon all of our government leaders.
Pray for the “15th Night” to empower students & parents to become active in preventing youth homelessness.
Pray for government agencies to work together with greater synergy and effectiveness: The county, cities, utility companies, schools, first responders, etc.

Business
Pray for a greater partnership between business and education sectors to train more people in trade skills.
Pray for encouraging and wise relationships that build trust among our business, government & faith sectors.
Pray for Christ-honoring business leaders to receive fresh wisdom for their businesses, and insight to make the most of this season of economic growth.
Pray for new businesses to start, and established businesses to move to our community in order to create more living-wage jobs.

Arts
Pray for God to open the eyes of Jesus-followers to see what He is doing in the Arts.
Pray for art instructors to have God’s light, and to inspire & encourage kids to develop their gifts.
Pray for the Rose Children’s Theater to be guided by the Lord, as they select what plays to perform.
Pray for artists, musicians and performers to be drawn to Jesus and the Gospel, so that they can find the peace and meaning they are looking for.

Health Care
Pray for health care providers to be empowered and effective in treating mental illness.
Pray for deliverance and healing for all who are struggling with substance abuse.
Pray for local health care providers: healthy marriages, families, personal health and well-being.
Pray for the Lord’s favor to be on “Stop and Think,” an abstinence curriculum taught in public schools.
Pray for God’s hope & love to intervene for those struggling with suicidal thoughts.
Pray for a decrease in the suicide rate (The Lane County suicide rate has almost doubled this year).

Police and Fire Departments 
Pray for God to lead the process and selection of the next Police Chief for the Eugene Police Department.
Pray for the authority of Jesus to bring light, peace and safety during Halloween.
Pray for harmony and clear communication between unions and first responder leadership.
Pray for the well-being and emotional health for first responders and their families.
Pray for more qualified recruits to be hired for all departments & cities: Sheriff, Police, Fire & EMTs.
Pray for the wisdom, peace and safety of those serving in our police and fire departments.

Media
Pray for the media coverage of CityFest to be positive, inviting, and for it to draw people to participate.
Pray for media outlets’ community service projects to be effective and beneficial.
Pray for truthful, fair and accurate reporting in all areas of local media.
Pray for local stories to break down negative stereotypes and help neighbors love neighbors.
Pray for strong, stable and prosperous local media: radio, TV and newspaper.

Sports
Pray for safety, protection and peace over every public sporting event.
Pray for coaches at all levels to be empowered to encourage, teach, inspire and lead with integrity.
Pray for the Lord’s favor and expansion of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes in our community.
Pray for funding and the fruition of the Eugene Civic Alliance’s vision to build a new sports and recreation complex for children on the former Civic Stadium site.
Pray for strength, kingdom-friendships & encouragement for newly-recruited, Christ-following college athletes and coaches as they begin their careers here.

Jesus Calms the Storm | Mark 4:35-41

I have the absolute pleasure of leading the Kids’ Ministry here at CitySalt Church. And each week I am moved into extreme thankfulness and awe, just by being with our kids! I love seeing how they experience God, and getting to rehearse the Truths I have known my whole life with them, while seeing it through their eyes. I feel like it gives me a front row seat and such a fresh perspective, reminding me to “be like a child.” (Matt. 18:3)

And though teaching the kids isn’t all about me, God sure does meet me in the middle of it. Each week as I sit with Him and pray and get direction for the next Sunday lesson, He speaks to me and shows me more about Himself and the Word. It’s so fun.

Most recently, as we’ve been looking at Jesus’ life, He has been highlighting the relationship aspect to me. I have been struck anew by both Jesus’ relationship with the Father and the beautiful way they interact, as well as Jesus’ relationship with His friends.  

My latest example is the story when Jesus calms the storm (Mark 4:35-41). A few really key points jumped out and grabbed me, and I am excited to share them with you.

The first thing that hit me was the disciples. Lately, I have been really relating to those guys! As you read , and put yourself into their sandals, it helps to get a feel for what was going on. Jesus had just finished preaching all day, and then had stepped aside with the disciples and explained the parables to them. He was tired!  In verse 36 it says they took Him “just as He was” in the boat, and they headed across to the other side of the sea which was more remote. Jesus lay down in the back of the boat, with His head on a hard leather pillow, and slept.  

Next, of course, the storm hits! And the disciples are freaking out! They had been on this sea before, and I am sure had seen storms come and go. For them to be fearful for their lives, you know it was a big deal. This is where it’s really fun to put yourself right in the story – with the boat going up and down, the huge waves, and the storm crashing all around. I wonder who finally decided to wake Jesus up? I wonder if they had a discussion first? Maybe they were hesitant to wake Him, because they knew He needed sleep? You know they were scared and possibly frustrated. You can tell they are upset with Him when they do finally wake Him, saying, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?”  

How many times in my life have I looked at circumstances that I have been praying for, that are HARD, and my prayers have turned into rebukes? “Jesus, why aren’t You doing anything? Why isn’t this changing? Why aren’t they healed? Don’t you care?” Let’s just say, I can relate to the disciples! Can you?

Jesus, of course, wakes up and rebukes the storm, saying, “Quiet! Be still!” (v. 39) and the wind died down and the storm was completely calm. What would that have been like to see? Again, the disciples were familiar with the water, and had most likely seen lots of storms come and go. Never had they seen one immediately calm down at a command! Wow!

The last part of this story is Jesus’ response to His friends. He does not talk about the storm. He instead asks them questions. See, they had been with Him through a lot, had walked miles and miles by His side, had heard Him teach and had seen Him perform many miracles already. So He used questions to help them see what they were believing…Jesus asked, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?” (v. 40)

This is the point of the story that I love.  As I put myself in the story, I realized Jesus did not mention the storm or talk about the circumstances at all. He was reminding them what it’s really all about – having our eyes on Him, having faith, and believing Truth despite what is happening around us. You see, they had expectations. They expected His love to look a certain way, they expected Him to do certain things, and they judged His heart based on what they perceived as the outcome. His questions were reminding them who He was, and allowing them experience that Truth in the midst of the storm.

Again, I can relate! When I am praying with someone who is hurting or a circumstance that is complicated, I can focus on the storm. I can come up with the perfect plan or solution and then look for Jesus to accomplish it. I expect His love and actions to line up with my expectations. And when it doesn’t look like that’s happening, what do I do? I can get frustrated, I can doubt, I can start to partner with fear and question Jesus’ love. “Don’t you care?” I know I have certainly done all of these things.

What I take away from this story, though, is that Jesus didn’t say, “I will calm every storm in your life.” He instead directed the disciples’ focus back to Himself, and what they knew about Him. This highlights the real storm, which is not the circumstances but what is going on inside of us. The battle between fear and faith, between believing God is good and judging Him by the circumstances. The battle between knowing His heart for us and letting our fear be the lens to how we see Him.  

There is a never-ending supply of storms.  Jesus said, “In this world there will be trouble,” (John 16:33) but He doesn’t leave it there. He goes on to say, “But take heart! I have overcome the world.” This is where we can place our hope and our trust. His love will never fail us. In the midst of the storm, we can turn our eyes to Him and we can rehearse the truth: He is good. His love never fails. With Him all things are possible.

Thank You, Jesus, that You are with us in the storms of our lives. Thank You that we don’t have to rely on circumstances and we can let go of our expectations, and instead put our eyes on You. Thank You for the reminder of who You are, that “even the wind and waves obey You.” (v. 41) I bless each of us with the ability to tuck into You in the midst of the storms, as you help us live in the reality of Your love.

Matthew 18:3 (NIV)
And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

Mark 4:35-41 (NIV)
That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side.” Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?”
He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.
He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?”
They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!”

John 16:33 (NIV)
“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.”

The Wonder of Us

Psalm 139:14 ‘I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well’

I remember the sense of wonder my infant children had as they were discovering fingers and toes. I then recall seeing that sense of amazement start to dampen as they grew and matured into adulthood.  I think it is important that we not lose that sense of awe in our bodies. Is it not miraculous what our eyes can do… what our ears and noses can do? It is amazing what our hearts do every day, not to mention the mass of neurons between our ears pulsing with electrical energy, that we call brains. Our brains are able to operate all of our various systems and organs in the background while allowing us to move our mouths and limbs in amazing, sometimes even annoying ways. If you drill down into the very makeup and nature of our bodies, you discover miracle after miracle from the way that cells divide in the womb to form an embryo, to how the nerves and vessels are laid down, to how our noses and ears keep growing long after most of our other body parts have stopped. Our Creator shows astonishing attention to detail (and perhaps a sense of humor with some of us).

It takes effort to properly care for our bodies but it is important that we do so because in essence, these bodies are not really ours to do with as we wish; our bodies belong to God.  God provided these bodies as a vessel to carry our souls through life. We must be good stewards of this gift and eat wisely, exercise and respect this gift in every way. This is not about worshiping the body but it is about understanding that God created the body as a home for the soul and gave each of us the responsibility to care for it.

Good health is not simply a physical body that works well. Good health is a healthy soul in a healthy body. Just as the body is nourished by certain foods, the soul needs spiritual nourishment. Our awareness of God must be nourished with activities such as study, prayer and virtuous acts to help the soul connect with God. A healthy soul is necessary for a healthy body and a healthy body is necessary for a healthy soul.  I find that when I am able to keep that sense of wonder alive, the struggle to nurture my body can seem almost effortless. Thank you Lord for the gift of our bodies and the amazing wonders before us and within us.

The Art of Deception

We all encounter the enemy of our souls and his coercive attempts on our lives. We get cues from scripture about “powers and principalities” and “fiery darts”. It's powerful language but I have to admit it sometimes seems grandiose and hard to process. Quoting scripture at the enemy is certainly a worthy tool, and we are shown how to put on the full Armor of God. I am not always good at dressing myself, but lately because of some interpersonal challenges, I have been understanding all of this in a more specific way.

We all know the devil is a liar and it occurred to me that lies are most effective when they are not shouted, but instead whispered in a moment of weakness. And they are not simply random and incorrect, “sterile” theological statements (we typically fear being wrong, don’t we?), but rather they come at us in cleverly strategic moments - wrapped in relational context.

More to the point - because we are such social creatures, these malicious mistruths hit us the hardest when we are in conflict with people. Sad to say, but the devil’s exaggerations get inadvertently delivered to us by those we are closest to, and when we feel the most vulnerable. Yep, he's the jerk starting the fire, then watching us burn.

Now please don’t get me wrong here, I am not about casting relational blame, because most of the time our good-intentioned loved ones are just perhaps being a bit clumsy. Plus we're all inherently out for our own self-interest, right? I think the enemy loves hijacking a less than perfect situation and using others as unintentional pawns, to twist and to inflame. The delivery vehicle is our inherent weakness to quickly agree with fear, and apply personal shame.

Whether it’s a friendship going sour, a stressful job relationship, or a marriage in crisis, we all too often blame others instead of focusing on what the Lord might really be saying to us, and about us. He carries an alternative message that is life enriching, with important personal course correction. He then circles around and helps us better deal with these difficult situations next time.

When the quiet personal attacks come, they are powerful, because our perception is powerful. So how do we deal with them? For me, I’ve learned that things are seldom what they seem in the heat of the moment. Lies are mixed with truth and often I get too emotionally lazy and fearful to really talk things through with the person I am in conflict with. Or the other extreme - I mouth off and make things worse. Arrogance and ignorance are two lethal extremes to avoid.

I have always loved Dusty’s phrase: “Practice generous assumptions.” A wise person once said that in the absence of genuine communication, the void is filled with false assumptions. That means lies! Sounds like a perfect toxic breeding ground for the enemy’s weeds. Yuck!

I have found that God's course correction for me means:

1. Take a deep breath
2. View things with His broad perspective
3. Stay humble
4. Talk openly with people
5. Realize empathy towards others (generous assumptions!)
6. Practice self-acceptance (no shame)

"Hide and Seek"

Devotional originally posted February 16, 2017

Psalm 19:1-4 NIV
The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of His hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge. They have no speech, they use no words; no sound is heard from them. Yet their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world.

Romans 1:20 NIV
For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities---His eternal power and divine nature---have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.

These two Scriptures seem to state clearly that God’s existence, and even His glory, is proclaimed every day and night by His creation for all to see. The heavens declare His glory; the skies proclaim the work of His hands; the creation speaks of His eternal power and divine nature. I can certainly personally attest to the truth of these Scriptures as I settle in to watch the sunrise, something I try to do most mornings of the year. Being a nature lover, the ocean, the mountains, the deserts, rivers, trees and plants and animals of all kinds speak to me of the amazing creativity and awesome wisdom and power of God. And I know this revelation is meant for all mankind.

But I also notice in Scripture that there are many references to the mystery of God and to things of God that are hidden.

Colossians 2:2-3 NIV
My goal is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.

Matthew 13:44-46 NIV
The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.

Apparently, some things of God are out in the open for everyone to see, while other things are hidden away, enticing us to look for them like buried treasure. Is there a difference between the two types of things? If so, what is the difference?

Maybe God likes to play hide and seek! What I mean is, there are ways in which He seems to shout out, “Here I am!” and there are other ways He seems to go quiet. Could it be that He is looking for people who will look for Him? He seems to like it that people are willing to drop what they’re doing and focus on Him. I think this is why He made the Sabbath day so special and called it holy. This is a time to drop all the normal, everyday activities and pursuits to give time and space to seek Him out. He asks us to go into our “prayer closets” and talk with Him.

Maybe God’s overt expression is for humanity as a whole, but the secret hidden mysteries are to be revealed to each individual as he or she meets alone with their Father.

I don’t think I will ever tire of watching the sunrise. But I want more. I believe God wants more too. The question and the challenge is this: am I willing to sell what I have to buy the field with the treasure in it? Am I willing to let go of my agenda for a time to seek out His? Sometimes I find this easy to do, more often I find it difficult, but I do know that either way, God is already right there with me.

The Antidote to Worry

My bookcase project is done! I’m sure my friends are happy my frequent expressions of anxiety and panic are over, but the experience taught me to enjoy another facet of God’s love.

I jokingly call myself a recovering perfectionist. Occasional over thinking and self-doubt can sometimes make it hard to get things done. I hugely dislike this tendency and have worked for years to adopt a more positive and productive pattern.

Despite the daunting task ahead, I had a vision of the finished product and stubbornly took on the challenge. I hired a cabinet company to build and install a custom-made 6x7’ bookcase in my living room, and was immediately deluged with a long list of design decisions. Deadlines loomed and my stomach ached. It became harder to make the next group of decisions as I started to second guess my previous decisions.

I found that the specific part of perfectionism I battled was worry. I sometimes felt like I was heaving aside an incredibly heavy manhole cover in order to climb out of my unconsciously self-imposed limitations. God mercifully reminded me worry is a heavy burden I was not meant to carry. I discovered the antidote was to trust in God completely, regardless of any nagging doubts or unexpected setbacks.

Through God’s still small voice I heard Him say “I am going to bless you!”. I pressed into believing this promise and let go of the heavy weight of trying to do it by myself. Also, I chose repeatedly to stop feeling anxious and instead trusted God by waiting in faith for His provision.

God lovingly reminded me I am never alone in whatever I face when I bring it to him in prayer. The initial burning discomfort in my spirit of resisting worry and choosing to trust God in faith, faded as I continued to trust and thank God. It reminded me of the process of exercising and building up weak muscles. I read Psalms when I felt anxious and was tempted to panic. This helped me to avoid inferring with God’s blessings.

The finished bookcase is beautiful and I’m very much enjoying filling it up with books and decorative doo-dads. I recently heard God say “I want you to enjoy your life!”. This strongly motivated me to continue to push aside worry in the future and enjoy the assurance that God is with me always!

I’m not saying I have worry completely under control now. I have more home projects ahead, and I will face a similar tension again, but I have more tools now. I am encouraged by this victory and continue to trust God and His in-progress plan for my life.

Philippians 4:6,7 The Message
Do not fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know our concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It’s wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life.

Community Prayer Guide | August 2017

Each month we receive an updated Community Prayer Guide from One Hope ministry network that helps the church draw near to God and pray for various areas of our city life together. We invite you to take time to join hundreds of people who are praying each month for 10 strategic areas that shape our community's culture.

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One Church - One Day Community Prayer                             August 2017

“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

Church
Pray for the Project Hope School Work Day & Kids’ Fair: For God’s love & joy to reveal Jesus.
Pray for spiritual awakening: the power of the Holy Spirit to be poured out on churches & our community.
Pray for pastors, church leaders and their families to be refreshed, renewed and strengthened in the Lord.
Pray for CityFest: For the Lord’s wisdom & guidance for the leadership teams, as 70+ churches collaborate to serve our community and share the Gospel in new ways.

Family
Pray that parents know God as their source of wisdom, comfort, love and hope.
Pray for parents to lovingly sacrifice for their children, and then be encouraged by the outcome.
Pray for families on the verge of homelessness to be provided basic needs and remain in homes together.
Pray for marriages that are struggling to have hope, help and the resources they need to heal.
Pray that when families face challenging circumstances, they seek God's perspective and experience His encouraging presence.

Education
Pray for God’s grace on teachers to lead students to overcome learning difficulties during summer school.
Pray for God to give teachers wisdom, discernment and expertise to help children feel successful.
Pray for shifting job positions in the school districts: that God would place His people strategically, that they would recognize it, and walk fully in His purposes.
Pray that Christ-followers in education would find one another, particularly at LCC, and that they would pray together for their campus.

Government
Pray for the Lord’s blessing, wisdom and grace to be upon all of our government leaders.
Pray for the 15th Night Community Initiative to be empowered & effective in preventing youth homelessness.
Pray for wise & effective solutions for Downtown Eugene that provide peace, safety, and well-being.
Pray for God’s wisdom and plans for “Project 600,” a low-income housing initiative with the goal to provide 600 units with “wrap-around” services, to lift people into stable and permanent homes.

Business
Pray for a greater partnership between business & education sectors to train more people in trade skills.
Pray for encouraging relationships that build trust among our business, government & faith sectors.
Pray for state business & government leaders to work in harmony to solve economic problems.
Pray for Christ-honoring business leaders to receive fresh wisdom for their businesses, and insight to make the most of this season of economic growth.

Health Care
Pray for local health care providers: healthy marriages, families, personal health and well-being.
Pray for local medical & dental providers to be generous & willing to care for low-income patients.
Pray for God’s hope & love to intervene for those struggling with suicidal thoughts.
Pray for a decrease in the suicide rate. (The Lane County suicide rate has almost doubled this year).
Pray for joy & unity among Christ-following health care providers: connection and encouragement.

Arts
Pray for God to open the eyes of Jesus-followers to see what He is doing in the Arts.
Pray for more opportunities for children to engage in the Arts: funding, teachers, etc.
Pray for the Pacific Rim Art Guild, a Jesus-following group of artists: for God’s blessing & provision for a new gallery & workspace.
Pray for the "20x21 Eugene Mural Project" (it's goal is to create 20 outdoor murals to decorate our community in preparation for the 2021 World Track & Field Championships): For God to guide the selection of the murals & the artists, and that they would be full of light.

Police and Fire Departments
Pray for the wisdom, peace and safety of those serving in our police and fire departments.
Pray for the well-being and emotional health for our first responders and their families.
Pray for all first responder leadership teams: strength, wisdom and a hopeful outlook in the current climate.
Pray for more qualified recruits to be hired for all departments & cities: Sheriff, Police, Fire & EMTs.
Pray for God to lead the process and selection of the next Police Chief for the Eugene Police Department.

Media
Pray for truthful, fair and accurate reporting in all areas of local media.
Pray for local stories to breakdown negative stereotypes and help neighbors love neighbors.
Pray for clear and authentic reporting of Christ-honoring local news.
Pray for strong, stable and prosperous local media: radio, TV and newspaper.

Sports
Pray for the UO Golf team & coaches: God’s favor, peace and guidance as they look for a new assistant coach.
Pray for strength, kingdom-friendships & encouragement for newly-recruited, Christ-following college athletes and coaches as they begin their careers here.
Pray for coaches at all levels to be empowered to encourage, teach, inspire and lead with integrity.
Pray for safety, protection and peace over every public sporting event.

The Word of God is Like Rain or Snow

Maybe not for an Oregonian who experiences plentiful rainfall and lush green and fruitful produce from it, but for a Middle Easterner who lives in or on the edge of a desert, rain is as precious as gold. Israel is one of those places that is partly desert but gets some rain especially in the northern parts like the Galilee area where Jesus was born.

Isaiah 55:10-11 says
As the rain and the snow
come down from heaven,
and do not return to it
without watering the earth
and making it bud and flourish,
so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater,
so is my word that goes out from my mouth:
It will not return to me empty,
but will accomplish what I desire
and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.

Is that not an awesome image? You can almost see the water from rain or snow covering, softening and seeping deep down into the dry, hard, sun-parched dirt, making it capable of nourishing plants and vines and causing life to spring up where there was nothing. Things that were brown and crinkly become green and supple, producing grain and produce and flowers and trees and fruits and vegetables and grass…. like a garden, kind of like The Garden we read about in Genesis 1.

Isaiah tells us that God’s word to us has that same effect on our souls as water does to dry land. Without tending and caring for our souls, they become parched and brittle, drooping. But when God speaks to us there is renewal, revival, nourishment…you might call it blessing, you might call it shalom.

I need God’s word daily. Some days I give that more time than other days. Some days I get busy and don’t listen for it at all. And if I go too long I start to feel dry, ill at ease, unfruitful, unable to function well.

Jesus, in quoting Deuteronomy 8:3, said we don’t live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the Father. Lord, help us hear! And thank you for the rain and snow that restores our souls! And isn’t it interesting that Jesus came from the one region of the Middle East that benefits from fairly regular rain and snowfall? He is the Word! And He is the Bread of Life!

Deuteronomy 8:3
He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your ancestors had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.

John 6:35
Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.

Holding on to God’s Promises

Have you ever heard the saying “In the Old Testament the New Testament is concealed; in the New Testament the Old Testament is revealed”? I like that saying and often think of it when reading the Bible. Right now I am reading through Deuteronomy and I came across a scripture that seems to validate that saying.

Deuteronomy 9:4-6
After the Lord your God has driven them (the various nations in the Promised Land) out before you, do not say to yourself, “The Lord has brought me here to take possession of this land because of my righteousness.” No, it is on account of the wickedness of these nations that the Lord is going to drive them out before you. It is not because of your righteousness or your integrity that you are going in to take possession of their land; but on account of the wickedness of these nations, the Lord your God will drive them out before you, to accomplish what He swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Understand then, that it is not because of your righteousness that the Lord your God is giving you this good land to possess, for you are a stiff-necked people.

There are some interesting questions brought up in this Scripture, aren’t there? For one, the Lord is taking someone else’s land and giving it to people who are far from perfect. In other words, they didn’t deserve it. Why would He do that? For two, how wicked were these pagan nations anyway? They must have been pretty bad (historians and archaeologists confirm that this was true; we know that they regularly burned children alive to appease their gods and made prostitution of men and women a requirement at their temples, as a form of worship to Baal and Asherah). Another question is why are God’s chosen people “stiff-necked” (ie. stubborn). What might He be saying about us, His people, then today? Aiyaiyai!

I think this passage in Deuteronomy gives us an amazing insight into God’s character that we can see so clearly in Jesus and what He has done for us. We, Christ-followers don’t enter our “Promised Land” (the Kingdom of God) by our righteousness any more than the Israelites entered Canaan because of theirs. Are we “stiff-necked”? I would answer with a resounding “YES”! Are we hard of hearing? YES! Are we often blind to the things of God? YES! Are we often more self-centered than God-centered? YES! So are we perfect or righteous? NO! Why do we get to enter the Kingdom of Heaven then?

Well, in the Deuteronomy passage, I believe the wickedness of the nations who lived in the land was a secondary reason for God giving the land to the Israelites. The primary reason was that God had sworn years before to give this land to Abraham. And God does not break His promises. God was able to “see” His beloved Abraham when He looked upon Abraham’s offspring. Abraham was a man whose righteousness was simply made up of his strong faith and trust in God. When God looks at us today, He “sees” Jesus in whom we have put our faith and trust. Because of Jesus, even we who are broken and imperfect, may enter into God’s presence because of the promises He has made.

What God DOES is often unpredictable, but who God IS never changes. He is faithful and just and does not forget His promises. He never has and He never will. What are the promises He has made to you? Hold on to them.

Dt 9:4-6 (see above)

Ps 111:7-8 The works of his hands are faithful and just; all his precepts are trustworthy.
They are established for ever and ever, enacted in faithfulness and uprightness.

The Way of Habit

The pathway of Habit is worn smooth by repetition; it takes no effort or thought to travel down this way. It detours me away from the goal I claim to desire, offering immediate relief to the angst in my inner being. It poses as a channel for my restlessness. I hate it. But Change has an anxiety of its own and Its payoff flirts elusively from around the bend ahead, in the future. And so, I slide along.

But then I read about Esau, “who sold his birthright for a single meal” (Hebrews 12:16; Genesis 25:29-34). He lost his future because he wanted – no, he needed – immediate relief from his hunger. He’d been out all day. He was tired. He wanted to escape his discomfort – now. But afterward, when he was ready to claim his birthright, it was not his to claim. He’d sold his future; in fact, it says in Genesis that he had despised his birthright. He had esteemed his immediate discomfort more than his future well-being.

That’s the way of Habit. It despises well-being as it clamors for immediate relief. It is like the old saying, the Good drives out the Best. It was not bad that Esau was hungry and tired. He’d worked hard all day. But he became impatient when he smelled the aroma of his brother’s stew and let himself stray from the path to his own tent to that of his brother. He didn’t pause to count the cost; the cost was intangible in the moment, further down the path than he felt he had the energy for.

How odd it is that peace is something that must be fought for; it must be won. And how powerless I feel in the moment of Habit’s ease and promised relief. The battle seems too hard. Wouldn’t that cookie make me feel so much better? Often, I don’t even know what is driving me, what the angst is that would send me off on the path away from true well-being. That’s the nature of Habit; it’s mindless.

I’m sorry for Esau. But I’m glad for his experience being recorded. It gives me something to grab when I start sliding along the path of Habit. It reminds me that God has plans for me to prosper! He’s given me hope for the future through the example of Christ, “who for the joy set before him, endured the cross”, who despised the pain in esteem for a glorious future (Hebrews 12:2). He promises peace when I give my mind (and my angst) to Him (Isaiah 26:3-4) instead of letting Habit have its mindless way.

I’m so grateful God has my well-being at heart, that He’s right behind me saying, “This is the way; walk in it (Isaiah 30:21). Don’t sell your future for a measly bite of Habit! Feast on Me instead”.

Hebrews 12:1-2 … let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

Isaiah 26:3-4 You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord God is an everlasting rock.

Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the Plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

Pain on the Brain

Pain comes in a variety of styles and sizes.  We are provided ample opportunities for good old physical pain. Then there is emotional pain, psychological pain, spiritual pain and perhaps intellectual pain (although I may not be qualified to experience that last one).  Loss is painful, change can be painful and I don’t care what they say, words can hurt just as much or more than stick and stones. Pain does not discriminate based on race, age, gender, religion or socio-economic status. Perhaps most importantly; in my experience, growth almost always involves some kind of pain and or suffering. Sometimes it seems as if we humans were designed to learn things the hard way. Like it or not… pain is an inevitable and often a major part of our human experience.  

2 Corinthians 1:5 For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ.

Why would God make pain such an integral part of the human experience? Why is there so much suffering in the world? How can God allow righteous people to suffer?

I don’t really like thinking about pain, much less writing about it. I feel compelled to write this because my body is showing clear signs of wearing out. I will not bore you with the details but suffice to say that physical pain, in several places, is now my constant and unwelcome companion.  I am not complaining; my physical life has been truly blessed to this point, but I need now to understand the lesson that God is providing through this experience of pain.  Unfortunately, recognizing that pain is designed to help us learn does not always help us comprehend the lesson.  After much reflection, I believe that my body is screaming (at me) to “GET MORE FLEXIBLE”.

Do you not see how necessary a world of pains and troubles is to school an intelligence and make it a soul? John Keats

We have a choice about how to respond to the pain that nags at our bodies or our hearts. The trick is to not allow pain to nag at our souls. Understanding that pain is a natural part of the challenge of life can help. I would not actually go so far as to say that pain is a blessing, but there are countless instances where pain was the first step on the road to blessings.

There are dozens of different modalities that we humans have devised for coping with our smorgasbord of pains; from drugs to acupuncture to titanium bracelets.  No matter how we choose to manage our various pains, knowing that God is there to comfort us and that we are part of a greater good is vital for our spiritual health in this regard. One key to our ability to deal gracefully with physical pain is to understand deeply that our bodies are but temporary vessels in which our spirits dwell. Life is challenge, is it not?  When we begin to appreciate the eternal nature of our soul, it makes sense to challenge ourselves (and our bodies) to help change this world for the better. instead of dwelling on our inevitable, persistent and multifaceted pain, we now need to find ways, through God’s grace, to rise above the pain and bless our families and communities.

Thank you for the gift pain… may the lessons to be learned come more easily and gracefully as we move along the road toward God’s redemption.

A Challenge to Bless

In lieu of a devotional today, I am offering up a challenge.

In the last 9 days I have attended two memorial services. In both cases the death was unexpected and surrounded by tragic circumstances. In both cases the person that left us to be with Jesus was a loving person who regularly demonstrated that love to others and therefore was greatly loved.

I know it is a bit cliché, but I am again reminded of our mortality and the unexpectedness of this life. It also reminded me that God has given us a very powerful gift. Our tongue. With it we have great power. The power to praise God. The power to demolish strongholds. The power to tear ourselves or another down. And the power to build up and strengthen, validate and encourage another person. The power to let them know that they are valuable to you; that your life is better for them being in it; that you appreciate something about them. This power can be directed toward a neighbor, a friend, a sibling, a parent, a spouse, a child, someone who lives in your house or around the world. This is an awesome power, let's not waste it!

The Challenge: Pick someone you like, someone you love, someone you appreciate and tell them so today! Tell them why. If you are a really inspired tell two people. If each person who receives our newsletter tells one person, that is 90 people for whom the day just got better.

If you choose to take this challenge, like this page below to let others reading this blog know you did.

Proverbs 16:24 (NKJV)
Pleasant words are like a honeycomb,
Sweetness to the soul and health to the bones.

Proverbs 18:21 (NIV)
The tongue has the power of life and death,
and those who love it will eat its fruit.

Proverbs 25:11 (NKJV)
A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold
In settings of silver.

The Strength of My Life

I’m sitting in my favorite corner at McDonald’s…in a fog…just staring into space…my back hurts…my mind is asleep.

And yet it is good to be still, open to what the Holy Spirit may say. For truly, I need His words in my inner being to drive away an old habit. I am weak, but HE is strong.

Lord, Lord, Lord…I need your strength to keep body, mind and spirit alert, alive, awake and fit.
A song comes to mind:

Every day I look to you, to be the strength of my life
You’re the One I hold on to, to be the strength of my life
Be the strength of my life; be the strength of my life; be the strength of my life today

You, God, through your word, through your love, mercy, grace, through your Holy Spirit are my strength. For I am weak today. I am weak and I am depressed. I am in pain in body, mind and spirit as I try to find the pleasant places of my boundaries, to appreciate the beautiful inheritance I find as your child.

I am limited, by your design…I limit myself, spurred often by Satan’s lies…and those limitations squeeze me into shutting down. There’s a frown on my face from concentration and effort. I move as though immersed in molasses.

Oh God…You are the strength of my life. Fill me with your enabling power to do good things; to climb out of the pit of despair and the boggy, miry clay. Despair is not my natural habitat, yet this morning it claws at me. Its boggy ground slows my feet, makes my steps harder, wears me down.
Father! Lift me on your eagle’s wings; renew my strength so that I may not faint. Hide me in your shelter; set my feet upon a rock making my steps secure.

I am leaving McDonald’s. Thank you, Father; I am strengthened for the day. The lines have indeed fallen in pleasant places for me. I may not be running, but I can walk now.

Psalm 16:6 The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance.

Psalm 28:7 The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in Him, and I am helped; therefore my heart exults, and with my song I shall thank Him.

Psalm 40:2 He drew me up from the pit of destruction, out of the miry bog, and set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure.

Isaiah 40:31 Yet those who wait for the Lord will gain new strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles, they will run and not get tired, they will walk and not become weary.

Choosing Hope in the Face of Failure

I laugh about it now, but I stressed over the error for weeks. My beautiful new refrigerator was installed and the delivery men gone, when I realized that it was two inches deeper than my measurements. This fact was not a deal breaker because the fridge fit the width between the two adjacent cabinets. Unfortunately those extra inches of depth caused this appliance to block the utility drawer that opened across the front of the fridge. I used this drawer every day.

Since the front door has beveled edges it was not as deep at the sides as in the middle. I could open the drawer about 6 inches and touch the front compartments of the small organizer tray inside. Other important items in the back were frustratingly beyond my reach.

I thought almost obsessively about how I could rescue my spare keys, tape measure, and the winding key for my antique clock. My first solution was to find someone to help me temporarily disconnect the water line from the freezer unit and roll the 250 pound refrigerator out of the way so I could fully open and empty the kitchen drawer. I put off taking action, and time went by. The sight of the drawer taunted me with feelings of hopelessness in the situation.

One day I heard God tell me to push the plastic organizer tray to the back of the drawer and tilt the front of the tray up. Startled by this simple solution, I followed the instructions and the tray slid out easily with all the items I thought were so important. I felt such joy and laughed at myself for feeling so discouraged over something God fixed so easily. This experience reminded me that I am free from the lie of hopelessness. And I have an infinite resource and refuge in Christ who is not repulsed by my failures.

Psalm 94:19 (NIV) When doubts filled my mind, your comfort gave me renewed hope and cheer.

Psalm 9:10 (NIV) Those who know your name will trust in you, for you, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek you.