Galatians 6:6, "The one who is taught the word is to share all good things with the one who teaches him."
It's you turn to write back. We are here at the end of this blog's first calender month, and I would love to hear how the shameless surrender has caused you to know Christ more. This is not a fishing expedition for compliments. There have been plenty of those. This is fishing for testimonies. Perhaps how God dealt with you and an unlovable person in your life. Or any other inspiration or clarity you might have received from reading the blog. So please, please, please let me know your perspectives and what God has shown you as a result.
It would be awesome for you to put your experience in the comments. But if you are a little shy, please e-mail it to me. That e-mail is jeffyuna@gmail.com.
Proverbs 31:10-21, "An excellent wife, who can find?
For her worth is far above jewels. The heart of her husband trusts in her, and he will have no lack of gain. She does him good and not evil all the days of her life. She looks for wool and flax and works with her hands in delight. She is like merchant ships; she brings her food from afar. She rises also while it is still night and gives food to her household and portions to her maidens. She considers a field and buys it; from her earnings she plants a vineyard. She girds herself with strength and makes her arms strong. She senses that her gain is good; her lamp does not go out at night. She stretches out her hands to the distaff, and her hands grasp the spindle. She extends her hand to the poor, and she stretches out her hands to the needy. She is not afraid of the snow for her household, for all her household are clothed with scarlet."
It is funny that King Lemuel wrote these words thousands of years ago. Funny because they describe my wife Jamie to a tee. Today's is her birthday, and I want her, and the world, to know that I think she is the greatest... second only to Christ Himself. I am so thankful she was born and so thankful that she found me.
Jamie is beautiful, that goes without saying, but her real beauty is what I get to experience everyday. She has such a beautiful heart, and I fully trust in her. Anything other than Jamie in my life would be mere imitation of a wife.
Perhaps what makes Jamie so great is what she has been through. Having faced death, and the loss of 3 of her children has given her an incredible perspective on life. Rushed to the hospital Jamie was having difficulties breathing, her lungs were filling with fluid and the doctors were a miff with the cause. Could it be the twins she was carrying? No one was going to wait any longer to find out, and Jamie was shipped to the medical center for expert care. It was there they discovered the twins were really triplets. Jordan, Taylor and Gracin were their names. It was time for them to come, even at a pound a piece because any longer Jamie was going to loose her life.
For three days Jamie clung to life. Closing her eyes she would feel herself floating up to heaven. Opening them she would see Jesus standing beside her, even stroking her hair as if to comfort. But not just Him, He brought an aroma. Jamie says it smells like anointing oil found in Christian bookstores. And the nurses smelled it too. A nurse would smell the fragrance of Jesus, and run down the hall to tell the other nurses, "He's here!" And they would gather in His presence. But only Jamie could see Him.Over the next 6 months Jamie would spend countless hours in the NICU. And over that same period of time bury those babies one at a time.
This is probably the core of why Jamie is so awesome. Because God loves her so much He sent His Son to personally make sure she didn't come to heaven too soon. She asked me last night why Jesus was by her side. Why He didn't say anything?
The speaking is easy. God has few words because every time He speaks something happens. Take light for example.
But the reason Jesus was beside her is that He wanted to her to be forever reminded that He is always by her side, even in the toughest of times.
I love you Jamie. Happy Birthday! You are the greatest!
The painting of Jesus is called the Prince of Peace by Akiane Kramarik, and was done when she was 8 years old. It happens to be what Colton in the book Heaven is for Real said Jesus looked like in his encounter. (the book is featured to the right) It is also what Jamie says He looked like standing next to her bed.
"When heaven meets earth like a sloppy wet kiss, my heart turns violently inside of my chest."
Mark 8:33, "But turning around and seeing His disciples, He rebuked Peter and said, 'Get Behind Me, Satan; for you are not setting your mind on God's interest, but man's'"
Invariably the misguided (bad) advise we get comes from someone close to us like a friend of family member. It will come with a pure heart and in a genuine best interest. However, because it comes from someone so close it makes it hard to ignore. For Adam it came from his wife Eve. Jesus received some misguided advise from Peter yet being Christ remained uninfluenced by it. Daily we are going to face decisions of following God's advice, or following the advice of someone or something else.
My mom sent me this, and I have altered it to my understanding. But she basically said, if we depend on organizations, then the best we can expect is what organizations can do. If we depend on education, then we get what education can do. If we depend on men, then we will get only what a man can do. But if we depend on prayer (God), we get what God can do.
Everyday the Morpheus' of our life give us the opportunity to take the red or blue pill. The red pill is the blood of Jesus Christ and it let's us perceive the truth of what the world really is. The blue pill allows the taker to linger in the ignorance and deception of organization, education, and all that encompasses man's ability. The blue pill, following the advice that is contrary to your mission mandate from God, that is the path to remain enslaved. Enslaved and not even know it.
Let's face it. God's voice is still and soft. It is often accompanied with the sense that "this is good, but it is crazy." And the crazy aspect, the part that requires faith sends us looking for confirmation. Who do we turn to? Friends, family, pastors, teachers... anyone that will listen and has our respect. Invariably, with good intentions, they will give advice that alters the command from heaven in some way. Sometimes there experience will down right discourage the path to begin with. But their opinion is not what matters. What encouragement you get in prayer, that's what matters. Confirmation will come, but it usually comes on its own without asking.So feel free to skip the bouncing of godly ideas off those closest to you, and let God bring the confirmation on His own. Trust me, He's a big God and very capable of the task.
The other side of this equation is how do we not become part of the blind leading the blind with our own misguided advice? The simplest practical technique that I can think of is this. Begin your advice with, have your considered...? There is a cost to following Christ, and the Bible says for us to consider it. (Luke 14:28) So a negative comment in the context of a consideration question really is probably a good thing v. being presented in the context of discouragement. Turning advice into a question allows the person to think deeper, go deeper with God, and find out for himself what is God and what is not. The answers they give will cause us to do the same - - go deeper with God.
Matthew 25: 35-36, "For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me." (I needed a ride and you gave Me a lift)
God has such the sense of humor.
Pam, a friend for 20 years calls me excited about the blog, excited what God is doing in my life, excited about God, just plain excited. And in this excitement she gives me some very loving advice. She says, to not use people's names, or at least put a disclaimer that they have been changed. And that kind of makes sense in the context of the post called "Utopia." There is an implied clergy relationship, and an expectation of confidentiality when you meet someone for that purpose. Accept for the fact that I only use first names, and only the parties involved would truly know who I am talking about. But I was laughing... I told her I would have put Greg's picture up had I taken one.
So after a lengthy conversation, I got off the phone, did some stuff and "Utopia" came to me. I wrote it, and went about my business.
I tried to see a builder about some mortgage referrals. I went to the feed store for some rabbit food and supplies. Stopped in a convenient store for something to drink, and walking out a woman asks me if I'm going the direction she was pointing. I had to ask why? She said that she needed a ride? I asked, where to? - - I was trying to ask enough questions to get out of it. But the fact was, I was going that direction. Dog gone it, I thought... Here goes God again.
As she got in my truck the only thing I could think was, I hope that she does not stink or have lice. Thank God she didn't, but what is my deal with odors? As she got in I thought, why did I pray to occasionally eat something new? Couldn't God have answered the other items on the list before getting to that one? Regardless, I was going to make the best of it.
Her name is Kimberly and I'm sorry Pam, but that's important. It's important because this is a woman that even a mother could not love... literally. She freely told me her story on our 20 min drive. She is 49 years old, mother of 3, and homeless. Her parents kicked her our of their house, and she survives on SSI for disability. Her disability is supposedly an intestinal disorder, but it doesn't take too long to figure out what it really is... if you know what I mean. Her journey that day was prompted because she could not reach her parents by phone, and even though they kicked her out of the house she was concerned for their well being. She has a college age daughter at Sam Houston on scholarship. Kimberly had tried to call her as well, but couldn't reach her. It was pretty much a non-stop spilling of her life.
I couldn't help but wonder when the last time someone really listened to her. It only took one word to get her going again at every pause. That word was, why? And yet in it all there was an expressed faith in God. That was the amazing part. No real animosity except for her mother.
She wanted to stop at Chicken Express. I asked why? And she said to get out of the heat and use their WiFi while she waited to reach her parents. I told her I would take her all the way to her parents, and if they weren't there bring her back to Chicken Express or any other place she wanted to go. Marvelous idea that even the challenged could understand. I don't know what a homeless person needs WiFi for. Guess I should have asked that too.
Arriving at her parents she surprisingly said, my daughter is here! You can leave me here, I will get a ride for sure. I asked to take her picture and she gladly posed.
Now I'm here, telling the world. Kimberly matters. She matters so much to God that He sent me to give her a ride. Even when her own family ignores her calls, He hears her prayers. I am thankful that He used me for such a humbling task. And why shouldn't I share her name and photo. The world is trying its best to forget her. But now, at least for a moment, they can't.
As she left she said if someone won't give her a ride from there that she would walk. I said, "Don't do that. Just ask God to send you another ride. He sent me, and He will send you someone else if you need it because He loves you." She smiled... I smiled.
BTW... the Pam in this story is Pam Smith (Name changed to protect the innocent)
Seriously though... if I were meeting with anyone in a coaching/advisory capacity, they can be assured that they personally would not be fodder for this blog. I only use names when I know that it's ok. :-)
Ephesians 3:20, "Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us,"
Have you ever thought about what YOUR perfect world would be? As I navigate this life transition I certainly spend time imagining what the destination looks like. I think that if I could paint the picture of the future for me in my "public" life it would look something like this.
I would have opportunities to preach in others' churches and venues to masses of people. Sharing the truth as it relates to Kingdom of God. Sharing a message of relationship extraordinaire and of unity, all the while watching God heal the incurable. I think that I would also have time to be a sounding board for men and women in church leadership. A confidential, non-judgmental ear and expression of love to them. Somewhat of a medic on the battlefield of Christ so to speak. A place for them to be real and open. There is great freedom in openness, and to me there is no worse place or less opportunity for openness than a preacher or politician. But I understand the humanity and their call to divinity of the preacher/minister. Politicians... not so much. I would also have the opportunity to minister one on one to people. Helping them through the results of their abusers. I would discover something new everyday about God and write about it as I have the past couple of weeks. In that same vein, the books that I have written, and will write, would be published. It would be perfect to occasionally eating something I have never tasted. (Unlovable was such an experience. It's like when you are a child and your parent makes you take at least a bite before deciding if you don't like it.) Lastly, in my perfect world I would receive crazy financial, emotional, and spiritual compensation in doing all of this.
If fact, this is not my imagination of my perfect world. This is my request of God. I am asking the Father for all of this in Jesus name. Having full faith that what He will bring is something way beyond this imagination.
Here is your part. If you read this and said to yourself... I need that, or I know someone who does then pass on my contact info and let's get this adventure started. I can be reached at jeffyuna@gmail.com.
[The painting attached is Utopia by Jolie. I used it b/c to me it says utopia has a different definition for everyone. It also says that my definition of Utopia is not a single landscape. I also see that the items are already here, surrounding us. So to find Utopia I just need to perceive it in my current environment. Let it inspire you do visualize the utopia God has for you.]
Luke 12:24, "Consider the ravens, for they neither sow nor reap; they have no storeroom nor barn, and yet God feeds them; how much more valuable you are than the birds!
It would be impossible to write in this format all the things that I am learning about God on a daily basis. (I want you to think about that.) I am 45 years old, been in church every Sunday of my life except a few. I have been through 2 years of ministry school. I have been to 4 countries for Him and I am learning more about Him everyday. How beautiful is that. - - but that is really besides the point.
I had intended today to write about seed planting. In the aftermath of Mr. Unlovable, yesterday seemed to be one of sowing seeds for the future. That was until I opened Church Unique by Will Mancini as I lay in bed at 10:30pm. I am reading the book in preparation of hopefully going into churches and helping them define their mission, or as I would say define the roll in the kingdom. To help them identify and convey their unique mission to their congregations and beyond. So several days ago it came to me that I should do the very same thing in my life if I was going to do it for others. I had prepared a detailed post about the process, and then God blew it out of the water last night.
I got to a chapter that was talking about the "mission" is really a mandate. It went on with tons of explanation about the importance of the mission statement, and practical guides of how to articulate it, at which point I thought it is now time to articulate mine. I turned to a blank page in back of the book. Intending to brainstorm and write ideas, I prayed instead . I said, "God, this mandate should really be from you. I know I am working to discover it, but in the end what I say doesn't matter if it's not what you say the mission is . Can I please have my mandate?"
Picking up my pencil, this is what I wrote in the back of my book.
Shameless surrender in hopes that some might know Christ more.
I thought to myself, that's good. Content with the accomplishment I texted it to Jim, and went to sleep.
This morning the magnitude of the mission mandate hit me. Coming from the business world I perceive the mission statement as really the value proposition of the company. Me being in this transition from business to full-time ministry and scared to death about supporting my family in the process I thought about this mission statement on those terms. Shamelessness is my value proposition? Surrender is what is going to open up the storehouses of heaven so that we have a roof over our head and food on the table? A hundred questions pop into my head.
But as I meditate on it. (notice the difference) As I go from thinking about it, to meditating on it I am struck by the awe, and originality, and applicability. Jamie often wonders aloud of why I am so open in posting to the "world." Now I have the answer. Shameless surrender in hopes that some might know Christ more. I went back to an inventory of strengths, gifts, values, etc that I had created in the process of church unique. For strengths alone I had identified 29 individual ones. Two pages of personal inventory and not once is shameless mentioned. But you know what? It encompasses most of the strengths.
What's your mission mandate?
If you interchange mission with vision then really it is just a matter of looking at it from the right perspective. It is like looking at the forest, then a tree, then a leaf. The forest for us all is to love God and love people. But what is the tree you are to focus on? For me I know now it's shameless surrender. The leaf does not need to be defined. It is looked at daily. The leaf is our daily, ever dynamic, walk with God. You would not want to box that in with an overly defined mandate.
I have written all this and realized I have done nothing to tie it in with the scripture. The scripture comes from 2 areas. First is that I wanted to talk about planting seeds, and second the mission mandate is scaring me to death. I am seriously afraid that I have gone off the deep end. That my dependence on God for provision will never produce anything more than His word. I am afraid I have not planted enough seeds to reap a harvest. To be shameless... I am afraid to the point of tears. I don't have a clue what to do. And to me doing is surviving. Doing means you are going to eat. And yet over and over God reminds me of the scripture that started this post. Time and time again, from so many sources God says, I'm going to bring the work to you. Does any one understand how contrary to my nature this is? I want to market, to advertise, to get out and cold call. - - Or worse, run the opposite direction as fast as I can. And yet once again, I am experiencing a painful death to a part of me. The difference is I am fully assured of a beautiful resurrection once this fear is put to death.
Matthew 22:39 "...you shall love your neighbor as yourself."
I had every intention of posting a message of mission/vision and multiplying, but God I guess had a very different idea. You see, today I had to go to court for a ticket. Well, several tickets, but that is beside the point. I was a little late getting there and ended up having to sit in the very front left in a seat that faces the pews of the courtroom. No big deal, it actually was some pretty good people watching. There in court room were 200 plus people from every walk of life, background, and ethnicity. Hour upon hour passed, dismissals happened and deals were made. My attorney said I would probably have to come back after the lunch break.
So I thought, how can I turn this waiting and people watching into an experience with God. It was then it came to me. Scanning the room I asked myself, why does God love that person? Or that person? In fact, I thought... I sure am glad He said to love my neighbor because none of these people fit into my little sub-culture, and certainly would not be found in my neighborhood. Don't get me wrong. I know God loves them, but felt some since of relief thinking that my unconditional love for them was unnecessary. That was it... no big revelation. My attorney got my tickets dismissed before lunch and I treated myself to some street tacos on Harrisburg St.
Harrisburg is a Hispanic part of town. And though I truly love the Hispanic people there are elements there, and places that are not nice at all. Once again I was appreciative of my country life and the little sub-culture that surrounds me. Glad I could come to Harrisburg for some good food, and that I didn't have to live there.
Next up was Iwo Jima meeting at 3:00pm. It's a men's group I attend in the Montrose area of Houston so there was not enough time to go home and come back. Other options exhausted I just went early. After all, it does meet at Ecllesia Church and there is a coffee shop on the facility that is fairly nice. Turns out to that I ran into Jim between appointments, where he invited me to sit in on his next one. I marveled inside how Jim can communicate and love such a wide variety of people. After the appointment here comes another of Jim's friends. In tow is a... I don't even know how to describe him.- - A guy in tears hating life and wanting to die. He asks to talk to Jim and upon approval jumps in by saying I just need to have a breakdown. I hate life and I hate people. I found out 2 weeks ago I have HIV. I sat there silently, probably with a look of absolute horror. But Jim, he smiled and leaned in to hear more. So Greg, that's his name, went on. He asked Jim to be his mentor and Jim said, I will listen to you. So Greg says, I'm a homosexual, my lover is a transvestite and though she (he likes to be referred to as a she) has had HIV for 15 years I did not get it from her. I got if from sharing needles for IV drug use. At this point I am literally excusing myself to go to the bathroom. I had to wash my hands right then and there. Iwo Jima was coming up and if I played my cards right I could avoid the rest of the conversation.
So 10 minutes later we gathered in the other room for Iwo Jima. And there is Greg on Jim's invitation. After Prayer Jim say, go ahead and have your breakdown Greg. Then it began. On and on for 30- 45 min. Greg explained how he was raped and beaten by his father. At the age of 7 he was knocked unconscious by this vicious man only to wake up to a lighter, a box of filter-less cigarets, and a glass of Jack Daniels on the rocks. His dad said, there you go son. That's how I deal with it so you deal with it. He shot both his parents at nine. They didn't die, but he became property of the state. In and out of prison, mental hospitals, and 14 foster homes. He has been a male prostitute, a heroin addict, and nearly died dozens of times. He is missing a front tooth and has a few prison tattoos. There is more, but by my definition Greg is the absolute bottom of society. In the midst of detailing his past he kept saying I just want to be loved, will you love me? I don't want to be judged or criticized, will you love me? Andrew, will you love me? Jim, will you love me? Gary, will you love me? And there is where it hit me. This is what my entire day has been about. Will I love the unlovable? All I could think of was Jesus asking Peter in John 21:15-17 if Peter loved Him. If Greg asked me if I loved him what was I going to say? I wanted to say, hell no, you are unlovable. But instead I said, "What is love to you?" Pretty cute huh? Best avoidance of the day if you ask me.
But the avoidance was not helping. Not loving Greg was burning in me and I could not shake it. So Greg had his breakdown. Andrew led him in the sinners prayer and the meeting continued. Oops... nearly forgot. So Greg was on 36 pain killers for all of this and high as a kite. Jittery, shaking his hands, disjointed in his communication. But after praying with Andrew the distractions of his body movement went away. A fact I noticed later when Greg said he was not high anymore after praying.
So Jim is going around the room asking what is on everyone's heart. I am praying that he does not ask me because I know what's on my heart. That Greg is unlovable. And low and behold Jim does skip me and goes to Gary. Whoosh... a sigh of relief. Until Gary says, "I'm angry and don't know why." I questioned him why and he went on to say something to the effect of he thought it was because he was not loving people like he used to. That was it... I could not take it any more. I had to spill my heart or explode.
I told Greg, to me you are unlovable. But all I can see if Christ sitting across from me asking me if I am going to love Him. Just like He did with Peter. Jesus asked if Peter loved him unconditionally, and Peter replied that he had brotherly love for Jesus. Here was Greg, the most unlovable person in the world, asking me the same thing. I could do nothing but cry as I told him this. I concluded with I know that God wants me to hug you but I don't want to. He stood up and said, give me a hug. To which I did.
Matthew 13:19, "When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is the one whom the seed was sown beside the road.
Last inning of the game, two outs, bases loaded; two runs are needed to win the first playoff game and advance to the next bracket. The coach on the mound drops the ball into the pitching machine. It's on its way... its coming...its coming... an eternity later, crack, and the ball is airborne and headed to right field. Over the opposition's head it is not going to stop rolling until it reaches the fence. One runner scores, a second scores, and a third scores. Isaac Yuna hits a stand up triple to win the game. That's right, my 7 year old made his dad proud. But the day did not start that way.That's for sure.
It began as it has the past several weeks with me reading my faith coaches blog that he e-mails me. Only in this one was a heart felt, pure tale of God that resulting in Jim understand even more that God is the Provision. But what I keyed in on was that here was that the one individual who unintentionally inspired me to trust God was expressing a financial need. Specifically this month has been the lowest gift receipts since starting his ministry 15 years ago. I was awash with sorrow. I felt responsibility. Like somehow the black cloud over my life has now enveloped someone who has become very near and dear to me. I hurt that I could not fix it. But then once again, here came the big arm of God and the realization that it's not up to me to fix it. Just be here and love in whatever capacity I have. At least that's what I am learning to do in spite of my mind being unable to understand.
Even still, I pressed on with a task and compulsion put on my heart by God. This task is to define my mission. To illustrate with words the vision God has for my life. And I was making beautiful progress. Both with the articulation, and with some tent making on the side. See the Apostle Paul made tents for cash to support his ministry. My tent making is mortgages. And I actually had to do another loan guy whose deal blew up last week. So life was getting better until I heard my Labrador barking.
Long story short, b/c this is a blog and not a book, I went outside, and there is my daughters rescue pitbull lying on the garage floor with a huge amount of slobber coming from her mouth. Across the garage is my 4 mo old puppy limping. I don't know what the pit has gotten into, but I did examine the pup and found nothing out of the ordinary. But the lab was still barking. So I went to the dog run to see what was up. There barking at the ground is puff. What the heck I thought. Then she bites, throws her head back and up in the air goes a snake. Or at least what was left of it. Closer examination revealed the left overs of a copperhead. Now I get it. I know what has happened to the other dogs, they have been bit.
The realization that they are possibly mortally injured completely bust my bubble. The Internet said the bites are rarely if ever fatal, so with the thoughts of imminent death fading all I could think was here is money I don't have to spend. I was upset, so I called my Dad. He came over and on the way to the animal hospital he said what I was thinking. Am I under some kind of curse?
Leaving the vets office offered no relief, only more feelings of inadequacy. Not having $1200 for the best of treatment, the dogs got the barest of minimums. The good news was that after dropping the dogs off we should still have time to make my son's game an hour away.
The whole way to the game all I could do was think towards heaven... I don't understand. I don't understand. I don't understand. Faith, Provider, Provision, Promise... all studied to death. Endless prayer accompanied by very real comfort from God, but how much can someone take? But then the crack of that bat. The excitement of my son making me so proud. Proud that he not only did not break under the pressure, but excelled. You see he struck out the bat before that. That was a possibility. But not this time. And I am not going to strike out either. God has a plan, and today was completely part of it. I am not going to let the evil one snatch anything away from me. I just hope I can make my Father as proud of me performing under pressure as my son did for me this evening on the baseball field.
Matthew 6:33, "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you."
It is almost sad to think of "all these things" being added unto me. But it is an inevitable event happening along the course I am on. I know this with such faith and assurance as I have never had. But reality is there is so much beyond the point where I am now. This place of increased faith and trust in God through the death fo self and resurrection of Christ in me. There is more in terms of discovering the very nature and character of God. And even more in terms of loving my neighbor as myself.
Let me put it this way. In Luke 5: 37 & 38 Jesus said, "And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; otherwise the new wine will burst the skins and it will be spilled out, and the skins will be ruined. But new wine must be put into fresh wine skins." This certainly applies to the "born again" experience. But in many ways we are the wineskins throughout our Christian life whereas the wine is God Himself, His revelation, lessons, love, teachings, all that He is and embodies. This process that I'm in is the throwing away the old wineskin of self, founded on worldly principle. To be resurrected as a new wine skin, capable of holding a fresh batch of wine. But then what is the purpose of the wine in the wineskin? To be held until it is poured out. And with all my heart I know that it was is coming next. Pouring out, sharing, loving with and for God.
This revelation will carry me so far, until once again the wineskin will need re-birth to be filled with new wine. Fill up and pour out, time and time again this is referenced in God's word. The question comes... and thus the concern and fear... is can I continue to seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness during the pouring out process? Can, when the things come, I keep my focus on His face and use those things for His kingdom and not to build my own?
As insane as it sounds, there is great comfort in this crisis. There is the very real expression of God and His love that surrounds me. There are the giant arms around me, holding me, saying it's going to be alright, I have everything under control. And yet the shift is happening. The mission, the vision, the purpose is being defined and once done then the march begins.
John 17:21, "that they may all be one; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us."
Last night I went to dinner with my folks, and afterwards my Dad stopped to buy a Powerball ticket. Returning to the car he handed me one. As I was taking it I said, "I won't win." Immediately my folks in unison said, "don't confess that." As if me saying I'm not going to win is going to stop a blessing from God. Now don't get me wrong. My parents are loving, God fearing, giving, caring, awesome people. But even as some of this blog biggest fans and supports they don't yet get it.
I am in the middle of discovering God as my Provider and more so my Provision. If I have nothing else at all, God as my Provision is enough. He is my food. He is my shelter. In the process of living by faith in this reality there are aspect of me that must die in order to fully embrace this spiritual reality and truth. To win the lottery last night would not only rescue my flesh. (man I hate that term. It is so much Christianeze) To win the lottery would violate the very core of the principle God is allowing to die inside of me. Namely trust in money over Him. Not only that, but it would bring a terrible end to this wonderful experience.
Don't get me wrong. This expression of faith is not some kind of self destructiveness or self loathing. It is just that what I have experienced with God has been worth so much more than the $62 million jackpot. I would rather find the one gold coin in the fishes mouth that solves my immediate need than be presented with the opportunity to never have to worry about finances - in my present condition that is..
Let me be very clear. I do not have a problem with people having huge sums of money. I just have a problem with a huge sum of money falling out of the sky on me right now. If I fully trusted God as my Provision then money would not be an issue, and then a huge sum falling out of the sky could go to His purpose, and then truly be a blessing to accomplish His will.
Another thing that scars me about the lottery is this. It does not matter who you are, but the lesson I am in is at work in everyone. The lesson is loving and trusting God far above everything else. The lesson may come in the form of money. It may come in the form of health issues. It may come in the form of family relationships. But either way it is coming to those who profess a love in Him. The point is I would rather that God reveal Himself in a lack of money than the other options. Frankly, this is the easiest of the 3 paths in my opinion.
Oswald Chambers says it this way, "God will not leave us alone until we are one with Him, because Jesus has prayed that we may be." This is the glorious truth of the hardship, the suffering. It is all a necessary process to achieve the oneness with God. This realization is worth far far more than a measly $62 million in lotto winnings. This is the prize of graduating from this lesson. Not money, but oneness with God. Or at the very least being closer to that oneness.
Proverbs 11:14, "Where there is no guidance the people fall, But in the abundance of counselors there is victory."
I am so very thankful that God has put people in my life to guide me to victory. Particularly Jim Spivey & Russell Raia as of late. I can't help but wonder why Moses & Elijah appeared to Jesus, "talking with Him." Were they there to be the same encouragement and example that these guys are serving in my life right now?
In fact I am thankful for all the people God has put in my life that have in some way or another contributed to it. What a great bunch of friends that have always been there with love and support. And how awesome is it that the circle of friendship continues to grow.
Solomon wrote in Ecclesiastes 1:9, "That which has been is that which will be, and that which has been done is that which will be done. So there is nothing new under the sun." There is someone out there that has been through the exact same thing you are going through. There is a guide, a counselor, a friend that God has placed in your life to help and encourage you to that place of resurrection. And I don't believe it is some distant spiritual leader. I believe it's an individual, probably already close to you that has a word, or a hug, or an open ear to be that living example of Christ that helps you get to the other side. Just be willing to be open to it.
And check back tomorrow. Perhaps God will allow me to build on this principle.
John 15:13, "Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends."
I woke yesterday morning at what I thought was 5:29 unable to sleep from the stress of my current situation. I say thought, b/c I later found out my clock had jumped to EST, so it was really 4:29am, some 3 hours before my normal wake up time. So I tossed and turned, hoping to not wake up Jamie, mind racing through thoughts. Fortunately for me my faith coach, Jim, was up early too. At 4:47am he sent out the e-mail with his daily blog.
So laying in bed I read the e-mail on my i-phone. He closed by saying, "True love, of which there is One Source, needs nothing to be joyful, and is willing to suffer anything and everything for however long it takes to be fully experienced and surrendered to."
Suddenly upon reading that my mind was filled with a couple of passages. The first was Christ commandment in the gospels of, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all you mind, and your neighbor as yourself." Somewhere in Jim's blog he mentioned that you have to love God first before you can fully love your neighbor. So I could relate as my recent experiences are very much related to God and I loving one another. As each day passes I understand that my love of Him, though very real, seems light years from ALL MY SOUL, STRENGTH, HEART, and MIND. And yet I know that this is what He desires... even demands.
Second was the scripture above. That the highest form of love is to lay your life down. To have nothing about yourself that is more important than the object of the love. A reiteration of all my soul, all my strength, all my mind, and all my heart. It was yet another affirmation of the dieing to self concept. Of allowing all that is in me that is not God to die and be replaced with His Kingdom and a resurrected character trait of Christ.
Lastly a simple bible story came to mind. I was reminded of was the disciples in the boat with Jesus as found in Matthew 8. Here they are, in a boat, in the middle of the storm, and Jesus is sleeping. In thier fear they wake Him up because it appears they are all going to drown. Jesus wakes up, and if He is anything like me He was probably a little grumpy at being woken up and says, "Why are you afraid, you men of little faith?" He then promptly calms the seas, and I imagine goes back to sleep. So here I am stressed out big time. I am in the middle of the storm with God saying in so many words, 'just love me.' Just keep my eyes on God and it will all be ok. Just have a "little faith" in Him, and I will make it to the otherside. Just suffer a little bit and watch what happens. I don't believe Jesus was being critical of the disciples inablility to calm the storm. I don't think He was being critical of their faith to get to the otherside safely. I think if there was any criticism at all, it was of their fear of the suffering. Jesus knows that in love there is sometimes suffering. A suffering that comes from laying down a life for a friend. God set the example of love for us in Christ, and that He will never be fully satisfied until our love for Him is so perfected that we are willing to lay down everything for Him. An act that will necessarily entail suffering. But we have to have faith to face the fear of it. Just like Christ faced His own fears in going to the cross. But this is easy when we understand the suffering is not a harsh ugly suffering for the sake of pain. It is the death of the things that separate us from God. Like Jim says, it's the breaking of the addiction to the world, but once that addiction is broken... oh wow!
People have said that all marathoners experience the same pain, but the winners don't give in to it. They also say that heroes are not fearless, they just don't give into it. Faith and love are the same way. Love may bring suffering and fear, but faith keeps us from giving into it. And like a marathoner, in Christ the one who does not give into the fear, the pain... they are the winners and the prize here is a greater, closer relationship to the Father.
So here I am in the middle of the storm and Jesus is sleeping. I know that I am supposed to be sleeping with Him but I am wide awake. At least I know not to wake Him up, so I will continue to lay here and toss and turn until I can fall back asleep. When I can't sleep at all, I just try to stare at Him... and watch Him do nothing. This is the greatest act of love. To lay down my own wants, fears, desires, and yes... life. It is all an expression of love to my Father. Every now and then it is as if Jesus peaks out of the corner of His eye to see what I'm doing. Suddenly a grin appears as He pretends to be asleep. He is very happy that I have not shaken Him from His slumber, which is not a slumber at all. Just an opportunity for me to cast aside fear, walk in love, and have faith His plan is the best of all. And an opportunity for me to emulate Him by sleeping in the storm.
Matthew 5:14-16, "You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven."
This little blog and it's humble beginnings are very much me trying to walk out a call I have ignored, or tried to shape it, for the past 30 yrs. At 15, sitting in an algebra class of all places God spoke to my heart. He said, "I have called you to be a minister." For 15 yrs I tried to convince Him He had the wrong person. For the next 15 I tried to explain to Him how this ministry thing was going to go. And here I am. Finally giving in, or at least I think I'm finally giving in.
So as I writhe in the constant panic and pain of this decision to completely commit to Him I still find myself trying to convince God He has the wrong person. Just this morning I told Him that ministers were leaders, and that I'm no leader. After all it seems like I am always the one calling someone, and no one other than family calls me. Wouldn't a leader attract a following?
But in His infinite Wisdom the Holy Spirit reminds me of the error of my thinking. Christian and leadership are completely unrelated to one another. For that matter Minister and Leader are unrelated. We are called to be a light to the world. We are called to be sign post, not leaders. It is not up to us to go and recruit a following, but rather up to us to BE an example of Christ. In simply BEING we illuminate the path for others. For that matter we are not called to be followers either. Sure there is discipleship in this walk with Christ. Both making and becoming a disciple. But this process is really more about becoming a brighter light and not either leader or follower. Think about it. Christ is our head, He's the leader. We are the Body. Relationships between the body parts cause them to move together. The knee may move before the foot in a step, yet it could hardly be called the leader of the foot just as the foot can not be called the follower of the knee. So just BE. Be a light. If you see a light burning brighter than your own, snuggle up closer to them and learn from their example. Shoot, just getting closer will often illuminate those places dark within yourself. And God will cause those places to ignite in Him.
After writing this I came across something from Oswald Chambers confirming this principle. Using Matt 6:26, 28 he said, "Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow, they simply are! Think of the sea, the air, the sun, the stars, the moon - all these ARE, and what ministration they exert." Look how they serve as ministry he says. He goes on later to say, "He will make you of use unconsciously every minute you live." Being a Christian, sitting on a lamp stand in love, God can and will use for His purpose and His kingdom. This use will in all likelihood be mostly unconscious to the one used.
Ever notice how when you purpose to do something that things always seem to get worse before they get better? Start a diet only to find yourself hungrier than before you started it. Worse you suddenly notice your favorite fattening foods everywhere. Somehow the very same thing happens when we commit to God another aspect of our lives.
Is this what Jesus said in Luke 8:12, "... the devil comes and takes away the word from their heart..."
Or perhaps it's the old adage of there is no time like the present. In my latest quest to live what I believe I agree with God to discover Him as Provider and Provision.Suddenly there is less money, less income, more blown up deals than the day before the proclamation. All in order to immediate put the conviction to the test and prove it with faith.
I have always heard be careful what you pray for. I have also heard never pray for patience b/c God will put you in a situation where you need it in order to teach it to you.
There certainly is no lesson like a lesson you live. Studying, gaining knowledge, works good for theories, but there is nothing like life to teach you something for real.
Reality is it's all part of the dieing process. The death & burial of a human character flaw, and the resurrection of a godly one. It get's worse because dieing on any level sucks. Russell told me it's like someone drowning you. You can pretend at first. You can hold your breath, stay underwater and act like everything is ok. But at the end, when the death is imminent, everything in you will fight not to die. Same goes for those flaws. Perhaps circumstances really aren't worse. Perhaps the devil didn't even notice to come and steal anything. Perhaps it's just situational awareness where our sense of self suddenly has realized it's about to die. Perhaps the worse is really just the final kicks of a dieing dependence on something other than God.
In case you are curious about what triggered these thoughts. It is the fact that I just got an e-mail evaporating four months worth of work and nearly $4K in income. What an awesome opportunity to discover God as Provider and Provision. The expectancy that God is going to show up and do something is almost as exciting as my expectations are terrifying.
Genesis 22:14, "Abraham called the name of that place Jehovah-jireh; as it is said to this day, 'In the mount of the Lord it will be provided.'"
I have recently embarked on a journey to discover God as Jehovah-jireh, My Provider. And leave it to God to take a good, godly, spiritual desire and turn it into a lesson of a lifetime. Yes, as Christian we should be completely dependent upon Him for provision and everything else life entails. But I dare say few fully achieve the fullness of faith this concept entails.
My expectation going is was that needs would be met in a timely, predictable manner to the degree I could truly believe, or otherwise convince myself that God is my provider. And yet the experience in reality on the surface appears to be the exact opposite. After all, if I am believing and praying and trying to understand and have faith that God is my Provider, then how on earth could my income in April be $0?
Yep... $0.00 Doesn't God My Provider know I have a mortgage payment, lights, food, etc. How can a $0 month in anyway demonstrate God as a Provider. (ENTER MY FAITH COACH) His name is Jim. :-)
In a moment of being complete real I expressed my concern of this lesson. I expressed the frustration and the fear. And my faith coach (at least that what he is to me) said something to the effect, there is a distinction between Provider and Provision. God is your Provision. Wow! It can be said a thousand ways, but until you live it, a complete understanding is impossible. Some might say this as: look to the face of God not His hand. Or look at the Bless-er, not the bless-ing. Christ said it this way in Matthew 4:4. "...Man shall not live by bread alone, but by ever word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God." Here was Jesus, starving and yet He found God's word to be more than enough PROVISION even at the point of death by physical starvation.
At the end of the day my lights are on, there is food in the refrigerator, sure the mortgage is late, but they have not come to take my house. It is teaching, and I am learning that God is my provision. He is enough. And even more so, He confirms that this is a good lesson, and that I am on the right path. Unfortunately for her, my wife Jamie has to walk it with me, even though we did not purposefully set out to do this together. She too is frustrated and expresses it. Yet God in His way reminded her too that He is our provision in a miraculously independent way.
I can summarize the entire experience with this. The Provider is our Provision and the Provision is our Provider. Let the stress of life's bills go and relax in the provision of God's presence.
A good friend of mine named Russell pointed this out to me not long ago. He said there is a big difference between Expectancy and Expectations. He explained that expectations are of our own concoction whereas Expectancy is a state of being. Like being constantly in a state of expectancy that God is going to be involved, even if that involvement is apparently nothing.
Think about it, if we are in proper position with God then our expectations should not only be zero, the whole concept should be a vacuum of thought. It's a vacuum of expectations that allowed Christ to walk on water while others rowed a boat. He came to a shore knowing God wanted Him on the other side with no expectations of how He would get there, but the Expectancy that God would work it out. He had the expectancy that nothing would deter His obedience. See the difference?
Expectations cause disappointment. They box God in if you will. Realty is He cannot be boxed in, but there existence is a man's attempt to usurp His authority and dictate an outcome. Expectancy on the other hand is an awareness. It is faith manifest, and that the looking for God's unique expression in the moment. That is so good I am going to repeat it.
Expectancy is faith awareness manifested in the looking for God's unique expression in the moment.
Let me give you an example. I have felt compelled to buy gold in my measly IRA. Not trusting a compulsion I did the research and determined it was a good idea. I made some money and then felt compelled to sell and buy silver. The price at the time was around $16/ounce. Then sometime later, for no reason at all I felt compelled to sell the silver again. This time the research said it was a dumb idea. But I sold it around $50/ounce. Just the point where silver collapsed. This compulsion was God. My expectations because of my research was to make money. Then God's will conflicted with that expectation. He was saying sell, my expectation was Silver would go higher. Obedience and expectancy made me sell. Which do you think was right? Expectation or Expectancy.
As another example, I went to a meeting the other day expecting for someone to do something for me. When I left I had gotten the opportunity to comfort a man raped by his brother years ago. Why, because in spite of my own expectation I had an expectancy that God had a purpose for the meeting. I knew that if I would go to that meeting with an attitude of love then God would do something. Fortunately for me the expectancy won, because getting to comfort that man was far better than going and just getting something for myself. With expectancy we all got something that day.
I remained trapped in this notion of having to define my life's purpose. Or should I say trapped by not fully knowing my life's purpose. It is as if somehow, if I could discover the magic purpose of my life then everything would suddenly come together. Then the path would be fully illuminated and struggles in mere existence would fade away as forgotten memories. And yet this very need of self-determined purpose, this need for dictating my life's direction too must die.
In a broad sense, all Christians live for the purpose of being conformed to the image of Christ. Romans 8:29. This process of conformity being a proverbial death of character traits not shared with the Almighty, and the glorious resurrection of His traits in the void.
Perhaps it's a need for predictability, or there is some false security tucked neatly into this idea of a self-determined path. After all, wouldn't it provide loads of direction if a person could dictate that thier individual life's purpose was to be a President of a company, an author, housewife... anything. Wouldn't the mire of being trapped in something that you know is not your purpose clear with a little direction. One can say, I'm going to be a doctor, map the path, and walk it to success. But this is not necessarily a fully expressed life in Christ. Not necessarily a satisfied life. To some degree planning one's own life's individual purpose would bring some temporary comfort in having a plan for coping with and conquering the world. But reality is that it does nothing to draw out our true purpose. That is discovered only in a daily walk with God.
Wouldn't it have been great had Christ not been so ambiguous while on earth. Couldn't he have shared with us his educational plans, His day timer, perhaps even some of how He determined where to go and what to do... Oh wait, He did. He said in John 5:19, "... the Son can do nothing of Himself, unless it is something He sees the Father doing, for whatever the Father does, these things the Son also does in a like manner." So reality is the Holy Spirit was Christ day planner. A day planner that did not include tomorrow like Jesus said in Matthew 6:34, "So do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."
So am I advocating no planning, no defining of purpose? Not at all. Because until we can hear and see everything the Father is doing, just like Christ then we must have some mechanisms to operate by. But simultaneously we must be willing to drop all pre-scheduling to be obedient to the Holy Spirit if needed. We have to be willing to wake each morning as say, God, what is your purpose for me TODAY? Who can I touch? Who can I be a reflection of You to? What task do You need done?
In the end, if we will simply do what Christ commanded... love God and love our neighbor each day then the rest will take care of itself. That is love God today, and love your neighbor TODAY! Then we have sought first the Kingdom of God and all these things will be added to us.
I have to share the simplest of examples. One day after praying I felt compelled to do my youngest daughter's tax return. Crazy to think this would have any importance to God as she had only paid in a few dollars in withholding. But low and behold she was entitled to a sizable refund. That money arrived into her account the very day she needed it for the deposit on her apartment. Had I not obeyed what God was telling me to do, then I would not have done the return, and the money would have arrived no less than a week later. See... I loved on my daughter for God.
This was in Jim's blog yesterday. Thought I would share it here.
When your honeymoon with spirituality ends -- and it will end, marked by the arrival of STDs (spiritually-transmitted disappointments) -- and when your affair with being spiritually correct and spiritually in-style runs dry, you may say so long to spirituality, but it is a premature goodbye.
Disillusionment with spirituality is not only inevitable but also necessary, so that spirituality might be thoroughly de-glamorized. When that disillusionment has had its say -- cynicism's couch now being no more than a pain in the butt --and when your fear of re-entering the spiritual no longer frightens or disturbs you, your spiritual life really begins.
Most of the books will be gone; the ones that remain will feel like old friends you don't tire of revisiting, even if only for a page or two every couple of months. Most of the practices will also be gone; the ones that remain will feel as natural to slip into as your favorite jeans or T-shirt, at ease with both being worn and being worn out. Most of your aspirations to be spiritual will also be gone; the few that remain will feel less like aspirations and more like unforced inhalations...
Whatever disciplines we take on will result not from one aspect of us dominating the rest, but rather from a core recognition of what is needed... Instead of being at war with our weaknesses, we bring them into our heart. Instead of trying to get rid of what we don't like about ourselves, we develop a better relationship to it. Intimacy thus becomes more our path than transcendence.
Seeking will become supplanted by living a deeper life. Questions will still arise, but will ask for something more real than answers. Alignment with the Real will become the ground rather than the goal. Details will cease being just details. Focusing on what might be will yield to focusing on what's here now; that is, hope (nostalgia for the future) will be replaced by faith (radical trust in the now)...
Your longing to be fully awakened will still be present, minus the desperation and ambition that once characterized it. Where once you were in a hurry to get it, now you are not rushing or pushing, having accepted the fact that you are in it for the long haul. Then, even when you are off track, you are on track.
Life after spirituality is the beginning of authentic spirituality. No fireworks, no applause, no pats on the back from the Important, no need to present oneself as someone spiritual. This is the beginning of true nobody-ness. It is not annihilation, but revelation. It is at once bare yet sentient openness, and also the beginning of true individuality.
For every question that arises here, Silence is the answer. Put another way, everything supplies the answer. Nothing is explained, everything is revealed. Beyond knowledge, Wisdom; beyond paradox, Truth; beyond self, Being; beyond everything, everything...
Life after Spirituality is committed apprenticeship to What-Really-Matters. All that happens is the practicum. Every situation offers the same fundamental opportunity. The Teacher is everywhere. There is no freedom from our Freedom. No escape. The implications of this froth then still the mind, awaken and release the body, ground and expose the soul, unraveling all our dreams, breaking us open to what we were born to do and be...
Life after spirituality is a constant dying. Emerging from our own ashes becomes no big deal, but just the way things are in each new moment....
-- Robert Augustus Masters, in his May 2006 newsletter
Galatians 2:20. "I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God..."
Crucified with Christ... what the heck is Paul talking about? Many preachers have taught the concept of dying to self using this and other scriptures. But again, what are they talking about? It is counter intuitive to think that God is a masochist wanting us to commit some kind of spiritual suicide. Didn't God make me this way? So I am now somehow supposed to take the way God make me, kill it, and let a resurrected life emerge?
The answer in a nutshell... yes everything that is not of God must die, but God is not a masochist. Quite the opposite.
But dieing to self is not this horrible thing. Yes the cross for any human was a horrific, painful experience. But going to the cross for Christ was not about what happened on the cross itself. It is about what happened before, and after. Before He laid down all self concern. Praying He asked God to let the cup pass, let things be different so that He would not have to go to the cross. Sweating blood, He stressed over the death, literally, of His flesh. But once He submitted to the will of God, once He made the faith decision to go ahead and allow Himself to be killed, then the cross was just the door way to the resurrection. The resurrection is what is the awesome, glorious part. You see Paul was saying that his flesh was crucified too because of Christ and His kingdom. But CHRIST LIVES IN ME! He goes further to say that I not living by the world system but something completely contrary. He proclaims, I LIVE BY FAITH.
Me on the other hand I live by my education, my social upbringing, influence of friends and family, trust in money, and trust in government, rules and procedures. But to live by faith... not me... not until now. Oh sure I was saved years ago by faith. But to LIVE BY FAITH, that is a whole other animal. It takes the flesh dying to accomplish. It takes laying down all preconceptions, all influences and depending 100% on God. It is the insanity of sanity. It is the wisdom of God being foolishness to the world.
So this evolution began. It began just like Jesus said it would in Matt 13:33. This kingdom of God was planted in me in the smallest of measures, and with time it takes over every ounce of my being. It grows inside me, displacing flesh, displacing my thoughts and practices. This displacement... this removal if you will is a painful, dying process. But once you experience the resurrection on the other side you begin to look for the pain. The pain that will lead to the next resurrection, the next replacement of self with Christ, with His kingdom.
The flesh screams I need money... the spirit screams God is your Provision... war, death, destruction within the very character of man. Leaven grows in the flour. Society chimes in... yes you need money. Education chimes in... work harder and you will have more money. But God does not stop. He will never stop. Days, weeks, months, years, they mean nothing to Him. Only that He finally breakthrough, the kingdom of God wins, the death results in resurrection and Provision is understood.
Where is your pain, your anxiety, fear, longing, hurt? Here you will find where God is trying to replace that part of you with a little part of Him. Embrace this death because on the back side is a resurrection that is incredible. For the joy set before Him Christ endured the cross.Be like Christ, embrace the pain, allow that flawed character trait to die, and rejoice a resurrected trait of Christ has replaced it. Why? So that you and God can be a little closer to one another.
Psalms 23:2, "He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters."
Who would not relish to lie down and rest in green pastures? Better yet, who needs to be MADE TO lie down in one? Reality is we all do. We all need to encounter God so closely that He would command, "lie here with Me and rest a while." This is not only a glorious thought, but a necessity of every Christians life.
In the past week I met with a Pastor who is "burned out" and needing a sabbatical. I could see his pain and confusion by the tears welling up in his eyes. But reality is God is really probably calling him to the place where He makes this pastor lie down in a green pasture. Striving after God, performing and creating programs to increase His kingdom seem noble in cause, and yet if not God's will are pretty useless. In learning to rest in God, we learn to move when He says move. We must overcome our desires to "do" for the sake of our relationship to Him. After all it was Christ who said, "my burden is easy and my yoke is light." So if we are at the point of being "burned out," anxious about what to do next, overwhelmed with the load we currently have, then there is a strong possibility that we are "doing" because we want to, and not because God wants us to.
My faith coach Jim would probably say life is not about "doing" in the first place. It is about "being." That said, if you are going to "be" something. The best place to "be" is with God, and the best thing to "be" is a loving reflection of Him. So if God is at rest. The best place to be is with Him at rest. The second best place to be would be in that place where He makes you rest.
Think about it. What was the first thing God ever had man do? Having created man on the 6th day, the very next day was spent in Sabbath... in resting with God. For man this Sabbath meant no physical labor. But for the spirit, rest is accomplished with or without labor. To rest, to lie down in green pastures can be, and is a state of mind. The soul can be at rest, lying in green pastures regardless of what the body is doing.
Find yourself with nothing to do, in a place of being overwhelmed with the tasks at hand, anxious about tomorrow... then force yourself to allow God to make you lie down. Enjoy some downtime with God - - lie in a green pasture of the spirit.
Prodigal Son - Luke 15:11-32 v. Christ - Luke 3:41-52
Yesterday I helped my oldest daughter move into her apartment in Dallas. After graduating from college she has spent the last 11 months living at home. And a glorious 11 months it's been. She is such an early bird it has been nice waking up to coffee made, and to the occasional gourmet breakfast or meal. It was even nicer having her so close, it makes a Father feel his arms of protection are within reach. But after hours of driving, sweat and strains lifting furniture, the final hug and kiss goodbye was bitter sweet.
It was this conflict of emotions that caused me to ponder. What is the scriptural basis for a child leaving home? Who in God's word has shared my experience? Thus the tale of two sons, as it relates to my daughter.
The disappointment led me to think, what child in the Bible demonstrates such sadness to the parent in their departure. Immediately I thought about the prodigal son. A young man who demanded his inheritance only to squander it away. That surely broke his father's heart, but in no way is it representative of my daughter.
Then suddenly I was reminded of Jesus being left behind in Jerusalem. When His parents find him He says, didn't you know I would be about My Father's business. Specifically He says, "Why is it you are looking for Me? Did you not know I had to be in My Father's house?"
There was my reference. Even though Jesus was doing what God wanted him to, Mary and Joseph did not understand. They were filled with anxiety, So too is my daughter about God's business. So I am forced to lay down the anxiety and desire to control. Picking up trust and faith in God that His plan for her life is better than anything I could hope or dream.
Oh the end of being her Dad will only come at my death. There will always be a safety net here. Always a warm bed, hot meal, a listening ear, and loving instruction. But I celebrate with her this journey of faith and discovery of Gods will for her life. I celebrate, support, and cherish this most precious of moments. I have great expectancy of what God will do working in and through her life.
There is no real reason or compulsion for beginning this blog. Oh sure there is plenty to say, but how much of it is really worth hearing. Perhaps though, there will be one individual who will find their way here, and somehow read one life changing thought. If not, then these words have at least been immortalized and cast out, as Christ would say, as seeds. Seeds to provoke thought, to stir a spirit, to compel action, and to propel us all to new levels in Christ.
