Iridescent

Posted on January 4, 2011 by day1of1

I recently watched “Flipped,”  a Rob Reiner film based on the young adult novel written by Wendelin Van Draanen.  I must admit that I have never read the book and had no clue what the plot would be, except that it was “a coming of age romantic comedy.”  My main interest in the film came from the fact that one of the scenes was filmed in the Earhart Manor on the campus of Concordia University – Ann Arbor, so I really wanted to see how my alma mater looked on film.

As I watched, I found myself enjoying the plot and the interactions of Bryce and Juli.  Having taught 7th & 8th graders for many years, I could see things in their interactions that reminded me of days gone by.  I also enjoyed watching the film with my son, who also happens to be a 7th grader – just to gauge his interest in the plot and to use the film to spark future conversation.  But as I watched, I found myself blown away by one quote.

Our leading “man” Bryce is talking to his grandfather about Juli – a neighbor who “flipped” for Bryce the moment she first saw him as a 2nd grader.  To say he didn’t share her feelings would be an understatement.  Bryce didn’t hate Juli, but she was definitely caught somewhere between being odd and having cooties.  Juli came to the attention of Bryce’s grandfather after he read a newspaper article about her refusing to come down out of a tree that was about to be cut down.  Grandpa Chet recognized Juli as a kindred spirit of his recently deceased wife, and seeing that connection he brought it to the attention of Bryce.  Of course, Bryce wanted nothing to do with the advice, the article or with Juli, but he listened dutifully as his grandfather described the feelings he held for his late wife as they were rekindled by Juli’s protest.

“Some of us get dipped in flat, some in satin, some in gloss. But every once in a while you find someone who’s iridescent, and when you do, nothing will ever compare.”

Know anyone like that?  I pray that you do.  We all know people in flat – the woman in the car next to you on your drive home or the guy who reads your gas meter.  We all know people in satin – your high school classmates who friend you on Facebook that you haven’t seen or spoken to in years, or the other parents at your child’s school who say good morning to you, but nothing more.  We know the people in gloss – coworkers, family members we see once a year at the reunion, or our next-door neighbors who shovel the snow from your walk before you can get to it.  We all know these people; we’re surrounded by them every day.  So what does it take to be iridescent?

How can I begin to explain it?  They are those people in our lives for whom time stands still; the one who draws your attention the moment they enter the room.  They aren’t your whole life, but they enhance it in a way that no one else can.  What makes them iridescent?  Is it something they possess or is it something we perceive?  The answer is both.  We all possess gifts that God placed into our DNA which align us perfectly with certain people.  It becomes complete when we tear down our walls and allow that person to make a connection.  We can see it in the face of the man or woman we love.  Parents know this feeling the moment they see a child for the very first time.  It’s the recognition of love in its truest form, and it is a gift that comes from God.

It’s amazing to consider that a God who made all of creation: snow-capped mountains, sunsets at the beach, rainbows in the sky and heavens filled with stars would look past all of that and boldly declare that you and I are His masterpiece.  It was true when He created us, repeated when we fell, confirmed when He saved us, and will be completed when He welcomes us into His loving arms for an eternity with Him.  Paul’s words in Romans 8:38-39 clearly establish this as truth in our lives.  “For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”  Why go to so much trouble?

Because in God’s eyes, we are iridescent.

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Everything is Possible

Posted on December 30, 2010 by day1of1

…“Everything is possible for one who believes.”  – Mark 9:23

Every year during the week between Christmas and New Year’s Eve the television is full of “Year in Review” specials.  Maybe it’s because we live such busy lives and forget everything that happened over the past twelve months, but for some reason we find ourselves drawn to these shows.  So whether it’s curiosity or forgetfulness, it is interesting to take a moment and look back.

new-years-diet

History (even if it is very recent) has a way of reminding us who we really are.  We can fool ourselves when it comes to the future. How many of you have already vowed to lose 20 pounds, better manage your time, organize your closets, and get your finances in order for the upcoming year?  These big four topics are also common themes this week. In fact, a recent trip to Meijer put me into a special department filled with calendars, closet organizers, exercise equipment, and budget software all conveniently displayed in the same place; similar to “Back to School” shopping.  It was an interesting display, because seeing it made me realize that the store was banking on something that most of us do not understand about ourselves.

We are reactionary.  We get motivated by arbitrary things like dates on a calendar, milestones in our lives, or comparisons with people whom we perceive to be above or below us.  These benchmarks prompt us to make statements, write lists, spend money, and try fads that promise to turn us around and launch us into a successful future.  This is where history comes into play.  There’s a reason why Meijer chose these items to group together: those were the things that flew off the shelves last year when we all made the same promises to ourselves that didn’t last until Valentine’s Day.  And this doesn’t only apply to New Year’s Resolutions.  Think about the commitments you’ve made over the past year and ask yourself these questions: How many have I kept?  How many have I abandoned?  What are the short and long term consequences of both?  So as the cycle renews, what am you planning to do differently this year to achieve a better result?

In the Mark 9 passage, we see a Father bringing his demon-possessed son to Christ, knowing that his own efforts have proven futile.  Christ explains to him and to assembled crowd, “Everything is possible for one who believes.”  Our faith in Christ empowers us to do things that cannot be done when left to our own ability and strength.  This doesn’t totally eliminate us from the equation. It shows us the importance of seeking the will of God in our lives, of bringing our concerns to Him, and trusting in His power, mercy, and grace for all of our needs.

As I look back over the year gone by I am amazed at what God has accomplished in me.  My gains were tremendous blessings for which I am incredibly thankful.  My losses have taught me lessons that God will use to prepare me for my future.  Through it all, I praise God for what He has started and for what He continues to perfect within me.  It is my prayer that we all use the opportunity that the calendar provides to once again surrender our lives to Christ, aligning our beliefs to His promises, making “Everything Possible” once again.

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I Know

Posted on December 18, 2010 by day1of1

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. – Philippians 4:13

 
I’m quite certain that most of you have not read Sir Francis Bacon’s 1597 work entitled Religious Meditations, Of Heresies. Well, neither have I. However, most of us are quite familiar with the most famous quote that hails from this work: “Knowledge is power.” It’s easy to see where Bacon is going with that statement. An uninformed person is more likely to make a mistake than someone who knows and understands what they are doing. This quote is a standard bearer for educators and anyone who supports life-long learning. As an educator, I have found myself promoting this line of thinking in most every class I have taught. However, in my experience I have come to a new realization.

 
Bacon is wrong.

 
Yes I am going to take on a knighted English author and philosopher. And with what evidence, what tool will I use to prove my point? For such a lofty purpose, I must select an intellectual whose body of work can hold up under the immense scrutiny. So in truth, I have but one logical choice: Han Solo.

 
Please consider reading on…

 
In the movie “The Empire Strikes Back,” Han Solo finds himself moments away from becoming a lab experiment. He is about to be encased in carbonite, just to see if a human can survive the process. Prior to being lowered into the chamber, Princess Leia reveals her true feelings for Han with a simple, “I love you.” Harrison Ford, the actor who played Solo in the movie felt the character couldn’t just reply in kind, so in one take he improvised the line that not only stuck, but became iconic.

 
“I know.”

 
What a curious thing to say. It conveys a bravado, a swagger on his part that is certainly consistent with his character, but where does it leave Leia? Insert the thought bubble and it might read, “Oh good, he knows. So now what?” In fairness, frozen in carbonite is no way to maintain a relationship, but in all honesty, his statement of knowledge – the admission of the information into his consciousness does not convey the reassuring message that would have been found in “I love you, too.”

 
How many people know something but still don’t do the things necessary to make the changes that would ultimately benefit them? I don’t like my weight, but I won’t diet or exercise. I don’t like my job but I won’t apply somewhere else. I have a problem with my husband/wife/girlfriend/boyfriend but I won’t sit down with them to discuss it. I am in pain or feel sick but I don’t want to see a doctor. All of these people have knowledge and insight regarding their situations, but all of the knowledge in the world isn’t helping them because they refuse to apply their knowledge into any concerted effort to make a change. Knowledge may be power, but power without action is like faith without works – it’s dead.

 
When it comes to knowledge, is there a better source than the word of God? What God reveals was spoken on our behalf, designed to empower us to do everything we were created to do. When we leave knowledge behind, when we refuse to fully act upon what God has revealed to us as truth, we not only miss out on the power of His word, but we impact others as well. To know but not to share can prevent others from having the fullest measure of the blessings intended for them through us. Jonah knew what God intended for Nineveh and his avoidance could have cost that city dearly. Of course, that’s where God stepped in, helping Jonah make a few course corrections that led him to do what God had intended. But while God’s will is going to happen, wouldn’t it have been better for Jonah to do what God wanted before becoming fish food? Talk about learning the difference between knowledge and action the hard (and smelly) way.

 
May we not only plug into the power of the knowledge of God, but then follow up by actively using that power to accomplish His will in our lives.

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First Snow

Posted on December 15, 2010 by day1of1

He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also He has put eternity in their hearts, except that no one can find out the work that God does from beginning to end. I know that nothing is better for them than to rejoice, and to do good in their lives, and also that every man should eat and drink and enjoy the good of all his labor—it is the gift of God. I know that whatever God does, It shall be forever. Nothing can be added to it, And nothing taken from it. God does it, that men should fear before Him. That which is has already been, And what is to be has already been; And God requires an account of what is past. – Ecclesiastes 3:11-15

 
I looked out the window today.  Winter has finally come.  The green grass, present only yesterday, has been covered by a blanket of snow – one destined to stay, to last for a season.  The color, the warmth and the light is all gone; encapsulated by the ice, the cold and the snow. 

 
For people like myself who dislike winter, the first snowfall is a discouraging event.  I don’t like being cold.  I don’t like the dry air.  I don’t like shoveling, snow-blowing, and especially driving in it.  I admire its beauty, but I can do that best while sitting outside basking in a warm sun.  So why don’t I move to someplace warmer?  It’s probably because I dislike snow less than I dislike hurricanes, earthquakes, and oversized bugs.

 
But I digress…

 
The winter has been described and defined by countless authors over the years, so I’m not going to try to reinvent the wheel, nor am I going to repeat what you’ve already heard.  What I will say is this – winter is here for its season, but thankfully, it is not the destination.  We don’t end here.  A few weeks from now my tune will change to something like this…

 
I looked out the window.  Spring had finally come.  The tree that dominates the yard was filled with buds that soon blossom into leaves.  Snow melted away, transforming the ground from drab browns and grays back to green.  Back to green, back to life, back to the hope of something promised long ago.  Spring is a time of hope, but it must not be the end because its promise is only fulfilled in summer.

 
I looked out the window.  Summer had finally come.  The buds were gone, replaced by dark green leaves.  The green serves as a background to the colors of the season.  Flowers fill the yard with reds and whites and purples.  The colors explode as they bask in the brightness of a full summer sun.  Summer is a time of warmth, but it must not be the end because its promise is only fulfilled in autumn.

 
I looked out the window.  Autumn had finally come.  The heat of the day has been replaced by cool, crisp breeze.  The green leaves have been consumed in a fire of oranges, yellows, and reds.  Each day brings less light, fewer leaves on the tree, and more urgency to make use of the time.  Autumn is a time of preparation, but it must not be the end because its promise is only fulfilled in winter.

 
The promises of today cannot be fulfilled if tomorrow never comes.  When we push ahead, trying to bring tomorrow sooner than God’s schedule, we only cheapen its value because we eliminate the One who created it for us to have.  None of us were here to see the first winter.  It is likely that none of us will be here for the last.  But as each winter comes, let us rely upon the God who created it, knows why we need it, provides us with everything necessary to endure it until the first signs of spring arrive.

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Battalions

Posted on December 8, 2010 by day1of1

“When sorrows come, they come not single spies, but in battalions…”  Hamlet Act IV, Scene 5

 
Shakespeare may have penned these words over 400 years ago, but he was by no means the first person to experience this phenomenon (and certainly not the last!).  Troubles seem to have a way of collecting in our lives in large, uncomfortable groups and at the most inconvenient times.  Just when we think we’ve finished a stretch, here comes a few more to keep it moving.  Just when we feel like things have bottomed out and we’re starting to bounce back and the problems grow deeper and more difficult.  Times of trial – walks in the wilderness – are common in the lives of Christians.  They stretch us, test us, break us down, and provide us with a revealing look at ourselves in the truest of forms.  Depending on your perspective, this can be a very good or a very bad thing.

 
I have been walking through a wilderness for a while now.  In fact, were I writing a retrospective of 2010, I would find myself using the term – “a year with two halves.”  Where I am today is far different than where I was at the start of the year and in a place I would have never expected to be.  The struggles have grown for me in most every area of my life.  I have set my confession and have worked to do all that I can to overcome changes and challenges.  But that is where I have gone wrong.  You see, I can do all that I can and still come up way short of my intended target.  This isn’t to say that I should do nothing (of course, I’ve tried that too, only to prove its ineffectiveness).  What I am saying is this – any step I take, any thought I have, any actions I execute must be prayed over, directed, and instructed by God Himself.  In Him I will find the strength to do what I need to do and to avoid those things I must not do.

 
So how does that help me out here in the wilderness?  One word: hope.  It gives me the hope to stay focused on what He is telling me instead of what my flesh and the enemy are saying.   It gives me the hope that the struggles of today are only temporary.  It builds my hope that I will take the steps necessary to align my life with His will and by doing so come to realize all of the gifts that He has in store for me – things that I’ve lost, things that I’ve missed, and things that I’ve never dreamed possible.  In Him I find peace, strength, patience, comfort and rest.  He protects me from my enemies, He provides the victory that has been promised to me, and above all He saves me from my sin and restores me to a right relationship with Him that will last for eternity.

 
I know that the road I’m on is one that is unpleasant (to say the least).  I realize that I have made mistakes to get myself here.  I feel the sting of the hurts and offenses, serving as a near constant reminder of my straits.  But I refuse to stay put, wallowing in them and allowing myself and my future to be defined by them.  God has something far greater in mind for me – a destiny for which I have been created.  I have seen parts of it.  I know some of the people, places, and things that will be integral in building, shaping, and perfecting it.  Today I place my trust in Him – the master architect – to take His beautiful design and to construct my life in a way that will serve His purposes while exceeding all of my needs to the glory of God alone.

 
Psalm 25
 
1 In you, LORD my God,
   I put my trust.

 2 I trust in you;
   do not let me be put to shame,
   nor let my enemies triumph over me.
3 No one who hopes in you
   will ever be put to shame,
but shame will come on those
   who are treacherous without cause.

 4 Show me your ways, LORD,
   teach me your paths.
5 Guide me in your truth and teach me,
   for you are God my Savior,
   and my hope is in you all day long.
6 Remember, LORD, your great mercy and love,
   for they are from of old.
7 Do not remember the sins of my youth
   and my rebellious ways;
according to your love remember me,
   for you, LORD, are good.

 8 Good and upright is the LORD;
   therefore he instructs sinners in his ways.
9 He guides the humble in what is right
   and teaches them his way.
10 All the ways of the LORD are loving and faithful
   toward those who keep the demands of his covenant.
11 For the sake of your name, LORD,
   forgive my iniquity, though it is great.

 12 Who, then, are those who fear the LORD?
   He will instruct them in the ways they should choose.
13 They will spend their days in prosperity,
   and their descendants will inherit the land.
14 The LORD confides in those who fear him;
   he makes his covenant known to them.
15 My eyes are ever on the LORD,
   for only he will release my feet from the snare.

 16 Turn to me and be gracious to me,
   for I am lonely and afflicted.
17 Relieve the troubles of my heart
   and free me from my anguish.
18 Look on my affliction and my distress
   and take away all my sins.
19 See how numerous are my enemies
   and how fiercely they hate me!

 20 Guard my life and rescue me;
   do not let me be put to shame,
   for I take refuge in you.
21 May integrity and uprightness protect me,
   because my hope, LORD, is in you.

 22 Deliver Israel, O God,
   from all their troubles!

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Keeping Your Edge

Posted on December 6, 2010 by day1of1

For though the righteous fall seven times, they rise again, but the wicked stumble when calamity strikes. – Proverbs 24:16

I was channel surfing yesterday when I came across a sports update featuring the results of a women’s downhill skiing event.  Now I have to admit I really don’t watch much skiing.  Every four years while watching the Olympics, I may spend a few minutes on it while I’m waiting for a hockey game to start, but otherwise I’m just not the skiing type.  So as I stood there watching the results of this race, I was wondering to myself why I was even paying attention.  Soon, I had my answer.

The reporter showed American skier Lindsey Vonn making her run in the competition.  She is one of the best skiers in the world (she’s the only female skier whose name I could recognize, so she must be good).  The announcer drew the audience’s attention to Vonn as she came around a set of gates near the top of the run.  As Vonn turned to her left, her outside leg slid out from under her, causing her to stumble.  Amazingly, she did not fall.  She stretched out her legs and arms to regain her balance and quickly resumed her track down the mountain.

As I surfed on, I found myself thinking more about what she was able to accomplish.  To lose an edge and stay on her feet was an incredibly athletic feat.  I don’t know how she did it, but she was able to avoid wiping out – and that’s a good thing considering she was on the side of a mountain wearing waxed skis travelling at a high rate of speed.  Losing your edge at that moment may not only cost you a chance to win the race – it could cost you your career or even your life.

In a spiritual sense, we can relate to what skiers experience.  Your life is moving you forward like a skier on a mountain.  We face obstacles, hazards, and traps along the way that we must maneuver around with no opportunity to simply stop.  Even when we stumble and fall, we continue moving.  Satan would like nothing more than to trip us, knowing that just like a skier, we are most vulnerable when we fall.  So how do we keep standing?  The same way a skier does…

Vonn was able to keep going because of her physical strength and years of practice.  Her body was strong enough to fight off the physical forces that were trying to pull her to the ground.  When our faith is strong, we too are better able to fight off the natural forces that are trying to pull us away from our goals and the safety that comes from staying in form.  Moreover, by committing herself to hours of practice, Vonn knew what to do not only at the moment her ski started to slip, but she also knew how to recover and make up for the gaffe without losing her momentum.  Spiritually, our practice comes from devoting our lives to a disciplined approach to worship, Bible study, and faith development.  When we are in worship, in our word, praying regularly, and living our lives according to the Spirit at work in our heart – we too will know what to do when we feel ourselves losing our edge.

This may be a nice analogy, but we must recognize that it is far more than that.  This is critical for every believer to know and understand.  Like the skier on a mountain, we can’t simply stop our life when things get difficult.  Our responsibilities to our families, our jobs, and to everyone else depending upon us keep coming no matter what may be happening in another area of our life.  All of us have experienced times where our skis came out from under us, times when we’ve lost our edge, our momentum, and our confidence to carry on.  In those moments, we must rely upon our training – the strength we’ve gained through God’s love and the practice we have in serving Him diligently each day.  It won’t slow things down, but it will keep us on our feet and moving in the right direction – maintaining our edge and realizing our destiny no matter what our mountain may bring.

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Legacy

Posted on December 2, 2010 by day1of1

Praise the LORD. Blessed are those who fear the LORD, who find great delight in his commands. Their children will be mighty in the land; the generation of the upright will be blessed. – Psalm 112:1-2

 
What is it about men and our interest in the future?  Why do we care so much about the next generation and the legacy that we will leave?  For centuries, men have been driven to not only have children, but to have sons in order to carry on the family name.  Now I understand that kings needed sons to produce an heir and that families needed sons to hold onto their property, but those days are long gone.  Today it is only about keeping your name into the next generation, but for some guys you would think that this was just as important as holding the crown.  It’s not about wealth – it’s about the legacy we leave.

 
My father has been gone for three years but I still find myself thinking about not only the man he was but also the type of man he wanted me to be.  On some levels, this is silly – to think that I would still consider the words of a silenced voice the ruler by which I would be measured.  But the more I think about this, I realize that this is by design.  As his son, I am the embodiment of his unfinished work.  No man goes to the grave having completed everything he set out to do.  Work is always left to be done and it makes sense that the work would fall to the next generation.  I see that I have been put into a position where I must step up to complete his work, to fulfill my own destiny, and finally to prepare my children to continue that work when my time is done.  This is true in the earthly realm.  It is equally true in the spiritual realm as well.

 
The ministry of Christ was all about preparing Himself and the world for His death and resurrection.  In doing so, we were given the greatest gift possible.  But it didn’t end there.  As He ascended into Heaven he gave us a commission – work that we were called to do.  What He did for us is complete in and of itself.  Our job is to share that message with everyone who needs to hear it.  We do so with our words.  We do so with our actions.  We do so to our family, our friends, our co-workers, and of course with our children.  In fact – the work of instilling the Gospel into the lives of our children may be the most important work we will ever be called to do.  You see, I will ultimately not be defined by the amount of money I earn, the number of possessions I accumulate, or the memories I provide to my friends and loved ones.  My legacy will be fulfilled most effectively when Christ lives in me so strongly that His love becomes evident in my life and the lives of my descendants for generations to come.

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It Is What It Is

Posted on November 28, 2010 by day1of1

Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again. – John 3:7

 
“It is what it is” – an oft quoted phrase that for many years has defined my views on life.  After all, God made me for a purpose, so who am I to do anything that might stand in the way of these things happening.  If God wants me to have that job, I will.  If God wants me to maintain a friendship or a relationship, I will.  If God wants me to have it, I will.  Now on one level this doesn’t seem like a terrible thing – in fact God’s will is going to be done here on earth; after all He is God.  But for me there is more to it, a greater significance that signals a continuing shift in my paradigms.

 
One of the things you will get to know about me pretty quickly is that I am rather flexible.  Compromise is no big concern for me and I am very willing to forego my own preferences to accommodate the needs of others.  This serves me well in certain arenas but overall it has held me back.  This isn’t to say that God has not blessed me; He most certainly has.  However, my inability to decisively pursue the things that I want, the things that God has left for me to accomplish and achieve has put me in the position where I find myself today.

 
And so here is the moment of truth – the point where I make my bold declaration to change things, to do things differently.  Uh…no.  If it were that easy I would have done it years ago and have avoided many of the pitfalls that I’ve experienced.  It’s not that I don’t believe in the power of confession, but I also know that if left to my own abilities all the talk in the world won’t change who I am or the patterns I have established.  I have to rely upon the power of God to actively change me from within, to give me a spirit of submission to His will for my life.  And so I don’t make bold proclamations destined to fail yet again.  Instead I surrender myself to God, asking Him to renew me, to reinvent me, to allow me to be born again.

 
The words of the Newsboys’ song “Born Again” have been a regular reminder of this to me of late.  It is time to take a stand, to no longer look back on a life that I have created but to move forward confidently in the promises God has spoken over my life.  In Him I will lose my fears.  In Him I will receive abundance.  In Him I will be washed clean of my sin.  In Him I will be born again.

 
Born Again (Click here to see a YouTube link featuring the song)

 
Found myself looking into the mirror
Knew I wasn’t who I wanted to be
I was living like the way that I wanted
But my eyes reminded me I’m not free
Believe that I saw, everything that I know
Says I gotta go, tired of going solo
But I’m never gonna go there again

This is what it is
This is who I am
This is where I finally take my stand
I didn’t want to fall, but I don’t have to crawl
I’ve met the one with two scarred hands
Givin’ him the best of, everything that’s left of
The life inside this man
I’ve been Born Again

I see you’re walking like you’re living in fear
Having trouble even looking at me
Wishing they would give you more than words
Sick of people telling how it should be (how it should be)
What’s your download, where’d you get your info
Saw that I’m show, now you’re in the in-know
I’m gonna tell you what I believe, OH

This is what it is
This is who I am
This is where I finally take my stand
I didn’t want to fall, but I don’t have to crawl
I’ve met the one with two scarred hands
Givin’ him the best of, everything that’s left of
The life inside this man
I’ve been Born Again

We are the ones, he called by name
Never gonna look back
Let go, let go the guilt the shame
I said I’m never gonna look back
This is who I am

This is what it is
This is who I am
This is where I finally take my stand
I didn’t want to fall, but I don’t have to crawl
I’ve met the one with two scarred hands
Givin’ him the best of, everything that’s left of
The life inside this man
I’ve been Born Again

This is what it is
This is who I am

I didn’t want to fall, but I don’t have to crawl
I met the one with two scarred hands
Givin’ him the best of, everything that’s left of
The life inside this man
I’ve been Born Again

I’ve been Born Again

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Unfamiliar

Posted on November 25, 2010 by day1of1

I will lead the blind by ways they have not known, along unfamiliar paths I will guide them; I will turn the darkness into light before them and make the rough places smooth. These are the things I will do; I will not forsake them. – Isaiah 42:16

 
God is taking me there again – to that place where I am stretched beyond my comfort zone.  I’m headed down a path with no real clear sense of what lies ahead.  My experiences are insufficient to provide a contingency.  My comfort is limited when put into the perspective of personal ability.  Simply put, I’m trusting Him totally to take me where I’m supposed to be.

 
There’s something about places that are unfamiliar.  Unlike a spot you’ve visited dozens of times, new places stimulate the senses.  It opens your eyes and your mind to the new realities and the possibilities of what might be.  Think about the feeling of discovering a new restaurant and finding the perfect meal?  Does that ever happen at McDonald’s?  Of course not, and they really don’t want it to.  Mickey D’s is stable, safe, and consistent.  There’s little fear of it being horrendous, but even less opportunity for it to be memorable.

 
I don’t want to live the rest of my life in the comfort of what always has been.  I don’t dread looking back on the path I’ve traveled – I’ve learned much, accomplished much, and believe that God has used those experiences to mold me to be the person I am today.  But that’s not where it ends either.  I want to race into tomorrow with momentum built up from today.  I want to feel the rush that can only come from living life on the edge with God leading the way to new and unimaginable things.  My paradigms have shifted, but they’re not anchored yet.  My goals have expanded and they’ll continue to grow wider.  God has revealed things about my future that I am excited to receive.  But He has also left some things beyond my reach, outside of my vision to keep me stretched, moving forward, pressing ahead.

 
It’s a strange contradiction, but I find myself waiting with patient expectation, filled with an eagerness to know the fullness of God’s blessings for me in His time.  This drives me to do today’s work with more passion and focus so that I can experience tomorrow’s blessing as a result.

 
The message is very self-directed, but then again, you know this all full well and live in the same way.  You know what God is speaking to you – the direction in which He’s leading.  You also have things yet unrevealed that you work daily to uncover.  May you find the strength, the passion, and the peace of God through the Holy Spirit at work in your life to make these things possible to the glory of our victorious Lord.

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Under Attack

Posted on November 22, 2010 by day1of1

Contend, O LORD, with those who contend with me; fight against those who fight against me. Take up shield and buckler; arise and come to my aid. Brandish spear and javelin against those who pursue me. Say to my soul, “I am your salvation.” – Psalm 35:1-3
 
 
Attacks can come from any place and at any time.  They can take on most any form: personal, financial, relationship, physical, emotional, and spiritual.  No matter which form they take or how often they come, attacks are draining.  They take energy to deal with and can leave long-term damage.  Everyone can see the impacts that attacks from even years ago still have on them today.
 
 
How fortunate we are to have a loving God who does not desire us to be overwhelmed by the attacks of earth or enemies.  We need not be defined by our scars because God heals them.  Nor do we need to worry about standing up against the attacks of the world when God is on our side and we use His strength as our sure defense.  There are countless instances in Scripture where God sent in a man or an army into impossible situations and provided miraculous victory.  He saved the lives of Moses, David, Elijah, Peter, and Paul.  He provided miraculous victories against insurmountable odds to Samson and Joshua.  And as we know, what God has done for these faithful followers, He will in principle do for you.
 
 
I pray that you will never experience the life or death situations that are found in the stories I have referenced.  But for any turmoil, every struggle you face, I pray that God will fill you with such a level of faith and protection that nary a hair on your head would be moved.  In the name of Jesus, I pray that God will build you, finishing the work He has begun within you until your destiny is reached and your blessings are made complete.  I stand in agreement with you on this today, tomorrow, and every day for the rest of our lives.  May the Spirit of the Lord live and flourish in your every thought, word and deed to the glory of God alone.

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