By Your Side

Posted on October 22, 2010 by day1of1

So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. – Isaiah 41:10

 
I recently was given the opportunity to speak in chapel at Concordia University, Ann Arbor.  On Wednesdays, the format for chapel is one that features storytelling.  As I prayed about what I wanted to do this semester, God impressed upon me the importance of sharing my weight loss testimony.   The basis of it can be found in two of my previous blog posts – Worth the Weight and Still Weighting.  But while the basis for the talk can be found there, I was pleased to find that God had something more for me to learn by the experience.

 
With the different format, I opted to use a recorded contemporary Christian song instead of something out of the hymnal.  I was comfortable with that format, having used many “canned” songs during chapels when I was teaching in an elementary school.  But for this occasion, I wanted to make sure that I chose a song that would truly convey the message God had given me to speak.  I found it in Tenth Avenue North’s 2008 song, By Your Side.  Here are the lyrics.  Click on the title to hear the song via YouTube.

 
By Your Side

Why are you striving these days?  Why are you trying to earn grace?
Why are you crying?  Let me lift up your face.  Just don’t turn away.

Why are you looking for love?  Why are you still searching as if I’m not enough?
To where will you go child?  Tell me where will you run?  To where will you run?

‘Cause I’ll be by your side, Wherever you fall
In the dead of night, Whenever you call
And please don’t fight these hands that are holding you
My hands are holding you

Look at these hands and my side.  They swallowed the grave on that night.
When I drank the world’s sin, So I could carry you in, And give you life
I want to give you life

And I’ll be by your side, Wherever you fall
In the dead of night, Whenever you call
And please don’t fight these hands that are holding you
My hands are holding you

Here in my side, Wherever you fall
In the dead of night, Whenever you call
And please don’t fight these hands that are holding you
My hands are holding you

Cause I, I love you.  I want you to know
That I, I love you.  I’ll never let you go.

And I’ll be by your side, Wherever you fall
In the dead of night, Whenever you call
And please don’t fight these hands that are holding you
My hands are holding you

Here in my side, Wherever you fall
In the dead of night, Whenever you call
And please don’t fight these hands that are holding you
My hands are holding you

Here in my side, my hands are holding you.

 
When I am writing or preparing to speak with a particular song in mind, I will do so with the song playing in the background.  I will play it over and over, to get a feel for the words, the meaning, and the emotions that the song is trying to evoke.  As I listened to this song, I found many things I’d like to write about (and I eventually will).  The first verse focuses on our habit of trying to do things without the help of God.  The second verse talks about our inclination to run from difficulties instead of facing up to them.  The chorus (which provided the connection to my chapel talk and the verse from Isaiah 41) reminds us that God not only paid the price for our salvation, but that He is with us everywhere we go and at every moment of every day.  But in the middle of all of that comes a short thought – only 20 words in length, but they are, without a doubt the most powerful words of the entire song.  It is God speaking to us, saying…

 
“Cause I, I love you.  I want you to know that I, I love you.  I’ll never let you go.”

 
Take a moment to think about it.  How many times in your life has someone looked into your eyes and told you “I love you” and really meant it.  They didn’t say it because they wanted something in return or because they felt that was just what they were supposed to say at that moment.  They didn’t say it because it just felt right or to see what kind of response they could get from you.  They said it because it was the truth.  That person holds you in that place in their heart where only a select few are welcomed.  Who was it?  Maybe it was a special man or woman – your husband, wife, future spouse, a parent or a child.  What did you feel when you heard it?  Were you surprised?  Overjoyed?  Scared?  Perhaps the feeling has no words, or maybe it’s a combination of so many things that you can easily describe it in a short statement.  If hearing and knowing beyond the shadow of a doubt that you are truly loved by someone here on earth is such an amazing thing, how much greater is it when the person speaking is God? 

 
We are loved by the Creator of the Universe; our omnipotent, omnipresent, and omniscient Heavenly Father.  And this is not merely demonstrated by words.  He is the One who sent His own dear Son to die for us that our sin would no longer separate us from Him and the fullness of the blessings He has for us.

 
We need not fear.  We need not doubt.  The love of God is powerful, available, and sufficient for all of our needs.  May we never forget nor regret hearing those words.  May His love eliminate our fear as it fills our lives in ways we’ve never dreamt possible – now and forever.

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Artificial Sweeteners

Posted on October 16, 2010 by day1of1

Sweetest Day is fast approaching – a day created primarily by confectioners to get men to buy their wives or girlfriends candy.  To some, Sweetest Day is a wonderful opportunity to show that special someone just how special they are.  To others, Sweetest Day is a manufactured holiday designed to help a few businesses fill their coffers during an otherwise slow period of the year.  In my mind, there’s an element of both sentiments that can be found in it.  If I had a dictionary, my definition of Sweetest Day would read something like this:

Sweetest Day – An observance on the third Saturday of October which encourages us to treat the people we love in the way God instructs us to treat them every day.

 
This is a classic example of how man can come up with a brilliant idea that pales in comparison to the plan God set into place centuries ago.  Why do we need a specific day set aside to demonstrate the love we have for the special people in our lives?  Shouldn’t we be living this as our reality every day? Why don’t we show that love more often?  Why do we allow those who love us to get away with it? Reducing ourselves to loving one another only when the calendar says so, or at those times when it is easy, convenient, or beneficial is like telling somebody that an artificial sweetener tastes just as good and is better for you as real sugar. 

 
You can spin it all you want but you know that the manmade stuff simply isn’t as good as what God provided for us from the very beginning.  And this isn’t just in terms of taste.  The top artificial sweeteners all have side effects and at least one has been reported to have infiltrated our water supply as a whole because waste water treatment facilities are unable to break it down.  So if we continue our analogy, how then can we possibly think that a partial relationship or a worldly substitute for what God has provided is good for us? 
In Ephesians 5:25 Paul makes it very clear that we are to follow God’s model within our relationships when he says, “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her.”  So let me ask you:  Are one or two or even half a dozen expressions of love and gratitude per year enough?  If Christ were to love us just as we tend to love one another, we’d find Him expressing tremendous love for us on Christmas, Good Friday, and Easter, but by Ascension Day He’d be out the door getting a break from “the old ball and chain.”  How thankful we are that this is not true, and how much more fortunate we are to have a proper model to show us how we should love each and every day.  Bring her flowers on a random Tuesday.  Make dinner just to give her a break.  Hold open every door.  Help her put on her coat.  Rub her neck, her back, even her feet.  Write her notes, love letters, poems and songs.  Go see the movies and shows that she likes.  But above all, be the strong man of God she needs – a man who is worthy of the titles of husband, father, and spiritual head of the household.

 
This point is made clear to those people who are in relationships, but what about those of us who are not.  What is our role and responsibility in making every day the sweetest it can be?  Frankly, it is one and the same.  Every day of my life I am showing love to my future wife through my diligent, obedient growth in my faith in God.  As I wait for God’s timing to bring me and her to that place where we are able to fully enjoy the blessings He has in store for us, I work every day to prepare myself for her.  I build my faith so that I will love her fully, patiently, and with the depth necessary for a daughter of the Most High God.  I prepare my house, building up stability in every area of my personal finances, career, and future.  I hold myself accountable to build and strenghten my character so that I am living each day with integrity and godliness.  I will continue to demonstrate these traits until such time as God gives us the word to come together, to share in a love that only He could provide, and to shower her with an abundance of every good gift God has given me every day for the rest of my life.  I don’t do this to sound pathetic or hopelessly romantic.  I do it because God has directed me to do so.  He is true to His word.  He is perfect in His timing.  And because the love He has for me is far greater than any worldly expression of emotion I could know, I desire nothing less than that same level of complete love in my life…
…with absolutely nothing artificial added, required, or desired!

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The Movie in My Mind

Posted on October 13, 2010 by day1of1

He replied, “Because you have so little faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” – Matthew 17:20

 
Ever have a day where a song plays in your mind and you can’t seem to shake it?  No, I don’t mean some annoying song that someone mentions and it drives you nuts – something more like a soundtrack for what you’re feeling, thinking or experiencing.

 
I always get a little nervous when I ask questions like this – mainly because I’m afraid that I might be the only person this happens to and you’ll not only think I’m weird, but you’ll have evidence from my own confession.  But seeing how it’s too late for me to deny it, I might as well continue down this track.

 
All day today I have had a song from the musical Miss Saigon running through my head: The Movie in My Mind (Click the title to hear the song).  Never heard of it?  Well let me explain.  Miss Saigon tells the story of Kim, a young orphaned Vietnamese girl who turns to prostitution to survive.  The musical begins with her being “shown the ropes by some of the veterans of her group, including Mimi Van Tran – the woman who wins the title of “Miss Saigon” and begins the song.  Both women talk about how they are coping with the challenges they are currently experiencing because of the dream they hold that one of these men will not merely use them but actually come to love them and give them the better life they desire.    For Kim, she is trying to come to grips with where her life has brought her.  For Mimi, she is trying to get lost in the dream in order to forget her reality.  The song is melodic yet haunting, but through it all it reveals to us an interesting irony and an important truth.

 
You could argue that the song in nothing more than a mask for the hopelessness they actually feel.  But what we learn over time is that when life brings us to moments of total despair – those places where we have absolutely nothing but hope, we can, in fact, cling fast to the hope that God has given us out of His boundless love for us.  Life simply cannot create a situation that leaves us lower than God’s outstretched arms can reach.  If we find ourselves hiding in the bushes with Adam and Eve, cowering in the cave with David or Elijah, in the lion’s den with Daniel, in the belly of a fish with Jonah, shipwrecked and adrift in the open sea with Paul, or even lying in the grave next to Lazarus, there is no place, no situation, no circumstance that we face in life in which God does not have control.  Our faith in Him, the promises He has made to us, and the Holy Spirit living in our hearts give us everything we need to not only maintain our hope, but to do so with a boldness, a confidence, and an expectation that God will keep His word and deliver us according to His will for our lives.  So it’s not the movie in our mind but the Spirit in our heart.

 
Through Him we can live with an unparalleled hope, no matter what the world may say or what the situation might show.

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Strong Enough

Posted on October 9, 2010 by day1of1

One of the most clever movies in recent years has to be the 1997 film Men in Black.  In an interesting combination of comedy and suspense – the movie tells the story of the secret government agency that monitors alien activity on earth.  As the movie begins Agent K, played by Tommy Lee Jones, decides to recruit Will Smith’s character to serve in the MIB.  After explaining everything to him, Jones leaves Smith for an evening to consider the offer.  As he’s walking away, Smith asks him if doing the job, if making the sacrifices was worth it.  Jones’s answer is simple, but telling…

 
“Oh yeah, it’s worth it.  If you’re strong enough.”

 
Are you strong enough?  For most people those are “fightin’ words,” the kind of thing that will make you puff out your chest, put up your dukes and take on all comers who would dare stand in your way.  What is it about that question that raises such ire?  Is it the challenge, or is it the realization that we may have weaknesses that we are actually working very hard to hide.  We like to be the strong man at the gym.  We want to show the boss that a woman can do anything a man can do.  These shows of strength happen every day on the surface, but imagine if the search for strength takes you deeper into your personality, deeper into your spirit, perhaps you cringe at a more pointed question:

 
You’ve shown your weakness through strength, but are you strong enough to be vulnerable? 

 
This statement seems to be contradictory, or at the least hold a very strange irony.  But the more I consider it, the more truth I see within it.  Don’t believe me?  Consider this…

 
Think about the young child who turns to bullying.  The most common psychological reason for bullying is insecurity.  The child feels that he or she will be shown to be a fake, a phony, someone with faults, flaws, and shortcomings.  Unwilling to let the world see these things, they resort to bullying other children.  By showing their strength, power and toughness, they feel they are overcoming their fears and failures.  Actually, they are merely hiding them, along with themselves, in the bravado of being tough.  As we mature we stop bullying, but the behaviors can continue.  Ever notice how people bury themselves in work, in hobbies, in busyness to avoid coming to grips with their true feelings?  Men are told they are unable to cry, to feel the full emotion of what they’re going through.  Women are inspired by stories in novels and on TV of other strong women who pull themselves up and overcome their hurts through simply burying them behind a façade of strength.  We think that spiritual wounds will heal, just like a physical wound – slap a bandage on it, cover it up, and move on without giving it another thought.

 
Of course, this simply is not true.  Spiritual wounds are more like the leaky window in your house.  Simply pulling the blinds and ignoring the problem will not solve it.  In fact, by waiting the problem only grows larger, does more damage and becomes more difficult and costly to fix.  At the first sign of a leak, we should begin to take steps to fix it in order to limit the short and long term damage.  That’s easy to say when it comes to home improvement, but far more challenging when the improvement project is our own life.  Some problems are big, requiring major renovations that entail a substantial amount of time, effort and cost.  Some problems are long lasting – things that we have lived with for so long that we’ve grown pretty comfortable at managing the problem instead of solving it.  Some problems are painful.  They hurt to the point where our minds and bodies simply block them out, providing us with the safe haven of avoidance.  Some problems are combinations of all three – an emotional “perfect storm.”  It scares us, freezes us in our tracks and prevents us from taking the simple steps of seeking help to deal with and truly overcome the hurts that plague our daily lives.  So out of fear – fear of pain, of guilt, of exposure, of facing past demons, or of letting others see us broken down in our weakness, we hide these things in a shell of strength that belies our hurts but keeps the meddlesome do-gooders away.

 
Thankfully, there is a solution to these problems.  Through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ we have been restored to a place where we can call on the Father to lead us to the help we need to overcome.  God leads us to other faith-filled people whose love and compassion for God overflows into their lives, their ministries, and their relationships.  Isaiah 53:5 reminds us that we were healed “by His wounds.”  This healing is not limited to forgiveness of our sins, but it wipes the slate clean.  Lies, reckless decisions, deflated self-value, even anger and apathy toward God Himself can be forgiven and cast away.  We are not slaves to these things.  Our futures are not limited by them.  Our hope is not lost.  But to experience the fullness of what God wants to do in our lives, we must open ourselves up to Him – to be vulnerable so that His strength can be made perfect in our weakness.

 
Put down your guards.  Let go of your defenses and let the power of God provide for you the healing you need.  It is through Him where the light meets the dark and our strength can align with His strength to provide victory, peace, and the future God has promised us.

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Unwavering

Posted on October 7, 2010 by day1of1

Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised. This is why “it was credited to him as righteousness.” – Romans 4:20-22

 
Abraham was told that he would become the father of a nation – that his descendants would be more numerous than the stars in the sky.  Of course at the time he was given this promise it probably had the feeling of a cruel joke.  Abraham, 100 year old man married to Sarah, the 90 year old love of his life – not exactly the pair you’d expect to be gracing the cover of any parenting magazines.  But God had made a promise to Abraham – His word spoken over their lives would come true.  But having said that, I’m still curious how Abraham was able to do it.

 
Not the “become the father of many nations” part, although bouncing a healthy baby boy on a 100 year old knee strikes me as a challenge.  I’m wondering how it was that Abraham was able to wait as long as he did and maintain his hope without wavering.  Unwavering faith is a tricky thing.  For Abraham to believe that God would keep this promise isn’t hard.  But to hold on to that belief for years and years, waiting for the kids to come, feeling the disappointment of continued infertility.  Imagine the conversations they must have had over the years; waiting, wondering, but never giving up, never losing the faith that God would be true to His word.

 
I admire Abraham for his strength and patience in the demonstration of his faith.  God’s promises are true, His timing is perfect, and His plan aligns completely with His will for our lives.  But even though we know this, see it, and have even experienced it a time or two in our past, we still seem to find ourselves struggling with placing our faith totally in His hands.  Perhaps we trust Him for certain things, but struggle with the issues that we find most important.  Maybe we have specific qualifications or parameters that we place on God’s promises which make it harder for us to wait.  Or maybe as members of the post-modern era we simply aren’t very patient.

 
But then there’s Abraham – whose unwavering faith would ultimately be credited to him as righteousness.  I wonder how many times people told him he was crazy for waiting for a child, especially considering his advanced age and the years of trying.  I wonder if even Sarah shared this doubt, after all, she did laugh when the angels foretold of the pregnancy.  But we are told Abraham never doubted, not once, not even for a moment.  What amazing faith, and what an amazing result.

 
As we see this, we too have something to learn from Abraham’s faith.  By placing our faith totally in the hands of God, we allow our will to align with His.  The Holy Spirit becomes active within our lives and we are given renewed strength at higher levels than we have ever known before.  This is because we are no longer relying upon our own strength or resolve but upon the strength of God at work in our lives.  Our past mistakes no longer have any bearing.  Our impatience is replaced with resolve.  Our futures are certain.  Our peace is assured.

 
Live each day with the unwavering faith that God’s promises to you will come to fruition in the right time, the right place, and with His desired outcome.

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Nine Months

Posted on October 3, 2010 by day1of1

Nine months is a magical timeframe.  It immediately connects to pregnancy and the new life that develops in that time.  It is amazing what God can do in that time frame.  Sperm and egg join and develop into a life – not merely a baby, or a person, but a life. 

 
That life will have countless impacts upon the world.  That baby born nine months later will be the object of untold love by parents, grandparents and family.  That child will be someone’s best friend while creating and sharing memories with hundreds of people along the way.  They will accomplish remarkable things in school, athletics, music, drama, or some other area of interest.  They will earn trophies, awards, diplomas and salaries.  Ultimately, they will be chosen by another to be loved above all other – joining together in a relationship that will create more children and grandchildren to be loved.  They will accomplish great things, ultimately leaving an indelible mark on the lives of their loved ones before receiving their eternal reward with God in heaven.  It’s a long and amazing journey, but it all starts in just nine months.

 
As life begins within that timeframe, it might be worth our while to assess our lives every nine months – to see how we have grown and changed over that time.  I find myself doing that very thing this morning.  I am sitting in the terminal at John Wayne Airport in Orange County, California, awaiting my flight home.  Nine months ago, I found myself in the same airport, preparing to make the same transcontinental trip.  Looking back to only January, I am astonished by the amazing twists and turns my life has taken over that time.  I won’t go into detail – that would take too long.  But the man sitting here today is vastly different.  I’ve learned much, grown in many ways, and have experienced the most remarkable highs and lows of my life.

 
Ecclesiastes 3 talks about the times of our lives.  I’m not going to post it here, but I would encourage you to read the chapter as you consider my words.  However, I will sum up my thoughts on it through the words of verse 11…

 
He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end.

 
Life is filled with countless opportunities which can leave us asking God, “Why?”  What I have learned is to change my question to, “What are you teaching me, Lord?”  In this change, I find more joy in the positives, peace for the difficulties, confidence in the process and hope for the future.  The things I’ve gained will stay with me forever.  The things I’ve lost will be restored in God’s perfect timing.  But through it all, God will be glorified and I will be blessed.

 
My plane is boarding – my journeys are about to begin.

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For What it’s Worth

Posted on October 2, 2010 by day1of1

Then Jesus told them this parable: “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Does he not leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent. “Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. Does she not light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it? And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.’ In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” – Luke 15:3-10

 
Ever bought anything on eBay?  It’s become a very popular Internet destination for people looking for bargains or for people looking to make money by selling their treasures.  While some may dismiss the site as little more than an electronic garage sale, it does provide many people an effective marketplace to buy and sell their wares.  For me, it provides an effective tool for teaching a simple economic and spiritual fact.

 
In an economic sense, eBay teaches us about the values of objects.  I have a modest baseball card collection with several cards listed at values of several hundred dollars.  This is great news in terms of conversation, but just because a baseball card collector’s guide gives the card a $200 value doesn’t mean that’s what it’s worth.  Now if I put it on eBay and let the world bid on it for a week, the highest bidder will determine the actual value of it.  So the economic truth we learn is this: an item is only worth what someone else is willing to pay for it.

 
In a spiritual sense, this gives us a clear understanding of the love God has for us.  Think about it: what price did God pay to buy you back from sin?  Could a greater price have been paid than the death of His own dear Son?  We must live everyday in the certain knowledge of our true value as it was established by God Himself.  We are a precious commodity that God desired above anything else in all creation.  

 
This tells us two things that should affect our daily lives.  First: because we were bought at such a great price, we must live our lives caring for ourselves in a way that maintains our value.  Secondly: God models for us the way we ought to respond to those things in our life which we value.  God’s love for us and His desire to reclaim us led him to actively pursue us until we were His.  The parables show us how to pursue a coin or a sheep.  But think about the things in your life that you have lost, those people and things that you worry about – how far would you go to reclaim…

  • The love of your life?
  • A lost child?
  • A dream you’ve longed to pursue?
  • The peace you’ve lost due to financial struggles?
  • The assurance that your loved ones have a faith relationship with Christ?
     

If we truly value these things, we will take them to God in prayer, asking Him to act upon it as well as giving us the strength and wisdom to restore what has been lost. 

 
Is it worth it?

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Much to Risk

Posted on September 29, 2010 by day1of1

People were bringing little children to Jesus to have him touch them, but the disciples rebuked them. When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” And he took the children in his arms, put his hands on them and blessed them. – Mark 10:13-16

 
Here are a few questions I’d like you to answer…

 
When was the last time you laughed uncontrollably?

When was the last time you cried inconsolably?

When was the last time you learned something you never knew before?

When was the last time you experienced something that you will never forget?

 
As adults living fast-paced, high stress lives, we have to take some time to really think about when each of the things last happened in our lives.  So are you ready for the irony?  My five year old daughter did all of these things today before noon.

 
Many people go through life feeling emotionally detached from the world around them.  For some, this is unintentional and for others it is deliberate.  We lost sight of the joys and sorrows in an attempt to simply maintain the status quo.  We brush aside opportunities to learn, to feel and to grow out of a lack of time, a lack of understanding, or a lack of interest.  No matter what the rationale, we are leaving an awful big portion of our lives unlived.  Why is that?

 
I think many of us (myself included) live lives where our primary goal is the management of risk.  As parents, we err on the side of caution when it comes to the health and well being of our children.  As good stewards of our resources, we carefully budget and diligently plan our investment strategies.  As effective time managers, we schedule our days carefully so that we don’t waste our time or allow any opportunities for activity to pass us by.  We grow and mature and become so skilled at managing risk that we simply forget how to take one. 

 
This is not what we were made to do.  This is not how we were instructed to live.  Think about the lives the apostles led.  Did they manage risk, or did they step boldly in faith?  Think about those people who are most successful in business.  Did they get there because somebody felt they were entitled to the position despite having done nothing to earn it?  God didn’t create us to be reckless. Instead, we were made to be His special creation; designed in love to carry out the awesome plan that He has for your life in boldness and free from fear, shame, guilt, and error.  Risky behaviors in the truest sense of what God desires of us are those things that would immediately set you apart, that would drive you to be out front no matter what’s going on in your life.  These are the things that make us peculiar in the world, and because of this many of us do our best to stifle it – to minimize the things within so that it does not embarrass us in front of others.

 
This is a shame, because in doing so we are missing out on a great deal of what life has to offer us.  For example, my daughter doesn’t care what others might think of her emotional reactions to life around her.  Her joys, sorrows, hurts, and celebrations are hers to savor and hers to share.  Others are welcome to join her but they cannot, nor will they deter her from displaying them – at least for now.  I think this is a big part of what Christ meant when he described the faith of a child.  It’s not only about keeping it simple and being committed and obedient, but it is also about being open to the fullness of what God wants us to feel – unfiltered and unbridled.  This begins today for me as I set out on a path that will lead me to risk much, but my faith is unwavering in the One who not only saved me by His sacrifice, but promises to reward me for my obedience.  May He bless you, bless me, and fill us all joy beyond compare every moment of every day of our lives.

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Practicing Patience

Posted on September 26, 2010 by day1of1

For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope. Now may the God of patience and comfort grant you to be like-minded toward one another, according to Christ Jesus – Romans 15:4-5

 
Paul’s words hold a tremendous truth: the word of God is the source of patience and comfort for our lives and upon this foundation we build the hope that will sustain us through the most difficult of times.  Now for those of you whose lives are filled with nothing but peace and joy, you probably don’t need to read any further.  But for the rest of us, we can also learn how to experience maximized peace from Paul’s simple declaration.

 
Have you ever heard someone give you the advice that you should never ask God for patience, because in doing so He’ll bring you plenty of opportunities to develop it?  I must confess that I’ve spoken these words a time or two – usually at times when I was going through a period of stress and was pressing God for deliverance.  Of course, such an idea is totally off base.  For starters, there is nothing we shouldn’t bring before the Lord our God.  If an extra measure of patience is needed, then ask for it.  God is not waiting to zap us for asking, so don’t be fooled into avoiding Him.  In truth, the issues that we experience in practicing patience have little to do with God and a whole lot to do with us.

 
A spiritual mentor of mine shared this thought regarding patience:  “Patience is the thing you tell yourself while you’re waiting.”  You see, for most people, patience is all about passively sitting back and being content while you do nothing.  This approach will inaccurately make patience synonymous with helplessness.  That is why so many people struggle with patience.  Patience is not passive – it is an active work in our lives that we must diligently pursue in our thoughts, our words, and our deeds.  When we do this, we find that patience is not only attainable but ultimately more rewarding.

 
As I meditated on this, I couldn’t help but look at two elements in my life where I have succeeded and struggled with patience.  My success is in my weight loss.  I have managed to lose a tremendous amount of weight over the past few months and I am tremendously proud of this accomplishment.  But over that time there have been several stretches where my weight plateaued.  Despite staying true to my diet and exercise regimen, I wasn’t losing weight.  At those times, Elder Randy was there reminding me (in ways that only he could get away with) that I wasn’t heading back to the couch with a bag of chips to put the weight back on, so I needed to be patient.  In this context, patience meant to keep dieting, to keep exercising, to tweak a part of the regimen, and to continue to confess through my prayer life that the weight was going to come off.  This is what I did and what I continue to do.  It doesn’t make the process quicker, but my spirits are uplifted with the knowledge that God is blessing my diligence and doing amazing things in my life.

 
While I see this clearly in my health, there are other areas of my life where, despite my understanding of this, I still find myself struggling to demonstrate the patience I should.  There are lots of reasons, explanations, or excuses I could give for this inconsistency in my approach.  Finances are obviously important to life.  Raising children is an important and demanding part of any parent’s life.  Career goals play a tremendous role in our decision making today and into the future.  Maintaining healthy relationships with our spouse or significant other are crucial. 

 
For me, these areas are priorities, making it easier to be controlling and harder to be patient.  Both approaches are active, but only one includes God.  When I’m controlling it I say I want it done now, that I can’t wait until it’s over, that I dislike the process, that I’d give anything to get what I’m after.  When I’m being patient I say (and believe) that God is guiding me in this process, that I’m learning the lessons I need along the way to sustain long term success, that I’m receiving exactly what God has desired for me to have and at the right time in my life to enjoy it the most. 

 
By keeping these truths at the forefront of my mind, I learn to appreciate what God is doing in my life in totality.  It also allows me the opportunity to resubmit myself to Him each day in worship and prayer as we keep working toward our ultimate goals inside of my kingdom destiny.  Or as John Waller says in his song, While I’m Waiting…

 
“I will move ahead, bold and confident.  Taking every step in obedience.”

 
The career I’ve desired, the home life I’ve sought, the security I’ve longed for, the woman of my dreams.  I praise God everyday that I’m waiting with the sure knowledge that they’re coming according to His promises.

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The Way of the Lord

Posted on September 24, 2010 by day1of1

Teach me your way, O LORD, and I will walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name. I will praise you, O Lord my God, with all my heart; I will glorify your name forever. For great is your love toward me; you have delivered me from the depths of the grave. – Psalm 86:11-13

This psalm is interesting to me because of the way it frames our relationship with God.  It spells out many things that a believer will do to praise God – walking in truth, fearing and glorifying His name, etc…  But when you look at it more closely, you can see that before anything can come from us to Him, there must first be a gift given by Him to us.  “Teach me your way, O LORD, and…”

Before we can do anything in the Kingdom, before we can offer our lives in service and praise, we must first come to know God – who He is, what He has done for us, and how much He loves us.  Thankfully this isn’t a difficult thing to do.  Because God’s love for us is so great, He makes Himself available to us continually.  God has opened Himself up to us so that we might know Him and have Him be a part of our lives.  His involvement opens doors that would prevent us from having the fullest possible measure of peace and blessings in our lives.  God’s desire is fill us with these gifts, and He does so through His word living in our lives.

But what then should we do with this?  Many Christians hear it, receive it, and then simply go about their lives with a passing knowledge of what God is about – kind of like a factoid they picked up on a TV show or website.  But for those people who take this on and live out what God directs each day – they experience amazing, life changing situations that will fill their lives completely with the awesome power of the Spirit of the Lord.

I know this to be true because I have seen it first hand in you – the men and women of faith in my life.  Over time, you have shared with me many things that have happened in your lives.  As we’ve talked about these things, I have found a common theme – God is at the center of every part of your life.  He is the source – the center around which everything you do, say, think, and feel revolves (even if you don’t know it or believe it at the time).  God has taught you His ways and you have done more than simply listen – you’ve embraced it, you’ve applied it, and now you live it fully and completely.  And because of this change in your life, God has kept His word.  The love of God in you is evident.  It’s unmistakable because He has done and continues to do things that are nothing short of miraculous.  In you, He has developed character, strength, wisdom, and fortitude.  He has a plan for you, one that He has begun to set into motion.  And what’s most exciting about this from my vantage point is simply this:  with the collection of gifts and abilities that He has assembled in you, it is obvious that what is coming for you will be nothing short of magnificent.  May every day of your life bring deliberate training for that day when God opens up His floodgates and presents you with that great gift.

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