In Him

Posted on February 1, 2010 by day1of1

There were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned lands or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone as he had need. – Acts 4:34-35
Good morning.  The lesson learned in this section of Scripture remains true, even though the lifestyle by which we live is drastically different.  People today don’t sell all of their possessions and live in communes where all of their physical needs are met.  However, step back and look at the story from a bigger picture perspective and you easily see the lesson to be learned.
Read the story and put God in the position of the church.  As His people, we return the fullness of our lives to Him, giving back everything we have.  Now this doesn’t require an auction, a foreclosure, and a rummage sale.  Instead, it requires a commitment – an aligning of our lives so that everything we have (which is merely on loan to us because God gave it to us in the first place) is given back to Him.  Nothing is ours to hoard and treasure, allowing no earthly thing to take on too important a role in our lives or to be set in a position where it might stand between us and our Lord.

You live your life by this correct perspective.  Everything you have is His and you not only return what is asked, but you have given everything to Him; every item, every possession, but also every action, every word, every thought.  You live your life each day in the truth that Christ lives in you, and so consequently you live for Christ.  And as the passage says, you receive the amazing gift of knowing that every need you have will be met.  There is nothing you lack – no want to which God does not tend.  This knowledge provides you with the opportunity to live with greater boldness and faith in Him – and you do.
May this boldness fill you today as you carry out the work that God has set before you to complete.  May you find satisfaction in what you are able to accomplish and know that you serve God through every task completed.  Be blessed with knowledge, wisdom, discernment, success and contentment.  Know that in every joy and challenge you face, because of your faithful obedience God is standing alongside you, blessing every action and answering your requests so that no need you have will go unfulfilled.

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Hope

Posted on January 21, 2010 by day1of1

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love.  But the greatest of these is love. – 1 Corinthians 13:13

You will be secure, because there is hope; you will look about you and take your rest in safety.  Job 11:18

Hope

As I read these passages and began to think about hope, my mind wandered in the direction of the movie The Shawshank Redemption.  And seeing how it’s been a while since I posted anything movie related, I figured why not go with it.  As with any great movie, there are many subplots that develop throughout the movie bringing depth to characters and giving the audience reason to pause and reflect.  There was a particular scene in the movie that triggered in my mind as I meditated on hope.  It’s a line from the letter that Andy Dufresne (played by Tim Robbins) wrote Red (played by Morgan Freeman).  Andy has escaped from the prison and left instructions for Red to find a particular location if he were to ever get out.  So with that line echoing in my mind, I thought I’d research it online to see what the movie tells us about hope.  What I found was that the hope subplot actually starts earlier in the movie.

Andy was put into solitary confinement  for broadcasting a song over the prison PA system.  Once out of “the hole,” he and Red talk about the power of music…

Andy Dufresne: That’s the beauty of music. They can’t get that from you… Haven’t you ever felt that way about music?
Red: I played a mean harmonica as a younger man. Lost interest in it though. Didn’t make much sense in here.
Andy Dufresne: Here’s where it makes the most sense. You need it so you don’t forget.
Red: Forget?
Andy Dufresne: Forget that… there are places in this world that aren’t made out of stone. That there’s something inside… that they can’t get to, that they can’t touch. That’s yours.
Red: What’re you talking about?
Andy Dufresne: Hope.
Red: Let me tell you something my friend. Hope is a dangerous thing. Hope can drive a man insane.

Red’s comment about hope is true when you leave your hope in the natural.  I imagine that a man incarcerated for decades would be more comfortable abandoning his hope.  Seeing the sun shine gives us a strong desire to bask in its warmth and light.  Imagine how hard it must be to see the sun shine knowing that you can never step into it.  In time, you can come to the conclusion that it’s best to simply convince yourself that there is no sun and be content in the cold, dark places of life.  For some, this may be an effective short term coping mechanism.  For others like Red, it has become their reality.

I think that a life void of hope would be uninspiring at best.  It is a life that certainly stands in opposition to our nature.  As a creation, we strive for something more, something bigger and with higher levels of purpose because we know deep down that we were created for something greater.  The Bible clarifies this longing for us.  Because we were made in God’s image, we possess an awareness that there are greater things which await us – greater things toward which we are headed.  To deny ourselves the comfort that comes from this basic truth by removing hope from our lives will leave us unfulfilled and searching for deeper meaning in places where none exists.  This is why people turn to quick fixes, impulsive decisions and other vices as an alternative to maintaining their hope in their all-powerful God.

It’s a process, but we can change our paradigms to reacquire the desire for hope.  You know this from your own life and experiences.  At some point, you’ve known the feeling of hopelessness.  Thankfully, God never abandoned the hope He has for you.  He stood by, patiently and lovingly providing you with what you needed to return back to that place of safety and security in Him.  Andy Dufresne does something similar for Red in the letter awaiting him after his parole.

“Dear Red.  If you’re reading this, you’ve gotten out. And if you’ve come this far, maybe you’re willing to come a little further. You remember the name of the town, don’t you? I could use a good man to help me get my project on wheels. I’ll keep an eye out for you and the chessboard ready. Remember, Red. Hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever dies. I will be hoping that this letter finds you, and finds you well. Your friend, Andy.”

Andy knew that the day might come that Red would be released, and out of love and care for his friend, he made him an offer to join him.  In part, it was to prevent Red from meeting the same demise as Brooks – another long time prisoner who committed suicide after parole because he couldn’t readjust to society.  But beyond that, it was Andy maintaining the hope he had in his friend to regain a thirst for something greater in his life.  There was no guarantee that Red would get out.  No assurance that he’d remember the location of that field where the note was left.  No reason to assume that Red would travel across a continent to join him.  But Andy not only made the invitation and provided the funding – he offered him a hope for something new, something better than he’d ever known.

What is God bringing into your life?  Things are coming into focus, aligning themselves to bring you abundance beyond your expectations.  You may or may not yet know what all of those things will look like, but we know they are coming and they will be good.

Similarly, Red left on his voyage without much knowledge of the future.  What’s more, the movie ends without us ever finding out exactly what happens.  But despite the lack of knowledge, Red’s final thoughts leave us with what we need to know…

Red: [narrating] I find I’m so excited, I can barely sit still or hold a thought in my head. I think it’s the excitement only a free man can feel, a free man at the start of a long journey whose conclusion is uncertain. I hope I can make it across the border. I hope to see my friend, and shake his hand. I hope the Pacific is as blue as it has been in my dreams. I hope.

Hope in the Lord that He will complete in you the work that He has started.  Hope that you will find answers to your questions, solutions to your problems, and delights to fill your days as a dearly loved child of God.

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Love from the Source

Posted on January 13, 2010 by day1of1

Surely it is you who love the people; all the holy ones are in your hand.  At your feet they all bow down, and from you receive instruction – Deuteronomy 33:3

 
How wonderful are the blessings that God has given us?  Can we truly understand them in their depth?  It’s a bit of a brain teaser I suppose – but there’s more to it.  Worldly knowledge is so limited in comparison to the all-knowing nature of our Heavenly Father.  So if we can accept that we have no we understanding of how God can know everything, it makes sense that we would also be limited in our knowledge of the fullness of God’s love for us.

 
How fortunate we are that God understands us and provides for us a clearer picture of all of the things we cannot comprehend.  We know Him because He has given us His word to open our eyes.  We know love because He is the source of all love and He models it in our lives every day.  From His throne, we receive grace, mercy, peace, healing, forgiveness, and joy.  There is nothing good in this world that we could ever have that does not come from the Lord.  Therefore we are all the more thankful for what He has chosen to bless us with, because in Him we are made complete.

 
Words cannot adequately explain the blessings that God has given us in our lives.  We can only offer Him our thanks and praise through the praise and worship we raise to Him and through the love that we share as we follow the destiny paths given to us by our Creator.  May your life be filled with all the joy and love that God can provide so that you may fill your life while using His gifts to bless others as well.

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Valued

Posted on January 4, 2010 by day1of1

In church this past Sunday, Bishop Ben Gibert of Detroit World Outreach made a statement that has really struck a chord with me regarding the value we place upon Biblical knowledge.  He compared the way people approach learning in an academic setting with learning in a Christian setting.  Being a Christian educator, you can see why this topic immediately piqued my interest.  His statement was this:  People are willing to spend hundreds of dollars on classes at a community center, a college, or a university because they feel that they will gain a tangible benefit from doing so.  Even if the class were only to develop a skill or hobby like photography or ballroom dancing, people will pay for the opportunity to “better themselves.”  Now compare that mindset with the one that comes from Biblical knowledge or Christian education.  Could you imagine the response that most people would give to a church that offered a class and charged $50, $100 or more to attend?  I’ve seen people complain loudly over Bible classes that have been offered where the attendees were asked to pay for a $10 book that they could keep. 

 
The simple truth of it all is this – people simply don’t want to pay for something that they don’t value.  If you truly value something, money is not object.  How many stories have been told about parents who will stop at nothing, who will spare no expense to save the lives of their children?  They do so because they value them.  Students pursuing a career will pay for the bachelors, masters, or even the doctoral degree without flinching at the cost.  Why?  Because it is what they need in order to pursue a dream and they value it.  Even Christ touched upon this concept in the Parable of the Hidden Treasure in Matthew 13:44. “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.”

 
Harsh as it may sound, most people simply undervalue what is offered to them in the Bible.  There are two reasons why this is true.  First, many people feel that they give enough, because they view stewardship in the same way they view paying bills.  Ever round up your payment on the water bill or send the IRS a tip?  Me either – I pay for the water I use and Uncle Sam gets what I legally owe him.  But my relationship with God is different.  I’m not paying Him for services rendered because frankly, there isn’t enough money in existence to cover even a portion of it.  Secondly, as Bishop shared, we under value Biblical knowledge because Satan has done all he can to cheapen it in our eyes so that He might destroy us and our relationship with God.  And so our view of religious training and the value that it holds is diminished.  We wouldn’t dare miss a masters’ class that we’re paying $400 a credit hour for, but skipping Sunday’s Bible class or missing our morning quiet time is much more easily done because we’ve been convinced that doing so won’t cost us anything.

 
What is the value of Biblical knowledge?  It is in Scripture that we come to learn who God is and all that He has done for us.  The Bible gives us the law and God’s principles for living a full and purposeful life – a life that meets our needs and allows us to serve God in pursuit of our ultimate destiny in Him.  The Bible brings the Gospel of Jesus Christ into our lives, and through Him, we are given the opportunity to receive forgiveness of our sins, restore our relationship with the Father, and receive eternal life in Heaven. 

 
Peace for today, hope for tomorrow, abundance for generations, and life eternally: how could you possible put a price tag on that?

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Overcoming

Posted on January 1, 2010 by day1of1

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” – John 16:33

 
We know that the world is going to bring difficulties our way.  They come in various forms, in differing sizes, and with levels of intensity that can range from mild irritation to curl up under the covers and hide from the world.  No matter what we face, the consistency of the strength of God in our lives sees us through – enabling us to rely upon something far greater than any trouble we face.

 
As I look over the status of my life today, I see the troubles that exist in various forms.  No doubt you could also see issues and challenges that Satan throws out in an attempt to knock you off your destiny course.  But as God has called us to do –we keep our eyes fixed upon the promises that He has made to us, knowing that His plan is perfect and our obedience will produce deliverance and blessings in abundance.

 
I am thankful to God for the blessings and the challenges that I have been given to face.  The blessings are easy to be thankful for, the challenges are sometimes harder to appreciate, but we’ve learned that they give us the opportunity to grow and to further rely upon God for everything in our lives.  So as I mentioned earlier, my meditations on my life today have allowed me to see the good things that God has given me – success at work and in my writing, good friends, a loving family, goals for the future.  I also look at the challenges and when I put both of those concepts together I clearly see the greatness of God surrounding me, molding me into the man I am supposed to be. 

 
I speak of myself, but I know this to be true of you as well.  No matter what items you use to fill the lists of blessings and challenges, God is there – leading, protecting, encouraging, and loving you in ways that will see you through and grow you into each day, leaving you more anointed, more amazing than the one you had been before.  That is His will and my prayer for you.

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Wise Men & Godly Women

Posted on December 25, 2009 by day1of1

After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him.” … On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh – Matthew 2:1-2, 10-11

There are interesting ironies in the story of the wise men.  First, you see powerful men recognizing the power of someone greater, even though that person is only an infant.  They bring with them the greatest gifts they could – presenting them to a child who would prove to be the greatest gift that God could ever give us.  It shows an interesting pattern – we give our gifts, our talents, our very lives to God, and in return He provides us with gifts and blessings that extend beyond our wildest imagination. 

This God-driven act sets a standard that is found in our world in a most interesting place.  Years ago, I attended a Promise Keepers conference.  Of the many things I heard speakers say that day, one thing has stuck into my mind above the others.  The men were challenged to sow every good thing they could into a godly woman.  The reality was this: a man can do all that he can to build her up and to give her good gifts, but everything he does for her will only spur her on to give more back.  In fact, he can sow and sow and sow but he will never give her more than she will give him.  I always found this an interesting premise, and so this Christmas I share it with you, praying that the men who read this will test God in this and see if find it to be true.  If you know this to be true, I would invite you to use the comment box below to share your own experiences in this.  Let your words serve as a testimony to others who may be hesitant or may simply deny God’s role in this area of their lives.

May your Christmas be filled with peace, joy, and blessings in abundance.

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No Questions, Please

Posted on December 21, 2009 by day1of1

I am intrigued by the comments that people will make about what they plan to do when they arrive in heaven.  Many Christians have lists of questions that they want to ask and to whom they look forward to talking.  With this much interest in asking questions of Biblical personalities, I sometimes envision God setting up a scene similar to a parent/teacher conference day in a school.  Imagine having Peter, John the Baptist, Mary, Samson, Moses, Daniel, Adam, and the like sitting behind small tables in large room with people lined up, taking turns asking them their questions.  Or maybe it takes on a TV talk show format with a live audience and others phoning in their questions.  However God would handle it, I’m sure it would be impactful and interesting.  Of course, it would also be inaccurate and inconsistent with God’s plan for His creation.

 
As Christians living in the same world today, we often look up to and admire the work and actions of our Biblical forefathers.  But some people take this idea too far.  We look up to celebrities for many reasons, but primarily because they can do things that we cannot.  I can’t throw a football better than Brett Favre, act as well as Tom Hanks, play the piano better than Jim Brickman, or drive a car faster than Jimmie Johnson.  Because of my inability to achieve at that level, I marvel at those people who can, and I’m not alone.  Many people share my admiration of others who can do things I cannot.  But when it comes to living our faith, submitting our lives to God, and sharing the love of Christ with others, we are on par with every other believer – including those whose names are recorded in the Scriptures.

 
We have all been given a ministry, a specific purpose that God has given to us.  It is all part of His perfect plan for creation – His perfect plan for us.    But because we are a part of something bigger than ourselves, we also have an expectation of what we will do to make that plan happen.  We can try to opt out, but consider that Jonah tried that once and it didn’t exactly work out as he planned.  God’s will still happened in spite of Jonah’s blatant defiance of His instructions.  What’s more – because His will is perfect, we can put our full trust in where He is leading.  Our life’s plan will be made only richer through our obedient submission to His will.

 
Just remember me when you’re answering questions in Heaven – I hate waiting in line.

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Martha Moments

Posted on December 12, 2009 by day1of1

As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!” “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.” – Luke 10:38-42

The passage highlights the quintessential Bible story about choosing proper priorities.  And while this is one of the great lessons that comes from the story, I think there are other ways of looking at it with equally important lessons to be learned.  In fact, I think if we’re totally honest with ourselves, we can all find something about us that relates to both Mary and Martha.

I know that the Mary in me would be captivated by the discussion and the opportunity to hear what so great a guest would say, forgoing the little things for the more enthralling conversation.  It’s easy for me to shirk work responsibilities when something more compelling is available.  This tends to put me in line with the common interpretations of the story – that hearing Christ is more important than the house work.  So where’s my Martha moment?  More often than not, it comes from my strong desire to make everything go perfectly.  I know that I cannot achieve perfection, but I still work very hard to try to make things right.  I notice when conversations seem to go sour – even mildly – and set out to make things right.  I was raised with a focus to resolve issues quickly.  When dealing with people I truly care about, that desire to solve the problem becomes even stronger.  On one side, I can defend this by saying that God desires conflict resolution and I am merely pursuing what God has said.  However, I have also allowed myself at times to become so focused on saying the right things that I’ve made situations even worse.  In any event, the attention paid to trying to make everything perfect has created problems within my relationships – both professionally and personally.  You’ve seen this in some of the things that I say – the say it and explain it game.  This zeal becomes a form of managing the situation – a method that doesn’t work in most places.  What I have prayed about and worked on is knowing God is in charge, so I trust Him and let situations occur more naturally.  This brings greater comfort, less analysis, and fuller trust that God is moving things toward the end He desires.

What are your Mary and Martha moments? Whatever they may be, remember that despite their different approaches, Christ was still able to meet both of their needs and bring them to a strong and growing faith.  Remember, it was Martha who would later declare in John 11:21-22…

“Lord,” Martha said to Jesus, “if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.”

Whether your day is filled with Mary or Martha moments, I pray that you will be filled with the sure knowledge of the power of Christ in your life.  May God bless you richly today, giving you rest and productivity in those areas you choose to pursue.  Be filled with His love and inspired to continue to serve with the diligence and excellence that you have demonstrated so often in your life.

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Without All the Fixing

Posted on December 4, 2009 by day1of1

Things have been pretty busy of late, so I’m sharing somthing I had written a few years ago.  I’ll get something new out early next week…

This has been one of those stretches where I have tried to write things on several occasions but I have found myself stopping midway through writing.  I generally try to make the site a positive, upbeat look at things – something to inspire.  Lately, I haven’t had much to say in that regard, so I thought it best not to say anything at all…  Maybe not.

The truth is that even now I find myself hard pressed to write about anything glowing or peppy – I’m just not in that place.  I don’t feel like being funny or witty.  Not to sound like a whiner or to draw unwanted attention, but life has been pretty stinking hard lately.  Work issues, family issues, time issues, health issues, friendship issues, financial issues, and personal issues pop up in our lives from time to time.  In many cases, you get these in multiples.  Sitting here typing, I have them all (maybe you do too).

Satan is a master when it comes to these things.  He is quite skilled when it comes to using some or all of those issues to make life hard.  He knows the best way to weave these things into a net.  Then he snares us in this net of our sins, guilt, fear, and shame, leaving us trapped.  So we begin to plot and plan our way out of the net.  Elaborate schemes are born, grand plans to solve the problems and see ourselves through.  No matter what we try there’s no escape.  What’s worse, as we thrash around in our attempts to escape, the problems often become worse, leaving us trapped more than before.

Now most of you are astute enough to know that I am now going to say that Christ is the one who can release us from the sinful nets in which we’re caught.  But even though we both know this to be the truth, do we really understand what that means for us in how we deal with our life issues?  I don’t think we do, because if we did, we would change our patterns of how we get free from the net.

Men are fixers.  If you have a problem you just need to do this and it’ll be solved.  Apparently I am in this case a man’s man because I have lost count of the number of times I’ve been shown how I try to fix other people’s problems as well as my own.  This is a part of my old man – the person I am without Christ in my life.  My old man is a fixer, he’s a solver.  He’ll put the pieces of the puzzle together to the best of his ability.  He’ll make decisions based on what feels right and deal with the consequences of those actions later.  On the surface that doesn’t sound all bad.  After all, who doesn’t want to be self-sufficient and handle the situation on their own?  Here’s the catch.

Can you solve all of your problems?

Do we possess the power to fix everything in our lives?  Can we turn a wrong into a right?  Are we able to change a heart?  Can we save ourselves?  No, no, and emphatically no.  It doesn’t matter what self-help book you read, what TV special you watched, or what perky song you heard on the radio – the truth is we don’t have the ability to rid ourselves of the sin in our lives nor the consequences that it brings.  We need our Savior to do that.

So what does that mean?  Does that tell us that we can simply live our lives how we want, control the direction, solve the manageable problems and turn over the big ones to God?  In fact, it’s just the opposite.  We turn everything over to God.  How?  We do it by trusting in Him completely as we are called to do in Matthew 6:33-34.  “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.  “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself.  Each day has enough trouble of its own.”

Now to some people that sentiment is foolish.  You can’t just sit back and say, “God, I’m going to let you pay the water bill, so I’ll leave it here on the counter and you get it done.”  It’s not a hands-off, effortless kind of relationship (what relationship is?).  The value of it doesn’t come from our ignoring what God has called us to do.  It comes from our realizing what God has promised us by actually being in the Word daily.  Deuteronomy 28:1-15 tells in detail what blessings await us if we obey the Lord and the only way we’ll know what God is calling us to do is to be in His word.

What if you did it?  What if you work up just a few minutes earlier and sincerely started each day in the Word and in prayer?  Not the fleeting thoughts as you brush your teeth. Not the quick glance over a devotional as you butter your bagel.  I’m talking about your complete, total, and undivided attention to praising God by opening your heart and to your loving Father.  Do it each day and see what can happen.  Why every day?

Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail.  They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.  I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.”  The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him…  Lamentations 3:22-25

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For the Birds

Posted on November 29, 2009 by day1of1

Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us. – Romans 5:1-5

I really enjoy situations where everyday occurrences demonstrate spiritual truths.  I had just such a thing happen to me recently.  I stepped outside one early morning to let the dog out to do what dogs do.  As I stood on my back stoop, I heard the unmistakable sound of a woodpecker in a tree.  I looked up into the large maple tree behind my house in search of the bird.  After a few seconds, I found him, perched on a high branch that extended horizontally, pecking away at the branch in search of an early morning meal.  The cold damp wood provided a sound more that was more muffled than the usual noise woodpeckers will make.  I found it appropriate that the bird was considerately keeping the noise down at such an early hour.

Moments later, the tranquility of the morning was disrupted by a second woodpecker who was less than pleased with the presence of the first bird and the work he was doing on the branch.  This bird was certainly not your cartoon character, laughing, jovial type of bird, and he made this known through his screeching and repeated dive bomb attacks on the opportunistic intruder.  This scene played on for a good sixty seconds, piquing my interest.  As the smaller woodpecker flew at the head of the first bird, I was impressed by his reaction.  The attack would come and he would deftly hop to his right, gripping the side of the branch.  Once the bird flew past, he would simply hop back to his spot and resume his work.  This process repeated itself seven or eight times with the same response and outcome each time.  In fact, the first bird didn’t even seem bothered by the attack.  Instead, he made it a part of the process of making his hole in the branch – peck, peck peck peck, hop hop, peck peck peck peck, hop hop, and so on…

As I watched this play out, I was impressed with the perseverance of both birds.  The first bird had found what he was looking for, got to work and was determined to accomplish what he had set out to do.  He faced challenges from the attacking bird, but never did he get distracted by them.  He dealt with them in the way that made the most sense and created the least amount of delay in getting back to his ultimate goal.  He didn’t get mad, fight back, run away, or give up his rightful place – all things he certainly could have done were he not as focused.  This is precisely the determined approach that God desires us to have when we face challenges in our lives.  We don’t know the reasons behind His plan or the timing or methods He plans to use – don’t need to because He’s got it.  We know that distractions and attacks are going to come, so we prepare ourselves to deal with them by tapping into the strength of the Father who gives us patience, peace, and resolve.  Yes, it took time and effort for the bird to get his meal, but he did get it as his perseverance paid off.  We too learn that persevering in the promises of God will also pay off for us each and every time.

I also mentioned that I was impressed with the second bird’s perseverance, albeit for a far different reason.  His example stands to remind us of how we sometimes latch onto a problem or a hurt and refuse to let it go.  Clearly angry that the first bird has taken control of this one small branch of a thirty or forty foot tall tree, he set out to do all he could to gain back control of this little piece of wood.  Yes he fought valiantly, but what I couldn’t understand was that here is this massive tree filled with tasty crawlies – FIND ANOTHER BRANCH!  But in his mind, he had to have that one spot or nothing.  His refusal to see the blessing that God had given him in the form of a huge tree and lots of bugs simply made him angry, hungry, and dissatisfied.  Have I just described anyone you know?  Have you ever found yourself in that position?  I’ve been there and looking back upon those times I can honestly say that I thank God for leading me to a place where I seek to avoid that type of self-centered, short-sighted thinking. 

God has promised me many things.  On some things, he has been very specific and on some, rather vague.  In either case, my expectation is strong and my confidence in Him to provide is high.  It does not matter what the situation may look like today, what it looked like before, or has to happen to get to that place.  Those are factors beyond my control and unworthy of my thoughts or energy.  God promised, I believe Him, end of story.

Will God keep his promises to us in just such a manner?  Next time I see that bird, I’ll ask him, “Would He, Woodpecker?”  (Sorry about that)….

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