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.

Posted in Devotional | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

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

Posted in Devotional | Tagged , , , , , , | 1 Comment

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)….

Posted in Devotional | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

My Haircut

Posted on November 25, 2009 by day1of1

This is the third and final posting connected to my reflections of the passing of my father.  Portions of this were written in September 2008…

I never knew my grandfathers.  Both men passed away while my parents were children, so the knowledge I have of them has come from stories – mostly from my mom and dad.  As a child, I always remembered the story dad used to tell of the last time he saw his father.  Dad was in the hospital visiting his father, who made a comment to my dad and his brothers that when he got home he’d have to give the boys a haircut.  I don’t know why that story stuck with me, but I always thought that it was an interesting thing to say.  It seems odd to make such a practical comment in a moment that had far deeper meaning in their lives.  I don’t know if my grandfather was saying it to make them feel better, or if he said it in order to stay optimistic.  In either event, it came to be a lasting link I’ve had to the previous generation – an anecdote to pass down in time.   Since hearing the news about my own father, I began to wonder what my “hair cut” statement would be – the last words I’d hear my father speak to me.

The next few days were difficult.  It was a holiday, but nobody felt festive.  Dad was noticeably weakening as his body began to shut down.  On Thursday, I was tasked with lifting him up so that his undergarment could be changed.  I held him steady yet gently, not wanting to hurt him, but my efforts were futile.  One of the muscles running down his leg cramped.  The look of excruciating pain streamed across his face.  In frustration, he looked into my eyes, cursed, and exclaimed, “you people need to pay attention to what you’re doing here.”  I set him down and stepped back.  The look on his face was the polar opposite of what I had seen the night before with Wesley.  I didn’t know what to say, didn’t want to make things worse, so I said nothing.  I went into another room and sat alone with my thoughts for a while.  I knew I didn’t intentionally hurt him, but I knew that I had.  I knew his words were out of frustration and pain, and were not intended to cut me down, but my mind replayed the scene over and over again – I couldn’t get that thought out of my head.  I promised myself that I would speak to him about it, offer my apology and get my promised “hair cut.” 

We spent the next few days with family members and friends who came to the house to say goodbye.  I held to the idea that I would speak to him and make things right, to take away from this painful experience a legacy moment that I would cling to for years to come.  I waited for a moment of privacy, I waited for a moment when he was coherent. I waited.

 I waited…

And now we arrive at Sunday morning.  November 25, 2007.  It was just before 7:00 a.m. when the peace of the morning was shattered by the sound of my mother’s shriek.  I sprung from my bed and went into the adjoining room to find my mother and sister sitting next to my father’s lifeless frame.  With two fingers pressed against his neck, I confirmed what I had already known.  I looked to his eyes, searching for one last look of love, pride, or joy.  But there was none – he was gone.  His eyes were closed, his body was still – he was gone.  I lifted my fingers from his neck and began to attend to the many tasks that needed to be done that morning; phone calls to make, people to notify, events to plan.  My fingers kept rolling, as did many other things that were happening in my life.  I pressed on, knowing full well that I’d no choice but to move forward without the hair cut I had so badly desired.

Life since then has had its share of ups and downs.  It wasn’t common knowledge at the time, but a number of decisions had been made that would signal a new direction for my life.  My struggling marriage was ending.  My career was changing as I had been led to leave the school where I had been a teacher and principal, but with no idea what I’d be doing for work at the end of the year.  The comfort and joy that I had found in writing had disappeared, and I couldn’t bring myself to write anything for months.  The foundations upon which I had built my life were being tested and most of the one’s I’d built were failing.

I am thankful that God had other plans for me.  Amidst the many changes, problems, mistakes and struggles, God has remained by my side – offering guidance, comfort, rebuke, direction, and love.  Consider the words of Isaiah 43:18-21…

“Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing!  Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland. The wild animals honor me, the jackals and the owls, because I provide water in the desert and streams in the wasteland, to give drink to my people, my chosen, the people I formed for myself that they may proclaim my praise.”

Through Him, impossible things have happened.  Through Him, the amazing has become the expectation.  Time and time again, God has made a way when times looked bleak.  His path has been made known, His way laid before me. I have prayerfully sought His will, listened to His word, and given my life over to Him.  I still face struggles, I do so with the strength of my Heavenly Father to see me though and to teach me the lessons I need to learn to grow my faith for the next level.

As for my hair cut moment, I found it earlier this year.  Minister Lashun Franklin has been invaluable to me over the past two years.  Her counseling has helped me through difficult days and has served as a tremendous conduit to the voice of God speaking into my life.  Earlier this year, she shared with me a word that God had spoken to her about me…

“You are different than your family and the men in your family.  Cut from a supernatural cloth.  Your father is more pleased with you now than he was with you while he was here.  God has allowed him to see and find comfort in watching you and realizing that what he was promised/shown has come to pass.”

Thank you Father, and thank you dad.  I love you both, and I will to spend the rest of my life serving you well. 

Posted in Devotional | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Well Done Good and Faithful Servant

Posted on November 22, 2009 by day1of1

Originally written in November, 2008

I arrived at my parents’ house on Wednesday night and was fortunate enough to have the chance to sit and briefly visit with my father.  He looked tired and frail but his spirits were up as he welcomed us home.  He was particularly happy to see my children.  This wasn’t uncommon.  If you ever heard Bill Cosby talk about the way his parents changed when they became grandparents, you’ll understand what I mean.  Emma was only two, and the amount of time he was able to spend with her was limited due to his illness, but he still managed to love on her as much as he could.  But it was Wesley, my nine year old son, who was unapologetically grandpa’s favorite.  From the moment he first laid eyes upon Wesley in the hospital, a previously undeveloped part of my father’s heart opened up.  It was a look I had never seen in his eyes before – a look of total, complete, and unconditional love.  This isn’t to say that my dad didn’t feel that way about me – I know he did.  But you never quite see it the same way when it’s directed at yourself.  That night in the maternity ward marked an incredible change in his life, and it was summarized by a simple look.

That wasn’t the last time I would see that look.  For nearly a decade, it was a permanent fixture on my father’s face, present every time he was with Wesley.  And the love from which it flowed was definitely returned.  They loved the time they spent together.  They would go for drives looking for boats and trains.  They’d go for walks, take fishing trips, and sit in grandpa’s chair together, snuggling under a blanket as they napped away more than one afternoon.  Theirs was an amazing bond; a deeply shared love for one another that I had never known.  Both of my grandfathers had passed away while my parents were children.  I never knew what that unique relationship shared between a boy and his grandfather was like.  I always held a level of excitement and a bit of envy whenever I watched my father and my son interact.  And now as Wesley carefully climbed for the last time into the chair he had shared with grandpa for all those years, that look was still firmly fixed on my father’s face.

Dad & Wes

But this time, there was a difference.  I detected an additional element to the familiar gleam in my father’s eyes.  I can only describe it as a look of finality.  I noticed it, but I didn’t identify it until sometime later.  Dad knew that this would be the last time he’d get to hold his grandson – and he basked in the moment for as long as his weakened body would allow.  What an incredible contrast!  Never before had I seen so much pain accompanied by so much joy. Once Wesley climbed down, I helped dad get out of his chair and laid him into his bed, unaware that I was laying him down into a bed from which he’d never rise again.

Some might describe the scene by using the term “mixed emotions,” offering the opinion that my father was battling between the pleasures of looking into the face of his grandson while also looking into the face of his own mortality.  I’ve thought about what that moment was, and after careful consideration, I disagree with those who look at it in this manner.  To say that his emotions were mixed might suggest that there was a level of uncertainty or confusion.  That simply wasn’t the case.  My father knew what was happening – he understood the magnitude of it.  It was a moment where pure love was being given and received.  Wesley will spend the rest of his life knowing that his grandfather loved him deeply, just as my father spent the rest of his life knowing his grandson loved him.

The cliché says that you can’t take it with you – and we all know it to be true.  The only thing we can take with us as we go from this life to eternity is our faith in God.  But even if the memory of that love was left behind upon his death, I like to think that as he endured the final moments of his life, dad had with him the memory of that, and many other encounters to provide a measure of peace and comfort.

In Matthew 21, Jesus tells the parable of the talents.  As the master returns to see what his servants did with the talents they had been given, he finds out from the first servant that he had increased them by 100%.  The master, pleased with what his servant had accomplished said to him, “Well done good and faithful servant.”  I wasn’t there.  I have no knowledge of what it must have been like.  But with the knowledge that I have of both of my Fathers and the faith that I have in the promises of God, I believe that when they finally came face to face, dad was greeted with those same words as he received his ultimate victory.

“Well done good and faithful servant.”

Posted in Devotional | Tagged , , , , , | 7 Comments

Today, Tomorrow, and Forever

Posted on November 19, 2009 by day1of1

Then King David went in and sat before the LORD, and he said: “Who am I, O LORD God, and what is my family, that you have brought me this far? And as if this were not enough in your sight, O God, you have spoken about the future of the house of your servant. You have looked on me as though I were the most exalted of men, O LORD God.  – 1 Chronicles 17:16-17

Two years ago today, November 19, 2007, I received a phone call that I will never forget.   The rest of this was written on November 24, only a few hours before my father passed away.  As the anniversary of his passing draws near, I feel compelled to share these words once again.  In a few days, I will add to this in an additional post…

 

I was sitting at the desk in my classroom, listening to my sister inform me of the results of my father’s doctor’s appointment from earlier in the day.  He had just completed his latest round of radiation, but was experiencing a great deal of pain.  Other indicators were pointing toward myeloma – a fairly treatable cancer.  This, coupled with the knowledge that the radiation and chemo had successfully destroyed the cancer cells found earlier this year gave us all great hope about the future.  However, the news was far from what we had expected.  There was no myeloma.  The cancer, which we had been told throughout the past several months had not metastasized, did.  There were now tumors throughout his body.  Chemo was no longer an option.  He had been prescribed hospice care.  The timeline was weeks to months.  However, as I sit and write this morning with my father lying just a few feet away in the hospital bed they brought to his house, it is obvious that his body is shutting down and his life here on earth is coming to an end.

 

The phone call was only five days ago, but it feels like an eternity since then.  It seems like the hands of time have started spinning at a slower pace for me then they are for the rest of the world.  This doesn’t mean that the other parts of life have ceased to happen.  I am still faced with the occupational, financial, relationship, and health issues that I had last week.  But what I am feeling now, more than ever before, is the overwhelming need to trust and rely upon God in this time where nothing else is strong enough. 

 

But don’t think for a minute that this is a consolation prize or a measure of last resort.  For months, we have prayed that God would do miraculous things in the life of my father – to bring healing where the doctors thought healing was not possible, and God was true to His promise.  The doctors were baffled – these things were not supposed to happen according to medical science.  God is bigger than that.  So while my emotions ride the roller coaster, my faith is on solid ground.  Because now, as the time I’ve been given to spend with my earthly father comes to a close, I am led to cling to the strength I find in the my relationship with my Heavenly Father. 

 

A major goal of the Day 1 of 1 concept was to focus our attention upon the relationship that we strive to have with God every day of our lives.  So once again, when the hands of time return to their normal speed and I move back to the life God has called me to live, I must bring that same level of faith to play in my life.  My trust remains in God to lead, guide, and protect me through the joys and struggles of the coming days.  Just as God delivered David time and time again: facing a giant, the threats and attacks of Saul, the  numerous battles, his affair with Bathsheba and the murder of Uriah, the overthrow of his throne, and the death of Absalom, He too will remain true to His promises to me, today, tomorrow, and forever.  By focusing on being faithful to Him today, He will return blessings that will provide peace, power, and prosperity now and for years to come.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

I Will Hold On

Posted on November 15, 2009 by day1of1

ThornhillTen years ago, one of my favorite bands came out with what would be their last full length album.  Thornhill by Moxy Fruvous is by no means one of the top 10 albums of all-time, and for that matter maybe not even one of the top 10 albums released by Canadians in 1999.  But despite the relative lack of notoriety, I like the group and the album.  I am especially drawn to one song on the album – I Will Hold On.  I have provided the song’s lyrics and a link to watch the music video via You Tube (sorry – it’s not the best picture quality).

 

 I Will Hold On by Moxy Fruvous (Click Here for Video)

                                                                                                                

I’ll hold you if you feel you’ll fall
I’ll hold your hand if you just need a friend
I’ll hold the line so you can call
I’ll hold the feelings you don’t want to end

You know that it’s true
When I hold you
There’ll be no secrets
I believe it

I’ll your tears if you must cry
I’ll hold your breath if that won’t make you blue
I’ll hold the truth if you must lie
I’ll hold your joys till you know what to do

You know that it’s true
When I hold you
There are no secrets
I believe it

So I will hold on
And if that’s not what you’re used to
Then I may refuse to hold on
Well maybe that’s not what you’re used to
How can I refuse you?

I’ll hold the train till you get on
I’ll hold the mirror so you can fix your hair
I’ll hold the pain till it is gone
And I’ll hold my ground when people stop and stare

You know that it’s true
When I held you
There are no secrets
You must believe it

I’ll hold the beating of my heart
I’ll hold my breath if you will tell me to
I’ll hold the hope that we won’t part
I’ll hold our deaths so I can live with you

You knew it was true
When I held you
There were no secrets
I believed it

So I will hold on
And if that’s not what you’re used to
Then I may refuse to hold on
Well maybe that’s not what you’re used to
How can I refuse you?

So I will hold on
And if that’s not what you’re used to
Then I may refuse to hold on
Well maybe that’s not what you’re used to
How can I refuse you?

 

What I like most about the song is its simplicity.  The singer is speaking to someone he loves – telling her about all of the things that he will do for her – in the multiple forms of what he will hold for her.  Some of these things are simple, some are noble, and some would be quite difficult.  Through all of this, he demonstrates the deep love he holds for her – explaining to her that there is nothing he won’t do for her – even if those things cause him pain.  In many ways, I think this captures the true essence of love.

 

For many, love is that romantic, flower and candy emotion that sweeps us off our feet.  Others look at love as a physical act – something we seek for pleasure and satisfaction.  These elements only scratch the surface.  Words mean nothing when merely spoken.  Actions have limited meaning when they are self-serving.  Love is about giving.  When two people love one another, both strive to outdo the other in what they give.  When it works, both receive more than they could ever imagine, further fueling their desires to love even more.  There is nothing in all of the human experience that can compare to this.  People living without would do anything to know it.  People living with it will do anything to maintain it.  This is why we hold on to love, even the slightest hope of love, when given the chance.

 

As the only true source of love in the world, our Heavenly Father knows about holding on to what He loves.  From the moment we fell into sin, God knew what He would do to restore us.  Never did He desire to let us go, to give up on the love that he has for us.  Through Him, we find a love that will last forever.  In fact, Scripture offers us one more thing to hold onto…

 

“To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, ‘If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.’” – John 8:31-32

 

Seek God.  Hold fast to the promises that can only come from the creator of love and know that in love, He will never let you go.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Patience Made Perfect

Posted on November 10, 2009 by day1of1

For quite some time now, God has been working with me when it comes to developing patience.  For those of you who have known me since my childhood, you are no doubt chuckling at this statement and will undoubtedly consider using the comments feature to share stories – feel free, just remember I have a blog and a good memory! 

 

As I had said, God is actively working with me in building up my levels of patience in most every arena of my life.  For better or for worse I am a visionary.  I like to look at what is possible and to dream about ways to get there.  I feel that everyone, every family, every organization must have vision in order to bring about positive change.  Leading without vision is like sailing without a compass or a means of locomotion.  You’ll eventually go somewhere, but you have no opportunity to set the course, pick the destination or the speed with which you get there.  Traveling and treading water are two entirely different things.

 

This isn’t a bad thing in and of itself.  Having a life driven by purpose is a good thing – hmmm “purpose driven life” – that’s a catchy phrase, but it would never sell books.  Anyway, my problem isn’t having a vision of where I want to go.  It’s about having the patience to go through the many steps needed to get to that point.  Once I see it, I want it – now.  As a result, I have struggled with being able to bring my great ideas to fruition.  When I go through the necessary processes, I find success.  When I impatiently race and skip steps, I fail.  That may seem a harsh assessment, but remember, take away enough ingredients from chocolate chip cookies and you’re left with wallpaper paste.

 

Think of the patience that Jacob had to demonstrate as he waited to win the hand of his beloved Rachel.  Laban required that he work for seven years.  The Bible says that the love he had for her made the time fly.  That’s a good thing, because as I see it seven years is a VERY LONG TIME to wait.  2,556 days to be precise.  Need more perspective?  Think about what was happening in the world in 2002.  The New England Patriots won their first Super Bowl.  The movie Chicago won the Oscar as best movie of the year.  The Mozilla Firefox web browser was initially launched.  Alicia Keys won the Grammy for best new music artist.  The TV show Friends was #1 in the ratings while Politically Incorrect was cancelled.  THe DC Sniper terrorized motorists around the nation’s capitol.  Average retail price for a gallon of gas: $1.35.  Celebrity deaths:  Ann Landers, Dudley Moore, Johnny Unitas, Milton Berle, and Ted Williams. 

 

 

Needless to say, the world has changed a great deal since then.  Over seven years, it would be very easy to change our minds on what we desire, to lose focus.  Depending upon the circumstances of your life, think of the number of jobs you’ve held,  the number of people you’ve dated, the places you’ve lived, the cars you’ve owned, the things you’ve experienced since then.  Many life changing things can happen in 2,556 days.  How then to stay firmly fixed on just one?  For Jacob, it came down to trust in God.  His love for Rachel was strong, but it took trust in God’s promise to him to help him to make the commitments, to do the work, and to maintain the focus he needed to attain the goal of his heart.  I’m sure he would have loved for God to make that 7 years into 7 months, maybe even 7 minutes – but he never lost sight of what God had promised him, and that blessing was sufficient to sustain him until he received what his heart desired.

 

Patience is important for our success in our lives not simply because we need to give ourselves checklists, but because God’s plan for us sometimes includes steps in order to reach the goals that He has placed before us.  Luke 5:37-39 is a parable Christ shares about wineskins.  He reminds us that people would never put new wine into an old wineskin – to do so would risk the wineskin breaking and the wine being lost.  Before the wine can be deposited into the skin, work must be done to ensure that the skin into which it is going is ready.  Like the wineskin, we too must ready ourselves for the blessings that God plans to bring us.  Like Jacob, that requires work on our part, but we must remain mindful that it also requires a level of patience and trust that God’s timing is perfect – no matter how long it takes.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Jars of Clay

Posted on November 5, 2009 by day1of1

But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. – 2 Corinthians 4:7-10

 

Good morning. How great the gifts of God are in our lives. We receive from Him amazing blessings that are designed to uplift and sustain us. But what a great image Paul provides us in how we receive this gift. Clay jars are fragile and not exactly the first place you’d consider to store treasure. But what we see once again that the lack of worldly wisdom only goes to further show the greatness of God in giving us the gift. The absurdity of storing treasure in clay jars shows how great the gift and the giver of the gift truly are. It’s not about us – it’s all about Him.

 

And this is good for us! We could never match the gift God gives us. He gives us His strength to persevere through the most difficult of times. The world can challenge, tempt, and damage us, but our victory is assured through Him. Our lives are not void of struggle, but our struggles are never in vain. God guides us through every situation without fear or worry about the end result. God is all powerful and Christ has assured our victory on Calvary’s cross.

 

May you know the fullness of the strength of the Lord in everything you do. I pray that when you begin to feel the crush of the world around you, you will turn to the Lord and find comfort, peace, and increase. I thank God for the victory that He has won on your behalf and I stand in agreement with you in the hope that you are able to enjoy the spoils of Christ’s win in their entirety.

Posted in Devotional | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Right Sizing

Posted on October 31, 2009 by day1of1

David praised the LORD in the presence of the whole assembly, saying, Praise be to you, O LORD, God of our father Israel, from everlasting to everlasting. Yours, O LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is yours. Yours, O LORD, is the kingdom; you are exalted as head over all. Wealth and honor come from you; you are the ruler of all things. In your hands are strength and power to exalt and give strength to all. Now, our God, we give you thanks, and praise your glorious name. – 1 Chronicles 29:10-13

As a people, we like convenience. One stop shopping, one size fits all, the one place for all of your needs. Why complicate things needlessly when we can have everything that we want simply and easily in only one place. Of course this can create some issues. Some stores try to carry everything, but in the process become so large that they become a nightmare to manage and operate. Furthermore, the people who work there become less helpful – having to try and have knowledge of too many things. How fortunate we are to not have the same worry with our Father in heaven.
While worldly entities can become too big, we take comfort in knowing that we have a very big God. We join David in celebrating this fact. Because of God’s greatness, we have nothing to worry about and everything comes to our benefit through His power and might. He is big enough to manage everything. What may appear insurmountable to us is nothing to Him. God simply isn’t ruled or controlled by things in the natural world because He is above all of those things. What’s more, because we serve a supernatural God, we too can operate in that place where the world and its struggles need not control or define us. No matter how difficult things may be in your life, you refuse to allow any other thoughts or struggles to lure you away from the power and strength of the Father. You know Him to be the one true source of power in your life and the only one you need to rely upon to live.

 

 

I pray that you will be blessed in every way as you look to the Lord today. May His love surround you. May His wisdom fill your mind. Be emboldened to make decisions and to create products knowing that God is the source of your creativity and success. God knows you, desires to build you up and to make you the woman He has always desired you to be. It is my prayer that you will make great strides toward achieving these things in every area of your life today. Know that you serve an amazing God.

Posted in Devotional | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment