Rachel’s Cry

Posted on December 15, 2012 by day1of1

Sandhook
“A voice is heard in Ramah, weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted, because they are no more.” – Matthew 2:18

It was a morning not unlike any other. The chill of the morning air was giving way to a sun-filled sky. People filled the town, tending to their chores and errands when the peace of the day was suddenly destroyed. A cry rang out, a clamor arose, and when the peace had finally been restored, only then did the horrors of the day lay visible to the world. The children of the town were dead; the victims of a cruel attack which defied all comprehension. Imagine the fear that was felt by parents doing everything possible to get to their children, praying they are alive and well but in the back of their minds fearing the worst. Imagine the pain of holding the lifeless body of your dearly loved child. Shock and disbelief were soon replaced with tears and anger. How could such a horrible thing happen? Who would dare attack the children of a community, stealing from them their joy, their innocence, and their futures? As time goes on and more information is made known about the who and the how, there is one question that will remain unanswered…. Why? We know this to be true because unfortunately, this has happened before.

I think it would be safe to say that the mothers of Bethlehem know what the mothers of Newtown, Connecticut are feeling this morning. As the reality of the loss settles into our minds, as parents wake from a sleepless nights only to peer into empty bedrooms, we only now begin to the see true depth of the sorrow that’s been brought upon us. Rachel’s weeping will not stop, and there is nothing we can do to replace the great loss our nations have endured. That this happened in the Christmas season adds injury to the insult. How many presents are wrapped and under the tree, waiting for children who will never get to play with them? So while it may be true to say that Santa Claus will not be coming to Newtown this year, we must cling to the certain knowledge that the baby in manger will.

Our world is filled with sin, and the barbaric acts of sinful men will impact us every day. But greater than the pain we find on earth is the hope we find in Christ. The baby born in Bethlehem’s barn – the catalyst that drove a madman to kill Bethlehem’s children lived, died, and rose from the grave to bring hope and salvation to all people, especially the children of Newtown. No sense can or will ever be made of it. But in both circumstances, we are led to focus our hearts and minds on the one and only place we will ever find comfort. In Matthew 5:4, Jesus directs us to grieve as He says, “Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.” By coming to God with our pain, by sharing with Him our hurt and confusion, we can receive the aid and comfort we need. The pain and anguish of those who survived this attack will last a lifetime, leaving a permanent mark upon the lives of every person whose life was touched by this tragedy. May God give them an extra measure of His comfort and peace, and the sure knowledge that these young saints awoke this morning in the outstretched arms of our great and loving God.

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Visionaries

Posted on December 13, 2012 by day1of1

Steve Jobs ipod

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. – Jeremiah 29:11

Some people are visionaries – people who see things that nobody else sees. They don’t look at what exists and try to make it better. They look at what doesn’t yet exist and try to bring it into being. Imagine the discussions that must have taken place at Apple so many years ago when the iPod was first being proposed. Someone, or a group of people, sat down and pitched the idea of creating a device that would allow people to purchase music by downloading files containing an individual song from the Internet. These files would be stored on a portable device which could be backed up on a computer. By today’s standards, this is common place. However, at that time, music lovers went to the music store in the mall and bought whole albums on either a CD or a cassette tape (or vinyl for you old-timers). You couldn’t easily buy just the one song you wanted, and over time you would have boxes, shelves, and in some cases entire rooms filled with music. That same library can now be stored on one device that is the same size as the audio cassette tape it helped make obsolete. The iPod (and other mp3’s) totally changed the music listening experience for all of society.

When we look ahead at the lives we live, many of us are simply looking forward to ways we can improve the things we already do, and this is a noble thing. We should want to get better. But while this can help to make us better where we are today, does this really propel us to where we need to be tomorrow? My belief is that the truly innovative people in our world are the ones who are not looking to improve but to evolve; changing over from one thing that we had been into something totally new. What’s more, I believe this idea to be Biblical in nature.

In the waters of Holy Baptism, we did not merely wash away the sins of our past so we could set out anew. Instead, we put down what had been and transformed ourselves into something new in Christ. Paul’s words in Romans 6:4 confirm this as he says, “We were therefore buried with Him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.” As our Creator and ultimate visionary, God the Father has always known who He created us to be. Our sin, our insecurities, our fears, our world, and the influences of the enemy create barriers that distract us, planting seeds of doubt designed to lead us away from our destiny and the blessings that come with achieving it.

So who are you? What were you created to do? Are you unsure? Do you know what He’s been telling you but are too comfortable where you’re at or too afraid to venture out into the unknown? Take time today to seek the face of God to ask for His guidance in finding the answers to all of your questions. God will show you where He intends for you to go. He will give you the path to get there, and no matter how frightening it may seem in the natural, He will walk beside you, providing you with everything you need at just the right moment so that His purposes will be met and His plans fulfilled. Hold this confidence in the power of the Lord, and you too can join the prophet in his visionary declaration: “See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.”(Isaiah 43:19).

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Uncommon Nonsense

Posted on November 28, 2012 by day1of1

For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of no effect.  For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, And bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.”  Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe. For Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom; but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greek foolishness, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men. For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called.   But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; – 1 Corinthians 1:17-27

“Common sense is not so common.”  – Voltaire

For many, this quote is one of the greatest understatements of all time.  Since being penned by Voltaire in the 18th century, we’ve seen this same idea repeated in many forms by authors, philosophers, artists, comedians, and politicians (although I suppose many of those categories could be combined).  We see evidence of it most every day of our lives in so many forms we couldn’t possibly keep count.  People make silly decisions without taking the time to think through all of the potential outcomes.  Choices are made which defy logic or demonstrate a lack of understanding or from the intent to do harm to someone else.  In most cases we can’t correct the bad decisions of others, so we take great pains to guard and protect ourselves from them, and if possible – report to others what we have seen for educational and entertainment purposes.  After all, a lack of common sense throughout society is what makes people watching so enjoyable.  But then again, most of us don’t people watch with a mirror.

Isn’t it curious how we can so easily identify a lack of common sense in other people, but we rarely diagnose ourselves with the same condition?  And how interesting it is to see how people and organizations with whom we disagree are most lacking in what we consider common sense?  Because it seems that while most people have a clear understanding of what common sense is, they also have created that definition on their own in relation to their own unique situation.  So many people who we feel lack common sense really stand in opposition to the views and beliefs we hold to be true.  So this leaves me wondering if the “sense” to which we are referring is really “common”?

For something to be common, it needs to be widely accepted.  For example, it is common knowledge that you drive your car through the stoplight when it is green and you stop when the signal is red.  This color code is common throughout the United States and most of the world.  However, to say that driving on the right side of the road is common would be met with some opposition in England, where that traffic law is reversed.  So are the English uncommon, or do they simply have a different way of handling the matter?

Next comes sense, which again is a relative concept for most people.  So many variables factor into what we consider to be sensible and nonsense, it’s difficult to determine the best course of action for any given situation.  You could look at a situation and find multiple reactions that make sense.  You might also find one clear response that is appropriate right now, but have a totally different response make sense only a few moments later.

So we have two words filled with variables, coming together to create what we believe will be one clear and specific response that everyone should basically know.  Sounds to me like taking all the pieces of a car, putting them into a giant box, shaking the box for ten minutes and expecting to find a fully constructed Buick inside.

The only true common sense that we will ever find this side of heaven comes from the word of God.  By seeking the will of God in every decision that we make, we avoid the traps of personal ambition, bias and greed.  We find consistency in the message, comfort in His promises, and hope in the grace that can only come from the One who created, redeemed, and sanctified us – the Triune God.  The words of James 3:17 confirm this.  “But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere.”  May we always seek the commonality of being a dearly loved child of God, developing a greater sense of the blessings He has in store for us through faith in Him.

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In the Details

Posted on September 24, 2012 by day1of1

Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God.  Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. – Luke 12:6-7

 
It started Sunday night around 9:30 – barely noticeable at first.  That slight rush of adrenaline, the tinge of anxiety, and finally the feeling of dread realizing that in the morning, I would begin a new week at work.  I am not proud to admit this.  I work very hard not to live for the weekend and I certainly don’t hate my job.  I am honored and blessed to work with some of the most amazing, dedicated and brilliant people I know.  But lately this hasn’t been enough to dissuade me from the apprehension and discouragement I have felt about my job.

 
In fact, I’ve been battling this since the very first day of the semester.  I’ve had challenges at work, struggles to accomplish things I need to get done, struggles to get questions answered, new and unexpected responsibilities and expectations with old and predictable outcomes.  My computer has become incredibly intuitive – it knows exactly what I need it to do and provides me with an error or failure only moments before I attempt it.  It’s even been difficult just getting there with traffic jams and road construction stretching for miles on most every route I can take into work.  When it comes right down to it, I can see what I’m facing.  Satan has chosen to attack me for a season.  His method: overwhelm him with a seemingly endless barrage of little things to bother and frustrate, providing just the right ingredients to bring about a level of total frustration that has impacted most everything I think, say and do.  It’s a common ploy of an enemy who pays attention to the slightest details, understanding that scaling a mountain of trouble is usually less problematic than the incessant pain of a pebble in your shoe.

 
So last night’s trepidation was not quelled in the slightest by my morning activities.  Woke up, prepared myself and the family for the work/school day, dropped off kids and began the trek to my classroom.  Not even MY classroom – but the one I had been substituting in for the last week with messages telling me that I may be in there for a week, two or twelve (grr).   This earlier class now requires me to pay additional latch key costs for my daughter (bigger grrrr).  So as I’m driving I get a call from my wife telling me her low tire pressure light was on and we’d need to check it later, but she’d hopefully be ok driving the rest of her route to work so don’t worry (Supersized grrrrrrrr).  As I hang up the phone I recognize that the Michigan Chapter of the Idiot Drivers of America were hosting an exhibition on the road all around me, giving me reason to say out loud that I must have accidentally flipped on the moron magnet in my car (Capital GRRRRR to the nth degree!).  Having finally navigated out of a more heavily populated stretch of road, I looked forward to a less hectic stretch of two-lane highway, or so I thought.

 
Up ahead of me, I noticed brake lights.  A car was waiting to make a left hand turn into his place of employment.  I slowed down and came to a stop a safe distance behind the car in front of me.  After a few seconds, I heard a loud crashing sound coming from behind my car and to the right.  I turned my head to see a car barreling through a wooded ditch along the side of the road.  From what I surmised, the driver had not reacted quickly enough to the cars braking ahead of her, so she attempted to use the shoulder of the road to give her more space to stop.  Unfortunately, the shoulder was damp and her car shot off the road between several trees until the front end finally veered into the embankment of the ditch, causing her to roll over before coming to a rest alongside my vehicle.  I immediately pulled my car over to the shoulder and dialed 911.  As I got out of my car, I noticed two other drivers who were behind me had also pulled over and were assisting the driver who had miraculously gotten out of her car complaining of little more than general soreness.  So the four of us made small talk and waited for about 40 minutes for the police and paramedics to show up.  During that time I went to her wrecked car several times to get items she needed or thought she had lost.  When the authorities did arrive, they took my statement, thanked me for my help and after a short prayer and hug for the driver, I was back in my car heading to work.

 
And now the story gets interesting…

 

Realizing that I was never going to make it for class, I called a colleague to figure out what I needed to do for the course I was covering.  She informed me that the other professor had in fact returned and was at that moment beginning his class.  Moments after hanging up, I turned on my radio, where I heard that the major construction project that had been slowing my commute for months had wrapped up over the weekend and my preferred route was now clear.  I switched off the radio and realized that my hands were cold, so I diverted the heater to blow through the dashboard vents to warm them as I drove.  That was when I thought to myself how fortunate I was to have grabbed my hooded sweatshirt to wear today…

 

My sweatshirt.

 

You need to understand something.  I love to wear baggy, comfortable hoodies, but because they often mess up my hair, my clothes, and leave a fuzzy mess on my shirt, I never wear them to work.  EVER!  Besides, the walk to and from my car at home and at school is 2-3 minutes maximum – not long enough to hassle with a sweatshirt.  Why did I grab a sweatshirt today?  Why did I choose that route for my commute today?  Why did I need to be in that spot at that moment?  I suddenly realized that it had very little to do with me.  Apparently, God also works in the finest details of our lives.  Christ tells us this in Luke 12:6-7, but this morning I was given an extremely clear reminder of this simple truth.  God had a purpose for me, and I fulfilled it without hesitation.  In the midst of my morning commotion and in spite of my rotten attitude toward it, I learned something incredible:

 

God loves me beyond comprehension, and just like any good Father, He didn’t want me to be cold.

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Serious Consequences

Posted on September 1, 2012 by day1of1

For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. – Ephesians 2:10

One of the things I most enjoy about my job as an instructor in the School of Education at Concordia University, Ann Arbor is the opportunity to introduce future teachers to some of the realities they are going to face as they prepare to enter the classroom.  We talk about many different topics, but the one that seems to appear most often and with the greatest amount of importance is classroom management.  This isn’t surprising; most teachers want their classrooms to be organized, efficient, and free of serious disciplinary problems and new teachers want to learn how to make this happen.  Sadly, I get to break the news to them that there is no magic wand or three step process that will solve every problem.  But before they give up and change majors, I do share with them a simple yet critical fact about life inside (and outside) of the classroom.

Life presents us with multiple opportunities to make choices, and each choice we make comes with a consequence.  Some consequences are positive in nature while others are quite the opposite.  But it is in the consequence that true learning exists.  Advanced knowledge of a consequence can help us to make a better decision (I’d like to eat that donut, but it will not help me fit into my pants).   Dealing with a significant consequence will help us to not make the same bad decision twice (My pants don’t fit, I guess I shouldn’t have eaten that donut).  By understanding the power and importance of consequences, my students can learn that their classrooms will run more smoothly when the consequences that come from the choices we make will help guide us to do a better job in everything we do, making our classroom, workplace, homes, and world a better place.

It is with this basic understanding of how the learning process works that I share what I see as one of the greatest challenges that we as a people face.  More and more we are finding ourselves operating our lives, our businesses, our governments, in truth – our world, with the goal of eliminating every form of consequence.  Financial mismanagement is forgiven with bankruptcy protection, government bailouts, and increased programs and taxation.  We speed in our cars and expect the officer to only pull us over if we are going 10 mph over the speed limit and even then we should just get a warning.  Parents blame teachers for the problems in education.  Teachers blame parents for the exact same things.  Our sons wear their pants around their knees and can’t understand why they aren’t taken seriously.  Our daughters wear low cut, skin tight clothing with words printed across their butts to make sure that everyone within a two mile radius is looking and can’t understand why society (and particularly men) will prey on them.  As a society, we have pushed so hard against the long established norms that when the walls they provide crumble and we find ourselves unprotected, we look for someone else to save us from ourselves and pay for the damage we did all on our own.  And if we could just allow ourselves to take a step back and look at what we’re creating, we’d be troubled by the direction we’re travelling and the consequences we face for trying to live without consequences.

That last sentence may need a second look but you must realize that trying to live life without consequences has consequences of its own.  We lose the ability to take responsibility for things that matter.  When we do speak, our words are dismissed because they, like everything else, have no consequence.  In fact, the end result is a population and a life that has become totally inconsequential, defined as having “little or no importance, insignificant, trivial.”  If we are successful, we will simply become irrelevant.

Simply put:  This is not the purpose for which we were created!

Paul’s words stand in clear opposition to the worldly view.  We were created by God with a specific design and purpose.  We have been placed into the situations and experiences of our lives to prepare us specifically for what God has in store.  Consider this: 3rd graders learn multiplication so they’re ready for algebra in 8th grade.  Skipping multiplication would leave them unprepared to deal with what is coming.  The same holds true for people who want to avoid the consequences of their own choices.  They miss out on the lessons God intended for them, leaving them ill-prepared for what is to come, forced to relearn the lesson in a different time and place, and positioning them to forego blessings that God ultimately has in store for them because they chose to duck and run.

As sons and daughters of the Most High God, we live lives of consequence.  May we seek out the lessons God has placed before us so that we might also find the blessings that come from significant lives in Him.

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The One He Kept for Me

Posted on June 30, 2012 by day1of1

Linda:
God has truly blessed me with the honor of becoming your husband.  I am also honored to be able to share this day with so many friends and family members who are celebrating with us and even with those few who are witnessing something that you had sworn for years would never, ever happen.  If I were a comedian, I’d warn those naysayers to get their houses in order because this is clearly a sign that the Mayans were right.  But in spite of your protestations, it is evident that today’s celebration is a part of a plan that far exceeds anything either of us could have ever imagined.

Proverbs 16:9 says, “A man’s heart plans his way, But the Lord directs his steps.”  I think this is a wonderful description of our relationship.  From the day we met in the library at Concordia, we had a strong connection.  Little did you know that as I was stamping all that ink on your forehead, you were leaving a stamp on my heart.  Falling in love and living happily ever after would have made sense, but we both had other plans and for reasons known and unknown, we went down different paths.  Over the years we connected periodically, catching up on our lives and reliving good memories – the stuff friends do.  Then when the time was right, God stepped in and made a few course corrections.
I came to realize on that day that I was worthy of someone like you.  Now I know that hearing me say that has you thinking to yourself; “Oh Puh-leeze!  I’m just an ordinary girl.”  But if I may be so bold, I’d like you and everyone here to understand that while your claim of being ordinary may appear to be humility run amok, it is actually a lie of the enemy designed to hold you back from the amazing things God has in store for you.  If you were ordinary, you would be defined as common, lacking any unique qualities or abilities, plain, simple, and possessing little value.  This is dangerous, because believing yourself to be ordinary opens the door for others to prey upon your good nature and to take advantage of you for their own selfish desires.  I know this to be true because for many years, I too have considered myself to be ordinary.

But today, nearly 20 years later, God has opened our eyes to see what He knew all along.  God has built something new and amazing in us.  The equation is simple:  An ordinary woman meets an ordinary man.  In the world, that would lead us to an ordinary marriage and an ordinary life, but that’s not where this story ends.  With God playing an integral part in the formation, preservation, and restoration of our relationship, we now possess something extra, and by adding His extra to our ordinary we discover that our lives have been transformed. And from this moment on, together, we are and will always be extraordinary.  You are the one I was praying for. The one He delayed me for. The one He kept for me.  And now it is time…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3sE40VAIpfI

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Not For Prophet

Posted on May 14, 2012 by day1of1

Suggested Reading: 1 Kings 17
The life of a prophet had to have been incredibly difficult.  Imagine waking up every day, discovering what God wanted you to go and do and then just going to do it.  Think about that in terms of modern society.  There’s no advance planning, no Google searching, no checking the schedule – just get up and go.  And if that’s not bad enough, consider the exotic destinations God chose.  Prophets weren’t sent to many tropical resorts or vacation hotspots.  It seems to me that a big part of being a prophet was walking the fine line between devotion and delusion.

Consider the ministry of Elijah.  In many ways, he is the poster child of what I’m describing.  Imagine if he’d shown up at your elementary school’s career day…
Teacher:  “Class, allow me to introduce Elijah.  He is a prophet of God.  Tell the boys and girls what you do Mr. Jah.”

Elijah: “Uh, ok.  Good morning boys and girls.  I am a prophet of God.  Since taking up this occupation I have experienced many interesting things.  I’ve had several run-ins with the king and queen whose wicked actions have led to God telling me to challenge them.  One time, I informed them of a severe drought God was bringing to the nation.  That made them angry, but not as much as the time I challenged their idol-worship by exposing their god as a sham; that got a bounty placed on my life.  And did I mention the time I survived an earthquake, a massive fire, and hurricane force winds while I was hiding in a cave waiting for God to tell me how my life would be spared?  Any questions?”

Yeah – Betcha he didn’t have too many of his brochures fly off the table.  In fairness, being a prophet is not something that just anyone can go and do.  It requires a special calling from God.  But while most of us will never have Prophet listed on our business cards, we can still learn a great deal from Elijah when it comes to living out our faith at maximized levels every day of our lives.

So what was it that set Elijah apart?  Obedience.

1 Kings 17:1-4 prefaces the story of how God was going to bring drought to the land and Elijah is getting the instructions of what God wants him to do.  Verse five tells us Elijah’s response: “So he went and did according to the word of the Lord.”  Pretty simple, isn’t it?  And the results?  God delivered upon His promise to Elijah.  While the people suffered through the drought, his needs were met by ravens that brought him food and a spring of fresh water.  Praise God for He is good!

Until the spring dried up.

Seriously?  What is this?  Why would God go and do something so cruel; providing and then taking it away?  I can see how Elijah would be frustrated by this – after all, He did exactly what he was told to do and God’s plan turned into an epic failure.  We feel that way sometimes.  As believers, we try to walk where God has called us.  We hear His plan.  We feel that gentle yet unmistakable tug at our hearts that tells us it’s time to set out on the journey, trusting Him to make a way for us.  Then the spring dries up.  The provision we had relied upon is gone and we are left wondering what to do next.  So what do we do when God takes it away?

Allow me to apologize because that was a bit of a trick question because the answer never changed.  We go back to God.  “But wait,” you say, “if God gave the stream, only for it to dry up?  How can you count on Him again?  After all, God’s plan failed?”  Well, the simple answer is to realize that God’s plan didn’t fail – the stream did.  God never promised that the stream would provide water indefinitely.  It too fell victim to the drought.  But when we remember that all things on earth and in nature fall under the power of God, we can maintain a clearer perspective.  We also learn from Elijah’s response.  Did he panic?  No.  He listened for a Word from God, which he received – telling him to go to the well and wait for a widow whom God had commanded to supply him with food.

Of course, she was also obedient to the calling of the Lord by being at the well and providing what little food she had left to Elijah, instead of keeping it for her and her son to eat.  Again, it doesn’t make sense to give away your last meal to a total stranger, but God promised her abundance for her obedience.  The flour and oil used to make the bread never ran out for the duration of the famine in the land.  Once again, God had presented a supernatural solution.

But take note of the method God used.  The Bible says that the flour was never used up and the oil never ran dry.  What it doesn’t say is that her pantry was stocked with cases of flour or gallons of oil.  She never had an excess, but she never ran out either.  Her abundance came in small doses of blessings that did not end.  I think we hear the word “abundance” and we mistake it for surplus.  While we may never have more money than we can manage or more stuff than we have places to put it, we must remember that the abundance of God can and will be found even in the smallest morsels of the daily bread we ask for in the Lord’s Prayer.  So like Elijah with the stream, the widow could offer thanks to God for His great gift!

Until her only son fell ill and died.

If Elijah got frustrated, imagine how she must have felt. She did what God instructed so God spared her and her son, only to take him anyway.  But once again, in this moment of tragedy and grief, the response was the same: Go back to God.  Elijah prayed for the restoration of the boy’s life and God brought the boy back from the dead.  Again, God’s mighty hand shows true to those who demonstrate their faith in obedience in Him.

Give thanks to our great and powerful God for meeting our every need even before we know the need exists.  May we always seek Him with the expectation that He puts us where we need to be, gives us what we need to have, and blesses us with abundance beyond our comprehension.

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In the Cards

Posted on April 26, 2012 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

Like many kids, I used to collect baseball cards.  My collection is not the largest ever assembled, nor is it the most valuable, but to me it is a special part of my life.  I will always remember the time I spent with my father cataloging my cards.  I loved sitting down with him, recording the cards in notebooks, talking about the teams and players, and creating lists of the cards needed to complete different sets were common discussions that we shared.  These are special memories that give the cards more value to me than any collector possibly could.

Of course, this isn’t to say that my cards are worthless either. Of the thousands of cards that I have, I do own several rookie cards and older cards of Hall of Fame players that according to the various pricing guides are worth several hundred dollars.  Because of this, I have resorted to storing the cards in a safe place in my house.  Most of the cards are in specially designed boxes.  Some of the most valuable cards are stored in plastic sheets designed to offer greater protection for the card in maintaining its condition and likewise the value.  All of this extra security is warranted – I don’t want anything to happen to my cards.  But there is also a negative side to this as well.  The increased emphasis I’ve placed on keeping the cards safe has prevented me from actually looking at and enjoying my cards.  Come to think of it – I don’t think I’ve ever shared my collection with my own children.  By not wanting anything to happen to my cards, I have ensured that nothing can ever happen with my cards.

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 truly 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.

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Change Ahead

Posted on February 28, 2012 by day1of1

When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?” – Luke 24:30-32
It’s Lent – the time of year leading up to the celebration of our victory over sin and death through Christ’s resurrection.  For many Christians, it is also that time of year where decisions have been made to give up something to help them to better focus their lives upon the much greater sacrifice Jesus made on our behalf.  For many, giving up chocolate, fast food, Facebook, or some other vice serves as a test of will power – another opportunity to make good on a New Year’s resolution gone horribly wrong.  Some look at it as an accomplishment to be able to part with something they like for 40 days, only to return back to their habits once the Lenten season is over. 
This is not necessarily the case for everyone.  I know some people who have started Lent intending to deny themselves something for 40 days only to find that they never go back to it.  What started as a simple exercise in denying oneself turned into a lifestyle change that provided a substantial benefit.  This leaves me wondering what the difference between the two might be.  How is it that one person can make a change for a lifetime while others only manage a few weeks?  As shown by the men on the road to Emmaus, the answer lies within our hearts.
As the two men walked to Emmaus with Christ, they were both unaware of the true identity of their companion.  When they did finally realize who He was, they began talking to each other about how they had recognized Him – compiling their proof in a sense.  What I find most interesting about this is that they aren’t using the typical identifiers to confirm their findings.  They didn’t say how they looked at His face, starred into His eyes, heard a certain phrase or noticed the wounds on his body.  Their evidence was internal:  “Were not our hearts burning within us while He talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?” 
It was the power of the word being spoken by Christ internalized and applied into their hearts that made the greatest impact.  Christ’s words inspired them, released them and empowered them to go and do great things for the kingdom in His name.  We don’t know much more about these two men or what their future endeavors might have been.  What we can postulate from this encounter is that their conversation and the change that it brought about inside of them were far from temporary.

Even today, the word spoken over our lives continues to make a tremendous impact.  A person committing themselves to a Lenten sacrifice will have far more success if they are seeking God’s strength to accomplish the task.  But what’s more is that any change that we seek in our lives can be brought about by seeking God’s will and aligning our prayers and focus to it.  This isn’t saying that you can ask God to make your salad taste like a bacon cheeseburger, but if your prayer is better health through a better diet, you can certainly pray that God will strengthen you to be content with the salad in line with His word that we are to care for our physical bodies.  Aligning our wants to the will of God in our lives will produce a change that will burn within our hearts, allowing us to feel the power of the Holy Spirit alive in us, leading us to become the men and women God has created us to be.
Today as you begin your work week and set out to meet the goals that you have set for yourself, God’s word will fill you, driving you to accomplish more.  It will guide you, leading you to make God pleasing decisions in all things.  It will renew you, providing strength to deal with issues and struggles all the while keeping your focus solely upon His amazing power and love.

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Real Men

Posted on February 15, 2012 by day1of1

Society provides a fair amount of debate over what it means to be a “real man.”  Of course, there are many definitions and measurements that you can use, and thanks to the Internet, many of these criteria have become widely promoted. 

Allegedly, real men…

  • Objectify women by looking at sexually charged images of them
  • Enjoy vulgar humor connected to sex, body parts, and bodily functions
  • Are extremely interested in toys (cars, tools, electronics, guns, etc…)
  • Only enjoy movies and TV shows that feature guns, violence, and tough guys
  • Seek to indulge in anything that gratifies their immediate needs

As I looked at these websites and saw the world’s definition of a real man I became disheartened.  Is this what we are?  Sex charged, drunken, vulgar, pleasure pursuing hooligans?  In response to this question, some men have turned away from chauvinism, seeking to develop a more genteel demeanor. But this can also go too far, turning men into overly sensitive, well-manicured, passive, effeminate metrosexuals.  So which path do I choose?  How do I live my life as the man I’ve been created to be?  How do I effectively model Christian masculinity so my son can also grow into a real man of God?
The Bible offers many principles that provide us with sound and effective ways to grow and mature into Christian men of distinction.  One such example of a real man of God is Boaz.  Chapter two of Ruth reveals this to us in several ways.  Ruth goes to glean wheat left over in a field owned by Boaz.  As a property owner, we see that Boaz was financially independent.  By his presence at the field, we see that he wasn’t an owner in absentia, but actively worked to build his assets.  He notices Ruth.  Today’s men would try to check her out to see if she’s interested in hooking up.  Boaz finds out who she is and immediately takes an interest in her well-being, providing what he can to help her.  He welcomes her return each day to glean in his field, giving her an opportunity to store up more provisions out of a genuine desire to be helpful.  He warns her not to go to other fields for her own safety, and gives instructions to his workers not to touch her or embarrass her if she takes grain from the sheaves.  He even invites Ruth to eat with him – something not even the workers or servants were allowed to do.  Why does Boaz do all of this?  Is it to impress her with his wealth and status?  Is it to get her to trust him so he can make his move?  Or is it simply because he is obeying God’s commands to treat her as he should?

At one point, Ruth asks Boaz why he is being so kind to her, why she found favor in his eyes.  His answer provides a window into the character of a real man of God.  “I’ve been told all about what you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband – how you left your father and mother and your homeland and came to live with a people you did not know before.  May the Lord repay you for what you have done.  May you be richly rewarded by the Lord, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge” (Ruth 2:11-12).  Boaz was not doing this because Ruth was beautiful, or because he was hoping to get something in return.  He did these things for her as an answer to a call from God.  Ruth’s obedience to God’s Word was blessed through Boaz’s obedience to God’s Word.   Both of them would ultimately be blessed by God to have found each other and share their lives together as husband and wife.

Seeking the face of God, searching God’s will to find direction and purpose for his life made Boaz a real man, leading him to the greatest blessing he could have been given.  I pray that the Father will bless me in the same way as he molds me into a real man of God.

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