Learning to Feed Yourself ...

The Apostle Paul once said, "When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me."  1 Corinthians 13.11

Over the past couple of months, Russ & I have been watching the hummingbird in the video.  She first caught our attention as she built her nest ... atop one of the paper lanterns that are strung along our back patio.  The next thing we knew, two tiny eggs had hatched, and two tiny mouths anxiously waited to be fed. Daily. And Mama Hummingbird seemed to gladly oblige.  For a time.  Did you notice that Mama was feeding only one baby in the video?  That's because just this morning, the other baby decided the time was right ... to leave the nest ... and to feed himself. 

How about us?  Have we made a similar decision?  In a reality where the Scriptures are our daily bread, have we come to the point in our Christian lives where we are able and willing to feed ourselves?  Or do we just sit there ... in the pew or on the sofa ... waiting for someone else to fill us up with God's Word? Like Paul, we must also grow up ... emotionally, physically and spiritually.  I wonder if that little hummingbird somehow instinctively knew he was created to mature and one day leave behind the comfort of the nest for the life of adventure.  

Lessons from the Titanic...

“The Kingdom of God … is like yeast used by a woman making bread.  Even though she used a large amount of flour, the yeast permeated every part of the dough.”  Luke 13.20-21

The Titanic.  Stories have been told about this legendary seafaring vessel.  Books have been written to chronicle the events associated with her ill-fated maiden voyage. The 1997 blockbuster, “Titanic”, won 11 Oscars and went on to become the highest-grossing film of all time.  One film critic states, “You don’t just watch Titanic; you experience it.”  While some of us may relate to characters in the film, I tend to think we more closely identify with the ship itself.  Let me explain.

The Titanic was touted as “unsinkable”, primarily because of its unique design.  The hull was subdivided into sixteen watertight compartments, each of which could be isolated from the adjoining compartment to maintain the integrity of the ship in the case of an emergency. If one part of the ship started taking on water, special doors would be locked into place so that the leak would be contained.  In reality, the design was tragically flawed.  On April 14, 1912, with little warning, the Titanic hit an iceberg.  Within 10 minutes of the collision, five forward compartments were flooded to a depth of 14 feet.  The water knew no boundaries. Within 25 minutes after the collision, it became apparent that the “unsinkable” was, in fact, very sinkable.

How do we relate to this luxury ocean liner? Far too often, we attempt to compartmentalize our lives.  We segment our lives into categories:  work, family, personal, spiritual, in a vain attempt to isolate one part from another.  (i.e., "I don't have to act like Christ because I'm at work, not church!)  Like water spilling over and under and around the doors on the Titanic until the entire ship fills, like yeast spreading throughout the whole loaf of bread until every part of the dough rises, Christ should permeate our entire being … our work life, our family life, our personal life, our spiritual life ... until we are completely saturated with His Spirit. (He does this to make us "rise", not sink, by the way!) God desires to rule in every aspect of our being. We cannot afford to compartmentalize our lives, picking and choosing which facets we will avail to the Savior.  We are not meant to parcel out our lives.   God doesn’t want a “share”, even His “share” … He wants all of us! 

It's All Perspective...

Conversation around our dinner table is usually entertaining, and tonight is no exception.  

Sam felt the need to share with us that, according to the Guinness World Book of Records, the longest burp clocked in at 38 seconds.  Sophia followed up with the World Record for longest kiss ... 42 and a half hours ... to which Sam replied, "GROSS!!!"  It's all perspective. 

Requirements and Rewards...

“Much is required from those to whom much has been given; and much more is required from those to whom much more has been given.” (Luke 13.48b NLT)

When our children were very small, Russ & I didn’t expect them to do many household chores.  Sophia would bring her plate to the kitchen counter after lunch; Sam would pick up his matchbox cars from the living room floor.  On a good day, Annabelle would hand me the clean spoons from the dishwasher so that I could put them away.  Since they were just toddlers, they often received little more than a hug, a kiss or a ‘Nilla wafer for their trouble.

However, now that the kids are the ripe ol’ ages of 12, 9 and 6 ½ (Annabelle insists that I add the “half”!), the days of easy living are well behind them!  Their chore charts include folding and putting away their own laundry, taking out the trash, and cleaning their respective bathrooms.  But that isn’t all.  We also expect the children to speak kindly to each other, to work hard in school, to help each other, to watch over younger ones at the playground, to be responsible with library books and eye glasses.   The incrementally increasing requirements denote their incrementally increasing maturity.  (There is no end in sight for either.)  After all, we are training them not just to be good children but to be godly adults. And aaahhh… the rewards for their hard work have also increased!  A pat on the head or a cookie just doesn’t cut it anymore!  A trip to the movies or Chic-Fil-A, a new Barbie or Lego sets … these are the prizes of 2008!

As I reflect on this progression, I begin to see the same is true for me in a spiritual sense.  When I was a “baby” Christian, the Lord was very patient with me.  His “requirements” did not overwhelm me.  I knew He longed to speak to me through His Word, so I gladly spent time reading my Bible. From spending time in the Word, I learned all sorts of prerequisites for continued spiritual growth  … prayer, tithing, giving, sharing my story with others, and making disciples.  None of these disciplines brought about my salvation, mind you; rather, they resulted from it.  (Seems my Heavenly Father is no more satisfied with my remaining a spiritual toddler than I would be for my physical children to do the same!)  As you may imagine, the reward for such labors … ever-increasing maturity.

Now, some 17 years into my journey with Christ, I find that there are not fewer requirements … but more. Always more.  Jesus wants ALL of me. The more I give to Him by way of embracing those requirements, the more He gives to me in love, knowledge, and skill to do what He requires.  Consequently, as He gives more love, knowledge and skill, He requires more of me.  More of my obedience, more of my time, more of my thought and energy.  Like an outwardly spiraling circle slowly encompassing every aspect of my life, requirement brings reward, which brings more requirement, which brings more reward.  And sometimes, He throws in a chicken sandwich just for fun.

Understanding...

Russ & I attend a Bible study on Thursday nights.  Right now we’re working our way through the book of Ecclesiastes. Despite Solomon’s great wisdom and understanding, he often communicates tremendous frustration.  While no one would ever confuse me with Solomon when it comes to wisdom, understanding brings a certain amount of frustration to my life as well.

Someone in the group spoke of a man who said of his 50+ year walk with the Lord:  “The hardest thing is continuing to follow a God I don’t understand”.  I see his point.  Who can fully comprehend the Almighty … the Alpha & Omega … the Creator and Sustainer of all things seen and unseen?  Not me!  Job 36.26 says it best, “How great is God … beyond our understanding!” Even so, the brunt of my struggle is in obediently following the God I do understand.

I understand that I was spiritually dead until Christ brought me to life. (Rom. 8.10) I understand I must speak out of love … always. (Eph. 4.15) I understand that I must make disciples, teaching others to follow Him. (Matt 28.19-20) I understand that I am to spend time daily in His Word. (Matt. 4.4, Luke 11.3)   I understand that I am to pour out my heart in prayer to a listening God. (Phil. 4.6)  I understand that I am to trust God for every need in my life. (Matt 6.33)  I understand that I am to share Christ not keeping Him all to myself. (2 Corin. 5.20) I understand I am to train my children in the ways of the Lord. (Deut. 4.9)  I understand that I am to give money to support those who have pledged their lives to full-time ministry. (1 Corin. 9.13) I understand I am to know the Scriptures. (Ps. 119.11) I understand that I am to be holy because He is holy. (1 Peter 1.15) I understand Jesus is the only Way to be reconciled to this Holy God, and I am to put the word out! (2 Corin. 5.18-19) I understand being a good person does not get me to heaven, but that I was created to do good works. (Eph. 2.8-10) I understand I am to love God with my whole being.  I understand that I am to love people. (Mark 12.30-31) Thankfully, I also understand that Christ not only requires my obedience ... He also enables it. (Phil. 4.13)

Using the Skimmer

"If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness." 1 John 1.9 (NIV)

This summer I’ve been having my daily quiet time (devotion) on the back patio.  When I’ve finished my coffee and Bible reading, I usually skim the pool as I pray.  Now, that may sound irreverent to some, but today the Lord used skimming to show me a profound truth.

Despite the heat, all the plants in our backyard are in full bloom this time of year.  Because of the strong West Texas winds, flowers and leaves from the beautiful flora make daily flights … straight into the pool.  Occasionally, the fauna make the trek as well!  As I skimmed the pool this morning, removing debris floating atop the water, a spiritual parallel came to mind. 

In a scenario in which the pool represents my spiritual life, perhaps the “debris” floating atop the water represents sin.  Sin that is easily identifiable.  Sin I need to confess daily.  Sin that was seemingly attractive at some point but has no more place in my life than flowers have in the swimming pool.  Just as the pool is defiled by flowers, leaves and bits of bark, my life is defiled by sin.  If left unaddressed, the unwanted items slowly make their way to the bottom of the pool.  This makes the task of removing them much more difficult.  Not impossible, but much harder.  And each time we jump into the water, this “trash” is stirred up again, making our swimming experience so much less enjoyable. Do you see the parallel?  Over time, my own unconfessed sin settles deep within my spirit.  It does not go away, nor is it hidden from God.  And Satan uses it to make the waters of my spiritual life murky. 

Application:  Confess sin at the moment it becomes apparent, visible, evident.   God has a big skimmer.

Choices...

“…My power is strongest when you are weak…” 1 Corinthians 12.9

A boy. A convict. A liar. A prostitute. A soldier. A king. A fisherman. A murderer. A loner. A widow. A farmer. A doctor. An accountant. A carpenter. A business woman. A taxman.  A young man.  An old man.  A tall man.  A short man.  The people God chooses to accomplish His purpose often surprise me.  After all, He is God.  Surely, He could do better than these.  Better than … me.

Our society chooses the strongest, the brightest, the wealthiest, the most beautiful, the best of the best. 

The same people are always selected, whether in the schoolyard or the workplace, the big screen or the battlefield. Interestingly, and thankfully, God doesn’t work that way. He chose someone who had never seen a drop of rain to prepare for a global flood.[1] He chose a 90 year-old woman to birth a nation.[2]  He chose a convict to feed a people.[3]  And when the time came to save all of mankind from eternal damnation, He chose a baby.[4]  There are many more examples, both in the Old and New Testaments. 

If you know and walk with the Living God, He has chosen you!  He has chosen you to participate in what He is doing!   What He can accomplish through us has much less to do with our abilities, position, talents or merit, but much more to do with His great power! 

---

[1] Gen 2-7

[2] Gen 21

[3] Gen 41

[4] Luke 2

A Day in the Life...

Preacher Chris inspired me with his blog ... 

My Tuesday:

-Tried to get up before my kids (6:30 am apparently not early enough!)

-Had coffee and quiet time on the back patio

-Treadmill (& shower, just in case you were wondering!)

-Helped Sophia with Language Arts & put on some laundry

-Fed everyone lunch & headed out about 12:30

-Took the minutes for the PWOC Board Meeting on post

-Headed over to see a really good friend

-Settled an argument (or 2 or 3)

-Took my kids to Carl's Jr. 

-Headed to Bible Study @ Chapel

-Stopped at Albertson's to pick up milk & bread

-Got home about 9:00

-Stayed up too late working on PP slides for PWOC

TMI!!!!!!

One Degree...

The other day Sophia had a slight fever.  As I checked the thermometer, which read 99.8, she made an interesting comment.  As she lay on the living room sofa for the fourth straight hour, she said,  “One degree sure makes a difference”.   How true.

A couple of days ago, two Jehovah’s Witnesses came to my door.  During the short time we chatted, they told me that Jesus is a god, but not The God[1].  Close but no cigar.  We often hear that we are all God’s children.[2]  Again, off the mark.  “It is okay to sleep together if you love each other.”[3]  Sadly, I’ve heard that statement by those on both sides of the church door.  According to Scripture, each of these viewpoints at least slightly deviates from the Truth.  But as anyone who has used a compass knows, being one degree off True North will send you on an entirely different path than the one you intended!  With the Scriptures as our map and the Holy Spirit as our compass, we can maintain an accurate bearing.  After all, one degree sure makes a difference.

[1] John 1.1

[2] John 1.12

[3] Hebrews 13.4

The Answer is...

“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 2.12

These words were spoken by a man who has become one of my favorite Old Testament characters, Boaz.  If you aren’t familiar with the book of Ruth, you can easily become so.  Only four chapters, 85 verses, it is a quick read.  But be assured what Ruth lacks in length, it makes up for in depth.  Contained within those 85 verses is an unbelievably intricate story of love and redemption, of provision and providence, of faith in action.  As the leading man, Boaz is quite impressive.  He is a wealthy landowner, respected by his workers.  He has seen hard times, which perhaps help us to understand his humility. Others left Judah when the going got tough … not Boaz.  He stays in Bethlehem despite a decade of famine.  Because he stays we are blessed.  And because he prays we are blessed.  When he uttered the words referenced above, I doubt he had any idea that the LORD would use him to bring the prophetic blessing to fruition!  Boaz simply saw all that Ruth had done for those she loved, and he asked God to reward her.  In the end, God uses Boaz himself to answer this prayer for Ruth.  Boaz himself becomes the vessel through which the LORD richly rewards Ruth! 

As Russ & I continue to pray that the Lord of the harvest will bring workers to Image Church, we hope the same will be true for us.  We so much want to be the answer to that prayer!

My question:  “What are you praying for, and are YOU willing to be the answer?"

Russ' Promotion

God of the Details...

In July, 2007, Russ’ name appeared on the LTC promotion list.  We were all excited but realized that it would be July 1, 2008, before he officially pinned on the rank.  (Unfortunately, that’s just the way it works in the Army!) With the Big Day finally approaching, Russ & I began to plan the promotion ceremony and the reception to follow.  We ordered the customary cake and sandwich trays, and bought the chips and drinks.  I also bought all the paper products, including the only size tablecloths available, fretting that they were probably going to be too big.  Meanwhile, Russ secured the conference room at his workplace for the ceremony.  Although the break room is usually used for receptions, it is a common area and can’t be reserved.  Being the planner that he is, Russ would walk by the break room almost daily in the weeks leading up to July 1, to survey the layout.  One day he would see an impromptu meeting taking place, another day guys were working on the drink machine … parts scattered around the small space.  Furniture, including tables an chairs, would come and go.   What would await us on our special day?  Some remodeling job?  Locusts?   Russ took what  comfort he could in the one constant … a medium-sized rectangular table we planned to use for our reception.  Every time he passed by, it was in the same spot, untouched.  Until the morning of the reception, that is.  Unbeknownst to us, it had been replaced by a much larger version.  And, as it turns out, a much better version.  It seems that the tablecloths I had bought some weeks prior fit perfectly on the larger table.  The food fit perfectly.  The new layout worked well. So all our planning and stressing over what that morning’s break room configuration would bring was needless.  God knew ahead of time exactly what was necessary to make this moment enjoyable for all of us … and He took care of it.  It seems to us that if He sees to the details of such a momentary part of our lives (and He does!), surely He will take care of those with more lasting significance! 

What a great day it turned out to be!  The kids, all of whom had been sick for days, were well.  BG Terry who had taught Russ as an ROTC cadet at NGCSU officiated the ceremony.  Over 65 family, friends and co-workers, including Russ’ parents, watched as the kids peeled off the old rank and put on that black oak leaf … thank goodness for Velcro!  In the end, we had done our part, and God had more than taken care of the rest!