“Fruit-ful” Prayers

Our church has been presenting a series of sermons on being a BLESSing to our neighbors. BLESS is an acronym for Begin with Prayer; Listen with Care; Eat Together; Serve like Jesus; and Share Stories. We were challenged the first week to choose four close neighbors. We were to pray for them, and if we didn’t know them well, to reach out and make contact. This has been a true challenge for David and I, because we live in an apartment above our shop. Most of our neighbors are not residential, but commercial! Nevertheless, we decided on a couple of commercial “neighbors” and a couple of non-traditional “neighbors.” We started praying– praying for opportunities to get to know our neighbors a little better, and praying for their health, well-being, etc. We’re getting to know some of the workers at the two commercial locations, and getting to know our chosen “families” a little better. We’ve been more intentional about stopping to visit or chat, and making sure we listen and respond sincerely– this is not just a short-term “project” but an opportunity to build closer relationships. And we’ve been praying for opportunities to develop closer friendships.

So this week was the sermon I’ve been dreading– “Eat together.” You might wonder why this is so fearsome–doesn’t everyone like to eat? And I love meeting over a nice meal. I love to cook, as well. The problem? Our apartment is tiny and upstairs– NOT conducive to inviting people over for a warm, comfortable meal shared around a large table. We have two mismatched chairs around a small table in our tiny kitchen, and two more mismatched armchairs in the living room. No couches, no designated dining room, no space to “entertain” guests. I want to serve others. I want to grow friendships. But I’m not a hostess. Not in a cracker-box-sized apartment upstairs. I know this seems petty– I’ve known amazing hostesses who live in shacks and invite guests to sit on a dirt floor. I know. But I still struggle with the idea of entertaining others in my current circumstances.

I knew it was coming– we looked at all the examples in the Bible of good and even sacred things happening around the table and/or involving food– Passover Seders, Communion, the Wedding Feast of the Lamb (among others)… “But Lord,” I prayed, “I can’t invite the entire staff next door to my home for a meal. And some of the “residential” neighbors we are praying for are elderly and can’t manage the stairs to our apartment even if we had the room to host a meal. And it’s too expensive to invite some of the families or staff to a restaurant. How are we going to be able to bless others and “Eat” together?”

But God isn’t bound by conventional ideas– even when it comes to hospitality. At the end of the service, we were surprised by an announcement from our pastor– one of the families in our church owns a fruit farm. Last year, they had a bumper crop of apples, and they donated several bags of the apples to the church. There were enough apples for each family to take several bags to “BLESS” our neighbors! No meal to fix. No apologizing for the smallness and shabbiness of our living space. But a chance to share FOOD with my neighbors and bless them with wonderful apples! Thank you, God!

David and I wasted no time– we delivered most of the apples yesterday afternoon! And we had so many apples, we were able to bless more than just the four locations we had decided on earlier in the series. We were able to bless at least 13 different families/ businesses with at least one full bag of apples! We blessed families with small children, a retired couple; a single person on a fixed income; an extended family of four generations; we blessed people who go to another church; we blessed people who don’t attend church at all. We blessed the staffs at a couple of local businesses, and shared laughter (and concerns) with several friends, old and new.

Not everyone wanted the free apples. One family turned down our offer. Some people are suspicious of free gifts; some are too proud to accept food as a gift; some are simply not interested, or too busy. It is the same with the Good News. Some people do not want what we have to offer in Christ. Some are suspicious; some are too proud or even too ashamed to believe that God has Good News for them. Some are too caught up in their problems or their ambitions. We must not be discouraged, though. God has not given us such a precious gift without also giving us the opportunity share it with others. And we will see how God continues to work in mysterious ways. Some people were surprised and confused by the concept of “apples of blessing.” They wondered what we might ask for in return. We smiled and said there were no strings attached– we just wanted to share our blessing with them! Some people took more apples than we had planned to give them– that’s ok, too. Others wanted to bless us in return– we received over two dozen eggs in gratitude for a couple of bags of apples! Today, I’ll be delivering the last few bags to businesses that were closed yesterday (to share with their staff). I’m excited to share this gift–and I’m reminded of how good it is to share the free gift of the Gospel!

God didn’t change the circumstances of our apartment. I worried that I would be asked to host an elaborate meal, or that I would miss out on blessing others because of our circumstances. But in God’s economy, we can show hospitality, love, generosity, and compassion on the street. We can share food in a way that opens up opportunities to make memories, share stories, communicate prayer requests and concerns, serve others’ needs, and make new friends. There are dozens of ways we can open our hearts and our lives to our neighbors, serve them, and pray for them…

We kept one bag of apples– maybe someone in our neighborhood would like a pan of apple crisp! And now, David and I have a few extra eggs! Anyone interested?

June 3, 2024 0

The Weight of Words

Words have weight– I’m not talking about thousand-page novels or multi-syllable legalese terms– some words simply weigh heavier on the mind and heart than others. Some everyday words spill out like dust motes carried on a light breeze. They hang suspended in midair, without any set purpose or destination, and finally settle, forgotten, until someone sweeps them away. Other words explode, sending shards and pellets at unwary targets. Some words thunder like falling rocks in an avalanche of guilt or anger or hatred. And some rare and precious words have the weight of a quilt or a hug, or an arm lifting you up when you are falling.

One of the amazing things about prayer is that as we pour out our words before the Savior, the weight of our words is lifted off our hearts and minds and given to him to carry– the weight of the guilt, the weight of worry, the weight of grief, the weight of anger, the weight of hurt. Not only does God take on the weight of our words (and our pain and guilt), but he makes sense of it all– maybe not instantly, or in the way we imagine– but he brings order and goodness out of our chaos and burden.

And those everyday words swirling around like dust fall into the light, where they shine like gold dust in His presence. When we bring everything to God, he transforms it; he transforms us.

Our words have weight in prayer. And our words to others have weight, as well. Today, I want to weigh my words carefully. Are my words burdening others, or helping them lift a load of care? If I had to carry the weight of my words– my criticisms and clever put-downs, my accusations and angry tantrums, my bragging and comparisons– would I be dragging them behind me with joy and pride? What if, instead, my words were filled with the weight of shared laughter, encouragement, hope, and compassion? What if my words held the weight of truth and kindness and peace?

Would it change the weight of my prayers?

May 3, 2024 0

May Day Mishaps

Today is the first of May– May Day. May Day has a long history, with pagan origins tied to the celebration of late spring or early summer. In many European nations, there would be dancing around a May Pole, or May bush, floral garlands, and floral bouquets offered at various shrines, including to the Virgin Mary. In some communities, girls vied to be crowned the “May Queen,” while stories were told of fairies. May Day was popular in the United States for many years around the turn of the 20th century– with parades, flower baskets, and more. It is less popular in modern times, and many of the floral parades and festive outings take place around Memorial Day, instead.

When I was a child in elementary school, we made paper “flowers” and a small paper coronet with a loop handle for May Day. I remember making daffodils, hyacinths, and tulips out of construction paper and other craft materials, and making the coronet “baskets” out of decorated paper cones. We glued or stapled the pieces together to take home. Then, we were encouraged to loop the handle over the door knob at the front door of our house when we got home, knock, and run and hide around the corner. Presumably, our mothers or babysitters would see the gift of flowers and wonder who could have left them there. It was a fun game to play, and a way to celebrate the season of wonderful spring flowers.

Unfortunately, when we did this in kindergarten, my flowers got trampled on the bus. It was a rainy day, and my flowers fell in the aisle, where a boy stepped on them with muddy sneakers. They were ruined. I cried and cried, and another boy on the bus gave me the flowers he had made. It was a thoughtful gesture– one I’ve never forgotten– but I remained desolate. I told my mother the whole sordid story, and she told me that, in her day, they had picked wildflowers, such as violets and even clovers, and tied them with a string to leave on someone’s porch. Then she took me outside, and we made a small bunch of violets with a couple of “Dutchman’s Breeches.” I didn’t get to surprise her, but we had such fun looking for wildflowers together.

I loved this game so much, I decided to go a step further the next year. We made paper “bouquets” at school, just like the previous year. Mine stayed clean and dry, and I hung it on the doorknob and mom pretended to be surprised. But later, I took one of our juice glasses from the cupboard, and picked a nice bunch of my mom’s live daffodils and hyacinths, a couple of her irises, and a tulip. I tried to arrange them in the juice glass, but it was too short and small to hold all the flowers I had picked. I left it on the porch, near the door, and knocked and hid, waiting to see my mom’s delight at her “surprise” bouquet. But instead of delight, I heard her wail– “Oh, no! My flowers!” The glass had tipped over, the flowers lay limply all over the porch, and the glass had rolled onto the ground. I thought I had made a wonderful surprise. Instead, I had made a mess. I had picked almost all of Mom’s best daffodils, and all of her pink hyacinths. I had trampled some of her other irises to get to the one I wanted. She only had a few tulips, and I had picked the only red one.

My intentions were good, but my execution was poor. And the result was disappointing and hurtful to us both. Mom didn’t realize I was right around the corner hearing her dismay, and I didn’t realize my “gift” would fall so flat.

It’s been over 50 years since my “May Day Mishap,” but there are some lessons I have never forgotten:

Picked flowers die! Mom wasn’t angry with me for wanting to pick flowers, but she knew that picked flowers would wilt and die. In later years, Mom loved receiving hanging flower baskets, and planters with live flowers. And we had many memories of planting live annuals in the front yard or at graves near Memorial Day– flowers that might take root and spread joy throughout the summer months. In the same way, there are so many “showy” projects that vie for our attention– projects that may seem urgent or offer quick rewards like status or money. We are tempted to “pick” projects that will make us look good or feel good in the moment. But the really important projects are those that have lasting impact, even if they don’t “show” as well. We are wise to invest in “little” things that have lasting impact over “big” but fleeting activities and investments.
When giving gifts, it really is the thought that counts! My mom was just as delighted by the “second-hand” flowers I got from my classmate as she was by the the ones I made the next year. Not because his were “better” than mine, but because they demonstrated that I had a good friend at school with a kind heart. My “mishap” gift came, in part, because I wanted to give a “better” gift, not because I wanted to delight my mom, but I wanted to impress her. My mom was a saver– she saved all my old school papers, old valentines, birthday cards, and more. And she saved letters from her friends and family– over eighty years of them! Not because the cards and letters themselves were so wonderful, but because each one came with good wishes. She had an entire farmhouse of good wishes and thoughtful memories when she passed away in 2023.
Relationships are more important and more valuable than resources. I loved looking for wildflowers with my Mom that year of kindergarten. It’s one of my favorite memories of May Day. And I still remember the kindness of my friend, Ken, whose heart has since led him to the mission field on more than one occasion. No May Day flowers will last over fifty years, but friendships and relationships can and do!
Forgiveness is sweeter than flowers. I was so astonished to think that my error in judgment had caused my mother pain– and yet, when she found me, she hugged me tight and gently offered both forgiveness and correction. She demonstrated exactly the way our Father loves us. So often, I want to come to God with a bouquet of praise, or a basket of good works, leave it before His Throne and run away and hide. But God isn’t impressed by my flowers or my grand gestures. He wants to spend time with ME. Every year, he sends fields of wild flowers; in every season of life He sends friends, helpers, and other blessings. And, more than anything, He wants to share all of it with me. Not because I deserve it, but because He is so full of love and forgiveness. He wants to remind me to “come home” to His gracious arms. He is not waiting to scold me, punish me, or make me feel small. He wants to hug me, and with patience and gentleness, He will offer His Love, and correction. No matter what “May Day Mishaps” I may have.

This May Day, I am encouraged by God’s faithfulness, His forgiveness, and the power of His love. I hope you are, too!

May 1, 2024 0

His Delight!

The sacrifice of the wicked
is an abomination to the Lord,
but the prayer of the upright
is his delight.
Proverbs 15:8

I believe that God listens to prayer. I believe that God answers prayer. But do I really live in the certainty that God DELIGHTS in my prayers?

I think it is important to know that God doesn’t just listen to our prayers out of duty or because He is hoping to hear a particular phrase or request or “type” of prayer. God DELIGHTS in hearing from US! God is thrilled to hear our prayers– whether they are prayers of praise or prayers of agonizing distress, God WANTS to hear from us.

Some may look at the verse above and say, “God may delight in the prayers of perfect people, or people who are righteous, but I am a sinner. He won’t delight in my prayers. I’m not even sure He will listen to my prayers.”

But that’s not what the verse says. It doesn’t say that God only delights in the prayers of people who are perfect, because, let’s face it, NONE of us is perfect. And who is truly righteous, apart from God Himself? No, God delights in the prayers of the “upright.” So what does that mean in relation to you and me?

God looks at the heart. He sees beyond actions and circumstances. So when we pray, God knows our motives and our deepest thoughts. And if they are “upright”– focused on who God really is, who we really are, and how we relate to Him and how He relates to us–our prayers are a delight to Him. He isn’t asking for perfect people or perfect prayers. He’s asking for us to be transparently honest and humbly desirous when we come before Him. We don’t even have to be perfect in our theology or our faith. If we have the desire to be near to God, God is delighted to listen and respond!

That’s why He despises the sacrifices of the wicked. Their actions may look honest and humble, but their hearts are NOT. They may say all the “right” phrases to impress other people; they may do all the “right” actions to look devout. But God sees their pride, their refusal to give up secret sins, or to confess their true needs. They may want “something” from God– an answer, a blessing, a miracle– but on their terms. They don’t want a relationship, they just want a result.

And when God looks at us, what does He see? I can’t count the times I come to God as a complete “mess.” I’m falling apart, exhausted, at the end of my rope. But God sees ME. He looks beyond my appearance, my emotions, my limitations, my past. He sees my heart. He hears my need. And He hears the hope and trust that I can pour out my heart and He will listen in love, mercy, and compassion.

So does that make me “upright?” Maybe not in human understanding. If I look in the mirror, I may still see a messed-up failure. But God sees the finished product– what He can do for me, in me, and through me as I place my trust in him! By faith in the finished work of Christ, I am redeemed, and so, I am “upright.” God sees in me what I can’t see in myself– His Spirit at work; my future with Him; the full extent of His love.

This is how Jesus saw His disciples. When He looked at Peter, He didn’t just see Peter’s impulsiveness, his impending denials and abandonment. He saw Cephas, “The Rock”– He saw what Peter could become. What He looked at John “the Beloved” disciple, He didn’t see John’s youth or ambition, He saw a child of God who would suffer and stand firm in His faith. When He saw Judas, He didn’t just see one who would betray Him. In fact, at the Last Supper, Jesus shared bread and wine with Judas, and washed Judas’ feet! Jesus took delight in spending time with Judas! It was Judas who threw that all away to his own doom.

And the same is true for us. God sees the whole package. The “upright” are those who look up, and seek God with their whole being. If you come to God– if you seek Him and desire to find HIM and know HIM–God delights in you because He delights to shower you with love, compassion, discipline, wisdom, and blessings– in spite of your circumstances and limitations; in spite of the pain you may be feeling in the moment. God wants a relationship with you, not a “result” of outward perfection, or abject obedience. He wants an honest, joyful, even sometimes difficult and painful relationship. With YOU!

God delights to hear from us– our praises, our desperation, our hopes and dreams, and our deepest fears. God delights in His children. He delights in our prayers!

April 12, 2024 0

Why Confess?

One of the prayer models I like to use often is based on the acronym ACTS. ACTS stands for Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, and Supplication. I like this model because it is well-rounded. It works like this:

ADORATION–I love to begin prayer by remembering and acknowledging God’s worth, His supremacy, His Holiness, and His majesty. It sharpens my focus on the WHO of prayer, rather than the WHAT of my worries or doubts. And it puts everything in the proper perspective. Sometimes, I come to God by praying a Hymn, or praying a Psalm, or remembering the many names of God.

CONFESSION–Confession is important in prayer, and since I want to concentrate on it, I’ll come back to this element below.

THANKSGIVING– Thanksgiving returns me to remembering what God has already done– for me, for others, throughout history, and just yesterday in my life. Instead of prayer being all about my needs, wants, or concerns, prayer should be an honest conversation with God. And that must include gratitude, because God is truly GOOD! If you ever doubt that, think about the first five minutes of your morning. If you awoke, you are alive (thank you, God!). If you heard your alarm, opened your eyes and saw anything, if you were lying on a bed, in a shelter with a roof, if you were able to sleep through the night without the terrors of war, slavery, starvation, torture, or chronic agonizing pain, you have much for which to be grateful. If you were able to get out of bed on your own, able to eat breakfast, get dressed, and you have a job to go to or a purpose to fulfill in this day, you are among the blessed. To withhold praise and thanksgiving is to miss one of the privileges of life.

Photo by Tima Miroshnichenko on Pexels.com

SUPPLICATION–Yes, we bring requests to God. And He already knows what we need, what we desire, and what He has planned for us. So supplication is not about making God aware of our needs. But it is another act of acknowledging that God hears and responds to us. Because that’s the kind of God He IS! And because we have spent time Adoring, Confessing (to), and Thanking God, we know that we can present our requests without fear or doubt.

Most of us are fine with Adoring, Thanking, and Saying our requests, but Confession can be tricky– especially in our culture. What are the elements of Confession that trip us up? Mostly, I think, it’s a misunderstanding of what confession is (within the element of prayer) and what it is NOT.

Confession is defined as admitting to guilt, or to a crime or sin or wrongful act. But, even more basically, confession is an admission that we are not the ultimate authority over our lives or the lives of others. As such, we must confess before we can accept God’s atonement for our Sin. If we do not confess our need for God, we cannot accept, understand, or appreciate the depth and nature of His sacrificial Love for us. So when we pray, we must confess, not only God’s Glory in the heavens and the Earth, but His Sovereignty in our lives; His authority over our emotions, our thoughts, and our actions. King David gave us many great examples of confession in his Psalms– and they can be terrific models to use in our own prayers. (See Psalm 6, Psalm 32, Psalm 38, Psalm 51, and others.)

Confession in prayer is not primarily a list of our petty missteps– though we should be willing and able to name them, rather than denying what we’ve said and done–but a daily admission of God’s right to determine how we conduct our thoughts, our habits, our priorities, and our relationships, and acknowledging that God is Merciful, Gracious and Loving– beyond all our failures, mistakes, and even past rebellion. Confession shouldn’t focus so much on what we’ve done, as on how God is able to free us from guilt and shame, and how we intend to move on away from the past. We confess that our ways are not Holy, and in doing so, we underscore that God’s ways ARE Holy, perfect, wise, and good. God already knows our thoughts and actions, but WE need to be reminded of our goal– to run the good race (see Hebrews 12:1, and 1 Timothy 6:12) to follow Christ; to become more like God each day!

Confession is primary to the Christian Life– we confess that ONLY by the work of Jesus (the cross and resurrection) can we be reconciled to God. We cannot pray openly to God if we don’t believe–and confess– that this is true. God is not fooled by sweet talk or glib arguments. We cannot believe that Jesus’ atoning death and resurrection saved us if we don’t believe that it was necessary and good for Him to do so. And besides, confession is good for the soul!

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
1 John 1:9 (KJV)

Confession has a negative reputation in many Christian circles, and it is misunderstood in others. Just listing our sins or admitting we did something wrong doesn’t have any value without the positive confession that Jesus is “the way, the truth, and the life.” (see John 14:6) In fact, a better definition of Christian confession is this– agreeing with God about who I am (a sinner/imperfect/unable to attain Holiness on my own), and who HE is (perfect/Holy/Sovereign/the One who Loves me absolutely)

When we pray today, I hope we will confess– positively, profoundly, willingly, and whole-heartedly. I hope we will humbly and honestly confess any actions or habits that are interfering with our Christian walk. And I hope we will joyfully confess that Jesus is LORD; that we are trusting in Him to guide us, intercede for us, and give us the power to live more abundantly in this life, and throughout eternity. What a great way to pray!

April 8, 2024 0

In My Heart There Rings a Melody

As I edit this, the sun is shining and melting the last of an early spring snow. It’s been a mostly pleasant day, and I’m writing this in anticipation of a pleasant week ahead. This will post on Monday morning– a brand new week, hopefully filled with new opportunities and adventures. Of course, not every day is like this. Some days are dreary, full of stress and anxiety, and filled with challenges and even tragedies. But I have been thinking about a song I learned in childhood, one that has blessed me over the years and helped me on many a dreary day, as well as on days like today.

“I have a song that Jesus gave me,
It was sent from heav’n above;
There never was a sweeter melody,
‘Tis a melody of love.

I love the Christ who died on Calv’ry,
For He washed my sins away;
He put within my heart a melody,
And I know it’s there to stay.

In my heart there rings a melody,
There rings a melody with heaven’s harmony;
In my heart there rings a melody,
There rings a melody of love.

‘Twill be my endless theme in glory,
With the angels I will sing;
‘Twill be a song with glorious harmony,
When the courts of heaven ring.

On days like today, it is easy to sing a happy tune– sunlight, shimmering snow and icicles, viewed from my nice cozy perch by the window–but the joyful song that Jesus brings rings through good days and bad; sorrow and stress; triumphs and failures. It is eternal and filled with the limitless Love of God. It is a song of peace that passes all understanding, and a confidence that sees beyond circumstances.

Sometimes, when life seems devoid of light and peace, it has less to do with our actual circumstances, and more to do with our unwillingness to look up from them. Throughout the Old Testament (and even in the New Testament) people would create songs as part of their worship–some songs celebrated God’s provision and protection; others spoke of His character and His faithfulness. But these songs weren’t just for celebration and services of worship– they were used to remind us in good times and bad, that God’s love never changes. The same God who brings victory and miracles will be with us in times of despair. The same God who sees us in our most desperate hour of need is there with us when we are enjoying a beautiful sunset.

Today, I pray that we would take a few moments, find a song or a Psalm, and just sing a prayer to our maker. It doesn’t have to be a peppy song of praise– it may even be a song of yearning or anguish– but let it be a song that rises above our day and finds the ear of the One who loves us better than anyone else. It doesn’t matter if you can’t carry a tune; God listens to the heart! Sing the song that Jesus gives to you today. Your heart will be blessed. And it will bless the very heart of your Maker, as well.

March 25, 2024 0

Everything We Need

2 Peter 1:3-8 New International Version (NIV)

³His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. ⁴Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. ⁵For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; ⁶and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; ⁷and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. ⁸For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

If you ask most people what they need, you will not hear the items listed in this passage of scripture. Most people view needs in very personal and concrete terms– food, water, shelter, safety, air…we need these to exist during our life on earth. God cares about our physical and most basic needs. But most people have other “needs” that they try to meet with what the Apostle Peter refers to here as “evil desires”. We “need” to feel loved– but we end up in unhealthy relationships, or fleeting relationships that don’t meet our need. We “need” to feel secure and worthwhile– but we end up feeling fearful and ashamed. We “need” to achieve; to find fulfillment and worth in our actions, words, relationships, and legacy–but, too often, our efforts lead us to compromise the very dreams and ambitions we started with, leading us to mediocrity or even disaster.

Jesus, through His divine power, has given us everything we need–everything! His death and resurrection provided the way for us to find true forgiveness and new life. We won’t find it in any of the things we think we “need”– a new job, or a new relationship; a new car or a new cause.

woman in maroon long sleeved top holding smartphone with shopping bags at daytime

Over the years, I have returned to this passage many times. There is a lot to unpack in just a few verses. One of the things that always “gets” me about this passage is that I want to just leap from Faith to Love without the steps in-between. The world needs love– I need love– and I want to spread love, reflect love, and be known for loving others. God is Love, and showed His love through Christ– I believe in God and trust Christ. Voila!– He has given me everything I need, so I should be loving. But Peter writes what he knows very well. Following Jesus, learning from Him, growing to be more like Him–it begins with Faith, but it grows through discipleship. I “loved” people before I had Faith in Christ. I may “feel” love for others, but if my thoughts and actions are not being transformed by His Spirit; or if I continue to act out of habit or selfish impulse, my “love” will be corrupted and compromised by the world. It will be “my” love and not God’s love working through me. For that to happen, I need to add goodness, knowledge, self-control, perseverance and all the rest.

And adding these virtues requires that I humble myself to admit that I am not “good”, that I don’t already “know” everything…that I “need” to depend on God for any goodness, wisdom, discipline, strength to persevere, etc.

man wearing white sweater and black shorts about to run

God is Good– He has already made provision for me to have everything I really need. He will guide me every step of the way; giving me all that I need when and how I need it most. I don’t “need” to worry or run myself ragged trying to earn God’s approval or favor. But I do “need” to trust that God will continue to work in me and through me for His Glory. And I need to come daily before His throne to listen and learn from Him, and reach out daily to go through the steps of turning Faith into Love in action.

March 20, 2024 0

At the Impulse of Thy Love

Sometimes, I am impulsive. I blurt out my thoughts and emotions; I end up buying a candy bar as I finish checking out my groceries; I decide to turn left at the intersection instead of going straight. Generally, impulsive actions are frowned upon. They can be foolish, wasteful, even dangerous. God does not call on us to be foolish or thoughtless, but there are times when He wants us to act on HIS impulse– to obey without stopping to weigh the pros and cons, without stopping to consider how we will appear to others or how obedience might “mess up” our carefully planned day.

Have you ever felt the “impulse” of God’s love moving you to an unexpected action? Maybe you had a sudden urge to speak to a stranger on a train, or get in touch with an old friend. Maybe you felt compelled to give a gift to someone or stop and offer to help carry a load for them. Maybe you saw a news story and it caused you to pray– and to remember someone’s need and pray some more!

Our own selfish impulses can get us into a lot of trouble. But God’s impulses can lead to blessing beyond our understanding. Just remember:

God’s impulses will never cause you to act contrary to His word. Buying things you know you can’t afford (especially for yourself!), or blurting out judgmental and hurtful comments– such impulses are NOT Godly. “Speaking the truth in Love” is not the same as spewing finger-pointing condemnation and self-righteous justification. Trusting that “God will provide” is not the same as assuming He wants you to have everything you desire.
Delayed obedience is the same as disobedience. God’s impulses are meant to be spontaneous moments of joyful service– not grudging acceptance of an imposition. That doesn’t mean that we can’t take a split second to discern God’s voice (see above) and respond appropriately. But God wants our “moments” as well as our “days”–He knows our plans. But He also knows His plans are better. If we are not willing for our plans to be redirected, then God is not really our Lord.
God’s impulses almost always involve others. God is LOVE. His impulses, therefore, are all about showing love–HIS LOVE–giving, serving, listening, helping, sharing, encouraging! God’s impulses will be directed outward, either toward others or toward God on the behalf of others. Amazingly, in God’s economy, we often reap a residual reward when we put aside our own plans. Sometimes the reward is not immediate or obvious–we may seem to meet with rejection, or even failure at first. Our actions may be misunderstood; our offers to help may fall flat; our prayers may seem to go unheard. But the love we show is not empty or worthless. We may never see the fruit of our actions or prayers, but we can still plant the seeds and water them!
God is a God of Grace and Mercy. Did you fail to act on a Godly impulse today? Stop. Take a moment to repent. Learn from today. Ask for wisdom to do better at the next opportunity!

I’m always amazed at the miraculous opportunities God has given me to bless others, and to learn more about His amazing Love. From unexpected encounters in faraway places, to reminders and prayer requests on Facebook or local news stories, to a sudden urge to do a random act of kindness– God’s impulses give us the opportunity to participate in His miracles!

March 1, 2024 0

We Are Family…

The Bible is filled with images of family–long lists of “begats” and genealogies, parables about sons and fathers, brothers, weddings, brides and grooms…God is even described as our Father, with Christ as “the son.”

One of my hobbies is genealogy– tracing my family’s roots back through several generations and several different places. While the Bible warns that we should not get caught up in “endless” and vain genealogies that lead to false pride and foolish divisions (1 Tim. 1:4/Titus 3:9), there are many good reasons to pay attention to families, family histories, and family dynamics.

First, the family is God’s design– God instituted marriage, parenthood, and family units. It is God’s will and purpose that we should not live in isolation and self-absorption, but learn to depend on and be responsible to others. Families honor, protect, love, provide, comfort, teach, encourage, build and work together. Even in a broken world, filled with dysfunctional and chaotic family relationships, the purpose and design of “family” is still part of God’s good and perfect plan for living. Broken families and toxic relationships are not a failure of God’s plan– they are the result of Sin’s power to distort and corrupt the Good that only God can create. The great news is that God also has the power to restore and redeem individuals and families; offering “rebirth”, adoption, and an eternal “inheritance” within His family!

Second, families can teach us about the astounding and limitless love of God. There is something about the bonds of familial love that stretch us beyond our regular capacity to hope, to sacrifice, to share, to grieve, to endure, and to forgive. Who has seen a mother or father go hungry so their child can eat; or a sister or daughter donate her kidney or bone marrow to help heal a family member? Or a father carry his son who could not walk, or a wife who visits her aging husband when he no longer knows her face? How can we see such devotion and not be struck by how much greater, wider, deeper, and more eternal the Father’s love is for each of us?

Third, family (particularly the idea of genealogies and long family histories) teaches us the eternal nature of God. We live our lives as part of three or four generations– a span of 70 or 80 years for many of us–and we concentrate our efforts on “making our mark” for less than that entire span. But even the longest of our lives are so short in the span of God’s plan for His people. We have one lifespan to play an important role in the story of centuries. When we fail to understand that role, we can miss our sense of purpose in life. Sometimes, we overestimate our own importance or miss the significance of our own legacy. Even “important” people are forgotten, or have their legacies tarnished or rewritten in the pages of history. And those people who never made the history books are often the inspiration for actions and movements that span generations and change nations. When I study the history of my own family, I find lives that were cut short by war or disease– yet these lives shaped the lives (or were the lives) of my ancestors, and without them, I would not be who or how or where I am today. Maiden aunt, baby brother, empty seat at the table– every life touches others in ways that God alone truly comprehends. “Coincidental” meetings, “unplanned” children, migration patterns, epidemics– all loom large in a single generation, but they all become part of the fabric of each person’s “history.”

Lastly, genealogy reminds us that we are all one enormous family! There is so much talk on the news and online about all our differences– language, culture, skin tone, beliefs, skills, abilities, interests, even diets!– and it is important to note that God loves variety and created us each with unique and precious differences to reflect His infinite character. But sin twists our differences into conflicts; sin spreads lies about God’s character, and thus, about how we (or others) reflect, honor, understand, acknowledge, or obey our amazing creator. Differences may cause division in our broken world, but they do not cancel God’s mercy or limit the reach of His love for us all.

This lesson is being brought home to me in a secondary way as I see the time approaching for my 40th high school class reunion. Of course, we are not all directly related. And we are all the same general age, rather than being multi-generational. But it struck me that our class has been very much like a family– we grew up together; we learned to get along (most of the time), to share, to work together, to understand and appreciate our differences and our unique gifts–we send birthday greetings and share pictures, we laugh together, grieve together, share fond memories and special connections with one another. We pray for one another, argue with one another, encourage one another, and challenge one another. There are some who have distanced themselves–whether through physical distance or emotionally– from the rest of us. Some have even ended their earthly journeys. But that doesn’t make them any less a part of our class/our family. We are short and tall, thin and stout, hairy and bald, dark and light complected; we are single, married, divorced, and widowed– some with children still at home; some with no children at all. We are rich and poor, healthy and ill, walking around with scars and wounds and unresolved questions, arrogant assumptions, or chips on our shoulders. And we are optimists and mentors, healers and teachers, helpers and protectors. We are loud and quiet, social and task-oriented, driven and laid-back, dreamers and doers. And in my genealogy research, I have made genetic and marriage connections to about 1/3 of them! We really ARE family, and I can show how we are related! How small would this world seem if we looked at our brothers and sisters across the world, and realize that those connections are so much greater than the differences that divide us?

I’m also in the process of writing a book about my family. I estimate that there are nearly 500 people who can claim the same ancestral “roots” from the same two people, who lived through some of the most amazing events of the twentieth century! Once again, we don’t all look , or act, or think alike– some are tall, some are tattooed, some are old, some are newborns, some argue about college football teams, or politics. Some of us speak other native languages or live very different lifestyles. But we love each other, encourage each other, and many of us share our prayers and concerns and joys and pains. My great-grandparents (and all their children) left a legacy of love and faith that continues to influence and inspire the fourth, fifth and sixth generation to follow!

When we pray for others, we are always praying for our family! Praying for our neighbors and classmates and co-workers– we are praying for family! Praying for our enemies, for strangers, for those who look and speak differently than us–We are praying for family! May God give us eyes to see and hearts to love our brothers and sisters, sons and daughters, cousins and even the “long lost family members” and lift them up in prayer to the One who loves us and wants to bring us all into His family!

February 21, 2024 0

Do You Love Me?

¹⁵When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?”
“Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.”
Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.”
¹⁶Again Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”
He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.”
Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.”
¹⁷The third time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”
Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?”
He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.”
Jesus said, “Feed my sheep. ¹⁸Very truly I tell you, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.” ¹⁹Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. Then he said to him, “Follow me!”
John 21:15-19 (NIV)

Today is Valentine’s Day, and many people will be saying, “I love you,” or asking, “Do you love me?” And many others will reply, “Yes, I love you,” or “I love you, too!” Cards and gifts may be exchanged; some couples will dine out or have romantic candlelit dinners at home. It is a day to celebrate love. There are thousands of poems and songs about love– ooey, gooey, gushy love; unrequited love; first love; true and lasting love; even “puppy” love.

But Valentine’s Day can also be a painful reminder– of lost love, betrayal, and loneliness. The story of Peter’s betrayal and reinstatement is not a “Valentine” story of romantic love, but it carries some lessons for today about love in general, and the Love of Christ in particular.

Love is a choice– freely given and freely accepted (apologies to Elvis Presley and others who have sung about not being able to help falling in love…) When Jesus first called Peter (and in the above passage as well) He simply asked Peter to “Follow me.” He made no demands, offered no bribes, used no intimidation. There is no long list of requirements or expectations; no bargaining; no “quid pro quo.” That said, Love is not a light-hearted or whimsical thing. Peter’s choice to love Christ, and to follow him cost him his life. Christ’s choice to love us led Him to humble Himself to death, even death on the cross (Philippians 2:8). Jesus could have escaped this fate several times over– He CHOSE to die for each of us!

Love is more than just a feeling. “Follow me” demands an action and a commitment. There are many today who “love” the idea of Jesus; they love the parables, or the gospel story; they are in love with “love.” But the idea that “Love” is all you need (apologies to the Beatles) misses the mark. Feelings change; feelings are transitory and often dependent on circumstances. Love chooses to follow– even when the going gets rough; even when it is not convenient, even when it involves sacrifice.
Loving someone involves taking the risk of being hurt, denied, or betrayed. There is no Biblical passage describing the amount of hurt Jesus must have felt when Peter denied Him three times, or when Judas betrayed Him. The Biblical account tells us that Jesus already knew and predicted these two events, but how agonizing–every bit as painful as the nails in His hands and feet! Jesus loved those who spit at Him, abandoned Him, condemned Him, and persecuted Him. And we also see Peter in this passage being hurt at Jesus’ questioning him a third time; Peter was shocked and hurt when Jesus predicted his denial, and when Jesus said to him, “Get behind me, Satan.”(Matthew 16:23) Love is never free from risk– especially the imperfect love we have as humans.

Love leads to restoration and forgiveness. Peter’s denial of Christ could have haunted him for the rest of his life. Had Jesus said nothing; done nothing to address this hurt, it would not have changed the fact that Peter was forgiven. But in publicly restoring Peter, Jesus made it clear that it was “all good” between them– Peter wasn’t just conditionally forgiven, he was completely restored!
Love is stronger than death! It is stronger than sin, or betrayal, denial, or hurt. Love is eternal and limitless, everlasting, and enduring. God IS Love and to know God is to know love. To speak to God and to hear His voice and read His Word is to converse with Love. Whether in the presence of saints on a mountaintop, in the midst of a raging storm, or on a quiet beach– Love is closer than our next breath, and more powerful than our deepest fear. Love never fails (1 Corinthians 13: 8)

And that’s a love worth endless celebration!

February 14, 2024 0

Tag: Love