“For so you have the true end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls. For the prophets who gave the news of the grace which would come to you, made search with all care for knowledge of this salvation; Attempting to see what sort of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them was pointing to, when it gave witness to the pains which Christ would undergo and the glories which would come after them. And it was made clear to those prophets that they were God's servants not for themselves but for you, to give you word of the things which have now come to your ears from the preachers of the good news through the Holy Spirit sent down from heaven; things which even angels have a desire to see. So make your minds ready, and keep on the watch, hoping with all your power for the grace which is to come to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” - 1 Peter 1:9-13
As an extension of yesterday’s devotion, I wanted to point out that I realize that there are many times when my kids are waiting on me as their parent. For example, they waited on us last night while we were practicing with the choir; they waited on me to get their clothes ready for school today; and they waited on me to brush my teeth this morning before we could leave. They wait on me a lot – probably much more often than I wait on them, actually.
We who are God’s children wait on Him too, but in a different sense. We await Christ’s second coming with anticipation of what will be. We await the glory and majesty of His presence. We await the full revelation of Himself to us. And in the meantime, we try to learn more about Him constantly; we serve Him faithfully; and we love Him and His people with all of our being. Ours is an active waiting; we keep moving forward towards the prize as we wait for it.
Lord, help us to be ready… to keep on the watch… and to have hope of what will be as we serve You today.
Daniel
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
#334.2 – “A Whole Lot of Waitin’ Goin’ On”
“Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ, Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father: To whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.” - Galatians 1:3-5
On Tuesday afternoons, Anna has piano lesson and shortly after, Joshua goes to gymnastics. Sarah and I usually split up duties on days like that, and the past couple of weeks I have taken Joshua to his gymnastics class. Yesterday, I forgot to bring something for me to do while he does his thing. Inside the gym, there is no cell phone coverage, so you have to step outside to make a call… so I didn’t do much of that. And the only thing inside to do is watch your kid… which would be great, but you can’t see Joshua’s class from where the lobby is, so mostly what I did was sit and do nothing. I did walk out for a while and send a few texts, but the rest of the time I just sat.
Parents give of their time all the time to their kids – waiting in car line… waiting at the ball park… waiting on them to come to the dinner table… waiting on them to clean their room… waiting on them to get their homework. Being a parent involves a whole lot of waiting.
There’s a huge element of sacrifice involved in waiting on another human being. After all, time is one resource that you can never get back. Time is valuable. When you give your time to somebody, you are giving one of the most precious gifts you can give.
That sacrifice of time made by parents for their kids is a reflection (albeit a poor one) of the kind of sacrifice that God has made on behalf of man. He gave us the most precious resource He had in Himself. Not only did He give us time in the sense of His coming and living amongst men for some thirty-three or so years, but He also gives us the opportunity to receive Him into our lives, thereby claiming the gift of eternity with Him.
Daniel
On Tuesday afternoons, Anna has piano lesson and shortly after, Joshua goes to gymnastics. Sarah and I usually split up duties on days like that, and the past couple of weeks I have taken Joshua to his gymnastics class. Yesterday, I forgot to bring something for me to do while he does his thing. Inside the gym, there is no cell phone coverage, so you have to step outside to make a call… so I didn’t do much of that. And the only thing inside to do is watch your kid… which would be great, but you can’t see Joshua’s class from where the lobby is, so mostly what I did was sit and do nothing. I did walk out for a while and send a few texts, but the rest of the time I just sat.
Parents give of their time all the time to their kids – waiting in car line… waiting at the ball park… waiting on them to come to the dinner table… waiting on them to clean their room… waiting on them to get their homework. Being a parent involves a whole lot of waiting.
There’s a huge element of sacrifice involved in waiting on another human being. After all, time is one resource that you can never get back. Time is valuable. When you give your time to somebody, you are giving one of the most precious gifts you can give.
That sacrifice of time made by parents for their kids is a reflection (albeit a poor one) of the kind of sacrifice that God has made on behalf of man. He gave us the most precious resource He had in Himself. Not only did He give us time in the sense of His coming and living amongst men for some thirty-three or so years, but He also gives us the opportunity to receive Him into our lives, thereby claiming the gift of eternity with Him.
Daniel
Monday, March 28, 2011
#334.1 – “The Sun Is Huge”
“And Moses said unto God, Who am I, that I should go unto Pharaoh, and that I should bring forth the children of Israel out of Egypt?” - Exodus 3:11
“And Pharaoh said, Who is the LORD, that I should obey his voice to let Israel go? I know not the LORD, neither will I let Israel go.” - Exodus 5:2
We were coming home last Monday night when Grant and Joshua got into a discussion on the sun. Grant (who had recently read a book on the sun) was filling in his little brother on all the information he knew. Joshua, wanting to contribute, made a comment about how big the sun was. I don’t remember the specific comment he made, but it called for a correction by his much more wise and knowledgeable brother. And so, Grant offered one: ‘No, Joshua, the sun is much bigger than that. It’s huge. It’s like 50 houses wide and 50 houses tall!’
I didn’t say a word. I was enjoying it too much. I just sat there with a big grin on my face.
And then I thought about how often I do the same thing with regards to my perception of God and of Jesus. My actions declare that I believe them to be rather small and limited in ability. Rather than getting a glimpse of their immensity, I tend to think of them only in the context of what I already know, like Grant comparing anything ‘big’ to a house (he does that because that’s one of the biggest things he knows; but it is nowhere even close to being comparable to the sun). I do the same thing when I try to ‘fit’ God into my mind and my thinking – I make plans and think through things according to what I already know and am familiar with. But I am sometimes ‘short-changing’ God tremendously in the process. I am missing out on Who He is in all of His glory (like Pharaoh, with his question: ‘Who is the Lord?’). I am missing out on what He has in store for me (Like Moses, with his question: ‘Who am I?’), which is far greater than I can imagine or understand. And I am doing so because I am comparing God to me, or to stuff I know. And they are not even comparable.
Lord, help my understanding of You be expanded as I study Your Word and as Your Spirit reveals Himself to me, and cause that understanding to increase my faith in You.
Daniel
“And Pharaoh said, Who is the LORD, that I should obey his voice to let Israel go? I know not the LORD, neither will I let Israel go.” - Exodus 5:2
We were coming home last Monday night when Grant and Joshua got into a discussion on the sun. Grant (who had recently read a book on the sun) was filling in his little brother on all the information he knew. Joshua, wanting to contribute, made a comment about how big the sun was. I don’t remember the specific comment he made, but it called for a correction by his much more wise and knowledgeable brother. And so, Grant offered one: ‘No, Joshua, the sun is much bigger than that. It’s huge. It’s like 50 houses wide and 50 houses tall!’
I didn’t say a word. I was enjoying it too much. I just sat there with a big grin on my face.
And then I thought about how often I do the same thing with regards to my perception of God and of Jesus. My actions declare that I believe them to be rather small and limited in ability. Rather than getting a glimpse of their immensity, I tend to think of them only in the context of what I already know, like Grant comparing anything ‘big’ to a house (he does that because that’s one of the biggest things he knows; but it is nowhere even close to being comparable to the sun). I do the same thing when I try to ‘fit’ God into my mind and my thinking – I make plans and think through things according to what I already know and am familiar with. But I am sometimes ‘short-changing’ God tremendously in the process. I am missing out on Who He is in all of His glory (like Pharaoh, with his question: ‘Who is the Lord?’). I am missing out on what He has in store for me (Like Moses, with his question: ‘Who am I?’), which is far greater than I can imagine or understand. And I am doing so because I am comparing God to me, or to stuff I know. And they are not even comparable.
Lord, help my understanding of You be expanded as I study Your Word and as Your Spirit reveals Himself to me, and cause that understanding to increase my faith in You.
Daniel
Friday, March 25, 2011
#333.5 – “Runnin’ for Our Lives”
“Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice and come forth--those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation.” - John 5:28-29
We tried to do all the sightseeing we could before leaving DC. Consequently, we did not have much time to dilly-dally once we got the airport Sunday evening. We got in line (a rather long line) to get our tickets printed out. Then there was some trouble with the machine that was supposed to print them. So we had to get in another line and have someone else do it for us. Then we had to get in yet another line to go through security check. This last one was one of those lines that you couldn’t see the other end of, because it wound around several corners and was VERY long! In fact, the first guidepost sign we came to said we had 20 minutes from our current position in line to get to the security checkpoint. The only problem with that was that we had only 30 minutes until our flight was set for takeoff! However, our line moved faster than expected. Nonetheless, I’m sure we were a sight to behold – stripping off shoes and belts and anything metal and carrying them in our hands for the last couple of minutes in line… and then dashing through security in a flash that would have made OJ proud… and finally making it to our boarding gate… only to find that there were no people there waiting to board! Why? They were all on the plane already! We were the last ones! But we made it on and, after a bit of a squabble over our carry-on luggage, we got to our seats and were just sitting down good when the plane began moving for takeoff. Whew! I didn’t think we were going to make it. It’s amazing what you can do when you are super-focused!
That same sense of urgency is something I wish I had in my daily life in terms of living out and sharing the gospel, in order that others might come to know Christ. If I could just see that time is at hand, and there is no time for dilly-dallying, I think I would live differently. If I just lived in light of the end in mind, things would be different.
Lord, forgive me for my lackadaisical attitude. Help to live with urgency today in all I do, with Your mindset as my own.
Daniel
We tried to do all the sightseeing we could before leaving DC. Consequently, we did not have much time to dilly-dally once we got the airport Sunday evening. We got in line (a rather long line) to get our tickets printed out. Then there was some trouble with the machine that was supposed to print them. So we had to get in another line and have someone else do it for us. Then we had to get in yet another line to go through security check. This last one was one of those lines that you couldn’t see the other end of, because it wound around several corners and was VERY long! In fact, the first guidepost sign we came to said we had 20 minutes from our current position in line to get to the security checkpoint. The only problem with that was that we had only 30 minutes until our flight was set for takeoff! However, our line moved faster than expected. Nonetheless, I’m sure we were a sight to behold – stripping off shoes and belts and anything metal and carrying them in our hands for the last couple of minutes in line… and then dashing through security in a flash that would have made OJ proud… and finally making it to our boarding gate… only to find that there were no people there waiting to board! Why? They were all on the plane already! We were the last ones! But we made it on and, after a bit of a squabble over our carry-on luggage, we got to our seats and were just sitting down good when the plane began moving for takeoff. Whew! I didn’t think we were going to make it. It’s amazing what you can do when you are super-focused!
That same sense of urgency is something I wish I had in my daily life in terms of living out and sharing the gospel, in order that others might come to know Christ. If I could just see that time is at hand, and there is no time for dilly-dallying, I think I would live differently. If I just lived in light of the end in mind, things would be different.
Lord, forgive me for my lackadaisical attitude. Help to live with urgency today in all I do, with Your mindset as my own.
Daniel
Thursday, March 24, 2011
#333.4 – “Unmerited Favor”
“I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance.’ - Luke 15:7
“For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.” - Luke 19:10
We had a couple of hours on Sunday afternoon to do a little bit more touring in Washington before we had to catch our flight home. We all agreed to go to Arlington cemetery. While there, we visited the tomb of the Unknown Soldier and watched the changing of the guard. There was such ceremony to be seen in this one event… such meticulous honor and care given… such attention to detail. No such honor was given to those were known… not even to the two presidents (JFK and Taft) buried on those hallowed grounds. And yet, here was a nameless warrior whose remains were always kept under close watch.
This act of guarding the tomb and the ceremony associated with it is distinct because, unlike all other tributes and awards given in the military, this one is not based upon what the soldier did (they don’t know anything about what he did or didn’t do) but simply on the fact that he was a soldier. Consequently, this ceremony is an honor not earned, but rather given… it is given as a tribute not only to this individual, but it is symbolically given to all who have served at the cost of their lives (as his identity is unknown, he represents all of those who have fallen in service)… and it is given with the same spirit of eager willingness as possessed by those whom it commemorates. And so, in this one act, there exists this two-sided picture of unmerited favor: the favor associated with these soldiers, who gave their lives for a cause they deemed greater than themselves; and that of this nation, who now proudly remembers all of them – even the ‘unknowns’ – and deems them worthy of respect and admiration. And both sides of that picture of grace remind us of Christ.
Jesus came to seek and to save that which was lost. He deemed you and me – rotten dirty sinners – worthy of His life’s blood. And not only did He die for us and give us the opportunity to have a relationship with Him, He honored us by giving those of us who trust and accept His gift of salvation His very Spirit - to live inside of us and be a constant guard and guide in life. We are never unwatched or unloved by our Savior.
The fact that we who have accepted Christ are now a part of God’s family is a reflection of nothing of our merit, but only His grace. As people who were once ‘unknown’ to God (in the sense that we, at one time, were not part of His spiritual family), we should be grateful that He chose to grace us with His unmerited favor.
Daniel
“For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.” - Luke 19:10
We had a couple of hours on Sunday afternoon to do a little bit more touring in Washington before we had to catch our flight home. We all agreed to go to Arlington cemetery. While there, we visited the tomb of the Unknown Soldier and watched the changing of the guard. There was such ceremony to be seen in this one event… such meticulous honor and care given… such attention to detail. No such honor was given to those were known… not even to the two presidents (JFK and Taft) buried on those hallowed grounds. And yet, here was a nameless warrior whose remains were always kept under close watch.
This act of guarding the tomb and the ceremony associated with it is distinct because, unlike all other tributes and awards given in the military, this one is not based upon what the soldier did (they don’t know anything about what he did or didn’t do) but simply on the fact that he was a soldier. Consequently, this ceremony is an honor not earned, but rather given… it is given as a tribute not only to this individual, but it is symbolically given to all who have served at the cost of their lives (as his identity is unknown, he represents all of those who have fallen in service)… and it is given with the same spirit of eager willingness as possessed by those whom it commemorates. And so, in this one act, there exists this two-sided picture of unmerited favor: the favor associated with these soldiers, who gave their lives for a cause they deemed greater than themselves; and that of this nation, who now proudly remembers all of them – even the ‘unknowns’ – and deems them worthy of respect and admiration. And both sides of that picture of grace remind us of Christ.
Jesus came to seek and to save that which was lost. He deemed you and me – rotten dirty sinners – worthy of His life’s blood. And not only did He die for us and give us the opportunity to have a relationship with Him, He honored us by giving those of us who trust and accept His gift of salvation His very Spirit - to live inside of us and be a constant guard and guide in life. We are never unwatched or unloved by our Savior.
The fact that we who have accepted Christ are now a part of God’s family is a reflection of nothing of our merit, but only His grace. As people who were once ‘unknown’ to God (in the sense that we, at one time, were not part of His spiritual family), we should be grateful that He chose to grace us with His unmerited favor.
Daniel
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
#333.3 – “It’s Different When It’s Personal”
“And Nicodemus said to him, How is it possible for these things to be? And Jesus, answering, said, Are you the teacher of Israel and have no knowledge of these things? Truly, I say to you, We say that of which we have knowledge; we give witness of what we have seen...” - John 3:9-11
Saturday night, we went to see the wall that commemorates all the Vietnam veterans who died. Just across from that wall was a statue of three soldiers. From a distance, you could hardly see the soldiers because of the large crowd gathered around them. As we got closer, I heard a man from amongst the group there telling a story. I immediately noticed how attentive the kids standing around him were (this appeared to be a teacher with his students, who looked to be high school age). They were virtually silent the entire time I was there, and they had expressions on their faces that signified their captivation by the storyteller. As I listened further to his talk, I realized that he wasn’t merely lecturing; he was testifying. He was explaining the various elements of gear that the soldier statues were wearing or holding, but he wasn’t doing so in the third person (he/they carried this because…); rather, he was telling all of this from the first person perspective (I/we carried this because…). And I suddenly became aware that I was listening to someone who was not a lecturer… not an orator… but a veteran. This was someone who had been there (wherever ‘there’ was for him) and done that (whatever ‘that’ was). And this one simple distinction made all the difference in the world - not only as to how he told the story, but also the way I listened to him… because I knew I wasn’t getting my information second-hand. No… I was getting a real, inside ‘scoop’ into the life of a soldier (something I know nothing about personally). This story was different because it was personal.
I wrote yesterday about the unique story that we as people graced by God ought to tell for His glory to others who need that same grace. One of the neatest things about that story is that, in one sense, we all share the same ‘big’ story - we who know Jesus as Savior were once sinners saved only by His grace. Yet, we all have individual stories within that collective story… stories that are particular to us. Listening to that veteran talk (even though it was brief for me) reminded me of the importance of telling the lost ‘my’ story… because if I only tell the ‘big’ story, then not only am I missing out on a great chance to testify as to what God and His grace has done for me, I am depriving the listener of hearing the real, life-changing effect that His grace has on an individual.
Daniel
Saturday night, we went to see the wall that commemorates all the Vietnam veterans who died. Just across from that wall was a statue of three soldiers. From a distance, you could hardly see the soldiers because of the large crowd gathered around them. As we got closer, I heard a man from amongst the group there telling a story. I immediately noticed how attentive the kids standing around him were (this appeared to be a teacher with his students, who looked to be high school age). They were virtually silent the entire time I was there, and they had expressions on their faces that signified their captivation by the storyteller. As I listened further to his talk, I realized that he wasn’t merely lecturing; he was testifying. He was explaining the various elements of gear that the soldier statues were wearing or holding, but he wasn’t doing so in the third person (he/they carried this because…); rather, he was telling all of this from the first person perspective (I/we carried this because…). And I suddenly became aware that I was listening to someone who was not a lecturer… not an orator… but a veteran. This was someone who had been there (wherever ‘there’ was for him) and done that (whatever ‘that’ was). And this one simple distinction made all the difference in the world - not only as to how he told the story, but also the way I listened to him… because I knew I wasn’t getting my information second-hand. No… I was getting a real, inside ‘scoop’ into the life of a soldier (something I know nothing about personally). This story was different because it was personal.
I wrote yesterday about the unique story that we as people graced by God ought to tell for His glory to others who need that same grace. One of the neatest things about that story is that, in one sense, we all share the same ‘big’ story - we who know Jesus as Savior were once sinners saved only by His grace. Yet, we all have individual stories within that collective story… stories that are particular to us. Listening to that veteran talk (even though it was brief for me) reminded me of the importance of telling the lost ‘my’ story… because if I only tell the ‘big’ story, then not only am I missing out on a great chance to testify as to what God and His grace has done for me, I am depriving the listener of hearing the real, life-changing effect that His grace has on an individual.
Daniel
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
#333.2 – “Cherry Trees Everywhere”
“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to good works, which God has before ordained that we should walk in them. Therefore remember that you, the nations, in time past were in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands; and that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who were once afar off are made near by the blood of Christ.” - Ephesians 2:10-13
The weather this past weekend while we were in Washington was absolutely gorgeous. It was a little cold in the evenings, but the afternoons were perfect for walking (which was how we got around mostly). The sun was out in full strength… the wind was blowing a steady breeze… it was great.
And there was such beautiful landscaping in the area there. One of the things I was most impressed with was all the trees. For a big city, DC sure has a LOT of trees. Many trees were hundreds of years old… some were relatively new. One of the most beautiful varieties we beheld while we were there were the cherry trees. They were all over the place (ol’ George would have had a field day with his ax!). Every direction you looked, you could see cherry trees with their buds blossoming.
Walking around that area was another reminder of how God’s creation testifies to His majesty. Everywhere we went, we saw evidence of His Presence. His creation was telling about Him!
As the only part of creation that has experienced reconciliation with God through the blood of Jesus, you and I as Christians have a unique story to tell. And with that story comes a unique responsibility to tell it. We who once were strangers to God have been made family; we have been loved by the King, and it should make our hearts want to sing of His beautiful grace and mercy to all who see us. We should bud with the truth of God, having rooted ourselves in His Son Jesus and in His Word. And we should display His glory and not our own.
May we bloom for Christ today.
Daniel
The weather this past weekend while we were in Washington was absolutely gorgeous. It was a little cold in the evenings, but the afternoons were perfect for walking (which was how we got around mostly). The sun was out in full strength… the wind was blowing a steady breeze… it was great.
And there was such beautiful landscaping in the area there. One of the things I was most impressed with was all the trees. For a big city, DC sure has a LOT of trees. Many trees were hundreds of years old… some were relatively new. One of the most beautiful varieties we beheld while we were there were the cherry trees. They were all over the place (ol’ George would have had a field day with his ax!). Every direction you looked, you could see cherry trees with their buds blossoming.
Walking around that area was another reminder of how God’s creation testifies to His majesty. Everywhere we went, we saw evidence of His Presence. His creation was telling about Him!
As the only part of creation that has experienced reconciliation with God through the blood of Jesus, you and I as Christians have a unique story to tell. And with that story comes a unique responsibility to tell it. We who once were strangers to God have been made family; we have been loved by the King, and it should make our hearts want to sing of His beautiful grace and mercy to all who see us. We should bud with the truth of God, having rooted ourselves in His Son Jesus and in His Word. And we should display His glory and not our own.
May we bloom for Christ today.
Daniel
Monday, March 21, 2011
#333.1 – “I’ve a Feeling We’re Not in Kansas Anymore”
“Give me teaching so that I may do your pleasure; for you are my God: let your good Spirit be my guide into the land of righteousness.” - Psalms 143:10
This weekend, several of us from EBC went to Washington, DC for a Praise Factory seminar held there by the creators of that curriculum. This was my first time ever in DC. Even an old boy like me (for whom it takes knockin’ over the head to see things sometimes) could tell right off the bat that we were not in Alabama anymore.
For one thing, there was a difference in how busy everything was. Washington is busy… even at night time, it is busy. You know how – in Athens – if you walk the square at say, 10:00 at night, you’re likely to have a police escort soon thereafter? Well, in Washington DC there are folks all over the streets at 10:00. And there are so many streets… running every possible angle and direction you can imagine. We made so many turns once we got into the city from the airport, there’s no way I would have found our hotel if I had been driving; thankfully, we had Patrick with his “Jarmin” (little inside joke there!).
The only problem with the Garmin was that, at first, it thought we were still in Athens. We were riding along into DC, but it said we were on Hwy 72 here in Alabama. The gang at the front of the van tried turning it off and on again to get it to orient itself, but to no avail; they pushed all kinds of buttons on the screen to try and find a reset somewhere, but never did. When all else failed, they exercised their ‘phone a friend’ option, who explained that there was a tiny, inconspicuous switch on the bottom or back of the instrument that would reset it. Once they hit that, it said that we were in Washington (but I didn’t need that thing to tell me that!).
The spiritual war in which we find ourselves is a lot like that. Satan and his army attempt to disorient us as Christians from the Word of God; they want to sabotage us from carrying out God’s plan of redemption by getting us distracted from our objective and distanced from our power Source. They want to convince us that we are not where we are and not who we are… and they desire to get us completely off track.
Our only hope is to stay constantly connected with Jesus. The best way to do that is through a steady track through His Word and an open line of communication in prayer with Him.
I want to encourage us all to use the great map of God’s Word to guide us in our journey with Christ… and to phone our great Friend regularly for assistance.
Daniel
This weekend, several of us from EBC went to Washington, DC for a Praise Factory seminar held there by the creators of that curriculum. This was my first time ever in DC. Even an old boy like me (for whom it takes knockin’ over the head to see things sometimes) could tell right off the bat that we were not in Alabama anymore.
For one thing, there was a difference in how busy everything was. Washington is busy… even at night time, it is busy. You know how – in Athens – if you walk the square at say, 10:00 at night, you’re likely to have a police escort soon thereafter? Well, in Washington DC there are folks all over the streets at 10:00. And there are so many streets… running every possible angle and direction you can imagine. We made so many turns once we got into the city from the airport, there’s no way I would have found our hotel if I had been driving; thankfully, we had Patrick with his “Jarmin” (little inside joke there!).
The only problem with the Garmin was that, at first, it thought we were still in Athens. We were riding along into DC, but it said we were on Hwy 72 here in Alabama. The gang at the front of the van tried turning it off and on again to get it to orient itself, but to no avail; they pushed all kinds of buttons on the screen to try and find a reset somewhere, but never did. When all else failed, they exercised their ‘phone a friend’ option, who explained that there was a tiny, inconspicuous switch on the bottom or back of the instrument that would reset it. Once they hit that, it said that we were in Washington (but I didn’t need that thing to tell me that!).
The spiritual war in which we find ourselves is a lot like that. Satan and his army attempt to disorient us as Christians from the Word of God; they want to sabotage us from carrying out God’s plan of redemption by getting us distracted from our objective and distanced from our power Source. They want to convince us that we are not where we are and not who we are… and they desire to get us completely off track.
Our only hope is to stay constantly connected with Jesus. The best way to do that is through a steady track through His Word and an open line of communication in prayer with Him.
I want to encourage us all to use the great map of God’s Word to guide us in our journey with Christ… and to phone our great Friend regularly for assistance.
Daniel
Friday, March 18, 2011
#332.4 – “Asleep on the Way”
“Peter said to Him, "Even if I have to die with You, I will not deny You!" And so said all the disciples. Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and said to the disciples, "Sit here while I go and pray over there." And He took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and He began to be sorrowful and deeply distressed. Then He said to them, "My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch with Me." He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, "O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will." Then He came to the disciples and found them asleep, and said to Peter, "What? Could you not watch with Me one hour?” - Matthew 26:35-40
The fact that Joshua was fussy and cranky Monday afternoon revealed to me that he was tired. But it was not until later that I realized just how tired he was. After work, I drove us to Sarah’s parent’s house for our family night supper. From the church building to their house is about ten minutes. As we pulled into their neighborhood, I realized that it was awfully quiet behind me. I looked in the rear-view mirror… and sure enough, there was my J boy – conked out in his booster seat. He couldn’t hold out ten minutes!
I’ve often felt kind of sorry for Peter and the other disciples that were with Jesus the night of his betrayal, in regards to their falling asleep on Him. I guess I felt that way because I could identify with them. There have been plenty of times when I have fallen asleep just by getting still for a few moments. I have even fallen asleep while praying. I’m sure that those guys were exhausted, and it always seemed to me like Jesus was sort of fussing at them instead of understanding.
But then again, when you consider that they were missing out on something that was the most important event of their lives… of the world really, it does seem kind of weak and shallow and self-centered of them. As important as sleep was to them, it was trivial compared to what was going on around them. Yet they didn’t understand that. All they knew was how tired they were.
And so we have an incredible picture in these verses of the importance of staying in tune with Christ and keeping His perspective on things. Because if we don’t… we may miss out on some really important stuff!
I know that I am guilty of missing out on what Jesus wants me to see sometimes… and I am just as sure that I also miss out on what He wants me to do… all because I am too enthralled with the idea of my own comfort. I am so busy trying to provide for my own satisfaction that I miss the adventure going on right in front of me.
I need to constantly submit what I am experiencing to God’s will and His understanding. Even though I may be feeling something – whether it’s exhaustion, fear, intimidation, hurt… happiness, exuberance, or ecstasy – that tells me to behave a certain way or to take a certain action, I should always submit that feeling to the higher understanding of my Maker, Who sees and knows all... and Who always wants what is best for me and for the Kingdom.
This is a great challenge that applies in our everyday life – to always seek to hear His voice above the noise of our world and our own desires.
Was Joshua wrong for falling asleep? Absolutely not. Was Peter? Absolutely. Why? Because he had been told by Jesus to stay and watch.
Daniel
The fact that Joshua was fussy and cranky Monday afternoon revealed to me that he was tired. But it was not until later that I realized just how tired he was. After work, I drove us to Sarah’s parent’s house for our family night supper. From the church building to their house is about ten minutes. As we pulled into their neighborhood, I realized that it was awfully quiet behind me. I looked in the rear-view mirror… and sure enough, there was my J boy – conked out in his booster seat. He couldn’t hold out ten minutes!
I’ve often felt kind of sorry for Peter and the other disciples that were with Jesus the night of his betrayal, in regards to their falling asleep on Him. I guess I felt that way because I could identify with them. There have been plenty of times when I have fallen asleep just by getting still for a few moments. I have even fallen asleep while praying. I’m sure that those guys were exhausted, and it always seemed to me like Jesus was sort of fussing at them instead of understanding.
But then again, when you consider that they were missing out on something that was the most important event of their lives… of the world really, it does seem kind of weak and shallow and self-centered of them. As important as sleep was to them, it was trivial compared to what was going on around them. Yet they didn’t understand that. All they knew was how tired they were.
And so we have an incredible picture in these verses of the importance of staying in tune with Christ and keeping His perspective on things. Because if we don’t… we may miss out on some really important stuff!
I know that I am guilty of missing out on what Jesus wants me to see sometimes… and I am just as sure that I also miss out on what He wants me to do… all because I am too enthralled with the idea of my own comfort. I am so busy trying to provide for my own satisfaction that I miss the adventure going on right in front of me.
I need to constantly submit what I am experiencing to God’s will and His understanding. Even though I may be feeling something – whether it’s exhaustion, fear, intimidation, hurt… happiness, exuberance, or ecstasy – that tells me to behave a certain way or to take a certain action, I should always submit that feeling to the higher understanding of my Maker, Who sees and knows all... and Who always wants what is best for me and for the Kingdom.
This is a great challenge that applies in our everyday life – to always seek to hear His voice above the noise of our world and our own desires.
Was Joshua wrong for falling asleep? Absolutely not. Was Peter? Absolutely. Why? Because he had been told by Jesus to stay and watch.
Daniel
Thursday, March 17, 2011
#332.3 – “Jesus, the Mess-Cleaner-Upper”
“But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.” - Romans 5:8-11
Monday after school, the three youngest kids came up here with me while Sarah took Anna to her orthodontist appointment. While apart from the girl with braces (for whom popcorn is a no-no), the other three all enjoyed a little popcorn for an afternoon snack! Afterwards, Ruthie and Grant started doing their homework. Since Joshua didn’t have any homework, I had him sweep up the popcorn they had all spilled while eating. He didn’t like the idea of having to do any work, esp. clean up a mess that wasn’t all his own. He whined about it the whole time. What would normally have been a ten minute job took him over forty-five, because he kept grumbling about it and moving slow.
When Jesus went to the cross, He did so to clean up my mess (and the mess of the world). My life without Christ is as ugly a mess as any mess could be. I was destined for destruction… bound for eternal separation from God. I had no hope. But Jesus stepped in and intervened – not because He had to, but because He chose to. And He didn’t complain or grumble about it. He went willingly. He cleaned up my mess for me (by cleaning me up from the inside), and I am eternally grateful.
Lord, thank You for being willing to go to the cross. Thank You for Your sacrifice – not just for me, but for all who will admit their need of You, trusting in and accepting Your grace.
Daniel
Monday after school, the three youngest kids came up here with me while Sarah took Anna to her orthodontist appointment. While apart from the girl with braces (for whom popcorn is a no-no), the other three all enjoyed a little popcorn for an afternoon snack! Afterwards, Ruthie and Grant started doing their homework. Since Joshua didn’t have any homework, I had him sweep up the popcorn they had all spilled while eating. He didn’t like the idea of having to do any work, esp. clean up a mess that wasn’t all his own. He whined about it the whole time. What would normally have been a ten minute job took him over forty-five, because he kept grumbling about it and moving slow.
When Jesus went to the cross, He did so to clean up my mess (and the mess of the world). My life without Christ is as ugly a mess as any mess could be. I was destined for destruction… bound for eternal separation from God. I had no hope. But Jesus stepped in and intervened – not because He had to, but because He chose to. And He didn’t complain or grumble about it. He went willingly. He cleaned up my mess for me (by cleaning me up from the inside), and I am eternally grateful.
Lord, thank You for being willing to go to the cross. Thank You for Your sacrifice – not just for me, but for all who will admit their need of You, trusting in and accepting Your grace.
Daniel
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
#332.2 – “All Part of Growing Up”
“And be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith; that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death.” - Philippians 3:9-10
One day recently, Grant had some homework that he needed to do. It was a beautiful afternoon when he got out of school, and he wanted to go out and play. In fact, all of his siblings (who either didn’t have homework or had already finished it) did just that. But Grant had too much to finish in just a few minutes… and we know how long it takes him sometimes… so we agreed that he better stay in and finish. We told him that he could go out and play if there was still daylight after he was done (this was before the time change). Well, he did not get done in time. In fact, he only had time after his work to eat supper and get a bath and go to bed. He was so disappointed. I hated it for him, but I reminded him that this is part of growing up – being responsible and doing the things that need to be done.
As disciples of Christ, we are sometimes called to grow in a direction that stretches us beyond our comfort. Sometimes we may even do things that are not fun. But when we remind ourselves of the ‘discomfort’ (terrible understatement) that Christ went through – not because he needed maturing, but because he knew we needed both salvation and maturing – we realize how little we are in fact asked to do.
God, help me to be willing to be stretched today. Give me the attitude of Christ who humbled himself to die on the cross for me.
Daniel
One day recently, Grant had some homework that he needed to do. It was a beautiful afternoon when he got out of school, and he wanted to go out and play. In fact, all of his siblings (who either didn’t have homework or had already finished it) did just that. But Grant had too much to finish in just a few minutes… and we know how long it takes him sometimes… so we agreed that he better stay in and finish. We told him that he could go out and play if there was still daylight after he was done (this was before the time change). Well, he did not get done in time. In fact, he only had time after his work to eat supper and get a bath and go to bed. He was so disappointed. I hated it for him, but I reminded him that this is part of growing up – being responsible and doing the things that need to be done.
As disciples of Christ, we are sometimes called to grow in a direction that stretches us beyond our comfort. Sometimes we may even do things that are not fun. But when we remind ourselves of the ‘discomfort’ (terrible understatement) that Christ went through – not because he needed maturing, but because he knew we needed both salvation and maturing – we realize how little we are in fact asked to do.
God, help me to be willing to be stretched today. Give me the attitude of Christ who humbled himself to die on the cross for me.
Daniel
Monday, March 14, 2011
#332.1 – “Don’t Give Up”
“Why did death not take me when I came out of my mother's body, why did I not, when I came out, give up my last breath?” - Job 3:11
A few weeks ago, Anna was practicing her flute. That in and of itself is not an unusual occurrence; she practices fairly regularly. But this time was different: she was getting really frustrated, because it was difficult for her to play. Ever since getting braces, our little flautist has had an extra challenge thrown at her (apparently, having a mouthful of metal alters the way you have to play a little.. or at least alters the comfort level of playing). It has been somewhat discouraging to Anna, who was mastering a good solid sound on the instrument at one time, and now struggles a little more than she did before with consistently producing a quality tone on it. I could see that she was getting frustrated as she tried several times to get this one particular exercise to come out, only to come up short. She finally put her flute in her lap and let out a big sigh. I asked her about it. After she vented for a bit, I encouraged her to be patient with herself. I told her that she should allow herself a little more time to do what she was trying to do.
Patience is a difficult thing to possess sometimes, isn’t it? Especially when it is with yourself that you are called to be patient. I can think of many times when I have been ‘fixing’ (I use that term lightly) something around the house that starts out as a simple job and ends up being overwhelming; and in those times, I often tell myself that I am dumb to even try to fix anything, because it seems I often make things worse instead of better. I lose patience with myself and want to just give up. For example, just the other day I was changing a flat tire for Sarah on her bicycle. Sounds simple enough, right? I ended up completely disassembling her brakes and having to rework them, all because I missed a simple ‘catch’ that would release them to get them out of my way. I was about to quit working on it when Sarah came out and helped me see something that I did not see before. After that, the job went quickly.
The point is that sometimes we are ready to throw in the towel and we need someone else to encourage us. Maybe today you are struggling with something that has got you down… something that has defeated you… something that is towering over you. I hope that you find encouragement in the Word of God. I pray that your strength will be renewed like the eagle’s, and that you will know that the Lord is with you… that He is for you… encouraging you to not give up as you serve Him, but to keep fighting the good fight. May His presence bring you the strength you need.
Maybe you know someone else that needs to be encouraged today. I know that I wouldn’t have fixed that bike without Sarah. As the Body of Christ, we need one another. Share the love and the encouragement of Christ today with those who need it.
Daniel
A few weeks ago, Anna was practicing her flute. That in and of itself is not an unusual occurrence; she practices fairly regularly. But this time was different: she was getting really frustrated, because it was difficult for her to play. Ever since getting braces, our little flautist has had an extra challenge thrown at her (apparently, having a mouthful of metal alters the way you have to play a little.. or at least alters the comfort level of playing). It has been somewhat discouraging to Anna, who was mastering a good solid sound on the instrument at one time, and now struggles a little more than she did before with consistently producing a quality tone on it. I could see that she was getting frustrated as she tried several times to get this one particular exercise to come out, only to come up short. She finally put her flute in her lap and let out a big sigh. I asked her about it. After she vented for a bit, I encouraged her to be patient with herself. I told her that she should allow herself a little more time to do what she was trying to do.
Patience is a difficult thing to possess sometimes, isn’t it? Especially when it is with yourself that you are called to be patient. I can think of many times when I have been ‘fixing’ (I use that term lightly) something around the house that starts out as a simple job and ends up being overwhelming; and in those times, I often tell myself that I am dumb to even try to fix anything, because it seems I often make things worse instead of better. I lose patience with myself and want to just give up. For example, just the other day I was changing a flat tire for Sarah on her bicycle. Sounds simple enough, right? I ended up completely disassembling her brakes and having to rework them, all because I missed a simple ‘catch’ that would release them to get them out of my way. I was about to quit working on it when Sarah came out and helped me see something that I did not see before. After that, the job went quickly.
The point is that sometimes we are ready to throw in the towel and we need someone else to encourage us. Maybe today you are struggling with something that has got you down… something that has defeated you… something that is towering over you. I hope that you find encouragement in the Word of God. I pray that your strength will be renewed like the eagle’s, and that you will know that the Lord is with you… that He is for you… encouraging you to not give up as you serve Him, but to keep fighting the good fight. May His presence bring you the strength you need.
Maybe you know someone else that needs to be encouraged today. I know that I wouldn’t have fixed that bike without Sarah. As the Body of Christ, we need one another. Share the love and the encouragement of Christ today with those who need it.
Daniel
Friday, March 11, 2011
#331.5 – “It Ain’t Eatin’ Beets, but…”
“If you will give ear to my word and do it, the good things of the land will be yours.” - Isaiah 1:19
I wrote earlier this week about the fact that I cannot force desire upon my children (I can make Grant eat beets, but I cannot make him want them). Well, I wanted to wrap-up this week with a great example of choosing the good…
Grant has always been the child that requires the most attention from us to see that he gets his homework. The girls rarely need anything from us to do their homework; every once in a while, they will ask us to check something they have done… or to sign something that requires a parent’s signature… but that is it. And while Joshua really does need us to help him do his homework, it only takes about five minutes. For that matter, Grant’s wouldn’t take that long, if he would just do it. But it takes him twenty minutes sometimes to write a five minute reading summary. His delay is not because he isn’t capable of doing it in five, but because his mind wanders and takes off with a thought into something else. His imagination takes him off somewhere instead of keeping him on task. And like any boy, he would always rather play (or do anything else) than homework. So it has always been a struggle with him.
But, all of a sudden, he began this week with the notion to do it himself and to get it done quickly… to keep his mind on his work and do a good job… and he has. And he has seen the benefit of such a deal: he not wins the love and admiration of his parents (yay!), he gets to have more time to do the things he wants to do (like playing… or pretty much anything else!). We have been praising him for this radical change, and he has responded positively.
It ain’t eatin’ beets, but I’ll take it!
Truly, I have been most proud of him, because he has not been forced to do any of this; nor have we offered any kind of special incentive or reward, or anything. He just decided to do better, and he has. And his choice to do what is best has been nothing short of an inspiration for me to want to serve the Lord with my best.
God’s love is unfathomable. He has nothing but the best intentions for me. He wants only my good. At times, I give Him back mediocrity when I could be giving my best. Other times, I give nothing and do the very thing He doesn’t want me to do. But when I choose to do the right thing and trust Him and obey Him, I find no greater joy in life. I am truly full of joy in those times.
Daniel
I wrote earlier this week about the fact that I cannot force desire upon my children (I can make Grant eat beets, but I cannot make him want them). Well, I wanted to wrap-up this week with a great example of choosing the good…
Grant has always been the child that requires the most attention from us to see that he gets his homework. The girls rarely need anything from us to do their homework; every once in a while, they will ask us to check something they have done… or to sign something that requires a parent’s signature… but that is it. And while Joshua really does need us to help him do his homework, it only takes about five minutes. For that matter, Grant’s wouldn’t take that long, if he would just do it. But it takes him twenty minutes sometimes to write a five minute reading summary. His delay is not because he isn’t capable of doing it in five, but because his mind wanders and takes off with a thought into something else. His imagination takes him off somewhere instead of keeping him on task. And like any boy, he would always rather play (or do anything else) than homework. So it has always been a struggle with him.
But, all of a sudden, he began this week with the notion to do it himself and to get it done quickly… to keep his mind on his work and do a good job… and he has. And he has seen the benefit of such a deal: he not wins the love and admiration of his parents (yay!), he gets to have more time to do the things he wants to do (like playing… or pretty much anything else!). We have been praising him for this radical change, and he has responded positively.
It ain’t eatin’ beets, but I’ll take it!
Truly, I have been most proud of him, because he has not been forced to do any of this; nor have we offered any kind of special incentive or reward, or anything. He just decided to do better, and he has. And his choice to do what is best has been nothing short of an inspiration for me to want to serve the Lord with my best.
God’s love is unfathomable. He has nothing but the best intentions for me. He wants only my good. At times, I give Him back mediocrity when I could be giving my best. Other times, I give nothing and do the very thing He doesn’t want me to do. But when I choose to do the right thing and trust Him and obey Him, I find no greater joy in life. I am truly full of joy in those times.
Daniel
Thursday, March 10, 2011
#331.4 – “Our Father Is Good, Part Two”
“And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.” - Romans 8:28
Continuing on with this week’s theme (who would have thought so much truth could be found in a beet?), I want to go a step further with all we have discussed, with the application to those are saved. I ask myself (and I invite you to ask yourself): how much do I really believe that God has only my best interest in mind? How much do I demonstrate in my daily walk that I really trust Him and what He says is good for me? Does my obedience match my speech? If He sets a ‘beet’ before me - something that calls for action on my part - does my ‘trust factor’ in Him trigger in me a response of faith and obedience without hesitation? Or do I want to:
study the beet first…
look it over…
imagine what I think it’s going to taste like…
weigh the pros and cons of consuming it…
call a friend and see if they are eating beets that night…
and all of this before taking a bite?
I confess that I am guilty of every one of the things listed above (which explains why I could write them so quickly!). I’m one of those people that want to know how the song ends before I dance… and while I am certainly not suggesting that we not use the rational part of our minds that God has given us to do whatever planning is necessary, there are situations in our lives in which we need to exercise faith and trust that our Father is, in fact, good… and that He only wants what is best for us.
Daniel
Continuing on with this week’s theme (who would have thought so much truth could be found in a beet?), I want to go a step further with all we have discussed, with the application to those are saved. I ask myself (and I invite you to ask yourself): how much do I really believe that God has only my best interest in mind? How much do I demonstrate in my daily walk that I really trust Him and what He says is good for me? Does my obedience match my speech? If He sets a ‘beet’ before me - something that calls for action on my part - does my ‘trust factor’ in Him trigger in me a response of faith and obedience without hesitation? Or do I want to:
study the beet first…
look it over…
imagine what I think it’s going to taste like…
weigh the pros and cons of consuming it…
call a friend and see if they are eating beets that night…
and all of this before taking a bite?
I confess that I am guilty of every one of the things listed above (which explains why I could write them so quickly!). I’m one of those people that want to know how the song ends before I dance… and while I am certainly not suggesting that we not use the rational part of our minds that God has given us to do whatever planning is necessary, there are situations in our lives in which we need to exercise faith and trust that our Father is, in fact, good… and that He only wants what is best for us.
Daniel
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
#331.3 – “Our Father Is Good”
“And which of you, being a father, will give a stone to his son, who makes request for bread? or for a fish, will give him a snake? Or for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If, then, you who are evil are able to give good things to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who make request to him?” - Luke 11:11-13
There is another dynamic involved in parenting with regards to encouraging your kids to eat certain foods, and that is the dynamic of faith.
When I first asked Grant to try a beet (which was a long time ago, by the way… and when he did, he liked it then… and he has consistently liked them since… so I cannot figure out why he didn’t want them the other day!?!?), I was actually asking much more of him than that; I was asking him to trust me. I was asking him to try something that I had tried before and had declared as ‘good’. He had to make a decision to take a bite or not. And while there are many factors that go into such a decision – the way it looks, the way it smells, etc. - I hope that one of the factors that helped him to try it was the fact that he believed what I had told him.
The reason that I can know that salvation is ‘good’ based on the fact that God puts it before me is because I know that God is good. I know that God only has my best interest in mind, as is evidenced in the passage above. My heavenly Father is ‘good’ (and I thought calling salvation ‘good’ was an understatement!), and He wants only what is good for me.
Daniel
There is another dynamic involved in parenting with regards to encouraging your kids to eat certain foods, and that is the dynamic of faith.
When I first asked Grant to try a beet (which was a long time ago, by the way… and when he did, he liked it then… and he has consistently liked them since… so I cannot figure out why he didn’t want them the other day!?!?), I was actually asking much more of him than that; I was asking him to trust me. I was asking him to try something that I had tried before and had declared as ‘good’. He had to make a decision to take a bite or not. And while there are many factors that go into such a decision – the way it looks, the way it smells, etc. - I hope that one of the factors that helped him to try it was the fact that he believed what I had told him.
The reason that I can know that salvation is ‘good’ based on the fact that God puts it before me is because I know that God is good. I know that God only has my best interest in mind, as is evidenced in the passage above. My heavenly Father is ‘good’ (and I thought calling salvation ‘good’ was an understatement!), and He wants only what is good for me.
Daniel
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
#331.2 – “Salvation Is Good”
“But what does it say? "The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart" (that is, the word of faith which we preach).” - Romans 10:8
Even though I cannot make Grant like beets, I have a responsibility as his parent to give him what is good for him. God has charged Sarah and me with the duty of overseeing his well-being. Part of that role includes providing foods that nourish his body… foods that will help him be strong and healthy. So since I know that beets are good for him… and since I know how good beets are (and I know that I will have some who argue that point), I want to give him some and let him see for himself; I want to do things to encourage him in what I know is best.
In the verse above, God puts the word near us… in our hearts and in our mouths. He does that because He knows it is vital. He realizes how important it is, and He wants so badly for us to accept it/Him. The passage around this verse teaches that, in terms of salvation, I don’t have to do anything to earn it. I don’t have to work at going to ‘get it’ from Jesus. He has put it right before me… on my plate, you might say. And all I need do is accept it as He offers it - a free gift purchased at the highest price. But I just want us to focus today on the simple reality that He puts it right there before us. And He does so because He knows how ‘good’ salvation is for us (calling salvation ‘good’ is a little like calling heaven ‘pretty’; it just doesn’t do it justice).
Please understand - whether or not my son ever eats another beet in his life of his own will is not going to cause me to cry or lose sleep; that is not really that important. What really does matter… and what I really do hope and pray for Grant (as I do for all my children) is that he one day comes to understand just how good and important and valuable salvation is, and that he chooses Christ of his own will as the Lord leads him.
Daniel
Even though I cannot make Grant like beets, I have a responsibility as his parent to give him what is good for him. God has charged Sarah and me with the duty of overseeing his well-being. Part of that role includes providing foods that nourish his body… foods that will help him be strong and healthy. So since I know that beets are good for him… and since I know how good beets are (and I know that I will have some who argue that point), I want to give him some and let him see for himself; I want to do things to encourage him in what I know is best.
In the verse above, God puts the word near us… in our hearts and in our mouths. He does that because He knows it is vital. He realizes how important it is, and He wants so badly for us to accept it/Him. The passage around this verse teaches that, in terms of salvation, I don’t have to do anything to earn it. I don’t have to work at going to ‘get it’ from Jesus. He has put it right before me… on my plate, you might say. And all I need do is accept it as He offers it - a free gift purchased at the highest price. But I just want us to focus today on the simple reality that He puts it right there before us. And He does so because He knows how ‘good’ salvation is for us (calling salvation ‘good’ is a little like calling heaven ‘pretty’; it just doesn’t do it justice).
Please understand - whether or not my son ever eats another beet in his life of his own will is not going to cause me to cry or lose sleep; that is not really that important. What really does matter… and what I really do hope and pray for Grant (as I do for all my children) is that he one day comes to understand just how good and important and valuable salvation is, and that he chooses Christ of his own will as the Lord leads him.
Daniel
Monday, March 7, 2011
#331.1 – “Eating and Wanting Are Two Different Things”
“But what does it say? "The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart" (that is, the word of faith which we preach): that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.” - Romans 10:8-10
It was supper time. We called all the kids to the table. We prayed and then began eating. After only a few bites, Grant said he was finished. I asked him why he was ready to be done so quickly. He said he was full; the truth was that he didn’t want everything we were eating (as I recall, it was the beets that were the hold-up). I told him that he could quit, but he would not get any dessert… nor could he have anything else the rest of the night. He was okay with that… until he saw the dessert: lemon pie.
He ate the beets.
Now here’s the tricky part: I can make Grant EAT beets by using the right motivation (in this case, lemon pie). But I can never make Grant WANT beets. No matter how hard I may try, I cannot possibly impose desire upon him; he has to choose that for himself.
God does not force anyone to accept His love. While He offers it freely to all, He does not impose His will on any person; each man, woman, boy or girl must decide for themselves whether or not they accept it/Him. And that is free will.
Daniel
It was supper time. We called all the kids to the table. We prayed and then began eating. After only a few bites, Grant said he was finished. I asked him why he was ready to be done so quickly. He said he was full; the truth was that he didn’t want everything we were eating (as I recall, it was the beets that were the hold-up). I told him that he could quit, but he would not get any dessert… nor could he have anything else the rest of the night. He was okay with that… until he saw the dessert: lemon pie.
He ate the beets.
Now here’s the tricky part: I can make Grant EAT beets by using the right motivation (in this case, lemon pie). But I can never make Grant WANT beets. No matter how hard I may try, I cannot possibly impose desire upon him; he has to choose that for himself.
God does not force anyone to accept His love. While He offers it freely to all, He does not impose His will on any person; each man, woman, boy or girl must decide for themselves whether or not they accept it/Him. And that is free will.
Daniel
Friday, March 4, 2011
#330.3 – “Ground Zero Revisited”
"Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me." - Philippians 3:12
While at my parents’ this past weekend, we decided to take a walk (it was a beautiful day that Saturday… a little cool with the wind, but beautiful). Our walk took us by the place where Mommy ‘busted it’ almost a year ago (the day after Memorial Day). For those of you who may not have been privy to that incident, allow me to very briefly recap: Sarah rode Grant’s bicycle down a hill and wiped out at the bottom, taking quite a lick on the head and scraping her shoulder, hands and feet.
The place still carries bad feelings for Grant (the lone child-witness to the ugly episode)… so much so that he didn’t even want to walk up the hill where her journey began. The only way he would go up was if we held his hands – one on each side. When we made it to the top, he didn’t want to turn around and look; he was scared of both the scene and the height of the place (I realize I am making this hill sound like Mt. McKinley or something… it’s only about 30-35 ft high, and not very steep). We didn’t speak much about the wreck as we walked back to my parent’s home that day, but I could tell that Grant had associated that place with pain and sorrow… and the effects of that one day a long time ago still carried a strong effect on him today.
Satan loves the past. He brings it up all the time, reminding us of painful experiences… sins we have committed… bad choices we have made… regrets. His aim in bringing up the past is to prevent our growth for the future by hindering our present. He wants to keep us from getting back on our bikes and riding again.
But God wants only what is best for us – to see us grow more like Christ… to learn about Him and be more like Him. And He is always by our side, holding our hand… encouraging us to take the next step… tenderly loving us all the way… shaping us in His image.
May we all be reminded that the past is just that – the past. And the only ‘time’ we can do anything about is the present. May we see what a wonderful Father we have, and may we take advantage of every opportunity given to us right now to love and serve Him. With the finish line in mind, may we press on towards the future God has for us!
Daniel
While at my parents’ this past weekend, we decided to take a walk (it was a beautiful day that Saturday… a little cool with the wind, but beautiful). Our walk took us by the place where Mommy ‘busted it’ almost a year ago (the day after Memorial Day). For those of you who may not have been privy to that incident, allow me to very briefly recap: Sarah rode Grant’s bicycle down a hill and wiped out at the bottom, taking quite a lick on the head and scraping her shoulder, hands and feet.
The place still carries bad feelings for Grant (the lone child-witness to the ugly episode)… so much so that he didn’t even want to walk up the hill where her journey began. The only way he would go up was if we held his hands – one on each side. When we made it to the top, he didn’t want to turn around and look; he was scared of both the scene and the height of the place (I realize I am making this hill sound like Mt. McKinley or something… it’s only about 30-35 ft high, and not very steep). We didn’t speak much about the wreck as we walked back to my parent’s home that day, but I could tell that Grant had associated that place with pain and sorrow… and the effects of that one day a long time ago still carried a strong effect on him today.
Satan loves the past. He brings it up all the time, reminding us of painful experiences… sins we have committed… bad choices we have made… regrets. His aim in bringing up the past is to prevent our growth for the future by hindering our present. He wants to keep us from getting back on our bikes and riding again.
But God wants only what is best for us – to see us grow more like Christ… to learn about Him and be more like Him. And He is always by our side, holding our hand… encouraging us to take the next step… tenderly loving us all the way… shaping us in His image.
May we all be reminded that the past is just that – the past. And the only ‘time’ we can do anything about is the present. May we see what a wonderful Father we have, and may we take advantage of every opportunity given to us right now to love and serve Him. With the finish line in mind, may we press on towards the future God has for us!
Daniel
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
#330.2 – “Me All Over Again”
"Let it then be your desire to be like God, as well-loved children." - Ephesians 5:1
We spent this past weekend at my parents house. While we were there, my dad made the comment (one he has made before) that looking at Grant is like looking at me when I was that age. He claims that watching him and his behavior is like seeing me all over again.
Now I admit that such a statement brings me a certain amount of pride. I like knowing that I have a son who looks and acts a lot like me. Then again, there are plenty of things about me that I don’t want him to emulate. And while I can’t do anything about his looks, I hope that - when it comes to character – I am a good influence on him towards God.
I confess that that is not always the case. Sometimes I show him my temper… sometimes my anxiety… sometimes my disappointment. But I hope and pray that - in those times – I am honest enough to confess when I am wrong, and that he will learn from those things as well. And most of all, I hope that I show him and all of our children that Jesus takes us - with our imperfections and sins and ugliness - and makes us whole again through His blood… and that while we should serve Him out of gratitude for what He does for us, we will never (as long as we live here on Earth) not need His grace and mercy and forgiveness.
Lord, open my eyes that I may see how much I depend upon Your mercy and grace. May that awareness help me to always be real in my walk before my children and others. Help me also show them a desire in my heart to be like You. And help them ultimately see how great Your love is for Your children.
Daniel
We spent this past weekend at my parents house. While we were there, my dad made the comment (one he has made before) that looking at Grant is like looking at me when I was that age. He claims that watching him and his behavior is like seeing me all over again.
Now I admit that such a statement brings me a certain amount of pride. I like knowing that I have a son who looks and acts a lot like me. Then again, there are plenty of things about me that I don’t want him to emulate. And while I can’t do anything about his looks, I hope that - when it comes to character – I am a good influence on him towards God.
I confess that that is not always the case. Sometimes I show him my temper… sometimes my anxiety… sometimes my disappointment. But I hope and pray that - in those times – I am honest enough to confess when I am wrong, and that he will learn from those things as well. And most of all, I hope that I show him and all of our children that Jesus takes us - with our imperfections and sins and ugliness - and makes us whole again through His blood… and that while we should serve Him out of gratitude for what He does for us, we will never (as long as we live here on Earth) not need His grace and mercy and forgiveness.
Lord, open my eyes that I may see how much I depend upon Your mercy and grace. May that awareness help me to always be real in my walk before my children and others. Help me also show them a desire in my heart to be like You. And help them ultimately see how great Your love is for Your children.
Daniel
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