Your Life-Threatening Disease

Your child is diagnosed with a life-threatening disease. After all the emotional upheaval, you go to a specialist. You discuss treatment options. You try one. Then another. More doctors too. Prayer chains are activated. You google and research and study. Drain every financial resource. You begin fundraisers. You do anything and everything. Whatever the cost. This precious life must be saved from the jaws of death! Some would even pray to trade places. “Take me instead!” You’ll do anything. Pay any price…

And so it is with your Father in heaven. You, His precious child, are found filled with a deadly disease – sin. And God would, just like you, do anything to save you so you could be with Him forever. He knew the steep price. Blood. Death. So He came down Himself, God in the flesh, and paid it. Paid it all. “Take Me instead,” could have easily been Jesus’ last words. You (insert your name) are that precious in His sight.

So no more guilt and shame about this. You wouldn’t want your child feeling like that because you exhausted your savings, retirement fund, sold house and home – everything – to ensure recovery and restored life. Now is the time for rejoicing: eternal life is purchased and promised!  Absolute and all-encompassing forgiveness, release, freedom has been granted. God saw His precious child in life-threatening danger and out of His great love just had to do something!

Thank You, Father God, for the ultimate, perfect, complete rescue from the eternal doom of a sinful life. Thank You for washing the disease of sin all away. Thank You for preparing a place for us where sin, death and the devil are no more. In our great Savior’s Name, Amen.

Which way to go now?

Paul and his companions traveled throughout the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia. When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to. – Acts 16: 6-7

God stopped seemingly good plans. How would we know when that happens to us? We often rely on a smooth path as a sign that we are going the right way. Doors swing open; things fall into place. If things come easy, the direction we are heading must be blessed by God. But here, in this story of  Paul going to Macedonia, roadblocks have been put in place to stop Paul from seemingly good plans – preaching the Word! It says the Holy Spirit kept them from entering certain towns. Maybe through dreams or visions, or circumstances. The closing of doors. And it causes me to think: how many times we credit the devil with setting up roadblocks to our good intentions. We like to think Satan is responsible for rough roads. And that blessings from God means smooth paths.  Just because we believe the outcome is going to be good and even godly, if we come up against difficult circumstances, obstacles and challenges, we really ought to be praying and not necessarily for strength to overcome – but to reconnect with God. Are you still walking in God’s will? What was that original calling anyway? Did you “see” the end result and make your own human plans on how to get there? Or is the end result something so kingdom powerful that Satan is throwing everything he’s got at it? Has the Holy Spirit Himself stepped in to redirect your steps? Because we know, that sometimes in going with God, there are complications and hardships along the way. How do we know how to proceed? How confusing! It could be any of these!

How often do we get a good idea for the nurturing and growth of God’s kingdom and run full tilt in our own wisdom and strength? It would be wise to continually pray for guidance, discernment, the next step – at every turn. I’d like to know when God has changed the course (or if I have drifted from the course). I’d like to know if I’m still supposed to forge ahead despite the challenges of doors closing and various other complications. In all circumstances...

pray continually,  - 1 Thes. 5:17

In all your ways, steps, decisions… not what makes good sense to you in your human mind and emotion.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart
    and lean not on your own understanding;
 in all your ways submit to him,
    and he will make your paths straight.  – Proverbs 3:5-6

Trust God. And He will make the path straight… to His planned and purposed outcome.

Beyond the Struggle

Many of us are reminded this week of the pain and suffering of our Lord Jesus. Surely He bore the pain of all of mankind’s many sins upon His back.

He – the Son of God – knew His purpose in life. To save the world. Such an important task. Surely He was able to understand the value of His sufferings, no matter how great. God in the flesh, right? He, better than anyone, would know and understand about perseverance and keeping your eye on the goal; the end result; the big picture.

But He was also called the Son of Man. Which means He felt like us. Hurt like us. Knew temptation and pain… sometimes, seemingly unending pain – just like us. Not having a house to call home. No spouse and kids to greet Him every night. He knows about family not believing in you. Friends deserting you. Knows firsthand about being in jail. Teased, spit on, beat up. The burden of carrying a heavy cross. Hours of physical pain. Even when the pain is for a good cause, it hurts, hurts, hurts.

Our human side can relate to that Jesus. And the Son of Man can relate to your suffering as well. Whatever it is, He probably had a taste of it.

As the Son of God, He was able to put one foot in front of the other. Realize too, that you are a son or daughter of God. Empowered with the same ability – to put one foot in front of the other. His pain wasn’t removed. Maybe your painful situation won’t be immediately removed either. But all who believe in Him have this Father-God given, divine power for today - and will receive a glory like no other: eternal life in the fullness of His presence. Just like Jesus. Suffered. Died. Risen!

I've got the blues

“I’m a little unsettled about this post. Seems like I should always encourage you to not worry and be happy and feel blessed. But days of depression or the blues happen. And I’m here to tell you: it’s okay. Let me know what you think.” -jc

Sometimes… I’m not the “lovely” person I should be. Yes, I know, the sun is shining and the birds are singing and I got out of bed okay. There’s clean clothes to wear and food to eat. And a God Who loves me like crazy. One or two clicks into the social media will remind you of all this. And yet, there are still days when I’m not feeling so “Pollyanna”. I do have worries on my mind. There are so many loved ones struggling with physical ailments. An item on the evening news grabs ahold of my heart. I wonder if I’m nurturing the relationships I have well enough or am I allowing them to drift. Am I really living out my days or just surviving my days? Thinking about my poor, unappreciative attitude just adds to the list of stresses. I am weak. I stumble. I fail.

Sometimes… days are just like that. Sometimes I can pull myself up by my bootstraps and get back onto a good track. Sometimes… it just takes too much effort. And I do nothing. Even on a sunny day. Even when love is poured out on me. Even when everything in me says I have reason to brighten up and good grief, girl, be grateful.

Some days I have the blues. But I’m thinking there may be value, in God’s eyes, to see me so upset about other people’s condition, or about maintaining relationships. Or concern about how I live out my days. Those are valuable things to God. And worthy of time to grieve and mourn and be saddened by the thought of the pain involved.  Maybe these days are creating in me empathy and compassion. And a special kind of prayer. Could that be a higher calling than some of the stuff we pick out?

But life continually changes. A brighter spirit does come. On a different day, the sun and the sky do speak to me and lift me up. A hug and a kind word do spur me on. I don’t always fail at recognizing God’s goodness.

God can use the blues. God does use the blues – to focus our thoughts and prayers on some pain that needs prayer… pain that we would rather resist / fight against experiencing.

There are days when I am thankful. Thankful there may be God’s goodness hidden in the blues.

John 11:4 When he heard this, Jesus said, “This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it.”

My Happy Place

Like all the other spring breakers, I’d love to run away to the sandy shores. Or to an amazing amusement park. Play. Be a kid again. Fun. Escape all the dramas of this life. But we all know, too quickly, spring break comes to an end. And it’s back to the ups and downs of routine living.

Unless… you pack your brain with all sorts of spring break memories. Bring back to mind the sand and the sea, the sights and sounds, the food and drink and laughter and smiles. Just thinking about them can transport you back to a more peaceful place and time. It’s a stress-freeing, relaxation technique used by many. What’s it called? Your happy place!

Jesus often left the routine of being with the crowds and teaching and healing (Mark 1:35; Luke 5:16; Luke 6:12; Matt. 26:36). He headed off the mountain or some other quiet place. Most say it was to pray. He spent time with the Father. Sometimes He spent all night there. Seems like a long time when we sometimes have trouble sitting in prayer for five minutes without distraction and wandering thoughts. Maybe that was a happy place for Him – in His prayer closet so to speak.

Jesus had great big purpose. Not everyone does though. Some of us are ignoble (2 Tim. 2:20). Some of us are the least of these. Some of us are the last (Matt. 19:30). Oh, we think we are here to have great big purpose. This world teaches us that success and prosperity and position are of greatest value – makes our lives valuable. But that’s not what the Bible teaches. Some of us were born to do small things, more common, not as stupendous things, that are of great value in the eyes of God.

Where am I going with all this? Just as Jew and Gentile, slave and free are all the same to God (Gal. 3:28), small acts and great acts are all the same to God. He doesn’t measure like we measure. Where you are spiritually is most important. David was chosen not by his good looks and stature, but because God saw his heart (1 Sam. 16:7).

God called Jesus to come and rest with Him on several occasions. Come, you are weary. I will give you rest. While away the hours with Me in your happy place. There are no demands of you here. It is safe to give up the battle in My presence. Let’s just let everything shut down. All the worries and concerns and to-do lists, all the where you are’s and where you should be’s. There is no agenda in the happy place. And there is no time limit at the foot of God’s throne. Stay as long as necessary. It’s okay. It’s okay. Only the world would put a limit on such a thing. But God knows when you need rest. God knows when you need escape. Is He calling you now?

Mark 1:35  Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.

Luke 5:16  But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.

Luke 6:12  One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God.

Matt. 26:36  Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.”

2 Tim. 2:20  In a large house there are articles not only of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay; some are for special purposes and some for common use.

Matt. 19:30 But many who [now] are first will be last [then], and many who [now] are last will be first [then].

Gal. 3:28 We are no longer Jews or Greeks or slaves or free men or even merely men or women, but we are all the same—we are Christians; we are one in Christ Jesus.

1 Sam. 16:7  But the Lord said to Samuel, “Don’t judge by a man’s face or height, for this is not the one. I don’t make decisions the way you do! Men judge by outward appearance, but I look at a man’s thoughts and intentions.”

Do not despair (lose heart)

Perplexed, but not in despair. (2 Corin. 4:8)

Perplexed : puzzled, at a loss, confused; mystified, baffled, bewildered

Despair: misery, hopelessness, anguish, gloom, lose heart

Studying these two words, you think one may be just an extreme case of the other. Perplexed appears to mean some level of distress but there is still time for something right to happen. Where despair, well, now all options appear to have been exhausted and there is no good resolution in sight.

I stumbled across this verse shortly after reading about Jesus walking on the water. A fabulous rescue, wouldn’t you say? He’s been out healing people left and right. He just fed 5,000. His friends were out in a boat on the stormy sea – and Jesus came right to them walking on the water. But you need to read those verses a little closer. Because what I realized and found out, was that several hours past between the guys in the boat in the storm – and when Jesus came across on the waters. These two events are only  three verses apart. Yet the disciples were told to get in the boat early evening (6:00pm) (see Matt. 14:22) and Jesus came to them during the fourth watch (3:00 – 6:00am) (see Matt. 14:25). Which means they were fighting the storm for nine, ten or more hours on their own. Where was Jesus? Hours went by. Surely He knew… They must have questioned… wondered… Did they panic under these circumstances? Were they simply perplexed (baffled, mystified, bewildered) or did they lose heart (despair) that Jesus would not ever come?

Can you imagine the anxiety level? Even when He does come, the Bible says they are terrified. It’s only when He steps into the boat with them that everything calms down and they worship Him saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”

Are you at a place in life where you are waffling between perplexed and despair? Are you closing in on terrified? Do not live without hope. Jesus will come. He will get right into the boat with you. Take heart! He says. I overcome anything this world dishes out (John 16:33). You too, can know, as the disciples did, that – “Truly you are the Son of God!”

My Troubled Life

God has a reason for every little thing that comes along in life. You can not truly expect all of life to be rosy and smooth sailing. It is unrealistic to expect every day to be easygoing and super wonderful. That is not biblical.

In this world you will have troubles (John 16:33)

 It is a truth as strong as your favorite verses. Do not set yourself up for disappointment with high expectations of everything being happy and comfortable all the time. Life isn’t all about you and your wants. No matter how good, beneficial you feel your wants are – there is a highest good known only to God. Everyone, everyone – you, your kids, your friends – will ebb and flow into hard times. And God has His perfect reasons why that is so. God has His reasons. No one escapes a life of some troubles.  Everyone goes through some troubling times. So do not fret and worry as though everything is spinning out of control. God, God of the universe, is still in charge. Still using every circumstance for a greater good. Possibly a greater good that reaches beyond your own self. Jesus, God’s Son, was beaten, bled, suffered for hours and died – for a greater good. Have you been called upon to suffer for a time? Could it be that you are taking part in one of God’s great kingdom-size plans? Can you trust God with this pain enough to believe in His plan and will for an unimaginable outcome? Always remember God has a kingdom plan in motion to save the world and that you have a purpose being here to be a part of that. There is God purpose. God outcome coming. Stand firm in His mighty power. Stand firm.

In this world you will have troubles…. is followed with even more truth: Take heart! I have overcome the world! (Jn. 16:33)

There is a rhyme and reason to all aspects of life. All your days were written before even one of them came to be. (Ps. 139.16) There is a sovereign God Who has already watched over every moment. All of it is a step forward towards His ultimate divine, supreme plan. You, my friend, are divinely called to be a part of it. And He can be trusted because He is a God of order and peace. (1 Corin. 14:33)

One more thought: there’s another famous verse we’re all familiar with –

“As for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.” But the line before it says, “if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve; whether the gods your forefathers, served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living. “ (Josh. 24:15) Food for thought when you find it difficult to follow Him through challenging times. Who (or what) is safer to follow (and trust) than He?

The Mindful Heart

Your Heart. It’s mentioned hundreds of times in the Bible. Your heart. The “why” you do the things you do. Why, really, deep down inside. Attitude.

We’ve heard it, we’ve read it a thousand times: Love the Lord your God with all your heart… it, too, is mentioned several times in both the Old and New Testaments. How do we love God like that? Well, how do we love anybody like that? By doing things that please them. By doing them genuinely and generously. Going the extra mile without complaint. Going a little over the top to bring blessing.

One command. A command of love. God and neighbor. One command – seems like we should be able to handle – one command. But God, in His great mercy and grace understands perfectly that we live out this one call imperfectly. Yet we don’t have to give up… but know, deep down inside what it is supposed to look like lived out. And we are to desire to strive to pour more and more love, acceptance and forgiveness into the world around us. More and then a little more. No set amount before you. Just keep watch. Be mindful. You’ll see – opportunities arise.

One more hug. One more smile. One more hand-holding… a sharing of biblical truth… a note… a phone call… a text… an invitation… a happy song… a funny joke… a quick little dance… a prayer… a meal… a helping hand… a listening ear… companionable silence… joyous celebration… a tissue for tears… In making your presence known, you are making His presence known as well… that infamous cup of water.

Moments to give just pop up. Choose to respond. Choose to show God’s character/attitude/heart to others. Choose to love God and neighbor. More. And then a little more today. From the heart. From your heart which God gave you and where His Spirit surely dwells.