A women in my small group said that if we struggle with obeying God, then we should question our salvation. I know her very well and understand what prompted her statement. However, I'm not sure I agree. I propose that our struggle is proof of our salvation. A person who is not born again doesn't struggle with obedience to God; he or she usually only struggles with the consequences of his/her actions.
I believe that what we're actually struggling with is our own willful nature, our physical desires, our emotional baggage or our own opinions and erroneous beliefs. The non-spiritual part of us is like a two-year-old who says: "Mine!" "I will do it myself!" "I want it!" Imagine that two-year-old running your life. Not a pretty picture.
Like a parent with a strong-willed child, this power struggle goes on. Our ‘born-again self’ knows what’s right and knows that the 'child' within must not be allowed to have free reign. The battle ensues because this child is loud, manipulative and usually throws some kind of temper tantrum. An embarrassing, frustrating, confusing situation.
As Christ-followers, we WANT to obey God. The new person we become when we're born again (the 'adult') desires the things of God. God sends His Holy Spirit comes to live in us. He has given us everything for life and Godliness, according to 2 Peter 1:3.
When we encounter struggles and if we’re always worrying that we’re not born again, we can't continue our journey with Jesus. There comes a time when we need to start really believing scripture when it says that Jesus Christ loves us supremely and that He will never stop loving us. There's nothing we can do (or not do) to lose His love for us. There is no limit on His faithfulness and no end to His love.
Because of these truths, I can be real with God. Real in my struggling. Real in my questioning. Real in my failures. Real in my gratefulness. Real in my adoration. Real in my love.
5/12/12
Not the Sun
We were not meant to be the sun. We are not destined to burn out in a blaze of glory. No, God wants us to be secure, steadfast, strong and impactful in our environment. We are immensely important, but we are not meant to be the sun.
We were meant to be the moon.
The sun blazes. Its impact is seen and felt every day. Even on a cloudy day it gives light and warmth. But the sun is burning out. One day it will collapse upon itself and become a black hole.
I tried to be the sun once; it nearly killed me. I was a “good christian.” Not a fake christian, either; a true believer. My intentions were as right as they could be. In trying to be the sun (all things to all people) I burned out, collapsed upon myself and tried to draw others into the density. All because I was not meant to be the sun. Neither are you.
We were meant to be the moon.
As I child, my mother explained to me the face of the man-in-the-moon. She made the moon friendly and comforting – always there in the dark if I needed a light to see by. As I grew older, I discovered that the moon moves in cycles. While it always reflects the sun’s light, I can’t always see it. I also learned there really isn’t a man-in-the-moon.
The moon is a rock. Just a holey, dusty rock. Nothing magical or supernatural. Yet the moon’s impact on the earth is profound. The moon is vital to earth’s life. Her orbit, gravity, tidal patterns…even her weather depends on the moon’s presence. In the dark night, if we can find the moon, we can find our way.
Yet all the moon does is keep its face turned toward the sun, reflecting its light and completing its appointed rounds as determined by its Creator.
We are meant to be the moon.
We are meant to be steadfast and solid – just-a-rock – affecting our world simply by our presence. We may not see the “tide” turn or the “orbits” continue on the correct path, but our presence is an influence by those seeking purpose and direction. We may not know that we are stability in a constantly changing world, but as “just-a-rock”we provide strength for those in need. We may not realize that we are shelter in the storm, but our constancy covers others as they seek safety.
When others are lost in the dark, we are meant to be the face that reflects a greater light.
We are meant to be the moon.
Our purpose is to BE WHERE WE ARE, trusting that God knows we're there, trusting that He has placed us right where we need to be. And as we turn our faces toward the Son, reflecting His light, we will impact our environment according to His plan.
We are meant to be the moon.
We were meant to be the moon.
The sun blazes. Its impact is seen and felt every day. Even on a cloudy day it gives light and warmth. But the sun is burning out. One day it will collapse upon itself and become a black hole.
I tried to be the sun once; it nearly killed me. I was a “good christian.” Not a fake christian, either; a true believer. My intentions were as right as they could be. In trying to be the sun (all things to all people) I burned out, collapsed upon myself and tried to draw others into the density. All because I was not meant to be the sun. Neither are you.
We were meant to be the moon.
As I child, my mother explained to me the face of the man-in-the-moon. She made the moon friendly and comforting – always there in the dark if I needed a light to see by. As I grew older, I discovered that the moon moves in cycles. While it always reflects the sun’s light, I can’t always see it. I also learned there really isn’t a man-in-the-moon.
The moon is a rock. Just a holey, dusty rock. Nothing magical or supernatural. Yet the moon’s impact on the earth is profound. The moon is vital to earth’s life. Her orbit, gravity, tidal patterns…even her weather depends on the moon’s presence. In the dark night, if we can find the moon, we can find our way.
Yet all the moon does is keep its face turned toward the sun, reflecting its light and completing its appointed rounds as determined by its Creator.
We are meant to be the moon.
We are meant to be steadfast and solid – just-a-rock – affecting our world simply by our presence. We may not see the “tide” turn or the “orbits” continue on the correct path, but our presence is an influence by those seeking purpose and direction. We may not know that we are stability in a constantly changing world, but as “just-a-rock”we provide strength for those in need. We may not realize that we are shelter in the storm, but our constancy covers others as they seek safety.
When others are lost in the dark, we are meant to be the face that reflects a greater light.
We are meant to be the moon.
Our purpose is to BE WHERE WE ARE, trusting that God knows we're there, trusting that He has placed us right where we need to be. And as we turn our faces toward the Son, reflecting His light, we will impact our environment according to His plan.
We are meant to be the moon.
1/24/11
I Am Not Fulfilling God's Purpose In My Life
Not everyone is Billy Graham. Not everyone is Martin Luther, or Watchman Nee, or Charles Spurgeon.
But every single one of us does have a purpose, given by Jesus.
Do you know what that purpose is?
It is to LOVE. We are channels for love. Aqueducts to take love, from its immeasurable reservoir, to where love isn't.
Kindness is love. Listening is love. Serving is love. Touching is love. Helping is love. Being present is love.
It's not complicated. It can be painful and difficult; but not complicated.
You are fulfilling your purpose every time you engage someone in love.
But every single one of us does have a purpose, given by Jesus.
Do you know what that purpose is?
It is to LOVE. We are channels for love. Aqueducts to take love, from its immeasurable reservoir, to where love isn't.
Kindness is love. Listening is love. Serving is love. Touching is love. Helping is love. Being present is love.
It's not complicated. It can be painful and difficult; but not complicated.
You are fulfilling your purpose every time you engage someone in love.
1/3/11
Hospitality Is Not My Gift, part 4
BUT I’M TOO BUSY, TIRED, OLD…WHATEVER.
Ref: Luke 1
“Zechariah, I am too old for this! My feet ache, my back aches, even my aches ache. And I’m tired, so tired. Plus, I haven’t got everything ready for this kid.” Zechariah, of course, said nothing. He still had three months to go before “his tongue was loosened, and he began to speak, praising God.”
Of course, I’m referring to Elizabeth & Zechariah, the parents of John (who became the Baptizer.) I don’t know for sure if Elizabeth
But then Mary shows up.
Mary – who is young, scared and a virgin mother;
Mary – who tells Zechariah and Elizabeth a tale of a shining angel and the overshadowing of the Holy Spirit and the knowledge that there is new life growing in her womb;
Mary – carrying NEW LIFE for every person who ever believed in the coming Messiah and who would ever believe in a Savior.
So, even if you don’t wear diamonds to do the dusting (tables or cakes)
or you’re your life isn’t perfect (whose life is?)
you can still practice hospitality – give what you can,
reach out, and value others.
That’s really what hospitality is all about.
1/2/11
Hospitality Is Not My Gift, part 3
BUT I CAN’T INVITE PEOPLE TO MY HOUSE
1 Samuel 25
1 Samuel 25
Remember Abigail? “Intelligent and beautiful, but her husband [Nabal] was surly and mean in his dealings.”
When David’s men came to him and asked for provisions, Nabal was insulting, stingy and just plain rude.
“One of the servants told Abigail: “David sent messengers from the desert to give our master his greetings, but he hurled insults at them. Yet these men were good to us…the whole time we were out in the fields near them…they were a [protective] wall around us all the time we were herding our sheep.” Abigail lost no time. She took [food and drink] and loaded them on donkeys.” Then she went to meet David herself.
There’s a lot more to the story than this, but the point is that sometimes you have to show hospitality away from your own home. There may be some circumstance in your family that doesn’t allow you to have others come in, but you can always reach out. It can be as easy as sharing a table with other shoppers at the Costco cafeteria or helping a little kid reach the drinking fountain.
Even if you don’t end up being the king’s next wife, God will honor your efforts at hospitality and bless you greatly.
Even if you don’t end up being the king’s next wife, God will honor your efforts at hospitality and bless you greatly.
1/1/11
Hospitality Is Not My Gift, part 2
I DON'T HAVE ENOUGH
1 Kings 17
When she looked in her cupboards, they were bare - except for ‘handful of flour in a jar and a little oil in a jug.’ When Elijah asked her for a little water and a piece of bread, the Sidonian widow was afraid to share the last of her food. She needed it to make her son the last meal she thought she’d ever feed him.
There was no hope for more – the entire country was being consumed by drought and famine. She voiced her fears to Elijah who said, “Don’t be afraid. Go home and do as you have said. But first make a small cake of bread for me from what you have and bring it to me, and then make something for yourself and you son. For this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: ‘The jar of flour will not be used up and the jug of oil will not run dry until the day the Lord gives rain on the land.’” She went away and did as Elijah told her. There was food every day for Elijah and for the woman and her family.
When we say, “But I don’t have enough,” God says, “That’s okay, use what you have and I will supply all you need.”
12/30/10
Hospitality Is Not My Gift
Okay, I admit it! I’m not the Suzy Homemaker type. I barely know the difference between a colander and a custard. Did you know that dusting can mean putting something on something OR taking something off something? You dust the coffee table – you dust the coffee cake. No wonder I’m confused.
I don’t really have any excuses for not being more domestic, either. We live in a world where appliances do all the hard work for us. The grocery store has food – it’s not like we have to plant and harvest it ourselves. I just don’t really enjoy it very much. I love the results, but getting there is not fun for me. However, my friends still hang out at my house occasionally; my kids (when they lived at home as teens) invited their friends over and nobody got sick; and I’ve even been known to host an occasional Tupperware® party. I guess I’m somewhat hospitable, but I’m sure there’s room for improvement.
Hospitality is important to God. After all, He’s in heaven preparing a home and a banquet for us. He wants us to practice hospitality here as well. Romans 12:13b says it plainly: “Practice hospitality.”
Over the next three days I'll show you three examples of hospitality in the face of adverse circumstances.
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