The beauty of creation

The seasons send such a strong message of beauty to me. The cheerful color of flowers in the spring. The bright blue sky and the fragrant harvesting of strawberries, blueberries and blueberries in summertime.  Of course the splendor of fall foliage, resplendent in the autumn sunshine. And even winter displays grandeur with the occasional snow but also the breathtaking view of bare tree branches against the blackness of the clear night sky. All through the year, what some call “Mother Nature” issues a call to look and enjoy, to observe and ponder, to feel amazement and gratitude.

The psalmist tells us that “The heavens declare the glory of God and the sky above proclaims His handiwork. Day to day pours out speech and night to night reveals knowledge. There is no speech, nor are there words, whose voice is not heard. Their voice goes out through all the earth and their words to the end of the world.” (Psalm 19:1-4)  What is the message that the beauty of the skies (and indeed all of creation!) is so powerfully proclaiming, even without words?

I am sure God is declaring more truths than I can count, much less cover in this column, but I see at least three I’d like to share. First, that He is GOD. Nature is not God and God is not nature. He CREATED nature and its beauty, vastness, complexity, and magnitude tell us very clearly that He is beyond our capacity to understand. That should actually cause us to rejoice and to relax – we don’t want to serve a God who is so finite that our human minds can grasp Him! When you open your eyes to see what God has done, you see glory. His genius, His creativity, His power.  His glory is not something that can be conveyed by mere words, nor understood by mere mortals. But it is something that can be perceived. Perceived by the revelation throughout  “nature” and it is indeed an awesome thing to behold the glory of God in the sky.

Secondly, the glory declared by the heavens make us feel incredibly insignificant. And that is exactly what should transpire! The unfathomable size of the universe. The immensity of the planetary bodies. The mind-boggling force that holds it all together, at exactly the right distance from each other to sustain life and order. It makes me think of what King David said in Psalm 8:3-4

“When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers,

     the moon and the stars, which you have set in place,

what is man that you are mindful of him,

     and the son of man that you care for him?”

Certainly, the glory of the skies (and all of nature) should make us ask – who in the world am I?  This seems to be a far cry from what the world today tells us about how special we are!

The last thing I’d like to share pertains to this part of the message the heavens are declaring. Compared to the magnitude of the skies, we do indeed seem insignificant. Next to nothing. And yet, Scripture tells us that all of nature – including the glorious stars and skies – are not the most impressive display of God’s creation. After He made the world and all that is in it, He said  “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness” (Genesis 1:26.) And the remainder of the creation story as recorded in Genesis 1 tells us that is exactly what He did. Male and female, He created them. Mankind. Created to display His glory in a way that “nature” cannot. Humans.  Created to enjoy all He had created. Created to commune with Him in perfect relationship and enjoy Him forever.  And “because that which is known about God is evident within them, for God made it evident to the. For since the creation of the world, His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made so that they are without excuse” (Romans 1:19,20)

More than marveling at the beauty of “nature”, you and I can know the Creator. His glory is revealed in the works He created but He wants us to know and serve Him, not mistake His creation for Him. He made the way for us to do exactly that – the glorious sights of His creation should make us realize He exists and then long to know Him. We can know Him through His Son, Jesus, who is the image of the invisible God, the preeminence of all creation. (Colossians 1:15). Enjoy His magnificent world, yes. But don’t miss what is above it all – Jesus Christ.

The cycle of giving

Luke 6:38 - Give and it will be given to you; good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, they will pour into your lap. For by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you in return.

I love this verse that Dr. Luke pens for us! It is such a beautiful expression of the generosity of God. “Pressed down, shaken together, running over” - not “whatever you give, you will get” . Instead it is a picture of uncontainable abundance.

The verse is usually thought of in terms of financial giving and certainly its application includes that. Other verses express the same exhortation for us to be lavish in giving back to God what He has given to us, and that God will not only notice but also reward that. Proverbs 22:9 - He who is generous will be blessed for he gives some of his food to the poor. 2 Corinthians 9:6-11 - Now this I say, he who sows sparingly shall also reap sparingly; and he who sows bountifully shall also reap bountifully. Let each one do just as he has purposed in his heart; not grudgingly or under compulsion; for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed; as it is written, He scattered abroad, He gave to the poor, His righteousness abides forever. Now He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food, will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness; you will be enriched in everything for all liberality, which through us is producing thanksgiving to God.

Indeed, we can understand the verse from Luke to apply to how we give our money and invest for Eternity. But we miss a great portion of its application if we don’t look at it in context. Verse 35 is smack dab in the middle of a passage where Jesus is majoring on how we treat others, particularly those who don’t treat us well or cannot do anything beneficial for us in return. Focusing in on just verses 35-38 gives us a broader idea of what this particular verse has for us: But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for He Himself is kind to ungrateful and evil men. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful and do not judge and you will not be judged; and do not condemn, and you will not be condemned; pardon and you will be pardoned. Give and it will be given to you; good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, they will pour into your lap. For by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you in return.

We see that the meaning goes far beyond our checkbook. Jesus is including how we treat people, how we view them, how we judge them. He calls us to be merciful - not condoning sin but rather not giving others the judgment they deserve. Extending grace and the benefit of the doubt, rather than condemnation. Making allowances for their failures and offering understanding for their shortcomings. “Pardon” - releasing them from our expectations of what we believe they owe us. I don’t think this calls us to pretend the wrong behavior isn’t there - rather it is just not insisting that others conform to how we think they should behave and instead letting them answer to God.

The consequences of our choices, the standard we use towards others - whether financial or otherwise - is more of the same towards ourselves. And I believe these results happen in this present life as well as in Eternity. The measure we use towards others is the same God will apply to us. Multiplied.

May this truth grip our hearts and encourage us towards great mercy and generosity. Because we all want that to come back to our own lives!

Celebrate Easter

This Sunday, we will head to church to celebrate Easter. New clothes, pretty flowers, yummy food. All good things but what are we celebrating? The arrival of spring? An obligatory religious observation?  Let's take a few minutes to focus on what the day really means.

Jesus died. The One who healed folks who couldn't see or walk. He even brought some back to life. The One who fed the hungry. The One who loved people to wholeness, showed them how to live. The One who called people to repentance from sin. The One who said if we saw Him, then we had seen the Father.

This One, the Hope for all the world, died. And He said He had to. That it was why He came. To be the perfect sacrifice, required for the sin of the world. Can you imagine how His followers felt? Talk about grief and disappointment and confusion. I mean, really, they followed this Man and believed that He was going to change the world. They gave up their way of life to answer His call. They saw actual miracles and placed all their hope in Him.

 Then He ups and dies. Certainly they must have had a few moments of doubt - if He were really who He claimed to be, wouldn't He have asserted a little Divine power and wiped out the bad guys?? Ponder for a moment what your feelings would have been – disappointment, confusion, disillusionment, fear, maybe even anger?

Then, to the amazement of them all....even though He had told them...His body isn't in the tomb. He appears! Living and breathing! NO WAY!!!

The initial response must have been shock. Then, I imagine that Jesus’s words and explanations from the preceding three years began to sink in. They finally grasped what He meant, why He came, why He died and that He had come back to life. I wonder how long it took for them to understand what His death on the cross accomplished.

He paid the debt we owe God . Sin is costly - it exacts death from those who commit it. And Jesus's voluntary death was the only means by which our debt could be paid. So He paid it. Mercy. Amazing mercy. Love beyond compare. I hope we never get over being amazed at such great love!

But then He did the impossible. He defeated Death! No longer would man have to fear Death because Jesus overcame it! Not only can our sin be paid for so that we can be acceptable to God, but we now don't have to fear Death. He conquered it! Because of His resurrecting Himself, He gives to us the promise of resurrection. To live forever, without sin or death. Oh hallelujah!

This year, as we celebrate Easter,let's focus on what His death AND His resurrection do for us. And ponder, just for a moment, that this same power that raised Jesus from the dead resides in us. NOW. Is there anything in your life that could use some resurrection power? A relationship? A dream? Finances? Self-control? Joy? Hope? Because of Easter, that power, that Glory, can be present in our lives through Jesus. Those of us who are Christ-followers have resurrection power that enables us to live supernatural lives. If that doesn't describe you, do you want it to?

Celebrate Easter. For real.

Practice these things for peace

One of the most pervasive problems in our world today is the battle against anxiety. It plagues every social strata, every age group, and both men and women alike. In fact, statistics tell us that well over 50% of Christan women- whether it’s mild nervousness or debilitating fear - are losing this battle.

Yet Scripture makes it clear that God wants us to have peace. Not anxiety In John 14:27, Jesus says “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.” His plan indeed is for us to have genuine peace, and He tells us specifically in Philippians 4 how we can access that in our lives. Instead of viewing anxiety as an inescapable burden of living in this world, Philippians 4 frames it as an invitation from God for intimacy with Him. And Paul tells us how to RSVP yes to that invitation…

Verse 9 instructs us “What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me - practice these things and the God of peace will be with you”. If we want to enjoy the peace that is unlike what the world can offer, peace that we cannot understand, then what are the “these things” we should practice? While the Apostle Paul is likely referring to all the topics he addresses in the book, I see four specific things in this chapter that are the pathway to peace for those of us in Christ Jesus. The things we should practice (not “try” a time or two and expect miraculous results but practice so as to form new habits) are 1) rejoicing in the Lord 2) praying with thanksgiving 3) discipline our thoughts and 4)learn contentment.

First, rejoicing in the Lord. Is Paul describing a “Pollyanna attitude”, where we pretend all is well even when it’s not? Is he telling us to just “praise the Lord anyway”?

I think not.

I believe that we are being instructed in Philippians 4 to find joy and satisfaction in who Christ is and what being justified in Him means for us. I believe it is setting our hearts on the treasure of our relationship with Him and cultivating a love for Him that surpasses our loves for other things (including ourselves). Rejoicing in the Lord. Practicing that into a habit opens the pathway of peace into our hearts.

Second - praying with thanksgiving. Verse 6 - “Do not be anxious about anything but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be known to God.” Both elements of this habit to practice are crucial. Paul acknowledges that life in this world tempts us to worry. No doubt about it. There are small things that nip at our hearts and minds and there are very big things that threaten to devastate us. In this chapter, he confronts that truth and he tells us what to do. He does not say ignore them or pretend they don’t exist. He says instead PRAY. Go to the only source who has the power and the desire to do something about what is plaguing your heart. PRAY. Pour out your requests to Him. Tell Him all about your troubles, as the old hymn puts it. But don’t merely recite a list of wants and desires - instead pray with THANKSGIVING. That is a most critical component. Gratitude. Being thankful to the Lord. Thankful for what? I Thessalonians 5:17,18 explains it well - “Pray without ceasing and give thanks in all circumstances for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”

We can begin with being thankful for the blessings we like - what we consider as “good” in our lives. Make it a habit to continuously recognize, acknowledge and be grateful for the countless blessings we enjoy. My husband has made it a habit to record three specific things to be grateful for in his journal everyday. I am not as faithful as he is to do so but when I practice this, it makes such a difference. Gratitude displaces fear, worry, a critical spirit, negativity, the list goes on and on. Gratitude to God is so powerful that it spills out onto earthly relationships as well. Expressing appreciation is a game changer in all the ways!

The third habit that we are exhorted to develop is verse 8 - think right. “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” Learning to discipline our thoughts, practicing what it means to “take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5) means that we choose not to fall prey to speculations, “what if’s” or destructive thoughts. This passage is not advocating “the power of positive thinking” or ostrich-like deniability but it is instructing us to be intentional with where we fix our thoughts. And to trust the character of God to sustain us, care for us, and provide what we need for victory. This habit cannot be overstated - it is very powerful - but we should know that, depending on the state of your mind, it can involve hard work to develop. But God be praised that our brains are not set like concrete but rather they are pliable and able to be changed. With His grace and our perseverance, we can develop new pathways for our thoughts to follow so that we more quickly default to trust than to anxiety.

The final habit this passage lays out for us is to learn contentment. Verses 12,13 explain “I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.” The fact that the apostle says he has learned contentment lets us know that it is not a natural state! We naturally strain towards discontentment! But Paul tells us we need to learn the secret of being satisfied - joyful- regardless of what our circumstances dictate. And that secret is abiding in Christ. (So for the record, verse 13 does not apply to winning a Natty !) Learning that only through the power of Christ and leaning into who He is so that I trust Him is the secret to learning contentment. To not only pour out my requests before God but also to peacefully, joyfully accept His answer, even when that answer is “no”. What a powerful habit to develop!

And if we pursue and practice these habits, verse 9 promises us that “the God of peace will be with you.” Practice effects peace. Amen.

Have you heard....

When I was a little girl, a popular TV show had a segment where a group of girls sang a song that went something like this "You'll never catch one of us repeating gossip...so you'd better be sure and listen close the first time!"  Hee-Haw.  Made us laugh every time we saw it.

It's not so funny being the victim of gossip, though.  Can you relate??


God makes it very clear that He hates gossip.  He lists it among murder and pride and lying in Proverbs 6:16-19 --
There are six things the Lord hates – no, seven things he detests: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that kill the innocent, a heart that plots evil, feet that race to do wrong, a false witness who pours out lies, a person who sows discord among brothers.

The dictionary defines gossip as "idle talk or rumor, especially about the personal or private affairs of others".  OK, so what's "idle talk"?  Since Scripture warns us about such, we should know what it is.

But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment.  Matthew 12:36

Gulp.  This sounds serious indeed. And it is.  Gossip, or idle talk, consists of things said about other people that are not profitable to the subject, the hearer, or the speaker.

  Gossip is sometimes lies sprinkled with some truth.  Words that cause the hearer to think less of the person being "discussed" .  Words that destroy relationships.  Murder reputations.  Other times, the juicy morsels are all lies.  And irreparable damage is done. But sometimes, gossip consists of things that are true but would have been better left unsaid.  Words that are not profitable for the one being discussed. Secrets shared that should have never been disclosed.

Take a look at these verses with me:
 Proverbs 16:28,  A troublemaker stirs up dissension, and a gossip separates close friends.

A man who lacks judgment derides his neighbor, but a man of understanding holds his tongue. A gossip betrays a confidence, but a trustworthy man keeps a secret  Proverbs 11:12-13.

I've done it.  Maybe you have, too.  Shared some information that was of no benefit to the hearer or the subject.  It's almost comical how we do it.  "Did you hear that..." or "I don't know if this is right but I heard..."  My personal UNfavorite is the one thinly disguised as a prayer request - "I know you'll want to be praying about this....".  Super spiritual for sure.

I don't know why we are tempted to do it.  When we do, we have fallen prey to the deception that such "sharing" will be beneficial to US.  That by tearing someone else down, we will look bigger. But that's the biggest lie of all.  We not only do damage to others with our gossipy words, but we also destroy our own selves.

Maybe we will be motivated to curb our gossipy tongue when we remember the truth of Proverbs 18:21 -
  Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits 

We will enjoy the fruit of life-giving words.  Or we will reap the consequences of death-inducing words.

My Mama said it this way "What goes around, comes around."

Amen, Mama.  Amen.