God's Who's Who

Ever since I was a teenager, I've read books and heard talks that sought to inspire the recipients to reach for the stars, dream the big dreams, do the impossible.  Those messages are appealing and inspirational indeed.  And I am all for doing things excellently, not shabbily.  But today, I'd like to examine these messages through the microscope of Scripture and see if perhaps we need to exercise caution in our reaching and dreaming and doing....

First, I concur that we should heed Colossian 3:23  Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men.   Christians should be known for being the best workers, most cheerful attitudes, and of greatest service to the organization.  The problem I have with some of these books and talks, though, is that the last phrase of this verse is often unheeded.  They don't encourage us to do great work for the Lord's reputation, but rather to enhance our own.  How to "get ahead", how to "succeed", how to "have a great career/marriage/kids" etc. Including "how to have a big church...." as opposed to how to advance HIS fame.

Next, on the "dream big" thing.  Check out this verse and see if you think it is consistent with that mindset.....

I Thessalonians 4:11,12

11 and to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life and attend to your own business and work with your hands, just as we commanded you, 12 so that you will behave properly toward outsiders and not be in any need.   

I know I am in unusual territory.  I know it doesn't sound right for me to suggest to teens and young adults "Don't aspire to be great.  Just aspire to lead a quiet life and work hard and treat people right"  I now that doesn't make for great conference speeches or book titles or conversation fodder.  But isn't that exactly what this passage teaches? 

Work hard, yes.  But not to advance your own interests.  Be ambitious, yes.  But let your ambitions be to lead a life that is not "grand" or "admirable" but rather one that treats others right.  Sometimes grand things do indeed come but they should come from God's hand, not from our pursuit, for His fame, not our pleasure.

The world will probably not make note of our accomplishments if we obey these verses.  Most likely, we won't be applauded or acclaimed or emulated very much.  At least not here.  But check out what God says in Malachi 3:16  Then those who feared the LORD spoke to one another, and the LORD gave attention and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before Him for those who fear the LORD and who esteem His name.

A book of remembrance written for the Lord Himself.  Better than any earthly listing in Who's Who.

Heart surgery

It has been my experience that God will gently and graciously repeat Himself when something in my heart needs attention. Not that He speaks in an audible voice (although He can do that, too!) but rather I will notice sort of a theme in devotionals I read or sermons I hear or conversations I have with friends. When the same verse “pops up” several times over a few days, I have learned to give it my attention. It usually means the lover of my soul has a message for me.

Such it was recently with Psalm 86:11. Teach me Your way, Lord; I will walk in Your Truth. Unite my heart to fear Your name. Today that verse was repeated in a devotional I read for what seems like the umpteenth time. So I opened my Bible to Psalm 86 and asked God what He wanted me to hear.

Here’s what I see:

First, context. In reading the entire Psalm, verse 11 appears to be dropped in the midst of expressions of praise and pleadings for answered prayer. It’s as though those heart-cries opened his eyes to the reality of his need: for God to teach him, help him, and fix him.

Working backwards in verse 11, the psalmist realizes that the goal is to fear His name. That doesn’t mean to be afraid of God - rather it is an awareness that God is holy…and we are not. It is a recognition that our greatest need and the greatest possible blessing is to know that this awareness effects right living. Having the proper view of God changes how we live.

So that’s the goal. But the psalmist realizes he faces an obstacle to reaching that goal: his own heart. Specifically, a divided heart. That’s why he uses the phrase “unite my heart”. The one God kept bringing to my attention. This is not a longing to be in unity with other believers (although that is certainly a good thing!). No, this is an awareness that the biggest problem we will ever face is not a set of challenging circumstances, other people, or even spiritual warfare. The biggest problem we have to face is much closer: our own heart. For believers, the problem is not so much that our heart is wretched but rather that our heart is divided.

Divided into parts that war against each other. The conflict between our new self and our old nature. Flesh vs spirit. Longings that are in opposition to one another. Like wanting to be fit but also wanting to eat the cookies I just baked for someone else. Longing for the willingness to die to myself yet also craving the comfort of relaxation. Having the desire to open my heart to everyone but still smarting from recent hurts that sprout a sense of self-protectiveness. Wanting for God to receive all the glory and yet longing to be thought valuable and significant myself. Striving towards obedience in the area of forgiveness but still tempted to nurse a grudge against those who hurt the ones I love. And on and on. A divided heart. One that needs to be united. United to fear His Name.

So what are we to do?

I think the answer is in that chapter, in that one verse even. First, as we realize that our heart needs uniting, we cry out to the only one Who can remedy it. God alone can cure the divided heart. Thus, we ask Him to do what only He can do so that we will fear His name and arrange our lives accordingly.

What else are we to do?
The first part of the verse instructs us:

Plead with God not only to unite our heart but first to teach us His way. The Hebrew word for “teach” there means not only provide instruction but especially to “lay the foundation”. We need more than mere knowledge - we need for God to build wisdom into us, to lay the groundwork for our lives, to actually be the rock on which our lives are built. Yes, Lord, teach us Your way!

As we look to Him to unite our heart, to build us on the Rock, we see a great truth in the middle phrase. I will walk in Your truth. At first glance, it seems like a simple declaration of how I intend to live: walking with integrity and obedience. But a deeper dive reveals much more. Much much more. The word “truth” carries with it the meaning of steadfast faithfulness. THAT is what I walk in. The truth that God is ever faithful. Even though I am not! He is steadfast to provide what I need. Which means I don’t have to fight for my own comfort or satisfaction or significance. He will provide that. I am free to forgive and risk being wounded again, free to entrust those I love to the One who loves them more because I can be secure in HIS faithfulness, HIS trustworthiness. I can walk in that - goodness gracious, I can RUN in that!

Lord Jesus, I cry out to You to unite my heart! I acknowledge the divisions that are there and I cast myself on Your goodness, Your power, Your faithfulness to heal them. To build into me the character of Christ, the sure and strong foundation of Your Word. Oh, my Savior, how I long to fear Your name and praise you forever! Thank you for teaching me with persistence <3 Oh, how I love Jesus!

From the view of the Groom....

I have had the great honor twice of being the Mother of the Bride. It truly is an honor and a privilege - I am so thankful I have some daughters and get to enjoy all the joys a wedding brings for a Bride. (Full transparency - I do hope to also enjoy being the Mother of the Groom some day but that’s not what this post is about!)

The planning. The preparation. The parties. The people. And the pictures. It is all so very exciting, so very fun. To be truthful, there might also be some Maalox Moments but I admit that I had it easy. My girls were pretty independent and low-maintenance Brides. The overall atmosphere was joy and fun. Getting to celebrate the joy they each had been to their Dad and me was high privilege. Watching him walk them down the aisle to the one God had chosen for them was priceless.

I stumbled across a verse today that reminded me of a specific moment in each of my girls’ weddings. One I will hold onto forever, treasuring it in my heart. At every wedding, I always enjoy watching the face of the Groom as he sees his Bride coming towards him and, even though I wanted to grasp every second as my gorgeous daughters were escorted by my husband down the aisle, I did not want to miss experiencing the joy of my sons-in-law in that moment. I am glad I got that chance. The tears of each Groom seemed to be full of gratitude, delight, love and maybe even disbelief that this was happening for them. It was surreal and a forever treasure indeed.

So what is the verse that reminded me of these scenes?

Isaiah 62:3 - You will also be a crown of beauty in the hand of the Lord, and a royal diadem in the hand of your God.

When I think about Heaven, and being the Bride of Christ, I usually think in terms of what it will be like for us as the Bride. Free from sin and all its effects. Inexpressible beauty, peace, and joy. FULLNESS of joy - all we can contain! Enjoying Him - forever! No tears, no fears, no sickness. No pain, no inadequacies, no sadness. No tension, no strife, mourning. Just beauty and peace and joy - the presence of our Redeemer FOREVER!

This verse, though, made me think of our Groom. How HE will feel. How HE will view His Bride. Somewhat like my Jon and Andrew saw my Katie and Mary as they floated towards them on the arm of my handsome husband. Receiving a crown of beauty, a royal diadem - that is how He describes us! Unbelievable!

To know we are so valued, so treasured, so delighted in is a game changer, isn’t it? Knowing that love is why Brides are so beautiful on their wedding day - and we can live in that assurance all the time. The Apostle Paul longed for us all to have that, evidenced by his words in Ephesians 3:17-19 : so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, and that you, being rooted and grounded in love may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge so that you may be filled up to all the fulness of God.

It is HE who makes us valuable. It is HE who makes us lovely. It is HE who makes us a crown of beauty and a royal diadem. A treasured people for His own possession. The joy for which He endured the cross.

Next time you are a wedding, watch the Groom’s face. And remember that is how Jesus is gonna look at US!!

Training sessions

I just love that, because God's Word is living and active, I can read a verse that is intensely familiar to me and still get a fresh Truth!  Depending on my circumstances or my level of obedience/maturity at that point, God often treats me to new nuggets of Himself even with portions of His Word that I have read many many times.

Such is the case for Wednesday's Word today. 


Hebrews 12:11 says "All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness."

Lots to focus on.   Here are some thoughts:
1.  All discipline seems hard (sorrowful).  Physical, emotional, mental, spiritual - all of it.  So  I shouldn't be surprised when it is difficult to work out or learn a new skill or change a wrong attitude or grow in grace.  Nor should I whine about it.  Fact of life - it's hard.  For everybody.  Get over it.

2.  Seems....yet - Discipline seems sorrowful but it is bearable because of the hope of its fruit.  Peaceful fruit of righteousness.  That's what we are after.  Discipline is the transport to get there.

3.  Here's the new nugget God gave me - "to those who have been trained by it".  News flash - not everyone who receives discipline automatically gets to enjoy the peaceful fruit of righteousness!!  No, that is only for those who have been trained by it.  So that means that I can thwart or nullify the work of discipline in my life.  If I don't cooperate with God's activity of discipline in my life, I will not only have to endure the unpleasant disciplinary work but neither will I enjoy the fruit He desires to produce by it! For sure God is always at work in my life but just as surely, I have a choice about how I respond to what He plans to accomplish.

How do I get trained by it?  Instead of short-circuiting His intention for me? 
Just a few suggestions -
1.  Self-examination.  Is there sin in my life that God wants to address?  Sometimes discipline is a result of sin.  Other times it is a catalyst to reveal sin that I was unaware of.  But it is always a call to examine myself and see what God wants to remove from me.(Psalm 26:2; 139:23,24)
2.  Development of endurance.  Struggling is not always bad.  Not at all.  We get stronger as a result of wrestling and enduring and not quitting.  Numerous passages in Scritpure exhort us to hang in there and not give up.  Persevere. We don't know what is ahead of us and today's discipline may very well be the opportunity to generate some muscle strength that will be needed in the demands of tomorrow.  So don't give up. (James 5:11)
3.  Embrace it.  What??? Embrace the suffering??? I already admitted discipline was sorrowful - why in the world would I embrace it??  Endure,maybe, but embrace??  Why... and how?
    - Why --- because "God deals with you as sons; for what son is there whom his father does not discipline?  But if you are without discipline, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate children and not sons" (Hebrews 12:7).  In other words, I realize that discipline is proof that I belong to God and that He loves me as His child.  And His purpose is for my good.  (Genesis 50:20)  If I cling to the absolute truth that He is always sovereign and always loving, then I can accept that whatever happens in my life is allowed by Him....for my good and His glory.
  - How -- by clinging to that truth.  Repeating it over and over to my weary and broken soul.  He is good and He loves me and He is accomplishing His purpose in my life.  2 Thessalonians 1:3 indicates that discipline enlarges our faith and grows our love.  Wow. 
And choosing not to feel sorry for myself - "knowing that the same experiences of suffering are being accomplished by your brethrent who are in the world" (1 Peter 5:9).  Other people have endured and accomplished - I can, too.
And relying on the comfort God provides to me...and comforting others who are also afflicted.  (2 Corinthians 1:3-5).  Get my eyes off myself and minister to somebody else.

Neglecting these things can cause me to forfeit the fruit God desires to bring about through the dicipline.  But being trained successfully by the discipline God permits in my life allows me to "be considered worthy of the kingdom of God" (2 Thessalonians 1:5) and gives me the opportunity  to  experience the truth of James 1:12 - "Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised t those who love Him".

Amen.