True Wisdom

"O Ephraim, what more have I to do with idols?

I will answer him and care for him.

I am like a green pine tree;

your fruitfulness comes from me.

Who is wise?  He will realize these things.

Who is discerning?  He will understand them.

The ways of the LORD are right;

the righteous walk in them,

but the rebellious stumble in them."

Hosea 14:8-9

They invested their time in our community.  Many hours were sacrificed in their quest to make our neighborhood pool safe and pleasant for the benefit for all who live here.  They selfishly gave out of a desire to make a difference.  Their reward?  Homeowner's cursed them out.  Some called them racist.  Still others threatened and belittled their efforts.  Finally out of discouragement and frustration, they quit serving; and no one can blame them.  

I can relate to this couple who tried to make their little part of the world a better place.  It's a worthy goal.  The problem is when I try to make a difference in my own strength.  I run into difficulties when I make an effort using my own knowledge.  My engine quickly runs out of steam and I hit the wall of discouragement when I am doing it for the wrong reasons.

The Apostle Paul says that God should be my motivation for everything I do.  "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men." (Colossians 3:23)  If I change the reason why I do the things I do, I won't lose heart as easily.  When my expectation is that a human will appreciate all the hard work I am putting into a project, then I will feel disappointed, unappreciated and dejected when no one notices.  But if I instead expect no recognition except from my Father in heaven, then I will be able to withstand all kinds of mistreatment.

Following God and doing all for Him will never take me down a path that is wrong. Doing things out of obedience to His calling will always succeed in making a difference in God's Kingdom.   If I want true wisdom in how to live my life, I need look no further than Him.

Trust Him

Jesus was falsely accused, unfairly sentenced to death, spat upon, flogged, mocked, made fun of and beaten before He was finally nailed to the cross.  As He withstood this treatment out of obedience to His Father's will, salvation for all mankind was made available to those who trust in Him as their Savior.  But throughout the horrible ordeal, Jesus never stood up for Himself.  He never said a word in His defense.  Even though all power was made available to Him, He trusted His Father and His plan instead of lashing out at his accusers.  

Oswald Chambers said that, "Our Lord trusted no man; yet He was never suspicious, never bitter, never in despair about any man, because He put God first in trust; He trusted absolutely in what God's grace could do for any man.  If I put my trust in human beings first, I will end in despairing of everyone; I will become bitter, because I have insisted on man being what no man ever can be--absolutely right.  Never trust anything but the grace of God in yourself or in anyone else."

I admit that I give way to much credit to my fellow man.  I expect good treatment and a word of encouragement.  Instead, I receive ridicule and opposition.  I think it's reasonable for people to support my efforts, but no one shows up and I end up doing it all myself.  I give, give and give and people just keep taking.  

My problem is not that I'm doing the wrong things, but that I'm not leaving the outcome in God's hands.  He is in charge of the results, my own task is to do as He's asked.  If He wants me to mop the floor, I scrub away.  If someone tracks mud on it's sparkling clean surface 10 minutes later, that is frustrating, but it doesn't undo my obedience. My objective wasn't so much a clean floor as in doing as I'm told.   God is pleased.  

If He puts it on my heart to tutor a child, I plan lessons and carry out the mission.  If the student doesn't put forth the effort or fails to show up, I am not unsuccessful.  I have done my part and God is pleased.

If God opens the door for a business opportunity and I put my all into it, God is pleased with my efforts even if I never see a monetary blessing.  

Trusting God means I do what He says and leave the rest up to Him.  After all, His ways are right so following Him means I can't go wrong!

Willingly Choose

At the end of time when every human being will stand before the judgment seat of God, He informed us that, "Every knee will bow before me; every tongue will confess to God." (Romans 14:11)  I can either wait until that time to bow before my Maker, or I can honor Him by living His way now.  Everyone will acknowledge Him as God and Jesus as Lord; the only variable is time.  Either I do it now under my own volition, or do it then under God's compulsion.

Despite what is popular to believe today, there is such a thing as truth.  God's way is good and right.  As the Creator of this universe, He knows how best to run things.  I, however, only look out for my best interest.  I can't see the big picture so my choices mostly lead to destruction and emptiness.  

I have the option of willingly choosing today to submit my will to His, trusting Him for the outcome of my efforts and opting to walk in righteousness.   Paul instructs us how to do this in a practical way in Ephesians 4:29-32.  He says to only say things to build others up, telling them what they need to hear not what I want to say.  It is also important to sweep my life clean of bitterness, rage and anger, and to stop bringing others down either physically or with my words.  Instead, I can choose to act in a kind and compassionate way, cutting others a break as I remember how much God has forgiven in my life.

When I am under attack and being threatened with a law suit, I can rest in the knowledge that God is in control and He will serve as my Defender.  I can choose to live at peace with my foe.  

When I am feeling anything but loved in my marriage, I can choose to obey God and respect my husband.

When my temptation is to show disgust and loathing for those who treat me cruelly, I can instead decide to love them as God has loved me.    

Living God's way is a choice I can make now for, "He whose walk is blameless and who does what is righteous. . . will never be shaken." (Psalm 15:2 and 5)

Stubbornly Resist

One of my dogs can act pretty stubbornly at times.  If he's afraid of a sprinkler, for instance, he will dig his heels in and refuse to proceed.  The only way to be able to continue on the walk is for me to make a wide berth around the perceived threat.  

This is not uncommon behavior, in fact it's quite prevalent in human beings, especially in the toddler and teenage stages.  Have you ever tried to make a two-year-old child eat something he doesn't like?  He will stubbornly resist.

I can be just as inflexible in my insistence to live my life my way.   I know God wants me to put others needs above my own, but my flesh cries out to satisfy my own desires and strive to reach my selfish goals.  Many times I know I need help, but my pride holds me back from asking.  What will people think?  Other times it feels good to put a mean and nasty person in their place instead of loving them right where they are.

My nature is rebellious toward God and His righteous pathway.  It is easy and natural to fight against His ways.  In order for me to please Him and live a life of peace, however, it is necessary for me to stop digging in my heels and let Him lead.

Stubbornly resisting God is a lifestyle choice that will lead to strife and discord.  

The motivation for living my life can come from many different directions, but true wisdom comes from putting God first and acknowledging Him as the Lord of my life.  This will be evident in the way I trust Him enough to obey without worrying about the outcome, in my choice to willingly follow Him, and in how I let go of my natural tendency to stubbornly resist His ways.  Then I can consider myself to be a wise woman.  

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I can strive to obtain this kind of true wisdom.

How do I fail to trust God, instead trying to work toward a certain outcome?

When do I dig in my heels against God's gently prodding?  

God Allows U-Turns

"I will heal their waywardness

and love them freely,

for my anger has turned away from them."

Hosea 14:4

Growing up on a small farm, I have amazing memories of the animals we raised.  There was the time I spent watching my favorite cow give birth to a snow white calf whose eyes were fringed with long lashes and an adorable curly forehead, or the assortment of dogs and cats we adopted through the years.  Animals filled my childhood with joy.  

There was one dog in particular who was different than all the others.  I'm not sure where we found "Skippy" but he was a trouble maker.  He frequently ran away, making him the only dog we ever had to tie up.  This little energetic mutt was the color of peanut butter and dug holes all over the yard as well as humped the leg of my best friend every time we tried to play tether ball.  Skippy was a mess and my mom soon reached the end of her patience and adopted him out.  

I am not unlike Skippy.  Besides having a propensity for getting into mischief, I also tend to stray away from the path Jesus has set me on.  I get distracted by opportunities to quench my desires,  I go on a quest to please man, running off the path in the process.  Other times I chase after selfish dreams that fall outside of God's will for my life and take me to a place far away from Him.  

Thankfully, I am reconciled through faith in Jesus Christ to a holy and just God who is also a loving, gracious and merciful God.  When I turn away from my unfaithful pursuits and go back to Him, there is much blessing to be reaped.

Heals my Waywardness

There's a song in Annie Get Your Gun where the main character sings about her uneducated family and how they still get along just fine, "Doin' What Comes Natur'lly."  They simply follow their instinct.  I can do the same in my life, merely following my natural inclination.  The problem is, my flesh is in conflict with God.  I can't follow Him and me; I must choose.  

As I come back to God and desire to do things His way, He provides a way for me to stay on track.  The Apostle Paul explains that when I do what comes naturally, my mind is focused on my own needs and wants and I am walking on the path that leads to death, finding it impossible to please God.  But when I follow God's Spirit, I think about what He desires and go toward life and a state of peace with Him.  Following Him, I find I'm able to do what pleases Him.   (Romans 8:5-8)

Dedicating my life to following Jesus does not mean I will never make mistakes or fall off the path.  What it does mean is that I have a way to please God.  I am able to think about lovely, noble and true things.  His love will flow through me and touch the lives of those around me.  I will have power to resist the temptation to go back to my old, sinful ways.   I am a new creation, created in Christ Jesus to do good works which He prepared in advance for me to do!

I no longer live for me.  Thanks to the redemptive work of Jesus Christ, it is no longer me who lives, but Him who lives within me!

Repentance of my old ways leads to the blessing of power over my tendency to stray.  

Loves Freely

One of the greatest gifts Jesus has given me is the freedom for me to be myself.  I have spent a lifetime trying to be who I thought I should be, repressing the "unacceptable" or embarrassing parts and pretending to have more popular or tolerable traits.  Now, as I truly understand God's love for me, I am released from my fear of rejection: His perfect love has driven it away. 

The Sidewalk Prophets sing about this amazing love of God.  Take a moment and listen to the words of how He loves me, even though I'm sometimes afraid to try, to trust, to truly live.  But mostly how He loved me enough to die for me even though my sin condemned me to death.  He loved me: His mocker, His enemy, His executioner.  He loved me enough to take my punishment, even though I don't deserve it.   How could this be?

Repentance of my old ways leads to the blessing of His overflowing love in my life.  

Turns His Anger Away

As a child, I knew when I had gone too far; pushed too many buttons; crossed the line.  I knew the punishment I was about to receive from my dad was well-deserved.  I had earned it.

In the same way, I have earned God's wrath.  My sin deserves the punishment of death.  There is no doubt about it: I have crossed the line of God's acceptable behavior.  Perfection is His standard, and I have fallen far below.  

God, in His great mercy, does not give me what I deserve.  Instead, He sent His Son to take the punishment He requires for my sin, paving a way for me to get to Him.  This is the definition of mercy: God not giving me what I deserve.

You see, I am a natural-born enemy of God, earning His wrath.  Colossians 1:21-22 says that I was alienated from God and was an enemy in my mind because of my evil behavior.  Maybe I don't think I'm evil, but my natural tendencies repulse His holiness!  But. . . now he has reconciled me by Christ's physical body through death to present me holy in God's sight, without blemish and free from accusation . . .

Each breathe I take is evidence of this turning away of God's righteous anger.  I should be dead because I am in conflict with Him.  Instead, He chose to let me live.  Can I ever truly comprehend this truth?

Repentance of my old ways leads to the blessing of His mercy, shielding me from His anger.

Even though I'm just like Skippy the dog and tend to wander away from God, turning back to Him offers many blessings.  I will be healed from my desire to please my flesh and given a way to live faithfully for His glory.  His love will flow freely into my life through His amazing grace, and His mercy will turn His righteous anger away from me.  In short, what I give up in turning away from my old ways pales in comparison to the glory that awaits!

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I will turn back to Him in all the areas I've been unfaithful.

How does fear block the love God freely offers?

When do I fail to offer this love to others that He so abundantly gives to me?   

Fight the Drift

"When I fed them,

they were satisfied;

when they were satisfied,

they became proud;

then they forgot me."

Hosea 13:6

The lead character in the 2004 movie Napoleon Dynamite is a listless teenage boy living a strange and seemingly hopeless life with his adult brother, grandmother, and pet llama named Tina.  As meaningless as his life appears to be, it pales in comparison to his Uncle Rico's middle-age existence.  Rico lives in the past of his glory days as a high school athlete.  As he reaches the prime of his life, he has nothing to show for it except for a rusting camper-van and a brain-full of memories.  Rico is resting on his laurels, satisfied with what he was able to achieve in high school and failing to set any more goals for the rest of his life.

It is dangerously easy to take on this same kind of mindset in my walk with Jesus.  I may experience an especially close time with Him, or see Him work through me in an extraordinary way.  I ride the high of that encounter for a period of time, expecting more of the same.  When life settles into the dull, monotonous routine of a day to day existence, I begin to drift away from God, choosing instead to comfort myself with thoughts of days gone by when my faith was stronger, when God seemed so close and when I felt like I could do anything.

There is a definite progression away from God that begins with God working in a mighty way.  For the Israelites, it was being delivered from the bondage of slavery in Egypt.  Once they escaped the oppressive grip of the cruel Pharaoh, they began a period of 40 years of wandering in the desert so that God could help them to be humble and reliant on Him.  There was always the reminder to keep to God's ways and the warning that comfort would bring a tendency to drift away from Him.  

In order for modern day believers to fight against this propensity to drift away from God when the going gets easy, it is necessary to make a conscious effort to keep moving toward Him.  It is also important to understand the progression that takes place quietly and stealthily pushing me further and further from the God who loves me.   

Satisfaction

It is the American dream: earn a degree, land a great job, buy a nice car, get married, move into a beautiful house, start a family, work toward attaining all the marks of success like enjoying amazing vacations and living a full and satisfied life.

The problem with this scenario is that it is possessions-driven.  My happiness depends on my circumstances, my income level and the number of toys I own.  Trying to find contentment in my stuff or position in life always leads to unhappiness.  Or, as King Solomon said, "Whoever loves money never has money enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income.  This too is meaningless."  (Ecclesiastes 5:10)

To fight against this tendency to find my worth and sense of achievement from physical things, I can focus on God and His plan for my life.  He made me for a purpose, has a plan for my life, and sometimes that plan may include difficult times.  

But putting my trust in God, allowing Him to choose for me means that I'll feel content to let Him guide me.  If He leads me down a path of financial success, then I'll feel content.  If, however, He takes me down a road of hardship and difficulty, I will feel equally content because I will say, "I can do everything through him who gives me strength."  (Philippians 4:13)

To guard against finding satisfaction in worldly success and wealth, it helps to instead focus on God's plan and how I fit into His kingdom.

Pride

The next step in the progression away from Jesus is in taking myself too seriously when things start going well.  I become comfortable in my life and I start to feel pretty capable and independent, able to take care of all my needs.

There was a king who reigned in Judah for 52 years.  He started off well, doing right in the eyes of the Lord.  Because of His faithfulness, God gave Him success.  "But after Uzziah became powerful, his pride led to his downfall.  He was unfaithful to the LORD his God, and entered the temple of the LORD to burn incense on the altar of incense." (2 Chronicles 26:16)  Keeping in mind that only the priests were authorized to perform this act of worship, it is easy to see how far away Uzziah had drifted.  His pride made him think that he could do anything he wanted to do and that God's ways didn't really matter.

This sounds similar to what I often hear in today's culture.  "God can't expect us to stay sexually pure in this day and age. . . that's old-fashioned." "It's just a little white lie, everyone cheats on their taxes."  "My mom just doesn't understand me. . . I don't really have to do what she says because she doesn't have a clue."

I may not have reached the heights of King Uzziah in terms of power and wealth, but I do have lots of resources at my fingertips.  It's a short slide down to a pond where I have made myself out to be the biggest fish.  I think I can figure out the answers, solve all my problems and come up with a good plan for my life. If I don't want to end up like Uzziah who was struck with leprosy and consequently sentenced to a life of seclusion, I would be wise to fight against becoming too big for my britches. 

To guard against pride taking me even further from God and His ways, it helps to stay grounded by remembering His sovereignty and my own lack of control.  

Forgetfulness

I was talking to a couple of friends the other day about how my mind seem to be declining as I age.  I forget things I used to remember, like doctor's appointments and where I placed my keys.  As normal as this digression is, it is still a bit depressing to see a once good memory fade away.

Even though my tendency to forget about God is not the same, it does have the same way of sneaking up on me.   As Casting Crowns described in their song, Slow Fade,  "People never crumble in a day, it's a slow fade."  Listen to the song and think about how easy it is to compromise, how natural it feels to give yourself to away until one day you wake up and find yourself in a place you never wanted to be, and how fast your faith can crumble.  

No one really sets out to turn their back on God.  I have no intention of doing so, but I know I have an Enemy who would like nothing more for me.  As a result, I must constantly assess my priorities and ask who it is I go to for advice.  Who am I following?  Who am I trying to please?  The answers to these questions will give me an indication of who is my god.  Otherwise, I may slowly begin relying own strength and intellect, seek my sense of self-worth from another, or look to my source of happiness outside of His Kingdom.  It is then that I will find myself in a place where I never even think about God.

To guard against my natural tendency to drift away from God and toward a destructive lifestyle, I must fight against the slow fade and purposefully dedicate each moment to Him.

I could easily be just like Uncle Rico, living in the past and giving up the fight.  Instead, I want to glorify God with every waking moment.  In order to do this, it is important that my satisfaction come from God, that I ask God to continue to humble me so that He is exalted, and that I never take my eyes off my Savior.  I don't want God to look at my fruitless life and ask what I've been doing with my time.  Instead, I want to hear from Him, "Well done, good and faithful servant!"  (Matthew 25:21a)

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I will be able to fight against the drift.

In what areas do I easily drift away from God and His ways?

When do I tend to compromise, beginning a downward spiral that leads away from God?

The Lion Roars

"I will not carry out my fierce anger,

nor will I turn and devastate Ephraim.

For I am God, and not man--

the Holy One among you.

I will not come in wrath.

They will follow the LORD;

he will roar like a lion.

When he roars,

his children will come trembling from the west.

They will come trembling

like birds from Egypt,

like doves from Assyria.

I will settle them in their homes,"

declares the LORD.

Hosea 11:9-11

The boy had everything he needed: a family that loved him, a soft pillow on which to lay his head, a caring father who taught him the skills needed for him to succeed as a man, regular, delicious meals enjoyed around the table.  His life was complete.  Or so it looked to be on the outside.  Inside, however, he felt discontent and restless.  He wanted more than this ordinary, boring life.  He wanted to see the world, live adventures and experience all that the world had to offer.  

That fateful day, early in the morning, he made his decision.  Approaching his father, he rehearsed the speech in his mind.  He knew his father would not approve of him receiving his inheritance early, but he had made a good case to try to persuade him.  "Father, I appreciate everything you have done for me.  You have taught me well and I am ready to make my own way in the world.  I would like to receive my inheritance."

His father stood quietly for a few moments, eyes closed, hands clasped behind his back.  "Your request is granted.  Go in peace and find your dreams, my son.  I love you. . .and I'm praying for you."

I am like the prodigal son in so many ways.  I want more than what God has so generously given to me.  I don't want to wait for the blessing.  I think I have a better plan.  But like the father in this story, God takes me back when I have come to the end of myself and realize how much I need Him.  He rejoices when I come to Him, realizing that I can't live without Him.

The time has come for me to return to the Lord.  He is roaring. . .am I listening?

I Have Run Away

Maybe He didn't really mean what I thought He said.  At least that's the thought the young man comforted himself with as he fled. He couldn't have really meant for me to go to that evil place and actually speak out against their wicked deeds!  They are a ruthless people and would kill me on the spot!  God wouldn't put me in the position. . . would He?

And so he ran, travelling in the opposite direction of God's directive in the hopes that if he got far enough away, God would forget, let it slide, or maybe even change His mind.  I'm just not the courageous type. . . I'm not ready to die.

Jonah is not the only one who runs away from God.  I do it all the time.  There are things I know God wants me to do, people I know God wants me to befriend, or habits I know God wants me to give up.  Stubbornly, I turn my head away from Him, hoping He'll forget, let it slide, or maybe even change His mind.  If I just pretend I didn't know, maybe He'll let me off the hook.

Like with Jonah, God has a way of bringing me around to face the Truth.   "I am with you always. . . .My power is made perfect in weakness. . . obedience is better than sacrifice."  I can be assured that God will get His way.  Either I can willingly take part in His work, or I can spend my time rotting away in the belly of a whale!

The lion is roaring, calling me back from where I've fled.

I Have Gone Elsewhere for Help

They were left alone, unprotected.  While the rest of their people were taken captive to a foreign land, they were left at home, exposed and vulnerable.  They were afraid for their lives as threats arose from all sides.  Then came the message from God: stay put and I'll protect you, I will bless you and build you up.  Don't be afraid of those who seem so menacing.  I will save you and deliver you from their hands.  Stay right where you are.  (Jeremiah 42:9-12) 

But their fear overcame them.  The Pharaoh of Egypt was strong and he would protect them, this they could see with their own eyes.  God's promises were all well and good, but how could they trust Jeremiah the prophet to have really delivered a message from God?  What if he was wrong?  What if it was just wishful thinking? They decided that he was probably lying so that they'd be tricked into captivity as well.  No, they were sure it was time to abandon their homeland and flee to the security of Egypt.  

So they fled to the forbidden land . . .but punishment was coming.

There are times when I, too, look to other sources for help instead of relying on the One who promised to provide for all my needs.  I depend on people, available resources and my own common sense to help me solve my problems.  I rarely turn to God for guidance or wisdom.  Instead, I do as the world around me does: I pull myself up by my bootstraps and carry on.  As my husband is fond of saying, I "suck it up!"  

But God doesn't want me to fend for myself or become independent.  Instead, I am to look to Him as my Father to give me what I need.  Sometimes that means He'll send others to fill a gap, other times I may need to use a government program, or He may provide an opportunity to work for it.  But I'll never know how He wants me to handle a situation unless I talk to Him and give Him the authority to make the decision for me. My life is not my own, I was bought with a price and belong to Him. 

The lion is roaring, calling me back from where I have gone to for help.

I Have Been Carried Off

She looked so beautiful; He knew he shouldn't look, but he couldn't bear to not.  Such beauty should not be hidden!  I must have her.  And so began the obsession.  He lost all semblance of control as he considered things never before regarded.  I just want to talk to her. . . maybe she could come to the palace. . . . perhaps she could be mine. . . . Then came the deceit, the betrayal, the treachery, the murder.

David was carried off by the passions of his heart.  His fleshly desires became ruler of his life.  God no longer mattered; all that was important was that he got what he wanted.  This accurately describes certain times of my life when I put God on the back burner and focused solely on my dreams, my wants and my life.  I knew God was there calling me, but my desires were more important during that time.

Being carried off by sin never ends well.  With David it meant the loss of his son.  It also means the loss of precious time lost with the One who loves me and knows the purpose for which He created me.  There are always consequences to be faced for letting sin rule my life.

The trouble with sin as a master is that I become insensitive to it's danger. It's like having a boa constrictor for a pet: it is beautiful, but always capable of destroying me at any moment.  When I give myself over to sin,  I become comfortable with the idea of living in a state of disobedience to God.  I don't mind offending Him with my actions, attitudes and language.  Instead, I am carried away by my own flesh and living in a state of constant danger.

The lion is roaring, he is calling me back from where sin has carried me away.

It is never too late to return to God.  He is waiting to be an intimate part of my life, if only I will let Him in! When He roars, it is time for me to return to Him from where I have fled, to come back to Him as the source of my help, and to turn away from the sin I have embraced.  Then I can trust God to settle me into the life He has prepared for me to live!

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I will return to the Lord when I hear Him roar.

How do I ignore His beckoning call?

When do I pretend I don't know what He wants from me, preferring instead to follow my own dreams?

Garden of Grace

"Sow for yourselves righteousness,

reap the fruit of unfailing love,

and break up your unplowed ground;

for it is time to seek the LORD,

until he comes and showers righteousness on you."

Hosea 10:12

I live in a land of abundant choices, and nowhere is this more evident than in the aisles of an American grocery store.  Perusing the displays of toothpaste, for example, I try to find the one for which I'm looking.  My eyes rove across the labels, taking in the descriptions of the choices: tartar control, cavity protection, breath freshening, whitening or any combination thereof.  It takes me ten minutes to decide which one I want.  Then I enter the cereal aisle: Yikes!

There are choices to make in my spiritual life, as well.  There are decisions to make regarding what to say, with whom to associate, in what stand to take, of what entertainment to partake, or in what activities to participate.  Usually, I make these determinations based on cause and effect.  If I do "A" then "B" will happen.  

When following Jesus, however, this is not always the case.  There are many times I may be called to do things that don't make sense or which may have an outcome that seems counterproductive or even downright irresponsible.  Consider Abram, for example.  He was a man of God who was called to pack up everything he owned and take his family on a journey to his new home.  Oh, and by the way, God would let him know where that home was when he got there!  Who in their right mind would choose to sell their home, load up the U-Haul and start driving; destination unknown?  Meanwhile, the nieces and nephews, hired help, even your wife and nephew are asking, "Are we there yet?" and all you can say is, "I don't know."

Making choices that honor God does not rely on my common sense or on what is best for my welfare.  Instead, I am called to live my life for Him, even if I don't see the pay off immediately. . . or until I reach my eternal reward.  

Choose God

I love to plant seeds in my garden.  It is such a miracle to place a tiny seed in the ground, water it, and then a week or so later witness the emergence of a sprout from beneath the soil.  Soon it grows into a larger plant and begins producing fruit.  In all the years I have gardened, though, I have never reaped a carrot when I sowed a cucumber seed, or a watermelon if I sowed a kernel of corn.  I always reap what I sow.

In the same way, my spiritual harvest will depend upon what I plant.  If I'm never happy with what I have and always want more, my heart will be discontent.  If I only look at the negative side of things then my heart will be callous and pessimistic.  If I expect perfection from others then I will live my life in a perpetual state of disappointment and frustration.  

I can always look to Proverbs for some wisdom, and this time is no exception.  King Solomon wrote, "The wicked man earns deceptive wages, but he who sows righteousness reaps a sure reward."  (Proverbs 11:18)  If I want to experience a life of blessing, I will need to seek to please God in how I live my life.  This means I must choose to do things the way God has laid out in the Bible for me to live. 

But it is more than just following a list of do's and don'ts.  Living for Jesus is about my relationship with Him.  He is my Lord, and as such, I follow Him.  I can translate this to mean that He needs to be apart of every decision I make; large or small.  I don't just decide what to do and then ask His blessing.  Rather, I let Him decide for me and then do it His way.  As Oswald Chambers said, "Many of us do not go on spiritually because we prefer to choose what is right instead of relying on God to choose for us."

Jesus set an example in this.  When He lived on earth as a man, He was always focused on His Father's will.  He considered His own comfort, but His primary concern was in obeying His Father.  In the garden of Gethsemane, before He faced the agony of the cross, He prayed, "Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done." (Luke 22:42)  If I can set His life as my standard, considering His will to be the beacon that leads me, I cannot go wrong.

When it comes to pleasing God, letting Him choose for me means I will live a life of righteousness.  

Choose Love

When my family lived in North Carolina, my daughters were about 7 and 9 and there was a group of neighborhood bullies who constantly called them names, relentlessly chased them and were just plain mean.  Finally, the girls remembered the lesson they had learned from the Bible when Jesus said to love their enemies.  So, they gave those boys a big bag of candy.  The transformation was instantaneous and remarkable!  The once rude and nasty lads turned into polite and pleasant children.  There was never another problem with those former foes.

In a similar way, Jesus loved even when He was being mocked and mistreated.  As He hung dying on the cross, soldiers, bystanders, religious people and even the criminals who died beside Him, treated Him shamefully.  Instead of calling down fire from the heavens to devour them or commanding the legions of angels at His disposal to destroy the offenders, Jesus asked His Father to pardon them.  "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing."  (Luke 23:34)

I am faced with all kinds of meanness, cruelty and downright evil as I live as a foreigner in this dark world.  But as a child of the Father of love, I can choose to love as He has loved me.  I can follow the example of Jesus when He demonstrated His Father's love for us.  "Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends."  (John 15:13)

When a friend is hurting and in need of a compassionate listener, I can choose to put aside my desire to fix the problem and just hurt along with her, offering an understanding ear.  If a young man sideswipes me causing thousands of dollars worth of damage to my car, I can choose to extend grace and tell him it will be okay.  For the times when the teenage girl turns up her nose and sneers at me, giving me the stink eye, I can choose to accept her where she is and love her anyway.

Choosing love is not easy.  However, remembering that God loves me despite my failures, weaknesses and flaws can help to remind me to allow His love to flow out to others. ". . . the eyes of the LORD are on those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love."  (Psalm 33:18) When I trust that God's love will be there for me in future years, days and even moments, then I can trust His love to be there for others, as well.  His love will never let me down.  

When it comes to pleasing God, choosing to love when I feel like enacting revenge will result in a life of peace.

Choose to Receive

The ground in our South Carolina backyard consists mostly of clay.  Consequently, I had to use a pick-ax to break it up when first digging our garden and preparing the soil for planting.  After cracking the clay into chunks, I began the job of adding mulch and good soil, trying to improve the quality of soil so it was ready to receive the seeds for planting.  It took three years of repeating this process before the dirt became fertile enough to support good growth.  

My heart is like the hard clay ground.  If I don't let God work on it, breaking it down and putting in rich additives, I will not be able to receive the seeds of God's fruit.  Instead, I will remain cold, uncaring and indifferent.  In order to allow my heart to go through His tenderizing process, it is necessary for me to let go of my desires, my plans and my ways of thinking.  Then I can receive His desires, His plans and His way of thinking.  

As God works to humble me, I will be able to receive more of what God has to offer.  In the past, my proud heart would hold people at bay.  Now I am able to let others see my flaws and mistakes, knowing God will use it to bring people to Him.  

Yesterday I couldn't bear to think about my sin, but today I can hold it in the light and let it go at the foot of the cross, leaving me with a sense of peace and serenity.

In years gone by I was afraid to do things that made me feel uncomfortable, but recently I can step outside my comfort zone in obedience to God.   

When it comes to pleasing God, I can't go on with a hard heart.  I must choose to let God tenderize it so I can receive the seeds of His amazing fruit.

I have many choices in how I can live my life, and many times I pick what will bring me the most satisfaction or success.  But if I instead let God choose for me, deciding to let Him love those around me and allowing my heart to go through the tenderizing process, I will receive the many blessings found in His garden of Grace.

As I begin this day it is my prayer that I will dwell in God's garden of grace.  

How do I resist allowing God to break up the hard soil of my heart?

When am I reaping fruit of deception instead of love?

Guilt without Repentance

"What can I do with you, Ephraim?

What can I do with you, Judah?

Your love is like the morning mist,

like the early dew that disappears."

Hosea 6:4

I was so impressed with his seemingly heartfelt apology.  "I'm sorry, Mrs. Boose, for acting disrespectfully towards you.  I know you are trying to help me.  I promise that it won't happen again."  He looked me in the eye.  He seemed so sincere.  A tear came to my eye as I considered the maturity of this 13-year-old boy.  

Then came the next youth event, and there he was again, acting in the same disrespectful way: back-talking, defying my direction, breaking the rules.  Nothing had really changed, even though he had seemed so earnest in his remorseful speech.  In reality, he said what his grandmother had made him say, but the words didn't reach his heart: they were shallow and meaningless.

It is easy to use this same approach in my relationship with God.  I feel guilty for what I've done, I tell Him how sorry I am and that I want to do better, but I don't make the effort to dig deep, laying the root of my sin at the foot of the cross.  I stay on the surface, trying to look good enough, but never trying to completely rid myself of the problem.

It reminds me of the jungle in my backyard.  Our yard backs up to a hill covered in large bushes and trees.  Unfortunately, there are also a lot of naturally occurring blackberry vines, poison ivy and other wild plants that worked together to create a jungle. One year, I declared war on this mass of wild undergrowth.  In February, when most of the plants were dormant, I began pulling out the growth, digging as deep as I could to remove all the roots.  I was amazed at how deep and extensive some of those roots ran.  Even today, nearly 2 years later, I am still waging war on the uncultivated growth due to the seemingly endless nature of the root systems.  Removing the roots is vital in the quest to prevent future growth of the invaders. In the same way, sin runs deep and has complicated roots and in order to remove it from my life, I cannot stay on the surface.

Maybe I don't really know God like I think I do.  I know a lot about His grace, mercy, and love.  I focus on that part of Him because it makes me feel good.  But I can't deny the reality of His other side.  He is a complete picture; perfectly balanced.  In order to truly be able to take Him seriously, I must understand His whole character.

Holy and Just

We once visited a condominium that had a very sensitive smoke alarm.  Either that, or I was a terrible cook.  Whatever the cause, the slightest amount of fumes would set the thing off.  It got so bad that I couldn't even make toast without the alarm sounding off.  Consequently, we removed the batteries, rendering the alarm impotent.

I tend to do this same thing when it comes to sin.  It's not that I like doing things in a way that displeases God, it's just that it's in my nature to adjust and adapt to my sin.  If I continue in a certain behavior, it may be uncomfortable and feel wrong at first, setting off alarms of guilt and shame, but after awhile I'll grow accustomed to it.  I'll adjust my thermostat to accommodate the new temperature.  I'll disconnect my sin meter, rendering it impotent.

God, however, is unable to look the other way when it comes to sin.  As it says in Hosea 7:2, ". . .they do not realize that I remember all their evil deeds.  their sins engulf them; they are always before me."  Knowing that God sees my sin and does not approve should make me quake in my boots.  As John R. W. Stott said, "Nothing will more quickly rid us of laziness and coldness, of hypocrisy, cowardice, and pride that the knowledge that God sees, hears, and takes account." 

While it is true that the blood of Jesus covers my sin, making me appear before God as white as snow, that doesn't make my sin acceptable. The key is for the thought that God is aware of my sin, even though it is forgiven through the sacrifice of Jesus, to act as a catalyst for repentance and change.  I heard it said that repentance is like a boat set on auto-pilot.  If I want to change direction, I must reset the auto-pilot.  I can't turn the wheel manually, trying to force myself to go away from the sin because I am programmed to go toward the area of disobedience.  Instead, I am to refocus my goal through the power of God toward His kingdom and away from that self-centered, fleshly objective.

If I struggle with using language that is harsh and worldly, I can instead fill my mind with pure, lovely and good things, aiming toward the goal of pleasing God with my mouth.  If I set high standards for others, unrealistically expecting godly behavior from them, I can reset those standards for myself, asking God to help me to please Him in all that I do.  If I live with an addiction, whether it's to a drug, food, exercise or a form of entertainment, I can let go of it and replace it with a devotion to God, letting Him fill that hole inside that the addiction never touched. 

Realizing how seriously God takes sin will help me to take the eradication of it in my life more gravely. It's a big enough problem that He needed to send His only Son to His death because of it.  Sin is not something God takes lightly, so neither should I.

God is a holy and just God, making sin abhorrent to Him.  Out of respect for Him, I should adopt the same attitude instead of accepting my sin as a part of life.

Not a Pushover

There was only one rule: Do not eat the fruit from the tree in the center of the garden.  They had plenty to choose from apart from the forbidden fruit.  The garden was perfect and good, as God had created it to exist.  Then temptation entered, casting the seed of doubt into the fertile ground of her mind.  It grew and became a possibility, then a pleasant option, until finally the step was taken, the line was crossed, the relationship was broken.


The family was escaping with their lives, fleeing from the destruction God had promised to an evil, wicked place.  He left them with the specific instruction not to look back to the place they had called their home for so long.   They were to look ahead to the salvation God was providing for them, not to reflect on what they were losing but to rejoice that they were being delivered.  As they ran, she turned to cast one last look behind her, back toward her suffering friends and neighbors.  It was the final act of her life.


The cart rattled along the rocky terrain as it carried the precious load.  A spirit of excitement and jubilation rang through the air as the men completed their significant task.  As they approached the threshing floor, the oxen stumbled, upturning the holy box.  Out of sheer desperation and a desire to protect the cargo, he reached out to steady the load with his hand. He fell to the ground as his heart ceased to beat and the breathe left his lungs.  He was gone.


God is not wimpy.  He does not go back on His word and when He says something, He means it.  He holds me responsible for what I know or have been taught.  Adam knew the fruit was forbidden, but he ate it anyway.  Lot's wife had been told not to look back, but she did it anyway.  David, Uzzah and the other men had at their disposal the instructions of how to transport the ark the way God had instructed so that no human hand would come into contact with it, but he touched it anyway.


In each example, the offender received harsh treatment.  There was no second chance, no time to negotiate or no moment of indecision.  God's action was immediate and authoritative.  There was no question as to how God felt about his directive being ignored.  The garden was barred, her flesh turned to salt, his life was taken.  Those are not the actions of a wimpy or indecisive God.  So why do I take His law so lightly?  


Perhaps its because I think I'm exempt because of grace, or that the God of the Old Testament no longer exists.  If I do, I am only fooling myself.  God does not play around, and I should not play around with Him.


God is dangerous and loving.  He's a lion and a lamb.  He is fire and water.  I can't accept one and deny the other.  Therefore, negotiating with God or ignoring Him are not safe options.  If I want to live a long and happy life, I will give God the respect and honor He deserves as the Creator of all things.


Reading the Bible, then, becomes a vital exercise in action, not just study.  Praying turns into a time of listening instead of only talking.  Living is transformed into an act of worship as a substitute for simply existing.  There is no condemnation for me as a follower of Christ, but I must always remember that the God who loves me takes His commands seriously.


God is not a pushover.  He is does not take disobedience lightly, so neither should I.

Jealous

She drove hundreds of miles through the night in a blind rage in order to confront the other woman.  Her jealousy impelled her to commit a desperate act of evil proportions.  Crimes of passion usually begin with a betrayal or infidelity of some kind.  Envy then rears it's ugly head as anger and resentment take over.  

God is not jealous as a woman is jealous of her lover's new partner or a child is envious of a playmate's toy.  No, God is jealous for my attention.  As His created being, I was made for Him.    It makes sense, then, that I must make God a part of everything.  He is worthy of all of my attention.  

If I truly understand His deep longing for meaningful relationships with His children, I would make it my goal to grow closer to Him and to earnestly seek to know Him better.  If I know the purpose for my existence lies in Him, I would make Him an integral part of even the simplest parts of my life.  If I comprehend how important I am to Him, I would place Him in the forefront of my mind throughout the day.  As Thomas Chalmers said, "Amid all my forgetfulness of Him, He never forgets me."

God is jealous for my attention so I would be wise to give it to Him.

Guilt can be a good thing when it points out where I am wrong and inspires me to change my course as I turn away from sin.  But by itself, it serves no purpose.  In order for me to take my sin seriously, I must learn how God is a holy and just God, how He's not a pushover, and that He wants my full attention.  Then I will be on the path to truly understanding my need for my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

As I begin this day, it is my prayer that I will never take sin lightly.

How do I ignore the dangerous part of God in the way I live my life?

When do I assume God will give me a pass when I'm doing something I know is wrong?