City on a Hill

"You are the light of the world.

A city on a hill cannot be hidden.

Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl.

Instead they put it on its stand,

and it gives light to everyone in the house.

In the same way,

let your light shine before men,

that they may see your good deeds

and praise your Father in heaven."

Matthew 5:14-16

I don't think of myself as a leader.  The leaders I know are confident, self-assured men and women who make a difference in my community, state, country or even in the world.  They are pastors, elected officials, business owners and politicians.  Leaders are in the spotlight giving sound bites and interviews.  Everyone looks to them for guidance and direction.

The thing is, I am a leader whether I realize it or not.  As a follower of Christ, people are watching me.  Others are looking to me for guidance and direction.  They are curious as to what I'm all about.  I may not give press conferences or interviews, but those who are watching me know what my message is by how I live my life.  

What message am I broadcasting?

Faith

Elisabeth Elliot, writer, speaker and wife of martyred missionary Jim Elliot said, "True faith goes into operation when there are no answers."  She should know a little about being sure of what she hopes for and confident of what she cannot see.  After her husband was killed in the jungles of Ecuador by three members of the fierce Auca tribe, she stayed on for 3 years with her young daughter, first boarding two Auca women, then living with the very tribe who had killed her husband and four other missionaries. 

The love of God drove this woman to show compassion to the very people who had brutally speared her husband to death.  To anyone who was paying attention, they were witnessing faith in action.  Observers were being taught how to trust God when everything seemed to be going wrong, when the mission seemed to be a complete and utter failure, and when five families had lost their husbands and fathers in one fell swoop.

Those who were watching Elisabeth were being led down a path of belief in a God who had a plan; a God whose sovereignty is supreme and whose vision is eternal.  Watchers were learning that God can be trusted in times of trouble and that He loves His creation with an everlasting love.

What message about faith am I sending to those who are around me?  What do they learn when they see that my marriage is difficult and love feels cold between husband and wife?  What am I showing them when repairs are mounting, bills are piling up and funds are nonexistent?  What are they seeing when everything seems to be going wrong and my life seems to be a complete and utter failure?  Who do I believe God to be? 

Am I living my life in a way that shows that God is up to the challenge?  That He is my Rock and my Redeemer? That all things are possible with God?  

My faith, or lack of faith, in God is one of the messages I am sending to those who are watching my life.

Hope

I remember a song from my childhood about an ant trying to move a rubber tree plant.  The chorus went, "but he's got high hopes, he's got high hopes, he's got high apple pie in the sky hopes.  So anytime you're feeling low, 'stead of letting go, just remember that ant; oops there goes another rubber tree plant!"

The truth is, we all need hope in order to carry on.  I need to believe that good things can happen and that everything is going to work out okay.

Without knowledge of my Creator, however, I think I would lose hope.  If I didn't know the One who had the plan for my life, how would I know things would turn out for the best?  How would I be able to keep from losing hope in the face of the great trials and difficulties of life?  Hope would be an exercise in futility. . . much like the hope the ant has in single-handedly moving a huge100-foot-tall plant.  

Trying to keep up the front of hopefulness in my own strength is impossible.  There is not much to hope for in this world.  Terrorism is on the rise, the economy is poor, jobs are scarce and love runs cold.

"But those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength.  They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint."  (Isaiah 40:31)

When I hope in the Lord, those who are watching will see a Light that stands out in a dark world filled with despair.  

Love

"The thing I don't get is why you keep welcoming my kids back into your home when they've acted so disrespectfully and treated you so poorly."

"Maybe you can answer this question for me.  Don't you find it strange that all the kids flock to your house after school, even before they go home?"

"Why does everyone go to you with their problems?"

These are examples of some of the questions and comments I've received lately.  It shows a clear example of how the love of God is drawing others to Him, and that those who are observing are taking note.  The kind of love most of us are used to is conditional,  It's there when things go right, but the moment it hurts, that love is gone.  

But God's love is different.  It is kind and patient.  God's love never gives up no matter how much abuse is dished out.  God's love endures through every circumstance; sickness, rebellion and nuisance.  God's love doesn't get irritated by childish behavior.  God's love never fails.

Letting God love others through you is one of the most powerful witnesses anyone could offer.  

As Pulitzer Prize-winner Jewish American writer Saul Bellow said, "A man is only as good as what he loves."

The way I allow God's love to flow through me is sending a powerful message to those around me.

I am a leader whether I realize it or not.  How am I leading those who are watching me?  I can send them life-changing illustrations of faith, hope and love in the way I live my life in accordance with God's Spirit.  Nothing is impossible with God!

As I begin this day, it is my hope that I will be mindful of those who are watching.

What message do I send when I'm feeling overwhelmed, under attack and weighed down with the worries of life?

How is God growing my faith through the circumstances of my life today?

Iron Sharpens Iron

"As iron sharpens iron,
   so one person sharpens another."

Proverbs 27:17

I was inspired recently by a friend of mine who uses this blog as a devotional for her 3 sons.  They explore the Biblical truths, talk through difficult issues and ponder deep thoughts.

When I first began writing this blog a couple of months ago, that was my intention; that the thoughts recorded here would inspire readers to live out Deuteronomy 6:6-9 as my friend so beautifully demonstrates. 

"These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates."

God desires for me to do more than simply read His Word.  He wants me to delight in it, to examine it, and to put it in to practice.

Delight

When I think of delight, I think of the way my dog reacts when he sees the leash and knows he is going for a walk.  He becomes very excited and can't wait to hit the road and start his adventure!

This is how I want to be with God and His Word; to brim with enthusiasm over studying His Word and learning more about Him.  

Examine

I remember an inspection we endured when moving out of Army housing at Ft Bragg.  We had hired a cleaning team to come in and thoroughly scour the entire quarters, but first we had to pass the inspection.  In anticipation of the renowned difficult clearing process at the North Carolina Army Post, I had done some preliminary cleaning and inspection of my own.  But nothing prepared me for his thorough examination of the bottom of the inside of our garbage can or the corners of the outsides of the windows!  Needless to say, we failed that inspection.

If I examined God's word using the same gusto this man employed in carrying out his inspection duties, I would know God better than I do.  Examining involves careful scrutiny and thorough investigation.  It takes time and effort, but produces a deeper understanding of God and His law.

Practice

It is relatively easy to read and study God's Word.  The real difficulty comes in putting it into practice!  James implores me in chapter 1 verse 22 to, ". . . not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says."

I love to read the Proverbs and chuckle at some of the vivid word imagery or stand in awe of the wisdom Jesus dispensed during His time in human form.  But when it comes to living it out, I struggle.  For example, Jesus said in Matthew 5:39 to, "not resist an evil person. If someone strikes you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also."

Another difficult word comes in Ephesians 4:29 where the challenging instruction is to, ". . . not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. "

And I always snicker at the picture conveyed in Proverbs 27:15-16, but I struggle with the content of the message. "A quarrelsome wife is like a constant dripping on a rainy day;
restraining her is like restraining the wind or grasping oil with the hand."

I want God's Word to transform me and fashion me into a new creation! 

Spending time with others in deliberation and discussion of scripture is vital to my spiritual growth.  I am inspired by my friend to take Deuteronomy 6:6-9 to heart and make a conscious effort to delight in His Word, examine it and obey it as I meditate upon His statues and discuss them with my family and friends throughout the day.  Won't you join me?

As I begin this day, it is my prayer that I will take your commands seriously, keeping them always on my mind.

When am I more eager to discuss the latest book or movie, but not what I'm studying in the Bible?

How can I begin a practice of regular discussion of God's Word in my home? 

Comfort

"Blessed are those who mourn,
   for they will be comforted."

Matthew 5:4

"Weeping may tarry for the night,
   but joy comes with the morning."

Psalm 30:5 (ESV) 

The pit loomed up in front of her until she could not resist the power of it.  The darkness lured her deeper and deeper in, promising relief from her grief, her sorrow, her guilt.  That's all she wanted: relief.  She didn't want to feel anymore, but wanted to go somewhere safe from the suffering.  This is what the shadows promised, so she let herself sink in, oblivious to the loving Hand that was reaching down to her, offering her real comfort.

No one likes to suffer.  Unfortunately, living in a fallen worlds means we'll experience plenty of it while we're here.  But life with Jesus offers hope. Hope not just for an eternity with Him, but the hope of the comfort of God in times of trouble. 

Blessed

Why would God want me to suffer?  To mourn the loss of a loved one, to grieve over past sin and the hurt it caused others, to lament over physical afflictions far too heavy to bear.  Doesn't He care?

If my happiness and contentment was the purpose for my life, then I would agree that God is a cruel and heartless God to allow all this suffering.  But, as pastor Paul Powell said, "God is more concerned about our character than our comfort. His goal is not to pamper us physically but to perfect us spiritually."

I will never know the blessing of comfort from the very hand of God until I am in the position to need comfort.  Those who have suffered much, have an abundance of compassion to pour out upon others because they themselves have received much from God.  He is, "the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort,  who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God." (2 Corinthians 1:3)

I will never know true comfort until I allow God to ease my pain.  If I choose to wallow in the suffering, sinking into that dark place, out of the Light of His love, my anguish is prolonged.  But if I step into the Light, He will envelope me in His loving arms, taking my burden of pain, grief, sorrow and guilt. 

My load is lightened, and I am blessed by God's touch.

Temporary

God promises that the suffering will not last forever but joy will come in the morning.  This may be a comfort in and of itself.  Sometimes, the worst part of going through a difficult time is thinking that it will never end.  I will always feel this way.  I will never go back to normal.  But this is not of God.  He offers hope.

It reminds me of when I was in the hospital on strict bed rest for 2 months while I was pregnant with my triplet daughters.  I thought the time would never end, especially since I was there for Thanksgiving and Christmas.  Even though my heart yearned for home, the doctors assured me that this was temporary and it was for the good of the babies.  I now see the wisdom in their counsel, for the time of confinement paid off with the birth of three beautiful, perfectly formed infants. 

In a similar way, our time of suffering gives birth to character traits that can only be produced through pain. ". . .we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us." (Romans 5:3-5) 

This temporary time of sorrow leads to things much greater than I can imagine.

Joy

Joy is not a word I think of in the same thought as grief.  I think of angels rejoicing at the birth of Christ, or the celebration in heaven when one sinner repents.  But I can honor this time of suffering, for it brings about the opportunity to experience the hand of God in my life.  No one else but God can lift me out of the doldrums, rescue me from the pit of despair, or give me the strength to walk from the deep shadows into the Light. 

To come into contact with the One who created me in such an intimate way is indeed a reason to rejoice.  It is the only way that joy can come at the end of suffering; because the mighty Hand of God gently caressed my tender, hurting heart, bringing about a healing not otherwise possible.

The touch of God brought about healing and now I can rejoice!

Suffering is one of life's necessary burdens, but it is not without purpose.  It brings about the blessing of the comfort of God, is only temporary in nature but results in eternal fruit, and gives an opportunity to rejoice at the witness of God's mighty hand in my life.

As I begin this day, it is my prayer that I will not run from God during times of suffering, but allow Him to comfort me in my time of need.

When do I miss out on the blessing of comfort by trying to walk through a trial alone?

How do I focus on only the temporary suffering and thus miss out on the eternal reward?

Rain

He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good,

and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.

Matthew 5:45

I awoke to the shower of life-giving liquid pitter-pattering against the roof just outside my window.  I sunk deeper into the warmth of my comforter, luxuriating in the soothing concert that sounded like the beautiful strains of a gentle melody. 

My mind recalled memories of the adventure of digging trenches around our tent in the dead of night to salvage the dry shelter from the onslaught of drenching downpours, to the pleasant lullaby it later played on the canvas stretched over my head as I  thankfully snuggled in my warm, dry sleeping bag.  

Allowing the lovely melody to lull me back to sleep, I thanked the Lord for this most wonderful of blessings.   

Rain.  Necessary for life, yet blocking out the warmth of the sun for a time as it falls to the ground like so much manna in the desert.  Isn't this much like the blessings God bestows upon us? 

Grace 

How much of my life is dependent upon God's grace?  Every breath!  But grace goes so much deeper than just the precious gift of life.  Pastor John Piper defined it as follows. "Grace is the pleasure of God to magnify the worth of God by giving sinners the right and power to delight in God without obscuring the glory of God."

Not only does the grace of God give me the gift of every beat of my heart, but it also miraculously gives me the ability to showcase the magnificence of God in the way I enjoy Him without my own wretchedness getting in the way.  

Grace empowers us in a never-ending flow to endure the difficulties of life. Paul suffered from some sort of painful problem.  As he pleaded with God for deliverance from his suffering, God replied that,  “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” (2 Corinthians 12:9)  Grace gives us what we need to endure, exalting the wonder of God in the process. 

May I learn to recognize the thorns as just as necessary as the rain I so love.

Mercy

Many times I expect mercy from God because I know He is a merciful God.  But maybe I'm being a bit presumptuous.  In describing the sovereignty of God revealed to Moses in Exodus 33, the Apostle Paul concluded that, "Therefore God has mercy on whom he wants to have mercy, and he hardens whom he wants to harden." (Romans 9:18)  

God is the one who decides from whom He withholds that which we deserve, and who instead receives what's coming.  It is all a part of His plan, that of which the scope I cannot fathom.  Trusting God means giving Him the right to do as He deems necessary, even if that means I might suffer in the process.  As a child of His, I know it is all for my good and a part of the refining process.

May I learn to recognize the sovereignty of God and His right to extend mercy upon whoever He decides, just as the rain can come as a sweet shower, or a torrential downpour.

Love

David was described by God as a man after His own heart.  Even though at times he failed to do what is right, grieving the Lord greatly in his sin, he intimately knew of God's love.  His words recorded in Psalm 86:15 illustrate this well. "But you, Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness."

I have a low view of love as a human.  I think of an emotion of affection, fondess or even passion.  But this is not God's love.  A description of His love is found in 1 Corinthians 13:4-8.

Love is patient,

love is kind.

 It does not envy,

it does not boast,

it is not proud. 

It does not dishonor others,

it is not self-seeking,

it is not easily angered,

it keeps no record of wrongs. 

Love does not delight in evil

but

rejoices with the truth. 

It always protects,

always trusts,

always hopes,

always perseveres.

  Love

  never

   fails.

May I learn to recognize the abundance of God's love all around me in the midst of suffering, just as the clouds block out the glory of the sun while they bring life-giving rain.



There are no greater blessings in my life than that of God's grace, mercy and love.  Like the sound of the rain I enjoy so much, I will seek to delight in His greatness, relishing the good things He overwhelmingly provides, even if the beneficial is disguised as trouble.

As I begin this day, it is my prayer that I will focus on the goodness of God, and trust in His plan for my life.

Where do I expect good things from God to be pleasant and comfortable for me, thus denying His sovereign plan?

How do I fail to recognize the overflowing grace, mercy and love of God in my life?

Am I Ready for Christmas?

"You know the generous grace

of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Though he was rich,

yet for your sakes he became poor,

so that by his poverty he could make you rich."

2 Corinthians 8:9

"Are you ready for Christmas?"

"No I have a few more gifts to get.  How about you?"

"I haven't even started yet!  I wait until the day before and catch all the sales!"

This is a typical exchange at this time of year.  When most people are asked if they're ready for the big day, they immediately think about whether or not they are done with their shopping.  Gift giving is a big part of Christmas, in fact I would estimate it might make up about 60-80% of the typical American Christmas with the rest of our time, effort and thoughts going to food, decorations and church, because who doesn't love a good candlelight service? 

This year I am challenged with the thought that, if Christmas is a celebration of the birth of Christ, where is the focus of my heart?   And how does that focal point bring honor to Jesus' sacrifice of lowering Himself to a mere baby in order that I may have the richness of a relationship with my Father and the hope of heaven? 

Grace  Grace can be defined as getting what I don't deserve.  My life, family, friends, home, health, possessions, even my next breath, is not guaranteed or earned.  Instead, it is all a gift from the Creator to me, the created.  He doesn't owe me anything!  But God is rich in grace and gives even though I don't deserve it.  Jesus taught that, " He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous." (Matthew 5:45)  God is generous to all, even when we don't think about Him at all throughout the day. Would you give good things to someone who doesn't even give you a moment out of his day?  I wouldn't!  But God does.  And He calls us to extend that same grace to others, even if they don't deserve it.  This Christmas, I can give the gift of grace!

Rich When I think of what it means that Jesus is rich, I automatically think of all the resources, power and legions of angels that are at his disposal, ready to be put into action at a moment's notice.  But He also dwelled with His Father in heaven when He gave that up in order to live the life of a human for 33 years.  He gave up the glory of heaven for me!  Even though He has been returned to His rightful position, it is an unthinkable sacrifice to surrender the richness of His proper place for any period of time.  I have a hard time even yielding my favorite chair in the family room!  If I can adopt Jesus' attitude of surrender, think how it would benefit those around me.  This Christmas, I can give the gift of sacrifice.

Poor  Jesus put Himself in the position to be ridiculed, disrespected and cast aside.  "Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to.  Instead, he gave up his divine privileges;  he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being."(Philippians 2:6-7 NLT)  Jesus became poor so I can be rich in the blessing of heaven.   I run from anything that would put me in a position of humiliation, embarrassment or disgrace.  Why is it acceptable for Jesus, but not for me?   This Christmas, I can give the gift of humility.

Let me ask myself the question again.  Am I ready for Christmas?  I need to be ready to extend grace to those who don't deserve it, give up positions I feel entitled to hold, and become humble for the sake of God's great name.  No, I am not ready.  There's a lot of work to be done on my heart in order to be truly prepared for Christmas.

As I begin this day, it is my prayer that I will not just focus on the physical preparations for Christmas, but that I will allow God to prepare my heart.

How am I demeaning the sacrifice Jesus made in coming down into His creation in the way I celebrate Christmas?