Life Lessons

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Bad Boys

Our third lesson from 1 Samuel is subtitled “Bad Boys”.  As Samuel grows up serving the LORD under the care of Eli, the sons of Eli the priest are living in ways that treat God, and the people of Israel, with great contempt.  They use their positions for personal gain and for their own pleasure at the expense of the people they were supposed to serve.  They used their authority to “bully” any who would question their tactics and requirements.  They counted on the people fulfilling the requirements of God’s law in bringing their sacrifices while they ignored the rules and regulations God had set for them as priests in accepting and offering the sacrifices to God on behalf of the people.  They were the poster boys for the phrase, “power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely”!

As I read through this story in 1 Samuel, the question, “Where’s dad?”, keeps running through my mind.  As the reading continues, it becomes obvious that “dad” is there all along.  Eli is living life and going about his daily tasks; perhaps oblivious to the actions of his boys at times, but more often deliberately turning a blind eye to their activities because he is benefitting from some of what they do!  When the public complaints reach a critical mass and begin to tarnish his image, he makes a show of reprimanding his sons — but in a “too little, too late” manner.  I can almost hear him now . . .  “They’re really good boys at heart.”  “They don’t really intend to cause so much trouble.”  “Deep down they mean well — I mean, look at all the nice meals they bring me.”

Take away the Bible names and references and what do you have?  It’s a story that is far too familiar and lived out far too often in our world today.  If  I look at it in the large-scale picture, I see so many of our modern-day politicians — using the power and influence of their position for their own benefit.  Yet even knowing that, how often do we as voters look the other way because we benefit from some of the “special projects” they support?  Everyone is opposed to government waste, pork projects, and whatever else you want to call it, until it directly benefits them and then don’t you dare talk of cutting it!

But I digress! 🙂  It is easy to look at others, point fingers, and say, “shame on you”.  But what about closer to home?  Where to you see yourself in the story?  I would say for most of us it is probably at different, and even multiple, places at varying times in our life.  At times it is easy to be the bad boys — the disobedient children who don’t care because we like the perceived benefit that comes from our actions.  We have the power and ability to do what we want and no one is going to stop us!  At other times we may be more like the dad — those near and dear to us are doing wrong and everyone knows it but they’re just too cute to really do much about it.  Besides that, the “supplies” they bring home from work help stretch an already tight budget — I sure wouldn’t want them to get all “legalistic” on me now, would I?

God calls us to be holy as He is holy.  Not an easy task.  As a matter of fact, an impossible task without the indwelling power of His Spirit within us.  Part of the job of the Holy Spirit is to convict the world of sin, righteousness, and judgement. (John 16:8)  When we are faced with decisions regarding those things which are good and just and the things which are only for our temporary selfish benefit, God’s Spirit and His Word speak to us to guide us in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.

It is easy to look around and take the path that everyone else seems to be travelling.  A path where we blend in and we hope no one notices just how far off course we really are.  My prayer and challenge for each of us is that we look higher and take that narrow path, the path that few find.  It is this path that shows the world that our purpose is much higher . . . our destination is eternal life with our Lord and Saviour!

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Returning The Gift

I’ve been posting discussion questions from the Wednesday evening small group I am leading through the book of 1 Samuel at Deer Run.  I am going to begin writing a series of blog articles to correspond with each week’s discussion questions.  Some time back I wrote the first article, Caution: Objects In Life May Not Be What They Appear, dealing with lesson 1.

This blog post contains some thoughts connected with lesson 2.

It is easy to get surrounded by, and caught up in, the hustle and bustle of Christmas.  Christmas parties, events, concerts, and programs all clamour for our attention at a rate that often makes it hard to even catch our breath.  In the midst of all the busy-ness, many of us struggle to find just the right gift.  We want something full of meaning and value.   Something that will be cherished and held on to for years to come. 

Imagine receiving that perfect gift — the one you have been longing for your entire life.  Experience the joy, the satisfaction, the relief of having your long-standing request answered.   Okay?  Do you have it?  Now give it back!

I can hear you because the sound is an echo of me.  WHAT!?!?  Are you crazy?

That tends to be my reaction to the stuff of “value” that I receive, but what about the things of real value?  In the book of 1 Samuel, Hannah is childless and longs for a child.  We find her pouring out her heart to God asking for the one thing she wants most.  God hears, and answers, her prayer by giving her a son — Samuel.  But wait . . . part of her request was a promise to give this child back to God.  She seemed to know that this gift she was asking for would not be hers to keep.  Her willingness to not only make the promise, but to keep it and give Samuel to the service of the Lord was a blessing to the entire nation as Samuel would lead them in an extended time of peace.

So, what have you asked of God?  What have you received from God?  Are you grasping on to it, trying desperately to keep it to yourself?  Or are you returning it back to God for His use?  The Bible teaches that “every good and perfect gift comes from above”.  God is the provider of all good things.  His desire is for us to return them to Him and allow Him to use them in ways that far exceed what we could do with it on our own. 

One of the great gifts we have is our life.  God has given us life itself and He asks us to trust Him enough to give our life back to Him.  Jesus said, “whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it.”  God can, and desires to, do great things in our life if we will surrender fully to Him.  The apostle Paul puts it this way, “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” (Galatians 2:20) 

God’s greatest gift to mankind was the sending of His son Jesus to be born, to live, to die, to rise again so that payment could be made for my sin.  It is my choice to return the gift of my life for Him to use according to His great design and plan.  How about you?

 

 

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Filling The Cracks

“I looked for a man among them who would build up the wall and stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land so I would not have to destroy it, but I found none.”  Ezekiel 22:30

When  you examine your life, what types of cracks do you find?  I think we all have them.  Sometimes it is a gap between what we say and what we do.  For others, it might be a crack in their confidence or their ability to see themself as God sees them.  For many, there are cracks in relationships — in our relationship with God, with family, with co-workers, with church family, or with unreached people.

I’ve spent a good part of several beautiful fall days filling and sealing cracks in the basketball court at camp.  As I did, God reminded me of His call for someone to “stand in the gap”.  As I worked on the asphalt, I had plenty of time to think about what it takes to be one who fills the cracks in the lives of people.  I believe God taught me some useful lessons those few days.  Lessons for me to practice and to write down so that I don’t forget and so perhaps others may benefit from those lessons as well.

Being one who will stand in the gap requires that we first recognize that cracks exist and that because of their destructive nature they need repaired!  While this may sound very simple, many times this is the hardest step of all.  Too often the cracks don’t appear serious enough to demand our time and energy taking care of them.  We either don’t notice them or we don’t believe they can really bring about that much damage.  Recognizing the gap means that we see a difference between what is and what should be.  To do this effectively we must have a firm grasp on what God says our life ought to be.

I’ve noticed that the cracks in the ball court asphalt never get smaller.  If not taken care of, even the tiniest of cracks become larger and more of a problem as time passes.  The same is true in our life.  Left unfilled the gaps that exist in our pursuit of God, in our relationships, in our faithfulness, and in any other area soon become larger and more destructive to ourself and to those around us.  It is also important to note that the sooner the crack is dealt with, the less work there is involved in restoring it to useable condition.  But if left uncared for, unfilled, the cracks in the court, and in our life, become larger and larger until the task of restoration is very difficult.  You and I have the opportunity to help others, and each other, recognize and repair the gaps that exist in people.

In the days of Ezekiel, God says He looked for someone who would stand in the gap and He found no one — what a sad commentary.  I pray that you and I will be ones who will stand in the gap.  As we notice the cracks in our own life and in the lives of others, let us be the intercessor who goes to God in prayer seeking the filling and repair that is needed and that only He can provide.

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The Art Of Re-GIFTing — Part 4: Tell

This is the fourth and final installment in the series of posts on re-gifting: Jesus style!  Together we’ve looked at the Grace that is needed, the Inventory that is necessary, and the Faith that must grow.  All of these are important and vital components, but the GIFT of  Jesus to others isn’t complete until we Tell!

Much speculation has gone on regarding the friendships, or lack thereof, of the Samaritan woman from John 4.  The fact that she is out at an “odd” time of day and by herself would seem to indicate that no one was willing to be with her.  And yet here she is with amazing news: “This man I’ve been talking to claims to be the Messiah!”

Did you get that?  Jesus sets the example for us in the gifting of Himself to others by not only living out the Grace, Inventory, and Faith components we have looked at — He also lives out the Telling of who He is.  The rest of the story has great insight and meaning, but it is the statement of Jesus, “I who speak to you am He.”, that unlocks the GIFT of Jesus in the life of this woman.  Transformation begins to take place based on Jesus revealing Himself to her.

It doesn’t stop there!  This woman is a quick learner and rushes back to the village to tell everyone who will listen about the true GIFT of Jesus.  She has experienced Grace, Inventory, and Faith through her encounter with Jesus and now she feels compelled to pass it on.  The results are astounding!  The entire village turns out to see Jesus and hear for themselves the message the woman is sharing.  The story ends with people believing in the GIFT of Jesus — some believing because of the “telling” by the woman, and others believing because the “telling” made them curious enough to go see for themselves.

If you have grasped hold of the GIFT of Jesus, how are you doing at telling others about what you have found?  When you experience the Grace of Jesus, it is for you — but it is not for you alone!  You must be busy telling others about the Grace that exists in your life.  When you go through the inventory times of life when you discover just how empty you are and just how much Jesus has to offer, there is an obligation to tell others about the One who has everything you need.  When your Faith grows in your life and calls you to take a stand for your beliefs, you must be ready to tell others just Who it is that you believe in.

I pray that you are growing in your practice of telling others about Jesus.  If you have received and experienced the GIFT of Jesus, then I pray that you complete that GIFT by practicing the Tell part on a regular basis.  To modify the old saying, “Tell at all times, if necessary use words!”  If you don’t know the GIFT of Jesus, then I pray that you will listen openly when someone tells you about the best GIFT of their life.

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The Art Of Re-GIFTing — Part 3: Faith

“I know that Messiah (called Christ) is coming.  When he comes, he will explain everything to us.”  John 4:25

This is part three of a four-part series of posts based on a sermon I preached at the Deer Run Church of Christ.  I began with part one, Grace, and then last wrote about part two, Inventory. 

As we continue with the story of Jesus and the Samaritan woman at the well, part 3 takes an interesting turn.  It is here, in “foreign” territory, that the seeds of faith have taken root and are expressed. 

There are many who look at John 4:19 as the beginning of a distraction — a change of subject by the Samaritan woman designed to avoid further conversation about her personal life.  I’m not convinced that is really what is happening.  I believe that the revelation of Jesus’ knowledge of her personal life ignites a sprouting of the seeds of faith that were within her.  She quickly recognizes that this is no ordinary man.  This “prophet” can see into her life, perhaps he also has a real answer to satisfy her deep longing for a relationship with the living God.  This is exactly what Jesus has already told her to ask Him for — living water so that she might never thirst again.

And so she asks the taboo question with all of the current worship arguments, who is right?  What!  Did she really ask that!  I thought that was a modern question!  But no, look, there it is — “Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem.”  It doesn’t even sound like a question.  Yet the question is there.  Does it sound familiar?  What we claim as genuine worship is different from what you do — who is right? 

The answer that Jesus gives isn’t completely satisfying to her.  He doesn’t seem to pick either side.  He indicates that a new way of doing things is on its way — as a matter of fact, it has already arrived.  Place is no longer even a part of the argument, it is all about the heart of the worshipper.  Real worship isn’t focused on place, style, form, or anything else.  Real worship is worship that is focused on the Father.  Real worship identifies with God being spirit and truth by being worship that is done in spirit and in truth.

But wait.  That doesn’t sound right.  I’ve been around for a long time and no one is talking like that.  We can’t all be wrong, can we?  It’s all so confusing.  Who do I believe?  And then it comes.  This great profession of faith in the one who can give a definitive answer.  “I know that Messiah is coming.  When he comes, he will explain everything to us.”  Wow!  My translation of this dialogue?  Sir, you aren’t making any sense.  But that is okay.  God has promised to send the Christ and he will explain everything perfectly when he shows up.  What faith!  This Samaritan woman was convinced that God would keep his promise of a coming Messiah.  Not only would He keep His promise, but the Messiah would come with an explanation not only for the Jews, but for her as a Samaritan as well.

I wish I had been there just to watch.  Can you imagine her reaction when the response of Jesus to her expression of faith is, “I who speak to you am he.”!  Wow!  Wow!  Wow!  Could it be?  That sure would make the previous parts of our conversation make a lot more sense.  I can just imagine the shadows of doubt and disbelief being driven away by the rays of joy and hope that were beginning to flood her life.  Her faith was transforming her very existence as she stood toe to toe with the very one whom she believed could reveal God’s will to her.

How about you and I?  How often do we find ourselves caught up in some meaningless arguments about worship, or anything else?  Do we have the faith that God has promised to reveal Himself to us in a way that is meaningful and relevant?  Is God’s answer to our dilemmas good enough for us? 

I pray that our faith would be a growing and maturing faith that understands our need to worship God in spirit and in truth.  May you and I grow in our trust of God to provide the answers that we need — even when the answer is not the way we expect it to be.

Coming next — Part 4:  Tell!

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The Art Of Re-GIFTing — Part 2: Inventory

“Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!”
 
While grace is a foundational element necessary for “re-gifting” Jesus style, this next component is just as critical.  This is part two of a four-part series taken from a sermon I preached entitled, “The Art of Re-Gifting”.   In my previous post, I wrote about the grace that Jesus displayed as He overcame His tiredness and the cultural expectations in order to share the gift of Himself.  The context of this series of writings is the story of Jesus and His encounter with a Samaritan woman, recorded for us in John 4:4-42.  In this encounter, we see the importance of doing Inventory. 

The story begins with a simple request by Jesus for a drink.  While the response that Jesus gets does not appear to be enthusiastic, or even welcoming, He quickly leads the conversation in a direction that reveals that He has already done an inventory of His situation.  When the Samaritan woman questions the entire basis for this conversation, Jesus begins to reveal to her just what it is that He has to offer.  Jesus was confident in who He was and in what His purpose was.  His personal inventory revealed that He had water to offer this woman that would fully satisfy her thirst.  He could supply living water that would provide a relief of her thirst in such a way that she would never thirst again.

As we encounter people that God has called upon us to “re-gift” His indescribable gift to, it is imperative that we have done the inventory and know what it is that we have to offer.  Many times we encounter people and interact with them in a variety of ways, never once recognizing that we had something to offer them.  We must take inventory daily of just what it is that we have in Christ that He has called us to offer to others.  This repetitive inventory serves as a constant reminder of what God has given us.  The more that we keep that in mind, the more likely we are to remember our obligation to share it with others.

There is a second inventory that Jesus initiates in this story.  He gently forces the Samaritan woman to take inventory of her own life.  He does this with a simple, and on the surface, non-threatening request:  “Go and get  your husband”.  It can be easy to miss, but this required an inventory of life to be taken.  A decision was made to tell the truth.  She could have simply said, “Okay”, and gone and gotten the man she was living with.  Instead, she takes a serious inventory and discovers that her need is great.  In the next article, I will look at the response that her inventory brings out of her. 

In our interactions with people, we need to learn how to help them take inventory and discover their great need.  We must find non-threatening, yet direct, ways to challenge people to look deeper into their lives than they ever have before.  We may be confident in our own inventory of what we have to offer, but until the person across from us realizes that they need what we have, we will rarely get very far in our attempt to share with them the indescribable gift of God. 

How are you doing in taking inventory?  How confident are you of what you have in Christ Jesus?  Are you confident enough to know that you have something of great value to share?  How well do you do in helping others take inventory in their life?  Do people recognize that you are trying to help them receive something of great value?  Are you able to ask challenging questions without coming across as condemning? 

I pray that you excel in these two aspects of inventory so that you will be effective in “The Art of Re-Gifting”!

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The Art Of Re-GIFTing — Part 1: Grace

This post is the first of a series I had written on another blog of mine a couple of years ago.  I will periodically be posting those writings here on this blog.

I had the opportunity to preach at the Deer Run Church of Christ on the last Sunday morning of 2008.  My message was entitled, “The Art of Re-Gifting” and looked at the example of Jesus found in John 4:4-42.  In most of my preaching I like to wrap my sermon points around a word that gives people a “handle” to carry the sermon home and remember what God is calling them to do.  In this sermon, I looked at four points from the account of Jesus and the Samaritan woman at the well.  These points hung on the word GIFT.  It was all about the gift of Jesus that causes Paul to exclaim, “Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!”  Jesus gives us an example of how we can take the gift He has given us and “re-gift” it to others.  This article will look at the first point: re-gifting Jesus style requires grace!

John’s telling of this encounter between Jesus and the Samaritan woman opens with a comment on the nature of Jesus that is often overlooked and not considered — Jesus was tired!  I can picture Jesus finally arriving here at Jacob’s well, relieved that He can finally be left alone to get some rest.  John lets us know that the disciples had gone into town to buy food and Jesus chose to be alone, or was left alone, to unwind from the journey He had taken.  I can picture it because I have been there — tired from travel, tired from the pressures of the day, tired of people, just wanting to be left alone to rest, relax, and think.  Are you there with me yet?  Are you comfortable?  Are you in that “relaxing zone”?  If so, then perhaps you can imagine the arrival of a stranger to your place of isolation and rest.

What is your reaction?  What is my reaction?  Perhaps, “Go away!”; or “Leave me alone!”; or, “Can’t you see I’m tired?”; or perhaps our initial response would be the same as Jesus, “Will you give me a drink?”  In His tiredness, Jesus initiates a conversation.  Maybe this was simply a reaction to meet His own need for a drink.  We would be okay with that.  Simply fulfilling a need doesn’t have to interrupt the rest we so desperately want — it may even improve it!  But Jesus doesn’t leave it at meeting His needs.  As a matter of fact, it soon becomes quite apparent that this was never really about the needs of Jesus.  Instead, Jesus extends grace by stepping out of His tiredness to interact with an individual that needed to know Him.

But the grace of re-gifting goes even deeper.  This wasn’t just anyone that Jesus was interrupting His rest for.  This was a Samaritan and a woman.  This offering of grace even catches the woman by surprise that this Jewish man would be talking to her.  The idea of a Jewish man to be talking to a woman in public was unthinkable.  And to talk to a Samaritan, asking her to help you, was simply unheard of.  Yet here is Jesus, about to embark on a conversation designed to reveal to this woman the priceless gift that stands before her.

I know, you are thinking, “So what?  Doesn’t apply to me!  I don’t mind talking to women and I have nothing against Samaritans.”  But it does apply, doesn’t it?  You and I know people that we do our best to avoid.  People of different cultures, nationalities, lifestyles, or whatever it may be — we choose not to associate with them.  We excuse it.  We rationalize it.  We even attempt to justify it.  But in the end, we must come face to face with the grace shown by Jesus and ask ourselves, “How are we doing at extending grace — undeserved favor — to all those we encounter?”  You see, that is the first step in re-gifting Jesus style.  We must recognize that the gift we have received from God is so undeserved that we are willing to extend grace to all people we encounter.

I pray that the encounters that you and I have with people will be filled with grace.  May we learn from Jesus how to re-gift what God has given us.

Up next:  The Art Of Re-GIFTing — Part 2:  Inventory

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Give Me A BREAK!

“The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all they had done and taught.  Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, ‘Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.’  So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place.”  (Mark 6:30-32)

Ahhh . . . Vacation!  I have the privilege of being on vacation this week.  Technically, to use popular terminology, it is a “staycation” as I stayed home and rested, venturing out from time to time for food or shopping! 🙂  I think we all have times when our mind, body, and spirit cry out, “Give me a break!” 

It is refreshing to know that God understands, and agrees, with the need for times of rest in our life!  The concept of a sabbath rest was God’s idea, not man’s.  In the text above, Jesus recognizes the demands of life and ministry being placed on Himself and His disciples.  He insists they separate themselves from the crowds and get some much-needed rest.   While their rest was short-lived (the crowds followed them to the “solitary place” and needed fed 🙂 ), the teaching and practice of Jesus calls for times of rest.  The following are some elements of what God has been teaching me as I take this BREAK.  To me, it is a little rough because it is a work in process that God is teaching me — and my computer ate the original writing I did on this post. 😦

  • Breathe:  This is something you are already doing.  Breathing is something God designed us to do naturally — without really thinking about it.  The point here is to actually focus on the very breath you take, recognizing that it is God who sustains you in every detail of  your life!  As you breathe, realize that the God who knows the correct mixture of elements to make breathable air also knows the BREAK you need and the rest that is necessary.  As you rest, breathe in the freshness of the Spirit of the Living God through His Word!
     
  • Relax: When you reach the point that you cry out, “Give me a BREAK!”, relaxing does not usually come easily or naturally.  It is at this point you must “cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.”   Discover or identify the things that help you relax and begin to practice them.  Slow down and pay attention to the hand of God working in, and through, and around you.  As you rest, relax in the arms and care of your creator God that loves you very much.
     
  • Enjoy:  The old adage tells us to “stop and smell the roses”.  That is good advice as you take a needed BREAK.  Take time to enjoy the surroundings God has placed you in.  Use your break time to allow God to refresh you and to restore joy into your life.  We are able to enjoy the beauty and scent of roses in spite of the thorns that exist.  We must also learn to enjoy the life we have in Christ in spite of the “thorns” that tend to poke and distract us.  As you rest, enjoy the presence of God and notice the “roses” He has supplied you with.
         
  • Acknowledge:  Accept that there is a God and it is not you!  There are times that we carry burdens and responsibilities that are not ours to carry alone.  In order to take a break and rest, you must acknowledge that you need one!  Jesus says, “come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”  For you and I to benefit from this promise we must admit that we are weary and/or burdened.  As we go to Jesus and learn from Him, He promises we will find rest for our soul.  As you rest, acknowledge your need for Jesus to give you what you cannot gain on your own.
     
  • Know:  Having a useful break requires that we know God can, and will, give us the rest that we need.  Our BREAK calls us to “walk by faith, not by sight”.  It is by faith that we know God “exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him.”  God calls us to both know Him and be known by Him.  We are able to rest even in difficult times because “we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.”  We can take a needed BREAK because we know God is in control and the weight of the world doesn’t really rest on our shoulders.  As you rest, know that God knows the plans He has for you, plans to give you hope and a future.

So, Give Me A BREAK!  God calls us to set aside time to rest . . . to be still and know that He is God.

I pray that throughout your life you are able to experience a real  BREAK, allowing God to refresh your mind, body, and spirit as you rest securely in your relationship with Him.