The blessing of a gift

Around this time of year, the choruses of “I don’t need anything” start to ring out across the nation.   Gift-giving becomes a burden.  Gift cards sell like hotcakes because we just don’t know what else to get that person who has everything.  When so many people are in need across the world, why do we buy anything for each other, anyway?   And, in a lot of ways, I agree with that statement.  But I think we need to take a brief look at a different point of view.

For several years in a row, someone at church gave us a hand-crocheted heart with a card thanking us for our service in the church.  I want to tell you about what that gift meant.   You see, serving in any capacity, whether as a parent, a teacher, a church worker, or an employer is a pretty thankless job.   The fact that someone took the time to write a note and crochet a heart meant a lot.  It meant that what we did mattered.

And what about gift-giving as a way to express our appreciation and love for someone?   We seem to have lost sight of that, as well.   Some of us have stopped giving gifts, period.   And some of us become so overwhelmed with our Christmas to-do list that we  just start buying whatever is convenient or perhaps we just end up stuffing some money or a gift card inside an envelope.  We do this instead of really thinking about the person and what kind of gift they would enjoy most.

I know a couple of people who literally suck all of the joy out of gift-giving.  Do you know anyone like that?  If they are around, they take all of the joy out of giving.  They tend to make you feel guilty for buying gifts, for giving gifts, for receiving gifts.

But they are missing the point.  Gifts aren’t necessarily about what we need.  Gifts are to show love, appreciation, and care.  I think we have this gift-giving thing all mixed up.  We rush around and feel burdened to “buy” a gift, instead of enjoying it.  Gift giving should be a blessing.

Think with me for a moment about your closest family and friends.  Have you expressed your love for them recently?  Think about those who serve you in some capacity…perhaps it is a mailman or a babysitter…a teacher or a crossing guard.  Do they know you appreciate them and what they do for you?  Think with me about your neighbors.  Do these people know you care?  (Do you care??)  Gifts do not have to be elaborate or expensive to make a statement.  They just need to be heartfelt and sincere.

And so it would be correct to say that many of us do not need anything.  But is that really the only thing that matters when it comes to giving gifts?  Perhaps it is time to start putting our hearts and some of our time into thoughtful gift-giving.   Let’s choose to bless someone this holiday season!

 

 

On purses and bad decisions

 

“Mom, can you cancel my bank card right now?” The distressed voice said quietly in my ear.  My mind quickly thought of a few scenarios that may have triggered this request, but I wasn’t expecting to hear that my daughter’s car was broken into while she and her boyfriend were delivering turkey dinners to the needy for Thanksgiving.

After a long and drawn out conversation with my bank to deactivate the card, I called my daughter back to get the longer version of what happened.  She had hidden and locked her purse in the car around 10am, when they had joined a group to deliver the dinners.  About five hours later she returned to a broken car window and a missing purse (along with a few other items).  Thankfully, she still had her iPhone and the car key.  But her favorite purse- a loss in and of itself- had contained a special key chain with all of her other keys, her glasses, her camera, her bankcard (with $300 stolen in a matter of hours), her license, and a number of other items hidden within the depths of that purse.

When she returned home, we had a long conversation about why it isn’t ever wise to leave your purse in a locked car in the city.  It wasn’t wrong–it just wasn’t wise.  If she had asked me (the older and wiser person in this case) I could have steered her in a different direction…at the very least I would have suggested she put it in the trunk.  While it caused some major inconvenience and expense, we all make mistakes and thankfully it wasn’t the end of her world.  You can get a new license.  You can get new glasses. You can buy a new camera.  And supposedly the bank is even going to return her money.

But it did make me wonder–how often could we spare ourselves consequences if we listened to someone wiser than ourselves?  Not only on the black and white issues that are clearly stated in God’s Word, but on the gray issues, too.

Some mistakes aren’t just inconvenient and expensive.  Some mistakes cost a lifetime…or a relationship…or your life savings.  Why are we so slow to ask for…and then follow…advice from someone older and wiser than ourselves?  Perhaps we don’t always need to learn the hard way.  What if there are people who learned through some very difficult circumstances and can tell us where our current path will probably lead?

That lady who married an unbeliever may tell you marrying an unbeliever is like playing Russian roulette.

The workaholic, now aware of his mistakes, may tell you that what he gained financially wasn’t worth what he lost in relationships.

The recovering alcoholic may tell you that it all started with a weekly trip to the bar.

The nagging wife may tell you that all her nagging got her was an unhappy marriage.

The recovering gambler may tell you that he would give anything to never have walked into a casino.

Oh, the wisdom that can be gained from listening to those who are older and wiser than ourselves.  But, no, we think it won’t happen to us.  We won’t become the alcoholic who destroys our family or the gambler that puts our family into financial jeopardy.  We think the person we marry will become saved… eventually.  We believe that “nagging is just my personality”.  Oh, we come up with all kinds of rationalizations, moving full speed ahead.

But do we have to always learn things the hard way?  Or does a wise person learn from the mistakes of others?  In fact, God’s Word, in Proverbs 19:20, instructs us to “listen to counsel and receive instruction, that you may be wise in your latter days.”   The person who shuts his eyes and proceeds to travel a dangerous path is going to fall.  It is not a matter of if…it is when.

Pride and stubbornness lead to heartache.  An unwillingness to listen to wise counsel leads to heartache.  And do you know what is the most heart-wrenching thing about this principle? It is that nine times out of ten–if the person would have just listened– they could have saved themselves such dreadful consequences.

As I write this, I think of a girl who just made this statement.  She has found herself in a terrible, awful mess.  About the worst you could find yourself in as a 22 year old.  And as she ended up tumbling down to the bottom of a very deep emotional chasm, she said to the person who had counseled her wisely several months before: “I should have listened to you.”  She wishes she would have listened to the wise counsel given to her.  But, for her, it is too late.  She has a long, dreary, difficult road ahead of her now.

We have one opportunity to live this life.  Only one.  And there is no guarantee on how long it  will last.  May we be wise and teachable.  May we learn from our elders.  May we not be so arrogant and naive to think we will be spared the obvious consequences of unwise behavior.  May we never think we are too old and wise to learn from the experiences of others. And most of all–may we desire to please the Lord in all that we do.

 

What’s It Like to Be Married to Me?

The title of this book caught my eye as I perused Amazon.  I can’t even remember what I was looking for…but it wasn’t a book on marriage.  But that title…it was a sermon in and of itself.  And I found myself really contemplating it.  What is it truly like for my husband to be married to me?  I have spent so many thoughts on what it is like to be married to him that I forgot the other side of the equation.

As I read Colossians 3 this morning, and then the similar passage in Ephesians 5, I realized something.  Oh, it was not a new thought to me, but God brought it to my attention this morning once again.   You want to hear my big insight?  Here it is:  I can only control me.  I can only control my actions, my thoughts, my words, my reactions, my heart, my mind, my body.  I am the only one who can control me and I am incapable of controlling anyone else.  This especially hits home in a marriage.

Whether my husband treats me wonderfully or badly…I still have a responsibility to respond in a way that pleases the Lord.  Whether my husband gets me roses or a vacuum for Valentine’s Day….I still have a responsibility to respond in a way that pleases the Lord.  Whether my husband gives me a back rub or a bag of laundry…I still have a responsibility to respond in a way that pleases the Lord.  You get the idea.

What is it like to be married to me?  I am not sure it is all that it should be.  In fact, I am sure it could be a much better experience for my dear husband.   May I continue to ask that question throughout the rest of my marriage.   It is my hope to be a blessing to my husband.  Sometimes we get so caught up in the busyness of life we forget to love and respect our husbands the way God instructs us in His Word.

And we could actually take a similar question and apply it to almost any of our relationships:

What’s it like to be my child?

What is it like to work with me at the office?

What is it like to be my parent? my sibling? my friend?

What is it like to go to church with me?

What if I was my neighbor?

What if I was on a committee with me?

If we find ourselves in a difficult relationship that is full of hurt and anger or just a stilted, uncomfortable relationship, perhaps this is a good place to start.  Let’s “put the shoe on the other foot”.  Let’s think about how we present ourselves–what kind of tone we use, our body language, our facial expressions. Let’s think for a moment what we may have said, how we may have acted or reacted, the expression or lack of expression that may have been hurtful or unkind.

I think, so often–at least in my life–I spend most of my time thinking about how the other person did something, said something, hurt me, etc.  instead of the reverse question.  Because, after all, it is much easier to think about the faults of others than my own faults.

And so, God continues to use His Word to teach me.   And sometimes He uses wise authors who, even by the title of their book, can speak to me.  I haven’t read the book yet (see link below) but I did buy it.  Because you are never too old to work on your marriage!

http://www.amazon.com/Whats-Like-Married-Dangerous-Questions/dp/1434700569/ref=tmm_pap_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1322698701&sr=1-1

Parable of the Marathon

The runners waited for the race to start.  Some of them were doing stretches.  Some of them were pacing around, trying to get warmed up.  But only a few of them looked like typical runners.  Several were very overweight.  In fact, several could even be called obese.  And then there were some that, although they looked quite fit, they carried bags.  Some had just a small bag, but others had immense backpacks hanging off their backs.  As the call came for them to line up, they all gathered around the starting line.

As the gunshot rung out in the cool morning air, the runners took off.  The fit runners, wearing packs or not, were the first to move ahead.  The slightly overweight weren’t far behind.  But the heavier a person got the harder it got.  One fellow was really struggling to even start walking, he was that heavy.  One had to wonder why he had even bothered to try to run this race.  Anyone watching could see that he wasn’t fit for a race like this.

As the race progressed, a few of the fit runners lost their packs.  And, unbelievingly, a few coming behind them picked them up.  And some runners even picked up some bags of trash by the road and started running with them.  It seemed ludicrous.  It was hard enough to race without anything extra. Why were they picking up trash?

An amazing thing happened as they raced: the overweight literally grew thinner.  The obese fellow at the beginning of the race hadn’t given up and he was a good 150 pounds lighter by now.  He had started out barely walking, but now he was up to a steady jog.  Those who were just a few pounds overweight now looked  fit and trim.

But, curiously, those with packs on their back were really struggling.  The woman carrying the biggest backpack–75 pounds or more–just couldn’t continue.  She staggered to the side and had to rest.  After a few minutes, she gave it another go using a slow steady pace.

Okay, so I know you would never attend a marathon seeing this motley group of people.  But what about the race *Hebrews 12:1 refers to?   Oh, now that is a motley group of people, is it not?  God saves all kinds of people.   He saves fit, trim people, who never developed a lot of baggage.  He saves obese people who are weighed down with guilt and consequences of terrible events and habits of their pasts.  He saves people encumbered with baggage they have chosen to carry with them, things like sinful habits, material possessions, sports, entertainment…anything that keeps us from running the best race we could.

Sure, some of us start out fit and trim.  We have had great families who love the Lord and taught us to obey His word.  We start the race out in pretty good shape.  But we are still sinners.  We can still improve.

And as we run the race of  life, the overweight start dropping off their pounds one by one.  As they continue to run, the baggage of the past slips slowly away.  God heals their pain and, while they may still have some stretch marks from carrying all of that extra weight, the weight…the burden of the weight…will be lifted.

And the ones carrying the bags?  Well, some of them wise up and throw those sins and idols to the ground and experience a wonderful sense of freedom, as they start to race unencumbered.  And some of them carry the bag with them the whole way to the finish line.  The thing is worn, tattered, and downright ugly but they keep clinging to it.  Some even pick up a bag or two after they have started the race.  Sometimes the bags get thrown on the ground for a week or two and then, unbelievingly, the person will come back and get them.  These bags cost the runners a lot of time.

If you are saved by grace alone through Jesus Christ’s shed blood on the cross, then you are running the race that was referred to in Hebrews.  I don’t know about you, but I would like to be one of those who is fit and still running with energy as I approach the finish line.  But, even now, as I write this, I can think of some pretty heavy bags that are keeping me from running the best race possible.  Bags I have thrown on the ground…just to come back and pick them up again.   May we all evaluate the race we are running today.  May we run with robust health and unencumbered!  Happy running!

Hebrews 12:1  Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,

If I am so beautiful, then God’s grace isn’t that amazing

Amazing Grace recorder

We are taught in schools, songs, magazines, and on TV about how amazing and incredible we are. How we are worth it. How we deserve the best. Sadly, this lie has even infiltrated the church. We find this worldly philosophy peppering Christian bookstore shelves. I especially notice it on Christian radio stations. Accomplished vocalists crooning these love songs dedicated to ourselves. They tell me how beautiful I am. How important to God. How incredible and worthy of His love.

Can I shout it from the housetops? NO, I AM NOT. And neither are you. That is the absolutely incredible and amazing beauty of His love for us. We are wicked (Jeremiah 17:9), we are sinners (Romans 3:23), and we are blind (2 Corinthians 4:4). Who would want a wicked, sinful, blind person on their side? Who would sacrifice their Son for such a person? Who would love that person with a love so deep it can’t be fathomed?

And, yet, God’s Word tells me that He does. He loves me…not for who I am but in spite of who I am. We can only fully appreciate God’s amazing grace when we fully understand that we are truly and totally unworthy.

And, so, during this Thanksgiving season, I am deeply and especially grateful for a God who loves me in spite of who I am. I am thankful that He chose to redeem me. I am nothing without Him. It is only by His love and grace that I am able to be reconciled to God. It is of no merit of my own. I am thankful that He is changing me. I am thankful that His power enables me to do what He has called me to do.

And, so, I will continue to turn off the radio when I hear a love song to myself. I will continue to listen for this lie and make sure to teach my family to be on the look-out for it, as well. For there is nothing that cheapens grace more than raising ourselves up on some kind of platform thinking we have amazing talents and beauty that God longs for—and even needs.

Now, just in case, there is someone out there who says: “Wait a minute! I am not sure I agree with you,” I do want to say this: God loves us (John 3:16). He designed us (Psalm 139). He gave us each different gifts (Romans 12). We are to use them to glorify Him. We have to come to an understanding of who we are in Christ. If we have been abused or treated badly, this will be more difficult for us. It is still important that we realize that our worth comes from God alone.

And so I want to wish you a Happy Thanksgiving!  May we thank the Lord for His many blessings. But most importantly, may we thank the Lord today for saving us out of our lost and hopeless state, in which we had nothing of worth to offer. All praise be to Him alone!

Strength Will Rise When I Wait?

Are you sure, Lord?  Strength will rise as we wait upon the Lord, wait upon the Lord, we will wait upon the Lord.  As we sang this song in church yesterday, I thought about that phrase.  Wait a second…my strength doesn’t “rise” when I am waiting on the Lord.  It usually decreases.  I wonder if that phrase is even biblical?  So right there in church (sorry, Pastor Dan!) I started looking to find the scripture that  backed that phrase up.  As I read a few of the verses that contained the word “wait” I came across several rich passages but most had to do with being comforted by the Lord.  I didn’t read anything about my strength rising.  And then I remembered that verse in Isaiah.  Where was that again?  Chapter 40 or was it 41?  I flipped the pages through Isaiah looking for it.   There it was.  Chapter 40, verse 31:

 But those who wait on the LORD
Shall renew their strength;
They shall mount up with wings like eagles,
They shall run and not be weary,
They shall walk and not faint.

While we wait our strength will be renewed.  Our strength will rise…grow stronger…as we wait.  And I thought about some of the situations in my life where waiting is my only option.   And I knew that waiting usually depleted my strength.  It didn’t make it grow stronger.  And then I had to ask myself this question:  if scripture tells me that waiting will make me grow stronger, why was I growing weaker?

As I pondered this question, I realized the answer: I grow weaker when I am waiting if I am relying on my own strength.  I am small and finite and things look impossible to me.  But God is big and infinite and all-knowing. All things are possible with God.  He is our hope…our strong deliverer, just like the song goes on to say.  In fact, as I took the time to read through the lyrics (see below) after I got home, I realized that the entire song was based on that verse in Isaiah.

But there wasn’t anything in that verse to indicate that waiting would be easy…or fun.  In my world, I am “happier” if I can do something to solve a problem and many of my conversations with the Lord have gone something like this: “Lord, please just show me the path to take, and then I’ll do it, Lord. Please show me how I can solve the problem and I promise I will work hard to do that.”    But guess what?  If we solve the problem, then we get the glory.  It is only when I acknowledge that I can’t possibly solve this problem and, in prayer and with faith and patience, submit the impossible to my Heavenly Father that I can get a glimpse of His glory.

Some of us wait and wait and wait.  We have wayward children…or broken relationships…or a situation at work…or an illness…and they are seemingly unending.  And we grow discouraged.  And we grow weaker.  Waiting is not for the faint of heart.  Waiting is hard.   But after we have done all we can do…after we have given 110% to solve a problem…or read every good book there is to read about God’s will…and there is still a question mark hanging over our heads…then, instead of throwing our hands up in the air, we need to turn it over to the Lord.  And as we wait, trusting in a God who is so much bigger than us, our strength will be renewed, not because of anything we will do…but because He will give us strength.

Everlasting God

Strength will rise as we wait upon the Lord
We will wait upon the Lord
We will wait upon the Lord

Our God, You reign forever
Our hope, our Strong Deliverer
You are the everlasting God
The everlasting God
You do not faint
You won’t grow weary

You’re the defender of the weak
You comfort those in need
You lift us up on wings like eagles
You won’t grow weary

O, to be like a crossing guard

Each morning I pass by a busy intersection near our local middle school.   And every morning, I see the same lady faithfully directing traffic and protecting children.  She stands with confidence and is dressed appropriately for the conditions, whether there is sunshine, rain, wind, or the dangerous fog.   She is observant and always on her guard because any lapse of judgment would put the children she protects in great peril.   And, given it is middle school children she directs, I can imagine that the “thank yous” are few and far between.  She has also probably put up with a couple of obscene gestures and angry drivers, as well.   But she keeps doing her job.  Because she is dedicated to that job and takes it seriously.

We Christians could learn a lesson or two from her–

1. We should know what our job is and do it with confidence.    God’s Word tells us the “job” description of a true believer in Jesus Christ.  We should know what that is and then go about it with confidence.  There is such an emphasis on tolerance in this culture, that many of us, while being and  looking like true believers in our hearts and homes, are not so confident out in the middle of the intersection.  We raise a half-hearted hand to direct traffic and to “kind of” tell them to slow down, but we are afraid to say, “Stop!  Do you know where you are spending eternity?”

2. We should stand strong in all types of weather.  It is hard to do our job when tough times come.  And tough times are not just the big stuff, like job change, death, or divorce.  Sometimes tough times can be a long week of being unable to sleep at night.  Or they may come with a child who is simply downright difficult.  For some, it is related to children leaving the home or perhaps intrusive in-laws.  We all have different weather conditions we face.  But I think it is safe to say, we all experience different types of weather.  Just like the crossing guard shows up and does her job, no matter what the weather, so we, too, should be standing strong with Jesus, no matter what the weather.

3.  We should be dressed appropriately.  Ephesians 6: 10-20 gives a vivid description of the armor of a Christian.  Paul describes how we should be covered from our heads to our toes.  And, yet, so many of us are missing a piece of armor.  Perhaps it is Truth that is to be girded around our waist, or maybe the Breastplate of Righteousness.  It could even be the Shield of Faith.  But no matter what it is, when we are missing our armor, we become very vulnerable to our enemy.   Any chink in our armor becomes a target, where we can be attacked and destroyed.  We need to make sure we have on the whole armor of God, as Paul teaches us in this passage.

4.  Apathy puts our children in peril.  If the crossing guard was not paying close attention to what she was doing, the children would be in great danger.  If she stood on the corner lazily smoking a cigarette, the intersection would become a difficult and very hazardous place for the children she has pledged to protect.  Why is it any less important for us as we guard the hearts and minds of our children?  We can never let our guards down.  We can never stop striving to discern, protect, and make decisions that please the Lord within our families.  There is no time this is tested more than when you have teenagers.  Oh, the many times I have been tempted to throw my hands up in the air and shout, “I am tired!  Do what you want!  I don’t care!”  At those moments, it is my husband who tells me, “we have to care!  We cannot grow tired!”  How thankful I am for his perseverance.  It is critical to have this perseverance when raising children.  To not have it is to put their souls in great danger.  We need to parent with a purpose.  We are responsible for these children God has entrusted to us.  We can never grow apathetic or lazy in this duty!

5.  We can’t care what people think.  As most of us have already learned, there is very little thanks that comes for standing what is right.  More often, we are attacked.  But if we are standing on God and what His Word says, then we can stand with courage and confidence.  What would happen if that crossing guard walked dejectedly out of the intersection every time an angry driver made an obscene gesture?  And, yet, so many of us walk dejectedly away when we are criticized or someone disagrees with us.  While we are to be at peace with all men to the best of our ability (Romans 12:18), we are never instructed to compromise.  So, while we need to go about standing for truth with love and grace, it is important that we stand.   Not saying anything when God’s Word is being compromised is sinful.  We can never afford to back down when Truth is attacked.  May we stand strong even when the heat of the fire starts to burn us!

As Christians, we have been called to be salt and light.  God gives us everything we need to know in His Word.  May we be like that crossing guard, standing in all types of weather, dressed appropriately, and always persevering.  May we give little heed to those who criticize us unjustly.  And may we hear “well done, good and faithful servant,” when we meet God face to face.


Which matters more?

Casey said “I love you so much, mom!” and gave her mother a big hug as she walked out the door.  She was headed to her boyfriend’s house, where they would be alone for the next 2 hours.  She was disobeying something her mother had specifically told her not to do.  So what did her words mean?

Jack passionately kissed his wife good-bye and said, “I love you, honey”,  before he walked out the door to meet his mistress for lunch.  What did his words mean?

“You are my best friend!  I am so thankful for you!” is what Marta heard in her ears…the day before Janet betrayed her deepest secret.  What did her words mean?

Which said love?  The words?  Or the actions?  The words are great—if they match the actions. If we truly love someone, we show it with our actions.

So how does this transfer to our spiritual life?  Thousands of people across America sing their hearts out, dance to the worship music, raise their hands, and feel “close to God” each week during Worship.  But if they are living like they want, giving no heed to God and His Word the rest of the week…are they really “close to God”?  The answer is no.  It is not possible to live in disobedience and still be close to God.  Is it possible that we are being fooled into thinking we are close to God?   Perhaps the music, the words, the raised hands are giving us a false sense of closeness.  Perhaps we are not really close at all.

This is not about judging the sin in the lives of others.  This is about common sense.  Just as a child cannot have a close relationship with his parents if he is living in rebellion to their rules and wishes, so it is impossible for anyone to have a close relationship with God if  he is  living in rebellion and disobedience to God’s commandments and desires.

And yet, if you had the opportunity to peek in worship centers across the country each week, you would see thousands of people raising their hands and “feeling” close to God.  Are some of these feelings genuine?  Of course.  Absolutely.   But if we are living in sin–according to the Bible’s definition and without conviction; without any effort to change–then our feelings are deceiving us.  How we feel when we worship is irrelevant to the truth.

It is sobering to think about and yet so important.   You see, our Sunday worship time should simply be an extension of the rest of our week.  Worship is so much more than one hour during the week.  It is about how we live our whole life.  May we live with a heart that longs to please God with every moment of every day and may we not be deceived by feelings that are oh, so fleeting.

John 14:23-24 Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him. He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine but the Father’s who sent Me.

The faith of a child

When I was around 9 years old, we had a miniature dachshund named Romeo that I loved dearly.  I don’t really think he loved me that terribly much.  But he was very patient with me, as I played with him, dressed him up, and basically tortured him.   If any dog, no matter what size, dared to cross our property line, he would run towards it, ferociously barking, and then back away and let our Labrador do the real work of keeping us safe.

For some reason I don’t remember, my parents decided it wasn’t going to work to keep him and they needed to find him a good home somewhere else.

I was heartbroken.  He left and we all moved on.  But I prayed that he would return.  I was 9.  I didn’t know that God “doesn’t care” about such things.  And so I prayed.

And then came that day, a few months later, when the phone rang.  It was the family who had taken him.  He was a great dog but some circumstance in their life prevented them from keeping him.  They wondered–do we want him back?  They wanted to check with us before they found him a different home.

As my mom and dad discussed this at the dinner table, they pondered what they should do.  About that time, I piped up in my childish voice, “I have been praying that he would come back!”

At that point what choice did they have?–as my mom laughingly points out when she retells the story.  And so, Romeo came back to live with us.

But I think we all learned a lesson that day, even my parents.   I had been innocently “casting all my care upon Him” (I Peter 5:7) and He was building the faith of a little child and her family by the unlikely and amazing return of a dog to its previous owners.  And when I think back upon that, even all of these years later, I view that event as a building block in the ever-increasing faith and trust in my loving Heavenly Father that has continued to develop over the years.

Do not ever think that God doesn’t care about the little stuff.  Oh, we don’t always get what we want and, often, those seemingly unimportant prayers will go unanswered.  But every now and then God will give us an answer so clear and so specific that we realize that it could have only been by His intervention and, once again, we are reminded that He knows all and He truly does care.

And so we thank Him for those obvious answers to prayer and realize that He is working, as only He knows how, even when we do not get the answer we want.  And we continue to trust and to cast our cares upon Him.  How thankful I am that He has shown me how much he cares, not only in my own life, but in the lives of others; not only about the important issues of life, but sometimes about the insignificant “stuff”.  If we have put our faith and trust in the God of the Bible and the message within its pages, then we serve a Living God! Praise be to Him.

What hunting, running, and following God have in common

The air was cold and it was still dark as my son stepped outside with his bow. It was around 5am and he was headed to a special location he had picked in the woods to wait for the elusive 8-point buck we had seen frequently over the past few weeks. It was a Saturday morning and he could have slept in. But instead he had given up his sleep and his time (and I would even add his comfort…brrr!) to indulge in this pastime we call hunting. He also sacrificed quite a bit of his money to buy the items necessary for this hobby. I am glad he enjoys it and I am rooting for him to find that buck and fill my freezer. But I find it interesting that the time and money he spends on this hobby does not feel like a sacrifice to him because he wants to do it.

You see others who love the sport of running. I mean love it…not merely like it. Have you seen those people? They run in all kinds of weather. They are covered from head to toe on the cold, rainy mornings and wearing expensive, “moisture wicking” shorts and tanks on those hot, humid days. Maybe you are one of them. Many runners sacrifice their time, comfort, and money for this sport. Running is a great sport for fitness, but it takes sacrifice.

There are any number of pastimes, hobbies, and passions that we gladly sacrifice for, aren’t there? We all have favorite activities for which it is a pleasure to sacrifice our time, money, and even our comfort. And, if in the proper balance, these things are wonderful blessings to us. I thank the Lord that most of us have available hours and dollars to participate in these activities. In the not so distant past, people did not have the luxury of extra hours or extra dollars. We are truly blessed!

But I wonder–why are we so unwilling to make the same sacrifices for God?

Do our fellow church members only see our faces at the weekly worship service? Do we always have something else to do when there is something going on at church? Maybe we have even gotten out of the habit of going to church at all. But we need to remember that church was designed to help us to grow and deepen our walk with God.

And many of us say that we don’t have time for prayer and Bible study, and yet, like the hunter or the runner, we could get up early in the morning to do these things. We could carve time out of somewhere to do this…if we really wanted to.

We now have Saturday evening services in many churches because people don’t want to get up on Sunday mornings or perhaps they have some other activity scheduled for that day. Of course, a Saturday evening service isn’t wrong, in and of itself. I realize some people need to work on Sunday and that Saturday evening services are a real blessing to them. I just wonder about the pattern I see to keep pushing God to a more and more convenient time, without a willingness to make a sacrifice for Him.

You see, we find the time, and often the money, to do the things we want to do. We sacrifice our sleep and our comfort for the pastimes and activities that are important to us. Most of us (myself included) do not bring the same willingness and desire to our relationship with God, as we do to our hobbies and favorite activities. Why is that? Why aren’t we as passionate about God as we are about running or hunting or our favorite sports teams? I don’t know the answer to that.

But I do know that the more time you spend with God, the more passionate you become about being with Him. The more you make Him a priority in your life, the more you actually enjoy your time with Him. The more you contemplate how He would respond or what He would do in a given situation, the more natural it becomes to think on Him.

I know that when that alarm goes off at 5am, my son does not want to get out of his warm bed. But he does it because the (possible) payoff is worth it to him. When the runner dons the appropriate clothing and heads out into the elements, he believes the payoff is worth the sacrifice. And often they don’t feel like getting up and going out into the cold, but they do it anyway.

May we bring the same willingness to sacrifice and dedication to our relationship with God. Doing what we should do, no matter what we feel like, realizing that the payoff will be great!

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