Wildflower Thinking

Reflections on One Word

2009-11-08T05:57:00.006-05:00

“God blesses those who hunger and thirst for justice, for they will be satisfied.” –Matthew 5:6NLT

What a difference one word makes! The New International Version of the Bible is my favorite. I spend most of my Bible study and devotional time in that translation. But every now and then, I like to read from another version to see how other scholars have interpreted God’s Word from its original Greek, Hebrew, or Aramaic. It especially catches my attention when they insert unfamiliar words into a familiar passage like the Beautitudes (Matthew 5:5-12). In the case of verse 6, they changed the NIV’s righteousness to justice and sent me down a whole new rabbit trail of thought.

When I think of hungering and thirsting for righteousness, I think of longing to be made righteous personally. I think of my own failings, sins, fallen nature and how hungering and thirsting for righteousness led me to Christ Who took my sins on Himself on the cross that He could clothe me in His righteousness. Thanks to Christ, those who hunger and thirst for righteousness will be satisfied!

But the word justice changes everything. When I hunger and thirst for justice, which I often do, I’m demanding that life be made fair, that those who hurt others pay for their crimes, that everybody get what’s rightfully coming to them.

This world is full of people who are hungering and thirsting for justice. But demanding justice is an impossible way to live. In their book, Finding Purpose Beyond Our Pain, Paul Meier and David Henderson offer two examples: If we treat two children with different IQ’s the same, one will excel and one will fail. Is this just? Yet if we treat them differently, offering more time and aid to the one with the lower IQ, is this fair to the one who needs less? If we set the fine for speeding at $200 per offense are we being fair to the school teacher who has so much less than the billionaire? But if we fine her less for committing the same crime is this fair to the billionaire? (p. 6)

Trying to make everything fair in this life is a frustrating exercise in futility. And when I think about demanding that everyone get what they deserve, good or bad, God gently reminds me that I really don’t want what I really deserve. Jesus died to save me from that. Thanks to Him, I live under grace, not law.

Which led me to the next Beatitude! “God blesses those who are merciful, for they will be shown mercy” (Matthew 5:7NLT) When I read this, I noticed that when we hunger and thirst for justice, God promises satisfaction. He takes care of it. We leave our perceived need in His hands. But we are to be merciful. We do something. We show something. We offer mercy to others, and receive it from God in return. Our hands are tied as far as justice is concerned, but mercy is something we can give. This passage doesn’t say God blesses those who make everything right and fair. He blesses those who long for a world that is right and fair; they will be satisfied. It’s a promise they can claim, but God will do the work. In the meantime, we offer mercy to those who’ve hurt us, knowing our God is merciful to us.

Wow!

But that’s not all. Verse 5 says, “God blesses those who are humble, for they will inherit the whole earth” (NLT). As I continued my devotional reading today, I came across this verse, “The one thing I ask of the Lord—the thing I seek most—is to live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, delighting in the Lord’s perfection and meditating in his Temple” (Psalm 27:4NLT). To me, that’s the ultimate definition of humility. We seek God. We live in His Presence. We leave justice in His capable hands. And we show mercy to the people who surround us each day.

In her book, Jesus Calling, Sarah Young says, “Instead of grasping and controlling, you are learning to release and receive” (p. 326). Instead of grasping and controlling and demanding life be fair, I release it all, dwell in God’s Presence, and thankfully receive all He gives. I can’t make everything fair. I may hunger and thirst for justice, but I must trust God to satisfy that need. Jesus promises He will. In the meantime, I show mercy. I am forgiven; I forgive.

Lord, I often long for a perfect world where everything is just and right and fair. I see so much wrong that I cannot fix. Help me to release this to You knowing You will make everything right in Your time. While I wait, I’ll walk with You, delighting in Your perfection and meditating in Your Temple, offering mercy to those who offend me that, hopefully, they will find Your grace, too. Teach me to release and receive. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

Parachute Prayer #41

2009-11-06T17:09:00.003-05:00

We've all had days where everything we try to do goes wrong. Other times, we schedule baby steps toward reaching big goals: "I'll do this by this date, then this by this date, then this by this date," and so on. But brick walls appear just before each little goal, hindering our progress . . . causing much frustration.

Today's Parachute Prayer is to pray when brick walls block our way. It's hard, I know. But on a bad day when all's going wrong, dropping everything to ask God for wisdom, assistance, even blessing not only comforts us, but also often helps us to find a better way. Who knows? Maybe the brick wall is something to be thankful for. Maybe God has a different plan for our day. Maybe God is challenging our commitment or using the obstacle to strengthen our resolve. If we don't talk to Him about it, we'll never know--and we may never reach our goals. We'll just get many bruises from throwing ourselves at an unmoving wall, go to bed exhausted, and have to face it all again another day.

When obstacles confound us, it's worth our time to stop and pray.

Grace Shown Seen or Unseen

2009-11-04T05:44:00.004-05:00

“Though grace is shown to the wicked, they do not learn righteousness; even in a land of uprightness they go on doing evil and regard not the majesty of the Lord.” –Isaiah 26:10

In yesterday’s post, I mentioned that the drunk driver involved in the accident had received a gracious wake-up call (because no one was hurt by his actions) and that I hoped he would listen and respond. That reminded me of this verse in Isaiah 26 which tells us that grace is shown to the wicked—to those who don’t live for God, to those who aren’t yet even thinking of turning to God.

I love that! Though the verse focuses on the consequences of not learning from gracious wake-up calls, I love knowing that God gives them! God loves all people, regardless of what they have done or how they respond to Him. He is constantly working behind the scenes to teach righteousness, to draw all who don’t yet know Him into His Kingdom.

That drunk driver now has a choice. He can recognize God’s majesty in the events of the accident and praise God for sparing him from a murder conviction on top of his DUI, or he can learn nothing from the experience and go on doing evil just as he was.

Sometimes those who do wrong get second chances. When they do, rather than cry, “No! That’s not fair!” as we're sometimes prone to do,* let’s pray they’ll see God’s majesty at work and respond to His gracious ways.

Lord, please show grace to the wicked, so they will learn righteousness. And please help Your children to live uprightly—in Jesus—that the unsaved will see and respond to the Your majesty!

*I'm most definitely not crying, "No fair," this time. God's grace toward the drunk driver spared two innocent lives, including the life of my loved one. Sometimes God's grace toward unsaved people helps His children, too!

Our True Moral Compass

2009-11-03T07:19:00.008-05:00

Beware. This is one of my rare soapbox posts. But I just have to share my heart. I may be preaching to the choir, but perhaps some who really need to read these words will find them, pray about them, and seek God’s Truth for themselves.

I’ve often heard people say, “If it makes me happy, it must be okay.” In other words, happiness is their moral compass. If it feels good, it is good. If it hurts, leave it alone.

I’m sure the man who drank too much alcohol probably enjoyed the experience. He believed that alcohol was making him happy, so he drank up; then he got in his car to drive. He might even have been happy right up to the moment when he slammed his car into another, sending it spinning out of control and into the car one of my loved ones was driving at the time. That drunk driver may have been happy, but what he did was wrong.

Thankfully, no one was seriously hurt—this time. I praise God for that, and I hope with all my heart that this alcohol-drinking driver will listen to the gracious wake-up call he just received. I pray he’ll learn from the experience and never drive drunk again. And if he turns to God with a repentant heart, that will be even better still. This is now my prayer for him.

But back to my soapbox, I’m sure burglars who steal from others do so because they believe stealing will make them happy. They may be pleased with themselves, but that doesn’t excuse their actions. Stealing is wrong.

The terrorists who flew planes into our World Trade Center on 9-11 may have been happy about their choices, too. They were anticipating some glorious reward, which I’m certain they didn’t receive. Murder is wrong.

My point is: wrong is always wrong, regardless of how one feels. Using emotions to determine morality is like using a compass whose needle points a different direction every time. You can’t find the right path that way; emotions will just leave you lost.

That’s why Jesus has given us another compass—one that never changes and is always accurate. His Word, the Bible, shows us the only right way.

And if the size of the Bible overwhelms some, Jesus made it all so simple in Mark 12:30-31 when he said that there is no greater commandment than, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength” and “Love your neighbor as yourself.”

If our actions show sincere, unselfish, 100% genuine love to God and to the people around us, our actions are going to be right. Be warned though: the most loving actions may, in truth, make us feel unhappy sometimes. In fact, in some cases, the most loving actions may make people around us unhappy. But feelings, because they can be deceitful, are irrelevant; our goal is to do what is right.

Paul also gave us a simple indicator when he said, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law” (Galatians 5:22-23). There is no law against these because actions that come from these show love to God and His beloved creation, humankind.

Happiness is nice, but it can’t tell us the difference between right and wrong. For that, we have to listen for God’s voice by reading His Word and obeying as Jesus taught and as the Holy Spirit leads. Ironically enough, when we do this, true happiness—the kind that comes from inner peace and joy—will find us. The other kind is a counterfeit that will leave us spinning around helplessly like the drunk driver I now pray for.

Lord, when we’re in doubt or feeling confused about what to do, draw us to seek clear direction from You. Thank You for Your Word, Your Son, Your Spirit, and the determination to always choose right over wrong—for the sake of Your Name and the glory of Your Kingdom. In Jesus’ Name, we pray. Amen.

A New Look at Old Genesis 2

2009-10-31T06:53:00.007-04:00

“The warden paid no attention to Joseph’s care, because the Lord was with Joseph and gave him success in whatever he did.” –Genesis 39:23

Here’s another example of a familiar Bible story hitting me in a whole new way. I’ve read Joseph’s amazing story many times, but when I read this verse, I had to stop and think. It says that God gave Joseph success in whatever he did.

Now let’s just back up the turnip truck for a moment. (That’s such a bizarre phrase, don’t ya think? I may have to look into its history for curiosity’s sake.* But back to the story . . .)

Joseph was a slave. Then Joseph was framed for a crime he didn’t commit and became a prisoner. I don’t know of many societies that would define these “occupations” as success. Parents don’t say, “When my boy grows up, I hope he’s forced into slavery” or “put into prison for a crime he didn’t commit.” No. It just doesn’t happen. Not anywhere. I don't think.

Yet Genesis 39 tells us that the Lord was with Joseph and gave him success. In fact, it says it twice. Verses 3-4b say (of Joseph's time as Potipher’s slave),

“When his master saw that the Lord was with him and that the Lord gave him success in everything he did, Joseph found favor in his eyes and became his attendant.”

When we read the rest of the story, we learn that God eventually grants Joseph huge worldly success as well. But these verses from Genesis 39 don’t say, “the Lord planned to give Joseph success.” They say, “the Lord gave him success in everything he did” (emphasis mine).

I think the take-away point for us is that the circumstances we find ourselves in don’t determine success or failure in God’s eyes. Oftentimes circumstances are out of our control. We have to trust God with that, just as Joseph did. But if we serve God faithfully in whatever circumstances we find ourselves in, doing whatever our hands find to do with all our might (see Ecclesiastes 9:10a), this is success in God’s eyes.

Paul’s message to slaves in Colossians 3:22-24 sums this up well:

“Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything; and do it, not only when their eye is on you and to win their favor, but with sincerity of heart and reverence for the Lord. Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.”

If we know God is with us, as Joseph obviously did, and we serve Him in all circumstances, He will bless our efforts with success right where we are. And even if we don’t see that success on society’s terms, we can trust that, in God’s eyes, we’re doing well indeed.

Lord, help us keep our eyes on You, serving You only through all we do.

*Results of my research: Oh! I get it. You back up the truck because you never know what may "turn-up" when you go over the ground a second time. Clever--that phrase gets creativity points. (No, Justin, I don't know how many--you can decide this time.)

A New Look at Old Genesis

2009-10-29T12:07:00.009-04:00

I’ve been reading through the book of Genesis this month. It’s one of my favorites! (The book, not the month—not that there’s anything wrong with October. It’s a perfectly fine month. But I’m referring to the book.)

I love the book of Genesis because it’s a book of stories, fascinating stories we begin telling children from their earliest years, yet stories adults can learn from, too. I recently heard it referred to as the soap opera that resulted from the Fall.* That made me giggle, and I suppose it’s true. The difference is, these stories show God at work, carrying out His perfect plan among and on the behalf of the fallen people He has decided to redeem because He loves us all so much.

My point today is that we can always learn something new from Genesis. This is true of all of God’s Word, but I think we sometimes take Genesis for granted. It is the beginning and many of us learn its stories from our beginning and they become so familiar to us. It’s easy to consider skipping over them, thinking that if we can recite them by heart, then we’ve learned all we can.

But there’s more! Every reading there’s more!

For example, when I read through the story of Noah (Genesis 6-9:17) this time, these two passages caught my attention:

“Noah did everything just as God commanded him.” –Genesis 6:22

and

“By the first day of the first month of Noah's six hundred and first year, the water had dried up from the earth. Noah then removed the covering from the ark and saw that the surface of the ground was dry. By the twenty-seventh day of the second month the earth was completely dry. Then God said to Noah, ‘Come out of the ark, you and your wife and your sons and their wives.’” –Genesis 8:13-15

Did you catch that?! The ground was dry on the first day of the month. It was completely dry on the 27th day of the month. Noah saw that it was dry, but he waited. He waited in an ark full of stir crazy animals with his stir crazy family for almost a full month. He stayed in that ark in spite of what he saw until God told him to come out.

Wow! When Moses wrote that Noah did everything just as God commanded him, he wasn’t kidding. And since Noah was the one man chosen (with his family) to be spared from the flood, I think we should take note. (I also think we should hope and pray it doesn’t take us 601 years to learn to wait on God, ‘cause sometimes I think, with me, it might.)

I have a few more Genesis lessons to share, but this post is long enough for today. I’ll share more thoughts in coming days. In the meantime, happy studying! If you’re wondering what to read now, consider giving good old Genesis a brand new try.

*Sermon by Mike Reeves, October 25, 2009

For last year's thoughts on Noah, click here.

Indescribable

2009-10-26T10:53:00.007-04:00

Before worship yesterday morning, our pianist quietly played one of my all-time favorite hymns, “How Great Thou Art.” I recalled the words and couldn’t help but worship right then:

“O Lord my God,
When I in awesome wonder,
Consider all the worlds Thy Hands have made;
I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder,
Thy power throughout the universe displayed . . .”

People were still wandering into the sanctuary, greeting one another, finding their seats . . . but for me, the service had begun. That song truly does draw my soul to sing as it so beautifully proclaims God’s creative, awesome, eternal majesty. How great You are, O Lord! How great You are!

Later, during the offering, the pianist continued her worship theme, playing and singing Chris Tomlin’s modern hymn, “Indescribable”:

“From the highest of heights to the depths of the sea
Creation's revealing Your majesty . . .
Indescribable, uncontainable,
You placed the stars in the sky and You know them by name.
You are amazing God.”

My mind pondered the parallels between the two songs, written more than a century apart, proclaiming the same incredible Truth. And then I remembered Psalm 8:3-4:

“When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars, which you have set in place,
what is man that you are mindful of him,
the son of man that you care for him?”

It seems people have been drawn throughout time to worship God, the Creator of all, through the works of His hands. All that we see and consider in nature reveals the true nature of our almighty God. The heavens, especially, declare His unfathomable greatness! Our God’s huge! Yet He creates tiny, delicate flowers that sometimes go unseen—just because He wants to—and He counts the hairs on our heads and makes no two snowflakes the same! As we think about this, we have to sing, to praise, to pray, to fall on our knees and proclaim His glory with adoration, wonder, and inexpressible awe.

I’ve heard of a star registry, where people can apply (and pay) to have stars named for themselves or those they love. But God’s already named them! They are His Creation; He holds them in His hands! He’s so big.

Others believe that if they are very, very good and follow all the rules, someday, God will give them planets or solar systems of their own to rule over just as He does. But God already rules over them all! There is only one God—and He can manage ev-er-y-thing!

We don’t exist to make great names for ourselves—to claim stars or planets or people or things. We exist to glorify and proclaim God’s incomprehensively majestic name! And yet, we’re so very small. To think that our little voices, among all the other little voices that ever have or ever will exist, matter to the God who hangs the stars in the sky without even burning His fingers on that which would vaporize us in an instant from light years away. . . He invites us to sing, to live lives that bring glory to His worthy name.

He loves us each so much! That’s indescribable.

Wisdom Work

2009-10-23T06:34:00.004-04:00

“Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you; love her, and she will watch over you.” –Proverbs 4:6

The Internet amazes me. True--it has its problems and dangers, so I approach it with caution and care. But anytime I want to know a fact (the meaning of a word, a historical detail, specifics about a current event), all I have to do is turn my computer on, find my favorite search engine, type a few words, and suddenly all the answers are there! I no longer have to wonder until I find the time to go to the library or purchase a newspaper, if I find the time at all. No effort needed aside from a few quick keystrokes. Knowledge is available like never before!

Wisdom, however, is different. Wisdom is knowledge gained from experience. I may be able to find an advice columnist on-line who is willing to share her wisdom concerning a particular situation, but her wisdom may not be right for my situation. She doesn’t live in my shoes; she hasn’t experienced my life. Different circumstances call for different solutions; finding them requires personal wisdom, wisdom from within.

How does one gain the kind of wisdom that protects, loves, and watches over a person? This wisdom comes from God. So easy to say! But how do we access it? By filling our hearts and minds with His Word--reading, studying, memorizing, devouring! God invites us to take it all in--His wisdom! He wants us to internalize it, make it a part of ourselves.

If we do this, then, when difficult circumstances arise, God’s Spirit will act as a search engine, pulling the verses we need onto the screen of our awareness, so we’ll know how best to respond. With practice and experience, this wisdom comes more easily, giving us confidence in our ability to handle new situations wisely with God’s help.

And we can’t forget to pray. Asking for wisdom pleases God. He’s ready to give us all we need at any time. (Again, that's easy to say, but remembering to do this, training ourselves to make prayer our first response and to trust that God will answer takes practice, determination, and time.)

Google for knowledge. For wsidom, go to God.

Father, open my heart and mind to Wisdom. I choose to honor her. Let her protect and watch over me, helping me make right choices to successfully live Your way. Thank You in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Parachute Prayer #40

2009-10-19T13:24:00.004-04:00

Today is someone’s birthday. I won’t mention her by name. I wouldn’t want to embarrass her or anything. But if you’re reading this post, you know who you are. Happy birthday! We love you!

As I send her gift, I whisper a prayer, thanking God for her life and asking Him to bless her this next year—and always!

Then I remember, I have a cousin her same age. I pray for him, too.

Then I think of all the October birthday people in our family. It seems just about everyone either has their own October birthday or has a spouse, child, or parent with an October birthday. If you’re part of our family, you are partying this month!

And then I remember the crazy couple who decided to get married in the midst of all these birthdays adding an anniversary to the celebration parade. (That’s almost as nuts as getting married around Christmastime! Who’d ever do a thing like that?) I pray that God will add many blessings to this precious marriage, too.

It seems a birthday can trigger all kinds of Parachute Prayers! What a great opportunity to ask God’s blessing on our families.

Thank you, Lord, for each life we celebrate on a happy birthday—or anniversary! Please bless those we love through the coming year and always with health, with love, and with a growing knowledge of You. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.

For These Children: A Reminder

2009-10-18T07:36:00.009-04:00

While unpacking boxes of books after our most recent move, I came across a little book I’d never noticed before. I don’t know where it came from, but my husband and I both love books and somehow this one wandered into our collection. It caught my attention because it tells about ministry to troubled teens living on the streets; it was written by a nun, Sister Mary Rose O’Geady. I decided to see what she had to say.

Are You Out There, God? is a collection of letters written by Sister O’Geady to people who support the Covenant House ministry through prayer. Each letter tells the story of a different child living on the street either by choice (the runaway) or through abandonment. The stories are heartbreaking—sometimes horrific; some end triumphantly, some hopefully, some not yet, but maybe someday.

As I read through the first three or four stories, I noticed something strange within myself. My mind recognized that the stories were atrocious, but my heart didn’t seem to feel anything at all—it was actually taking in the information rather matter-of-factly. My mind didn’t think this was right. It told my heart to make me break down and cry. My heart stubbornly ignored it, remaining stoic. I asked God about this:

“Lord, these children’s lives are nightmares I can’t even begin to imagine. Millions of children are living on the streets right now experiencing things no one should. I don’t ever want to be callous to such a thing. Help me respond as You want me to.”

The phrase, “For this child I prayed,” (from 1 Samuel 1:27KJV) came to mind.

I love that phrase! It’s actually part of Hannah’s explanation to Priest Eli as she left her son, Samuel, to serve at the Temple. (See 1 Samuel 1.) Hannah had been barren. Year after year, she had prayed for a child. When she finally conceived and bore Samuel, she gave him back to God for life!

Hannah’s story is one of hope for childless couples, and her statement, “For this child I prayed,” is usually associated with thanksgiving for a long-awaited child. Christian bookstores carry beautiful pictures of mothers holding new babies. Hannah’s phrase is often the caption for these. I love that!

But I wasn’t thinking about eagerly anticipated new babies. I was thinking about lost teenagers. I believe God was showing me the statement can apply to these, too. Covenant House workers invite all the children they can in from off the street—and for each of these, they pray.

So I’ll pray, too!
For the prodigal—
For the forsaken—
For the hungry—
For the hurting—
For the homeless—
For these children, I’ll pray.

And as God leads, I’ll do more as I can.

My heart and mind are getting along now. I don’t think they ever weren’t. My heart just didn’t want to accept that what my eyes were reading was true. Children shouldn’t suffer like that—not anywhere, not ever, not even if they brought their troubles on themselves. God created them, He loves them, and He’s waiting to welcome them home—into His arms, into the homes of people who will care for them the way He originally planned. That is my prayer: that they’ll find their way there, that those who can will help, including me.

“I prayed for this child, and the LORD has granted me what I asked of him.” –1 Samuel 1:27

God answered Hannah’s prayer—so for these children, I’ll pray: May their lives come to honor God as Samuel’s did. Amen.

Lord,
Please provide food for those who don't have any
and shelter
and safety.
You've already provided salvation--their most crucial need.
Please draw them to find it.
Thank You, Lord.
Amen

Are You Out There, God? was written in 1996, but the Covenant House ministry is still going strong in several major cities around the world. For more information, click here.

Originally published September 25, 2008.

Parachute Prayer #39

2009-10-15T06:19:00.003-04:00

“Then he prayed, ‘O LORD, God of my master Abraham, give me success today, and show kindness to my master Abraham.’” –Genesis 24:12

The last time our family went bowling, my son asked why I stop, hold the ball up in front of me, and stare at the pins for a moment before “throwing” the ball. I told him I need to make sure everything is all lined up before I bowl. If I want the ball to hit that center pin, I have to keep it all lined up. (I don’t accomplish this very often, but at least I start in the right place.)

Abraham’s servant stopped and lined things up, too. When Abraham sent him to find a wife for Isaac, the servant asked God for success—and for Abraham’s sake!

We can do this, too. Before we begin any task, let’s pause and pray—to line things up—for Jesus’ sake!

Many of us already pray before we eat or before we go on a trip. Here are a few more ideas:

Before we do our devotions, we can ask God to reveal what we need to see.

Before we shop, we can ask God to help us find what we need and spend wisely.

Before we write that message, we can ask God help us choose words that encourage others and honor Him.

Before we send our family out the door, we can ask God to go with them, blessing their day.

Lord, remind us to pause and pray before we do anything, that everything we do will honor You. We are Your servants. Please grant us success (by Your definition) for Your sake. Amen.

Book Review: Green

2009-10-12T07:09:00.004-04:00

I can’t say Green was a pleasant read—but it was worth my time. I think. (The non-ending still has me perplexed.)

Green is a story of fallen mankind, and God’s plan to restore, and Satan’s plan to destroy. It’s an allegory of the biggest spiritual battle of all time. And what’s spiritual, or unseen in the real world, becomes literal and seen in the world of the Circle. So it’s not pretty. In fact, it’s mostly dark and horrific and frightening and highly disturbing. You may have nightmares. Be warned.

But the story also includes the Great Romance—God’s love for His children, their love for Him, and the hope and help He provides to those who remain faithful to the end. One scene was so beautiful, it brought tears to my eyes. That scene made the book worth my time. I think.

Green is an unusual book. Book Zero of the Circle series, you can read it first or last and it will still make sense—to a point. It’s also the sequel, of sorts, to Showdown and is related to the Lost Books series, too.

If you’ve never read a Ted Dekker novel before, I’d recommend starting with something tamer, yet equally enthralling, like Blink. If you’re eager to start the Circle series, I’d recommend starting with Green. Though Dekker has written it to work like a circle, the loop didn’t, to me, completely work—it did loop, but it didn’t seem faithful to the subject of the allegory. I’m not sure what Dekker was trying to communicate with that. If you start with Green, however, White will leave you as a reader, in the end, in a happier and more satisfying place.

And if you want the allegory without the violent, horror extreme, you can still just read Black, Red, and White without Green. It’s not essential to the storyline—just a thought-provoking extra if you care to give it a try.

More Bars

2009-10-11T07:07:00.005-04:00

My cell phone company advertizes more bars in more places, but we don’t get too many bars out here. In fact, on a cloudy day, we don’t get any. I’ve found three places in our house where I can usually find a signal in even the worst weather, but even then, there are times when I have to dial over and over again to get through. It’s frustrating at those times!

To help, my husband ordered some cell phone boosters. You place them inside your phone next to the battery. They are supposed to focus the signal so you get better reception. At first, my son and I didn’t notice a difference; then Seth read that you can put two of these things in your phone for even better reception. He tried it, and it actually works! We still have to walk around the house searching for a signal on occasion, but most of the time we have at least two bars.

It occurs to me that going to church is like using those cell phone boosters. It's not about the preaching--though this student does appreciate one that feeds her appetite. It's not about the music style or church decor, either--though great music and an aesthetic atmosphere are nice. What really matters overall is me or you being there with God’s people. Jesus said, “For where two or three come together in my name, there am I with them” (Matthew 18:20) . It's the coming together that gives us all a boost because the coming together welcomes God into our midst!

Yes, God hears my prayers when I am alone. Yes, I can worship Him and study the Bible alone--I often do. But corporate worship provides a weekly boost, helps me and fellow worshippers focus, and helps us all hear more from God. When His people unite, there really are more bars, and (if I keep my battery charged with prayer) the signal will last all week—no matter how many life storms.

Related verses: Psalm 122:1, Hebrews 10:25

Originally published July 18, 2008.

Simply Using the Shield of Faith

2009-10-09T09:51:00.008-04:00

“In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.” –Ephesians 6:16

Raising three boys, I occasionally find myself playing a vicious little game called Laser Tag. My favorite strategy is to find a dark corner with a wall to hide behind that has a small peephole. Then I can just sit there and play sniper until my husband and boys come looking for me. (They always do—I’m an easy target—many, quick points! I sometimes suspect it’s why they want me to play.)

The last time I played, however, a different teenager found me. I’d never seen this kid before, but he had me in his sight—point blank! He paused to savor the moment, loudly yelling, “Ah ha!”

What was a girl to do?

My reflexes took over. I simply put my hand up in front of his laser. He pulled the trigger, but the kill didn’t register. My hand was in the way.

Perplexed, the boy started to argue, “You can’t do that!”

But I did.

Then I shot him.

Then I ran!

Laser tag’s not supposed to be lethal.

But I think it would have been that day!

When Satan has us in his sight at point blank range, he wants us to believe it’s all over—that he’s rendered us powerless. But all we have to do is raise our hand to heaven and call on God in faith. Not only will God block the flaming arrows, but He’ll also fight for us (Exodus 14:14).

Satan may yell, “Hey! You can’t do that!”

But you can—God wants you to!

Then you can run safely away.

Thank You, Lord! You are strong and You are here and You want to fight to protect me. Remind me to use my shield of faith, calling on You first, whenever there’s a need. With You on my side, I’m safe. Amen!

Titan's Tantrum

2009-10-06T06:22:00.005-04:00

Titan’s not speaking to me.

Okay—truthfully, Titan’s never spoken to me. But now he’s actually turning his back on me and snubbing me with that cute, little stump of a tail. He’s even refusing to accept Cheerios—his favorite! The honey nut kind!

Stupid hamster.

“Why’s he so mad?” you ask.

It seems I had the nerve to clean his cage.

No. It’s not the first time I’ve cleaned his cage, but for some reason, this cleaning rattled him. Maybe he’s decided he’s had enough. If he wants a messy cage, he should have a messy cage, and what right do I have to change anything in his cozy, little world without his permission—even if it's for his own good?

Stupid hamster.

He’s missing out on his favorite of all treats just because I cleaned out the garbage and made his little home a healthier and more pleasant place to live. Does he really think he’s punishing me?

How often do we do the same thing?

God clears out the clutter, changes a few things for our own good. But instead of seeing the good and being thankful for it, we get angry, complain, avoid fellowship, and refuse the offered blessings from His hand.

“No, thank You, Lord,” we pray. “We liked things the way they were, and until you put them back, we’ve decided to be mad.”

Thankfully, God continues to reach out to us. If we’re wise, we eventually respond. God offers so much more than Cheerios! And fellowship with Him is the sweetest kind.

Lord, forgive us when we refuse to see the good You do for us each day. Fill us with thanksgiving that we can enjoy precious fellowship with You all the time. In Jesus Name, we pray. Amen.

This post is fondly dedicated to the memory of Titan’s adopted brother, Chewbacca Reeves (April or May 2008-October 5, 2009). May he rest in peace and find hamster heaven full of Honey Nut Cheerios. They were his favorite, too!

Living in His Presence

2009-10-05T08:52:00.006-04:00

Today’s discussion questions At the Well are:

Do you find yourself taking part in godless living and sinful pleasures?

If so....What steps are you going to take to gain strength in wisdom, righteousness and devotion to God?

I read something this morning that truly encouraged and spoke to me. In Sarah Young’s book, Jesus Calling, she writes (as if Jesus is talking to us personally):

"If you make problem-solving secondary to the goal of living close to Me, you can find joy even in your most difficult days." (p. 292)

I think if we revise that just a little bit, we have the answer to our question. If our primary goal is always to live close to Jesus, godless living and sinful pleasures won’t be able to find any place in our lives. Whew! One less problem to solve just by keeping our most important life goal in view.

I wrote about this yesterday at my other blog: Home Is Where God Sends You. To summarize, I wrote that we avoid Satan’s traps by disciplining ourselves to be aware of God’s Presence always. Then I listed suggestions on how to do this. Click here if you’d like to read that post.

As part of this discipline, particularly regarding today’s discussion question, I think we should pray often as David did:

“Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” –Psalm 139:33-34

Then we need to let the Holy Spirit do His job. According to Jesus:

"When he comes, he will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment:" --John 16:8

Then we need to listen and obey and continue to walk ever closer to Jesus all the time. As we listen for His voice and seek His face, we won't be tempted to wander away.

Thank You, Lord, for Your Presence in our lives. Remind us constantly that You are here. Help us to walk closely to You, to study Your Word, to listen for Your voice, and to always obey. You created us for companionship. Help us to walk with You constantly as Your faithful friends. Amen.

Imagining

2009-10-03T10:18:00.005-04:00

My Grandmother passed away this past May. My mother called me the Saturday night before to let me know that she’d collapsed unexpectedly and been rushed to the hospital. After running tests, the doctor had given her only two short weeks to live. My husband purchased plane tickets for Monday, so I could fly across country to say goodbye. I began packing my bags.

The next morning, in church, we sang, “I Can Only Imagine.” I’ve always loved this song, but on this morning I thought,

“Soon Grandma won’t have to imagine—she’ll know!”

As I sang the song, I tried to imagine what Grandma would experience when she met Jesus face to face for the first time. As I pictured Jesus welcoming her home, I worshipped and thanked Him and praised His holy Name.

My mother called as we were walking in the door after church. Grandma had died early that morning in her sleep. I wouldn't get to say good-bye, yet I recognized that song as a gift of comfort to me. As I had imagined Grandma entering God’s Presence, she was already there.

A few days later, at Grandma’s memorial service, one of her nieces joked that Grandma was probably complaining to Jesus about missing the party and begging Him to let her come—for just a few hours or so. We all laughed. The comment fit Grandma’s personality so perfectly. She loved being with her family and friends—always the more, the merrier. She would have loved her memorial.

Yet later I realized that Grandma was enjoying a party of her own. Jesus, Himself, was welcoming her home. She was standing or bowing or singing or praising or suddenly silent—no way! And whatever she was doing, she was surrounded by husband, parents, grandparents, brothers, and friends who’d gone before. In Heaven with those most precious people and Jesus, Himself, face to face at last, I don’t think she missed us at all.

But I know she’s waiting for us, right beside her beloved Lord. (In fact, I like to think she’s still talking to Him about us, urging Him to work in our hearts, to faithfully lead us all to join them in that place.)

Someday we’ll stand in God’s Presence.

I can only imagine that day.

True Strength

2009-10-02T13:21:00.003-04:00

“I can do everything through him who gives me strength.” –Philippians 4:13

In science class one year, my son Justin placed three bean seeds in wet paper towels and kept the towels moist until the beans began to sprout. At that point, he planted the seeds and the sprouts began to grow. The kids who did this successfully got credit for the assignment and brought their new plants home. The teacher told these kids that if they could take the assignment one step further and actually grow beans on these plants, they’d get extra credit. Justin was determined to do this.

When the plants grew tall enough that they began to bow, Justin found some dead sticks in the yard, stuck them into the dirt beside his plants, and tied his plants to the sticks for support. That’s when an amazing thing began to happen:

First, the bean plants died--all three of them. Kaput! Justin moved them to a sunnier place, gave them a bigger pot, watered them more, and watered them less. Nothing would save the little plants. To make matters worse, our new puppy got hold of the sickly sprouts and finished them off. (At least they made a meal for someone!) As all this was happening, however, one of the dead sticks began to sprout leaves. The bean plants were gone, but the dead stick began to thrive! (I wonder if that would have been worth extra credit.)

Just as the little bit of life remaining in the stick needed soil, sunlight, and water in order to come out, our strength to do anything and everything comes from God. When we plant ourselves in His Word, immerse ourselves in His love, and bask in the light of His Spirit, He gives us the strength we need!

Father, I thank You for Your strength to thrive in any situation You allow into my life. I'll seek it daily--and more! Amen.

Finding the Escape Hatch

2009-09-29T06:17:00.005-04:00

“No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it. Therefore, my dear friends, flee from idolatry.” –1 Corinthians 10:13-14

1 Corinthians 10:13 always brings a vivid image to my mind. Our youth leader had us memorize it when I was about 16. He told us that being tempted is like finding ourselves stuck in a box. Satan wants us to believe there is no way out; we have to give in and sin. But 1 Corinthians 10:13 promises an escape—always! When we are tempted, God will provide a way out. We never have to yield to sin.

And along these lines, I’ve found that once you begin looking for the escape hatch, your mind loses its preoccupation with the temptation. In other words, sometimes, just choosing to look for a way out is the way out! If it isn’t, though, we pray and seek and trust that our faithful God will show us the right and safe way.

As I considered this verse again this week, however, I noticed the connection between verses 13 and 14. The NIV separates these verses into different sections, so it’s easy to miss. But consider the verses together as Paul would have written them. First, we’re stuck in a box called temptation. We look for the promised way out. Then we flee from idolatry. Paul didn’t tell us to run from the temptation; he told us to run from idolatry. It occurs to me that maybe they are the same thing.

For example, when someone is tempted to lie that person is either protecting her reputation (idolizing herself) or trying to get something she’s not meant to have (idolizing the object). She’s putting herself or her wants above God. I think if we traced the motives behind any other sin we might be tempted to commit, we’d find the same—deep inside we’re deciding that something or someone is more important to us than God.

This thought leads us to another escape hatch. When we are tempted, we look for the way out by looking to God. We focus on Him. We worship Him. We thank Him for Who He is and for what He has done. Then our minds will flee from idolatry as our hearts fill with our real desire for God.

God not only provides an escape hatch, He is the escape hatch. When tempted, we must turn our eyes back to Him, acknowledge that He is Lord over all, and keep Him in first place.

Thank You, Lord, for providing the way out, so we never have to yield to sin. When anything attempts to compete with You, remind us to worship, praise, and thank. You are God--the only One. Nothing is more important to our lives than knowing You.

Parachute Prayer #38

2009-09-26T09:18:00.008-04:00

“And God said, 'Let there be light,' and there was light.” –Genesis 1:3

We were singing a new-to-me song, Wonderful Maker by Chris Tomlin, during our Bible study worship time the other day, when this line caught my attention:

“You spread out Your arms over empty hearts
Said 'let there be light'
Into a dark and hopeless world
Your Son was born.”

Here’s the thought I thought about that:

In the beginning, God said, “Let there be light,” and there was and there is and there always will be. Our earth doesn’t sit in physical darkness any more.

But there are dark hearts that don’t yet know the Light of the World. That’s why God sent Jesus.

This simple Parachute Prayer is that God will send His Light into the empty hearts all over this world. When you flip a light switch, turn on your headlights, open the blinds in the morning, or turn on your nightstand light at night, pray, “Lord, please let there be Light!” And I believe there will be someday.

True, each person has a choice, but let’s pray that the Light will shine so brightly they’ll be drawn to Jesus Christ and want all the Light He offers for eternity.

Lord, please let there be Light! Thank You. Amen.

Parachute Prayer #37

2009-09-24T10:27:00.004-04:00

When my husband was deployed to Iraq, I wanted people to pray for him. I also wanted people to pray for his unit and for all the soldiers stationed over there and for all the soldiers stationed anywhere else in this great big, often dangerous world. I still want that. I know our soldiers need our prayers.

One day, as I pulled up to a stop light, I noticed one of those magnetic yellow ribbons on the back of the car in front of me. Usually they say, “Support Our Soldiers,” or something along those lines, but this one said, “Pray for Our Soldiers.” So I did. Then I went hunting for a magnetic yellow Pray for Our Soldiers ribbon of my own*. It wasn’t easy to find, but I was determined. I figured if it prompted me to pray, it might do the same for someone else.

But if we’re aware, the ribbon we see doesn’t have to say, “Pray for Our Soldiers,” to remind us to pray. When you see a yellow ribbon, magnetically attached to a car or of fabric tied around a mailbox or tree, please take a moment to pray. It’s good to know our soldiers are always in God’s care.

*I need to add a small public service announcement here for my fellow Army spouses whose soldiers are stationed overseas. Please notice that my ribbon didn’t say, “Please pray for my soldier in Iraq,” or anything else that indicated he was away. As we pray for the safety of our soldiers, let’s make safe choices of our own and practice family force protection at home. Announcing to the world that your spouse is gone, no matter how proud you are, can be a dangerous thing.

A Quick Synopsis of My Current Reads

2009-09-22T07:48:00.003-04:00

1. Seasons of Reflection. Reading through this unique one-year Bible has been quite an experience—I’m in the final week*, finishing up with Nehemiah, Revelation, Psalms, and Proverbs. Seasons of Reflection is an NIV Bible. The Old Testament portion is presented in chronological order rather than traditional. On the positive side, I’ve enjoyed being able to read something from the New Testament every day. On the other hand, jumping around all over the Bible getting just small doses of this and that sometimes frustrated me. I was surprised to see unusual connections between the books, though—Ezra and Revelation actually go together well. Others books did, too. Overall, it’s been an interesting adventure in Bible study, but I’m looking forward to returning to the traditional arrangement.

2. Pearls of Great Price by Joni Eareckson Tada and Jesus Calling by Sarah Young—the two daily devotionals I’ve been working my way through this year. Both are outstanding!

3. Parenting Is Your Highest Calling and 8 Other Myths That Trap Us in Worry and Guilt by Leslie Leyland Fields. I’m so glad I found this book! I especially recommend it to parents of older children and teens. Biblically grounded concepts set parents free from impossible and unreasonable cultural expectations while showing how to parent God’s way.

4. Secure in Heart by Robin Weidner. An excellent study of God’s character showing how He provides all the security we women need.

5. A Time of War by Gilbert Morris. Book 5 of the American Odyssey series. This story continues the decade by decade saga of the Stuart clan, this portion set in the 1940’s.

6. Green by Ted Dekker. Though it’s not on my nightstand yet, I hope to start this book today, my latest Book Review Blogger choice from Thomas Nelson Publishers. Hurry up, UPS! Green is the fourth book in the Circle trilogy. (Yes, I meant to say it that way.) I can’t wait to see what happens next! (Hang in there, Justin! I’ll send it your way when I’m done.)

That’s all you’ve caught me with this time. I wonder what next month will bring!

*Yes, I did put my One Year Bible away, but this one entered my house and I had to pick it up. I didn't start reading on January 1, though, and I read at my own pace with a sticky note marker to keep my place.

Parachute Prayer #5--Once Again!

2009-09-20T07:29:00.003-04:00

By this time of year, I'm pretty sure that most, if not all, of America's children have gone back to school. Some are starting week two or three, others week six or seven. In any case, September seems like the perfect time to remind ourselves to keep them in our prayers--daily! (I originally published this post on October 11, 2008.)

I have quite a burden for our schools and the precious people who inhabit them almost daily. Don’t even get me started down that wild path of thought. Instead of travelling that direction, let’s let the road sign provide this week’s parachute prayer—literally!

I like to get started pretty early most mornings. If I have errands to run, I’m bound to go through several school zones, pass a few school busses, and even stop to wait while those busses pick up children beginning their day. If you are an afternoon person, you’ll see and do the same as the routes run in reverse. Let’s use these sights and actions as a call to prayer. When we see the bright yellow school zone signs or busses and begin to slow or stop, we can let them remind us to pray for the students, teachers, administrators, parents—even for government officials or groups that work together on our children’s behalf.

The system might not be perfect, but it is impacting the next generation in a significant way. Therefore, we must pray—for the system and for those who function within it. I know some amazing teachers! I’m even related to more than a few! They care about kids, want to make a difference in their lives, and are helping to set them on the path to a productive and fulfilling future. They deserve our prayers as they strive to do this. Let’s thank God for teachers like these—and ask Him to send more!

I also know some amazing kids—and just happen to be related to more than a few of those, too! In some cases, I can only imagine the challenges they face; so let’s pray for the kids as well. They need all the strength and encouragement and wisdom they can get.

I’ve listed quite a bit to pray for during the 30 seconds or so it takes to drive through a school zone or wait for a bus, but that’s the beauty of a parachute prayer. When we see signs of schools, we’ll pray for whichever of these God brings to mind at the time. Together, with His help, we’ll cover it all. When we see signs of schools, let’s pray.

To Do or Not to Do

2009-09-17T09:51:00.004-04:00

Today's question at the Internet Cafe is:

Do you focus in more on what you are doing for Jesus, or on what you are not doing for Him? Is there a balance? Do you think this is even a healthy approach when you are examining yourself in regards to your relationship with Christ?
Being a born and bred perfectionist through and through, I find that when I focus on my accomplishments, I either become discouraged because I can’t do everything I think I should or extremely self-satisfied for reaching a desired goal. Neither is what God wants for me. My worth doesn’t come from what I do or do not do—and it doesn’t change from day to day based on what I can or can’t complete.

So when I find myself caught up in this trap, I know it’s time to spend some extra time with Jesus. (I wrote about just such an internal battle recently. You can read those posts here and here.)

Sometimes I think we are afraid to stop what we’re doing to sit and spend time with Jesus. We become so performance driven that we fear running out of time, failing, or letting someone down. In reality, we’re letting Satan distract us, so that we’re actually letting Jesus down. He created us for relationship, to love and worship Him. We can only find true life fulfillment as we dwell in His Presence.

That doesn’t mean we’ll never accomplish anything. As we talk with Jesus, He shows us what to do and leads us to do it in His timing and power and under His direction. There is no greater feeling than knowing He is pleased with our lives. That sense of “Well done good and faithful servant” beats unnecessary self-recrimination or perhaps unwarranted, self-satisfaction every time.

Jesus, thank You for being a constant in my life and for loving me just the same each day. Lead me to do as I seek time with You. I long to live and move and have my being in You moment by moment, always. That's what makes my existence worth something. In Your dear name I pray. Amen.

Parachute Prayer #36

2009-09-16T07:30:00.005-04:00

If you're like me, you love family photos. No--not going to get them taken. That can be a challenge to say the least. But you love having them around, all over your house, to remind you of the people you love the very most in the whole, great big, wide world.

Because we live far from extended family, I especially appreciate pictures of the people I love dearly, but don't get to see every day. I keep a special photo display devoted exclusively to these. Perhaps you have an arrangement like this in your home, too.

Today's Parachute Prayer is to let these favorite pictures remind us to pray for these priceless people. If you don't display photos all over your house like I do, get out the family photo album or let your computer do a digital slideshow for you to view today. Pray for the people whose pictures you see.

As a corollary to this concept, I'd like to share my grandmother's idea. If someone in your family is in need of specific or urgent prayer, keep that person's picture in your Bible for a time. Whenever you open your Bible, God can use the picture to call you to pray.*

God placed us in families. Let's cover their members in prayer every day!

*If you don't open your Bible as often as you think you should, tape the picture to your bathroom mirror or put it in some other prominent place. Maybe the picture will serve a second purpose, reminding you to read your Bible, too--Hooray for you!