What A Peel

O

ne of the most intriguing areas of the grocery store is the produce section.  I am constantly amazed at the variety of fruits and vegetables constantly on display in this area.  As the seasons change, the produce aisle changes as well.  Fruits and vegetables, normally out of season in our country, find their way to our shelves from other areas of the world where they are grown in abundance. 

One of my favorite fruits is the banana.  No matter the season, produce managers in every grocery store proudly display this tropical fruit in abundance.  Almost everyone I see in the produce section stops to look at the bananas and most of these people pick up a bunch to take home.  Each week, I buy a bunch of bananas myself.  As a matter of fact, it takes me almost as long to find the right bunch of bananas as it does to complete the rest of my shopping.

Now, you may be wondering why it takes me so long to select a simple bunch of fruit.  Well, have you ever stopped to consider the process necessary for selecting a bunch of bananas?  Consider this!  When approaching the produce stand, you are attracted by the initial color of the bananas.  They all look so pretty, dressed in their brightest yellow jackets.  However, upon closer inspection, you find some of the bunches are still green, meaning they are not yet ripe, and others are dark, indicating they are past their peak.  Sometimes, the peels are very dark, almost black indicating the bananas are either way too ripe or, perhaps, rotten.

Yes, you can tell a lot about a banana by its peel.  After all, what you are after is on the inside but you make your selection based upon the outside of the fruit.  Hmmmmm, this sounds familiar, doesn't it?  Somewhere, Jesus spoke about fruit and its application to our spiritual walk with him.  Somewhere he made a connection between the type of fruit we bear and the type of person we are.

Matthew 7:20 is a small sentence but it packs a powerful punch.  In this verse, Jesus says, “Therefore by their fruits you will know them."  In this particular passage, Jesus underscores a great spiritual truth, namely, that our exterior attitudes and actions indicate the interior conditions of our hearts and souls.  The way we act towards others, the way we spend our time and money, the way we care for those around us, all indicate the type of person we are.  Although we claim to be spiritual and truly concerned for others, our words are not the true indications of our commitment to God.  No, our actions indicate to those around us just how deep and true our commitment to God is.

The banana peel is the criterion I use to select the fruit I buy.  If the peel is too green, I don't choose it because the fruit is immature and not ready for use.  Likewise, if the peel is too dark, I know the banana is bad and will not serve my purposes well. However, the banana with the healthy yellow peel is my choice every time.  I know that the fruit inside will be good, ripe, and ready for use.

It is the same with us.  Everyday we are surrounded by people searching for answers to their questions.  Most of them, although they may not know it, are looking for God.  All around them they see people professing to be Christians, but their lives reflect nothing of what God stands for.  Like the initial approach to the banana display, they are attracted by what they see and hear about Christianity.  They are drawn to it and want to learn more about it.  However, upon closer inspection of Christianity's fruit, that would be we Christians, they find that some fruit is too ripe, some is not ripe enough, and other fruit is simply rotten.

What better reason could their be for us to take inventory of our relationship with God?  Let us come before God, before the ultimate fruit inspector, and learn the true condition of our hearts toward him.  Let him weed out every part of us that is immature or rotten so that we display only the best fruit.  Our lives, in all aspects, must be true and consistent.  The outward appearance of our lives will reflect the inward condition of our hearts.  The question then becomes one of good fruit or bad fruit, ripe or rotten, useful or not.  Jesus' words are true, “Therefore by their fruits you will know them."  What does your life look like today?

Wipe Out

O

ne of the most important lessons that any teacher can learn is the proper use of the chalkboard.  This is the most invaluable weapon in the instructor's arsenal.  It is here that the war against ignorance is waged.  Carefully mapped strategies and battle plans are drawn on its surface with one goal in mind--the education of the student.  Working in conjunction with the chalkboard are two more indispensable items.  These are the chalk and the eraser.  With these three items, the teacher provides the necessary environment for learning to occur.

As a new teacher, one of the first lessons I learned concerned the chalkboard.  Instead of focusing on the various ways of teaching with the board, I learned that the most important thing to do with a chalkboard was to clean it!  This was especially true if I shared another teacher's classroom.  Unless I removed the information I placed on the board, the next teacher would have to take valuable time removing my charts, diagrams, and assignments before using it for a new class.  On more than one occasion, I have been annoyed to find that someone failed to clean the board after using it.

The telltale sign that a chalkboard has been frequently used is the amount of chalkdust in the tray.  An accumulation of chalkdust and a dusty eraser indicate that information has been passed from teacher to student.  Likewise, the absence of chalkdust and a clean eraser testify that a small exchange of information has occurred.  Since I love to use the chalkboard, chalkdust has become part of my wardrobe.  Sometimes, it appears I am wearing eau de chalkdust because it is everywhere, even in my pockets.

Occasionally, I send students to the board to work with French grammatical structures.  They approach the board, write their assignment, sit down, see a problem, get up, erase the error, and correct it.  When they are satisfied with their handiwork, I approach the board and survey their work.  When I find an error, I discuss it with the student, then I take the eraser, remove the incorrect answer, and replace it with the correct one.  When the entire process is finished, the student understands where he or she was wrong.  However, there is no trace of the error, only the correct form is displayed on the board.

Have you ever stopped to consider that our lives resemble a chalkboard? We fill them with all kinds of information, thoughts, ideas, and our own solutions to life's problems.  We also fill them with our wants, dreams, wishes, and goals.  Like a good teacher, God lets us finish our turn at the board.  He waits very patiently, observing our work, noticing where we are wrong, but never interfering until He is asked.  Then, when we finish, when we make all the corrections we deem necessary, He approaches the board, eraser in hand.  Our Heavenly Father looks at what we've done, He lovingly locates our mistakes, He patiently explains and shows us where we're wrong, and He carefully and methodically demonstrates why things don't work the way we think they should.  Then, He does something absolutely wonderful.  He takes the eraser, removes all our mistakes, corrects them, and makes our work acceptable!

King David learned this lesson well.  He learned that a trip to life's chalkboard is necessary so that God can show us our mistakes, our sin, and then He wipes them out.  Psalm 51:1 addresses this idea with the following words: "Have mercy upon me, O God, According to Your loving kindness; According to the multitude of Your tender mercies, Blot out my transgressions." David's trip to the chalkboard had divulged several areas of error in his life.  Not only had he committed adultery with Bathsheba; he was also responsible for her husband's death.  When confronted with the truth, David's errors became obvious.  In this psalm, he asks God to show mercy and to wipe out his errors.

This is a common occurrence in every-day life.  We are constantly writing on life's chalkboard, believing we have all the correct answers.  Most of the time, we are extremely proud of our work, thinking it to be perfectly acceptable, not only to our peers, but also to God.  That is when God approaches the board, takes His eraser, shows us our errors, and wipes them away.  He does this in love, in mercy, and in justice.  Errors, no matter how small, are still errors and they must be corrected if our work, if we, are to be acceptable to God.  However, when God erases our sin, when He wipes out our mistakes, He does so forever.  There is nothing left on the board to indicate our faults, no long list of wrongs committed, and no record of the number of times we didn't get it right.  When God finishes grading our work, it is correct. He does this out of His love for us; not because of anything we do nor because of who we are!

When was the last time you took a trip to the chalkboard?  The eraser is waiting! 

Meet Me After Class

A

s a teacher, I occasionally request to see a student after class.  There are several reasons leading to my decision to have a conference; but usually the student is encountering difficulty in one or more areas evidenced by a low grade on a test or homework assignment. I notify the student by writing a small note which reads, “See me after class.”  This usually causes some alarm on the student’s part but it always gets his/her attention and allows us to meet and to discuss the student’s performance.

The underlying cause of the student’s problem could be one of several possibilities. It might be he/she failed to understand the directions.  It might also be the case that he/she failed to study properly or studied the wrong material.  However, in all likelihood, the student is having difficulty with a certain aspect of the lesson because he/she has not learned the material.  If the student doesn’t understand the concepts being presented, he/she will not progress in the learning process because a huge obstacle has fallen across the path.  This is the reason for the conference.  It lets me understand the student’s perspective and gives me an opportunity to revisit the material and to make sure he/she understands the material so that learning can continue.

Jesus held many after-class sessions with his disciples.  On more than one occasion, he met with them to explain the meanings of the parables he used in his teaching.  The crowds who followed him were drawn and captivated by Jesus and his method of teaching.  Never had anyone explained things like him and no one had ever spoken with such authority about the kingdom of God.  Still, there were things that escaped their understanding and for those who wanted to know more, it was necessary to visit the teacher after class.

Mark 4:33-34 preserves for us one of these sessions with Jesus.  The passage reads, “With many similar parables Jesus spoke the word to them, as much as they could understand.  He did not say anything to them without using a parable.  But when he was alone with his own disciples, he explained everything.”  Do you notice the two different groups in this passage?  The first group contains all of Jesus followers as a whole.  They all heard his teaching and they all listened to his parables.  Like any good teacher, Jesus only explains as much as his students can understand.  He doesn’t overload them but gently leads them into knowledge.  However, for some of the students, namely his disciples, Jesus’ teaching leaves them hungry for more.  So Jesus sees them after class to clear up the areas of difficulty and to teach the points again in order to insure his students understand the lesson.

There is a great opportunity for us to learn from this passage of scripture.  Into which group do we fall today?  Are we in the larger group, hearing the teaching, hanging on every word, but leaving when the lesson is over?  Or are we in that inner group of students that lingers around after everyone else is dismissed so that we can learn even more?  Notice that only the second group has everything explained to them. Only they receive the full extent of Jesus’ teaching.  Only they had the privilege of being taught one-on-one by Jesus and learning directly from him.  So, do you feel the need to stay after class today?

Run Silent, Run Deep

V

intage World War II movies and documentaries never go out of style.  As a young boy, I loved watching these movies and listening to my grandfather and other men who actually lived the various battles and circumstances portrayed in the movies.  I will never forget these conversations and the feeling I had as I listened to true accounts by people who had actually been there.

Most of the movies and documentaries recounting great naval battles always include footage or references to the role of the submarine. The ability to approach by stealth and attack while submerged and undetectable to an enemy drastically altered the way naval fleets engaged their enemies on the open seas.  However, the submarine was not without its limitations. 

I remember watching several movies where ships on the surface unloaded depth charges, in an attempt to force submarines to the surface or to utterly destroy them below the waves.  The charges could be set to explode at differing depths, making it very difficult for a submarine to make a fast getaway by diving to deeper water. 

As the ship’s captain continued his relentless pursuit of the sub by continually firing depth charges overboard, the submarine captain would order his crew to dive to deeper water.  In very dire circumstances, the sub commander would give the order, “Run silent, run deep.”  This meant that the engines were to be disengaged and the sub was to float freely and no one was to make a sound for fear of divulging the submarine’s location. However, one thing was clear, the deeper the submarine’s dive, the safer it was from enemy attack.

Life can be viewed in these terms, especially from a Christian perspective. The scriptures tell us plainly that we have an enemy and that he is in constant pursuit and on constant patrol.  He has only one goal in mind, to sink us, dead in the water.  The sea of life is full of his ships, loaded with depth charges, always at the ready, always willing to launch just when we least expect it. His salvos are dangerous and his attack is relentless.

Often times, his charges start off in shallow water.  They come in the form of daily frustrations, minor disappointments, and small obstacles blocking our paths.  When we encounter these difficulties, as Christians, we immediately head for deeper water.  The depth charges drive us deeper into God’s word and into a deeper relationship with Him.  That’s when the enemy really cranks up the charges.  They hit us deeper and are more powerful than we know.  Sometimes the death of a loved one is such a charge or the heartache of a broken friendship or relationship.  At other times emotional pain rocks our vessel and we feel as if the hull will collapse and the ship will sink.

At such a time we follow the sub captain’s advice and we choose to run silent and run deep.  We believe that if we make no noise, if we stop all forward movement, and if we come to a full stop, then the attack will cease.  This is especially true during times of greatest testing.  We choose to run silent when the pain runs deep, believing that it will pass when the enemy tires of the pursuit. Our enemy, however, will not tire and if we stop our forward progress we become sitting ducks, dead in the water, and easy prey!

King David was fully aware of the difficulties of life.  He was pursued by his best friend’s father and by his own children.  He was hunted, rejected, insulted, betrayed, and hated.  There were moments, I believe, in David’s life when he felt the shockwaves from the enemy’s depth charges as they fell all around him.  Yet David’s command would not be like our submarine’s captain.  Instead, they would be just a little different.

In Psalm 130:1, David gives us the proper order for addressing the enemy’s onslaught.  Here, he writes, “Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord.”  Notice that David mixes the commands, encouraging us to run deep but not to remain silent.  He cries to the Lord from the depths of his trials and disappointments.  The enemy’s salvos have driven him deep and from this depth David calls out to God.  He calls out because he knows God will answer him.  David is on intimate terms with the One who leads His own “through the depths” (Isaiah 63:13).

 His advice is well taken.  When the trials, heartaches, and disappointments of life surround us, we must go deeper into God, calling out to Him from the depths and He will hear us. Although the charges run deep, and although they buffet us at every turn, we have God’s promise that they will never destroy us.  We are safe in the depths with Him because wherever we go, there He is. 

Whatever your situation today, it is my prayer that you will know and experience God’s presence in conflict.  Go deeper into Him; dive as quickly as you can to the safety of the depths of His love for you.  When the enemy is all around and your urge is to flee, remember David’s advice:  Run praying and run deep!   

Come On In

I

 distinctly remember the first day my brother and I moved into our new home.  For eighteen long months we had worked, preparing the house for occupancy.  At last the long-awaited day arrived.  With the help of our parents and a few friends, we moved our furniture, our clothes, and all our belongings into the new house, cutting the apron strings with home and taking up the reigns of home ownership.  

It was exciting and frightening at the same time.  During the previous eighteen months, we had lived with our parents but our new home was across town, waiting for us to enter and set up house keeping.  During this time, we were in limbo; we lived in one place but were looking forward to another.  Although we had enjoyed living with mom and dad, the time had come for us to move on and start a new life of our own.

A few days after moving into the house, I received a reality check. You know what these are, don’t you?  They are those little moments when you understand just how big the hole you’re in is and you know the shovel you are holding isn’t large enough to dig you out.  It had never occurred to me that the money we borrowed had to be paid back.  I had written checks to pay for the plumbing, the wiring, and all the other needs we had.  But that was the bank’s money, not mine.  Now I was faced with the reality that I had to use my money to repay the loan.  Talk about scared!

I imagine this is the way Joshua must have felt as he stood on the threshold of the Promised Land, ready to make his entrance with the children of Israel.  For forty years they had been wondering in the desert, walking in a great circle, paying for their disobedience to God.  The Lord was using this situation to prepare them to take possession of the land. The wonderings in the desert would teach them about God’s faithfulness and His trustworthiness.

Finally, the day came when they were to cross the Jordan and enter the Promised Land.  There must have been wonderful excitement in the camp that day.  The promise made to Abraham hundreds of years before was about to be fulfilled.  God had opened the door and had extended an invitation for His people to go into the land of promise.  The responsibilities for leading the people into the land and for conquering it fell to Moses’ servant, Joshua.

Can’t you just imagine Joshua’s fears and worries?  For the past forty years, the people had received their instructions and their leadership from Moses.  This great man of God had stood before Pharaoh, he had led them through the Red Sea, he had given them God’s law, and he had built the tabernacle in the wilderness.  How would Joshua ever fill Moses’ shoes?  Would the people listen to him, would they respect him, would they carry out his instructions?  The fear of the unknown must have plagued Joshua and weighed heavily on his mind.  God, however, had great plans for him and gave him wonderful words of reassurance.

In Joshua 1:1-3, God gives these words of encouragement to Joshua, “After the death of Moses the servant of the LORD, the LORD said to Joshua son of Nun, Moses' aide: "Moses my servant is dead. Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land I am about to give to them-to the Israelites.  I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses.”

There are three things we need to learn from this passage of scripture today.  First, Joshua must face reality.  Moses is dead!  The people can no longer rely on his leadership.  This left the people and Joshua with not only a sense of loss, but also caused them great anxiety.  Their security blanket had been ripped right out from underneath them.  But God does not stop here.  The next sentence demonstrates that God’s plans do not change. 

Second, God tells Joshua that the people will cross the Jordan River and take possession of the land He promised on oath to Abraham.  What wonderful reassurance this must have been.  God’s promises are not dependent on one individual or set of circumstances. God’s promises are dependent on Him and, therefore, can never fail. 

Finally, God restates His intention.  That intention is to fulfill His promise, to be with the people as they cross over and to settle them in the land just as He told Moses and just as He promised Abraham.  No matter how daunting the circumstance and no matter how impossible and hopeless the situation may seem, God’s promises remain true.  He will keep them all!

As we face the day ahead, we can and must draw great strength from these verses.  The events of yesterday are gone.  All of its successes, all of its comforts, and all of its security are forever in the past.  God is calling us to move forward into territory unknown to us but very familiar to Him.  He is calling us to move from where we are into the promises He has given us.  We can not dwell in the desert when God has called us to a land flowing with milk and honey.  We must get up, move forward, leave the past behind, enter the land, and possess it.

God has opened the door on this morning and He extends to us the following invitation:  “Come on in!”  The rest is up to us.  Personally, I’m going to wipe my feet on the welcome mat and go on in!  How about you?

Never Look Back

“L

adies and gentlemen, boys and girls of all ages….” The Ring Mater’s voice boomed from center ring and reverberated from the walls and ceiling of the Charlotte Coliseum where my parents had taken me and my brother to see the circus.  It was everything they said it would be.  There were animals from all over the world—my favorites were the elephants and the lions.  There were clowns, jugglers, fire eaters, magicians, and something I had never seen before nor expected.

High above the circus floor, flying through the air, defying all laws of gravity were acrobats.  I was mesmerized from the moment I saw them.  The Ring Master walked the audience through their entire performance, telling us about the impossible feats they were conducting high above our heads.  I remember shuddering with fear and excitement as these men and women sailed through the air, turning somersaults, hanging upside down from the trapeze, and trusting the other members of their troupe to catch them.  It was an amazing sight and one I never forgot.

The moment of truth, however, came when the Ring Master announced that one of the acrobats would be performing a difficult maneuver high above our heads.  He would swing out on the trapeze several times, do a combination spin/somersault, and land in the outstretched hands of his partner who would deliver him safely to the other side of the arena.  As if this weren’t adequately heart-stopping for the audience, this last feat would be performed without the added safety of a net!

The two acrobats began their performance.  The gentleman who would perform the maneuver began swinging back and forth, faster and faster, and higher and higher.  His partner also began swinging but he was not in sync with his partner.  From the ground, it looked as if the two would never be in rhythm and I became very worried.  How would the one acrobat catch the other?  Would he be in a position to catch him when he released the trapeze?  Would the other acrobat release the trapeze and trust his partner?  What would happen?

Finally, I got the answer to all of these questions.  The two acrobats approached each other.  The one performing the spin/somersault had his back turned to his partner.  He swung out, released the trapeze, performed the trick and landed squarely in the hands of his partner who delivered him safely to the other side.  The audience breathed a collective sigh of relief and applauded thunderously.  What was so amazing to me was not so much that one partner caught the other.  What impressed me as a young child was that the first acrobat, without being able to see his partner, had the guts to let go of the trapeze in the first place.

The Scriptures are filled with examples of men and women who exercised great faith, trusting God to catch them when they stepped out into nothing and had no net catch them.  This is the type of faith God wants us to have. It is the type of faith that only comes from experience, from learning that no matter how high the trapeze, no matter how out of rhythm life seems, and no matter how difficult the maneuver, God will always be there to catch us! 

But there is one proviso in all this, one requirement which we must meet, we must be willing to let go of the trapeze.  We cannot put our hands into the hands of God if our hands are full.  We cannot reach out and take hold of the things God has for us if we continue to hold fast to things in the past or present.  In order to experience God’s wonderful grace, in order to understand what it means for Him to care for us, and in order for us to truly know God in all His fullness, we must let go of the trapeze.  It’s just that simple.

In Luke 9:62, Jesus, himself, gives us this requirement for being servants in God’s kingdom, “Jesus replied, "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.” Look at the first two words of this passage. The words no one are all inclusive, they leave no one out!!  In order to be servants in the Lord’s kingdom, we must let go of all we hold dear, be that a job, a home, a stock portfolio, a friend, or a family.  This does not mean God will take them from us, but we must be willing to release our hold on them so He can give us His best.

Like the acrobat, we must be wiling to let go of the trapeze, knowing there is nothing below us to break our fall.  With our backs turned, without the luxury of sight, without being able to hear, we must let go in faith, knowing God will catch us.  Has your walk with God prepared you for the moment when you must let go?  Are you ready and willing to let go of the trapeze today, to step out into nothing except the hand of God and experience the joy that comes from landing squarely in His arms? When you do, you will find that it truly is the “greatest show on earth” or anywhere else for that matter!

If I Can Just...

T

he 30-minute timeslot between 4:00 and 4:30 was sacrosanct!  Every day after school I’d run home, grab a snack, and start my homework, all before 4:00.  I kept a watchful eye on the clock, desperately working to finish all my assignments before the hour struck four bells! No matter what I was doing, no matter what was going on around me, at 4:00 all activity ceased and I settled down in front of the television to watch one of my favorite shows.

The show began with flashbacks to the previous episode in order to bring those unfortunate few who missed the program up to speed. After a few minutes of reviewing the storyline, the familiar theme music began playing.  Anyone listening to the television would have known what show I was watching, especially when the background vocals got to the main character’s name, “Batman! Da da da da da da da da Batman!” 

Yes, that’s right friends; Batman was one of my all time favorite shows.  Adam West and Burt Ward played the Dynamic Duo and I watched them religiously every day.  I especially enjoyed the way the producers left the Caped Crusader and the Boy Wonder in dire straights at the end of each episode.  I was always left hanging, wondering if the masked crime fighters would be able to escape the clutches of death in order to continue their campaign against crime.

The answer to my question was always a resounding yes, as each time Batman and Robin succeeded in escaping and foiling the dastardly plans of such villains as the Joker, the Riddler, Cat Woman, Egghead, and the Penguin.  The duo always escaped by virtue of the wonderful toys tucked neatly away in their utility belts.  Just before their miraculous, last-minute escapes, Batman would always say, “If I can just reach….in my utility belt” He would name some gadget, find it in the nick of time, and spring the two heroes from the clutches of death.  By this time I would be breathless, hoping against hope Batman and Robin would be able to escape and defeat the criminals.  I was never disappointed

Would it surprise you to know that long before Batman was beamed into my living room, a very prominent Bible character was already living by the “If I can just…” philosophy of life?  Well, it’s true and his name is Abraham.

A brief flashback to the previous episodes reminds us that Abraham had a son named Ishmael.  Since his wife Sarah could not have children, she gave her servant, Hagar, to Abraham in order to produce children for her.  This was not God’s plan for Abraham.  God told Abraham he would provide him with a son, but Abraham and Sarah tried to do things their own way, creating a difficult situation to face later in life.

Genesis 17:18 records Abraham’s conversation with God concerning the promise of a child, “And Abraham said to God, "If only Ishmael might live under your blessing!"  Do you see the “If I can just…” portion of this passage?  Do you hear the desperation in Abraham’s voice and the longing in his heart for God’s promise to be fulfilled?  Abraham was 75 when God promised him he would have a son.  He is now is in his 80’s and still there has been no evidence of God’s fulfilling the promise He made. So, Abraham says, “If I can just have the promise through Ishmael, everything will be all right!”  But God did not want to fulfill the promise through Ishmael but through Isaac, who would be born when Abraham was 100 years old.

We have all been in Abraham’s shoes.  We read the Scriptures and claim the promises God has for us.  However, we grow impatient, we believe we know how God will fulfill this promise, and we take steps to bring about the answer to our request.  That’s when we get into trouble.  We get ourselves into a bind and our impatience and frustration cause us to adopt the if-I-can-just philosophy of life.  However, if we can just remain faithful, if we can just remain patient, and if we can just trust God, then we will find that His promises come true!  God is always faithful to fulfill His word to us, even when it seems He has forgotten all about us.

Today, when you find yourself in a difficult set of circumstances, when it feels as if you are trapped, and when you believe God has no idea of where you are, remember Abraham.  God will take care of you. He will fulfill His promises to you.  He will provide your every need if you just believe, trust, and obey Him today!

Worth All The Effort

I

t stood 363 feet tall and weighed 6.2 million pounds fully loaded and when it blasted off from its launch pad, it shook the ground for miles around.  This was the Saturn V launch vehicle, the most powerful rocket ever built.  As a small boy, I watched every single Saturn V that NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) launched into space.  One of my fondest memories as a five-year-old child was seeing Neil Armstrong place his foot on the surface of the moon.  That is something I will never forget.

As I grew older and began to understand more about how rockets worked, I was amazed at the tremendous amount of energy required to place a rocket into orbit.  The vehicles that launched men to the moon began as 363-foot rockets but what returned was extremely small and would easily fit in the middle of your living room floor.  It took thousands of hours of planning time, thousands of hours of training time, thousands of hours of assembly time, and millions of hours of worry as people all over the world watched those rockets take off, headed for the moon.

As the Saturn V launched, it relied on its booster stage to lift it into the upper atmosphere.  That stage was jettisoned and the second stage placed it into earth orbit.  The third stage carried the men to the moon and finally the small command module splashed down in the Pacific Ocean.  All that effort to build this huge machine only to get a small capsule back; the larger stages worked so the smaller capsule could complete its mission.  At first, it seemed that all those pieces had been wasted but in the end, all of them were necessary to complete the lunar missions.

In his letter to the Galatians, the Apostle Paul addressed this same idea of expending great effort in order to achieve an established goal.  Paul wasn’t interested in putting men on the moon.  His interest wasn’t outer space; his goal was inner space, the heart of man.  Paul knew what it was like to work long and hard in Christ’s service.  He knew what it was like to be misunderstood, persecuted, rejected, and hated.  He knew what it was like to work with his whole being to the point of physical, mental, and spiritual exhaustion.  Yet, Paul never gave up, he never lost sight of his goal, and he never wavered in his determination to preach the gospel to the world around him.

That is why he writes the following admonition in Galatians 6:9-10, “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.” Paul was encouraging his readers to show kindness and compassion to all those around them, especially their fellow believers.  He knew that when the going gets really tough, people often abandon the cause.  He did not want this to happen.  Paul knew that to love others with the love of Christ is always hard, but he also knew that it brought the greatest reward.

Today you may feel like the first stage of the rocket mentioned earlier.  It may seem to you that you are giving all you have and it appears you are making very little progress.  You feel as if no one appreciates you or loves you because no one is returning your love and kindness.  So often you just want to cave in and give up.  

Hold steady my fellow believer because Paul does not leave us without hope.  He says that we will reap a harvest and we will receive a reward if we do not give up and lose heart.  I want you to know that I am praying for all of you who read this today.  My prayer is that you will not give up, that you will not give in, and that you will not abandon the cause of Christ when the going gets tough.  It is just at such a time that winning the battle is within reach.  I pray today that our Heavenly Father will give you the strength you need to love those around you and to be a source of strength and encouragement, not only to them, but to the believers around you as well.  Hang in there because the effort we expend today will reap wonderful rewards for the kingdom of God! We have His word on it!

Test is a Four-Letter Word

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est is a four-letter word, just ask any student.  The mere mention of the “T” word is enough to throw a class into shock and to offend the majority of the class members.  Whenever this word is uttered by a professor, it carries the same force as a strong expletive and is heard by everyone in the room.  You’d be surprised how silent a room can become with just the mention of this tiny, four-letter word. I’m here to tell you that it is possible to hear a pin hit the carpet in my classroom whenever I dare speak that “unmentionable” word.

Although I am well aware that my students experience severe stress and angst whenever I mention a test, their reaction in no way prevents me from preparing and administering them.  What kind of instructor would I be if I never gave my students an “opportunity” to demonstrate how much they know?  From the students’ perspective, I would be a very popular teacher but at best I would be ineffective.  Testing is good for both the student and the teacher.  For the student, the test indicates the degree to which knowledge has been mastered and for the instructor, the test is a good barometer of how knowledge has been delivered.

However, there is another side to testing which the student rarely, if ever, sees.  While the student is cramming that last bit of information into his brain, the instructor is wrestling with the same body of material, trying to present it in a manner that will be both challenging and beneficial to the student.  When the test is administered, the student takes it only once; the instructor, however, takes that test several times, once for each student in the class.

I often share this fact with my students but they rarely give me any sympathy.  I’m not surprised!  I didn’t give my professors much sympathy either when it came to tests.  I felt it was poetic justice since they had ruined my weekend!  In any event, the testing process can and does give us an interesting insight into the way God tests us and the way He understands His children.

In Hebrews 4:15 we read, “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are--yet was without sin.” This is a very interesting passage of scripture and one we need to look at very carefully.  There are some insightful truths tucked away in this short statement.  We must understand that the writer here is speaking of Jesus as our great high priest.  According to the Mosaic Covenant, the high priest entered into the Holy of Holies once a year to atone for Israel’s sin.  He, himself, was just a man and the law required him to make a sacrifice for his own sins before he could make atonement for the people.  But in this chapter from Hebrews we see something completely different.

Jesus is our high priest and he makes atonement for us.  Like the High Priest, Jesus was fully man, but unlike him, he was also fully God.  I don’t understand how this can be but I believe it to be so.  This is the good part, so hang on!  Since Jesus was human, he experienced every temptation you and I experience.  That is what the passage says, read it again and you’ll see!  It is due to his humanity that Jesus is able to sympathize with us and to understand exactly what we face.

In other words, Jesus knows what it is like to take the tests we take in life, he’s already been there.  However, he did what we cannot do; he passed the test with flying colors.  We stumble and fall and we yield to the pressures of temptation around us.  These can be flagrant and aggressive or they can be subtle and approach by stealth.  But no matter what the temptation, our savior fully understands our plight. 

So, the next time you are tested, and it may be today, remember that Jesus understands what you are facing.  Not only does he make out the tests you take; he has taken them himself as well.  There is nothing we face that he has not confronted and there is no situation we experience that is unfamiliar to him.  This should give us great assurance and peace.  We do have a great teacher, one that understands us, one who sympathizes with us, and one who knows the importance of passing through periods of testing.  Remember, a test shows us how much we know, it shows us how much we have learned, and it points us to lessons yet to be mastered.  Yes, test is a four-letter word, but it isn’t something we haven’t heard before and it is something we will hear again!

Sharpen That Pencil

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here is a little gadget on my desk that I simply love.  It is small, compact, lightweight, and extremely useful.  You probably have one on your desk as well or you know where to find one if you need it.  This handy little tool is an electric pencil sharpener; don't balance your checkbook with out it!!!  The one I use is battery-powered but it really gets the job done.  I've yet to meet the pencil this little machine can't grind to a razor-fine point.

When I insert a new or used pencil into the sharpener, it whirrs to life, eagerly eating away at the wooden pencil until all that is left is the sharp point of the lead.  Through the window, I can see the shavings as they are collected.  These pieces of wood, once surrounding the lead, now lie useless on the bottom of the pencil sharpener, ready to be discarded when the machine is finished.  Although the shavings were originally a part of the pencil, they prevented it from fulfilling its purpose.  They were in the way of the lead, keeping it imprisoned, not allowing it to perform the task it was designed to do.

There is a lot of gospel in that pencil sharpener.  Just think about it!  Our lives are full of things that prevent us from being what God intended us to be.  Money gets in the way, status gets in the way, titles get in the way, even family and friends can become hindrances to our spiritual walk with God.  When we get bogged down by all the different things packed into our lives, we become ineffective in sharing the good news of Jesus Christ and our witness is severely hampered.  We find ourselves imprisoned, trapped, and stifled by all the clutter in our lives.

That's when God steps in.  He knows just what we need.  Like a dull pencil, we need to be sharpened, honed to a razor-fine point so that we will be ready to perform the tasks God has laid out for us.  God takes us in His hand, places us into His sharpener, and grinds away everything preventing us from living a life that is pleasing to Him.  He also cuts away areas of our lives so that we will be able to share Jesus with those around us.  Like a pencil with a dull lead, we are unable to effectively communicate all the wonderful things God has done for us and wants to do through us.  However, once sharpened and honed to a fine point, we are ready to give testimony about God's love, mercy, and grace in our lives.

John 15:1-2 addresses this process of being sharpened, of having everything unnecessary removed from our lives so God can use us for His purpose.  This passage reads, "I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener.  He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful." Although Jesus speaks in terms of vines and branches, the application of his lesson is the same. 

A dull pencil is of no value until it is sharpened.  In order to sharpen it, everything blocking the lead must be removed by shaving and grinding until a firm point is created.  It is the same in our spiritual lives.  God wants us to produce fruit for Him, to share Jesus with those around us.  In order to accomplish this we must be in perfect spiritual shape.  God will remove anything that keeps us from bearing fruit and from sharing Christ with others.  He does this by grinding, shaving, and cutting away everything in our life that does not serve His purpose.

Today, if you feel like a pencil in a sharpener or vines being pruned, take courage.  These are the obvious signs that God is preparing you for a different area of ministry with greater results.  Although it may not be pleasant, God sees the end results of the difficulties and challenges you are facing now.  Remember, He only prunes those vines that produce fruit and He prunes them so they can produce more.  Vines that are unproductive, He simply throws away.

So, as you sharpen pencils today at work, at school, or wherever you may be, remember today's lesson.  Only in the sharpener, only when we are being shaved, ground, and cut, are we in the place where God can prepare us to do the things He has called us to do.  Only the sharpener can shape us into the form necessary to be used by God.  Get the point?

Ripe for the Picking

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he other day someone asked me if I had a sweet tooth.  I didn’t even have to think about my answer.  “Let me put it this way, “I said, “Give me a five-pound bag of sugar and a spoon and I’m happy!”  I’m not exaggerating!  The guy who said, “Life’s short, eat dessert first” has my full support and admiration.  You’ve just got to respect someone who has his priorities in the correct order!  One of my life goals is to sashay into a restaurant and order a cheesecake and a fork. That’s right, not a slice of cheesecake but the whole thing!   I’m just waiting for the right occasion!

My favorite dessert, hands down, is banana pudding.  My mom will be happy to share that dirty little secret with you.  Whenever I’m home I bargain with her, telling her that I’ll buy the ingredients if she will make the banana pudding.  The result is always the same; she buys the ingredients and makes the pudding!  I just love this arrangement!

The ingredients for this delicacy are not difficult to find. However, in order to make a perfect banana pudding, the bananas have to be ripe.  As a small boy, I remember going to the grocery store with my mother.  She always looked for bananas that were almost black because they made the best desserts.  I couldn’t understand this.  Bananas were supposed to be yellow, not black!  All the books I’d ever read said so.  But black, or very dark, bananas were what she bought because they had the best flavor!  And since mom always made perfect banana puddings, I didn’t argue!

The Apostle Paul addresses this idea of ripeness or maturity in his letter to the Ephesians.  Paul knew that in order for God’s work to move forward with the best results, he needed and required spiritually mature workers.  Ephesians 4:12-13 follows a list of the different duties God assigns to some of his children.  Although there are different jobs, there is only one goal and that goal is training the members of Christ’s body ending in spiritual maturity.

In this passage Paul writes, “to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.”  The role of teachers, and pastors, prophets, apostles and evangelist is to prepare God’s people for works of service.  The result is that the body of Christ will be unified and mature.  We are to be of one mind and one spirit, understanding and doing the work of God in the world around us.

Notice Paul’s words in the last portion of this passage.  In order to experience the entire fullness of Jesus Christ we must be spiritually mature.  This means that our desires become God’s desires, that our ambitions take a back seat to his will, that we see everything coming from his hand, and that we wait with patience until he is ready to use us for his purposes. 

Remember, in order to make a good banana pudding, you’ve got to have ripe bananas.  Green bananas are too bitter, yellow bananas are better but still lack fullness of flavor, but black bananas, those that are completely mature, make a perfect pudding every time.  What is the condition of your soul today?  If God were making a banana pudding, would you be chosen to add flavor and body?  Have you weathered life’s storms and difficulties, bending your will and your life to his purpose?  Are you ripe for the picking?

Wipe Out

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ne of the most important lessons that any teacher can learn is the proper use of the chalkboard.  This is the most invaluable weapon in the instructor's arsenal.  It is here that the war against ignorance is waged.  Carefully mapped strategies and battle plans are drawn on its surface with one goal in mind--the education of the student.  Working in conjunction with the chalkboard are two more indispensable items.  These are the chalk and the eraser.  With these three items, the teacher provides the necessary environment for learning to occur.

As a new teacher, one of the first lessons I learned concerned the chalkboard.  Instead of focusing on the various ways of teaching with the board, I learned that the most important thing to do with a chalkboard was to clean it!  This was especially true if I shared another teacher's classroom.  Unless I removed the information I placed on the board, the next teacher would have to take valuable time removing my charts, diagrams, and assignments before using it for a new class.  On more than one occasion, I have been annoyed to find that someone failed to clean the board after using it.

The telltale sign that a chalkboard has been frequently used is the amount of chalk dust in the tray.  An accumulation of chalk dust and a dusty eraser indicate that information has been passed from teacher to student.  Likewise, the absence of chalk dust and a clean eraser testify that a small exchange of information has occurred.  Since I love to use the chalkboard, chalk dust has become part of my wardrobe.  Sometimes, it appears I am wearing eau de chalk dust because it is everywhere, even in my pockets.

Occasionally, I send students to the board to work with French grammatical structures.  They approach the board, write their assignment, sit down, see a problem, get up, erase the error, and correct it.  When they are satisfied with their handiwork, I approach the board and survey their work.  When I find an error, I discuss it with the student, then I take the eraser, remove the incorrect answer, and replace it with the correct one.  When the entire process is finished, the student understands where he or she was wrong.  However, there is no trace of the error, only the correct form is displayed on the board.

Have you ever stopped to consider that our lives resemble a chalkboard? We fill them with all kinds of information, thoughts, ideas, and our own solutions to life's problems.  We also fill them with our wants, dreams, wishes, and goals.  Like a good teacher, God lets us finish our turn at the board.  He waits very patiently, observing our work, noticing where we are wrong, but never interfering until He is asked.  Then, when we finish, when we make all the corrections we deem necessary, He approaches the board, eraser in hand.  Our Heavenly Father looks at what we've done, He lovingly locates our mistakes, He patiently explains and shows us where we're wrong, and He carefully and methodically demonstrates why things don't work the way we think they should.  Then, He does something absolutely wonderful.  He takes the eraser, removes all our mistakes, corrects them, and makes our work acceptable!

King David learned this lesson well.  He learned that a trip to life's chalkboard is necessary so that God can show us our mistakes, our sin, and then He wipes them out.  Psalm 51:1 addresses this idea with the following words: "Have mercy upon me, O God, According to Your loving kindness; According to the multitude of Your tender mercies, Blot out my transgressions." David's trip to the chalkboard had divulged several areas of error in his life.  Not only had he committed adultery with Bathsheba; he was also responsible for her husband's death.  When confronted with the truth, David's errors became obvious.  In this psalm, he asks God to show mercy and to wipe out his errors.

This is a common occurrence in every-day life.  We are constantly writing on life's chalkboard, believing we have all the correct answers.  Most of the time, we are extremely proud of our work, thinking it to be perfectly acceptable, not only to our peers, but also to God.  That is when God approaches the board, takes His eraser, shows us our errors, and wipes them away.  He does this in love, in mercy, and in justice.  

Errors, no matter how small, are still errors and they must be corrected if our work, if we, are to be acceptable to God.  However, when God erases our sin, when He wipes out our mistakes, He does so forever.  There is nothing left on the board to indicate our faults, no long list of wrongs committed, and no record of the number of times we didn't get it right.  When God finishes grading our work, it is correct. He does this out of His love for us; not because of anything we do nor because of who we are!

Service Included

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ne evening I decided I had had enough of my own cooking and needed a break.  So I took myself out on the town and ate at a nice Italian restaurant not far from the seminary.  When I got there, the parking lot was relatively empty so I got a choice spot.  I went in, sat myself, and prepared to order.  The menu had so many wonderful things on it that it took me a while to make a decision.  But I settled for the fettuccini alfredo with chicken, a most excellent choice.  My waitress was new to the job but she handled herself very well.  She took my order and when the food was ready, she brought me my dinner.  She checked with me from time to time to make sure I had everything I needed and then left me to eat in peace. 

Across the room from me sat an older gentleman who also was dining alone.  Since there were very few people in the restaurant, we shared the same waitress.  Although she checked with him at regular intervals, it seemed she could do nothing to please this gentleman.  The bread was too hard, he had to wait too long, the food wasn't cooked to his liking, the tea was too strong and the coffee was too weak.  His napkin had a spot on it, he didn't particularly like his table, and he thought the waitress was too slow.  Complain, complain, and complain! The waitress, to her credit, continued to offer this gentleman exceptional service.  At the end of the meal, she gave him his check, cleared his table, and wished him a good evening.  He left her a dollar for her trouble.  I couldn't help but believe that the man was the loser in this situation, not the waitress.

Now there are only two kinds of people in a restaurant, those who serve and those who are served.  Most of us fall into the second category.  We enjoy placing an order, having our glasses refilled, receiving undivided attention, and feeling very important.  If the service is good, we leave a tip.  If the service is exceptional, we may leave a little more. However, if the service is less than we expected, we leave less or nothing at all.   Therefore, it all comes down to whether or not we feel as if our waiter or waitress has adequately met our needs.  It all revolves around our egos and the tip we leave, or don't leave, is in direct proportion to the degree with which we feel our expectations have been met. The amount of the tip says as much about the generosity of the person being served as it does about the service given by the waiter or waitress. 

Would it surprise you to know that Jesus faced this same situation?  He wasn't sitting in a restaurant and he wasn't deciding how much tip to leave.  Instead, his own disciples were vying for positions of importance in his kingdom.  James and John asked Christ if they could occupy the thrones immediately to his right and left, which are elite positions.  The other disciples were very upset at learning of this request.  It could have been because they thought James and John out of line, or it could have been because they felt they were beaten to the draw.

Whatever the reason for their anger, Jesus sent a very strong message about being a servant.  In Mark 10:43-45, Jesus makes the following observation, "but whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant. “And whoever of you desires to be first shall be slave of all. “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”  The requirements for true greatness, according to Christ, are the exact opposite of the world's standards.  We are not here to be served, but to serve others. 

In all points, the life of Jesus was a life of service.  He provided food for five thousand people instead of asking for something to eat himself. When there was no wine at the wedding, he provided it.  When people couldn't walk, he healed them.  When they couldn't see, he opened their eyes, and when they couldn't hear, he unstopped their ears. When a woman was entrapped and accused by her peers, he came to her defense.  When we couldn't come to God on our own, he gave himself as our ransom so that we could be reconciled to God.  The life of Jesus was one of constant self-sacrifice and service.  If Christ were waiting tables today, he would refuse the tip, simply saying, "the service is included."  Could the same be said of us today?

Down To The Nitty-gritty!

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he sound of the ceramic saw and the steady pounding of the hammer told me that the long-awaited day had arrived.  My brother was busy installing the bathroom floor in our house.  He and I had purchased an old fixer-upper and we had been working for over a year, totally renovating the property.  One of the highlights of this project involved installing marble tile in the bathroom. Our parents made it possible for us to buy the tile and the time had come to install it.

Fortunately for us, Kevin was able to use his many talents to work on several aspects of the house.  He did a lot of the carpentry work, installed the light fixtures, painted, hung wall paper, and added the little details that most people would have overlooked.  Today, however, he was installing the marble tile, one of the last stages toward completing our bathroom.

After putting down the sub-flooring, Kevin snapped chalk lines, mixed the mortar, and laid the tiles in place.  When he finished, the floor looked wonderful.  Where there had only been plywood, brand new pieces of marble now joined together to create a beautiful, durable floor.  However, despite its beauty, the floor remained unfinished and incomplete.  Between each tile was a gap that separated it from the neighboring tiles.  The process of installing the floor wouldn’t be completed until Kevin added grout and sealant to the newly-installed tiles.

The next day, Kevin entered the bathroom to put down the grout.  It was a messy and tiring job as he mixed the grout and worked it into the spaces between the tiles.  Afterward, the tile had to be rubbed down, washed, and dried.  It took him the better part of a day to complete the project but when he finished, the floor was complete, ready to be used.  The only thing remaining was to let the grout dry so it could be sealed.  

I learned a very valuable lesson from the installation of that floor.  Although the marble tile was beautiful, its installation was incomplete apart from the grout.  Without it, the tiles were separated and unattractive.  However, when Kevin got down to the nitty-gritty, when he worked the grout into the spaces between the tiles, the floor came out just right. Without the grout, the tiles would have bucked and cracked. But the grout joined them, protected them, and allowed them to be united into one floor.

The nitty-gritty work is always important.  When we speak of getting down to the nitty gritty we mean performing the most basic part of any task.  Without this step, nothing else matters.  Although we use the best materials and take great care, without our getting down to the nitty-gritty, our work is all in vain.

Jesus used this concept of getting down to the nitty-gritty in his conversation with Nicodemus, a member of the Jewish ruling counsel.  Nicodemus came to Jesus at night and spoke with him about the requirements for obtaining salvation and entering the kingdom of God.  John 3 records Nicodemus’ visit with Jesus and the conversation they had.  Jesus made very precise statements about the process of entering God’s kingdom.  Nicodemus had several questions and some difficulty about Jesus’ words. 

John 3:3 records the one requirement for becoming a child of God.  We could call it the
”nitty-gritty” of becoming a Christian.  This is what Jesus told Nicodemus that evening, “In reply Jesus declared, "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.”  Notice what Jesus told Nicodemus.  No one can see God’s kingdom unless he has a second birth.  That is all inclusive. It doesn’t matter who you are, who your parents are or were, what you have, or what you don’t have.  Unless you accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, you cannot see God’s kingdom.

This was a hard saying for Nicodemus and it is for people today.  Nicodemus, a member of the Jewish ruling counsel, was like fine marble tile.  He was wealthy, he had all the luxuries of life, he had influence, he had knowledge, and he had power.  Still, there were gaps in his life, large areas that separated him from those around him.  More importantly, these gaps in his life separated him from God.

Nicodemus knew that something was missing; something that all his earthly riches and influence could not secure for him.  So, he came to Jesus, searching for the one thing he lacked to set his life in order.  Jesus got right down to the nitty-gritty.  In order to share in God’s salvation and his kingdom, Nicodemus would have to be “born again”, that is born into God’s family through faith in Jesus Christ.  His possessions, his status, his position in his community, and his influence over others were of no importance concerning his spiritual condition.  The only thing that mattered was his status before God.  That status hinged on the decision Nicodemus would make about his relationship with Jesus Christ.

Jesus’ standards have not changed.  His statement to Nicodemus is as true for us as it was for him.  We must get down to the nitty-gritty and answer the question about our relationship with Jesus.  Is he Lord and Savior?  Is he the master of our lives?  Have we accepted him and his free gift of salvation?  Until we can answer all of these questions with a resounding yes, our lives will have gaps and spaces in them, keeping us at a distance from others and from God.  Don’t you think it’s time you got down to the nitty-gritty of life today?

Rock-a-bye Baby

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t's amazing what you can learn in an elevator!!  On Monday evening, I was preparing to give the final exam to my French 4 students.  I arrived early in the afternoon so I could proof read the exam one last time before making copies.  As I entered the elevator to take me to the main office, a young woman got on with me.  In her arms she carried a large book, her purse, and a three-month old infant who was securely sleeping in his carrier.  Despite the jostling of the elevator and the people getting on and off at various floors, the little boy just kept on dozing.  Nothing, it seemed, could wake him.  His was the quiet, deep, and confident sleep of safety.  He had no worries, no problems, no concerns, and no cares.  He was at perfect peace and rest!

Watching him sleep brought back memories of my own childhood.  Every evening before going to bed, my mom used to rock me to sleep.  My brother and I would come in from playing with our friends.  We would bathe, get our pajamas on, and then we would go into the den that was located in the back of our house.  Mom would turn off the lights and the television and she would turn the radio to a very low volume.  We took turns being the first one to sit on her lap.

While she rocked my brother to sleep, I would lie on the couch and wait my turn.  In the dark, I listened to the sound of my mother's voice as she hummed soft and low.  I can still hear the rhythmic, steady, creaking of the rocking chair, and I can remember the calm, peaceful feeling that settled over our den.  When my turn came, I climbed up on her lap, and laid may head against her, and just relaxed.  Like the child in the elevator, everything melted away.  All the cares of the day vanished, I wasn't afraid of anything, and all that mattered was that mom was holding me.  It was my time and no one else's.

The book of Isaiah paints a similar picture for the children of Israel.  During every period of difficulty, God always provided a time for them to be reconciled to Him.  After the long and difficult trials, God constantly sought to comfort them and to give them special time with Him. Isaiah 66:13 describes such a time: “I will comfort you there as a child is comforted by its mother."

What a wonderful picture of love this is.  God speaks here of restoring Israel, of providing for her comfort, and for giving her a time of rest.  Can't you just see God taking His children in His lap, holding them close to Him, hugging them, and rocking them to sleep?  Can't you just see Him as He enfolds them in His arms, letting nothing harm them, protecting them from the world outside, providing a safe haven for them to enjoy.

How long has it been since this happened to you?  How long has it been since God took you into His arms, sat you on His lap, and rocked you to sleep?  This is not an oversimplification of God's relationship to us; rather it is exactly what God wants to do for us.  This is the type of relationship He intended for us to have with Him from the beginning.

As a mother comforts her child, so God wants to comfort us.  My mother never wanted me to be unhappy.  When I was upset, she made me feel better.  When I hurt, she healed.  When I was cold, she made me warm.  When I was sick, she nursed me.  When I was afraid, she held me.  When I needed special attention, she rocked me.  Why would I believe that my Heavenly Father would do any less? 

When my mother rocked me to sleep, I was the most content I have ever been.  Nothing in all the world could ever replace that special bond and that wonderful feeling of comfort and security.  That is what God has in store for us.  He is waiting for us to come to Him, to climb up on His lap, to place ourselves against Him, and to experience true and lasting comfort.  Are you ready for your turn in the rocking chair?