In The Kitchen

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y mom is always in the kitchen!  It is the most popular room in their home and sits in the exact middle of the house.  To go from one end of the house to the other, you must pass through the kitchen, it’s just that simple!  When I call home, she’s there, when I am looking for her, that’s the first place I check, and the sound of her working in the kitchen is more dependable than the most faithful alarm clock Thanksgiving mornings were no exception.

When I was living at home, I awoke every Thanksgiving morning to the sounds of mom’s work as she prepared for the day ahead.  There was always so much to do:  pies to make, eggs to boil, dishes to wash, and of course, a turkey to cook.  All these things didn’t happen by magic, they required hard, faithful work.  For the rest of us, the food just “magically” appeared, the dishes were just “magically” washed, and the kitchen “cleaned itself!”  In actuality, however, the meal, the dishes, and the cleaning happened because mom was faithful to her task of providing for all of us. Her faithfulness was not evident only on Thanksgiving Day, but on each and every day of the year.

God works in exactly the same way as millions of mom’s all around the world.  While we are asleep, while it is dark, when we don’t believe He is taking notice of us, God is working.  He is busy making sure we have everything we need. He is busy making sure your heart continues to beat, that your lungs continue to circulate oxygen through your body, and He is making sure that you are ready to face the day ahead.

Yes, God is in the kitchen working.  You will always find Him there, preparing, cleaning, and planning every area of your life. Like the kitchen in my parents’ home, God is always in the middle of everything, constantly involved in every aspect of life, constantly preparing for the days ahead, constantly working in situations we know nothing about at present.  Even when it seems the lights are off and the kitchen is dark, God is working, using a slow cooker or a low setting on the oven because a particular situation needs longer preparation.

Jesus, himself, reminds us of God’s constant care and work in our lives. In John 5:17, he makes this observation, “My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I, too, am working.” Notice that little word, “always”; it packs a powerful punch!!  Jesus wanted to remind his disciples and us that God never leaves us out on a limb.  He never closes the kitchen, He never stops working, and He never leaves anything undone.  God is always in the kitchen!  If you listen carefully, you will hear Him rattling the pots and pans of your life.  He is looking after you, making sure you have what you need to live life according to His will and purpose.

Thanksgiving meals are wonderful because mom is in the kitchen!  How much more wonderful are the things of life because we serve a God who is always in the kitchen?  When our pots and pans are rattled, when the heat is turned up, or when it feels as if God is scrubbing us with a wire brush, we should be thankful for His faithfulness.  And God is faithful every moment of every day of every year of your life.  Let us with the psalmist say, “Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever” (Psalm 118).

           

Oh yeah, “Thanks mom!”

Left Lane Closed!

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he construction crews continued to work next door to my apartment complex. For the past year, they had been building a new community of townhouses that would be available to the public.  The progress of this team had been staggering.  Almost overnight, the vacant lot adjacent to our complex had grown into a beautiful, vibrant community filled with beautiful new homes.

At times, it had been a challenge negotiating around heavy equipment including graders, bulldozers, steam shovels, and the scores of workers charged with the responsibility of constructing these homes.  For the most part, everything had gone smoothly with very few interruptions to the flow of traffic on our street.  But one day, that changed just a little bit.

As the crew completed the construction, they had been busy reshaping the road outside my complex.  This was no small task as were six lanes of traffic which constantly used this road.  The project involved creating a turning lane so that westbound traffic could make a left-hand turn into the complex.  In order to do this, the island separating the westbound traffic from the eastbound traffic had been isolated and was being reconfigured.  This meant that the left-hand lane on the westbound side was closed.  Signs in the road gave ample warning that the left lane was closed but traffic still piled up.  I had to make a left-hand turn myself just after the construction site so you can imagine how fun it was to maneuver from left to right and back to left just to get home.  I was ready for the Indy 500.

The project was completed by the following week and things once again returned to their normal, hectic pace.  But the sign indicating the left lane was closed had given me great cause for reflection about the road signs we often encounter along life’s highway and the changes we have to make in order to arrive safely home.  The Old Testament prophet, Isaiah, understood road construction; but he also knew it wouldn’t last forever.

In Isaiah 40:4 we read these words, “Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and will made low; the rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain.” As is usually the case in Israel’s history, she found herself in the middle of a construction zone.  The direct lane of traffic had been cut off, barriers had been erected, and the long process of road construction had begun.  Although God had promised a Messiah would come, there was much construction necessary to prepare the way for his arrival.  Isaiah was in the middle of this construction but he knew it wouldn’t last forever.

Notice that his words look forward to the coming of God’s chosen Messiah, Jesus Christ. His speech is full of optimism and expectation.  The difficulties Isaiah encountered could not deter him from looking ahead to the day when the road work would be completed and God’s promise would be fulfilled.  Every pot hole, every dip in the road, and every low place would be raised and filled and all the rough places would be smoothed over.  In God’s perfect timing, Isaiah knew the road would be completed and traffic would flow unhindered.

Are you in a similar place as Isaiah?  Do you see signs telling you that the left lane is closed, forcing you to alter your course and switch lanes?  Does it seem the construction will never end and that the road conditions grow worse and worse instead of improving?  Take heart, trust the Lord, and know that the road construction is necessary so your journey can continue unhindered at a later time.  The work God does today will be invaluable to you in the future.  New construction always requires some demolition but in the end the new additions are vastly superior to the current situation.  If the left lane is closed, just change lanes and keep going.  The project will be finished and much sooner than you think!

The Great Explorers

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hen I was a small boy, I wanted to know everything.  I plagued my dad with questions about anything and everything I could think of. To this day, he still jokes with me about the questions I asked him.  It seems my favorite question was, "Why daddy?"  I wanted to know everything from why the sky was blue to the reason you couldn't see the wind.  And, to his credit, he attempted to answer my questions.  I was rarely satisfied with the answers he gave, especially when he said, "I don't know!"

Although I wasn't overly mischievous, I did enjoy exploring things and gaining first-hand knowledge of the world around me.  Like any normal boy, I did what I wasn't supposed to do, I went where I had been told not to go, and conveniently forgot certain things my mom and dad told me to do or not to do.  My desire to know took me on little jaunts, never too far away, but far enough away to appease my sense of adventure.

Behind our house, there used to be a drainage ditch.  It wasn't large by any means and was easily crossed with a single leap.  As kids, we never took notice of the ditch until after a good downpour of rain.  The ditch then became a roaring, torrential river, much like the Amazon.  As the rainwater from the local drainage pipes filled the ditch, it became alluring.  All the guys in the neighborhood would go home, find some old boots or goulashes, and we would change into old clothes.  Then we ventured forth to "explore" the ditch.  Although there was nothing to explore but dirty water, we were convinced we would find something of important value and set diligently about the task of finding it.

We walked for several minutes, facing torrential waterfalls, forging impossible rapids, determined to accomplish our task in the face of these overwhelming odds.  Sounds romantic doesn't it?  However, the results were far from attractive.  We had wet feet, wet cloths, and we were covered with enough slime and mud to effectively clog any washing machine drain.  When we arrived home from conquering the world, mom refused to let us into the house.  We had to strip off outside before we came inside.  The clothes, the boots, and the dirt were left outside.  The results of our great adventure prevented us from coming home and entering mom's clean house.  We had to remove all the dirt and grime before we could enter.

Does this sound vaguely familiar?  As kids we all did things and went places we shouldn't have.  However, as adults, we still do the same, especially in our walk with God.  As humans, we are constantly searching for things to satisfy our curiosity.  We want to know all that we can and sometimes that desire to know takes us into some dirty and smelly places.  Our sense of adventure causes us to wander away from God, to put on old clothes, old shoes, and go exploring in the ditches of the world.  We are so convinced we will find things of importance and things of significance that we joyfully abandon the comfort of home to go wade in a smelly, grimy, and filthy ditch.

At first, it is fun and exciting.  We see things we hadn't noticed before and we want to continue.  Finally, we realize we have wondered away from home, that there is nothing in the ditch worth searching for.  We are tired, cold, wet, smelly, and dirty.  Our condition has changed and we no longer look as we did when we were back home with mom and dad.  Jesus described this perfectly when he quoted a passage of scripture from the prophet Isaiah.  Matthew 15:7 records Jesus' words for us, "These people draw near to Me with their mouth, and honor Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me."

Although Jesus is addressing the Pharisees in particular, his words apply to all of us in general. These people, while paying tribute to God with their mouths, were wandering away from Him in their hearts.  Their words did not match their actions.  They had gone exploring in the ditches of tradition, religion, politics, power, and greed.  These ditches still exist today, along with many others, and are attractive to all of us.  However, we need to understand that they offer us nothing more than the opportunity to grow smelly and dirty.

We can always come back home, that's the good news!  The door is still open to us and our Father is ready to welcome us.  However, we must rid ourselves of the grime and filth found in the world's ditches.  We cannot enter His presence smelly and dirty.  We have to remove everything, all the dirt, all the grime, and all the filth before we come into His presence.  When we do this, we get new clothes, good food, a warm home, and a loving hug from God.  No ditch, no matter how inviting, is any substitute for that!

Rub Some Dirt On It!

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ub some dirt on it!”  This seems to be the answer for any ailment, scratch, bump, bruise, or problem that occurs in the sports world.  Whenever I am with my friends and someone nicks his finger, hits her toe, or gets a scratch, someone will inevitably say, “Rub some dirt on it!”  It makes me wonder if the boys and girls in our best medical labs know that dirt seems to contain some miracle properties that will cure almost anything.  Maybe we should all invest, not in pharmaceutical research, but in the thousands of acres of arid land that comprise west Texas!

But it gets better.  I’ve learned that dirt can also be used to alleviate the pain caused by insults, light ribbing, joking, and the like.  Don’t like a comment someone made to you? Rub some dirt on it!  Are your friends giving you a hard time about being late again to the office?  Rub some dirt on it!  Lost your keys for the hundredth time making you and your wife/husband late for a dinner party?  Heck, just rub some dirt on it and it’ll be ok.

I must confess, I don’t really understand what dirt has to do with any of this!  Believe me, if it were really the panacea all my friends tout it to be, I would take a mud bath instead of a shower each morning.  However, I’ve not noticed that dirt does any good for my ailments but hearing someone say, “Rub some dirt on it”, does make me laugh and it does bring levity and humor to the situation I’m in, making me feel somewhat better.

Now you may be wondering just what rubbing dirt on it (whatever it is) has to do with today’s devotional.  How could their possibly be a connection between plain old dirt and an eternal truth found in God’s word?  Well, let’s open our Bibles and look at a story from John’s gospel where Jesus found a man in need.  Guess what he did?  Yep!  He rubbed some dirt on it and the rest is history!

In chapter 9 of John’s gospel we read the story of how a man born blind was given his sight.  Jesus’ disciples asked what had caused the man’s blindness, his sin or the sin of his parents.  It’s always this way with us, isn’t it? We automatically look for someone to blame when something out of the ordinary happens or when a situation arises that is not “normal”. The people of Jesus’ day did the same thing.  Physical handicaps, disfigurements, and diseases were thought to be the result of sin but Jesus laid all those misconceptions aside when he stated that neither the man’s nor his parents’ sins caused the blindness. Instead, the man was blind so that God’s power and glory could be revealed in him.

Now for the really good part!  In John 9:6-7 we read how Jesus healed this man: “Having said this, he spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man's eyes.” Go," he told him, "wash in the Pool of Siloam" (this word means Sent). So the man went and washed, and came home seeing.”

Pay very close attention to the order of events in this passage.  Jesus never asked the man if he wanted to be healed, he just healed him.  He spat on the ground, made mud, spread it on the man’s eyes, told him to go to the pool, and wash.  Everything this man did, he did through faith.  He had never seen Jesus, or anyone else for that matter.  For all he knew this could be a cruel joke, a means for others to extract pleasure from his blindness.  After Jesus rubbed some dirt on it, he told the man to go wash his face.  This was blind faith, literally.  The man could not see where he was going and Jesus never told him he would see after he washed his face!  Nevertheless, the man obeyed and came back seeing.

The eternal truth in this miracle is that God never does things in the way we think they should be done.  To heal blindness, we would never expect God to just “rub some dirt on it.” And that is why we miss so many of God’s blessings.  We want a production; God however gives a private performance.  We want a show; God gives a personal lesson.  At no time are we ever prepared for the manner in which God works.  His ways seem odd to us and sometimes make no sense to our minds.  And that is the point.  He is God; we are not!  He knows how to care for us, He knows our needs, and He will do things in His time and according to His will.  All we have to do is believe and obey.  Will you let God rub some dirt on you today?

What Do You Want?

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ne afternoon I arrived back in my dorm room to find an e-mail inviting me to attend a dinner in Irving, Texas, about twenty-five minutes away from the seminary.  I was to join a group of men who would serve the Boy Scouts of America as chaplains at Philmont Scout Ranch that summer. Now, being a seminarian, and not having many opportunities to attend fancy restaurants, I immediately notified the BSA to expect me for dinner!

I arrived a few minutes early and the others were not far behind.  After being seated, we were given menus and told to order whatever we wanted. I found it difficult to believe I could have whatever I wanted and immediately began to base my decisions on price. You know how it is, you make a decision but you are worried what others will think if you order a certain item. So, after much debate, I decided on my dinner entrée and promptly ordered. 

Why is it we spend an enormous amount of time talking or dreaming about what we would do if we could have whatever we wanted; but when faced with an opportunity to do so, we have a very difficult time making that decision?  Everywhere we are surrounded by get rich-quick schemes, sweepstakes entries, and lotto competitions. All of these things promise the possibility of fulfilling our wildest dreams but none of them offers true happiness.  Could it be that we really don't know what we want?

The book of 1 Kings provides great insight into the life of a man who literally could have had anything he wanted.  King Solomon is noted for his riches and his wisdom.  However, a close observation of how he obtained both of these provides a great lesson in how we should approach God when making requests of him.

1 Kings 3:5-14 records Solomon's response to God's question. Solomon's father, King David, has died and the responsibility of governing Israel has fallen to Solomon. In verse 5 God says to Solomon, "Ask for whatever you want me to give you." Wow!  Solomon could have anything his heart desired, and therein lies the great secret.  Solomon had rank and standing, after all he was the king.  He also had wealth and power. He could have asked to increase any or all of these things but instead, he makes a very uncommon request for someone in this position. Verse 7 records his answer, "Now, O Lord my God, you have made your servant king in place of my father David. But I am only a little child and do not know how to carry out my duties…So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong."

What was the desire of Solomon's heart?  It was to please God.  Notice that Solomon prayed, not out of his want, but out of his need.  This is the secret of effective prayer.  He recognized that the task to which God had called him was too big for him alone.  In addition, Solomon recognized that the people he had been called to govern were not his people but God's people.  This is what we, as God's people must do today.  We must realize that we are children, that we don't know right from wrong, that we can't effectively govern our lives without God's help.  Solomon asked for wisdom, not for himself, but for the task he had been assigned.

Let us follow his lead.  Whatever God has called you to do and wherever he has placed you, seek his guidance.  Ask for wisdom to know his will so that you may bring glory to him and be a blessing to the people you serve.  It has been said that when we get what we want, we rarely have what we need; but when we get what we need, we have what we want.  This is Solomon's testimony and because he asked of God wisely, he received the full extent of God's blessings.  So, what are you asking God for today?

I Don't Haul Gas!

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he motor pool at Philmont Scout Ranch is one of the busiest and most popular places during the summer season.  The doors open early in the morning and the sound of hammers, air compressors, and hydraulic lifts can be heard almost non-stop.  Inside, Jim Johnson and his team maintain and repair the fleet of vehicles used by Philmont’s staff.

Each summer as the staff assembles, Jim explains to them the “do’s” and “don’ts” of driving at Philmont.  Jim comes to this meeting equipped with a wonderful slide show that demonstrates just how dangerous mountain driving can be.  All of the accidents shown demonstrate how drivers failed to obey even the simplest of Philmont’s rules.

Jim does a wonderful job of explaining the purpose of the motor pool.  He wants to make sure vehicles are maintained in top condition and he also wants to assure the drivers that should they have difficulty, he and his staff will come to their assistance.  However, there is one thing Jim won’t do and he is straightforward about it.  Philmont provides the gasoline necessary to run the fleet and every one has 24-hour access to the pumps.  So Jim pulls no punches when he says, “I don’t haul gas!”  That is our responsibility, not Jim’s.

In our Christian lives as well, we need to be reminded that God does not and will not do everything for us.  He expects us to do what we can for ourselves and what we can’t do, He willingly and lovingly supplies.  God promised Abraham he would be the father of many nations and dwell in his own land, but Abraham had to walk!  God provided the Children of Israel with manna on a daily basis but they had to gather it.  God brought the people into the Promised Land but they had to conquer it.

Christians today run the risk of falling into the trap that is so prevalent in some of today’s preaching, namely that once we have accepted Jesus Christ as our savior, life becomes easy and problem-free.  We believe that if we offer up a prayer to God, making a request for something we want, that God will simply open up the heavens and send it to us or perhaps have it delivered in the mail.  What a narrow and childish view of God we have.  God is not a warehouse supervisor waiting to meet our every whim.  He is the sovereign creator of the universe, the Lord of all there is.

In Matthew 6:11, Jesus taught his disciples to pray.  In the middle of that prayer, he makes the following statement, “Give us today our daily bread.”  Jesus reminds us that our daily bread, our sustenance comes from God’s hand.  God provides what we need but how we use it speaks volumes about how we view God and our relationship with Him.  God is always near and he always supplies our needs but God will not do for us what we can do for ourselves.  Keeping our spiritual tanks filled by spending time in his word and in prayer is our responsibility.  God will not haul gas to us at every twist and turn, nor should he.  He has provided everything we need, but we must take the initiative and keep our tanks full.

Wherever you are in your walk with the Lord today, I trust you are in constant contact with him.  His word is filled with all the fuel we need to live life on a daily basis and be pleasing to him.  How full is your spiritual tank today?  Are you in need of a refill?

And Jesus Had Not Joined Them

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here was he?  He promised he would be there and that he would be there on time.  It wasn’t like Jason to be late.  In fact, he was the one who insisted on being everywhere fifteen minutes early.  Sarah remembered the time they had shown up at the corner market at 5:45 in the morning just so Jason could have his pick of the fresh strawberries.  It wasn’t like the strawberries would start to sour at 6:00, but that was Jason.  No excuses—always on time.

So what could be the hold up?  Sarah promised herself there was some logical explanation and that he wouldn’t be more than five or ten minutes late at the most.  So you can imagine her shock when, after a full hour, no Jason.  She began to pace back and forth, what could be keeping him.  On at least five occasions she picked up the phone to call the local authorities but she changed her mind at the last second.

They had arranged to have dinner at their local restaurant and had made a reservation for 7:30.  But it was now 9:00 and Jason had not joined her.  Sarah was beside herself and just as she rose to leave she saw him coming through the door.  He looked absolutely fine, not a hair out of place and not one wrinkle in his suit.  And to beat it all he was smiling!  That upset her all the more but when he got to her, she was simply so overjoyed to see him that all the fear and worry disappeared.

Now, Sarah and Jason are obviously fictitious characters and yet there story could have happened just yesterday, to any one of us.  None of us like to be left wondering if someone we care for is injured or if some circumstance has caused them to delay their promised arrival.  Jesus’ disciples were no different and on the Sea of Galilee one stormy evening, they experienced in the real what was only imaginary in the story of Jason and Sarah.

In John 6:17 we read these words, “By now it was dark, and Jesus had not yet joined them.”  What dejection there is in these words. The disciples had just spent the most miraculous afternoon with Jesus.  They had seen him take five loaves and two fish and feed over five thousand people until they were completely stuffed.  There were 12 baskets of leftovers and everyone knew they had been in the presence of the Messiah.

Now, they found themselves all alone on the Sea of Galilee with the darkness closing in all around them.  Hour after hour they had looked for and hoped to see their Master but alas, he had not come.  Had something happened to him?  Had some unforeseen circumstance prevented him from coming?  All these uncertainties were only compounded by the growing darkness.

The sea of life is much the same.  How often do we strain at the bough of our boat looking for Jesus only to find darkness?  How often do we seek shelter from the storm or try to hide ourselves from the blustering winds of trials only to find the waves growing stronger and the gusts gaining in strength.  It seems it is dark and that Jesus will not join us.

But just when we are at our wits’ end, just when we are ready to give up, we hear his voice saying, “It is I be not afraid!”  Jesus, our master always comes to us.  He promised he would never leave us nor forsake us and even though we think he delays in coming to our rescue, we find that he is always on time.  No matter how dark it is around you, rest assured that Jesus loves you and will join you right where you are just when you need him most.

Everything Looks Fine

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ne Friday morning, around 11:30 a.m., I went to a local restaurant to grab a bite to eat.  I wasn't exactly sure what I wanted which meant that everything on the menu was fair game.  Would it be the fried chicken or the meatloaf?  The chopped steak was tempting and so was the baked cod fillet.  After much debate and more than a few visits by the waitress, I decided to order a chef's salad, just so I would feel better about eating healthy.

The salad arrived and I began eating right away.  However, I hadn't made very much progress when something happened.  As I bit down on a piece of bacon, there was a distinct crunch in my mouth.  The crunch indicated that something more than the bacon and the croutons were being chewed.  A quick survey of my mouth soon verified what I feared.  One of my teeth had chipped, leaving me with an odd feeling in my mouth.  I finished the salad and went on with my regular activities, in no pain, but well aware that something was not quite right.

The following Monday, I visited the dentist and he confirmed what I already knew.  There was no way to repair the tooth; it had to be pulled.  When I asked the dentist what had caused this, he told me about a sizable cavity in the tooth.  This came as quite a shock to me because outwardly, there were no signs of any decay.  The enamel on the tooth looked healthy.  It was white, shiny, and apparently strong.  However, the dentist explained that some decay had made its way under my gums and had begun slowly deteriorating the soft interior of the tooth.  It was only a matter of time before it shattered and it didn't matter whether it was bacon or a grape, the result would have been the same.  He showed me the results of the x-rays and, sure enough, there is a cavity inside the tooth, leaving the outside unmarred.  Bacteria had worked its way inside and had effectively destroyed the living tissue causing the tooth to decay and died on the inside.  Eventually, this decay weakened the solid structure of the tooth and it broke.

What a strikingly vivid picture of the way sin works in our lives.  James, the brother of Christ, explains it this way: "Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death," James 1:15. The problem with sin is, that like tooth decay, it takes very little of it to eat away at the very fabric of our lives.  Usually, it goes undetected, lying hidden from our view but it is working nonetheless. 

Notice James states that desire is the conduit through which sin enters us.  As humans, we constantly want things.  It could be money, power, position, influence, reputation, or status.  It could also be the desire to have things because we feel incomplete without them.  How many of us have purchased something only to discover later that we had made a poor financial decision?  We find our resources depleted and other areas of our lives suffering because we acted out of impulse instead of making a rational financial decision.  Again, how many of us have suffered emotionally because of something we said or did, or failed to do or say?  That one little decision, left unchecked, festered and eroded several areas of our lives.

In the same way, sin wrecks havoc in our relationship with God.  Outwardly, it may seem everything is all right.  There may be no signs we are in imminent danger.  Suddenly, however, the structure of our relationship with God is compromised and we find ourselves weakened, broken, and decayed.  James says that left unchecked, desire leads to sin and sin, if left unchecked leads to death.  Spiritual death, which James is addressing, is separation from God.  We cannot serve God and harbor any sin in our lives.  It gets in under the surface, erodes, and decays our relationship with God to such an extent that the smallest test or trial results in our being broken. 

The only cure for sin is to remove it, to extract it, to pull it out by the roots.  Only then can we be assured that its influence will no longer affect us.  If we tolerate it, if we do not have it checked, if we refuse to let God remove it, it will eat us alive and render us decayed, useless, and spiritually dead.  This is just where Satan wants us to be.  Christians with a dead relationship pose no threat to the enemy.  They do not work for the furtherance of God's kingdom and they don't share Christ with others.

I did not look forward to having my tooth pulled.  The dentist chair held no great allure for me.  However, I was grateful for someone capable of recognizing and repairing the problem.  I could not do it on my own.  In the same way, we cannot fight the power of sin on our own.  We must deal with it daily and be ready to let God examine us and, if necessary, to remove whatever is hindering us from enjoying a perfect relationship with Him. 

When is the last time you had a thorough examination?  Is there anything lurking below the surface which is decaying your relationship with God? Why not make an appointment for a checkup with him today?

Listen

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ast June I had the privilege of working with 250 other French teachers as we graded some 23,000 Advanced Placement (AP) French Exams.  Now you may be thinking that this doesn’t sound like a swell time but I assure you, that although challenging, the work was both satisfying and rewarding.

The exam has both written and speaking components.  I worked on the speaking portion which required me to sit in front of a computer and listen to CD recordings of students speaking French in an attempt to successfully describe situations placed before them.  Some of the exams were outstanding, representing the culmination of years of hard work and practice.  Others were good and some needed work; but they all had one thing in common, all of them required our team to listen to what they were saying.

There is a great difference between hearing and listening.  Last week anyone could have put on a headset and “heard” French, but only by “listening” could he discern what was being said and to what level of success. It is not enough to hear; you must listen and listen closely to what is being said.  Hearing means your ears are working; listening means your brain is engaged and you actually understand the sounds flowing into your ears.

This is the message Moses wanted the Children of Israel to grasp before entering the Promised Land.  In Deuteronomy 30:19-20 we read his solemn admonishment and warning to the people to “listen” to what God’s voice was saying to them.  “This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the LORD your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the LORD is your life, and he will give you many years in the land he swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.”

Notice the choice Moses sets before the people. It is literally a choice between life and death.  Life meant the people would remember the Lord their God and listen to his voice.  They would not only hear his words, they would understand them and obey them.  This is what it means to listen. The people had heard God’s word since leaving Egypt, they had seen his wondrous works, and received protection and guidance from his hand.  Now, they were to take what they heard, digest it, think on it, understand it, and obey it.

We are no different today.  This morning you may be sitting in front of your screen reading this with an open Bible. Perhaps you have read your daily devotion from the Scriptures or perhaps you will do that after you read this.  Reading, however, is only half the process.  Are you taking God’s word into your mind and heart? Are you drinking it in?  Are you listening to what God is saying?  His words are life.  His way is perfect.  His truths are sure.  His love is everlasting.  Listen and hold fast to him.  Are you hearing or listening today?

Digging In The Wrong Place

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aiders of the Lost Ark had it all, intrigue, suspense, action, humor, romance, etc.  The film kept you riveted to the edge of your seat as Indiana Jones, an imminent archaeologist played by Harrison Ford, raced against time and Hitler’s best archaeological team to locate and recover the lost Ark of the Covenant.

Jones’ search led him around the world, finally landing him in Egypt where he discovered the secret resting place of the Ark.  Only Jones and his friends could find the exact location of the Ark because they have uncovered a secret amulet that exactly pinpoints the area where the Ark was buried centuries before.

As Indy, as he is called by his close friends of which he has very few, discusses the information found on the amulet with his friend, Sullah, he makes a very telling statement, one that is obvious but poignant nonetheless.  Jones looks at his friend and says, “They are digging in the wrong place!”  The Nazi archaeological team doesn’t have the full benefit of Jones’ information and is, therefore, digging in a location far removed from the actual resting place of the Ark.

Now, you may be wondering what this has to do with anything biblical. Well, I’m glad you asked.  Jesus, himself, tells a parable that closely resembles the plot of our movie.  In it, he speaks about finding buried treasure and once having located it, doing everything possible to retrieve it.

In Matthew 13:44 Jesus says, “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.”  Do you see the parallel?  In order to find the treasure, this man had to dig in the right place.  He was in a field, a field that no one else cared for, a field that perhaps everyone had seen but had decided to overlook.  As he digs, he finds a great treasure and in his excitement, having realized the value of the find, sells everything he has to but that field.

In a very brief sentence, Jesus tells us plainly the value of God’s kingdom. Its value is inestimable and in order to lay hold of it, we must part with all we have and hold most dear.  The question we must ask ourselves is twofold: 1) Do we understand the value of heaven and God’s gift of salvation, and 2) are we digging in the right place?

Today, there are several fields that promise peace, prosperity, enlightenment, etc.  You can find these in any bookstore, on most television stations, and in articles written in a slew of magazines.  Everyone, it seems, has a treasure map and X always marks the spot.

But true peace of mind and rest for man’s soul are to be found in only one field and that is in God’s word, the Bible.  Only it contains the story of Jesus Christ and how God became man in order to redeem mankind and reconcile him to God.  What a treasure this is!  How valuable and precious beyond compare.

As we go through our day-to-day living, let us keep plumbing the depths of God’s word.  Let us never stop the search for the eternal truths found in God’s word.  If you are searching for buried treasure, treasure above all other, and if you have found nothing to satisfy the longing desire of your heart, ask yourself this question, “Am I digging in the right place?”      

Learning To Lean

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everal summers ago I was working as a chaplain at Philmont Scout Ranch.  One of my duties as a chaplain was to go into the backcountry and conduct services for crews hiking the many miles of trail at Philmont.  We held regularly scheduled services for a few large camps serving as thoroughfares for a majority of the crews visiting Philmont.  We also did services by request, however, and for those services, we would pick an appropriate rendezvous point where we could meet a particular group.

It was my privilege to conduct several of these requested services during my two years at Philmont.  The young people and the adults looked forward to worshiping God in his creation.  There is perhaps no better setting in which to worship God than at the foot of a mountain, in the soft breezes of a shaded meadow, or by the cool waters of a gurgling stream.  In such a setting, you rapidly forget about the insignificant things of life and focus instead on God's glory and majesty.

On one such occasion, I had been asked to conduct services about an hour's drive from base camp.  I climbed into my suburban and drove to the camp where I found the crew eagerly awaiting the opportunity to have a service.  As I prepared my notes, I couldn't help noticing an older gentleman standing a few hundred yards away.  He was leaning on his hiking staff, looking out over a large valley.  Despite the noise of the crew members arriving for service, despite the commotion of preparing the place for worship, and despite the attempts of others to engage him in conversation, this man continued to lean upon his staff, looking intently at the beautiful scenery before him.

He did not attend our service, but remained fixed in that spot during it.  Intrigued, I approached him when the service was finished.  Whatever there was in that valley, I had to see it for myself.  This man had remained glued to the same spot for over an hour, simply leaning on his staff.  As I approached, he asked me a simple question, "Have you ever seen anything so lovely, chaplain?"  "I have been here several times," he continued, "and I never tire of this view.  I love to stand here, resting on my staff, drinking in the beauty of God's handiwork."

This man, clearly in his mid to late sixties, was talking from his heart with deep conviction.  I asked him why he didn't have a seat on one of several logs or stumps in the area. He kindly replied that he felt much better and much closer to God if he leaned on his staff.  It reminded him, he said, of God's all sustaining grace which supported him through life, even when he felt too tired to go on.

What a lesson that man taught me that day.  His words are so true and convey a lesson we all need to learn better.  This man's contentment was based solely on the ability of his staff to support him.  As long as he leaned on it, trusted it, and grasped it, the staff would hold him up, allowing him to drink in the view before him.  What a picture of the relationship we should all have with God.  1 Peter 5:7 encourages us to lean heavily upon God and to rely on his strength to support us.  The verse says, "casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you."  

Notice the two actions contained within this verse.  First, we are to cast, that is to toss, heave, unload, dump, etc. every care we have on God.  The word all means just that, all.  God stands ready to receive all our care, all our worry, all our difficulties, all our grief, all our fears!  He longs to remove from our shoulders everything weighing us down, preventing us from enjoying his presence. 

Second, we can cast our cares on him because he cares for us.  We will never be able to fathom the depth of God's love for us nor the extent to which he cares for us.  We simply have to trust him, to love him, to lean upon him.  Leaning on God, realizing we are weak, admitting we need help, is the greatest place to be for the Christian.  It is here that we experience and understand the full extent of God's strength in our lives.  His love and grace strengthen us when we can't go on and they rejuvenate us when our strength is gone.

Today, won't you stop and enjoy the scenery God has provided for you?  Won't you stop, rest, and unload the burdens you are carrying?  God is calling to you, asking you to give him your cares, your burdens, your worries, and your fears.  Lean upon him, trust him, and let him care for you because there is none other who can care for us like he can.  Won't you let him care for you today?

A Word of Warning

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t happens every Wednesday evening promptly at 6:00 p.m.  No matter where I am in the house, or even if I am not at home, the weather radio in my living room sounds and alarm followed by an explanation that the weather service is conducting its weekly test to make sure everything is in working order.  I have grown accustomed to the sound and sometimes, unless I am really listening for it, I miss the test altogether.

A few weekends ago, however, the alarm sounded on at least three occasions as severe thunderstorms passed through our area bringing with them much-needed rain but unwanted wind and hail.  Early Saturday morning, at approximately 2:00 a.m. the alarm sounded. It pierced the silence and set my nerves somewhat on edge.  A few of the surrounding counties were being warned of severe weather in the area.  My county was mentioned and the voice coming over the airwaves indicated that heavy rain and light hail would be in our area within the half hour.

As if on cue, thirty minutes later the wind grew stronger, the rain fell in torrents, and the clicking sound of ice pellets against my window indicated that hail had also joined the party. The alert instructed us to remain in our houses and if conditions worsened, to seek shelter in the center of the house away from windows.  The wind did not grow that strong and the entire storm passed by in just under forty-five minutes.

Here in Texas, the weather is very uncertain.  It can be gorgeous one minute and life-threatening the next, you‘re just never sure what the next fifteen minutes will hold weather wise.  That’s why I invested in a weather radio so I could be aware of any potential weather threats and could take appropriate action in order to remain safe and sound.

The prophet Ezekiel knew about sounding the alarm in order to alert people to God’s will and commands.  He understood that God had called him to serve as a watchman and to make sure the Children of Israel understood the dangers that surrounded them and the need to heed God’s warning.

In Ezekiel 3:17 we read God’s conversation with Ezekiel, “Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the people of Israel; so hear the word I speak and give them warning from me.”  Ezekiel’s role was clear.  He was to serve as God’s spokesman, to make sure the people of his day understood God’s directives and commands and to communicate them so the people could live in obedience with God’s commands.

So, what does this have to do with us today?  Actually, it has a lot to do with us?  As Christians, we are to set an example for those around us.  We are to share the good news of Jesus Christ on a daily basis, not only by what we say but also by what we do.  People looked to Ezekiel, to the watchman, for God’s direction.  And today, people look at us to see if we are consistently following God and serving as an example for him.  Are you serving as a good watchman on the wall of life today?

Stand Still or Get Moving?

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ne of the most difficult challenges in the Christian life is deciding to stand still or to get moving.  At times it seems God places us into situations where He requires us to “be still and know that He is God” and at other times He would have us hit the road at full march.

We are usually reticent to move forward where the path is uncertain and we are most unwilling to stand still when we believe we know what is around the next bend.  We have our perspective and God has His.  The key is for us to make sure we are seeing things as best we can from God’s perspective and when we can’t see we must simply trust and obey.

This was the situation facing the Children of Israel as they left Egypt and approached the Red Sea.  All was going well. Pharaoh had freed them, they were on their way to the land God promised Abraham and everything seemed to be going according to plan.  That’s when they heard a rumble behind them, not the rumble of the sea in front of them but the rumble of Pharaoh’s chariots behind them.  What had been a steady walk to the Promised Land now seemed like more of a death march.

They were trapped.  Pharaoh behind, the sea in front and they had nowhere to go.  They raised their voices in protest to Moses, demanding to know why he had brought them into the desert to die instead of leaving them in Egypt. It should be noted, however, that no one “volunteered” to stay behind and tend the brick pits.  No, everyone lined up for the long march to freedom.

In Exodus 14, we get a brief look at two perspectives on the same situation.  Moses bids the people stand still while God tells them to get going.  Let’s look at this brief passage and see what it holds for us today.

Exodus 14:13-15 reads, “Moses answered the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the LORD will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still.” Then the LORD said to Moses, “Why are you crying out to me? Tell the Israelites to move on.”

After seeing God miraculously move through the 10 plagues on Egypt, Moses wanted the people to know that God would fight for them once again.  He had not brought them out into the desert to abandon them and He had not resigned from leadership.  Moses knew that whenever we take things into our own hands we frustrate and thwart God’s efforts.  So Moses, fully trusting the Lord, told the people to stand still and see God’s salvation.

God, however, did not intend for His people to remain on the shore of the Red Sea.  He had called them to enter and take possession of the land He promised to Abraham.  God’s agenda called for them to move forward and although the sea lay before them, although they did not know what was about to happen, God was testing their faith. Moving forward into a body of water with no way to cross it save through God’s intervention is a total walk of faith.  And this is exactly what God wants from us—total faith!

There are times when God asks us to remain still, to rest, and to wait on Him.  There are other times when He simply asks us to “get moving.”  Our challenge is to move when He says move or to stay when He says stay.  We are not to rely on our understanding nor refuse to change our perspective on our situation.  God sees far beyond our capabilities and bids us move forward when there seems to be no clear path to tread.


So, where are you today?  Are you standing at the water’s edge, reluctant to take the step?  Are you more comfortable on the sea shore even though you hear the thunder of approaching chariots?  If you listen very carefully you can hear God whispering in your ear, “Trust me.  It’s time to get moving.”

A Hot Oil Treatment

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elevision commercials will always be with us.  No matter the generation, no matter the trend, and no matter the products, commercials influence and impact the way we go about our daily lives.  Sometimes, the more eccentric, the more outlandish, and the more bizarre commercials are, the more likely we are to remember them and change our buying habits. After all, that is the very goal of the commercial, to grab our attention and make us see things in a new and innovative way.

I can still remember commercials from my childhood and in some instances the same companies are still advertising the same products but in a way more conducive to today’s consumer.  However, some commercials I remember from long ago are no longer splayed across TV or computer screens yet I can still recall them and play them verbatim in my head.

One such commercial advertised a unique treatment for hair and scalp.  It involved placing a vial of oil into a glass of hot water and then applying the warm oil directly to the head.  This rejuvenated the scalp and provided luster and rich body to the hair.  I can still see the models as they applied the product to their heads and then spent the next 15 seconds whirling around as their long hair danced cascaded over their shoulders. The message was clear:  hot oil treatments were good for your hair and therefore an essential part of life.

Would it surprise you to discover the concept of the hot oil treatment in the Old Testament?  Well, it is there although it is not an advertisement for healthier hair and scalp but it does speak to the importance of God’s Holy Spirit and its direct application to the life of the believer.

Leviticus 8:30 simply reads, “Then Moses took some of the anointing oil and some of the blood from the altar and sprinkled them on Aaron and his garments and on his sons and their garments. So he consecrated Aaron and his garments and his sons and their garments.”

Blood and oil don’t sound like very good advertising elements do they?  And yet, in order for Aaron to become God’s priest, these elements were absolutely essential.  This passage is taken from the ordination of Aaron as Israel’s first high priest.  Moses, his brother, has dressed Aaron in the priestly garments, garments made at God’s direction, garments that set him apart from all other.

And then, as Aaron stands there in these new clothes, Moses proceeds to pour oil and blood on him.  What is the message here?  What was God’s purpose in this ceremony?  How can we apply that to our lives today?

I’m glad you asked.  We get too caught up in our time with outward appearances, paying far too much attention to how people look instead of seeing them for who they are.  Although Aaron was dressed in the holy garments, without the pouring on of blood and oil, God’s presence was not on him.  Without these elements, Aaron would have been just a man in nice clothes but he would not have been God’s messenger.

What a lesson this is for us today.  So many of us tout the fact that we are Christians, so many of us point to our good deeds, to the fact that we are in church every time the doors open, and we say over and over again what good people we are.  But do we have the blood of Christ applied to our lives and is the oil of the Holy Spirit covering us from head to toe?  This is the real question, isn’t it?  Our lives are an advertisement. What reason are we giving those around us to believe in God?  Is the oil of God’s Spirit covering you today?  Has it been poured into your life, permeating every aspect of your being?  Do you need a hot oil treatment today?

Down In The Valley

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he Christian life is filled with mountain-top and valley experiences, both of which are necessary, and both of which have their purposes.  The mountain-top experience gives us a sense of accomplishment and affirms our faith. However, the valley experience tests and grows our faith.  Let's look now at one of the best examples of how the valley is where God chooses to do His greatest work.  Let's look at a tiny, little man named David.

Our study centers on a small and often over looked portion of scripture.  1 Samuel 17:3 sets the scene for us. "The Philistines occupied one hill and the Israelites occupied another, with the valley in between them." Notice the positions of these two armies.  They are on the tops of two hills and there below, between them, is the valley.  Every day Goliath, the giant, would come out and taunt the Israelites to send just one man to fight against him.  Every day the Israelites gathered for battle and sounded the war cry but sent no one into the valley.

Is this not the picture of so many of us?  We confront an overwhelming set of circumstances and when we are asked how we are doing, we put on a big show.  We sound the war cry and get ready for battle, but we never enter the valley.  The Israelites had been there for forty days without responding to Goliath's challenge.  They were stuck, prevented by their own unwillingness to move forward.  You might say there were all dressed up with no place to go.

Enter David, this ruddy boy who was not accustomed to armor or armies.  All he knew was the tending of sheep!  But David had spent most of his time in valleys and was no stranger to them.  No wonder he was stupefied by the apparent lack of motivation on the part of the Israelite army.  After all, they were God's chosen people and He would fight the battle for them.  We see David's resolve in his response to Goliath in verses 45 and following "...I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel whom you have defied.  This day the Lord will hand you over to me...and the whole world will know there is a God in Israel."

David made this statement not from the safety of the hilltop but from the floor of the valley.  If we are ever to experience victory in the valley, we must go down into it.  Unless we follow David's lead, we will be like the Israelite army, on the hillside, looking out over what could be ours, but never daring to go and claim it.  Notice that because of their lack of faith, they could not move forward. 

We do not go into the valley alone.  David went in the name of Lord Almighty and that is just what we must do.  The valley is no match for us by ourselves, but it is nothing when we walk through it with God.  David won the victory, not because he was braver than the other soldiers, he wasn’t.  He won it because he had more faith than the other soldiers.  It is in the valley that we are tested, stretched, and molded.  But it is also IN the valley, that certain victory awaits us.  Forward march!!

Watch Your Speed

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ave you ever noticed how God uses the very ordinary things in life to teach us extraordinary things about himself?  Every once in awhile, he speaks to us through circumstances and experiences that seem to have no religious context whatsoever.  Yet, it is these expressions of God's truth that we remember most and from which we learn the best and most memorable lessons about the God we serve.

Such was the case with me one Sunday morning on my way to church.  I was taking a leisurely drive down one of my favorite roads.  It passed through the countryside, through a few small communities and nice subdivisions before eventually joined the road that led to my church.  There is nothing particularly enticing about driving this road; there are no adventurous curves or little dips that take your stomach when you drive over them.   No, the only thing remotely interesting on this road is the very short notice you receive that the speed limit has changed.  This was my problem!

As I entered the curve, I saw him.  As soon as I realized who he was I shot a quick glance down at my speedometer and sure enough, it indicated I was exceeding the speed limit.  I quickly tapped my brakes but the policeman confirmed what I already knew.  As soon as I passed him, he made a U-turn in the road and followed me.  Knowing I was guilty, I pulled over to the side of the road and removed my license and registration in preparation for showing them to the officer.  When he got to my car, I handed him the papers.  He looked at them and asked me where I was going in such a hurry.  I told him that I was on my way to church, not more than a few miles ahead.  He continued looking at my papers and my car's registration.  He then handed the papers back to me and reminded me to watch my speed.  Then, he let me go.

This is what God's grace is like.  Although I broke the law, the police officer decided not to enforce the penalty I deserved.  This is the definition of grace.  Grace is receiving that which we don't deserve.  On that morning, I didn't deserve to go free, I deserved to receive a ticket and pay a fine.  However, for whatever reason, the policeman did not levy anything to my account.  It had nothing to do with me.  I pay taxes, I keep my bills current, I am not involved in any illegal activity.  Yet, on this one occasion, I broke the law and was guilty. 

If I had possessed no knowledge of the laws governing driving, circumstances would have been different.  But I did know the law and that knowledge is what caused me to hit my brakes when I saw the police car.  This is what the Apostle Paul meant when he wrote, in Romans 3:20b,” for by the law is the knowledge of sin.”  In other words, my understanding of the law made me guilty of speeding because I knew better.  In life, I also know what God's law demands and that knowledge makes me accountable when I break his law.  Yet, God shows me grace by not giving me what I deserve.  As a sinner I deserved death, but God, through his grace, gave me eternal life. 

The officer was well within his rights to give me a ticket that Sunday morning, but his decision not to taught me a far greater lesson than if he had written me one.  God's grace teaches us a wonderful lesson about his love as well.  Instead of giving us what we deserve as sinners, God forgives us, restores us, and pours out his love and blessings on us.  He does this, not because of who we are or because of what we do, but simply because he chooses to. What a wonderful God we serve!  Are you watching your speed today?

Busy Signals

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hat is more annoying than receiving a busy signal when you are desperately trying to reach someone?  Have you ever had this experience?  You have an important piece of news, you need some information, or you just need to place a particular call.  All your efforts are in vain, however, because each time you dial the phone you get that awful sound that just grates on your nerves.

I had that experience several times just recently.  I was trying to reach a good friend, just to check up on him and to say hello.  Every time I phoned, however, the line was busy.  I tried several times during the day and each time it was the same thing, busy.  At one point, I became so frustrated; I just started dialing his number in rapid-fire succession.  I would dial the number, get a busy signal, hang up and then dial again. I kept at this for almost thirty minutes straight, finally giving up out of sheer annoyance.

I went to get some lunch and when I came back, my friend had called.  I was so excited to hear his voice.  Immediately I picked up the phone and dialed his number.  Guess what?  You guessed it, the line was busy.  I started the process all over again, finally giving up after twenty minutes.  The line remained busy and I had absolutely no success in reaching my friend that afternoon.  All my efforts were to no avail and I quit calling him because the line was occupied.

Have you ever stopped to consider that our lives resemble my friend’s telephone line?  We are always busy, always running about, always tying up the communication lines of life.  We are involved in so many things that we hardly have a free moment in the day.  Our answering machines get clogged with messages, our e-mail accounts get back-logged, and the mail piles up on our desks.  We fail to keep in contact with friends and family and every time they try to reach us we are too busy to spend time with them.

Did you know that Jesus addressed this very issue in scripture?  Would it surprise you to learn that God makes several attempts on a daily basis to try and reach us?  However, He finds it very difficult to get through because the telephone lines of our hearts are always busy, occupied with so many other things.  God, however, just keeps dialing, trying ever so desperately to make contact with us.  He doesn’t grow frustrated.  With patience and love He just keeps dialing.  We, however, are unaware of His attempts and we grow frustrated that we haven’t heard from Him on a regular basis.  But the fault is not His; it is ours.

Revelation 3:20 paints a vivid picture of this truth.  Jesus makes the following observation in this passage of scripture, “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.”  Notice first of all Jesus’ desire.  He wants to come in, desperately.  Jesus wants a relationship with us.  This is not a casual relationship but an honest, forthright, deeply abiding friendship.  I don’t stop by the house of an acquaintance and invite myself to dinner, but at a friend’s home, I am always welcome.  Jesus wants to be that friend to us.

So, he stands at the door of our hearts and knocks. However, there is an important condition we must meet if we are to spend time with him and meeting that condition depends on us.  Jesus says that if we hear his voice, he will come in.  Did you notice the use of the largest small word in the English language, if!  If means that we have a choice.  If means that the responsibility for inviting Jesus in rests with us.  However, if we are so busy, if our lives are so full of stuff, if our minds are so preoccupied with the little things of life, we won’t hear his voice.  Consequently, we don’t open the door and we miss the wonderful opportunity of sharing and visiting with him.  Just imagine how God feels when we have no time for Him.  However, when we do make contact, we leave a message and then we get busy again and He can’t get through to us.  How frustrating this must be for Him!

Yet, Jesus does not give up on us.  He stays at that door, knocking over and over.  Here is there today, gently rapping against the door of your heart.  Won’t you take a few minutes and just listen?  His knocks come in the forms of ministry opportunities, phone calls from friends and family, strangers’ questions, and times of silent prayer and reflection.  Do you have any time in your life today for God?  Can you make an effort to clear some of the busy phone lines of your life?  Will you drop other things that are seemingly more important in order to spend time with your Heavenly Father?  Excuse me, I think I hear someone knocking at my door!  

Do You Remember When?

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he screen saver on my computer is set to scroll through photographs from France, New Mexico, my home in Texas, and my hometown in North Carolina.  There are pictures of family, friends, and familiar places I’ve visited.  As I look at those snapshots, I easily remember the events taking place when I took the photographs.  I remember the places, the people, the weather, the conversation, the smells, and the time of day.  All these return to me as I carefully observe the pictures on my monitor.

Isn’t it funny how a single picture can do that?  One glimpse of the picture and our memories are flooded with sights, sounds, smells, and emotions tied directly to the circumstances caught for all time on film.  Everything around us comes to a grinding halt and for a few moments we are transported back in time, revisiting friends, family, places and events that were important to us.

The Children of Israel had several experiences like this in their history.  The Old Testament is full of examples where God reminded them of their past and how He acted on their behalf.  One such occurrence is found in the Old Testament book of Deuteronomy.  In Deuteronomy 5:15, Moses records these words, “Remember that you were slaves in Egypt and that the Lord your God brought you out of there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm.” 

What a photograph that must have been!  Can you imagine walking through the middle of a sea on dry ground?  Can you imagine the sound of the wind and the height of the water as it formed walls on both sides?  Can you imagine what the people must have felt with the Egyptians behind and the open sea before them?  It is a picture that escapes our ability to fully understand and imagine all the conditions surrounding it.  But the Israelites had been there.  They had witnessed this miracle first-hand and now God wants to make sure they don’t forget!

The passage above, though, does not concentrate on the waves, the water, the wind, the dry ground, or on the Egyptians.  The focus of the verse is not on what happened but on who caused it to happen.  God’s intention is clear.  He wants His people to remember all that He did for them and how He brought them from slavery and bondage into freedom.

As Christians, the message given so long ago by Moses is directly applicable to us.  Too often we pray that God will see us through some type of crisis and when it passes we forget His blessings and His actions on our behalf.  We forget all that God has done for us and only come to Him when we are in trouble or in dire circumstances.  But God would have us remember everything He has done for us in all our circumstances.  Remembering God’s love and protection in our past gives us faith and hope that He will continue to lead us through all our difficulties in the future.

God always brings us out from the slavery of sin into the freedom of His love and grace.  He wants us to remember that He loves us that He cares for us, that we are the apple of His eye, that nothing can touch us without His approval, and that He is aware of all that happens in our lives even when we don’t feel as if He does.  God’s word is sure, His love is constant, and His watchful eyes are always upon us.  We need to remember that today! 

So, how long has it been since you reviewed the photographs of your walk with God?  Why don’t you do that today?  You will hear God whispering to you, “Do you remember when….?”  And He will whisper again, “I do.  I remember everything and every trial we’ve walked through together.  I was there then, I am here now, and I will be with you in the way ahead, no matter what!  Remember!”