Living In The Outfield

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hen I was a little boy, summer was my favorite time of year.  School was out, so no more books, it was hot outside, so we went barefoot all the time, and my best friend lived right next door, so we spent all our waking moments together.  Yep, summertime was the best time there was.  No cares, no worries, and all the time in the world to do whatever I wanted.  I didn’t realize how good I had it until I grew up!

Summertime also meant baseball and every kid in town tried out for one of the little league teams or one of several other minor teams sponsored by one of the local charities or civic organizations.  Every summer, I played ball and every summer I had the same position, left field! 

Playing the outfield on a small team in a small town isn’t very exciting.  Most of the hits never made it past the brown swatch of dirt separating the infield from the outfield. I watched as the pitcher delivered the ball which was either swung at and missed, or popped up, or tapped foul.  Occasionally, one guy would hit the ball hard enough so that it wondered into the outfield and for a few seconds there was a bevy of activity and then everything grew quiet once again.

I remember feeling that I had somehow been treated unfairly by being relegated to the outfield.  All I could do, it seemed, was watch the game go by with all the excitement happening on the infield, as the ball was thrown, hit, scooped, tossed, and thrown to the pitcher, the catcher, the shortstop, and to the guys playing the bases.  I felt like an outcast, being a part of the team but always seeing the game from the fringes.

Now believe me, it wasn’t at all as bad as it may sound.  I enjoyed my time and I played for several years.  But let’s face it, if you’re going to play baseball, you want to be in the game, to touch the ball, and to be apart of the action.  But in time, I grew to understand that playing in the outfield was a very important part of the game.  That as we grow older, the ball ventures further and further into the outfield and the ability to keep the ball in play becomes more and more the responsibility of the outfielder.

Would it surprise you to learn that the concept of playing the outfield can be found in your Bible?  It shouldn’t!  One of the most important events in all history happened in the outfield and if you’ll open your Bible to Luke 2:8, you can read all about it for yourself.

“And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night.”  Each year as we approach Christmas, these words are repeated over and over.  Luke gives us a wonderful description of the announcement of Jesus’ birth as received by the shepherds in the fields near Bethlehem.  But there are a few things we need to consider as we discuss this miraculous event.

First, please notice that the shepherds were professional outfielders.  The passage tells us that they lived in the fields and made their homes there.  While the hustle and bustle and the excitement of every-day life occurred in the streets of Bethlehem and other towns, these men were relegated to the outfield where seemingly nothing was happening.  They were on the fringes, literally, of the city but also of society.

Shepherds were considered one of the lowest rungs of society.  They weren’t trusted, they weren’t welcomed, they didn’t enjoy any social standing, and no one was filling out multiple job applications for shepherding positions.  It was a lonely existence and one which was neither appreciated nor coveted by society.

And yet, these are the men to whom God fist announced the birth of the Messiah!  For, while shepherds weren’t the types of people growing businesses sought, they were the very kind of people ready to receive God’s message and his gift.  Shepherds were loyal, humble, patient, gentle, and would give all they had to protect and defend their flocks.  Their one thought was for their sheep, not for themselves, and they understood what it meant to live a life set apart from the rest of the world.

It is no wonder, then, that God chose them to first hear the good news.  Throughout his ministry, Jesus preached that the last would be first.  Perhaps no where else in Scripture do we see this principle than at his birth when the last of society were the first to hear and share the good news.

I want you to take heart from this passage today.  Your place in God’s plan may feel like the outfield.  It may seem to you that others are experiencing great growth, multiple blessings, and great spiritual activity.  You might feel you are on the fringes just waiting for your opportunity to “get into the game.”  Just remember this:  there are no unimportant positions on God’s team.  Those who play the outfield are as important as those closer to the action.  God knows where you are and he is using you, even when it seems he is not.  Are you faithfully living in the outfield today?

The Key Holder

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s a teenager, I was always searching from something I had misplaced around our house.  Usually it was my watch or my rings.  I would take them off, lay them somewhere, and make a mental note to retrieve them later.  As luck would have it, I remembered the part about retrieving the items but the part about their location must have been written in invisible ink.  I would run frantically through the house picking up every piece of paper, searching underneath all the furniture, and rummaging through every drawer, all to no avail.

At this point I would enlist the help of everyone in the house.  After several minutes of sweeping our home, my mom would come across the item. It took her almost no time to find it and it was usually in plain view.  Every time this happened—and it happened a lot—I would get the same advice, “Put your stuff in one place and you’ll never have to worry about where it is.”

Like most teenagers, I didn’t listen. I knew her advice was sound and I knew it was the right thing to do; I just didn’t do it.  When I starting driving, my keys joined the list of things I lost on a regular basis.  I was always looking for them and we never seemed to find them in the same place twice!  Finally, my mom purchased a key holder which dad mounted next to the back door.  Mom’s message was simple—“Hang your keys on the key holder and you’ll never have to worry where they are!”

For the first few weeks, I did just fine.  I would come into the house and hang my keys on the key holder.  When I needed to go out, I knew right where my keys were and I grabbed them on my way out the door.  I hadn’t transferred this concept to my watch or my rings.  I still lost them on a constant basis but I did know where my keys were and that was one less thing I had to worry about.  After a few weeks, however, I was back to my old tricks, failing to hang my keys on the holder and creating a stir in the house until they were found.     

The concept of the key holder has direct application to the Christian walk, especially when it comes to facing the problems and difficulties of life.  Jesus admonishes us not to worry because God will take care of our needs and provide for us.  At various times during our walk with the Lord, we find it easy to let Him carry our burdens and our worries.  He invites us to bring all our cares to him because he knows we can’t carry them on our own.

1 Peter 5:7 reminds us that we are to “hang” our burdens on the Lord, “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.”  Please notice that Peter does not suggest we do this; he commands that we do it.  We are to roll all our cares, all our worries, all our fears, and all our doubts on to Jesus’ shoulders.  We are to do this because Jesus cares for us.  When we hang our burdens on him, we know where they are and we don’t spend our time being anxious, running around frantically encountering and creating one problem after another. 

As long as my keys were on the key holder, I didn’t even think about them.  As long as they were hanging by the back door, there was no cause for alarm and I didn’t get stressed out over a mere set of keys.  However, if they weren’t on the key holder I grew frantic.  Everything in the house became a potential hiding place for the keys and the more I searched the more anxious and frustrated I became.

This is the secret Jesus would have us learn today. When we refuse to cast our burdens on the Lord, we leave them lying all around us.  They become sources of great frustration and strife for us because we are constantly thinking about them and confronting them.  However, if we would just hang them on Jesus, all our anxiety, all our frustrations, and all our worries would disappear.

Why is it that we refuse to hang our cares on him?  Why is it we insist on remaining frustrated and anxious when the solution to our problem is so simple?  Have you hung the worrisome keys of life on Jesus?  He is waiting for you to do that. He’s just inside the door of your heart!  Won’t you hang those keys on him today?  If you listen closely you will hear him whispering my mom’s advice, “Hang your burdens on me and you will never have to worry about them again.”  So, what are you waiting for?

Don't You Care?

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ummers in North Carolina are known for their heat and for their humidity.  The air is so heavy with moisture that a quick walk to the mailbox and back can leave you wringing wet.  The month of August is especially this way when the summer reaches its hottest point and all outside activity comes to a standstill. 

In addition to the humidity, Carolina summers are also infamous for the severe thunderstorms that appear from nowhere.  The day can be perfectly clear with few clouds in the sky.  Suddenly, large, black clouds form on the horizon, the sky grows an eerie gray, the winds increase in intensity, and the rains come.  Added to all this, keen lightening and loud claps of thunder frequently accompany these storms.  At times, the thunderclaps are so loud they shake houses and buildings to their foundations.

One of my aunts dreaded thunderstorms, I remember her coming over to our house with my cousins, riding out the storm because she didn't want to be at home alone.  She would sit on our couch and every clap of thunder caused her to shudder and grow more frightened.  The storms scared me as well, especially when the power went out.  However, I knew we were safe as long as we remained inside and as long as one of my parents was with us. 

Luke's gospel records a very famous account of a great storm on the Sea of Galilee. Jesus had been teaching all day and he and his disciples were tired.  They got into a boat to cross over to the other side of the lake.  Jesus, worn out from the day's work, fell asleep in the stern of the boat.  Suddenly, from nowhere, a huge storm formed over the lake.  The Sea of Galilee is known for sudden, tumultuous storms that form suddenly.  Due to the geography around the lake, these storms are usually accompanied by ferocious winds, causing large waves on the surface of the lake.  These storms have led to the sinking of many boats caught in the middle of the lake when they appeared.

Understandably, the disciples are afraid.  They see the winds, they feel the boat rocking back and forth, and they know the swelling waves could sink them.  Can't you just see them?  They are panicked, scared, and at their wits’ end.  They don't know what to do, or where to turn.  They only know they are in trouble!!  And where is Jesus?  Where is their friend and confidant?  Where is the one who promised to be with them?  He is in the stern of the ship, asleep!  Yes, in the middle of all this chaos, Jesus is sleeping!

The disciples wake him and fire one question at him, "Teacher, don't you care if we drown?"(Mark 4:38).  Jesus, having been roused from a sound sleep isn't startled, angry, or the least bit agitated.  Their question doesn't offend or shock him.  However, instead of answering verbally, he demonstrates his care for them by calming the winds and the waves. 

This is always God's way.  He is not upset or shocked or agitated when we ask questions like the one the disciples asked Jesus.  Who among us hasn't wondered where God is at certain times in our lives?  Who among us hasn't asked why bad things happen if God loves us?  Who among us hasn't honestly wondered if God cared, really cared about his children?  We have all asked these questions and, perhaps, we are asking them now. 

Life's sea is not immune from storms. Nowhere in the Scriptures does God promise us that smooth sailing lies ahead for those who follow Christ.  On the contrary, Jesus promised us we would have difficulty in this life but that we should be happy for he has conquered the world.  Notice that Jesus is in the storm with them, not hiding out somewhere, but he is right there in the boat with them.  This is a great truth.  God is not way out in space, far from reach.  Instead, he is with us in our trials, sharing our difficulties, experiencing all the things we experience in life's challenging moments.

Like the disciples, we often accuse God of not caring, of not paying attention to our needs.  These questions and accusations are usually born out of frustration, anxiety, anger, and fear.  At such times, God does what he does best.  Instead of verbally telling us he loves us, he shows us.  He wraps his arms around us and holds us to his chest.  There it is safe, warm, peaceful, and free from all care.

Today, if you are experiencing a storm in your life, don't be afraid to call out to God.  He knows where you are, he knows you are afraid, he knows you are anxious, and he knows you are frustrated.  Do what the disciples did, go to him, make your request to him plainly, and let him show you how much he loves you!  Had it not been for the storm that day, the disciples would have never learned what it is to have God say, "Peace, be still!"

Water Water Everywhere

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ne of my favorite movies of all time is The Hunt for Red October, a movie based on the Tom Clancy novel by the same name. The story is rather straightforward.  During the height of the Cold War a Russian admiral decides to defect to the United States.  The whole thing is complicated by the fact that the admiral has stolen the latest and most advanced submarine in the fleet and intends to turn it over to the United States when he defects. His actions prompt the Soviets to track him down with the goal of destroying him while theUnited States desperately tries to locate him and give him political asylum. 

In order to avoid detection, the Russian admiral orders his crew to take the submarine to great depths. As they descend, the vessel moans and groans as it acclimates to the pressure changes it encounters on the way down.  The deeper the vessel sinks, the greater the pressure on the outside hull.  Although the submarine makes noises, the metal skin holds, protecting the men inside.  They go about their business, knowing they are safe within the protective arms of the submarine.

The Christian life is exactly like this and the Apostle Paul knew it only too well.  After his conversion to Christianity, Paul had several opportunities to experience the kind of persecution he himself had inflicted on the followers of Jesus.  He was beaten, shipwrecked, imprisoned, rejected, and hunted throughout his life.  He knew what it was like to be tired.  He knew what it was like to be in great pain.  He knew what it was to have plenty and he also knew what it was like to live with nothing. Paul understood the pressures and the demands that walking with Jesus can require of his followers. And he was all too glad to suffer all things for the cause of Christ.

In 2 Corinthians 4:7-9, Paul shares his faith and confidence in Christ with his readers.  He writes,“But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.”  What a resounding statement of faith this is.  Paul wants his readers to understand that we are simply jars of clay.  Paul wants them to understand that whatever is accomplished in his life, it is accomplished by the Spirit and the power of God.

But notice the wonderful list of opposites that follows.  Paul says that he is hard pressed from every direction.  The mounting pressures of life are all around him.  There are those who seek his life and there are those in the churches he founded who are doing their best to cause upheaval and discord.  Yet, Paul is not crushed.  He finds it difficult to understand the why’s and how’s of his situations but he is not in despair.  Even in persecution he clings tight to Jesus’ promise never to leave or forsake his own and although he is struck down again and again, Paul refuses to be destroyed!

This is the life of faith and of confidence in Jesus Christ.  This is what it means to come to the end of one’s self and to know that no matter what happens we are resting safely in the hand of God.  Like sailors hundreds of feet below the surface of the ocean where the crushing pressure of the water is at its greatest, the all powerful hand of our God keeps and protects those who are firmly rooted and established in him.

We can never know just how strong God’s love and care for us are unless we plummet to great depths and endure great pressure.  When the walls of your heart moan, when you feel as if you can’t go any further, and when your prayers seem no more than mere whispers, that is when God’s presence, his power, his strength, and his love are the most evident.  Pressed on every side we may be, but we are still afloat!!! 

Not Even Close!

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oday was the day!  After a week of discussions, preparations, decisions, and brainstorming sessions, our dream of building a tree house would finally come true.  My best friend, David, and I had discussed building a tree house for a long time.  Occasionally we would talk about the project, dreaming about the design and what we would do there once we had built it.  Finally, we decided we had talked enough!  What we needed now was action and a firm resolve to build that tree house.

David had the perfect spot.  There was a large tree with thick, heavy branches located beside his house.  It was just begging us to build a tree house in it!  Our fathers had plenty of hammers, saws, and nails we could borrow.  What we needed now was wood.  This was a major concern of ours but it didn’t stop us from making our plans.  We were convinced we would locate some wood, it was just a matter of time.  Finally, the day before we began the project we found a stash of wood perfectly suited for the job.  All that was left to do was to get my father’s permission to use it.

Our family ran the local funeral home and every few weeks a shipment of caskets would arrive.  The caskets came in large wooden crates that were discarded once the caskets were removed.  David and I found a large stack of broken-down crates outside the funeral home’s garage.  When we saw those discarded containers, we knew we had found our wood supply for the tree house.  He and I went straight to my dad and asked for the wood.  My dad gave it to us.  We made plans to meet early the next morning and build the tree house.

When morning came, David and I met in my backyard.  We went to the funeral home and carted all the wood to his back yard.  After a few short hours of dismantling the crates, we determined we had enough wood to do the project.  We decided to build the floor first and then add the walls and roof.  We chose the best branch in the tree and set out to construct our masterpiece.

It wasn’t long before every kid in the neighborhood caught wind of what we were doing.  They came to David’s house with their fathers’ saws, hammers, nails, and sandpaper.  Everyone wanted to get in on the action.  What started out as a friendly project for David and me turned into absolute mayhem.  David’s backyard looked more like a war zone than a construction site.  Finally, the construction started but none of our plans turned out the way we hoped.  Instead of a tree house with several rooms and a nice roof, the neighborhood kids succeeded in building a seat. 

All the planning, all the dreaming, all the gathering of materials, and all the creativity in the end came to naught.  David and I had good motives.  Our plan was good, our hopes were high, we had the best materials, and we believed in what we were doing.  However, what we got wasn’t even close to what we had envisioned.  To make matters worse, David’s dad was not pleased to come home and find his tree full of nails.  He called David inside for a brief discussion.  When David came out, he informed us that the seat had to come down and we helped him dismantle it.

There is a great lesson for us in this story from my childhood.  Although David and I had good intentions and a good dream, the end result was disaster.  We had thought everything out, we had gathered the materials, and we had designed the tree house.  However, we neglected to recognize that neither of us had the know-how or the ability to build a tree house.  Without this ability, all our efforts, no matter how wonderful, were doomed to failure.

The prophet Isaiah understood man’s inability to live a life pleasing to God.  No matter how noble his thoughts, no matter how lofty his dreams, no matter how well intentioned his actions, man simply cannot please God on his own merits.  In Isaiah 64:6 we get a good understanding of how our actions stack up against God’s standards for righteous living. “We are all infected and impure with sin. When we proudly display our righteous deeds, we find they are but filthy rags. Like autumn leaves, we wither and fall. And our sins, like the wind, sweep us away.”

What a sobering statement this is for us today.  Isaiah states here very plainly that all our efforts to live righteously are in vain.  It doesn’t matter that we have good intentions, that we perform noble acts, or that we give to worthwhile causes.  The Scriptures tell us that all our good works, all our good attempts, all our wonderful intentions, are counted as rubbish next to God’s requirements and standards for those who follow him.  Our works will never be good enough, our thoughts will never be pure enough, and our intentions will never be honorable enough to secure salvation for us.  There is no way we can earn God’s favor or his salvation. 

What, then, is left for us?  How can we ever hope to live a life that pleases God?  Is there any way we can be acceptable to him?  The answer is yes, by God’s grace.  Grace is receiving what we don’t deserve so that we can live a life that is pleasing to God and have a personal relationship with him.  When we were without hope and dead in our sins, God sent his son, Jesus Christ, to pay the penalty for us.  He did this because we could not pay it ourselves.  Our sacrifice would have been just like us, filthy.  Instead, Jesus sacrificed himself in our stead, making all those who receive him acceptable to God. 

In our own strength and on our own merits we have no chance of coming to God.  However, when we accept his grace and the free gift of salvation through Jesus Christ, we are made righteous before him.  With Jesus, we can enter directly into God’s presence.  Without him, we don’t even come close!

Go Back The Way You Came!

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oday we take a look at a brief moment in the life of Elijah.  We find him in a cave hiding, fearing for his life because Jezebel has threatened to kill him.  While in this cave, God speaks to Elijah and teaches him a great truth.  God is always near and is always aware of Elijah’s circumstances.  When God speaks, it is often in the tones of a gentle whisper instead of mighty, supernatural acts.  It is always God’s still small voice that strengthens, reassures, and encourages all those who follow him.

After his experience in the mouth of the cave, Elijah receives new instructions from God. These instructions were difficult words for Elijah to hear and, I am sure, caused some concern on his part.  1 Kings 19:15-18 records God’s plans for Elijah as he prepared to leave the cave: “The LORD said to him, "Go back the way you came, and go to the Desert of Damascus. When you get there, anoint Hazael king over Aram. Also, anoint Jehu son of Nimshi king over Israel, and anoint Elisha son of Shaphat from Abel Meholah to succeed you as prophet. Jehu will put to death any who escape the sword of Hazael, and Elisha will put to death any who escape the sword of Jehu.  Yet I reserve seven thousand in Israel-all whose knees have not bowed down to Baal and all whose mouths have not kissed him."

Look at the very first sentence of this passage.  Can’t you just imagine that Elijah’s mouth dropped open!  Had he heard the Lord correctly?  Perhaps, he was mistaken.  It seemed that the Lord had just told him to go back and to go into the desert!  Surely, the Lord didn’t mean that! Back there, his life was in danger.  Back there, people wanted him dead.  Back there, he had no friends, no support, and no one he could count on.  But God’s words were clear, “You will go back there!”

Have you ever been in this situation?  You have just experienced a wonderful display of God’s power in your life and you are ready to move forward but God says, “Go back!”  Sometimes, that is the hardest thing to do.  God is asking us to retrace our steps, to walk over ground we have already covered and to buy the same piece of real estate twice.  This may mean staying on a job when you are ready to move forward, it may mean going back to a place where people reject you, or it may mean returning to a relationship which is painful.  Whatever the situation, God asks us to return to it, even though it may be a desert.

But there is also great hope in this passage.  Let’s not leave Elijah standing in the cave, his mouth opened, wondering what has happened to his world.  God continues by telling Elijah to anoint two new kings and a new prophet.  Although Elijah will return by the same road, he will not be the same man.  The message he carries and his life’s purpose have both changed.  God is at work and Elijah is now part of that plan.

You see, Elijah felt he was all alone, that he was the only one left to do battle for God.  Yet, the Lord tells him very plainly that Jehu and Hazael, whom Elijah will anoint as kings, and Elisha, who will succeed Elijah as prophet, and seven thousand others have not bowed the knee to the pagan god Baal.  Elijah is not alone and as he leaves the cave, everything has changed!  Notice that Elijah took the same way back but he did not go back the same way he came.  Think about that for a moment.  The road was the same; the man was not!!

Today you may be identifying with Elijah.  God has asked you to go back the way you came, back to the desert, back to a dry and lifeless place.  But God does not intend for you to go alone.  Although you walk a familiar path, your message and purpose are new and fresh.  God is at work ahead of you.  He knows where you are going and he knows the best way to get you there.  

The road may be the same, the people around you may not change, and your present circumstances may seem dry and hopeless.  Rest assured and take courage my friend.  God never gives us an assignment, no matter how difficult or challenging, but that he gives us his own divine presence for comfort and his own strength for the journey.  Go back down that same road confident that God goes with you.  Sometimes the greatest blessings in life come when God tells us, “Go back the way you came!”

Uphill Both Ways!

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dults love to tease children.  It just seems to be the natural way of things and when I was a little boy, I took my share of teasing.  My grandfather owned and operated Carpenter’s Funeral Home in Cherryville, about 40 miles west of Charlotte, North Carolina.  The back room of the funeral home was a regular stop for many of the local men and they would come by to sit and talk with my grandfather and with each other.  I wouldn’t want to suggest that any tall tales were told during these sessions, but then again, I wouldn’t want to suggest that everything related in these conversations was exactly the truth.  My best guess is that it was somewhere in between these two extremes.

In any event, I was subjected to all varieties of teasing, ribbing, and all around fun.  I remember complaining about having to walk to school.  My second elementary school was located across town and there were at least two big hills to climb on my way there.  One of the gentleman in the funeral home that day said I didn’t know anything about hard walks to school.  He proceeded to explain to me that when he was small, he had to walk 10 miles to school and it was uphill both ways.  Now, understanding a distance of 10 miles wasn’t all that difficult.  However, I could never quite grasp the concept of walking uphill in two directions.  Every hill I encountered had a downside which made climbing the upside worth all the effort.

As I have grown older, I never have figured out how to climb uphill in both directions; but I have used the example to tease a number of young people.  Yet, the concept of the uphill climb is real and at least in our spiritual walk with the Lord, it sometimes feels that we are always climbing, always pressing toward higher ground with no relief and no downward slope in sight.  Let’s take a brief look at a man who knew all about the uphill struggle to obey God.  Let’s pay a visit to Abraham as he prepares to climb the most difficult mountain in his life, the mountain called, Moriah.

Genesis 22:1-3 records God command to Abraham to take his only son Isaac and offer him as a sacrifice on a mountain that God will show him.  Now we need to understand that Isaac is the son God promised to Abraham, claiming that his covenant would be with Isaac.  God made this promise to Abraham when he was 75 years old and Isaac was born when Abraham was 100.  After a twenty-five-year wait, God now tests Abraham, asking him to make the most difficult journey of his life.

God’s command in Genesis 22:2 is clear, "Take your son, your only son, Isaac, whom you love, and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains I will tell you about."  There are a few things we must take notice of in this scripture.  First of all, Isaac is referred to as Abraham’s only son.  Now, Abraham had another son, Ishmael, whom he had fathered with Hagar, Sarah’s maidservant.  However, Isaac was the only son born to Abraham according to God’s promise.  Second, Abraham loved Isaac and he loved him deeply.  Not only was he the only child, but Abraham had waited a long time for his birth.  Third, God instructs Abraham to sacrifice Isaac, to give him up.   Finally, the fourth element here is that Abraham had no idea where he was going.  He knew it was in the region of Moriah but he didn’t know which mountain.

So, off he started, the very next morning, with his son, a donkey laden with firewood, and two of his servants.  Can’t you just see this father, on the burning desert floor, walking with his son who was probably firing questions in rapid succession about their journey?  With each question and each step, Abraham’s heart had to grow heavy, to the point of breaking.  And yet, for three days, no conversation is recorded between God and Abraham.  The entire journey was an uphill climb.  For Abraham, the return journey would also be an uphill climb because he would have to forever contend with the fact that Isaac was no longer living.  What an impossible situation.

Finally, God showed Abraham the mountain and he and Isaac went as God commanded.  Just as he was about to complete the sacrifice, God called out to Abraham and stopped his hand.  Abraham had passed the test, had been obedient to God, and had been found faithful to God’s command.

From the outside, this looks cruel on God’s part.  Why would he give Abraham something and then take it away from him?  Why would God play such a cruel game?  These are questions we have all asked, especially when we find ourselves in an uphill struggle where it seems there is no way out.  Perhaps you are in a similar situation today.  Perhaps God is asking you to give up something or someone who is so dear to you that any path you take seems uphill.  Take heart, my friend.  At the top of Moriah, God is there.  You see, Abraham didn’t know which mountain he would climb, but God did.  Abraham didn’t know how God would arrange the test, but God did.  Abraham didn’t know what to expect, but God did!  God was the constant in this test and he is the constant in yours as well.

Whatever you are facing today, however great, however challenging, however difficult, and however impossible it may seem, God knows all about it.  He is there, and just when you think all is lost, he will step in to provide all you need.  That is his promise.  Our job is simply to trust and to obey.  What mountain are you climbing today?

Your Place Is Set

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hanksgiving morning, my telephone rang at 6:45 a.m. Now, I am a heavy sleeper so I wasn't sure if the phone was real or if I was having a dream. After a few more rings, however, I determined that the phone was indeed real and I needed to answer it. Slowly I ascended into consciousness, rolled over, picked up the phone, fumbled with the talk button, and said "Hello”. The voice on the other end of the line greeted me with a hearty "Happy Thanksgiving!" It was my dad. He called to wish me a very happy holiday.

My mom was in the kitchen making the final preparations for her Thanksgiving meal. Everyone in my immediate family was going to be there, except for me.  Dad informed me, however, that I had not been left out or forgotten. Earlier, mom had set the dining room table and she set a place for me. Although we are separated by over one thousand miles, to mom and dad I was present at today's meal. The place setting at my chair spoke to that fact.

After our brief talk, I hung up the phone and lay back on the bed. I replayed the conversation I had just had with my dad several times in my head. One image kept coming into view, that place setting at my chair.

My parents missed me; and they knew I wanted to be there. However, the distance between us didn't prevent them from setting a place for me. It didn't stop them from considering me to be present with them, it didn't lessen their love for me, and it didn't make me any less their son. In fact, by placing the silverware and the plate on the table, they demonstrated that my presence is always with them, no matter where I happen to be.

Paul underscores the idea that from God's perspective we are already in Heaven with him, now! Ephesians 2:4-6 states, "But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus..."

There are three things we need to see in regards to this passage of Scripture. First, God loved us long before we came to love him. Before the foundation of the earth was laid, God made provision for mankind to be reunited with him. God's love spanned the great distance that separated us from him and he made a way for us to return home, to be with him eternally.

Second, we are dead in sin, separated from God. We cannot come into his presence, we cannot approach his throne, and we cannot have a relationship with him until we accept Jesus as our savior.  Just as God made Christ alive and raised him from the dead, so too are we alive because we have accepted Christ's death as the only means of salvation.

Third, we sit in heavenly places now. In essence, God has set a place for us at his table.  There is no distance too great, no obstacle too large, and no situation so dire that can keep us from being God's children. We are his, with the full right to eat at his table. His love is for us and his desire to be with us is so strong, that he sets a place for us at his table in advance of our arrival.  

My dad called that morning because he wanted me to know that he was thinking of me.   No matter where I am, nothing will ever be able to separate me from my mom, dad, brother, and sister. I was present at the holiday meal just as surely as if I had been there in person.

The spiritual application is just as real. Although we are not physically with God at this time, one day we will be.   He welcomes us into his presence, he showers us with his blessings, and he makes room for us at his table. If you have accepted Jesus Christ as your savior, this invitation to dine at God's table is open and available to you. I am so glad that my place is already set. How about you?  Is there a place reserved for you at God’s dinner table? 

It's Time To Wash Your Hair

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 remember the touch of my mother’s hand when I was a little boy.  Most of the time, mom’s touch was gentle and affectionate. There were times, however, when her touch was a little stronger, like when I insisted on having my way over hers, bad move on my part!!  I remember that mom’s hands were always busy, preparing meals, washing clothes, cleaning house, or sewing.  But her hands were never too occupied or too tired to attend to scraped knees, running noses, or hurt feelings. Many times as I lay in a hospital bed, the mere touch of her hand did more than all the nurses and medications combined.

One of the things I remember most about mom’s touch happened on Saturday evenings.  We had the same ritual.  I would get my bath, and then mom would put me up on the kitchen counter, have me lie on my back, and she would wash my hair in the kitchen sink.  I remember her hands supporting my head as it hung in mid-air over the sink.  She always talked to me while she washed and we would joke, tease, and laugh during the whole process. 

Now, don’t get me wrong, this wasn’t always a bunch of roses.  In the summer time, when I had been outside playing, I would get sand and grit all in my hair.  When it came time to wash it out, it wasn’t fun.  Mom’s hands, though soft and reassuring, were also relentless in their determination to find every grain of sand in my head.  With my head dangling over the sink, she used both her hands to lather, search, scrub, and scratch, until every grain of sand was gone.  When I got up from the counter, I knew my head was completely clean, not only because I could feel it, but because mom had washed my hair and I knew nothing had escaped her attention.

In Psalm 51, David records the same experience, except David isn’t having his hair washed and his mom isn’t doing the honors. Instead, David prays to God to cleanse his soul, to find anything and everything that makes his life spotty and unclean.  This entire Psalm was written after David’s adultery with Bathsheba (see 2 Samuel 11). Knowing he has done wrong and knowing he cannot cleanse his own heart, David comes before God’s throne and ask his Heavenly Father to make him clean. 

David knows the process will not be pleasant but he also knows that when God is finished he will be completely clean.  David’s specific request is found in Psalm 51:7 “Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.”Read the last three words again very slowly and think about them.  What can be whiter than snow?  Yet David says that is exactly how clean he will be when God fi'nishes with him.  David asked God to look into every nook and cranny of his life, to find all the grains of sin that were making it spotty, and to remove them. 

If you have ever asked God to cleanse you, then you know just how probing his hands can be.  They relentlessly search for the smallest speck of sin and they scrub and scrub, until it is completely gone. Although this is not the most enjoyable aspect of our relationship with God, it is one of the most productive.  God will not stand for any sin to stain our lives!  He has zero tolerance for sin because he knows that, left alone, it will continue to soil our lives and affect our relationship with him.

When mom was washing my hair, she wouldn’t stop until she was satisfied all the sand was gone.  It didn’t matter if I was ready for her to be finished; the ordeal wasn’t over until she had removed all the sand from my hair.  She knew that if the dirt remained, it would be more difficult and more challenging to remove at a later time.  When it was time to wash my hair that is exactly what she did, right down to the last follicle.

If my mom would take such great pains to make sure my hair was clean, how much more important do you think our souls are to God?  With a loving touch, he searches us all over, making sure that our lives are free from sin.  Our part is to lie still and let him work. He knows what he is doing, He knows what to look for, and he knows how to remove it from us.  But there is one proviso—we must ask him to do it.  We must allow God to search us and cleanse us.  God is a gentleman and will not force himself on us.  He waits until he is invited in and then He begins His work!

When was the last time you asked God to wash you?  When was the last time you let him really inspect every part of your life to see if sin was lurking in a hidden corner?  When was the last time you willingly let God cleanse you and make you whiter than snow?  Don’t you think it’s time to wash your hair 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.

One weekend, 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?

Spiritual Magnetism

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ife in the sixth grade was anything but boring.  I remember this as being one of the most pivotal years of my education.  It was the last year of elementary school, the last year of having only one or two teachers, and the last time I would keep my books tucked safely beneath my desk.  Junior high school and the seventh grade loomed large on the horizon so I determined to make my sixth-grade experience count for everything.

As a young boy, I loved science.  Anything that explained how things were put together and how things worked caught my attention.  I don’t think my sixth-grade teacher, Mrs. Houser, ever forgave the bunch of boys who got into her chemistry kit and mixed things together in a small plastic container and watched as it exploded!  It was awesome but unfortunately Mrs. Houser didn’t share our enthusiasm!

A safer science lesson came in the form of the magnet.  Mrs. Houser passed around different magnets and pieces of metal and we all took turns watching as the magnets grabbed and pulled the pieces of steel rapidly toward them.  You could feel the attraction one piece of metal had for another and the pull was so strong sometimes that the magnet literally pulled the piece of metal out of my hand.  While I was amazed and fascinated with these two pieces of metal, I became more enthralled when Mrs. Houser passed around two magnets marked with a capital N on one end and a capital S on the other.

At her instruction, we held the N of one magnet close to the S of the other.  Amazingly, the two magnets joined forces and became one piece of metal.  However, the experiment didn’t work in the opposite direction. When the N of one magnet approached the N of the other magnet the two pieces of metal pushed away from each other.  In fact, it was impossible to make them join forces.  The same thing happened with the ends marked S.  What Mrs. Houser wanted us to learn was the principle that opposite forces attract while similar forces repel each other.

There is a direct parallel between my sixth-grade science class and our walk with the Lord.  As Christians, we live in the world and our job is to attract others to Jesus Christ.  Just like that magnet in Mrs. Houser’s room, if we would attract others and lead them to Christ, we must be just the opposite of what we see in the world.  Jesus used the picture of a light shining in the darkness to attract and draw people to the truth.  In Matthew 5:14-16 he says, “You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.”

The first thing we must notice in this passage is Jesus’ description of his followers. We are light in a dark world.  Jesus does not give us a choice, if we are truly his disciples and his children then we are light.  Light is always the opposite of darkness and attracts people to its source.  Second, we cannot hide from the world.  It is impossible to hide a lit candle in a dark room and the same is true for Christians.  We will and must stand out against the darkness of this world.  We must let our light shine so others will come to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.

The purpose of our light shining in the darkness is that others will see our light and praise our Heavenly Father.  We are not in this for any pats on the back or so others will compliment us on our good behavior and thoughtful deeds.  We let our lights shine so that God may be praised.  Everything we do must point to God and must bring honor and glory to Him.  When we stop bringing glory to God and try to take all the credit for ourselves, we become like the rest of the world.  Then, instead of attracting others to God, we repel them.  We must guard against this!  Sadly, one of the must condemning criticisms of Christians is that it is sometimes impossible to distinguish us from the world system.  We say one thing but our actions indicate that we believe or hold to another series of principles. 

Today, as we walk with the Lord, let us ask ourselves how our spiritual magnets are working.  Are we living a life opposite to the world thus attracting others to our message or are we living a life in line with the world, repelling others from accepting the truth about Jesus Christ?  How well are we applying the principles of spiritual magnetism to our lives today? 

Turn On The Lights

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n December of 1988, my brother and I purchased a house that turned into a labor of love.  From my perspective, there was much more labor than love but it was a wonderful learning experience and I must say I enjoyed it tremendously. 

The house had been in our community for as long as I could remember and when we acquired it, it was in desperate need of repair.  New wiring, new sheet rock, new plumbing, new molding, new paint, new wallpaper, a new heating system, a new hot water heater, in essence, a new everything.

I distinctly remember the night we succeeded in wiring up a few lights so we could work at night.  After several long evenings working by the light of the setting sun and flashlight, we finally hooked up a few recessed lights, plugged in the house, and threw the switch.  Tada, instant light!  Yes, you read that last sentence correctly.  We had to go outside and plug the house up to the temporary power source to have light.  But it didn’t matter. Where there had been only darkness, now there was light, light that made our work and our lives easier as we steadily worked toward our goal of restoring the house.

Several thousand years ago, the prophet Isaiah described a time when the lights would also be turned on in the house of Israel, light that would shine forth for all the world to see and participate in.  The light he spoke of had nothing to do with remodeling houses; it had everything to do with rebuilding lives.  In Isaiah 9:2 we read, “The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined.”

This passage of scripture is very familiar and is often quoted at Christmas.  Isaiah was indeed writing of the coming of Jesus Christ, the Messiah, the true light coming into the world to light man’s way out of sin and into the light of life.  It is interesting to notice how Isaiah describes the people searching for this light.  Notice he calls them the people who walked in darkness and who lived in the land of the shadow of death.  These words are a perfect description of man without God. 

That is why God sent his son into the world, so that through him the world might be saved (John 3:16-17).  This passage was written to share the joy and the excitement Isaiah felt as he wrote about the day when the light of life would shine forth and dispel the darkness of sin and death.  He describes the Messiah as a great light, a light that the people will see.  No wonder, then, that Jesus refers to Himself as the light of the world and says that no one who follows him will ever walk in darkness (John 8:12).

Are you walking in God’s light today or are is it still dark where you are?  Remember that God gave his son so that we could have not only eternal life, but a daily relationship with him.  God reached down through the lonely darkness, met us in our place of need, and turned the lights on.  Won’t you come into the light today?