Just One Of Those Days

J

ames 1:2-4 reads, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”  This definitely was not the verse of scripture I wanted to be reminded of one particular Monday.  I was having one of those days where nothing, and I mean nothing, went according to plan.  Oh, I had a plan, but it was absolutely worthless.  Please allow me to recap the day for you.  It’s good therapy!

The whole ball of wax actually started the evening before when I decided to download a quick and easy little program for my computer.  The download went well.  I encountered no glitches, bumps, or electronic hiccups.  The installation process was also smooth and in just a few minutes the program was living happily on my hard drive, ready to obey my every command. 

I restarted the computer, selected the newly installed program, and asked it to perform a quick scan of my computer to see if everything was all right.  That’s when it all started.  The little program located some files that to its mind posed a threat to my system. It asked if I wanted to repair or delete the programs.  I first elected to repair the files but when that wasn’t possible, I deleted them.  That was my mistake!  I deleted several files from my operating system and the computer wouldn’t work.

I tried at least three attempts to coax the computer back to life but it just wouldn’t budge. Instead, it just sat there with a beautiful sunset on the screen, refusing to go any further.  All my programs were there; I just couldn’t get to them.  Several calls to a good friend in Pennsylvania, confirmed what I already knew.  The computer was busted and would have to be rebuilt; not exactly what I wanted to hear.

During the day, my situation got better (that’s a little joke, not too funny).  On my way to the airport, everybody in the free world decided to drive below the speed limit and box me into one lane of traffic.  I couldn’t get around the car ahead of me and the cars to my right and to my left wouldn’t budge.  I thought it was some kind of conspiracy with the whole world, including the animals, decidedly against me. I wondered if Noah ever had a day like this.

A good friend called to see how I was doing.  What a loaded question that was!  I told him I didn’t feel very Christian and proceeded to share my terrible day. I called my mom and she got the full onslaught as well.  I was miserable and I determined that everyone I knew would just be miserable as well.  Ever been there?  None of this solved my computer problem, but grinding that axe seemed to make me feel better; I mean I actually enjoyed it. If what James said in the opening verse above applied to me, I had to be the happiest man alive!

It was only after I had spent the day frustrated, angry, confused, bitter, hostile, and just a little cranky, that I realized what a wasted day this had been. Replaying my thoughts and conversations from the day indicated every sentence or thought began with the word “I” or had the word “me” in it at least three or four times.  I looked at myself as the victim.  Nothing went my way, everything was against me, I didn’t understand why I was going through this, you get the picture don’t you?

James certainly hit me right between the eyes when I calmed down and remembered this little admonition.  James says that we will face trials of many kinds.  He never says they are fun but he does say they have their purpose and that purpose is the perfecting of our faith, the increasing of our patience.

I wasn’t very faithful or patient on that particular Monday; I was anything but.  And that is why I missed the blessing of verse 4, “Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”  Because of my attitude, I was lacking in several areas, not the least of which was my relationship with God.  But God’s design is to grow me to maturity so I want lack anything.  That Monday reminded me just how much growing up I still have left to do.

The next time you have one of those days, and it may be today, be thankful for it.  I know this is not something you want to hear, especially if today’s your day, but God is with us in the small trials as well as in the big ones and I think that when we have just one of those days he is reminding us of just how difficult it is to live the Christian life without him!

All Dried Up

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here is nothing better on a cold, crisp morning than a piping hot bowl of oatmeal.  It gets the day started right, warming you on the inside, keeping the elements outside at bay.  In fact, when you are warm on the inside, life just goes better and cold, wintry days become less of an obstacle and more of a joy. 

I didn’t used to be like this.  As a little boy, I hated oatmeal and wouldn’t touch the stuff.  My brother liked it but I didn’t!  Actually, I never gave oatmeal a fair shake.  But now, it’s a completely different story.  Each week in the grocery store I spend literally fifteen to twenty minutes picking out oatmeal for the coming week.  Will it be maple, brown sugar and cinnamon, apple, raisin and almonds, or the variety pack?  No matter what flavor I finally select, I always buy the instant variety.  Standing over hot stove cooking oatmeal has very little appeal for me.  I love dumping the cereal into the bowl, adding hot water, and then stirring the mixture until the water works its way through the dry mix.  Then I’m ready to enjoy and reap the benefits of that bowl of oatmeal.

Did you realize that our spiritual lives resemble oatmeal in a very real way?  Without water, oatmeal is dry, bland, boring, and useless.  It needs hot water to change it into a form that the body can readily use and that makes it more appealing to the taste buds.  The writer of Psalm 42knew all too well the effects of a life without God.  He understood how dry and parched our souls become when we don’t have a steady dose of God’s word and His presence.  In Psalm 42:1-2,we read the following, “As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God?”

Do you feel the dryness here?  Can you understand the longing the psalmist feels for God’s presence?  Like a deer searching for a cool pond of water where it can slake its thirst, so the psalmist is searching to satisfy his desire for the Lord.  Inside he is dry, parched, withered, and weak.  He needs to spend time with God, to drink deeply from His word, to drink in as much of God’s spirit and presence as he desires.  That is what God invites us to do.  He wants us to take in as much of Him as we want.  The pond of His word is deep, the streams of His blessings are always flowing, and the reservoirs of His love are never dried up.

When His word gets into our hearts, souls, and minds, we are changed.  When our insides are filled with Him, the outside elements of the world pose no threat to us.  We still must live in the world, we still must face its challenges and trials, but the word of the living God warms us, nourishes us, and prepares us for the road ahead.  But adding water to the oatmeal in my bowl does very little good until I stir it in and mix it all together.  The water must work its way through the dried oats until they are all changed from dry, parched, elements to a warm, creamy cereal that I can eat.  In the same way, God’s word must not only be read, but it must work its way into every area of our lives so that it becomes a part of us.

It is my prayer for you today that you will take time to have a healthy dose of God’s word.  Spend time with God, talking with Him, praying to Him, drinking of Him deeply.  The dry areas of your life will soon disappear and you will be ready to face life with all its hang ups and challenges.  Being warm and satisfied on the inside will always prepare you to face the world outside.  Anyone for a bowl of oatmeal?  I hear the kettle whistling!

Hot Dogs at 2:00 A.M.

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eing the first house on the block to own the latest gadget is one of the best feelings in the world.  It gives the kids bragging rights and they waste no time in informing the other neighborhood children what has happened at their house.  No sooner is the seal on the box broken than little Johnny is telling Tommy all about the new arrival.  The one-sided conversation goes something like this: “Guess what we’ve got at our house?  My dad just bought one of those new thingamabobs that does whatchamacallit!  (You fill in the blanks)  It cost a lot of money too! (The most important point of the whole conversation)  I’ll bet you don’t have one! ” (This is the rubbing-salt-in-an-open-wound part of the conversation).

Yep, that’s pretty much the way it is and pretty much the way it was when my dad came home with one of the first microwave ovens.  Both my parents love gadgets (is it any wonder that places like Best Buy are my favorite haunts?) and when the microwave oven hit the scene, my mom said she’d like to have one.  I distinctly remember the day the oven was delivered.  It was huge and its box was even bigger.  That gave me more ammunition to use with the rest of the kids.  “Hey guys, guess what we’ve got at our house?  One of those new microwave ovens that cooks hot dogs in two seconds! (I admit I was a little over zealous but this was big news!!!) You should see the box it came in!  I’ll bet you don’t have one do you?” 

As time went on, I learned to be more discreet with my friends and with the sharing of family secrets!  The microwave, however, proved to be much better than I even imagined.  We could cook all kinds of things in a fraction of the time and anyone could use it.  That was the best part!  If I wanted a snack, I could just pop it in the microwave and voila, instant junk food!  This proved especially helpful on Friday and Saturday evenings when the cool thing to do was watch TV until two in the morning. Why everyone did this I don’t know, but it was cool!  I would visit the refrigerator, rummaging around for something to eat and I would find a hot dog.  I popped it in the microwave for 30 seconds or so and in no time at all I had a great snack to tie me over until breakfast!

What amazed me most was the change in the hot dog.  When I removed it from the refrigerator, it was cold and unappealing.  But when I placed it into the microwave, a wonderful change occurred.  What I took out of the microwave was not what I put in!  The hot dog had been thoroughly cooked.  It was sizzling, its color had changed, and it smelled wonderful.  I wasted no time.  I dug right in and satisfied my hunger.  What a difference a trip to the microwave made.  What was unappetizing just moments before was now a gourmet meal!

If you think about it, the Christian life is much the same way. Now, I don’t mean that all your problems will be solved or that all your prayer requests will be answered in a matter of seconds.  That won’t happen.  What will happen, however, is that a great change will take place.  After an encounter with Jesus Christ, things can never be the same again.  Just like that hot dog I took out of the fridge and placed into the microwave, we will not be the same after coming to Christ as we were before we came to him.  One of the best places to see this in the Scriptures is with the story of Lazarus, a man Jesus raised from the dead.

John 11:43-44 is the crux of this story, “When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, "Lazarus, come out!" The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face. Jesus said to them, "Take off the grave clothes and let him go." You want to talk about instant change?  Lazarus entered the tomb a dead man. On top of all that he had been in the grave for four days.  But after a few seconds with Jesus, everything changed.  Life returned to Lazarus’ body and he walked out of that grave.  Notice the last sentence of this passage.  When we enter into a relationship with Jesus, the former things of life have to go.  Lazarus was no longer dead so the grave clothes and strips of linen had to be removed. He was freed from his former condition (death) in order to embrace the change Jesus brought to him (life).

This still happens today.  Outside of Christ we are cold and lifeless.  We exist but we do not live.  Nothing about life is appealing or even appetizing.  As long as we remain outside of Christ, as long as we refuse to accept him and his salvation, we are useless.  But once we accept him, once we turn our lives over to him, and once we let him change us from what we were to what he wants us to be, we can never be the same again.  Just like the people who witnessed Lazarus’ return to life and just like the kid whose parents have a new gadget; we can’t wait to tell everyone about it. 

One last thing about that microwave, it was ready to do its job at any moment of the day or night.  All I had to do was place whatever I wanted to eat inside.  Nice parallel isn’t it?  Jesus is ready all the time to change our lives and to help us when we need him—and we need him all the time!  But we have to make the choice to put ourselves inside so he can change us.  Isn’t it amazing what you can learn from hot dogs at 2:00 a.m.?  Have you used the microwave lately?

Hanging By A Thread

I

n my study, just next to my window, hangs a replica of a hot air balloon I purchased a several years ago.  When my mom and dad came out to Fort Worth to help me move into my house, mom got up on the stepladder and hung the balloon.  Her touch and opinion of where to place that balloon made all the difference in the world and ensured success!

When I opened the box and examined all the components, I found a long piece of thick transparent string.  It resembled fishing line and provided the means of hanging the balloon from the ceiling.  I went to one of the local home supply superstores in the area and purchased a hook, returned home.  When mom finished, the balloon hung from the hook and, unless you observed very closely, it seemed as if the balloon was suspended in thin air.

Even now, whenever I enter my room, before I go to sleep, or in the morning when I wake up, I see that balloon.  Although it appears to float in mid air, I know it is hanging by a mere thread.  That thread, however, is strong enough to support the balloon’s weight, supporting and upholding it on constant and consistent basis.

The story of Job is familiar to most people, even if they are unfamiliar with the rest of the Scriptures.  Whenever we are having a bad day, whenever Murphy’s Law is in effect, or when everything seems to be stacked against us, we usually compare our plight with that of Job.  I am convinced, however, that we have no idea what Job endured and I am certainly not taking a number and waiting in line to find out!

It should come as no surprise to us that Job’s very life hung by a mere thread.  Most people would agree with that statement noting that Job’s faith in God was the very thread that kept him and sustained him during his trial.  While I agree that Job had incredible faith, I want to explore the possibility that Job’s faith was not the thread that held him.

In Job 1:12 and 2:6 we read the following statements, “The LORD said to Satan, "Very well, then, everything he has is in your hands, but on the man himself do not lay a finger." Then Satan went out from the presence of the LORD. The LORD said to Satan, "Very well, then, he is in your hands; but you must spare his life."

God, Himself, makes both of these statement in response to Satan’s accusation that God’s protection and blessing in Job’s life are the sole reasons Job follows the Lord.  His argument is that were those blessings and the protection lifted, Job would curse God to His face and no long worship Him.  Two words must jump out at us from God’s response.  The words occur in both verses.  Can you find them?  Can you find the thread that held and supported Job?  Yes!  The words are “Very well.”

In other words, God said to Satan, “Go ahead, do your worst, my servant will not fail me.” So it was not Job’s faith in God that sustained him; it was God’s faith in Job.  The words very well connect Job to His God and relate the faith God placed in Job.

Wherever you are today in your walk with the Lord, I pray you will take encouragement from this passage of scripture.  Sometimes life gets crazy; it seems everything is against us and we are hanging by a mere thread.  But if that thread is God, we have all we need to cling to.  That thread is all the strength we need and will support and sustain us both constantly and consistently.  It will never break, it will never come untied, and it will never let us go.  Hanging by a thread is sometimes the only place we experience the sustaining power of our God.  Are you hanging confidently by a thread today?

When God Puts Us To Sleep

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n one of his poems, Edgar Allan Poe asks the following question:  “Is all that we see or seem but a dream within a dream?”  I can think of no better description of waking after surgery than this.  The effects of anesthesia last a long time after the patient initially goes under.  Hours after the surgery is over, the body begins to wake up and what an interesting process that is.

I remember waking up after heart surgery.  I could hear voices that sounded muffled, as if someone were speaking through a pillow.  I couldn’t make out exactly what they were saying and after a few moments of trying everything went black.  A few moments later (it was actually several hours later) I opened my eyes.  There were people in the room and everything was in a fog.  I remember seeing my mom and dad, the nurses, my pastor, and my doctor.  Then everything went black again.

Slowly, but surely, I began to wake up. My eyes stayed open longer, people began to talk more coherently, the fog lifted, and people’s movements came up to speed.  That’s when I began to notice the pain in my chest and I realized that something had really happened. I wasn’t the same person I had been just before the anesthesiologist worked his magic.  Whatever that stuff was, it was really good!

While I was asleep, a team of doctors opened my chest and repaired the hole that had caused my heart to work harder than necessary.  The surgery took several hours but they seemed like mere moments to me.  I remember being in the operating room getting ready for surgery and the next thing I knew, I was in Intensive Care unit, recovering.  I missed the whole thing!  But somehow, the pain in my chest reminded me I had been present all along.  I went to sleep one way; I woke up another.  The change had occurred during those few hours of forced sleep.

It shouldn’t surprise us to learn that God was the first anesthesiologist and the first surgeon.  The story of God’s creation of Eve from Adam’s rib has been told and retold from one generation to the next. Yet, if you stop and really think about that event, you will see that sometimes God causes us to sleep so he can work on the deepest areas of our lives.

Genesis 2:21-22 records the following, “So the LORD God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man's ribs and closed up the place with flesh. Then the LORD God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man.” 

We need to take closer look at the opening line of this passage.  Notice that Adam didn’t go to sleep on his own.  The scripture clearly states that God caused Adam to fall into a “deep sleep”.  There are times in life when God causes a deep sleep, a silence, a hush to fall over us.  We are not sure where he is, we don’t know what he’s doing, and we have no awareness that anything is being done in our lives.  It’s as if we are asleep spiritually, waiting for God to wake us up, to bring something new into our lives.

This is exactly what happened to Adam.  God needed to do some deep work in Adam’s life and he didn’t need Adam thrashing around, fighting him every step of the way.  Sound familiar?  So, God knocked him out.  He opened the man’s chest, withdrew a rib, and made a woman.  God created for Adam what he could never have imagined.  While he slept, while he was unaware of any activity, while life seemingly had stopped, God was working.  He was working to provide Adam’s need, a need Adam wasn’t even aware he had!

What a beautiful picture this is of God’s care for his children.  He is always watching over us, always taking notice of the events and circumstances of our lives.  He knows us better than we know ourselves and he is constantly aware of our needs even when we are not.  Jesus, himself, reminds us of this fact in Matthew 6:25-34.

Today, you may feel that you are spiritually asleep. It seems it has been forever since God spoke to you or moved in your life.  You wonder if he knows about you and perhaps you feel as if God no longer cares.  We all feel this way in our walk with the Lord, but we know that nothing is farther from the truth.  We serve a God who loves us, who cares for us, and who provides for us.  God does his best work during our moments of sleep.  He is busy even now meeting needs and preparing you for events you know nothing about.  We are never the same after a sleep session with God.  Like the patient after surgery, we find ourselves changed when God puts us to sleep.  Won’t you let him operate in your life today?

Leave The Night Light On

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hen I think of home and all the wonderful memories I have from my childhood, one image in particular comes back repeatedly.  It is the image of the lights that burned during the night in our house.  My brother and I shared a room and each night before going to bed, we made sure the bathroom light was burning.  There was such a sense of security provided by that light.  As long as it burned, I knew everything would be all right.  I had no fear of the dark, of the things hiding under my bed, or lurking in my closet because I knew the bathroom light would keep me safe.

Some nights, when sleep eluded me, I would lie awake in my bed and look at the soft light coming from our bathroom.  There, in the stillness, the light would assure me that everything was okay. It provided companionship and dispelled the worries and fears I had of the dark.  The light was always faithful, ever vigilant, ever protecting, and ever present.  After a while, perhaps fifteen minutes or as much as an hour, I would drift off into a sound, worry-free sleep, secure in the knowledge the light would always be there to help me, to console me, and to protect me.

Most of us could share similar experiences from our childhood.  We all know what it's like to be afraid of the dark.  We can all identify with the child who fears the monsters under his bed or those hiding in his closet.  Even as adults, there are still monsters that haunt us late at night, and if we are truly honest, we would admit we still find great comfort in night lights.  We want something to take away the dark areas of our lives, those areas that frighten and paralyze us and prevent us from enjoying life to the full.

Would it surprise you to learn that the concept of the night-light can be traced back as far as the Exodus of the Hebrew children from Egypt?  It's true and our scripture today shows us that the children of Israel found great comfort and security in night-lights.  Exodus 13:21-22 says, "And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so as to go by day and night. He did not take away the pillar of cloud by day or the pillar of fire by night from before the people."

The night-light God provided for his people was none other than his own presence.  There, on the desert floor, having no idea where they were headed, God provided guidance for them.  During the day, a great pillar of cloud went before them and at night, the pillar changed into fire, providing light for their journey.  Can you imagine what it would be like to open the flap of your tent and see the presence of the eternal God? 

On nights when sleep escaped you, or when you were afraid of the monsters in the dark, or when your mind was filled with all kinds of worries, all you had to do was open your tent, and you would see God's night-light.  This light burned all during the dark hours of the night.  It dispelled any fear, any threat, any worry on the part of his children.  There was great security, great peace, and great comfort in knowing the light was always there, always watching, always protecting, always burning.

On the campus of Southwestern seminary, the main classroom building stays lit all night long.  While I was a seminary student, I often imagined myself as one of the Hebrew children during the Exodus.  Whenever I couldn’t sleep, whenever I was lonely, whenever I just needed someone to listen to me, I would go look at that building.  In the soft light, I could hear God say so softly, yet so earnestly, "I am here.  You can sleep because I am awake; you need not be lonely for I am your friend. Come, talk to me, for I am here to listen.  Have no fear of the dark, for my presence is with you and my light can never be put out."

During all the difficult and trying times of my life, when it seems the darkness is all around, the pillar of fire continues on before me.  God never removed that pillar from before the people and I know he will never remove it from before or you me.  When darkness falls, it is wonderful to know that God always leaves the night-light on for us.  As the Psalmist writes in Psalm 21, "He who keeps you will not slumber.  Behold, He who keeps Israel Shall neither slumber nor sleep."  Today, as you walk with God, you have the confidence of knowing that no matter how dark the way seems, the light is always on. 

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 back country 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

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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?

Let's Go Shopping

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aturday afternoon I embarked on that great American adventure known as a visit to the local supermarket!  Yep!  I went in with all the prowess of a professional hunter, determined not to come out until I had a kill!  With my list in one hand and my debit card in the other, I moved quickly forward, confident in my ability to return with a successful catch.

Now, a visit to the grocery store isn't this romantic.  Very few of us anticipate entering the store with the expectations of a big game hunter. It requires very little knowledge or skill to approach the meat aisle and simply select meat that has already been killed, dressed, and packaged.  It isn't very challenging to reach up on the shelf to find a can of soup.  The real problem is in choosing which can of soup you want.  Every aisle is simply chock full of items from which we may choose.  The supply of foods is endless it seems and every row holds something new for us to consider.

As I perused each aisle, I was able to find all the items on my list.  My cart slowly filled with the items I needed and soon it was time to leave the store.  Before I left home, my list looked incredibly long.  I wasn't sure if I could find all the items nor if there would be enough room at home to accommodate them all.  But in the checkout lane, the number of items I selected paled in comparison to the entire stock of the grocery store.  My worries about not finding certain items were simply unwarranted.  Even if I had wanted to, it would have been impossible for me to exhaust the supply of groceries housed in this store.  There was simply more there than I could ever hope to use.

The Apostle Paul would have understood my amazement at the enormous supply of the grocery store compared with my small needs.  In his second letter to the Corinthians, Paul addresses the sufficiency and overabundance of God's provision for his people.  In 2 Corinthians 9:8 Paul writes, "And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others." 

Today in the grocery store, Paul's point hit home.  The items in my cart were as nothing compared with the overall inventory of the store.  I purchased one can of soup, and I left several hundred there.  I purchased one loaf of bread, leaving countless others on the shelf.  In no way did my small purchase drastically diminish the store's supply.

This is what God is like!  No, I'm not suggesting that God is a great big grocery store where we shop at our leisure.  But I am stating that God does supply all our needs and our needs in no way even remotely begin to tap his resources.  When we come to him in prayer and present him with the list of our needs, he never says "Let me check to see if I have that in stock!"  His supply of love is endless, his grace is boundless, his mercy cannot be measured, and his understanding cannot be fathomed.  He is ever ready to hear our requests and he openly invites us to come to him and boldly make our desires known.

When we obey him, he opens to us all his riches, and his riches are in Jesus Christ.  At anytime, day or night, in any location, we may come to God and present our lists. We can get our carts filled, confident in the knowledge that when we our needs arise once more, he will be more than able to fulfill them over and over and over again.  So, today if you are in need of experiencing more of God's love, if you feel the need for more of God's grace, if you are longing for a deeper relationship with him, or if you desire a more profound knowledge of your Heavenly Father, all you have to do is go shopping! Everything is always in stock!.

Service Included

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ne evening I decided I had had enough of my own cooking and needed a break.  So I took myself out on the town and ate at a nice Italian restaurant about 14 minutes from my house.  When I got there, the parking lot was relatively empty so I got a choice spot.  I went in, sat myself, and prepared to order.  The menu had so many wonderful things on it that it took me a while to make a decision.  But I settled for the fettuccine alfredo with chicken, a most excellent choice.  My waitress was new to the job but she handled herself very well.  She took my order and when the food was ready, she brought me my dinner.  She checked with me from time to time to make sure I had everything I needed and then left me to eat in peace. 

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

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

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

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

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

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.”

Recharge Your Batteries!

B atteries!  The world runs on batteries!  If you don’t believe me, just look at the watch on your wrist, the radio on your desk, the smoke detector on the wall, the cell phone in your purse or pocket, and your car in the parking lot!  They all have one thing in common—they require batteries to function.  No matter how sophisticated we become, no matter how powerful new sources of energy prove to be, it seems we find ourselves increasingly dependent on the lowly battery.  What would we do without these little guys?

When I was growing up, I remember finding batteries all over the house. We stored them in drawers and there were several under my bed as well as in my closet.  The problem, however, was that when I needed a battery, the ones I found were no longer useful.  They had lost their charge through proper use, overuse, or no use.  Whenever I needed a battery for a new gadget, a new toy, or for something more useful, I usually had to go out and purchase new batteries, or better yet, tell mom I needed them. This usually meant a trip to the store, a wait in line, and being stopped by every traffic light between our house and the nearest convenience store.

But all that changed when my dad bought a battery charger with rechargeable batteries.  I remember him bringing the charger into our kitchen, plugging it in, and filling it with these special batteries.  The instructions were very clear.  The batteries had to be left alone for several hours while electricity traveled through the terminals to be stored inside.  I was fascinated by this process and walked by several times to see if the batteries were “done.” 

During this time of recharging, the batteries didn’t look as if anything was happening to them.  They simply lay there in their charger, soaking up the power being poured into them.  Finally, after several hours, the indicator panel informed me that the batteries were fully charged. I took them out and put them into one of my toys and, presto! The energy stored in them provided the necessary power the toy needed in order to work properly.  The hours of waiting during the recharging process paid off.

Jesus knew the importance and the necessity for recharging his disciples.  Long before the advent of the battery, long before the discovery of electricity, and long before the invention of portable electric devices, Jesus taught his disciples the need for rest.  He knew there must be time of inactivity and a time of drawing from God, and a time of renewing their strength.  Without this time, Jesus knew that burnout and ineffectiveness were inevitable.

On several occasions the Scriptures tell us that Jesus withdrew by himself to spend time in prayer, talking to God.  Jesus knew that in order to minister and demonstrate God’s love, he would have to spend time in God’s presence, recharging his mind and spirit for the work ahead.  Likewise, the disciples also needed times of spiritual renewal and refreshment and Jesus made sure they received them.

In Mark 6:31, Jesus tells his disciples, “Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, "Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.” This takes place just before the feeding of the five thousand.  The disciples had been following Jesus and working with the press of people all around them.  They hadn’t even had time to eat and they were physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually exhausted.  Ever been there?  So Jesus took them to a quiet place to rest, to relax, and to refresh their souls and their bodies.

So many times in our day-to-day-struggle on life’s road, we find ourselves completely worn out.  We are so tired and irritable that the witness we give for Christ seems to do more harm than good.  We don’t feel like being Christians, we don’t feel like praying, and quiet time is completely out of the question.  God fully understands these moments in our lives. He doesn’t get angry with us, He doesn’t figure out ways to make our lives more unbearable, and He doesn’t get offended when we are like this.  Instead, He makes a place for us—a place off the beaten path—where we can rest, sleep, and recharge our batteries.  Psalm 23 provides a wonderful picture of this as God makes a place in green pastures and beside still waters for the purpose of restoring our souls.

Today, you may be completely on the edge and at your wits’ end.  If this is so, take heart.  It may be that you will soon hear the voice of God calling you to rest.  When you hear that call, obey it.  Rest has its purpose and its place in the Christian walk.  It is the time when God does some of His best and most important work on us because that is the time we are still. Is it time for you to recharge your batteries today?

You Must Pick The Apples

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rowing up on Main Street had many advantages.  We were close to town, everyone knew where Main Street was located, and my best friend lived right beside me.  We were also surrounded by wonderful neighbors.  The Littles and Busbys lived across the street, the Bames lived to our right, the Ramseys and the Beams lived behind us, and Mom and Pop Jenkins lived to our left.

All our neighbors were wonderful but Mom and Pop held a special place in my heart.  They always spoke to us and took time to be involved in what we were doing.  And if we did anything wrong or if we got out of line, Mom made sure to correct us and then she made sure our parents knew all about it.  Things have certainly changed, haven’t they?

Mom always had something good to eat in her kitchen.  Every day she would pack Pop’s lunch box with things no cafeteria or restaurant could ever match.  No matter what he had for lunch, Pop always had homemade dessert, and pie was his favorite.  It also happened to be mine and when Mom made an apple pie and offered you a slice, you dropped whatever it was you were doing and answered the call!

We had a June apple tree in our backyard.  Every summer it would blossom and produce lots of apples that usually fell to the ground faster than we could pick or eat them.  One day I asked Mom to bake me an apple pie.  She agreed but said I had to pick the apples.  Mom was willing to bake the pie for me because I couldn't do it, but she was not willing to pick the apples—that was my job.

The Children of Israel had occasion to learn this lesson, only it didn't concern picking apples for a pie.  Just after leaving Egypt, the people arrived at the Red Sea.  Pharaoh and his army pursued them.  When the people saw Pharaoh’s army behind them and the sea in front of them they began to cry out to Moses, asking why he had brought them into the wilderness to die.  Moses told the people to have faith, that God would fight for them, and that Pharaoh’s army could not harm them.

In Exodus 14:15, we find God’s response to Moses and the people, “And the LORD said to Moses, “Why do you cry to Me? Tell the children of Israel to go forward.”  Look at the last word in the verse.  God meant for the people to go forward, there was only one problem, moving forward meant moving into the sea!  From their perspective, the people saw a trap.  Pharaoh and certain death were behind them and the sea and certain death were before them.  And in the face of this terrible situation God told them to move forward.

This is always God’s way.  He will not do for us what we can do for ourselves.  The people could not open the Red Sea but they could walk and that is what God asked them to do.  He simply said “Walk forward!  I’ll take care of the sea and of Pharaoh!  You don’t need to worry about the circumstances around you, I just want you to walk forward and I will make a way and that way will lead straight to me and to the promise I have made to you!”

It’s kind of like Mom telling me to pick the apples.  I didn't know how to bake.  I couldn't read a recipe. Mixing, slicing, and kneading dough, were beyond my ability.  But picking apples was something I could do and when I listened to what Mom said, the reward was great!  Is it any different with our God?  He has so many wonderful things in store for us if we obey His commands.   He will never ask us to do what is impossible for us but He will never do for us what we are capable of doing ourselves.  Do you hear God telling you to pick apples today?  If so, pick them and leave the rest to Him.  You won’t be disappointed!

Office Hours

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he sign on my office door simply read J. Blake Carpenter, M-F 8:00– 5:00.  This information also appeared on our website and provided contact information for students in the event they needed to come see me for any reason.  The university required that I provide such information for students and that I made myself readily available during times when were not in class.  In addition, I also advised our language majors and minors so I saw a lot of people in the course of a semester.  The university did not dictate the times or the days for my office hours, it simply required me to have them.

During the course of a semester several of my students came by during the posted hours or made an appointment to see me.  Most of these meetings centered around a particular area of difficulty the student was encountering in class or revolved around questions about graduation, registration, or what courses should be taken next.  It usually took just a few minutes together to identify the problem, isolate the difficulty, and correct the student’s understanding so s/he could get on with his/her studies.

Some students liked to make an appointment, reserving a certain time slot so they knew they could see me.  At such a time, the student consulted his/her day planner, calendar, or smartphone and wrote himself/herself a note about the time and date of the meeting.  Just like clockwork, s/he showed up on time, we held our meeting, and all was right in the world!  Sometimes, students missed their appointments but I usually received a phone call, an e-mail, or an explanation as to why the appointment was missed.

Psalm 121:3-4 is all about appointments.  It may not seem so at first reading but if you take a closer look at these two verses, I believe you will understand that God makes Himself available to us at all times.  Much too often in the Christian life we want to make an appointment, juggling our personal schedules so we can grab just a few minutes here or there with our Heavenly Father.  We promise to get up earlier in order to spend more time with Him but invariable something happens and we find ourselves missing the appointment.  When this happens, feelings of guilt and embarrassment can creep into our lives making us feel uncomfortable because we didn’t keep our appointment with God.

Let’s take a look at this passage today and I think we will find words of great encouragement.  David’s words remind us that “He will not let your foot slip- he who watches over you will not slumber; indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.” To me, the most beautiful part of this passage is found in the last four words.  In essence, the posted sign for God’s office reads “Sunday-Sunday, 24 hours per day.  No appointment necessary!! I am here all the time!” 

What an uplifting source of strength, what an encouragement for me to drop my day planner.  The God who keeps Israel, the God who spins everything in orbit, and the God who holds everything together is available to talk to me any moment of the day or night.  He is never “out to lunch”, He is never too busy, and He is never tired or on vacation.  God is always in the office.  I can come to Him anytime and He encourages me to do just that.  When was the last time you dropped by for an office visit with God?  This might be a good day to do just that.  I have no doubt you will find Him in the office, ready to meet with you today!  Drop that appointment book and knock on the door!