Daybreak

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he sound of the piercing alarm clock rouses me from a deep, restful sleep.  The room is still dark, but the first tendrils of daylight indicate that the sun will soon rise in the east and a new day will start.  The alarm is still sounding so I throw back the covers, get up, walk across the room, turn off the alarm, and then climb back into bed for “just a few more minutes.”

As I lie on my bed looking out the window, I notice that it is steadily growing lighter outside.  I can now see the outline of trees, houses, and the birds and squirrels have started their early morning jaunts and their never-ending search for food and water.  Soon, the highways will be filled with people going to appointments or hurrying to their jobs and another hectic Friday will be in full swing.

But for now, the sun continues its steady approach and light is rapidly overtaking the darkness that has held the world captive for the past several hours.  I enjoy this time of the morning, as the night gives way to the day.  Although the darkness tries to linger for “just a few more minutes,” it is no match for the light.  The sun totally dispels all the darkness and chases it away, making everything clear and visible.

Isaiah knew what it was like to watch God create a morning.  I’m sure he watched the sun rise and dispel all the darkness and the gloom of night.  Perhaps that is why he used this analogy to speak of the coming Messiah and of a time when all would be made clear and visible.  He wasn't speaking about seeing the physical world better, but about having a clearer spiritual understanding of God and his plan for mankind.  Isaiah knew that the coming of the Messiah would remove the spiritual darkness holding mankind captive and would replace it with the burning light of God’s salvation, love, and mercy.

In Isaiah 9:2, the prophet writes these words, “The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned”  Can you think of a better way to describe a sunrise than this?  Isaiah heard an alarm sounding, indicating that the long night was ending and a new day was beginning.  From his vantage point, he could see the small but perceptible tendrils of God’s light that would one day dispel all the darkness of sin from the earth.

We are now living in that light and that light is Jesus Christ.  Jesus, himself, said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." (John 8:12).  Jesus fulfilled the promise Isaiah made so many years before.  The light of God’s salvation did come and it did remove the darkness from the world.  But notice that in order to walk in this light, we must follow Jesus.  He is the only way to God and he is the only means of light in a dark world.  Only by believing in and following him can we ever hope to leave the darkness behind.

Is it dark where you are today?  Are you walking in the light of Jesus’ salvation?  You can.  Listen carefully and you will hear the alarm clock sounding.  It is God’s voice calling you from the darkness to walk in his eternal light.  Won’t you get out of that spiritual bed and watch the sunrise today?  You will never see things in the same way again!

Come On In

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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?

In A Holding Pattern

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nyone who has ever flown is familiar with the concept of the holding pattern.  This is always the fun part of the flight.  You are sitting on the tarmac waiting to take off, or you are in the air circling waiting to land.  Either way, you are making no progress toward your destination; you are merely waiting.  And, if you’re like most people, you hate waiting.

The worst case of “holding patternitis” I ever had was in June of 1984.  After spending 10 months living in France, the day had finally arrived for my return to the United States.  The flight left Brussels on time and was very uneventful as we made our way over the Atlantic Ocean.  The day was spectacularly gorgeous and there were practically no pockets of turbulence anywhere along our flight path.  Everything went smoothly until we got to Atlanta.

As we approached the airport, the captain informed us the control tower had placed us into a holding pattern. It seemed that a large number of planes were waiting to take off, ferrying people away from Atlanta in record numbers.  Why everyone wanted to exodus Atlanta in such mass numbers was beyond me. There hadn’t been an evacuation like this since General Sherman visited the city during the civil war!

We were in the holding pattern for over 30 minutes.  It was the most disheartening and cruel thing I’ve every experienced.  I mean home was a few hundred feet below us.  We could see cars, houses, trees, McDonald’s signs, everything we had missed.  It was right below us and we couldn’t get there.  My friend, Roland, was having conniptions.  He couldn’t believe that after surviving Europe for almost a year, he couldn’t even get back home!

But the holding pattern did have its purpose.  Although we didn’t like it, circling the Atlanta area was far better than risking a head-on collision with an airplane that was taking off while we tried to land.  The people in the control tower made the appropriate call but none of us in the airplane liked it at the time. 

The Bible is filled with stories of men and women who experienced holding patterns in their lives.  Abraham was promised a son.  He was 75 years old when he received the promise and 100 years old when Isaac was born.  You want to talk about a holding pattern! But the holding pattern we want to consider today is found in Luke’s gospel.

Just before his ascension, Jesus speaks with his disciples.  In the course of his final instructions he makes this statement found in Luke 24:49, “I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high."  This statement comes after Jesus has already told his disciples to go into the whole world and share the good news.  You know they were excited about sharing the good news of Jesus with those around them, yet Jesus’ command was clear, “.,,,but stay in the city…” 

What could he mean?  There was so much to do, so much to say, so many people to reach.  How could they do that by staying put?  It just didn’t make any sense.  But they did what they were told.  I can imagine they returned home, becoming jittery and perhaps somewhat impatient.  Someone probably drew a calendar on the wall and counted down the days until they could leave, marking each day off as the sun was setting.

But the holding pattern did have its purpose.  They weren’t yet ready and the Holy Spirit had not yet come to them.  So as they waited, they gathered together and prayed.  What seemed to be no progress was in fact time for preparation.  Trying to accomplish the work Jesus gave them without the Spirit, would have been disastrous and they would have failed.  They could not go forward in their own strength because they would never have been strong enough.  But when the time was right, the Holy Spirit came, they were filled with his presence and 3000 people were added to the church the first day.

Let us draw great encouragement from this passage today.  If you are in a holding pattern, take heart.  God knows exactly where you are.  He has not forgotten you and He has not forsaken you. He is preparing you for the road ahead, the road which He always sees but which you cannot.  Use this time to rest and gather your strength because the day is coming when the holding pattern is over and the work begins.  Will you be ready for that day?  

High Fidelity

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he teenage years mark a milestone in a child’s development.  This era of life is filled with firsts—the first crush, the first date, the first driving experience, and the all-important first stereo. Now, I don’t mean a clock radio that plays cassettes, I mean a full-blown sound system that keeps parents knocking on the door with instructions to “Turn that thing down!”  Yes, all of these are proof that the teenage years have arrived in full force and that life for the typical family is about to change.

Now, back to that stereo system.  The selection of a stereo is a serious matter.  The name brand is important and of course, the bigger the system, the better it is, or so teenagers think.  There is nothing more impressive than walking into a guy’s room and seeing nothing but speakers!!!  The first reaction is that this must be one connoisseur of music.  However, the most important aspect of the speaker is not its size but how effectively and how clearly it produces sound.  The measure of any speaker rests solely in its ability to reproduce sound that is faithful to the original source.  Speakers that produce quality, undistorted sound are described with two words—high fidelity!

Now stop and think about that for just a minute.  That label guarantees that the sound produced by the speaker is exactly the same sound as the original.  The speaker remains faithful to its source (hence, the term high fidelity) and reproduces it so the listener receives the full measure, color, and mood of the original sound.  Speakers true to the sounds of an orchestra will produce not only the high and low sounds of the instruments, but will also communicate the full body of the entire musical score. They will relay the emotions and the attitude of both the composer and the conductor, giving the listener the total experience of a musical work.

As Christians, we can take a lesson from the stereo speaker. God has entrusted us with sharing the good news of salvation and the person of Jesus Christ with those around us.  The question we must ask ourselves is how effectively are we sharing his word with others?  Are we faithful to the original source, communicating God’s love and concern for all those who are not saved?  Can it be said of us that our sharing of God’s word is accurate and faithful?  If we were stereo speakers, would the words “High Fidelity” be attributed to us?

Psalm 15 gives great insight into the kind of person God permits to stand in his presence.  There is a long list of requirements but Psalm 15:2 addresses the message we send and how effectively we represent God to the world. “He whose walk is blameless and who does what is righteous, who speaks the truth from his heart…” Notice that God requires us to speak the truth from our hearts.  It is with the heart that we truly understand and communicate with God.  It is with the heart that we have a relationship with him because it is the heart of man that most interests God.  King Solomon reminds us in Proverbs 23:7, “For as he thinks within himself, so he is.”

Yes, the quality of a stereo system is judged by the quality of sound produced by its speakers.  The decision to accept or reject the entire stereo is based on the sound produced by the speakers and their faithfulness in remaining true to the source.  When people listen to us, what are they hearing?  What message are we sending out about God?  Are we remaining faithful to his word or are we distorting it?  We are either doing one or the other. Based on what people hear from our speakers, do they accept or reject God’s message?  Do we deserve the label “high fidelity” today?

Fly A Kite

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he beaches of North Carolina are perhaps one of my most favorite places to visit.  In the summer months, they are teaming with people from all over the United States with some people from Canada making the long journey to visit the coast.  I do not like to visit the beach at this time.  Too many people make it impossible for me to walk or sit on the beach in quiet solitude and think, read, or watch the water.

Late September or early October is my favorite time to go to the shore.  The climate is nice and cool, the beaches are almost deserted, and a sense of calm and tranquility settles over the shoreline.  It is possible to sit on the beach for hours and see no one and the crashing of the waves provides a wonderful and peaceful reminder that God in all his power is in complete and utter control.  The one who keeps the oceans of the world in their places orders my life as well and he attends to every detail.

In addition to the waves and the shore, however, there is one other element that is constantly present at the coast—wind!   Rarely have I visited the beach when it was completely calm.  The waves cause the air around them to move, creating the wind that makes it impossible to set up umbrellas or put down beach towels.  But the wind is a necessary part of life and I remember learning a great lesson at the beach one summer with my family.

Late one afternoon, I stepped out onto the deck of the beach house and looked toward the shore.  I could see the waves crashing against the sand and there were several people walking in the cool of the evening in search of those ever-elusive sand dollars that occasionally wash up on shore.  As I scanned the horizon I saw several kites soaring in the air.  I just stood there and watched them as they climbed higher into the sky.  Occasionally they would dive, swoop, and do some great acrobatics before returning to their position in the air.  The longer I watched, the more fascinated I became and I determined to get myself one.

The next morning, I went to one of the local stores and purchased a small, triangular, delta kite.  That evening, I walked to the shore, assembled the kite, attached it to the string, and launched it into the air.  At first, the kite wobbled, and crashed into the sand.  But as I turned more and more into the wind, it responded vigorously and began its long steady climb into the sky.  The more line I fed it, the higher it went, and the higher it went, the stronger the wind blew, and the stronger the wind blew, the more fun it became to fly that kite!

That is when I learned my lesson.  There are three things necessary to fly a kite: 1) string 2) someone to hold the string and 3) wind!  Is this not a picture of the Christian life?  All these elements are present as we walk with God are they not?  The wind of life is constantly blowing against us.  At every turn it seems we are faced with either gentle breezes, or strong gusts.  We enjoy those moments when the wind caresses us but inevitably, the wind grows stronger and we find ourselves face to face with an impossible force.  Forward progress is impossible, and standing itself becomes a challenge.

Just at this moment, Jesus appears and teaches us a great lesson.  Jesus doesn’t mean for us to fight against the wind, he means for us to use it to climb to greater heights with him.  He gets us ready, attaches a tether to us, and launches us into the wind.  We may shake, we may do loop-the-loops, and we may toss from side to side, but we are always in contact with him.  As our faith grows, he releases more and more of the tether and we climb higher and higher, using the wind to help us fly.  Without the wind, a kite is useless, never realizing its full potential; and we are the same way. It is only in the in winds of adversity and trial that we are able to take wing and fly.

Moses understood the power of wind and how God can use it to turn impossible situations into opportunities to experience his glory.  Exodus 14:21 says, “Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and all that night the Lord drove the sea back with a strong east wind and turned it into dry land. The waters were divided.”  In this passage we see a great truth.  The wind that night was fierce.  It takes wind and a lot of it to divide a sea but that is exactly what God did.  In the midst of impossible situations, God did not send a breeze, H sent a strong wind.  The result was the people walking through on dry ground.

Wherever you are in your walk with God today, please remember that wind is not to be feared.  God sends the winds for our benefit, to grow our faith, and to cause us to climb higher and higher in our relationship with him.  So, the next time you are at the seashore learn a lesson from the wind.  In the midst of the strong gusts, God does not want you to run or to be afraid.  Instead, He wants you to fly a kite!!  Have a great day!!

Just Keep Looking

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 know it’s here somewhere, it’s has to be!”  These were the words I kept repeating over and over to myself one Saturday morning as I sat in the barbershop waiting for my turn on the chopping block.  I was thumbing through a children’s magazine and became enthralled with a section containing an artist’s drawing of a particular scene.  What made the drawing so fascinating was that cleverly drawn into the picture were approximately a dozen items that were hidden.  The opposite page listed the hidden items and included a picture of each one so the reader would know what to look for.

I had successfully located eleven of the twelve items but the last one was eluding me.  I honestly could not find it, no matter where I looked and no matter the angle at which I held the magazine.  Each time I thought I had located the missing picture; it turned out to be part of the background.  My imagination, as well as my eyes, played tricks on me, leading me to believe there was something where there wasn’t’ and nothing where something definitely was.

The time was rapidly approaching for me to have my haircut but I didn’t want to leave that picture.  I was determined that no kid’s magazine was going to get the best of me.  I doubled my efforts and began searching more diligently, looking over every inch of that magazine, turning it every way but loose.  Finally, just before utter frustration set in, I found the image.  I had looked at that very spot several times, I just hadn’t noticed the special way the artists had placed the image in the picture.  With a great sense of satisfaction, I closed the magazine, went to the back of the shop, and received a nice haircut.

We are all familiar with this process, aren’t we?  We lose our keys, we lay aside our ink pen, we put down a book for just a minute, and then it’s gone.  We know it’s there somewhere; we just have to find it.  We become very determined, tearing up every part of the house or car until we find it.  Usually, it’s right there under our noses, we just didn’t see it because we weren’t looking for it!

We can also apply this situation to our daily walk with God.  The writer of Hebrews addresses this idea of searching for God in chapter 11.  This chapter is famous because it speaks about the role of faith in the Christian life.  The opening of the chapter contains a list of some the great heroes of our faith.  But not very far into the chapter, we find a profound statement, one that hits us right between the eyes and causes us to stop and consider its truth.

In Hebrews 11:6 we read the following statement, “And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.”  Read that once again, very carefully.  We often quote the first part of the passage to the exclusion of the second part.  We all know that we must have faith in God in order to have a relationship with him.  We must believe in his existence to claim to be his children.  But look at what the last part of the verse says.  In order to receive anything from God, we must diligently seek him!!!

Don’t take that word, diligently, too lightly.  Remember your search for your lost keys or my search for that hidden picture.  I was determined not to relinquish my death-grip on that magazine until I found that last image.  This is exactly what the writer means here!  We are to seek after God with full vigor, determined to find him no matter what the cost, no matter how long it takes, and no matter from what angle we have to approach him.  God promises us he will be found but only if we search for him—diligently!

Far too often we pay lip service to God.  We believe in him and affirm this to our friends, neighbors, co-workers, and family.  But when was the last time we wrestled in prayer, seeking his face?  When was the last time we poured over the Scriptures looking for more of our Heavenly Father?  He is there among the words.  His truth is embedded in the pages of our Bible.  He is waiting for us to open it and to diligently seek his face in everything and at all times. Are you earnestly, diligently, consistently seeking him today? 

Anatomy of the Heart

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n March, I paid my semi-annual visit to the cardiologist.  It is always a good thing to have a look under the hood just to make sure the fuel pump is working properly and is in top notch condition.  On both accounts, I passed the test.  The pump is going strong and all indications are that no changes need to be made in its daily maintenance.

While waiting for the doctor, I read a book and, as I always do, I looked over the examination room with a fine-tooth comb.  I had been in this room several times over the last 19 years but I hadn’t actually been assigned this room in quite some time.

The room was not markedly different from the others.  The same carpet was on the floor, the same wallpaper decorated the space, and the cabinets and the examination table were in the same location as the other rooms.  However, some of the wall decorations were different and in this particular room something caught my eye.

On the wall, right in front of me hung a huge framed poster entitled Anatomy of the Heart.  It came as no shock that I would find this in a cardiologist office and I had seen the same poster in one of the other rooms but that poster made me stop and think for more than a few minutes.

The detail was striking.  Every inch of the organ was displayed, marked, and named.  No part was left uncovered.  Instead, it had been thoroughly examined, studied, labeled, and displayed for everyone to see and learn from.

The words of Jeremiah 17:9-10 immediately came to mind, “The heart is hopelessly dark and deceitful, a puzzle that no one can figure out. But I, God, search the heart and examine the mind. I get to the heart of the human. I get to the root of things. I treat them as they really are, not as they pretend to be."

You want to talk about looking under the hood?  God leaves nothing uncovered, does He?  The heart in scripture, always describes the very essence of who we are.  The heart is the seat of all emotion and motives and is the seat of all that we do, think, and say.  At first wash, this appears to be a very negative passage.  God describes in accurate detail the condition of the human heart and He is exactly right.  Our hearts are deceitful and dark.  We need look no further than the front page of the daily newspaper to see this truth.

However, God does not leave us there.  God locates the dark areas of our lives, reveals them, and then deals with them.  He brings to our attention anything that keeps us from being what He wants us to be and He makes sure we are aware of our failures.  But He also provides a solution to every heart problem we have.  Our Father is the ultimate cardiologist, examining every nook and cranny of our hearts to make sure they are cleaned and running in top-notch condition.

When was the last time you paid a visit to the Heavenly Cardiologist?  Don’t you think it’s time you did?  Let Him examine your heart and repair it.  Only He knows where to look and only He knows how to repair it.  Won’t you make an appointment today?

Up and Down and All Around

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ne evening I was reminded just how dependent we are on elevators.  My office at the university was in the basement of our building.  The main office and many of our classrooms are were the second and third floors.  To gain access to any of these, I would walk down the hall and join the long line of people waiting for the elevator to arrive and whisk us to any floor of our choosing.  The elevator usually took its own precious time.  This was especially true when I was in a hurry and needed to get to a classroom or the restroom!  The elevator provided an invaluable service but I definitely had to put myself on its schedule!  Rarely, if ever, did it put itself on mine!

When the elevator finally arrived and the magical doors opened, I stepped inside and pushed the button for the second floor.  The doors slid shut and the elevator began its upward ascent, carrying me to the second floor so I could make photocopies, visit with the secretaries in the main office, and check my mailbox.  While locked in the elevator, I came to the realization that my movement was taking place in only one direction.  The elevator could only transport me vertically; any horizontal movement had to be done on my own.  The elevator could take me to the correct level but it could not take me around the building or down the hall.  For that, I had to walk through the building and from side to side.  But one thing was sure: without the vertical motion, the horizontal motion wouldn’t have been possible.

Jesus found himself presenting the same truth to a teacher of Jewish law.  The teacher had asked a very important question and eagerly awaited Jesus’ response.  The teacher wanted to know Jesus’ opinion of the most important law on the books.  This was not the only time this question was put to Jesus and it was not the only time he gave the same correct answer.  Let’s take a look at Mark 12:28-31 to see the exchange between the teacher and the master, notice the profound difference in the titles!

“One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, "Of all the commandments, which is the most important?" "The most important one," answered Jesus, "is this: 'Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself. ‘There is no commandment greater than these."

Please notice that Jesus’ answer contains both vertical and horizontal movement.  The command to love the Lord with all our hearts, souls, minds, and strength was the greatest commandment.  God wants and expects nothing less than for his people to love Him completely, with every fiber of their beings. But Jesus does not stop here.  After securing the importance of the horizontal relationship between us and God, he ventures forth on the horizontal plane.  Jesus continues by requiring us to develop the horizontal relationship with those around us, those people who Jesus identifies as our neighbors.  So not only is it necessary to have a right relationship with God (vertical) it is also required of us to have a right relationship with those around us (horizontal).  Jesus concludes by stating that there are no greater commandments than these two.

The next time you have the opportunity to take the elevator, think about the application of its motion to your spiritual life.  The up and down relationship we have with God (vertical) is essential.  We must spend time locked inside this relationship so that our lives reach the level of spiritual maturity God intends for us.  He invites us to rise from the basement of our relationship with Him to the top floor, growing and maturing as we ascend.  But God also expects us to get out of the spiritual elevator and minister to those around us (horizontal). 

We are to love our neighbors, those around us, with the same love we have for ourselves.  We have a responsibility to those around us to share the good news of Jesus Christ and to minister to their needs.  God expects us to spend our lives on both the vertical and horizontal planes.  However, we must keep these actions in the proper order.  Vertical relationship, the one between us and God, is the most important.  Without the vertical relationship, the horizontal relationship, the one between us and our neighbors, isn’t possible.  Listen carefully as you enter the elevator and you just might hear God whisper to you, “What floor please?”  Are you ready to leave the elevator and love your neighbor today?

Ignorance Is No Excuse

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veryone in town was talking about it. It was the topic of every conversation from the local diner, to the barbershop, to the hair salon, even to the funeral home.  Everyone had an opinion and the phone lines at City Hall proved it.  The employees couldn’t do their jobs for answering questions, listening to citizens’ complaints, writing down their suggestions, and passing them on to the appropriate department. 

The source of this entire hullabaloo was the new stoplight installed at Main and Depot Streets.  For years, there had only been two stoplights on Main Street.  Once you passed through downtown, there was nothing to hinder your progress.  In fact, if you were driving east, you didn’t stop until you reached the next town, about 15 miles away.  But this new stoplight would change all that.  No sooner would you get under way when you would have to stop at another intersection.  Change comes hard in a small town.

The interesting thing was that no one seemed to complain while the stoplight was being installed.  The workers took several days to install the metal pole that would hold the stoplight.  After erecting the pole, they installed the light and covered it with black plastic.  It stayed this way for several weeks so people could grow accustomed to the new presence of the traffic light.  After a few weeks, they turned the light on.

That‘s when all the problems at City Hall started and all the conversations began.  People were driving through that intersection without stopping and the police department was busy warning motorists and handing out citations.  Although the citizens of our town didn’t care for the new stoplight, they couldn’t deny its existence nor make and an excuse for ignoring it.  The signs of that new stoplight had been evident for months and ignorance was no excuse.

The Apostle Paul made this point abundantly clear in his letter to the believers in Rome.  He wanted them to understand that God has made Himself evident to man in many ways.  Paul clearly states that signs pointing to God are everywhere and that we have no excuse—ignorance  included—of not knowing about the creator and the sustainer of life.

Romans 1:20 stands as Paul’s testimony to this fact, “For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.”

Look carefully at what Paul is saying. Just like the covered stoplight hanging over the intersection, God has placed evidence all around us demonstrating His power, His mercy, His grace, and His sovereignty.  We have no excuse for not knowing about God and for not accepting His gift of salvation.  Ignoring the stoplight doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist; the same is true with God.

After several weeks, the people of my town adjusted to the new stoplight.  They recognized, understood, and complied with the law. The conversations and the complaints, as well as suggestions for improvements, finally subsided.  Occasionally, someone still runs through that stoplight and when they tell the officer they didn’t know it was there, they simply hear, “Ignorance is no excuse.”  What excuse are you using today?

Precise Measurements

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 ¼ cups of rice, 1 can of chicken broth, 1 package of soup; all the ingredients were carefully measured and were sitting on my counter. I rechecked the measurements with the recipe just to make sure I had read it correctly and then I combined everything.  As I mixed all these together, I couldn’t help but be amazed at the cooking process.  Here I was reading a recipe from someone I had never met, living in a distant place I had never heard of, whose name I didn’t even know.  Yet this person was giving me precise measurements for the ingredients in a casserole dish I was preparing.

As I continued to think about those instructions, an interesting thought came to mind.  Was my 1 ¼ cups of rice the same as the author’s measurement?  How could I be sure that we both were using the same standard of measure?  I mean was 1 ¼ cups in Texas the same as 1 ¼ cups somewhere else?  It had to be.  Somewhere along the line someone set the standard of measure for the measuring cup and every measurement of every recipe has referred to this precise quantity ever since.

This led to another question for me.  What standard am I using in my spiritual life?  How does my standard of measure for obeying God compare with God’s standard of measure? If I do not measure things according to God’s standard, then I will always miss the mark and my work will continually be underdone or lacking in some area.  One thing is for sure, it will never be right because I am not following God’s recipe and using his standard of measure.

A man named Achan serves as our example of not applying God’s measurement to our lives.  When the Children of Israel entered the Promised Land, the first city they destroyed was Jericho.  God’s instructions were clear.  They were to walk around the city one time for six days.  On the seventh day they were to march around seven times and with a loud shout they were to take the city as its walls collapsed.  Everything in the city was to be destroyed because it had been devoted to the Lord.  Joshua gives these instructions in regards to the gold and silver, “All the silver and gold and the articles of bronze and iron are sacred to the Lord and must go into his treasury” (Joshua 3:19).

God’s measurement here was “all.”  All the precious metals were to be set aside to the Lord.  Achan however, coveted 5 pounds (200 shekels) of silver, 1 ¼ pounds (50 shekels) of gold, and a robe.  He took these for his own and buried them in his tent.  Because of his actions, Israel was not successful in her attempt to capture the second city, Ai. When it was discovered that Achan had withheld some of the plunder, he paid with his life. Look at all the suffering that occurred because one man withheld a robe and a mere 6 pounds of metal!  When God says “all,” he means “all,” period!

The lesson from Achan’s story is clear for us today.  God wants our all, everything we have and the best of our efforts.  He is neither satisfied nor interested in anything less than our complete devotion to his will.  When we withhold from him in any aspect of our lives, we lose our ability to be effective witnesses for him.  We also fall into disobedience and our spiritual walk suffers for it.  Our disobedience also affects our relationships with those around us. We are incapable of being the blessing God intends for us to be in the lives of others.

So, how do our lives measure up today? Are we following God’s instructions to the letter?  Are our standards of measure based on his word and his commands?  Does our idea of “total obedience” square with God’s idea? He has given us precise measurements for our relationship with him! So, are our lives overdone, lacking something or right on target?  Are we being "weighed in the balance and found wanting?” Think about it today!

The Search Party

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ne day, just after lunch, I stepped out on the west porch of the men’s dorm at Southwestern Seminary and watched a group of squirrels searching for nuts.  They scampered about the yard, feverishly digging, searching for nuts, or anything else that resembled food.  They took no notice of me or the fact that it was raining; the only thing on their agenda was locating and picking up nuts.  Their dedication to this task was total and was evidenced by the way they conducted their search. 

Each squirrel ran along the ground with its nose working overtime.  When they came upon a promising spot, they began feverishly digging, concentrating on the task at hand.  Suddenly, they stopped, pulled an object from the ground, and examined it thoroughly.  If they found a nut, they would scamper off and hide it, then they would return and begin the search over again.  However, if the object they removed was inedible, they tossed it aside and started the process all over again.  Occasionally, they would sit up on their hind legs, shake the rainwater from their fur, shoot me an inquisitive glance, and resume their endless and tireless search for nuts.

As I watched them, I suddenly became enthralled with their dedication to this task.  Here, on a soggy afternoon, in conditions that were anything but favorable, these squirrels methodically and assiduously continued their search for food.  The conditions outside and the presence of strangers did not deter them from the task at hand.  Instead, they gave their full concentration to one single goal, finding pecans.

This, I believe, is the kind of dedication the prophet Jeremiah was speaking of in his writing. Jeremiah 29:13 conveys a promise that God speaks to His people.  The Hebrew people have been held captive in Babylon and now the time for their return has come.  However, God doesn’t want them to be free only in the physical sense; instead, He wants them to experience the freedom that comes only in a loving and personal relationship with Him.  Notice His words in this passage of scripture, “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”

This short statement contains both a promise and a condition.  First, God promises that He can be found.  This does not mean God hides from us, playing a game of hide-and-seek.  He is not running from us, daring us to discover His hideout.  No!  God wants us to enter into a personal relationship with Him, to come to a deeper and more extensive knowledge than we have ever had.  However, for us to do this requires a decisive effort on our part. 

This leads to the second portion of the statement, that of the condition.  Notice that finding God requires two things on our part. First, we have to want to find God.  We don’t search for things unless we want to find them, unless we miss them, and unless we know that we are incomplete without them.  When these are the conditions behind our search, we look frantically, refusing to give up until we find what we are looking for.  Second, the search must be complete.  God wants nothing less than our whole person.  He will not be satisfied until He is the sole reason for our search.  Searching for God in this manner means that nothing deters us from this goal.  We pay no attention to the conditions around us nor are we concerned with the presence or the opinions of others.  Nothing is to detract us from finding God.

Like the squirrels that so diligently remained faithful to their search, we too will be rewarded. Our reward, however, will not be something temporary, our reward will be eternal.  God’s promise is that we would find Him and when we find Him we have all we need and all we desire.  Although the world is damp, soggy, cold, and inhospitable, we must live in it.  We must search diligently and deliberately to find God because the things of this life so often distract us from finding Him.  However, when we make the decision, when we exercise our will, when we seek Him with all our being, then we find Him.  How is your search going today?

Do You Know Who This Is?

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ne morning I returned home to find a message on my answering machine.  After putting my books down and arranging a few items on my desk, I turned my full attention to the blinking light of the answering machine.  There were a few new messages left for me while I was in class.  I listened to each message, discarding the ones from car salesmen, credit card companies offering me new cards with outlandish limits at obscene interest rates, and one from a company wanting to sell me vinyl replacement windows.  Since I lived in the men's dormitory at Southwestern Seminary, I didn't figure they'd appreciate me authorizing the replacement of the dorm's windows with vinyl ones, no matter how energy efficient they were.  Finally, I came to the last message.  It only took one initial sound to tell me that my father left the message.  The message began, "Blake, this is daddy..." He always begins his messages this way, although I know the sound of his voice from the first utterance.

It is amazing how we recognize the voices of those dear to us.  We can differentiate the sound of their particular voices even when we are surrounded other people.  Who hasn't received a phone call and known within seconds the person on the other end of the line just by the sound of his or her voice? 

Jesus taught this same lesson to his disciples.  John's gospel paints different pictures of Jesus but none so loving and endearing as the portrait of the Good Shepherd.  Jesus referred to himself as the Good Shepherd in John 10 and spoke of his relationship with his sheep.  In John 10:2-5, Jesus describes this relationship in the following manner: "For a shepherd enters through the gate. 3 The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep hear his voice and come to him. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 After he has gathered his own flock, he walks ahead of them, and they follow him because they recognize his voice. 5 They won’t follow a stranger; they will run from him because they don’t recognize his voice.”

This scripture shows just how intimately Jesus knows his own.  It is well known that sheep respond only to the voice of their shepherd.  He is the one who feeds them, who guides them, who protects them, who cares for them, and who loves them.  They will not respond to a stranger, but will only do the bidding of their shepherd.  We, as God's children and followers of Jesus Christ, are like sheep.  We hear his voice and we must follow him.  It is Jesus who cares for us, who protects us, who guides us, and who loves us. 

Not only do we know him but he knows us.  The shepherd knows every intimate detail about each of his sheep.  He understands, loves, accepts, and nurtures each individual sheep.  His voice is distinct, clearly discernible above the noise of the world.  He calls us to quiet pastures, to still waters, and to rest.  He never sends us out on our own, but always goes ahead of us, so that every situation we experience, he has encountered before us and is with us in every trial and joy.  The prophet Isaiah expressed this beautifully when he wrote, "And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left" (Isaiah 30:21).

How is your relationship; with God today? If he speaks and asks the question, "Do you know who this is?” will you be able to immediately recognize his voice?  I trust you can!

Esse Quam Videri

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he year, 1973. The place, South Elementary School.  The teacher, Mrs. Sarah Beam. The mission, create a notebook containing information on the fifty US states.  Opportunity to reject the mission, non-existent!  And so my adventure in the fourth grade began.  Every kid in my class was offered the same deal, do a notebook or else.  To my knowledge, no one ever explored the “or else” option.  Mrs. Beam assigned the project at the beginning of the school year and gave us deadlines for the different sections.  The rest was up to us. Oh yeah, and our parents!

My mom and dad were very instrumental in this project.  Mom and dad made the cover for the notebook using wood, hinges, and brackets. It really was quite pretty with its red, white, and blue paint, the decals of the U.S. Constitution, and the added touch of a small feather indicating the document had just been signed.  The cover, however, was nothing without the information to go inside and this is where mom and I spent hour upon hour writing the reports on the various states.

For each state, we would make a fact sheet.  This sheet contained basic information concerning population, location, major products, the capital, the year it entered the union, its nickname, and the state’s motto.  Mom would read the information from the encyclopedia and I would write what she dictated.  We did this for each state. Some states had long entries and some were less involved but it was a great learning experience, even though I thought differently at the time.  I wanted to watch Gilligan’s Island, not talk about the soybean products of Midwestern states!

Finally, we came to my home state, North Carolina.  I wrote the now familiar information on the pages.  Raleigh was our capital, our population was a few million people, we produced tobacco, furniture, etc. and our motto was “Esse Quam Videri” Latin for to be, rather than to seem.  At the time, I didn’t think much about our state’s motto.  I simply wanted to finish the entry and watch Gilligan’s Island.  I was so glad the motto was short and to the point.  I really wanted to be in front of the television rather than seem interested in my project. 

Jesus touches on the message of being rather than seeming in the twenty-third chapter of Matthew’s gospel.  In this chapter, Jesus addresses the Pharisees and warns his listeners against duplicating their religious lifestyle and piety.  In Matthew 23:2-3 our Lord says, “The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. So you must obey them and do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach.”  Notice the charge against the Pharisees.  They do not practice what they preach. In other words, they seem to be one thing but in fact are something else.  This is what we call being a hypocrite and that is just how Jesus addresses them in the remaining verses of the chapter.

How does this apply to us today?  It applies directly!  One of the consistent criticisms against Christians is that we claim to be followers of Jesus but live like everyone else.  We are willing to tell others what they should do or more likely what they should not do yet we do not practice what we preach.  Jesus accused the Pharisees of working very hard to gain one single convert and then living a life completely opposite to their profession of faith.  He accused them of wanting to bask in the limelight and to receive recognition for their religious service and devotion and he accused them of worshiping the Temple more than the one who lived therein.

 

Lest we be too hard on the Pharisees, we need to take a good look at ourselves today.  Everywhere we are erecting huge buildings with tall steeples, air conditioned auditoriums, and state-of-the-art systems.  We can tell someone the square footage and the price of the building as if they were indicators of the church’s effectiveness.

On a more personal note, we attend church each time the doors are open, we serve on all the committees, and we raise money and collect items for different projects in which the church is involved.  We pat ourselves on the back and enjoy the recognition of our peers for the service we have rendered.  But do these activities make us effective Christians?  That is the question, isn’t it?  That’s where the rubber meets the road, doesn’t it?  Jesus has called us not to “seem” Christ-like but to “be” Christ-like and there is a world of difference in these two small words.  In fact, they are completely opposite!

Today, it is my prayer for us all that we are being Christian instead of seeming Christian.  Jesus had one word for the Pharisees because they did not practice what they preached. That word was hypocrite and he had no tolerance for hypocrisy.  Where are we today?  Are we being or seeming? Esse Quam Videri!