Friday, August 30, 2019

Loss Of Signal

O
ne of the most harrowing moments of manned flights to the moon were those known simply as LOS or Loss of Signal!  I remember the news commentators speaking about this phenomenon and displaying a countdown clock, informing the viewing audience of the number of minutes left until all communication with the astronauts would be lost. 

Due to the spacecraft’s traveling around the dark side of the moon, all communication was lost.  As long as the astronauts remained in view of earth, they had a direct communication link with Mission Control on the ground.  Once behind the moon, however, all signals were lost and communication was impossible until the capsule emerged on the other side of the moon.

As an avid follower and supporter of America’s space program, I watched with baited breath and keen interest every televised second of the manned trips to the moon.  When the astronauts disappeared on the far side of the moon, I began to panic and worry about their well being.  Were they scared?  Had something gone wrong?  Were they all right?  What were they doing up there?  What could they see? How did they feel cut off from everyone and everything?  These were the thoughts that raced through my mind.  I couldn’t take my eyes off the television until the space craft emerged from behind the moon and communications were restored.

Loss of Signal had everything to do with position.  Radio waves can travel through the black emptiness of space but they cannot penetrate celestial objects, especially one the size of the moon.  In order for the astronauts to receive updates on their mission and vital information concerning the condition of the craft and any adjustments to be made for the return voyage, they had to have an unobstructed view of the earth.  The lines of communication had to be direct and clear with no interference and no obstacles between the space capsule and earth.

Would it surprise you to learn that long before space travel was even a passing thought, Jesus had already addressed the Loss of Signal phenomenon?  Jesus however was not concerned with losing contact with a radio transmitter; he was concerned with losing contact with God and His work.  Jesus spoke of this contact in terms of faith because what radio signals are to ground control and a spacecraft, faith is to the believer in maintaining his relationship with God.

During a visit to his hometown of Nazareth, Jesus encountered much resistance from the people of his village.  The following statement from Matthew 13:58 demonstrates how the people of Jesus hometown experienced a complete Loss of Signal with the Lord.  And he did not do many miracles there because of their lack of faith.”  We need look no further than the last three words of this passage to understand how these people experienced a Loss of Signal! 

Jesus did not perform many miracles in his hometown because the people had no faith.  We must exercise faith in Jesus if we are to maintain full and unobstructed contact with God.  It is through faith that we come to God, that we please God, that we obey God, and that we relate to God.  The problem with the people of Nazareth was doubt. 

They allowed the obstacles of tradition, experience, and circumstances to dominate their thinking.  They had known Jesus from childhood and would not believe he could perform miracles or that he was the Messiah.  Because of their lack of faith, Jesus did few miracles and the people were deprived of a great blessing and opportunity for ministry.

We need to take strong warning from this short passage of scripture.  It is not necessary for us to travel far away from our familiar surroundings to experience a Loss of Signal!  When we allow the every-day obstacles of fear, doubt, pride, arrogance, and bad experiences to come between us and God we lose heart.  Our faith dwindles and we find ourselves adrift in an empty void with our communication lines garbled.  What we need is to change our position so we are in continual communication with our Heavenly Father.  As long as we receive directions from Mission Control we will find ourselves on the correct path to complete the work God has given us to do.

Are you in constant communication with God today?  Is your spiritual antenna trimmed to His signal?  When He sends instructions concerning an area of your life that needs attention are you in a position to hear Him and correct your course?  Are you successfully charting the vast regions of your life by always receiving information from your Heavenly Father?  Is there anything between you and Him that is causing Loss of Signal today?

Wednesday, August 28, 2019

Worry-Free Rest


A
 few weeks ago, I was on a plane heading back to Fort Worth, TX. I had been home on a long overdue visit to see my family.  My trip coincided with both mine and my sister’s birthdays and it was great to have the whole family back together again.  Those occasions are fewer and farther between now but I take advantage of them every chance I get.

After a week it was time to pack up my bags and head back.  The time, as it invariably does on these visits home, passed all too quickly and dad and I were on the road to Charlotte, leaving in plenty of time for me to make my afternoon flight.

As usual, there were delays.  The plane was late, and after we boarded, the steward came over the loud speaker and informed us the plane had a mechanical problem that would need to be repaired, resulting in us getting off the plane, changing both terminals and gates, and waiting for a new plane to arrive.

Finally, we boarded and taxied down the runway for a smooth takeoff.  Just after getting airborne, the pilot informed us that we would encounter some turbulence during our flight due to weather between North Carolina and Texas.  So, I snuggled a bit deeper into my seat, pulled the seatbelt just a little tighter and settled in for a “bumpy” ride.

Not long afterwards, the pilot’s predictions proved true.  There was some turbulence that buffeted the plane a little.  I’ve experienced far worse.  It wasn’t long before I heard an interesting sound just behind my seat.  I heard it when the air was smooth and I heard it when we encountered turbulence, and I heard for the remainder of the flight.  I couldn’t for the life of me figure out what the noise was nor where it was coming from. 

Then it hit me, the woman sitting jut behind me was sound asleep.  What I heard was her breathing! She was not snoring but she was breathing evenly and deeply.  Her breathing never altered its rhythm, whether we were in the midst of bumpy turbulence or flying through silky smooth air.  She never knew the difference and only woke up when the pilot landed the plane.

I know of no better picture of Isaiah 26:3 than this. The prophet writes, You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you.” What a wonderful promise this is but there are two parts to this passage. God will indeed keep us and hold us in perfect peace if we keep our minds on him and trust him.  Life can be and is so very often turbulent. It seems that the moments of smooth air are few and far between. 

Indeed, entire day, weeks, months, and even years seemed to be filled with turbulence but through it all we can be at peace just like the woman on my flight home.  Smooth air or turbulence, flying high or flying low, take off or landing, her breathing was constant, deep, and worry free.  That is God’s promise to us today. We can have constant peace in all of life’s turbulent times. Are you experiencing worry-free rest today?

Tuesday, August 27, 2019

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!

Monday, August 26, 2019

To Make A Better Life

R
ecently, while flipping through the channels trying to find something entertaining and informative to watch on TV, I stopped to watch a short infomercial.  This particular show advertised computer classes to help you get ahead in the job market and to help you make a wonderful salary.  One of the interviews was with a young man who talked on and on about how great the program was and how his increased salary had helped him afford things he never had before.  When the interviewer asked him what his motivation for taking the classes was, he didn’t hesitate one instant but answered straightforwardly, “To make a better life for my family and myself!”

I sat there and let that statement sink in for just a few minutes.  From what I could observe from the infomercial, this man had increased his salary, purchased a nice home, owned two cars, and wore beautiful clothes.   For all intents and purposes, society would say that he had definitely arrived and was in a position to improve his lifestyle as well as that of his family.  But had he really made a better life for himself?  That was the question.

When I was growing up, I remember my dad telling me that all parents wished a better life for their children.  While I knew he wanted me to avail myself of opportunities he didn’t have, I could never figure out what about my life needed improving.  I had my own bed, I had my own clothes, I had a wonderful family, I had plenty to eat, and I was warm and dry. 

As I grew older, however, I began to understand that the choices I made could determine just how good my life would be.  If I made wise selections, I would be able to enjoy life more fully than if I squandered my choices and acted foolishly.  Still, I learned that the quality of life is not based on the things we can afford to keep but on the things we can’t afford to lose!

The children of Israel had a similar choice during their Exodus from Egypt.  They had an opportunity to make a better life for themselves and for their children.  However, their success would depend on the choices they made and Moses wanted to make sure they understood how to choose wisely.

In Deuteronomy 30:18-20, Moses gives the people explicit instructions about securing and making a better life for themselves:  “I declare to you this day that you will certainly be destroyed. You will not live long in the land you are crossing the Jordan to enter and possess. This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the LORD your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the LORD is your life, and he will give you many years in the land he swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.”    

After wandering in the wilderness for forty years, the people are ready to cross over into the land God promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.  Notice the choice Moses gives the people.  It is a choice between life and death, between curses and blessings.  His advice to the people is to choose life.  It would seem that this choice was evident but given the track record of the people coming out of Egypt, Moses wanted to make sure they understood the consequences of choosing poorly.  He tells the people to choose life and continues by saying that the Lord is their life.  In other words, we choose a better life when we choose God.  This choice would not only bring life to the people but to their children as well.

The same choice is ours today.  We are free to choose so we must choose wisely.   The only choice we have, the only choice that leads to life, is God.  We come to Him through the knowledge of Jesus Christ who promised life to all who believed in Him.  Do you want to make and have a better life?  God is waiting for you to make your decision for Him. What choice will you make today?

Friday, August 23, 2019

That Don't Make No Sense

“T
hat don’t make no sense!”  Movie aficionados among you may recognize a quote from the movie “O Brother Where Art Thou?”  I must admit, the first time I saw it at my parents’ home I fell out in the floor laughing when I heard this line.  What could be more nonsensical than a band of three convicts, having escaped prison, searching for a buried treasure which doesn’t exist and in the process getting into more trouble than you can imagine?

Watching their exploits, I wondered what would happen next that could make the situation they were presently in seem harmless.  And, just about that time, I received my answer.  Something more fantastic, far beyond anything you can imagine occurred, and the boys found themselves in another fix, much worse, more complicated, and more serious than the preceding predicament.  In all honesty, the movie could be have been subtitled, “The Predicament du Jour!”

We are all familiar with this scenario, especially if we are living a life of faith.  Just about the time we have the next step figured out, just when we have the master blueprint all drawn, when every “T” is crossed and every “I” is dotted, that’s usually when the unforeseen happens and all our plans go up in smoke.  We look at the new situation life throws our way, we scratch our head, we may even shed a few tears, and we say, “God, that don’t make no sense!”  I’ll bet you didn’t know God spoke Southern, did you?

Well, lest we believe we are all alone when this happens, let us look at the life of a man who lived a long, long time ago; who understood that life “don’t make no sense” and that sometimes even our best and most noble attempts often fail.  They don’t fail because they are bad or wrong, they fail because God has something better for us, even though we can’t see or understand it from where we are now standing.

Genesis 41:1 gives us a very straightforward look at the life of Joseph.  The passage simply says“When two full years had passed, Pharaoh had a dream…” The whole of Joseph’s life can be summed up in this statement.  His was a life of waiting, of not understanding the difficult circumstances.  I am sure Joseph never understood why his brothers betrayed him, why Potipher’s wife tried to seduce him, why he was unfairly imprisoned, or why the cupbearer forgot him.  In fact, the Scriptures never tell us that Joseph ever received any of this information.

After trying to orchestrate his own exit from the prison by asking the cupbearer to speak to Pharaoh on his behalf, we find Joseph waiting two more years until Pharaoh had a dream.  But once Pharaoh had his dream, Joseph was positioned and ready for God’s use.  After all that had happened to him, after all the false accusations, after all the betrayal, and after all the long nights in a lonely prison wondering what had become of his world, Joseph found himself second only to Pharaoh in all the land of Egypt.

My fellow brothers and sisters in Christ, we need to take great encouragement from this passage of scripture and from this man Joseph.  The last verse of Genesis 40 tells us the cupbearer forgot Joseph.  The cupbearer did; God didn’t.  For the next two years, he was with Joseph and he was already making preparations for Joseph’s promotion two years down the road, a promotion Joseph never dreamed of!

This is the way God works.  Whatever your present situation today, I pray you will know that God is not only above it; he is working beyond it!  It’s when life just “don’t’ make no sense” from our perspective that God does his greatest work in us and through us.  Stay the course! Hang in there! Trust God’s heart even when you can’t see his hand.  One day it will all make sense!  Who knows, that day just might be today!

Thursday, August 22, 2019

Dimmer Switch Christianity

O
ne of the most exciting events about refurbishing our home was turning on the lights!  We had worked for several months replacing all the old, tattered wiring with new copper wire placed safely in aluminum conduit.  Finally, when all the conduit was in place and most of the wire was threaded, we made the connections, took a long extension cord, and “plugged” the house into the temporary electrical service installed for this purpose.

I will never forget our excitement as three or four lights suddenly sprang to life.  Where once the house had been in total darkness, it was now bathed in bright spotlight.  This meant we could now work during the day or night finishing the restoration, transforming the house into a comfortable living space.

Later, when the house was completed and we put in all the light fixtures, we installed dimmer switches in the bedrooms.  This allowed me to adjust the amount of light in my bedroom according to my mood.  Reading a book, writing, or studying required all the available light the lamps could muster.  However, listening to soft music, taking a nap, or just relaxing, meant less light or no light was needed and I adjusted the lights accordingly. The dimmer switches worked wonderfully and allowed me to control the amount of power flowing so the room became as bright or as dark as I wanted.

Unfortunately, we often apply the principle of the dimmer switch to our walk with God.  We tailor our witness to reflect the mood of the person with whom we are sharing our faith or the circumstances in which we find ourselves.  Instead of sharing from our hearts, we step back and worry how we will be received and we adjust our witness so as not to offend or cause discomfort.  

Too often we water down our testimony or we refuse to speak about Jesus at all because we fear being rejected or ridiculed for our beliefs.  In essence, we dim the light of our witness, trying to control just how much of Jesus others can see in us.  At times we shine so brightly while at others, the light hovers just above a slight glow.  The result is an inconsistent witness, one that is different for different people and circumstances.  This simply must not be!  Jesus has not called us to take a dimmer switch approach to sharing the gospel.

In Matthew 5:15-16 we read, “Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.” This passage comes from the Sermon on the Mount found in Matthew 5-7.  In this sermon, Jesus explains his ministry and brings new insights and understanding to the Law given through Moses and the way in which the believer is to conduct himself in his relationship to God.

The verse tells us very plainly that our witness is to be very bright, using the full power of Christ to share God’s love and salvation with all those around us.  Dimmer switch Christianity is not an option!  Jesus never selected his words or represented the power of God’s love in order to reflect a mood.  He spoke the truth to everyone he met and his witness was always the same no matter the person or situation.  This is what he has called us to do as his followers.  We must present the gospel at full power, never compromising its message regardless of the situation, person, or our mood at the time.

Are we shining examples of God’s love, mercy, and grace today?  Are we allowing our lights to shine full force in the darkness, drawing others to God and His son, Jesus Christ?  When we flip the switch to the “on” position, is it evident that the love of God burns brightly within us or do people have to search very hard to find it because we are using a dimmer switch?  Are we practicing dimmer switch Christianity today?

Wednesday, August 21, 2019

A Popcorn Lesson

T
he opening and closing of cabinet doors in the kitchen told everyone in the house that mom was up to something.  I can still hear the sounds of her rummaging in the lower cabinets as she looked for the old faithful piece of equipment that always brought a smile to everyone’s face.  The closing of the cabinet doors, the sound of something being placed on the counter top, the opening and shutting of the pantry door, and the sound of hard kernels being poured into a metal pot soon confirmed what we already knew.  Mom was making popcorn, again!

For my mom and dad, popcorn is almost a religious experience.  They love it and I can hardly recall an evening in front of the television when popcorn wasn’t’ served.  Now I’m sure I’m over exaggerating and I know my mom will let me know I’m stretching the truth about the frequency of our eating popcorn, but the fact remains we love the stuff.  I remember watching her as she placed the corn into the old popper we had for years.  A little bit of corn, a little oil, a dash of salt, and about 15 minutes were all that was required to make a huge bowl of popcorn, and my mom had it down to a science!

There was one other element needed to make that popcorn, however.  All the effort in placing the ingredients into the popper would have been worthless had she not plugged the unit in and turned it on.  This supplied the heat necessary to make the corn cook, sizzle, and eventually pop.  I loved to hear the corn as it exploded, banging against the sides and the lid of the popper.  It started off slow but toward the end the sound was almost deafening as the kernels in the popper changed from something small and hard into something hot, salty, and yummy!

But no matter how many bowls we popped, one thing was certain.  Not all of the kernels would turn out as white fluffy pieces of popcorn.  Invariably there would be kernels that just didn’t make it.  They were unchanged by the heat of the popper, remaining in their shells, refusing to change and falling short of their potential.  Although they all looked the same in the jar, in the heat of the popper, it was a completely different story.  When put to the test, some of them just didn’t make the grade.

Has it ever occurred to you that our walk with the Lord is very much like being inside a popcorn popper?  Only when the kernels are placed into hot oil are they really challenged to change from what they are into what they were meant to be.  It is only in the heat that the real interior of the popcorn kernel is revealed.  Without the high temperature and boiling oil, the kernels remain just that—kernels—filled with wonderful flavor but never releasing it.

The story of Abraham’s walk to Mount Moriah to sacrifice his son, Isaac, gives us a bird’s eye view of what it is like to be a kernel in God’s popcorn popper.  After promising to give Abraham a son, God requires this father to travel for three days toward a mountain that He will show Abraham.  For the entire journey, the Scriptures do not reveal any conversation between Abraham and God but it is a certainty that the heat and pressure on Abraham grew ever more intense with each step he took.

Genesis 22:6 paints this vivid portrait of Abraham during this time of testing, “Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and placed it on his son Isaac, and he himself carried the fire and the knife. As the two of them went on together…”  Can’t you feel the heat as it builds up in this man’s heart?  He places the wood on Isaac, (the corn goes into the popper) he takes the fire and the knife (the heat is applied), and they begin walking toward the mountain (the heat builds, the kernels sizzle, and Abraham is ready to explode)!!  There is no place to turn, no where to run, and no chance of getting out of this test.  The only thing Abraham knows is that God will fulfill His promise of providing him with descendants through this boy.

And God never disappoints.  Abraham places Isaac on the altar and raises the knife to perform the sacrificial act.  At that moment God stops Abraham, telling him not to harm the boy.  Now God knows that Abraham loves Him because he has not refused to sacrifice his only son.  In the heat of the moment Abraham’s character was revealed.  Here was a man who loved and trusted God above all else.  In the hottest part of the test, with his heart breaking and his mind swirling, Abraham held to God’s promise.  He trusted the Lord even when it looked as if all hope was gone.  The whiteness of Abraham’s faith was revealed only because God turned up the heat, causing what was on the inside to pop out for all to see!

Today, God is still in the business of making popcorn.  He knows that without the heat of trial and testing it is impossible for the best to come out in His children.  He also knows that unless we are tested in this way, our lives will never serve the purpose He has in mind and that purpose is to glorify Him.  So, if you are in the popcorn popper today, know this.  The heat and the pressure you feel around you serve only to perfect that which is inside you.  God sees through the shell of the kernel to the white, fluffy, refreshment that only comes through the heat of testing. The real question we must answer is whether we will be a kernel that pops or one that remains unchanged.  I believe I hear the sound of corn popping.  Do you?

Tuesday, August 20, 2019

Leave The Light On

W
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. 

Monday, August 19, 2019

Did You Hear That?

M
y mother has always been an early riser.  In fact, morning is her favorite time of day and rarely does anyone wake up before she does.  As a child, I remember hearing her in the kitchen, preparing breakfast and singing.  My mother's voice always made me feel safe and secure.  I can still hear her singing in the morning even though I now live over 1000 miles away!

Early one Saturday morning when I was about 10 years old, I had a very peculiar experience. As usual, mom was already awake when I got out of bed.  She had already begun her faithful task of preparing breakfast, working diligently to have it ready when the rest of us woke up.  The odd thing about this particular morning was I couldn't find mom anywhere in the house.  She wasn't in the kitchen, she wasn't in the back hall doing laundry, she wasn't outside, I checked all those places.  I wouldn't have thought anything about her absence had I not been able to hear her singing. 

This completely baffled me. Although I could hear her voice, there was no physical evidence of her presence in the house.  I frantically searched every room but couldn't find her anywhere.  Finally, I woke my dad and asked him to tell me where she was.  He had no idea of her whereabouts and insisted I look one more time. Once again, I conducted a thorough search of the house. I returned to find him asleep again and when I woke him the second time, he told me to calm down, listen carefully, and then follow the sound of her voice.

I took his advice and found mom!  She was in our basement preparing breakfast.  Our house had a full basement with a kitchen that we used during the summer months.  Summers in North Carolina are hot and humid but the basement was nice and cool.  However, since we had only used the kitchen a few times, it hadn't entered my mind that she'd be down there.  Nevertheless, my dad was right and when I calmed down, listened for her voice, and followed it, I was able to find her and eventually get breakfast.

The Old Testament book of 1 Samuel tells the story of Samuel, a young man who had a similar experience with God.  The first three chapters tell how his mother, Hannah, who was childless, prayed to God for a son.  She promised God she would dedicate him to His service if He would grant her this request.  God did allow Hannah to have a son and she kept the promise she made to God and took Samuel to the temple so he could serve the Lord.

Chapter 3 tells how Samuel served God in the temple and records the story of God's call upon his life.  While Samuel was sleeping, God came and called to him.  Samuel mistook God's voice for that of Eli, the prophet.  Three times God came and called him and three times Samuel went to Eli, believing the prophet had called him.  Finally, Eli realized God was calling Samuel and instructed the boy to answer the Lord and make himself available to him.

In 1 Samuel 3:7, we read the following statement concerning Samuel: "Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord, nor was the word of the Lord yet revealed to him."  This is a very interesting passage and relates a great truth to which we all can relate.  Notice the Scriptures tell us that Samuel did not know the Lord and that God hadn't revealed his word to him.  This doesn't seem to be a very impressive statement until you realize its context.  Samuel had served the Lord since he was a small boy.  He slept near the Ark of the Covenant in the Holy of Holies.  He was that close to God, performing the necessary tasks of a priest but he did not yet know the Lord! (verse 7).         

On three occasions he mistook God's voice, not recognizing its source nor knowing how to answer it.  Frantically he ran to Eli, convinced the prophet had called him.  This is so typical of us.  We are so concerned about working for God that we very seldom ever listen to him.  So often we mistake God's voice for something else.  He continually calls us, wanting to relate to us, to speak with us, to share an important message with us.  However, we look elsewhere to discover the source of the voice we hear.   We will never discover God's message to us until we seek it from him.  Although there may be no physical evidence of his presence, his voice still calls us and invites us to commune with him.

That morning many years ago, I believe I understood what Samuel must have felt.  I heard my mom's voice, I knew she was somewhere in the house, but because I was unsure about her whereabouts, I couldn't concentrate on her location.  In a similar way, I have learned that in order to hear God's voice, I have to be still.  I have to listen and be available to him.  When he speaks to me, I must quiet myself and listen to his voice.  Only by placing myself in his presence can I fully hope to hear him, to speak to him, to commune with him.

Today as you go about your daily routine, take time to stop and listen for God's voice.  If you quiet yourself and open your heart you will hear him.  When he calls you, say with Samuel, "Speak Lord for your servant is listening!"

Friday, August 16, 2019

Road Work Ahead

O
k, I’ll admit it. I lost my cool the other day as I was driving around running errands. On no less than four occasions I encountered that little annoying orange sign which reads, “Road Work Ahead.” Is it just me or does anyone else believe the transportation department strategically places those “little signs” in order to cause the maximum amount of frustration possible? To top it all, every time I come across a construction site, no one is ever there working! Why erect a sign advertising work if there is no work taking place?

Do you feel my frustration yet? I know this seems like a small thing—and it is—but I really get bent out of shape when I am forced to take a detour just to go around the block! It wouldn’t be quite so bad if the construction were completed in a reasonable amount of time. But the signs remain in place for weeks or months on end with very little if any visible progress. For those of you working for the transportation department, please accept my apologies for getting so worked up. There is a great lesson in all this as we will now see.

OK, my little tirade is over and all the frustration is out of my system. While sitting at one of the intersections currently under construction, I had time to sit and think about the process of repairing or building road. It is quite fascinating, especially if you really observe all that goes into the laying of pavement. The ground must be prepared by bulldozing all the obstacles out of the way, by leveling the soil, and by preparing the shape the road will take. Next the workers build a form to hold the necessary components required to build a road and give it shape. They introduce gravel, steel bars, an extremely thick portion of concrete, and then they add asphalt on top. When all these steps are completed and the surface is painted, the road is open for business and cars travel back and forth, easily riding on the smooth surface that months of back-breaking work has produced.

As I sat there thinking about this, a very popular verse from the prophet Isaiah came to mind. It is one simple sentence carrying a wonderful promise about the coming of the Messiah. It also indicates that a lot of road work needed to occur before Israel was ready to receive him. The prophet writes these words in Isaiah 40:4 “Every valley shall be exalted And every mountain and hill brought low; The crooked places shall be made straight And the rough places smooth.’

You want to talk about road work!! God had so much to do in order to prepare the people for the coming of His messiah. Mountains had to be bulldozed, winding roads had to be straightened, valleys had to be filled-in, and all the rough, washboard roads had to be smoothed out. The process was ongoing. Year after year, generation after generation, and century after century it seemed the work would never be completed. At times, God seemed to be on vacation, not working as the countless years dragged on but God was working. He was on the job every day, working in and through the lives of His people until the coming of a man named John the Baptist. It was he who had the wonderful job of proclaiming the road was open and he did it with these words found in John 1:23 "I am "The voice of one crying in the wilderness: "Make straight the way of the LORD.”  Finally, the time for construction was over and the road was open for business.

Today, we continue to walk this road started so many years ago. At times, God still puts up road work signs, making us wait or take detours. At other times it appears as if He is not working, that He has abandoned us and left us stranded. But rest assured and know that our God is always working. The times when you can’t see His hand, it’s probably a good indication he is doing work on your foundation, making sure you are ready to bear up under the rest of the journey as you continue your daily walk along life’s road.

The next time you see a sign labeled “Road Work Ahead” keep your cool. Use it as a wonderful reminder that God, in Jesus Christ, prepared the way for your salvation and that from time to time, when He deems it necessary, He closes your personal road to make repairs and do construction so that your walk with Him will be all He wants it be. Are you experiencing road work today?

Thursday, August 15, 2019

The Lesson of the Sponge

O
ne perk of owning your own business comes from all the samples of neat stuff various salesmen try to sell you.  They enter your place of business—unannounced I must add—open their brief cases—which look more like suitcases—and pull out all types of nifty little samples of their wares.  I remember some of the things my dad used to receive on consistent basis at work.  There were pens, notepads, calendars, refrigerator magnets, you name it. 

Once in a great while, however, a salesman produced something out of the ordinary, an item that was so unique and unusually captivating that you couldn’t help but be mesmerized by it.  I arrived home from school one day to find just such an item sitting on our counter top in the kitchen.  Mom was busy cleaning the kitchen sink and right beside her was a small plastic package filled with a long yellow strip.  Mom picked up the package, tore open the plastic wrapping, and removed the slender material. By now, my curiosity was peaked.  I had no idea what the material was but I rushed to the sink to find out.

Mom threw the strip into the water.  There, right before my eyes, the yellow material began to move and grow.  What was a strip of yellow a few seconds earlier began changing into something two to three times the size.   Finally, it stopped and in the sink was a new sponge, sopping wet, fully loaded, and ready for action.  Mom reached into the sink, took the sponge, wrung out all the excess water, and began using the sponge to clean the cabinets.

I have never forgotten the image of that sponge or the lesson it taught me.  What I learned from that sponge many years ago was one of the greatest of life’s lessons.  The sponge is no good until it is plunged into water, allowed to swell to the bursting point, and wrung out, removing all the unnecessary water.  A sponge that is too dry cannot clean and sponge that is too full just makes a mess.  In order for the sponge to be effective, it has to be both soaked and wrung out.  The soaking part is the fun part but the wringing out process requires work and isn’t terribly exciting and wonderful from the sponge’s perspective.

Perhaps no one in the Bible understood the plight of the sponge better than Noah.  After all, he was plunged into a great sink of water and left there for over a year before he was allowed to exit the ark.  Sometime after his 500th birthday, God called him to build a boat, better known as the ark.  This is proof that retirement at age 65 is NOT biblically based!!  For years Noah labored building the ark, preparing it for the day the first drop of rain would fall.  This was the soaking up part of Noah’s life.  Although he was working hard on the ark, he was gathering strength for the long journey ahead, a journey that would wring out everything but the most necessary element of his life—his faithfulness and obedience to God’s calling.

Genesis 7:23 provides an interesting window into Noah’s life after the rain had stopped. “Every living thing on the face of the earth was wiped out; men and animals and the creatures that move along the ground and the birds of the air were wiped from the earth. Only Noah was left, and those with him in the ark.”  Thus began the wringing out process in Noah’s life.  The account of the flood in Genesis 6-9 tells us that Noah was in the ark for over a year.  During that time, Noah worked, caring for all the animals on the ark, tending to their needs, fulfilling the purpose for which God called him. 

The last sentence of this passage tells us that Noah and those with him were the only one’s left.  Can you feel God’s fingers squeezing the last bit of water from the sponge?  Noah must have felt alone, isolated, and forgotten.  While the waters were soaking the earth, God was wringing him out.  While the tide continued to swell beneath him, God’s purging of his life continued.  While everything else perished, Noah remained alive.

This is God’s way with us.  There are times when we bask in his presence, soaking up all that he has to teach us.  At times such as these, the journey is easy, the spiritual lessons we learn seem so evident, and the presence of God is so near and so real to us.  But there are times when God chooses to wring us out in order to use us for his purposes.  Like the sponge, this means God will remove all but the most essential elements of the spiritual life so that he can use us for his purposes.  At times you may feel abandoned and pressed beyond all measure.  But nothing could be farther from the truth.  God knows where you are, he understands your situation, and he is using it to wring from your life everything that keeps you from being all that he knows and wants you to be. 

Have you experienced the lesson of the sponge in your life?  Are you soaking or are you being wrung out today?  Where ever you are in this process, take heart from another statement from Noah’s life, found in Genesis 8:1, “But God remembered Noah and all the wild animals and the livestock that were with him in the ark, and he sent a wind over the earth, and the waters receded.” God always remembers where you are! Have a great day in him today!

Wednesday, August 14, 2019

Coming Home

“Y
ou want to do what?”  I can still hear my father’s reaction when I proposed spending my junior year living and studying in France.  My college had a well-established year abroad program and several students took advantage of it each year.  Initially, my dad wasn’t too crazy about the idea but after much coaxing and cajoling on my part, he finally buckled, gave in, and I got to go.

I arrived in Europe on September 2, 1983 and began 10 months of study, travel, and new experiences.  It didn’t take me long to discover that a year abroad meant so much more than just seeing the Eiffel Tower or visiting Paris.  France was a completely different world with a different language, a different way of doing things, and different people who knew nothing about me.

Eventually, the novelty of being several hours from Paris, Rome, Munich, Geneva, Monte Carlo, and other famous places wore off.  Although I was able to adjust to the lifestyle and to master the language, I had this growing desire to return home and see my family.  As June 1984 approached I found myself getting more and more excited about the prospects of returning home and I began making my preparations.

Finally, the day arrived.  After a flight that lasted an eternity, I met my mom and dad at the airport.  My dad was the first person I saw and we hugged each other.  I will never forget that day.  The trip home went by very quickly while we caught up on the past ten months.  My dad did not take the most direct route to our home.  I didn’t think anything about it but when we crested the hill above our home, I saw a huge line of cars on both sides of the street. My mom said they decided to throw me a “little” homecoming party. 

I don’t know how many people were there but it was a wonderful surprise and a great way to come home.  All my friends and family members were there as well as food!!  I had forgotten how wonderful home cooking was, especially the taste of mom’s sweet tea!  What a way to come home!

Jesus told a similar story of a young man who also had a wonderful coming home party thrown in his honor.  He, too, had traveled abroad to live in a “far country.”  However, he didn’t go there to study or to improve himself in anyway.  Instead, he went as an act of rebellion, to prove to himself, to his father, and to others that he could live his life as he pleased.  He failed!

The attraction of the far land lost its allure for him.  He squandered his money and he had to find a way to earn a living.  He took a job, feeding hogs just to make ends meet.  Finally, he realized that he could go home and work for his father, so he packed his bags and left.

As he turned onto the road leading to his house, his father spied him.  His dad, it seems, had been looking forward to this day for a long time.  Let’s look at this father’s reaction to this son who returned home in shame and disgrace.  Luke 15:20b says, "But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.”

Surprised?  Instead of scolding this young man, instead of telling him, “I told you so,” and instead of giving him a lecture, this father runs to him, kisses him and welcomes him.  And that’s not all, he throws one heck of a coming home party to celebrate his son’s return.  It didn’t matter that the boy had rebelled or that he had gone far away and lost all he had.  All that mattered was his return.

Do you know of a better picture of God than this?  Before accepting Jesus Christ, we all live in the distant country of sin.  One day, sin loses its allure, we wake up to discover we are hungry with no means of feeding ourselves, and we decide to return home.  

We find it impossible to believe God will forgive us and that’s when we get a big surprise.  He has been looking for us all along, just waiting for our return.  He runs to us, hugs us, kisses, us and throws one heck of a party because we have come back to him.  It is said that we can’t go home again.  Fortunately, this phrase is not in God’s vocabulary!  How long has it been since you’ve been home?