Wind Advisory

 

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ne morning I awoke to the sound of wind whipping outside my bedroom window.  The wind was not constant but came in gusts, sending a wooshing sound across the shingles, along the windows, and around the walls.  The forecasters had been correct in their prediction that gale-force winds would visit the Dallas-Fort Worth area during the evening and would most likely remain with us throughout the day.

The morning’s newscast confirmed those predictions.  Our entire area was under a wind advisory until 6:00 the evening and the news anchors had already  warned everyone to drive very cautiously and to take extra care, making sure to keep both hands on the wheel.  I could just imagine how interesting my morning commute was going to be!  I decided I’d better leave a little earlier than usual.

Anyway, back to that wind.  The tree in my front yard continued to take great bows as if it were being applauded for a stellar performance.  My bushes were joining in the act as well and the flags at the entrance to our community were fully extended.  The effects of the wind could be seen everywhere and I heard it as it whippe around the corner of my house and over my rooftop.

But inside, it was safe, warm, and cozy.  The lights were on, the coffee maker worked, the toaster was operating at peak performance, and the heating system ensured that I would not get cold.  All this is happened on the inside because the house had a good foundation and was built very well.

All this brought back the parable Jesus told of two men who built very nice houses.  But when a storm came with wind and rain, the end result of those structures was very different. Jesus put it this way in Matthew 7:25, “The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.”

There are a few things we need to glean from this small verse of scripture.  First we need to notice, that even though this house was built on the rock, the storms still beat against it.  There will be storms in life, especially the Christian life, as we live according to God’s commands and not the world’s whims.  Second, even though the storms beat against the house, it stood firm, protecting those who lived within.  It performed as a house should and it did so because its foundation was firm, solid, and sure.

As I learned several years ago, the most important part of any house is its foundation.  The carpet, paint, wallpaper, flooring, bricks, etc. are nothing if the foundation isn’t secure.  No matter how lovely or ornate the structure, unless it has a firm and sure foundation, the building has been constructed in vain.

And how about us today?  Are we standing firm?  Does the foundation of our lives hold us securely when the storms of life come?  Is the wind howling around you today?  Are the rains beating against you with seemingly merciless force?  Take courage!  Your house will withstand the rains, and the winds, and anything else life can dish out if your foundation is Jesus Christ.  This does not mean we will be free from pain or difficulty but it does mean we have a strong underpinning, a firm foundation which cannot be shaken.  So, how’s the weather where you are today?  Are you under a wind advisory?

No Borders

 

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he border between Italy and Austria is well known for its customs checks. Trains crossing the border in either direction are stopped for several minutes while guards from both countries conduct a thorough search of all compartments and verify the passports and official documents of the passengers on board. I had the pleasure of experiencing this phenomenon first-hand in the spring of 1984.

I was studying in southern France and during spring break, I had a little over two weeks to travel. Most of my friends visited a small island off the coast of Spain; but I decided to do some travelling on the continent. My travels took me to Spain, Italy, Austria, and Germany. It was during these travels that the Austrian border guard taught me a valuable lesson about crossing over from one country into another.

I took the train from Rome, Italy to Salzburg, Austria. Because there were so many people travelling at the same time I was, the train was completely full. There were no empty seats to be found on the train and I stood for several hours before space became available. At last, a compartment opened and I could use one of the benches as a cot with my backpack serving as a pillow.

At four o'clock in the morning, a blinding light awakened me as the border guard turned on the compartment's light. There, in my face, was a German shepherd police dog sniffing for drugs. The guard asked to see my passport, took one look at the cover, saw I was from the United States, and let me go back to sleep. I was able to cross over into Austria with no difficulty. However, there were a few passengers who were detained for questioning. Eventually, the trains crossed into Austria but those detained by the border guard were not permitted entry into the country.

This is a stark contrast from the freedom I experienced a few years ago as I drove from Texas to North Carolina to spend the holidays with my family. As I crossed from one state to the next, there were no questions to answer, no papers to show, and no border guards to confront. Instead, I could come and go as I pleased. The entire country, every part of it, was opened to me with no obstacles to prevent me from arriving at home.

The relationship we have with God is directly comparable to my experience on the border between Rome and Austria. Before we become Christians, we have no legal basis permitting us access to God. Try as we may, we simply cannot cross over to where He is because we don't have the proper papers. We get stopped at several places on life's border and when we try to enter God's kingdom, we are refused. Our "spiritual passports" do not bear the seal of God and are not recognized by Him.

Neither our good works, nor our good intentions, nor our reputations, nor our verbally claiming to know God will permit us to enter His kingdom. The only way we are able to cross the border separating us from God is to change our citizenship and become a part of His kingdom. We do this by willfully renouncing our former allegiance to sin and willfully accepting Jesus Christ as our personal savior. This gives us a new passport, one that is instantly recognized by God and that grants us immediate entry into His kingdom.

Once we change our citizenship, we have free access to all of God's promises and resources. We are free to travel the road of life without fear of border crossings, interrogations, or customs officials. We may travel with confidence and assurance that we belong to God's family and that He welcomes us whenever we call on Him and wherever we are on life's road. Our passport, our legal claim as citizens of God's kingdom, is the shed blood of Jesus Christ.

Jesus, himself, said in John 10:9 "I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. He will come in and go out, and find pasture.” Jesus is the border guard. It is only through him and by him that we gain access to God. There is no other way to cross over except through Christ. Once we accept him, once we obtain new citizenship and new passports, we are welcome in his kingdom and can travel unhindered. Once we belong to him, there are no borders between us!  We belong and have direct access to God. When was the last time God asked to see your passport? Are you free to travel life's road or are you hindered by border crossings?

A Scented Letter

 

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hrough the slit in the top of my mailbox, I could tell that several letters had arrived during my absence.  Nothing can rival the pure joy of returning home from a long vacation and finding not one, but several letters waiting to be opened.  As luck would have it, several of my friends stopped by for a visit and they were present when I opened my mailbox to withdraw all the cards and letters left there by the mailman during my two-week jaunt in Europe.  It was a moment I wasn’t to live down for a long time.

During the spring of 1984, I visited Spain, Italy, Austria, and Germany.  Since the other members of my group already had travel plans, I journeyed alone, seeing things I had only read about in books, visiting places that beforehand were only pictures or images in my mind.  The journey afforded me many experiences and taught me many things about myself I would not have learned otherwise.

However, vacation came to an end and we had all met at one of my friend’s apartments to compare notes and swap stories about our travels.  On our way to a small café, we stopped by my place so I could check the mail.  As I mentioned earlier, the box was full so naturally I was very excited.  As I placed my key into the receptacle and unlocked the box, a wonderful aroma filled the foyer.  As I foraged through the letters and cards in the box, the odor intensified.  For a few seconds, I wasn’t sure of the origin but one of my friends quickly pointed it out.

That wonderful smell was coming from a rather thick envelope I held in my hand.  It was from a good friend back home but why she sent me a scented letter was beyond me.  All I knew was the guys really had a good time at my expense, ribbing me about receiving a “smelly” letter from a girl who obviously thought I was something special.  As it turns out, she kept her stationery in her perfume drawer and the bottle turned over, soaking everything in the drawer with perfume.  I, of course, never shared this small detail with the guys.  I simply played along with their version of the story.  To this day, I can still smell the perfume contained in that letter.  It filled the entire foyer of our apartment building and all the guys standing with me were affected as well.  The aroma was very pleasing and affected everything and everyone coming into contact with it.

The book of Exodus reminds us of the important role incense played in the sacrificial system God established for the people if Israel.  Exodus 30:7-8 describes the altar of incense and how Aaron, the high priest, was to attend to it on a regular basis. "Aaron must burn fragrant incense on the altar every morning when he tends the lamps.  He must burn incense again when he lights the lamps at twilight so incense will burn regularly before the LORD for the generations to come.”

This altar sat right in front of the curtain separating the holy place from the most holy place, or the Holy of Holies.  Aaron was to burn incense on this altar continually, keeping incense before the Lord always.  The incense for this altar was a special mixture and represented constant prayer before the Lord. Anyone entering the Tabernacle, would smell the incense and I imagine that Aaron would carry the aroma of that mixture on his clothes so that the fragrance could be enjoyed by all those around him.

This leads us to a very important question about our own relationship with God.  Is there a constant, pleasing aroma arising to our Heavenly Father?  Does the altar of incense of our prayer life continually put forth an aroma that is pleasing to God?  Do others enjoy the perfume in our lives that comes from being in God’s presence?  When our hearts are opened and those around us examine our lives, do they receive the pleasing aroma of God’s presence?  Are there any scented letters in your heart’s mailbox today?

Around The Clock

 

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here is always something to do, it seems, around the house.  My mother particularly enjoys it when I make this statement because she is constantly working in her house, making sure everything is clean, maintained, and operating at premium levels.

Honestly, I don’t know how she did it with 3 kids and a full-time job.  No matter her schedule, our clothes were always clean, our house was always tidy, and meals were always served warm.  How I wish I could match her efficiency. Even today she can, and does, work circles around me.

This was very evident in just the past few weeks as my parents and my sister visited with me for two weeks.  I arrived home from my trip to Europe on Friday, March 19^th. On Sunday, March 21^st, my family showed up.  It didn’t take mom and dad long to get to work, tidying up the yard and attending to a few things in the house.  I arrived home from work to find one less thing on my “to do list” and supper was hot, just as I knew it would be.

What amazed me was my parents desire to work even when they were on vacation.  Every day they had things to do and every day when I arrived home I found them done.  In my absence work—and plenty of it—had been done.

Have you ever stopped to think just how busy God is on a daily basis?  He is constantly watching out for you, making sure that you are protected, that you have food, that you have a job that your heart keeps beating, the list just goes on and on.  Yet he never tires and he never fails to attend to the tiniest detail.

Jesus, himself, underscored this idea in the 5^th chapter of John’s gospel.  The Pharisees were strict keepers of the law and when Jesus performed a miracle or if his disciples ate grain on the Sabbath, they were quick to point it out.  Jesus never grew impatient with them. Instead, he wanted them to understand that God always works, even when we are unaware of it.

In John 5:17, Jesus simply says, “My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I, too, am working."  Notice that Jesus wants his listeners to understand that his Father is always at work.  But Jesus takes it one step further by stating that he is also at work.  His work was to do the work that God sent him to do.  In other words, we are to be about God’s business and we are to be about it on a continual basis.

When I was growing up, I was amazed at the amount of work my parents turned out.  The house was always clean, the grass was always mowed, clothes were always washed, folded, and put away, and there was never a lack of things to be done.  In our walk with the Lord, we need to understand that the work is constant.  Whether we are reading our Bibles or having a conversation with a co-worker, we are to be about God’s business.  He is always working.  How about us?  

Give Me A Printout

 

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orking on a computer has taught me a very valuable lesson—make several copies! I usually place a copy on the hard drive of my computer, I place several copies in the cloud, and I produce a hard copy that I keep in a file.  Of all the ways I store information, the hard copy is perhaps to me the most amazing.  The computer stores all of this information in its memory, not in the actual form of words, but in a language it understands.  Whenever I reopen a file, however, I see it in a form recognizable to me.

Most of the files I save are in English but some are in French, especially the notes and tests I use for the classes I teach.  Other files contain information about my finances including my personal budget and my checking and savings accounts.  Whenever I need to produce a hard copy for myself, I simply open the file I need and press the print icon and the computer does the rest.  Whatever is in the computer comes out on paper in exact detail.  In fact, I can only print what is stored in the computer's memory. 

Do you realize that we operate on the same principle as the computer?  Would it surprise you to realize that Jesus spoke of this process almost 2000 years ago?  Without the advent of electronic filing systems, floppy disks, or printers, Jesus described in precise detail the functioning of today's computers.  However, Jesus spoke of this, not in terms of electronics, but in terms of the human heart.

In Matthew 12:34-35, Jesus says, “Brood of vipers! How can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things."  

The message here is simple and straightforward: what goes in, comes out!  Jesus was addressing his listeners and teaching them that our words and our actions are the indicators of our true selves.  Just as an apple tree produces apples and not peaches, the human heart can only produce what has been planted in it.

Look at the second sentence in this passage from Matthew. The source of our words, our thoughts, our actions, and our motives is the heart.  Jesus says that our words indicate the condition of our hearts.  A direct connection exists between what we say and who we are.  Much like the hard drive on our computers, our hearts store the files of our life.  But the heart can only produce what we put into it!!!  There are no files written in Russian on my computer because I have put none in there.  Likewise, if I haven't placed God's word, God's love, God's mercy, and God himself in my heart, I cannot share him with others nor retrieve anything about him.  There simply is no file inside my heart labeled God!

This is a very sobering thought!!  When I open my mouth and speak, other people know exactly what kind of person I am.  If, as Jesus said, my mouth speaks from the overflow of my heart, then what I say reflects that with which my heart is filled!!  Every time I open my mouth, I am giving someone a printout of the files contained within my heart!  Ouch!!!  That hurts, doesn't it?

Today, let's take an inventory of our heart's hard drive.  What files are stored there?  When someone speaks to us, what kinds of printouts are we giving them?  Do our lives contain enough files about God and His love for us?  Do we have the necessary information to share Jesus with someone today?  Is there enough information buried in our hearts to produce good quality printouts about God and all he has done for us?

Living Above the Chigger Line

 

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he Boy Scouts of America organization has played a significant role in my life, teaching me so many lessons and giving me so many opportunities that I would otherwise not have had.  In addition to learning to tie a square knot, pitching a tent, knowing how to recognize both poison ivy and poison oak, and learning to pitch a tent, there have been so many more practical lessons that I have learned, and some of them the hard way!

In the spring of 1992, I learned a very valuable lesson about a little bug that can cause big problems.  In preparation for being the program director at our local summer camp, I had to attend camp school, a required certification by the BSA in order to serve in a leadership capacity at summer camp.  Due to snowy weather, I was unable to attend our local school so I had to drive to Hazelhurst, Mississippi in order to be certified.  I had never driven that far away from home and I had no idea where Hazlehurst was located. But with the help of a good map and the assistance of a fellow staff member who also had to attend, we made the journey without incident.

Like most camps, this one was located way out in the middle of nowhere.  We had to stay in tents for the entire week and sleep on cots, something I had not done since my days in the scouting program.  Everything I learned came back to me and I soon had my tent in tip-top shape.  What I forgot, however, was to apply repellent to keep nasty little critters at bay.  The first morning, this became very apparent as I awoke scratching and clawing at the myriad insect bites on my legs and feet.  Chiggers, those loathsome little creatures that bury underneath your skin, had set up housekeeping and I was the house!

Needless to say, the next week was miserable.  Chiggers are particularly active when it is hot and humid and, no matter the season, it is always humid in Mississippi and the weather had already turned warm.  I made a mental note to purchase repellent for the next time I found myself in a similar situation.

Fast forward to 1999 when again, I was employed by the Boy Scouts to serve as a chaplain at Philmont Scout Ranch in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains of upper New Mexico.  As I made my checklist, I remembered to purchase a bottle of repellent. This time, I was taking no chance.  But to my surprise, I soon learned that chiggers were not a problem at Philmont because they could not survive at the elevation at which the camp was located.  You can, I’m sure, imagine my relief.  An entire summer in the great outdoors with no chiggers!!! 

So, what does this story have to do with the Christian life?  I’m so glad you asked!  No, God does not mention chiggers in the Scriptures but there are ample places where God encourages us to live at a higher elevation where the little bugs of life, those pesky little annoyances that rob us of the life God meant for us to have, cannot survive.

The prophet Habakkuk addresses this in the third chapter of his book.  In Habakkuk 3:19 he shares the following truth about our Heavenly Father, “The Sovereign Lord is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to tread on the heights.”  Let us take note of three brief lessons packed into this statement.

First, Habakkuk recognized that the source of his strength does not lie within himself; it comes from God.  So often we try to live the Christian life in our own strength, only to realize that we are incapable of doing so because only God can provide the strength we need. He alone is our constant source of all we need.

Second, the prophet states that it is the Lord who makes his feet like those of a deer.  Now, what does he mean by this?  Deer are sure-footed, running great distances, leaping over obstacles, and climbing seemingly insurmountable heights with ease and confidence.  This is exactly the life God intends for his children.  As our source of strength and confidence, God enables us—indeed, he intends for us—to live on the heights away from the mundane obstacles and circumstances that keep us in the valley and away from the mountain tops.

Habakkuk’s final lesson is found in the word heights.  As we just mentioned, this is where God intends for us to be.  Way up high where the chiggers of life, those pesky, little doubts, fears, and worries, can rob us of all he has in store for us.  To avoid those pests, God does not intend for us to use repellent but to scale the heights and to live where they cannot harm us.  Are you living above the chigger line today?  

The Water Cooler

 

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ummertime in a small town has to be one of the best memories a boy could have.  It seems there was always something happening to keep your curiosity peaked and your desire for mischief at an all-time high.  I remember summers as a time when families came together for reunions, when crowds cheered as the local baseball team won the state pennant, and when churches gathered their congregations on lazy Sunday afternoons for the all-important-and-ever-essential dinner on the ground.

Whenever anyone was having one of these events, my dad usually received a phone call to reserve equipment we provided whenever people were in need.  In addition to conducting funeral services for our community, we also provided tents, chairs, and water coolers to the public.  I remember going on trips with my dad as he delivered equipment to people, organizations, and churches that were planning events for large crowds.  Whenever the city had any type of event, they always called dad for tents and water coolers.  No matter the occasion, I have fond memories of watching my dad erect tents bearing our family name and placing water coolers in strategic locations so people would have a cool drink to slake their thirst.

Of all the equipment we loaned, the water coolers stick out in my memory.  They sat approximately knee-high, were made of metal, were gray in color, and had light blue plastic interiors that were designed to keep water at a cool temperature.  On the outside of the cooler at the bottom was a spout for dispensing cold water.  Ice filled the inside and as it melted it provided enough cold water to quench the thirst of a large number of people.  A church gathering or a large event required several of these coolers and we were more than happy to provide them.

Matthew’s gospel reminds us of the importance of small gestures, like providing water coolers.  In fact, in Matthew 10:42 Jesus speaks specifically about the importance of providing a cool drink of water to those who are thirsty.  “And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is my disciple, I tell you the truth, he will certainly not lose his reward.” 

This is a wonderful passage of scripture because there are so many truths packed into it.  First, Jesus reminds us that even a cold cup of water given in his name brings great reward.  So often we believe we must do something great for the Lord.  By great, we usually mean going above and beyond the call of duty, accomplishing a goal no one has ever done or would ever dream of doing. 

Second, Jesus reminds us of the importance of doing these “ordinary acts” to those people who are around us on a daily basis.  We are to share the good news with everyone, especially those with whom we work and live from day to day.  When we do this, Jesus says we will not lose our reward.  He is not speaking of monetary compensation; rather, he is speaking of the reward God has for those who simply obey Him and share the truth of His son by word and deed.

I can still taste the water coming from the spout of those old water coolers.  They were by no means the center of attention at any of the events they attended but those events would have been incomplete without them.  People would not have stayed long had there not been something there to satisfy their thirst. 

Today, wherever you are, I pray you are playing the role of the water cooler.  The world is a hot and dry place, zapping the life from people on a daily basis.  Everywhere you look, you see people looking for ways to cool and quench their thirsts.  Remember that Jesus said that if we provide just a cool cup of water in his name to those within our reach, our effort would not be in vain.  Are you providing people with the cool, clear water that quenches their souls?  Are you pointing the way to Jesus Christ, the living water?  Are you being a water cooler today?

In and Behind Your Ears

 

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oap and water are the sworn enemies of all children!  There’s just something about the words “bath time” that strikes fear into the heart of any kid, no matter how big, brave, or dirty he or she may be!

I remember how much I hated taking a bath.  I would always find some excuse to avoid the dreaded march to the bathroom. I argued that I wasn’t that dirty, that I had just had a bath the night before, or that, following up on a conversation I overheard between my parents, our water bill was just too high and that by not taking a bath, I was actually “helping” keep costs down.  I had no idea what that meant but it sure sounded good!

None of these arguments, however, swayed or even phased my mom!  When she said, “bath time,” that is exactly what she meant--no negotiations, no appeals to dad, just the obedient death march to the bathroom.  Once in the tub, I had to make sure all the dirt, grime, and filth was completed washed away.  Just about the time I finished this “burdensome task,” mom would call from the kitchen and remind me to “make sure you wash in and behind your ears!” On more than one occasion she had informed me that we could probably produce a good crop of potatoes from the dirt in my ears!

Washing behind my ears, I could understand, but washing in them was beyond me. Who, besides mom and the doctor, was going to be looking in my ear canal?  Who wanted to?  But, in order to avoid any confrontation, I took the washcloth and dutifully washed both in and behind my ears.  Who would have thought that a little dirt would be such a big deal?  But mom knew that keeping my ears clean, especially the inside, would avoid infections and all kinds of not-so-fun stuff.

The idea of keeping the outside and the inside clean and protected can be found in the story of Noah and his ark!  Don’t believe me?  Then just take a look at this brief, but very important passage found in Genesis 6:14, “So make yourself an ark of cypress wood; make rooms in it and coat it with pitch inside and out.”

God’s instructions were clear, Noah was to use cypress wood to build the ark and he was to make sure it was coated, both inside and out, with a substance called pitch. Why would God make this demand of Noah?  Let’s find out!

Pitch was a resin that could be made from any of a number of substances, such as coal tar, plants, etc. It was used as caulk to waterproof sea-going vessels.  Putting pitch, both on the inside and the outside of a ship ensured the vessel would be waterproof and stay afloat.  Noah, had to make sure that pitch covered every joint and seam of the ark, whether they were inside or outside.  The outside pitch prevented water from seeping in and the inside pitch was used to stop any water that might get past the outside resin.  The inside pitch, although unseen from the exterior, guaranteed the security of the ark.

The application to the Christian life is clear.  Jesus, in Matthew 23:27 warned the Pharisees of having cleaned behind their ears, so to speak, but having neglected to clean them on the inside, “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of the bones of the dead and everything unclean.”

Our Lord knows the hearts of men.  He knows that outward appearances are no indication of the inward condition.  The outside may appear clean but the inside is dirty, dark, and sinful.  Only the saving blood of Christ can pitch and seal the human heart both inside and out.  So, how clean are your spiritual ears today?

A Trip to the Bakery

 

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rom time to time I reminisce about the opportunities I have had to live in France.  I remember places I’ve visited, friends I’ve made, and conversations I’ve had. However, my daily surroundings remind me that I am no longer in Paris.  Yet, it’s not the fact that I can’t visit the Eiffel Tower; it’s not the fact that everyone around me is speaking English, and it’s not the fact that I can drive a car instead of taking a metro.  None of these facts, while true, are as poignant a reminder as the fact that I cannot run down to the local bakery and buy a freshly baked French bread!   I guess you could say I am addicted to the stuff.

Every morning in Paris, I ran down to one of several bakeshops in the neighborhood and bought fresh bread and fresh croissants!  It was the best part of the day and one I eagerly anticipated!  You might say, I became a regular customer of the small bakery located just at the end of the street.  In fact, I referred to it as my boulangerie (bakery)!

A trip to this bakery was always an ordeal because it always involved somewhat of a dilemma.  The place was always busy. People from the neighborhood were busy buying their breads, desserts, and sandwiches for the day ahead.  For me, the bread selection was easy; it was the pastries that posed the problem.  Would it be a croissant, an apple turnover, a flan, a small quiche, etc.?  The possibilities were endless! Thank goodness, the patience of the lady behind the counter was not!  Finally, I would decide and hurry out of the place before deciding to purchase something else.  But no matter what else I had in my hand, I always had bread with me.

Bread, it seems, is the quintessential staple of life.  No matter the culture, no matter the language, no matter the country, bread is simply one thing we all have in common.  Perhaps this is why Jesus spoke so often of bread.  The word bread appears 63 times in the NIV version of the New Testament.  But the most well-known reference is found in Matthew 6:11 where Jesus teaches his followers to pray.  In this verse, Jesus simply says, “Give us today our daily bread.”

Two important ideas are presented to us in this small passage from Matthew’s gospel.  First, we see Jesus asking God to supply our bread.  This means we do not provide it for ourselves!  Far too often in the Christian life we try to be self-sufficient, trying to discover ways and means to provide for our needs.  We say we trust God yet we attempt to do everything for ourselves.  Jesus simply asked God to supply the bread, the very staple and the most basic need of life.  After all, that is God’s promise, isn’t it?  He promised to meet the needs we have in life and He is faithful to that promise.

The second lesson we need to grasp is the frequency with which this bread is delivered.  Jesus did not pray for weekly bread, monthly bread, or for a bread truck that would delivery on a pre-determined schedule.  No, he prayed for daily bread!  He wanted his followers to understand that we need God every day, not once a week, once a month, or just when we get into trouble.  We need Him every moment of every day and Jesus used the picture of daily bread to teach this every elementary but most important point about God.  We must partake of Him daily as the most basic and quintessential part of our lives.

Early every morning, I went in search of fresh bread and every morning I was rewarded for my efforts of getting up, getting dressed, and walking to the bakery.  The same principle is true for us today.  We must get up, open God’s word, plumb into its depths, partake of it, and make it the most integral and central part of our lives each day.  God stands ready each morning to provide your daily needs so trust Him and take Him at His word.  Have you made a trip God’s bakery today?

The Lesson of the Sponge

 

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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 500^th 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!

I'm Not Wired For This

 

I

n late August of 1983, I was frantically preparing to leave the United States to spend my third year of college studying abroad in France.  Packing for a year proved quite a challenge.   There were so many things to consider as I contemplated everything I needed to take with me for a year.  I packed enough clothes, socks, toiletries, cassette tapes, batteries, paper, pens, etc. to last me for the months ahead.  I even sent my winter clothes ahead of me so they would arrive well before the start of cold weather.

One of my last purchases was a power converter.  My hairdryer, my clock, and my radio, were all wired for 110 volts, the proper standard for the United States.  However, Europe uses 220 volts for its standard, meaning that my appliances would not work in France. A French plug-in is different from one in the United States.  Moreover, each country's electrical outlets were configured much differently from their American counterparts. This meant I had to have a piece of equipment which allowed the electrical current flowing from a European outlet to be converted into the correct voltage for my appliances.  Without the converter, my equipment would have been useless.

Although there was an electrical source coursing through the walls of my apartment and the hotels and inns where I stayed, it was of no use to me without a proper converter.  Only when the electricity passed through the converter were my appliances able to work correctly.  The converter served as the mediator between the electrical current and the appliance, providing the correct relationship between the two so that they were both able to accomplish their objectives.  The electricity was allowed to flow and the appliances were able to perform their functions properly because they received the proper amount of power in the exact form necessary to make them useful and productive.

The Apostle Paul understood the importance of a "converter."  He understood that man's life was useless without the proper relationship to God.  God's power was of no use unless it was administered to man by a mediator, by someone who could provide the means whereby God's power could infuse the life of a person, making him/her useful to accomplish the mission God created for him/her.  Much like the electrical converter served as the mediator between the electrical source and the appliance, so Christ serves as the mediator between man and God, making it possible for man to enjoy a proper relationship with his God.

In 1 Timothy 2:5, Paul writes, "For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus."  Here Paul leaves no doubt as to the role of Christ in God's plan of salvation.  Christ serves as our mediator; he makes it possible for us to experience God's power, his love, and his salvation by providing direct access to the Father. 

When we accept him as Lord and Savior, we find that God's love and power flow into and through our lives.  We then have the right relationship with God and we are able to correctly accomplish those things God assigns to us.  Without the work of Jesus, there is no way for man to tap God's resources.  Man would forever lie on life's shelf, lacking the power to live in a manner pleasing to God.  But through the sacrifice of Christ, through his mediation, we are accepted by God, we have a correct relationship with him, and his power flows through us.  Is God's power flowing through your life?  Are you wired to receive him today?

Walking In Daddy's Shoes

 

D

addy’s closest was always the most fascinating place to explore!  For a little guy, that closest was as big as a house.  There was room to enough to play in and room enough to hide in if the situation ever called for it.  The closet was divided into two different levels with a huge shelf separating the upper portion from the lower.  The upper part of the closet contained all of Daddy’s shirts and the bottom part held his suits, jeans, work pants, and his shoes.  Daddy kept his ties and belts hanging on a rack attached to the closet door so when the closet was open, everything was readily accessible, even to little hands!

Now daddy’s shirts, ties, and belts were always out of reach.  It’s hard for a little tyke to reach up and grab stuff off of a high rack on the door or to remove a shirt from way up high.  However, the lower level was in full reach and easily attacked!  I remember climbing into the closet, using it for a neat place to hide from my mom or my brother.  I also remember how daddy never liked for us to play in the closet because we always rearranged his shoes.  But I paid very little attention and hid in the closet anyway.

On several occasions I would select a pair of daddy’s shoes, put them on, and walk around the house.  They were obviously way too large for my little feet so I shuffled more than I walked, dragging my feet and the heels of those shoes all over the house.  I would leave scuff marks on the kitchen floors, something my mother always fussed about, and you could hear me coming from a mile away.  But it didn’t matter to me.  As long as I was wearing daddy’s shoes, I felt all grown up, I felt as if nothing was impossible, and daddy’s shoes gave me the right and the privilege of being just like him.

Ah, how often the joys and lessons of childhood soon escape us!  Not long after children enjoy walking in daddy’s shoes, enjoying the thrill and happiness of that moment, they grow up and begin stepping on his feet!  Instead of walking like daddy and walking with him, they get shoes of their own and they walk another path.  Sooner or later, though, they realize that daddy’s shoes represented more than just bigger feet, they also represented a deeper understanding and appreciation for the important things in life!  The bigger the shoes, the bigger the responsibility and the more need there is for a personal walk with God.

1 John 2:6 is a very short verse, but it gives us a great insight into being a Christian and walking with God on a daily basis.  John writes, “Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did.”  Pay very close attention to the two claims John makes in this passage.  First, this passage is addressed to those who “claim” to be followers of Jesus Christ.  Many of us invoke the name of Jesus Christ or use the term Christian whenever it is convenient to do so.  We are quick to assure others that we are Christian but we need to understand exactly what that means.

John finishes his thought by emphatically stating that if we claim to be a Christian, we better “walk” like a Christian.  In other words, we better walk just as Christ did.  How did Jesus walk?  He walked in utter obedience to the commands of God.  His walk did not deviate from his words but it was in line with everything he claimed to be.  Every step Jesus took, every thought he had, every motive of his heart, and every word from his mouth had but one purpose—to glorify God. 

This is how Jesus walked.  This is how Christians must walk.  However, it is impossible to walk like this on our own.  We must get into the prayer closet and hide, closing out the world and opening ourselves to God.  We must then emerge wearing, not our shoes, but our Father’s shoes.  They are too big for us, but they give us the strength we need, the confidence we desire, and the wonderful knowledge that there is someone much bigger than we who can take care of every need we have.  Are you walking in daddy’s shoes today?

Sow What?

 

F

rom September of 1983 through June of 1984, I lived and studied in the city of Montpellier, located in southern France about three hours east of the Spanish border.  My college strongly encouraged its language majors to study abroad in order to master the language and to understand better the culture and the customs of the people in other countries.  My time abroad provided many opportunities to see things I might not other wise have seen and to experience life in a completely different way.  I also learned many lessons from the people I encountered on a day-to-day basis in Montpellier.  I became well acquainted with several pastry shop owners as well as with the man who delivered the mail and the proprietors of several small cafes in the neighborhood.  All of these people play an integral role in my understanding of French culture and daily living.

However, one of the best experiences I had throughout the year was my weekly visit to the open air market.  Although France is a modern country, some customs still linger.  Visiting the market on a daily basis is one of them.  Due to my study schedule, I could only visit the market on Saturday mornings.  In order to have the best selection of items, I had to arrive early, just as the market opened.  The same vendors faithfully opened their booths and sold everything from fresh flowers to fresh spices.  Everywhere, you could hear merchants calling out prices and advertisements for their goods.  The marketplace filled with people shopping for the perfect ingredients to prepare a scrumptious meal.

In the middle of the market place, occupying a strategic corner, was a lady dressed completely in black.  Every day she came to market, and every day she stood in the same place.  Instead of a variety of items, this woman sold only one thing, garlic!  Each morning, she opened her stand and instantly began calling out to the crowd to come buy her garlic.  "My garlic is fresh and beautiful," she would cry out.  Her voice would carry over the entire place and could be heard by everyone.  It would not have been market without her.  Who knows how many people were touched by this woman's garlic?  How many meals was she part of?  Just how far did her influence go?  All she did was sell garlic, not very important by the world's standards but very important if you are preparing a French meal.

The book of Mark records a similar story.  In one of his most famous parables, Jesus talks about the importance of being faithful to our calling.  In Mark 4:3, Jesus says, “Listen! Behold, a sower went out to sow."  Most of us will recognize this as the opening line of the parable of the soils.  In this parable Jesus describes the different kinds of soil on which seed falls.  According to the kind of soil, the seed either survives, is carried away, starts to grow but withers, or never takes root.  Indeed, the thrust of the parable addresses the responsibility of the individual believer to prepare his or her heart to receive the seed of God's word.

But there is also something else in this parable, I believe, which merits attention.  Notice how Jesus begins his parable.  The sower went out to sow!  That is all he did.  His job was to sow the seed, to make sure it had every opportunity to take root and produce a crop.  This farmer would have broadcast the seed, throwing it by the handful in every direction to ensure a crop. He would sow a large amount of seed, knowing that some of it would never produce.  However, because he believed that a crop would be produced, he sowed his seed.

This farmer didn't have the latest technological marvel to ensure all his seed would yield a harvest.  He just sowed his seed.  He had no guarantee that any of the seed would mature.  But he sowed his seed.  He did not count the number of seeds he had and calculate an exact amount of return for his labor.  He just sowed his seed.  This farmer had no assurance of financial gain from this crop.  He just sowed his seed.  Lastly, he could not know how many people, if any, would benefit from his actions that day.  Still, he sowed his seed.

Is there a better picture of faithfulness than this farmer?  Without exact figures, without an economic forecast, without any soil analysis, without any guarantee of success, this farmer just did what he knew to do, sow seed.  When Jesus calls us to work along side him, he calls us to sow seed.  Like this farmer, we are to sow the seed of God's word in every direction.  We are to use all our strength and industry to plant his word in the fields around us, trusting and believing it will produce a harvest, even though we may never see it. 

As Jesus told this parable, I believe he observed a farmer in the distance.  He used that example to teach a simple but all important truth to those listening to him.  The farmer is not responsible for making the seed grow, that is God's responsibility.  When the farmer does his job of sowing, there is every possibility the seed will take root and grow.  However, if the farmer shirks his responsibility, the chances of a successful crop are zero.  The only action required of the farmer in this process is to sow his seed, trusting God to produce the harvest.  Are you sowing your seed today?  Are you trusting God to produce a harvest? Are you being faithful in the place where God has called you?  Have a wonderful day!