Freeze Tag

 

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hat do you do on a summer evening?  This was never a problem in our neighborhood.  In fact, it didn’t matter whether it was summer, winter, spring, or fall.  We never had any difficulty figuring out what we would do.  The only question we had to consider was which of our mischievous activities would provide the most fun and the least amount of trouble with our parents or the adults in our neighborhood. 

 

One of my fondest memories was playing a game of freeze tag in our back yard.  All the kids from the neighborhood would come over and an evening of games would ensue.  These could be basketball, dodge ball, HORSE, or a variety and/or combination of other games.  However, a game of freeze tag proved to one of the most fun and challenging. 

 

For those of you who have never played freeze tag, here are the rules.  One person is chosen to be “it.”  This is a very democratic process, usually involving the election of someone to the office of “it” who wasn’t really planning on running for the job!  Anyway, a certain place is designated to be “home base”, another democratic process.  In our backyard, a small piece of concrete served to mark the spot for home base.  It also doubled for home plate when we played baseball, but that is another story. 

 

The idea of the game was to leave home base and make it back without being tagged by the “it” person.  If you were tagged, you were considered frozen and had to remain in that position until someone who had touched home base tagged you.  Then you ran like the wind to return to home base for safety.  If someone was particularly far away from home base and the “it” person was very good, the other members could form a line and pass the “electricity” from home base to that person.  The “it” person was powerless to freeze anyone as long as contact with home base was maintained.  When touched by the living chain from home base, the frozen person was thawed and instantly welcomed back home.   

 

Is there a more vivid picture of sharing the gospel and the wonderful truth of God’s salvation than this?  People all around us are frozen in position because they have never heard the truth about Jesus Christ or because no one from home base has come to share the wonderful story of and power of salvation with them.  They are all around us, some near, some far, some we know, others we don’t, but they are all frozen because they have never accepted Jesus as Savor and Lord. 

 

In the wonderful book of Romans, Paul shares with us the great freedom found in Jesus and the salvation he offers to all who are frozen in sin.  Romans 8:1-3 reads, “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering.” 

 

This is one of the most wonderful statements in all of scripture.  From the first verse of this chapter, Paul teaches that we are no longer condemned by God if we know Jesus Christ as our savior.  The Law (the Old Testament sacrificial system) had no power to forgive sins.  People were still frozen in their sin, keeping them separated from God.  But when Jesus came and offered himself as a sin offering, true freedom, the freedom God intended for us to have all along, came into the world. 

 

Today, the game of freeze tag is still being played.  The playground is anywhere you go--to the mall, to the grocery store, to school, to work, and to church.  All around us, we see people frozen by sin, living a life in view of home base but never touching it.  For those of us who know Jesus Christ as savior, our mission is clear.  We must share the good news of salvation with those around us and bring them to home base.  The power of the gospel will thaw anything sin has done but unless we are willing to reach out and share with others, this game of spiritual freeze tag will continue.   

 

Where are you in this game?  Are you safely standing on home base, unwilling to leave its security or are you out there, sharing the power of Christ and his salvation to those who are frozen in life?  Are you sharing the power from home base today? 

That Water Is Not Hot Enough!

 

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here is an art to washing dishes, and my mom was—and is—a skilled artist.  In fact, she is one of the great masters of all time.  I don’t find washing dishes to be a terribly nasty chore; in fact, I find it quite therapeutic.  Before we go much further, let me respond to two quick questions that may have popped into your mind. No, I don’t have a great love of dishwater, and yes, I have a dishwasher.  With those issues resolved, let’s get on with the subject of today’s devotional. 

 

I distinctly remember learning the art of dishwashing at the hands of my mother, no pun intended!  The most important aspect of this activity is ensuring the dishwater is hot enough, especially when the dishes are rinsed.  I always wanted to rinse the dishes in warm or cool water.  Each time I tried to get away with this mom would always say, “Blake, that water is not hot enough!!!!”  And guess what, yep, I had to do the dish all over again!!!  This, however, did not thwart me in my efforts to rinse in cool water.  But, in the end, mom won, as usual! 

 

Now that I am on my own and washing my own dishes, I understand what all the hubbub was about all those years ago.  Hot water—I mean very hot water—ensures the dishes are in fact clean from soapy film and germs that may linger on the dish after washing.  The hotter the water, the cleaner the dish; it’s just that simple. 

 

The book of Daniel tells the story of three Hebrew men named Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego who learned firsthand just what being in “hot water” was all about.  The story is well-known, especially to children who learn about these men in Sunday school or Vacation Bible School.  But there are implications for adults as well; implications that teach us a great deal about our walk with the Lord. 

 

King Nebuchadnezzar had a large idol constructed and placed where all the people could see it.  His orders were that everyone should bow down and worship that idol.  Our three intrepid heroes, however, refused to bow to anyone but the Lord and this infuriated the king.  So angry was he that he ordered the three men to be bound and thrown in a large furnace.   

 

Daniel 3:19-20 records this for us, “Then Nebuchadnezzar was furious with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and his attitude toward them changed. He ordered the furnace heated seven times hotter than usual and commanded some of the strongest soldiers in his army to tie up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego and throw them into the blazing furnace.  You want to talk about hot!!!  According to Nebuchadnezzar, the “water just wasn’t hot enough!”  Notice that the king had the furnace heated seven times hotter, just for good measure.   

 

Sometimes in the Christian walk, we feel as if God is heating up the furnace.  No matter which way we turn, no matter what circumstances we face, it seems God is only content to stoke the furnace of adversity and make it hotter than ever before.  At times like these, we wonder why God allows these circumstances in our lives. But there is always a reason, and in the end our lives are fuller and our walks and relationships with Jesus are richer. 

 

The end of the story is drastically different from its beginning.  When Nebuchadnezzar looked into the furnace, he saw four men—not three—walking in the fire.  He described the fourth man as looking like a “son of the gods.” (Daniel 3:25).  When they exited, they were no longer bound, their clothes were not singed, and they didn’t smell of smoke! 

 

We must understand that taking a stand for God does not mean our circumstances will become easier.  In fact, just the opposite is true.  These three men took a stand for the Lord and found themselves in hot water!  But God was with them in the flame.  The great lesson here is that we do not go through trials and tribulations alone; God is with us even when our circumstances tell us differently. 

 

How hot is the water where you are today?  Does it seem that God is stoking the furnace, making it unbearably hot for you?  Do you wonder if you have been forgotten or if God even cares about where you are?  Think about Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in that furnace.  God did not forsake them but was with them through the entire ordeal and brought them safely out.  When they emerged, their faith was stronger, their understanding of God was clearer, and they were greater witnesses for God.  So, is the water hot enough where you are today?  If not and if God is heating things up, just remember the words of Job, “But he knows the way that I take; when he has tested me, I will come forth as gold.” (Job 23:10) 

To Build A Bridge

 

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aris is a wonderful city with incredible sights, sounds, marvelous food, and at all times of the year, tourists!  They come in droves to see the monuments, to sit in a café, and to buy any type of souvenir they can find, from Eiffel Tower key chains to original works of art.  There is something for everyone in Pairs and once you’ve been there, you want to go back. 

 

On one trip to the French capital, I had occasion to visit the city in a very unique way.  Paris is divided by the Seine River into the left and right banks.  Across the Seine, wonderful and lovely bridges connect the two sides of the city.  These bridges are not only beautiful, but they have wonderful stories to tell. 

 

The best way to see them is to take a boat tour in the evening when everything in the city is lit.  The tour takes about an hour and as you pass under each bridge, the tour guide tells the history of each bridge and its construction.  Although I have taken this tour several times, I learned something new about a particular bridge spanning the Seine and this lesson is the subject of our devotional today.  

 

On July 14, 1789, the French stormed a large prison in the city known as the Bastille.  The storming of this building marked the beginning of the French Revolution.  Two days after this event, the National Assembly had the building burned to the ground much to the merriment of the French people.  But that was not the end of this prison.  As the walls crumbled and fell, large stones lay strewn all over the ground.  These stones were taken, and a bridge was built across the Seine joining the right and left banks.  Today, that bridge is still standing and is known as Concorde Bridge.   

 

As the boat passed under that bridge, I thought long and hard about the stones looking down at me.  They had been used to close people in, to separate them from humanity, to keep them locked away and out of mind, to remove them completely from life.  Now those stones were serving a different purpose.  They had been used to span a river, allowing free passage from one side to another.  Stones once used as prison walls keeping people in now form a bridge opening one side of Paris to the other. 

 

Sometimes in the Christian life, we experience trials, setbacks, and difficulties.  At the time, we don’t fully understand God’s purpose nor his plan.  We feel hemmed in, trapped, imprisoned and shut off from others and sometimes from God, himself.  Our situation resembles a prison with no way out and the more we cry out to God, the more silent he seems to be.   

 

It during these times that the words of Romans 8:28 are especially comforting, “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”  These are very encouraging words form the Apostle Paul, especially in light of his life’s circumstances.  Paul was imprisoned, beaten, shipwrecked, pursued, ridiculed, mocked, misrepresented, well, you get the picture.  Paul knew that not everything in life is good, God never promised that.  But Paul did know that every situation works for good in the life of the believer.   

 

This is why he opens this wonderful verse with “And we know…”  He does not say we think, we believe, we hope, it might be possible, etc.  No!  Paul knows!  He knows from experience with God that his Heavenly Father understands the situations of his life and that God knows at every moment where Paul is and what he needs.  Paul knew that the very stones that seem to imprison today will be used by God to build a bridge in his life.  Paul also knows it takes time to build a bridge and so he is content to wait until God gives the go ahead to move forward. 

 

I do not know where you are today in your walk with God.  But I do know that God is working for good.  According to Jeremiah 29:11, God has plans for you, plans not to harm you but to give you a future and a hope.  He is busily and steadily working, using each and every circumstance, trial, setback, disappointment, difficulty, etc. to build, not a prison, but a bridge.  It is my prayer for you today that you will look beyond the walls that surround you today and see the bridge God is constructing.  Everything, and I do mean everything, in your life has a purpose and a meaning and God will use it for your good and for his glory.  Remember, it takes time and stones to build a bridge! 

When Nothing Goes Right

 

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ou know how it is, don’t you.  You wake up in the morning and just when you think it’s going to be a good day, the bottom falls out!  There’s no hot water, the coffee pot goes on the blink, the car won’t start, and to beat it all, you notice that during the night the power went out so you have no idea what time it is.  The only thing you know is that you are running behind and you will play catch-up for the rest of the day! 

 

Sound familiar?  The truth is most of us, if not all of us, have had days like this.  Some of us have weeks like this and then there are those eternal pessimist who would say life is like this!  We’ll pray for them!!  But honestly, we all experience times when it just seems everything is against us and Murphy’s Law (If anything can go wrong it will!) is in full effect in our lives. 

 

At times like this, we usually assume we understand what Job felt like   when he lost his wealth, his family, and his health.  But our situation, no matter how frustrating, doesn’t even compare with Job or his situation.  But there are other people and places in the Scriptures where frustration with life and difficult circumstances are clearly depicted. 

 

One such individual is Jacob.  If you remember Jacob’s story, you will recall that he tricked his brother, Esau, out of his birthright, he worked for Laban 14 years for his wife Rachel, he had 12 children, of whom Joseph was the favorite, and he wound up in Egypt during the height of a great famine plaguing the entire region from Egypt to Canaan.  

 

However, the greatest challenge in Jacob’s life was believing a lie for 13 years. Joseph’s brothers sold him into slavery but told their father that a wild animal attacked and killed the boy.  After 13 years, the brothers went to Egypt to buy food during the famine.  They didn’t recognize their brother, Joseph, who was in charge of the land and who sent them back home to bring the youngest brother back.  Jacob had refused to let Benjamin go to Egypt for fear harm would come to him and when faced with the idea the boy would leave he made the following statement found in Genesis 42:36b, “Everything is against me!” 

 

When we consider that Jacob’s oldest son, Simeon, was being held in an Egyptian prison as a guarantee Benjamin would be sent to Joseph, that Jacob was still mourning the loss of Joseph, and that Benjamin would now be taken from his father, we can understand why Jacob would make such a statement.  Nothing in Jacob’s life seemed to be going right.  Everything, as he said, was against him. 

 

Yet, everything was working for Jacob, not against him.  God was at work putting this family back together.  For the 13 years he was in Egypt, God had blessed Joseph and used him to bless others.  The time in Potipher’s household, the false accusations of Potipher’s wife, and the time spent in prison, were all necessary so that Joseph could be put in charge of Egypt and help his family.  Neither Joseph nor Jacob knew how God was working but He was there in every situation, working out His plan. 

 

This should give us great encouragement today.  It may very well seem that everything is against us.  Finances are low, job situations are not what we wish they would be, there seems to be no forward progress in our spiritual development, and it seems God has forgotten us.  Remember, during the times when nothing goes right, our Heavenly Father is working and He is working to our good in every situation no matter how difficult, challenging, or frustrating.  How are things going with you today?   

Daddy's Always Working

 

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he sound of the back doorbell sent me running through the house to greet whomever it was who had come to pay us a visit.  I ran as fast as my little two-year-old legs would carry me, dodging tables, toys, chairs, and quickly made my way to the back door, anxious and excited to see who was there.  I opened the door and stared for a few brief seconds.  The man standing there looked very familiar. I had seen him several times around our house but lately his visits had been very infrequent.  Nevertheless, he had come to pay us a visit and I wanted to make sure mom knew.  So I announced, “Mama, daddy’s come to visit us!” 

 

My dad never misses an opportunity to bring this to my attention!  So, why would I say such a thing?  Why would I believe daddy just visited us from time to time instead of actually living in our house?  Well, I’ll tell you. 

 

My dad was in the funeral business and that meant he was on call all the time to serve people when they needed it the most.  Now, I fully understand that but as a two-year-old boy, it just didn’t make sense.  Daddy was supposed to be home with me, making sure all my needs were met, giving me piggy-back rides, and playing with me. 

 

Yet the evidence of my dad’s service to me was everywhere.  It was in the pantry where our food was kept.  It was in my closet where my clothes hung.  It was in the warm bed where I slept safely and soundly every night.  And, it was in closing of the heavy front door, making sure I was safe, and warm, and dry.  The evidence of daddy’s love for me and of his working to provide for me was everywhere.  Even when he couldn’t be with me, his continual work ensured all my needs would be met. 

 

In John 5:17, we read, “Jesus said to them, “My Father is always at his work to this very day…”  Do we really understand these words?  Do we put them into practice?  How often do we feel that God has abandoned us during our most needful hour?  The phone rings and the voice on the other end informs us of a serious accident.  A letter is delivered, and the electric bill is much larger than we anticipated.  We hit our knees and pray, and it seems there is no one listening.  And just when we need a special touch from God it seems he is distant and uninterested. 

 

Yet God is always working.  Our hearts beat, we breathe, we enjoy the company of friends, we have food to eat, a warm place to stay, and clothes on our back.  All of these speak to the constant working of our Heavenly Father who takes great and perfect care of us.  Jesus said the birds of the air are fed and that we are worth so much more to God than they are. 

 

Wherever you are today, I want you to know that God is working on your behalf.  Even if you don’t feel him near, he is working.  And just when you least expect it the doorbell of your heart’s door will ring and guess who it will be?  Won’t you answer the door today?

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 whoolshing 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 already the news anchors had 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 whippedd 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?