Life's Ultimate Rest Area

 On August 7, 1979 I finally reached that long-awaited age of 16 and that meant one thing—driver’s license!  Yep, all my friends had been driving for months and now it was my turn to join the ranks.  My parents, though, didn’t seem to be as enthusiastic as I was about the prospect of me climbing behind the wheel of a car.  Go figure!  

  

Despite my assurance that I could now run errands for them, take my brother and sister to wherever they needed to go, and that I would no longer need them to shuttle me everywhere, they simply didn’t seem to be thrilled that I would be driving.  Something about increased insurance premiums, and not being able to relax until I was home, etc. were apparently a few of the reasons for their not-so-enthusiastic acceptance of this important right-of-passage.  

  

Once I received that little piece of plastic giving me the legal right to operate a vehicle, it soon became obvious that I would need some help if I wanted to go beyond the city limit signs.  That help would have to come from my dad, whose sense of direction still puts any GPS to shame!  

  

In order to have a car of my own, I had to get a job.  I worked on the weekends and during the summers to pay for it.  My job was in one of the local hospitals about 30 minutes from our home.  I remember asking my dad to give me directions which he did.  He gave the best directions, telling me how to avoid traffic and which areas would be the easiest to navigate but also those which could prove troublesome.  As long as I followed his directions, I never had any difficulty going to work or getting home safely.  

  

In 2 Chronicles 26:3-5 we are introduced to King Uzziah, who, at the ripe age of 16, wasn’t worried about driving; his concern was in governing a people.  If ever there were a time to ask for directions this would be it.  And that is exactly what Uzziah did.  In this passage we read, “Uzziah was sixteen years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem fifty-two years. His mother’s name was Jekoliah; she was from Jerusalem. He did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, just as his father Amaziah had done.  He sought God during the days of Zechariah, who instructed him in the fear of God. As long as he sought the Lord, God gave him success.”  

  

There are three important statements about Uzziah in this brief passage that provide great insight for us.  First, we are told that Uzziah did what was right in the eyes of the Lord.  This is a very telling statement for someone who is only 16 years old.  He didn’t know everything, in fact, he knew nothing about what it meant to be a king.  But he knew that as long as he obeyed the Lord, and did what was right according to him, his reign would be successful.  

  

Second, he sought the Lord.  Before making policy, before entering into agreements, before entering armed conflict, and before making any decision, Uzziah asked God for directions.  He trusted and knew that God would make sure he avoided traffic and difficulty areas and would see that he and his people remained safe and sound.  

  

Third, Uzziah was successful, not because of what he did and not because of what he knew, but because he consulted God in everything.  This is the great secret of walking with God.  We are to seek him daily, even hourly, because the road ahead is filled with all types of dangers we cannot see.  When was the last time you asked God for directions?  Before you start today’s journey, don’t you think you should?  

A Spirutal Flying Buttress

I remember the first time I saw it. I had read about it, teachers and professors had lectured on it, and I had seen pictures of it in books and in movies. However, nothing compared to visiting and seeing the cathedral of Notre Dame in Paris firsthand. Nothing I had seen, heard, or read compared to this magnificent structure. In that instant it became, and still is, my favorite place to visit in Paris. Everything else, the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, the Arc de Triomphe, etc., pales in comparison to this jewel.

During my junior year in college, I lived in southern France and had occasion to visit Paris on three different occasions. As you can guess, I visited Notre Dame every single time and it’s the first stop I make when I visit Paris. On four different occasions it has been my privilege to introduce students to Notre Dame and each time I saw the same reaction in their faces that I had on my first visit to the cathedral.

While the interior is impressive with its rose windows and high vaulted ceilings, the bell towers are one of its most alluring features. Although I am afraid of heights, at the ripe old age of twenty, I climbed the towers to get a breathtaking view of Paris. While climbing to the top of the towers, I kept looking for Victor Hugo’s hunchback, Quasimodo. There is just something about reading that novel that causes you to expect to see him in all the nooks and crannies that dot the cathedral. Needless to say, I never saw Quasimodo, but I have a feeling he is lurking somewhere in those bell towers!

It was on a solo visit to Notre Dame, however, that I discovered its most endearing feature. Just past the south tower is an entrance that leads to a park located behind the cathedral. This walk provides an impressive view of one of the most iconic parts of Notre Dame, the flying buttresses. The enormity of the structure and the immense weight of its roof put intense pressure on its walls.

The builders of gothic cathedrals, of which Notre Dame is a prime specimen, devised an ingenious way to stabilize the cathedral’s walls. They built a series of flying buttresses that pushed against the exterior of the cathedral, directing the immense forces pushing on the walls into the ground, thus securing the entire structure.

The best view of the flying buttresses is in the park located directly behind Notre Dame. The park is a haven for locals and tourists alike. There is a bench that sits dead center of the cathedral and that is where I sit every time I am there. It is a marvelous sight and one I never tire of.

Would it surprise you to learn that the concept of the flying buttress existed way before architects discovered its use in building?  It is true, and we need look no further than Paul’s letter to the Galatians to find it. In Galatians 6:2 Paul writes, “Cary each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.”

Do you see the concept of the flying buttress in Paul’s letter? He states categorically that we are to help each other, to uphold each other, to encourage each other, and to lighten one another’s load. Jesus told his disciples in John 13:35 that everyone would know they were his disciples if they had love for each other. What better way is there to demonstrate love for another person than to help shoulder his/her burdens?

Paul reminds us further that we have opportunity to do this and that we must avail ourselves of the opportunity to help all people, especially our brothers and sisters in Christ (Galatians 6:9-10). Every day we meet people at work, in the grocery store, at the park, on the sidewalk, etc. who are hurting. In fact, everyone is carrying some sort of burden. Some carry the burden of illness, some of depression, some of hopelessness, some of loss, and some have no name for their burdens. Paul reminds us in this passage that we are to come alongside them and to provide support, to be a spiritual flying buttress.

Notre Dame remains standing almost one thousand years after is foundations were laid. Through storm, through rain, through hail, through the French Revolution, and through fire, it remains. The flying buttresses continue to support and uphold that tremendous structure. It is not a great leap for us to understand that if a piece of stone can support a building, how much more can we help others to stand when we help them bear their burdens. Are you being a spiritual flying buttress to those around you today?

 

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!

The Backside of the Desert

 

I

n the distance the first tendrils of sunlight appeared on the horizon.  In a few moments it would be dawn with sunlight splashing over the landscape as it had for thousands of dawns before this one.  Not far away, the bleating of sheep and goats signaled that the night was indeed ending as man and beast eagerly awaited the arrival of the morning sun.

He had been lying there for over an hour, waking from a fitful sleep.  His tent was open and he stared at the vanishing stars fighting against the breaking of the dawn with all the fury and determination of someone battling for his life. The sound of the animals and the ever-brightening sky meant he needed to start his day.  It would be a busy one as it always was when he moved the flock from one area to another.  He was tired from lack of restful sleep but tonight he knew his rest would be sweet and deep.

The flock gathered around him, eager to begin the long journey.  Although they didn’t know where they were going, anticipation filled the air.  The tents were struck, camels were loaded, and all the animals were gathered into one place.  Finally, after one last check around the campsite, man and beasts set out for the pastures found at the foot of the mountains on the backside of the desert.

The journey took most of the morning and by early afternoon they had reached their destination.  Once camp was established, it was time to visit the pastures and feed the flock.  The shepherd was finally relieved, having arrived at the base of the mountain and its pastures in record time.  He joyfully led his flock to the grasslands to graze.  That’s when he saw something he would never forget, something that shouldn’t be, something no one had ever seen, and something that would change his life forever!  What he saw defied all logic and yet it was real—a bush on fire that did not burn up!

Yes, our shepherd is Moses, the man who would stand before Pharaoh, the man who would deliver the children of Israel from slavery, the man who would use his staff to perform miraculous signs, and the man who would be known as the lawgiver.  But all of these things were in the future.  Moses’s past still haunted him.  He had fled Egypt because he had murdered an Egyptian.  He had come to the wilderness of Midian, married a woman named, Sephora, and had become a shepherd for his father-in-law’s flocks.  But from this day forward, nothing would be the same.

Let us take a closer look at Moses’s not-so-usual-day-at-the-office.  Exodus 3:1 gives us the following account, “Now Moses kept the flock of Jethro his father in law, the priest of Midian: and he led the flock to the backside of the desert, and came to the mountain of God, even to Horeb.”  Notice that Moses is in the wilderness.  It was a remote place where he had very little contact with others.  As if this weren’t enough, the passage tells us that Moses led the flock to the backside of the desert. Now I ask you, how much more remote can you get?  Exactly where is the backside of a desert anyway?  Wherever it is, it had to be one of the loneliest and most challenging places Moses knew.

Yet it is in this very setting that God performs one of His greatest calls to ministry.  Although the story of Moses and the burning bush is well-known, we need to understand exactly what took place at Horeb, the mountain of God, on the backside of the desert.  

In the conversation between God and Moses, Moses learns he is to return to Egypt.  God has chosen him to walk into Egypt and break the good news to Pharaoh that the Hebrew slaves are free and will be leaving right away!  Lucky Moses!  But it is not so much the message God gives Moses as the manner in which it is given.  Notice in verse 12 that God tells Moses he will return to this very mountain to serve God.  Notice also that Moses is leading a flock of sheep, caring for them and tending to their needs.  For the past forty years he has covered this ground, learning everything about its contours, its dangers, and its safe havens.  The time has now come for God to take all that knowledge, all that training, and all that skill, and put it to use for his divine purposes.

But in order for him to make that point clear to Moses, God leads him to the backside of the desert.  This encounter with God forever changes the life of Moses and forever alters the future of mankind.  Where once he led sheep, he will now lead people.  Where once he fed animals, he will provide for God’s own.  Where once he traveled alone, he will now lead a multitude.  Everything Moses did for his father-in-law, he will now do for God on a scale never before imagined.

Are you wondering in the wilderness today?  Do you feel you have covered the same ground countless times and performed the same tasks over and over so that they now are just part of the routine?  Take heart from Moses.  Who knows how many times he had been to the backside of the desert?  Who knows how many times he had seen that bush in previous years?  Who knows how often he had gazed at the summit of Mount Horeb, wondering what views could be seen from its heights?  Then one day God called Moses to the far end of the desert to be his own.  Are you ready to visit the backside of the desert today?

Have You Been There?

 

D

uring trips to France, most of our students spend several days shopping, trying to find perfect souvenir for that special someone.  They come armed with lists from people back home asking for everything from perfume to postcards.  Every member of our group has at least five people who all want a little piece of France, something to prove they know someone who has been there.

As for myself, I purchase very few, if any, souvenirs.  Instead, I take snapshots and try to drink in as many special moments as I can.  I visit the bakeshops, go to several cafés, visit a few restaurants, and take several walks in my favorite sections of the city.  I don’t come back with bags and pockets full of key chains, saltshakers, or little silver spoons. The only items I have that prove I visited France include my pictures, my airplane boarding passes, and the stamps in my passport proving I entered and exited the country.

I do, however, buy a few small items to bring back to the States for a very special people.  They want something from France, something that would prove the place exists so I accommodate them as best I can.  It is easy for me to speak of the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre Museum, Notre Dame Cathedral, the Seine River, etc. because I have actually been there and have seen these things first-hand.  The fact I have been there in person causes those with whom I share my experiences to believe me.  They know I have been there and that gives them all the more reason to believe my stories and experiences are true.

Daily life is sometimes more adventurous than a trip to Europe.  We encounter all types of challenging experiences in life and we appreciate those people who fully understand by virtue of having experienced the same circumstances we are experiencing.   It is one thing to tell someone who is about to undergo surgery that you can understand their fear.  But if you’ve ever undergone the same surgery, you can give them insight and encouragement the average person can’t.  Someone who has never had surgery simply cannot empathize with someone who is facing a major operation.  What we want is someone who has been there and experienced the same thing first-hand.

There is a biblical basis for this and it is found in Paul’s second letter to the church in Corinth.  Paul knew that sometimes life throws us curves and he also knew the road of life frequently takes uphill climbs.  Who better to encourage his fellow Christians than someone who spent time in prison, who was beaten, who was shipwrecked, and who was himself persecuted in so many ways?  Perhaps that is why Paul writes the following in 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.”

In this passage Paul explains why it is we go through trials and difficulties in life.  Notice his words of encouragement that God, himself, is our comfort.  God is our refuge and shield as the Psalmist says, but he is also our comfort.  God comforts us when we are hurting, when we are disappointed, when we are sick, and when we simply are tired of the journey.  He does this so that we can encourage and comfort others who are experiencing the same things in life.  Notice that he admonishes us to comfort others with the same comfort we received from God.  This means that not only do we understand the situation in which others find themselves, but we also can share the joy of God’s comfort with them because we have experienced it ourselves.

Wherever you are in your walk with God today, know this:  God is aware of your situation and he knows everything you are feeling and experiencing right now.  He wants to comfort and he will comfort you in every situation.  But don’t be surprised to find out that he will call on you to share that comfort with someone else who is hurting or who is facing trying circumstances.  You will be a source of encouragement and strength when they look at you and ask, “Have you been there?”  You can say with all confidence, “Yes, I have been there and I know that God has been there too because he was there with me.”  Are you ready to comfort someone today?

Daybreak

 

T

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

No Way Out!

 

A

 hospital is not the place to go if you need to rest.  People are always coming in and out of your room to check your temperature, to monitor your blood pressure, to weigh you, or to see if you need anything.  My personal favorite is when they wake you up to see if you're sleeping all right.  I've never quite figured that one out!  This was my experience the evening of June 11, 1975.  My parents had taken me to Duke University Medical Center to undergo open-heart surgery the following day.  I was eleven years old and the memory of that evening is indelibly etched on my mind.

I had had a grueling day, spending most of it waiting for a room to become available. Late in the afternoon, I was admitted.  We met with the surgeon early in the evening and then my parents left to go to their hotel.  The remainder of the evening I spent alone with my thoughts.  Many things raced through my mind but the one thought that kept returning to me was that there was no way out.  In the morning, I would be taken to the operating room and the surgery would be performed.  It was just a matter of time before they would come after me.

My parents arrived early the next morning and, not long after their arrival, they came to take me to surgery.  The view from a gurney is very interesting.  All I could see was the ceiling above me and I wasn't sure where I was. All I knew is that everyone around me was a stranger and the surroundings were unfamiliar.  Everyone and everything familiar was behind me while everyone and everything before me was unknown. 

As they made the final preparations for surgery and moved me to the table, the words of Isaiah 43:2-3acame to my mind.  This was a verse I had heard my mom quote several times and the words provided great solace to me, even at eleven years of age.  No words, perhaps, have given me more comfort during the difficult times in my life than these.  Isaiah 43:2-3a says, "When you go through deep waters and great trouble, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown! When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you.  For I am the Lord, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior."

As I closed my eyes, I knew God was there.  There was no way out except to go through the surgery.  God's promise was to be with me, all the way through to the very end.  He was there when I went to sleep, he was there when they began the surgery, he was there when they stopped my heart, he was there when they repaired the hole in it, he was there when it started again, and he was there when I woke up.

The pain I experienced when I awoke was proof that God had been with me.  The pain meant I was alive and the surgery was over.  Now the process of healing would begin.  When I saw my parents again, I remembered I hadn't been alone and that the same God who kept watch over me during the surgery also watched over them.  He had been with them through the long hours of waiting and had not left them alone either.

Each time I see the scar on my chest, I am reminded of God's great promise to me.  He never promised to remove the difficulties or the trials of life, but he did promise to go through them with me.  Since then, there have been other trials and tests and I can tell you that in every single one of them God has been with me.  He has never left me but has held my hand at all times through them, just as he promised he would. 

Wherever you are and whatever you are facing in life today, rest assured God knows where you are.  He is there with you, going through every trying experience you have, even when it seems there is no way out. Believe me when I tell you that God is faithful, that he fulfills his promises, that he will never leave you, and he will never forget you.  So, squeeze his hand more tightly as you walk with him today and you'll find that he will squeeze yours as well to let you know everything is all right!

Roadside Assistance

 

O

ne Friday, I got up as usual, made breakfast, made sure the cat had all she needed, made the bed, and got ready for work.  I was ahead of schedule and would arrive at the office with a few extra minutes to enjoy some conversation over a steaming cup of coffee.  Yes, all was going well until I pulled my car out the garage.  The car’s steering just didn’t feel right and there was a thumping sound as I rolled down the driveway. 

I stopped the car, turned off the radio, put the car back in gear, and gingerly eased it forward.  Yep, there was the thumping sound again and the same resistance in the steering wheel I had felt just a few moments before.  I pulled the car back into the garage, hopped out, and inspected the front passenger side which seemed to be the origin of the noise.  Sure enough, the front right tire was flat; I mean it was on the rim.

Well now, what was I going to do at 6:30 in the morning?  I couldn’t wake my neighbors, I couldn’t call a friend to help change a flat that early in the morning, and changing it myself would have been quite a comedy routine.  Fortunately for me, my car offers a feature which I took full advantage of that Friday morning.  A series of three buttons, one for information, one for emergencies, and one for roadside assistance, are located just above my head in the center console.  I pressed the roadside assistance switch and in fewer than thirty-minutes, a technician arrived at my home, changed the tire, and sent me on my merry way!

That got me to thinking about the number of times people call roadside assistance on a daily basis.  So many times, I pass people along the highway who are just waiting for that magic truck to appear and help them out of their predicaments.  Sometimes, I see good Samaritans who will pull off to the roadside just to help someone in need.

Would it surprise you to learn that the idea of roadside assistance dates all the way back to the New Testament?  Don’t believe me?  The let’s spend a few moments together in Acts 8 as we see Philip, one of the 12 disciples, rendering roadside assistance to the Treasurer of Ethiopia.

As our story opens, the Treasurer of Ethiopia is reading a passage from Isaiah. Phillip asks if he understands what he is reading to which the man categorically states his frustration in understanding because he has no one to explain the passage to him, “The man replied, “How can I, unless someone instructs me?” And he urged Philip to come up into the carriage and sit with him.” (Acts 8:31)

Do you see this man’s call for roadside assistance?  Can you hear the desperation in his voice as he pleads with Philip for help? And that is exactly what Philip did. He climbed up in the man’s carriage and gave expert service so this man would no longer be in need, “So beginning with this same Scripture, Philip told him the Good News about Jesus. As they rode along, they came to some water, and the eunuch said, “Look! There’s some water! Why can’t I be baptized?” He ordered the carriage to stop, and they went down into the water, and Philip baptized him.”

The road of life is strewn with people who have been stranded by the difficulties and challenges they face.  They don’t know what to do. They don’t know whom to call. They don’t understand why no one will take the time to come alongside and help them.  As Christians, we have been given the solemn order to preach the gospel at all times and to help those who are in need.  Take a good look around you today and you will see so many who are experiencing difficulties.  Won’t you, like Philip, offer them roadside assistance today?

Nothing to Wear

 

O

k, how many times have you opened up your closet and just stared?  You have been invited to go out to eat, or to a party, or over to a friend's house and you have absolutely nothing to wear?  If the truth were known, your closet is probably hanging full of clothes that are both attractive and fashionable but for some reason you don't wear them because you don't like the way you look in them.  Moreover, you are worried what people's reaction to you will be in a particular outfit.

We spend way too much time worried about our outward appearance.  We spend both time and money to find just the right apparel so we will be accepted by our peers.  Someone once said that we buy things we don't need at prices we can't afford with money we don't have to impress people we don't like. I believe this comes pretty close to the truth for most of us.

John the Baptist's wardrobe would have driven any modern-day designer crazy. The scriptures tell us in Matthew 3:3-4 that "John's clothes were made of camel hair, and he had a leather belt around his waist.  His food was locusts and wild honey. People went out to him from Jerusalem and all Judea and the whole region of the Jordan."  Pardon me, but John doesn't sound like someone you'd invite to a nice restaurant, or someone you'd probably have in your home as a dinner guest.  Yet, people from all over the region went out to see John. 

What was it about him that caused people to travel such a great distance to see him?  It definitely couldn't be the clothes or his diet.  Could it have been John's message?  Could it have been the fact that John's words and actions spoke of a man who knew God and spent time with him? I believe it was for this very reason people went to see him.  John came preaching repentance, telling people that what they needed was to be forgiven.  He came to prepare the way for the coming of the Messiah.  His message was real, timely, and touched the lives of those around him.

We are called to do the same thing.  People should be drawn to us because of the message we share.  What is it about your life today that attracts people?  Is it what you wear, or the person you are underneath the clothing?  Is it the words you use or the message you send?  Is it the claims you make or the actions you perform?  John had no great store of clothes in his wardrobe.  There were no Armani suits or Oscar de la Renta ties.  All he had to give and to present was the message of God, and that can be worn anywhere for any occasion.

On Your Way Home

 

S

ummertime was the most wonderful time of the year for me as a kid because summertime meant three very important things:  school was out, I could go barefoot, and I could ride my bike anytime and anywhere (well, almost anywhere) I wanted.  I would wake up in the morning and have the whole day ahead of me.  The waking hours were filled with all kinds of possibilities of things to do, places to go, and people to see.  Sounds like I was some big-time explorer with some big-time plans for making a grand discovery, doesn’t it?  Well to me, it felt pretty much like that.

One of my favorite things to do was to ride my bike.  All the kids in our neighborhood had bikes and we rode them all the time.  Most of the time, we would ride in the neighborhood, not too far from our homes.  But we also broadened our horizons, widening the boundaries of our jaunts, venturing across town to the park, or to get ice cream at one of the small convenience stores that dotted our town.

But I also enjoyed the rides I took by myself.  I enjoyed these the most because I usually ended up at the same location, grandma and grandpa’s house.  They lived only a mile away but we always described it as “clear across town,” and sometimes it seemed that their home was the furthermost outpost in the city.

Whenever I arrived, both my grandparents were always glad to see me and anything in the cabinets, the refrigerator, or under grandpa’s chair was game.  Grandpa’s chair was where the most precious of all treasures, Snickers candy bars, was hidden.  Those candy bars were always a special treat because grandpa loved them so much and he always handed me one (or two) when I went over to visit.  But the cookies, the cakes, the ice cream, and anything else were always sampled as well.

Usually, my mom would call me at grandma’s to see what time I was leaving for home.  She usually had something she wanted me to pick up on my way home from one of the local grocery stores.  She always said the same thing, “On your way home….”  Sometimes it was a loaf of bread, a pack of cheese, some sugar, or something to drink.  At other times there were several items but always there was something for me to pick up on my way home.

Jesus left the following instructions for his disciples and for all those who would become believers in him because of their testimony and witness.  In Matthew 28:19 we read these words, “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,” This passage of scripture is usually referred to as The Great Commission because Jesus gave his followers a big assignment.  They were told to make disciples everywhere they went and to share the truth of God’s word with all those around them.

I like to think of this passage in light of my mother’s phone conversations with me while I visited with my grandparents.  I believe Jesus wanted us to understand that on our way home, we are to pick up as many people as we can and bring them with us.  Now, what we have to understand is that we are on our way home every waking moment of our lives.  As long as we are taking in air, as long as our hearts are beating, and as long as we remain here, we are on our way home.  That means we must constantly be about the task of picking up people and telling them about Jesus and his love for us.

As I grew older, I exchanged my bike for a car. However, whenever I visited my grandparents, mom still called and still told to me pick up things on my way home.  Since I had a car, however, I could pick up more things and carry more responsibility.  I believe it is the same with us as we mature in Christ.  We move from a spiritual bike to a spiritual car, being able to pick up more, to carry more, and to deliver more as we mature and grow in our walk with God.  Even today, one thousand miles away from 511 South Elm Street where my grandparents used to live, I still make myself a mental note to pick up certain items on my way home.  What are you picking up on your way home today?