Getting Away

 

T

here was once a young housewife who had experienced one of those weeks.  It had been Monday for five days straight and on this particular day, everything imaginable had gone wrong.  It started with the alarm clock not ringing at 6:00 a.m.  She awoke at 7:30 to a crying baby and a husband who was still snoozing with an 8:30 appointment with the boss looming over him.  The dog had decided to turn over the trash can in the kitchen, she burned the toast, and the hot water heater went on the blink again. 

After this, her morning got progressively worse and by the time her husband came home and asked, "What's for dinner?" she was ready to blow her cool.  All she wanted was to get away.  She had this dream of getting into the car and driving until she ran out of gas; and she would have done this were it not for the fact that the car was in the garage with two flat tires and no gas in the tank!!

Wow what a day!  Nevertheless, I'm sure all of us can identify with this poor woman.  We've all had days, even weeks, when everything didn't go according to plan.  At times like this, we've all wanted to escape, to go somewhere quiet, a place where no one can find us, where the doorbell doesn't ring and the telemarketers can't reach us. 

The disciples experienced a time such as this.  Jesus had sent them out to teach and cast out evil spirits.  No doubt, they encountered days which were tiring and situations which were anything but pleasant.  There must have been times they were completely worn down and wanted to get away from it all.  When they returned and reported to Jesus all they had done, he said what had to be perhaps the most wonderful words they had heard in quite a while "Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest" (Mark 6:31). 

Jesus knew exactly what they needed.  The Christian life can get too cumbersome and too filled with activity.  The disciples had been doing ministry, but even ministry gets in the way of our resting with God.  Notice that Jesus asks them to go away with him to a quiet place to rest.  Isn't this just like God?  Just when we can't go another step, when we can't take one more test, just at that moment he takes us to a quiet place. 

How long has it been since you visited a solitary place with God; a place where it was just you and he with nothing before you but time to rest?  God knows we are dust and he knows we need rest.  Rest is not laziness, it is restoration.  Today, if you are having another "Monday", listen to the voice of Jesus.  He is asking you to come away with him to a quiet, solitary place where you can rest.  Not only rest for your body and mind, but rest for your soul as well.  Can't you hear him saying, "Come unto me all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest"?  Listen to him today!

All Dried Up

 

T

here is nothing better on a cold, crisp morning than a piping hot bowl of oatmeal.  It gets the day started right, warming you on the inside, keeping the elements outside at bay.  In fact, when you are warm on the inside, life just goes better and cold, wintry days become less of an obstacle and more of a joy. 

I didn’t used to be like this.  As a little boy, I hated oatmeal and wouldn’t touch the stuff.  My brother liked it but I didn’t!  Actually, I never gave oatmeal a fair shake.  But now, it’s a completely different story.  Each week in the grocery store I spend literally fifteen to twenty minutes picking out oatmeal for the coming week.  Will it be maple, brown sugar and cinnamon, apple, raisin and almonds, or the variety pack?  No matter what flavor I finally select, I always buy the instant variety.  Standing over hot stove cooking oatmeal has very little appeal for me.  I love dumping the cereal into the bowl, adding hot water, and then stirring the mixture until the water works its way through the dry mix.  Then I’m ready to enjoy and reap the benefits of that bowl of oatmeal.

Did you realize that our spiritual lives resemble oatmeal in a very real way?  Without water, oatmeal is dry, bland, boring, and useless.  It needs hot water to change it into a form that the body can readily use and that makes it more appealing to the taste buds.  The writer of Psalm 42 knew all too well the effects of a life without God.  He understood how dry and parched our souls become when we don’t have a steady dose of God’s word and His presence.  In Psalm 42:1-2, we read the following, “As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God?”

Do you feel the dryness here?  Can you understand the longing the psalmist feels for God’s presence?  Like a deer searching for a cool pond of water where it can slake its thirst, so the psalmist is searching to satisfy his desire for the Lord.  Inside he is dry, parched, withered, and weak.  He needs to spend time with God, to drink deeply from His word, to drink in as much of God’s spirit and presence as he desires.  That is what God invites us to do.  He wants us to take in as much of Him as we want.  The pond of His word is deep, the streams of His blessings are always flowing, and the reservoirs of His love are never dried up.

When His word gets into our hearts, souls, and minds, we are changed.  When our insides are filled with Him, the outside elements of the world pose no threat to us.  We still must live in the world, we still must face its challenges and trials, but the word of the living God warms us, nourishes us, and prepares us for the road ahead.  But adding water to the oatmeal in my bowl does very little good until I stir it in and mix it all together.  The water must work its way through the dried oats until they are all changed from dry, parched, elements to a warm, creamy cereal that I can eat.  In the same way, God’s word must not only be read, but it must work its way into every area of our lives so that it becomes a part of us.

It is my prayer for you today that you will take time to have a healthy dose of God’s word.  Spend time with God, talking with Him, praying to Him, drinking of Him deeply.  The dry areas of your life will soon disappear and you will be ready to face life with all its hang ups and challenges.  Being warm and satisfied on the inside will always prepare you to face the world outside.  Anyone for a bowl of oatmeal?  I hear the kettle whistling!

Do You Have My Card?

 

O

ne afternoon I was thumbing through a scrapbook I made during one of two summers I spent working as a chaplain at Philmont Scout Ranch in New Mexico.  The pictures and post cards brought back fond memories of people, places, events, and conversations that took place during those summers.  As with most past events, it seems it was only yesterday when I stood and looked over the mountains and valleys of Philmont.  Yet, somehow it also feels as if that were an eternity ago. 

As I continued flipping through the pictures, I came across a section I forgot about making.  Toward the back of the album are several pages of nothing but business cards.  Some of them have notes written on them wishing me luck or informing me of a place to stay should I ever be in the neighborhood.  What strikes me as most odd is that I remember the faces of the people and the circumstances surrounding my receipt of each card.  In addition, the information on the cards allows me to contact these individuals whenever I wish.  The cards contain phone numbers, fax numbers, cell phone numbers, email addresses, and some of them have home addresses as well.  In order to re-establish contact, all I have to do is read the cards and use the information they contain. 

Moses had this very experience with God.  I guess you might say that Moses received one of God's business cards first-hand.  Exodus 3 records the very familiar story of Moses and the burning bush.  While tending to his father-in-law's flock, Moses saw a bush on fire but the bush was not consumed.  Amazed, he went over to investigate and that's when he had what turned out to be a most interesting and unique conversation. 

When the introductions were over, God told Moses to return to Egypt in order to lead the children of Israel out of bondage.  Moses, wanting to make sure he heard correctly, began questioning God about this plan.  He wasn’t quite sure God had the chosen the right man for the job.  One of his excuses was that the people would want to know who sent Moses to free them. What could he show them as proof that he had spent time with God.  Who should he say had sent him? 

Exodus 3:14 records God's answer, "And God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.” And He said, “Thus you shall say to the children of Israel, ‘I AM has sent me to you.’ ” In essence, God said to Moses, "Here, have one of my cards.  This is who I am and this is how you can reach me."  What wonderful picture this is.  That conversation forever changed Moses.  He always remembered when it happened, where it happened, what was said, and who said it.  This experience became indelibly etched on his mind and heart and I am sure he revisited it many times. 

Somewhere in your home or perhaps in your car or office you have a copy of God's business card.  It's not in a Rolodex or in your wallet.  Instead, it is probably on a table, in a drawer, or on a bookshelf.  It tells you who God is, how to reach Him, and what His office hours are.  If you read it carefully, you'll find He can be reached day or night, twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week.  His office is always open, His telephone line is never busy, and you never have to leave a message.  His is always available. Won't you make an appointment with Him today?  Do you have His card? 

An Open Book

 

W

henever I visit a shopping mall, I just naturally gravitate to certain stores.  I don't even realize I'm headed that way and the next thing I know, there I stand in the middle of the store, wondering how I got there.   Have you ever had this happen to you?  I mean, you just can't help it.  Some people go to the shoe store, some visit a particular clothes shop, some go for the food court, a personal favorite of mine, and still others head for the nearest store selling all kinds of nifty gadgets. However, for me, the store I frequent the most is the bookstore.  I simply cannot visit a mall without going into a store and browsing through the available stacks of books.  Books are one of my greatest loves and I love being surrounded by them.

Before coming to seminary, my brother and I owned our own home.  My room had a great feature that was unique.  I installed a study loft, complete with bookshelves, in my bedroom. An iron ladder led to the loft and I would go up there to escape, to read, to nap, and to think.  I placed all my books there and cataloged them on my computer.  I knew which books I had and on what shelf they resided.  If someone borrowed a book, I knew who had it and my room was incomplete until it was returned.  I can still see those books and their arrangement on the shelves. I took great pride in them and would frequently go to the loft just to be near them.  To ensure the books always remained in my possession, I bought an embosser, personalized with my initials, and embossed all my books, marking each of them as my own, belonging to no one else.

Do you realize that we are to Christ just like those books are to me?  James 1:18 says, "In his goodness he chose to make us his own children by giving us his true word. And we, out of all creation, became his choice possession."  Each book on my shelf was there because I wanted it to be and it had its own unique place on the shelf that I had selected for it.  In the same way, we belong to Christ because he wants us.  He knows all there is to know about us and he loves us anyway.  As James says, we are his precious possessions.  Out of all the things he created, Jesus chose to give his life for us, to save us from our sins and to restore us to a proper relationship with God. To make us his own, he shed his blood on Calvary's cross.  When we accept him as our Lord and Savior, he places his mark on us and we become his.  We belong to no one else.  He is aware of us at all times and he has chosen the place of our service, the exact place where we will bring glory to God.

The books that lined the shelves of my study loft had several things in common.  They all had an outside cover, some soft, some hard, some big, some small, some colorful, some bland.  Likewise, they were all composed of pages on which ink had impressed the words of a story.  Each book was different from all the others, yet each book was an integral part of my personal library because it was marked with my personal seal.  This is a perfect picture of the body of Christ.  We are unique, with our own stories to tell.  Some of us are hard, some soft, some colorful, some bland, some big, some small. However, if we have accepted Christ, we carry his seal.  We are his precious possession and we make up his body.

If the pages of your life were opened today and your story read, would there be any indication of Christ's stamp upon your life?  Is your life unmistakably marked with blood of Jesus?  Do the people reading your life know to whom you belong? 

Camping With God

 

O

ne of the things I loved most about our house was its backyard.  We had several trees, a row of bushes that separated our property from one set of neighbors, a neat ditch that separated us from the neighbors behind us, and a common driveway creating the property line with the neighbors on the other side of our home.  There was enough mischief in the backyard for an inquisitive, growing boy like me.  Needless to say, I took full advantage of the opportunity and got into more than my share of trouble.

The kids in our neighborhood also liked our backyard.  We would gather there for games of hide-and-seek, or to play basketball on our goal, or to play baseball, or just to swing on the swings.  One time, my dad erected a huge tent for us and all of the neighborhood boys came over and we camped out. 

Being in that tent was a big adventure. Here we were out in the big outdoors, sleeping on the ground in sleeping bags, eating chips, watching television, and going into the house anytime we wanted to raid the pantry.  So much for braving the great outdoors!  We were really roughing it, weren’t we?  Indiana Jones had nothing on us!

I have often thought of that night long ago when six boys got to spend the night in that tent.  Although we were camped in the backyard, we knew that anything we needed was just a few steps away.  Mom and Dad left the backdoor unlocked so that we could have direct access to the house.

Camping was not a foreign concept to the peoples of the Old Testament.  In fact, several of the patriarchs lived in tents and moved from place to place, following God’s leading and direction.  But their needs were always met and God provided for them and for their families.  This is nowhere more evident than in the story of Abraham, especially when God promised to give him all the land he could see.

In Genesis 13, we find the account of Abraham and his nephew Lot.  They were travelling and living together in the land God promised to Abraham.  Their families and possessions soon grew too large and they were in conflict with each other.  So, Abraham gave Lot his choice of the land and told him to settle where he wanted.  After making his choice, Lot and Abraham separated.  It was at this time that God came to Abraham and promised to provide for him and his family.

Genesis 13:17 is a small verse; but packed inside is one of the most wonderful promises in all the Scriptures.  God makes the following promise to Abraham: “Arise, walk in the land through its length and its width, for I give it to you.”  Wow! What a promise and what a command!

Did you notice the first word of the verse?  Abraham was not to sit idly by, looking at the land.  Instead, he was to “arise” and “walk” in the land, to explore its length and width, to live in it, and to enjoy it.  As long as Abraham remained in the land, he remained in the center of God’s provision for his life.  Wherever he went, he was in God’s provision.  Whatever he saw, it was in God’s provision.  Everything he touched, smelled, ate, and did was in God’s provision.

Abraham’s life was full because he lived it completely upon the land that God provided.  God’s own words were for him to walk its “length and width.”  A few verses before, God told Abraham to look as far as he could see in all four directions and all the visible land would belong to him and to his descendants.

This story has wonderful implications and applications for us today.  God’s promise of provision remains. God never calls any of us to a place of service unless He first provides all that we need for the task at hand.  God never leaves us holding the bag and He never fails to meet every need we have. As long as we remain in the land, that is, in His provision, then everything we do, think, and touch comes directly from our Heavenly Father.  The secret is to remain in His provision, wherever that may lead.  Abraham lived in several places after arriving in the Promised Land.  However, wherever he pitched his tent, he was always living in God’s provision and so was his family.  God provided for them all.

That evening in the backyard of our home was a wonderful experience.  We stayed in the tent but we also had full access to the pantry!  Whatever my dad had in the house he gave to us to enjoy.  Our Heavenly Father is the same way.  As long as we seek to live in the center of His will and as long as we are content to live in His provision, we will always be satisfied and will always have all that we need.  So, when was the last time you slept in a tent?  Don’t you want to go camping with God?  I highly recommend it!

Speed Bumps

 

O

n my way home one evening from dinner I decided to take the scenic route.  You know how it is, don't you?  You just get bored of the same old drive home so you decide to take a street or a road you've not traveled in a while.  Usually, you drive more slowly and, if you're lucky, you notice things you haven't before and sometimes you notice something that will make you think.

This is exactly what happened on this particular evening.  I didn't see anything earth shattering, nothing that would cause you to slam on the breaks, stop the car, get out and take a picture.  No, what I saw was much more subdued and ordinary.  What I saw was a road sign.

This particular road sign was like all the others.  It was white, rectangular, and affixed to a telephone pole.  However, the message on the sign made me sit up and pay attention.  The sign read, "Speed Bumps Ahead" Now, like any other driver, I hate speed bumps.  They always get in the way and prevent me from doing what I really want to do, drive!  You expect speed bumps in the parking lots of malls and supermarkets.  They make sense there because people are backing out, parking, and getting into and out of cars.  There are also a lot of people walking around these areas and speed bumps help prevent accident or injury.

Nevertheless, these particular speed bumps were in the middle of a street.  No sooner had I crossed one and regained my speed than I was forced to slow down and cross another one.  This went on and on for what seemed like 100 miles.  In actuality, however, it was less than one.  That's the beauty of writing, you can exaggerate and get away with it!!!  That road sign, however, taught me a very valuable lesson. 

Because of the speed bumps, I was forced to slow down.  However, due to my reduced speed I was able to see that flowers had started to bloom and that trees were beginning to bud.  I saw a family outside spending time together and I noticed how green and pretty everything had become.  Normally, I would cruise down this street without taking notice of these things but with those speed bumps in my path, I had to slow down.

Life is a lot like this.  We are so accustomed to cruising along through life that sometimes we must be forced to slow down.  That's when God places speed bumps in our way.  These come in various guises and seem to appear at the most inconvenient time.  We tend to see them as problems, difficulties and obstacles to overcome.  God sees them as opportunities for growth.  Some of life's speed bumps come in the form of illnesses, financial challenges, fatigue, emotional difficulties, times of waiting, and moments of uncertainty.  During these times, we slow down even though we want to rush forward.  God is getting our attention, making us look at the road ahead, calling us to consider those little things he has for us that often go unnoticed. 

The Christian life does not mean smooth sailing.  Nowhere are we told that the road will be without challenges, hills, or speed bumps.  We will have difficulties and problems in life, but through Christ we will be able to overcome them.  In John 16:33, Jesus says, “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”

Once I grew accustomed to the speed bumps, I became relaxed and enjoyed my drive down this road.  I drove for a few minutes, crossed a speed bump, drove a few more minutes, crossed another speed bump, etc.  I arrived home, having enjoyed the beauty of the world around me.  I also arrived home with a new appreciation for life’s speed bumps.  Funny how God uses those little "bumps" in life to teach us the essential things we need to know.  I hope you have a few bumps in your path today!

A Way of Escape

 

A

t least once a week, someone will email me or ask me where I come up with the ideas for the Tidbits.  My response is always the same, I don't come up with them.  I can be in the car or taking a walk, or having a conversation and God will impress upon me how what I've seen or said or heard can be used as a Tidbit topic.  It always amazes me how God uses the smallest and simplest of things to teach me something about himself.  God, however, is like that, wanting us to know him better and using situations and circumstances to teach us if we are willing to learn.

For instance, how many times have you walked on a sidewalk and noticed the lines cut into the concrete?  As kids, we used to play games using the divisions in the sidewalks to mark off boundaries of hop-scotch, for foul lines for basketball, and to designate an are as home base for various games we played.

As I grew older, I learned that the gaps in the sidewalk have a distinct purpose.  The lines are cut into concrete to allow its sections to expand and contract with the weather.  If you observe a sidewalk very closely, you will notice that the gaps between the segments of concrete will grow or shrink in size according to the outside temperature.  This expansion gaps are necessary and prevent the concrete from bucking up and cracking.

The Christian life works under the same principle.  There are expansion gaps in our spiritual life.  Sometimes it may appear that God is stretching us beyond all measure.  We may feel there is no way we can continue under the present circumstances. Any more pressure and we will just explode or crack.  At such times, it seems that God increases the pressure, demanding even more.  What happens is that we are being stretched, we are expanding, and the spiritual heat has been turned up.

However, when we reach our limits, and God knows what our limits are, he removes the pressure.  He understands how much we can take, he knows what we can accomplish, and he also knows the circumstances under which we do our best expanding and growing.  Yes, God has put expansion gaps in our relationship with him.  If we sit for too long in the cold, we will crack, if we have too much pressure, we will buckle and warp, but with the right amount of pressure, we expand, we grow, we stay in tact, and we serve a useful purpose for God.

I don't know where you are today in your walk with God.  However, I do know that he loves you and has only the best in mind for you.  If you feel you are being tested, tried, or if you are undergoing some temptation, take comfort from Paul's words to the Corinthians. "No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it." (1 Corinthians 10:13).  God places difficult trials and challenges into our lives.  He even allows us to be tempted because he trusts us!!!  How much does he trust you today?

References Available Upon Request

 

O

ne of the many joys of teaching for me occurs after final exams have been given, the chalk and the erasers have been put away, and the students have been promoted to higher levels of learning. A student, perhaps from previous semesters or years, will contact me and request a recommendation for a scholarship, a job, or graduate studies.  It always pleases me to find out what these students are doing and the direction they have chosen for their lives.  Moreover, it gives me another reason to be of service to them, doing whatever I can to ensure they achieve the goals they have set for themselves.  However, no matter how often I receive a request for a recommendation, I find myself humbled as I try to put into words the attributes and characteristics demonstrated by my students. I am aware that someone I don't know will read my words and make a decision based upon how I represent each individual to them.

Recently, I was updating my resume, and, at the very end, I placed the phrase "References available upon requests."  During the years I have been constructing my resume, I have requested several people to provide recommendations for me whenever the need arises.  Graciously, they have agreed and whenever I need someone to represent me, they are very willing to do so.  I have no control over what they say or how they say it.  My job is to keep my character and my influence in such a way that their recommendation of me will be favorable.  Writing the recommendation is not my responsibility but providing the foundation on which the recommendation rests is.

I have often marveled at the number of recommendations God gives in the scriptures concerning those who serve him.  David was called "a man after God's own heart."  Abraham was known as "the friend of God."  Moses is described as the man to whom "God spoke face to face" and Noah was known as "a righteous man."  None of these individuals was perfect; but all of them had a heart devoted to following God and the character and integrity to live a life wholly dedicated to him.

The New Testament also relates a story about a man who received a wonderful recommendation from Jesus.  John the Baptist's story is recorded in the book of Matthew.  After his imprisonment, his followers were concerned about him.  Could they have been mistaken?  Was John a great prophet or was he a lunatic? After all, he lived in the desert, he wore garments made from camel's hair, and he ate locusts and wild honey.  He doesn't resemble someone who would be at the top of anyone's invitation list for dinner. But Jesus thought differently.  He saw John in another light, the light of character and dedication to God.  His words in Matthew 11:11 are worth considering: “I assure you, of all who have ever lived, none is greater than John the Baptist. Yet even the most insignificant person in the Kingdom of Heaven is greater than he is!"

What a glowing recommendation this is.  Jesus is not paying John an empty compliment, rather, he is stating categorical truths based upon John's life and witness.  If you consider all the "great" spiritual leaders who lived before John, Jesus says that John is greater than them all.  He is greater than Abraham, Moses, David, Daniel, Elijah, etc.  In other words, out of an applicant pool with all these people, John would get the job, hands down!!  Jesus did not base this on John's appearance, his status, his knowledge, his oratorical savvy, nor his brilliant preaching.  He based it on John's heart, his love for God, and his obedience to the call God placed on his life.

Today, take time to read Matthew 11:7-14 which is the full recommendation given by Jesus about John.  If Jesus were to give a recommendation of our lives today, what would he say?  Are we living in such a way that his ultimate recommendation for us will be "Well done, good and faithful servant?"

Come On In

 

I

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

See Me After Class

 

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s a teacher, I occasionally request to see a student after class.  There are several reasons leading to my decision to have a conference; but usually the student is encountering difficulty in one or more areas evidenced by a low grade on a test or homework assignment. I notify the student by writing a small note which reads, “See me after class.”  This usually causes some alarm on the student’s part but it always gets his/her attention and allows us to meet and to discuss the student’s performance.

The underlying cause of the student’s problem could be one of several possibilities. It might be he/she failed to understand the directions.  It might also be the case that he/she failed to study properly or studied the wrong material.  However, in all likelihood, the student is having difficulty with a certain aspect of the lesson because he/she has not learned the material.  If the student doesn’t understand the concepts being presented, he/she will not progress in the learning process because a huge obstacle has fallen across the path.  This is the reason for the conference.  It lets me understand the student’s perspective and gives me an opportunity to revisit the material and to make sure he/she understands it so that learning can continue.

Jesus held many after-class sessions with his disciples.  On more than one occasion, he met with them to explain the meanings of the parables he used in his teaching.  The crowds who followed him were drawn and captivated by Jesus and his method of teaching.  Never had anyone explained things like him and no one had ever spoken with such authority about the kingdom of God.  Still, there were things that escaped their understanding and for those who wanted to know more, it was necessary to visit the teacher after class.

Mark 4:33-34 preserves for us one of these sessions with Jesus.  The passage reads, “With many similar parables Jesus spoke the word to them, as much as they could understand.  He did not say anything to them without using a parable.  But when he was alone with his own disciples, he explained everything.”  Do you notice the two different groups in this passage?  The first group contains all of Jesus followers as a whole.  They all heard his teaching and they all listened to his parables.  Like any good teacher, Jesus only explains as much as his students can understand.  He doesn’t overload them but gently leads them into knowledge.  However, for some of the students, namely his disciples, Jesus’ teaching leaves them hungry for more.  So Jesus sees them after class to clear up the areas of difficulty and to teach the points again in order to insure his students understand the lesson.

There is a great opportunity for us to learn from this passage of scripture.  Into which group do we fall today?  Are we in the larger group, hearing the teaching, hanging on every word, but leaving when the lesson is over?  Or are we in that inner group of students that lingers around after everyone else is dismissed so that we can learn even more?  Notice that only the second group has everything explained to them. Only they receive the full extent of Jesus’ teaching.  Only they had the privilege of being taught one-on-one by Jesus and learning directly from him.  So, do you feel the need to stay after class today?

Full Privileges

 

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nter him as a new faculty member and give him privileges."  These were the words I heard from the head librarian at local university where I would be teaching in the fall on a part-time basis.  It was the first time anyone had used the term privileges with me in a professional manner.  The more I considered the implications of her words, the more I liked what I heard.  After all, doctors have privileges at certain hospitals, lawyers have privileges to practice in certain states, so why shouldn't instructors have privileges at the institutions where they work?  It made perfect sense to me and I left the library thinking to myself, "I've got privileges."

But, what exactly did that mean?  As I familiarized myself with the campus and visited the room where I would be teaching French 1 in the fall, I couldn't shake the words spoken only moments earlier by the librarian.  She had given me all the privileges due a faculty member to reserve and borrow materials and books from the library.  I could place readings there for my students and I had access to the databases and research information afforded by the university. 

In essence, my status as a faculty member gave me full access to all the university's resources.

However, the key to my privileges with the university was based, not on me personally, but on my status as a faculty member.  In my wallet I carried an identification card denoting me as a faculty member.  As long as the card was valid, I had privileges and could exercise them.  I could teach, turn in grades, make assignments, and give tests.  My status as faculty entitled me to all these privileges with the right to practice them on campus.

It is not a far jump to realize that the Christian life is also one of privileges.  It is a privilege to be called God's child.  It is a privilege to carry everything to him in prayer.  It is a privilege to have him carry my burdens for me, and it is a privilege to be able to talk with him anytime of the day no matter where I am.  In addition, the privilege of being one of God's children gives us full access to his resources.  In Philippians 4:19 the Apostle Paul writes, "But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus."   Only someone to whom full privileges are extended can ever hope to realize this great promise.  Only those who can call God father know the privilege of having all their needs met by the one who knows and loves them best.

My status as faculty allowed me to enjoy all the privileges the university had to offer.  When I accepted the terms of employment, I also accepted the privileges that go along with it.  The same is true for the Christian.  As soon as we accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, we step out of our need and into his provision. We no longer have wants, we have fulfillment. We move from having no identity to having full status before God!  We are born anew with the full rights and privileges of sons and daughters.  John, the Apostle, makes this point abundantly clear for us by stating, " But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God."

Today, as you continue your walk with God, consider how privileged you are.  Consider how much he loves you and how much he gave to make you his own.  Jesus came and gave his life so that we could be called the children of God.  What other privileges do we need?

It's Testing Time

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hile living in Europe, I grew accustomed to the tradition of drinking hot tea.  You must understand that growing up in the southeastern United States meant the only form of tea with which I was familiar was iced tea.  In addition to being iced, it was also very sweet.  I still love to drink my tea this way but I do enjoy brewing a nice hot cup of tea in the evenings.  It just seems to make reading a good book or listening to good music better, not to mention what it does for shortbread cookies!

Now the requirements for making hot tea are very few. The only items you need are a kettle, some water, a cup, and a tea bag.  Taken by themselves, they are just ordinary items, but when they are combined, the result is very satisfying.  Yet, before you can enjoy that cup of tea a few things have to happen.  The water must be placed into the kettle and brought to the boiling point.  Then, tea bag must be placed into the hot water and allowed to steep.  Only by placing the tea into the boiling water, and only after leaving it there for a period of time, is it possible to produce a good, hot beverage pleasing to both body and soul.

The Christian life is just like this!  The tea bag represents the Christian life, and the hot water represents the trials and tests that occur along life’s road.  In order for God to draw out of us those qualities that glorify him, he sometimes has to put us into "hot water."  Trials and conflicts are part of life and the Christian is not exempt from this truth.  Christ promised to be with us in trials, not to keep us from them.  It is in the difficulty times of life that our true character is revealed and true spiritual growth takes place.  Just like a tea bag which must steep in hot water in order to release its goodness, so is it necessary sometimes for God to place us into difficulty and leave us there.  He does not abandon us, but allows us to steep so that we may bring honor and glory to him and reach others for Jesus Christ.

No one understood more than Job the idea of being left in the midst of trial.  He was consigned to extremely difficult circumstances.  Yet, by obeying God and submitting to his will, Job proved to be an example for us all.  Although he didn't understand why God had permitted this testing, he saw it as coming from God and knew it had a purpose.  In Job 23:10 we read, "But He knows the way that I take; When He has tested me, I shall come forth as gold."  Rest assured, wherever you are and whatever your circumstances today, your Heavenly Father is aware of them.  He knows your trials and he trusts you with them.  You will not stay in "hot water" a minute longer than is necessary to make you what he wants you to be.  You have his word on it!

Sharpen That Pencil

 

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here is a little gadget on my desk that I simply love.  It is small, compact, lightweight, and extremely useful.  You probably have one on your desk as well or you know where to find one if you need it.  This handy little tool is an electric pencil sharpener; don't balance your checkbook with out it!!!  The one I use is battery-powered but it really gets the job done.  I've yet to meet the pencil this little machine can't grind to a razor-fine point.

When I insert a new or used pencil into the sharpener, it whirrs to life, eagerly eating away at the wooden pencil until all that is left is the sharp point of the lead.  Through the window, I can see the shavings as they are collected.  These pieces of wood, once surrounding the lead, now lie useless on the bottom of the pencil sharpener, ready to be discarded when the machine is finished.  Although the shavings were originally a part of the pencil, they prevented it from fulfilling its purpose.  They were in the way of the lead, keeping it imprisoned, not allowing it to perform the task it was designed to do.

There is a lot of gospel in that pencil sharpener.  Just think about it!  Our lives are full of things that prevent us from being what God intended us to be.  Money gets in the way, status gets in the way, titles get in the way, even family and friends can become hindrances to our spiritual walk with God.  When we get bogged down by all the different things packed into our lives, we become ineffective in sharing the good news of Jesus Christ and our witness is severely hampered.  We find ourselves imprisoned, trapped, and stifled by all the clutter in our lives.

That's when God steps in.  He knows just what we need.  Like a dull pencil, we need to be sharpened, honed to a razor-fine point so that we will be ready to perform the tasks God has laid out for us.  God takes us in His hand, places us into His sharpener, and grinds away everything preventing us from living a life that is pleasing to Him.  He also cuts away areas of our lives so that we will be able to share Jesus with those around us.  Like a pencil with a dull lead, we are unable to effectively communicate all the wonderful things God has done for us and wants to do through us.  However, once sharpened and honed to a fine point, we are ready to give testimony about God's love, mercy, and grace in our lives.

John 15:1-2 addresses this process of being sharpened, of having everything unnecessary removed from our lives so God can use us for His purpose.  This passage reads, "I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener.  He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful." Although Jesus speaks in terms of vines and branches, the application of his lesson is the same. 

A dull pencil is of no value until it is sharpened.  In order to sharpen it, everything blocking the lead must be removed by shaving and grinding until a firm point is created.  It is the same in our spiritual lives.  God wants us to produce fruit for Him, to share Jesus with those around us.  In order to accomplish this we must be in perfect spiritual shape.  God will remove anything that keeps us from bearing fruit and from sharing Christ with others.  He does this by grinding, shaving, and cutting away everything in our life that does not serve His purpose.

Today, if you feel like a pencil in a sharpener or vines being pruned, take courage.  These are the obvious signs that God is preparing you for a different area of ministry with greater results.  Although it may not be pleasant, God sees the end results of the difficulties and challenges you are facing now.  Remember, He only prunes those vines that produce fruit and He prunes them so they can produce more.  Vines that are unproductive, He simply throws away.

So, as you sharpen pencils today at work, at school, or wherever you may be, remember today's lesson.  Only in the sharpener, only when we are being shaved, ground, and cut, are we in the place where God can prepare us to do the things He has called us to do.  Only the sharpener can shape us into the form necessary to be used by God.  Get the point?

Wipe Out

 

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ne of the most important lessons that any teacher can learn is the proper use of the chalkboard.  This is the most invaluable weapon in the instructor's arsenal.  It is here that the war against ignorance is waged.  Carefully mapped strategies and battle plans are drawn on its surface with one goal in mind--the education of the student.  Working in conjunction with the chalkboard are two more indispensable items.  These are the chalk and the eraser.  With these three items, the teacher provides the necessary environment for learning to occur.

As a new teacher, one of the first lessons I learned concerned the chalkboard.  Instead of focusing on the various ways of teaching with the board, I learned that the most important thing to do with a chalkboard was to clean it!  This was especially true if I shared another teacher's classroom.  Unless I removed the information I placed on the board, the next teacher would have to take valuable time removing my charts, diagrams, and assignments before using it for a new class.  On more than one occasion, I have been annoyed to find that someone failed to clean the board after using it.

The telltale sign that a chalkboard has been frequently used is the amount of chalkdust in the tray.  An accumulation of chalkdust and a dusty eraser indicate that information has been passed from teacher to student.  Likewise, the absence of chalkdust and a clean eraser testify that a small exchange of information has occurred.  Since I love to use the chalkboard, chalkdust has become part of my wardrobe.  Sometimes, it appears I am wearing eau de chalkdust because it is everywhere, even in my pockets.

Occasionally, I send students to the board to work with French grammatical structures.  They approach the board, write their assignment, sit down, see a problem, get up, erase the error, and correct it.  When they are satisfied with their handiwork, I approach the board and survey their work.  When I find an error, I discuss it with the student, then I take the eraser, remove the incorrect answer, and replace it with the correct one.  When the entire process is finished, the student understands where he or she was wrong.  However, there is no trace of the error, only the correct form is displayed on the board.

Have you ever stopped to consider that our lives resemble a chalkboard? We fill them with all kinds of information, thoughts, ideas, and our own solutions to life's problems.  We also fill them with our wants, dreams, wishes, and goals.  Like a good teacher, God lets us finish our turn at the board.  He waits very patiently, observing our work, noticing where we are wrong, but never interfering until He is asked.  

Then, when we finish, when we make all the corrections we deem necessary, He approaches the board, eraser in hand.  Our Heavenly Father looks at what we've done, He lovingly locates our mistakes, He patiently explains and shows us where we're wrong, and He carefully and methodically demonstrates why things don't work the way we think they should.  Then, He does something absolutely wonderful.  He takes the eraser, removes all our mistakes, corrects them, and makes our work acceptable!

King David learned this lesson well.  He learned that a trip to life's chalkboard is necessary so that God can show us our mistakes, our sin, and then He wipes them out.  Psalm 51:1 addresses this idea with the following words: "Have mercy upon me, O God, According to Your loving kindness; According to the multitude of Your tender mercies, Blot out my transgressions." David's trip to the chalkboard had divulged several areas of error in his life.  Not only had he committed adultery with Bathsheba; he was also responsible for her husband's death.  When confronted with the truth, David's errors became obvious.  In this psalm, he asks God to show mercy and to wipe out his errors.

This is a common occurrence in every-day life.  We are constantly writing on life's chalkboard, believing we have all the correct answers.  Most of the time, we are extremely proud of our work, thinking it to be perfectly acceptable, not only to our peers, but also to God.  That is when God approaches the board, takes His eraser, shows us our errors, and wipes them away.  He does this in love, in mercy, and in justice.  

Errors, no matter how small, are still errors and they must be corrected if our work, if we, are to be acceptable to God.  However, when God erases our sin, when He wipes out our mistakes, He does so forever.  There is nothing left on the board to indicate our faults, no long list of wrongs committed, and no record of the number of times we didn't get it right.  When God finishes grading our work, it is correct. He does this out of His love for us; not because of anything we do nor because of who we are!

When was the last time you took a trip to the chalkboard?  The eraser is waiting! 

Go Fish

 

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ike most guys, I have at least one good fishing story that just happens to be true! No, I mean it! This really happened! Honest! When I was about three years old, my dad took me on my first fishing trip. We went to a small pond near home and he gave me specific instructions on how to catch fish. When the bobber went under the water, which meant fish were on the line. My job was to watch the bobber and let him know when it went under. As usual, I did everything but watch the bobber and when he finally noticed it had gone under he pulled the hook out of the water. There were three, count 'em, three fish on one hook. Not too bad, huh? It was a long time before we went again. Personally, I think his ego was bruised because he didn't catch anything.

Our scripture lesson today is about a fish story and comes from Luke, chapter 5. Jesus meets the people at the Sea of Galilee. There are so many people surrounding him that he gets into Peter's boat and has him put out a little from the shore. He teaches the people from there. He then turns to Peter and tells him to "put out into deep water and let down your nets" (verse 4). Peter, who has been fishing all night with his partners, reluctantly agrees to the Lord's command. They row back out, drop their nets, and then catch such a load of fish it almost sinks two boats.

There is a great lesson here for us today. Jesus taught two distinct lessons from the same boat. The first was for the large crowd that was following him. It occurred in shallow water, just a few yards from the shore. This teaching was for everyone within hearing distance and addressed the crowds at large. The second lesson was for the disciples alone and it involved launching out into deep water. You might say they were in over their heads but this is where the large fish were. Although they had been fishing all night and had caught nothing, they obeyed Jesus and went out one last time with nothing to believe in except his word. Peter says in verse 5, "Master we've worked hard all night and haven't caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets."

Here is the lesson. We are simply to take Christ at his word. No matter how hopeless the circumstances may seem, no matter how utterly ridiculous the command may sound, no matter how deep the water is, we are simply to "put out into deep water and let down [our] nets." When we do this, when we obey simply because Jesus says so, then we receive the blessing far above and beyond anything we can imagine.

The disciples had to put out into deep water because that's where the fish were. We have to launch out into the deep to receive all that God has for us. Remaining close to the shore is safe, secure, and convenient. God's best, however, does not come to us in safety, security, or convenience. It is reserved for those who will launch out into the depths of his love and faithfulness where the great fish of blessing wait to fill our nets to overflowing.  As the psalmist says "Deep calls to deep!"

So are you fishing with a pole from the shore or are you casting a net on the deep? It can make one "whale" of a difference in receiving God's blessing for you today.

Little by Little

 

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ave you ever watched birds building a nest?  I know this may seem a rather odd question but it's amazing how many lessons God could teach us if we would just pay attention.  Early one April morning, I watched as two birds patiently built the nest that would become their home.  It would keep them warm and safe and would eventually house eggs that would hatch into baby birds.  Both birds worked diligently, deliberately searching for pieces of straw, twigs, and grass with which to build their nest. 

At first, their progress was painstakingly slow and it appeared as if nothing would ever come of their efforts. The birds, however, were not daunted by the difficulty of the task, nor did they become frustrated when their efforts were thwarted by gusts of wind that blew their meager twigs away.  When someone or something came between them and their nest, they waited patiently until the way was safe before continuing with the task at hand. Little by little the twigs, straw, grass, and mud began to take shape and finally the nest was completed. 

Here is a great lesson that God wants us to learn and it is found in the words little by little.  These are the very words God uses to describe the entry of the children of Israel into the Promised Land.  In Exodus 23:28-30 God reveals his plan for Israel's conquest of Canaan.  “I will send the hornet ahead of you to drive the Hivites, Canaanites and Hittites out of your way. But I will not drive them out in a single year, because the land would become desolate and the wild animals too numerous for you. Little by little I will drive them out before you, until you have increased enough to take possession of the land.”

Read that passage very carefully and you will see how gracious and caring God is.  He says that he will not drive Israel's enemies out in a single year but that he will drive them out "little by little." Notice that God chooses NOT to drive them out in a single year.  It is not that he can't do it but he won't do it; and the reason he won't do it is to give the people time to increase enough to possess the land.

How often do we find ourselves in the place of the Children of Israel?  How often do we want God to do things for us "in a single year"?  We are so interested in setting our own agendas and placing God on our own timetables that we totally disregard the plans he has for us. Yet God's design was for the people to enter the land in a position of strength. Therefore, God' planned to drive out their enemies little by little thus ensuring both rest and victory for his people.

The scriptures tell us in Psalm 103:14 that God "knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust." He knows that proceeding "little by little" is always best for us.  The promise was that Israel would possess the land.  It was theirs by right and by God's promise.  He wanted to ensure that when they entered it, they would do so in strength, not weakness, and enjoy God's provision to the full.

If you are in a place that is difficult and it seems that God is moving excessively slow, just remember his promise to Israel.  They would enter the land, it would be theirs, and they would possess it from a position of strength.  God's promises are always coupled with his desire to take care of us if we will just let him! 

Little by little God shows us the way

Little by little we learn to obey

Little by little, one step at a time

Little by little, we steadily climb.

Little by little, we rest in his hand

And little by little, we conquer the land.