$21.63 per Month

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hird grade was a very big year for me.  This was the year I graduated from simple addition and subtraction to learning my multiplication and division tables.  It was also the year I pestered my dad for a motorbike. 

My best friend and next-door-neighbor, David, received a mini-bike from his dad.  It was great and David let us take turns riding it.  A small outdoors shop had opened just up the street from our home.  Saturday mornings found me in the shop looking over the collection of motorbikes for sale.  These bikes differed from David’s in that they had a three-speed transmission instead of one forward gear.  They were a bit more involved, faster, and I wanted one.

My dad was adamantly opposed to this idea.  However, he was fighting a losing battle.  My mom, and my grandparents were pulling for me and against him.  He held off as long as he could but finally buckled under the pressure. 

He agreed to let me have the bike on the condition I paid for it.  I heartily accepted, agreeing to mow grass in the summer and do odd jobs to earn the money to make the payments.  Dad borrowed the money from the bank and had the loan made out to me.  The payments were $21.63 per month for twenty-four months.  I thought it would be a cinch.  I’d mow a few yards, take out the trash on a regular basis, and do odd jobs around the house.  No problem, I thought, but I didn’t count on a dry spell.

That summer, it didn't rain like I had planned!  I remember asking my grandfather if I could mow the grass.  He just looked at me.  The grass was brown from lack of water and mowing it would have killed it completely.  He told me that I couldn't mow because there hadn't been enough rain.  I simply remarked, “That’s the problem.  It won’t rain, the grass won’t grow, but my payments just keep going on and on!”

This is comical now, but it wasn't funny then!  The lesson I was learning was one of responsibility and keeping a promise I had made to the bank.  No matter what the conditions outside, the promise I had made, the terms to which I had agreed, meant that the money for that bike had to be paid back to the bank, no excuses made or accepted!

Jonah also learned this lesson and he learned it the hard way.  When God asked him to go to Nineveh, Jonah fled in the opposite direction.  He tried his best to avoid God’s call, to run away from him, only to discover it was impossible.  From inside the belly of a great fish, Jonah cried out to the Lord to save him.  Earlier he had made the claim that he worshiped the Lord, the God of Heaven but his actions did not match his words.

From inside the fish, Jonah realized his mistake.  He came to understand that worshiping God meant obeying him and fulfilling his commands.  His words, recorded in Jonah 2:9, demonstrate this understanding, “But I, with a song of thanksgiving, will sacrifice to you.
What I have vowed I will make good”. Jonah had to keep his promise and fulfill his vow to God.

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ow much like Jonah we are.  We find it so easy to say we worship and honor God but our actions don’t quite fit our words.  Saying we worship and serve God means we have vowed to do His will.  We have promised to give up our wishes and our desires in order to serve Him.  The road is not always easy and it isn’t always what we expected but it is what we promised to do.  No matter the conditions, God expects us to keep our promise.  No excuses made and none accepted!

Your Place Is Set

            

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hanksgiving morning, my telephone rang at 6:45 a.m. Now, I am a heavy sleeper so I wasn't sure if the phone was real or if I was having a dream. After a few more rings, however, I determined that the phone was indeed real and I needed to answer it. Slowly I ascended into consciousness, rolled over, picked up the phone, fumbled with the talk button, and said "Hello”. The voice on the other end of the line greeted me with a hearty "Happy Thanksgiving!" It was my dad. He called to wish me a very happy holiday.

My mom was in the kitchen making the final preparations for her Thanksgiving meal. Everyone in my immediate family was going to be there, except for me.  Dad informed me, however, that I had not been left out or forgotten. Earlier, mom had set the dining room table and she set a place for me. Although we are separated by over one thousand miles, to mom and dad I was present at today's meal. The place setting at my chair spoke to that fact.

After our brief talk, I hung up the phone and lay back on the bed. I replayed the conversation I had just had with my dad several times in my head. One image kept coming into view, that place setting at my chair.

My parents missed me; and they knew I wanted to be there. However, the distance between us didn't prevent them from setting a place for me. It didn't stop them from considering me to be present with them, it didn't lessen their love for me, and it didn't make me any less their son. In fact, by placing the silverware and the plate on the table, they demonstrated that my presence is always with them, no matter where I happen to be.

Paul underscores the idea that from God's perspective we are already in Heaven with him, now! Ephesians 2:4-6 states, "But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus..."

There are three things we need to see in regards to this passage of Scripture. First, God loved us long before we came to love him. Before the foundation of the earth was laid, God made provision for mankind to be reunited with him. God's love spanned the great distance that separated us from him and he made a way for us to return home, to be with him eternally.

Second, we are dead in sin, separated from God. We cannot come into his presence, we cannot approach his throne, and we cannot have a relationship with him until we accept Jesus as our savior.  Just as God made Christ alive and raised him from the dead, so too are we alive because we have accepted Christ's death as the only means of salvation.

Third, we sit in heavenly places now. In essence, God has set a place for us at his table.  There is no distance too great, no obstacle too large, and no situation so dire that can keep us from being God's children. We are his, with the full right to eat at his table. His love is for us and his desire to be with us is so strong, that he sets a place for us at his table in advance of our arrival.  

My dad called that morning because he wanted me to know that he was thinking of me.   No matter where I am, nothing will ever be able to separate me from my mom, dad, brother, and sister. I was present at the holiday meal just as surely as if I had been there in person.

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he spiritual application is just as real. Although we are not physically with God at this time, one day we will be.   He welcomes us into His presence, He showers us with His blessings, and He makes room for us at His table. If you have accepted Jesus Christ as your savior, this invitation to dine at God's table is open and available to you. I am so glad that my place is already set. How about you?  Is there a place reserved for you at God’s dinner table?                       

You're A Quart Low

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ull-service gasoline stations are almost a thing of the past.  They have been replaced with more modern, upscale, and faster self-service stations where you can pump your own gas, get a drink, and wash your car without changing establishments.  Yet, all the advanced technology, all the quick service, and all the added perks have removed the personal touch from having your car serviced.

  I can remember riding in the car with my dad or one of my grandfathers.  They would stop by the service station, roll down the window, and request the car be filled with gasoline.  The attendant always greeted his customers with a smile and always asked how things were going.

In addition to filling the car with gas, the windshield and the windows were cleaned, and the oil was checked.  All this was done as part of the service, at no extra charge.  Today, it is almost impossible to find someone to check your oil, let alone do it for free.

When I began driving, I took my car to the same station my dad visited.  I received the same service.  However, one day, the attendant announced, from underneath my hood, that my car was a quart low on oil.  He immediately put a quart of oil in the motor, finished cleaning the windshield and windows, topped off the gas tank, and sent me on my way. 

As I drove away, I was thankful there was someone who knew about cars, who knew how they ran, who knew what essential things to check, and who knew how to keep an engine properly maintained.  I don’t know what would have happened if that man hadn’t checked my oil.  He knew what the level should be and he knew how to replenish the oil supply in my car.  If he hadn’t checked it regularly, I could have been in serious trouble, along the road somewhere, stranded, with no one to help me.

Unfortunately, we view life much like a self-service gas station.  Occasionally we check our gauges, notice that we need to refuel, pull into the first available station, fill up with whatever is the cheapest, grab a few other things we need, and then go about our business.  We never give any thought to maintaining the important things in life.  We just get what we think we need, when we think we need it, and go on our merry way. 

This is reflected in our spiritual lives as well.  Most of us view God as a self-service gas station, a one-stop store we visit only when we need something.  Then after a short pit stop, we go on our way, never thinking about him until we are in need again. 

Have you ever considered asking God to give you full service?  Have you ever stopped to think what he would find if he looked under your hood?  If he looked deep into your heart would he find you running low on love, low on faith, and low on spiritual fuel?

This happened to King Belshazzar.  He was throwing a party when he ran out of things to serve.  He sent for the gold and silver items from God’s temple and paid homage to the gods of gold, silver, wood, etc.  A large hand appeared and wrote on the wall.  Daniel, the prophet interpreted the writing for the king with these words from Daniel 5:27, “You have been weighed on the scales and found wanting.”  He lost his kingdom that evening to the Medes and Persians.

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nd how about us today? Would we be found wanting?  We need to have his full service. Only he knows where to look in our lives for problems and difficulties.  Only he understands how we should be on the inside so that we honor and glorify him.  The next time you talk with God, have him look under the hood to make sure you are running at peak performance.  Don’t settle for anything less than full service.  Have you had your oil checked lately?

Your Call Is Important To Us

            

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ou know how it goes.  You need some information so you spend several minutes trying to find the correct number in the phone book.  Of course, the number you're looking for is always listed in the most illogical way and when you do find it, there are several numbers from which to choose.  You always select the wrong one and then begin eliminating numbers until you find the one you're looking for.   On a scale from 1 to 10, your frustration level is a 5. You take a deep breath, dial the number, and wait.  As luck would have it, the line is busy, so you hit the redial button, not once, but several times.  Finally, the line is clear and it begins to ring and your frustration eases off to level 2.

That's when it happens.  The phone on the other stops ringing and you hear the all-too-familiar recording telling you how glad they are you called.  The message goes something like this:  "All lines are busy.  You're call is important to us.  Please stay on the line and your call will be answered in the order in which it was received." 

You roll your eyes, take a deep breath, check your pulse, and bite your lip.  The frustration monitor is now at 8.  You begin questioning the sincerity of the recorded message that is now playing for the fifth time.  If your call were really that important, someone would be on the phone speaking with you, assisting you, and listening to you.

Several times a day, we find ourselves spending more time in conversation with a machine than we do with those closest to us.  What is amazing is that we actually spend time listening to and believing the machine

However, it is not the machine's message that upsets us as much as it is the fact that we feel unimportant.  Instead of receiving priority treatment, we are assigned a number, placed in long line, and our call is addressed by someone we don't know, in a place we've never heard of, asking questions we can't answer, helping us with a problem we didn't call to report.  No wonder we get frustrated!!

Isn't it wonderful to know that God does not work like this?  In the book of Psalms, David gives us example after example of God's interest and care for his children.  He refers to us as sheep receiving constant care from our great shepherd.  In the Psalms, we come to know God as our defender and protector, one who knows us intimately and who knew us before we were even formed.  Here, we understand that God planned all our days and that he seeks a deep and meaningful relationship with us.  In the Psalms we find strength, courage, reassurance, peace, comfort, and grace.

In Psalm 34:15, David writes, “The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, And His ears are open to their cry."  What a wonderful promise this is, especially when placed against the background of our world today.  God is never too busy to listen to us or to understand our situations. 

The first part of this verse speaks to God's awareness of his children.  His eyes are on us, no matter where we are, no matter what we are facing, no matter how difficult the trial.   We are precious to him and considered righteous, not because of what we've done on our own, but because of what Jesus Christ has done for us and because of who we are in him.

The second portion speaks to God's availability.  He is always aware of our needs and listens when we pray to him.  He gives us his undivided attention and is always open to our requests.  We have direct access to his throne, and can reach him at anytime, from any place, concerning anything, speaking any language, even the language of tears and silence.  His ears always hear us because God listens to our hearts.  No request is too large, no prayer is too small, no cry is too soft, and no praise is too loud.  Our God hears us, no matter what.

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od does not own an answering machine!  You will never receive a message requesting you wait.  Instead, you will be speaking directly to God himself, not on the second, third, or fourth ring, but on the very first try!

Weightlifting 101

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he weight room in our high school gym was one of the most popular places on campus.  This was especially true for the guys training for football, basketball, track and field, or baseball, a sport for which our town remains well-known and respected.  However, the weight room was not only used by student athletes.  Some of the teachers and coaches used the facilities to remain in good physical shape.

Each day after school, guys would pour into the gym, dress out, and begin their exercise routines.  Some would use free weights, others would use the available machines, and the rest would do exercises or spot for those lifting. All those using the weight room had one goal, to increase their strength, reduce their body fat, and build muscles.

The results of their labor were evident.  Not long after they started training, all the guys began taking on a different appearance.  They grew bigger and stockier.  Their increased size and strength evidenced their dedication to become physically fit.  However, there was another by -product which could not be seen but was just as real.  That by-product was pain. 

Before entering training, everyone knew that pain would be a part of the process.  In order to build muscle, you have to tear muscle.  Tearing a muscle is never fun and it is never done without pain. But without pain, without constant training and stretching, muscle does not grow, strength is not increased, and it is impossible to maintain good physical condition.

This same principle applies to our spiritual conditioning as well.  If we intend to grow spiritually, we must exercise our faith.  This is never easy and it is never pain-free.  If you've ever tested your faith, if you've every increased your ability to trust God, chances are you've paid a visit to God’s weight room.  The only way to grow more faith is to be torn, stretched, and strained so that your faith in him can grow.

This is what the Apostle James had in mind when he wrote the following, “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 (James 1:3-4).  

Just as an athlete’s goal is to perfect his body, so the goal of spiritual training is to perfect our souls.  Notice that James says that the goal of the spiritual workout is perfection.  He does not mean we will be perfect, we’re human.  However, he does suggest that we will be complete, lacking in nothing. 

God’s goal for us as Christians is to be complete in him.  We achieve this only by increasing our faith and our trust in him.  In order for our faith to grow, it must be tested, stretched, and strained.  Only when this happens can new and stronger faith grow. 

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od does not leave us to go through this alone.  He is there beside us, watching us, making sure the load does not over burden us.  He knows just how much weight is needed to make us stronger in him.  So, are you up for some spiritual bench pressing today?

Upside Down And Backwards

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rom December of 1988 through June of 1990, my brother, Kevin, and I were busy converting an old office building into our home.    I believed this process would require no more than six months.  Kevin, however, was not so enthusiastic about this deadline.  He knew it would be several months, perhaps more than a year, before the house was ready.

There was no heating system in the house, the wiring was too old, the walls needed to be replaced, the floors needed to be refinished, the building needed a new roof, and the basement needed to be waterproofed. In addition, the house also required several cosmetic repairs to complete the restoration.  New paint (inside and out), new wall paper, new flooring in the kitchen, new cabinet tops, etc. were needed to add the finishing touches  we wanted the house to have.   

One afternoon, the familiar sound of the miter saw met me as I got out of my car.  In the living room, Kevin was hunched over the saw, working with a long piece of crown molding.   To my horror, he had the piece of molding upside down!!  I quickly pointed this out, but he just kept on working.    

He started the saw, made the cut, climbed the ladder, turned the molding over, and put it into place.  It was a perfect fit!  After driving the last nail, he slowly descended the ladder and spoke with me.  "I wasn't ignoring you," he said, "but the cut needed to be precise.  Molding has to be cut upside down and backwards. The cut required my full concentration if it was to be perfect."

The prophet Isaiah understood the construction process.  He knew that sometimes God's methods of building look awkward to us; and sometimes they appear to be anything but practical.  We often find ourselves on God's worktable.  There is always something to be improved upon, removed, added, sanded, blasted, or chiseled.   

Life sometimes throws us a curve and in order to be molded, God must place us upside down and cut us backwards.  From our perspective, this is the most unnatural and contorted position possible.  We don't understand how in the world he could possibly use us like this.  There seems to be no method to this madness.  "Surely, this can't be from God," we think, "He always does things in a logical manner. Upside down and backwards just isn't the way he works!"

This last statement finds its answer in Isaiah 29:16.  The prophet writes, "Surely your turning of things upside down shall be esteemed as the potter’s clay: for shall the work say of him that made it, He made me not? or shall the thing framed say of him that framed it, He had no understanding?"  

Despite our objections and our indications that the situation is upside down and backwards, God pays us no attention.   He sees the entire project from drafting stage to finished product.  He has the full knowledge of what we will look like when he is finished.  Isaiah rightly reminds us we should not call God's methods into question.  The potter molds the clay, the carpenter molds the wood, and God molds us.  In all circumstances, the master molds, the material yields, and the result is perfection.

My first reaction when I saw Kevin working with the molding was to stop him.  I didn't believe he knew what he was doing; but I was wrong.  He was thinking on a plane much higher than mine.  God is the same way with us.  His thoughts are not our thoughts and his ways are not our ways.  He thinks on planes and levels far above anything we can imagine  Left to us, life’s construction  would be a disaster; but yielded to God, it is a perfect fit every time.

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either the carpenter, nor the potter can make anything unless he holds the material, wood or clay, in his hand.  God is holding you in his hand right now.  Lovingly he sands, cuts, chisels, and shapes you until you fit perfectly into his plan.  Upside down and backwards, perhaps, but perfect every time!

These Are Mine

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erry and Monica had been married for only a few months when they decided to take the plunge and buy their first home.  They spent weeks scouring the local papers and the Internet for available homes in their price range.  They found several that looked good on paper but they just didn't fit the image either one of them had for their own home. 

The houses were either too large, too small, had too much yard, too many neighbors, or not enough of either.  They were anything but just right.  However, after three weeks of intense research and endless visits, Monica found a lovely little house not far from their apartment.  She called Jerry at work and later that evening they visited the home.  Both of them fell in love with the little house and made an offer which the owners accepted.

Once their bid was accepted, Jerry and Monica began the endless process of signing forms, changing their address, and finding an insurance policy for the home.  They had to list everything they owned so that the insurance company would have an accurate record of their possessions.  In the event of fire, natural disaster, or theft, their items could be replaced as long as they had been duly cataloged with the insurance company. 

Monica spent days listing and labeling all their belonging, making sure not to overlook anything.  Finally, this process was complete and she presented the insurance company with a long list of personal items.  She kept a copy of the list and the policy in a file marked "Our Stuff."

Isn't it amazing how much importance we attach to things?  We know exactly what we own, how much it is worth, and we can give a detailed description of each item.  Would it surprise you to know that God looks on us in the same way as we view our possessions? Can you grasp the notion that we have infinite value to God and that he keeps an exact listing of our lives?  The scriptures tell us that even the hairs on our head are numbered.  He knows every intimate detail about us and he an exact record of every situation and circumstance we encounter.

Isaiah 43:1 demonstrates just how much we mean to our Heavenly Father.  God says, "But now, O Israel, the Lord who created you says: “Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you. I have called you by name; you are mine."

Do not let this small verse of scripture slip past you because it is packed with power.  Four important truths are listed in this one sentence.  1) God created us.  He formed us, planned us, and made us for his glory.  2) We have no cause to be afraid.  God does not give us a spirit of fear and if he is for us, who can be against us?  3) He has ransomed us.  He provided his own son to pay the penalty for our sin.  He did this simply because he loved us and wanted to have a relationship with us. 4) He knows our names and we are his.  This is my favorite part of the sentence.  We are on his list of precious possessions.  He has placed our names on his list and when he looks at us he says, "These are mine!"  We belong to him and no one else can have us or lay any claim to us. 

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o, the next time you feel as if you don't matter, or you feel that you don't belong, just remember.  God claims you as his own, he loves you, he has placed you on his list of precious possessions and he will always claim what is his.  You can count on that!

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 sometimes come in life.  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 difficult times of life that our true character is revealed and true spiritual growth takes place.

Just like a tea bag that 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 verse 10 of chapter 23 Job says, "But He knows the way that I take; When He has tested me, I shall come forth as gold". 

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est 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!

Take As Directed!

            

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ake as directed!  These are the instructions written across the label of the prescription bottle containing my heart medication.  Twice a day, I open this bottle, remove one of the capsules, take the medicine, and continue on with my day.  It has just become a part of my daily routine.

For the past thirty-seven years, I have been taking medication to control episodes of irregular heart rhythms. Although the medications have changed over the years, the necessity of taking them each day has remained the same.  Some of the medications required four doses per day, some required three doses, and my present medication requires only two.

The potency of the drug determines how long I can go between doses.  The important thing is to maintain a constant level of medication in my body so my heart will always be protected and have the resources it needs in times of trouble.  If I don’t maintain the proper level of medication, then I run the risk of experiencing a rapid heart rhythm.

Jesus Christ, the Great Physician, also wrote a prescription to keep man’s heart in the proper working order.  When his disciples asked Jesus to teach them to pray, he gave them the prayer that millions have learned by heart.  This prayer has been repeated in times of joy, times of sadness, times of fear, and times of isolation by people all over the world.

Yet, very few of us ever take notice of the wonderful truths contained within this brief conversation with God. Jesus’ third statement in this prayer reveals the secret to maintaining a healthy relationship with God and keeping our hearts pure before him.  Jesus says in Luke 11:3, ^“Give us each day our daily bread.” 

In this one statement, Jesus conveys two essential truths of the Christian life.  First, God supplies us with our daily sustenance. He is the one who provides our food and all the necessities to sustain life.  We must always look to him as the source of all that we have, the wellspring from which our lives flow.  

When was the last time you thanked God for the several thousand times your heart beats in a day?  When was the last time you thanked him for the hundreds of breaths you draw?  When was the last time you thanked him for your ability to hear, see, smell, feel, taste, etc.?

Second, Jesus’ words can be applied spiritually as well.  He is the bread of life and we need to partake of him daily.  This is the only way to keep our hearts safe, protected, and acceptable before God.  God’s word is our heart medicine.  Without it, our hearts just don’t run correctly and they risk getting us into trouble. However, if we spend time in God’s word, feeding on it, concentrating on it, and making it a part of our lives, we will find that our relationship with God will stay healthy.

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f you knew your heart wasn't working properly, you’d make an appointment with your doctor who would then send you to see a cardiologist.  Whatever the doctor prescribed, you would do in order to protect and heal your heart.  How much more important is it, then, to follow the prescription that God gives us?  Who knows the human heart better?  Who better than God knows what we need on a daily basis to keep us spiritually fit and in working order?  Take as directed!  Have you had your medicine today?

Step Right This Way

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ach summer, the high desert of New Mexico in the southwest United States, becomes home to a host of young people eager to hike the trails, scale the mountains, explore the valleys, and walk the meadows of Philmont Scout Ranch. Some of these crews have waited several years to visit the ranch and to experience scouting's ultimate challenge.  However, before these eager youths can begin their journey, they must first get   directions for the road ahead.  They arrive with great expectations of what the backcountry holds; but they must develop a definite plan of action before beginning their wilderness experience.

One of the most important stops the crew makes at base camp is a visit to logistics. Here, the crew leader meets with a trip planner who provides vital information on the various aspects of the hike. Before their arrival, logistics is aware of the crew’s wishes and needs. Each crew is assigned a trip planner who indicates on a map the appropriate places to get food, fresh water, and to pitch camp. Every aspect of the trip is planned out BEFORE the crew leaves base camp.  They arrive with a selected trek in mind but logistics determines the route they will take and the time period they will follow.

This process teaches us a great truth about the plans God makes for us.  In Proverbs16:9, Solomon writes, "We can make our plans, but the Lord determines our steps." In this brief, but all-important passage of scripture, Solomon unlocks one of the great truths about God.  He is constantly and fully aware of our plans but he decides the paths we take to reach our destination.  How many of us have prayed for patience only to find that the pathway lies through difficulty and hardship until we learn what patience truly is?  How many times have we asked God to give us a forgiving spirit, only to be placed into situations that demanded us to forgive those who wronged us?  And how often have we asked God to teach us contentment and found ourselves removed from comforts and familiar surroundings until we learned to be at peace no matter what the circumstances?

Our heavenly father knows what we want, but more importantly, he knows what we need.  He also knows that the easiest route is not necessarily the best one or the one that will mold us and shape us according to the plans he has for us.  God is very interested in us and the paths we choose to tread; but he reserves the right to determine the paths we take to reach our destination. 

God is familiar with life's terrain.  He knows its high peaks and its low valleys.  He understands the uphill climb and the long, dusty roads.  He understands our frustrations and our discomfort with life's situations at times.  That is why he chooses the paths.  He knows where and when we need rest.  He knows how to restore us and supply us from his own, infinite resources at just the right time. 

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od's paths are not always easy; but they are always rewarding; designed to strengthen us, mature us, develop us, and transform us into the image of Christ.  Are you walking his paths today?

Stand Still!

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hen we were young kids, my mom used to make our clothes.  She loved to sew and I remember her working way into the wee hours of the morning, making sure everything was just right.  Easter especially saw a bevy of activity around the Carpenter household. Mom would very methodically measure us, hold the patterns up to us to make sure they were the right size, cut out the material, and then start the sewing process.  We were very involved in the process and I was more than a little impatient at times. 

Mom would encourage us to play outside, out from under her feet, so she could actually get something done.  However, she didn't want us to stray too far so we could come in and try on our clothes in order for her to make any necessary adjustments.  I remember many Saturday afternoons as I played in our backyard while mom sat in the back hallway at her sewing machine making new clothes for me to wear.  She could call me to come in for "just a few minutes" which to me were an eternity.  She would hand me the clothes and then make the most impossible and least favorite of all requests, "Stand still!"

I hated standing still and I would jiggle and shift my weight from one foot to the other.  I would crack jokes and make her laugh which meant we stayed there longer.  She finally would tell me to be quiet, another impossible feat, while she checked the length of a sleeve or pants.  The hardest part was standing still for the hemming of a pair of pants.  I had to stand perfectly still while she made sure the pants were the correct length.  She would pin the pants to the desired length and then she would let me go.  While I was sleeping, however, she was working, hemming those pants until early in the morning.  She did the same for my brother and for my sister.  Honestly, I don't know where she found the time, but I am so glad she did.  I am so glad that she taught me that sometimes it's necessary to stand still.

In the Christian life, we want to be constantly in motion. We find it so hard to be still, to be inactive, and to let God do the work while we stand by and watch.  For us, standing still seems to have no useful purpose and seems to be counterproductive.  We must forever be doing something, we think, if anything is to be done to further God’s kingdom.  Yet, this is the exact opposite of what God would have us do.  David was right when he said that the battle belongs to God, and Moses hit the nail on the head when he declared that the Lord would do battle for his children.

The Apostle Paul echoes these two great men of the Old Testament in his letter to the church at Ephesus.  In Ephesians 6:13, Paul speaks about the Christian life in terms that all people in the Roman world would have understood at that time.  "Therefore take up the whole armor of God that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand." Rome conquered and held the known world through military might.  She did this by having the best equipped and best trained soldiers the world had ever known.  The Roman war machine was well respected and was built on the idea of the foot soldier.  Providing them with the best equipment was essential to conquering the known world.

In Ephesians6:11-17, Paul speaks about the various pieces of armor a soldier would wear.  He encourages and admonishes his readers to put on every piece of spiritual armor meticulously and, once ready for battle, he orders them to stand. He does not suggest they attack, march forward, or launch their weapons, but simply stand still.  The Roman solders wore sandals equipped with spikes in order to grip the ground and provide a firm stance.  The idea for a foot soldier is not to lose any ground but to hold position and advance when necessary as a unit.  This tactic ensured Rome's power for almost 1000 years.

Paul's advice is applicable to us today.  Every piece of the spiritual armor Paul describes is defensive in nature.  The only offensive weapon is the sword of the Spirit, the word of God.  The shield is used to quench fiery darts launched at us, the belt, breastplate and helmet protect vital organs; the shoes help us stand our ground.  This is Paul's command to us, to hold our ground.  God is our general, he is out in front, and he is fighting all the battles for us.  Our job is to hold the line, to keep the enemy from advancing, to lock our shields, to dig in our heels, and to hold our position.  This is the job of the foot soldier who looks the enemy in the face and doesn't flinch, who has confidence in his general, who knows that ultimately the victory will be his because he held his ground. 

S

o, if you feel you are making no forward progress, if you think God has left you in the line because you have no usefulness, if you feel your place is unimportant, hold on, dig in, stand firm.  It may be that the very position you are holding is preventing the enemy from encroaching on God's territory.  Your faithfulness in the fray, your willingness to be obedient, and your firm stance is what God is counting on.  Don't give up!  Hold that line! Stand still!