Precise Measurements

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 ¼ cups of rice, 1 can of chicken broth, 1 package of soup; all the ingredients were carefully measured and were sitting on my counter. I rechecked the measurements with the recipe just to make sure I had read it correctly and then I combined everything.  As I mixed all these together, I couldn’t help but be amazed at the cooking process.  Here I was reading a recipe from someone I had never met, living in a distant place I had never heard of, whose name I didn’t even know.  Yet this person was giving me precise measurements for the ingredients in a casserole dish I was preparing.

As I continued to think about those instructions, an interesting thought came to mind.  Was my 1 ¼ cups of rice the same as the author’s measurement?  How could I be sure that we both were using the same standard of measure?  I mean was 1 ¼ cups in Texas the same as 1 ¼ cups somewhere else?  It had to be.  Somewhere along the line someone set the standard of measure for the measuring cup and every measurement of every recipe has referred to this precise quantity ever since.

This led to another question for me.  What standard am I using in my spiritual life?  How does my standard of measure for obeying God compare with God’s standard of measure? If I do not measure things according to God’s standard, then I will always miss the mark and my work will continually be underdone or lacking in some area.  One thing is for sure, it will never be right because I am not following God’s recipe and using his standard of measure.

A man named Achan serves as our example of not applying God’s measurement to our lives.  When the Children of Israel entered the Promised Land, the first city they destroyed was Jericho.  God’s instructions were clear.  They were to walk around the city one time for six days.  On the seventh day they were to march around seven times and with a loud shout they were to take the city as its walls collapsed.  Everything in the city was to be destroyed because it had been devoted to the Lord.  Joshua gives these instructions in regards to the gold and silver, “All the silver and gold and the articles of bronze and iron are sacred to the Lord and must go into his treasury” (Joshua 3:19).

God’s measurement here was “all.”  All the precious metals were to be set aside to the Lord.  Achan however, coveted 5 pounds (200 shekels) of silver, 1 ¼ pounds (50 shekels) of gold, and a robe.  He took these for his own and buried them in his tent.  Because of his actions, Israel was not successful in her attempt to capture the second city, Ai. When it was discovered that Achan had withheld some of the plunder, he paid with his life. Look at all the suffering that occurred because one man withheld a robe and a mere 6 pounds of metal!  When God says “all,” he means “all,” period!

The lesson from Achan’s story is clear for us today.  God wants our all, everything we have and the best of our efforts.  He is neither satisfied nor interested in anything less than our complete devotion to his will.  When we withhold from him in any aspect of our lives, we lose our ability to be effective witnesses for him.  We also fall into disobedience and our spiritual walk suffers for it.  Our disobedience also affects our relationships with those around us. We are incapable of being the blessing God intends for us to be in the lives of others.

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o, how do our lives measure up today? Are we following God’s instructions to the letter?  Are our standards of measure based on his word and his commands?  Does our idea of “total obedience” square with God’s idea? He has given us precise measurements for our relationship with him! So, are our lives overdone, lacking something or right on target?  Are we being "weighed in the balance and found wanting?” Think about it today!

How Low Can You Go?

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t was a gorgeous Friday afternoon. I had just finished teaching my last class and was enjoying the drive back home.  The sun was shining, the sky was clear, the music was pleasant, and I was feeling great!!  Everything was going my way, no problems in sight!

All that changed in a split second!  One glance at my instrument panel sent a wave of fear over me.  Suddenly, the music didn't seem so cheerful, the weather didn't seem so pleasant, and the weekend seemed like an eternity away.  The needle on my fuel gauge was parked right on empty.  There was no distance between the needle and the E!  I was riding on fumes, hoping against hope the car wouldn't stop on the freeway!

I quickly calculated the distance to the nearest gas station and began praying.  I was praying and driving, driving and praying, doing my best to remain calm in the face of this desperate situation.  I normally keep a close watch on my fuel levels but this particular week, I hadn't kept as close a watch and I was paying for it.

Finally, I saw my exit, left the freeway, and pulled into the filling station.  The gas wasn't the most inexpensive, but I didn't have any choice. I was just glad to have the opportunity to fill my tank, regardless of price!  While I stood there, slowing my breathing, I reflected on what had just happened. If I had paid closer attention to my gauges, I would have had no worries and I could have paid less for gas.  As it was, I was scared, worried, and a few bucks over budget for gasoline that week.

My adventure at the gas pump has a direct parallel in the New Testament.  In Matthew 25, Jesus tells the parable of the ten virgins who were awaiting the arrival of the bridegroom so they could go in with him to the marriage feast.  Five of them brought extra oil for their lamps and five of them didn't.  When the bridegroom came, five of them were ready to go in but the other five were not.

Matthew 25:3 reveals Jesus’ assessment of those who were not ready, who didn't pay attention to their fuel levels. “The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them.”  These five did only half the job!  They took their lamps, they made provision for the short term, but they brought no oil in case the party started later.  That is exactly what happened.  The bridegroom delayed his coming and their oil ran out.

When the groom came, they were unprepared to meet him.  They asked their five friends to share oil with them but they refused lest there not be enough oil for them.  While the five foolish virgins went to buy oil, the bridegroom came and they missed the party!

The application for us is a good one.  How low can we go before we realize we are in trouble?  How often do we pay attention to the fuel gauges in our spiritual lives?  Are we keeping our tanks full, drawing our supply from God and his word?  Are we refueling our lives from his provision, running on the fuel he provides?  Or are we like the five foolish virgins, making provision for the short term but never thinking ahead?

When we fail to keep our tanks filled, when we let them run dry, then we run a great risk.  We will stop to fill them at the nearest station, taking on lower grade fuel at a higher price and we always pay for it.  God never intends for this to happen to us. He provides the best fuel in constant supply.  All we need do is fill our tanks each day and keep a watch on our gauges.  The world cannot supply the fuel we need; it can only come from God.

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o, what does your fuel gauge read?  Do you have a full tank, half of a tank, or are you slap on empty?  Are you enjoying the ride or are you panicking today?

I Don't Know How That Happened!

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eside the backdoor of my parents' home hangs a set of house rules.   A quick perusal of the list indicates the type of behavior that is expected from those living there.  No one reading this list has any doubt of what he can and cannot do.  There are no suggestions on the list, only specific dos and don'ts.

As a growing boy, I decided that mom and dad’s rules should be tested.  After all, that's   what rules are for, right?  We lived only three houses down from my dad's funeral home My dad had some very precise rules about playing around the funeral home, especially when a funeral service was being conducted in the chapel.  Under no circumstances was I to go near the place!

Now, one of my favorite things to do was to climb behind the wheel of the hearse and pretend to be driving.  When they weren't busy, my dad used to let me climb in and hold the wheel.  However, I had been told never to get into the vehicle unattended and under no circumstances was I to play with the siren!  Yes, the hearse had a siren.  Before the advent of the local rescue squads, funeral homes ran ambulance service for their communities.

Now, you know what happened one day, don't you?  I was around three or four years old.  I went up to the funeral home and climbed into one of the hearses.  It felt really neat to be behind the wheel, pretending to be an ambulance driver.  All of a sudden, I spied the siren button. 

I knew I shouldn't but I just had to do it.  I pushed the button and the siren sounded.  There just happened to be a funeral service in progress.  The back door of the funeral home opened and my dad came out.  I crouched down in the seat, thinking he'd have no idea where the sound came from!  I heard him approaching, and when he opened the door, I just looked at him and said, "I don't know what happened.  I was just sitting here and it went off!"  Then my dad went off, and I got a much-deserved spanking. 

Exodus 32:24 records Aaron's explanation to Moses for his creation of the golden calf in the wilderness of Sinai.  Look at Aaron's words,

“And I said to them, ‘Whoever has any gold, let them break it off.’ So they gave it to me, and I cast it into the fire, and this calf came out.” 

Can't you just see Moses' face?  What a ridiculous explanation and inept excuse for these actions.  In essence, Aaron said, "The people just brought me their gold, I threw it into the fire, and presto, a golden calf emerged.  I have no earthly idea how that happened!" Moses didn't buy it and God didn't either!

In blatant defiance of God's laws, they constructed for themselves a graven image and worshiped it.  The decision to make a calf of gold was not a sudden one, however. It involved several smaller decisions along the way. At every turn the people questioned God and tried his patience. He performed miracles and they doubted.  He fed them, and they complained.  He protected them, and they rejected him. 

The same scenario still happens in the life of today's Christian.  We get our eyes off God's plan for us, we become less and less content to live in his provision, and we begin to make decisions that take us out of his chosen path for us.  The decisions appear innocent at first and seem to have very few consequences.  However, the culmination of these small decisions leads to results that can be devastating to our relationship with God.

My dad punished me not only for blowing the siren that day, but for breaking several rules leading up to that decision.  I knew right from wrong, but with each small decision, the next one became easier to make until I was in well over my head.  Once caught, I, like Aaron, gave the lamest excuse possible, "I don't know how that happened!"  But I did know, and my dad knew as well.  It happened because I disobeyed.

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od has set rules in place for us because he loves us.  They are for our good, to keep us close to him, and to nurture and grow us up to spiritual maturity.  Pay close attention to the decisions you are making today.  What may seem small and innocent by itself can lead to an unpleasant trip to the woodshed!!

Hide and Seek

             

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ne of my favorite games was hide-and-seek.  Usually, all the kids from the neighborhood would gather in our backyard and we would painstakingly decide who would be "it" first.  This was no small undertaking.  There were specific rules governing this selection and if they weren't followed, a very heated dispute would break out and the game thwarted before it even began.

Our backyard was built for hiding.  We had large trees, a row of hedges between us and the neighbors' yard, a great side yard, and a wonderful woodpile.  The woodpile was my favorite place to hide!  A small ditch separated our yard was separated from the neighbors behind us.      

On the other side of that ditch was a tall row of hedges, perfect for hiding.  However, the rules specifically stated that no one was to cross the ditch and hide there.  I don't know why we had this rule, we just did.  In any event, one night we were playing and guess where I hid?  You guessed it, I crossed the ditch and hid in those hedges. I knew it was against the rules but I did it any way.  It was fun!!

As the others began the search for those still hiding, I watched with great delight.  I knew they would have a hard time finding me.  The longer I watched, however, the more I began to worry that no one would come looking for me.  As I watched through those thick bushes, a terrifying thought filled my mind.  Suppose no one came looking for me!  Suppose they left me all alone!  I heard my friends calling my name, asking me where I was.  They knew I wasn't obeying the rules because they couldn't find me in the backyard. 

Suddenly, I heard someone behind me.  It was a friend from the next block.  He found me and alerted the others of my whereabouts.  The all taunted me because I broke the rules and it was decided I could not play in the next game.

Sadly, the game we played as children is a game that started with the dawn of humanity.  The book of Genesis records the actions of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden.  After eating from

the tree which God told them to avoid, they hid themselves.  Thus, the first game of hide-and-seek was inaugurated, only, this was no game. 

Genesis 3:9 is the first recorded question God asks, "The Lord God called to Adam, “Where are you?”  God came searching for Adam, looking for him, wanting to visit, to relate with him. However, Adam could not answer because he was hiding.  He was afraid to face God because he had broken the rules.

God's question was not one of geography.  He knew exactly where Adam was and he knew where to find him, just like my friend who knew to find me in those hedges.  Instead, this was the question of a broken relationship and a broken heart. 

The day before, God walked in the garden and visited with him.  There was nothing to separate them from each other.  I firmly believe Adam was able to look God in the face because there was nothing to keep him from an open relationship with his maker.  However, after eating the fruit, Adam hid himself.   He could no longer stand in the warm glow of God's love.  Instead, he stood in the cold, lonely shadow of his own sin.  What a tragedy!

Today, we continue to play hide-and-seek with God.  We break the rules and believe he won't know the difference.  Yet, he knows what we do, he knows why we do it, and he knows where we are.  We cannot hide from him.  Although Adam broke the rules, God came looking for him.  He still wanted that close, intimate relationship he intended for Adam to have all along.  Adam, however, was unable to continue the relationship and had to leave the garden.  Breaking the rules has its consequences in life as it does in games.

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herever you are today, it is my prayer that you will take the time to hear God's voice.  Examine your life.  Is there something keeping you from God's presence?  Is there a barrier between you and him?  Listen!  Do you hear him?  He is walking the garden of your life, calling, "Where are you?"  Won't you answer him today?

Life's Street Corners

Carp's Daily Tidbits

"Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits." Psalm 103:2

Date: Friday, January 9, 2015

Today's Title: Life's Street Corners

Today's Scripture: 2 Chronicles 28:22-24

Almost every afternoon, the ladies from the office and I would take a walk around campus.   We did it for our health and also to get away from the hustle and the bustle and the “little” challenges of the office. As the weather turned nicer and warmer, all of us looked forward to that little 30-minute escape and we carved out a special time on our calendars for this one purpose.

Our walks always took us the same way but we never saw the same things from day to day.  We met different people, heard different conversations, and talked about different subjects.  We discussed the progress of new construction occurring around campus and we discussed our respective days.

Our jaunts eventually brought us to the math building which is built in the shape of a huge triangle.  We made a right-hand turn at the corner of the building and continued our walk.  On several occasions, however, that corner was a source of deep reflection.  It was not so much the corner itself; it was what it represented.

If you think about it, we are faced with corners every day and at every one of them a decision must be made.  As I leave the university, I make no fewer than seven turns at seven different corners just to get to the Interstate.  At any one of those corners, should I make the wrong turn, my journey home becomes much more frustrating.  That’s the thing about corners; you have to make a decision.  Do you go right, left, or straight?  The decisions made at a corner will have a definite impact on everything done from that point forward.

Nestled in the book of 2 Chronicles, the Old Testament records the story of King Ahaz, a man who was challenged at the street corner’s of life.  In 2 Chronicles 28:22-24 we read, “In his time of trouble King Ahaz became even more unfaithful to the LORD. He offered sacrifices to the gods of Damascus, who had defeated him; for he thought, "Since the gods of the kings of Aram have helped them, I will sacrifice to them so they will help me." But they were his downfall and the downfall of all Israel. Ahaz gathered together the furnishings from the temple of God and took them away. He shut the doors of the LORD's temple and set up altars at every street corner in Jerusalem.”

There are many lessons to be found in this passage but three stand out above all the rest.  Firstly, Ahaz was an unfaithful man.  Notice the scripture says he grew more unfaithful during his time of trouble.  In times of trouble, in times of great difficulty, our one refuge is in the Lord. Ahaz chose not to seek this refuge and he began a downward spiral that affected not only him but all Israel.

Secondly, we see that Ahaz offered sacrifices to other gods, seeking to solve his problems by any means other than looking to the God of his fathers.  In her history, God had protected, provided for, and given victory to Israel.  Ahaz had the opportunity to continue in that tradition and he chose not to.

Thirdly, Ahaz’s decision to abandon God utterly is complete.  Notice that he took the sacred things of the temple, closed its doors, and set up altars on every street corner in the city.  Not only did he refuse to worship God, he prevented everyone else from doing so.  The decision to set up altars on every street corner tells us that Ahaz’s decision was complete and permeated every area of daily life.

What a tragic statement but one that has bearing on us today.  The Scriptures tell us that our bodies are the living temples of God.  How often do we take the sacred things of the Lord, close the temple doors of our hearts, and seek to worship and serve other things around us?  How often do we, like Ahaz, set up altars to our jobs, to our ambitions, to our possessions, and to our wants?  How many people are we leading astray by our actions? What decisions are we making at life’s street corners today?