Restored!

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he table belonged to my grandmother.  As we made plans to complete the restoration on our house, grandmother was making plans for that old table.  Her father built it for his family and she had kept it all these years.

Although it had been in the family for three generations, the table was in very good shape.  It was well-built, solid, and it had no major blemishes or damage.  However, the table was in need of restoration. The old varnish needed to be removed and a new finish put in its place.  This was a job that grandmother wanted to participate in and supervise herself.

The first step in this long process involved removing years of old varnish in order to restore the wood to a lighter color suited to our dining room.  This first step took a long time and involved the most elbow grease.  Grandmother, along with my dad, used steel wool and harsh chemicals to dissolve and remove the old stain.  Every nook and cranny of the table received the same treatment until all the old covering had been removed.

Now the process of restoration could begin.  The wood was sanded, neutralized, and prepared to receive a new look.  Hours of work, lots of wiping, rubbing, sanding, and buffing transformed that table into a beautiful piece of furniture.  Along the way, there were stories about the table, jokes were told, and wonderful plans were made for its future.  Throughout the entire process, that table remained the center of attention until all the work was completed.  When finished, it became the center piece of our home.

God is in the restoration business.  He carefully, methodically, and constantly works with us, removing years of wear and tear in our lives.  He knows that underneath, down deep, we have infinite value.  God is also aware that we grow tired, frustrated, that we get banged up and

scratched.  Instead of throwing us out, however, instead of assigning us to the trash dump, God loving undertakes the long process of restoring us so he can use us.

He strips away anything and everything that has discolored our lives.  This process may take a long time as God rubs, sands, buffs, and strips away layers of self-doubt, deceit, low self-esteem, fear, anxiety, and mistrust.  Lovingly, he stays at his task until the last remnants of these blemishes are completely wiped out of our lives.

Then he undertakes our restoration.  He applies ample layers of his love, grace, and mercy.  He stains us to conform to the exact image of his son, Jesus, so that we can by used in his service.  Along the way, there are stories of love, there is laughter, and great plans are made for our future.  God does all the work; we just have to be still.

The final and most important step was sealing the table’s surface.  After all that work, a coat of sealant protected the table from spills, nicks, and scratches.  God seals us as well with the Holy Spirit so that we will always look and be our best for him.  The sealant insures that all the work done before remains unchanged, perfect, and evident for all time.

Psalm 23:3 is a short statement but one of great importance.  It simply reads, “he restores my soul.”  This is one of the great things about our God.  His house is filled with restored furniture.  He alone sees the value when others don’t.  He knows that we need to be restored in order to serve his purposes.  God wants to restore us, to make our lives into centerpieces that reflect and testify to his glory.

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re you in the restoration process?  Just hang on because the finished product will be a wonder to behold!

No Way Out!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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!

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?

Give Me Your Hand!

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hen was the last time you were on your knees?  Now, I don't mean in prayer, or scrubbing the kitchen floors.  When was the last time you were on your knees, viewing the world as a small child would see it?  The perspective is very different, indeed!  Everything looks so big, so far away, and so impossible.  If you haven't done this in a while, I encourage you to do so, especially if you have small children.  It will give you a greater appreciation for them and for the way in which they view the world.

I remember seeing the world from this perspective and it was frustrating.  Everything I wanted to do or touch or play with seemed to be out of my reach.  In order to experience anything, I had to have assistance; and this assistance was provided by my parents. All I had to do was raise my arms and they would lift me up and carry me wherever I wanted or needed to go.  However, there was one thing I particularly enjoyed doing with my dad. 

My dad had this unique way of making me feel very special.  I would run to him and he would lift me up, using only the index finger of his right hand.  He would dangle me and jostle me and spin me in circles as I kept a death grip on that one finger.  I wasn't frightened, worried, or concerned about anything bad happening.  Instead, hanging on for dear life to his finger was one of the most exciting things I ever did.

As long as daddy held me, it was all right.  I knew he wouldn't let go and I wasn't about to.  There was a bond forged between us that we mention even to this day.  However, it is now quite impossible for my dad to lift me with one finger anymore, but his desire to do so is still evident as is mine.

Have you ever considered that God wants to treat us in just this fashion?  Nothing gives him

greater joy than to have his children latch on to him for dear life.  He wants us to hold onto him, to trust him completely, and to have fun in his presence.  God knows that from our perspective the world looks large, overwhelming, and impossible.  He knows that we can never reach the things we need to have and want to have without his assistance. Moreover, he stands ready to help us do just that if we will only ask him.

What parents could resist their child begging to be held?  When the little arms go up, the big arms wrap around in a hold that will not let go.  When found in such a situation, the child does not struggle against the parent, instead he snuggles, giggles, and is content just to be held.

 What better picture of God is there than this?  Who better to pick us up, cradle us in his arms, and carry us than our heavenly father? He will never let us go and nothing bad will ever happen to us while we are with him.  There may be times of difficulty, but his hand is always there, holding us tightly, even more tightly than we are holding on to him.

Now, when was the last time you approached God on your knees, not in prayer but as a child with outstretched arms?  When was the last time you asked him to pick you up with one finger and twirl you around to your heart's content?  When was the last time you sat in God's lap and just enjoyed his presence? 

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e is ready to share that with you today.  As Isaiah41:10 says "Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you. I will help you. I will uphold you with my victorious right hand." Isn't it about time you grabbed God's hand and spent some quality lap time with your heavenly father?  Why don't you do so today!

Before I Was, He Knew

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aturday and Sunday mornings at our house were pretty typical.  We would sleep later, drink our coffee slower, and talk with each other longer, easing ourselves into the day ahead.  A visit to my parents’ home in North Carolina several years ago proved to be no exception to this rule.

During these visits, the conversation will invariably turn to events and stories from the past.   On one particular Sunday morning, we were standing in the kitchen, one of my very favorite haunts in any house, just talking about nothing in particular.  The conversation, however, took a turn toward the past. For a few moments, we took a stroll down memory lane, discussing the many ways God had provided for us as a family, and for me in particular.

I was born with several congenital abnormalities for which I have undergone numerous surgeries over the years.  One of these "little challenges" concerns my heart.  In June of 1975, I underwent open-heart surgery to repair a hole between my heart’s upper chambers.  The surgery was successful and I had no difficulties afterward.  I grew stronger and could run and play for longer periods without getting tired.

However, a few years after surgery, the doctors discovered another abnormality with my heart's electrical system that caused me to have sporadic, rapid, irregular heart rhythms.  Actually, they had suspected this problem all along due to my irregular electrocardiogram which did not change markedly after surgery.  They were able to determine the cause of the problem and were able to prescribe medications to keep it in check.

When I travel, I carry a copy of my medical record so that a physician will know what to do in case of an emergency.  In the record are letters between my pediatrician and my first cardiologist at Duke University Medical Center.  Those letters indicate their assurance that, at some point, an irregular rhythm episode would occur and they had discussed possible means of treatment. 

As I read those letters, I couldn't help but be amazed at the way God had put in place the people to help me.  These two doctors, from different parts of the country, met each other in medical school years before I was born.  Nevertheless, God was already working, putting them together so that when I came along, they could provide the medical care I needed and assemble one of the finest medical teams to address this issue. 

Before I was, He knew what I would need and made provision for it.  Before my mom and dad married, before any of this, God knew.  Some would chalk this up to coincidence or luck.  In my experience, there is no such thing.  God either cares for us or He doesn't, He either knows everything or He doesn't, He is either who He says He is or He isn't, we either believe Him or we don't.  I choose to believe God is exactly who He says He is and that He knows us and provides for us even when we don't yet exist.

David knew this to be true and penned the following words in Psalm 139:16, "Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed.  And in Your book they all were written, the days fashioned for me, when as yet there were none of them."  David knew and understood how awesome God is.  He understood how wonderfully he had been fashioned and he also knew that if God could create everything that exists, then He knew how to take care of it and maintain it. 

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oday you may be struggling.  The circumstances you are in may seem so overwhelming and daunting.  You may be wondering where God is and if He even knows or cares about where you are.  Rest assured He does.  He has been making plans for you for years, even before you were born.  Nothing enters your life without His knowledge.  If sparrows do not escape His attention when they fall, nothing in the life of His children goes unnoticed either.  Today's challenges only speak of tomorrow's victories.  Everything you need for this day, God will provide because before you were, He knew!!!

Access Granted

 Carp's Daily Tidbits

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

Date: Tuesday, January 27, 2015

Today's Title: Access Granted

Today's Scripture: Romans 5:1-2

Access granted!  It sounds like a good beginning for a James Bond movie or the latest spy-detective novel, doesn't it?  I mean there’s something kind of mysterious and just a bit devious about having access to information no one else has.  But rest assured, nothing like that has happened. I've not been entrusted with any secrets of national importance.  I do not know who will be in the Super Bowl, and the knowledge of the winners in the upcoming Grammy Awards has not been imparted to me.

So what is all the hullabaloo about?  Exactly what information am I privy to that would cause such an uproar and be cloaked in secrecy?  Nothing really!  My job at the university has taken a slightly different tact than before.  I continue to be in the classroom but now I am also working with students as they plan their courses of study.  Based on the classes they've taken and their chosen areas of concentration, I am helping our department by advising them on the next steps they should take towards graduation.

The notion of access was not lost on the Apostle Paul.  He spells out in no uncertain terms how the Christian has direct access to God’s grace.  Paul reminds us that this access comes through Jesus Christ and him alone.  In Romans 5:1-2 he pens these words, “Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.”

From this brief passage of scripture, Paul describes our relationship both before and after accepting Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord.  He says that after accepting Jesus we 1) are justified, 2) have peace with God, and 3) have access to God’s grace.  None of these are possible without Christ.  Without him we are at odds with God because of our sin.  Without Jesus we have no peace and without him we cannot participate in nor be recipients of God’s grace.

But when we accept Jesus and ask him to come into our hearts and save us from sin, then we become justified by faith, we have peace with God, and we stand in God’s grace.  Jesus Christ grants us this access—and it is full access—to God!  When we accept his free gift of salvation, our status changes and we can tap all the wonderful resources of God because of our relationship with Jesus Christ.

This doesn't require a top-level security clearance and it you don’t have to work for any underground or clandestine organization.  To have this kind of relationship, all you must do is to admit you are a sinner—and we all are (Romans 3:23)—and ask Jesus to become the Lord of your life.  Have you been granted access today?