Injustice for All

 

I had a dream. Oh my dreams are not anything like those of Martin Luther King. My dream was quite silly and I can only recall the smallest bit of it right before I woke up. In my dream I was upset by how unfairly vampires like me were treated. Yep. Nothing like MLK. But it got me thinking about the injustice of so many different groups and I realized that there is no justice for anyone on this earth.

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

John 16:33 [NIV]

Recently, I caught myself being angered over the snubbing of female vocal artists in country music. Another instance of my righteous indignation is that I am angered by how teachers are treated in our society. And another pet peeve of mine is how good leaders are ignored even though they choose to step up when others shrink back and judge. But what good is my anger? It only makes me bitter. And that is a weapon of the Enemy. My gut response to my very justified anger is not helpful. It is destructive. Maybe I don’t kill people or tear down store fronts, but I destroy my own peace. And that drains the God-given serenity from my soul.

So how are Christians to handle injustice? Are we supposed to accept it and pretend it doesn’t exist? I’m so glad you asked, because the Bible has so much to say about this topic that it could never be addressed in this little blog. So I will just hit on a few points. To get the real deal, you need to read the Bible. It is full of stories of injustice and it offers practical advice on how to handle each.

One such story is that of David and Bathsheba. It is full of injustice! It takes place after David has become accepted as the reigning King of the Israelites and is sitting pretty in the throne. He sees a hot woman bathing on her rooftop and wants her.(And it is not like he doesn’t already have wives of his own.) Long story short, David summons Bathsheba who is another man’s wife, gets her pregnant, tries to cover it up in several different unsuccessful ways until he resorted to murder. This story has plenty of injustice to go around. But God sends a justifier. He sends Nathan the preacher, to confront David. Nathan does not go in shouting hellfire and brimstone even though David definitely deserved it. I think Nathan was sent by God to address this injustice because Nathan knew how to be smart and control his righteous indignation. Nathan chose to approach David with a story of injustice about another guy who did a similar thing as David. And it worked like a charm. David was livid at the perpetrator in the story. Then, ever-so respectfully, while David was most vulnerable, Nathan tells David that he was this man. Nathan was not out to avenge the wrongs committed to Bathsheba or her husband, his endgame was repentance and change.

I think Nathan can teach us all how to handle injustice. First and foremost he was called by God to do this. If it is not a calling of God. I should not touch it. And I will only know what is my calling if I stay in God’s word and speak with Him frequently. Second, Nathan was not defending an injustice done to himself but was looking out for others. He had no skin in this game. We are called as Christians to look out for others rather than ourselves. If the cause benefits me and mine, it may not be what I need to be addressing. Third, he could control his anger. This is something that is learned by practice. Anger only brings out angry responses rather than remorse. In the case of justifying injustices, anger is seldom an effective tool.

Nathan used his God-given wisdom to address the situation one-to-one, in a non-confrontational manner. And by Nathan’s preparation, obedience, and the power of the Most High God he was effective! David repented and changed his ways. And the last point: If revenge rather than repentance is what I am looking for, my heart is not ready to confront anyone.

 Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord.

Romans 12: 19 [NIV}

So my take-away is that unless I am called and equipped by God, I do not need to handle injustices. I need to look for the injustice of others rather than myself and I need to check my anger at the door and be smart. Now is not the time to ignore social injustice but it is also not the time for vengeance. Now is the time to listen to what God is speaking into my heart and to defend the defenseless.

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Taking the Mystery Out of Faith

 Everyday is full of choices. That is what makes us human. We have the ability to reason and choose.  We choose food, clothing, how we spend our time or what we read, watch and think about.  We choose recreation, friends, jobs, housing, spouses and how we spend our money. And every one of these choices leads us to more choices, making life a tangled mess of choices. If you don’t believe me, just make one choice differently today then pay attention to the consequences of that change.  

For example, I might choose to sleep a little later than normal. That causes me to miss breakfast which makes me snack before lunch which makes me not want much lunch. So I get super hungry in the middle of the afternoon and grab a Dr. Pepper and candy bar to hold me until dinner. Of course you know what happens at dinner which leads to a late night snack because for some mysterious reason, I cannot go to sleep at my regular time so I stay up late watching the TV until I fall asleep. Then the next morning… You get the point. Every tiny, insignificant decision affects so many others!  

Faith is a decision. When we make a mental decision to believe rather than to fear, every choice for that entire day will hinge on that choice. Choosing faith is powerful and affects every part of our lives. Just like the decision to sleep in late affected my entire day and beyond, so does a single tiny choice of faith affect my entire life. It is not so mysterious. I always thought faith was some big supernatural thing. But today I am reminded that faith is a choice, a single choice made in a moment of time, over and over again. I first chose faith a long time ago. And by sticking with that decision daily, I began the journey of a faithful follower.  

Remember the mustard seed analogy? Jesus particularly liked this little seed. He told the disciples that if they had the faith of a mustard seed, they could move a mountain. Then at another time he tells them that the kingdom of God is like that little seed.

30 Again he said, “What shall we say the kingdom of God is like, or what parable shall we use to describe it? 31 It is like a mustard seed, which is the smallest of all seeds on earth. 32 Yet when planted, it grows and becomes the largest of all garden plants, with such big branches that the birds can perch in its shade.”

Mark 4:30-32 [NIV]

On a quick Google, I found that mustard bushes reach an average mature height of between 6 and 20 feet with a 20-foot spread, although exceptional plants can reach 30 feet tall under ideal conditions. They have a spreading, multi-stemmed growth habit with a drooping or weeping branch structure.

Sasha Degan of Home SFGate

I always thought this seed analogy referred only to a tiny amount of faith for a lifetime, but now I see that tiny seed of faith as a starting place for the kingdom of God in our lives, affecting the lives of others. Just as a tiny seed is the beginning of a large branching plant, so is one single, tiny choice of faith. It is the multi-stemmed part that intrigues me. Each branch gives birth to more branches, until that single decision has branched into every corner of our lives. Maintaining this choice by daily renewal makes it grow and branch into more and more parts of our life, ultimately creating a niche for other living things. Faith starts by a single simple decision. And spending the time to nurture this choice, causes it to branch into other parts of my life. Faith is an anchor for my choices yesterday, today and tomorrow. Yes, I will make wrong choices based on fear, selfishness, pride or anger.  But my fall-back, my go-to, is faith.  And when I make minute-by-minute selections based on faith it is like fresh rain on the roots of a thirsty plant. 

The Good Book

 Psalm 119:105 NIV

[105] Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.

One thing that I have been struggling with lately is the pull of reading good Bible-based books in the place of reading the Bible itself. There are so many wonderful scripture inspired books being written right now. I get excited about them and want to spend some of my quiet time reading them instead of going straight to the scripture.  

However, in these faithful book studies, the authors point out that the true source is the Bible and the Holy Spirit speaking to me through it. All other words, from Billy Graham or C.S. Lewis or Henri Nouwen or Martin Luther King or John Wesley, pale in comparison to the words of the Bible itself applied to an open heart by our Holy Spirit. 

Does this mean we should toss the words of C.S. Lewis and the gang? Oh no! One caveat for those books about the scripture is that they can be used as a tool to lead us to the scripture itself. This is why we should continue to read them. But we should be careful that we don’t allot all our precious time to them, disregarding the reading of the Bible itself. We should prioritize and value the Bible above the others.  It is like baseball.  It is good to learn how to steal bases or what to do in a squeeze play.  But it is worthless if you don’t know how to throw, catch and hit the ball. The Bible teaches our heart the basics. 

Hebrews 4:12 NIV
[12] For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

But what if I don’t understand the Bible? How can I read it?  Remember that the Holy Spirit is given to each of us when we give our hearts to God. He is an interpreter. Pray for his guidance and trust that He will show you what you need to find. Don’t compare yourself to others. Look to God. Trust the Holy Spirit and learn from the words of Jesus.  

When I get more excited about reading a book about the Bible than I do about the Bible itself, I have to review the amazing journey the words of the scripture have made throughout history. This reminds me of how God has protected his Word through wars, plagues, fire, flood and decay.  I have to remind myself that the very words I am reading have gone through a miraculous journey of time. I have to remind myself of the fairly recent amazing discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls which verified, magnified and reinforced the truth of the scripture handed down through the ages. I have to see that no other book has endured the test of time like our Holy scripture.  And I have to realize the privilege I have to read them myself. 

Part of Dead Sea Scroll 28a from Qumran Cave 1. The Jordan Museum, Amman.jpg
From Wikimedia Commons, the free media repository

2 Timothy 3:16-17 NIV
[16] All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, [17] so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

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Coping With COVID

 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.

Hebrews 12:1-2a [NIV]

Lately there has been a plethora of things that hinder!  I don’t know if you can relate, but every time I chose to do something, I realize that it will be different because of COVID. And that hinders me and makes me stop cold. Today, to me, this is what the what the verse above is addressing. Issues of COVID tie up my excitement and creativity in a little knot and easily entangle me in a downward progression of thoughts. If you can relate to this, then keep on reading. There is good news ahead.

Are we stuck in this entanglement of coping with the hindrance of COVID, or is there a better way?  Is there a way out of this daily, as folks in the South say, “whoopin’? ” As I was reading a devotional from a friend, I was drawn to the above passage in Hebrews 12.  Embedded in it was a way to cope and live in this time victoriously.  It starts with telling us to run the race. There were no contingencies. It said to run. Don’t sit and worry. Don’t wait to feel like it. Just get started.  And it also says the path is marked for us to run. Right now our path is terribly curvy. We don’t know what tomorrow holds. We can’t see around the next bend, but we can make up our minds to persevere and run today’s path.  And what is more, we are given instructions on how.  Fix your eyes on Jesus.  Don’t fix your eyes on what might be looming ahead. Don’t even fix your eyes on today’s tasks. Fix your eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.  So how do you fix your eyes on Jesus?

Image by Free-Photos from Pixabay 

‘Fixing your eyes’ is all about focus.  Our focus is what determines how we live our life. This is a choice of putting the emphasis on God. So rather than choosing to feel wrung out and tired, I will choose to feel needed, essential and invested.  It is a choice. Placing my eyes on my blessings and what is good in my life places my focus on the God who gave me these blessings. So today if I am grateful, I will see the fruit of that gratitude which is peace and overflowing joy.  And then tomorrow, for the new peace and joy, I am more grateful and pretty soon I am in a perfect cycle of blessings!  Gratitude inspires gratitude. This isn’t about adopting a ‘PollyAnna’ attitude. Gratitude doesn’t deny how hard things are, it just puts the emphasis on the good. And God is the goodness in our lives. 

How COVID Could Make You Better

 Since we have the time, let’s take a break from worrying to imagine something better together. Out of this weird COVID time, there will come some benefits. Think of the creativity that has been given time to grow and mature. Maybe busy writers will at last have time to write that book series that will leave J.K. Rowling in the dust! What about the beautiful songs that are being written? Maybe some song writer is writing the most beautiful tune ever hummed. What works of art are being designed? Move over Picasso! What movie score is being written that will rise to your top ten list?

Think of the intimate social interactions forged by this slower pace. What family ties are being reinforced? What things outside of our comfort zones have been tried? What important conversations happened that never would have at the normal hectic pace of life? What words are being understood that were never given the time to sink in before? What stories will you have to tell the next generation?

Think of the quiet that is required to hear the voice of God. It is that hush-and-be-still time that feeds our soul.  What about the time that is being spent talking to God that was rushed and forced before? What wonders of God have been revealed to children who, out of boredom, were forced to seek recreation outside?

Think of the gratitude we now have for the privileges we once took for granted. An attitude of gratitude that some happy people possess is growing in all of us. Think about the appreciation that has grown for the privilege of time with friends. I don’t know about you but I now understand what a privilege it was to sing with a large group in praise. And of course, even for those of us who are not huggers, we are beginning to appreciate the human touch.  When you think about it, waiting for this time to be over is like waiting for Christmas. What wonderful presents will we find and appreciate like never before?

Last Sunday(online of course), my pastor said something that resonated with me. He said, “It is time to roll up our sleeves instead of taking a wake-me-up-when-it-is-over attitude.” This will end. But until then, don’t dwell on the negative and the doubt, but slap on a face mask and get about your business. And if your business is gone, spend your time thinking of ways to help someone else, and do it.

Silly Things

Should we thank God for luxuries? It seems so silly since luxuries are things we really don’t need. Luxuries are silly things. Shouldn’t we sell them and give that money to the poor? Well, I thank God everyday for my swimming pool. Yep. That is silly. But to me, getting that pool was God putting the whipped cream on top of the chocolate milkshake.

As a small child from a poor family living in Kansas, I was introduced to a backyard swimming pool when we visited my wealthy aunt and uncle in Dallas. In the 1960’s only the very wealthy had in-ground pools. My uncle was an electrical engineer and part owner in a company that did the electricity for many big Dallas venues including Six Flags. Their pool made such an impression on me that I spent too much of my time trying to find a way to visit my aunt. That pool was the ultimate luxury in my book!

2009 is a date that is engraved in my memory much like 2020 will go down in world history. In January of 2009, Kevin and I began our journey through what is sometimes called a sifting. Suffice it to say, it was a ‘grab your torch and pitchfork’ type of situation and we were at the pointy end. Since then, I realized that this type of experience is inherent to those with a public job and sadly, many school superintendents and pastors go through this. However, when we were going through this dreadful experience it seemed very personal. Yet somehow, in all the chaos, Kevin and I grew closer to God and closer to each other.

It wasn’t long until an opportunity in a new place opened and in June of 2009 we moved to a new town and began our new jobs, closing the door on that difficult season of life. In our new town, we found that as soon as one blessing arrived, another would follow until there was no denying that God’s deliverance was behind it all. The house we really wanted was a bargain and one of only a handful of suitable homes available in our school district. And it came with a beautiful big pool in the backyard. Be still my heart! As we were moving into that home, I realized it was God tapping me on the shoulder saying, “Look how much I love you.”

So now I thank God for that silly thing, that luxury, because I remember how He delivered us through a storm.

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Answered Prayers

 What can I say about prayer that hasn’t already been said? I can only tell about the answered prayers in my own life. No one else can tell you that.

I don’t know about you, but praying has not been natural for me. You might think that as a Preacher’s kid who was raised in the church, that prayer would be like breathing. However, prayer, for most of my life has been a mystery.

I think the first issue I had was I would ask God for BIG things only. I thought little daily stuff was not worth God’s attention. So I prayed for world peace, for the hungry to be fed, and for all people to turn to Christ. Amen. My prayers were noble but not relational. And probably not something that will be answered in my lifetime or even on this earth. So how did I bring my prayers down to my reality? I learned to pray for the next step. I prayed for my decisions that I knew I would face that very day. I recorded issues that friends were facing on that day and I prayed for them also.

[33] “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

John 16: 33 NIV

Another issue with prayer was my forgetfulness. I would pray for an issue to be resolved then never give it another thought. I did not expect or notice God’s answer. I did not follow through. Once I found a way to ensure follow through, my prayer life became vibrant. The way I found to battle my forgetfulness was to record my prayers daily. Then daily, review the previous day’s requests. To my amazement, my prayers were answered over and over again. God was constantly working on my prayers. And then I expressed my gratitude. It would take pages to describe the difference gratitude makes in my life. This is not to say that I have this gratitude thing down. I am a negative person by human nature. I fight this daily.

[14] This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. [15] And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him.

I John 5:14-15 NIV

Another issue was that I often prayed for stuff that was not God’s will. No, I didn’t pray for that mean girl to get syphilis, but I prayed for things that weren’t necessarily important to anyone’s relationship with God. So how do we know his will?  By reading his Word.  By talking to Him.  By a personal relationship with Him.  By pursuing Him. I once heard that God has priorities that are very different from ours. While we care about our earthly comforts and earthly justice, God cares first about our relationship with him and our eternal destination. So when I pray, I must keep in mind that God’s priority is his relationship to his children, before justice on earth and before my perceived happiness or comfort in this temporary life. And when my prayers are aligned with God’s desires, then I see miracles.

[2] “This is what the Lord says, he who made the earth, the Lord who formed it and established it—the Lord is his name: [3] ‘Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.’

Jeremiah 33:2-3 NIV

Image by reenablack from Pixabay

The Hater and the Hated

 It is easy to point my finger at the hate-filled white cop who killed an innocent black man. What is not easy, is to look within myself for hatred. Hatred is like that. Everyone can see your hatred but you.

Do not take revenge my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written, “It is mine to avenge; I will repay.” says the Lord. Romans 12:19

There is an old story about a hater named Jonah. For whatever reason, he hated people from Nineveh. We are not told why, but we are told they were evil. I’m sure they must have wronged Jonah or his family or his village. Jonah was told by God to go preach to them so they would turn to God. Jonah refused on the basis that they didn’t deserve the forgiveness and second chance that a loving God would offer them. We are all very familiar with what happens next. Jonah ends up inside a big fish then barfed up on a beach.

I find it interesting that the Lord gives both the people of Nineveh and Jonah a second chance. This is a story of forgiveness for both the hater and the hated. He is the God of second chances. If only we, as Christians, can learn to give second chances to those we have learned to hate.

Jonah went to the city of Nineveh and preached to them to turn to God and they did, saving them from certain destruction. However, Jonah was not happy with this conversion of his enemies. He became angry and complained to the Lord that he knew that this would happen because God is gracious, compassionate, slow to anger and abounding with love. He asked the Lord to take his life rather than to accept this redemption of the people of Nineveh. This is where we can plainly see the problem was more with Jonah than with the evil Ninevites. This prophet that God used to bring the city of Nineveh back to him was eaten up with hate and anger.

His source of hatred was unforgiveness. Hatred can be passed down from generation to generation. Hatred will always find a target. And most often that target is the innocent.  And for Jonah, it was the people of Nineveh. For people in our world today, it may be conservative Republicans, liberal Democrats, Pelosi, Trump, bosses, employees, men, women, blacks, whites or hispanics.  Hate is ugly. I know someone who suffered at the hands of several men throughout her life. Now, deep in her heart, she carries the stench of hatred for all men. She tries to cover it up. But it often lets loose on an innocent male target.  Sadly, it has changed her and made her bitter. Hatred can’t be controlled.  It controls you.  Like cancer, it eats you from the inside out. And like cancer, it is a slow, suffering death. 

First, we have to see the hatred in ourselves. That is the hardest part! Everyone around us can see it but us. Ask God to shine a light on it. He will reveal it to you. How do we get rid of it? Forgiveness. Forgiveness is a choice. Forgiveness doesn’t excuse the wrong that was committed against us. Forgiveness frees us from the chain on our own hearts. The good news is that there is a cure for unforgiveness. I have found that it takes time. The book I have turned to to help me deal with unforgiveness is Forgiveness…the Ultimate Miracle by Paul J. Meyer.  He does a wonderful job of shining a light on how to get out of the grip of hatred. 

Lord, we need your forgiveness. Please lead us to find the unforgiveness in ourselves and turn it over to you.

"Say Hello to my Little Friend"

 Please read this title in an Al Pacino voice. But unlike Al, the little friend I am speaking about is the Holy Spirit. What does this voice or influence of the Holy Spirit sound, look or feel like? It is so mysterious. First, let’s get something straight. The Holy Spirit is not your guilty conscience, guilt in any form, an accusing voice or a judgmental voice. That is the voice of the enemy, the deceiver. Here are a few examples of the voice of the Spirit. 

• Someone popped into your mind that you normally don’t think of daily.
• Reading a scripture you have read many times before, only this time it touched you deeply with conviction or comfort or exactly what you needed.  
• When you had the power to quit a bad habit.
• When you had the power to walk away from temptation.  
• When the right words came out of your mouth in spite of what was in your mind.  
• When you spoke boldly to a close friend, spouse, or family member about what God has done for you.  
• When you did the right thing when no one is watching. 
• When someone thanked you for helping them and you have no idea what you did.
• When you were made aware of God through the eyes of a child, through the devotion of your dog, or through the beauty of a sunset. 
• When the smile you chose to paste on your face found its way deep into your heart and became real.
• When you experienced the satisfaction of a difficult job well done.  
• When your heart was happy. 
• When, out of the blue, you knew the solution to a problem.  
• When you were able to do something that you didn’t remember learning from anyone.
• When you looked back at the tough times in your life and wondered how you ever survived them.  
• A strange comfort when your world was falling apart.
• That hopeful desire of how your response could be more like Christ next time.
• When you saw your bad choices with new eyes and deeply desired to change this. 
• When you finished a job to the end, in the face of opposition.
• When you were deeply convicted to help someone who could never repay you. 

So what does the Bible have to say about the Holy Spirit?  Here are a few key verses that I found. 

John 14:16-21 NIV

[16] And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— [17] the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. [18] I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. [19] Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. [20] On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. [21] Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them.” 

Ephesians 3:16-19 NIV

[16] I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, [17] so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, [18] may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, [19] and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

Galatians 5:22-23 

[22] But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance (patience with people), kindness, goodness, faithfulness, [23] gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

Hebrews 10:15-16 NIV

[15] The Holy Spirit also testifies to us about this. First he says: [16] “This is the covenant I will make with them after that time, says the Lord. I will put my laws in their hearts, and I will write them on their minds.”

Luke 12:12 NIV

[12] for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what you should say.”

1 Thessalonians 1:5 NIV

[5] because our gospel came to you not simply with words but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and deep conviction. You know how we lived among you for your sake.

Luke 10:21 NIV

[21] At that time Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit,…

1 Thessalonians 1:6 NIV

[6] You became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you welcomed the message in the midst of severe suffering with the joy given by the Holy Spirit.

So according to the above verses, the Holy Spirit is our advocate, speaks truth to us, is our guardian, helps us understand God, gives us love, joy, peace, patience with people, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control, puts the laws in our hearts and minds, teaches us, is a source of power, and fills us with joy. Who wants that? 🙋🏻‍♀️ This is the greatest gift imaginable and if you are a follower of Christ, you have been given this gift. 

The Missing Adversary

Watching Dana Carvey as The Church Lady on Saturday Night Live, I laughed at the little old lady that saw Satan around every corner exclaiming in a whining, nasal tone, “Could it be...Satan?” Like most of the audience, I believed Satan was only a funny, little ineffectual bad spirit. Due to my upbringing, I never denied that he was real. My upbringing was grounded in the Bible enough to admit that there was an adversary.  But it also minimized this to the point that he was only spoken of in jokes.  

Satan goes by many names. The Devil, the Adversary, the Enemy, the Darkness, the Author of Lies, and the Deceiver are just a few. The first time I realized that the enemy wasn’t just a little voice sitting on my shoulder giving me bad suggestions, I was relieved.  I was relieved that he was so much more evil, powerful and active in the world and my life than what I once thought. Why on earth would this be a relief? Wouldn’t this be scary? Isn’t the reason we hesitate to tell children much about Satan, because we don’t want to scare the poor little guys?  

This world IS an evil and scary place.  It is immediately obvious from our first peek at the cold cruel world from outside our mother’s womb. So from the beginning of our lives, we already know the pain of evil, the heartbreak that happens when a loved one leaves, the feeling of hunger, and the difficulty of getting along with others. But we don’t know the explanation for it. For me, it is much more comforting to understand where something bad is coming from. If the monster is under the bed, at least I don’t have to worry about that closet! When evil goes unexplained it looms larger than life causing even more fear. If there is no source of evil at work in this world, so many things can’t be explained or are blamed wrongly on a blameless God. (The later is a pet peeve of mine.) So understanding the enemy helps me understand the source of constant tension in this world. 

Ephesians 6:11-12 [NIV] Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.

This passage confirms that we live in a dark and spiritual world. In fact, the correct perspective is that we are spiritual beings caught in a natural world full of evil. It also confirms that the source of evil is the opposition to God.  But if God is all-powerful, why doesn’t he kick that bad angel down to where he belongs? I know the following explanation is oversimplified and full of holes but here is my answer to this question.

As a girl growing up in the 1960’s, I played with dolls non-stop. But I can remember that as much as I loved controlling the lives of those dolls, I would have given anything if they would have, just once, had a voice and choice of their own. How great would it have been if just once my Barbie would have complained about her outfit I selected for her? However, I would drop those dolls in a heartbeat to play with a real baby that I didn’t control and manipulate, one that could choose to love me. 

This, to me, is the best way to explain why God let his created humans have a voice and a choice. Isn’t having a choice the very definition of freedom? If our choices are removed, we become enslaved. Freedom was God’s gift to us. He created us, the objects of His intense love, and allowed us to choose. The funny thing is, if there was no bad verses God’s good, there was no choice and no freedom. Couldn’t he just have given us a choice like vanilla vs. chocolate? First of all, vanilla and chocolate are both from God so that is not a legit choice. The only choice God could give us is to choose his light vs. darkness because darkness is the world without God’s light. Just let that sink in a minute! God gave us a voice and a choice because He wanted to be chosen and truly loved and not just obeyed like a mindless robot. 

And what did we choose? Right out of the box, the first humans chose the lies of evil. Humans chose to keep this adversary around and we continue to make this choice daily. Humans were created by God for God, but chose to listen to the enemy because we were free to do so. When we see a beautiful sunset, a perfect newborn baby or feel the hug of a loving friend, that is authored by God. When we see COVID-19, when we feel rejected, when we deal with cancer and death, that is the temporary evil of this world. 

The good news is that God didn’t leave us stuck with our choices and no way out. God is a God of second chances. He created a path out of this evil world and sent messengers to point the way. It is a simple choice but involves admitting our helplessness, letting go of our sinful ways and pursuing Him. Someday, for those of us who chose this path, the enemy with all the pain, suffering, disease and death, will be defeated. But until then, I will continue daily to choose God...

2 Timothy 1:12 [NIV] because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him until that day.

Image by Pexels from Pixabay 

David and Saul

What did I do to deserve this?  Why does he track me like a starving lion?  How can I show him I mean no harm?  I’m tired and I want to go back to my home. I’m tired of hiding in caves, starving and living like an animal.  How can I end this insanity?  How can I make things right?

Again and again, King Saul mercilessly tries to kill David out of jealousy.  David never did anything to harm Saul, yet in fits of jealous age, the powerful king has declared war on this young man.  David finds himself in a position where he must flee for his life, living in caves evading a powerful predator, relentlessly hunted.

Then one day, Saul unknowingly enters the cave where David is hiding. He is unable to see David deep in the darkness but David, accustomed to the darkness of the cave, sees him. While Saul is in a vulnerable position, pants down, David sees an opportunity to right this wrong.  He sees a way to set things right for once and for all. Instead of a quick murder, he sneaks up and slices the corner off of Saul’s robe.  Then, hoping it will stop this insane chase, David publicly reveals the piece of robe to Saul. And it gets the right reaction!  The plan worked! “You are more righteous than I,” Saul said. “You have treated me well, but I have treated you badly.“

Words, however, are not worth much. Of course Saul is speaking out of emotion because it is not long until his stalking of David begins again. This whole situation repeats itself. David has another chance to kill Saul but doesn’t in the hope to prove his innocence to Saul. Again, this is only a temporary fix and does not change Saul. Try as he might, David cannot change Saul’s heart and mind. 

This choice of David’s not to kill the man who mercilessly wants to kill him, seems to have been a turning point for David.  He quits focusing on changing Saul and he begins to accept what has happened to him. This is when David changes from a boy to a man after God’s own heart. He accepts his lot as an outcast from Israel and begins to learn to live victoriously among foreigners until God chooses to deliver him back to his own people.  And this happens all in God’s time. David learned to live in a position that was transitional. He learned to thrive where he was, even if it was not where he wanted to be.  He still relied on God and wrote heartfelt poetry to God. He was still a formidable warrior.  He still had a sense of fairness and justice. He was still David.  He realized that it is not Saul who is determining his fate and he began to live in the moment, no longer trying to change circumstances but submitting to God and living for him, one day at a time. 

This, my friend, is the very definition of peace.  Not a removal-from-the-war kind of peace, but acceptance-in-the-trial kind of peace. It is a peace that was expressed by David in the very famous 23rd Psalm.

The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths for his name's sake. Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

David had a choice.  He could kill Saul, he could continue to try in vain to gain his favor, or he could accept Saul as he was placing his eyes on God and move on. Choosing not to take revenge brings with it the gift of peace. Peace also comes when we humbly accept the misery our earthly enemies deal us, realizing it is not our role to change them. David chose to accept the difficult mission of moving on.  

Romans 12:19 NIV[19] Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord.

When I want to say or do something to straighten things out, that is my opportunity for peace of mind, body and soul.  My mission, should I choose to accept it, is to let go of the wrongs and look to God for the strength to do so. God never gave us the ability to force change on hearts and minds. We cannot. And God does not. He simply asked us to go and teach, bind up the wounds, feed his sheep, and live out what we know. We are to be and do what this world is starving for. We are to be a light. 

Thank you, Lord, for helping me see that people cannot be slapped with truth but must discover it on their own. 

And God Said, “Hold My Beer”

Yes, I read the Bible and never once did God say the words, “hold my beer.” In fact I worry that this title could be edging on irreverence. Please know the intent behind this title is to highlight the works of an amazing God. And it is the sentiment behind this saying that is boldly splattered throughout the Bible. 

The parting of the Red Sea recorded in Exodus 14 is the most famous and fitting ‘hold my beer’ moment that first pops into my mind. So I researched a few of the others. Resources number biblical miracles well above 150. Please take a moment to read through this very short and incomplete list.  

Jonah and the big fish (Jonah)
Manna for the Israelites in the desert (Exodus 16)
Daniel and the lions den (Daniel 6)
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego’s walk through a fiery furnace (Daniel 3)
The virgin birth of Jesus (Matthew 1)
Jesus turning water into wine (John 2)
Jesus calming the storm (Matthew 8)
Jesus walking on the water (Matthew 14)
Jesus healing the nobleman’s son (John 4)
Jesus healing a leper (Matthew 8)
Jesus healing a paralytic (Matthew 9)
Jesus healing a woman with an issue of blood (Luke 8)
Jesus healing the blind (Matthew 20)
Jesus casting out unclean spirits (Matthew 8)
Jesus feeding the multitudes (Matthew 14 and 15)
Jesus raising the widow’s son from the dead (Luke7)
Jesus raising Jairus’ daughter from the dead (Luke 8)
Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead (John 11)
Jesus resurrection (Luke 24)

Was one greater than all the others?  Which is the greatest rescue of all time?  Which of these validates all the others? Which one makes the difference between a great story and a great Savior for all of us? Which one of these gives you hope today?

One of these didn’t just save an individual, a large group or a nation, but all of humanity that chooses to believe!  So yeah, on the first Easter morning, the Creator of the Universe said, “Hold my beer.” Sunday is our time to remember just how awesome and loving our God is.  May we take the time to remember Him.  

Image by TC Perch from Pixabay 

Oh Lord, May I bow in awe and wonder at what you have done for me.

Mr. Rogers’ Advice

You need to know, my blogs are simply sermons to myself. This blog was inspired by reading Tim Madigan's Book, I'm Proud of You. Writing this is my reminder to be transparent. Mr. Rogers reminds me that it is only in my vulnerability that I have relationships and it is only through those relationships that I become an effective follower of Christ.  

Susan

While trying to comfort a family member over an issue in which he felt shame, I told him that there is freedom in letting people know what we are going through. I pointed out that many people are also dealing with the same thing and they would benefit from his shared experience. His answer shut me down. He said that he would continue to keep that family pride and that he would never let anyone know the issue he was dealing with. He built an impenetrable wall. He is now a very lonely man. Sadly, since then, he has successfully shut out his family, and this loss has been heartbreaking for me as well as others in his family. 

Shame holds us hostage. We believe the lie that if people really knew the truth about us, the worst of the worst would happen. We imagine losing our job, our family, or our friends to revealing the truth of our humanity. This deception is straight from the author of lies! We have told ourselves these untruths so many times that it has become ingrained in our psyche as fact. We think if we open up, we will no longer be loved. We think that honesty is a straight path to being a vulnerable crybaby. We think tough people are stoic and cool. Yet Jesus taught the opposite when he said in Matthew 18:3, “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” I believe a part of what Jesus was talking about was the trusting, truth-telling aspect of a child. 

We find many vulnerable bible characters that are an example of truly transparent people. The first that comes to my mind is David.  He was a great king, yet a fallible human.  He cried out to God in song and freely admitted his feelings and failures.  He was an open book, yet he was a Man after God’s Own Heart.  He is still known today as the greatest of kings and would probably be included in our top ten people to meet in heaven. 

Samson was known for his physical strength. He was a braggart and a liar.  He had a horrible temper and loved to get the better of those around him.  Yet deep down, he knew where his strength came from. He knew it was all from God and it wasn’t until he was broken and surrendered to the truth of God that he really did anything great.  

“It is a lot easier to love someone when you know their story.”  ~ Fred Rogers

But let’s look at it from the other side. How do you get close to someone that never opens up?  How do we relate to someone who never made a mistake, had a regret or did something stupid or rash?  When we meet people like that, it is like running smack into a wall. Sometimes it is failure to discuss anything deeper than the weather, and sometimes it is just silence. Their silence sends us a message of lack of trust. This lack of trust is more repelling than the Great Wall of China. Silence is a relationship killer.  It is a no admittance sign hung boldly on every conversation that never gets any deeper than “I’m fine.” Sometimes this sign is in the form of bragging or relentless success stories. Each of us has our unique defensive mechanism that we throw out at a moment’s notice like the ink cloud from a disturbed squid. 

So how do we begin to break through this Great Wall?  Breaking down a wall calls for power!  And we have power at our fingertips through prayer. This brings me back to yet another saying of Fred Rogers, “Anything mentionable is manageable.” Start by mentioning your truth to God.  Now, we all know that God is no blabbermouth, so that may be the easiest part. So, I believe the next thing to discuss with the Father is to ask for the power to chip away at that wall and also ask him to make us cognizant of how and when we create these walls.  Ask Him to help us see our stinking thinking. And if we are serious about this, we should ask for courage to open up to someone we can trust.  To break through this wall we will have to find a time, place and a trusted person in which to express our truth.  And as my pastor, David Alexander, pointed out, unless we mention it, it will always manage us. This is a journey and will not be accomplished overnight.  It will take cooperation and the courage to be vulnerable and put ourselves out there. 

Lord I pray for the courage to be vulnerable. I ask for the discernment to see when I am being defensive and not genuine. Please show me my defensive mechanisms and reveal the lies of the enemy that are ingrained in my head.  May my relationships with my friends and family grow so that I can do what you placed me on earth to do.