Trapped

Last night we trapped a raccoon, who we suspect of eating our bluebird babies.  After the carnage, I was thrilled at the prospect of the raccoon's demise.  However, when we awoke and I saw the raccoon in the cage, my heart melted.  He looked so scared huddled in the cage.  Now filled with compassion for this cute critter and realizing he was only following his natural instinct, we decided to let him go (not on our property mind you, but we settled him in a nice place down by the river).    This led me to pondering how much like that raccoon we are.

You see, we trapped him with the allure of something pleasing...in this case chicken nuggets. He couldn't resist the temptation and once inside enjoying the spoils, SLAM!  He was caught and in bondage.  We too are often trapped by the allure of the world's pleasures and find ourselves in bondage.  The difference between us and the raccoon, is that we always have a way out.

"It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery."  Galatians 5:1  "Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you."  James 4:7

A Three Hour Tour...

We recently visited friends in Michigan and had a great time, but one particular adventure stands out among the rest.  My friends are great!  They know how much I like lighthouses and planned a boating trip to Charity island, on Lake Huron, so I could see and climb the lighthouse there.  They have made this trip several times before and assured us what a fun and relaxing day it would be. 

The day dawned beautifully!  It was 70 degrees, sunny and the water in the marina was calm and empty of any other boats.  Perfect!  We went on a Thursday, so as to miss the weekend crowds.  Everyone climbed aboard and we launched the boat.

Once past the jetty, the waves began to increase.  A little wave jumping just added to the thrill of the adventure!  However, about half way to the island, when the boat hit a large wave sending the driver out of his seat and onto the floor, we all grew very quiet.

We made it to the island with no further complications and were rewarded with a wonderful view of Charity Island Lighthouse.  We waded to shore, climbed the lighthouse and were given a tour of the keepers residence.  The owner of the house was surprised to see us, given the small craft advisory. She had cancelled her own tour boat that was to come that day.  Now the lack of ANY boats on the lake made more sense. Yep, that is right.  We, a small craft, were out in troubled waters.  Oops!

She was kind enough to give us her cell number and said she would leave the emergency radio on.  That was comforting...I think.  This was not exactly how I pictured the end of my life.  So, off we set into the wind and waves.  It was perhaps the longest boat ride I have ever taken, or at least it seemed like an eternity.  The motion sickness didn't help matters.  At least we were all turning an equal shade of green, except our trusty captain, who seemed to be enjoying the ride. 

Once on firm, dry ground I could look back on it as an adventure to remember, even chuckle a little at our folly.  There is a lesson in this, and the scripture that was brought to mind was Proverbs 12:15 which says, "The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, But a wise man is he who listens to counsel."  Next time we will check the marine forecast!

Do I Delight In God?

Do I delight in God?  I know I should, Paul exhorts us in Philippians 4:4 to, "Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!" and Psalm 37:4 tells us, "Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart."  And after all, He delights in me!  But do I?  Am I pleased with God, His rule and reign? 

At one time in my life I am not sure I could have answered this question in the affirmative, "But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love. " (1 John 4:18)  Knowing that He delights in me, that He sees me as I am and still loves me (Psalm 139) and that He will never leave nor forsake me (Deuteronomy 31:6) , has allowed me to open my heart to Him with abandon.  I am free to delight in Him, enjoy Him and give myself to Him. 

Though I am far from perfected, the hard things of life have refined me and brought me to say, " Then I will go to the altar of God, to God, my joy and my delight.  I will praise you with the lyre,   O God, my God." (Psalm 43:4) 

I am pleased with God, not because he does for me all that I want, but because of His character (Psalm 33:4; 145:13,17).  "The Lord loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of his unfailing love."  (Psalm 33:5)  He has brought good to me and continually works for my good (Romans 8:28).  He grants me peace even when I cannot understand (Philippians 4:4-9).  "You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand." (Psalm 16:11)  It is a delight in God Himself, not in His gifts, though I thank Him for them.  For if we delight in His gifts alone, we will cease delighting in Him when we don't get our way.  "But may all who seek you, rejoice and be glad in you; may those who long for your saving help always say,  “The Lord is great!” (Psalm 70:4)

Paul's prayer for the Ephesians was, "I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 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, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God." (Ephesians 3:16-19)  God is love and as we love we are like Him.  In Christ all the fullness of God dwells and in Him we have been made complete.  Christ in us is our hope of glory.  (Colossians 1:13-28, 2:6-12)  Through the empowerment of His Holy Spirit we can love and delight in God.  And in so doing, this love and delight that is beyond what we can imagine (Ephesians 3:20), will spill over onto those around us.

As Paul prayed for the Ephesians, so I pray for you.  May you know the love of God and delight in Him, becoming the praise of His glory!

Celebration of A Life

" May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." (Romans 15:13)

Today I was privileged to attend the funeral of Betty Hale.  A privilege, because God afforded me the opportunity to know her in life and experience the hope she shares in death.  She was a character, she loved our pizza, and she lived with hope in Christ!  My only regret is not taking the time to know her better. 

Today I was reminded of the influence we all inherently carry.  We don't have to be famous.  We will be an influence (if only to our immediate sphere), whether for good or evil.  We choose which it will be.  And the simplest acts of kindness can leave forever marks.

Even through tears of sorrow for the loss on earth, I couldn't help smiling as I gazed upon her empty body.  There was the white chocolate truffle, reminding us of her sense of humor and a feeling of assurance that she was now having "the time of her life".  I don't claim to have any direct line to heaven, but I could almost feel her joy.  As I walked past the casket to say a final goodbye, I couldn't help but silently tell her, "You go girl!"  Then I turned and walked away with a bit of jealousy. 

My turn will come, but until that day, may I too live my life well. 

Does God Delight In Me?

 

Does God delight in me?  This is a question I have been pondering.  I wondered if I was the only one who wasn't sure about it.  So, I asked the question to a few friends who were gracious enough to respond.  I just had this feeling that the answer really mattered.  After weighing their answers, searching scripture and pondering still more, I came to a conclusion.  YES!!!  God does delight in me!  What a relief!

On what have I based this glorious conclusion?  Humanities story as told in the Bible.  From creation, where God was pleased to make man in His own image and declared us very good (Genesis 1:26-31), to Revelation, where we forever live in his presence (Revelation 22:3-5).  God's delight is wrapped up in His love.  He is always faithful and His nature does not change (Numbers 23:9).  It pleased God to commune with mankind in the Garden.  Then the fall of man brought grief and separation from God.  The rest of the story has been God pursuing man to redeem him and restore the relationship they once shared.  Even in the midst of our fallen state God still delights in us, for His love has not changed.  "For the Lord takes delight in his people; he crowns the humble with victory." (Psalm 1149:4)

So does our behavior not matter?  Yes and no.  Our behavior is the result of what matters.  We love God because He first loved us (1 John 4:19), and His love has never been based on our actions.  "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast." (Ephesians 2:8-9).  It is faith that pleases God (Hebrews 11:6).  In Romans chapter one, they were condemned for not honoring God as God.  He wants us to glorify Him by putting our trust in him.

Now, we know that we were created for good works (Ephesians 2:10) and James makes it clear that our faith is made evident by our deeds (James 2:18).  But, we must not make the same mistake the Galatians did, who after beginning in the Spirit tried to finish in the flesh (Galatians 3:1-3).  The great love chapter, 1 Corinthians 13, reminds us that no matter how great our deeds, if we have not love they mean absolutely nothing!  So, let us be obedient and live the law of love.

¹³ You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free.

But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh;

rather, serve one another humbly in love.

¹⁴ For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command:

 “Love your neighbor as yourself.”

 ¹⁵ If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.

¹⁶ So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.

 ¹⁷ For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit,

 and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh.

 They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want.

 ¹⁸ But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

¹⁹ The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery;

 ²⁰ idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy,

fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions

 ²¹ and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like.

I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.

²² But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance,

kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³ gentleness and self-control.

 Against such things there is no law.

 ²⁴ Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

 ²⁵ Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.

 ²⁶ Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.

Galations 5:13-26

John Piper sums it up well, "What God delights about us is that we delight in Him."  So, I guess the next big question that needs to be answered is...Do I delight in God?  Hmmmm.....

Neither Pity nor Shame

I can not speak for all, but I ask when it comes to the state of childlessness (whether by choice or infertility), neither look with pity nor shame.  Children are a gift from God, but does not God's Spirit distribute all His gifts differently?  ^"There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them.  There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work...All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines." (1 Corinthians 12:4-6, 11)  Is my life lacking because I have not the gift or experience of children?  Should I be upset with God because He has not healed my womb and given me such a gift?  I believe the answer is no.

God's hand is evident in my life, bring good to me and blessing me beyond measure, for he is drawing me to Himself.  I enjoy the children, of others, in my life and His gifts are for our enjoyment, as Paul explained in 1 Timothy 6:17, "Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment."  But we must remember that no gift is greater than the giver.  Life does not consist in the abundance of possessions or experiences (Luke 12:15)  It is God Himself who is our greatest reward. (Genesis 15:1)

Christ came to reconcile us to God, and to share the message of reconciliation through us, not so we could have everything we want here on earth. "¹⁷ Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! ¹⁸ All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: ¹⁹ that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. ²⁰ We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God." (2 Corinthians 5:17-20) 

This world is not my home.  I am but an alien and stranger passing through on my way to my true home.  A home beyond anything I can ask or imagine.  My home is not where I hang my hat, but where Christ is.  On day He will come back and take me to be with Him there.  “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. ² My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? ³ And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am." (John 14:1-3)  Until that day I will continue to be transformed into His likeness, learning to treasure the Father and enjoy His gifts, not demand them. 

As I trust the goodness of God, I can see beauty in the variety of our lives and not insist that we all be the same.  Jesus is the only way, but as we walk with Him, some of us will skip, some will run and some of us will dance along the way!  So it is my hope that when you look at my life and others, you see not what may be missing in earth's experience, but the glory of Christ shining in the beauty of who He has made us to be.

Kaleidoscope

A kaleidoscope is a cylinder with mirrors containing loose, colored objects such as beads or pebbles and bits of glass. As the viewer looks into one end, light entering the other creates a colorful pattern, due to the reflection off of the mirrors. Coined in 1817 by Scottish inventor Sir David Brewster,^[1] "kaleidoscope" is derived from the Ancient Greek καλός (kalos), "beautiful, beauty",^[2] εἶδος (eidos), "that which is seen: form, shape"^[3] and σκοπέω (skopeō), "to look to, to examine",^[4] hence "observation of beautiful forms." ^{[5] from Wikipedia}


So much talk these days about diversity, tolerance and individualism.  They are hailed as the way to a better society.  So where is this better society?  I think the answer lies not in the individual, but in community, not in tolerance, but unity.  The answer lies in Christ.

The world is full of people with a variety of personalities, gifts and talents.  Alone these remain fractured and unimpressive, like a single pebble or bead.  However, when they are unified in Christ, they become a beautiful form...a kaleidoscope.

For without Christ it is darkness, but when He comes, His light shines and His life is reflected off His people, infusing our personalities, gifts and talents with the radiance of His glory.  His character, His love, peace, joy, goodness, faithfulness, etc.  is what is observed and the world sees something of beauty and desires it.

Unity is not in being exact replicas of one another, but each one surrendered to the life of Christ in him or her and reflecting that life to others.  Community is supporting one another and encouraging that surrender, appreciating the uniqueness and beauty it produces.