Sometimes even I can’t miss what God is trying to tell me…sometimes. This morning God got my attention by using simple repetition. And I need to hear what He had to say. First, He sent me to a passage in the Psalms. I read it, but almost missed what He was trying to say. The I started reading out of book I’m using in my devotional time called O2 (I highly recommend it already…and I’m not even done). The author quotes the exact same passage God has led me to earlier in the morning. OK, I get it…and I needed it obviously. Here’s the passage:

Whom have I in heaven but you?
I desire you more than anything on earth.
My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak,
but God remains the strength of my heart; he is mine forever.
(Psalm 73:25-26, NLT)

It’s that second sentence that is sticking with me today. I need to be reminded that my identity and my heart’s desire is found in God alone (at least that’s how it should be). He’s enough. He’s what I need. Today. Tomorrow. Always.

Too often I try and find my identity in other things. And it gets me all messed up. I turn to other things instead of turning to God. It’s faithless. It’s human. It’s gotta go.

I need Him and Him alone. Once I have that priority right everything else will fall into its proper place. Always.

My journey through Isaiah continued today. And once again it wasn’t the main point of a particular verse that caught my attention…but rather the secondary message. I could have easily ignored the primary message. The secondary message? Not so much. Here’s the passage:

Someone may say to you, “Let’s ask the mediums and those who consult the spirits of the dead. With their whisperings and mutterings, they will tell us what to do.” But shouldn’t people ask God for guidance? Should the living seek guidance from the dead? Look to God’s instructions and teachings! People who contradict his word are completely in the dark.

Isaiah 8:19-20, NLT

See, it would be easy for me to walk right past that first part. I don’t “consult the spirits of the dead”. I’m not even into astrology. Have always found that dangerous on one extreme and just plain silly on the other extreme.

But that second part I can’t ignore: “Shouldn’t people ask God for guidance?” Of course we should, but do we? Not often enough. James makes the point crystal clear: “You don’t have what you want because you don’t ask God for it” (James 4:2, NLT).

Sometimes I make it even worse. Sometimes I ask God, but then ignore the answer (if I even take the time to stop and listen in the first place). Which is stupid. And this passage points out the ignorance by painting a contrast. People will seek answers from dead spirits, but we won’t take the time to ask the Living God for guidance. Dumb. Dumb. Dumb.

I think I might be running for president of this particular club. But I’m working on doing better. I’m trying to stop and listen more—to seek His guidance and direction. It takes practice. It takes effort. It takes intentionality. But He’s always there…and He’s got a plan (see Jeremiah 29:11) much better than anything I could come up with. If I’d only listen…

I started reading through the book of Isaiah last week. It’s not my first trip through the book, but I always get something new out of Scripture every time I read it. That probably has to do with what’s going on in my life at the time, what the Spirit is showing me each time, and what I’m paying attention to that I missed last time.

Today’s passage struck me like a 2×4 upside the head…

What sorrow for those who get up early in the morning looking for a drink of alcohol and spend long evenings drinking wine to make themselves flaming drunk.

They furnish wine and lovely music at their grand parties—lyre and harp, tambourine and flute—but they never think about the Lord or notice what He is doing.

Isaiah 5:11-12, NLT

There’s a clear message here for many in our culture who are too focused on drinking and are always looking for the next big party…but that’s not what caught my attention. It’s the last line of the second verse that the Spirit highlighted for me today: “…they never even think about the Lord or notice what He is doing.” OUCH!

Guilty.

How many times have I been too busy looking for {INSERT ITEM HERE} and missed what God was doing…didn’t even give Him a second thought. I’m too busy on my own stuff. God takes a back seat. I don’t think about Him. I don’t notice what He’s doing.

I don’t do it as often as I used to, but it still happens. Of course, it shouldn’t. Something to keep working on. Keep focused on Him. Think about Him often. Notice what He’s doing. In me. With me. Through me. He’s always up to something and it’s always good.

At church we’re going through a short series on the Trinity and this past Sunday we unpacked “The Son”. The passage Ray used for his message was John 1:1-14 and this has always been one of my favorite passages in the New Testament. I love the imagery that John uses at the beginning of the passage:

In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God.
He existed in the beginning with God.
God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him.
The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone.
The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it. (John 1:1-5, NLT)

At first glance, the wording John uses here can seem a little confusing (or at best just fly right over our heads). Why isn’t John more direct? Why doesn’t He just say “In the beginning Jesus already existed…”? Why use the imagery of “The Word” here? A quick study helps to see that John uses this phrasing to kill two birds with one stone…which makes his meaning more complex and deeper.

The Greek word that John uses here is the word: Logos. This word had been around for quite awhile before Jesus was born. It has it’s root in Greek Philosophy. It was used way back around 500 B.C. by Heraclitus (I didn’t make that up) and even by Aristotle (you can read more here). To the Greek philosopher the “logos” represents “the principle of order and knowledge in the Universe.” For them, however, this was about reasoning and rationality.

John steals this word and applies it directly to Jesus. And in doing so he…

1. Links Jesus with the Greek concept of order and knowledge in the Universe. Jesus is what holds Creation together (see Colossians 1:17). This resonates with the Greek mind (John’s principle audience for this Gospel). He embodies this philosophy on the person and deity of Jesus Christ.
2. For the Jewish reader this concept referred back to the Creation story in Genesis where God spoke the world into existence (could that have been Jesus as The Word?)

John uses one word (Logos) to speak to two different cultures…

Now it’s your turn…how does this imagery speak to you and our culture…?

I’ve been at my new “job” now for a little over three months, but I haven’t blogged much about it. That’s mainly because it doesn’t feel like work. I was at lunch yesterday with a friend from Visa who is struggling with a decision about job options (both within and outside of Visa). She was asking my advice and all I could say was that she should find something that she truly loved…at almost any cost.

This is no original idea/concept. Confucius said it best…

Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.

I can honestly say that I haven’t worked a day since January 1st of this year. I’ve been plenty busy…but it hasn’t been work. Why? Because I love it and it’s what God has called me to do. I’m not even sure which part is most responsible…the doing what I love or following God’s leading (they are very interrelated!). I just know I’m doing what I’m supposed to be doing and I have the blessing of loving every second of it.

Has it all been rosy? No. Has it all been fun and games? Of course not.

But it hasn’t been “work” either.

So, I stand behind Confucius’ advice and I take a little poetic license and tag on a little something extra: “Chose a job you love and that God has called you to, and you will never have to work a day in your life.” I am blessed. I know it. And I thank and praise Him for it every day!!

A little warning as I start this blog post…it’s a rant on my part and I just hope I feel better when I’m done.

Lindsay is playing soccer for her school this year. She loves playing organized sports and she puts effort and heart into it. She’s good at volleyball and soccer. Her team…not so much. They’ve played three games so far this year and if my math is correct they have lost by a combined total of 30-2 (and no, I am not exaggerating). One of the games they lost they actually played two extra players for half of the game (their field is so small they play 9 players instead of 11). The last game they lost to a team with only 9 players…no subs.

And it’s not that the girls aren’t playing hard…they are giving it everything they’ve got. They want to win. They want to learn. Lindsay left the last game crying because she wants to win and get better. But it isn’t happening…and I know part of the reason why…coaching.

The word “coach” is a noun…as in: “One who instructs players in the fundamentals of a competitive sport and directs team strategy.” More importantly, it’s also a verb…as in: “To instruct, direct, or prompt”. Lindsay’s coach has the title of coach, but isn’t taking the verb part seriously. They don’t run drills, they don’t get basic instruction, they don’t get correction during the game. They don’t even get passion.

It’s hard to watch. I don’t want to be one of those parents…but that’s becoming increasingly more difficult with each game. I’ve offered to coach (or assist) in the past for her school and been turned down every time. I don’t claim to be a great coach, but I’d at least be active and help the girls learn along the way. I don’t even really care about the winning part as long as they are learning and getting better (which will often lead to winning a few games).

Frustrating…and not sure I actually do feel better…but I tried.  ;o)

Happy Easter!!

“Don’t be afraid! I know you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead, just as he said would happen. Come, see where his body was lying. And now, go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and he is going ahead of you to Galilee. You will see him there. Remember what I have told you.” (Matthew 28:5-7, NLT)

This is true every day…not just today.
And it changed EVERYTHING!

I love to laugh. Come to think of it…is there anyone who doesn’t like to laugh (and would you trust them if they didn’t? I love a good joke, for example…

A couple of hunters are out in the woods when one of them falls to the ground. He doesn’t seem to be breathing, his eyes are rolled back in his head. The other guy whips out his cell phone and calls the emergency services. He gasps to the operator: “My friend is dead! What can I do?” The operator, in a calm, soothing voice, says: “Just take it easy. I can help. First, let’s make sure he’s dead. “There is a silence, then a shot is heard. The guy’s voice comes back on the line. He says: “Okay, now what?”

I laugh at myself, I laugh with others (I try to not laugh at them too often). Laughing feels good. It’s fun. “They” say it’s the best medicine. We laugh a lot in our family and I love to hear my kids’ laughter. It keeps us from taking life and ourselves too seriously. Laughter is good for the soul.

That last sentence got me thinking today about what Scripture says about laughter. I must admit I couldn’t think of a single verse off the top of my head that dealt with laughter. But God invented it so it has to be there right?

So I went on a little search. Most of the references to laughter are about laughing at someone’s defeat (see the Psalms) or someone laughing at something God told them (see Sarah). But there are a few positive references…

For everything there is a season, a time for every activity under heaven…A time to cry and a time to laugh. A time to grieve and a time to dance. (Ecclesiastes 3:1, 4; NLT)

God blesses you who weep now, for in due time you will laugh. (Luke 6:21, NLT)

And Nehemiah continued, “Go and celebrate with a feast of rich foods and sweet drinks, and share gifts of food with people who have nothing prepared. This is a sacred day before our Lord. Don’t be dejected and sad, for the joy of the Lord is your strength!” (Nehemiah 8:10, NLT)

Sometimes life is full of sorrow, regret, and pain. It sucks. We’ve all been through tough times…and there are certainly more coming down the road somewhere. Some of us are in tough times right now.

However, there is a difference between “worldly sorrow” and “Godly sorrow”. Here’s what Paul has to say on the subject…

I am not sorry that I sent that severe letter to you, though I was sorry at first, for I know it was painful to you for a little while. Now I am glad I sent it, not because it hurt you, but because the pain caused you to repent and change your ways. It was the kind of sorrow God wants his people to have, so you were not harmed by us in any way. For the kind of sorrow God wants us to experience leads us away from sin and results in salvation. There’s no regret for that kind of sorrow. But worldly sorrow, which lacks repentance, results in spiritual death. (2 Corinthians 7:8-10, NLT)

When I read this passage this morning it took me by surprise…can’t remember this teaching even though I’ve read it several times. And it’s timely based on some of the discussions I’ve had in the past week with some people who are going through some pain and sorrow in their lives. Here are a few things I take notice of in this passage:

• God allows pain and sorrow in our lives in order to change us…it has purpose…it leads to salvation.
• Worldly sorrow leads to our death…spiritual death.
• The difference? Our attitude and reaction. If we respond with repentance then it’s Godly sorrow…otherwise it’s worldly sorrow.
• God wants us to have some sorrow/pain in our lives because He wants to change us…to mold us into the image of Christ.

Does any of this make our pain and sorrow easier when we are in the middle of it? Not likely. But it is an important reminder that our attitude and response in the midst of our pain will determine the end result. Will we allow God to shape us and grow spiritually? Or will we be stubborn and unrepentant and end up dying spiritually?

The choice is ours…

I can only think of one time in my life when I had to get someone to write me a letter of recommendation. I was blessed with longevity in my professional career so it only came up once. And I was a little surprised to read the term this morning in 2 Corinthians, but it has given me a lot to think about today…

The only letter of recommendation we need is you yourselves. Your lives are a letter written in our hearts; everyone can read it and recognize our good work among you. Clearly, you are a letter from Christ showing the result of our ministry among you. This “letter” is written not with pen and ink, but with the Spirit of the living God. It is carved not on tablets of stone, but on human hearts.

2 Corinthians 3:2-3, NLT

As a new pastor (3 months in now) this gives me pause. The letter of recommendation for my ministry (and it applies to everyone by the way) is not going to come from another pastor or someone in the church. It’s the result of the work itself…the spiritual lives of those I am touching and reaching every day. Our letter of recommendation is written “on human hearts” not with “pen and ink”.

I wonder what my letter of recommendation looks like right now…

• Mystery or How-To?
• Short Story or Novel?

And this letter of recommendation comes from Christ Himself…”showing the result of my ministry”. Christ is writing the letter of recommendation. Can’t think of anyone better to write it…I’m just praying that the letter is shaping up to be a good one, a letter I’ll be proud to show others instead of shoving it in a drawer to hide it.

How’s your letter of recommendation coming along?