Wednesday, February 8, 2012    

Legacy

Wednesday, July 14th, 2010

This morning I continued my walk through the book of Isaiah. I love this book…it speaks to my soul in ways some other books just don’t. Today I read Isaiah 63, Isaiah’s reflection of what God has done for His people in the past (specifically leading them out of Egypt).

It got me thinking about my own past…the path God has used to get me to where I am today (both physically and spiritually). We don’t do this kind of reflection enough. We need to remember how we got here. To learn lessons from our legacy (and not repeat the mistakes) and to thank Him for everything He’s done. It also reminds me that God has provided and guided in the past…and He’ll do so in the future.

My life is not lived out in a vacuum. Stuff has happened before. People have influenced my life. I’ve messed up…BIG. I have a past. I have a legacy. I need to remember it. Often.

And I need to tell it…

I will tell of the Lord’s unfailing love.
I will praise the Lord for all he has done. (Isaiah 63:7, NLT)

My past, my legacy, is not just for me. It’s for everyone in my life. It’s not my story…it’s God’s story. And He wants us to tell that story.

So…what’s your story?

14.07.2010 Devotional, Spiritual Musings No Comments

Follow the Leader

Wednesday, June 23rd, 2010

I have been walking through the book of Isaiah for the past month or so. It’s been awhile since God and I took a journey through this book. It’s one of my favorites. It’s deep. It’s rich. I get something new and important every time I pick it up. I must identify with God’s people during Isaiah’s lifetime. We have much in common, which isn’t necessarily a good thing!

Today I got a little flashback to my childhood days. Do you remember playing “Follow the Leader”? What a great game…as long as you were the leader anyway. I loved being out in front and blazing the trail. Following was okay once in awhile, but being the leader was where it was at!

I remember one summer climbing a 14K mountain with my uncles. Naturally, they took the lead because they were the adults. I lagged behind…far behind. It annoyed my uncles because they had to keep stopping and letting me catch up. Until finally my uncle stopped and told me to take the lead. He let me set the pace. And everything changed. All of a sudden I was way out in front; they had a hard time keeping up once I got in front.

What’s the point? Just this: It’s my naturally tendency to take the lead, but that doesn’t really work in my spiritual life…

I am the Lord your God, who teaches you what is good for you and leads you along the paths you should follow. Oh, that you had listened to my commands! Then you would have had peace flowing like a gentle river and righteousness rolling over you like waves in the sea. (Isaiah 48:17-18, NLT)

God says I’m supposed to let Him lead. He knows the way. And the problem is that when I do what comes naturally—when I take the lead myself—then I get too far ahead of Him and miss the path I should follow. I think I know the way, but I don’t. I need to let God take the lead. I need to follow The Leader.

The benefits? Says right there in the passage: Peace and Righteousness. I could use more of both!

23.06.2010 Devotional, Leadership, Spiritual Musings No Comments

Who’s Guiding You?

Tuesday, May 4th, 2010

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…

04.05.2010 Devotional, Spiritual Musings No Comments

What Are You Thinking About?

Monday, May 3rd, 2010

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.

03.05.2010 Devotional, Spiritual Musings 1 Comment

The Holy Spirit: Part 1

Monday, March 8th, 2010

I just picked up the book Forgotten God by Francis Chan. I absolutely loved Crazy Love so I thought this book would make for a good devotional read for Anita and me. We haven’t started it yet, but here’s a quick synopsis…

A follow up to the profound message of Crazy Love, Pastor Francis Chan offers a compelling invitation to understand, embrace, and follow the Holy Spirit’s direction in our lives. In the name of the Father, the Son, and … the Holy Spirit. We pray in the name of all three, but how often do we live with an awareness of only the first two? Chan contends that we’ve ignored the Spirit for far too long, and we are reaping the disastrous results. Thorough scriptural support and compelling narrative form Chan’s invitation to stop and remember the One we’ve forgotten, the Spirit of the living God.

During a breakfast meeting last week I had a quick discussion about the Trinity…and specifically about the neglect of the Holy Spirit in many Christian circles. So I’m excited to read the book. BUT…I’m not going to start it just yet. Why? Simple…I want to do a little study of my own and see what I can uncover myself before getting into Chan’s analysis (I fully expect his version to be much better than mine, but I still want to do a little discover on my own).

So I’m starting simple, and slow. I decided to take a look at what the Old Testament has to say about the Holy Spirit. We don’t typically think about the Holy Spirit in the OT, but He’s  there. A quick word search of “Holy Spirit” turns up three verses in the New Living Translation(NLT):

  • Psalm 51:11: “Do not banish me from your presence, and don’t take your Holy Spirit from me.”
  • Isaiah 63:10-11: “But they rebelled against him and grieved his Holy Spirit. So he became their enemy and fought against them. Then they remembered those days of old when Moses led his people out of Egypt. They cried out, “Where is the one who brought Israel through the sea, with Moses as their shepherd? Where is the one who sent his Holy Spirit to be among his people?”

The Hebrew phrase used here is “qodesh ruwach” which is literally translated “Holy Spirit” or “spirit of holiness”. It carries with it the idea that God’s Spirit is sacred and set apart. It’s a direct reference to God’s Spirit…to the Holy Spirit. The Psalm passage makes it clear that we have relationship with the Holy Spirit and that it’s this Spirit that can change and transform us. The Isaiah passage talks about grieving the Holy Spirit and that God sent the Holy Spirit to be with the Israelites. Both passages make it clear that the Holy Spirit referenced is not just an abstract concept or one way to think about God…but that the Holy Spirit is real and tangible.

The Holy Spirit is right there in black and white…but this isn’t the only place we see God’s Spirit referenced in the Old Testament. In fact, we’re just getting started. Next, we’ll take a look at the more common phrase used in the Old Testament: “The Spirit of God”. And that’s when things start to get really good…but you’ll have to wait for more…

08.03.2010 Holy Spirit, Spiritual Musings 1 Comment

A New Song

Monday, February 15th, 2010

I don’t sing.

OK, maybe when I’m alone in the car and some rockin’ tune comes on. And on Sunday mornings. But that’s pretty much it. It’s just not my “gift”.

But yesterday God took me to these two passages…

Sing a new song to the Lord,
for he has done wonderful deeds.
Psalm 98:1, NLT

Sing a new song to the Lord!
Sing his praises from the ends of the earth!
Isaiah 42:10, NLT

What caught my attention in both of these verses is not that we’re commanded to sing to the Lord…but that we’re commanded to sing a new song. Not a song that we already know. A new song.

Hmm…

As I read it I started to wonder, “What’s the significance of the song being new?” I assumed there was something there or God wouldn’t have said it that way…twice (it actually occurs three more times in Psalms). Why a new song? What’s wrong with one that I already know (and that list is small…I can’t remember lyrics to save my own life).

So I started to pray and ask God to shed some light on this little nuance. If He caught my attention with it, then it must mean something (at least to me). And He came though (duh!). Here’s what I journaled…

I can’t just look to the past—what God has done in my life and other’s. I need to focus on what He’s doing right now. God’s story in my life now. I need to sing that new song—the ever evolving story God continues to tell in my life. I need to tell it. I need to sing this “new song”. It doesn’t belong to anyone else. It’s new. It’s the song God is writing in my life and I need to sing it!

For me, this “new song” is the story God is writing for me. He’s writing the song of my life and it’s always brand new. That may not be theologically accurate…but it speaks to my soul. It’s what I needed yesterday and today.

Now, I just need to start singing…

15.02.2010 Devotional, Spiritual Musings 1 Comment

Listen and Wait

Monday, July 6th, 2009

This past weekend was our annual trek to Como, CO for three days of camping with family and friends in one of the most beautiful places on earth (more details and photos to come in another post). One of the reasons I love it there is the beauty of beauty of God’s creation. I somehow feel closer to God…or am at least more easily reminded of His glory and power.

One morning as I sat in a chair overlooking a serene pond, blue skies, and majestic mountains; God gave me this passage to meditate on:

Let all that I am wait quietly before God.
Psalm 62:5a, NLT

It’s a great message, but made more so by the passage He gave just before we left:

Listen in silence before me…
Isaiah 41:1a, NLT

I am pretty dense, but even I can’t miss the message here: Listen and Wait. But it’s more than just that…I am to be listening and waiting before God. I am still processing and praying about what this specifically means for my own spiritual walk with Him. I do recognize and admit that there is a lot of “noise” in  my life and spirit right now. It’s hard to hear His voice with so much clutter in my spirit.

So I am asking Him to help me listen…and wait (I am still not sure what for…but that will become clear during the waiting) before Him. I need to slow down. I need to center my thoughts and action and life around Him.

I am listening. I am waiting. Before Him.

06.07.2009 Devotional, Spiritual Musings 1 Comment

No Plan B

Thursday, February 19th, 2009

I must admit right up front here that I am not perfectly comfortable with what I am about to say. God is stretching me…and that’s not usually comfortable, but it’s necessary. The topic God has been working on me this morning is the issue of trust.

Specifically, where is my trust?

Now, I know where my trust is supposed to be, but that’s not really the question. The question is where IS my trust? Here is the Scripture that’s rattling around my brain and spirit this morning:

You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you,
all whose thoughts are fixed on you!
Trust in the Lord always,
for the Lord God is the eternal Rock.
Isaiah 26:3-4, NLT

There is a lot of good stuff in these two short verses. Great promises such as: God will give us peace of mind when we trust in Him. Great reminders such as: Keep your thoughts fixed on God. Great truths such as: God is strong, He’s “the eternal Rock”.

But it’s what we read between the lines that has my attention this morning.

There is no Plan B!

“Trust in the Lord always.” That’s it.

Not, trust in the Lord and your 401K (like you would do that now anyway).

Not, trust in the Lord and your family and friends.

There is no Plan B…just trust in the Lord always. I don’t always do that. Sometimes I trust in me too.

And that’s when I get into all kinds of trouble. So no more Plan B for me…OK, I’m working on it! :???:

19.02.2009 Devotional, Spiritual Development, Spiritual Musings No Comments

A God Moment

Tuesday, May 13th, 2008

About 10 days ago I blogged about starting to read John Eldridge’s book Walking with God (read the post here). Last night’s reading was about listening to God through His Word. John challenges his readers to ask God what to read…literally. “God what do you want me to read this morning?” This exercise is designed to teach us to ask and to listen.

So I tried it this morning. And the answer I got was Isaiah 52. As I have mentioned in a few recent posts, I have been struggling lately with hearing God’s voice…feeling close to Him…feeling like He hears me and is involved in my life. It’s been nothing short of frustrating and I’ve been asking God to speak to me about it. So what did I get from my reading this morning…the reading He sent me to?

I will reveal my name to my people, and they will come to know its power.
Then at last they will recognize that I am the one who speaks to them.
Isaiah 52:6, NLT

I’m sure it means much more to me than it does to anyone else…but that’s only because it’s the word He gave to me today. But He is certainly telling me that He is the One speaking to me. I need to shut out all of the other voices and recognize His voice and His power in my life. Now that’s what I call a “God moment”.

13.05.2008 Devotional, Prayer, Spiritual Musings 2 Comments