Life in the Vapor

“What is your life? It is just a vapor, appearing for a little while, and then vanishing. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” James 4:14

I am so grateful for the many authors who filled their calendars with their gifts of writing Bible studies. Their studies are spiritual binoculars that help me focus on Scripture and apply new visions to old patterns. This morning I was challenged with one laser-sharp exercise. The challenge was to look at both my calendar and my receipts to examine where my heart is anchored…to consider ‘what is my life?’ We have a limited time on this earth which has been ordained since God’s hands formed us. We will not outlive one second beyond His will. When we take our last breath, someone will have to look at our calendars to see things that must be canceled. Someone will have to go into our homes and go through our things. What will have to be canceled on our calendar? What will our homes and purchases reflect? Interesting, isn’t it?

What will others see when we have vanished? Our homes, calendars and receipts speak what the priorities are in our lives. What have we spent our money and our time on while walking out our days? ‘No matter how we attempt to excuse it, spin it, or dress it up, our calendars will always call out our priorities.’ Just Open the Door, Jen Schmidt, p 94. The calendar of Jesus is an open book...the Bible marks His days during His ‘little while’ on earth. Based on Scripture we know that there was a great amount of time serving…applying His gift… pointing to the Father. He shared time with saints and sinners...paupers, princes and misfits. He left space for prayerful solitude with God. His calendar would have boasted invitation instead of discrimination…conversation instead of isolation. He made it clear that His treasure and His heart were aligned with God’s will and purpose for His life. He left plenty of margin in His calendar to walk out what God placed before Him.

Margin… ‘it is the antidote to our overwhelmed souls. It’s that space that exists between our normal load and our outer limits. Margin is our breathing room. It’s the place where our souls camp between the weary and worn out, where we rest and connect with our Creator.’ Just Open the Door, p 96.

So, I ask this morning… ‘What is your life?’ Have you left space and margin in your calendar for God’s work? Do your receipts show sharing your resources with those who need it? I want to be better at this…I want to examine each day looking through the scope of my calendar asking myself ‘What is my life today?’ That is where it begins… and that is where it will end…a calendar...a vapor…a willing heart.

“And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.” Colossians 3:17

Laying Floors

“Your eyes will see the king in all his splendor, and you will see a land that stretches into the distance.” Isaiah 33:17

For many years I was extremely embarrassed of my hardwood floors in my entrance and breakfast room, along with the chipped tile in my kitchen. The floors were discolored, scratched and dull, covered with rugs to hide the imperfections. My kitchen had cracks and chips in many of the tiles with stained grout between them. Due to a forced home project, circumstances led to the replacement of our hardwood and tile floors. I was so excited and couldn’t wait to begin last year. This morning as I read my Bible Study it was talking about not welcoming people into our homes due to embarrassing imperfections…tacky linoleum…torn carpet…my damaged floors.

But in recalling those floors this morning I realized that on those floors life happened for me and my family. Many days I sat on those floors with my arms open wide encouraging baby steps from my children. Many times we sat on that floor as I administered first aid to boo boos and kisses to scrapes. Many nights games were played on that floor…cards dealt…dice rolled…tickle fights fought. Bruce played bronco on his knees upon that floor as the kids crawled up on his back trying to stay from being thrown off. Dogs’ bellies were rubbed…grand babies crawled…our last Christmas where all my nuclear family was together was celebrated. Many days I sat on that floor alone heartbroken during hard seasons of my life. But through it all God was also kneeling on those floors as He was laying a future plan of beauty out of chaos…joy out of heartache.

As I revisit the before and after pictures from last year I can’t help but to see things different. I see these pictures from a heart of gratitude. Gratitude for a life of shared love that spanned decades on those floors. Gratitude that God brought our family through all of those broken and messy times. Gratitude that new life can be laid from old wounds. While I saw chipped and cracked circumstances God saw a future life beautiful and restored. As I look at my new finished floor that stretches from room to room, I know that God sees my future life on these new floors. I won’t despise the future scratches and scrapes because I know that just like your floors they tell a story of a life well lived representing hurt, healing and hope for the future.

So, don’t despise the scratches and chips of your life. Don’t worry about the stained grout, because God is doing something new. Just like our homes should be shared, so should our hearts. Our testimonies should be told, illustrating the before and after pictures of God’s beautiful stories of renovation and restoration.

“Look, I am about to do something new; even now it is coming. Do you not see it?” Isaiah 43:19

Party of Two

“And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did to one of the least of these My brethren, you did to Me.’” Matthew 25:39-40

If you know me well, you know that public speaking for me is right up there with the flu. There is just something about being in front of people with a minuscule amount of confidence. Couple that with the topic being seasons of my life that have been my toughest journeys, and my greatest failures. A few years ago, I was approached by a friend at my church asking if I would speak which I complied. Part of my story was my secret spending which always brings back feelings of shame and regret. I remember my friend telling me that there were 120 women who had signed up and my heart began to fear. They prayed over me before the I spoke, and as I sat there awaiting my turn I began to pray. I recall my question to God during this prayer, ‘What on earth do I have to say that could bless these women?’ And God spoke these liberating words into my heart. ‘You don’t have to bless all of these women. You only have to bless one to bless Me.’

I took those powerful words up on stage with me and managed not to embarrass myself or fall off the stage. I was so relieved when I finished, and at the end a woman with teary eyes asked to speak with me. She informed me that the night before she had revealed to her husband her secret spending and the debt that was owed. She was relieved that my story had a beautiful ending of reconciliation, accountability ideas and victory through God over the stronghold. I felt God give me a wink and a nod through her eyes.

You never know what one kindness shown to another will bring about. We can’t imagine how much impact we can have when sharing our weakness with another person. We think we must do big things for God and grand shows of faith, when really all He wants is to share the little things with those He places along our path. ‘Doing something great for God is to embrace the power of one. The beauty that stems from one-on-one relationships never gets old. When our culture screams bigger, better, smarter, stronger, faster, more famous, it’s really difficult to see smaller as significant and slower as sanctified, to invite invisibility as a framework for His availability. Small offerings given with great love matter…Just open the door.’ Just Open the Door, Jen Schmidt, p. 73

Send the card, invite the girl, make the speech...open the door.

From Ordinary to Extraordinary

“Aram had gone on raids and brought back from the land of Israel a young girl who served Naaman’s wife. ‘If only my master were with the prophet…he would cure him of his skin disease.’” 2 Kings 5:2

This morning it seems that God wants us to more deeply understand how much power we possess in Him no matter what our circumstances might be. This is a story where the leading lady doesn’t get the billing. She is an unnamed prisoner being held captive by powerful people in the Syrian government. What we know about her is one day she was playing at home with her family, and the next day she was snatched from her childhood and became a servant in another person’s family. We should imagine her experience for a moment in light of our childhood. It doesn’t have to be physical kidnapping, but emotional kidnapping can be just as much of a brutal enemy. Who among us has experienced something traumatic that left us reeling? Who has faced situations early in life that became a bedrock of emotional brokenness? I personally cannot relate but I know people who can, and my heart breaks for them. How insignificant this little girl must have felt in a world far from her home. Our precious leading lady as young as she was, teaches us several things about a life grounded in God.

She teaches us that she did not allow her heartbreaking circumstances to define her life. As insignificant as she must have seemed to others, her story shows us that in our insignificance we can have the courage from God to speak up for others. She teaches us that a heart anchored in a God of love can move mountains…can point others to the Healer…can change lives. She teaches us that when we take our eyes off our situation and keep them on God we can be used in mighty ways glorifying Him. Her story exhorts us to look at the interest of those around us instead of our own interest. She did all of this without fanfare…without reward from man…right in the middle of her unwanted circumstances.

This makes my heart soar to know that we of insignificance in the world’s eyes can do significant things when giving God access to our days. ‘In the midst of our most difficult struggles, our loneliness, our feelings of insignificance, our mess (or our mundane) becomes the cornerstone of our message – and He uses it in powerful ways. In these moments when we feel unseen and unworthy, fearful and lonely, broken and defeated, unwanted and uninvited, He sees, He knows, and He understands.’ Just Open the Door, Jen Schmidt, p. 71

We are the leading roles in our own personal story that God is writing, so let's allow our ordinary lives to be used to do great things in the hands of our extraordinary God!

Discarding the Clutter

"Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, outcry and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and tenderhearted to one another, forgiving each other just as in Christ God forgave you.…" Ephesians 4:21

Bruce and I used to find ourselves glued to the television show dedicated to Hoarding. It is both unbelievable and unthinkable that anyone can allow their home to get to the condition shown on these documentaries. One of the saddest components of this show is the fear to let go of any one of these items. What we view as trash they view as necessity and an attachment to their emotional health. It requires outside efforts which are beyond their ability to achieve a healthier view and environment. Their surrender to bring in assistance to attain something better is quickly reclaimed as soon as they feel threatened. One of the biggest concerns is having the home cleaned out only to collect the clutter again. Change from the inside must be accomplished for the outside to remain healthy. It takes analyzing one item at a time that eventually leads to freedom from our self-made prisons.

If we could see the inside of our hearts we would see the same going on as we see in the homes of these hoarders. We pile up our bitterness, our wounds and our injured hearts and create such spiritual clutter there is no room for forgiveness. We hold on to patterns in our lives that are destructive but comfortable in approaching our trials. We ask God to come in and remove the spiritual clutter of our hearts, but then we quickly snatch back something He has determined needs to be discarded. Worst of all, once He has done the work in our lives to clean up and clear out we begin collecting new emotional clutter instead of filling our home with healthy things such as meditation, service, prayer and focus on God.

If our hearts and minds are to become ‘hoarder-free zones’ we must truly surrender the trash, allow God to throw away what He determines and replace the new found space with God focused treasures.

Open for Business

“Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.” Romans 12:13 “Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling.” 1 Peter 4:8-9

Years ago, when I took my mom to her doctor’s appointment I discovered for the first time a mobile unit outside the building where mammograms were given. Not only would they perform these procedures in that vehicle, but they would drive it to other places to give other people the option. It was the original concept of bringing something to the person instead of the person going there. Now every city is peppered with different offerings of this same concept. We have food trucks, beverage trucks, boutique trucks and much more. But I believe that Jesus had the original concept. He was the original vessel of hospitality on the go…

Throughout the New Testament we see that Jesus offered Himself and His time as He moved through the day. Never does Scripture describe Jesus having His own home, inviting people in to dine with Him. His invitations for fellowship were usually on the road, in the homes of other people, by the river and in the towns…just living out His daily life.

So, I began thinking this morning, what would our life look like if we moved through our days with our own Hospitality Trucks? What would be on the menu if we pressed the brakes, shifted into park, and opened our window of offerings? A listening ear? Spiritual food for thought? Grace? Compassion and care?

We create our own calendars and are no busier than Jesus was in His day. We need to understand as did He that hospitality and invitation do not have to be complicated, but it does need to be intentional. When cannot look around without seeing someone who needs a smile, an encouraging word, a prayer or just a listening ear. We need to walk with the same spirit Jesus walked with. ‘We learn to make room for one more because He first made room for one more. We initiate, invite, and gather because He did it first. It’s hard to say no to hospitality on the go when God’s asking you to offer whatever is already on your schedule to Him. Take your everyday, ordinary life – your eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life – and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for Him.’ Just Open the Door, Jen Schmidt, p. 48

As we each walk out our calendar this week may we keep our eyes open like Jesus did, and discover ways to offer just a little bit of ourselves. God has placed people with needs all around us if we will just tap our brakes and put our lives in park.

Where the Footsteps End

“The eyes of the Lord are everywhere, keeping watch on the wicked and the good.” Proverbs 15:3

I’m sitting on the screened in porch on the Folly River waiting for the sun to open its sleepy eyes. There is stirring among the clouds as if they are making way for the sun’s grand awakening. The birds are sweetly singing, and I can hear the shrimp popping in the watery grass below me. The water is as still as glass, and one would never know that 2 hours ago there was chaos and chase, helicopters and search boats, flashlights and night vision. Well except for me and Bruce. We were awakened to alternating lights of red and white with a steady light of green on the water. At first my heart sunk for fear that one of the young teens we saw earlier yesterday might be part of a search and rescue…person overboard. I began to pray that it wasn’t that and my mind wandered that perhaps they were searching for a criminal. The police were walking with flashlights up and down our dock pier in front of our building. They were shining their lights in the water, up on our land and in the grass. I noticed that I had a text from my neighbor informing me that I had left our garage door open. I realized that since I hadn’t closed that door, the riverside door was also unlocked. Bruce walked out on the dock where the police were and discovered that after a high-speed chase, a guy stopped his car on the bridge, and jumped off the bridge into the water to escape. They found wet footprints on the floating dock of our pier that led up to our community. For the next hour we watched and waited to see if they discovered the missing man, but they eventually ended their search and things were calm again. This morning as our community comes to life with a busy Friday, little will they know what all transpired while they were sleeping.

I began thinking about how God protects us and orchestrates things when we do not even know it. We can never know what tragedy He diverts or the evil from which He protects us. Little do we know the cancer in our bodies that never emerged. Little do we know that He might have saved one of our children from a horrible car wreck. Little do we know that He might have intervened from a job being lost. Little do I know that He quite possibly steered that man from hiding in our garage.

We may never know the tender mercies God is showing us every day…every hour…every second as we walk out the mundane. But I love reminders like this, that He never sleeps and knows where both good and evil reside. The authorities just might not ever find their guy, but God knows exactly where He is. God is the ultimate judge and whatever justice is not served on earth, will be served in Heaven…that’s a guarantee. God always knows where the footsteps end!

So as you go about your day be sure and thank God for the unseen mercies we are experiencing through His love and protection.

Surrounded by Angels

“So he answered, ‘Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them…’ And the LORD opened the servant's eyes and he saw; and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around...’ 2 Kings 16-17.

This is one of the most encouraging stories from the Bible, one I hope you will take the time to read. There was a man who awoke to discover their army had been surrounded through the night with a greater army. He went to the prophet Elisha who called upon the Lord to open the man’s eyes. God allowed this servant to see the unseen armies of God who outnumbered the enemy. It was a gift of sight and a promise of victory building the young servant’s faith.

A few years ago, I was volunteering at the Hospice House. My responsibilities included visiting with the patients at their bedside and talking about whatever was on their mind. It was a season when I was emotionally struggling and had stepped out in faith and was terrified. It had been a particularly gut-wrenching couple of days, and I feared I would be distracted while visiting these precious people. However, I pushed through my emotions and I will never forget that day. It was a day when heaven invaded my earth, and God opened the eyes of one of His messengers to encourage and comfort me. As I was speaking to this woman about her fears of her financial status, she suddenly pulled me close. Her face took on a different color as if suddenly flushed by the warmth of a fire. She told me that I must stay strong…I must not be afraid…that God was going to act. She said that ‘they’ were all around me. I was stunned and speechless and asked her to repeat herself. She repeated the same message and then laid back to nap. I will always think about the time that the Lord knew I needed something supernatural and personal to me to sustain me.

We all face times when we seem to be surrounded by dire circumstances. We awake to discover that everything seems stacked against us and fear overtakes us. If we could only see things from God’s viewpoint we would always walk in courage. But we live below the unseen spiritual world, having to rely on God for wisdom, guidance and a child-like faith. God will open our eyes to reveal the things we need to know before we need to move forward. He will send those precious people to walk with us through the tough times, and He surrounds us with His armies to protect us. He has sent His Spirit into our hearts to guide and comfort us. We really do have everything we need to walk out the life that God has chosen for us. We must spend time with Him, meditate on what He says in His word and ask Him for sight to see His presence.

Whatever situation you are facing today, you are not alone. In the words of this beautiful woman who now resides in Heaven ‘Stay strong, don’t be afraid and know that they are all around you.' They surround you and will always outnumber your troubles.

“The chariots of God are twenty thousand, even thousands of angels: The Lord is among them.” Psalm 68:17

Rolling in Poison Ivy

“Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look not only for his interests, but also for the interest of others. Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 2:3-5.

I remember a story that my grandmother told me when I was younger, a story that blew my mind because it seemed to contradict everything about her heart. She described a time when there was a man in her church who frequently played an instrument (either a banjo or fiddle) during church events. It absolutely drove her insane, and she couldn’t stand to be around the man as he played his instrument. She even went as far as hiding it from him somewhere in the church. My grandfather had to gently remind her that the man playing his instrument was his worship and ministry to God. She begrudgingly placed it back where he had left it. I still cannot connect her heart to this story, but it was true. She was one of the finest Christian women I’ve ever met with a faith like no one else. And yet she also had ‘Christ-minded detours’ just like I have on occasion. Welcome to my occasion, the occasion when Scripture rubs up against me like poison ivy. I try to avoid touching it, but there it is in my path waiting to irritate my heart and soul. One day I’m feeling like a good little Christian girl, and the next I’m rolling in poison ivy.

There is a man who lives in the same community that just rubs me wrong. I won’t go into detail but when he appears, I just want to disappear. He has never done any wrong towards me, he just operates in a different mode of communication. It is no surprise that God has aligned this Bible Study during a time when I am going to see him often. The author of Just Open the Door has challenged me to identify my ‘Plus One’ with whom God wants me to ‘cultivate a spirit of welcome.’ There are zillions of others with whom this would be easy, but God rarely calls us to ‘easy.’ He calls us to more fully understand Christ-minded principles that welcome all people in. “True hospitality comes when we elevate another and shift the focus from ‘here I am’ to ‘there you are.’ The posture we assume in [biblical] hospitality is one that bends low, generously offering our hearts to another despite whatever interruption to our own plans, or comfort. Extending hospitality is about freely giving of ourselves while granting others to be themselves. It treats everyone as guests of honor rather than grabbing at honor for ourselves.” Just Open the Door, Jen Schmidt, p. 28.

Who is your Plus One? Who rubs you wrong as you pass them by? With whom is God calling you to cultivate a spirit of welcome? It dawned on me this morning that I just might be someone else’s poison ivy. God invites everyone into His fellowship and calls every one of us to lay down our own issues and to just open the door. The only way to be able to fulfill this call is to intentionally open our arms through the spirit of this passage. Christ opened His arms on the cross inviting us into the family, so if He can sacrifice everything so should we.

"Lord, thank you for showing us how to cultivate a spirit of welcome not based on emotions but based on the example Christ gave us. Amen."

Tie Your Napkin 'Round Your Neck

“Pursue hospitality.” Romans 12:14b

One of my favorite movies of all times is Beauty and the Beast. Even as I type its name I must quickly move on, so I won’t cry. The timeless story of Belle who really knew how to love, a love that was based not on what could be done for her but what she could do for another. But I want to focus this morning on what happened when she needed a friend in her time of need. She entered the castle scared and searching for answers. Room by room she scanned the landscape to determine what was before her. But she gradually noticed that as she pursued, hospitality was pursuing her. And when she allowed herself to be fully engaged with those who were inviting, she discovered the greatest feast and celebration of her life. She was invited to be their guest. ‘You're alone and you're scared…But the banquet's all prepared…So be our guest...Life is so unnerving, for a servant who's not serving…He's not whole without a soul to wait upon... Be our guest, be our guest, put our service to the test…tie your napkin 'round your neck, cherie, and we'll provide the rest…Be our guest…Be our guest…Be our guest.’ Beauty and the Beast.

When I picture these animated invigorating characters I cannot help but to picture Grandmother Miller. She was given a 100-year-old birthday party and people from every part of her life came to help us celebrate. The cream that consistently rose to the top of this celebration was the testament that no matter with what she was involved or how busy her calendar was she always offered hospitality. Story after story of people who knocked on her door looking for answers and searching for peace. ‘Be our guest,’ her actions showed by allowing her food to grow cold…her fork to remain clean. ‘Be our guest’ her words stated as she opened her home to missionaries who she had never met. ‘Be our guest’ her faith would show as she invited people into a relationship with Christ.

The two greatest commandments are to love God with all our heart, soul and mind and with this love to love everyone else. God’s heart is motivated by both love and invitation to fellowship in all things. Since Eden, God has been inviting people in and creating beautiful ‘tablescapes’ for us to come and join Him at the table of the banquet that’s already been prepared. We are all called to be a servant, for life IS empty when we are only serving ourselves. ‘Every single one of us is meant to be in the habit of pursuing hospitality – opening our doors to love those around us. Opening our doors has nothing to do with the actual physical setting of our tables. Opening our doors is to reflect the heart of God, welcoming others as He has welcomed us... Love is our invitation to act, and our choices launch from this cornerstone.' Just Open the Door, Jen Schmidt, p. 27.

The way we love others reveals something about the way we love God.

“So…tie your napkin ‘round your neck, cherie and He’ll provide the rest…we’ll be His guest… you’ll be our guest…they’ll be your guest.”

Catching Lightning Bugs

“But not only that, but we also rejoice in our afflictions, because we know that affliction produces endurance, endurance produces proven character, and proven character produces hope. This hope will not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has given it to us.” Romans 5:3-5

When my sisters are I were children we enjoyed tons of time outside since we lived in the middle of 5 acres. Hide and go seek, tag and jumping on the trampoline were just a few of the things we enjoyed with each other and our friends. One of my favorite things to do was running around at night collecting lightning bugs and putting them in a jar. On occasion, when the bug would be still I would put it on my fourth ring finger pretending it was a diamond ring. Some of my happiest times were chasing these fiery insects. I am sure you have also had the experience of collecting lightning bugs.

I was thinking about our childhood this morning with Mother’s Day around the corner and I couldn’t help but think about the legacy of Mother. She has watched each of her childhood family members trade their earthly life for their heavenly one. She has had to watch a child go through excruciating circumstances, only to lay her at Jesus’ feet. She has had to say an earthly goodbye to my dad earlier than her heart ever thought. But the way she has lived out her life has been one of the most inspirational things for me and my sisters to watch. She has always shown the grace to embrace whatever God’s will for her life has been. She has endured much but has testified about God more. Her character has been proven the same in the painful times as in the joyful ones. She continues to chase down lightning bugs and collect the lovelies in life.

But God never allows our jars to be too full to fill them with more collectibles...more lovelies… more blessings. What she collected was a wonderful godly man in her 80’s, who has given her fresh hope and love as they walk towards the sunset of their lives hand and hand. It was a beautiful lightning bug that has continued to illuminate and shine. Through her life she continues to teach us to look for the moments that light up, and never stop collecting those lovely blessings that God sends our way.

Whatever you have experienced or are presently experiencing, please don’t stop collecting lightning bugs, those bright and lovely things that God puts in front of you. Reach towards them, embrace them gently and collect them in your heart. Trust in Him and the lovelies that He has for your future.

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

Anxiously Searching

“Assuming he [Jesus] was in the traveling party, they went a day’s journey…When they did not find him, they…searched for him. After three days, they found him in the temple… ‘I have been anxiously searching for you.’” Luke 2:46, 48 b.

When I was growing up with my sisters, Daddy always had to be at church earlier than the rest of us. We always waited and rode with Mother on Sunday mornings. Once church let out, the four little girls scattered, and we each went our own way with our friends. Mother and Daddy would fellowship with the other members after church. I remember one time when I was left at church because one parent thought I was with the other parent. I believe this happened on more occasions than one. When they discovered I didn’t make it home one of them jumped in the car and found me in front of the church. But this was a benign oversight compared to poor Mary and Joseph.

I can’t imagine being the mother of Jesus and realizing after a day of traveling home that He had been left behind. The 3-day search must have put paralyzing fear in the hearts of Mary and Joseph. I wonder if Mary feared in her heart that she would never see her son again. I doubt she could think of very little other than their separation. By the time they found Jesus, I’m sure they were exhausted and relieved…irritated but grateful. Little did Mary know that the 3-day period of separation from Him would foreshadow another 3-day period of separation. How could she know that both would end in reconciliation? How could she know that the first time He was in the temple, but the second time He would become the Temple? When He was twelve, they sought out their son…when He was 33 Jesus sought out His mother. ‘Suddenly Jesus met them. “Greetings,” he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him.’ Matthew 28:9.

We too can feel reconciliation with Jesus when we have been separated from Him. He is seeking us out just like He sought out His mother. When we are experiencing our 3-day period of darkness that this fallen world has brought upon us, we can be guaranteed that Jesus will suddenly make Himself known to us. We must simply go to Him, kneel at His feet and worship Him. When we return to the Temple we will always find Jesus waiting for us and listening to our heart cries. When we are suffering and anxiously searching for relief, we can take that Christ is always there.

“He has risen from the dead, and indeed he is going ahead of you…you will see him” Matthew 28:7

Shortcut to Nowhere

“The devil led him up to a high place…and showed him all the kingdoms of the world… ‘I will give you all their authority and splendor…If you worship me, it will all be yours.’” Luke 4:5-7.

Yesterday I was searching my external hard drive for a folder I needed in preparation for a fundraiser I’m helping my daughter organize. I found the folder which houses every file I would need to accomplish this goal. Instead of opening each one to ensure its content I decided to drag the entire folder over to my desktop. After the command was complete I put away the hard drive and returned to the task at hand. Icon upon icon brought up empty shells of the files and displayed a message that it couldn’t be accessed because the shortcut wasn’t sufficient. I would have to return to the original source and patiently transfer the details of each file.

Satan has always dealt in shortcuts and he still does, fully understanding that humanity has an impatient and weak heart. While in the wilderness, he offered Jesus a shortcut to obtain what Jesus knew He would eventually have. Jesus proved Himself strong against the tempter as they stood on one of the highest points in the wilderness. Together they looked across the landscape and witnessed all the kingdoms over which to reign. At this point Jesus had fasted for 40 days, and I’m sure He was hungry, exhausted and lonely. Satan patiently waited until Jesus was at the point of His greatest needs, and then the shortcut was offered. But he underestimated the power and self-discipline of Jesus. He offered Jesus shortcut after shortcut, but He never gave in. ‘Jesus was offered counterfeit power in the present but persevered for the eternal power in the future.’ Looking for Lovely, p. 137.

Many times, what Satan offers is a shortcut to what God intends on giving us in the future when the time is right, and the blessings are the greatest. Satan waits until we are at our greatest point of need luring us to our highest dream as if dangling a diamond in front of our face. We must be like Jesus and resist the shortcuts. We must stand guard in God’s strength waiting for the real thing. Like my computer, any shortcuts we take in our faith will result in emptiness and failure. ‘There’s a healthy and beautiful victory after the waiting, but there are repeated counterfeit opportunities trying to tell us that the wait isn’t worth it, that what would be offered now is better than what will be gifted later.’ Looking for Lovely, p. 138. When you are experiencing your greatest need protect your heart and mind against anything that seems like an easy path. It just might be a shortcut to nowhere but heartache.

‘Let us not become weary in doing good for at the proper time you will reap a harvest if you do not give up.’ Gal 6:9

And We Dance

“Let them praise his name with dancing and make music to him…For the LORD takes delight in his people; he crowns the humble with victory.” Psalm 149:3-4

Have you ever had a time when life was going so smoothly providing beautiful days of joy and laughter, only for something to unexpectedly crash in on you? Suddenly hope is dashed by discouragement and calm is replaced with chaos. Sometimes it could be something as devastating as the death of a love one. Other times it could be circumstances not that dire, but still leaving us feeling abandoned or disillusioned. I describe times like these when something or someone ‘cuts in on our dance.’ It matters not who or what takes our hand and redirects us to a different dance. What matters is that we allowed the situation to turn our back on the partner with whom we were born to dance… God our Father.

This past week I allowed something to cut in on my dance. I allowed a set of circumstances to walk right up on the dance floor, take my hand and lead me to another part of the floor. My emotions spun me around making me dizzy and hard to keep my balance. The music seemed not so beautiful, and the steps felt clumsy and forced. I tried to make sense out of the movement, but my mind and heart were distant from the Partner who normally leads. After a week of dancing to the wrong song I heard in the distance the song that was written just for me by the One whom I left alone on the dance floor. I broke free and humbly waltzed back to Him, and lovingly He straightened my crown, placed my hand back in His and we danced…

So I wonder this morning, has something cut in on your dance?  Has someone pulled you away from the Author of your story?  Whatever happens in your life don’t allow something or someone to cut in on your dance with God. He has orchestrated a beautiful story for the two of you that only you can dance out. There will always be circumstances around the edge of the dance floor waiting for you to take your eyes off Him. When tough circumstances crowd into your life pull God closer, hold His hand tighter, just let Him lead…and dance.

Walking With the Word

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  He was with God in the beginning.  The Word became flesh and dwelt among us.  Indeed, we have all received grace upon grace from his fullness…” John 1:1-2, 14, 16

If someone asked me to tell them how I met my best friends or how I knew them I would begin with the day I first saw them as a teenager.  From there I would talk about what we said when we first spoke and what we experienced together over the course of our time of fellowship.

Many scholars believe that John was a teenager when he met Jesus.  They spent every day together from that point over the course of 3 years.  They shared joy and sadness, laughter and tears, miracles and moments of tenderness.  Many years after the death of John’s best friend, mentor and teacher, we can only assume that he was inspired by the Holy Spirit to write his account of walking with Jesus.  He did not begin his writings with the day he met Jesus.  He began his writing by establishing the truth that Jesus was with God before the beginning of time, Jesus was God and Jesus was the Word of God who became flesh and dwelt among man.  John clearly believed that Jesus was the complete and full Word in the flesh.  Once he established the fullness of the Word he began his account of spending time with Jesus.  As an old man looking back, John must have felt tenderness in his heart as he reminisced about walking alongside the Word. 

One incident was documented in Luke that shows how courageous Jesus had to be.  Jesus was among his own people in his own town when He stated that He was the fulfillment of the Son of God sent to save humanity.  ‘All the people…were furious…and drove him out…and took him to the brow of the hill…to throw him off the cliff.  But he walked right through the crowd and went on his way.’ Luke 4:29-30. 

It struck me this morning that not much has changed in our time on the spiritual calendar.  There are times in each of our lives when we have driven the Word to the edge of our desires to avoid conviction.  There are certain parts of the Word that our society wishes to throw off the cliff pretending it never existed.  But they were unable to throw the Word off the cliff, and we are unable to dismiss the Word.  He stood on the truth of God’s message then, and the Word still stands on the truth of God’s message now.  He walked out truth in the fullness of God and we can also walk out His fullness when we have a living relationship with Him. 

“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” Hebrews 13:8

From Screens to Rivers

“On the Sabbath day we went outside by the river, where we expected to find a place of prayer. We sat down and spoke to the women gathered there. A God-fearing woman named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth was listening. The Lord opened her heart to respond…” Acts 16:13-14

I live in a community that use to be pure farmland. If I needed gas I knew I had better fill my tank before I came home unless I wanted to pay big bucks at the one place in our community. There were one or two grocery stores that constantly ran out of things because it served the entire community. There were unlit roads at night with trees standing thick at attention along the sides of the dark two-lane streets. Our most challenging traffic problems were dodging deer, helping a neighbor when their cows got loose, or removing a fallen tree off a road. The few restaurants that were out here would fill up on Sundays as the churches let out. It was truly a slow and relaxing time in our community. Fast forward to today and you will see a bustling part of Charlotte with bumper to bumper traffic all the time, and roads that now resemble race tracks. People don’t stop to talk to people, driver’s displaying road rage and trying to avoid pedestrians as they walk in front of cars reading their phones. Church bells have been replace with honking car horns with impatient drivers. I'm certain our community looks the same as most communities now.

What I love about Lydia is that she was an entrepreneur and was one in a man’s world at that. She probably had to work twice as long, and twice as hard to get a fair shake at succeeding in her business. And yet, she took the time to carve the Sabbath out of her busy and hectic life. She gathered with a group of women during the time that God instructed all people to do, making the Sabbath set apart. It wasn’t just an hour on Sundays, but it began on Friday evenings and went through Saturday evenings. Can you even imagine us cutting our phones off for 24 hours…shutting our computers down for a full day and spending time with our loved ones…taking those hours that God has instructed us to take and giving them back to Him. I know it seems impossible to set aside a full 24 hours, but I believe in our culture we can still take time with God throughout our day. He has gifted us with every hour and each breath that we take. Scripture states that during this time Lydia gave to the Lord, He opened her heart.

When the Lord opens a person’s heart it means that He has some things that need to be revealed…some love and encouragement that He desires to show…guidance for a decision that needs to be made. Lydia lived her life intentionally and understood the value of faith, family and friends. Most likely her success was due to the priorities she placed daily in her life. Even on our busiest day or our crowded surroundings, there will always be time to ‘go down by the river and find a place of prayer.’ It won’t happen by accident though, so we must be diligent in carving the time and space out just like Lydia did.

And who knows? The Lord just might open our heart and tell us what we have been waiting to hear for years.

A Fickle King

“The young woman who pleases the king will become queen instead of Vashti…The young woman pleased him and gained his favor…Esther gained favor in the eyes of everyone who saw her…He placed the royal crown on her head and made her queen in place of Vashti. The king held a great banquet…It was Esther’s banquet.” Esther 2:4-17

A few days ago, I went to visit one of my best friends. While there her husband asked me to name a few of my all-time favorite movies. Two films immediately came to mind and I enjoyed thinking about their plot and story line. The next morning my Bible study led me to the book of Esther. I can tell you that for me the story of Esther certainly is one of my all-time top two stories in the Bible. It has the making of a true fairy tale, although it is a documented historical event with lots of twists and turns.

The story opens informing us that the first queen fell from the king’s grace, and she was eventually set aside. Young Esther was part of a group of women brought to the palace to prepare themselves to ‘audition’ to be the next queen. Esther was orphaned very young due to the death of her parents. Her uncle eventually adopted her and raised her like his own. I can’t even imagine how scary it was for her to be among all the other beautiful women competing for the king’s favor. I’m sure young Esther was insecure …anxious …dreading her appearance before the king. She followed the direction of her counsel and was eventually chosen to reign with him. Through a string of events outside of her control, an edict was sent out to destroy her own people, the Jews. Her uncle Mordecai pleaded with her to go to the king and be the voice for those who have no voice. Her fear and anxiety returned, and she told her uncle that the king had not sent for her in a month. Day after day she waited for some mention of her name from the king – but she heard nothing but silence. Had he already forgotten her? Had he already turned to another in favor and pursuit? The law stated that if anyone approached the king without an invitation, he had the power to accept them or dismiss them. A dismissal could mean death to that person. And then we hear one of the most beautiful exhortations from her uncle in Scripture. ‘If you keep silent at this time, relief and deliverance will come from another place…Who knows, perhaps you have come to your royal position for such a time as this.’ Esther 4:14. So she risks her life, steps out in courage to be a voice for those who had no voice, and she saved a nation despite a fickle king.

I am so grateful that we don’t serve a fickle king. When He chooses us to be in His royal family it is for both this life and eternity. He summons us by name…showers us with His favor…places a crown upon our head…prepares banquets of blessings for us. He never sets us aside, and we will never lose our royal standing with Him. He gives us courage to step out and to join Him in caring for others who are suffering or no longer have a voice. Our part is to be our best version of whom He created, and like Esther to use our influence for the benefit of others. ‘Esther was called upon to do something really hard she didn’t want to do to begin with. She was thrown into a situation that brought fear, insecurity and pain, but her courage exuded from her. Something was built in her character, in her heart. She had the power of the queen, the influence of a royal, and the strong heart of someone with influence.’ Looking for Lovely, p. 113.

She had the same thing that each of us have the opportunity to be, but we don’t have to wait around for the King to invite us. We have a permanent place in Him, beside Him and with Him in a kingdom that never ends.

From Beneath the Tapestry

“The whole crowd…burst into enthusiastic praise… Luke 19:37

As Jesus rode a donkey into the town of Jerusalem a large crowd gathered and laid palm branches and their cloaks across the road, giving Jesus royal treatment. By carpeting Jesus’s path with clothing and palm fronds, the multitude honored Jesus and showed their acceptance of Him as their king. Can’t you just feel the anticipation and excitement of the crowd on Palm Sunday? No doubt, the people had gotten up early and made their way to the perfect spot where they would be able to witness the King. I’ll bet they were straining to see the first view of Him, probably standing on their tip toes. Finally, they would see Him, and the crowd most likely cheered as He made His way down the path. But, in the midst of the praise of the moment, He knew in His heart that it wouldn't be long that these same people would turn their backs on Him, betray Him, and crucify Him. And yet He rode…The people thought there would be a throne at the end of the path, but there was a cross. They thought He would reign but instead He was removed.

Before the end of the week He would trade His triumphal entry atop a donkey for His anguish and despair on His knees in the garden. ‘My soul is very sorrowful, even to death…’ Mark 13:44 ‘Father…take this cup away from me – nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.’ Then an angel from heaven appeared to him, strengthening him. Being in anguish, he prayed more fervently...’ Luke 22:42-44

While no one’s experience will ever come close to the one described above everyone will experience shock and anguish in some area of their life. How many times have we gotten a phone call that changed the trajectory of our lives? How many times did Monday appear joyful, only to be replaced by heartache the following Monday? Jesus can fully relate to our suffering, and our pleas for delivery. He too asked God to take away His despair. He too begged God to accomplish His will in a different way. But God knew that the journey was not in vain…God knew that while Jesus would be buried in shame, Christ would be raised in glory. And just like with Jesus, He has a reason for our suffering which will be revealed when the purpose has been fulfilled. I read a beautiful description of our life as a tapestry. While God sees the beautiful and completed top of the tapestry, we are seeing it from beneath with all its knotted chaos and loose strings. From below, the tapestry is anything but beautiful.

Sometimes God places in motion a string of events that seem like we are riding into town in glory only to be replaced with bruised knees in the garden. Just like Jesus, we must continue to ride down our path knowing the strengthening of our soul will be administered by angels. Remember, the humiliating and despairing journey to the cross wasn’t the end of His story and neither will it be the end of ours. Even when we don't feel like it we must continue to linger in the garden in fellowship and prayer with the One who is weaving our stories into beauty and redemption.

“Our bodies are buried in brokenness, but they will be raised in glory. They are buried in weakness, but they will be raised in strength.” 1 Co 15:43