The Other Side of Grief

“I have much more to say to you, more than you can bear.  But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth…That is why I said the Spirit will take from what is mine and make it known to you.” John 16:12-15

The disciples walked alongside Jesus for three years, and witnessed amazing acts and wonders through Him.  They were privy to the mind of Christ every day since Jesus asked them to follow Him.  The questions must have been unending as the conversations went late into the nights.   How boring their prior lives must have been before walking with Jesus.  While several cast their nets day after day, another counted money coin after coin.  Once they decided to follow Jesus their lives took on the twist and turns of a great novel experiencing joy, amazement, fear, failure and successes.  Sound familiar?

When we decide to pursue an intimate relationship with God we can expect storms to brew and foundations to crack.  As we grow in Him through difficult circumstances we are guided through them and taught by them.  Just as Jesus promised the Holy Spirit to the disciples we also have His spirit dwelling within us.  The Spirit will teach us spiritual truths and will reveal what God has in mind for each of our lives.  We will gain God’s wisdom and understanding in every circumstance when we are spiritually ready to receive it. 

Once the disciples had experienced the heartbreaking death of Christ, He appeared to them on the other side of their despair.  It was the proper time to open their minds and give them everything God had given to Jesus.  ‘Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scripture.’ Luke 24:45.  These men were not chosen because they were the best and the brightest, rather because of their passion to follow and serve.  It was through their fellowship with Jesus that afforded them the mind of God.  The same is with you and with me.  As we walk with Christ through difficult times we have access to everything required to move us from despair to joy in Him.  When we use our difficulties on earth and minister to others, He will consider those precious and worthy offerings.  He doesn’t take for granted any tear that has fallen and any heart that has been broken.  He will always be there to guide, comfort and sustain, thereby expanding our faith.

Spiritual Book Clubs

“…if you accept my words and store up my commands within you…and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God.  For the LORD gives wisdom, and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.  He holds victory in store for the upright…For wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul.” Prov. 2:1-10

When I was in ninth grade I signed up for a speed reading course which was offered in my high school.  I remember that the purpose was more about the volume we would read opposed to the depth of understanding that would be attained.  We were tested on the general points of the stories but not on the details.  In the latter part of ninth grade I was required to read Huck Finn.  What a different experience in reading this novel.  I inserted myself in the story and found my home among the barefoot boys that roamed the streets looking for adventure.   I was able to experience what they were experiencing and lift their life lessons from the pages. 

Reading the Bible is not a speed reading course in life where we boast about how many times we have read it.  We are to experience God’s word through the beautiful stories of those who went before us…novels of fear and faith…accounts of adventures with God.   We are to mine the chapters in search of His precious relics which we will collect and store up in our hearts.  We are to use the Light to search in the dark places of our hearts finding those nuggets of knowledge and understanding from God. 

The caves to mine are endless and the Author of our lives never quits writing our novel.  Our story builds one chapter to the next, swelling in faith and adventure with twists and turns.  When we access His knowledge and wisdom through His word, we can apply it to the next season of our lives.  Then one day when that final page has been written and our novel on earth is finished, we will join the eternal library where our stories will never end.

Game On!

“Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts…And be thankful.  Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly…with gratitude in your hearts to God.  And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”  Col. 3:15-17.

There is nothing more enjoyable (and frustrating) to me than watching college basketball.  I just love it!  One of the most frustrating aspects however is the constant interruption of the referees in their efforts to keep the game in balance.  In their striped shirts, they run up and down the court beside the players with their whistles on their lips.  Their goal is to keep the ebb and flow of the game fair, safe and controlled.  They operate from the sidelines with the best interest of all the players in mind.  The coaches have drilled the rules into the hearts of the players, but it is the job of the referees to remind them of these game principles.

When Paul wrote these verses above he likened the rule of Christ in our hearts to athletics, similar to a referee or umpire.   The only way that we have access to the peace of Christ ruling over our lives is to know and abide in what His playbook says.  When He calls a foul we must be obedient in His authority.  We must operate within the body of the team instead of our own individual agenda.  When His character is our dribble our game will be elevated to new levels.  We must always be grateful for every opportunity in scoring for Him, being a representative of the greatest Team that ever performed.  There will be many onlookers, some criticizing our game while others are cheering us on.

Christ is the only one who has the authority to call our game since He bore our stripes on the cross.  We must know what His word states, and allow Him to run alongside, blowing the whistle when we are stepping out of bounds.  

Game on!

Ears to Hear

“How gracious will he be when you cry out for help!  As soon as he hears he will remember you … your ears will hear a voice behind you saying, ‘This is the way; walk in it.’” Isaiah 30:21

The ability to hear and see God will only be sharpened through our intense focus on Him.  We must become accustomed to His voice and recognize when He is speaking to us.  If we only call out to Him in times of distress it may be tougher to discern His voice and guidance.  We have all been given spiritual awareness of God, but some have developed it more than others.  It is erroneous to believe that some have been given a greater spirit than others, with a deeper capacity to understand.  God speaks the language relatable to all of our hearts, but we choose whether to invest the time to really listen for Him and speak back.

‘You have seen many things but have paid no attention.  Your ears are open, but you hear nothing.’ Isaiah 42:20.  God knew that pursuing Him would be a choice that some would make and some would ignore.  This choice to hear brings knowledge and understanding once we call out to Him.  We all have been given ears to hear and eyes to see, but what does mean in the spiritual realm? 

‘The sheep recognize his voice…and they follow because they are familiar with [the Shepherd’s] voice.  They won’t follow a stranger’s voice but will scatter because they aren’t used to the sound of it.’ John 10:3-5 MSG).  It means that our thoughts, actions and decisions will be guided by our spiritual ears or guided by the ears of the flesh.  If God’s voice is unrecognizable in our lives we will default to our own understanding which will always guide us away from truth.  We will blindly and deafly wander around on the hills of confusion and miss out of the messages from God.  Once we listen for Him and learn His voice we can always depend on Him to show us the way to walk in all circumstances.  We lean into the Shepherd who knows us by name, and answers back in our heart language.

The Spirit guides but the flesh scatters. 

A Day in the Temple

“Do you not know that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?” 1 Co. 3:16

When I was 15, I traveled to Europe with a group of teens and adults, and experienced some amazing architectural designs.  The most beautiful building was this massive church adorned with some gorgeous displays of art and stained glass.  It would have been easy for visitors to be carried away with the beauty of the temple instead of its purpose.  The desire of our hearts should always be the worship of the One who 'stands behind the pulpit and deserves our attention.'

Each one of us is a temple of God with the Holy Spirit residing within.  The focus of our lives should be the worship and service of God, instead of the plans we determine on our own.   Personally speaking, on some days I focus more on ‘straightening the hymnals and dusting the pews.’  I walk down the aisle assessing the temple from my own standpoint, making plans of how it could be better.  I miss the fact that at some point I allowed distraction and self-focused thoughts to enter and take their place behind the pulpit.  They preach to me that I should consider what service I want to do in the temple, and convince me that I deserve better than my present assignment.   The temple music drifts into my sub-consciousness lifting those old familiar songs, lulling me to sleep as I forget the purpose of the temple.  As I nap, a new speaker comes in and takes over…the one who would love our worship and attention…Satan.

‘He will oppose and exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshipped, so that he sets himself up in God’s temple, proclaiming himself to be God.’ 2 Thess 2:4.  As the Holy Spirit elbows me and startles me from my sleep, my head snaps up and I realize that I have allowed my own desires and ideas to take center stage, becoming my object of worship.  Faithfully my heart is realigned with the help of the Holy Spirit and my worship returns.   

We must stay spiritually alert with who speaks in our temple, and what thoughts and desires we allow in the temple doors. 

Grumblings

“Now the people complained about their hardships in the hearing of the LORD, and when he heard them his anger was aroused.  Then fire from the LORD burned among them and consumed some of the outskirts of the camp.” Numbers 11:1.

Although we are the benefactors of God’s patience, there comes a time when God draws the line in the sand, indicating that enough is enough!  He doesn’t leave us but determines that we require something different to change our attitude and focus.  God provided everything good for the Israelites going from captivity to freedom, but they lacked gratitude.  God showed them in all instances His power and sovereignty, but they lacked humility.  God continuously spoke of their promised land, but they lacked faith.  They ‘lacked’ alright, but more in the areas of their spiritual walk.  We notice the verse states that when (not if) God heard more grumbling in their circumstances, He acted. 

‘Complaining always reveals a lack of humility and plenty of self-centeredness.  Complaining doesn’t flow from a thought closet where God is central.  Our grumbles show our self-focus …God is really the one to whom we are griping.’ Me, Myself & Lies – Jennifer Rothschild.  Grumbling usually begins with statements like ‘I should…I deserve…I don’t want…I ought to be able to…’  It is human nature that we have these thoughts but it is not in our best spiritual interest that we invite them to hang around. 

“‘Everything is permissible’ – but not everything is beneficial.  ‘Everything is permissible’ – but not everything is constructive.  Nobody should seek his own good, but the good of others.” 1 Co. 10:23. By focusing outside of ourselves we are in better posture for approaching God.  Our spiritual motives become more than our earthly desires, and our pride becomes lessened through our humility.  We are encouraged to ‘demolish…every pretention that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.’ 2 Co. 10:5.

God is the God of giving whether we require the disciplines of the flesh or the desires of the Spirit. 

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"And you, my son, Solomon, acknowledge the God of your father, and serve him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, for the LORD searches every heart and understands every motive behind the thoughts. If you seek him, he will be found by you…Consider now, for your LORD has chosen you to build…Be strong and do the work.” 1 Chronicles 28:9-10.

I have no doubt that Solomon grew up very aware of the love and devotion his father had towards God. King David had adored Yahweh since he was brought out of the field as a young shepherd boy. With both wholehearted devotion and a willing mind to serve God, David still managed to slip into the darkness of sin. The Psalms offer many beautiful praises to God that David penned, along with laments of his failures. He was a man well aware of the caution required in dealing with his temptations. I am sure that the words above were certainly not the first time Solomon had ever heard these exhortations from his father. David spoke tenderly to his young son as he was preparing him to be king. ‘Son, don’t do what I did…Be aware of what divides your heart and controls your mind…Always meditate on God’s words…Serve where He shows you to serve…work where He assigns you and be devoted and committed to His choosing for your life.’

I spoke a lifetime of ‘words of wisdom’ to my children as they were growing up. In retrospect, my words were centered in encouraging them to ‘do good and be good.’ Since I have more deeply moved into an intimate relationship with God, I have become aware of missed opportunities in the encouragement and godly wisdom I could have given to my kids as children. Thankfully, our Father doesn’t place an expiration date on His wisdom. He continuously provides windows of opportunities to pass along new found truths I have learned. I cannot teach what I do not know, so I am grateful for the mistakes I have made. It has given me a message to share with others along the way. Much like David, my messages are, ‘Don’t wait so long to search for a deep relationship with God…Set your mind and your heart on things that are important to God, not to man…Look for God’s initiation in your work, not selfish motives...Recognize that where He has placed you in life is the intention of His mind and heart for you...work hard in these intentions.' Like the song says, 'These are a few of my favorite things.'

The more I learn the more I am aware of how far I have to go, but with God’s grace He keeps me moving forward. It is when we allow Him complete access to our heart that our minds are renewed and our hearts are transformed.

'Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed.’ Prov. 16:3…spoken like a true son of the King!