Enough!

" 'Does it make you a king to have more and more cedar?
Did not your father have food and drink?
He did what was right and just, so all went wll with him.
He defended the cause of the poor and needy, and so all went well.
Is that not what it means to know Me?' declares the LORD." ~Jeremiah 22:15-16

In an age caught up in planning for the future, establishing fat retirement accounts and purchasing insurance for every possible contingency, as a Christ follower I am called to consider how I choose to invest each day's resources. Am I piling up money and goods for a future I may never know? Or am I spending myself and my wealth on an eternal harvest that is sure to come?

I have come to the conclusion that seeking wealth is idolatry--accumulating things blocks my ministry to people. Once I begin the piles, I never have enough. Slowly, inch by inch, my life is overrun by the care of what will perish while the care of what can remain with God through Christ for eternity is ignored.

Lord, forgive me for desiring to pad my cushion while stealing comfort from others by my silence or disinterest. Give me the courage to live according to the light You have shown me.

Seasons

This is my favorite time of year. As I sweat through the hot days of July, I begin to look for the small changes that tell me Fall is coming. One morning will be just a tad bit cooler than the one before and the angle of the sun's rays lengthen afternoon shadows ever so slightly. I count the days past the summer solstice and realize that we are one-third of the way to the first day of Autumn.

I have wondered why this time of year is my most cherished. Is it the cooler air, the colors of the trees, the invigorating wind, the last harvest from the garden? Could it be anticipation of the coming holidays and birthdays? Is it the return to a school routine?

I think the reason I cherish this season is because it reminds me to rest and to draw close those that I love. It brings my focus back to the center of life--to the One Who created me and Who blesses me with all good things. It reminds me that everything has a season to live and everything dies. As surely as new leaves unfurl in Springtime, old leaves wither and fall to the earth.

I remember that this life is brief, that my time to bear fruit for the Kingdom of God is but a season and that this body I inhabit will also whither and die. Just as I count the jars of preserves on my pantry shelves that capture and keep the goodness of the bounty of summer's harvest for the winter ahead, I long to look back on the year drawing to a close and be able to count the harvest of a season of working in the fields of the hearts of men. Did I employ my gifts and talents to reap an eternal harvest?

A friend once declared his family's motto to be: Life is short, Death is sure. Sin the curse, Christ the cure.

As the world around me prepares for the long night of winter, it reminds me of the longer night of eternity. Life is short. Just as my garden ceases to bear fruit once frost has set in, I will not be able to influence those around me in the grave. May I be fruitful while I yet live.

Choosing Contentment

One of the gifts of this time of confinement is learning to be content. While I have always welcomed being at home, I have never been able to sit around while others are working. But for the past several weeks, that is exactly what I have been forced to do.

My body is not yet strong enough to take on most of the daily tasks of running our small farm. I can't lift feed buckets or drag hoses. I can't catch runaway goat kids or wrangle the donkeys when they slip out of the fence. I can barely pick up my overfed spoiled indoor kitty when it's time for him to go to bed. For someone who is accustomed to working hard from sunup to sundown, this is a big adjustment.

On top of not being able to do these things myself, I have to ask others to do them for me! It is a humbling experience to need someone else.

When I was still in great pain with limited mobility, asking was relatively easy--I saw the need and was in no position to do anything for myself. With added strength and continued recovery, asking is harder. I'm like the two-year-old declaring my independence, "I do it MYSELF!" But the little voice inside my head reminds me that I can't do it myself--unless I want to end up back in the hospital.

People keep telling me that I look good--look well. This makes it even harder to refrain from doing all the things I used to do. I am afraid of looking like a slacker.

Even though I never thought of myself as someone who really cared what others think, I now know that I do care. I enjoy my reputation as a person who works hard--it is a core part of my public identity. Now it has been taken away. I can't work hard. I am discontent.

Pride is a sneaky sin. It slips past our mental guard and moves right into our hearts. It fights to hold its position and battles humility to the death.

Paul was on fire for Jesus. He traveled to spread the Gospel message and wrote to encourage young churches. He labored long and hard in spite of physical infirmity and brutal opposition. Yet he ended his life confined to a prison cell, his activity circumscribed by the reality of imprisonment. It was in this tight place, without freedom that he penned these words:

"I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well-fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through [Christ] who give me strength." (Phil. 4:12b-13)

He was in a bad spot. He could not depend on his own activity to give him a sense of importance or meaning. But he could focus on the God who saved him through His Son, Jesus. His strength to endure came from this truth.

Contentment is a choice. When I focus on what Christ has done for me--everything He has done for me--I am full of thanksgiving for His mercy and grace. Filled to overflowing with thanksgiving, there is no room for discontent. Understanding my weakness frees me to rely on His strength. My identity is hidden in Christ.

I will wait upon the LORD who is my strength and rest in His unfailing love as this mortal body continues to heal. I will bless Him for today and trust Him for tomorrow. I will be content.

What Kind of Driver are You?

We've all seen them...impatiently riding the bumper of the car in front of them. Zipping dangerously around a dump truck obstructing their view. Honking the horn at an elderly couple because they are going too slow. Crossing three lanes of traffic to exit.

We shake our heads and click our tongues and say, "That is dangerous! Why are they in such a hurry? They are going to get someone killed!"

But sometimes we ARE that person. We are late for an appointment. We justify our action because this is not the way we USUALLY drive--it is necessary because of today's circumstances. Maybe that's what they are thinking.

I have a theory about driving. I maintain that instead of a race, driving is a journey. Instead of "winners" and "losers" distinguished by who arrives at the red light first; we are all fellow travelers and everyone "wins" when we arrive safely together. I'm sure my philosophy has been heavily influenced as the mother of four children who first rode as passengers in my own car and later drove themselves through the maze of traffic each day to school and jobs. I didn't care how soon we got where we were going, only that we got there in one piece.

As Christ followers, how do we frame this road called "Life"? Do we race our fellow travelers, aiming for some mythical finish line and gold medal? Is our goal, "How fast can I get there?" or "How well can I travel?"

I wonder if in my christian walk I am the angry driver, cutting people off, honking my horn, demonstrating my impatience and emphasizing my own importance by weaving in and out of the traffic of the people around me, with no regard to the safety of others, their right to the road.

This is the thing...the reckless driver rarely gets where he's going much faster than the rest of us...just makes everyone nervous on his way. For all his effort, he gains little except anxiety and a short-lived sense of superiority.

The hurried Christ follower is much the same. When I race around without taking time to speak to the people God places in my path because of an inflated sense of self and the importance of my mission I gain nothing. In fact, I may miss the divine appointment the Father has arranged for me.


Jesus demonstrated by His life that the quality of the journey was as important as the destination. He was aimed at fulfilling His Father's purpose for His life, but welcomed those God sent to share His pursuit of that purpose. He was unwilling to dismiss the people traveling with Him.

The Psalmist prayed, "Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom." (Psalm 90:12) Part of that heart of wisdom is understanding that God has placed us on this road for a purpose and that He wants us to invite others to journey with us as we make our way in this world.

Do I view this life as a race or a journey?

I have to ask myself, "Do I make others nervous by my recklessness?" or"Does my style of travel welcome people to share the road?"

The Joy of Silence

" In contemporary society our adversary majors in three things: noise, hurry and crowds." ~Richard Foster in Celebration of Discipline

I'm not sure where or when I received the gift of the joy of silence.  I am a child of the television generation and grew up in a house that had T.V.'s in every bedroom as well as the family room.  Our stereo system (before everyone had their own personal I-pod) was fitted with speakers to each living space and the outdoor patio.  The first thing my dad did when we got a new car was add better speakers to the rear so that we could enjoy the full effect of our 8 track tape player.  

Yet somewhere in all that typical noise filled environment, I recognized that silence brought me joy.  Quiet gave my mind space for reflection and opened my ears to the still small voice of God.  It was restful to sit outside and listen to natural sounds or to nothing at all.  My soul was restored when I chose to turn off the electronic boxes.  

Noise makes me feel anxious.  When I am surrounded by noise, my blood pressure rises.  I feel pressured and tend toward hurrying.  I have less patience for the people around me.  My attention is divided. 

Satan uses noise to distract me from hearing God.  He tries to get me to focus on the waves and forget that the Master of the waves has promised to take care of me. 

When the LORD came to Elijah--He wasn't in the wind, or the earthquake but was in the whisper.  You can't hear a whisper over a rock concert.

As an experiment, try to go an hour or two without any music or television.  If you have young children (and are never able to have quiet :) then try it when you are in the car alone.  Don't fill every minute with sound.  Ask God to fill it for you with His voice.

"Be still and know that I am God;

I will be exalted among the nations,

I will be exalted in the earth."

Psalm 46:10

Choosing a Path

With all this time on my hands, I have had the opportunity to read more, reflect more and consider more.  It has truly been a gift of God and a time of Sabbath rest for my soul, spirit and body.  As I have considered what the LORD is teaching me right now, one theme continues to present itself:  Choose. 

When I talk to people, or overhear others' conversations, I hear the phrase, "I just don't have time" or "I'm so busy, I don't know what to do".  I have said it myself more than once. For most of us in America it seems that we rush from place to place, from event to event, from meal to meal, from crisis to crisis.

When I read the Gospels I don't feel a sense of rush at all.  Jesus expressed urgency when proclaiming that the kingdom of God was near, but He was never in a hurry.  He walked everywhere He went even though His was the most important ministry ever executed on the earth and it would have been much more efficient to choose a faster mode of transportation.  The message I receive from His life in this regard is that the journey is as important as the destination. 

I believe that we justify our lifestyle by claiming we have no control.  We just can't help the fact that our cell phones ring, that we have to go here or there and that we can't seem to get a handle on our schedules.

I think that as Christ followers, God would say:  "Choose!"  We do have control over how we spend our time.  It is true that we have to fulfill our God-given responsibilities and that may include work-hours we can't choose.  But even those who work full-time have a lot of hours that are under their control.

How many conversations do we neglect with the very people God has put in our path because our minds are focused on the next thing?  How many times are we multi-tasking with our phones or i-pads and missing a divine appointment to show the love of Jesus to someone right in front of us? 

God has not called us to be a people out of breath, with no energy or heart for the ministry He has given us.  He is the Lord of the Sabbath--the King of Peace and the Giver of rest.  He invites us to join Him and to take His yoke upon us--a yoke neither heavy nor cumbersome.  

In Jeremiah, God called Israel back to Himself with these words:  "Thus says the Lord; Stand by the roads and look; and ask for the eternal paths, where the good, old way is; then walk in it; and you will find rest for your souls" (Jeremiah 6: 16).

Our techno-toys should be used as tools not as taskmasters.  The activities we fill our calendars with should be evaluated in light of the greater call God has on our lives, not chosen just because our friends are doing them.  We need to do "first things first" and make room for people before things and conversation before commerce. 

We are free in Christ to choose.  Abundant life is a gift of God to be experienced right now, right where we are.   When we refuse to enter in to the "busy-ness" of our culture, we open up a world of possibility to be the people God has called us to be.

A Fresh Start

Today is Yom Kippur--The Day of Atonement--on the Jewish Calendar.  It was the day chosen by God for the Jews to stop and remember the terrible cost of sin and its only payment--blood.  The high priest would enter the Holy of Holies this one day of the year and apply blood to the horns of the mercy seat, thus covering over for another year the individual and corporate sin of Israel. Yet year after year, this sacrifice was not enough.  Guilt was never erased completely and relationship with the Almighty remained strained.  The blood of animals was insufficient to pay the debt owed by men to a perfect and holy God.

We no longer have to live in the shadow of our sinfulness, the blood of the Perfect Lamb, Jesus Christ, has completely paid the debt we owe.  When we choose to apply that blood to our hearts by faith, we are made right with the LORD and we no longer enter in with fear because of our guilt.  This was the day that the prophets longed for and Abraham saw "afar off".  It was the promise David lived for and Daniel prayed for.

Yet we take it lightly.  We grasp the gift and forget its cost.  We live as if we have not been purchased.  We no longer fear a Holy and Righteous God who has redeemed us for Himself.

The Law holds no sway over us as New Testament believers.  Jesus fulfilled its every obligation.  But it is a good thing to take a day to reflect on the cost and the gift.  Today, remember what the LORD has done for you.  Remember the burden He lifted by His sacrifice.  Remember His claim on your life--the life He purchased with His blood.  Remember. 

If you have been withholding grace and forgiveness--remember, and repent--give to others what God has graciously given to you.  If you have been walking outside the will of God for your life--remember and repent--fall back in step behind the Lord Jesus and let Him guide you.  If you have been dabbling in sin--remember and repent--turn from your wickedness and back to holiness. Remember.

Oh Lord, may we always remember the high cost of our freedom and may we exercise that freedom according to your will for our lives!