The BEST Love on February 14th

Valentines day is almost here.  All week I’ve heard the commercials for chocolates and flowers.  In fact, one day this week I found myself glued to the floor in front of a rack of spectacular valentine cards at my local post office/gas station/subway store.  Valentines day is a unique “holiday” and whatever you may think about it, it reminds me of one thing.  People want to be loved.  And people want to be TOLD that they are loved. 

This year valentine’s day is on a Sunday.  For church-going-people, we may-or-may-not like that.  I have to admit that I am HAPPY it is on a Sunday this year.  It will give me the opportunity to remind a lot of people on valentines day that they are LOVED.  Really, truly, completely loved.  Thinking about the love of God this morning has reminded me of an old song – one of my favorites.  It’s called “The Love of God” and it was written in 1917.  Here are a couple of verses of it.  May it be a valentine to us all today:

The love of God is greater far
Than tongue or pen can ever tell;
It goes beyond the highest star,
And reaches to the lowest hell;
The guilty pair, bowed down with care,
God gave His Son to win;
His erring child He reconciled,
And pardoned from his sin. 

Refrain 

O love of God, how rich and pure!
How measureless and strong!
It shall forevermore endure
The saints’ and angels’ song.

Could we with ink the ocean fill,
And were the skies of parchment made,
Were every stalk on earth a quill,
And every man a scribe by trade,
To write the love of God above,
Would drain the ocean dry.
Nor could the scroll contain the whole,
Though stretched from sky to sky.

Letting Go

Last month we vacationed in the Smoky Mountain National Park.  One afternoon we sat at the “sink” and watched a group of people jump off a 20 foot cliff into a deep pool of water nestled between two waterfalls.  I knew then that it was inevitable.  My 18 year old son would do it.  In spite of the “caution” signs scattered around us, he would jump.   And I would let him.  I wanted to hold on…to keep him “safe”…to be in control.  But it was time to let go.  He did it without hesitation.  I cheered him on.  I even took a photo.  I’m glad I didn’t hold on too tight.  Sometimes the most important thing a mother can do is to “let go”.

Today I let go again.  It was time for a great-big-leap into independence.  Today he left the comfort and security of his home behind as he jumped off into college life.  He didn’t hesitate.  He didn’t look back.  I wanted to hold on…keep him “safe”…be in control.  I admit, I did what I could.  I helped make sure his room was stocked with all the “necessities” and that he knew how to do his laundry.  But it was time to let go.  I  cheered him on.  I even took a photo.  I’m glad I didn’t hold on too tight.  Sometimes the most important thing a mother can do is to “let go”.  Well, there is another important thing a mother can do.  She can be very, very proud of her courageous son.

It’s Raining

We’ve had a lot of rain in NW Florida lately.  I’m not complaining, I know we need the rain.  It is better than a drought!  But rain, although necessary, is seldom fun.

It has been raining INSIDE our house lately too.  You know…the A/C broke, my husband is sick (yuck), a major repair is needed to the house (big $$), its crunch time for back-to-school (college time)… You know, just “stuff”.   It rains in this life.  But, I have to tell you this…  All week long the scripture from last Sunday’s message (Isaiah 43:1-3) keeps rolling through my head and sinking into my heart.  I’m glad I never have to be alone.  I’m glad that my Redeemer is WITH me!!  (Whether I’m climbing a mountain, wading through a puddle, or pushing my way against the stream!)

¹ But now, this is what the LORD says—
       he who created you, O Jacob,
       he who formed you, O Israel:
       “Fear not, for I have redeemed you;
       I have summoned you by name; you are mine.

 ² When you pass through the waters,
       I will be with you;
       and when you pass through the rivers,
       they will not sweep over you.
       When you walk through the fire,
       you will not be burned;
       the flames will not set you ablaze.

 ³ For I am the LORD, your God,
       the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.  Isaiah 43:1-3

Faith of a Child

This week is VBS week at church.  It has been a wonderful, inspiring, energizing experience!  (And, yes, it has been tiring too–but well worth it!!)  Tonight was very special in the life of this pastor.  During story time and during the big group time, opportunity was given for the children to ask Jesus into their hearts.  Their response was so tender, so sweet, so…well…overwhelming.  There were so many.  They were so sincere.  I even got to hear some of their stories – what it meant to them – their testimonies that it was very real to them.

As I sat there and watched the front of the ministry center fill up with children praying, my heart was filled with joy as I remembered… 

• I remembered that my mother asked Jesus into her heart as a small child and she continues to walk with Him today…almost 80 years later. 
• I remembered my “big moment” at the tender age of 7 when I said “yes” to the call of Jesus.  He’s been my Lord for almost 40 years now.
• I remembered the special, unique stories of all three of my children as they opened their hearts to Jesus at 4 and 5 years of age.  I looked out and saw all three–no longer children, but leaders–who were actively sharing the gospel with the little ones.  Their faith has grown as they have grown.

I-know-that-I-know-that-I-know that Jesus loves children.  I know that a simple decision that is made in a young, tender heart can stand the test of time.  I know it…because that is my story. 

[Jesus] said to them, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.”  (Mark 10:14)

Mercy

Today I experienced the tender loving mercy of my Heavenly Father.  I just heard the song “Great is Thy Faithfulness” and the line “morning by morning, new mercies I see” is certainly true in my life today.  I awoke this morning with a heavy heart.  Our very old dog had been missing for 36 hours and I feared the worst.  In my short devotional time before my work day began, I felt drawn to Isaiah 40:28-31…ecspecially the words “His understanding no one can fathom”.  As I began work, a couple of random emails connected me with the former co-worker who had arranged the adoption of our dog.  On the phone I shared with her the sadness of our dog’s disappearance.  She gave me perspective and words of comfort.  Within 2 hours we had found and buried our Daisy.  As soon as the grief subsided a little, I was quickly reminded of my friend’s words.  Those words directed my attention away from the sadness of Daisy’s death to the happiness of Daisy’s life.  It was not random that someone outside of my grief, to whom I hadn’t spoken for several month, would share just the right words at just the right time to bring great comfort to my soul.  In fact, as I write this, a voice on the radio is sharing the same scripture I read this morning…confirming that none of this was random. 

How can it be that the Great Creator would care about something so small as this little grief in my life?  I am absolutely amazed at His tender mercy.  I write this today as a THANKSGIVING!

To conclude, now the song is playing… “He knows my name, He knows my every thought, He sees each tear that falls and He hears me when I call”.  I truly believe that today.  Isn’t that amazing grace?

Great Expectations? Disappointed?

As I’m reading this Lent season, I’m reminded that Jesus is not always what we expect.  Eventually, most of us (if not all of us, eventually) run into the spiritual stumbling block of being disappointed with God.  I just read a great article entitled ”Disappointment with God” by Philip Yancey.  It helps put it in perspective.  Check it out:   http://www.csec.org/csec/sermon/yancey_3302.htm

Afraid to put God first?

Sometimes, I think, we are afraid to allow God to be FIRST in our lives because we are afraid of the changes we might experience.  One of the things we can be afraid of  is that we might lose our “true” selves – or that we’ll have to become something that we don’t want to be.  Last week, I read this interesting perspective in Phillip Yancey’s book  ”Reaching for the Invisible God” (pg 163).

I believe God has a similar goal for all of us, that we become more ourselves by realizing the ‘selves’ God originally intended for us.  The Rabbi Zusya concluded, ‘In the world to come I shall not be asked: ‘Why were you not Moses?’  I shall be asked:  ‘Why were not Zusya?”  Quietly, persistently, the Spirit coaxes me to be neither Moses nor Zusya, but Philip Yancey, a flawed personality in whom God himself has chosen to dwell.  With infinite resources, God can assist every willing person on earth in that custom process.  It begins with trust in God’s best for me, a confidence that God will liberate my true self, not bind it.”

Do we trust God to be first?  Do we trust Him to work out the best for us?  It’s an exciting – and, yes, liberating – way to live!

God First

Have you ever come on anything quite like this extravagant generosity of God, this deep, deep wisdom? It’s way over our heads. We’ll never figure it out.

   Is there anyone around who can explain God?
   Anyone smart enough to tell him what to do?
   Anyone who has done him such a huge favor
      that God has to ask his advice?

   Everything comes from him;
   Everything happens through him;
   Everything ends up in him.
   Always glory! Always praise!
      Yes. Yes. Yes.

So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, 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. Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.   Romans 11:11 – 12:2 (The Message)

If EVERYTHING ultimately comes from God – if my very life – my “everyday, ordinary life” comes from HIM – it only makes sense that I would place that life before God as an offering.  Instead of living for ME – I am challenged to live for HIM.  Talk about counter-culture!

Rocks

This New Year is like an empty jar….and we get to decide how we individually will fill our jar. It is our choice. Daily.

The Big Rock: In the story of Mary and Martha (Luke 10:38-42) – Mary understood what the Big Rock was.  Sitting at Jesus’ feet, listening.  Worshiping Him – giving him first place with her heart and her time.  Listening – hanging on every word and absorbing it until it impacted what she did.  For me the Big Rock of sitting at Jesus’ feet and listening is a life of worship and listening – through prayer, praise, and reading God’s Word.

We get to decide what is most important – what is the BIG ROCK?  The big rock that anchors us and centers us. 

 And then there is the little stuff. The Necessary stuff. The Gritty stuff of life. Dishes, laundry, meal-making. And we too get to decide what we personally consider to be the gritty, gravelly, sand stuff of life, the small, daily activities that lay down the base for the rest of our life.

Time is finite. We only get so much of it. And we all get the same amount. Everybody. Every day, each of us are handed our own jar—our finite, equal amount of time. How we fill that day up, how we use our time, what we decide to put in our jar—it is a choice. Every single day we get to decide. And every day we get a new jar to decide what to put in.

If I fill my jar first with the Gritty, Daily stuff, I’ll never be able to get the Big Rock to fit in my jar. However, if I fill the jar with the Big Rock first, then I can pour the gritty, daily stuff in and it will sift in and around the big rock.

If I don’t get the Big Rock in First in my day, it doesn’t squeeze in last – it gets left out – and everything else is out of place.  So, I start my day off with a prayer and take time to “Be still and know that He is God”.  That stillness of my spirit impacts the rest of my day – and it influences all the rocks that will fit into the jar of my life today. 

“NEW” Year

I’m not much of one to make “New Year Resolutions”.  However, I do love the “NEW” in the New Year.  Yes, I become contemplative every year around December 31st as I reflect on the past year.  (There is plenty to reflect on for 2008 – it was a year overflowing with changes!!)

But I also welcome the opportunity for a fresh start – the new start of a new year.  I don’t make resolutions, but I do take the time to pause and consider my priorities at the turn of the calender.  As I anticipate the 8,760 hours that 2009 will hold for me – what is most important to me?  What can’t I live without?  The clean slate of a new year allows me the opportunity to consider what will be FIRST in my life this year.  What will come before everything else?  What will I decide is absolutely necessary in this new year?

At the start of the new year, I want to take the time to choose ONE priority – one thing that I know I just can’t live without – one thing that will give me perspective – one thing that will put everything else into it’s proper place. 

As I reflect on that ONE thing that deserves top priority in my life, I’m reminded of a great little story found in Luke 10:38-42.  In it, Jesus deals with priorities and focus and distractions and worry…he tells his listeners that “only one thing is needed“…and that that one things makes all the difference.  Try reading it for yourself and join me in asking ”what is the ONE thing that I need in 2009?”  www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke%2010:38-42;&version=31;