Faith

Yesterday I was reading Psalm 89, and as I read, I was underlining verses that stood out to me, and generally reveling in the amazing goodness of God.  Verses 19-37 talk all about God's promises to David.  But in verse 38, the psalm takes a heart-rending turn.  The psalmist, Ethan the Ezrahite, sees a disconnect between the promises of God and the situation the people of Israel were facing at the time, and he's confused, to say the least.  I was really moved by this, and wrote the following in the column of my Bible:

"It doesn't always make sense to us at the time.  We look at God's promises and we look at our situation, and it doesn't seem right.  We ask, 'Why God?'  But that is where trust comes in, trust that God knows exactly what He's doing, and that His ways and His timing are perfect, and be able to say in the midst of our confusion, pain and suffering, 'Blessed be the LORD FOREVER! Amen and Amen!'" (The last verse of the psalm.)

It really takes a lot of trust to be completely confused and disillusioned and still be able to praise God. To be able to lay down our "right" to understand God's plan for the future, that's faith.  May that faith be yours and mine today and always.  

Bearers of Christ

Christopher.  The name literally means Christ-bearer.  That is what we as Christians are called to be.  We are called to carry Christ into the world, to be His witnesses, to share His love.  But how often do we actually do that?  I don't know about you, but I'm not as inclined to keep this command, as, say, not neglecting the assembly of believers, living in harmonic fellowship with other Christians.  Sometimes, though, I think that Christians are so focused on building Christ-like community that we forget that there is a world outside that needs the gospel.  I'm not saying that community is bad or unimportant, just that we shouldn't spend every minute of our lives in a little bubble of Christian friends.  In order to fulfill our duty of bearing Christ, we must tell the world about the gospel.  This is old news to probably everyone who will read this, and yet I know so few Christians, including myself, who actually try to share the gospel.  So this is a challenge to everyone who confesses Christ as Lord, to count the cost, carry the cross, complete Christ's call to share the good news.

©Marian Solano

                                                                     
"Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And, lo! I am with you always, even to the end of the age." (Matt. 28:19-20)

Peace

Peace.  The word immediately brings to my mind a sense of longing, yearning, for peace.  I believe that everyone has a desire for peace, whether it is personal contentment or world peace, we all long to feel at rest, with nothing and no one to fight.  But it doesn't happen.  There is insecurity all around: wars at home and abroad, restlessness in the soul, and plain old discontent.  Why is that?  Why are we never at peace?  I think that the poem The Pulley by George Herbert answers the question quite nicely:

                       When God at first made man,
Having a glass of blessings standing by;
Let us (said he) pour on him all we can:
Let the worlds riches, which dispersed lie,
               Contract into a span.

               So strength first made a way;
Then beauty flow’d, then wisdom, honour, pleasure:
When almost all was out, God made a stay,
Perceiving that alone of all his treasure
               Rest in the bottom lay.

               For if I should (said he)
Bestow this jewel also on my creature,
He would adore my gifts instead of me,
And rest in Nature, not the God of Nature:
               So both should losers be.
 
               Yet let him keep the rest,
But keep them with repining restlessness:
Let him be rich and weary, that at least,
If goodness leade him not, yet weariness
               May toss him to my breast.

Our only hope of real rest, a deep inner peace, is found in Christ alone.  If we seek it not there, we will never 

find it elsewhere.  

Striving to Rest

So, over the past month or so, I have been struck by all the verses in the Bible which talk about resting in Christ's strength and not striving on our own.  If we try to work with our strength, we will quickly become disheartened, lose energy, and give up. (See Ecclesiastes 9:11 below.)  However, there is so much in Scripture that tells us that our work is not  through our own strength.


"Again I saw that under the sun the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor bread to the wise, nor riches to the intelligent, nor favor to those with knowledge, but time and chance happen to them all." (Ecc 9:11)


"Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might." (Eph 6:10)


"The LORD is my strength and my shield;
   in him my heart trusts, and I am helped;
my heart exults,
   and with my song I give thanks to him." (Ps 28:7)


"My flesh and my heart may fail,
   but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever." (Ps 73:26)


If we work, not with our own strength, but with God's and let His power work through us, we can actually rest, while we work. "For this I toil, struggling with all his energy that he powerfully works within me." (Colossians 1:29)

So, while we toil, we rest, and while we rest, we work.  It is so easy to get caught up in our work and never rest or ask God to help us in our work.  So then, let us strive to enter the Sabbath rest of God, seeking Him, His strength, and wait for our eternal rest while we toil here on earth with His power working mightily within us.  

Emotions

Life is not all about your emotions.  Emotions are fickle, fleeting, and sometimes even foolish.  The people who say "follow your heart" really have no idea how self-destructive that can really be.  That does not mean that emotions ought to be ignored.  Bottling up emotions until bottle becomes so full that breaks can also be very damaging.

What then is the proper course to take when handling emotions?  I think it is this: don't let your emotions control you, control your emotions.  Recognize that every emotion has a reason--find out why you're feeling that way, the root of it--and then channel that emotion into a proper energy, working for something worthwhile.

Now to try and follow my own advice!

Boasting in Weakness

Life can sometimes get you down.   Sometimes we start to wonder what our purpose is, if there is any reason to our existence.  But we don't let other people know.  We put up a facade and pretend nothing is wrong.  We often exist in two extremes: thrasonical on the outside but self-deprecating on the inside.  At this point, life seems worthless, pointless, and having nothing you can do worth doing.
But have you ever considered that this may be exactly where God wants you, that he put you in a low point for a specific reason?  2 Corinthians 12 tells the story of how Paul had seen a vision of heaven and then God had given him a "thorn in his flesh" (most likely figurative) to keep him from becoming too conceited.  Paul pleaded with God three times to take it away from him.  But God had other plans.  He said to Paul: "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness."  Paul's response was not complaints, but rather an amazing tribute to what God's grace can do.  Paul said: "Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me.  That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties.  For when I am weak, then I am strong."
God doesn't often work with us when we are self-confident, thinking our lives are working great, and loving it.  Rather, look at how Paul puts it in 1 Corinthians 1:26-29: "Brothers, think of what you were when you were called.  Not many of you were wise by human standards, not many were influential, not many were of noble birth.  But, God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.  He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things--and the things that are not--to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him."
Remember, Christ works through weakness.  Let yourself be open to what God has for you to do; not of your own strength, but empowered in Him, and then go rejoicing, boasting in your weakness and Christ's strength.
Be blessed today!
Melody Grace

Burdened by Grace

Have you ever felt that everything in your life was too much, that there was so much stress and worry that you couldn't handle it anymore? I know that I've felt that way many times before.  When it has happened, for as long as I can remember, I've found an outlet in writing, by pouring my heart onto paper, sometimes writing in my journal, other times by writing poetry or songs, but most often by writing out prayers. (Or sometimes all three, like here.) By doing this, I was laying my burdens on Jesus, I was no longer bearing my own problems, and it was truly freeing.  What is most amazing to me, is that Jesus asks us to do this, and yet we hesitate to do so, preferring to fix the problems ourselves.
Jesus calls to us: "Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." (Matt. 11:28-30)
In John 8:36, He tells us, "So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed."  Let yourself be set free.  Don't be burdened by the cares of this life, by stress that threatens to pull you under.  Instead, listen to Jesus calling.  Let yourself be burdened with what He wants you to bear--His grace, a grace so glorious and immeasurable that eternity will not suffice to proclaim it. 
Be blessed by God's grace today!
Melody Grace 

The power of "How are you?"

It's a cultural norm to ask "How are you?" to everyone--to people we've just met, and to people we've known as long as we've been alive.  Most will answer "good" "fine" "ok" etc. (Although to say "I'm good" actually says that you're a good person, but that's beside the point.) Once we've asked the question, we will be asked in return "How are you?" We'll respond somewhat truthfully, and that ends that part of the conversation.  However, I have noticed in the past few weeks as I've had various friends go through really hard times, that you can either let the conversation go that way, or you can actually have a meaningful conversation, and draw people out of the shell of cultural norms.  If you ask the question sincerely, with love in your eyes and voice, then people will be a lot more likely to answer honestly, and you can be an encouragement to the person you're asking.  So next time you ask "How are you?" ask it like you mean it.  You might be surprised where the conversation heads.

The Gospel!

I'm still overwhelmed by the enormity of the gospel.  Some people think that the gospel is only for unbelievers, for those who need to come to faith in Christ--they're the ones who need to hear the gospel.  Of course they need to hear it, but people who are believers, whether for a month or fifty years, they need to hear it too.  Every day, we need to be reminded of what Jesus did for us.  Jesus, perfection in every sense of the word, "made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men, and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross." (Phil 2:7,8) "For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich." (2 Cor. 8:9) He gave Himself, His blood, for us, the epitome of imperfection. "For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly.  For one will scarcely die for a righteous person--though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die--but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us."  (Rom 5:6-8)

So, now what? Have you been touched by the gospel?  According to my pastor, Dr. Josh Moody, "If you've really been touched by Jesus, the one thing you want above all else is for people to know Him too."  Are you a recipient of Christ's mercy?  Become a practitioner of mercy.  Are you chained to your current way of life, paralyzed by the money or fulfillment or fun that you get from it?  Listen to Jesus.  He's calling you to follow Him.  Follow Him away from your old way of life into a newness that exceeds comprehension.  Let yourself be shocked by the love that He has for you, and walk into His arms.

excelsior

Right now I'm really looking forward to heaven, to the end of the age, when there is no more suffering, sorrow, sin, disappointment; when all is right, and the followers of the Lamb will live in the bliss of His glorious presence; where the surpassing beauty of the new heavens and the new earth cannot even be compared to the most breathtaking sights here on this earth; where people from every tribe, tongue, language, and nation will bow before the throne, join hearts and voices and sing eternally the wondrous works of our God.  That's what I'm looking forward to.  The only fear in heaven will be an incomprehensible awe at God's wonderful attributes, specifically His mercy in allowing completer sinners such as I into His very presence.  Can you imagine?  We'll get to see Jesus face to face--to touch Him, to talk to Him and actually see His lips moving in response--to hear His voice--the voice that spoke the world, us, you and me, into existence.  Face to face with our Creator, face to face with our Redeemer, the one who suffered inconceivable agony so that we might not die, but live forever with Him.  That's what I'm looking forward to.  It'll be like seeing your best friend again after years apart, only quadrillions better.

 Is it any wonder that people who truly believe this are willing to die for it, that they don't even think twice about giving their lives for something infinitely better and longer than this transient life?  Why not? Why not live your life in light of eternity?  Live like Paul: this was his "earnest expectation and hope: that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life or by death.  For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain." (Phil. 1:20,21)  Put behind the things that are holding you back in your walk with God, "forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." (Phil. 3:13,14)

Forgiveness

How are we supposed to forgive people who have no consciousness of even doing anything wrong? They say that a man is as good as his word, so if someone goes back on that word, what good is that person? When someone says something will happen, you count on it, you make your plans around it, you do what you can to make sure it can happen. And then, to go back on that commitment, to stop it before it can start, that's wrong. But if the person isn't sorry for it, even did it intentionally, that makes it even harder to forgive. It makes me downright angry. And yet I know that have to forgive. If I don't the anger will take root in my soul, and lead to bitterness and resentment that lash out at other people who have done me no wrong. I've been hurt before, but never like this. How can I forgive? It is so hard.  I know that I have to let it go, but I can't, not yet at least.
And then I think:
70x7: that's how many times Jesus told us to forgive the same person for the same fault.  And this person has only wronged me once.
Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors: If we don't forgive others, God will not forgive us. How much worse is that than holding onto anger?
Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do: If Jesus could forgive those who killed Him, surely I can forgive.
Lord, do not hold this sin against them: Stephen forgave those who stoned him.  These stones that hit me are incomparable.

Not forgiving is a prison.  With God's help, I'll break the chains, forgive the wrong, and walk free.

You gotta serve somebody

Choices are all around us. In today's culture, ads are continually bombarding us, vying for our time and money.  Freedom is the air we breathe in America.  We pride ourselves on being open-minded, letting people choose what's best for them, not forcing a decision on anyone.

Young people who go off to college are entranced, even intoxicated, by the sudden freedom of being away from their parents.  They think that they are now free to make their own choices, to "be an adult."  And so, they do the things that they've longed to do all their life, without fear of reprimand from their parents.  They stay up late, party, keep a messy room, and generally pretend to be adults while still looking like children to the ones who can tell the difference.

Even adults, though, oftentimes think that they are free, when really they are not.  In the biblical view, no one is free.  You're a slave to sin--money, power, fame, flesh, or you're a slave to God--obeying His will for your life.  The college student who decides to give in to her boyfriend because she feels in love and thinks that it's right for her is not really making a choice, but is simply obeying the flesh. If you're being robbed at gunpoint, and the robber says: "Your money or your life," and you choose to give him your money, it's not of your own free will, you'd never have given him your money if you hadn't been forced.  Life is the same way.  In the words of the Bob Dylan song, "You gotta serve somebody.  It may be the Devil, or it may be the Lord, but you're gonna have to serve somebody."

(I know that song only because I watched The Ultimate Gift, a very good movie, by the way.)

The only real choice we have is whom we will serve.  "Therefore, choose this day whom you will serve."  You can serve the Devil, and have handcuffs on you that keep you in a prison of passion that leads only to destruction.  Or, you can, as my pastor put it, serve Jesus, who came in the flesh, put the handcuffs on himself, let himself be led to the cross, and then, as his arms were spread out and nailed to the cross, he broke the handcuffs of the flesh, and offered us the choice of being his slaves, so that we can live lives of overwhelming satisfaction and freedom, looking forward to eternal life with Him. The choice is an either/or but not both.

"Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness? ... For just as you once presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness leading to sanctification.  For when you were slaves of sin, you free in regard to righteousness.  But, what fruit were you getting at that time from the things of which you are now ashamed?" (Or at least you should be ashamed of them.) "For the end of those things is death.  But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life.  For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." ~Romans 6:16, 19-23

Hannah's Song

This post is based off of Hannah's Song, after she had given Samuel over to the Lord at Shiloh.  I'm going to be paraphrasing and changing word order, so if you want to make sure I'm not misinterpreting, then you can read the passage directly.
Because I rejoice in your salvation:                            Because of the holiness, uniqueness and mightiness of
-my heart exults in the LORD                                     God, we have nothing about which to boast.  We
-my strength is exalted in the LORD                           stand only on God's salvation, so we rejoice and
-my mouth derides my enemies                                   boast in it.
There is no(ne)                                                             Jeremiah 9:23-24
-holy like the LORD                                                    Thus says the LORD: "Let not the wise man boast
-besides You                                                                 in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his
-rock like our God                                                       might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but
Do not                                                                         let him who boasts boast in this, that he under-
-talk so very proudly                                                   stands and knows Me, that I am the LORD who
-let arrogance out of your mouth                                practices steadfast love, justice, and righteous-
                                                                                    ness in the earth.  For in these things I delight."
Because
-The LORD is a God of knowledge                            God knows everything, he knows the motivations of     -by Him actions are weighed                                      our actions and can change our situations accordingly.
The bows of the mighty are broken BUT the feeble bind on strength
The full have hired themselves out for bread BUT the hungry have ceased to hunger
She who has many children is forlorn BUT the barren has borne seven.
The LORD kills and brings to life
makes poor and makes rich
brings low and exalts
He raises the poor from the dust, he lifts the needy from the ash heap
TO- make them sit with princes and inherit a seat of honor
FOR- the pillars of the earth are the LORD's and on them he has set the world.
He will:
guard the feet of his faithful BUT the wicked shall be cut off in darkness
FOR- not by might shall a man prevail.  
The adversaries of the LORD shall be broken to pieces, against them will He thunder in heaven.
The LORD will:
judge the ends of the earth, give strength to his king, and exalt the power of his anointed.

The sovereignty of God is clearly shown in this song.  He has power to change financial, familial, physical, political, and social situations--even life and death are in His hands.  He exalts the lowly, and people see that it was not and could not have been the result of a person's effort.  He puts people in powerful places that others may see and glorify His name.

The justice and mercy of God are also apparent.  God will judge the wicked.  In His sovereignty, sometimes He waits for the end of the age, other times He judges them in their lifetime.  But God also shows His mercy in that He cares for the downtrodden and lifts them out of their misery, letting them see His goodness, love and strength.  He shows His steadfast love, and lifts us out of the dust, out of the ashes into His marvelous light.

Guilt and Grace

This is going to be what is probably my longest post ever, but it needs to be said, so please read it all.

Sometimes, no, often, the "little" sins are the ones which trap us.  A little sin, or even misdeed, not wrong in content, but wrong in timing or priority, can and will build into bigger and more tenacious sins.  The more sin comes in, the more it holds on, and eventually sin's deceitfulness hardens even the cleanest conscience.

For me, it all started when I was eight or nine years old.  Nearly every Sunday I would go to the church library and check out a book or two from the children's section.  My parents played very little role in advising me as to what my reading material should be, as they thought that the content of everything in the section for my age level would be appropriate.  It was, after all, the library of a conservative, Bible-believing and teaching church.  Then I would go home and read it after dinner, while my parents were relaxing or napping.  My parents knew of and encouraged this practice.  I had been reading a series of books, but one Sunday, the next in line was checked out, so I proceeded to find a different series to read.  I found another series by the same author.  Having discovered nothing objectionable in the other series, I figured this new one should be interesting and wholesome.  The title gave me some misgivings, but, I checked it out anyway.  When my parents took a nap later, I settled down to read, finding myself in a world which no child, especially one as young and impressionable as I, should ever read about.  But it was so very interesting, so despite my little pricks of conscience, I kept reading, justifying my actions to myself.  I thought: "It's not that bad, why else would it be in the church library?"  Maybe an hour into reading the book, my older brother came in, and I cleverly hid the title from him.  Out of curiosity, he asked me what book I was reading, but because I knew that the title revealed the book's subject matter,  I pretended not to hear, and kept the cover hidden.  Not to be deterred, my brother quickly snatched the book out of my hands, saw the title, and immediately went and got my parents.   I tried unsuccessfully to explain away the title, but my mom would hear nothing of it.  Incensed at the church library for having the book in the children's section, she took the book from me, told me to be more careful next time, and the matter was laid to rest.  Or so my parents thought.

I hadn't finished the story, and I desperately wanted to.  Inside my heart was laid a seed of distrust of and discontent with my parents' authority.  So, the next time I obtained a book of which my parents' approval was uncertain, I read it in secret instead of taking it to them beforehand and asking whether or not I could read it.  I soon became adept at sneaking books. I even read plenty of good, wholesome books, which my parents would have gladly allowed me to read.  I just didn't have the patience to wait until all my schoolwork and chores were completed.  So, I sneaked books, lots and lots of books.  I don't even know how many books I read, but eventually, I was caught, my reading privileges were extremely curtailed, and I was watched more closely.  However, to me, "Stolen water was sweet, and bread eaten in secret was pleasant."  Instead of stopping, I just got better and better at hiding my sin, soon using outright lies instead of subterfuge to accomplish my sin.  Invariably, I would be found out and punished with the loss of some privilege, and my mom could no longer trust me.  One time I lost a privilege which I was extremely sorry to lose, and so for quite a while I stopped my reckless cycle of sin.  However, I was sorry for the consequences, not the sin itself, and my own will could not hold forever.  About a year and a half ago, I felt guilty about the sin itself, and I started to write down every book I had read without my mom's knowledge or permission since the last time I had been caught, and every time that I couldn't resist temptation, I would add another book to the list, planning at some to point to tell my mom.  However, I couldn't bring myself to confess, fearing the punishment and displeasure of my mom, who thought that I had finally reformed.  A little over a year ago, I went on a retreat called Journey to the Heart, and on that retreat God met me and broke me, and I confessed, first to my team and then on the phone to my mom.  She met me with a mercy that was completely undeserved and promised to help me overcome temptation.

I wish I could say that I haven't stumbled since then, but that wouldn't be true.  Since the Journey, I have read probably fifteen books when I shouldn't have and my mom doesn't know about.  These past couple of weeks have been especially hard, and I confess that I have stumbled, using my old methods to accomplish my misdeeds.  However, as someone wise once said, "the power of sin is in its secrecy," so I am baring my sin to the world, to my friends, and to my mom, who is ever nudging me onto the right path.  The sin has been confessed to God, but I recognize that it is not enough, and I will continue to sin if I don't tell people who can keep me accountable.

I urge anyone reading this to confess to whoever is in authority over them whatever sin you are hiding.  It's not worth it to keep it hidden away.

God bless!
Melody Grace

Love (Part 2)

©Marian Solano

Whether sitting on the shores of a lake which is surrounded by mountains, walking in tall prairie grass, listening to the sounds of wildlife in a light-dappled forest, or pushing through a noisy throng of people in a skyscraper-filled city, or anywhere in between, God has revealed His love to us in so many ways and places, but it's still hard to put into words how unending, amazing, perfect that divine love is.  It's an under-oath, steadfast, enduring, unchanging, secure, heart-melting, fascinating, faithful love that pursues each and every person on this planet.   "For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die—but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us."~Romans 5:6-8
John 15:13 says, "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends."  Jesus showed us the ultimate expression of His love, by laying down his life, voluntarily; dying that people like you and I might live.  Regardless of your situation in life, God loves you, more than you could ever know.  He took the first step to love, now take the second step to Him.  Love is a two-way street, requiring action.  Egit. Ago. (He acted, I act)

©Marian Solano

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.

When years of time shall pass away,
And earthly thrones and kingdoms fall,
When men, who here refuse to pray,
On rocks and hills and mountains call,
God’s love so sure, shall still endure,
All measureless and strong;
Redeeming grace to Adam’s race—
The saints’ and angels’ song.

©Marian Solano

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.

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

Love (Part 1)

The cultural conception of love is so distorted.  Love songs, romance novels, TV shows--they promote an ideology of love that is unhelpful at best and destructive at worst.  They speak of the hormonal feelings and impulses as falling in love, and treat people as animals in heat looking for a mate.  If you've ever had a pet that has not been neutered/spayed, then you know that animals in heat are not pleasant to be around, and all relationships are abandoned in search of a mate.  Yet, this is how the culture now promotes love.  Physical chemistry seems to be foremost: "If it feels right, do it."  Compatibility of character of beliefs seems not to matter anymore.  But enough ranting on the culture and falling in love.

Love is an action, not a feeling, and it takes conscious effort to maintain.  Unlike desire, love with long-term relationships in mind will pay attention to the compatibility of mind, soul and body, not just body.  Love requires wisdom and strength and patience.  To paraphrase Joshua 23:11, we must be careful to maintain love in every aspect of our lives. 

Glory

Give glory to God. He will not let someone else have it.  If you are doing things for your own glory and are putting yourself forward as worthy of glory, God will try you in the furnace of affliction so that all glory goes to Him alone.  Submit yourself to His will.  Understand that He knows what is best.  Then, do your best, and let Him work the final outcome for His glory and your good.  And, no matter how you feel, worship Him in all sincerity.

"Great and amazing are your deeds,
O Lord God the Almighty!
Just and true are your ways,
O King of the nations!
Who will not fear, O Lord,
and glorify your name?
For you alone are holy.
All nations will come and worship you,
for your righteous acts have been revealed."

(I wrote this as a little reminder/lecture for myself on the second day of nationals, before breaks.  It was really good for me to remember when I didn't break.  It is applicable to life in general as well.)

Friendship

Parting with friends is hard.  Parting with friends whom you may never see again is especially hard.  Ending one phase of life and starting a new one is also hard, but good.  It is a known fact that most high school friends part ways, going to college, making new friends, getting married. For most, there are always high school reunions and the expectation leading up to them.  But for me, there won't be.  The friends from whom I parted live in different states and are going to different colleges. So what hope is there that our paths will cross again?  Keeping in touch online only works for a while.  Eventually, the friendship will die out.  Face-to-face contact is necessary for the maintenance of friendship. My life this last semester has been like one big tournament.  In the last six months I have gone to seven tournaments in six states.  I just left the national NCFCA speech and debate tournament on the north shore of Boston at Gordon College.  It was hard to leave (understatement of the century), but it was necessary.  Parting and phases are facts of life.  There are stages in life, and saying good-bye is only natural. But that doesn't make it any easier.  Since we left, my mind has been struggling to lasso my heart back into its proper place.  It has been pretty much a useless endeavor, so I wrote these poems to work through my emotions.

There's a sadness in my heart,
bearing down as a crushing weight.
There's a crossroads on my part,
choosing progress or past fate.

Future dawning, fresh and free
but, oh, how sweet the past
it seems, it seems to me.
Tears, you ought not last.
Oh, escape me,
free me,
fast.

There's a weighing in my heart.
Oh, plumb the depths of my distress.
Deliver me from deadly darts.
Turn my mourning into gladness.

Father, fair as morning light,
remove my sordid sadness,
brighten my dark night;
I want joyfulness.
Hear my plight,
true Knight;
bless.

Fair faith remove my fear,
dispel all doubts so drear.
God, grant me grace,
readily to run Your race,
patiently plodding at Your pace.

Tear the talons of temptation
carry me from condemnation
crossing into commendation.
Let my life be lived for love,
bearing blessings from above.

Freedom

Jesus tells us that we have complete freedom in Him in John 8:36: "If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed."  But our liberty is not a license to do everything we wish.  1 Peter 2:16 says: "Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God."  We have been set free, but to what purpose?  I think Psalm 66:8-12,16 has the answer: 
⁸Bless our God, O peoples;
   let the sound of his praise be heard,
⁹who has kept our soul among the living
   and has not let our feet slip.
¹⁰For you, O God, have tested us;
   you have tried us as silver is tried.
¹¹You brought us into the net;
   you laid a crushing burden on our backs;
¹²you let men ride over our heads;
   we went through fire and through water;
yet you have brought us out to a place of abundance.
 ¹⁶Come and hear, all you who fear God,
   and I will tell what he has done for my soul.
Notice that.  Freedom in Christ is not easy, and it carries an obligation to tell others what God has done.  The real blessing of freedom is not license, but God's presence.  Even though He tests us, He promises us: 
"When you pass through the waters I will be with you, and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you.  When you walk through the fire you shall not burned, and the flam shall not consume you." (Is. 43:2)
Bask in the blessing of Immanuel.  God is with us.  

Questions

(N.B. To understand the context, read Matthew 22:15-33)

Many times we have questions about the Scripture.  Even Peter admitted that Paul's letters were hard to understand (2 Pet. 3:16). However, so many times we act like the Pharisees and Sadducees, asking questions of God with the wrong attitude and mindset.  How do we expect to arrive at the truth if we do not desire it wholeheartedly, no matter what the answer may be?  And how do we expect to find a love for the Scripture, all of it, unless we first love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength?  Jesus told the Sadducees that they were mistaken in their questioning because they were "not understanding the Scriptures, or the power of God." (Matt. 22:29)  To understand the word of God aright, we must recognize His power, come to Him with fear and trembling, and ask for His understanding, that we may conquer the world's wisdom with God's.

Pharisees

(For the context, read Matthew 23)
The reasons why Jesus condemned the Pharisees:
They won't enter the kingdom, or let anyone else do so.  Thus, they are responsible not only for their own souls but also the souls of those they barred.
They make their disciples twice as bad as themselves.
They have a false vision as to the importance and true symbolic significance of ceremonial practices.
They forget what the law is all about, following the letter but not the spirit, completely ignoring justice, mercy and faithfulness.
They care about how they appear to others, but not how they appear to God.
They pretend to be self-righteous, claiming that they would not repeat their forefathers mistakes.
Now the question becomes, do you do any of these things?
Do you block others from seeing the truth by your actions, attitudes, or words?
Do you prioritize the gift over the Giver, using your talents for yourself, and not for God?
Do you expect perfection from others while only doing so little as you can yourself to get by?
Do you follow the rules your parents set down for you, but still do what you know would displease them, even if they haven't specifically forbidden it?
Do you always want justice imposed on others while always seeking mercy for yourself?
Do you act one way around one set of people and a totally different way around another set?
Do you strive in what you do to please other people, whether teachers, bosses or friends, or do you seek to please God?
Do you listen to your parents' advice about places in the past where they made mistakes, or do you foolishly believe that you are better than they are, and would never do such things?
In short, are you a Pharisee?  I know that I have done some of these things which are so detestable in the eyes of God.  If you recognize any of these things in yourself, ask forgiveness of those you have offended, both people and God.  And, with God's help, resolve to root out your Pharisaical tendencies and live with humility.

Parable of the Wedding Feast

(N.B. To understand the context, read the parable of the wedding feast, in Matthew 22.)

The Father calls everyone in the world, both evil and "good."  When He speaks to one who seemingly does not belong, He calls him "Friend."  He gives us all the opportunity to let Him befriend us.  He calls us gently, waiting for us to recognize the benefits of friendship with Him.  Bit if we remain speechless, if we do not confess with our mouth that Jesus is Lord, then we will ultimately perish. God gives us all a choice, whether or not to follow Him.  The results in the short-run may seem enjoyable, but in the long-run, if we choose to reject Him, it will be the worst mistake of our lives, because the result of that fatal rejection is eternal condemnation--separation from all that is good and beautiful and true.

Death: a meditation for Good Friday

"Then they spat in His face and beat Him with their fists, and others slapped Him."  Matthew 26:67
Jesus endured so much.  He patiently allowed Himself to be barbarically treated, when He could, as He said, " appeal to My Father, and He will at once put at My disposal more than twelve legions of angels."  Can you imagine?  More than 72,000 angels could have come at any point in the Passion narrative, and Jesus could have done whatever He willed.  He could've even destroyed all of Jerusalem, with its fallacious Pharisees and rebellious rabble.  But He didn't.  He stuck to the plan, fulfilled the prophecies, and allowed himself to die.  Die.  Death.  Crucified.  Asphyxiated.  Jesus had nothing to gain by coming to earth to die.  But He did so willingly.  Why?  He did it for the four-year-old orphan in Japan whose parents were swept away by the tsunami.  He did it for the English Royal Family, who, though they have it all, have nothing if they reject Him.  He did it for the prostitute in Las Vegas, struggling to find meaning.  He did it for the druggie in Chicago, whose only existence is measured by the next high.  He did it for the stock-broker on Wall Street, whose materialism has become so oppressive that he doesn't know what life is even about anymore.  And He did it for me.  And He did it for you. Did what?  He died.  Jesus died.  Is that in your head yet?  First He was pummeled by fists, spit upon, and slapped.  Then He was flogged so hard that He couldn't carry His cross.  And then He was nailed, yes, nailed to the cross.  Big, thick nails were hammered into His hands and His feet.  Can you feel His pain yet?  Do you see His anguished face?  He could have said it was too much at any moment, but he didn't.  He kept going for you.  He endured the most brutal torture and death.  He was lifted up above the hill on a cross naked, for the whole world to see, and He hung there in agony.  With probably more pain than you can even imagine experiencing, Jesus died.  The earth shook at the death of her Maker.  Does it affect you?  Do you understand?  Jesus died.  God died.  For you.  Because of your sins.  The source of all life, the maker of life--He died.  And he forgave those who did it to Him.  Do you accept this?  Are you cognizant of the enormity of His sacrifice?  The sinless perfect Man, the One who did no wrong to anyone, died.  He died for all the wrongs that you and I have done.  He even died for all the wrongs that Hitler and Stalin and Mao and Paul Pot did, if they had only accepted His sacrifice.  That should make you completely humbled in His presence.  The Author of Life, in the prime of life, died.  Jesus died.  The earth produced a blackness for three hours in the middle of they day while He hung in agony.  Then it shook when He breathed His last. The curtain in the temple which separated the people from God's presence was torn in two from top to bottom by God's unseen hand, because Jesus' death forged the way to Him.  He sacrificed His life.  He died.
Death.
Death.
Death.
Death.

Death.

Death.

Death.

Death.

Death.

A meditation on Ecclesiastes

Why does this world so entrance us?  It lures us into its embrace, deceiving our hearts--we think it is our home.  We want to enjoy life.  "Live life to the fullest."  We think of all the ways to have fun.  We party on the weekends to relieve the stress of the daily grind--week after week, month after month.  "Vanity of vanities, all is vanity."  "Eat, drink and be merry." 
This is the world's attitude, and we are drawn into it. 
Why are we so entranced?  What about this pointless existence holds our minds, appeals to our souls, and captures our bodies?  Why live a meaningless, empty, yes, even vain life? 
Put some meaning into your life.  Don't let the daily grind wear you down.  Don't let "earth's vain shadows" hide what your life could be like.
"Fear God and keep His commandments."  "Remember your Creator in the days of your youth."  "Take every thought captive to Christ's commands."  "Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven."
May our lives be a reflection of His light, and may that light brighten the shadows of the vain existence of the lives of others. 

Pride

"All of you, clothe yourselves with humility 
toward one another, because, 'God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.'" - 1 Peter 5:5
Pride, how perilous it is!
The Prince of pride 
would pull us places 
which seem privy, 
which principle alone 
would plead against. 
In the prime of life,
the price of pride 
is prison,
a privation of privilege 
and prize.


O Prophet, Printer of life's pages,
prepare us for Your presence.
Predictor of predicaments,
press us to the precipice,
paint us on Your paper 


O Priest of peoples!
We plead for patience!
Progress pauses, pinched by pride--
Pare us with precision,
preclude the predator!


Primogenitor, Principate,
Principal of principle,
Pluck us from this path 
the prim and proper prance.
Plant us in Your park.


O Paschal Lamb,
preeminent in power,
we praise Your precious promises.
Produce purity in us
to proclaim Your primacy.  

"Follow Me!"

Today, when reading the last chapter of John, I noticed something very interesting.  Jesus' last command to Simon Peter was, "Follow me."  If we read Jesus' first encounter with Peter in Mark 1, we will see that Jesus first command to Peter (and his brother Andrew) was, "follow me."  And, one of Jesus' last statements to His disciples before he ascended into heaven, and the closing statement of Matthew is, "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations ... teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you."

Jesus told His disciples, especially Peter, to follow Him, and to teach His commandments and ways to the world.  But what are His commandments?  And how can we follow Him?  Jesus tells us in John 8:12, "I am the light of the world.  Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."  Jesus tells us to follow Him, to love Him, by keeping His commandments (John 14:15).  And He tells us what that commandment is in John 15:12-13: "This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.  Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends."  "But God demonstrates His own love for us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8)  That ought to seem amazing to us.  The way we follow Jesus Christ is to love others as He has loved us.  So before anyone ever shows aught of affection, and while we owe naught to them, to be true followers of Christ, we ought to love them with such depth that, without a moment's hesitation, we would be willing to die for them.  It's one thing to be a hero, and push someone out of the way of imminent death, but what about being willing to do something else, something much harder?  What about seeing that a person is walking a road, living a lifestyle, that will inevitably lead to death, whether physical or spiritual, and being willing to sacrifice our lives--our time, talents, or treasure--on/for that person?  We must never do it begrudgingly, but always out of love, because that is the example Jesus set for us.  To be true followers of Christ, we must imitate His every step, walking in His footprints.  It is a high calling, but depending on God's grace and mercy, asking for His guidance, and trusting in His everlasting love, we can take the first step in following Him by loving others just as He loves us.