July 15, 2022

                                                         Listen

 

She gave this name to the LORD who spoke to her. “You are the God who sees me,” for she said, “I have now seen the One who sees me.” – Genesis 16:13

 

Hagar had fled. She was done. She’d been unfairly used as a pawn by Sarai and Abram. Now she was pregnant and being abused for it.

 

Back in those days it wasn’t uncommon for a slave to be used as a breeder for children. No one asked their permission. Why would they? Slaves – and women – were property with no voice and no rights.

 

But here’s the thing: God met her in that place. He didn’t ignore her or punish her or demean her in any way. He heard her cry. He listened. Really listened. What an amazing gift!

 

We are a society focused on things. We buy things. We do things. We are quick to tell others what to do and how to do it. We want to “help” them become who we’ve decided they should be. But do we ever really listen to them?

 

It takes time to hear someone. It takes focus and an openness we generally don’t want to give. We want to throw a quick fix their way and be done with it. What a waste! We’ve moved on but they’re left standing there with an empty heart and, likely, resentment at not being heard.

 

Do you want to give someone a gift? Listen to them. Really listen. Don’t focus on your response. Don’t consider how you want to fix them or their situation. And don’t focus on your “wise” advice. Just listen. It’s the greatest gift someone could give to another person.

 

God didn’t miraculously change Hagar’s situation. He could have. Instead, God sent her back to her life as a slave. But she knew God was with her and her unborn son. God heard her. And in that moment that made all the difference in the world

December 28, 2018

Consider the Consequences

Once when Jacob was cooking some stew, Esau came in from the open country, famished. He said to Jacob, “Quick, let me have some of that red stew! I’m famished!” (That is why he was also called Edom.)

Jacob replied, “First sell me your birthright.”

“Look, I am about to die,” Esau said, “What good is the birthright to me?”

But Jacob said, “Swear to me first.” So he swore an oath to him, selling his birthright to Jacob.

Then Jacob gave Esau some bread and some lentil stew. He ate and drank, and then got up and left.

So Esau despised his birthright.

– Genesis 25:29-34

Area Boy Scouts gather each year for what is termed an authentic camping trip. They dress in period costumes and seek to relive life as it once was. One of the more popular events happens on the trade blankets, when the kids barter items with each other.

It’s easy to see what each boy’s priorities are. One might give away something valuable, such as a knife or deer antlers, for a piece of candy. Another might hold on to those things, waiting for something like a mounted fish or pottery.

Some can only see what they want in that moment and they react accordingly. Others are willing to wait for the right thing to come at the right time. We aren’t any different.

Esau and Jacob were fraternal twins who had battled to be first even in the womb. They had emerged with Esau as the elder, and his father’s favorite, and Jacob as the younger, and his mother’s favorite.

Being the firstborn male came with additional privileges and responsibilities. He would one day inherit a double portion and be the leader of the family. But birth order didn’t always reveal the best man for the job.

Esau didn’t value what was given to him by chance of birth. He was focused on the moment and didn’t consider what he was giving up. So he sold his birthright for a bowl of stew.

Jacob was certainly not without sin. He, with help from his mother, later tricked his dying father into giving him the paternal blessing rather than allowing it to go to Esau. In the end it wouldn’t have mattered anyway. Selling his birthright wasn’t the only mistake Esau made. He also married two foreign women, something that simply couldn’t happen to Abraham’s descendant. Though Esau later married an acceptable woman, it was too late to undo what he’d already done.

We reap the consequences of our actions. It’s a sad truth. We can’t undo what we’ve done. We can’t always rebuild what we’ve destroyed. We can’t change what our actions reveal about our priorities.

The child who trades something valuable for a piece of candy can’t come back and change his mind when he realizes what he’s done. And we can’t come back later and undo the consequences of what we’ve done.

A sweet man I know once remarked that if he could change one thing it would be letting his wife go. She’s fine. She remarried a wonderful man and is happy. He, on the other hand, now realizes what he destroyed with his words and actions. He is alone and living with the consequences of what he can’t undo.

What’s the lesson in all this? Think about the consequences before you do something that can never be undone. Consider your words and actions before you destroy a bridge that can never be rebuilt.

December 15, 2018

Listen for Him

“For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

– Genesis 3:5

“Son of man, say to the ruler of Tyre, ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says:

‘“In the pride of your heart you say, “I am a god; I sit on the throne of a god in the heart of the seas.”

But you are a mere mortal and not a god, though you think you are as wise as a god.”’ – Ezekiel 28:2

From the very beginning, we’ve been trying to pretend we’re like God. We think we can be smart and know all things. Arrogance and the devil tells us we can.

We can’t, of course. Just as the serpent led Eve to destruction, so will he lead us to destruction as well. It’s that arrogance that tells us to disregard God’s rules and focus on our own wants and desires.

I was in a church meeting recently where a controversial topic was being discussed. We weren’t making decisions or even voicing personal opinions. We were there to learn about the various options and what they might mean for us two months from now.

That said, body language clearly revealed the sides that are forming. It is not going to be pleasant. Some people have set their beliefs in stone. They’ll gladly pull out Scripture to back those beliefs up. Both sides, I might add.

That’s how it is with controversy. Everyone thinks they know God’s true will better than anyone else. We tell ourselves that over and over again. It helps us stand firm in what we believe, whether it is truly God’s will or not

The hard truth is that some things make us uncomfortable. We don’t want to read what God says about welcoming foreigners into our land. We’d rather pull out the passage about obeying the law. Which is right and which is wrong? Maybe both views are right and both views are wrong.

Our churches are facing some hard issues. There are no easy answers. But there are a few basic things we should remember. God is love, would be the first thing. Jesus told us the greatest commandment was to love God above all else and the second was to love our neighbors as ourselves. When we get those two things in the correct order, everything else falls into place.

Before we left that day, one committee member said something really basic and totally true. He told everyone not to spend the next two months fretting over what might or might not happen. He suggested that instead we spend that time in prayer, asking the Holy Spirit to provide discernment and for the delegates to be led to vote however God would have them vote.

We don’t know what’s the best direction in this situation, no matter how much we might think we do. We aren’t God. What we don’t know far outweighs what we think we do know.

My friend offered all of us wise advice. The question now is whether we can get over ourselves long enough to actually pray and listen for God’s voice or whether we’re going to be so focused on what we “know” that we miss Him in the midst of it all.

November 13, 2018

Hold On To Hope

“I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth. Whenever I bring clouds over the earth and the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures of every kind. Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life.” – Genesis 9:13-15

As I write this, rain is pouring down outside. It rained much of last week. Predictions are for three very wet days this week. Flash flood watches and warnings are everywhere. A tornado watch rests over our area. We are weary and water-logged.

And yet the rain continues to fall.

Do you ever feel like that about your life? Does it ever seem like you’ve had one set back after another, one illness after another, one headache, one heartbreak, too many? And you wonder why and how you’ll ever make it through the valley.

A few years ago I walked with friends who were in such a valley. A son sick with cancer, a horrible disease that eventually took his life. A daughter that was in a wreck. A lightening strike on their house that took out all of their electrical devises. Medical expenses that were without end. And the fear. The all-consuming fear.

I found myself asking: How much more God? How can they withstand anymore? And, yet, they did. Faith does that for people. It sinks deep inside and provides roots that may sway and falter but that hold us up through the storms.

As the rain pours down, I can’t help but think of those along the coast and for miles inland. The victims of Hurricane Michael. Many live in tents now. Others struggle to keep tarps on their roofs and over holes where windows once were. Mold grows but they are effortless to stop it.

And I think: How much God? Their lives are shattered. Every thing around them is hard. It will be months before even basic services are available. Think in terms of water, sewage, electricity. Baths are a luxury. Food is basic and, usually, cold. These are people like you and I. They once sat in their cozy homes, relaxing in a recliner and watching television.

Or look at the news reports of the wildfires raging in California. Towns destroyed. People fleeing with nothing but their lives. And, sometimes, people losing their lives as their vehicles and homes are consumed with raging fires. How much God? People are hurting. How much can they stand?

And, yet, I am reminded that our safety and security doesn’t come from things which are so easily destroyed. Our security comes from God. Our safety rests in belonging to Him. Our rock, our shelter, in the storms that rage against us.

God sent a flood that destroyed every living thing on the earth except for those people and animals who were on the ark with Noah. Afterwards, God made a promise. The rainbow is a reminder of that promise.

No matter how much rain falls, the sun will shine on our land again. Towns will be rebuilt. Families will be restored to their homes. Hope comes in the form of a promise. It came to earth as a baby and died on a cross, only to rise again and live forever more.

I don’t know your struggle this day but I do know this: God holds you close in the storm. Hope reminds us that there are better days ahead. Look at the rainbow and remember. God is faithful. You really will be okay.

May 1, 2018

We Can Say No

Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?” – Genesis 3:1

We are good at rationalizing our choices, aren’t we? It’s a trap that leads us to a place we never intended to go. We fall for it all the time.

First, it’s the voice that asks us if the Bible really says what we think it says. Surely the pastor didn’t mean we should deprive ourselves of something we really want. God wants good things for us and we would really enjoy a new toy or vacation or outfit.

We could take it to the Bible. We could pray and ask God to reveal to us what He really said. We could seek His wisdom. But we’d really rather not. Why? Because what if God doesn’t tell us what we want to hear?

We want to follow God when it comes to blessings. We want to seek His will so long as His will conforms to ours. We aren’t so quick to follow His plan when we don’t really understand or agree with Him.

Ah. There it is. We don’t always want what God wants for us. We want to be the god of our own lives. We want to do what we want to do and we want God to, in turn, bless it all and give us loads and loads of riches and great success.

Did you feel just a twinge of conviction when you read that? Good. It’s a first step in getting your life in complete alignment with God’s will.

Notice that the serpent (Satan) didn’t directly attack God when he first approached Eve. She would have seen right through that. His words were subtle, seeds planted to make her question if God really had Eve’s best interest in His mind.

The conversation continued. Eve told the serpent what God had said. And Satan responded. Satan always responds when we try to resist.

“You will not certainly die,” the serpent said to the woman. “For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

– Genesis 3:4

We want to be like God, don’t we? We want to know what’s best for us. We want to control our own destiny. We want our will to be our first priority. We want what we want when we want it. Surely God can see that we deserve only good in our lives.

When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. – Genesis 3:6

Eve got what she wanted. Her eyes were opened, as were Adam’s, and life changed forever. I wonder how much time she spent wishing she’d never listened to the serpent. I wonder if she truly regretted a decision she couldn’t undo. I wonder if she ever thought she’d just give anything if she’d said no and walked away.

How many times in your life have you thanked God for saying no? Sometimes hindsight reveals that what we thought we wanted, what we just knew we had to have, wasn’t really good for us. It could be a relationship, a job, an opportunity that looked so very enticing.

When God says no, there’s a reason for it. When we push forward anyway, there are consequences. Sometimes there’s nothing really wrong with what we want – it’s just that God has something better planned for us. Sometimes God sees how we’ll get tangled up in something we never intended and that mess will lead us where we really don’t want to go.

Here’s the thing: We can say no. We can walk away. We can follow God even when the world tells us to go a different way. It’s your choice. What are you going to do?

March 5, 2018

Treat Each Other With Respect

But no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. – James 3:8-9

So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.

– Genesis 1:27

There it was again. The words slammed “liberals” this time. Not to worry. He slams “gays,” gun-control advocates, Democrats, and just about everyone who dares to disagree with his opinion. Then he turns right around and proclaims Jesus as Lord and Savior. Does anyone else see the hypocrisy in this?

He is a nice man. You’d like him if you met him. You really would. At least you would if you stayed away from politics. He just seems to lose all reason when it comes to his conservative agenda. He is not alone.

Honestly, I don’t care what your opinions happen to be. The First Amendment – everyone remembers that one I hope – guarantees the right to free speech. What bothers me are the mean attacks aimed at the opposing side. What happened to civility? What happened to staying on point and keeping ourselves focused on the issues? When did it all get to be so personal that we believe it’s okay to viciously attack someone, then proclaim God is good?

Every person was created in God’s image. I believe that because it’s what the Bible says. God loves equally the liberal and conservative person. God loves all of us, whether we acknowledge that love or not. So how can we look on someone created in God’s image and condemn that person all the while claiming to love Him?

I’ve had so many explain it this way: It’s my opinion. I’m entitled to my opinion. Yes, you are. The honest debate helps all of us be better people and find solutions to the problems our nation faces. Or, at least, that’s how it’s supposed to work in a democracy.

We look around and see hatred bubbling up everywhere. It’s always someone else’s fault. Then we start bashing people who disagree with us. It’s not about the issue, it’s about those “stupid” people who don’t think like we do.

The one thing we all seem to agree on is how bad Congress has become. The members can’t seem to get anything done. I wonder why? Could it be because they’re too busy catering to a shifting political agenda and their own pocketbooks to actually focus on honest debate and true solutions. That might require compromise. It might cause a loud backlash from voters. No one wants to believe that someone on the other side might actually make a good point now and again.

Congress is inept because we demand they be so. Those politicians look at us – loud, ugly children so intent on getting our own way that we can’t remember how to share – and decide to be just the same. When are we going to actually start living the faith we so loudly proclaim?

Jesus said to love each other. There is no place in Christianity for hatred. Whenever you point ugly fingers at those who disagree, you’ve pointed an ugly finger at someone made in God’s image. Stop it.

Look in the mirror and fix yourself. Choose words that focus on the issues, and not the person you disagree with. In all things, at all times, remember that person is someone God loves. Treat him with kindness and respect. Live the faith you so loudly proclaim. We’ll all be better people, a better nation, because of it.

January 3, 2018

God Hears Us

She gave this name to the LORD who spoke to her: “You are the God who sees me,” for she said, “I have now seen the One who sees me.” – Genesis 16:13

Hagar was an unfortunate pawn. God made a promise to Abram but He never said how long it might take. So Sarai decided to take matters into her own hands. She gave her slave, Hagar, to her husband, Abram, so that perhaps Hagar would get pregnant and give Sarai a child.

Oh, what a storm we create when we fail to wait for God. Hagar did become pregnant but Sarai despised her for it. Hagar ran away but God saw her. Just like He sees us. Just like He sees me.

These last few years have been long and hard. I learned to let things roll off of me, choosing instead to pick my battles. Is it something I simply don’t like? Or is it something that could cause harm to an elderly parent? Some battles just weren’t worth the argument.

As I left that season of caregiving, more challenges awaited me. I found that way too many people either didn’t hear what I said or simply ignored my wishes. It’s as though they assume my voice doesn’t matter. Except it does.

We have become a society that listens in order to respond to what is being said to us. We aren’t concerned about the wishes of others. We don’t particularly care about their opinions. It’s all about us. We make sure of that. We see that clearly in our broken political rhetoric that plays to our emotions rather than to reconciliation and compromise.

No one wants to be dismissed or ignored and it’s frustrating to have someone ignore your wishes in an effort to bully you to accept theirs. We assume that others want what we want and if they don’t, well, that’s their problem. We know more than anyone. Except we don’t.

God saw Hagar. He heard the cries of her heart. God hears us too. He never tunes us out because we aren’t agreeing with Him. God never ignores us. He sees us, flaws and all, and loves us anyway.

When was the last time you really listened to someone who disagrees with you? Have you ever gotten off your own agenda and considered someone else’s viewpoint? We don’t have to agree in order to listen. And listening doesn’t mean we have to change our minds or our actions. It simply shows respect for another human being. Listening says that the words of someone else matter.

Whose voice do you hear today? Is it your own or are you listening to others? Remember that God hears us all and sees what is truly in our hearts. Take a moment and listen. Really listen. You might be surprised at what you learn.

January 3, 2016

Let The Light Shine

Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light. -- Genesis 1:3

3 All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. 4 In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. -- John 1:3-5

 

The contemporary services at our church have been disrupted by -- drum roll here -- light. Or, rather, the lack of light. The committee decided to create a more intimate setting -- their words -- by darkening the seating area so we would be forced to focus on the band or the speaker. (Otherwise known as a preacher.) Some of us are quite upset.

A worship service is neither a concert nor theatrical production. I guess we’re supposed to forget that sometimes in our effort to draw more people in for a feel good experience. We are there to worship God and to learn and grow in knowledge of Him.

There is no longer any need to bring a Bible to church. The light is so dim you can’t see the words. It seems fine for those following along with their devices. Oh, well. No one needs to take notes anyway. Right? And, no, the words are NOT on the screen over the stage.

But that’s not why I am so offended. There’s just something off to me about worshipping the light of the world in the darkness.

I do understand that in some areas of the world, Christians must meet in darkness because their very lives are at risk. That isn’t the case in our country. We have no excuse for the darkness. What is the committee trying to hide?

The excuse is that people will be more free to express themselves. Seriously?! What are you ashamed of? We all worship differently. This isn’t a stiff traditional service. It’s a contemporary service where most things are really okay with everyone else. If you want to raise your hands, do it. If you want to clap or dance or meditate, do it. And if you don’t feel comfortable, ask yourself why. Because honestly it’s not about you. It’s about Him. So get over yourself and do what you feel called to do in order to worship our Creator.

And turn the lights back on!

Saturday, September 22, 2012

The Bible Is Our Family History

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. -- Genesis 1:1

Many grew up hearing those words from the first sentence in the Bible. We read them and memorized them. It’s how it all began. How we all began.

What does the Bible mean to you? How do you see it? Is it a book filled with moral rules? Is it a textbook? Or maybe a love story? Or even a family history? Or is it possible that the Bible is all those things and more?

We are so fascinated with family history. We want to know where we came from, who our greats many times removed were, and how we ended up where we are. It’s as if somehow those people who came before us can explain away some of who we are today.

Do you ever stop to realize that the Bible is our family history too? We are adopted into God’s family, with all the rights and blessings of His chosen people. Because we are chosen. You and me. Believers. Chosen to live forever with God as part of His family.

It takes on a different meaning when we stop and realize that Adam is our grandfather, though the greats we might attach are more than most of us could imagine. We understand more clearly the story of Ruth and how she came to be in our family history. We think of David, with his deep love for God and his imperfect life, and we realize that God loved this ancestor even when He sinned greatly. And we understand that God loves us with that same, deep love.

Our family history, with all the squabbles and fights, the victories and defeats, that make up generations of lives. Our ancestors. Our family tree.

We don’t think of the Bible like that too often. It’s more of a history lesson, mixed with moral rules, and laced with a love story. But that love story is about a Father doing the unthinkable to save His lost children. It is about a Father showing mercy again and again, taking back His children and embracing them no matter what. It is about a love that never fails, never ends, never gives up. That’s the story of the Bible.

I reread the Bible every 12 to 18 months. While I mostly study with the NIV, my daily reading gives me an opportunity to read other versions of this wonderful book. Yesterday I began the NKJV. I don’t know why this opening sentence struck me as so profound this time.

Maybe it’s hearing Max Lucado talk about the Bible as family history. Maybe it’s having Lisa Harper ask us to define the Bible as moral rulebook, text book or love story. It all whirls in my mind and I realize, maybe for the first time, that this is my history and I am amazed. And more than a little awestruck. “In the beginning….” my story began.

Thursday, June 7, 2012

Do You See The Lonely?

She gave this name to the LORD who spoke to her: “You are the God who sees me,” for she said, “I have now seen the One who sees me.” -- Genesis 16:13

Being invisible is one of the loneliest things we could ever experience. When no one sees us, we appear worthless, unimportant, unnecessary. That can destroy a person’s soul.

How hard it must have been for Hagar. She was a servant girl, given by her mistress to that woman’s husband so that she would have children for the mistress. It wasn’t uncommon in those days. But, oh, what heartbreak!

So she ran away. She was tired of being treated badly. Can you relate to that? I sure can. But God sent an angel to speak with her, to send her back, to promise that life would not always be so.

God didn’t call her to something easy. Submitting to a woman who treats you badly isn’t easy. Being treated as property -- which women and servants were in early Biblical times -- is demeaning. And yet she went back. Because God saw her, recognized her pain, and cared for her.

We don’t know anyone like that. Or do we? Do we see the people around us? Do we recognize the hurting, the lost, the alone? Are you sure? Are you really, really sure?

A childhood friend contacted me a while back. She moved away long ago but her mother still lives in our hometown. She mentioned how depressed the older woman had been. She goes to church (a different church from the one I attend) but she feels so alone. With all her family having moved away, she has no one to sit with during worship service. Oh, she’s surrounded by people. It’s a large church. But there’s no one that knows her name and seeks her out. She is just another face in a sea of faces.

This dear woman told my friend that if she suddenly stopped attending church she was certain no one would notice. Even in her Sunday school class, she’s just another body. That is so very sad.

Our church has a program that reaches out to people just like that. The only struggle is locating all who need a friendly face, and sometimes a helping hand, amidst all our attendees. We don’t want anyone to fall through the cracks. But it’s hard to locate the invisible.

That’s where people like you and me come in. God puts us in contact with people who need a friendly face, a kind word, a place to belong. But we have to do our part. We have to open our eyes to see them. And then we have to reach out as Jesus would do and show them kindness and compassion, friendship and God’s love.

Friday, April 27, 2012

Today We Remember

Afterward the LORD spoke to Abram in a vision and said to him, “Do not be afraid, Abram, for I will protect you, and your reward will be great.” -- Genesis 15:1

Where were you one year ago today? If you live in the Deep South, you remember the night well. Tornadoes ripped apart many areas, killing hundreds. Tuscaloosa lost more than 50 people. Devastation littered the city.

And then the storms moved toward Birmingham. A dear young woman and her two children emerged from a basement unharmed. Their home was gone. It took her frantic husband two days to get a flight into Birmingham. They’re still not back in their new home, rebuilt on the same site. The scars will linger forever.

Her father said something profound in the days immediately afterward: It’s amazing how little a house means when you realize that your daughter and grandchildren are okay.

He was right. Many, many people who lost everything they owned were grateful for their lives. Others grieved, and continue to grieve, for those that didn’t survive. How does anyone explain why one person dies and another lives? There are no answers to that one.

Have you ever faced a storm of such magnitude? Have you ever truly been afraid, in circumstances you couldn’t control? What happened? If you’re like most of us, you cried out to God. And He answered.

Because God never leaves us to face anything alone. Ask anyone who has been there. It’s almost like you can reach out and touch God, He is so close and His Presence is so great. Another reminder that we belong to Him and He protects His own.

Today is a day of memories. Some are sad as we remember those who died that day. Some are amazing stories of survival. Others are stories of gratitude and achievement because there’s nothing like disaster to bring out the best in people. We want to help. We want to serve.

Tornadoes and other natural disasters remind us of what truly is important. And it’s not things. As much as we like our stuff, people are what matter most. And pets. My friend’s kids rejoiced when their dog was found. They’d lost all their toys and everything that was familiar to them but they had their dog and that was what mattered. A small spot of normalcy in a world that was forever changed.

Bad things happen in this world. They just do. But we can know that in all circumstances God is with us, holding on to us, protecting us and loving us. Today we’ll remember and give thanks to a God who tells us to not be afraid because He is with us.

Sunday, April 22, 2012

Battle Lies With God’s Word

Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the LORD God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden?’” -- Genesis 3:1

The serpent didn’t tempt Eve blatantly. He didn’t urge her to disobey God. In fact, his statement had a measure of truth. God said Adam and Eve could eat from all the trees in the garden -- except one.

The serpent explained that God didn’t want Eve to eat from the tree because her eyes would be opened and she would be like God, knowing good and evil. We see the roots of wanting what we’re told we can’t have. We still haven’t learned that God does know best.

Instead, we’ve allowed Satan to subtly enter our minds. We doubt God’s promises. We doubt that God will take care of us. We doubt that God loves us always. We doubt that we are enough for God.

Maybe if Satan’s lies were blatant we wouldn’t be so apt to be mislead. We can deny so many charges. Most of us are decent people trying to live good lives. But negative comments have a way of lodging themselves in our minds, resurfacing when we are at our weakest. We believe Satan’s lies rather than God’s truth.

How do we fight it? God’s Word. Learn to quote Scripture back at Satan. Jesus modeled this for us when He spent 40 days and nights in the desert being tempted by Satan. Matthew tells us that Jesus quoted God’s Word back to Satan, refusing to give in to Satan’s schemes.

We can do the same thing. When Satan tells us we aren’t good enough, we can remind him and us that we are fearfully and wonderfully made. (Psalm 139:14) When Satan tells us that we are in over our heads, not pretty enough, not smart enough, or any other lie, we can remind him and ourselves that we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us. (Philippians 4:13)

We aren’t likely to ever conquer insecurity. It’s one of those battles we’ll always fight because we’ll continue to look around us, comparing ourselves to others, and looking down on who we are. But we can refuse to give Satan a foothold. We can battle his every attack with God’s Word.

Thursday, December 29, 2011

God Sees Your Anguish

She gave this name to the LORD who spoke to her: “You are the God who sees me,” for she said, “I have now seen the One who sees me.”

-- Genesis 16:13

Hagar was a maidservant. Her wishes, her desires, were never even considered. She was to do as she was told, keep silent, and be happy about it. No one likes to be in that invisible place.

God had promised Abram that he would have a son. Abram’s wife Sarai couldn’t see how that could possibly happen so she gave her servant Hagar to her husband Abram. I realize that was a common practice during that time but it just seems so cruel. And it shows a total lack of faith in God.

Sarai’s plan worked. Hagar did get pregnant and bore a son, Ishmael. This was not the heir God had promised. That heir would be Isaac, a son Sarai would give birth to in her old age. But, in the meantime, Sarai came to despise Hagar for becoming pregnant -- even though it was what Sarai said she wanted.

Isn’t it funny how that happens sometimes? We know exactly what we want and how to get it. Then we do get it and find out it wasn’t what we really wanted after all. It’s just so much better to wait for God to show His Glory that to barge ahead with our own plans.

Nowhere in those plans did Sarai consider Hagar, the person. Can you imagine being given to your boss’s husband so that, hopefully, you’ll become pregnant and have a child your boss will then claim as her own?

A distraught Hagar ran away -- and God heard her cries. He sent an angel to her and, encouraged, she returned to Sarai and Abram.

Have you ever been in a situation where no one heard you? Have you ever been trapped in a relationship where your thoughts and feelings didn’t matter to anyone? Have you ever talked and talked only to realize that the other person hadn’t heard a word you said? Literally. Because you weren’t important enough to listen to. It hurts, doesn’t it?

God knows. He hears. He sees. Even though we may sometimes feel our lives don’t matter, they do. Because our lives matter to God. Even though no one else listens, God hears our words and knows our hearts. He cares about our tender feelings and about the injustices we endure.

Just as God cared for Hagar and Ishmael, He cares for you and me. God provided water and shelter for them and He’ll provide for us too. Don’t ever let the enemy make you believe that you are alone, that no one cares. God is with you. He knows. He hears. He sees.

Tuesday, September 6, 2011

God Is With You Always

But the LORD was with Joseph there, too, and he granted Joseph favor with the chief jailer.

-- Genesis 39:21

Our lives are journeys that alternate between mountains and valleys and all the paths in between. We rarely have seasons of sameness, though I have learned to cherish those times as only someone who has felt the depths of despair can. Joseph always reminds me that God can use anyone, in any circumstance, for His glory and His purpose.

If you’ll remember, Joseph was sold into slavery by his jealous older brothers. But God was with Joseph and He used Joseph to save His people. That’s the key. God was with him. Just like God is with us in all circumstances.

When we climb to the top of the mountains, God celebrates with us. When we plummet to the valley, God holds us close and carries us when we can no longer stand. He guides us along the paths of life -- if we’ll let Him.

Often we try to do things all by ourselves. That generally doesn’t end up so well because sooner or later we’re going to get in over our heads. At some point we’re going to end up in a place we never intended to go, facing a crisis we can’t fix. Not sure about that? Think you’re always in control and can handle anything? Talk to someone facing inoperable cancer. Speak to the person who just lost his job and has no prospects for another one. Hold the hand of an elderly person who put his trust in the wrong person and lost his life savings.

Then talk to those same people after they’ve felt the Presence of God. Let the person facing death tell you about God’s peace and the heaven that awaits. Ask the person without a job how it feels to find a bag of food left anonymously on his doorstep. Hear the elderly person speak of the love he feels as his family and friends embrace him and care for him.

God shines no matter where we are, no matter what the circumstances. He is with us always. He uses us to care for and bless others. Yes. God uses people like you and me. He calls us to pray for those who are sick and hurting. He tells us to encourage those beaten down by life. He asks us to reach out to others, sharing the blessings He gives us with those around us.

God is with us always, no matter the circumstances. And we should be with others, no matter their circumstances. So hold a hand, give a sincere compliment, pray for someone hurting and afraid. Visit a person who is alone and feels forgotten. Share a meal with a homeless person. Put a little extra in the offering plate at church. Show others that God is with you, lives within you, and directs your actions day by day.

Sunday, August 28, 2011

A Lesson In Waiting

Then the LORD said to him, “No, your servant will not be your heir, for you will have a son of your own to inherit everything I am giving you.“ -- Genesis 15:4

God promised Abram (later Abraham) that he would become a great nation. Abram, being human like the rest of us, immediately pointed out the problem: Abram and his wife Sarai (later Sarah) were old and they had no children. It seemed like an insurmountable problem to Abram. It was nothing to God.

And Abram believed the LORD, and the LORD declared him righteous because of his faith.

-- Genesis 15:6

Abram understood that God could make anything happen. He also knew that God would keep His promise. Sarai doubted. She didn’t believe. She wasn’t patient. She decided to “help” God along. News flash: “Helping” God is never a good idea.

But Sarai, Abram’s wife, had no children. So Sarai took her servant, an Egyptian woman named Hagar, and gave her to Abram so she could bear his children. -- Genesis 16:1-2a

Sarah just decided to take things into her own hands and “make” God’s promise happen. Forcing something when God calls us to wait is never a good idea. Really. He knows what He’s doing. The problem for us is that God’s timing and ours are rarely the same. We would do well to remember that God’s timing is perfect and ours is a bit warped at best.

So Abraham ended up with Ishmael, his first son but not the heir promised by God. While it is easy to condemn Sarah for her really bad idea, let us remember that Abraham could have said no. Fortunately, God didn’t give up on Abraham and Sarah the way they gave up on Him.

Then one of them said, “About this time next year I will return, and your wife Sarah will have a son.” -- Genesis 18:10a

Sarah laughed when she heard this. Laughed. I’d like to make an awful observation about now but I know it would only come back on me. How many times have I disbelieved God’s promise over my own life? It’s easy to believe when it’s someone else’s life but not so easy when turmoil is all around you and you can’t see the light because of the darkness.

Then the LORD did exactly what he had promised. Sarah became pregnant, and she gave a son to Abraham in his old age.

-- Genesis 21:1-2a

Finally Isaac was born. The child God promised -- twenty years after the promise. Yeah. That puts a different perspective on things, doesn’t it? When God made the original promise to Abraham, He didn’t say when it would happen, just that it would. I would have trouble waiting two months but Abraham and Sarah had to wait twenty years. Yet, God remained faithful and He kept His promise.

It comes down to trust. Do you trust God to do what He says He will do for you? Do you trust Him to take care of you, to strengthen you, to walk beside you? Do you trust God with your money, with your home, with your family? Do you trust God to handle difficult situations, to grab you if you start to sink?

It’s when we try to take over, to force the issue to our time frame rather than God’s, that disaster inevitably happens. Ishmael came because Sarah didn’t believe and decided to make sure God’s promise was fulfilled. She later resented his mother and because jealous of them both. There’s nothing quite like getting what you think you want and then realizing that you shouldn’t have had it to start with.

Isaac was God’s promise fulfilled. It takes great spiritual maturity to wait for God. It’s hard. Our timing isn’t His, especially in this age of instant gratification. Yet when we do wait, God blesses us immeasurably. He fills us with His Spirit, His peace, His promise. His blessings multiply when we trust God and wait for Him.

Thursday, August 25, 2011

Are You An Honest Person?

“Do not testify falsely against your neighbor.”

-- Exodus 20:18

Are you an honest person? Do you ever sort of fudge the truth? Do you ever tell a white lie? Do you ever justify a falsehood because you didn’t want to hurt someone’s feelings?

Most people consider themselves to be fairly honest. And everyone probably has lied at some point. We just don’t like to be that blunt about it. We prefer to make excuses.

Excuses are everywhere. Some of them are quite good. For example, what do you tell a friend who asks if you like her new dress? Well, it’s easy if the dress is pretty and looks good on your friend. But what if it’s ugly and makes your friend look 20 pounds heavier and totally washed out? Do you tell her the truth and hurt her feelings, maybe even making her mad? Do you lie and tell her what she wants to hear? Or do you skirt around her, focusing on how much she loves the dress and refusing to comment on your own views?

Sarah was afraid, so she denied that she had laughed. But he said, “That is not true. You did laugh.” -- Genesis 18:15

Sometimes we lie because we’re afraid to admit that we made a mistake or did something wrong. Sometimes we lie because we want to embellish the facts to make ourselves, our children or our companies look better. We figure that it doesn’t hurt anyone so what difference does it make. Well, it makes a big difference to God and to the believe who come to realize that you aren’t truthful.

Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one body. -- Ephesians 4:25

The other day I listened to a woman tell a lie about something totally stupid. I just looked at her and shook my head. She didn’t back off and change her story. I know. She was trying to build someone else up. I know in the long run it probably won’t ever matter. It was just so dishonest and unnecessary.

The thing is when you know someone is dishonest about small things, it really makes you wonder if they’re also dishonest about big things. How do know? You can’t. Not really. Not for sure.

Life would be so much easier for everyone if we spoke truthfully, with kindness in our hearts.　

　

Monday, August 22, 2011

Forgive Others As God Forgives You

“But don’t be angry with yourselves that you did this to me, for God did it. He sent me here ahead of you to preserve your lives.”

-- Genesis 45:5

Joseph had every right to hold a grudge. His jealous brothers had placed him in a cistern, then sold him into slavery. Joseph had suffered greatly before he became the second most powerful person in Egypt.

Now Joseph was in a prime position to retaliate against his brothers. They had come to him for food. He could have denied them. He could have ordered them killed. Instead, he gave them grace and forgiveness. Much like Jesus has given to us.

One important thing to remember about this passage of Scripture is that Joseph’s brothers hadn’t asked for forgiveness. Were they sorry? Absolutely. They were also terrified. This brother they had so greatly wronged held their fate in his hands. They, no doubt, were thinking that he would exact revenge as they would have done were the situation reversed. They didn’t expect Joseph to embrace them in love.

This isn’t to say Joseph was perfect. He wasn’t. Nor did he extend forgiveness immediately, as Pastor Meghan recently pointed out. The first time they came to Joseph -- not knowing that this powerful man was their brother -- he put them all in prison for three days, vowing they wouldn’t be allowed to return home until their youngest brother was brought to him. Joseph wanted to see Benjamin, the other child of his mother.

The brothers spoke among themselves, not realizing that Joseph could understand them. They still saw him as a powerful Egyptian. They blamed their fate on their decision to “murder” Joseph years before. Scripture tells us Joseph had to leave the room and find a place where he could weep.

What must he have been thinking? He was finally in a position to harm the brothers who had wanted him dead, to exact revenge they certainly deserved, and all he wanted was to be reconciled to his family. It was a difficult thing. Forgiveness isn’t so easy when your heart is broken.

Joseph finally relented and allowed all but Simeon to return home. Simeon would remain a prisoner until the others returned with Benjamin. Joseph also had their payment secretly included with the grain he’d given them. They discovered this after they already left. They were terrified but continued home.

Time passed and Joseph’s brothers were forced to return to Egypt for food. They brought Benjamin, as commanded. And it was then that Joseph revealed his identity to them. He’d had an opportunity to work things out within himself. He was ready to forgive.

Pastor Meghan said that forgiveness means to acknowledge that some wrong or injustice has been done and to choose not to hold it against that person any longer. It’s not about whether they repent and admit their mistakes. It’s not about them asking for your forgiveness. It’s about you letting go of the wrong they have done and moving toward reconciliation.

Who do you need to forgive today? Who has done you wrong? Who has hurt you and tried to bring bad things down on you? Let it go. Give it to God and put it behind you. Forgive them as God has forgiven you, not because they deserve it but because it’s the only way to truly grasp what God has done for you and me.
　

Tuesday, August 2, 2011

What’s Holding You Back?

Jacob named the place Peniel -- “face of God” -- for he said, “I have seen God face to face, yet my life has been spared.” -- Genesis 32:30

There comes a time when you come face-to-face with God. In this life. Jacob faced God and refused to let Him go without His blessing. Jacob faced his past and gave it to God. What do you need to give to God?

We’ve all got demons resting deep inside of us. We are, as Pastor Meghan said last Sunday, broken and wounded creatures who have the capability of wounding others. We struggle to get ahead of the pack, fueled by the demons of anxiety and insecurity. We are on a never ending treadmill -- until we get off, fall off, or get kicked off. Then we meet God.

Jacob had reason to be worried. Okay. He had reason to be scared witless. He was about to meet his brother, the same brother he’d deceived when they were young. Jacob had lied and stolen Esau’s birthright. Now he was preparing to say he was sorry and try to reconcile with his twin. But first he had to reconcile himself to God.

It’s never fun to face our mistakes. But Jacob held on to God, refusing to let Him go. They struggled through the night. Isn’t that how it often is? We can make it through the days, pretending that all is well, but nightfall brings out the fear. We either turn to God or we turn away. If we’re smart, we turn to God and hold on to Him with everything we have. Just like Jacob.

God did bless Jacob and renamed him Israel, signifying the change in each of us when we receive God into our hearts. As Pastor Meghan said, it is a life altering event. We are at once broken and healed. Just as Jacob carried a permanent limp from his struggle, we all carry scars. We can let those scars hold us back, derail our lives, or we can take God’s hand and be lifted up and set upon a solid rock.

We all wrestle with demons in this life. Some of them are past and some are ongoing. We hurt each other. We hang on to past wrongs. Our demons hold us back from God’s blessings.

Jacob left that next morning and crossed the Jabbok River into the Promise Land. He’d given God his mistakes and was ready to become the man God planned for him to be. How about you? What’s holding you back from the glorious blessings God has planned for you?

Thursday, April 14, 2011

Be Ever Watchful

Lot looked up and saw that the whole plain of the Jordan was well watered, like the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt, toward Zoar. (This was before the LORD destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.) So Lot chose for himself the whole plain of the Jordan and set out toward the east. -- Genesis 13:10-11a

It looked good. Really. It did. Lot and Abram were parting ways and Abram told Lot to choose where he wanted to go. So Lot chose what looked best. I can understand that. It's all about economics, even back then. Lot wanted the best grazing lands and plenty of water for himself.

Lot probably wasn't worried that the land was really close to Sodom. So what? He wasn't worried that the people of Sodom were wicked and greatly sinning against God. He could resist the temptations. Sodom's evil ways wouldn't interfer with the prosperity Lot planned for himself. Nope. Lot wasn't worried at all. He should have been. And so should we when we choose to spend time with people who don't follow God's laws.

Now, don't get me wrong. I'm not saying to ignore nonbelievers. We're supposed to help them and tell them about Jesus. We're supposed to be a good influence on them. We're also supposed to be watchful so that we don't fall into temptation. When it comes to hanging out, who you hang around with really does matter.

It's something we think about when we're giving advice to teenagers. We urge them to choose their friends wisely. We caution them to spend time with people who have similar beliefs. We instruct them to plan social activities with other Christians. We want them to surround themselves with people who follow God's laws.

Why do we think that no longer matters when we reach adulthood? Because it does. We're just as likely to fall into temptation as someone younger. Oh, one quick drink after work with a friend's spouse won't matter. What's one padded expense report when everyone does it? What's one tiny lie? And on and on. Where does it stop? Because one excuse follows another excuse and the slide downward happens quickly.

Don't ever let your guard down. Don't ever believe that you are strong enough to stand alone against Satan and his temptations. Arm youselves with God's Word. Surround yourself with fellow believers. Pray without ceasing. Draw strength from God and stand firm on His rock. Don't let anyone or anything tempt you into believing that happiness and prosperity can be found among people and things that are contrary to God's law.

Saturday, April 9, 2011

See The Children Around You

When the LORD saw that Leah was not loved, he opened her womb, but Rachel was barren.

-- Genesis 29:31

The workbook question was simple really. List five characteristics of a child who knows she is loved and list five characteristics of a child who doesn't believe she is loved. Yeah. Makes you think, doesn't it? Because kids can't hide their reality not matter how hard they try.

The child who feels loved is happy. She feels secure and confident. She is courageous as she moves through life. She loves others and welcomes their love in return. Every child's personality varies, but a loved child does react differently to the world.

The child who feels unloved is fearful. She doubts her self-worth and tends to reject others before they get too close. She doubts her ability to do most anything and she doesn't trust anyone. She may really be loved but if she doesn't feel loved then her security is in doubt at all times.

Teachers and those who work with children have such an awesome job -- most of the time. I imagine it is quite heartbreaking to see children who are so obviously hurting and not be able to fix it for them. Because you can't make a parent love a child. You can't force a parent to replace hateful comments with loving words. You can't force a parent to provide encouragement and hugs.

But we can look at children through God's eyes. We can see beyond the surface and when they are hurting we can provide words of comfort and cheer. We can offer encouragement and reassurance. We can be a bright spot, a light, in a child's dark and scary world.

God sees all the children in the world who are without the security of loving parents or caregivers. Do you see them too?