July 19, 2018

Focus on Jesus

Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him. – James 1:12

Some seasons of life are just hard. It might be a wayward child, a divorce, a job loss, an unexpected illness. It could be a wreck, a fire, a season of unexpected bills. It could be the death of someone you love. The storm crashes against us again and again and, some days, our faith seems so weak.

It’s not about whether you will face a storm. We all do. It’s about whether you have prepared your heart for its inevitability.

The Bible tells us to grow our roots deep in faith so that we can withstand life’s trials. Some take heed and do just that. Others merely skate along, with a naïve certainty that they can handle anything. They believe that really bad things only happen to others. They assume a strength that has never been tested.

Until it happens. Then you learn that waiting room chairs are hard and the hours endless while a loved one fights for her life in ICU. You learn the treasure of friends who just let you cry without trying to “fix” what only God can repair. You learn the difference between a necessity and a need. You learn the miracle of small steps forward, an extended hand, friends who show up and help without being asked.

And you learn empathy and grace. You learn that you can do everything right and still have your world fall apart without notice. You learn that nothing on this earth is certain and that our only true anchor is Christ.

You come to understand the camaraderie of strangers bound together by crisis. You learn medical terms and rehab techniques and how to find and accept specialized help. And you learn that pride has no place when you are in desperate need of a kind word or a flicker of hope.

There is no place as lonely as an ICU waiting room in the middle of the night. There is no place as lonely as the first moments, the first hours, in a house void of someone who will never come home again. There is no place as lonely as the days of transition between what was and what now is.

You learn the blessing of presence that some gift so generously. You learn the blessing of faith as long-ago memorized verses come to mind. You learn the truth that fertilized hope will carry you when the darkness threatens to overwhelm you.

You persevere, taking one step and then another, because you really have no choice. People say you are strong but the truth isn’t so pretty. There is nothing to do but go forward because life doesn’t pause for broken hearts, destroyed lives, shattered dreams.

You focus your eyes on Jesus, your anchor in what seems to be the never-ending storm. The world tells you to move on, to forget, to get over the past. Your heart wishes it was that easy. You take another step toward Jesus, toward His patience and compassion.

And one day your heart feels a little lighter. Your grief remains. What was will never be again. But you feel His Presence in a way you never felt before. You smile up at Jesus and take another step toward home.

July 11, 2018

Jesus Loves Us

Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. So when he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was two more days. – John 11:5-6

When Mary reached the place where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.”

– John 11:32

“Jesus loves me! This I know,

For the Bible tells me so;

Little ones to Him belong;

They are weak, but He is strong.”

The words to this song by Anna B. Warner echo in my mind. So many of us grew up singing this sweet, reassuring verse. “Yes, Jesus loves me!” That makes everything right in our childhood hearts and minds.

Until we grow up and realize that while Jesus always loves us, He doesn’t always show up in time to prevent a tragedy. He doesn’t always protect us from abuse or death or homelessness. Jesus loves us but sometimes He allows us to suffer.

We know this story of Lazarus. We know that Jesus used his friend’s death to show the glory of God. And we know that when Jesus does arrive, He weeps with his friends and then calls Lazarus from the tomb. We know that belief in Jesus means we will never truly die. But, oh, how death can hurt!

The hardest part of faith is remaining strong when you know that Jesus could prevent something awful and, yet, He doesn’t. The most difficult part of faith is knowing that Jesus can heal, knowing He will heal, but facing the deep truth that sometimes healing takes place in heaven and not on this earth.

The news tells us that it was such a tragedy. A man shot and killed his wife and one of his daughters. He shot another two daughters while still another fled for her life. Then he started a fire that destroyed their home and killed himself. Drugs, they say. A divorce petition and a custody filing. Not on the “other” side of town. A family just like ours. How can it be? How can Jesus allow something so horrible to happen? And, yet, He does.

You’re probably thinking I’m going to give you wisdom or advice, explain the unexplainable, or, at least, help us make sense of it all. I’m not. I don’t understand. We live in a fallen world. It’s a trite truth but a truth still the same. Jesus can step in at any moment and prevent tragedy but usually He allows it to play out. One person’s demons destroys a family and scars his children forever. Because how do you “get over” having a parent try to kill you? How do you deal with the loss of a Mother and a sister? You don’t.

Jesus never said life would be easy. In fact, He said we’d have troubles. He never said He’d protect us from the tragedies and hurts of this world. What He did say is that He’d never leave us alone. He promised to walk with us, to guide us, to turn bad into something good if we’d only give it to Him.

We shout at Him in anger and anguish, with a brokenness that can only come from deep sorrow. We know, like Martha, if He’d only come sooner it would all have ended differently. But, you see, one day it will end differently.

Death doesn’t have the final say. Darkness lost the war. While troubles may cause us to falter and stumble on this earth, we’re only passing through to another destination. We’re headed to a place where drug abuse and cancer and divorce and death don’t exist. We’re on a journey home.

So when life overwhelms you and your shattered heart cries out for relief, focus your eyes on the light. That’s Jesus. Look neither to the right nor to the left. Stay focused. “Jesus loves you! This I know.” And He also keeps His promises. He never leaves us alone. We may not be strong, but He is. And some days that is the anchor that keeps us upright in the storm.

June 11, 2018

Don’t Be Afraid in the Storm

He replied, “You of little faith, why are you so afraid?” Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm. – Matthew 8:26

Sometimes life throws us a curveball. Just when we think that everything is going along smoothly, something happens that sends everything into a tailspin. It changes you. Forever.

There is comfort in a predictable life. There is security in knowing how each day will unfold. There is an easiness to following a known path. But we don’t grow in the predictable and the easy.

We grow when the diagnosis is hard and we aren’t sure of the outcome. We grow when someone else’s choice takes away what we always thought we could count on. We grow when our world suddenly becomes different than what we’d planned.

We can gain our strength from Christ. Or we can wallow in a hole that can only lead to sin and more heartbreak.

It’s terrifying to face the struggle. Surely, we can just stand still and weather the storm? Except we weren’t made to always stay the same. Our testimony comes when we step out into the unknown, clasping tightly to our Savior’s hand.

Our lives were never meant to be comfortable. We somehow miss that lesson as we go about our days. We forget that Jesus’ early disciples suffered for their faith. It would have been far easier to go along with the world, to remain silent, to stand aside and let others tell them what to do. But they weren’t called to that and neither are we.

That doesn’t mean we all must cast aside our fear and head to a Third World Country and become missionaries. Some people are called to that. Others are not. Some of us are called to serve right where we are. But we are all called to serve. We miss that somehow as we go about our comfortable, self-involved lives.

Until the storm hits. And it always comes. Something happens to change our comfortable journey and we are left struggling. We cry out. He is there. He was always there. We were just too busy holding on to our what we knew to realize how desperately we needed Him.

Can the world see the difference in how we handle situations and how unbelievers handle the same situations? Do they see our faith? Do they see the anchor that calms the boat even in the midst of the storm?

Our lives are meant to direct people to Jesus. We are meant to bring honor and glory to God. The Holy Spirit is our guide but we have a choice as to whether we follow His promptings or go a different way.

Choices. Which treatment is the best? How can we remain silent when the lies surround us? Can we really rebuild a life someone else tore down? And where is Jesus in the midst of it all?

Right beside you. He’s right there. He will never leave you or forsake you. He promised and Jesus always keeps His promises. In the trying moments of this unpredictable world, Jesus is our constant help and strength. He rejoices with us during the good times and He carries us during the bad. Don’t be afraid. He’s got you.

April 5, 2018

Into the Storm

Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Later that night, he was there alone, and the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it. – Matthew 14:22-24

This is the passage of Scripture that begins with a boat ride and ends with Peter walking on water. We get so enthralled by the image of Peter walking over the churning water toward Jesus. We lament that he took his eyes off of Jesus and began to sink. We cheer when Jesus reaches out and catches him, remembering again that we’ve no reason to fear when Jesus is near.

It’s a beautiful story of risk and faith. Sometimes we even remember the 11 who stayed in the boat. You know. The other disciples who played it safe while Peter, bold and impulsive, jumped out of the boat and headed toward Jesus.

What we sometimes miss is that Jesus sent them into the storm. Jesus knows all things. He knew that by sending His disciples ahead, He was sending them out into dangerous waters. Literally.

Peter, James, John and Andrew were experienced fishermen. They understood the sudden storms that could occur. They weren’t likely to be easily frightened by wind and waves. But some storms are harder than others. Some storms make us feel as though we won’t survive until morning.

Has Jesus ever sent you into the storm? Have you ever prayed and prayed about something, then believing you’ve heard a clear “yes”, step out in faith only to have it blow up in your face? Yeah. Me too.

It’s difficult not to be angry with Jesus, isn’t it? After all, it’s one thing to do something and expect Jesus to bless it after we’ve already done it. We shouldn’t be surprised when He throws up His hands and leaves us to our own mess. But when we are trying to follow Him, to do His will, and find that He’s lead us toward the storm, well, that’s hard.

How can a God who wants good things for us, let us be hurt unnecessarily? That’s how it seems, anyway. We can somehow grasp cancer and heart disease and other illnesses. We can somehow make peace with violence and job loss and accidents. But to be heading straight toward Jesus and find ourselves in the middle of a mess? Well, that’s tough.

We live in a fallen world. We’re quick to say that but do we really understand what it means? We are under constant attack from Satan and his followers. We never know when the next knock will come, when the next challenge will present itself, when the next heartbreak will make us want to retreat. But Jesus knows. And still He sends us into the storm.

A sweet friend explained that sometimes it really isn’t about us. Sometimes it’s about being an example for another person, ministering to someone else, causing another person to pause and accept Jesus as Lord and Savior. Maybe He’s just using us for a greater good. Okay. But it sure does hurt, doesn’t it?

Maybe it is about us. Maybe Jesus has decided to completely break us so He can rebuild us. That’s not a fun thought, is it? Who wants to invite pain into their lives? Surely, there’s another way – especially when we really want to do His will.

When Peter saw the wind, he began to sink. The wind became his focus instead of Jesus and Peter was frightened. It was in that moment that Peter cried out to Jesus. And what happened?

Immediately, Jesus reached out his hand and caught him, “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt.”

– Matthew 14:31

Indeed, why doubt the journey when the One who created us all is in charge? There’s always a reason for the storm. Our job is merely to ride it out, focused on the One who has all the answers and a purpose for every bit of our pain.

March 16, 2016

Peace From God

15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. 17 And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him. -- Colossians 3:15-17

Yesterday someone asked me where I get my peace from. I was a bit taken aback. I don’t consider myself to be a peaceful person at all. I am a bit high-strung under the best of circumstances and this last year has been anything but.

I considered his words. He was serious so that deserved a serious answer. It’s my faith. It runs deep and sure. So when life is full of turmoil and assault I can rest in God’s arms and know that no matter what anyone else says I am loved and cherished and worthwhile.

I didn’t just wake up one day in this place. This journey began under fire and continued year after year. I have failed God so many times. I have moved away from Him. I have drawn closer to Him. I belong to Him. My life is His to use as He will. Sometimes that is a hard thing.

We want to think that as believers God won’t allow anything truly bad to happen in our lives. That’s just not so. As believers, we are under attack from a powerful enemy. Sometimes God allows horrible things to happen so that we can learn and grow. Sometimes He allows it so that others can learn and grow. And all of it is to bring Him glory.

I also have found the value of surrounding myself with believers who live their faith. I’m not talking about people who show up sometimes on Sunday and then go their own way. I do know plenty of those but they aren’t the ones who will by your side in the storm.

No, I have friends who are more family than anyone related to me by blood. They are the ones who will show up, listen, sit with me, cry with me. They are the ones who drive to another town in the middle of the night to sit with me in the ICU waiting room. They are the ones who let me sob when life overwhelms me. And they are the ones who pray with me and remind me of God’s love when He seems so distant and I feel so alone.

I’m not sure what peace really is. Perhaps it is confidence that I am never alone, that God hears my cries and that His strength will carry me through any storm. It is a faith refined by fire so hot I thought I would surely die. But I’m still here. And so is He.

Saturday, June 18, 2011

Stay Focused On The Savior

Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”

-- Matthew 14:29b-30

The sky loomed black as night ahead of me but I had no choice but to continue on the interstate toward it. I was a little nervous. The wind had picked up considerably and I was thankful to be in a solid car.

The rain started pelting that solid car. I kept both hands firmly on the steering wheel. The wipers, both front and back, were at top speed. Before long I hit the flashers. So did just about everyone else around me. Two lanes of traffic moved at about 25 mph. The storm lasted for mile after mile. Would it ever end?

I prayed. Again and again, I prayed. Because no matter how solid the car or how good the road, only God can save us. I prayed for my own safety and also for the safety of the two men following closely behind me. Over and over again, I prayed. Focused on the road and on Jesus.

I wish I could have that kind of intense focus every moment of every day. No. I don’t want to drive through too many storms like that one. But I do want to keep my mind and thoughts focused on God. I want to be so intent on following His path that I never veer to the left or right, but rather stay firmly focused on whatever path He’s set out for me.

I certainly didn’t expect to encounter that storm. I though I might see a little rain but nothing serious. I was sure wrong. Isn’t that how life usually works? We expect a few disappointments and even a little heartache. But when a severe storm blackens the sky around us, we can’t see the way out. It would be easy to panic, to give up. We feel alone and afraid. But we’re not alone and there’s no need to be afraid.

Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him, “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?” -- Matthew 14:31

Peter learned a lesson that day on the water: Stay focused on the Savior and you’ll never sink in the storm.

Tuesday, April 5, 2011

Hold On To God

Even in the darkness light dawns for the upright, for the gracious and compassionate and righteous man. -- Psalm 112:4

I knew the storm was coming. The weather reports predicted it. Any hopes that the storm might go north or that I might make it home before it hit faded as the wind intensified. I'd barely left the interstate when I had to turn on the windshield wipers. The storm had arrived.

Debris soon littered the roadway. I drove slowly but I wasn't alarmed. The rain was steady but not hard. The wind was brisk but not overbearing. I was competent and confident. I could handle it.

That thought changed about 20 minutes later. The wind picked up again. The rain came in torrents. At times I stopped completely on the two-lane road because I couldn't see to move forward even a few feet. Lightening flashed repeatedly in the sky. Once it hit incredibly close. It felt like the vehicle shook but probably it was just me.

I was scared. I was alone in the dark with no safe place to go. I cried out to my Abba. My Father. My God. Because He was there with me on that dark road. I kept driving. The rain eased off a little. The lightening became distant. I passed a tree that blocked the other lane, thanking God that it wasn't blocking the entire road.

Slowly the rain stopped. The town came into view, bringing with it lights and other cars. The storm had passed. Some damage remained but I'd made it through. Isn't that how it always is? We feel consumed with whatever is going on in our lives. It seems the darkness will go on forever. We are alone and afraid. Sometimes we can't see that God is right there with us.

Don't ever let the darkness consume you. Call out to God. He's right there. Give Him your hand nad hold on tight. He'll lead you through the storm.

Friday, March 11, 2011

He Never Leaves Your Side

Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. -- James 1:2-3

It is easy to be a Christian when life is going well. It is easy to sing God's praises and to shout with joy to anyone who might hear. It isn't so easy when your soul is downcast, mourning and stressed and feeling the pain of life.

Yet it is in that moment when we most need our Creator. It is then when we can draw closer to His side as He protects us from the tumultuous path that threatens to bash us against the rocks of destruction. He holds us close. We are safe so long as we rest in His shelter.

I am thankful that I don't take this journey alone. I know there are lessons to learn and strength to be gained by an outcome that is beyond what I can control. I am hanging on to my Savior, my Redeemer, my Protector. I am clinging to the One I can count on.

We all face trials in this life. We forget that sometimes. We are caught up in our normal lives, bored by the routine, when suddenly "normal" explodes all around us and we are left with pieces of a life we once knew. Time changes things. It changes people and circumstances. God stays the same. Steady and true. Never waivering in His love and support.

James tells us we will face great trials in this life. We must use those times to strengthen our faith and refuse to give Satan a foothold in our lives. God is there, ready to battle for us. All we have to do is reach out from our spot amongst the crashing waves. Call His name. Feel yourself lifted onto dry ground. Battered and bruised but safe and secure. You made it through the storm. He never left our side.

Monday, October 4, 2010

Ignoring Disaster Doesn't Make It Go Away

"They say to the seers, 'See no more visions!' and to the prophets, 'Give us no more visions of what is right! Tell us pleasant things, prophesy illusions. Leave this way, get off this path, and stop confronting us with the Holy One of Israel!" -- Isaiah 30:10-11

I once had a friend who experienced a heartbreaking divorce filled with betrayal and lies. Rather than walk through the pain, she surrounded herself with "happy things." She didn't want to hear any bad news. She only listened to upbeat songs or watched happy ending tv shows and movies. She refused anything but smiles and sunshine. I guess she was the only one surprised when, years later, she was still unable to move past the divorce and live a normal life.

Pretending life is good, doesn't make it good. We think we can push the negative away and it will no longer exist. That's not how it works. I'm not suggesting that anyone wallow in grief or throw in the towel. God has given us hope and a bright future. But sometimes He also lets dark clouds surround us, promising us that He is the light that we can and should hold on to.

God used Isaiah to warn His people of coming destruction. They didn't want to hear it. He reminded them that telling prophets and seers to only prophesy "pleasant things" wouldn't change what was about to happen. Sometimes it even makes the coming disaster worse. Being like a turtle and hiding our heads, doesn't allow us time to prepare and see God's direction for the coming storm.

We all want the security that good things and happy thoughts bring. But it's a false security. Life has storms. Unhappy and unpleasant things happen. Our only true security comes from clinging to the rock and facing the storm head on. Trust God to hold you close and carry you through to the other side.

Wednesday, June 30, 2010

Build A Strong Foundation

"I will show you what he is like who comes to me and hear's my words and puts them into practice. He is like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built. But the one who hears my words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. The moment for torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete." -- Luke 6:47-49

Alex is churning in the waters off the coast of Mexico. The oil spill in the Gulf seems to be on a path of never-ending destruction. The waves are getting higher. It seems impossible that we can get through this storm and the almost certainty of another one as the hurricane season and oil spill continue.

These storms are but two in the storms of life. I know. They're pretty massive, especially the one closest to home. Our Gulf has forever been changed by the mistakes of a greedy company. We can either cave in to the pressure and stop fighting or we can stand tall and kneel down in humility before our God.

That's the thing about faith and storms. A person with strong faith can weather any storm. But a person with a weak faith will be battered and tossed around until the storm destroys it. I think that's what Jesus was saying in this passage. It's easy to be faithful, to believe, when the waters around us are calm. But the storm, well, that changes things. It sifts the strong from the weak.

It is so important to build our spiritual foundation on Solid Rock. To read and study. To pray. To listen to God's voice. To do those things each day, whether we think we have time or not. Because when the storm hits, we won't have time to wish for what we didn't do. We will flounder because we didn't sink our foundation in His Word when our lives were calm.

We have a choice each day. A person with active faith builds on their foundation every day. A person with inactive faith doesn't have the time. Which path do you follow? How will you weather the storms of life?