Life changing?

Last weekend I went to see Toy Story 4 with some younger friends. I was surprised at the depth of my emotional response. I was really touched, drawn into the movie’s story line!  Woody, a cowboy doll, reunites with an old friend, Bo Peep, and discovers a new friend, Forkie.  (Hang with me, there’s a point here.)  The plot is built around the loyalty of friends and the ever-shifting nature of relationships. Woody discovers that Bo Peep has a different life than he could imagine. She challenges him to think about his assumptions about how life must be lived. She invites him to be willing to accept the changes that time brings and to grow into new experiences. The film is masterfully done but it really works because somewhere deep inside, we all know that change for us is inevitable, too.

Like it or not, change is the only constant. The old line says “Change or die.” It is true. We mature in understanding. Our bodies age. People come and go. Some relationships flourish and some perish. We have seasons of great fulfillment and then there are those months when we go to bed every day wondering why we should even get up the next.

How do you cope with the changes that come your way? 

Some people deal with change by ramping up control.  They spend a lot of time and vast amounts of energy trying to eliminate variables, fix relationships, and keep life the same. In the worst case, the controllers become impossibly rigid, stubborn, and usually deeply frustrated because life is, no matter how much we try, beyond our control.

Some people escape, pretending life is not changing. They won’t talk about things that are shifting; or, they choose not to participate in a meaningful way in the processes of adaptation to change. For example, as they see their children growing up, instead of being a part of helping them to independence, the ‘escaper’ withdraws, emotionally hiding from this change that is so painful to experience.

God invites us to deal with life’s changes with faith.

We trust Him because He is all-knowing and unchanging. He will guide us through change knowing what we cannot know and remaining a solid anchor point for us when life gets turbulent.  The inspired Word assures that "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever." (Hebrews 13:8, NIV)  The Gospel – that Christ Jesus saves us graciously and gives us eternal life – is the one constant that we need never question.  He said “Anyone who listens to my teaching and obeys me is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse, because it is built on rock." (Matthew 7:24-25, NLT)

When we prioritize knowing God, setting our hope on His unchanging promise, we can do more than just cope with change. We can actually anticipate it, grow through it, and remain spiritually and emotionally healthy through it all.  At our Vacation Bible School this week, the kids affirmed with a shout “When life changes … God is good.”  I smiled as I heard their little voices raised in that statement, thinking how little they really knew what they were saying and I prayed for them that they would grow into the kind of mature faith that makes that more than a slogan.

Are you reeling in shock from some big change?
Are you angry, trying to control the forces of life to keep change from happening?
Are you escaping, refusing to accept reality?

OR, are you resting on God’s unchanging Word, praying for acceptance, growing into new opportunities?

Here is a word from the Word. May the Spirit keep you in hope when all life is changing. "But even if you suffer for doing what is right, God will reward you for it. So don’t be afraid and don’t worry. Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if you are asked about your Christian hope, always be ready to explain it." (1 Peter 3:14-15, NLT)

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In Christ Alone

In Christ alone my hope is found

He is my light my strength my song

This Cornerstone this solid Ground

Firm through the fiercest drought and storm

What heights of love what depths of peace

When fears are stilled when strivings cease

My Comforter my All in All

Here in

No guilt in life no fear in death

This is the power of Christ in me

From life's first cry to final breath

Jesus commands my destiny

No power of hell no scheme of man

Can ever pluck me from His hand

Till He returns or calls me home

Here in the power of Christ I'll stand

Keith Getty | Stuart Townend

© 2001 Thankyou Music (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing)

CCLI License # 810055

Take Courage!

On Monday, while walking the empty halls of the building that housed our now closed Christian school I felt disappointment, sadness, anger, and . . .  failure.  The closure of that school is so disappointing that I have been tempted to give up, to walk off, to throw in the towel!  That day, while I was in thought, prayerfully aware of God’s Presence, but not speaking; I sensed a word that from the Spirit, one He  whispers to me often recently – COURAGE!  

Courage is not necessarily shouting down your opponents or charging into a fight. More often, courage is making the choice to do the right thing, to live the right way, to keep focused on the right course regardless of critics and in the face of circumstances that appear to have gone wrong. Courage refuses to react, choosing instead to respond.

In Luke 19, there a story about Jesus making time to meet a man of short stature named Zacchaeus.  As He was passing through Jericho, He took note of a man who was literally up a tree; stopped to talk to him, and invited Himself to dinner. Zacchaeus was a tax collector; a social outcast because of his cooperation with Romans, and most likely a crook, collecting more than Rome wanted and pocketing the difference. Spending time at Zee’s table was not a great way to burnish your reputation, but Jesus did it anyway- courageously! He saw a man hungry for God and took time to point him to life. 

What makes that story even more remarkable is the realization that He was just a few days from the Cross when He met the little man in Jericho! The suffering, the rejection, the weight of humanity’s sin was waiting for Him in Jerusalem. He knew that yet He still courageously kept loving the least, seeking out the lost! Oh, to be like Jesus.

Your life is going to have situations that take you places you do not want to go. People you love will fail you, sooner or later. Because you are human, you will make some mistaken and/or bad decision and have to live with the consequences. Will you collapse, or will you ‘take courage?’ 

In Hebrews 6 we find this assuring declaration, "we who have fled to him for refuge can take new courage, for we can hold on to his promise with confidence. This confidence is like a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls." (NLT) It is our privilege it is to rest in Christ Jesus, to put those things we did not foresee before Him, and to know that He will be our faithful coach, One who guides.

Are you anchored in the unchanging Christ?  Settling ourselves in His Presence will keep us from reacting in panic when the things come at us for which we are not prepared.  Christians can run to Christ for solace and rest.  In Him, they find courage to take the measure of the day and to move ahead, living for His purposes.

Read this passage from Hebrews 6:19 again.  “We who have fled to take hold of the hope offered to us may be greatly encouraged. We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure.”  When the chaos of life threatens to overtake us, Christ offers to hold us secure, to give us a strong point to hang onto – His salvation, our hope!  

Take Courage, Christian. How?

1. Pray, even if only with sighs or quiet waiting, sharing the burdens of life with Jesus.  
2. Worship, not superficially, but from the heart, renewing faith in the love of the Father. 
3. Inform your mind with God’s Truth. Reading passages of hope and affirmation will be an antidote to the toxins of fear. ( Suggested passages - Psalm 37, Ephesians 1, Romans 8)  
4. Practice good self-care.  Exhausted people are often fearful people. Even Jesus took time from ministry to rest and find renewal.
5. Choose to do one faith-filled, forward focused thing today.

The word from the Word points us to the example of Jesus. As you read it, my prayer is that you will ‘take courage’ and do the right thing, choosing the right path.

"Do you see what this means—all these pioneers who blazed the way, all these veterans cheering us on? It means we’d better get on with it. Strip down, start running—and never quit! No extra spiritual fat, no parasitic sins. Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we’re in. Study how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed—that exhilarating finish in and with God—he could put up with anything along the way: Cross, shame, whatever. And now he’s there, in the place of honor, right alongside God. When you find yourselves flagging in your faith, go over that story again, item by item, that long litany of hostility he plowed through. That will shoot adrenaline into your souls! " (Hebrews 12:1-3, The Message)

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“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.”

• Theodore Roosevelt

64!

Yesterday was my 64^th birthday and it was a day rich in joy! My grandson, Gio, thought I surely needed a 3D Spiderman birthday card. I'm wearing the 'cool' 3D glasses that were included.

As the day closed, I thought back - a slideshow of mental images of places and faces from the years. I am beyond grateful for those who taught me, loved me, and worked with me. I remembered 4 decades of life shared with my beautiful Bev, our ministry together, loving four great kids together. My own parents showed up in my reverie, remembering how they passed me the baton of faith, teaching me the ‘awe and respect of the Lord.’ I thought about those I knew only through books – Ray Stedman, who wrote a little book called “Authentic Christianity,” challenged me to think hard about integrating faith into every part of my life; Richard Foster who showed me a kind of discipleship that shapes me today in his book “Celebration of Discipline.” 

There were hundreds of friends that came into my life, a few for decades, some for a short season – but each one leaving some mark on my life. Surely the Proverb is worthy of remembering - "Perfume and incense bring joy to the heart, and the pleasantness of one’s friend springs from his earnest counsel." (Proverbs 27:9, NIV) "As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another." (Proverbs 27:17, NIV) 

In some ways, I am living exactly the life I planned – serving God in pastoral work, loving His people, with the privilege of sharing His Word. It’s been nearly 50 years since I answered His call and there are no regrets.

Then, too, life has been full of unexpected twists! I never dreamed I would be without my loving wife at this age. Oh yes, I knew death would eventually separate us, but the idea she would leave me for heaven so young just did not exist. As I grow older there is great comfort in affirming, using the ancient words of Job - "He knows the way that I take; when he has tested me, I will come forth as gold." (Job 23:10, NIV)

What have the years taught me? Among other things …

Laugh often!

Don’t take yourself too seriously. Jesus wisely cautions us about the cares of life. “Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?” He asks. (Matthew 6:27)

Love deeply.

It’s the only thing that will really matter in the end. 

 Keep Heaven in sight.

An eternal perspective will help you to avoid costly detours and give you hope in the darkest of days. 

Know Jesus as the Center. 

Paul says, "Compared to the high privilege of knowing Christ Jesus as my Master, firsthand, everything I once thought I had going for me is insignificant."  (Philippians 3:8) It is so true.

The word from the Word comes from his final days. They were written to a younger man to encourage him to faithfulness. He was full of confidence as he looked back, thankful for the opportunity to serve the Lord. Are you living so that you, too, can look back without regret?

"As for me, my life has already been poured out as an offering to God. The time of my death is near. I have fought a good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful. And now the prize awaits me—the crown of righteousness that the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on that great day of his return. And the prize is not just for me but for all who eagerly look forward to his glorious return." (2 Timothy 4:6-8, NLT) 

Thanks for the all the birthday wishes! Onward to 65!

A Christian Patriot?

When the flag passes by in at our hometown parade on the 4^th,  I’ll stand and salute! I’ll feel stirring of pride as old soldiers pass by. I love my country, the freedoms, the opportunities, the security that is found here.  I love her enough to weep for her sins, to pray for her leaders, to have a broken heart for what is happening to her.  

My patriotism does not blind me to some terrible wrongs of our past including the policies of extermination that nearly destroyed the Native American population, the horrific practice of slavery and racism, and wars waged only to protect power, privilege, and economic advantage. I pray God’s forgiveness for those injustices and for ways to heal the wounds they caused.

Nor does my acknowledging of sins blind me to the blessings I enjoy in this great republic, the oldest and longest surviving democracy in history.  One of the things I truly love about my country is that I can raise my voice in dissent and that I can enlist others to vote with me for change.

Some of my brothers and sisters in the Church seem to think that God Himself is a citizen of the United States. He is not. Jesus is the Savior of the world; not just the West or the U.S of A. That is one reason that our local church is very cautious about weaving “God and Country” into our worship. We fly the flag in our worship space, along with about 2 dozen flags of other nations, hopefully a not so subtle reminder that the God we worship is not just our God, nor does He favor us above any other nation.

I can hear the groans and cries of some who are reading.  “But, Jerry, we are a ‘Christian’ nation.” That is a phrase that needs to be explored more deeply.  If by it, you mean that the United States was originally settled by people who were almost all Christian by culture, that they drew inspiration for the way they organized the country’s laws from the Scripture, I believe you are right. If you mean that Christianity should enjoy a favored status in this secular nation, you are mistaken.

When we try to weave government policies and church creeds together in law, we tread a dangerous path where the power of the law can be used to compel those beliefs that ought to be matters of individual conviction and faith.  It is not at all easy to find the right place to draw the line that separates the power of the state from our convictions. Christians and those without any religious conviction are universally in agreement that murder is a moral evil and thus feel no reservation about letting our government both forbid the practice and punish murderers.  I believe that science reveals the unbroken thread of life from the moment of conception, thus I believe that aborting an unborn child is tantamount to murder. Others do not share that understanding. What is the proper role of the law in such matters?  The United States continues to debate this, as we should, albeit sadly, too often without civility or thoughtfulness.

Can you see the problems inherent with Church/State entanglement?
Would you like the government to be empowered to compel you to worship God in a certain way as it did in England 5 centuries ago?

Would you want the national government to be collecting taxes for the support of a state church in the way that is done in some European countries yet today? 

I must add this. Even as we celebrate our nation and pray for her, we must not confuse the United States with ancient Israel. When we indiscriminately take Old Testament blessings about Israel and make them Americans, we fail to understand that the ancient nation was a theocracy, a people with a common faith in the LORD God.  God ultimately is the authority from which all human government legitimacy flows.  No matter the nation, no matter the religion of the majority, the people prosper when reverence for One greater goes deep;  when integrity, self-lessness, humility, and respect for human dignity are the basic principles that shape national policies. 

Oh, America, I love you, and I pray for you.

In this I am on solid ground as a Christian.  The word from the Word today says "I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone— for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth." (1 Timothy 2:1-4, NIV)

As we celebrate America's birthday,  let’s pray for those who hold public office- be it the mayor of our town or the President! We pray for the Spirit to make them wise and just, that they would govern without partiality or self-interest. Let’s commit to good citizenship, for the sake of Christ! When we ‘render to Caesar the things that are his and to God the things that belong to Him’ we honor our Lord.

Happy Independence Day!

My sincere prayer today is:

God bless America that she would use her might for the right, to truly create liberty and justice for ALL!