Making beautiful things

While pulling out some dead vegetation and getting rid of weeds I whistled a tune. “You make beautiful things… out of the dust.”  Why? Because I was thinking what a privilege it was to be able to make my corner of the world a little more attractive. Helping to create beauty is so rewarding. Painting a room, planting flowers, teaching a child … whatever it may be, we are privileged to make a difference. But, will we?   Creating beauty demands effort, sometimes lots of it! Weeds grow quite well without fertilizer, don’t they? When the rain does not fall, the good grass in my lawn dries up, but the crabgrass does just fine!  

Sin flourishes similarly in my heart. Rebellion, envy, and selfishness spring up just like the dandelions that seem to appear overnight. So, making our hearts beautiful requires work, real effort. In fact, it demands an intervention!  My best intentions, my most rigorous efforts, fall far short of tearing out the weeds that grow from my sinful nature.  But God steps in, through Christ Jesus, and changes everything. He gives me life and empowers me to become a person of noble character.  The Bible says that He will "provide for those who grieve in Zion— to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor." (Isaiah 61:3, NIV)

Now, note the response of those so loved. "I delight greatly in the Lord; my soul rejoices in my God. For he has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels. For as the soil makes the sprout come up and a garden causes seeds to grow, so the Sovereign Lord will make righteousness and praise spring up before all nations." (Isaiah 61:10-11, NIV)

My prayers is for the Lord to make my life one in which the “beauty of His holiness” is on display today. I want to be one who overflows with love for Him, for others.  There is a kind of holiness that focuses on the superficial, that is built solely around rigid regulations of human behavior. It is ugly, not beautiful at all! Jesus, when interacting with some religious professionals, who specialized in forms of ‘holiness,’ described them as “whitewashed tombs!” In scathing terms He rejected their ‘holiness.’  "Their lives are perpetual fashion shows, embroidered prayer shawls one day and flowery prayers the next. They love to sit at the head table at church dinners, basking in the most prominent positions, … You’re hopeless, you religion scholars and Pharisees! Frauds! You keep meticulous account books, tithing on every nickel and dime you get, but on the meat of God’s Law, things like fairness and compassion and commitment—the absolute basics!—you carelessly take it or leave it. Careful bookkeeping is commendable, but the basics are required." (Matthew 23:5-6, 23, The Message)

In those filled with His Holy Spirit, it shows. "He brings gifts into our lives, much the same way that fruit appears in an orchard—things like affection for others, exuberance about life, serenity. We develop a willingness to stick with things, a sense of compassion in the heart, and a conviction that a basic holiness permeates things and people. We find ourselves involved in loyal commitments, not needing to force our way in life, able to marshal and direct our energies wisely." (Galatians 5:22-23, The Message)  Ah, now there is real beauty!

Let me leave you with a promise of greater Glory! As you read these words invite Him to put His beauty on full display in you today.
"You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul." (1 Peter 2:9-11, NIV)
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Beautiful Things

All this pain;

I wonder if I'll ever find my way?

I wonder if my life could really change

At all?

All this earth,

Could all that is lost ever be found?

Could a garden come up from this ground

At all?

All around

Hope is springing up from this old ground!

Out of chaos life is being found

In You!

You make beautiful things,

You make beautiful things out of the dust.

You make beautiful things,

You make beautiful things out of us.

You make me new,
You are making me new.

You make me new,
You are making me new.

Lisa Gungor | Michael Gungor

© 2009 worshiptogether.com songs (Admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing)

CCLI License # 810055

Gungor performs live - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oyPBtExE4W0

Happy, happy, happy!

The “Duck Dynasty” phenomenon sweeping the US has introduced a new phrase, said with a Louisiana drawl – “happy, happy, happy.”  Phil, the patriarch of the family, deals with life’s trials by encouraging his clan to be happy.  The self-described ‘redneck’ appears to have learned something about choosing joy,  Are you 'in charge' of your happiness?  If, by that I mean, can we choose pleasant paths for each day, the answer is a resounding, “No!”  But, if we’re talking about how we respond to life, choosing to live in a way that sows the seeds of joy, we must say, “Yes!”

I like being happy!   Let's back up and say, joyful!   My loving wife would tell you that I am not, by nature, a jolly guy who awakens each day with a smile on his face.   I am by temperament, introspective and melancholy.  But, I do love to laugh, appreciate a good joke, and find much in life that makes me glad to be who I am.   Like most people I know,  I tend to believe that joy is the result of fortuitous circumstances,  something that results from creating a pleasant situation or some experiences that satisfies some sensual appetite.    We think that happiness is something that is created for us rather than by us.  

Jesus teaches a different thing about being happy.    In the beginning of Matthew 5 we read ‘the Beatitudes,’  the ‘blesseds.’    Three things about these verses are interesting. 

·         The first is that they tell us that joy is a gift of God.

·         The second is that they tell us that joy is the result of our choices.  

·         The third is what they tell us produces joy!   

Here's what Jesus says about a happy life.   (They are familiar, but give these lines a thoughtful reading!

"God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for him, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.
God blesses those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
God blesses those who are humble, for they will inherit the whole earth.
 
God blesses those who hunger and thirst for justice, for they will be satisfied.
God blesses those who are merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
God blesses those whose hearts are pure, for they will see God.
God blesses those who work for peace, for they will be called the children of God.
 
God blesses those who are persecuted for doing right, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.
God blesses you when people mock you and persecute you and lie about you and say all sorts of evil things against you because you are my followers.
Be happy about it! Be very glad! For a great reward awaits you in heaven." (Matthew 5:3-12, NLT)

Not many people would include being poor, mournful, hungry, or persecuted on a list of things that produce happiness, would they?   But Jesus did!  Why?  Because He views the source of true joy as something other than physical comfort, wealth, pleasant situations, youth, or a rich food.  Jesus wants us to know that true joy is God-centered.  When we live though circumstances that turn our hearts to Him, when we reach out to Him, and when we choose to let Him reign as our Lord:  we enter into the ‘blessed’ (joyful) life.   Happiness that comes from having our needs and wants satisfied is real. There is no denying the enjoyment of a wealth, health, and sunshine.  However, these things come and go. They can be stolen from us by mean people and/or disastrous circumstances.   The joy that results from being "God blessed," is constant, steadying us through life in days of sunshine and stormy weather alike.

Take a few moments and ponder these questions- 
Where does joy in my life originate?  
Who or what do I think will make me a happy person?

It is not an exercise that is purely philosophical. It is quite practical.  Since we spend so much effort, consciously and unconsciously, seeking to make ourselves happy- does it not make sense to consciously understand what we want?   If we are chasing the wrong goals, happiness will elude us.  We will waste many hours and great resources on things that turn out to be less than we anticipated that they would be.   If we are pursuing God,  we will find happiness and a "great reward awaits"  in Heaven.

Here's a word from the Word to take through the day.  "Many are the woes of the wicked, but the LORD’s unfailing love surrounds the man who trusts in him. Rejoice in the LORD and be glad, you righteous; sing, all you who are upright in heart!" (Psalm 32:10-11, NIV)

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Joyful Joyful We Adore Thee

Joyful, joyful, we adore Thee,

God of glory, Lord of love.

Hearts unfold like flowers before Thee,

Opening to the sun above.

Melt the clouds of sin and sadness,

Drive the dark of doubt away.

Giver of immortal gladness

Fill us with the light of day.

Thou art giving and forgiving,

Ever blessing, ever blest.

Wellspring of the joy of living,

Ocean depth of happy rest.

Thou our Father, Christ, our Brother;

All who live in love are Thine.

Teach us how to love each other,

Lift us to the joy divine.

Edward Hodges | Henry Van Dyke | Ludwig van Beethoven

Public Domain

The snare of being busy

It was my day off. The lawn was mowed, household chores complete, car maintenance finished, and I was growing anxious.  I paced, flipped through a book, looked at magazine. Then, I realized I was suffering from withdrawal symptoms. From what? Being busy!  I, like so many Americans, am an activity addict. Busy is a favorite description for life for millions of us. But, why?  Usually it isn’t because we are working in the fields from daybreak to dark. We fill our lives with activities – work, of course;  and then we throw in gym work-outs, taking our kids to sports and clubs, commitments to various organizations – and soon we are running like the proverbial chicken with his head cut off! When that occasional unscheduled day appears, we might say we want to slow down, but few of us do. Instead, we run off to find ‘something to do’ or we turn on the TV or we surf the ‘net.  

Why all this frenetic activity?

For some being busy is a way to say to themselves and their world – “I matter.”  These ‘do-ers’ define their worth by accomplishment and must constantly be adding to the list.  They are great workers and volunteers. Bosses promote them. Pastors praise them. Why? Because they get the job done, on time and well.  What’s wrong with that? Nothing at all if it isn’t a means of proving worth.  The joy of a job well-done is not to be dismissed. There is great reward in diligence, but we are persons of worth before we ever work a day in our lives.

For others being busy is an escape from themselves.  Constant activity can smother the voice that insists that there must be more to life than this, or the ache of longing for real love, the reminder of conscience, or the fear of future.  But, it’s like taking aspirin for cancer. It will hide the pain for a while, but eventually activity stops and we have to face ourselves. What then?  The real tragedy is the person who comes to advanced years when he can no longer ‘keep busy.’  His malnourished soul becomes evident in his misery, his inability to live at peace with himself.

For still others, being busy is a way to exert control. With almost comic frantic activity, they try desperately to be their own god. But, the Word starkly reminds, "Unless the Lord builds a house, the work of the builders is useless. Unless the Lord protects a city, guarding it with sentries will do no good. It is useless for you to work so hard from early morning until late at night, anxiously working for food to eat; for God gives rest to his loved ones." (Psalm 127:1-2, NLT)

True spiritual depth, the most profound worship, the greatest appreciation for our Savior demands the disciplines of quietness and meditation.  Through the prophet of Isaiah, the Lord calls to us, “Come, let us reason together.”  Let’s sit down and talk this through, He says.  One of the core practices of the Old Testament saints was the Sabbath. Strict prohibitions enforced a day to cease activities, to renew the realization that God rules. When the Jews failed to observe the Sabbath, God enforced ‘rest’ with judgment!  While most Christians do not practice the Sabbath, the principle of finding one day in seven to rest, to worship, needs to remain a powerful guide for us.

Are you tired, weary, an activity addict?  Consider these words to the People of the Lord.

"The Sovereign Lord, the Holy One of Israel, says, “Only in returning to me and waiting for me will you be saved. In quietness and confidence is your strength. But you would have none of it. You said, ‘No, we will get our help from Egypt. They will give us swift horses for riding into battle.’ But the only swiftness you are going to see is the swiftness of your enemies chasing you!" (Isaiah 30:15-16, NLT)

"Then Jesus said, “Let’s get away from the crowds for a while and rest.” There were so many people coming and going that Jesus and his apostles didn’t even have time to eat." (Mark 6:31, NLT)

________

Oh Lead Me

Oh lead me,
to the place where I can find You.

Oh lead me,

to the place where You'll be.

Lead me to the Cross

Where we first met;

Draw me to my knees

So we can talk.

Let me feel Your breath,

Let me know

You're here with me.

Martin Smith

© 1994 Curious? Music UK (Admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing)

CCLI License # 810055

Ah, that's good enough!

A few weeks ago, I asked a young man to mow my lawn after I was ill.  He hurried through the job.  He left areas untouched, the trimming half-done, and sped through the rest. It was ‘mowed,’ but not like I do it, at all.  I take time, not just to get the large areas, but to go right to the edges, to trim around the shrubbery, to edge the drive.  I like it done well.  Imagine if the Creator in  weariness decided that instead of making it all 'very good,' (Genesis 1:31) He would just settle for “good enough!”  God made an amazing universe with excellence.  He made elephants, zebras, and peacocks. He designed the human eye and ear, both of which are engineering marvels.  Yes, for you and for me, He committed Himself to excellence, and gave us a world that is ‘very good.’ God is worthy of our best efforts, not our leftovers!  

In the Old Testament stories, excellence stands out again and again as a trait God commends. 

·         Joseph was not only faithful through the years that he waited for the plans of God to take him from the prison to the palace.  He also worked hard to do his best  in every situation. 

·         Daniel was taken from Jerusalem to serve an oppressor king in Babylonia as a slave.  Did he slack and look for the easy way?  Read the book. Here's how his reputation is summed up:  "Now Daniel so distinguished himself among the administrators and the satraps by his exceptional qualities that the king planned to set him over the whole kingdom." (Daniel 6:3, NIV)

Our Lord Jesus prefers no devotion over half-hearted prayers.  Yes, it’s true. Jesus spoke to the Church in Revelation and said, “I know all the things you do, that you are neither hot nor cold. I wish you were one or the other! But since you are like lukewarm water, I will spit you out of my mouth!" (Revelation 3:15-16, NLT)

How do you love Jesus Christ?  Are you just content to say, "that's good enough?" or are you ready to do your best?  

Does God get the first and best of your life, or is He relegated to time, energy, and resources that are leftover when you've done the things you want to do?

Consider that, disciple.   Don't be one of those Christians who is content to just get by. 

In the book of Malachi, there is a record of some priests who offered cheap offerings, who used inferior sacrifices. In so doing, they missed both the blessing and intent of true worship.  What was to honor the Lord, offended Him.  God said, "A son honors his father, and a servant respects his master. If I am your father and master, where are the honor and respect I deserve? You have shown contempt for my name! "But you ask, ‘How have we ever shown contempt for your name?’ "You have shown contempt by offering defiled sacrifices on my altar. "Then you ask, ‘How have we defiled the sacrifices?’  "You defile them by saying the altar of the Lord deserves no respect. When you give blind animals as sacrifices, isn’t that wrong? And isn’t it wrong to offer animals that are crippled and diseased?
Try giving gifts like that to your governor, and see how pleased he is!" says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. ...  "How I wish one of you would shut the Temple doors so that these worthless sacrifices could not be offered! I am not pleased with you," says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, "and I will not accept your offerings. But my name is honored by people of other nations from morning till night. All around the world they offer sweet incense and pure offerings in honor of my name. For my name is great among the nations," says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies." (Malachi 1:6-11, NLT)

Are you a Christian whose practice of spiritual disciplines, whose service, is marked by mediocrity? Are you content to do what is ‘good enough?’ Or, do you pursue excellence for the glory of God?

"And whatever you do or say, let it be as a representative of the Lord Jesus, all the while giving thanks through him to God the Father." (Colossians 3:17, NLT)  "Work hard and cheerfully at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people. Remember that the Lord will give you an inheritance as your reward, and the Master you are serving is Christ." (Colossians 3:23-24, NLT)

_______

Be Glorified

Your love has captured me!

Your grace has set me free!

Your life the air I breathe!

Be glorified in me.

You set my feet to dancing,

You set my heart on fire.

In the presence of a thousand kings,

You are my one desire.

And I stand before You now,

With trembling hands lifted high,

Be glorified.

Be glorified in me.

Be glorified in me.

Be glorified in me,

Be glorified!

Chris Tomlin | Jesse Reeves | Louie Giglio

© 1999 worshiptogether.com songs (Admin. by EMI Christian Music Publishing)

CCLI License # 810055