Bring Back the Springtime!

 

Gazing out the window as I write this morning, I see the yellow flowers of the forsythia bush, announcing Spring!  The tree branches are tinged with green, the buds a sign of the earth’s renewal.  Tiny flowers poked through the mulch next to the garage. And, on a less positive note, my eyes are itching,  a yearly reminder that the we are awakening from winter.  The coming of Spring is a faith-builder in me, a reminder that God is present, the life of the Spirit persists even in the ‘wintery’ moments.

Yesterday was a day marked by sadness, not my own, but for many I know. In the morning, a friend met me with the news of a death in the family, her eyes filling with tears. Another texted me about her mother’s ongoing medical crisis and yet another set-back. A ministry colleague’s wife posted that he, a relatively young man, stands at death’s door after a long struggle with lung cancer. While sharing life with other’s in our church’s pantry ministry, there was a flow of human need – a nephew’s mental illness, a man’s broken family, another with his own demons and delusions, and the aged living on the edge financially.  It was an emotionally wintry day!

What a blessed gift to be able to take those needs and those of this warring world to my Savior and Lord to know that He invites me to give them all to Him. "Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about what happens to you." (1 Peter 5:6-7, NLT)  Oh yes, I admit that can be difficult. Sometimes I impatiently pray “Come on, Lord. Heal! Save! Renew!” But, He asks only that I wait on Him, that I let Him be God, with humility and faith.

It is not just the renewal of the earth in the Spring that instructs me. I see the pattern woven into the Scripture story, too. Time and again we read of those whose faith was battered by hardship, the light of life nearly extinguished, but as they trusted Him, He was there.   

Remember Joseph’s story in Genesis?  He was given a dream and then spent the next two decades mired in troubles – rejected and sold into slavery by his brothers, imprisoned on false charges, forgotten by those he helped. We would not have blamed him for giving up and growing bitter, but he did not.  The depth of his faith is never more obvious than in his words to his brothers years later when he had the power to punish them.  "But Joseph said to them, “Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God? You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives." (Genesis 50:19-20, NIV)

Centuries later, the land of Judah was devasted by the armies of Babylon. Jerusalem was torn down, the best and brightest of the land carried off to serve the pagan king.  It looked like the end of the nation, but God told His people that He would restore them, that their experiences were not hidden from His view. "I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope." (Jeremiah 29:11, NLT) 

Friend, are you in a wintry world?  Is your soul dormant, chilled by situations that defy explanation, by suffering that seems unrelenting?  Weep, He sees your tears. If words fail, simply wait, He hears the silent cry of your heart.  This passage is one dear to me - “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” (Psalm 46:10, NIV)

Quick fixes and instant cures are offered for everything from cancer to character flaws, from disappointment to disgust, from sin to sainthood. Don’t buy them! People are not machines that can be fixed with a turn of a wrench or the replacement of a bolt. We are complex; a mixture of motives, each with a past, wrestling with our pain, problems, and the promises of God.   

God’s grace can transform us into creatures of beauty, but only as we accept it and in turn learn to give it away.  The Word urges us to "imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised." (Hebrews 6:12, NIV) "Farmers do this all the time, waiting for their valuable crops to mature, patiently letting the rain do its slow but sure work. Be patient like that. Stay steady and strong." (James 5:7-8, The Message)

Are you waiting for your heart to heal?

Are you praying for relief from sorrow?

Are you waiting for the dawn of promise to overtake darkness of disappointment?

This is the word from the Word for those who are in process: "We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, in order to make your hope sure. …  Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. … And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him." (Hebrews 6:11, 11:1,6 NIV)  Lord, increase my faith, Amen.

(Video of this blog at this link)

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Bring Back The Springtime

When in the spring the flowers
Are blooming bright and fair
After the gray of winter's gone
Once again the lark begins its tuning
Back in the meadows of my home

Lord to my heart bring back the springtime
Take away the cold and dark of sin
O refill me now sweet Holy Spirit
May I warm and tender be again

Lord make me like that stream
That flows so cool and clear
Down from the mountains high above
I will tell the world that wondrous story
Of the precious stream filled with Your love

Kurt Kaiser© 1970 Curb Word Music (Admin. by WC Music Corp.)

CCLI License # 810055

When the feelings are not there

 

Seasons come when God seems far away, when we just don’t sense His Presence.  Others speak of knowing Him, of His love, but they might as well be speaking a foreign language to our hearts. Even in church we sit unmoved, our heart like a stone, our prayers just words without emotional engagement.   

Have you had times when these words are yours? “O God my rock,” I cry, “Why have you forsaken me? Why must I wander in darkness, oppressed by my enemies?” Their taunts pierce me like a fatal wound. They scoff, “Where is this God of yours?” (Psalm 42:9-10, NLT)

In my decades of discipleship I have experienced times of passionate love of Christ, knowing the overflow of the Spirit, and times of when, to my ears, Heaven is silent.  Such times have many names. St. John of the Cross called them the "dark night of the soul."  Others refer to "dry desert journeying" when the soul is thirsty for God's love.  Some refer to this as “faith walking time!”

David, the Psalmist, wrote ancient words that comfort me. "I will praise you with songs. I will be careful to live a blameless life— when will you come to help me?" (Psalm 101:1-2, NLT) Apparently, he was not feeling God’s Presence at that time. In a much more desperate tone he cries: "Hear my prayer, O LORD; let my cry for help come to you. Do not hide your face from me when I am in distress. Turn your ear to me; when I call, answer me quickly. For my days vanish like smoke; my bones burn like glowing embers. My heart is blighted and withered like grass; I forget to eat my food." (Psalm 102:1-4, NIV)

The enemy of God and good often exploits the silence, accusing us,  telling us that it is our fault that God is silent. “You’re a sinner, unworthy, rejected by your God,” he whispers when we are most vulnerable. It is true that when we persist in selfish ways, ignoring the voice of the Spirit, we can grieve Him. But, He we are never unloved or rejected. WE may push Him to the edge of our conscious mind, but He is always there, the waiting Father, calling us back to Himself.

So, what should we do when we do not sense Him near, when prayer and worship are an effort, not a ready response?

First, above all, is to hold onto the Truth. John reminds us that “God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything.”  (1 John 3:20)   Jesus assures us that “Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”  (John 16:33).   Write a meaningful passage of Scripture on a card and commit it to memory.  When the accusing thoughts come, speak the Truth to them.

Second, choose to love – God and others.  When we are struggling with doubts, when God seems far away, often we are tempted to isolate ourselves, to retreat from church, from friends, perhaps even from family.  There words of faith, their songs of hope, may grate on us. But, the choice to engage, though difficult, is part of finding our way to the Light again.

Third, remember eternity, that we are more than flesh and bone.  It is impossible that the things of this earth will heal the wound of the soul. Christ, alone, can make us alive to God.

Fourth, we tell ourselves to go "Steady on, to endure!" This is the directive of the Word for such times. "Mark out a straight path for your feet so that those who are weak and lame will not fall but become strong." (Hebrews 12:13, NLT)  Paul, in his final letter, wrote to Timothy who was struggling and fearful.  I love the old preacher’s challenge to the younger man-  “keep your head in all situations, endure hardship.”  (2 Timothy 4:5) Remember, these words were not written by a man sitting in a resort by the sea, but rather from a man on death row in a Roman prison!

Fifth, we express real emotion;  we weep, but we refuse the poisons of self-pity and bitterness. To question God's seeming absence is no sin. To wonder why we are not able to hear His voice or sense the comfort of the Spirit is quite acceptable. To accuse Him of being uncaring, unloving, or unjust only creates a place for doubt to flourish and bitterness to take root. The Word warns that from that root of bitterness comes great and troubling discontent!  When the stormy emotions come, seek out a mature Christian who knows how to listen, how to pray, and find a release for those troubled emotions.

Lastly, I counsel you to keep praying earnestly for faithfulness, focused on God’s ability, not your own!  He is a faithful God. He has overcome the world. He is able to keep you, even when you cannot feel Him near.

The word from the Word is lengthy, but rich.  It was written at a low point in Paul’s ministry, a time when he thought that death was imminent. Meditate on them today.

"All praise to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. He is the source of every mercy and the God who comforts us. He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When others are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us. You can be sure that the more we suffer for Christ, the more God will shower us with his comfort through Christ. So when we are weighed down with troubles, it is for your benefit and salvation! For when God comforts us, it is so that we, in turn, can be an encouragement to you. Then you can patiently endure the same things we suffer. We are confident that as you share in suffering, you will also share God’s comfort." (2 Corinthians 1:3-7, NLT)

(Video of this blog at this link)

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You Say

 I keep fighting voices in my mind
That say I'm not enough
Ev'ry single lie that tells me
I will never measure up

 Am I more than just the sum of
Ev'ry high and ev'ry low
Remind me once again just who I am
Because I need to know oo oh

You say I am loved when I can't feel a thing
You say I am strong when I think I am weak
You say I am held when I am falling short
And when I don't belong oh You say I am Yours
And I believe oh I believe
What You say of me I believe

The only thing that matters now
Is ev'rything You think of me
In You I find my worth
In You I find my identity

Taking all I have and now I'm laying it at Your feet
You'll have ev'ry failure God
You'll have ev'ry victory

Oh I believe yes I believe
What You say of me I believe

Bebo Norman | Jason Ingram | Lauren Daigle | Mike Donehey | Paul Mabury

© 2016 Appstreet Music (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing)

CentricSongs (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing)

CCLI License # 810055

The slap seen ‘round the world

 

In case you missed it, actor Will Smith charged the stage at the Oscars and slapped Chris Rock for a joke about his wife, then returned to his seat to hurl profanity. The media is reporting the drama, Facebook is full of opinion, and probably people you work with are talking about it.  Will Smith has taken some harsh criticism – “criminal,” “psychotic,” a kinder sampling of the words describing his actions.  

Yes, I wonder what in the world he was thinking as he did what he did on live TV.  I was tempted to join in the noisy condemnation but my own real humanity protests my self-righteousness.  We too often forget who we were, our own gaps and gaffes, and we allow ourselves to say things like: "Why doesn't he get control of himself?” Or, "Do we have to deal with this again?"  We seem to love to point the finger of blame and forget that we can be healers who extend our arms in a restorative embrace.

So, now you're thinking, "Jerry, don't you think people should accept responsibility for their actions and change?" I sure do. However, I also know that restoration of those who have failed or fallen cannot begin without grace. That's my story! With David, I have cried, "For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me." (Psalm 51:3, NIV) With Paul, I have prayed, "Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death?" (Romans 7:24, NLT)

No one, not me, not you; is above the need for grace, for forgiveness.
That's what we find in Christ Jesus. And, the love He extends to us should make us the most loving, grace-filled people in the world.

Love is the Big Story of the Bible. The Law of Moses with all the "thou shalts and shalt not's" defines the wide gap that exists between Who He is and who we are. In spite of knowing better; in spite of the threat of punishment; we sin anyway. Some of the most miserable people in the world are those who know the religious law that makes their sense of guilt a daily ache and reminds them constantly of their alienation from God.

But, God … that’s the joyous message of the Gospel of Christ.  To a world of guilt, to people full of shame, Jesus came. His life and love is a scandalous thing, offered to the lowest, the worst. It cannot be earned, bought, or begged. It is a gift, offered in love, freely to those who believe! Paul exults, "Immense in mercy and with an incredible love, he embraced us. He took our sin-dead lives and made us alive in Christ. He did all this on his own, with no help from us!" (Ephesians 2:4-5, The Message) 

In the 2^nd half of my life, I came to love the inspired entire letter to the Ephesians. It is loaded with superlatives that celebrate the grace of God that makes ordinary people, sinners like me, into children of God.  I cannot read the first two chapters of that letter without crying tears of joy over the depths of God’s tenderness towards ME! (and you!)   There is no call for anyone to remain a slaves to Self, to be filled with self-loathing, or to need to try to divert their own sense of failure by pointing out the sins of others.  The Word states that God loves us - right where we are.

There is a tragedy that occurs too often when grace does its amazingly transformative work.  Those restored slip into a superiority, believing that they are better than 'those idiots' in their families, at work, that live next door, or who punch somebody at the Oscars! They forget that who they were, what they were capable of doing, the darkness that once caused them to stumble around in life. Gradually grace is replaced by a religious spirit; the beauty of the life of the Spirit replaced by the caricature of a 'holy life' based in regulations and fear of punishment.

The Word reminds Christians who lose sight of Jesus’ love and become ‘religious’ that their "rules are mere human teachings about things that deteriorate as we use them. These rules may seem wise because they require strong devotion, pious self-denial, and severe bodily discipline. But they provide no help in conquering a person’s evil desires." (Colossians 2:22-23, NLT) Sin tiptoes through the back door and makes itself at home even as the person deepens self-deception, pretending to be someone only God's grace can create!

I invite you, my friend, no matter who you are, no matter where you’ve been, to receive the love of Christ. Exult in His grace and confess this truth – “The One who knows me best, loves me most.” Revel in the scandal that God would love you - love me - and love people who mess up life so terribly!  IF you have been spared great scandal or failure, thank God.  No matter, however, because we are all, by nature, sinners in need of redemption.  So, put away judgment of yourself, of others. Let grace work in you and through you.

The word from the Word is a passage that brings me to tears.  I pray God will touch you anew this Monday morning with His love.

"I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God. Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think." (Ephesians 3:16-20, NLT)

(Video of this blog at this link)

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Before The Throne Of God Above

Before the throne of God above
I have a strong and perfect plea
A great High Priest whose name is Love
Who ever lives and pleads for me
My name is graven on His hands
My name is written on His heart
I know that while in heav'n He stands
No tongue can bid me thence depart
No tongue can bid me thence depart

Hallelujah
My life is found in Jesus Christ
Hallelujah
For I am His and He is mine

When Satan tempts me to despair
And tells me of the guilt within
Upward I look and see Him there
Who made an end to all my sin
Because the sinless Saviour died
My sinful soul is counted free
For God the Just is satisfied
To look on Him and pardon me
To look on Him and pardon me

Behold Him there the risen Lamb
My perfect spotless righteousness
The great unchangeable I Am
The King of glory and of grace
One with Himself I cannot die
My soul is purchased with His blood
My life is hid with Christ on high
With Christ my Saviour and my God
With Christ my Saviour and my God

I bow before the cross of Christ
And marvel at this love divine
God's perfect Son was sacrificed
To make me righteous in God's eyes
This river's depths I cannot know
But I can glory in its flood
The Lord Most High has bowed down low
And poured on me His glorious love
And poured on me His glorious love

 

Charitie Lees Bancroft | Vikki Cook © 1997 Sovereign Grace Worship (Admin. by Integrity Music)

CCLI License # 810055