Belonging!

In my living room there is a group of portraits of special people – my children and their families. We share an identity, a sense of ‘belonging’ that goes beyond shared interests. We are family.  They can call me anytime, for any reason, because they know that Dad loves them with a unique and special affection. We have an online messaging group where we share the news of our lives with each other, cheering successes and carrying the weight of disappointment. We discuss our opinions freely, have disagreements, and remain close – because we belong to each other.

Christians belong, too! Ours is a large family that shares this identity declared by our Father. "But 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." (1 Peter 2:9-10, NIV)  That phrase –  the people of God – stands out to me today.  We BELONG to Him, not as slaves, but as children. He cares for those He loves. He invests in us, seeks our affection, and promises us a rich inheritance. 

What is your primary sense of identity that shapes how you live in this world?  The question begs an answer of us!

Samuel, the OT prophet leader of Israel, called the nation together near the end of his life and reminded them of their unique identity.  “Make sure now that you worship the Lord with all your heart and that you don’t turn your back on him in any way. Don’t go back to worshiping worthless idols that cannot help or rescue you—they really are useless! The Lord will not abandon his chosen people, (His kin, His family) for that would dishonor his great name. He made you a special nation for himself." (1 Samuel 12:20-22, NLT)

IF we are ‘in Christ’ we are, above all, children of God bearing His Name in this world.  Our daily choices, our words, the way we live, the things we love is a reflection of the strength of our connection with our Father, as we are empowered by His Holy Spirit.  When we are loving, good, and kind;  we demonstrate the Father’s love, that we are secure in His care and compassion. If we are miserable, ungrateful, and full of insecurities, those who live alongside of us will conclude that God is not worthy of trust, for it will appear that He has not cared for our basic needs in life!

The key lie which the Evil One tries desperately to write into our minds is that God is uncaring, too distant to be concerned about us. “You are on own,” the Devil whispers, “take care of yourself. Fight, defend, worry, and fear because God does not care for you.”  When we listen, we lose that wonderful sense of being God’s child.  So, meditate on the Word that declares that “you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God.”  Yes, that is true both of the Church and of each one of us individually … chosen,  holy (unique to God’s purposes), belonging to Him. Pray that this knowledge owns you. Live as His child today.

Here is the promise of Jesus, our word from the Word.

"For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And the door is opened to everyone who knocks. “You fathers—if your children ask for a fish, do you give them a snake instead? Or if they ask for an egg, do you give them a scorpion? Of course not! If you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him.” (Luke 11:10-13, NLT)

(Video of this blog at this link)

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No Longer Slaves

You unravel me with a melody

You surround me with a song

Of deliverance from my enemies

Till all my fears are gone

 

I'm no longer a slave to fear

I am a child of God

I'm no longer a slave to fear

I am a child of God

 

From my Mother's womb

You have chosen me

Love has called my name

I've been born again into Your family

Your blood flows through my veins

 

You split the sea so I could walk right through it

My fears were drowned in perfect love

You rescued me so I could stand and sing

I am a child of God

 

Brian Johnson | Joel Case | Jonathan David Helser

© 2014 Bethel Music Publishing

CCLI License # 810055

 

Give him a name

A little boy who attends our Awana group is unruly and that’s saying it kindly. He disrupts, runs away from group time, and requires constant supervision. Several weeks ago, during our large group session, Sammy (not his real name) needed my attention so I brought him to sit next to me. In the next few moments I discovered a hurting little boy, one that desperately needs to be loved and my heart changed. Instead of seeing a ‘problem,’ I saw a person. He was just an irritant to me (sad to confess that) until I learned his name.

This thoughtful phrase arrested my attention - The things we “love tend to have proper names.” (Wendell Berry)  We do not love much in the abstract. Love is personal!  Hate is all but impossible when we know the other person’s name. We tend to show much more compassion when we know another’s story because she becomes real and relatable.

Christian, we must keep our focus on people, individuals who need to be loved, who need to know Christ’s amazing grace; not on programs, plans, and policies. When we speak of ‘saving the world,’ we must remember Jesus’ method. He did not focus on the masses, seeking the largest venue in which to preach His message. He mostly spent his time with individuals, investing the largest portion of His efforts on a small group of disciples. Big numbers and impressive statistics tend to grab our attention but God touches lives and changes people, one person at a time.  Instead of lumping others into groups defined by their choices or behaviors, what if we saw them with the eyes of Jesus, as persons who are loved by God?

Our nation is caught up in a culture war and the language of war has taken control of our national debate. We hang labels on others that depersonalize them, making it so much easier to condemn, criticize, and even destroy them. This is a troubling choice on both the Right and the Left, for both Republicans and Democrats, among Christians and “Nones,” for white and black, rich and poor, male and female. Propaganda depends on creating and sustaining depersonalizing stereotypes that prevent us from identifying in any real way with the ‘other.’

When was the last time you attempted a real conversation with someone with whom you differ?   Have you made an effort to learn the name, so to speak, of another that is completely outside of your circle? This does not require that we forget our convictions. Tolerance, that much loved word that is actually so little practiced, does not require ignoring reality.

My point is that we will love so much better when we give him or her a name, when we find out who the person is. 

Speaking from my own convictions let me illustrate –

She is not just an abortion, she is a woman who found herself confronted with a hard choice.

He is not just ‘gay,’ he is a man who desires to love and be loved.

He is not just a punk, he is a kid in search of acceptance.

She is not just an ‘atheist,’ but a person who is struggling with existential questions.

Don’t try to love people; love a person! We who are beloved, become those who love best, so this is my prayer, for myself, for you, for the world.

"Christ… (will) dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God." (Ephesians 3:17-19, NIV)

(Video of this blog at this link)

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God So Loved (Live At The Wheelhouse)

Come all you weary
Come all you thirsty
Come to the well that never runs dry
Drink of the water
Come and thirst no more

Come all you sinners
Come find His mercy
Come to the table He will satisfy
Taste of His goodness
Find what you're looking for

For God so loved the world that He gave us
His one and only Son to save us
Whoever believes in Him will live forever

Bring all your failures
Bring your addictions
Come lay them down at the foot of the cross
Jesus is waiting there
With open arms

For God so loved the world that He gave us
His one and only Son to save us
Whoever believes in Him will live forever
The power of hell forever defeated
Now it is well I'm walking in freedom
For God so loved God so loved the world

Praise God praise God
From whom all blessings flow
Praise Him praise Him
For the wonders of His love

For God so loved the world that He gave us
His one and only Son to save

Bring all your failures
Bring your addictions
Come lay them down at the foot of the cross
Jesus is waiting
God so loved the world

 

 

Andrew Bergthold | Ed Cash | Franni Cash | Martin Cash | Scott Cash

© 2019 Angie Feel Good Songs (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing)

Bay19 (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing)

Capitol CMG Genesis (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing)

CCLI License # 810055

 

One Way to Change Your World

 

“You stupid little …” the words were ugly and mean, flung at a child who needed correction but her words only wounded an already hurting boy. The husband who was frustrated by his wife yelled in anger, “just shut up!”  The older woman looked at the young parents who were struggling with a toddler having a tantrum with a scowl, then at me with the most disgusted facial expression. Yes, those things happened around me in the last week. In them I witnessed the cruel side of human relationships. As you well know, these situations are not rare or unique.

So, I pray- “Lord, help me to be kind!”

Kind – what a bland word, right? The king of kindness, the late Fred Rogers, made an easy target for the pseudo-sophisticates who mocked his cardigan sweater and gentle tone.  They misunderstand his gentleness for weakness, his engagement with others in a caring way, as evidence of a lack of power. Still, children loved him because they were drawn to a man who had time to notice their interests. It was not just kids who came to love Rogers. He left a wide circle of people who recognized a special kind of influence that came from his kind nature.

Are you kind? A kind person is of a gentle nature, helpful, and readily showing concern for others. A good measure of patience is required as well.

My Christian friend, God does not merely suggest kindness to those of us who profess to be followers of Jesus. God requires it of us. Contrasting two very different ways of life, Paul writes "Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you." (Ephesians 4:31-32, NIV)  

 That passage speaks to ME!  I am painfully aware of those moments in my life when impatience or stress turned me into a demanding man, caustic, and mean-spirited.  I know how easy it is to speak critical words that are loaded with judgment, rather than healing words.  But, I also rejoice that God has softened my heart, making me a much more kind man than I once was. Yes, that kindness has emerged in the hard times of personal loss.

Those who walk alongside of us in life desperately need Christians who are marked by kindness. Our raging culture wars are frightfully noisy, word grenades tossed into situations bringing hurt and pain. We need to take time to think how that Facebook post will be heard by others. We need to consider that listening and creating a safe place for conversation is so much more productive than just ‘taking a stand’ regardless of who is wounded in the process.  We need to pray that God will make us kind! 

Kindness and gentleness do not mean that we live abandon all convictions, that we throw out what is right or true. But, it does mean that we see people before policy, that we are careful to sort through our preferences to know what is actually ‘truth.’ 

Kindness does not rob us of courage or conviction. The love of God that secures us gives us an ability to listen, to love, to walk gently with those with whom we disagree. We remember, first and foremost, that those who are different, disagreeable, or difficult are people that are loved by God.

Kindness is evidence of the life of the Spirit in us! The Word tells us that “The fruit (evidence) of the Spirit (in us) is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” (Galatians 5.22) We are called to kindness by God Himself, Who does not give us ‘what we deserve’ but rather Who is kind to us. He does not treat us with contempt not does He refuse to hear us because we are ‘less’ to Him. He gives us good gifts, loving us even when we are apathetic towards Him. "But then God our Savior showed us his kindness and love. He saved us, not because of the good things we did, but because of his mercy. He washed away our sins and gave us a new life through the Holy Spirit." (Titus 3:4-5, NLT)

As you head into a new week, try a little kindness. In prayer, thank God for His compassion. Ask the Lord to make your heart tender, not weak, but kind.  Confess to Him those situations when you are mean, judgmental, cruel, or careless.  And, then pray for kindness.  You will become a true agent of change in a cruel world when you are filled with the Spirit’s fruit of kindness.

Here is a word from the Word - "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs." (1 Corinthians 13:4-5, NIV)  Lord, help me to be kind today. Amen.

(Video of this blog at this link)

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Gentle Shepherd

Gentle Shepherd come and lead us

For we need You to help us find our way

Gentle Shepherd come and feed us

For we need Your strength from day to day

 

There's no other we can turn to

Who can help us face another day

Gentle Shepherd come and lead us

For we need You to help us find our way

 

 

Gloria Gaither | William J. Gaither

© 1974 William J. Gaither, Inc. (Admin. by Gaither Copyright Management)

 

CCLI License # 810055