Make it beautiful

I like creating order out of chaos, even in such a simple thing as keeping my lawn mowed.  I’m a fan of a clean house and a washed car. There’s just something rewarding to me that flows out of making a little spot of order and beauty in the world that knows so much chaos. No amount of wishing, hoping, or talking can make any of those happen.  I have to get up and get at it, willing to expend some energy. The curse of sin brings weeds and decay our way, but with God’s help, we can make a difference, but will we?

A beautiful life of a Christian, a character marked by the Spirit’s fruit –  “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control” - (Galatians 5:22)  requires the application of ourselves in spiritual disciplines. Christlikeness demands our daily attention and the work of the Spirit in us. Faith that survives the chaos is built by doing the small things that honor Him.

Here is a tough question - Is your life filled with chaos, unfinished business, unresolved conflict – all growing like weeds? 

Jesus in us, experienced in the life of the Holy Spirit, gives us the ability to make a new choice, to begin to live “on purpose.”  The chaos can be turned into beauty  - one choice, one day, at a time. Of course, we cannot control everything!  Storms and sickness visit us uninvited despite our best preparations and preventatives! However, those who have learned to walk with God are much better equipped to deal with those surprises, even to learn from them!

Theirs is a faith that is anchored in God’s unwavering providence. He says  "And do not forget the things I have done throughout history. For I am God—I alone! I am God, and there is no one else like me. Only I can tell you what is going to happen even before it happens. Everything I plan will come to pass, for I do whatever I wish." (Isaiah 46:9-10, NLT)  And, from His promise, we gain inspiration to make a choice for beauty – of heart, character, mind- all of life!

Beware of two extremes that can deceive us in the pursuit of beauty. Some assume all the responsibility for living a life that is pleasing to God, creating crushing burdens of perfectionism. They are obsessed with religious rules, a slave to the Law, living joylessly. Tragically, those who pursue the beauty of the Lord in their own strength tend to become pretenders, unable or unwilling to admit their failures.

At the other end – there are those who refuse their responsibility – mistakenly thinking that God, the Spirit, will just make a beautiful life appear magically. Lacking sustained discipline that creates pathways for the Spirit, that lead to growth and greatness, their life gets cluttered with sin and is marked by an infantile faith.

The interdependence of our daily choice and God’s Spirit are nowhere any more clear than in Romans 8 where we read - "Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death. … Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. …  Those controlled by the sinful nature cannot please God. … Therefore, brothers, we have an obligation—but it is not to the sinful nature, to live according to it. For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live." (Romans 8:1-2, 5, 12-13, NIV)

Let’s pray for the Spirit to be at work in us, even as we give ourselves to the work of creating beauty. Let’s choose to meet hate with love, division with peace-making, aimlessness with purpose, despair with hope, destruction with restoration – for the glory of our God, ‘Who makes beautiful things!’

Here's a practical word from the Word. Prayerfully read it, understanding that it is not a suggestion, but a Divine Imperative.

"And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing.
Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable.
Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.
Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me—everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you." (Philippians 4:8-9, NLT)

(Video of this blog at this link)

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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?

You make beautiful things,

You make beautiful things out of the dust.

You make beautiful things,

You make beautiful things out of us.

Hope is springing up from this old ground,

Out of chaos life is being found,

In You.

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 Capitol CMG Publishing)

CCLI License # 810055

 

God’s waiting room

It’s been a month of hospitals, doctors, needles, and exams. Waiting rooms are not where I like to be. How about you? I am truly grateful for the care but I’m ready to just get on with life!  Yes, I am growing in compassion for those who live with chronic illness even while I am impatient with my body. Yes, I pray asking my Father to live with grace, to experience peace and patience. It would be nice to report that I always hear His voice and feel His Presence. The truth is on many days there is only silence. I am in “God’s waiting room.”   Yes, my mind knows that "God has a plan," but my heart feels that it is slow in the development. My faith in God is not in jeopardy. I know Him well.  He is working on a different timeline than I would prefer.

Have you lived in an ‘in between’ time, when you waited for answers, wrestled with pain, and prayed to get on with life?   It is not unusual. St. John of the Cross called those moments the "dark night of the soul." I have heard others refer to the "dry desert journeying" when the soul is thirsty for God's love. The tempter attempts to turn our focus to ourselves, to make us feel as though we have caused God's silence, and when he succeeds a sense of false guilt is added to our sorrow! In fact, we cannot always know why God is silent and we have only to hold onto His promises while we wait. David’s declaration invites me to faith. "Wait patiently for the Lord. Be brave and courageous. Yes, wait patiently for the Lord." (Psalm 27:14, NLT)

I know that there are practical things that I can do while I wait.

I must not forget what He has said to me in the past and in His Word.  Ongoing trials must not cause me to forget to love Him or to love others, the two commands that are the foundation of all the will of God.

I must keep an eternal perspective.  Paul referred to his difficulties as “light and momentary.”  We are eternal beings and if we allow ourselves to forget that fact, we may bring even greater troubles to our lives by seeking some temporary comfort for ourselves in things that are destructive.

I must remember 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)

I must let myself know sadness, realizing that it not a lack of faith to know disappointment, even as I guard my heart from bitterness or anger. 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 rail on Him, 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!

Are you in a hard time, seemingly stranded in God’s waiting room?  Then, I invite you to pray, with me, for faithfulness! This was what I asked of Him today that He would see my weakness and make it an opportunity to display His power, that He would defend me against the Destroyer and keep me faithful. Ask Him the same. He will do it, for His glory and His own Name's sake. Amen.

Meditate on this song from the Psalm today, our word from the Word. May God give us peace.

"Sing to the LORD, you saints of his; praise his holy name.
For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime;
weeping may remain for a night, but rejoicing comes in the morning.

When I felt secure, I said, "I will never be shaken."
O LORD, when you favored me, you made my mountain stand firm;
but when you hid your face, I was dismayed.

To you, O LORD, I called; to the Lord I cried for mercy:
"What gain is there in my destruction, in my going down into the pit?
Will the dust praise you?
Will it proclaim your faithfulness?
Hear, O LORD, and be merciful to me; O LORD, be my help."

You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and
clothed me with joy, that my heart may sing to you and not be silent.
O LORD my God, I will give you thanks forever."  (Psalm 30:4-12, NIV)

(Video of this blog at this link)

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Lord I Need You

 

Lord I come I confess

Bowing here I find my rest

And without You I fall apart

You're the one that guides my heart

 

Lord I need You oh I need You

Ev'ry hour I need You

My one defense my righteousness

Oh God how I need You

 

Where sin runs deep Your grace is more

Where grace is found is where You are

And where You are Lord I am free

Holiness is Christ in me

Where You are Lord I am free

Holiness is Christ in me

 

So teach my song to rise to You

When temptation comes my way

And when I cannot stand I'll fall on You

Jesus You're my hope and stay

And when I cannot stand I'll fall on You

Jesus You're my hope and stay

 

Lord I need You oh I need You

Ev'ry hour I need You

My one defense my righteousness

Oh God how I need You

My one defense my righteousness

Oh God how I need You

 

Christy Nockels | Daniel Carson | Jesse Reeves | Kristian Stanfill | Matt Maher

© 2011 sixsteps Music; Sweater Weather Music; Thankyou Music; Valley Of Songs Music; worshiptogether.com songs

CCLI License # 810055

Always With You

A couple of months ago, I wanted to replace the top on my Miata. I knew that the job was close to impossible for me alone but I have a friend who is a genius at that kind of thing. Jacob consented to be the lead guy on the job which we tackled one day in his garage.  After about 6 hours of work, real work, my car had a new convertible top that looks great!  Most tasks are like that, aren’t they? They just go better when the work is shared, when there is someone present who knows how to accomplish the task.

Are you attempting to live the Christian life with determination, attempting to do the impossible on your own?  Let me remind you that the Way is impossible by yourself BUT there is a Promised One who lives in us, making us what we can never be on our own.  The night before He went to the Cross, Jesus sat with His friend for a long conversation that is recorded by John. Jesus told them He was going to leave them but that they would not be ‘orphaned.’ 

"It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you." (John 16:7, NIV) The Spirit is our “Comforter, Friend, Counselor, Advocate, and Helper." The word Jesus used to name the Spirit – Parakletos - was one used to describe a person who supplied the kind of support that I had in Jacob when we put on that new car top. A “paraclete” was a friend, coach, and advocate!

The secret of the joyful Christian life is the Spirit Life in us. When we make the Gospel into commandments, or a system of ethics, or a moral law, or liturgical worship, we become frustrated by our inabilities. Yes, Christians will worship, be ethical, live with a high set of morals but as a result of the inner life of the Spirit not as the result of their own rigid will.  

The late Eugene Peterson writes that ‘there is not a whole lot we can do here, any more than we can pitch in and work on the Cosmos or assist Jesus in salvation. But, there is a great deal that the Spirit will do; the Resurrection Community is the Spirit’s work. What we can do and need to do is this – be there to accept what is sent by the Father in Jesus’ Name. Be there, receptive and obedient. Be there, praying’ making yourself available to Him.  Memorize this promise that Jesus made - "I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever— the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you." (John 14:16-17, NIV)

When you sense yourself failing, or when you face the calling to some place of service or growth that appears to be impossible – breath in the life of the Spirit. Look away from yourself and thank God for the One who is not just with us, but who lives IN US.  Who is so broken that you have no words?  Who is mired deeply in sin and/or dysfunction so that you could conclude they are beyond redemption? 

Remember, God, the Spirit, is our Source, our Wisdom, our Power.  He is 'on call' 24/7!  If we are solely focused on our abilities and resources -  if we think we can do spiritual work with natural talents or abilities – we are destined to be ineffective, frustrated, and failing. 

Today, invite God to take the lead, to show you just how He can take your unique experiences, your personality, your situation and make you an effective ambassador of His kingdom:  in your home, your school, your place of work, your extended family, and in your church.  Invite the Holy Spirit to fill you, to renew you. You are a Gifted Child of God.  When you live in Him, you will find joy for the journey.

The word from the Word is rich in promise. "But when the Father sends the Counselor as my representative—and by the Counselor I mean the Holy Spirit—he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I myself have told you. “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give isn’t like the peace the world gives. So don’t be troubled or afraid." (John 14:26-27, NLT)   Ah, Spirit of God, find me open to Your Presence, receptive to Your guidance, and ready to be Your home.  Amen.

(Video of this blog at this link)

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Holy Spirit Faithful Guide

 

Holy Spirit faithful guide

Ever near the Christian's side

Gently lead us by the hand

Pilgrims in a desert land

Weary souls fore'er rejoice

While they hear that sweetest voice

Whisp'ring softly wand'rer come

Follow Me I'll guide Thee home

 

Ever present truest Friend

Ever near Thine aid to lend

Leave us not to doubt and fear

Groping on in darkness drear

When the storms are ragging sore

Hearts grow faint and hopes give o'er

Whisper softly wande'rer come

Follow Me I'll guide thee home

 

When our days of toil shall cease

Waiting still for sweet release

Nothing left but heav'n and prayer

Wond'ring if our names were there

Wading deep the dismal flood

Pleading naught but Jesus' blood

Whisper softly wand'rer come

Follow Me I'll guide Thee home

Marcus Morris Wells

Public Domain