Holding on ... Looking Higher

“All men are like grass … the grass withers and the flowers fall.”  Peter quotes Isaiah in his letter to the church as he urges them to holy lives. The words rip my emotions which are still bloody and raw after Bev’s death. Who likes to remember the brevity of life? Yet, there it is, a stark statement of the fact.  Christians need not be morbid, death-obsessed people but deep devotion will include a healthy appreciation of the brevity of life!  

A young and beautiful couple, whose wedding I performed in August, hugged me on Sunday. A twinge of envy swept through me as I remembered – it seemed only like yesterday – when we were like them; in love, eager, bursting with vitality. Their young beauty swept me into a reverie - my life flashed through my mind in a second -  we finished school, began to make a place in our world, had our babies, loved them for a moment then watched them go off to find their own lives, dealt with our parents’ deaths, watched lines etch themselves into our faces, and then… the unthinkable – death tore us apart!

Our mortality is not a cause for despair. Instead it is a reason to choose to live with a higher goal than merely finding a good meal, a moment’s pleasure, or acquiring wealth. Here is what the Spirit says to us through the pen of Peter. "For you have been born again, but not to a life that will quickly end. Your new life will last forever because it comes from the eternal, living word of God. As the Scriptures say, “People are like grass; their beauty is like a flower in the field. The grass withers and the flower fades. But the word of the Lord remains forever.” And that word is the Good News that was preached to you. So get rid of all evil behavior. Be done with all deceit, hypocrisy, jealousy, and all unkind speech. Like newborn babies, you must crave pure spiritual milk so that you will grow into a full experience of salvation. Cry out for this nourishment, now that you have had a taste of the Lord’s kindness." (1 Peter 1:23-2:3, NLT)  "Dear friends, I warn you as “temporary residents and foreigners” to keep away from worldly desires that wage war against your very souls." (1 Peter 2:11, NLT)

Christian, the culture in which we live tries desperately to deny the reality of time, doesn’t it?  We pretend that we can live forever, pushing the reminders of aging away with creams, potions, medicines, and surgery. We hide the dying in hospitals and make little space for grieving, preferring to hurry on to happier themes.  But, God asks us to remember that we are like the grass so that we will live lightly, “aliens and strangers” in this world, setting our affections on our True Home. The Message puts it this way: "Friends, this world is not your home, so don’t make yourselves cozy in it. Don’t indulge your ego at the expense of your soul." (1 Peter 2:11)

Here is the paradox of the Christian life: those who understand death most, live most fully! Instead of chasing what is ephemeral, they build solid lives around love, worship, holiness, and devotion. Jesus says that their investment is secure!  His life investment counsel is that we should “Stockpile treasure in heaven, where it’s safe from moth and rust and burglars. It’s obvious, isn’t it? The place where your treasure is, is the place you will most want to be, and end up being.” The Message (Matthew 6:20-21)

So, God helping me, I will keep holding on, looking higher.  How about you?  Most likely you have taken some time to evaluate your finances at the beginning of this new year. Take some time to evaluate and, where needed, to reinvest the true wealth of your soul in a way that is aligned with the eternal values a genuine Christian life.

Here is a word from the Word. "In keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness. So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him." (2 Peter 3:13-14, NIV)  "Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen." (2 Peter 3:18, NIV)

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Jesus You Are My Life

You are my life,

Oh, precious Christ.

You are to me

The pearl of greatest price.

My love for You will never die,

Jesus, You are my life!

I come to You!

I run to You!

There's no greater joy

Than knowing You.

Oh, Holy Fire,

Love's purest light,

Burn all desires ‘till

You are my one delight.

Oh, conquering King,

Conquer my heart

And make of me

A pleasing gift to God.

My love for You will never die,

Jesus, You are my life!

Steve Fry

© 1994 Word Music, LLC (a div. of Word Music Group, Inc.)

Universal Music - Brentwood Benson Publishing (Admin. by Brentwood-Benson Music Publishing, Inc.)

CCLI License # 810055

But, I want what I want now!

The woman was large, blocking the aisle of the store. “Excuse me,” I said as I tried to make my way past her. I could not help but notice the contents of her shopping cart – chips, soda, packaged cakes, and the like. I’ll confess to wondering if she realized that she was slowly killing herself? Before you condemn me for judging her or being a hypocrite, I hasten to confess that I carry around about 25 pounds of excess weight, too.  I do not always make great nutritional choices.  But, I also saw a couple of life lessons in that shopping cart.  First, small choices really do matter. Second, self-discipline is hard!

Ever wanted something so badly that it hurt?

Ever wrestled with some desire, some appetite, some sin when Self had a tantrum like a toddler? There is a part of us that is strong which says, “I want what I want NOW!” Even when we know a choice is deadly, the tug of desire can be so strong that we will dismiss reason to get what we think we want so badly. Addiction is not just to cocaine, alcohol, or nicotine, is it? We can be addicted to money, food, sex, pleasure … a very long list, indeed.

So how does a Christian deal with temptation like that?

Peter offers us practical, inspired insight. "Prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed. As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.” Since you call on a Father who judges each man’s work impartially, live your lives as strangers here in reverent fear. For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake. Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God. Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for your brothers, love one another deeply, from the heart. For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God." (1 Peter 1:13-23, NIV)

First, we must be thinking people. God equips us with a brain and expects us to use it! “Prepare your minds for action,” the text says. The King James version brings Peter’s metaphor into the text when it translates his words directly: “Gird up the loins of your mind.”  A man preparing for labor or battle reached down and gathered his robe up, tucking it into his belt so he could move without being hindered. So, we gather our thoughts, evaluate them in the light of the Word, and eliminate those that would keep us from the pursuit of the best, the highest, in life.

Second, we keep in mind that God is the ultimate Judge. There is both comfort and correction there. He is never fooled by our excuses and He never jumps to a mistaken conclusion.  He knows us, inside and out, right down to our motives and inner attitudes. “God sees my heart,” is a great phrase to remember.  When misjudged we can rest without being defensive because He knows the truth. When we are scheming to have our own way, we remind Self – “He sees!”

Third, we hold onto the grace and redemption of the Cross!  Without this part of the equation, dealing with temptation is impossible. All we have is guilt, shame, and regret because in spite of our best intentions we are tripped up by a sinful nature. But, then we go to the Cross and the blood of Christ is our covering and our cleansing. The grace gift of God’s love makes it possible for us to enter God’s Throne room confidently, even when we are filthy with sin, because we come with the Son’s invitation. And, there, before God, we find forgiveness as well as strength to turn our back on the clamor of Self for satisfaction.  The Spirit enters our lives and we are born anew, children of the Heavenly Father.

And, lastly, we obey the Truth.  Jesus said, “You will know the truth and the truth will set you free.”  Truth is much lauded but largely ignored. We learn early in our lives to see what we want to see, to ignore those things that make us uncomfortable, that challenge us to change.  However, when we receive Christ Jesus as Lord, the Holy Spirit begins to transform us – mind and spirit – clearing our vision, making us people with understanding.  Yet, we must remain committed to Truth. We live confessionally, the word in John’s letter, coming from a Greek word in the text that literally means “to say the same thing.”  Yes, we agree with God, saying what He says, not what we want to say or think. And, we are freed to live a holy, beautiful, mature Christian life, that honors the One who saved us.  

Do you want 2016 to be different?

Are you looking to become mature, mastering impulses, gaining the strength to say “no” to the clamoring voice of Self?

Come to Jesus! Here is a word from the Word. May it inspire us to great devotion and holy lives. "With the Lord’s authority I say this: Live no longer as the Gentiles (those ignorant about nature of the Living God) do, for they are hopelessly confused. Their minds are full of darkness; they wander far from the life God gives because they have closed their minds and hardened their hearts against him. They have no sense of shame. They live for lustful pleasure and eagerly practice every kind of impurity. But that isn’t what you learned about Christ.
Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from him, throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy." (Ephesians 4:17-24, NLT)

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Spirit Of God Descend Upon My Heart (Morecambe)

Spirit of God, descend upon my heart.

Wean it from earth; thro' all its pulses move!

Stoop to my weakness, mighty as Thou art

And make me love Thee as I ought to love.

Hast Thou not bid us love Thee, God and King,

All Thine own-  soul, heart, and strength and mind?

I see Thy cross, there teach my heart to cling.

O let me seek Thee and O let me find.

Teach me to feel that Thou art always nigh.

Teach me the struggles of the soul to bear,

To check the rising doubt, the rebel sigh.

Teach me the patience of unanswered prayer.

Teach me to love Thee as Thine angels love,

One holy passion filling all my frame!

The baptism of the heav'n descended Dove,

My heart an altar and Thy love the flame!

Frederick Cook Atkinson | George Croly

© Words: Public Domain

Be an eternal creature

A week ago a large chunk of ‘me’ was torn away when Bev finally crossed that shadowy line between time and eternity. I’ll never forget that holy moment. The love of my family filled up that room, wild emotion swept through us like hurricane gusts; then gently I laid her head on her pillow.  In the days since, laughter and tears mixed as we remembered her, telling stories, catching glimpses of her touch on our world.  And, now the first Monday of 2016 has arrived.  It is time to start to let go and look higher, past the grave to the glory.

I hope you are not mourning like me, but regardless, you, too, have a real choice about this New Year and how it will take shape.  The Word teaches Christians that they must never become captives of the boundaries of time. Eternity and the values of heaven must be pulled into our minds, sometimes with real effort, so that we will live well and wisely. Let’s begin the year the right way.  Peter says "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade—kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls." (1 Peter 1:3-9, NIV)

We are people with a living hope because we are, even now, eternal creatures.  How tragic to live with no higher purpose that filling our stomach, satisfying our appetites, and pampering our body.  Life is ours now through Christ.  Even Peter acknowledges that we live in a curious in-between place where trials, pain, and grief still touch us. But, he knows this – those awful things serve a purpose. They help us to take hold of Heaven and love Jesus more.  Our joy comes not so much from our circumstances but from the Promise of our salvation.  The word used by Peter in the first text (Greek) is “soteria” and includes both a present and future benefit.  Now we are able to experience His hand protecting us from sin and evil. In the future, we will be brought into the safety of our eternal home, the full realization of our ‘salvation!’

Be an eternal creature, right here, today! In his letter to the Philippians, Paul warned of letting ourselves become too much in love with this present life. His metaphor is interesting. He refers to those whose “god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame.”   Why would a Christian live that way?  He goes on to say, “Their mind is on earthly things.” They do not choose to look to Heaven as their home.  Christians who would live well will remember this:  “our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body." (Philippians 3:18-21, NIV)

I pray a Blessed New Year with new discoveries of His grace,  new revelation of His purpose, and new holiness given by His powerful Spirit.

Here is a word from the Word - "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 12:2-3, The Message)

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Be Thou My Vision

Be Thou my vision,

O Lord of my heart.

Naught be all else to me,

Save that Thou art.

Thou my best thought,

By day or by night,

Waking or sleeping,

Thy presence my light.

Be Thou my shield

And my sword for the fight.

Be Thou my dignity,

Be Thou my might.

Thou my soul's shelter

And Thou my high tow'r.

Raise Thou me heav'nward,

O pow'r of my pow'r!

Riches I heed not

Nor man's empty praise.

Thou mine inheritance

Now and always.

Thou and Thou only,

Be first in my heart,

High King of heaven,

My treasure Thou art!

High King of heaven

When vict'ry is won,

May I reach heaven's joys,

O bright heaven's Sun.

Heart of my own heart,

Whatever befall.

Still be my vision,

O Ruler of all!

Public Domain

Eleanor Henrietta Hull | Mary Elizabeth Byrne