Monthly Archives: July 2010

Be Still

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I’m not a person that sits still well.  It’s not something I like or something that I do well in any way.  I sit still behind my desk too long, I’ve got to get up and move around.  I just don’t have the wiring to sit around and do nothing.

And, that’s how it feel sometimes when I’m not active.  I’m just doing . . . . well, nothing.

And then, I read a passage like I did this morning in Psalm 37

7 Be still before the Lord *
and wait patiently for him.
8 Do not fret yourself over the one who prospers, *
the one who succeeds in evil schemes.
9 Refrain from anger, leave rage alone; *
do not fret yourself; it leads only to evil.

The Psalmist reminds us something important that I don’t like to do – be still before the Lord.  Wait upon Him.  Still your heart before Him.

Why?  Why is this important?  Why do we need to do this?

We get so busy. We have so much going on each day.  So many concerns, so many worries, so many things that seem to be so important for us to do.

We can lose perspective. We can forget what is really important.

What is really the most important thing today?  Another task? Having a right heart with God?

That is why we need to be still.  Breathe.  Listen.  The world pushes us towards busyness and activity.

God says – slow down. Listen for me.  Listen for my voice.  Seek me while I may be found.

You don’t have to quit your job today.  You don’t have to abandon your family.  You don’t have to stop doing what you are assigned to.

But, take a moment today.  And just listen. Still yourself.  Listen. Slow yourself.  Listen.  God longs to commune with you.

No matter what you have going on, take a moment today to be still before Him.  Perhaps on commute to work.  Over lunch.  In your office.  In the garden. Wherever.  Listen.

He wants to speak.  If we will just quiet ourselves and pay attention.  We will hear.

His Mercy

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One of parts of the Bible that has always been the hardest to understand, hardest to wrap our minds around is that section of Romans from chapter 9 through 11.  In here Paul writes about things like election and predestination, for knowledge and hits upon free will.  It’s an area that has produced a lot of conversation, discussion, and yes, even arguments through Church History.

I will not attempt to explain this section this morning, don’t worry 🙂

But as Paul writes through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit in this text, he says something today that sums it at all up nicely:

33 O the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!
34 “For who has known the mind of the Lord?
Or who has been his counselor?”
35 “Or who has given a gift to him,
to receive a gift in return?”
36 For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory forever. Amen.

Paul says there are many things about God we don’t understand.  There are things about the mind of God that our finite human minds simply can’t grasp.  But, the one thing that we do know is this – God’s mercy.

What can we do to earn God’s mercy?  Nothing.

How can we seek to know the ultimate plan that He has? Nothing.

Is there anything we do to “make” God do anything?  No, He is an amazing, powerful, wise, loving, merciful God. He is above us, beyond us, strong and might.

He created everything.  Us included.

And, the mighty God chooses to love us.  Chooses to show us mercy.  Paul writes so much about the unknowable mind of God – but always reminds us of His mercy.  Of His love.  Of His grace.

So, instead of worrying about not being understand those mysteries, rely upon this – He loves you.  He shows you mercy. Rely upon that.

And let that knowledge call you to love God with all that you are. And love your neighbor as yourself.

For that’s the response He really wants from us.  The depths of His mercy know no limits.  May we see to love in the same way.

God’s Last Hope?

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I had a professor of mine in college that used to always remind us that we are not God’s last hope. God has more up His sleeve than any of us can imagine. God is always doing more than we can see.  He always has a great plan than our minds can fathom.

We need to be reminded of that. Sometimes we can feel like we are God’s last hope. That we are all He has.  No one is righteous, just us.  We are all that He has.

This can be a problem for a couple of reasons. First, we forget that God has a plan.  Do we honestly think that God is surprised by anything that happens?  That He is shocked?  That He thinks, wow, I didn’t see that coming.

Of course not. God is at work in all things that are happening in our life, and in our world.  God has not forgotten us, forgotten the world, forgotten His plan.  He is at work, even in the things that we feel like He can’t be.

Even in a bad economy.  Even in a fearful age.  Even when we are worried about all kinds of things.

God is at work.

The second reason we are not God’s last hope was driven home to me into day’s reading from Romans 11 where Paul writes this:

17 But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, a wild olive shoot, were grafted in their place to share the rich root of the olive tree, 18 do not boast over the branches. If you do boast, remember that it is not you that support the root, but the root that supports you.

It is not we that support the root, it is the root that supports us. We don’t support God, God supports us.

God does not need us.  He is God. He was here before us and will be here after us.  He doesn’t “need” us.

We need Him.  We need Him to live.  To serve. To be faithful. For all of us life.  We need Him for every breath, for every hope, for every dream.  We need Him.

Now, He wants to be in relationship with us.  He loves us.  He desires to know us.  He created us.  And He supports and loves us.

And we need Him.

So, don’t feel like you are God’s last hope today. Be faithful. Do good work. Love, support, pray, forgive.

But also know that God is a work in ways we can’t see. Trust in Him.  Rely on Him.  Know that the root supports you, not the other way around.

God is always at work, even today. Trust in His work, trust in His plan.

Constant Forgiveness

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Today I was reading through one of my favorite Psalms.  And, I love the Psalms. They just speak to what is on our heart so many times. They are so honest, so full of emotion. Just like us, at times they are over joyed with God’s goodness. At times they are heartbroken over our sin.  They speak so many things we feel.

I was reading Psalm 25 when some verses jumped out at me:

7 Gracious and upright is the LORD; *
therefore he teaches sinners in his way.
8 He guides the humble in doing right *
and teaches his way to the lowly.
9 All the paths of the LORD are love and faithfulness *
to those who keep his covenant and his testimonies.
10 For your Name’s sake, O LORD, *
forgive my sin, for it is great.
11 Who are they who fear the LORD? *
he will teach them the way that they should choose.

There is this notion, that I’ve never really picked up until I read it this morning. The Psalmist says that God is with the humble and the righteous, that He leads and guides them.

So, you’d think the Psalmist was one of the humble and righteous that God guided, right?

Notice what the Psalmist says right after through – Forgive me of my sin, for it is great.

Then it hit me. Perhaps what it means to be righteous isn’t to be perfect.  If that were so, who could be righteous at all.  None of. Perhaps what it means to be righteous is understand our constant need for forgiveness.

Part of being rightoues is to understand we are sinful and we can’t statnd without God. That we can’t do it ourselves. That we need God. That our own strength and will is not enough to “make” us good. We need the power of God, the grace of God, the might of God.  We need His strength.

And, we need His forgiveness. Today. Everyday.

Part of being strong is to realize we are weak and frail and can’t do it.  And  when we think we are strong, we are headed for a fall.  When we think we’ve got it figured out, we make a fool of ourselves.

When we think we are righteous we fall into sin. When we realize we are weak and in need of God’s grace, mercy, and forgiveness, we find His life. We find His power.  We find a new day, a new start and a new forgiveness.

I think part of what it means to be righteous is live under God’s constant forgiveness. And under His constant forgiveness, we find life we can’t find anywhere else!

Do Not Fear Them

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Some days when I come into prayer, I really need to hear a specific word from God. Somedays I’ve got something on my heart that’s really bothering me.  Something that’s worrying me, taking my joy and taking my peace.

There are some days when there is just something heavy on my heart that I need the Lord to speak to.

We’ve all been there, haven’t we?  We’ve all brought our stuff to God and said – God I need to know you are here with this.  I need to hear your voice, I need your word, I need your assurance.

Today was a day like that for me.  Nothing major, I just had a couple of things I was praying about, both personal and church related, a couple of things I was trying to figure out, some things I needed discernment over.

And as I read through some of the readings this morning, I read a verse in Deuteronomy (yes, Deuteronomy!) that really hit home with me and gave me some assurance.  It says there in chapter 3:22

22 Do not fear them, for it is the LORD your God who fights for you.”

A simple verse, a short verse. How can that say what I needed to hear this morning?

Well, it reminds me to be brave and that God is bigger than whatever it is I face. I reminds me that no matter what challenges I may face, God is bigger.  God is stronger.  God is more mighty.

I don’t fight alone – God fights for me.

And because of that, I have no reason to fear. For, God is with me.  If God is for us, who can be against us, as Paul reminds us!

What have we to fear?  What have we to fret about? What have we to worry about? For, God is with us. God fights for us. God strengthens us!  God is our might and power and hope.

Why do we worry?  Why do we fear?  God fights for us.

Today, no matter what you face, God is bigger.  Today, no matter what you are worried about, God is bigger. Today, no matter what is in your future, God is bigger.

Do not fear. God is with you. And He fights for you.

A Short Week

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About the only downfall of a long weekend is that it produces a short week.

You’re thinking, no, Andy, a short week is also a good thing.

It is, in some ways. But, in others it’s not.

At least for me.

I get so focused on getting everything done that I need to get down that I find myself rushed, I find myself unfocused, I find myself not really paying attention to what matters most.

I got so focused on trying to get done the things that I have to do, I feel like I’m so short of time, I forget what I really need to focus on.

So, I really needed to hear the words of Psalm 119 this morning:

15 I will meditate on your commandments *
and give attention to your ways.
16 My delight is in your statutes; *
I will not forget your word.

I will not forget your word.  A powerful statement. We are not going to forget about God forever, I know.

But sometimes, with deadlines coming, and tasks to accomplish, and things that have to get done, we forget.

We forget to slow ourselves. Pray.  Listen.  Remember His word.

I know you’ve got a busy day today. Lots to do. Meetings and worries and all sorts of stuff.

I know it’s a short week.

Don’t forget. Don’t forget to slow yourself. Don’t forget to take time to listen. Don’t forget that God is there, even in a busy short week.

Don’t forget His word.  Don’t forget Him.  Listen. Seek.  Knock. And you will find.

Don’t forget what really matters.

Nothing

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If you’re like me, sometimes you enter into your time of prayer weary.  I come before God with the list of all the things I’ve done wrong. . . . .

All the ways I’ve not loved Him with my whole heart. . . . .

All the ways I’ve not obeyed. . . . . .

The the ways that I have done wrong. . . . .

It’s easy to just enter into prayer heavy.  Thinking to God, there’s so much more I ought to be doing. There are so many things that I shouldn’t be doing.  Oh God, I’m not who I ought to be.

I think that’s the thing that stops so many folks from praying.  Just that knowledge, that shame, that, whatever it is.

So today, I read these words from Paul in Romans 8. And, wow.  Just listen to what Paul says.

Really listen:

37 No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us. 38 And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,[a] neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. 39 No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Did you hear that?  Nothing, nothing, nothing in all of creation can separate you from God’s love today.

Nothing.

Nothing you’ve done. Nothing you’re doing. Nothing you’re going to do.

Even if you’re as good as you’d like to be.

Even if you’re not as faithful as you’d like to be.

Even if you’re not doing everything exactly as you ought to be doing it.

Nothing can separate you from God’s love.

Wow. That’s awesome.

Today, don’t live like an abused servant.  Live like a loved child. That’s what you are.  You are a loved child of God.  Nothing can separate you from God’s love today!

Live with joy, with peace, with freedom.  You are loved!

Let go of your burden.  Live light!  Live in the light of God’s love and forgiveness.

Nothing can separate you from that love today.  Wow.  Live in that knowledge.

Different

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This morning as I was reading through of the passages of scripture that we all have heard a lot and that we know pretty well, the Fruit of the Spirit, I was struck by the last verse in that section in a way that’d I’d never noticed before.

Paul writes this:

Live by the Spirit, I say, and do not gratify the desires of the flesh.

and this:

And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

As I read this, I began to think about that notion of crucifixion. This notion of putting to death these things.  That we are supposed to die to our sinful passions and desire.

In short that we are supposed to be different.  As Christians, as those that follow Christ, we are called to be different that the world.

We are called to be different than the culture.

We are called to live, to love, to serve, to be different than the culture we are in. Different from the world.

We have a different Lord – so we have a different calling and a different way that we are supposed to live.  Not a life of self righteous judgment, mind you, but a life of love and service.

But, it comes back to that truth. We are called to be different. To put to death the past and it’s desires and live in the newness of life Jesus offers.

Today, are we different? Are we different than the world?  Do folks notice something different about us?  Do folks wonder what makes us different?  Why we have hope, peace, and joy?  Why we love?

Are we different?  If we are led by the Spirit and have put to death the old, we will be.

May we be different for our Lord in this day!