All the Time

     Don't you simply love it when God blesses you with an awesome day when everything seems to be rocking along smoothly and things couldn't be more perfect.  I was smack dab in the middle of one of those days recently when it took this sudden, dramatic turn for the worse. I had anticipated the events of this day for quite some time. The morning and early afternoon were great, but the latter part of the day went to pieces.  Sound familiar?
     In the past, that one bad occurrence would have been enough to erase all the wonderful things that had taken place earlier in the day.  I would have gone home and chalked the day up as a loss, disappointed and mad, nursing my sense of entitlement.  However, years of similar experiences and a growing relationship with the Lord have changed my verdict on the day.
     Many good things had happened that day.  I had opportunities to talk to people about the Lord.  I crossed paths with two women who had autistic family members, and we talked.  I had opportunities to share my precious Jesus.  This day was only a loss if I chose to focus on the one bad thing that happened, pushing all the good to the side.  As I traveled home, I reflected on the blessings of the day, and realized how very far the Lord had brought me in this journey.
     In the past, I had cancelled out so much of God's grace and goodness by dwelling solely on the disappointing, painful events in my life. I had absolutely overlooked the ongoing everyday blessings and focused on being angry and depressed about the things that didn't go my way. Oh, that we had the vision in those times to see God's goodness is ever present as He showers us with mercy and uses those moments to draw us closer to Him and an understanding of His goodness in all situations. That happens when we look beyond the "Why Me?" of the situation to say, "Lord what are you teaching me, what are me showing me of your divine character in this mess of a moment. How are you shaping my life to be more like you? I know you are with me in this. Open the eyes of my heart to find you."
     If we train ourselves to more thankful on an every day basis for God's boundless blessings, perhaps this might change our all or nothing mindset. Stop for a moment and count God's blessings in your life.  Begin with the blessing of having a Heavenly Father, who despite our undeserving, sinful nature sacrificed His son, Jesus, to die for us so that we might be forgiven and spend eternity in Heaven with Him.  Is there food on your table, do you have clothes to wear, shelter, a job, people who love you, the very air in your lungs to live this day? You can surely take it from there. Be thankful for the good and the bad. The bad always reminds me that God is still very actively working on me to shape me into His likeness. He hasn't given up on me.  Hallelujah!
     Set aside a time of reflection on your life story, the good and the bad, and ask God to show you how He never left your side. Often, in retrospect these things become so much more clear. How have you been able to cope with a recent encounter in your life more capably because of strength you gained in some seemingly unbearable moment.  Focus on God's bountiful blessings, draw close and seek to Him in the hard times. Remember, God is good all the time; all the time God is good. To God be the glory!

    
  

A Mighty Purpose

     Please allow me to share with you a George Bernard Shaw quote I encountered while reading Francis Chan's book Crazy Love:

"This is true joy in life, the being used up for a purpose recognized by yourself as a mighty one; the being a force of nature instead of a feverish, selfish little clod of ailments and grievances complaining that the world will not devote itself to making you happy.

Now, read that one more time, slowly, and take a moment to comprehend what it says.  It is a mouthful! Now, I have a question for you to ponder.  For what purpose are you being literally used up in this life and does that purpose bring you true joy? Is it a mighty one that will stand in eternity?
     Day by day we find that we are merely fragments of ourselves, pulled a multitude of directions by life here on this earth. In Webster's Dictionary "life" is described as an animate (inspired) existence. Can you honestly look at your situation and say that you are living an animated existence that has real purpose? Or does your life fall more in line with what rests on the other side of the semi-colon in Shaw's quote?
     I can definitely say that sadly I have existed quite a lot of my life on the other side of the semi-colon, so caught up in my "selfish little clod of ailments and grievances."  Life had not gone as I had planned, as if that power was ever mine to possess.  I loved the Lord, but I was not happy with His plan for my life, which of course He knew even before I was conceived. I really had given up finding the Romans 8:28 verse to be true for me.  I could not fathom how many of the events that had occurred in my life would ever work together for "good." Sadly my life was "all about me." I found my purpose in ruminating over what I felt were injustices in my life. Perhaps joy was my facade but not my internal truth. And I was certainly finding nothing in this world, despite many attempts, that brought me happiness. Does any of this ring a chord with you?
     Our lives are so often frittered away by the misdirection of our energies. For the most part, we don't have joy because we don't have a mighty purpose. What do you see your purpose being?  Going to a job because you need financial security. Trying to keep up with the bills.  Caring for your children because you had them and you've got to raise them. Taking care of the things you possess.  Going to church because that's what you've always done and people expect you to be there. Where is God, our true mighty purpose in this mix?  Where is joy?  Not in any of that!  Yet, that is our definition of life.  How sad.
     Ready for a drastic, much needed change? Either you are going to be miserably used up by all the above mentioned "stuff" or your can make the choice to change your course and be used up for the mighty purpose of serving God. Now, before you can make that much needed shift in your life, you most likely need to work on your relationship with God, spend time with Him. This calls for a sacrifice of your time which equates to a little less TV time, less phone, or computer time, time spent in reordering your priorities. Small in comparison to the sacrifice of the cross where God made your salvation a part of His purpose through the death and resurrection of  His son, Jesus. In those moments set aside for Him, God will minister to you and guide you the toward a truly mighty purpose meant just for you and in being used up by that divine purpose you will find JOY.
     Start making changes today that direct you toward being a force of nature for God.  We have seen repeatedly in recent months the negative impact forces of nature such as fire, flood, earthquakes, tornadoes, tsunamis, etc. We, however, can be a positive force of nature in this world, leaving the hope and joy of God's message in our wake as opposed to destruction. That's why we are here.
     Now, go and make whatever adjustments you need, and be used up in this life in the mighty purpose of serving Jesus! Love so amazing, so divine, demands my soul, my life, my all.  To God be the Glory!!

Reading Material

     Being a Type A person, I rarely indulge myself with the guilty pleasure of reading a good fiction book. Carving time out of my everyday frenetic motion for time alone with God has been challenge enough.  I was raised with the idea that if your time was not being spent doing something productive, you were lazy.  However, my family gifted me with a Kindle for Mother's Day and I find myself enjoying the relaxation of losing myself in a book and the story it weaves. 
     A well written book  provides you with all the details needed about the characters and their surroundings that, at least on my part, allow my mind to make a connection with them.  As the plot thickens, I become involved in the emotions they are experiencing.  I am happy for them, sad for them, concerned for them, sometimes even weep for them. I become a passenger in the roller coaster ride of their lives.
     What if we set a part time to sit down with our Bible in much the same way.  Far from a nonfiction book, the Bible is full of God's truths and wisdom for us.  It is where God reveals to us His unconditional love, a place where we learn of the character of God. The Bible is packed full of riveting stories from the beginning of time, love stories, history, wars, drama, poetry, heart breaking chapters of loss and triumphal victory. With time spent in this sacred book, you begin to make those connections, become a part of the story, feel the dust gathering on your feet and sandals as you journey in the footsteps of Jesus.
      It is in time set aside reading the Bible that we form a very real, not fictitious connection with the main character, Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.  It is in time spent in His word to us that we form a bond and relationship that exists beyond the last chapter, words of love and encouragement that can be constantly revisited.  There in God's words to us we find meaning and a purpose for our lives.  We build a relationship unequal to any we will ever find in this world. 
     So what do you think?  Give it a try!  If you are like me, you most likely will not have to even make a purchase or a Kindle download to get your copy.  We must have six or eight Bibles in our home.  Dust yours off if need be, and step into the pages of the greatest story ever told.  As you do so, open the ears of your heart and mind and hear God's message to you for such a time as this very day. Allow His words to bring a joy and peace to your life like you have never known.
     Christians, the war rages around us as we fight Satan's onslaughts in our lives.  How happy he is when he causes one of us to stumble, lose faith, give up the fight.  Sure, we carry our Bibles to church with us, but brought home and placed on the shelf it will not give us the upper hand in this battle.  General knowledge of the basics is not enough.  The battle will take more than a weekly Sunday dose of God's word.  Be armed and ready!
     Now go, carve out time in your life to open the cover of what is truly the book for all times.  Be ready to walk through the pages with God and His son, Jesus. Lose yourself in its pages and gain all that God has for you there. What more intriguing characters will you ever find? To God be the glory!