Cars

Motivated by a desire to save money I have been working to develop my mechanic skills - actually that implies I had some skills previously, which I didn't - but I am learning! I have enjoyed it when I have success like the new radiator in my jeep. It is maddening when it is unsuccessful. I recently installed a new alternator in our old Montero - it all works fine but the very next day an engine light comes on and it runs terrible in the morning.(prior to the repair it ran fine) Now this - and other similar instances- may all be coincidental but it appears that I often fix one thing only to have created a new problem. If I knew more about cars and had the bigger picture - I would probably avoid these dilemmas.

When it comes to addressing my own problems I often do the same. I see something - or someone points it out to me - and I just jump in and "fix" it! The problem? I am an amateur at best when it comes to fixing problems in  my life, I only see part of the issue and I rarely take a look at deeper things that should be addressed first. The result? I make the problem worse or create a new problem or make it appear the problem is corrected but it still remains.

Philippians 2:13 says "for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure." What great news - I have a personal "mechanic" who is already at work - He wants me to entrust the work to Him - let Him do what He wants - and keep my hands out of it! He alone can get to the root of the problem and He alone knows how to go about it in a way that effects change and brings God glory. So today, lets ask Him to work on us in any way He chooses - after all - we belong to Him!

work

It seems that ever since the curse in the garden we have wrestled with "work". Sometimes we labor under it as an unavoidable burden that we are forced to carry in this world. A different approach is to remove it totally from our 'spiritual' life and relate to it solely as a secular activity and then pursue it and carry it out according to a worldly perspective. I believe the truth lies somewhere else. Sin did not make work bad or remove God from it - it just made work difficult. God originally created work as part of the fabric of His good creation - an opportunity to experience and worship the creator. By so doing, He infused value - even holiness into the most mundane work. The cross had not only redeemed us but it has redeemed the work He calls us to.

The Puritans were the first to reverse the notion that there is a sacred/secular divide. Prior to that time, 'religious' work had value - laboring in the field, the shop, the home - were 'secular' activities. William Tyndale said "there is (externally) a difference betwixt washing of dishes and preaching of the word of God; but as touching to please God; none at all." the Puritan's made every job(calling) of eternal value because they believed all of life is a context for glorifying God and serving Him by serving one another. We call this doxology - turning everything into worship. William Perkins, another Puritan, said "the main end of our lives is to serve God in the serving of men in the works of our callings."

When we view our work - whether in a school, a shop, at a desk, in the kitchen, picking up the kids - as a parenthesis outside of God's Kingdom work - it becomes a burden and a place that is void of worship. When we rightly view our work as a holy calling because God is in it - it becomes a place to express the image of God, to honor Him by serving and to experience His blessing as we embrace it. And yes, because of sin it can be very difficult - see it as a chance to depend on Him and His ability to work in us. Ask the Lord to take all of your work today into His hands and to use it as an offering of worship.

Stop!

During the next 4 weeks in our services we will be looking at "An Invitation to the Devoted Life." A central focus of our series revolves around several principles of finding, developing and practicing Sabbath rhythms in our day. I enjoy the topic of Sabbath because it promises me rest!! I love a great nap and I will zealously guard my plans for an hour of Sunday afternoon sleeping. The rest God promises might include a good sleep but goes way beyond to include that deep, confident, centering trust in a Savior that has done all the work. Experiencing and embracing the true rest of God is missed by too many believers. I have considered why I so often miss it as well and I believe my biggest barrier is that before we rest we must stop! The 1st step of sabbath keeping is ceasing or stopping - only when I have quit my own efforts and striving can I begin to understand resting. I can often cease activity - like when I get a nap - but my heart and mind just keep going... planning... striving ... worrying ... creating... The end result is a little sleep without any real rest.

I hate to admit it but my refusal or reluctance to stop is rooted in unbelief. If I actually stop for awhile can I really trust that the Lord will carry everything for me or will it all come tumbling down? Tozer says that the only things that are really safe are those things fully entrusted to the hands of our Savior and whatever I am holding on to is not safe at all. Good news - the One who created everything and gave His life for us is more than able to carry it all for us; not only that but when my life and activities and dreams are in His hands it gets reshaped in His image instead of my own. So today lets try to stop our striving - at least for a few moments and let the deep rest from God pour over our day.

disappointment

Some of you will recall that the church leadership approved a 3 month sabbatical for me during the summer of 2011. In order to fund some special church projects in relation to the sabbatical as well as some extensive travel and study opportunities for myself and my family, a committee of church members worked with me to submit a proposal for an outside grant. Last month we were informed that we were not selected.Among the many words I could choose to describe my thoughts and feelings, disappointment is probably the most accurate. The word reflects loss of expectations, unrealized dreams, even a sense of personal failure. The dictionary says "to thwart or frustrate".

As the news settled I wondered "had good plans been thwarted?" It left me at a fork in the road. Do I follow in my mind and heart the path of "good plans thwarted" or was there another path - "God's plans unveiled" ?
Considering the character and sovereignty of God I had to step onto the latter road. The actual sabbatical will still take place and the lack of funding has no effect on the purpose and focus of my time. As I reworked the schedule of my time and  shaped a sabbatical mostly confined to Tucson I discovered that the things I didn't like about the change(and still don't like) and the source of my disappointment all spoke to areas of my life that needed refreshment and reformation. The sabbatical - at its heart - was designed for that very purpose. Turns out that the grant proposal process was God's design to bring clarity to the sabbitcal's focus and its role in my life and the life of the church.

So what do we do with disappointment? Embrace it. Walk through it. Look deeper. Most of all - see the Lord's faithful hand in the middle of it.

Glory

Isaiah 40:5

"Then the glory of the Lord will be revealed,

and all flesh will see it together;

for the mouth of the Lord has spoken." 

This great verse put to music by Handel has stirred my spirit this past week. Jesus, God in flesh, having the full glory of God came to this place and veiled His glory. We see a glimpse of  it when the angels sing to the shepherds, on the mount of transfiguration, and strong hints of it in His miracles. Yet, His first advent was marked more by silence, obscurity, poverty and sacrifice. I still don't get it but I rejoice over the rescue it brought us. Isaiah, which has well over 30 verses referring to His first advent also points us to another Advent and the 2nd coming of Jesus. We see it in Is. 40:5 and Jesus refers to it in such places as Matt. 24:29-30. It will not be like the Christmas story but it will be marked by power, majesty, authority and GLORY. We will not just gets hints at His glory or a brief look but the whole world - all flesh- will see it for all it is! That day is coming! Jesus, the baby, will arrive as Jesus the King in all His glorious splendor. As you read and meditate and sing this week about Christmas, let your heart and mind and longings look ahead to another Advent still to come.

Reversal

The Lord has a way of doing what we would not expect. Jesus rarely said what people expected to hear. His Kingdom operates on a completely different platform. This is evident in Mary's song from Luke 1 ...

    He scatters the proud
      He brings down rulers from their thrones
          He exalts the humble
             He fills the hungry
                The rich go away empty

Those we expect to receive are passed over and those to whom we would not pay any attention have His blessing in abundance. Several of the parables of Jesus refer to this great reversal. Of course we see these unexpected reversals in the Christmas story. We have shepherds and foreigners being invited and kings being overlooked; we have a baby rather than a King; a lamb instead of a conqueror, poverty and obscurity rather than riches and renown, a crucifixion instead of ruling...

This is Good News for us!! He brings us from darkness to light, from rags to clothing of righteousness, from separation and isolation to nearness and intimacy, from enemies to beloved children!! The arrival of a baby - God in flesh - brought the great hope and promise of a reversal in our lives. As a recipient - I am now called to live by these new kingdom foundations - to bless those who don't expect it, to give to those in need , to love the unloved, to demonstrate the heart of the Gospel!

Nyquil

I am not sure all the ingredients in Nyquil - I am afraid to look - but when I get really sick and am desperate for some sleep - out comes the Nyquil - 1 sip and I'm affected for days! I came down with something a couple days ago and it is really knocking me down. When I get sick, I suddenly get very organized with my time. I get a great deal done very quickly and drop a bunch of stuff off my schedule that only days ago I insisted to myself were essential calendar items - all for the sake of creating time to rest.   Psalm 90:12 tells us to "number our days, that we might present to You a heart of wisdom." Days like today show me how much time I must waste on my "good" days and they show me that my schedule could be much more flexible than I let on. Flexible in order to serve more, listen longer, get in a bit of exercise, patiently help with  a few more math problems, write that note or make that extra phone call, sit with the Lord a little longer. Each minute is a gift, an opportunity, a privilege.