I. Am. Tired. Yeah, story of my life. Most likely you can identify with me on that. Rest is a hard thing to come by it seems. I don’t even think it necessarily comes from the day and time we live in, I think it’s that we busy ourselves because we feel like the more we work the more we accomplish. Well, that’s true in a way, but without a purpose all you can accomplish is a whole lotta notta. See, that’s the big point here, we work and work, try and try, go and go, without aim and we exhaust ourselves. Once we exhaust ourselves, we crash for a bit and then pick back up where we left off. It’s a never-ending, insane cycle. So yeah, I am tired, but let me tell you something, I am discovering that there is something to this whole resting in God thing.
When we rest in the Lord, it isn’t because we fall into Him due to exhaustion; although that can and does happen. No, instead we rest in the Lord for Him to give us clarity and guidance. We rest in Him so that we will sit still long enough for Him to put us on the right path, for Him to give us the energy and strength to endure. Resting in the Lord is an action, but it is an action that requires faith. You have to trust that God will get you through whatever the big question mark ahead of you might be. Right now I don’t know really what my purpose is. I can continue to slave crazily and go, go, go, but doing so will not allow me to see what His plan and purpose is. I am tired, but it’s of my own design.
I have been going through an incredible rough patch in my life. I will be open and honest about it for the first time to everyone. In May of 2008, my wife and I separated. After almost four years of marriage, we separated. In the ten months, so far, I have not really taken time for me to rest in the Lord. I wanted to get my mind off of the hurt, pain, and fear and so I decided to just keep pushing myself and in doing so I have gone down many dark paths. The best way for me to describe it is that I have been on a trail, imagine a hiking trail. On this trail I am surrounded my many trees that block me from seeing my destination and at times the trail disappears. I only have to trust that if I stay on this path I will get to my destination, but instead of doing so I keep wandering off the trail. Each time I do so I am met with a roadblock and have to back track to the point where I wandered off the trail. This is how it’s been. Instead of sitting down and getting my bearing, I have tried to force the issue. Instead of sitting down and listening to the Lord, resting in Him, I keep trying to forge ahead. This is God calling to me saying “Justin, sit down, rest in Me and I will give you the proper path.” I am here today on the verge of divorce and I realize that this isn’t His plan, but because of my own stubborn attitude and me trying to do, do, do and go, go, go I am now faced with this horrible reality. The point of me bringing this up isn’t to scare people into thinking they should do what I say, but it is me using my life as an example of what happens when you don’t rest in the Lord. Instead of clinging to Him and letting Him recharge me and give me guidance, I tried to do it myself…and oh what a mess I’ve made.
In Matthew 11:28-30 Jesus says "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." Oh how I wish I had taken this to heart. Oh how I pray dear brothers and sisters that you take this to heart. The Lord wants us to rest in Him. His yoke is easy and His burden is light. He longs to hold us in the rough times and if only we’d let Him do so. As I sat last night praying and reading, I came across something that I felt I had to share. It is a snippet from a poem by George Herbert and it reads as follows:
“Away, Despair! My gracious Lord doth hear:
Though winds and waves assault my keel,
He doth preserve it: he doth steer,
Ev'n when the boat seems most to reel:
Storms are the triumph of his art:
Well may he close his eyes, but not his heart."
The point in me bringing this poem up is that life is tumultuous…even on the good days. Life is busy and it can be difficult. God’s desire is for us to rest in Him. When the storm rocked the boat, what was Jesus doing? He was sleeping. It is a wonderful story. This comes from Mark 4:35-41:
“That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, ‘Let us go over to the other side.’ Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, ‘Teacher, don't you care if we drown?’ He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, ‘Quiet! Be still!’ Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. He said to his disciples, ‘Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?’ They were terrified and asked each other, ‘Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!’”
Jesus was going to the other side to rest, to escape the noise. On that journey a storm arose and yet he slept. It was the disciples who lacked in faith and so they woke Jesus and he calmed the storm. You see, that is EXACTLY what God wants us to do. He is calling us to escape the noise and the crowds and the busyness so He can do a work in us. Why didn’t I trust Him to guide me through and help me reconcile with my wife? I guess the short answer to that is that I, like the disciples, lacked faith; however I will no longer approach it like this. I want to rest in the Lord. God wants to take my burdens away and place His yoke upon me. He desires me…and you to rest in Him. When we do so He rescues us from the storms of life and He guides us to our purpose. Friends, Rest in Him and He will open your eyes to things that will take your breath away, I have been there and I will be there again…and so will you. God bless each and every one of you.
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Finding Our Purpose: Resting in Him pt. 2
Ok, ok, so resting in the Lord is harder than it sounds, huh? Yeah, I admit, after writing the last blog I still, for some reason, had a problem taking my advice and resting in Him. Maybe it’s this feeling that if I sit back and rest, I am actually doing nothing. Well, that’s actually the point. Resting in the Lord is basically unloading our burdens, our fears, our shadows, our insecurities, our sins, and our iniquities and placing them at the Father’s feet. There is action in resting. Resting in the Lord isn’t passive, but quite the contrary; it is taking an action of trusting God, of faith in Him, and of unloading your burdens. So before anyone says “I can’t rest…I have too much to do and plus sitting back and doing nothing is not the way I want to do it,” you must realize that this “rest” in the Lord is hard work. The hard work you put into it is actually trusting that God will guide you and help you through whatever it is you need to go through. That’s much harder than any amount of “hard” work.
Resting in the Lord to find your purpose is a hard thing. The term find suggests that YOU are looking for something, but that’s just the issue…God has a purpose for you and it isn’t so much you looking for it as much as it is you waiting for Him to reveal it to you. Resting in the Lord requires patience and faith, which I will admit to you that I lack in both area from time to time, and sometimes at the same time. Resting in Him is a difficult task, but it’s something we were built to do. Too many times we get to a point where we decide that we are going to take the reins of our lives and go from hobby to hobby, job to job, etc… so that we can have the ultimate control, but what we end up finding is that living in such a way leaves us empty and, somehow, scarred. God designed us to rest. Genesis 2:2-3 “By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. And God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done.” God’s desire for us is to be like Him. We must take time to rest so that we can spend that time connecting with our Father. It is difficult, if not impossible, to maintain a relationship if you don’t invest in it. So when you aren’t resting in the Lord you aren’t investing in a deeper relationship with Him. If you aren’t in communion with Him, how then can He reveal His greater purpose for your life to you?
We get so busy in our lives, always on the move, always trying new things, always…doing. We aren’t human doings, we are human beings and in that we need to remember to “be.” Psalm 46:10 “’Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.’” We must “be” still and trust the Lord. Let me challenge each of you, and myself included, to be still in the Lord. Stop filling your schedule with tasks and hobbies and instead let the Lord move in you. Let Him take the reins for a while and you can rest in Him. In this you will find peace and through this He will show you His purpose for you and me.
Resting in the Lord to find your purpose is a hard thing. The term find suggests that YOU are looking for something, but that’s just the issue…God has a purpose for you and it isn’t so much you looking for it as much as it is you waiting for Him to reveal it to you. Resting in the Lord requires patience and faith, which I will admit to you that I lack in both area from time to time, and sometimes at the same time. Resting in Him is a difficult task, but it’s something we were built to do. Too many times we get to a point where we decide that we are going to take the reins of our lives and go from hobby to hobby, job to job, etc… so that we can have the ultimate control, but what we end up finding is that living in such a way leaves us empty and, somehow, scarred. God designed us to rest. Genesis 2:2-3 “By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work. And God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done.” God’s desire for us is to be like Him. We must take time to rest so that we can spend that time connecting with our Father. It is difficult, if not impossible, to maintain a relationship if you don’t invest in it. So when you aren’t resting in the Lord you aren’t investing in a deeper relationship with Him. If you aren’t in communion with Him, how then can He reveal His greater purpose for your life to you?
We get so busy in our lives, always on the move, always trying new things, always…doing. We aren’t human doings, we are human beings and in that we need to remember to “be.” Psalm 46:10 “’Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.’” We must “be” still and trust the Lord. Let me challenge each of you, and myself included, to be still in the Lord. Stop filling your schedule with tasks and hobbies and instead let the Lord move in you. Let Him take the reins for a while and you can rest in Him. In this you will find peace and through this He will show you His purpose for you and me.
Saturday, February 28, 2009
Finding Our Purpose: Resting in Him
So I recently had a breakdown before God. I have been through a tumultuous time recently and rather than taking my issues to God and laying them at the altar, I placed them on myself and tried to handle them with my own hands. It’s amazing what the human soul can bear before it breaks down. I wasn’t able to see that I had placed so much upon myself until I was crumbling into a million little pieces. Even strong men fall when placing the world on their shoulders. We all want to be like Atlas who had the heavens and the Earth placed on his shoulders. We weren’t designed to heap it all upon ourselves. To better illustrate my point I will borrow a line from Above the Golden State’s song, Sound of Your Name:
“The strong man falls to Him who humbles
The plans he made were bound to stumble
And only You remain
Only You remain”
The issue here is that we truly aren’t created to be Atlas. We were created to be strong, but also to depend on God. I failed to see this for a while and as life started to come at me hardcore I snowballed downhill, picking up more and more as I raced downward. I lost sight of what God had in store for me because my mind, my soul, my thoughts, my heart were clouded with the crud I had picked heaped upon myself. So how is it that we are to see our purpose in the midst of trials and tribulations. Well, then answer to that is simple and yet difficult to do…rest in the Lord.
Resting in the Lord requires letting go. That is easier said than done, especially when you feel like things are getting out of your control. It is human nature to clamp down and grab control when things are slipping away, but there has to be a point where we realize we can’t do it on our own. The same goes when we are trying to find our purpose. We can search high and low, attempt this and attempt that, spend a ton of money and time trying to discover what out purpose is, but still walk away empty handed. This is where resting in the Lord comes in to play. Rather than trying to carry our burdens through life, we need to get to a point where we lay them down at His feet so that we may walk through life without the shackles that tie us down. You see, there is an Enemy out there who desires to keep you from fulfilling your God given purpose. The Enemy will hold you back and remind you of all your troubles and faults. In doing so the Enemy can prevent you from seeing what God’s plan is. So how can we overcome this? How can we avoid the Enemy’s traps and fulfill God’s purpose for our life? Rest in Him.
You have to understand that resting in the Lord is not passive, but quite the opposite. It is ceasing from all your selfish desires and struggles to attain the life that you want. Isaiah 45:9 says it this way:
“Woe to him who quarrels with his Maker,
to him who is but a potsherd among the potsherds on the ground.
Does the clay say to the potter,
'What are you making?'
Does your work say,
'He has no hands'?”
Woe to him who quarrels with God. Wow. There is action in resting in the Lord. We have to CEASE (which is an action verb) to “quarrel” with God and we have to REST (another action verb) in the Lord. When we cease to struggle with God, we give Him an opportunity to do a work in us. When the Lord works in us He carries His perfect and pleasing will in us. I would rather spend one day in the Lord’s will than a thousand doing my own will. When we submit to God we can truly see Him work out His purpose in our lives and thusly we discover what it is we were CREATED to do.
Philippians 2:12-18 “Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.
Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the word of life—in order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor for nothing. But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you. So you too should be glad and rejoice with me.”
God’s desire is for us to rest in Him and lay our burdens at our feet. It is once we do this we can truly let go of the things that hold us back from reaching the prize He’s set aside for us. I know it is easier said than done, trust me I do know this, but it is something that must be done. If you want to shake off the shackles that hold you back, rest in Him who is sufficient. Only then can you begin to see what His purpose is for you.
“The strong man falls to Him who humbles
The plans he made were bound to stumble
And only You remain
Only You remain”
The issue here is that we truly aren’t created to be Atlas. We were created to be strong, but also to depend on God. I failed to see this for a while and as life started to come at me hardcore I snowballed downhill, picking up more and more as I raced downward. I lost sight of what God had in store for me because my mind, my soul, my thoughts, my heart were clouded with the crud I had picked heaped upon myself. So how is it that we are to see our purpose in the midst of trials and tribulations. Well, then answer to that is simple and yet difficult to do…rest in the Lord.
Resting in the Lord requires letting go. That is easier said than done, especially when you feel like things are getting out of your control. It is human nature to clamp down and grab control when things are slipping away, but there has to be a point where we realize we can’t do it on our own. The same goes when we are trying to find our purpose. We can search high and low, attempt this and attempt that, spend a ton of money and time trying to discover what out purpose is, but still walk away empty handed. This is where resting in the Lord comes in to play. Rather than trying to carry our burdens through life, we need to get to a point where we lay them down at His feet so that we may walk through life without the shackles that tie us down. You see, there is an Enemy out there who desires to keep you from fulfilling your God given purpose. The Enemy will hold you back and remind you of all your troubles and faults. In doing so the Enemy can prevent you from seeing what God’s plan is. So how can we overcome this? How can we avoid the Enemy’s traps and fulfill God’s purpose for our life? Rest in Him.
You have to understand that resting in the Lord is not passive, but quite the opposite. It is ceasing from all your selfish desires and struggles to attain the life that you want. Isaiah 45:9 says it this way:
“Woe to him who quarrels with his Maker,
to him who is but a potsherd among the potsherds on the ground.
Does the clay say to the potter,
'What are you making?'
Does your work say,
'He has no hands'?”
Woe to him who quarrels with God. Wow. There is action in resting in the Lord. We have to CEASE (which is an action verb) to “quarrel” with God and we have to REST (another action verb) in the Lord. When we cease to struggle with God, we give Him an opportunity to do a work in us. When the Lord works in us He carries His perfect and pleasing will in us. I would rather spend one day in the Lord’s will than a thousand doing my own will. When we submit to God we can truly see Him work out His purpose in our lives and thusly we discover what it is we were CREATED to do.
Philippians 2:12-18 “Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.
Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the word of life—in order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor for nothing. But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you. So you too should be glad and rejoice with me.”
God’s desire is for us to rest in Him and lay our burdens at our feet. It is once we do this we can truly let go of the things that hold us back from reaching the prize He’s set aside for us. I know it is easier said than done, trust me I do know this, but it is something that must be done. If you want to shake off the shackles that hold you back, rest in Him who is sufficient. Only then can you begin to see what His purpose is for you.
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Finding a Light in a Dark Room
Ok, so I have been gone for a while...or at least gone from blogging. My life has been on an emotional rollercoaster over the last six weeks, actually for the last nine months, but the last six weeks have taken me way up and then way down. I just ask for your prayers there. I won't go into the details other than saying I know God has a plan for me and He is with me in the midst of this, but I am having a difficult time actually seeing Him.
I also do see something coming from this...my purpose. I am struggling with what that is and I am praying hard that God will reveal that to me. It's funny, well maybe ironic or sad to say, but last night I watched LOST and saw one of the beloved characters attempt to hang himself. He was doing so because he has lost his faith and lost his purpose. Now I am not saying that I instantly jumped to the thought of "hey...I should do that" but the thought did cross my mind. I think that's when God really grabbed ahold of me. I felt absolutely hopeless last night, like I just can't go on anymore. This pain I feel is about the most intense pain I have ever felt. My heart is broken in a million pieces, my life looks like it is in shambles, and I feel like I have nothing to show for 28 years of existence. But again, God is in control.
Maybe my first 28 years are a wash and maybe God has some big things in store for me in my next 28 years. I have to hold on to that hope and I have to seek out what it is that He wants me to do. So I am just asking for your prayers. Please pray that God will show me what His purpose is for me. I am having a difficult time seeing it, but I know He's calling me...that much I can feel. Love you all and God bless!
I also do see something coming from this...my purpose. I am struggling with what that is and I am praying hard that God will reveal that to me. It's funny, well maybe ironic or sad to say, but last night I watched LOST and saw one of the beloved characters attempt to hang himself. He was doing so because he has lost his faith and lost his purpose. Now I am not saying that I instantly jumped to the thought of "hey...I should do that" but the thought did cross my mind. I think that's when God really grabbed ahold of me. I felt absolutely hopeless last night, like I just can't go on anymore. This pain I feel is about the most intense pain I have ever felt. My heart is broken in a million pieces, my life looks like it is in shambles, and I feel like I have nothing to show for 28 years of existence. But again, God is in control.
Maybe my first 28 years are a wash and maybe God has some big things in store for me in my next 28 years. I have to hold on to that hope and I have to seek out what it is that He wants me to do. So I am just asking for your prayers. Please pray that God will show me what His purpose is for me. I am having a difficult time seeing it, but I know He's calling me...that much I can feel. Love you all and God bless!
Monday, January 19, 2009
President Barack Obama
I don’t like getting political in my blog…in fact I don’t think I ever have, but since we are here today about to make history, I thought it prudent to bring up politics. President Barack Obama. Two years ago did anyone honestly believe we’d be saying that? I know I didn’t. Heck, I didn’t really even know anything about him. Now we flash forward to today and we as a nation are about to make history. And you know what? I for one am thrilled. President Obama brings something different to the office of President of the United States and after the past forty years…that can’t be a bad thing. No, I didn’t vote for President Obama, but I can tell you this, he’s my President and I stand behind him. So Chavez…you and me…we’ve got some beef.
I was talking to a friend back in October about how important this election was for the nation. For the first time ever we had a legitimate chance at seeing a woman be the President and/or the Vice President. In addition to that milestone, we had Barack Obama. I am proud to say that in my lifetime I was able to witness an African American go from small time candidate to legitimate front runner to President. Just the thought of him taking office swells my chest with pride. His story is the American Dream. He overcame adversity that so many people could never imagine and now he is our President. I don’ care what political affiliation, religion, race, color, creed, or gender you are…you have to admit that January 20, 2009 is a special date. I believe seeing him take office instills hope in all Americans that “yes, it is possible to accomplish great things…no matter who you are or where you come from.”
In addition to President Obama overcoming the odds, let’s look at something I consider to be incredibly important…he doesn’t fit into the typical Washington D.C. mold. That’s a great thing! I had my doubts on whether or not he is a uniter, but from the days after the election till today I have seen a man help heal the divisive wounds. He definitely doesn’t fit into the typical D.C. mold. I am already impressed with the way the nation seems to be coming together and he's assembled one heck of a staff. Again, I didn’t vote for him and I am sure I will disagree with his choices at times, but that’s one of the perks of being an American…you don’t have to agree with the President. I can tell you this; however, I will support my President.
I have to say that he has grown on me. It’s because of this that I am challenging myself to be in prayer for him. He will need it. I can’t imagine the pressure and stress of being the President of the United States. I also want to challenge all those who read this blog, be in prayer for our President. In addition to that, be in prayer for our outgoing President. If ever there was a time to pray for this nation now is the time. We have a chance to see peace, unity, and change come to this nation. It is a great time to be alive here in the United States. God bless this nation and God bless each of you.
I was talking to a friend back in October about how important this election was for the nation. For the first time ever we had a legitimate chance at seeing a woman be the President and/or the Vice President. In addition to that milestone, we had Barack Obama. I am proud to say that in my lifetime I was able to witness an African American go from small time candidate to legitimate front runner to President. Just the thought of him taking office swells my chest with pride. His story is the American Dream. He overcame adversity that so many people could never imagine and now he is our President. I don’ care what political affiliation, religion, race, color, creed, or gender you are…you have to admit that January 20, 2009 is a special date. I believe seeing him take office instills hope in all Americans that “yes, it is possible to accomplish great things…no matter who you are or where you come from.”
In addition to President Obama overcoming the odds, let’s look at something I consider to be incredibly important…he doesn’t fit into the typical Washington D.C. mold. That’s a great thing! I had my doubts on whether or not he is a uniter, but from the days after the election till today I have seen a man help heal the divisive wounds. He definitely doesn’t fit into the typical D.C. mold. I am already impressed with the way the nation seems to be coming together and he's assembled one heck of a staff. Again, I didn’t vote for him and I am sure I will disagree with his choices at times, but that’s one of the perks of being an American…you don’t have to agree with the President. I can tell you this; however, I will support my President.
I have to say that he has grown on me. It’s because of this that I am challenging myself to be in prayer for him. He will need it. I can’t imagine the pressure and stress of being the President of the United States. I also want to challenge all those who read this blog, be in prayer for our President. In addition to that, be in prayer for our outgoing President. If ever there was a time to pray for this nation now is the time. We have a chance to see peace, unity, and change come to this nation. It is a great time to be alive here in the United States. God bless this nation and God bless each of you.
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
A horse! A horse! My kingdom for a horse!
It’s funny how little things stick with you over time. It’s those little things that you see, that seem insignificant at the moment, that tend to have a long lasting impact on you. Of course it could just be how my mind works. I seem to always be looking for little signs here and there. It might be because I have watched one too many episodes of Lost, but I personally believe that’s how God hardwired me. I tend to look at nature, whether it’s a sunrise, rainstorm, or bull moose emerging from an alpine stream, and try to hear and see God in that. I personally believe that God speaks through His creation. Luke 19:40 says this “’I tell you,’ he replied, ‘if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.’” God uses His creation to speak to us. Whether it’s a talking donkey, and yes…it happened…see Numbers 22:21-41, or rocks crying out, God is all around, working in His creation, talking to us. And that leads me to the point of my rambling. No, a donkey didn’t talk to me, close, but not quite.
About a year ago I was driving up to Dallas from Katy/Houston. I love taking what I lovingly refer to as the “back roads” to get to Dallas. I can’t stand Interstate 45 so I head through the back roads till I get to Highway 6 and take that to I-35 then onward to Dallas, but I digress. My little story comes from an observation I made while on the “back roads.” I was driving on this little two lane farm-to-market road when I saw something profound. On one side of the road there were about ten or so horses moving around in a moderately sized, fenced in area. It wasn’t huge and the horses didn’t seem to have a great deal of room to maneuver about in. On the other side of the road was a lone horse in a fenced in area that seemed to have no end. The lone horse had all the room in the world to gallop, explore, and just enjoy the freedom that the horses across the road did not have. But you see, it wasn’t the size of the horse pen that I noticed, it was what the lone horse was doing that caught my eye. He sat there at the fence along the road, staring at the ten horses across the way. Now let me paint for you the picture of this horse. He stood about as close to the fence as possible so that he might be able to be as close to the other horses as possible. His head was outstretched as far as it could be in an “almost there…almost there” kind of pose. As I continued by I wondered why this horse didn’t just simply turn around and enjoy his freedom. He had all the room in the world to run around. It didn’t click with me until I realized how much I am, how we all are, like this horse.
The lone horse had freedom; he had something the other horses across the way didn’t have. He had room to run around, take a drink from a cool stream, and just be out in the open, but that’s not what he wanted. What he wanted was to be with the other horses. You see the world and the Kingdom of God are similar to this little horse scenario. On one side is the world and all that it has to offer. On the other side are the things of God. How many times have we as Christians been just like that lone horse? We have freedom in Christ and yet we sit at the edge longing to participate in the world. Why? If we would just turn around and look, we would see that the Lord has given us freedom from the world. We are free from the penalty of sin. Let me repeat that, we are free from the penalty of sin. What is the penalty of sin you ask? Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” We are free in Christ and what a freedom we have. The Lord paid the ransom for our souls on Calvary. That price has been paid, turn around and enjoy the freedom you have in Christ.
Now ideally not only should our goal as Christians be to enjoy the freedom that Christ gave us, but we should also look to bring as many of the other “horses” over into our “pasture.” Heaven is exclusive in the sense that there is only one way to God and that’s through Jesus Christ. John 14:6 “Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.’” While Heaven is exclusive in that sense, the opportunity to get there is for all. And that’s an important thing to remember. We shouldn’t be longing to be of the world. We are set apart and our minds should be on higher things. In addition to that we should also be looking for ways to bring others to the Lord.
So we need to not be like this lone horse, longing to be in the world while the freedom in Christ is right behind us. Let us all revel in the freedom that has been freely given to us and invite others to share in the joy of a life lived in Christ. May your life be well lived and may it be lived to serve Him. Praise the Lord for nature, for I know He still speaks to us through His creation.
About a year ago I was driving up to Dallas from Katy/Houston. I love taking what I lovingly refer to as the “back roads” to get to Dallas. I can’t stand Interstate 45 so I head through the back roads till I get to Highway 6 and take that to I-35 then onward to Dallas, but I digress. My little story comes from an observation I made while on the “back roads.” I was driving on this little two lane farm-to-market road when I saw something profound. On one side of the road there were about ten or so horses moving around in a moderately sized, fenced in area. It wasn’t huge and the horses didn’t seem to have a great deal of room to maneuver about in. On the other side of the road was a lone horse in a fenced in area that seemed to have no end. The lone horse had all the room in the world to gallop, explore, and just enjoy the freedom that the horses across the road did not have. But you see, it wasn’t the size of the horse pen that I noticed, it was what the lone horse was doing that caught my eye. He sat there at the fence along the road, staring at the ten horses across the way. Now let me paint for you the picture of this horse. He stood about as close to the fence as possible so that he might be able to be as close to the other horses as possible. His head was outstretched as far as it could be in an “almost there…almost there” kind of pose. As I continued by I wondered why this horse didn’t just simply turn around and enjoy his freedom. He had all the room in the world to run around. It didn’t click with me until I realized how much I am, how we all are, like this horse.
The lone horse had freedom; he had something the other horses across the way didn’t have. He had room to run around, take a drink from a cool stream, and just be out in the open, but that’s not what he wanted. What he wanted was to be with the other horses. You see the world and the Kingdom of God are similar to this little horse scenario. On one side is the world and all that it has to offer. On the other side are the things of God. How many times have we as Christians been just like that lone horse? We have freedom in Christ and yet we sit at the edge longing to participate in the world. Why? If we would just turn around and look, we would see that the Lord has given us freedom from the world. We are free from the penalty of sin. Let me repeat that, we are free from the penalty of sin. What is the penalty of sin you ask? Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” We are free in Christ and what a freedom we have. The Lord paid the ransom for our souls on Calvary. That price has been paid, turn around and enjoy the freedom you have in Christ.
Now ideally not only should our goal as Christians be to enjoy the freedom that Christ gave us, but we should also look to bring as many of the other “horses” over into our “pasture.” Heaven is exclusive in the sense that there is only one way to God and that’s through Jesus Christ. John 14:6 “Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.’” While Heaven is exclusive in that sense, the opportunity to get there is for all. And that’s an important thing to remember. We shouldn’t be longing to be of the world. We are set apart and our minds should be on higher things. In addition to that we should also be looking for ways to bring others to the Lord.
So we need to not be like this lone horse, longing to be in the world while the freedom in Christ is right behind us. Let us all revel in the freedom that has been freely given to us and invite others to share in the joy of a life lived in Christ. May your life be well lived and may it be lived to serve Him. Praise the Lord for nature, for I know He still speaks to us through His creation.
Friday, January 2, 2009
From a Father to a son
I sat down and prayed on the first morning of 2009 to usher in the New Year. As I sat there and reflected on what has been and what is to come, I felt a stir in me. I have never been one on New Year’s resolutions...and I won't be starting today, but what I did get from my quiet time was a good Father to son "guide" on how to move forward into this New Year. I want to share what God laid on my heart that morning...(this is from God's perspective)
My son,
As you move into a new year, I want you to remember a few things that will greatly improve the quality of your life and those around you.
-Smile more and watch as others follow suit
-Listen more than you speak
-Don't sweat the small things
-Laughter IS the best medicine and it’s contagious
-How you see yourself is how others see you...so see yourself through My eyes
-Patience is more than a virtue...it’s a necessity
-Being late...who cares
-Have fun and seek joy
-Stop and soak up My creation from time to time
-Love more...even if it is risky
-Be a true friend and a good friend
-You're never too old to play tag with your niece
-Dancing in the rain is good for the soul
-Lie down in the grass and stare at the clouds
-Be intentional about your actions...but never intentionally hurt someone
-Don't be too proud to ask for forgiveness
-Be quick to forgive others
-Don’t run away from problems
-Let go of bitterness before it grabs onto you
-Put others ahead of yourself
-Rejoice at the sunrise, for each day is full of new promise
-Don't be afraid of getting hurt or falling down
-Relationships are more important than rules
-Do take time to stop and smell the roses
-Don't let golden opportunities pass you by
-Don't let busy-ness cause you to miss out on a full life
-Never be afraid to shed a tear
-Take care of yourself spiritually, emotionally, and physically
-Times may get tough, but I will be there to guide you...or to carry you
-Take time to serve for it renews your spirit
-Take time out of your day to spend with Me...I cherish that time with you
-Trust in the Me
These things are simple and don't cost you anything, but time. Don't waste the time I have given you, spend it and spend it wisely. And never, EVER forget my son...I love you!
Love,
Your Father
What great advice from a Father to a son. I hope that everyone who reads this sees it not as an impossible task, but instead as a way to really find joy in life. I know I have already started on this and it’s already greatly improved my life. So here’s to a blessed New Year! May this year be your best year yet!
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