So something struck me as I sat in traffic on 635 yesterday…and no, I it wasn’t another car, although I figure the odds are in favor of that happening eventually on this road. No what struck me is how incredibly dangerous 635 is. I think my chances of safety are better in a dark alley on the wrong side of town than driving on 635. So there I sat, in traffic, for the second time in three days (the other day having been Sunday in which I did not touch 635) watching the sign on the side of the road flashing “Traffic accident ahead.” I am fairly certain that the stretch of 635 between the Central Expressway and I-35 is one of America’s top accident prone roadways. Only a few days before, on my way to my company Christmas party, did I sit in my car for an hour while the freeway was shut down. It’s starting to become an expectation with me…travel 635 at your own peril. Of course I could take another route, but there is none as direct at driving on 635. So as I sat in my car, it dawned on me how often we take dangerous roads, whether we do so because we have to or because we choose to. Either way, dangerous roads are a part of life.
As I sat there and let that truth marinate for a while, I realized that the Bible is full of stories about roads, some dangerous, some narrow, some where transformations take place. It is very obvious that there is significance in this. We travel dangerous roads daily. It may be sin that is the danger, it could be true physical danger, it could be emotional, spiritual, etc…, but we do in fact travel dangerous roads. Now this isn’t to invoke fear or cause doubt or sorrow, but this is to make you, to make everyone aware that our safety is in the Lord, not traveling down the road of life. Too many times we put our trust and faith in the road we are on. We pop it in cruise control and our mind drifts off. Distractions come about and the next thing we know, we are off course or worse yet, we’ve encountered destruction. God wants our focus to be on Him and Him alone. In my realization of this I recalled a story that I have always found to be incredible. The people of Israel were being led out of Egypt and towards the Promised Land by Moses. On this road the people of Israel began to lose their focus on the Lord. Instead they complained and grumbled. Because of this, God sent poisonous snakes and many people died. Destruction had come to the people of Israel because they had lost their focus. I want you to read this though, and see what He does. Amazing…
Numbers 21:4-9
“They traveled from Mount Hor along the route to the Red Sea, to go around Edom. But the people grew impatient on the way; they spoke against God and against Moses, and said, ‘Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the desert? There is no bread! There is no water! And we detest this miserable food!’
Then the LORD sent venomous snakes among them; they bit the people and many Israelites died. The people came to Moses and said, ‘We sinned when we spoke against the LORD and against you. Pray that the LORD will take the snakes away from us.’ So Moses prayed for the people.
The LORD said to Moses, ‘Make a snake and put it up on a pole; anyone who is bitten can look at it and live.’ So Moses made a bronze snake and put it up on a pole. Then when anyone was bitten by a snake and looked at the bronze snake, he lived.”
To the Jews, the snake on a pole symbolized a defeated serpent, but the significance of this story isn’t fully realized until Jesus says this in John. John 3:14-15: “Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life.” Wow. The people stared at the symbol that was meant to symbolize Christ’s death on the cross and they lived. You see on these dangerous roads in life, it is so very easy to lose sight and at times we encounter our own personal destruction, but God’s desire for us is spelled out clearly in the Gospel. If we set our sights on Jesus He will guide us through and keep us safe. He is our cloud by day and our fire by night. He desires to walk us through these tough times, hand in hand, and at times He lifts us up and carries us. I don’t know about you, but that may just be the BEST news I’ve heard.
I can say that it feels like my life is nothing but dangerous road after dangerous road. It feels like all I do is duck and dodge one calamity after another, but as I sat there in traffic on that cold, foggy December evening I realized something. I realized that my focus needs to be on the cross. No matter the weather, no matter the road, no matter the circumstances, my focus must be on Jesus. Life can be trying at times, but God isn’t going anywhere. Contrary to Nietzsche God is most definitely NOT dead. He is very much alive and His desire is to make that known by His Spirit through Christ alone. No matter the trials, no matter the danger of the road, Jesus is there. Let these words remind you that Jesus is there with you. John 16:33 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” There is no one greater to put my faith in than the One who has overcome the world.
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Amazing Grace
Have you ever had one of THOSE days? I’m talking about those days where about halfway through it you realize how you should have stayed in bed. Yeah…THOSE days. Well, we all have those days. It’s just kind of a part of life. I am not trying to be a pessimist or trying to be antagonistic, but I am trying to be realistic. Plus I know there isn’t a person reading this who can honestly say they haven’t had one of those days. Well, I recently had one of those days. I think I knew it would be like that when the alarm went off and my first reaction was to throw the blankets over my head and groan. I knew it would be one of those days where I needed grace.
I woke up and did my normal thing all day long, but the problem was that all day long it felt like I was going through the motions. I wasn’t doing anything out of the ordinary, wasn’t really…living. My day was, using the greatest adjective that comes to mind…blah. It was just a “blah” kind of day. As the day wore on it truly felt like there wasn’t much that would go right. I ran into roadblock after roadblock at work, which compounded my already increasing stress from traffic on the way in to work, and then to make matters worse, rather than relying on God to be my source of peace, my source of hope…well…I decided to push forward on my own…only frustrating me spiritually. It wasn’t till I sat down and truly reflected on what I had read that morning that I realized that the Lord was calling me to rely on Him for peace…and had been all day. This particular morning I read 1 Samuel 2:1-11 and I realized just how much I needed that on this particular day. You see, this little section in 1 Samuel is called “Hannah’s Prayer.” Hannah prayed this prayer as she celebrated what the Lord had done.
Hannah was a woman of faith. If you haven’t read about her or about her faith, I highly recommend it. She was Samuel’s mother, but that’s not the full story. She was also barren. She wasn’t able to have children, and in fact is says “the Lord had closed her womb.” She didn’t let this major inconvenience hold her back. She knew in her heart what she wanted and she knew in her heart the Lord’s will for her life. She prayed earnestly, “O Lord Almighty, if you will only look upon your servant’s misery and remember me, and not forget your servant but give her a son, then I will give him to the Lord for all the days of his life, and no razor will ever be used on his head.” 1 Sam. 1:11. Wow…wow… I want THAT faith…to look at the impossible and say “nope, that’s not impossible!” Not only did God hear her cry and gave her a son, but He blessed her and she had many children. In fact later on it says “the Lord was gracious to Hannah” when he blessed her with more children. God’s grace granted Hannah the “cry” of her heart and He went above and beyond. Now THAT’s grace!
After taking some time to let all this settle in I realized that I still struggle with the clichéd term “let go and let God!” Yeah, it can be a hard thing to do, but at the same time, what a blessing when He hears you. As this hit me on my drive home from a tough day I just worshipped the Lord. No matter how bad a day can be, God is bigger. No matter how tough a season can be, God is greater. No matter how insurmountable an obstacle may seem, God is bigger. I chose to let traffic, and stress, and life, and finances get in the way of what kind of day the Lord wanted for me. I was overlooking the peace, and hope, and grace He offers every second, every minute. So yeah, when it hit me, all I could do was worship. I am so thankful that I saw Him in the midst of a bad day…because the story doesn’t end there. See, this whole thing is about grace for me. I was desperately in need of it on my incredibly stressful and bad day. Well, wouldn’t you know…God had a nice dose of grace just waiting for me. I was driving on a road that I’ve never driven on before, near my apartment and it was dark. I will admit, I wasn’t paying attention to the posted speed limit. So as I was driving down this dark, unfamiliar road I saw these headlights very close to me and I thought “hmmm..why are they on my tail” but those questions were erased when the red and blue lights flicked on. I knew for sure that I was about to get my first speeding ticket. I was going 50 in a 35. There was NO way I was getting out of this. I just sat and prayed to God that the police officer would show me some grace. After about ten minutes and a good talk, he let me off with a warning. You know something, God is great and His grace is amazing.
So many times we sit back and we try to let all the crud just affect us. I do it all the time. Why? Why do I do this when God is calling out to me? He desires to show His children love. Yes, sometimes that means justice, but most of the time is means grace. God shows His love to us time and time again when He gives us things we definitely don’t deserve and don’t make sense. I have a great job, a great apartment, great health, great friends, an incredible girlfriend, and a loving family. If these people and these things aren’t evidence of God’s grace in my life, then I don’t know what is, and the sad thing is that I so often overlook it all because I want to focus on the negative. Very often I want to be like Alexander and huff and puff about my “Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day” but at the same time God is saying “lay it at my feet, let it go, and in my you’ll find peace.” He desires grace for you and for me. I am so very thankful that I had this bad day and that He showed Himself to me in the midst of this. This particular day was a very teachable day and I am thankful He opened my eyes so that I could see and learn.
I believe the psalmist discusses grace and protection very well in Psalm 121.
“I raise my eyes toward the mountains.
Where will my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord,
the Maker of heaven and earth.
He will not allow your foot to slip
your protector will not slumber.
Indeed, the Protector of Israel does not slumber or sleep.
The Lord protects you. The Lord is a shelter right by your side.
The sun will not strike you by day or the moon by night. The Lord will protect you from all harm;
He will protect your life.
The Lord will protect your coming and going,
both now and forever.”
God’s desire is grace for us, all we have to do is “raise our eyes” to know where our true help comes from. Grace is still a mystery to me, or rather, I still find it difficult to grasp. Incredible, marvelous, astounding, astonishing, wonderful, miraculous, inconceivable, amazing grace…I am not sure I will ever “get” it while I am here on this earth, but oh how sweet it is, how sweet it is.
I woke up and did my normal thing all day long, but the problem was that all day long it felt like I was going through the motions. I wasn’t doing anything out of the ordinary, wasn’t really…living. My day was, using the greatest adjective that comes to mind…blah. It was just a “blah” kind of day. As the day wore on it truly felt like there wasn’t much that would go right. I ran into roadblock after roadblock at work, which compounded my already increasing stress from traffic on the way in to work, and then to make matters worse, rather than relying on God to be my source of peace, my source of hope…well…I decided to push forward on my own…only frustrating me spiritually. It wasn’t till I sat down and truly reflected on what I had read that morning that I realized that the Lord was calling me to rely on Him for peace…and had been all day. This particular morning I read 1 Samuel 2:1-11 and I realized just how much I needed that on this particular day. You see, this little section in 1 Samuel is called “Hannah’s Prayer.” Hannah prayed this prayer as she celebrated what the Lord had done.
Hannah was a woman of faith. If you haven’t read about her or about her faith, I highly recommend it. She was Samuel’s mother, but that’s not the full story. She was also barren. She wasn’t able to have children, and in fact is says “the Lord had closed her womb.” She didn’t let this major inconvenience hold her back. She knew in her heart what she wanted and she knew in her heart the Lord’s will for her life. She prayed earnestly, “O Lord Almighty, if you will only look upon your servant’s misery and remember me, and not forget your servant but give her a son, then I will give him to the Lord for all the days of his life, and no razor will ever be used on his head.” 1 Sam. 1:11. Wow…wow… I want THAT faith…to look at the impossible and say “nope, that’s not impossible!” Not only did God hear her cry and gave her a son, but He blessed her and she had many children. In fact later on it says “the Lord was gracious to Hannah” when he blessed her with more children. God’s grace granted Hannah the “cry” of her heart and He went above and beyond. Now THAT’s grace!
After taking some time to let all this settle in I realized that I still struggle with the clichéd term “let go and let God!” Yeah, it can be a hard thing to do, but at the same time, what a blessing when He hears you. As this hit me on my drive home from a tough day I just worshipped the Lord. No matter how bad a day can be, God is bigger. No matter how tough a season can be, God is greater. No matter how insurmountable an obstacle may seem, God is bigger. I chose to let traffic, and stress, and life, and finances get in the way of what kind of day the Lord wanted for me. I was overlooking the peace, and hope, and grace He offers every second, every minute. So yeah, when it hit me, all I could do was worship. I am so thankful that I saw Him in the midst of a bad day…because the story doesn’t end there. See, this whole thing is about grace for me. I was desperately in need of it on my incredibly stressful and bad day. Well, wouldn’t you know…God had a nice dose of grace just waiting for me. I was driving on a road that I’ve never driven on before, near my apartment and it was dark. I will admit, I wasn’t paying attention to the posted speed limit. So as I was driving down this dark, unfamiliar road I saw these headlights very close to me and I thought “hmmm..why are they on my tail” but those questions were erased when the red and blue lights flicked on. I knew for sure that I was about to get my first speeding ticket. I was going 50 in a 35. There was NO way I was getting out of this. I just sat and prayed to God that the police officer would show me some grace. After about ten minutes and a good talk, he let me off with a warning. You know something, God is great and His grace is amazing.
So many times we sit back and we try to let all the crud just affect us. I do it all the time. Why? Why do I do this when God is calling out to me? He desires to show His children love. Yes, sometimes that means justice, but most of the time is means grace. God shows His love to us time and time again when He gives us things we definitely don’t deserve and don’t make sense. I have a great job, a great apartment, great health, great friends, an incredible girlfriend, and a loving family. If these people and these things aren’t evidence of God’s grace in my life, then I don’t know what is, and the sad thing is that I so often overlook it all because I want to focus on the negative. Very often I want to be like Alexander and huff and puff about my “Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day” but at the same time God is saying “lay it at my feet, let it go, and in my you’ll find peace.” He desires grace for you and for me. I am so very thankful that I had this bad day and that He showed Himself to me in the midst of this. This particular day was a very teachable day and I am thankful He opened my eyes so that I could see and learn.
I believe the psalmist discusses grace and protection very well in Psalm 121.
“I raise my eyes toward the mountains.
Where will my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord,
the Maker of heaven and earth.
He will not allow your foot to slip
your protector will not slumber.
Indeed, the Protector of Israel does not slumber or sleep.
The Lord protects you. The Lord is a shelter right by your side.
The sun will not strike you by day or the moon by night. The Lord will protect you from all harm;
He will protect your life.
The Lord will protect your coming and going,
both now and forever.”
God’s desire is grace for us, all we have to do is “raise our eyes” to know where our true help comes from. Grace is still a mystery to me, or rather, I still find it difficult to grasp. Incredible, marvelous, astounding, astonishing, wonderful, miraculous, inconceivable, amazing grace…I am not sure I will ever “get” it while I am here on this earth, but oh how sweet it is, how sweet it is.
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Welcome back Kotter …er…Justin
Well I want to say that it’s GREAT to be back to writing. I will be back on the series of finding your purpose soon. I’ve taken a long (too long) break from writing, but I’ve actually had a chance to see God move in my life and it’s given me some insight into finding my/our purpose. So let me say that I have personally been affected by faith and patience and that when I do get back to the series it will come directly from my heart and from my experience.
First of all, let’s just give a little update on what has been going on in my life in the last two and a half months… Ok, so the last time I wrote was about at the end of April. Things were starting to change at about that time, big changes. It was at the end of April that a good friend of mine told me about a job opportunity in North Texas. I was excited and frightened out of my mind to go for this job. Aside from college, I’ve lived in Houston all my life. Yes, I travel and yes I’ve been far away from home, but leaving home…well that was something new to me. I applied and over the course of a month the company and I met via phone, email, and finally face to face. It was a perfect fit and over that month God really did a work in me to prepare me. He opened my eyes and showed me that living isn’t living if you’re afraid to move. Helen Keller so eloquently put it like this: “Security is mostly a superstition. It does not exist in nature, nor do the children of men as a whole experience it. Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure. Life is either a daring adventure, or nothing.”
The next big thing to happen was an incredible trip to California. It just so happened that the trip occurred right after my final day of work at my previous company and two weeks before my new job (and city) would begin. California was life changing for me. I met some great people who helped me along the way. I’ve compared life to a hiking trail before, and it still holds true. I was hiking up, well, climbing would be a great way to put it too, but hiking up to summit Half Dome when I met some awesome people who allowed me to hike with them the rest of the way. And you know, that was a God blessed thing because as Justin’s luck or whatever would have it, once I reached the summit of Half Dome I dropped my camera and broke it. Fortunately my new friends were gracious enough to take pictures and then email them to me. That’s how it is in life. We meet special people that may help us get through a season or may help us for a moment, but they leave a lasting impact. Well, this hike affected me spiritually, emotionally, and physically. Spiritually I had to rely on the Lord to get through this hike. I turned back three times before I heard a small voice telling me it would be ok…more on the spiritual part later. Emotionally I broke down on this hike. I wept as I thought about leaving my home, my family, my friends behind and moving to a new city. Yes, I had friends…well, I have Shaun and Angie…heck the whole McClain family which is my second family so yeah, but still, I was leaving familiarity for something not familiar. And it also broke my heart to leave my niece. I’ve seen her grow from coming home from the hospital to a beautiful 6 and a half year old. So that WAS HARD!! Physically, I was exhausted. I probably burned about 10,000 calories that day and, even though I was eating along the trail, I nearly passed out in Yosemite Village after the hike. That night I slept through three text messages and a phone call and woke up 14 hours later. The rest of the trip was amazing. After Half Dome I felt closer to God. I felt as if we’d connected intimately. I journaled the day before Half Dome that I was giving my life (well, of course), but specifically I was giving God my finances, my job, my future, and my romantic life (future girlfriend/spouse) to the Lord. Let’s just say this…it’s paid off in huge, HUGE dividends. I went to Napa and Sonoma Valley after leaving Yosemite and it was a chance to unwind and just enjoy myself. I’ve laughed more, smiled more, and have generally just enjoyed life more since my trip. I don’t fear being alone, as evidenced by eating in some pretty swanky places in Napa all by my lonesome. I enjoyed it and in a way, I don’t think this trip could have been what it was if I hadn’t been alone.
God truly blessed that and He’s blessed my faith and courage through both the move to Dallas and the trip to California. I look back over the last year or so and I see that what God has been doing in me is preparing me for this changed. A year ago I would not have considered Dallas as an option and I thoroughly enjoyed my control over the certain areas I specifically gave to God. Once I released these things and gave them to God, He opened the floodgates of blessing. I have an incredible job and I know that this is the place He wants me to be at. I have an incredibly blessed life and that’s not to brag, but instead it’s to tell a tale of how God took me from a situation that spelled gloom and doom for me and He delivered me from it. I haven’t experienced joy like I am experiencing now. He’s taken every area I specifically prayed for and released and He’s blessed me in all those areas…that’s right all of ‘em. ;) Again, it’s not to brag, but to just tell a tale that if we are to be purposeful people we have to be willing to move forward in faith, be patient, and let God handle it. I’ve been here in Dallas three weeks and it feels right, well…it is right…and this past Sunday…well…I know what it means now to wait patiently on Him and He will bless you in ways that you can’t ever imagine. This is exactly where I am supposed to be, and there’s nothing better than being right where God wants you. So lean on the Lord and listen to His voice as it calls you. Don’t put your faith in yourself, put in the Most Holy God, the Savior Jesus Christ and embrace the rich and blessed life He has in store for you.
Proverbs 3:5-12 “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and shun evil. This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones. Honor the LORD with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops; then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine. My son, do not despise the LORD's discipline and do not resent his rebuke, because the LORD disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in."
So that’s what’s been up! I am glad to be back to writing and am looking forward to pouring myself out on paper (well, ok, the Internet…whatever) as well as looking forward to giving you some personal life updates in the future.
First of all, let’s just give a little update on what has been going on in my life in the last two and a half months… Ok, so the last time I wrote was about at the end of April. Things were starting to change at about that time, big changes. It was at the end of April that a good friend of mine told me about a job opportunity in North Texas. I was excited and frightened out of my mind to go for this job. Aside from college, I’ve lived in Houston all my life. Yes, I travel and yes I’ve been far away from home, but leaving home…well that was something new to me. I applied and over the course of a month the company and I met via phone, email, and finally face to face. It was a perfect fit and over that month God really did a work in me to prepare me. He opened my eyes and showed me that living isn’t living if you’re afraid to move. Helen Keller so eloquently put it like this: “Security is mostly a superstition. It does not exist in nature, nor do the children of men as a whole experience it. Avoiding danger is no safer in the long run than outright exposure. Life is either a daring adventure, or nothing.”
The next big thing to happen was an incredible trip to California. It just so happened that the trip occurred right after my final day of work at my previous company and two weeks before my new job (and city) would begin. California was life changing for me. I met some great people who helped me along the way. I’ve compared life to a hiking trail before, and it still holds true. I was hiking up, well, climbing would be a great way to put it too, but hiking up to summit Half Dome when I met some awesome people who allowed me to hike with them the rest of the way. And you know, that was a God blessed thing because as Justin’s luck or whatever would have it, once I reached the summit of Half Dome I dropped my camera and broke it. Fortunately my new friends were gracious enough to take pictures and then email them to me. That’s how it is in life. We meet special people that may help us get through a season or may help us for a moment, but they leave a lasting impact. Well, this hike affected me spiritually, emotionally, and physically. Spiritually I had to rely on the Lord to get through this hike. I turned back three times before I heard a small voice telling me it would be ok…more on the spiritual part later. Emotionally I broke down on this hike. I wept as I thought about leaving my home, my family, my friends behind and moving to a new city. Yes, I had friends…well, I have Shaun and Angie…heck the whole McClain family which is my second family so yeah, but still, I was leaving familiarity for something not familiar. And it also broke my heart to leave my niece. I’ve seen her grow from coming home from the hospital to a beautiful 6 and a half year old. So that WAS HARD!! Physically, I was exhausted. I probably burned about 10,000 calories that day and, even though I was eating along the trail, I nearly passed out in Yosemite Village after the hike. That night I slept through three text messages and a phone call and woke up 14 hours later. The rest of the trip was amazing. After Half Dome I felt closer to God. I felt as if we’d connected intimately. I journaled the day before Half Dome that I was giving my life (well, of course), but specifically I was giving God my finances, my job, my future, and my romantic life (future girlfriend/spouse) to the Lord. Let’s just say this…it’s paid off in huge, HUGE dividends. I went to Napa and Sonoma Valley after leaving Yosemite and it was a chance to unwind and just enjoy myself. I’ve laughed more, smiled more, and have generally just enjoyed life more since my trip. I don’t fear being alone, as evidenced by eating in some pretty swanky places in Napa all by my lonesome. I enjoyed it and in a way, I don’t think this trip could have been what it was if I hadn’t been alone.
God truly blessed that and He’s blessed my faith and courage through both the move to Dallas and the trip to California. I look back over the last year or so and I see that what God has been doing in me is preparing me for this changed. A year ago I would not have considered Dallas as an option and I thoroughly enjoyed my control over the certain areas I specifically gave to God. Once I released these things and gave them to God, He opened the floodgates of blessing. I have an incredible job and I know that this is the place He wants me to be at. I have an incredibly blessed life and that’s not to brag, but instead it’s to tell a tale of how God took me from a situation that spelled gloom and doom for me and He delivered me from it. I haven’t experienced joy like I am experiencing now. He’s taken every area I specifically prayed for and released and He’s blessed me in all those areas…that’s right all of ‘em. ;) Again, it’s not to brag, but to just tell a tale that if we are to be purposeful people we have to be willing to move forward in faith, be patient, and let God handle it. I’ve been here in Dallas three weeks and it feels right, well…it is right…and this past Sunday…well…I know what it means now to wait patiently on Him and He will bless you in ways that you can’t ever imagine. This is exactly where I am supposed to be, and there’s nothing better than being right where God wants you. So lean on the Lord and listen to His voice as it calls you. Don’t put your faith in yourself, put in the Most Holy God, the Savior Jesus Christ and embrace the rich and blessed life He has in store for you.
Proverbs 3:5-12 “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and shun evil. This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones. Honor the LORD with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops; then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine. My son, do not despise the LORD's discipline and do not resent his rebuke, because the LORD disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in."
So that’s what’s been up! I am glad to be back to writing and am looking forward to pouring myself out on paper (well, ok, the Internet…whatever) as well as looking forward to giving you some personal life updates in the future.
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
I am alive!!!
I just wanted to post an update. Internet connectivity, cell phone reception, etc... is fairly crummy where I am. So with this little window of time I wanted to say that I survived both rafting and my Half Dome summit. My camera bit the dust when I dropped it and broke it on Half Dome, but that's ok. I will get a new one and I made some great new friends while hiking. Earl (one of the people I met) took some pictures of my on top of Half Dome and using the cables coming back down. The hike was incredible and it truly tested me physically, mentally, and spiritually. In fact I think I see something incredible that God is doing in me and in my life on this trip. He is making all things new. Last year when I went to Colorado He helped me refocus my life on Him and on Christ. Through that trip I was able to shave off the crap and truly be the man God wanted me to be. Now this trip...well this trip is about making a new life. I've met some incredible people on this trip...one in particular, I have a new job and city to go to when I get back, I have a new outlook on things, my attitude and my health are renewed. The list goes on, but what I see is God's hand moving in my life. He refocused me a year ago to prepare me for the loss I would endure, but also for the new things, people, places, relationships He would bring me. Thank you God for making all things new.
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
A Blog Long Overdue
Ok, so I have wrestled with writing this particular blog. As you can tell I have been a bit negligent in my blogging over the past month. That has everything to do with the subject at hand. I feel that once I get this out there then I will be able to get back to “Finding Our Purpose.” This is a very personal and sensitive subject to me, but I do feel like I would be lying through omission if I didn’t come out and say it.
Ok, so here goes…I recently went through a rough divorce. The fault doesn’t fall on any one person to be honest. I would be unfair if I laid blame on anyone else, but myself. Now, I know that it takes two people for things like this to happen, but examining myself I learned that I wasn’t being the man of God I needed to be which led to strife and fighting within the marriage. Upon separating a year ago I vowed to grow closer to God, to have Him do a work in me and make me the man He intended me to be. I thought that in doing so He would reconcile things and restore my marriage. This, obviously, did not happen, but something did happen in me.
You see, God did a work in me that I can’t really put into words, but I’ll try anyway. I realized that I had grown comfortable with life. I was in a rut in the worst way. What God did was remove me from a place of comfort and He placed me in the wilderness. I was either going to die doing this myself or I was going to go through this journey with Him as my guide.
Psalm 23
1 The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.
2 He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,
3 he restores my soul.
He guides me in paths of righteousness
for his name's sake.
4 Even though I walk
through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.
5 You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
6 Surely goodness and love will follow me
all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the LORD
forever.
The Psalmist pretty much sums up my daily prayer for almost a year and sums up the journey I took. See, early on in this separation/divorce I was angry. The fear/comfort/anger/etc… that had built up in the marriage spilled over into my personal life. Spiritually I was a mess, emotionally I was a wreck, and physically…well…the 45-50 pounds I lost during that time weren’t ALL from working out. The downward spiral I had begun during my marriage had carried over and I was now in a freefall.
I am not sure what it was, but I had a moment of peace just long enough to hear the Spirit calling me into the wild. After about a month and a half tailspin I let it go. I let go of the things holding me back. That’s not saying I gave up on the marriage, on the contrary, I realized to restore something lost I would have to allow God to restore me. So I planned a trip to the quiet wilderness of the majestic mountains in Colorado. It would be a time in which I would undergo intense physical, emotional, and spiritual trials. I would have to push myself. I went on this trip as a man who didn’t know what the future would hold. I went on this trip as a man who was unsure of himself, unsure of his purpose in life, a man with intense fears and a man who had grown complacent in life. I went into the mountains as this man, but I emerged as someone entirely different.
You see, the Lord stripped away all my fears and chipped at the rough edges that I had allowed to become part of me. I know that the change occurred there in the Rocky Mountains. It was evident. Spiritually, emotionally, and physically I was different. The joy that was always there, but hidden due to my blindness, was back in plain sight. I went from a man of fear and insecurity to a man of faith, reliance upon the Lord, and a man full of the Spirit. Now I don’t say this to brag, but on the rather I say to point out God’s faithfulness. What I have seen occur in myself over the past year has been nothing short of astounding. I laugh more, I live more, I fear less, I trust the Lord more, and the list goes on. My life was radically changed during this trip into the wilderness.
Unfortunately for the marriage, my change didn’t come soon enough. I have had a number of Godly men tell me this: “Justin, we are sad that this happened, but we are excited to see God’s plan and new direction for your life.” At first I was dumbfounded by this. Why would anyone see excitement in divorce, but as time has passed I am finally seeing what these men were saying. Divorce isn’t really the point here. It happened, it’s sad, but it’s time to move on. The point being made here is that there is a new direction that my life is heading. This new direction is one that God is in the process of guiding me through. He is in full control and I am thankful for that. I am a new man, a REAL man, an exciting man, and man of faith and I am now moving down a path that the Lord is guiding me down.
From this loss is coming a greater blessing. It is like a forest fire. The fire raged through and destroyed all in its path, but from the ashes a more fertile forest is growing. And that, my friends, is the point of this blog. I am not in any way saying that divorce is a good thing, but I am saying that from bad things can come blessings. I am already seeing these seeds sprout in my life and I am excited about these things. I am blessed to have so many people in my life that have been there for me, have prayed for me, and have lifted my head up when I didn’t have strength to do it myself. Thank you all who have been a part of this process. Words cannot express just how much you all mean to me. I love you all. If you have questions, please feel free to ask me. Call me, email me, etc…, but don’t hesitate. It is no longer a difficult subject. It has become part of my story and I feel like God has given me this experience to share with others.
The story of my life, my legacy, is still being written. Praise the Lord for that. This past weekend opened my eyes to quite a few things. The next chapter of my life is already looking interesting and I can’t wait to explore it, to experience it, and to share it with you all. Those who are in the know…know what I am talking about…and those who aren’t…well, stay tuned.
Friday, March 27, 2009
Finding Our Purpose: Relying on the Lord
There is a key element to resting in the Lord that tends to make all the difference between truly resting in the Lord and just taking a break. That component is reliance on God. What does it really mean to rely on God? I have struggled with this for quite some time. My general feeling on it has been that relying on God would mean that I have some sort of defect or that I am incapable of living this life on my own. Well, to be quite honest, it isn’t really a defect, it is the way we were created. We are indeed incapable of doing this on our own. We were created to rely on our Holy God. We all have a God shaped hole in our lives. Some of us fill it with work, friends, hobbies, food, drinks, exercise, busyness, etc…, but the main thing to understand here is that we all do it. If we aren’t relying on God we are relying on other things to be our “god.” It’s all a matter of where the heart is.
Like a child who is too small to care for itself, we are in a way the same as that child. Now, we are not helpless or mindless robots, but we are all at a point where we do rely on something or someone to help us. God created me and you to rely upon Him like a child relies on his/her parents to provide. A child relies on a parent to sustain them, shelter, protect, and guide, but mostly a child puts their trust in the parent/parents. God is our sustainer. When Jesus was preparing for his death he promised his followers the Holy Spirit.
John 15:14-21 "If you love me, you will obey what I command. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever— the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him."
Jesus promises the Holy Spirit will come. The Lord will not leave His children as orphans. This is evidence of God’s protection, of His guidance. The Lord has promised to never leave us nor forsake us. Joshua 1:5b “As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you.” In His promises we can rely. We can fully depend on Him to be there for us. In our time of weariness, in the times we need rest, the Lord is there. Always remember that.
One thing we must also keep in mind is that to rely on the Lord is to rest, not on our own abilities, but on His. God is more than able and capable to help you through life so rely on Him to do so. Relying on God is also trusting that while you are at resting in Him, and the world is moving around you, that He will put you back in the race at the right moment. Proverbs 29:25 “Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the LORD is kept safe.” Do not fear or doubt when you are resting in the Lord. It is at that moment that He is doing a work in you. It is in these times of fear that we try to take the reins, take control. And it is in those times when we seriously need to be relying in Him. Trust that He will keep His word and He will keep you safe. If you want to find your purpose you have to trust that the Lord will indeed keep you safe. We must rely that God will provide a path and will direct our footing. Let Him be your guide.
Relying on the Lord is also relying in your position in Christ. Admittedly, if you are relying on God there is probably a good chance you are a Christ follower. If not, then let me please ask that you consider your roll in His kingdom. He desires you; He wants to be the Lord of your life. He loves you enough that Christ made the ultimate sacrifice and paid for our sins upon that cross, to a point of death. Understand that this is the perspective from which I speak. If you don’t know Christ as your savior, let me encourage you to do just that. As was mentioned before, there is a God-shaped hole in our life and we can choose to either fill it with Him or with idols. Let me encourage you to pursue the former. And now back to the subject at hand. When you rely in your position in Christ, you realize that it isn’t your own ability to achieve greatness. It isn’t going to be anything you can do to find your purpose. The Lord will have to guide you, and you have to trust in Him to do so. Rely on the Lord to put your life in sync with His Word. How do you do this? Well, I am glad you asked. 1 Thes. 5:16-18 “Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.” There is an element of faith, of reliance upon God in these words. When times are rough, when the storms of life hit us, we must still be joyful, commit to prayer, and be thankful at all time. Is it hard to do when we feel like the world is moving by us and we are sitting still? It sure is, but rely on the Lord. Is it hard to do that when you are in the midst of a personal crisis? It sure is, but rely on God. He is good. Let me repeat that, He is GOOD!! God will never leave you nor forsake you. If you want to find your purpose and you want to be able to rest in Him then you need to rely on the Lord. Thank God that He is more than able. Knowing that gives me peace that is indescribable.
Like a child who is too small to care for itself, we are in a way the same as that child. Now, we are not helpless or mindless robots, but we are all at a point where we do rely on something or someone to help us. God created me and you to rely upon Him like a child relies on his/her parents to provide. A child relies on a parent to sustain them, shelter, protect, and guide, but mostly a child puts their trust in the parent/parents. God is our sustainer. When Jesus was preparing for his death he promised his followers the Holy Spirit.
John 15:14-21 "If you love me, you will obey what I command. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever— the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him."
Jesus promises the Holy Spirit will come. The Lord will not leave His children as orphans. This is evidence of God’s protection, of His guidance. The Lord has promised to never leave us nor forsake us. Joshua 1:5b “As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you.” In His promises we can rely. We can fully depend on Him to be there for us. In our time of weariness, in the times we need rest, the Lord is there. Always remember that.
One thing we must also keep in mind is that to rely on the Lord is to rest, not on our own abilities, but on His. God is more than able and capable to help you through life so rely on Him to do so. Relying on God is also trusting that while you are at resting in Him, and the world is moving around you, that He will put you back in the race at the right moment. Proverbs 29:25 “Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the LORD is kept safe.” Do not fear or doubt when you are resting in the Lord. It is at that moment that He is doing a work in you. It is in these times of fear that we try to take the reins, take control. And it is in those times when we seriously need to be relying in Him. Trust that He will keep His word and He will keep you safe. If you want to find your purpose you have to trust that the Lord will indeed keep you safe. We must rely that God will provide a path and will direct our footing. Let Him be your guide.
Relying on the Lord is also relying in your position in Christ. Admittedly, if you are relying on God there is probably a good chance you are a Christ follower. If not, then let me please ask that you consider your roll in His kingdom. He desires you; He wants to be the Lord of your life. He loves you enough that Christ made the ultimate sacrifice and paid for our sins upon that cross, to a point of death. Understand that this is the perspective from which I speak. If you don’t know Christ as your savior, let me encourage you to do just that. As was mentioned before, there is a God-shaped hole in our life and we can choose to either fill it with Him or with idols. Let me encourage you to pursue the former. And now back to the subject at hand. When you rely in your position in Christ, you realize that it isn’t your own ability to achieve greatness. It isn’t going to be anything you can do to find your purpose. The Lord will have to guide you, and you have to trust in Him to do so. Rely on the Lord to put your life in sync with His Word. How do you do this? Well, I am glad you asked. 1 Thes. 5:16-18 “Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.” There is an element of faith, of reliance upon God in these words. When times are rough, when the storms of life hit us, we must still be joyful, commit to prayer, and be thankful at all time. Is it hard to do when we feel like the world is moving by us and we are sitting still? It sure is, but rely on the Lord. Is it hard to do that when you are in the midst of a personal crisis? It sure is, but rely on God. He is good. Let me repeat that, He is GOOD!! God will never leave you nor forsake you. If you want to find your purpose and you want to be able to rest in Him then you need to rely on the Lord. Thank God that He is more than able. Knowing that gives me peace that is indescribable.
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Finding Our Purpose: Resting in Him pt. 4
True rest does not equal sleep. Let me repeat that, true rest does not equal sleep. Sleep does not equal true rest. Both CAN be the same, but are completely independent of each other. The definition of sleep is “to take the rest afforded by a suspension of voluntary bodily functions and the natural suspension, complete or partial, of consciousness; cease being awake.” The difference between sleep and true rest is that sleep comes when the body needs to suspend “voluntary bodily functions…” whereas rest comes when you need a break, when it’s time to get your wits about you. Sleep is when the body can no longer maintain consciousness. I can tell you this, however, that there have been many times where I have needed the rest and sleep and yet when I woke up in the morning, I was still tired. This comes from a lack of rest while sleeping. Typically, at least for me, it comes from my mind and/or my spirit not being truly at rest. In fact I have found that many times those who sleep the most wake up and still need more rest. It is due to the busy nature of the individual and the lack of rest the person gets. I can put myself into this category many, many times. Sleeping is when the body can no longer "go." It is a physical reaction to being tired. Resting in the Lord is a spiritual reaction to a holy God. While sleeping takes faith in that you need to trust Him to keep you safe while you sleep, resting requires a stronger and more active faith in that you have to trust Him while you wait on Him.
You see, true rest and sleep are not the same. We all need sleep for our physical bodies to carry on, but we need rest for so much more. One of the largest acts of faith we can do is to rest. When we rest we trust that in that time of rest God will provide. It means while we aren't going going going, we trust that God is doing doing doing. Rest requires patience. While you sit still, things happen around you. It's then in that time that God will allow you to depend on Him for clarity and vision. I am not a NASCAR fan, but I do know that when a driver’s car is getting worn down, whether it’s fluids or tires, etc…, the driver has to make a pit stop. Does performing a pit stop keep the driver from winning the race? No, it doesn’t. In fact, it is typically the driver who makes the prudent pit stops along the race who wins. Many times we think that we cannot afford the rest because the world will pass us by, and that simply isn’t true. When running the race of life, we have to make the necessary stops for rest or we will burn out and cease to finish the race. Rest allows you to continue. True rest in the Lord allows you to continue forward in discovering and achieving His purpose for your life. It begins with rest and rest will be required along the journey as well.
Hebrews 4:1-13
Therefore, since the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it. For we also have had the gospel preached to us, just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, because those who heard did not combine it with faith. Now we who have believed enter that rest, just as God has said,
"So I declared on oath in my anger,
'They shall never enter my rest.'" And yet his work has been finished since the creation of the world. For somewhere he has spoken about the seventh day in these words: “And on the seventh day God rested from all his work." And again in the passage above he says, "They shall never enter my rest."
It still remains that some will enter that rest, and those who formerly had the gospel preached to them did not go in, because of their disobedience. Therefore God again set a certain day, calling it Today, when a long time later he spoke through David, as was said before:
"Today, if you hear his voice,
do not harden your hearts." For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken later about another day. There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; for anyone who enters God's rest also rests from his own work, just as God did from his. Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will fall by following their example of disobedience.
For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.
We can see in the above text that rest is important. There is no better day to rest than “Today” so don’t let it slip by. Rest, as described above, is an act of trust in the Lord, is an act of patience, an act of obedience, and an act of reliance upon God. As was referenced in an earlier blog, Jesus slept on the boat as he and the disciples crossed the lake. Was he tired, yes, but his ability to sleep wasn't just because he was tired, it was due to his reliance on God to provide. Jesus wasn’t just sleeping because he was tired; he was sleeping because he knew that God was in charge and that the boat would make it to the other side. He relied on the Lord. The storm that had surrounded them was not a concern to Jesus. He simply relied on the Lord. See Mark 4:35-41. You see resting in the Lord requires something...reliance upon Him to sustain us. We have to trust that the Lord is good and is who He claims to be. If you have doubts in His goodness, or doubts that He is who He says He is, then you just won’t be able to do this, but if you truly realize that He has plans for you and that He wants you to prosper then resting in Him may come easier.
Jeremiah 29:11-13
“For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”
God has plans for you and He wants you to achieve all He has purposed for you, but when you are constantly moving, constantly going you can’t see His plans. Rest is required to see his plans for us. We can push ourselves so hard that the only reaction our body can muster up is sleep, but that isn’t what we need to do. We need to sit back and rest at times. If that means sleep, then by all means, sleep, but there are times when we have to sit back and sit still. It is in those times of rest that God can truly do a work in us. To rest in the Lord we must rely on Him. This is a key cog in finding one's purpose. Stay tuned for the next blog entry: Finding Your Purpose: Relying on the Lord.
You see, true rest and sleep are not the same. We all need sleep for our physical bodies to carry on, but we need rest for so much more. One of the largest acts of faith we can do is to rest. When we rest we trust that in that time of rest God will provide. It means while we aren't going going going, we trust that God is doing doing doing. Rest requires patience. While you sit still, things happen around you. It's then in that time that God will allow you to depend on Him for clarity and vision. I am not a NASCAR fan, but I do know that when a driver’s car is getting worn down, whether it’s fluids or tires, etc…, the driver has to make a pit stop. Does performing a pit stop keep the driver from winning the race? No, it doesn’t. In fact, it is typically the driver who makes the prudent pit stops along the race who wins. Many times we think that we cannot afford the rest because the world will pass us by, and that simply isn’t true. When running the race of life, we have to make the necessary stops for rest or we will burn out and cease to finish the race. Rest allows you to continue. True rest in the Lord allows you to continue forward in discovering and achieving His purpose for your life. It begins with rest and rest will be required along the journey as well.
Hebrews 4:1-13
Therefore, since the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us be careful that none of you be found to have fallen short of it. For we also have had the gospel preached to us, just as they did; but the message they heard was of no value to them, because those who heard did not combine it with faith. Now we who have believed enter that rest, just as God has said,
"So I declared on oath in my anger,
'They shall never enter my rest.'" And yet his work has been finished since the creation of the world. For somewhere he has spoken about the seventh day in these words: “And on the seventh day God rested from all his work." And again in the passage above he says, "They shall never enter my rest."
It still remains that some will enter that rest, and those who formerly had the gospel preached to them did not go in, because of their disobedience. Therefore God again set a certain day, calling it Today, when a long time later he spoke through David, as was said before:
"Today, if you hear his voice,
do not harden your hearts." For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken later about another day. There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God; for anyone who enters God's rest also rests from his own work, just as God did from his. Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will fall by following their example of disobedience.
For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.
We can see in the above text that rest is important. There is no better day to rest than “Today” so don’t let it slip by. Rest, as described above, is an act of trust in the Lord, is an act of patience, an act of obedience, and an act of reliance upon God. As was referenced in an earlier blog, Jesus slept on the boat as he and the disciples crossed the lake. Was he tired, yes, but his ability to sleep wasn't just because he was tired, it was due to his reliance on God to provide. Jesus wasn’t just sleeping because he was tired; he was sleeping because he knew that God was in charge and that the boat would make it to the other side. He relied on the Lord. The storm that had surrounded them was not a concern to Jesus. He simply relied on the Lord. See Mark 4:35-41. You see resting in the Lord requires something...reliance upon Him to sustain us. We have to trust that the Lord is good and is who He claims to be. If you have doubts in His goodness, or doubts that He is who He says He is, then you just won’t be able to do this, but if you truly realize that He has plans for you and that He wants you to prosper then resting in Him may come easier.
Jeremiah 29:11-13
“For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”
God has plans for you and He wants you to achieve all He has purposed for you, but when you are constantly moving, constantly going you can’t see His plans. Rest is required to see his plans for us. We can push ourselves so hard that the only reaction our body can muster up is sleep, but that isn’t what we need to do. We need to sit back and rest at times. If that means sleep, then by all means, sleep, but there are times when we have to sit back and sit still. It is in those times of rest that God can truly do a work in us. To rest in the Lord we must rely on Him. This is a key cog in finding one's purpose. Stay tuned for the next blog entry: Finding Your Purpose: Relying on the Lord.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
