Fight!

        This life is a battle...and this world is a battlefield.
        In case you didn't know that--or have forgotten--let me remind you of that great and terrible truth right now.  Because here's the thing: the busyness of our daily lives has a way of numbing us to the truth of the war that's continually being waged all around us, and indeed, often within us.
        We become  preoccupied with all we have to do and with our little agendas...and we disengage from the battle.  We close our eyes to the sorrow and struggles all around us...and we refuse to enter the fight.  We're blinded to the war by our own sin and selfishness...and we fail to even notice or glimpse the battle.  We tragically grow immune to the war raging all around us, because we've allowed our focus to shift from the Savior to our circumstances...and little by little we become more and more passive, more and more ineffective in the fierce battle for the souls of men and women, marriages and families, and indeed for our very hearts and minds.
         I confess this to my shame, because that has been me in the past week and a half.  Our Morning Glory Bible study just finished up until next fall, and my life became crazy busy with all kinds of commitments.  Well, guess what was the first thing to suffer?  My time alone with the One Who possesses all power, all wisdom, all joy, all hope, all peace, all strength, all ability.  Yes, I was reading my One Year Bible and reading certain devotions I love, but I was failing to spend TIME quietly enjoying His presence, praying for His power, and worshipping His greatness and grace.  It's all too easy fall into rote mode and MISS it.  MISS Him!
        And so the war raged...and I went AWOL.
        Meanwhile I have friends who are struggling on the front lines, engaged in virulent, violent struggles against the enemy.  Fighting for their families, their marriages, their health.  And I should be right there beside them spiritually, fighting alongside them in the heavenly realms.  Instead, I'd gotten up off my knees, closed my eyes, and allowed myself to be busy, busy, busy with my own agenda.  (I think there's a word for that: uh, "selfishness.")  Oh forgive me, Father, for falling asleep in the midst of the fray.
        But I'm awake now, praise God...and ready to engage, NOT in my paltry, pitiful power, mind you, but in the Name, by the grace, and for the glory of my Almighty Lord and King.
        How about you?
        Can I make one simple suggestion: it starts not on the noisy, chaotic battlefield.  It begins quietly...alone with the One who made you, knows you, redeemed you, loves you, sustains you, forgives you, and empowers you.  Time alone with the Good Shepherd who will lead you beside still waters...in order to prepare and equip you for the raging rapids and turbulent waterfalls up ahead.
       So start with Him.  First thing in the morning.  "Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where He prayed." (Mark 1:35)  Here's how Oswald Chambers put it: "Get into the habit of dealing with God about everything. Unless the first waking moment of the day you learn to fling the door wide back and let God in, you will work on a wrong level all day; but swing the door wide open and pray to your Father in secret, and every public thing will be stamped with the presence of God."
        It all starts alone with Him, being filled and armed for the battle ahead.
       Then stay with Him--in your heart and in your mind--throughout the day.  He is with you.  He is for you.  He is in you.  He is before and behind and beside you.  You are never, ever, ever fighting alone.  Fight by His grace, for His glory, and by His great power.  We cannot, cannot, cannot do this in our own strength.  That's a recipe for burnout and failure.
        But oh my, by His power, by His strength, for His glory, well, no telling what He can and will do!  One more quote from William Gurnall, the great 17th century Puritan pastor: "If the provisions were left in our own hands, we would soon be bankrupt merchants.  God knows we are weak, like cracked pitchers--if filled to the brim and set aside, the contents would soon leak out. So He puts us under a flowing fountain of His strength and constantly refills us...If God had given you a lifetime supply of His grace to begin with and left you to handle your own account, you would have thought Him generous indeed.  But He is magnified even more by the open account He sets up in your name.  Now you must acknowledge not only that your strength comes from God in the first place, but that you are continually in debt for every withdrawal of strength you make throughout your Christian course."
         Bottom line?  Get into the Word, and get onto your knees.  Today.  Everyday.  Stop making excuses for how busy you are.  Stop allowing other priorities to usurp this most critical of all priorities.  Get alone with Him so you can be filled with His wisdom, strength, and joy...and then get active in the battle.  By His grace, for His glory.
         There's a war raging, and God's calling you to serve. And incredibly, He's the One who will do all the fighting...but His plan is to do it through you and through me.  Get ready people, and fight.  As Nehemiah declared, "And I looked and arose and said...'Do not be afraid of them. Remember the Lord, who is great and awesome, and fight for your brothers, your sons, your daughters your wives, and your homes.'"  
          And fight for your friends...by His grace, for His glory.
          To God be the glory.          
         
     

"Thank you" on 9 11

        Just got back from an amazing trip to New York city with my sisters, sister-in-law, daughters and nieces.  And can I just say--JOY!  What a treat to be able to spend time with so many loved ones. Frankly, if we had gone to Apex, I would still have loved it and been thrilled, since the greatest gift was simply being with each of them! Thank You, Father!
        But surely one of the highlights of the trip was our visit to One World Trade Center (aka The Freedom Tower) and the 9 11 Memorial and Museum.
       My girls in front of The Freedom Tower (it's so tall, I couldn't begin to get the whole thing in the picture) on a very chilly, but beautiful March day--

And from inside the Museum--one of the steel tridents that remained standing in the 14 story high pile of debris from The Trade Center.  The writing on the trident was made as they marked the heroic FDNY companies and rescue personnel who lost their men in the towers--

To say it was incredibly powerful and moving to see this museum would be a vast understatement.  One cannot see this museum without shedding tears, not just of sorrow and grief, but also of profound gratitude and admiration for the brave souls who endured that terrible day--both those who gave their lives to save others as well as the courage of those who faced the very worst man could devise, and yet at the end, were thinking of their loved ones left behind.  

Obviously, I could go on and on about this--so much to tell, so many tears, so many stories--but I really want to focus right now on one very simple--yet radically important--lesson.  

Expressing thanks. 

Our tour guide shared the remarkable story of FDNY Ladder 3, which was one of the first on the scene.  Their crushed firetruck is in the Museum, and all 11 of the men who came on that truck that day were killed  when the North Tower fell.  Normally there aren't  nearly this many men on a shift. However, the first 911 calls occurred at the time the shift  was changing, and men who had gone off duty immediately wanted to go and help as well.  

Unless you were there, I don't think any of us can begin to comprehend the total chaos, confusion, and horror of what those men faced as they faced when they arrived at the base of the North Tower.  Thick black smoke, fire, dangerous debris raining down, screaming and injured folks, bodies... I won't go on, but it must have been horrific beyond all words.  

Add to that the total confusion about what was going on--so many calls were pouring in that the firemen couldn't get through to one another.  Cell phones were jammed, walkie talkies were jammed.  It was all noise and terror and chaos.  

Yet these men immediately strapped on their 100 pounds of gear and began climbing the stairs of the North Tower in order to reach the top floors to save the folks trapped up there.  Think of that--100 pounds of great and all those countless steps going up and up and up.  Remind yourself how out of breath you get when you walk up a couple of flights of stairs.   Now try it with 100 pounds on your back...and do it for step after step after step. 

Meanwhile, as the smoke filled stairwells, terrified civilians rushed down...while those firemen rushed up.  Other came down to safety, while the firemen climbed up towards death and destruction and danger.   But that's what heroes do.  

Apparently, the men of Ladder 3 desperately needed to get some information about what was going on up above them--30, 60, 90, and 100 floors above--as they climbed.  But again, no one could get through. And so on the 35th floor, Captain Paddy Brown attempted to get through on a landline he found in an office, and remarkably, he was able to reach 911 dispatchers.  They gave him all the information they could, and then Paddy said something incredible under the circumstances.  In the midst of such unimaginable, hellish horror, he simply said, "Thank you."  

Our tour guide specifically and movingly pointed that out--"This man said thank you."  

And then he closed out with the last words ever recorded by Patty Brown, "This is 3 Truck and we're still heading up."  

I wept.  Both for the courage--knowing the terrible danger, the raging inferno, the thick smoke, the awful uncertainty, they kept heading up.  Why?  Because they were determined to save lives.  To save as many lives as they could.  

These firemen went up to save souls...and Jesus came down to save all the world.  

Thank You, Father, for such brave, good men who gave their lives in order to save others.  And thank You for the Lord Jesus--the bravest, the best, the perfect Son of God--who gave His life in order to save any and all who would come to Him by faith.  What heroes these men were.  And what a glorious Savior our Lord is.  He is the ultimate Hero of Heroes.

But secondly, I wept for that simple phrase--"Thank you."  To somehow manage a thank you in the midst of such  hell, well, I couldn't help but think, what on earth is our excuse?  How can we not be relentlessly grateful people?  God has given us so much--our nation, our homes, our families, our friends, our daily blessings of food, sunshine, strength, laughter, music, dogs, books, health, strength...and on and on.  

How dare we not be daily, continuously thinking and staying, "Thank You!"  Thank You, thank You thank You, Lord! 

"Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly light, who does not change like shifting shadows." (James 1:17)  "Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." (I Thess.5:18) "I will extoll the Lord at all times; His praise will always be on my lips." (Ps.34:1) "Praise the Lord. Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever." (Ps.107:1)  

God's Word is filled to overflowing with commands to praise and give thanks.  

So let me ask you, as I've asked myself, what's our excuse?  Are we relentlessly thankful people...or consistently complaining people?  Are we quick to remember and give thanks...or do we tend to forget or take for granted or feel entitled?  Do we look for reasons to give thanks...or search for excuses to grumble?  

The example of the brave men of Ladder 3 should surely convict us that there is no--absolutely no--circumstance that justifies an absolute refusal to find at least some reason for thanks.  

Today, will you choose to be thankful? And will you express that thanks both to someone else and to Your forever faithful Father?  With Him, you always have infinite ammunition for gratitude. 

Lord, we give you all, all, all our thanks and praise.  For You are infinitely worthy. And to You, our God, be all the glory.       

Change...and Changeless

        Well, a couple of days ago it was in the 70's.  Today...

         ...snow on our blooming camellia bush. You gotta love North Carolina winters!
         And this reminded me of a mighty simple lesson that the Lord taught me once again last week--life is change, God is changeless.
         So we hold onto life's ever-vacillating treasures with relaxed, open hands, knowing that those treasures will come and go, grow and diminish, move up and down.  But Almighty God is the eternally present, powerful, loving, and faithful I Am.  And the good news is, we don't need to desperately try to grasp onto Him, for He holds onto us.  And He will never ever let us go.  "For I, the Lord your God, hold your right hand; it is I who say to you, 'Fear not, I am the One who helps you." (Isa.41:13)        
         Yes, life means change. "And it came to pass" we read a number of times in the Scripture.  And that's a reminder that whatever it is we are going through at the moment--be it wonderful or terrible--it will come to pass.  My daddy used to say during those times when life got hard and bleak, "We're going through a rough patch."  A rough "patch"--and patches eventually end, right?  So you've got to hang in there and keep walking through that patch till you get to the other side.
        Well, the other day Mr. Bingley and I went for a walk on the greenway.  It was one of those perfect mornings--a tiny hint of a chill in the air, but not so much that I needed mittens (which for wimpy, cold-handed me means above 60).  Just a sweatshirt, my ipod, and Mr. B.
        And life was so good.  As we walked, the birds chirped happily, the gentle breeze in the air felt heavenly, and the dawn of a new day seemed full of promise and joy.  I was even listening to a terrific podcast by one of my favorite ministers.   I succinctly remember thinking, "Now this is what I'm talking about! This is soooo good!"
          Uh, that is until we got to the far end of the greenway and turned around for the wonderful walk back...not.  You see, as we turned--me in my happy place and thinking that all's right with the world--the wind suddenly (and I mean SUDDENLY) started blowing to beat the band.  Wow, I was thinking, how about that wind....but isn't it refreshing!...
         ...until about 30 seconds later when the first raindrops began to fall.  Maybe I should rephrase that: when the deluge broke, absolutely soaking Bingley and moi.  WHAT??  We started running (okay at my age that would be jogging...or at least walking really, really briskly) as I had my cell phone in one pocket and my ipod in the other.  Technology does not seem to do well in soaking rains.            Oh, and did I mention that the temperature felt like it dropped 20 degrees in under a minute?  I'm totally not kidding.  My wimpy hands went from just fine thank you to frozen solid in a matter of moments.  As we ran, Bingley looked back at me with a quizzical expression on his face.  I think he may have even dropped the log he was carrying at the time, as this clearly seemed like an emergency situation since his mama was actually running (okay jogging, well alright walking briskly, for pete's sake).
            We arrived home just in time...for the rain to stop.  Totally stop.  One minute it's pouring, the next it's sunny.  Seriously.  Bingley and I are wondering, what exactly just happened?
          Soaked and chilled to the bone, we staggered inside.  Phone still working, thank goodness, but not so sure about the old ipod.  Oh well.
           But as we dried off and warmed up, it occurred to me: that's life, isn't it?  Change.  Unexpected interruptions.  Unplanned surprises--some welcome, others not so much.  But through it all, God is forever faithful.  Never changing.  Always loving.  Infinite in grace and mercy.  Endlessly powerful.  
          "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever." (Heb.13:8)  "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change." (James 1:17)
           Yeah sure, the weather changes, your children change, your health changes, your finances change, your energy changes, your relationships change, your work changes...but God is changeless, eternal, and forever and perfectly faithful.  Aren't you glad?
            Whatever you might be enjoying--or enduring--right now, hang on (or hang in there) because it will come to pass...but Your Redeemer, Savior, and Friend will never leave you nor forsake you. (Heb.13:5)  He promises to stick closer than a brother (Prov.18:24).  And He will.  Forever and ever.
           To God be the glory.

Remember!

What are you remembering?  

Lent just began yesterday--the 40 day time of preparation leading to Holy Week and Resurrection Sunday.  And to prepare, we daily need to remember.  

Yesterday--Ash Wednesday--marked the beginning of Lent, and many churches have an Ash Wednesday service where the sign of the cross is written across foreheads in ashes and the words are repeated:"Remember that you are dust and to dust you will return."  

Because in order to truly celebrate what Jesus has done for us--the wondrous gift of salvation and eternal life--we must first and always remember.  W\

Remember we are merely dust, returning to dust.  

Remember the curse of sin and death.  Remember our own mortality.  

Remember the chains of sin that bound us...

And remember, through Christ, those chains are gone.  

Remember that Jesus has conquered sin and death and given the gift of eternal, abundant Life to all who come to Him by faith.

Remember all that we possess in Him.

Remember His relentless goodness to us in our daily lives. 

Remember that sin and death no longer have the final word.

Remember that we're not Home yet...and the best, best, best is yet to come.

Remember the certain hope of heaven ahead of us and the steady joy of God's presence with us now. 

Because before we can rejoice, we must remember.  

On this blustery, but sunny, March day, I'm remembering the cold and snow of January...and that remembering fuels my rejoicing today. 

             I'm remembering Christmas with all our family...and rejoicing anew over the Gift of Jesus and of the joy of being with those I love.

           I'm remembering the astounding beauty of the mountains...and the ocean...and again, the deep happiness of sharing  it with our family.

               "And you shall remember the whole way that the Lord your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness, that he might humble you, testing you to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep his commandments or not." (Deuteronomy 8:2)
               "But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you." (John 14:26)
               "I will remember the deeds of the LORD; yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago." (Ps.77:11)
               But can I admit something: I'm a mighty good forgetter.  I forget names.  I forget directions.  I forget recipes.  I just plain forget an awful lot.
             Yep, I've got the memory of a gnat...but I'm realizing that if God commands us to remember who He is and what He has done, then He'll enable us to do it.  And Lent is all about remembering...so that in about 40 days, we can truly and exuberantly rejoice.
             At the very end of his life, John Newton shared that he had lost his memory and could no longer remember much of anything.  BUT he went on to say that there were two things he would never, ever forget: "I'm a great sinner...but Christ is a Great Savior."  Amen!
            So over the course of the next forty days of Lent, let's determine to make it a priority to spend some time every single day pausing to reflect and remember.  Remember who you are and what you've done (we're all of us are great sinners).  But then remember all that Christ has done--both in His Word and in your life--He truly is a Great, Great Savior.
           Let's daily remember, but then let's store up all those remembrances over the next forty days...for all that remembering will exponentially fuel our rejoicing and celebrating on the Resurrection Day that's coming.
           Oh Father, help us daily to remember all that You are and all that You have done.  Might our remembering fuel our rejoicing in You and in this day, this life, You've so graciously given us.  Thank You for being such a good, great, and glorious Savior.  We remember, Lord Jesus, and we rejoice.
           To God be the glory.