Anybody else out there feeling a tad overwhelmed by all the constant input of information flooding our emails, instagrams, text messages, and heaven help us, TV news? I confess that I forget to check instagram for days and days on end, even though I'm certain it's full of wise and comforting messages. And I just tried to start cleaning out my email box which had hundreds, yes hundreds, of unread emails. I was that far behind. Then there's text messages from friends and family--which I absolutely do check and respond to and love--but on top of that are these new texts and emails that you have to copy and pass on to numerous other people and if you fail to do it, the world will come to an end by tomorrow at noon. And yes, it will be all. your. fault (and you feel it).
On top of all that is the self-imposed pressure to somehow suddenly and miraculously (which it would require in my case) to become a fabulous, joyful, creative cook. And not just any cook, but a veritable Julia Child/Deliciously Ella who crafts super nutritious meals that look like those amazing instagram pictures (that stare up at me accusingly) and also, of course, taste totally fabulous. Meanwhile, back at Casa Fountain, all I seem to obsess about is what chocolate confection I can bake and "Oh no, it's 6:00 p.m. and I haven't started chopping the vegetables for that Cauliflower Chickpea Taco dish that some guru assured me was simple and delicious...but I've never made it in my life, and everyone is hungry, I'm tired, and oh heck, why don't we just order take out?"
Of course, there's also all those "projects" that I surely should be slaying right now---clean out my overstuffed closet, go through the huuuuuuuge number of books overflowing our home (the thought of getting rid of a beloved book makes me want to break out in hives), reading at least a hundred pages a day, learning how to speak Spanish or play guitar or knit or something, for goodness sake, and doing something constructive and important every day to help other people (still trying to figure that one out since we're not supposed to leave home), oh, and work in the yard (again, not my fav. My husband claims I just like the "idea" of a being a gardener but I don't actually like to do the work of gardening--which is a hundred percent true.).
Sigh. Even as I type, I can feel my shoulders hunching up and my internal temperature gauge sounding the alarm: "Warning! Warning! Cliff of Discouragement and Despair up ahead! Stop immediately!"
Anybody else out there feeling a tad bit overwhelmed as well? Maybe I'm the only one, but just in case any of you share my sense of failure to conquer and thrive in this challenging season, I'll share a couple of thoughts.
First, we're all going to have moments like this...moments when the whole big mess just suddenly seems to come crashing down upon us. And you know what? That's okay. For this we have Jesus. Thank You, Lord for Your grace and for Your new morning mercies. But His mercies are not just for every morning, but for every hour and every minute of every day and night. If you're in the midst of a hard, sad, overwhelming moment, stop. Kneel. Look up. Because the way up is the way down--down on your knees and then heart lifted up to the King of Kings.
Then tell your loving, compassionate, kind, wise, gracious, and powerful Heavenly Daddy all about it. Share your frustrations, your doubts, your disappointments, your inadequacies, your fears. Your Father will love you just as much when you're sharing your sadness and worries as when you're sharing your praises and worship. His love never changes, His power never weakens, His grace never diminishes, and His mercies never ever come to an end. He is the God of Resurrection and fresh starts. So start today. Start now. And start on your knees.
And secondly, simplify. This may be a time to hit delete on that vast horde of emails (not personal ones, of course, but all those ones from a billion different places that offer you advice and things to purchase and free courses and new recipes and on and on). Life won't end if you fail to put the perfect meal on the table. Nobody ever starved on frozen pizza. And, hallelujah, there's wonderful places like Casa Carbone, whose food will make you look like rock star! Thank You Jesus for their spinach calzone!
Life won't end if you fail to forward that chain letter. Or you miss doing that workout you swore you would do. Or you only read one paragraph of that book you were determined to finish by tomorrow. As Frozen so famously put it, "Let it go!" It's okay. By the glorious grace of God, the sun will rise again tomorrow--how wonderful and extravagantly good is He?!--so you can begin again tomorrow.
Third, as I shared the other day, if nothing else goes as planned in your day, you at least have the opportunity, the blessing, the gift, of beginning your day not with the grim news but with the Good News. So in the morning, before you look at your cell phone take at least a couple of minutes to read a bit of scripture, write a few things you're thankful for, and pray to your Heavenly Father. It can literally take just five minutes, but it will truly become a life--sustaining daily rhythm for you in these challenging and ever-changing days of COVID-19.
Finally, if at all possible, get outside at some point everyday. Even amidst the pollen or the rain or the heat or the cold, there's nothing like simply getting out in God's magnificent creation and breathing deeply of His air. And while you're at it, maybe thank Him for those spectacular dogwoods or cherry blossoms or tulips. Or thank Him that you can take that deep breath--how remarkable is that? He gave you those lungs and those eyes and that mouth. Your to-do list will still be there, but pause for a least a few minutes to get outside and experience the wonder of living on such a planet crafted by such a Creator.
And in case you need a good word for today, here it is: "But I trust in You, O Lord; I say, 'You are my God.' My times are in Your hand; rescue me from the hand of my enemies and from my persecutors! Make Your face shine on Your servant; save me in Your steadfast love!" Ps.31:14-16
Amen and amen. To God be the glory.
Monday, March 30, 2020
Thursday, March 26, 2020
Begin with the Good News not the grim news
How's everybody doing? One day at a time, right? Count your blessings, right? We're all in this together (boy, that's never been truer!), right? "Wash your hands and say your prayers, because germs and Jesus are everywhere," right?
We've all been hearing the rather terrifying statistics--that daily upward juggernaut of illnesses and deaths--and despite our best efforts to "Stay calm and carry on"...with social distancing, of course, we all have those sudden, unexpected moments when fear or sadness or loneliness overwhelms us. So I thought I'd share a very simple morning practice that has really helped anchor me in the true Truth and kept my mind right and my heart on track. Maybe you don't need prompting or encouraging in this area, but can I say for the record that I need all the reminding and equipping I can get. Thus, here are a very easy, but I believe very helpful morning practices.
BEFORE PHONE OR ANY SOCIAL MEDIA, do these three things: first, read a few verses of Scripture or a devotion. It doesn't have to be a whole chapter of the Bible. God's Word is supernatural and every word is fresh and warm from His very breath. Even a verse or two can completely reorient our thinking and redeem our minds. In fact, I typically only read a few verses during this first thing in the early morning ritual. There's time later to read more substantially.
Secondly, write down several things for which you're thankful from the day before in a gratitude journal. This can be the simple, but wonderful daily graces that God showers on each of us if we will but notice. A soaring hawk...a phone call from a friend...a lovely violet Red Bud tree in your back yard...a taste of chocolate...an answer to a prayer. The point is to notice a few of those things each day and record them. You'll be surprised if you ask God to open your eyes and enable you to see all He's doing and giving you, what an extravagant, loving, Father you have.
Yes, I'm a broken record on this subject, but gratitude is a game-changer! We've all been given this "gift"--yes, in many ways it is a gift--of having to pause and cease from all our day to day rushing about and busyness. We're given the time to be still, to talk with those with love, to cook and enjoy leisurely dinners with family, to read those books we've kept saying we were going to read, to go outside in God's magnificent creation and walk and breathe deep. Rather than bemoaning all we've lost--which, I know is plenty--let's at least begin to focus on all we've gained...because there's a ton of gain too.
And third, pray, on your knees if you can. Again, this doesn't need to be a prayer that covers all the people of the world and every last problem that's facing you and those you love. The point is to connect with your Heavenly Father. To worship Him for who He is--to praise Him for being our Abba--our Daddy--and for being in control even when we cannot see it and for loving us in countless ways even when we can't always feel it. And then simply to ask your Heavenly Daddy to guide, help, and protect you and those you love and those on the front lines fighting this virus on our behalf...And well, you get the picture. Just share with Him whatever is on your heart and mind.
Can I also add that all this can take as little as 5 minutes? The point is not the length or the eloquence; the point is to do it. To put God first in your morning so that He can get your heart and mind right for the day's battles that are just ahead. And I'm telling you, it makes an enormous difference.
But again, the key is to do it before you look at your phone or computer or the paper or the TV. Go to God and His gloriously Good News before you get sucked in and pulled down by the world's grim news. All that news will still be there, believe me, but having your mind transformed by the good news will allow you to take in the grim news with a totally different attitude and perspective.
I've always loved Oswald Chambers words, "Get into the habit of dealing with God about everything. Unless in 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."
We all have the wondrous opportunity to have our actions and attitudes "stamped with the presence of God" each and every day. But it begins first thing in the morning. So how about it? Scripture, thankfulness, and prayer first thing in your morning. Let the Good News not the grim news be the first thing to imprint your day.
To God be the glory.
We've all been hearing the rather terrifying statistics--that daily upward juggernaut of illnesses and deaths--and despite our best efforts to "Stay calm and carry on"...with social distancing, of course, we all have those sudden, unexpected moments when fear or sadness or loneliness overwhelms us. So I thought I'd share a very simple morning practice that has really helped anchor me in the true Truth and kept my mind right and my heart on track. Maybe you don't need prompting or encouraging in this area, but can I say for the record that I need all the reminding and equipping I can get. Thus, here are a very easy, but I believe very helpful morning practices.
BEFORE PHONE OR ANY SOCIAL MEDIA, do these three things: first, read a few verses of Scripture or a devotion. It doesn't have to be a whole chapter of the Bible. God's Word is supernatural and every word is fresh and warm from His very breath. Even a verse or two can completely reorient our thinking and redeem our minds. In fact, I typically only read a few verses during this first thing in the early morning ritual. There's time later to read more substantially.
Secondly, write down several things for which you're thankful from the day before in a gratitude journal. This can be the simple, but wonderful daily graces that God showers on each of us if we will but notice. A soaring hawk...a phone call from a friend...a lovely violet Red Bud tree in your back yard...a taste of chocolate...an answer to a prayer. The point is to notice a few of those things each day and record them. You'll be surprised if you ask God to open your eyes and enable you to see all He's doing and giving you, what an extravagant, loving, Father you have.
Yes, I'm a broken record on this subject, but gratitude is a game-changer! We've all been given this "gift"--yes, in many ways it is a gift--of having to pause and cease from all our day to day rushing about and busyness. We're given the time to be still, to talk with those with love, to cook and enjoy leisurely dinners with family, to read those books we've kept saying we were going to read, to go outside in God's magnificent creation and walk and breathe deep. Rather than bemoaning all we've lost--which, I know is plenty--let's at least begin to focus on all we've gained...because there's a ton of gain too.
And third, pray, on your knees if you can. Again, this doesn't need to be a prayer that covers all the people of the world and every last problem that's facing you and those you love. The point is to connect with your Heavenly Father. To worship Him for who He is--to praise Him for being our Abba--our Daddy--and for being in control even when we cannot see it and for loving us in countless ways even when we can't always feel it. And then simply to ask your Heavenly Daddy to guide, help, and protect you and those you love and those on the front lines fighting this virus on our behalf...And well, you get the picture. Just share with Him whatever is on your heart and mind.
Can I also add that all this can take as little as 5 minutes? The point is not the length or the eloquence; the point is to do it. To put God first in your morning so that He can get your heart and mind right for the day's battles that are just ahead. And I'm telling you, it makes an enormous difference.
But again, the key is to do it before you look at your phone or computer or the paper or the TV. Go to God and His gloriously Good News before you get sucked in and pulled down by the world's grim news. All that news will still be there, believe me, but having your mind transformed by the good news will allow you to take in the grim news with a totally different attitude and perspective.
I've always loved Oswald Chambers words, "Get into the habit of dealing with God about everything. Unless in 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."
We all have the wondrous opportunity to have our actions and attitudes "stamped with the presence of God" each and every day. But it begins first thing in the morning. So how about it? Scripture, thankfulness, and prayer first thing in your morning. Let the Good News not the grim news be the first thing to imprint your day.
To God be the glory.
Thursday, March 19, 2020
Remember--His voice of Truth trumps our fear!
If you all are anything like me in these challenging days, you’re lurching between feeling “Okay, we can all get through this. God's got us. We’re gonna make it. Just take it one day at a time…” to sudden, overwhelming fear, even terror, that threatens to sink me into a pit of depression and doubt. That and thinking, "Uh, am I suddenly feeling feverish? or Is that the beginning of a headache I'm sensing?" I've never been this insanely hyper-vigilant about how I'm feeling and if I'm getting sick. Sigh. But in talking with family and friends, it sounds like that's the new reality for a lot of us.
So if you don't mind, I'm going to do something I refer to a lot--preach the Truth to myself (and hopefully to you). Because as I've said a million times, we all need to keep reminding ourselves and those we love of the true Truth. We need to listen to the voice of Truth--the voice of our all-powerful, all-sovereign, all-loving, all-forgiving, all-merciful, all-wise, Almighty Lord. His Truth trumps all our "what if's." Unlike the ever-changing landscape of this virus, His voice of Truth never changes, never varies, never weakens, never lacks, never fails.
And His voice says, "Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” (Isaiah 41:10)
And His voice says, "Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you...He will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” (Deut.31:6,8)
And His voice says, "For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Rom.8:38-39.
And His voice says, "God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.” Ps.46:1-3.
Yes and amen! And that's only the tiniest hint of His voice of never-changing Truth and courage and faithfulness. Today, when you suddenly feel overwhelmed by fear or uncertainty or doubt, preach His Truth to yourself! Speak His words out loud! There's such power in the spoken word. Allow your heart and your ears to hear His voice--His actual voice--by speaking His word out loud.
Remind yourself of the Truth--your God is sovereign and in complete control. His mercies never end and His love never fails. His grace is ever and always abundantly sufficient for anything we will ever face--even if and when we go through the deepest, darkest waters, He will be with us and will strengthen and sustain us.
And remind yourself of the truth that we are here for one another—even if remotely! We can do this one day a time as we listen to God's voice of Truth and peace and power and comfort and strength.
And remind yourself of the truth that the things that truly, really matter are not things. No, they are absolutely not things that we can hold and touch and cling to, but rather consist of that which we cannot see but enjoy and treasure most of all: love, joy, compassion, kindness, forgiveness. Seeing the astounding beauty in the world around us everyday. Enjoying the gift of music. Treasuring the joy of sharing, helping, laughing with those we love--again, even if remotely. Those things can’t be taken away from us.
So today, what kind of message are you preaching to yourself? Is it one of terror, doom and doubt or one of trust, love, and one-day-at-a-time listening to and obeying the voice of Truth. The voice that bids us love God and love those He has so graciously placed in our lives. If we lose everything else but we have in this world, but we have Him and one another, then we are truly, deeply, wonderfully blessed. And we will get through this eventually, literally by the grace of our mighty, glorious God and by the love we have and show one another.
Our simple assignment for today--listen to His voice of Truth and love those He's given you. You can do this. We can do this together--by the grace and for the glory of God.
To God be the glory.
So if you don't mind, I'm going to do something I refer to a lot--preach the Truth to myself (and hopefully to you). Because as I've said a million times, we all need to keep reminding ourselves and those we love of the true Truth. We need to listen to the voice of Truth--the voice of our all-powerful, all-sovereign, all-loving, all-forgiving, all-merciful, all-wise, Almighty Lord. His Truth trumps all our "what if's." Unlike the ever-changing landscape of this virus, His voice of Truth never changes, never varies, never weakens, never lacks, never fails.
And His voice says, "Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” (Isaiah 41:10)
And His voice says, "Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you...He will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” (Deut.31:6,8)
And His voice says, "For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Rom.8:38-39.
And His voice says, "God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging.” Ps.46:1-3.
Yes and amen! And that's only the tiniest hint of His voice of never-changing Truth and courage and faithfulness. Today, when you suddenly feel overwhelmed by fear or uncertainty or doubt, preach His Truth to yourself! Speak His words out loud! There's such power in the spoken word. Allow your heart and your ears to hear His voice--His actual voice--by speaking His word out loud.
Remind yourself of the Truth--your God is sovereign and in complete control. His mercies never end and His love never fails. His grace is ever and always abundantly sufficient for anything we will ever face--even if and when we go through the deepest, darkest waters, He will be with us and will strengthen and sustain us.
And remind yourself of the truth that we are here for one another—even if remotely! We can do this one day a time as we listen to God's voice of Truth and peace and power and comfort and strength.
And remind yourself of the truth that the things that truly, really matter are not things. No, they are absolutely not things that we can hold and touch and cling to, but rather consist of that which we cannot see but enjoy and treasure most of all: love, joy, compassion, kindness, forgiveness. Seeing the astounding beauty in the world around us everyday. Enjoying the gift of music. Treasuring the joy of sharing, helping, laughing with those we love--again, even if remotely. Those things can’t be taken away from us.
So today, what kind of message are you preaching to yourself? Is it one of terror, doom and doubt or one of trust, love, and one-day-at-a-time listening to and obeying the voice of Truth. The voice that bids us love God and love those He has so graciously placed in our lives. If we lose everything else but we have in this world, but we have Him and one another, then we are truly, deeply, wonderfully blessed. And we will get through this eventually, literally by the grace of our mighty, glorious God and by the love we have and show one another.
Our simple assignment for today--listen to His voice of Truth and love those He's given you. You can do this. We can do this together--by the grace and for the glory of God.
To God be the glory.
Thursday, March 12, 2020
Courage dear heart.
These are days of fear...and fear is contagious. But here's the thing--courage is contagious too.
Maybe you didn't need reminding, but I most certainly did as late last night, for the first time since this corona virus made it's hideous debut, fear suddenly wrapped it's icy death grip around my heart. That fear felt paralyzing...not just fear about the virus, but fear for all the people I love, fear for dear friends fighting cancer, fear for another friend's precious baby fighting infection, fear for all the sons and daughters trying desperately to travel back to this U.S., fear for the world's weakest and most vulnerable, fear of all those terrifying "what if's."
So perhaps I'm only preaching to myself, but just in case anyone else out there needs a little shot of strengthening courage, here's what I'm preaching: "Courage, dear heart."
It's remarkable how God used those three little words to minister to my wildly swerving emotions. And they've been on auto-repeat in my mind.
They come from one of my favorite passages from one of my favorite writers--C.S. Lewis--in the book, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader. Good old Clive Staples knew a thing or two about danger and fear. He fought and was injured in World War I and then lived through the terrors of World War II in England. So I'm heeding his God-inspired imagination.
Let me set the scene. Lucy and Edmund are among the crew of the Dawn Treader as they sail across the ocean in search of lost loved ones. But disaster strikes as they approach and then are trapped in the everlasting darkness of an island of nightmares. No matter what they do, they cannot escape and all hope is lost. Here's where the book picks up--
"Drinian’s hand shook on the tiller and a line of cold sweat ran down his face. The same idea was occurring to everyone on board. 'We shall never get out, never get out,' moaned the rowers. 'He’s steering us wrong. We’re going round and round in circles. We shall never get out.' The stranger, who had been lying in a huddled heap on the deck, sat up and burst out into a horrible screaming laugh.
'Never get out!' he yelled. 'That’s it. Of course. We shall never get out. What a fool I was to have thought they would let me go as easily as that. No, no, we shall never get out.'
Lucy leant her head on the edge of the fighting top and whispered, 'Aslan, Aslan, if ever you loved us at all, send us help now.' The darkness did not grow any less, but she began to feel a little—a very, very little—better. 'After all, nothing has really happened to us yet,' she thought.
' Look!' cried Rynelf’s voice hoarsely from the bows. There was a tiny speck of light ahead, and while they watched a broad beam of light fell from it upon the ship. It did not alter the surrounding darkness, but the whole ship was lit up as if by searchlight. Caspian blinked, stared round, saw the faces of his companions all with wild, fixed expressions. Everyone was staring in the same direction: behind everyone lay his black, sharply-edged shadow.
Lucy looked along the beam and presently saw something in it. At first it looked like a cross, then it looked like an aeroplane, then it looked like a kite, and at last with a whirring of wings it was right overhead and was an albatross. It circled three times round the mast and then perched for an instant on the crest of the gilded dragon at the prow. It called out in a strong sweet voice what seemed to be words though no one understood them. After that it spread its wings, rose, and began to fly slowly ahead, bearing a little to starboard. Drinian steered after it not doubting that it offered good guidance.
But no one except Lucy knew that as it circled the mast it had whispered to her, 'Courage, dear heart,' and the voice, she felt sure, was Aslan’s, and with the voice a delicious smell breathed in her face.
In a few moments the darkness turned into a greyness ahead, and then, almost before they dared to begin hoping, they had shot out into the sunlight and were in the warm, blue world again. And all at once everybody realized that there was nothing to be afraid of and never had been. They blinked their eyes and looked about them. The brightness of the ship herself astonished them: they had half expected to find that the darkness would cling to the white and the green and the gold in the form of some grime or scum. And then first one, and then another, began laughing."
Fear doesn't have the last word. Sacrifice does. Love does. Courage does. Our Jesus--who at one point said to His terrified disciples when they, too, were overcome with fear on a storm-tossed boat, "Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid." (Mt.14:27)--does.
And in case you forget that, look at the cross. Look at the One who confronted the worst possible fear, the most horrific imaginable pain, the most terrible suffering--not just physical but, far worse, spiritual--and willingly, even joyfully "for the joy that was set before Him" endured it all for us. He bore it all for us on the cross and rose victorious over every fear, every sin, every failure, every disease, every death, every betrayal, every heartbreak. And now He reigns in glory forever and ever.
And that's why, no matter what comes, we can declare to one another and to ourselves--Courage, dear heart. The next time our fears began whispering to us all the ugly "what if's," let's answer with His Words to us--"Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid."
Courage, dear heart. We have Jesus, the conquering Lion of Judah, with us. He's promised to never leave us or forsake us. And since He's with us, our rolling, rocking boat will make it safely all the way to His heavenly shore. Not somehow, but triumphantly.
Let's choose His unfailing word over our ever-vacillating fear. Courage, dear heart. He's here.
To God be the glory.
Maybe you didn't need reminding, but I most certainly did as late last night, for the first time since this corona virus made it's hideous debut, fear suddenly wrapped it's icy death grip around my heart. That fear felt paralyzing...not just fear about the virus, but fear for all the people I love, fear for dear friends fighting cancer, fear for another friend's precious baby fighting infection, fear for all the sons and daughters trying desperately to travel back to this U.S., fear for the world's weakest and most vulnerable, fear of all those terrifying "what if's."
So perhaps I'm only preaching to myself, but just in case anyone else out there needs a little shot of strengthening courage, here's what I'm preaching: "Courage, dear heart."
It's remarkable how God used those three little words to minister to my wildly swerving emotions. And they've been on auto-repeat in my mind.
They come from one of my favorite passages from one of my favorite writers--C.S. Lewis--in the book, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader. Good old Clive Staples knew a thing or two about danger and fear. He fought and was injured in World War I and then lived through the terrors of World War II in England. So I'm heeding his God-inspired imagination.
Let me set the scene. Lucy and Edmund are among the crew of the Dawn Treader as they sail across the ocean in search of lost loved ones. But disaster strikes as they approach and then are trapped in the everlasting darkness of an island of nightmares. No matter what they do, they cannot escape and all hope is lost. Here's where the book picks up--
"Drinian’s hand shook on the tiller and a line of cold sweat ran down his face. The same idea was occurring to everyone on board. 'We shall never get out, never get out,' moaned the rowers. 'He’s steering us wrong. We’re going round and round in circles. We shall never get out.' The stranger, who had been lying in a huddled heap on the deck, sat up and burst out into a horrible screaming laugh.
'Never get out!' he yelled. 'That’s it. Of course. We shall never get out. What a fool I was to have thought they would let me go as easily as that. No, no, we shall never get out.'
Lucy leant her head on the edge of the fighting top and whispered, 'Aslan, Aslan, if ever you loved us at all, send us help now.' The darkness did not grow any less, but she began to feel a little—a very, very little—better. 'After all, nothing has really happened to us yet,' she thought.
' Look!' cried Rynelf’s voice hoarsely from the bows. There was a tiny speck of light ahead, and while they watched a broad beam of light fell from it upon the ship. It did not alter the surrounding darkness, but the whole ship was lit up as if by searchlight. Caspian blinked, stared round, saw the faces of his companions all with wild, fixed expressions. Everyone was staring in the same direction: behind everyone lay his black, sharply-edged shadow.
Lucy looked along the beam and presently saw something in it. At first it looked like a cross, then it looked like an aeroplane, then it looked like a kite, and at last with a whirring of wings it was right overhead and was an albatross. It circled three times round the mast and then perched for an instant on the crest of the gilded dragon at the prow. It called out in a strong sweet voice what seemed to be words though no one understood them. After that it spread its wings, rose, and began to fly slowly ahead, bearing a little to starboard. Drinian steered after it not doubting that it offered good guidance.
But no one except Lucy knew that as it circled the mast it had whispered to her, 'Courage, dear heart,' and the voice, she felt sure, was Aslan’s, and with the voice a delicious smell breathed in her face.
In a few moments the darkness turned into a greyness ahead, and then, almost before they dared to begin hoping, they had shot out into the sunlight and were in the warm, blue world again. And all at once everybody realized that there was nothing to be afraid of and never had been. They blinked their eyes and looked about them. The brightness of the ship herself astonished them: they had half expected to find that the darkness would cling to the white and the green and the gold in the form of some grime or scum. And then first one, and then another, began laughing."
Fear doesn't have the last word. Sacrifice does. Love does. Courage does. Our Jesus--who at one point said to His terrified disciples when they, too, were overcome with fear on a storm-tossed boat, "Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid." (Mt.14:27)--does.
And in case you forget that, look at the cross. Look at the One who confronted the worst possible fear, the most horrific imaginable pain, the most terrible suffering--not just physical but, far worse, spiritual--and willingly, even joyfully "for the joy that was set before Him" endured it all for us. He bore it all for us on the cross and rose victorious over every fear, every sin, every failure, every disease, every death, every betrayal, every heartbreak. And now He reigns in glory forever and ever.
And that's why, no matter what comes, we can declare to one another and to ourselves--Courage, dear heart. The next time our fears began whispering to us all the ugly "what if's," let's answer with His Words to us--"Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid."
Courage, dear heart. We have Jesus, the conquering Lion of Judah, with us. He's promised to never leave us or forsake us. And since He's with us, our rolling, rocking boat will make it safely all the way to His heavenly shore. Not somehow, but triumphantly.
Let's choose His unfailing word over our ever-vacillating fear. Courage, dear heart. He's here.
To God be the glory.
Tuesday, March 10, 2020
But God....
"The best laid plans..."
How many times have we heard or repeated that phrase? Basically meaning--"I planned and planned, and it was all for nought...or everything changed...my plans didn't pan out..." or, well you know the drill.
Our son, Preyer, is among millions of folks who are dealing with that reality right now because of the dreaded coronavirus. He'd been planning a couple month back packing trip across Europe after he graduated and before he begins work in May. He carefully researched and planned every last detail. His sister was meeting him for part of the trip. Several dear friends were meeting him at different parts. My husband and I planned to meet him for part as well (for my husband's first trip to Europe). And now, nada. We all had to cancel. And Preyer had to abandon his original plan and is now trying to salvage a greatly truncated bit of travel in eastern Europe (where the virus hasn't spread nearly as much).
Preyer's attitude has been incredibly mature. He recently wrote of all the sudden and dramatic changes that he's "learning to embrace it and enjoy the unexpected turns."
But here's my point in bringing this up: when we first talked the other day about how all his travel plans had blown up, he said, “I hate that I wasted all that time planning this.” I reminded him, however, that nothing’s ever wasted. He had learned a lot and now would be well prepared the next time he wants to take a trip. That effort, that time spent learning was not a waste, despite the unexpected upheaval of plans.
All this immediately brought to mind two things First, our time spent learning and investing in God’s Word is NEVER EVER wasted! You never know when the investment in time and effort you are putting in now, will one day yield enormous benefits and blessings. Putting in time now, prepares you for the crises of tomorrow. Each day, each minute in God's Word plants His seed deep within your heart and that seed will blossom into strength in times of distress, wisdom in times of perplexity, hope in times of discouragement, God-confidence in times of uncertainty, and faith in times of fear. Put in the those deposits now, knowing they will yield a hundred and a thousand fold in the future. No matter what, make it a priority to get into God’s Word everyday so that He can renew your mind, refocus your gaze upon Jesus, and refuel your faith in Him.
Secondly, we have absolutely no idea what the future holds, but we place our faith in the One who holds the future. Sure, we can and should make our plans, but if nothing else, the past few months have surely taught us that we cannot control the future. Our plans may completely fail, but God never will.
These past few months have been filled with some deep sorrows and challenging difficulties for a number of people very close to me. None of us planned for tragedy or death or disease or accidents. And the entire globe now sees how a microscopic virus can literally wreak deadly havoc across the entire planet. As the great Christian philosopher Blaise Pascal once noted, “Man is only a reed, the weakest in nature . . . There is no need for the whole universe to take up arms to crush him: a vapor . . . is enough to kill him.”
BUT GOD! In our Bible study this year, we've found ourselves repeating that phrase over and over again--but God. But God is in control. But God is our heavenly Father, and His love for us is infinite and unstoppable. But God sees the whole vast picture while we only glimpse the tiniest little speck of it. But God has already defeated the powers of sin and death at the cross. But God took the worst event in human history and brought about it the greatest, most unimaginable eternal good out of it. But God has promised He will use ALL things—even tragedies, even sorrows, even premature deaths, even viruses, even economic collapse—for our ultimate good and His greater glory. But God is coming back and will make all things new. But God is preparing for us a perfect, joyous, eternal Home in heaven.
And so might we will choose to trust in Him and His Word rather than our circumstances and our feelings. Might we choose to daily renew our minds in His Word so that we can glimpse His glory and be filled with His wisdom, power, love, and hope. And might we constantly keep in our hearts the great truth of but God. He will make a way through our blighted hopes and blasted plans, and one glorious day, we will proclaim the goodness and greatness of His perfect plans and ways.
To God be the glory.
How many times have we heard or repeated that phrase? Basically meaning--"I planned and planned, and it was all for nought...or everything changed...my plans didn't pan out..." or, well you know the drill.
Our son, Preyer, is among millions of folks who are dealing with that reality right now because of the dreaded coronavirus. He'd been planning a couple month back packing trip across Europe after he graduated and before he begins work in May. He carefully researched and planned every last detail. His sister was meeting him for part of the trip. Several dear friends were meeting him at different parts. My husband and I planned to meet him for part as well (for my husband's first trip to Europe). And now, nada. We all had to cancel. And Preyer had to abandon his original plan and is now trying to salvage a greatly truncated bit of travel in eastern Europe (where the virus hasn't spread nearly as much).
Preyer's attitude has been incredibly mature. He recently wrote of all the sudden and dramatic changes that he's "learning to embrace it and enjoy the unexpected turns."
But here's my point in bringing this up: when we first talked the other day about how all his travel plans had blown up, he said, “I hate that I wasted all that time planning this.” I reminded him, however, that nothing’s ever wasted. He had learned a lot and now would be well prepared the next time he wants to take a trip. That effort, that time spent learning was not a waste, despite the unexpected upheaval of plans.
All this immediately brought to mind two things First, our time spent learning and investing in God’s Word is NEVER EVER wasted! You never know when the investment in time and effort you are putting in now, will one day yield enormous benefits and blessings. Putting in time now, prepares you for the crises of tomorrow. Each day, each minute in God's Word plants His seed deep within your heart and that seed will blossom into strength in times of distress, wisdom in times of perplexity, hope in times of discouragement, God-confidence in times of uncertainty, and faith in times of fear. Put in the those deposits now, knowing they will yield a hundred and a thousand fold in the future. No matter what, make it a priority to get into God’s Word everyday so that He can renew your mind, refocus your gaze upon Jesus, and refuel your faith in Him.
Secondly, we have absolutely no idea what the future holds, but we place our faith in the One who holds the future. Sure, we can and should make our plans, but if nothing else, the past few months have surely taught us that we cannot control the future. Our plans may completely fail, but God never will.
These past few months have been filled with some deep sorrows and challenging difficulties for a number of people very close to me. None of us planned for tragedy or death or disease or accidents. And the entire globe now sees how a microscopic virus can literally wreak deadly havoc across the entire planet. As the great Christian philosopher Blaise Pascal once noted, “Man is only a reed, the weakest in nature . . . There is no need for the whole universe to take up arms to crush him: a vapor . . . is enough to kill him.”
BUT GOD! In our Bible study this year, we've found ourselves repeating that phrase over and over again--but God. But God is in control. But God is our heavenly Father, and His love for us is infinite and unstoppable. But God sees the whole vast picture while we only glimpse the tiniest little speck of it. But God has already defeated the powers of sin and death at the cross. But God took the worst event in human history and brought about it the greatest, most unimaginable eternal good out of it. But God has promised He will use ALL things—even tragedies, even sorrows, even premature deaths, even viruses, even economic collapse—for our ultimate good and His greater glory. But God is coming back and will make all things new. But God is preparing for us a perfect, joyous, eternal Home in heaven.
And so might we will choose to trust in Him and His Word rather than our circumstances and our feelings. Might we choose to daily renew our minds in His Word so that we can glimpse His glory and be filled with His wisdom, power, love, and hope. And might we constantly keep in our hearts the great truth of but God. He will make a way through our blighted hopes and blasted plans, and one glorious day, we will proclaim the goodness and greatness of His perfect plans and ways.
To God be the glory.
Saturday, March 7, 2020
Lent, dead things, and springtime
Lenten thoughts--
Hello again! I apologize for the long absence, but I've been focused on writing lectures for Bible study, and the old brain bandwidth could only handle so much at one time. Lord willing, I'm hoping to write here more regularly. And since the season of Lent began last Wednesday, the plan is to share some brief thoughts throughout the Lenten season.
By way of very quick introduction, Lent comes from the old English word for "springtime." Of course, it's not feeling a whole lot like spring quite yet...but we can see tiny, encouraging glimpses that spring is on the way! Thank You Lord!
Lent provides us with the space and time to ponder not only our own sinfulness, but more importantly, to remember the cross and the price Jesus paid to cleanse us of our sins. And this can't help but engender in us overwhelming gratitude. As John Newton famously shared near the very end of his life. "Although my memory's fading, I remember two things very clearly: I am a great sinner and Christ is a great Savior." Amen to that!
I recently read these thoughts that were directed to children about Lent: "This is the season when the earth begins to come back to life after winter. Ice melts, the earth thaws, and things that were dead begin to bloom and grow again. During Lent, we name the things in our hearts and in our world that are dead, and we wait to see how God will raise them to new life with Jesus."
So today, will you ask yourself: what are some of those dead things in my life? Dead dreams? Dead hopes? Dead relationships? Dead strength? Dead vision? Dead faith? And will you look to God and trust that He, even now, is making all things new? At any given moment, He's working and moving in countless ways that we cannot see and do not know. Maybe we can glimpse no evidence of it at the moment, but we can be sure that with God, when nothing is happening, something is happening! So we need to listen to Him, surrender to Him, trust Him, and place our hope in Him.
As has often been said, "God works best in a graveyard." Look around and notice the signs hidden all throughout nature that God is bringing new life out of cold, dead winter. Spring is coming. New life is growing. God is working. Let's wait on Him with hope in our hearts and a song of anticipatory praise on our lips.
To God be the glory.
Hello again! I apologize for the long absence, but I've been focused on writing lectures for Bible study, and the old brain bandwidth could only handle so much at one time. Lord willing, I'm hoping to write here more regularly. And since the season of Lent began last Wednesday, the plan is to share some brief thoughts throughout the Lenten season.
By way of very quick introduction, Lent comes from the old English word for "springtime." Of course, it's not feeling a whole lot like spring quite yet...but we can see tiny, encouraging glimpses that spring is on the way! Thank You Lord!
Lent provides us with the space and time to ponder not only our own sinfulness, but more importantly, to remember the cross and the price Jesus paid to cleanse us of our sins. And this can't help but engender in us overwhelming gratitude. As John Newton famously shared near the very end of his life. "Although my memory's fading, I remember two things very clearly: I am a great sinner and Christ is a great Savior." Amen to that!
I recently read these thoughts that were directed to children about Lent: "This is the season when the earth begins to come back to life after winter. Ice melts, the earth thaws, and things that were dead begin to bloom and grow again. During Lent, we name the things in our hearts and in our world that are dead, and we wait to see how God will raise them to new life with Jesus."
So today, will you ask yourself: what are some of those dead things in my life? Dead dreams? Dead hopes? Dead relationships? Dead strength? Dead vision? Dead faith? And will you look to God and trust that He, even now, is making all things new? At any given moment, He's working and moving in countless ways that we cannot see and do not know. Maybe we can glimpse no evidence of it at the moment, but we can be sure that with God, when nothing is happening, something is happening! So we need to listen to Him, surrender to Him, trust Him, and place our hope in Him.
As has often been said, "God works best in a graveyard." Look around and notice the signs hidden all throughout nature that God is bringing new life out of cold, dead winter. Spring is coming. New life is growing. God is working. Let's wait on Him with hope in our hearts and a song of anticipatory praise on our lips.
To God be the glory.
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