Our Golden Age

               A little food for weekend thought:

     "The people who live in a Golden Age usually go around complaining how yellow everything looks."  Randall Jarrell
     All I can say is "Amen!"  Is that not our tendency?  We miss the joys of today in our endless striving for a more promising tomorrow or our insistent sorrow over a lost yesterday.  We long for "the good old days"-- forgetting the good old days possessed the same measure of sorrows, challenges, and limitations with which we are confronted today.  Sure, the nature and type of difficulties may vary from generation to generation, but the source remains the same--a fallen world.
     We tend to forget: we're not home yet.
     Every age, every generation, has it's share of blessings and burdens.  And every age, from the Dark Ages to the Golden Age, has You, Lord, as it's Sovereign King.
     But lest we miss the moment God has given us today--the fleeting time of "now"--we need to remember the joys He has given us in our "Golden Age."   Interspersed with the challenges are the priceless benefits--family, friends, of course, but also the smells of summer, the songs of birds and crickets, the sights of fireflies lighting up a field at twilight and leaping deer, the taste of melting ice cream on a hot day, the scent of grilling hot dogs and buttered corn, the gift of laughter with loved ones...
     We live in the Golden Age.  Right now.  In this very moment.
     Thank You Lord for swimming with a few siblings (and a niece!) on a muggy summer evening--

     Thank you for the startling beauty of hydrangeas.  Such perfect bundles reflecting Your glory--

     Thank You for the reminder of Your faithfulness in never ever leaving us nor forsaking us.  Your promises are ever and forever true: "It is the Lord who goes before you.  He will be with you; He will not leave you or forsake you.  Do not fear or be dismayed." (Deut.31:8)  And thank You, Father, for the dear friend who just sent us this picture--a memory of Your love and presence always always always with us, through the highs and the lows--

     Thank You for the gift of love...of loving You,  Father, our Heavenly Daddy.  And the gift of loving one another.  All of us imperfect, but all beloved by You.  "Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another...If we love one another, God abides in us, and His love is perfected in us." (I John 4:11-12)  Help us to love, Lord.  
    Give us eyes to see Your astounding goodness to us in this, our Golden Age.  Turn our focus away from the gilded treasures this world applauds and fill our vision with Your glory, Your grace, Your good gifts.  And Father, for those whose today seems anything but golden, for those facing another day of sadness or struggle, we ask that You would fill them with Your peace even amidst perplexity, Your hope even amidst fear, Your light even in the darkness, and Your unquenchable joy even amidst sorrow.
     Make us ever mindful of Your promises...You have assured us that "Because I live, you will live also." (John 14:19)  Real life.  Abundant life.  Eternal life...in You.  
     To God be the glory.

The aroma of Christ

     A perfect gardenia.  Thank You, Lord Jesus, for Your gifts to us this day...and some of them not only look beautiful but their fragrance is exquisite.   And thank You, Lord, for my dear friend who just dropped these off this morning--their second delivery of these delicate ivory treasures to our doorstep.  Their scent permeates the kitchen and has brought so much brightness and joy into our little world.
    Such a simple thing, really.  Just cutting some flowers, putting them in a vase, and dropping them off at someone's house.  But my goodness, those wonderful friends cannot imagine the payoff in happiness they have brought us.  Not ten-fold their effort.  I'd say more like ten-thousand fold the effort to joy ratio!
     So I had to immediately ask myself, when have I done that... or failed to do it?  When has God put a little something on my heart to do for someone else?  And have I followed through--even if I'm busy or tired or even grumpy?  It could be writing that quick note of encouragement, dropping off those chocolate chip cookies, telephoning to tell someone I'm praying for them, cleaning up another's mess and doing it with joy rather than complaining, refusing to shoot back with a verbal comeback when I've been hurt by another's words, or giving a gift to someone for no reason other than I'm thinking of them.
     Lord Jesus, I want to be more like You--shedding abroad Your love and grace to a hurting, worried, distracted world.  And that means putting aside my own little agenda, my own little concerns, and my own little excuses, and simply being obedient to that gentle, quiet voice of the Holy Spirit prompting me to spill out some of His Living Water on my thirsty friends or family or neighbors.
     I love Paul's words in 2 Corinthians 2:14-15.  Paul explains a disappointing change of plans but then follows up with these words: "But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of Him everywhere.  For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing."
      Like our lovely gardenia gift, what kind of fragrance are we spreading abroad as we go about our days?  Even when we feel defeated or discouraged, Jesus can and will still lead us in triumph and uses us to spread His gracious, glorious fragrance of Life.
     He doesn't call for us to perfect.  Or successful.  Just available.  Just ready to spread His life-giving, joy-sustaining, hope-inducing fragrance to those around us.
     And sometimes it just starts with dropping off some flowers on a doorstep.
     Who can you, who can I bless today with the fragrance of Jesus?  O Lord, help us to be faithful in these little things and start spreading the aroma of the Savior.  To God be the glory.

Envy versus gratitude

     Just because this makes me happy--thank You, Lord, for boys and dogs and sunny days!

     I recently heard envy explained in a fascinating way: envy looks at what we don't have and assumes that is the good we really want and need.  In other words, envy says, "Look what so and so has that you don't.  If only you had what they have, then life would be good and you'd be happy."  Wrong!
     The opposite of envy is gratitude.  While envy focuses only upon what I don't or can't have, gratitude looks at what I do have and chooses thankfulness.
     Envy always leads to misery and bitterness.  Always.  That's why comparison is so absolutely deadly, because we grow preoccupied with what others have (that we want) or don't have (that we wish we didn't have).
      I'll never forget starting to fall into that trap when Janie was so sick and in a coma in the ICU.  Some folks thought she was in a medically-induced coma.  O if only!  Nope, she was unconscious from the time of the accident, and the doctors could not wake her up though they tried repeatedly.   Every few hours, the doctors and nurses would shout her name in her ear, trying to awaken her.  "Janie, wake up.  Janie wake up!" they yell.  But day after day after day, no response whatsoever.  It was always a roller coaster of emotions--great hope as they began the routine of shouting at her and praying that this might be the time that she would finally respond and wake up.  And then profound disappointment when once again, time after time, she would not respond in any way.
     And then one day, after we had been there almost two weeks and Janie was still unconscious and unresponsive, a middle-aged man was admitted into the room next door.  He, too, had been in a serious car accident and was unconscious from a brain injury as well.  I could hear them through the thin walls trying the same routine to awaken him.  Nothing for him as well on the first day.  But then on only his second day in the ICU, he apparently began to awaken and I could hear the muted excitement of those attending him.
     It was then that the ugly, hateful spirit of comparison and envy began to invade my heart.  Lord, why couldn't that be Janie?  Why him and not her?  We've been here almost 2 weeks and nothing.  He's been here only 2 days....
     I can only praise the Lord that He checked me in my spirit the moment my heart started heading down that despairing, bitter path of comparison and envy.  In His mercy, God stopped me in my tracks and reminded me of His faithfulness to us, His presence with us, His love and mercy and grace for us.
     I made a conscious effort at that moment to transfer my thoughts away from envy and towards gratitude.  Thank You Lord for this fine hospital and these amazing doctors and nurses.  Thank you for my dear, priceless brothers and sisters helping us and being with us constantly.  Thank You for our incredible friends who are doing everything under the sun and more for us.  Thank You for our church praying for us.  Thank You for the strength You've given us every moment.  Thank You that we live in a nation where we can have this remarkable medical care.  Thank you for our children's schools and all they have done for us during this time... and on and on.
     You can see--the list grew exponentially, and the more blessings I recounted, the more my heart lifted and my joy returned ten-fold.  Janie was still unconscious, but I could rejoice that the man next door was recovering while still praying in faith for God's healing in our lives as well.
     It's true in every area of our lives.  We live in a big world where God has plenty of blessings to go around!  Time to stop envying others for God's  generosity in their lives and feeling bitter about what we lack and instead focus upon His extraordinary grace in our lives.
     Time to reject envy and instead choose gratitude--being thankful and savoring and loving what we do have rather than what we lack.
     So back to where I started--thank You, Lord Jesus, for children and dogs and sunshine.  Thank You for the dear friend who dropped off those gorgeous gardenias at our front door... and wow, thank You for the glorious fragrance of their blooms that have brought us a hefty dose of joy in our kitchen ever since.  And by the way, Lord, what a great idea when You created gardenias--thank You!  And thank You for friends who walk through this adventure of life with us.
     Thank You for our Savior who never ever leaves us nor forsakes us--even when we do slip into envy and forget gratitude.  And thank You for Your amazing grace...that pulls us back from the bitter brink and always brings us back to You, our ultimate source of all joy.  To God be the glory.

The divine paradox

                           A little food for weekend thought:

     From the great 18th century British writer, biographer, and literary critic, Dr. Samuel Johnson: "Almost every man wastes part of his life in attempts to display qualities he does not possess, and to gain applause which he cannot keep."  

     Perish the thought that others should see our weaknesses or our failures.  We strive and strive  to keep all those balls successfully in the air--and appear effortless while doing it.  And then when a ball...or two or three...drops, we hang our heads in shame.  Discouraged.  Defeated.  

     Shame on us!  How quickly we forget the glorious good news of the Gospel!  

     For here's what God's Word says: "Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me.  But He said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.'  Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.  For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities.  For when I am weak, then I am strong." (2 Cor.12:8-10)  

     It's the divine and glorious paradox--our weakness, His strength.  Our sin, His salvation.  Our failure, His forgiveness.  

     O Lord Jesus, thank You for Your Gospel that is not for the perfect but for the pardoned.  Not for the successful kings of the world but for the eternally secure children of the King.  You tell us--it's not a matter of me doing and doing and doing... and never quite feeling satisfied with my efforts.  It's a matter of done... finished... by the blood of the Perfect, Sovereign, Savior.  

     Might we rest in what You've already accomplished on our behalf... rather than seeking to rack up more accomplishments to somehow enhance our personal ledgers. 

     It's not us, Jesus--it's all You.  Your Name.  Your cross.  Your finished work of redemption.  And Your glory.   Thank You even for our weaknesses and failures and misgivings... for when we are weak, then we are strong.  Give us grace this day to hand You our weaknesses and to die to our desperate craving to appear perfect and successful.  Might we live for You and Your mighty, glorious, gracious, omnipotent Name.  In our weakness, Lord,  show Yourself strong and mighty.

     To God be the glory.

Stillness vs. Fretting

     A good word for today from the Good Word:
          "Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him; fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way, over the man who carries out evil devices!  Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath!  Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil." (Ps.37:7-8)
     Those words jumped out at me today, and I think that's often one of the ways the Holy Spirit grabs our attention and speaks to us.  So I thought I'd just camp out on them for a moment.
     The Psalmist had me at "Be still."  Sigh.  Well, Lord, I'm not going to win any awards for my ability to "be still" before You... or anybody else.  My motto lends more towards the let-no-silence-go-unbroken tendency.  Fill up that empty space with words or with noise or with chores or with actions.  Better yet, double-book that empty space with multi-tasking.
     But unless we slow down to be still, we can't be filled.  If we aren't silent long enough to hear the beauty of the peaceful silence, we will miss the bounty of the Prince of Peace.  I don't ever recall hearing words in the Gospels that "Jesus ran..." or "Jesus rushed..." or even "Jesus rallied His forces and got busy multi-tasking all the work to be done."
     Nope, Jesus always seemed to have time for the people God placed before Him.  He walked at His Father's pace--busy, yes, but always patient and loving and purposeful.  Never preoccupied, but always prayerful.
     Help us Father to be still before You and to wait patiently on Your plan, Your pace, Your purposes for our day.  O brother, this is hard, but the rewards are so life-sustaining, so satisfying.
     And then, we're to "fret not yourself."  Ouch.  Anybody around here (besides yours truly) a world championship fretter?  Fret over the children.  Fret over the news.  Fret over school.  Fret over schedules.  Fret over whether I can find some chocolate cake tonight.  Fret over how we're not measuring up or not meeting expectations or somehow or other falling behind.
     And where exactly does all that fretting get us?  Nowhere.  Certainly not at peace.  Nor joyful.  Nor hopeful.  Nor helpful.  And we surely can't love or encourage others if we're full of self-focused fretting.
     Isn't fretting really just self-centered preoccupation rather than Christ-centered prayerful waiting and trusting?    No wonder the Psalmist says "it tends only to evil."  Part of me wants to say, "duh."  And yet I live as if all my fretting and rushing and multi-tasking will somehow, someway be magically transformed into the peace and contentment my soul craves.
     Okay, I'll shut up now... like I said, too many words.  Not enough stillness before the Savior.  So Abba, Father, take all our fretting, all our fussing, all our hurrying, all our worrying and help us to be still and wait patiently for You... trusting  that Your pace and Your plans for us and those that we love are best, pleasing, and perfect.  To God be the glory.

Thankful receiver

     Just a beautiful, peaceful scene to savor.  Sometimes we forget to notice God's glorious creation all around us simply because, well, it's all around us.
      Here at a golf course in Providence, RI, I looked out this morning and laid out before me like a perfect tapestry: crystal blue skies hovering over startlingly vibrant green grass and grand old trees.  And overseeing it all was the continual symphonic chorus of birds.  It's a bit cool here, but not chilly, just pretty much perfect.  I stood there for a moment, standing in an asphalt parking lot and paused to savor the peaceful, joyous sight before me.
     And I couldn't help but think: how many times do I miss it?  In my hurry, in my preoccupation, in my anxiousness, how often do I pass right by these moments of pure God-created and God-sustained delight?  Sure, life is hard and sometimes awfully difficult.  Sure, we all have things to do and places to go and people to serve... but really, can't we still pause in the midst of it and simply give thanks?                                                   Thanks for the beauty and wonder of God's green earth.  Thanks for the priceless gift of the people in our lives.  Thanks for a beating heart and a seeing eye and a listening ear that can comprehend the magnitude of this fine day... or this challenging day... or even this impossibly hard day.  Thanks that whatever we are going through, we are not going through it alone.  Not ever.
     I just read this today: "The thankful receiver bears a plentiful harvest."  William Blake
     Lord, make us thankful receivers.  We so often forget, we are recipients all day, all night long of Your grace, Your goodness, Your love, Your forgiveness, Your strength.  Make us mindful this day of all we are receiving--whether it's a hug from a friend or a a word of encouragement or a song that we love or a sweet dog greeting us at the door or a blue sky and green tree courtesy of our gracious and relentless Gift-Giver.
     Thank You, Father.  I don't know what the rest of this day might hold, but right now, I simply say, thank You.  To God be the glory.

Out--to serve

   

A church we passed by today in a little town just outside of Providence, RI.  The sign over the door reads: "Gathered 1643."

Wow, that's an old church!  I also loved the signs on the parking lot right in front of the church, "In--to worship" and "Out--to serve."  Thanks for the reminder, Lord.  Forgive us for far too often receiving, and receiving from You and Your Word but then failing to take that infilling with which You have blessed us and serving and serving. 

 We are not saved to be secure in our holy huddle... we are saved to serve and pour out our lives with joyful abandon. 

 If we could just live with the end in mind--with the reminder that our lives on this planet are but a vapor and we have all of eternity stretching endlessly before us--I know we would live differently.  Live with less fear and more faith.  Live with less selfishness and more service.  Live with less hoarding of our spiritual resources and more happily sharing with the world the treasures with which Christ has blessed us.  Live with less greed and more gratitude.  Live with less comparing and more consecrating.  

And what, exactly, is preventing us from starting now?

These are the words of Leonard Ravenhill (1907-1994), a fiery British preacher and respected authority on revival, as he wrote about the life of his dear friend, Keith Green:

"I'm in my 83rd year, but it doesn't necessarily mean I'm wiser or stronger.  It doesn't mean I've done more.  It's not the stretch of life that matters.  It's the depth of life.  It's not how long we live.  It's how we live.  Keith was a man who seemed to live on the edge of eternity.  And he was ready to step into it.    It can truly be said of Keith that 'He being dead, yet speaketh.'  And he will speak right on to generations beyond us.  I wish we had ten thousand people like him.  I pray that many will catch a vision from his life--trust and obey."

Lord, help us to catch that vision of what it means to live each day for Christ, as if this day might be our last opportunity to share His love, spread His grace, and send out the message of His glorious gift of salvation.  For each of us, whether we recognize it or not, truly do live upon the lip of eternity.  

If this day is our last, what would we do differently?  Who would we forgive?  How would we share our love?  Who would we tell about Christ?  What trivialities would we stop worrying or fussing about?  And what things of ultimate importance would actually consume our thoughts?  

Maybe it's time to start now.  

Only one life; twill soon be past.  Only what's done for Jesus will last.  To God be the glory.