Joyful Noisy

When I was in High School, I played bass in our youth group praise band. It was a pretty small youth group, so half of the people there on a given night were in the band. As you can probably guess a full drum kit, bass, guitar, and keys got a little loud in the 10x20 portable room where we met. On top of that most of us were not very good. The drummer had been playing for about 6 months, my friend who made poor financial decisions bought me a bass, so we had someone to play bass—ignoring the fact that I am rhythmically challenged.

No matter how bad we played we had a ton of fun doing it, and someone (probably against their better judgment) asked for us to lead worship for an evening service. In true edgy Christian teenager fashion, we did our soundcheck, got dialed in, and then just before the service started, we turned all our instruments up a little bit. It was too loud, off-time, and one of those situations where everyone compliments your effort rather than your achievement.

We were told to read a scripture during the service, so we read this Psalm.

Psalm 100

Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth!
2 Serve the Lord with gladness!
    Come into his presence with singing!

3 Know that the Lord, he is God!
    It is he who made us, and we are his;

    we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.

4 Enter his gates with thanksgiving,
    and his courts with praise!
    Give thanks to him; bless his name!

5 For the Lord is good;
    his steadfast love endures forever,
    and his faithfulness to all generations.

We absolutely read it because it talks about making noise and that’s what we were all about. But if we look a little closer, we can see that this Psalm is five short verses reminding us about the simple joy we have in coming to the Lord. We don’t need to be skilled or highly trained musicians. We just need to recognize that there is a God who loves us.

And His love endures forever.

Need Somebody

If you asked my friends to describe me, one of the things that I think would come up in their, obviously overflowing, list of kind words is laid back. I’m a go with the flow kind of person. Problems and setbacks are going to come up, and I know in my heart that 9 times out of 10, I can come up with a creative solution or workaround. However, there are times, those nasty 1 out of 10 situations, when the solution needed can’t just be cobbled together from duct tape and ingenuity.

This past week, my computer crashed beyond my capabilities to mend, and we had a problem with the building that can’t be solved by the multi-tool I keep in my desk. I hate problems like this. I hate them because it requires me to do one of the most difficult things in the world: ask for help.

If you’re like me you know the struggle of admitting you can’t do something on your own, figuring out who you should reach out to, trying one last time to force a solution, and finally swallowing your pride and asking for help. As hard and ridiculous as this process we put ourselves through is, it has never been necessary. The people I have asked for help have been happy to help. They are thankful for an opportunity to serve. Now I just hope they can find a solution.

There are people who are overjoyed to help when we ask for it. When someone asks, you usually don’t think twice and just say yes because what they’re asking usually isn’t that big of a deal. Peter put it this way,

1 Peter 4:8-11 8 Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins…10 As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace…whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

There are people who love you and want to help. If everything is going great for you then look around and try to anticipate the needs of others.

Service can bring a better understanding of grace to everyone involved.

Missed Days

The heat dies down a little (yay!), pumpkin spice lattes are available once again(yay!), school starts back up (yay!), and now everyone is sick (boo). The unofficial start of fall is supposed to be a time of hope and optimism, but part of that means a bunch of kids reconnecting and meeting germs that they haven’t seen all summer. And because we’ve all done such a good job teaching them to share, they pass it on to the adults. Thinking back on my own time in grade school, I definitely missed way more second days of school than I attended.

There are times in life that we are excited to get started—a new project, a new job, a new school, etc. However, in the process we hit a wall that slows us down. It is in those times that our resolve is tested. Finding out that the thing you want is going to be harder to obtain than you first thought means we need to make a choice: go on or give up?

Obviously, missing a couple days of school is not enough reason to give up. Then again, it can leave you feeling lost and as though you’re falling behind. When you feel like you’re falling behind it is time to ask for help. Peter puts it this way,

1 Peter 5 6:11 6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, 7 casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you. 8 Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 9 Resist him, firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your family of believers throughout the world. 10 And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. 11 To him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen.

Being humble is hard, being patient is harder, and trusting can be the hardest of all, but we can put our hope in the promises we have received from God.

You Do?

A little over two weeks ago my favorite band played, what is likely, their last show ever. It’s a huge bummer for me and has sent me down a fairly deep nostalgia rabbit hole. Since getting their first album in 2002 I have been hooked. The lyrics and music spoke to me in a way that only your favorite music can. I saw them live 15-20 times over the years, and now regret any time I missed a show or thought I’ll just see them the next time they come around.

I was lucky enough to be able listen to the audio of their final show, and during one of the moments of stage banter while the lead singer is thanking all the people who feel like family for attending, someone in the crowd yelled out, “we love you!” The singer responded in his quiet slightly awkward way, “You do? We’re trying our best to love you,” and then they started playing the next song.

I think this an amazing picture of the way we sometimes view God. This band is playing for a sold-out crowd of diehard fans, many who traveled great distances to see them one last time. They sing every lyric. They shout cheers. And when they say I love you, he still quietly asks, you do? We know the love of the God exists, but sometimes have a hard time seeing ourselves as object of that affection.

Old Testament prophet Zephaniah put it this way

Zephaniah 3:15-17

15 The Lord has taken away the judgments against you;
    he has cleared away your enemies.
The King of Israel, the Lord, is in your midst;
    you shall never again fear evil.
16 On that day it shall be said to Jerusalem:
“Fear not, O Zion;
    let not your hands grow weak.
17 The Lord your God is in your midst,
    a mighty one who will save;
he will rejoice over you with gladness;
    he will quiet you by his love;
he will exult over you with loud singing.

The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are shouting how much they love us. Let us see it for the blessing that it is, and respond with joy, “I’m trying my best to love you, too.”

School Daze

This week school started up again for another year, and I can’t think of another day that causes such a wide-ranging spectrum of emotions among its participants. Parents who reached their summer breaking point are excited to send their kids literally anywhere. Parents feeling weepy because their little darling is growing up so fast. Kids excited for all the new and unknown experiences coming. Kids terrified of all the new and unknown experiences coming. Whether you’re crying out of joy, sadness, or anything in between, the start of something new is worth recognizing and examining.

The return to school for a lot of people is largely a return to routine. People need to be awake and ready to go at a certain time or someone is going to get in trouble. One of my favorite recent memories was watching a friend walk through the realization that when his kid starts kindergarten he’s going to need to be there before the bell instead of the “whenever is convenient” of preschool.

As you look at the rhythms of your life, or your family’s life, be sure that you are prioritizing the right things. When the world starts rushing, we need to be sure that our focus is on character rather than inertia. Paul in Romans 12 puts it this way,

“2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. 3 For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of themselves more highly than they ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned.”

The world (whether it’s the world of school, the world of your job, or the world of your neighbors) tells us constantly do more, do more, you’re falling behind, pick it up! But, we aren’t called to just do more, we are called to do what is best.

God has given you a calling and a purpose. As we enter this new season, this change in our rhythms, be sure to prioritize those things that lead you closer to God.

Pop Goes Perfection

Ecclesiastes 7:20 – Surely there is not a righteous person on earth who does good and never sins.

Even though we’ve all met people who thought they were, there is no one walking the world around us who has achieved perfection. Not even you. However, being armed with this knowledge rarely prevents us from trying to be perfect. We think, “I need the perfect house, the perfect job, to have/be the perfect spouse, have the perfect children, be the perfect friend,” and on and on it goes until we are left disappointed that we haven’t achieved the impossible.

One of the most counterintuitive situations we encounter is that in all this trying to be perfect, we sometimes end up further away from our goal. When striving towards a goal, our efforts should be measured and intentional. We’re going to make mistakes, but each time we fall back we can take a breath and learn something from it.

When Thomas Edison was being interviewed about developing his lightbulb, he was asked about all his failures. In response he said, “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.” In your effort to reach perfection what can you learn from your mistakes and missteps?

Paul tells us in Philippians 3:12-15 “12 Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. 13 Brothers and Sisters, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, 14 I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. 15 Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you.”

God (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) the founder and perfecter of our Faith has already done the hard work of perfection. Let us lean into God’s perfection rather than trying to find our own.

Ruh-Roh

Do you remember watching Scooby-Doo cartoons? For a lot of kids this was their first introduction to the horror genre. Something spooky happens and instead of walking away from danger, like sane people would, Scoob and the gang, Mystery Incorporated, would start investigating. Without fail they would be running around the “haunted” mansion, finding secret passages, and ultimately trapping the “ghost” with some clever stunt. Almost without fail, the spooky monster turned out to be some guy in a mask. The thing they were scared of turned out to be no real danger at all.

Often, we find ourselves in a similar situation in life. We feel afraid and as though we are running for our life, but the thing we’re running from is only perceived as dangerous rather than being an actual threat. Running for your life is exhausting! Mystery Incorporated only gets to stop running when they decide to face the scary thing that was chasing them.

As Christians we have a not-so-secret weapon. We know that whatever we are facing we have the God of the universe on our side. And if God has your back who or what could stop you? Paul puts it this way in Romans 8:31-33, “31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? 33 Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies.

That isn’t to say being brave is easy. Bravery starts with the recognition that you are afraid (or anxious, or nervous) and choosing to step into it anyway. If you struggle with anxiety this might be a choice you make every day. I pray that bravery wins, but even on the days that it doesn’t you are surrounded by the love and grace of God.

We all have times when we need to stop running, and discern whether the thing we’re running from is a threat, something we need to confront, or just some weirdo in a

Become one of those meddling kids.

Tarry

In Matthew 26 the mechanisms that will lead to Jesus’s arrest and crucifixion have been set into motion—like a line of dominos set up before time began. Jesus knows what’s coming, he knows how the disciples will react, and he knows that Judas is planning to betray him. Aware of all that is about to go down, Jesus, after sharing a final meal with them, invites his disciples to join him in the garden of Gethsemane to pray. 

I don’t know what they ate, but it seems like it must have been something heavy because even as Jesus began his sorrowful prayer the disciples all fell asleep. Matthew 26:38-43 says,

“38 Then he said to them, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death; remain here, and watch with me.” 39 And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.” 40 And he came to the disciples and found them sleeping.

Jesus knew, from before he took on flesh, that this was where his life on Earth would take him. His ultimate calling was a heavy one, and a calling only he could take on. However, even knowing this we can see the humanity of Jesus shining through. Jesus felt a sense of dread. That sense of great apprehension and fear of something that is unavoidable. Three times he prayed this prayer, and three times he came back to find his disciples, his best friends, asleep. They didn’t know and couldn’t understand that the time Jesus had been telling them about was at hand.

We will all face times when no one can take over our calling. It is something you are called to face even if it is something you dread. As you follow through on your calling, I pray that Jesus prepares your heart. God is with you and there are wonders to be seen on the other side.

May our prayer always be Your most beautiful and perfect will, not ours, be done. Amen.

Called To

Did you know that there were some prominent theologians who argued that the book of James should be removed from the canon of scripture. They argued that James focused too much on action rather than the grace that brings us into the kingdom of God. Upon closer reading it can be clear that grace always comes first. The actions that we take don’t earn us some kind of better salvation. God loves His people no matter what and from there we must decide how much that knowledge affects our lives.

From that secure foundation we are called to act, called to remind people of the grace and love that has been given to them. James 1:19-24 says,

19 My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, 20 because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires.21 Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.

22 Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. 23 Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror 24 and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like.

If more people lived into the first half of this passage, what a different world we would live in! We work so hard to make sure our voices are heard. Our ideas are the ones that are followed. Our authority is respected. Unfortunately, human anger rarely gets anything done, and often causes more division than what we had in the beginning.

If you claim the name of Christ, then you know you are called to more than just hearing a good word once a week. We can’t just listen to the scripture thinking, “mmm, that’s some good teaching.” We need to hear it and then go out and do what it says. The hardest part of living out our faith is not, knowing the difference between right and wrong. The hardest part is knowing what is right and then actually going out and doing it.

What’s the right thing for you to do today?

Genuine Love

Romans 12:9-13 – Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with familial affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord. Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.

In this passage Paul isn’t pulling any punches. In other translations, verse 9 is phrased, “Let love be without hypocrisy.” Oof, that’s pretty harsh! In the church it’s easy to feel the need or temptation to put on a game face. We know that we are called to take these big steps. We know that we are called to take the higher road. But when it’s time to jump into action, it becomes far too easy to come up with an excuse. 

It's easy to recall a time when you’ve been hurt or disappointed, a time when you just needed someone to really see you and comfort you. That feeling of knowing you are loved and cared for is one of the best feelings in the world. And just as much as we need to feel it, we need to do our best to show it as well. We are surrounded by people who are looking for someone to tell them that things are going to be okay.

When we are willing to show other people affection, we can change their day, but it might just change their life. You never know the long-lasting impact one small act can have. Think of the lyrics of a song that has impacted you deeply. Odds are, the person who wrote it will never know you, but the words they wrote, the music they created, has created an indelible mark on you.

When we try to outdo one another in showing honor, we don’t mind taking the low place. We can show genuine love to one another because we are fueled by God’s love. Our cup is overflowing so let’s share it with the people around us.

Hurry Up and Wait

I’ll try to make this quick! Our modern life is largely defined by impatience. We buy stuff online and get frustrated when it takes more than two days to arrive. On the roads, especially in New Jersey, the posted speed limit is 50, you’re (allegedly) going 70, and you still get passed constantly. We can get so focused on the destination that we neglect the journey. We don’t want to get there; we want to be there.

Unfortunately, getting there is the most important part. In 2 Peter 3:8-9 it says, “But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.”

Peter is largely talking about the time when Christ will return to reclaim the world. We are called to live hopefully and expectantly of Christ’s return, as if it could happen at any time. However, while we wait, we are also supposed to grow ourselves as believers in Christ, and share the hope that we have found with the people around us.

Theologian and Jesuit Priest Pierre Teilhard de Chardin once said, “Above all, trust in the slow work of God. We are quite naturally impatient in everything to reach the end without delay. We would like to skip the intermediate stages. We are impatient of being on the way to something unknown, something new. And yet, it is the law of all progress that it is made by passing through some stages of instability — ​and that it may take a very long time. Above all, trust in the slow work of God, our loving vinedresser.”

In our rush to be at some future there, we forget to see and experience the now. God has called you to be where you are “for such a time as this.” Live into the needs that are around you. Have patience as you grow.

Trust in the slow work of God.

Consequences

I came in to work a while back to learn that someone had broken one of our windows. I ran through all the usual thoughts you have when you discover something like this—wondering all the who’s, what’s, and why’s.  Maybe it was an errant landscaper throwing rocks with a lawnmower, maybe it was one of the young bucks we see wandering around getting mad at his own reflection and charging, or maybe it was just a random act of vandalism.

After the second time, we’re pretty sure that it’s option three. We have a camera on it now, but the damage is done, and we’ll need to get someone out here to fix it. There are times in our lives when we need to solve problems we didn’t create, and fix things that we didn’t break. It’s like getting rear-ended while waiting at a stop light, you did what was right and then someone came along and ruined your day.

Jesus, in John 16 is preparing his disciples for what’s going to be happening over the next few chapters. He tells them that he must leave but a helper is coming in the Holy Spirit who will help lead and guide them after Jesus has fulfilled the beginning of his purpose on Earth. In verse 33 he tells them, “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

If you’ve been conscious and aware for any length of time, you’ll know that the world can be a pretty hard place to live in at times. We need to face the consequences of our own decisions, and sometimes the consequences of other people’s decisions. Through it all however, we know that the one who has overcome the world is on our side.

It is so easy to be discouraged and downhearted when we face the disappointments of the world and the tasks that get thrust upon us by others. However, if we pause and remember the God who is on our side we can be invigorated by the knowledge that Jesus has already overcome it all.

Surprised

In Genesis 28 we follow part of a journey for a man named Jacob. He has moved out of his home and into the unknown. He has just received a blessing from his father and was sent to another city to find a wife and start his new life. At a certain point in his travels, he stopped to rest for the night. And since the founding fathers of the faith get nothing but the best accommodations, he slept using a rock as his pillow. While he slept, he had a dream where God spelled out a blessing for him: his descendants would be so numerous that they would spread across the earth, and as they spread, they would be a blessing to the world.

In verse 15 God makes this promise, “Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land. For I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.” This is an amazing promise for God to make to Jacob! It is also a promise that God has made to each of us through the life and work of Jesus Christ.

We need to notice though, that this promise doesn’t say you will never face hard times. It doesn’t say your life will be perfect and easy. God promises us that he will never leave us. When we face hard times, we can hear that voice in the back of our heads that likes to shout and lie to us, “you are in this alone,” “no one else cares,” “there is no help coming.” When we go through the inevitable hard times of life, we need to do our best to lean into the promises God has made to us.

Jacob goes on to do great things, when he faced hard times, he turned to the God of the promise and saw God come through again and again. When he woke up Jacob said in verse 16, “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I did not know it.” On those days when it feels like you are sleeping on a rock, I hope you can look back and remember the days that God came through for you in the past.

I hope you can be surprised by finding the Lord in unexpected places.

Pass It On

In our Bibles, most of Paul’s letters are written to churches, giving them instruction, giving them encouragement, or sometimes giving them a rebuke. Whenever Paul started his letters, he opened with a greeting to the church, and maybe gave a few shout outs to some people who had been doing work for the gospel, and prayed for grace, mercy, and peace for the reader/hearer. We also have a few instances where Paul wrote directly to individuals: Philemon, Titus, and 1 & 2 Timothy.

In looking at 2 Timothy I found it interesting that Paul says this starting in verse 5, “ 5 I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well.6 For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands, 7 for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.”

Paul cared deeply for Timothy. He had discipled Timothy and sent him on his first missions to share the gospel with the world. In learning about his faith Paul found that Timothy’s roots started with his grandmother, Lois, and his mother, Eunice. Hopefully, every grandmother is proud of their grandson, but I doubt she could have predicted where Timothy would end up.

Lois knew what I hope we all know, the importance of passing on your faith. She was faithful with her child and grandchild, and that faithfulness led to a person we still learn about today in Timothy. You never know what kind of far-reaching impact you have when you share your faith with your family, with those you work with, or with people you may never see again.

You have been given a gift, a small spark, that you can fan into flame. We have been given a great calling. I pray that you can pass it on. You have no idea how much impact you can have a few generations down the line.

Fresh Brewed

Probably 99 times out of 100, I will choose tea over coffee. For some reason this is something many coffee drinkers take as a personal attack. Drink whatever brewed beverage you prefer, I have only my own tastebuds to contend with, but something I think we can all agree on is that it’s something that is best when it is fresh. If you try to run hot water through the grounds again, or try to reuse a tea bag, you’ll get a hot beverage that is merely an imitation of what you were actually seeking.

In much the same way, we need to be in the constant process of renewing our minds. So many people who claim the name of Christ try to get by on Sunday mornings and the Sunday schooling they received as children. It seems that as soon as they recognize that they have been saved by faith they don’t need to learn anything else.

When we have a faith like this, we are not prepared for when the hard times come. We go back to that used up tea bag hoping it will give us what we need, but it only leaves us grasping. The way of the world is to do the minimum it takes to get by. However, we have been called to do more.

Paul, in Romans 12:1-2 says this, “I appeal to you therefore, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”

It's easy to fall into the old way of doing things. It’s tempting to just reuse those old coffee grounds, but we know that those things will not satisfy the needs we have. I pray that you can fight the temptation to reach for the status quo. I pray that you continue you to grow in your faith no matter how long you’ve had it.

Renew your mind.

Fear and Joy

The Psalms are a great place to find people expressing the reality of life. On one page the authors are praising God for ever-loving kindness, and on the next they feel like worms eating dirt. And in some, like Psalm 57 those two aspects are described together. The Psalm starts

1 Have mercy on me, my God, have mercy on me,
    for in you I take refuge.
I will take refuge in the shadow of your wings
    until the disaster has passed.

2 I cry out to God Most High,
    to God, who vindicates me.
3 He sends from heaven and saves me,
    rebuking those who hotly pursue me—

    God sends forth his love and his faithfulness.

During this time, David, the author of this Psalm, is being pursued by someone who wants to eliminate him. He is crying out to God for help, and for safety. He is feeling the way many of us have felt in times of desperation. We cry out to God saying, “whatever you want Lord, please, just help me!”

And through his crying out to God in desperation, David seems to find his footing. The tone of the Psalm shifts in the middle from the fear of verses 1-4 to the faithfulness of verses 5-11.

7 My heart, O God, is steadfast,
    my heart is steadfast;
    I will sing and make music.
8 Awake, my soul!
    Awake, harp and lyre!
    I will awaken the dawn.

9 I will praise you, Lord, among the nations;
    I will sing of you among the peoples.
10 For great is your love, reaching to the heavens;
    your faithfulness reaches to the skies.

11 Be exalted, O God, above the heavens;
    let your glory be over all the earth.

This is the reality in which we live. One day we can fear for our lives, and other times we can be on a mountaintop of joy. Wherever you find yourself it’s good to remember where you’ve been before. Recognize the good times, and remember that the hard times don’t last forever.

Jump In

What should we have for dinner? This seemingly innocuous question has probably started more arguments than any other phrase in history. Whether between friends, colleagues, romantic partners, parents and kids, or anyone else that you might share a meal with; there is always a dissenting voice, or worse, someone without an opinion. It brings up this weird innate indecisiveness because when you’re hungry everything sounds good until someone brings up that place you don’t like.

Where should we go? I don’t care you pick.

If I wanted to pick, I wouldn’t have asked you.

How about X? I don’t like X.

How about Y? We just had Y.

Well, what do you want? I’ll know it when I see it!

And on and on this conversation circles around until one person is frustrated and one person is settling. When you have too many options you can feel paralyzed by choice. We can feel this way when we feel called to be active within the body of Christ. If you identify yourself as a Christian, then you have been given this calling. Where we get paralyzed is when we realize that there are a lot of ways that we can serve the Lord.

Instead of spending ages wrestling to find the perfect place you fit, jump in. Paul in Ephesians 4:1-7 says this,

I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3 eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4 There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. 7 But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ's gift. 

Grace was given to each of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift. Let us use those gifts decisively in serving the Lord and one another. You have already been called, you are worthy of serving.

Jump in.

Helping Hands

Have you ever had a friend that needed a lot of help? Maybe they were going through a big transition. Maybe life was hitting them on all sides. Maybe they were just kind of dumb. Whatever the reason they started looking to you to be their saving grace, the person who came through in the clutch and helped them move forward in life. At times this can be invigorating, you receive the satisfaction of a job well done and you get to see your friend grow into a better version of themselves.

Other times, however, this can be exhausting. You see someone make the same mistake, the same bad choice, or walk the same path that got them in trouble in the first place. It’s easy to give up on people. It’s easy to say you are not worth the grief you bring to my life. While there are times to create healthy boundaries, there are also times that we are called to step up and do more.

Paul in Romans 15:1-2 puts it this way, “We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves. 2 Each of us should please our neighbors for their good, to build them up.”

When you help people, you rarely get any benefit. That should be an okay outcome for you. As Christians we are called to be the servants of all. Just like Christ made the ultimate sacrifice on our behalf, we should be able and willing to sacrifice a little time and a little frustration.

And when it all gets to be too much Paul continues in verses 5-6, “5 May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had, 6 so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

When you are weak you should ask for help. When you are strong you should look for people that you can help. Living life on this Earth, we will switch between these two places more times than we can count.

Let’s be there for one another.

More Bees?

After my adventure with the bee last week, I thought I was done. I had done my good deed for nature; I set the bee free instead of crushing it. And then I went home. When I walked in my door, buzzing around my kitchen was (what I thought was) the biggest bee I had ever seen. This monster was probably 2 inches long and looked angry. I weighed my options, the most appealing being to just burn the house down and find a way to start over. Instead, I acted like a good citizen of the earth, opened every door, and ushered it back into the wild. I later learned that this was a cicada killer wasp, and I should have killed it because wasps have no redeeming qualities. But we’re not here to talk about bugs, or how much they scare me.

After my first harrowing experience of the day, I thought I was done. I didn’t think I would need to deal with anything like that for some time, and then almost immediately there I was. It might not always be bugs. You might have that problem that rears its ugly head every once in a while. It may feel like a weakness to have a problem that you just can’t solve, but it is a reminder that we are not called to face this world on our own strength alone.

Paul, one of the heroes of the faith had to deal with chronic problems. And when he did, he used them as a source of strength.

2 Corinthians 12: 5b-10 on my own behalf I will not boast, except of my weaknesses— 6 though if I should wish to boast, I would not be a fool, for I would be speaking the truth; but I refrain from it, so that no one may think more of me than they see in me or hear from me. 7 So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. 8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. 9 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. 10 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.

Do you allow God to shine through your weakness? We were never called to be perfect, only to rely on the one who is.

Not the Bees!

It’s pretty nice weather right now so I opened the office windows to enjoy a cool breeze. Unfortunately, with the nice breeze also comes nature, and like many modern people, I only want to interact with nature on my schedule. I was in the woods because I chose to go on a hike. I saw wildlife because I went out looking for it. I got a face full of pollen because I stopped to smell the roses.

The nature that was thrust upon me today was a bee! She just came in buzzing around and got stuck on the window screen. I don’t like bugs, they give me the creeps, and even though I am literally more than a million times bigger, (I did the math) I would prefer flight over fight in most insect interactions. But little homey was stuck and needed help finding the way out. So, I got a cup and a piece of paper and, only making the manliest of sounds, I threw her out the window.

Bugs get stuck in windows and light fixtures because in their little bug brains, the only thought is to go towards a light because bright light should mean the sun and freedom. Sadly, many of these lights are false leads.

The same thing happens to us. We get stuck and start reaching for anything that looks like it might solve the problem. This is at the root of our own personal idols. Anything we look to as salvation from our problems, that is not God, is another problem.

1 John 1:5-7 tells us this, “This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. 6 If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.”

We all have times when it feels as though we are walking in the darkness. We also have the benefit of being smarter than bugs. Use your innate discernment to choose walking towards the true light of God. We do know the difference between the true light and a false idol.

Fly free.