Day 7: Worried?

If you're just tuning in, click here to read the previous posts in the series.

Several years ago at Tuesday morning women's Bible study in Cambridge, MA, we were working through a Tim Keller study on the book of Galatians.  We broke into small groups to discuss some of the personal/application questions.  I was with two dear friends, Jenny and Meda, and one of the questions read something like, What is the biggest difference the Gospel has made in your life?

Without hesitation, my answer was (and still is)

PEACE.

*     *     *

Fly back with me a couple of decades to my blue bedroom on Lime Hollow Road in Pittsburgh, PA.  We had weekly spellings tests back then, in the sixth grade.  And they stressed. me. OUT.  I was only eleven years old, but after being put to bed, my fear of failure and my worry about grades could land me in the bathroom throwing up - over a spelling test!

Another worry that often consumed me, in the days of the blue bedroom, was that our house would burn down and our family would not be able to get out. (So much for the success of the fire safety programs at school!)

Throughout most of my life, I've wasted countless hours worried that the worst has happened when someone was just stuck in traffic, held up at an appointment, or just plain lost.

There was no peace.

Somehow I felt in control of the situation if I worried about it.  But rather than coming out on top, I was being consumed.

Can you relate?  Maybe you weren't overwhelmed by spelling tests, but what about other things?  How about now ... what you will eat, what you will wear, if you'll have a job next week, if you can make ends meet, if your kids will grow up to know the Lord, if your sick friend or family will pull through, if people will like you at your new job or neighborhood?

Perhaps just reading this is giving you heart palpitations!


Is your life more consumed by worry than trust?

Jesus asked, Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?  Matthew 6:27

*     *     *

God's Word says, be transformed by the renewing of your minds.

Romans 12:2

But a transformed mind is not about the power of positive thinking.  Nor is it about the power of logical thinking (i.e. finding comfort in working out the low probability of X terrible thing happening.)

A mind is transformed as one regularly practices grounding his thoughts in Christ, in the God who is there, who does not abandon and is a refuge for His people.

Worries loose their power as we look to and remember our God who:

• created mankind in His image, Genesis 1:27
• has plans for you,  Joshua 29:11
• daily bears our burdens and from whom comes escape from death,  Psalm 68:19-20
• knows what you need.  Matthew 6:32
• demonstrates His own love for us in this: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us,  Romans 5:8, and
• cares for you.  I Peter 5:7

to mention a few.

When we're grounded there, rooted in the love of God, our heavenly Father, we can begin and continue to let go of worry as a lifestyle, because whatever trials may come, we know God will provide for us when.    we.    get.    there.  I'd like to thank Kelly Sawyer for pointing this out to me once, years ago.  I think she got it from the Bible, (surprise, surprise!)

Have no fear of sudden disaster

or of the ruin that overtakes the wicked,

for the LORD will be your confidence

and will keep your foot from being snared.

Proverbs 3:25-26.

You see, there is no promise in Scripture that disaster won't come, simply that we need not fear because the LORD will be our confidence and keep our foot from being snared.

Jesus said something similar to His disciples:

I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.  John 16:33

In CHRIST we have peace.

May you find that more true in your life today.

Day 4: How Rebirth Addresses "The Problem" (But It's Only the Beginning!)

If this is your first day joining me for 31 Days of "Becoming More Yourself Than Ever," please scroll down to catch up on the previous posts.  In this post, to avoid too many reader-burdensome references, I've linked to verses; click on the colored words or phrases for Bible references.

In the previous post, I mentioned a couple of times that

there is something wrong with our hearts.

The Bible traces this problem all the way back to Genesis chapter 3, when man first took his eyes off of his Creator and looked to something else [that lovely, desirable fruit] for fulfillment.  Since then, all men have been born into this condition of wanting to be their own god and pursue their own desires.  The Bible calls this root problem sin, the sin condition. It's in our DNA.

THAT is what is wrong with our hearts.

Rather than letting God be God, we struggle and fight and wrestle to keep His status for ourselves.  We need an intervention.

We need an intervention to see that there's any problem at all.
We need an intervention to fix the problem, turning our eyes back to God.
We need an intervention to make any progress back toward Him.

We need to be set free!

As early as the end of Genesis chapter 3, we hear that one will come who will defeat the serpent (Satan).  Through the rest of the Old Testament, we hear the story of God continuing to interact with His creation and His people - even calling a specific people, Israel, to be His people as a prototype of what will come when the Rescue Plan begins and a sin-solution is brought once and for all.

The Rescue Plan's name is Jesus.  The Bible tells us that He is God - of the same form and substance, begotten not made - and that the only way for us to get back to relating to God personally was for God Himself to die for the sin.  The sinLESS needed to be the sin BEARER to save the sinFUL.

Jesus bore the punishment for sin on the cross on that very first Good Friday.

When He breathed his last, a curtain was torn in two between the world and the Holy of Holies where God had dwelt.  People were now FREE to come into God's presence through faith that Jesus (the sinless) took care of the sin condition by taking the punishment that was rightfully the sinner's.  Jesus is now the mediator.  No more sacrifices and bloodshed.  IT IS FINISHED!

Then, God rose Jesus from the dead!

Not only was sin taken care of, but new life was offered!

For God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.  John 3:16

Placing one's faith in Jesus - believing that His death satisfies God's wrath against sin and we will never need to be punished for our sin, because Jesus took it upon Himself - THAT is rebirth.  THAT's the new beginning.  THAT is the solution to what is wrong with our hearts.

Theologians call this Justification by faith - when you believe, a legal declaration is made by God that YOU ARE CLEAN because of JESUS' work.

But did you know that God is in the business of calling people?  Not just to into freedom from sin, but into a whole new life?

For of course, when a baby is born, he continues to grow and change.  He's expected to - supposed to - grow into the adult version of himself.  It is the same for the Christian.  Once we grab onto Christ's and are reborn through faith, we've only just gotten started.

We'll be talking about growing over the rest of the month.

The stage is now set.

Get ready for the ride!

(And praise God that He goes with us wherever we go!!)

Mondays

Last Monday I was thinking about Mondays, and their bad wrap as the worst day of the week.  Unfortunately, the day ended before I got to posting.  And it seemed strange to post about Monday on Tuesday.

This Monday, we're coming off of the celebration of the glorious, world-changing resurrection of Jesus by God the Father and looking forward to the observance of Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit was poured out.  AND we're also back to work, back to school, back to the daily grind.

How should we approach this Easter Monday?  How should we approach any Monday, since each Sunday we remember the resurrection when we gather for worship?

Yesterday our pastor preached on John 21 when Jesus reinstates Peter.  He pointed out Jesus breaking in with grace in Peter's life (after HUGE failure) by forgiving, calling, and sustaining him.  That same forgiveness, calling, and sustaining is ours as well when we lean on Christ.  Christ is merciful and He is present; we can have hope!

Should Monday, then, not be one of our best days?  Each week it follows a day of worship and rest, time spent reflecting on God's faithfulness and His mighty works, singing His praises, repenting of our sins, receiving God's forgiveness, hearing the word preached, participating in sacraments.  We reenter the real world aware of His promised forgiveness, calling, and sustaining.

Monday may be hard.  It is a day of reentry after a day of rest.  Okay, yes, Monday is USUALLY hard.  Our hearts surely long for that eternal rest when we've received our inheritance in full, as expounded in Hebrews 4.  But remember that verse from my previous post: In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines His steps.  The day may hold challenges, frustrations, unexpected troubles.  Or perhaps it holds expected troubles, difficult relationships, daunting circumstances.  The day may also include sweet moments of delight.  God only knows, and His plan is right and trustworthy as He determines our steps.

Whatever may come, don't forget that the Lord we worshiped yesterday is the same Lord today, tomorrow ... and every Monday!  He is near.  Call to Him in the troubles.  Ask Him to show you what He's up to in molding you to look more like Himself - often that happens most effectively in the "Mondays" of our lives.

May the joy of Easter ring louder in our hearts and minds than any of today's distractions.

He is STILL risen!

Alleluia!

Holy Week

This week sneaked up on me.  Holy Week.  A week to remember the via dolorosa walked by our Lord as he moved toward fulfilling His mission, in love and obedience to the Father.  Years ago I was struck by the verse early in Matthew - our pastor was preaching through the book - when the angel says to Joseph, you will give him the name Jesus, because He will save His people from their sins.

Jesus came to die.

And I as I mentioned to the ladies at the retreat last weekend, not only did He come to die, but He chose to.  It's almost too wonderful for words.

I was wondering what we could do this week in our home to (at the very least) acknowledge that it's a special week for followers of Jesus.  I found these readings online; they're all from the book of Hebrews. Just last week I finished up reading through Hebrews and I'm excited to have another reason to be in it.  Good stuff, friends.  Oh what Christ has done!  How faithful is our God!

Have a blessed week!  May God allow you moments of reflection on His love and faithfulness and opportunities to repent and believe you are forgiven and called from darkness into light, even in the midst of your day-to-day duties at home and work and play.

And being found in appearance as a man,

he humbled himself

and became obedient to death -

even death on a cross!

Philippians 2:8   

Servitude

I'll be speaking at an up-coming women's retreat for our former church Cambridge.  The topic is service - thinking along the lines of what it meant for Jesus to take on the form a servant (Philippians 2:6), what we're called to as Jesus followers, and how God equips us to serve.

I spent some time early this week studying that Philippians 2 passage and it's really been messing with me.

In a good way.

But messing with me, nonetheless.

Exhibit A

Here's the thing that's getting to me.  I don't mind serving people.  Really.  If you've ever read Gary Chapman's book The Five Love Languages, acts of service is pretty high for me (along with gift giving ... and receiving!)  But it has come to my attention that I have service "conditions" that apply boundaries to my willingness.

For example, I might be willing to serve my children all day (that's a stretch, but for the sake of illustration...), but if it's after 8pm.  Forget it.  They should be asleep - see Exhibit A to the right - and I reserve the right to yell at them and speak impatiently (read: meanly) and slam doors in frustration, because they are not holding up their end of the bargain.

Or, I might be willing to make a meal for a needy family at church, but if another opportunity comes up too, it's certainly justifiable not to make two meals in one week.  No one would fault me that, right?

Dare I even get into the conditions I put on serving my husband?

I won't.

You've got the gist.

Lord, I'm willing to serve up to a certain point.  But you certainly understand if this thing is just beyond what I think you should expect of me.  I'm no longer responsible if I'm too tired, to stretched, or too whatever.


Then I look to the Savior who

did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,
but took on the form of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
And being found in appearance like a man,
he humbled himself,
and was obedient unto death -
even death on a cross.
Philippians 2:6-8

I don't have to die for anyone's sins.  Neither do you.  But if we call on this Savior, if He is the Lord of our life, there are no bounds to what He might ask us to do.  Will we be willing?  Will we say 'yes' and watch Christ be strong in our weakness?  Will we die a little more to self today and let Christ increase?

These are the questions I'm asking myself.  I thought I'd share, in case you wanted to think about them to.

This is about faithfulness and trust in relationship with God, not guilt, so I'll close with this encouragement:  God does not call us to anything He will not equip us to do.  Forget not that He is a loving Father, who wants us to share in His holiness. And further, that Christ sent the Spirit,  the very Spirit that lives in us if we've put our trust in Jesus, the Son, who gave Himself as a ransom for many.  It's good news, friends, good news that frees us to love and serve, just as our Master did!

His peace to you today.

"Thou Skillest Not to Conceive of Things Divine"

Pastor Matt preached yesterday on Ephesians 3:20-21 which reads:

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

Matt addressed both our inability to believe that God has such power and our unbelief in the depth, height, width, and breadth of Christ love described in the preceding verses.  He was right on.  How often we don't pray big, because we don't really believe God is able.  Yet Scripture attests again and again ... and again ... to God's wisdom, strength, and power.  He doesn't call us to a blind faith that hopes things will work out or that we'll get what we want if we behave enough - like a heavenly Santa Claus tallying up the naughty and nice lists.  No.  He calls us to believe in HIM and He proves Himself through the pages of the Bible and even the stories of our personal ancestors as faithful, just, trustworthy, and praiseworthy.

What better time to meditate on these things than in the Advent season!

Read these words of Saint Augustine from Homilies on the Gospel of John, included in Come Thou Long Expected Jesus, ed. Nancy Guthrie.

"But how," one will say, "can it be, that the Word of God, by whom the world is governed, by whom all things both were and are created, could contract himself into the womb of a virgin; should leave the angels, and be shut up in on woman's womb?"  Thou skillest not to conceive of things divine.  The Word of God could surely do all, seeing that the Word of God is omnipotent, at once remain with the Father, and come to us; at once in the flesh come forth to us, and lay concealed in him.  For he would not the less have been, if he had not been born of flesh.  He "was" before his own flesh; he created his own mother.  He chose her in whom he should be conceived, he created her of whom he should be created.  Why marvellest thou?  It is God of whom I am speaking to thee: "the Word was God."

Makes me think of this verse:  Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain.  (Psalm 139:6)  Too wonderful.


Too wonderful.


Pastor Matt concluded his sermon talking about God's sovereignty and guidance of our lives as He sees fit.  In this life, sometimes things simply don't make sense: intense pain, prolonged suffering, heartbreaking sorrow, unfulfilled longings.  God doesn't call us to understand, but rather to trust and seek Him.  We can leave the understanding to the God of all wisdom and understanding.  That is faith; and by faith the Lord will sustain us through all the trials and temptations life brings.

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

Here are the questions I was asking myself this morning:

• How will you respond?
• Will the nature and intensity of your prayers change in response to who God is?
• Will you step out in faith where before you cowered in fear?

What better time to ponder these questions than in the Advent season!

Peace to you today my friends, not as the world gives, but as Christ gives.

True Light

I've been trying to gather my thoughts on Christmas as we share Advent readings, I read this book,  and carols are sung in church, our home, and in the car.  I don't have the words to express what I feel when I'm alone, in the quiet, pondering the Truth of the season.


Each year, the Christmas story settles deeper into the depths of my soul, strengthening my joy, hope, and peace in my Savior.  I'm so thankful for Advent, a period set aside to consider the many prophesies fulfilled in and by Christ, when we take a long, hard look at the Christmas story, awing and wondering at the way God put it all together in time and space, and the people He chose to include in the story.


This year, I find myself focused on the waiting and longing.  God promised a savior as early as Genesis 3; in the midst of the curses placed on the serpent, we see a whisper of grace.  God promised to do something about sin.  And through the Old Testament the promises continued with increasing potency, intensifying the longing of God's people.


Then He came.


A baby.  In a manger.  Born among animals.


That's how God entered the world.  Life and Light entered the world from His mother's womb, through  her birth canal, just like us.  The word became flesh and dwelt among us. (John 1:14)  He left heaven behind to enter the world.


A star and angels announced his coming.  Wise men and shepherds came to worship Him and departed to share the news.  A priest could finally rest, having seen the promised Savior.


Longings fulfilled in this babe, who would one day hang on a tree.  You are to give Him the name Jesus, because He will save His people from their sins.  (Matthew 1:21)


You see, at Christmas, God sets in motion His plan to rescue us from sin.   Looking around, we see so many problems, so much darkness.  But when we look to God, His Word, His very Son, we see that He knows and He's done something about it.  In Him was life, and that life was the light of men. (John 1:4)


This Christmas I invite you to take a look at the story.  Pause in the busyness of shopping, parties, and plans and take a good look.  No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known.  (John 1:18)

Glory to God in the highest heaven, 

   and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.

Luke 2:14

May this be the merriest of Christmases you've ever known!

On Being a Christian

The essence of Christian theology is grace,

and the essence of Christian ethics is gratitude.

-a professor of RC Sproul's

I've been chewing on this quote a little over the last few days. I'm nearing the end of Sproul's commentary on John and I still recommend it! His wise teaching on the book and depth of knowledge of the Scriptures & God's redemptive plan are spurring me on to love God more.

Two things the above quote makes me think about:

1. Christian theology is all about grace. In fact, there is no Christian theology without grace.

Our pastor in Cambridge, MA liked to mention that Jesus loves me, this I know is deep Christian theology; it's more than a cute song we sing to our kids. Yes, there are rules in the Bible about how we should live, but before you can get to those, you have to start at the cross where Jesus died and bore the penalty for all sin of all time - yours and mine - reconciling us to God.

Because there was no hope otherwise.

Adhering to Christian principles is nice, but it won't bridge the gap. Only the grace of God, poured out through His Son's life, death, and resurrection brings us back into right relationship with our creator.

Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so.

Sometimes I wonder why. Really God, a brat like me?! Grace flies in the face of normal, human thinking. But it's God's way of drawing us back to Himself. He went to the greatest lengths possible.

Once we grasp it, we can do nothing but be thankful - the second part of the quote.

2. The reason a Christian lives in obedience to God's commands is thankfulness for all he has received from His hand - that amazing grace that saved a wretch like me.

In the Word we find commandments, precepts, statues, etc. Knowing we have been called by God to be His people, we desire to obey these, loving God and our neighbor, because we are so. very. thankful!!!!

It's not always easy, but God gives us His Spirit, He reminds us our sins are forgiven, and He changes us as we walk with Him. We can live in peace with thankful hearts, because we enjoy the most secure relationship available to man.

Here's the wrap up:

I believe because God started a work in me that only He could begin; I did nothing to earn this place in God's family, as His adopted daughter.

That's grace.

I obey in His power for the same reason: I did nothing to earn this place in God's family, as His adopted daughter.

That's gratitude.

And the gratitude only grows as I walk with the Lord, as He ever so gently shows me just how desperate my situation is with out him. The more He opens my eyes to my sin, the more precious Jesus' death on the cross becomes.

Truly, the essence of Christian theology is grace,

and the essence of Christian ethics is gratitude.

Thanks for this quote, Dr. Sproul.

Really?

Hi, blog friends! Seriously, I've got to figure out how to arrange for blogging time in my new life here. As I type there are mountains of papers I should go through, books I should read, phone calls I should make, etc. I'm sure you're familiar with the normal adult experiences, so I need not go on. But it's rest time, both kids are busy, and I want to "talk" with you!

Naturally in the rhythm of caring for kids, changing addresses with organizations and insurance companies, spending time with my husband, getting to know a new area, and shuttling E to and from Vacation Bible School, my mind has been racing with several future blog post. Currently, I can't post pictures because our webservice isn't that good. Some of those photo-based ones will come in the future. But here's one of the things that I've been thinking about.

The Good Lord has been ministering to my soul in this time of transition, despite Brian's early wake-ups and having trouble getting time to myself during the day. (Yes, God can grow you even if you don't have hours a day to set aside to study and pray. Particularly for you moms of tots out there: read a few verses, write and encouraging or challenging one down and hang it above your sink, meditate on it, memorize it. You'll see God begin to use Scripture to change your heart. I don't know about you, but I'm keenly aware of many ways my heart needs to be changed these days!)

A couple of months ago I came across this verse about Jesus at the beginning of Hebews:

The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word.

And sometime last week I was reading the story, recorded in John 13, about Jesus washing the disciples feet the night before he was crucified. It says this in verses 3-5:

Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples' feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.

Jesus, the radiance of Gods glory and exact representation of his being, knowing that God had put all things under his power, KNELT DOWN AND WASHED HIS STUDENTS' FEET!

I don't know about you, but this runs contrary to what I would do naturally, if I knew someone had put all things under my power. But Jesus came, as Hebrews points out, to show us what God is like. Jesus even washed the feet of the one who, moments later, would leave to betray him for some money. What kind of a god is this?

John 13:1 says that in this action, Jesus was showing his disciples the full extent of His love - the very love of God the Father, to whom He was returning.

I don't have any profound exposition for you. But I wanted to invite you to marvel with me.

If you follow Christ, this is the kind of love that is yours.

Every moment of every day.