Desperate for Christ's Strength

"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." - Philippians 4:13

"What is not possible to us by nature, let us ask the Lord to supply by the help of his grace." - The Rule of St. Benedict Prologue 41

Good morning, or good day, to any and all who have taken time to visit this link. I write this morning with a deep, raw awareness of how desperately I need the strength and grace of God through Jesus Christ to sustain me, heal me, and set me right. Much of what has passed for "security" over my first 40 years of life, I realize, were props masking a profound insecurity and instability. Having kicked one of the biggest props out from under myself -- a steady paycheck, in favor of a new business venture -- I knew life would look and feel different, and I haven't been disappointed. Through unforeseen circumstances that have arisen in recent days, the Lord is working on me in places He hasn't been welcome before -- at least not for many years -- and it just plain hurts. I share this not to whine but to lay bare God's work in my life as a testimony and, yes, a request for your prayers, and also as an encouragement if you're walking through anything similar. I sense God's hand at work in the midst of pain and upheaval, and I pray and trust that you will feel it too. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope that we have in Christ, and let us keep walking today, whether we are in abiding joy or deep and discomforting transition. 

Father, thank you that you are faithful to comfort us in our despair, to shower us with love and forgiveness as we repent where necessary, to hear our cries when we call to you, and to remind us that we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us. Amen.

Fear, Dread, Desperation and Joy

Reading Psalm 116 with my children this morning, I was struck again by the depth of David's anguish, and struck even more by the depth of God's intervention. David was acutely aware of his desperate need for help, for a rescue from despair, for "the ear" of God to be inclined toward him. In the midst of David's pain, God showed up. And just as passionately as he had poured out his fear and dread, David poured out his gratifude when God indeed heard his cry and comforted him. Here in the start-up phase of my new business, after 18 years of a steady paycheck, with a healthcare challenge facing my wife and the global economy teetering, I have become more aware than ever of my desperate need for the Lord's presence, power and peace. In my most fearful moments, I find myself crying out and seeking God's face in ways that I haven't sought Him for many years. I hope you're in a similar place of desperation, because -- as David experienced -- it's usually at our place of greatest uncertainty that God's certainty becomes real to us as we grow toward maturity in Christ.

A prayer for today: Heavenly Father, thank you that we are not alone, that You have not forsaken us, that we can trust You for provision. We give you thanks for saving us and await the miraculous ways that You will "show up" big in our circumstances this week. In the name and power of Jesus Christ, Amen.   

Eyes Fixed

"...let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who, for the joy set before Him, endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of the Father." (Hebrews 12:2)

As the United States prepares to elect a new president and other leaders tomorrow, it can be tempting to fix our eyes on the promise of political deliverance and take our gaze off of the Most High God who truly rules the nations. I, for one, have found myself becoming too swept up in the debate this campaign season and have had to repent of allowing it to distract my gaze. It's not that engaging in politics is ungodly or unbiblical in itself; on the contrary, Christ followers are called to be "in the world" -- active and involved -- even  as we're not "of" it. But problems can arise when we lose our focus on the fact that, whoever wins tomorrow's elections, the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ will still be in control and will still move mightily in this nation through the lives of all who fear Him and draw near to Him in faith. I would encourage us to pray for His perfect will to be accomplished tomorrow, and to fix (or re-fix) our eyes on Jesus, trusting that His truth will ultimately prevail in the election and in all things.

Heavenly Father, thank you that You still reign, that Your truth still prevails, and that You still love us with a perfect love beyond what we could imagine. Let Your perfect will be done in our nation, O God. We fix our eyes on You again, trusting You, in the name of Jesus Christ and for Your glory, Amen.  

 

Welcome, Y-WORD and New-Life News readers!

For those who formerly received these weekly devotionals from my YMCA address, welcome to the blog site. Please check back each Monday for an updated message. Blessings to you in Christ -- Phil 

MAY THE WORD DWELL RICHLY IN US 

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." (John 1:1)

"Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God." (Colossians 3:16)

"Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ." (Romans 10:17)

"For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart." (Hebrews 4:12)

"For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God." (1 Peter 1:23)

Heavenly Father, as we begin this week, we thank you for the Word of Christ. In these challenging days, draw us closer to You, we pray, as we soak our minds and hearts in your living, active, holy Word. Instruct us, inform us, correct us, and guide us into a deeper, more trusting faith in You. For your sake and glory, Amen.

Life On Demand

We live in an on-demand world. Instant access has become standard. You want more channels? Upgrade to Comcast On Demand. Need breaking news? Check the local station’s web site for “updates on demand.” A local law firm advertises: “Justice is your right, and we demand it.”

“But with loud shouts they insistently demanded that he be crucified, and their shouts prevailed.” (Luke 23:23)

Our culture’s credo tends to be: Get it, get it exactly the way you want it, and get it now. In contrast, the Scriptures teach us not to demand, either of God or of others, but to employ a deferential approach:

“So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.” (Luke 11:9-10)

A wise friend once reminded me, “There is more power in the open hand than in the clenched fist. Do all in love and kindness.” We are wisest when we remain open and willing to serve, seeking to bring an in-kindness spirit to an on-demand world.

“But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.” (1 Peter 3:15-16)

Father, thank you for the truth of your Word. Help us, we pray, to ask more and to demand less; to wait patiently more and to complain less; to exude kindness more and to be less abrasive with others. In the mighty name of Christ, and for His sake, Amen.

Joy In the Midst of Unease

“But let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for joy. Spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may rejoice in you.” (King David, in Psalm 5:11)

“If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.” (Jesus, in John 15:10-11)

“Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.” (Paul, in Romans 12:12)

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.” (James 1:2-3)

Much like peace, it seems that deep and abiding joy is something of a scarce commodity at the moment. A sense of unease has gripped many in the land as we confront economic turbulence. We see traces of fear and fatigue on the faces of our neighbors and colleagues—and in our mirrors. While acknowledging the very real concerns that this season has brought and may bring, we would be wise to resist the temptation toward discontentment and instead to focus on the joy that is promised to all who place their trust in the Lord. His timeless goodness, His provision, His faithfulness are able to sustain us through even the wildest market fluctuation or global economic challenge.

Great and gracious God, your joy is our strength. Thank you for your promise of joy, a deep contentment that results from trusting in your goodness. Lord, thank you that regardless of external circumstances, all can be well with our souls as we rest in you. Fill us anew, we pray, with joy. Amen.

Perfect Peace for Uncertain Times

“While they were still talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, ‘Peace be with you.’ ” (Luke 24:36)

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” (Jesus, in John 14:27)

“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.” (Jesus, in John 16:33)

The word peace occurs 247 times in the Bible. My favorite verses on the subject are the ones quoted above, when Jesus speaks to his disciples after His death, burial and resurrection. The men and women to whom he appears are in a panic: shocked, confused, despondent. Sudden circumstances have rendered them afraid and uncertain. Sound familiar? No, the markets had not fallen 25% that week. Home values had not eroded. But far worse, their beloved teacher and Lord had been tortured, executed and buried. The One in whom they had placed their trust was gone, or so it seemed. Into their fear and doubt, Jesus arrives with four power-packed words: “Peace be with you.” He knows exactly what they need, and He delivers it. He is the same peace-giving Messiah today. He remains loving and faithful to bring us peace in the midst of the current uncertainty, if only we will resist the temptation to panic, and place our trust in His care for us.

Heavenly Father, God of peace, thank you that the Prince of Peace died in our stead to secure our salvation and place in heaven, and to secure the peace in our hearts and minds that we may enjoy in this present age as we trust in Your goodness. Amen.

God's Compassion -- And Ours

“Shout for joy, O heavens; rejoice, O earth; burst into song, O mountains! For the LORD comforts his people and will have compassion on his afflicted ones.” (Isaiah 49:13)

“But I pray to you, O LORD, in the time of your favor; in your great love, O God, answer me with your sure salvation... Answer me, O LORD, out of the goodness of your love; in your great mercy turn to me. Do not hide your face from your servant; answer me quickly, for I am in trouble. Come near and rescue me; redeem me because of my foes.” (Psalm 69:13,16-18)

“Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” (Ephesians 4:32)

O Lord, we rejoice in your love and forgiveness! You are faithful to comfort us, to lavish us with heavenly compassion. Father, you have answered us in our distress and come to us in our time of trouble. We thank you, not only with words, but with resolve to extend your compassion and forgiveness to others today. Lead us, we pray, as we carry Christ’s compassion to the desperate, the fearful, the hope-deprived. Amen.

Harvest Time (Sept. 22)

“May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face shine upon us, that His ways may be known on earth, His salvation among all nations.” (Psalm 67:1-2)

“Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, 'The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.’ ” (Matthew 9:35-38)

“Do you not say, ‘Four months more and then the harvest’? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest.” (John 4:35)

Gracious God, Heavenly Father, and Lord of the harvest, as we move into the beauty of autumn, we thank you for loving us with a perfect love. You have blessed us abundantly, O God. With grateful hearts, we pray that you will make your salvation known among the nations through us. Thank you that you have sent us out — and that you have brought the world to our doorstep. Work through us, we pray, in our offices and neighborhoods, in our families and communities, in our day-to-day encounters. We go forth in your name, and in your power, to bring the hope of Jesus to the hurting, the lonely, the lost, the “harassed and helpless.” Let us be part of your reaping of a great harvest of souls that are destined to come fully alive in you. Amen.

Strength in Weakness

“So man will be brought low and mankind humbled. But the Lord Almighty will be exalted by his justice, and the holy God will show himself holy by his righteousness.” (Isaiah 5:15)

“Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take [the thorn] away from 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 about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” (Paul, in 2 Corinthians 12:8-10)

One of the main threads woven through the Bible is the idea that true strength comes not from human power, but from a humble acknowledgment of weakness and a desperate dependence upon divine power. This theme is perhaps best captured in the image of a helpless baby, born in squalor, marked for suffering and death…but destined to rise triumphant as the mighty Savior of mankind. I’m not sure about you, but it takes me about 15 seconds each morning to remember my weaknesses. (Some days, just rolling out of bed can serve as an instant humbler.) I hope you find it as encouraging as I do, then, that the Lord not only knows and understands our weaknesses — be they spiritual, physical, intellectual, emotional, etc. — but that he loves to display his strength through us when we realize we are at our weakest.

Heavenly Father and Lord Almighty, we praise you today for your strength and holiness and righteousness, and we thank you that you meet us in our weakness to show your mighty power through our lives. When we are weak, then we are strong in you. Fill us afresh with joy and expectation today as we rely upon your strength. Amen.

"We Are A Team" -- Olympic Interdependence

“Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work: If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up... Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.” (Ecclesiastes 4:9-10,12)

“…speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Jesus Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.” (Ephesians 4:15-16)

“We’re a team. We went in as a team and now we’re exiting as a team—and we’re going out with that gold that we needed to get back.” (Michael Phelps, after the men’s Olympic 4x100 freestyle relay)

It’s a good thing this isn’t an audio devotional, because I just about lost my voice screaming during the final leg of the men’s 4x100 freestyle relay last night. The U.S. team edged France for swimming gold thanks to a stunning anchor-leg comeback. And yet, as easy as it might be to focus on Jason Lezak’s finishing kick, it took all four swimmers performing at their peak to claim victory and shatter the world record. Each athlete was dependent on the three others. It’s the same in the body of Christ. I’m called to complete a key “leg” as a follower of Jesus, and so are you. None of us is more, or less, important than any other. And we are interdependent; we only function as God intends when we function united as essential parts of the “body of Christ.” It takes all of us, submitting to the Lord’s leadership, to bring glory to His name and to make a life-changing difference in those He has called us to serve.

Heavenly Father, in a world that often glorifies independence, isolation and self-attainment, thank you for a timely reminder that two are better than one. We are dependent on You first—as the strongest link in our “cord of three strands”—and also on one another. Lead me, by your Spirit, not only to do my work today but also to join with others in advancing Your kingdom of love and truth together. Amen.

The Carnival, The Christ, and A Joyful Chorus

“[Jesus] got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, ‘Quiet! Be still!’ Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. He said to his disciples, ‘Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?’ They were terrified and asked each other, ‘Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!’ ” (Mark 4:39-41)

This past Sunday morning—day three of a four-day cruise to Cozumel celebrating my parents-in-law’s 50th wedding anniversary—I walked out of the stateroom spiritually hungry and thirsty. In the midst of so much pleasure, aboard a ship aptly dubbed The Fantasy, I was eager for the reality of Christ-centered fellowship and a chance to praise the Master of the high seas...but aware that Carnival offered no such activity. Then I heard it. As I entered the ship’s grand atrium, a chorus of strong voices and piano rang out from a side room. It turned out that a large group of friends from West Monroe, Louisiana, had booked the room for a service. Welcomed in, my wife and I spent the next hour joining voice and heart in a powerful time of praise, prayer, and an encouraging message from the Scriptures about loving the Lord above all else. It didn’t matter that we’d never met, or that we happened to be the only “Caucasians” in the room, or that we probably would never see these brethren again. The spiritual bond was instantaneous, and we were reminded that there are no strangers in God’s kingdom! This hour proved to be one of the highlights of our vacation—a great gift from a gracious Father.

“Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, singing: ‘To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honor and glory and power, for ever and ever!’ ” (Revelation 5:13)

Heavenly Father, Master of the land and of the sea, thank you for surprising us at times with opportunities to praise and exalt you, no matter where we find ourselves. Continue to receive our praise and gratitude as we seek to glorify Your name in all that we think, say and do. Amen.

Take Courage

“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” (Isaiah, in Isaiah 41:10)

“In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.” (Jesus, in John 16:33)

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” (Paul, in Philippians 4:6-7)

What is your greatest fear today? What circumstance seems about ready to overwhelm you? In the face of whatever anxiety is crouching at your door, the Word for today is: Pause, take a deep breath, and let the promises of today’s Scriptures wash over you. Do not fear… Take courage… Do not be anxious… The peace of God stands ready to set a guard around your heart and mind. Invite the Lord into your place of anxiety, listen for His voice, and take courage that His presence is your security in all circumstances. Trust that He is good, and loving, and faithful to strengthen and help all who turn to Him in time of need.

Eternal God and merciful Heavenly Father, we are desperate for You today. We hunger to know You more deeply; we thirst for a cool drink of Your gracious, loving presence. We come to You again, placing our fears and failures, our hurts and needs, at Your feet. We trust that You will uphold us and grant us peace that passes understanding. Amen.

A Good Place To Begin

King David, toward the end of his life, prayed a stirring prayer that stands as a model for us these many centuries later. As recorded in 1 Chronicles 29, David had just finished instructing his son Solomon, who would succeed his father as king. David had announced to the people that a holy temple would be built, and he had given generously of his personal treasures to begin the “fundraising” process. As resources began to pour in for the temple, David was overwhelmed with gratitude toward the Source of those resources. He knew that his time on earth was drawing to a close, and he understood that a great endeavor faced his beloved people. And so he focused his heart and mind on the Most High God from whom all blessings would continue to flow. Whatever endeavor we face in this season—however daunting, however scarce the resources for its completion might seem—the place where David began is a fitting place for us to begin. Here is his prayer; I would encourage us to make it our own:

“Praise be to you, O Lord, God of our father Israel, from everlasting to everlasting. Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is yours. Yours, O Lord, is the kingdom; you are exalted as head over all. Wealth and honor come from you; you are the ruler of all things. In your hands are strength and power to exalt and give strength to all. Now, our God, we give you thanks, and praise your glorious name...”
(I Chronicles 29:11-13)

Amen.

The Father's 'Ironman' Love

“To those who have been called, who are loved by God the Father and kept by Jesus Christ: Mercy, peace and love be yours in abundance.” (Jude 1-2)

“This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers.” (1 John 3:16)

By now, many have seen the video of a father and his disabled son completing an Ironman Triathlon together. The father pulls the son in a raft through 2.4 miles of ocean, carries him to a specially equipped bike and then pedals him for 112 hilly miles, and finally straps him into a wheelchair and pushes him on foot for 26.2 miles. I’ve seen the clip several times, and each time I can’t help but weep. This father’s love for his boy is a stirring example for me as a dad, and for all who are parents. It’s also a powerful picture of the Heavenly Father’s love for us. In our brokenness, He is our hope and healing. In our weakness, He is our strength. No matter how helpless, lost, confused or laid low we find ourselves, He mercifully, lovingly raises us to heights of joy and hope, peace and purpose that we could scarcely have imagined.

“We too all previously lived among them in our fleshly desires, carrying out the inclinations of our flesh and thoughts, and by nature we were children under wrath, as the others were also. But God, who is abundant in mercy, because of His great love that He had for us, made us alive with the Messiah even though we were dead in trespasses. By grace you are saved! He also raised us up with Him and seated us with Him in the heavens, in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages He might display the immeasurable riches of His grace in [His] kindness to us in Christ Jesus.” (Ephesians 2:3-7, Holman)

For that grace, we give You thanks today, Heavenly Father. Amen.

Dependence Day: In Whom Do We Trust (July 7)

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and he will make your paths straight.” (Proverbs 3:5-6)

“We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the LORD has laid on [Christ] the iniquity of us all.” (Isaiah 53:6)

“Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.” (John 14:1-3)

Independence Day here in the United States is a great celebration of the birth of a nation—a nation that, as Lincoln said at Gettysburg, was conceived in Liberty and dedicated to the proposition that all are created equal. Young America needed to break free from Britain in order to thrive. When it comes to the spiritual life, what we need is the exact opposite; we need utter dependence on God. The biblical narrative is filled with accounts of those who depended on the LORD and thrived. It’s also filled with cautionary accounts of those who rebelled and went their own way, typically with disastrous results (see Achan in Joshua 7; Ananias and Saphira in Acts 5). My life, and perhaps yours, attests to this truth, as stubborn seasons of exhausting self-effort contrast with joyous times of relying on God and basking in His presence. Dependence upon God—childlike trust—is the foundation of life for all who would seek to know and serve Him. It doesn’t mean our problems vanish, but the more we submit ourselves under the Father's wise, loving ways, the more we experience a deep contentment and joy in even the most difficult circumstances.

Heavenly Father, you are good, and your love endures forever. As we draw near to You, placing our trust in you, we ask you to deepen our dependence. You are the vine; we are the branches. Hold us fast, that we would remain in you. Thank you for preparing pleasant places for us, both now and in eternity. Amen.

MidPoint Praise (June 30)

As we reach the halfway mark of 2008, it’s a good time to pause, reflect, and focus (or re-focus) our highest praise on the One from who all blessings flow…

“Make a joyful noise unto God, all the earth; sing forth the honor and glory of His name; make His praise glorious! Say to God, How awesome and fearfully glorious are Your works! Through the greatness of Your power shall Your enemies submit themselves to You [with feigned and reluctant obedience]. All the earth shall bow down to You and sing [praises] to You; they shall praise Your name in song. Selah [pause, and calmly think of that]! Come and see the works of God;” (Psalm 66:1-5a)

Jesus said, “God is Spirit, and those who worship God must be led by the Spirit to worship him according to the truth. The woman said, “I know that the Messiah will come. He is the one we call Christ. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.” “I am that one,” Jesus told her, “and I am speaking to you now.” (John 4:24-26)

To worship our Heavenly Father in spirit and in truth, we need not strive or strain. We don’t have to clean ourselves up before He will welcome us. We simply come, lifting our arms like a child, yielding our hearts, receiving His embrace, and allowing His love to wash over us. As we surrender, He begins to refocus our vision from whatever lesser things we have worshiped to His beauty and greatness. He binds our wounds, heals our souls, renews our minds. We abide in His presence and seek to glorify Him because He is the Glorious One. Who He is, and what He has done—“the works of God”—render us awe-struck, humbled, thankful and filled with joy.

O God, we make a joyful noise today because of the joy you have placed within us. We sing forth glory because You are glorious. Your works are wonderful; we know that full well (Ps. 139), and we thank You for every blessing that You have so generously poured out to us. Amen.

Time To Dream Again

“Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.” (Jesus, in Luke 12:32)

“And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. 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.” (Ephesians 3:17b-21)

“Whenever I’m upside down, if ever I’m turned around, I will pray. And when I wake up smiling, the world’s a different place; only when I choose, only when I use my eyes to see Your beautiful face…Help me to let go of all these distractions, leave them far behind, and dream again.” (Phil Keaggy)

For many of us, so far this has been a summer of loss and sadness. From tragedies involving children, to neighbors and loved ones succumbing to disease before what we would consider “their time,” our hearts have been heavy. In the midst of our necessary grieving and letting go, I believe the voice of the Lord would speak to us, gently but clearly, with a message of fresh hope: This is not the end, child. Continue to trust in Me. Feel the warmth of My embrace. Fix your gaze on My goodness. Remember My faithfulness. All is well, and will be well. Lift your eyes to dream again—to envision the “good plans” that I have for you in the coming season as you walk with Me. I will be with you always.

“Disturb us, Lord, when we are too well pleased with ourselves, when our dreams have come true because we have dreamed too little, when we arrive safely because we have sailed too close to shore. Disturb us, Lord, to dare more boldly to venture on wider seas where storms will show Your mastery; where losing sight of land we shall find stars. We ask You to push back the horizons of our hopes; we ask You to [lead us into] a future of strength, courage, hope, and love.” (Sir Francis Drake, 16th-century English sailor; courtesy Dan Miller)

The Father and His Children

“For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship [adoption]. And by him we cry, ‘Abba, Father.’ ” (Romans 8:15)

“May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus, so that with one heart and mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Romans 15:5-6)

“Look at how great a love the Father has given us, that we should be called God’s children. And we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it didn’t know Him. Dear friends, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet been revealed. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him as He is.” (1 John 3:1-2, Holman CSV)

“If you want to judge how well a person understands Christianity, find out how much he makes of the thought of being God’s child and having God as his Father…For everything that Christ taught, everything that makes the New Testament new and better than the Old, everything that is distinctively Christian, is summed up in the knowledge of the Fatherhood of God the Father.” (J.I. Packer, in Knowing God)

In the wake of Father’s Day, consider that Jesus, during his earthly ministry, related most frequently to God as “Father” in a way that we might say “Papa” or “Daddy.” This new, intimate approach to the Most High was radical, even revolutionary. Jesus opened the door not only for us to receive salvation and eternal hope, but also to know God more closely than had been previously imagined—to know Him as Heavenly Father. If our relationship with our earthly father has been stormy, strained or even nonexistent, it can be difficult to embrace God as a “father.” God knows this, and His heart of tender love and compassion is full to overflowing for the “fatherless.” Even if we’ve had a great dad on earth, the fatherhood of God is far deeper and richer still. All of us can come to know God more intimately as we soak ourselves in the many Scriptures that describe His incredible love and tenderness, His instruction and correction, His wisdom and guidance, and His embrace of all who are in Christ as “sons and daughters.”

Heavenly Father, we call you Father and thank you for lavishing your unfathomable love on us. For sending Your only Son as a sacrifice to rescue us from the power of sin and death, we are eternally grateful. We bless you and seek to glorify your name today. Amen.

Expanding Our Vocabulary

Over and over, the Scriptures instruct us to offer the highest praise to God, whose greatness is unmatched, whose love is unfathomable, whose grace is unlimited, whose compassion is unfailing, and whose mercies are new every morning. Meditating on the timeless, living Word of God helps us to build a rich vocabulary of praise that we then offer back to the LORD. As we internalize passages such as the ones below, we find that praise, gratitude, and a deep sense that all is well begin to replace fear, anxiety and despair. We become less self-centered and more other-centered, motivated to spread the love that we ourselves have received as a free gift from God...

Psalm 111
Praise the LORD.
I will extol the LORD with all my heart in the council of the upright and in the assembly.
Great are the works of the LORD; they are pondered by all who delight in them.
Glorious and majestic are his deeds, and his righteousness endures forever.
He has caused his wonders to be remembered; the LORD is gracious and compassionate…
The works of his hands are faithful and just; all his precepts are trustworthy.
They are steadfast for ever and ever, done in faithfulness and uprightness.
He provided redemption for his people; he ordained his covenant forever—holy and awesome is his name.
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow his precepts have good understanding.
To him belongs eternal praise.”

Jude 24-25
To him who is able to keep you from falling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy—to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our LORD, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen.

Revelation 7:11-12
All the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures. They fell down on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying: “Amen! Praise and glory and wisdom and thanks and honor and power and strength be to our God for ever and ever. Amen!”

Heavenly Father and Mighty LORD, we praise you this day for every attribute of your greatness. As we draw near to you and seek to expand our vocabulary of praise, may the honor and glory that is due your name be continually on our lips. Amen.

In Memory of Gary Sowell

“Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.” (John 15:13)

“You [God] will increase my honor and comfort me once again.” (Psalm 71:21)

“…you will be remembered by the LORD your God.” (Numbers 10:9)

On this Memorial Day, my thoughts return to the great uncle I wish I could have known. In the early 1940s, Gary Sowell left the dark-sand soil of Kershaw, South Carolina, the rural farming community of his youth, and never returned. While serving in the Pacific Theater during World War II, his plane went down and he was lost at sea. My 90-year-old grandmother still gets misty-eyed when she speaks of her brother. She keeps his black-and-white photograph framed in her living room. Crisply uniformed, he smiles a broad smile of clear-eyed promise. I wonder, behind the eyes, how deep the awareness ran of the sacrifice that might be required of him. I never had the privilege of meeting or knowing the man whom I would have called “Uncle Gary,” but I have seen his face, his kindness, his courage, and his love embodied in his sisters and brothers (my grandmother, great aunt and great uncles). Today, especially today, I give thanks for his willingness—and for the willingness of so many, many others—to serve heroically, selflessly, bravely, and all too often sacrificially.

Heavenly Father and gracious Lord, we offer deep gratitude for all who have served, and for those who continue to serve, in the armed forces. We pray for the families of those who have lost loved ones, that you would shower them with comfort and hope. And we thank you again for the ultimate sacrifice: the suffering and death of your son Jesus, who laid down his life to rescue the lost from the power of sin and death. Amen.

Swear Word or Savior? -- Revisited

“…for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. This, then, is how you should pray: ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come…’ ” (Jesus, quoted in Matthew 6:8b-9)

“You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God, for the LORD will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.” (Exodus 20:7)

Last October, our weekly devotional focused on the use of “Jesus Christ” as a curse, and on how his followers might choose to respond to hearing the name of our Savior spoken in a crude, casual manner. The other day I read a passage that challenged me to view this subject more deeply. These words from John Stott remind us that “misusing” God’s name is not just about the words we say, but about the life we lead:

“The name of God represents the nature of God. There is much in the Bible which commands us to reverence his name, and in the Lord’s Prayer we are taught to pray that his name may be hallowed. His holy name can be profaned by our loose language, and most of us could do worse than revise our vocabulary from time to time. But to take God’s name in vain is not just a matter of words, but also of thoughts and deeds. Whenever our behaviour is inconsistent with our belief, or our practice contradicts our preaching, we take God’s name in vain. To call God ‘Lord’ and disobey him is to take his name in vain. To call God ‘Father’ and be filled with anxiety and doubts is to deny his name. To take God’s name in vain is to talk one way and act another. This is hypocrisy.” (John R.W. Stott, Basic Christianity, p. 66)

Eternal God and Father, I for one am convicted that the way my life “speaks” too often does not bring honor or glory to your holy name. Thank you for the reminder that “hallowing” your name takes more than words. Deepen in me a desire to glorify you and “speak” your name honorably in all that I think, say and do. As I trust you to do so, I will rely on your grace and rest in your love. Amen.

There Is No Lack

“And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus. To our God and Father be glory for ever and ever. Amen.” (Paul, writing to the church at Philippi, Philippians 4:19-20)

“Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. I tell you, whoever acknowledges me before men, the Son of Man will also acknowledge him before the angels of God.” (Luke 12:6-8)

Which of these statements is most true of where you are this week?

A. My schedule is crammed with projects, meetings, and weighty determinations that give me a headache just thinking about them.
B. At least one big payment is due by Friday; the headache is spreading to my neck.
C. Demands are threatening to swamp my supply of time, talent, treasure and energy; is it still only Monday?
D. All of the above.
E. None of the above; I can’t think if a single challenge, need or uncertainty.

If you picked “E,” then Good On Ya! (Assuming you’re in touch with reality.) If you chose A, B, C or D, I pray you’ll join me in receiving great encouragement from a divine reminder: “Lack” is an unknown concept in God’s economy. More than enough resources exist to accomplish the purposes that He has established for our lives. As my pastor puts it, “God’s work done in God’s timing will never lack God’s supply.”[1] This is true for our vocations, our relationships, our finances, our families — for all of the areas in which we’re called to honor God by serving and loving others. Fear and worry need not bind us; they will melt away as we place (or re-place) childlike trust in the Lord’s goodness, believing that He will be faithful to meet us precisely at our point of need — and then allowing His perfect peace to wash over us as we wait. Our big question, then, is no longer a fretful one: “Where in the world are we going to come up with this?” but a contented one: “What amazing ways will God demonstrate His power and love by meeting our needs in this circumstance?”

Heavenly Father, thank you that you have apportioned enough time, talent, treasure, and other resources to complete your good, pleasing plans. As we draw near to you in reliance and gratitude, we will wait expectantly to see your mighty hand of provision at work in and through our lives. Amen.

NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER – MAY 1

“Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18)

“…if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” (2 Chronicles 7:14)

“Prayer lays hold of God’s plan and becomes the link between His will and its accomplishment on earth.” (Elisabeth Elliot)

“Any concern too small to be turned into a prayer is too small to be made into a burden.” (Corrie Ten Boom)

“God warms His hands at man’s heart when he prays.” (John Masefield)

“God shapes the world by prayer. The more praying there is in the world the better the world will be, the mightier the forces against evil....” (E.M. Bounds)

“There has never been a spiritual awakening in any country or locality that did not begin in united prayer.” (D.A.T. Pierson)

“To get nations back on their feet, we must first get down on our knees.” (Billy Graham)

“Prayer is the exercise of drawing on the grace of God.” (Oswald Chambers)

Every day is a great day to pray, but the first Thursday in May has been designated by Congress and the President as the “National Day of Prayer.” A number of prayer-focused events are planned throughout the land, including here in Nashville and Middle Tennessee. Wherever you are on Thursday, I hope you’ll take time out to join with others and celebrate our freedom to seek God’s face on this special day of prayer.

Heavenly Father, thank you that as those who seek you will cry out in prayer, you are faithful to hear us, and to meet our needs in accordance with your good, pleasing and perfect will. Receive the honor and glory due your name, not only on May 1, but every day, we pray. Amen.

'I Want To Run For Papa'

A 1st-grader’s love for his grandfather shines through in the kids’ marathon

“Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.” (1 Corinthians 9:24)

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith...” (Hebrews 12:1-2a)

“Jesus called the children to him and said, ‘Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.’ ” (Luke 18:16)

Nathan Jacobs, who will turn 7 on April 23, is excited about his birthday. But he’s also stoked about what will happen two days later, when he runs the last of his 26.2 miles in the YMCA Country Music Kids Marathon as a dedication to his grandfather, “Papa,” who was seriously injured last year and lost the use of his legs.

Nathan, a 1st grader, leads the eight-member “Papa’s Team” that will join 3,100 other boys and girls to complete their final mile on the evening of Friday, April 25.

Papa’s Team is running for Nathan’s grandfather, Jim Childs. On April 4, 2007, Jim fell about 250 feet over a sheer embankment. Before the accident, he was a successful pathologist, director of a lab for 30 years, extremely active in his community and his church. He had biked more than 1,000 miles a year. Now, Jim is a wheelchair-bound quadriplegic, still receiving extensive therapy.

When the gym teacher at Nathan’s school sent out an announcement about the kids’ marathon, Nathan’s mom, Lynn, explained to Nathan what a marathon was. “He was very excited about the idea as he loves to be physically active,” she says. Later, Nathan surprised his mom with these words: “Mom, I want to run for Papa, because he can’t run anymore.” Papa’s Team was born.

Although Jim and his wife of 30+ years, Rose Anne, live near Pittsburgh, Nathan and his Papa “have always had a very special bond,” Lynn says. “We moved to Nashville when my son was two, and up until that point he saw my dad on a daily basis, even accompanying him to work. The accident has been very hard for him; it is extremely hard for him to see Papa in chair. He desperately wants Papa to be able to play with him again. It is very touching to see him and his Papa together now.

“Nathan prays for him every night, ‘Please God, help Papa to walk again.’ ”

Father in Heaven, we join Nathan in praying for his Papa, for your healing, comfort and strength. And we thank you for the inspiring example of this 1st grader who reminds us what it means to love, to hope, to approach You in childlike faith, and to run the race set before us with passion and dedication. Amen.

Always In Season

“See! The winter is past; the rains are over and gone. Flowers appear on the earth; the season of singing has come, the cooing of doves is heard in our land.” (Song of Solomon 2:11-12)

“Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction.” (2 Timothy 4:2, emphasis added)

“He will keep you strong to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God, who has called you into fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful.” (1 Corinthians 1:8-9, emphasis added)

It’s warm, then it cools off, then it’s hot, then the wind howls, then it sleets, then it nearly frosts, but the heat is coming back any day now. The weather in Middle Tennessee has been slightly unpredictable lately. Signs of a beautiful spring are bursting out all around us, but we seem to be lurching toward it. In our daily discernment about what to wear and carry (sweater? shorts? slicker? sunscreen?) we find a reminder of a timeless spiritual truth: No matter what season we find ourselves in, there is One who is faithful to meet us and sustain us within it. In the seeming unpredictability of day-to-day circumstances, the Lord we encounter in the Scriptures remains constant, abiding, loving, just, merciful and forgiving. He is our “hiding place,” our “very present help,” our “rock and refuge.” Whether it rains, snows, thunders or gusts tomorrow, He will be with us, ever faithful.

Our Father in heaven, you are faithful in every season. Thank you for calling and equipping us to bear good fruit “in season and out of season” as we stay close to you, and as we open our eyes, ears and hearts to receive your timeless wisdom. Amen.

Three Inspiring Ladies

“Gray hair is a crown of splendor; it is attained by a righteous life.” (Proverbs 16:31)

Today’s message is dedicated to my grandmother, Lexsy Sowell Jones, who turned 90 yesterday; to Ethel Hodge, Middle Tennessee’s oldest YMCA member, who turned 99 on March 14; and to the memory of Margaret Geraleen Read, who stepped from time into eternity last week at the age of 82.

An article in today’s Tennessean spotlights Ms. Hodge, who exercises weekly at the Brentwood Y. (Her granddaughter, Cathy Smith, is associate executive at the Bellevue Y.) Ethel credits good genes and faith in the Lord with sustaining her. My Granny Jones also stays active and faith-filled. She lives alone, works in her garden and cuts the grass in her large yard (although she cheats by using a riding mower). I had the joy of visiting her this weekend in rural South Carolina and joining our extended family to pray birthday blessings over her. Ms. Read, the grandmother of Y colleague David Read, lived a life abounding with faith in Christ, love and friendship. She went forth in the peace of knowing that the glorious embrace of her Savior awaited, and she leaves a profound legacy to her family and to all who would follow her example.

“The righteous will flourish like a palm tree, they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon; planted in the house of the LORD, they will flourish in the courts of our God. They will still bear fruit in old age, they will stay fresh and green, proclaiming, ‘The LORD is upright; he is my Rock, and there is no wickedness in him.’ ” (Psalm 92:12-15)

“Listen to me, descendants of Jacob, all you who remain in Israel. I have cared for you since you were born. Yes, I carried you before you were born. I will be your God throughout your lifetime—until your hair is white with age. I made you, and I will care for you. I will carry you along and save you.” (Isaiah 46:3-4)

Heavenly Father and Caring Lord, we thank you that in your great love and wisdom, “all the days ordained for us were written in your book before one of them came to be” (Psalm 139:16). We bless you, praise you, and offer gratitude to you for the gift of each moment of life, and for the loved ones, young and “old,” who make them so meaningful. And we pray your tender comfort to the Read family. Amen.

Spring Rains

"Ask the LORD for rain in the springtime; it is the LORD who makes the storm clouds. He gives showers of rain to men, and plants of the field to everyone." (Zechariah 10:1)

"Let us acknowledge the LORD; let us press on to acknowledge him. As surely as the sun rises, he will appear; he will come to us...like the spring rains that water the earth." (Hosea 6:2)

"He has shown kindness by giving you rain from heaven and crops in their seasons; he provides you with plenty of food and fills your hearts with joy." (Acts 17:14)

"Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, waiting patiently for it until it receives the early and latter rain. You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand." (James 5:7-8)

The rain that fell most of the weekend dampened some of our outdoor plans, and yet we know that we desperately needed it. Today's verses remind us of the great gift and blessing of these spring showers. They are part of the Lord's goodness and provision to us. They also serve as a metaphor for the process of spiritual growth. James urged his readers to "establish your hearts," and we do that by preparing our "soil" with good seed and rich nutrients-the seed of Scripture, the nutrients of prayer and study and praise and thanksgiving. As we make these preparations, we also wait patiently, like the farmer, for the rains that God is faithful to provide in His perfect timing, leading to an abundant harvest of growth and fruitfulness in our lives.

Thank you, O God, for spring rains, and for how they remind us of your truth, goodness and faithfulness. Amen.

What Horton Heard (from March 19)

The new movie Horton Hears A Who! is not only hilarious, touching and beautifully animated, but it also presents a spiritual and ethical perspective that Dr. Seuss reportedly pondered as he created the original story. The central message is repeated several times: “A person’s a person, no matter how small.” Even a “speck” has worth and value. Belief in the “invisible” is also a thread woven throughout the tale, as critical onlookers scoff at the main characters while proclaiming, “If you can’t hear it, see it or feel it, it doesn’t exist.” Horton and the Mayor of Whoville are both roundly derided as insane. But are they? I highly recommend the movie for its pure fun and for the deeper questions it raises.

“Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen.” (1 Timothy 1:17)

“For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.” (Psalm 139:13-16)

“Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.” (James 1:27)

“Now faith is the assurance (the confirmation, the title deed) of the things [we] hope for, being the proof of things [we] do not see and the conviction of their reality [faith perceiving as real fact what is not revealed to the senses].” (Hebrews 11:1, Amplified)

“So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” (2 Corinthians 4:18)

O God, creative, gracious and loving Savior, thank you that every life has value, no matter how small, and that fixing our eyes on Your unseen realities leads us into the richness of joy, hope and peace in Your presence. Amen.

He Meets Us On Monday

“The angel spoke to the women: ‘There is nothing to fear here. I know you’re looking for Jesus, the One they nailed to the cross. He is not here. He was raised, just as he said. Come and look at the place where he was placed. Now, get on your way quickly and tell his disciples, ‘He is risen from the dead. He is going on ahead of you to Galilee. You will see him there.’ That’s the message.’ The women, deep in wonder and full of joy, lost no time in leaving the tomb. They ran to tell the disciples. Then Jesus met them, stopping them in their tracks. ‘Good morning!’ he said. They fell to their knees, embraced his feet, and worshiped him. Jesus said, ‘You’re holding on to me for dear life! Don’t be frightened. Go tell my brothers that they are to go to Galilee, and that I’ll meet them there.’ ” (Matthew 28:5-10, emphasis added)

“[I]f the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.” (Romans 8:11)

So, now what? Now that we’ve celebrated the incredible gift of new life, forgiveness, hope, joy and peace secured for us through the glorious resurrection of Christ, what difference will it make? How will it affect our work, our relationships, our use of the time, talent and treasure entrusted to us? Will Sunday’s stirring remembrance remain with us all week? Will we take to heart the words of Jesus to the women at the tomb, “I’ll meet them there,” and his promise to the disciples recorded a few verses later, “Lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20)? Will we go forth from Easter trusting in the truth of Romans 8:11 that by the Holy Spirit, the Lord in fact dwells in, and breathes life into, all who believe and follow after Him?

Gracious God and risen Lord, we celebrate all that you accomplished on our behalf through the Resurrection. As we continue to praise and honor you far beyond Easter, we thank you that you are faithful to meet us where we are, to fill us with your strength, and to lead us in your way. Amen.

All Is Well

“The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge…my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.” (Psalm 18:2)

“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” (James 1:17)

“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” (Hebrews 13:8)

“I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through Him who gives me strength.” (Paul the apostle, in Philippians 4:12-13)

All is well? Get real. Anxiety is the order of our day. From Wall Street to Main Street, from economics to geopolitics, from the supermarket to the housing market, uncertainty has crept in like a fog. In the midst of these times that might well try our souls[1], the truth expressed in the Scriptures above is as relevant as ever. These words provide us with a timely reminder that in the Lord we have a secure Anchor for every season and storm. I know a wise man named Bob Warren who, if asked how things are going, is likely to reply: “The Lord’s on His throne and all is well.” All is well. Yes, it is. When tumult churns around us, it’s great to remember that the King of King still reigns, unchanged, undaunted. The Lord of Lords remains a Rock. The God of Gods is forever a Fortress, a Deliverer, a Stronghold, a compassionate Savior to all who would seek refuge in Him.

O God, you are our constant Hope; our Rock, Fortress, Deliverer and Shield. Thank you for offering stability in the midst of instability, peace in the midst of uncertainty, and contentment in the midst of every challenge we might face. Amen.

[1] With apologies to Thomas Paine’s Revolutionary War-era quote.

Our Portion

“Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, ‘The LORD is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.’ The LORD is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him; it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD.” (Lamentations 3:24)

“And Jesus took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, ‘This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.” (Luke 22:19)

‘The Lord is my portion.’ Not, the Lord gives me my portion. A step further: He is my portion. Not, Jesus points the way to a good life. A level deeper: He is the life (John 14:6). Not, he was a winsome rabbi who set a good example on earth for us to follow 2,000 years later. One better: He is the living, risen Savior (Matthew 28:6) who remains alive and active today in all who would follow Him and be led by the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 1:13).

Thank you, loving God, compassionate Father, tender Savior, for today’s reminder that You are faithful…that Your mercies are new each morning…that You are our portion for life…that as we wait on You we will see Your goodness poured out in abundance. Strengthen us to go forth with grateful, hopeful hearts today, we pray. Amen.

Boating Life magazine articles

My recent article about Chattanooga's waterfront in Boating Life magazine included several sidebar stories that are available on the web, here and here. Enjoy!

Be Filled

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled.” (Matthew 5:6)

“Give us day by day our daily bread.” (Luke 11:3)

“And I ask that with both feet planted firmly on love, you’ll be able to take in with all followers of Jesus the extravagant dimensions of Christ’s love. Reach out and experience the breadth! Test its length! Plumb the depths! Rise to the heights! Live full lives, full in the fullness of God.” (Ephesians 3:19b, The Message)

“The LORD has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy.” (Psalm 126:3)

Why do the Scriptures remind us numerous times to “fill up” daily on the love, grace, strength and guidance that come from God alone? It’s simple: we’re all holey. That is, we all leak. To slake our spiritual thirst requires much more than just an infrequent sip. To satisfy our divine hunger means more than just eating an occasional meal at the Lord’s table and then letting our stomachs growl for days or weeks on end. The strength we need for life—for love and friendship and work and play and rest—is a heavenly gift to which we have full access every moment of every day. Our great source for the nourishment that results in fullness is not some mysterious, universal vibe conjured by trances, poses and breathing techniques; it is a river of holy energy flowing freely from a divine Creator, the loving God, the just, yet merciful Savior, through the living Word of God and through the Holy Spirit who is alive, at work, and ready to quench the deepest longings of all who seek God. So let us seek Him afresh today.

Heavenly Father and gracious Lord, you know that we leak; fill us anew today with all of the strength we need for life, for godliness, for living in fullness and joy. Amen.

Love for the Wanderer (from Feb. 4)

“So when you, a mere man, pass judgment on them and yet do the same things, do you think you will escape God’s judgment? Or do you show contempt for the riches of His kindness, tolerance and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness leads you toward repentance?” (Romans 2:3-4)

“O the deep, deep love of Jesus, vast, unmeasured, boundless, free! Rolling as a mighty ocean in its fullness over me! Underneath me, all around me, is the current of Thy love; Leading onward, leading homeward to Thy glorious rest above!”** (Samuel Trevor Francis, 1875)

To the wanderer, to the lost and confused, to the stained and ashamed, to the reckless and fearful, to the bitter and broken-hearted, to the once-hopeful saint who feels despondent and disqualified, to the prodigal who realizes how lonely the path away from God has become, this message is for you: All is not lost. Your life isn’t over yet. Stop. Stop right where you are, look up, and let this truth wash over you: “I love you,” says the Lord, with tender compassion in His eyes. “I love you with an everlasting love. Return to me. Melt into my embrace. I will cleanse your wounds, heal your heart, renew your mind, and restore your hope. I will replace your shame with joy. Simply return.” O the deep, deep love of Jesus!—let’s bask in it today, and receive the kindness offered to us as we return.

Thank you, God, for your deep, deep love, and for your kindness that leads us to repentance. Thank you for calling wanderers back home, away from destructive ways, into your loving embrace. Amen.

**The complete hymn is available here.

His Plans

“Let all the earth fear the LORD; let all the people of the world revere him. For he spoke, and it came to be; he commanded, and it stood firm. The LORD foils the plans of the nations; he thwarts the purposes of the peoples. But the plans of the LORD stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations.” (Psalm 33:8-11, emphasis added)

“This is what the LORD says: ‘When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will come to you and fulfill my gracious promise to bring you back to this place. For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.’ ” (Jeremiah 29:10-13)

We often hear Jeremiah 29:11 quoted as a word of encouragement, and it’s a good one. But verse 11 tells only part of the story; verses 12-13 continue the thought with a promise and a condition. The promise is that God will listen to his people and hear them when they pray. The condition is that his people will find him when they “seek him with all your heart.” Last week, several colleagues and I were working on a challenging project. At one point in a meeting someone said, “We sure need to be praying about this.” It was suggested that we pray right then, so we stopped, and I led us in prayer. Our prayer focused on plans: that God, whose plans founded our organization, whose plans have sustained it, and whose plans for it will continue, would meet us with wisdom, guidance and peace. I can’t speak for the others in the room, but I can tell you that a weight lifted from me as we prayed. It was a simple reminder: HE is in control; we don’t have to be. As Psalm 33 proclaims, “The plans of the Lord stand forever.” So, how do we apply this truth? We begin by seeking Him with all our hearts in every endeavor. If we make our own plans and they succeed, we can say, “Look what I did. Look at the career I’ve built. Look at my house. Look at what these hands have accomplished.” What’s wrong with that approach? Only this: Self-made people will only go so far. But if we start by seeking God’s plans and following Him, the potential for what He can do through us is so much greater than what we could accomplish on our own. Does the Lord have good plans for us? Absolutely! So let’s seek after the purposes of His heart that will endure through all generations. Let’s pray, trusting that He will listen. And let’s believe and know that when we pursue Him with all our hearts, we will truly find him.

Heavenly Father, thank you for the reminder that your plans for us are good. No matter who we are, where we come from, how checkered our past might be, our future in You is a bright one. As we seek after You afresh today and this week, we trust that You will prove yourself faithful once again to listen, to hear, to guide and to sustain us. Through Jesus we pray, with gratitude for Your grace, Amen.

Every Gain Divine

“Some trust in chariots, but we will remember our God.” (Psalm 20:7)

“All nations shall come and worship before Thee.” (Revelation 15:4)

In this political primary season, as America moves toward selecting its next president, the forgotten words to several hymns seem fitting to recall. Francis Scott Key penned a stirring second verse to our national anthem, “The Star-Spangled Banner”: O thus be it ever, when free men shall stand, between their loved homes and the war’s desolation; blest with vict’ry and peace, may the heav’n-rescued land praise the Pow’r that hath made and preserved us a nation! Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just; and this be our motto: ‘In God is our trust!’ And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave, o’er the land of the free and the home of the brave. Another classic, Katherine Lee Bates’ “America the Beautiful,” includes these lesser-known lyrics: “America, America, God mend thine every flaw, confirm thy soul in self-control, thy liberty in law,” and “may God thy gold refine, till all success be nobleness, and every gain Divine.” Whichever candidate becomes our 44th Commander-in-Chief, these old, poignant words remind us where America’s hope resides: in humble, grateful dependence upon the One by whose grace the nation was established and has endured.

Heavenly Father, let this be our prayer: that we view every gain, in our lives, in our nation, and in the world, as Divine; that our motto truly be, ‘In God is our trust!’; thatwe receive with gratitude every good gift from Your hand; and that we seek Your face for the healing and hope, the purity and purpose, the strength and resolve necessary for each of us to play our important role in making history. Amen.

Big Dreams

“These people are not drunk, as some of you are assuming. Nine o’clock in the morning is much too early for that. No, what you see was predicted long ago by the prophet Joel: ‘In the last days,’ God says, ‘I will pour out my Spirit upon all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy. Your young men will see visions, and your old men will dream dreams. In those days I will pour out my Spirit even on my servants—men and women alike—and they will prophesy.” (Acts 2:15-18, New Living, describing the “Day of Pentecost”)

“I have a dream…that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.” (Martin Luther King Jr., August 28, 1963)

What are your dreams, and how big are they? Are you taking time to envision your grandest aspirations for relationships, spiritual life, vocation, physical health, finances, the use of your gifts and talents to bless others? These days remain a ripe time to present our dreams to God, pray over them, and take steps to pursue them. During a summer in Kenya two decades ago, I met a preacher named Calisto Odede whose heart seemed about to burst with the joy of knowing Jesus. Speaking with delight in his eyes, Calisto asked, “How big are your prayers? If God answered all of your prayers right now, what difference would it make?” The question pierced me then, and it pierces me still, as I face the reality that too often I permit the tyranny of the urgent and the pressures of life to stifle those “big” prayers, dreams and visions. In the late 1700s, Christian Englishman William Wilberforce set and doggedly pursued two huge life goals: “the abolition of the slave trade, and the reformation of society.” His big-dream life bore rich fruit. (If you haven’t seen the film Amazing Grace, now on DVD, I highly recommend it.) Dr. King pursued his own grand dream for America, and its impact on our society is unmistakable. Thus inspired, the question for you and I remains: What are our dreams for today, for 2008, for the rest of our lives—and how big are they?

Heavenly Father and Merciful Lord, we give thanks today for the dreamers who have come before us. As we dare to dream big dreams and pray big prayers, we thank You that you will come into the midst of our grandest aspirations with wisdom and guidance; and that You are faithful, O God, to provide us with strength and grace as we pursue Your best and highest callings in our day. Amen.

Wall Street Journal blog contribution

The WSJ's Best of the Web Today column included an item I submitted late yesterday related to ESPN sportswriter Jeff Pearlman and presidential candidate Hillary Clinton. Look for the "Wannabe Pundits" item near the bottom of the column here.

Desperate

What big challenge(s) do we face this week that will only be overcome by supernatural strength? What great task(s) are we called to this year that can only be completed through a power and grace that transcend human capacity? What fresh start are we still seeking for 2008 that will elude us apart from Divine intervention? What result will we see achieved in our lives that will cause others to scratch their heads and ask, “How in the world was that possible?” (And prompt us to answer, “Only by the work of His hand.”) How hungry are we to feast on the living Word and be filled with timeless wisdom and fresh purpose? How thirsty are we to drink deeply of the Holy Spirit and be sustained as we run the race set before us? How desperate are we for God, and for what only God in our lives can accomplish?

“For this reason we also, since the day we heard [of your faith], do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy; giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light. He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.” (Paul, the apostle, writing to the church at Colosse, Colossians 1:9-14)

Heavenly Father, I am desperate for you again; needful of a fresh touch of your grace and love; hungry for the nourishment that feasting on Your Word and in your presence can provide; eager to experience the fullness that is my inheritance in You—and then to share that fullness freely, blessed by You to be a blessing to others. Amen.