Daddies

How often it has been said that one can't know and understand the love of the heavenly Father when one's earthly father has been uncaring and abusive?  We need a kind, loving father here to know the true Father there. 

I'd like to argue that just the opposite may be true.  What about the father we've always been dreaming about, the one that loves us just the way we are, that lavishes us with gifts, that is always wise and kind and understanding?  Isn't the perfect father, that none of us has, the very Father we have in heaven, come to dwell with us here on earth? 

Read again this morning Ephesians 1.  Isn't this the description of the perfect Father?  Isn't this the One we hunger for? 

And this is the very One who has adopted us, who has made us His own and given us an inheritance along with His Son, Jesus Christ!  Read this in Galatians 4:  But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law [us!], so that we might receive adoption as sons [that was His plan all along - He wants us!].  And because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts ["who is a guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it" according to Ephesians 1:14], crying "Abba!  Father!"  So you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God. 

Wow.  He wants me.  So much that He pursues me.  He loves me like no earthly father ever could.  Rest in those everlasting arms this day.  Snuggle up to your Daddy and never doubt His love for you. 

He is all you've ever dreamed of in a Daddy. 

Gifts!

Meditate with me this morning on one of my favorite passages (of about 1,032 favorites), Ephesians 1. 

The verbs here are almost too much to comprehend; in fact, they are too much.  Almost every verb here is an action God has taken toward us. 

Blessed us with every spiritual blessing.

Chose us.

Predestined us.  (For adoption!)

We have redemption.  Forgiveness.  An inheritance.  A seal upon us.  A guarantee of our inheritance. 

We have been lavished upon, graced, blessed, chosen, made heirs. 

I find no responsibility in these verses on our part.  It is all a gift!  And it cost Jesus Christ His life. 

So what in heaven's name are we whining about? 

In light of this awesome passage, my prayer for you is that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all. (Ephesians 1)
 
Please read with me this morning Ephesians 1, and read it again tomorrow, and the next day, until you sense God's joy in His gifts that He has lavished upon us.  Then accept that joy for yourself.  To the praise of His glory!

Birthdays

I cried on my 34th birthday.

It was just too close to 35, which was too close to 40.  Go figure.  

Having just celebrated my 59th birthday (along with a few of our other NH ladies), I am just happy to still be alive.  I'm looking at "making it" to my 60th birthday next year. 

My, how time changes things. 

For one thing, time puts things in perspective.  My aches, pains, and inability to sleep well remind me that this life is fleeting, that our bodies are decaying, that "we are dust", as the Psalmist puts it in 103.  And while I can color my hair, put creams on my face, and dress like a teenager (please don't ever let me do that!), there is no question that I'm going downhill.  My knee reminds me daily. 

For another, time brings us closer to Christ.  I mean that both spiritually and physically.  I can almost count on my fingers and toes the number of years before I'll likely see Him in person.  And the nearer I come to that day and the longer the time I spend in His Word, the better I love Him and understand my need of Him.  I'm seeing His awesomeness more clearly, trusting Him more fully, and increasingly observing such amazing things in His Word. 

And in time, the Rider on the white horse, the One called Faithful and True, clothed in a robe dipped in blood, will come to meet me and take me to His (our) home.  Read Revelation 19-22 if you want the goose-bump thrill of anticipating that day. 

This is why I no longer cry on birthdays.  (Don't hold me to that next year, though.)  I'm nearer than I ever was to my true home and my true self. 

Independence

Elisabeth Elliot, in The Music of His Promises, says this about our independence that we value so highly:  "The man or woman who claims some autonomy, some right to himself, some independence, some existence of his own, is too strong,  Too strong to need a Savior, too strong to flee to His cross for refuge, too strong to be crucified with Christ. How then shall he live in Christ, how shall Christ live in him?" 

The apostle Paul said it well:  "I have been crucified with Christ.  It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.  And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me."  He goes on to say that "if righteousness were through the law, then Christ died for no purpose."  (Galatians 2:20-21)

The bottom line is: we need Him.  Not just in our troubles.  Not just when we are feeling sad and lonely and worn out.  We need him when we are full of ourselves and our plans and our happiness and our sense of strength.  We need Him when we shop and play and hang out with friends and bike and boat and make meals.  There is not a breath we take apart from Him. 

I am crucified with Christ.  I cannot live well without Him.  He is my resurrection and my life, the very air that I breathe. 

Next time you are tempted to "do your own thing", remember that as a believer there is no such thing.  You are always His. 

Live in that place. 

Our Keeper

I am lifting up my eyes to the hills lately, as Psalm 121 suggests, or more like across to the hills, as my brother's rental property is high above Vail, CO.  (And when I say high, I mean that the semis on highway 70 below are mere specks.)  It's a completely delicious view. 

So I'm lifting my eyes across to the hills, the Gore range, they tell me, and I'm meditating on Psalm 121, and the help that comes from the Lord who keeps me.  This keeping God doesn't sleep or shirk His Creator duties in any way.  He is my shade from the daily sun and the nightly moon.  He protects and delivers and keeps me alive, according to Psalm 41:2.   He will not let my foot be moved.

You know, this Psalm is not about me at all, although it is a great comfort.  It is really about my Keeper, the One who never sleeps, the One who keeps watch over my body and soul.  What a generous and powerful and kind God we belong to. 

Jude reminds us of the same truth:  Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen. 

He is the only God, our Savior.  Meditate on Him this day, and give in to His keeping of you.

 

THE List . . . Again

Today, life got in the way of the list. 

Leaving for Vail, CO, this afternoon gave me plenty of reason to have a really long to-do list this morning: pack, get money, clean, garden, play with dogs, wash the floors, work, order books, etc.  You know how it goes.  Who doesn't have twice as many useless items on their to-do list as they can possibly do in one day? 

Well, on our way back from the Farmer's Market (also on the list), we passed dozens of colorful kayaks at the nearby boat dock.  What is going on?!

We had to bike back there (NOT on the list) once we unloaded our things.  So we sat for 10 minutes until we discerned that they weren't launching for another 1/2 hour. 

We biked home (fortunately, biking WAS on the list).  We biked back 1/2 later to sit and marvel as the dozens of boats of all sizes and shapes, manned by people of all sizes and ages, took off from the dock.  Oh, the joy of such colorful boats on a gorgeous day. 

Biked home (list forgotten).  Changed clothes and biked to the boat locks to watch the kayak crews go through the lock.  Would you believe that all those dozens of boats fit into the lock at the same time, with room to spare?  It was an amazing sight, especially when all the boaters raised their paddles at the same time for a picture.

Then to watch them all come through and float off into the sunset (or what will be a sunset in 10 hours or so). . . such a morning we had. 

Well, needless to say, I'm scrambling now.  Can I catch the 5:30 flight?  

But it was so worth it.  Life needs to get in the way once in while, maybe more than we let it.  So lift up your eyes this day, and don't miss the life around you. 

Therefore in the east give glory to the Lord;

in the coastlands of the sea, give glory to the name of the Lord, the God of Israel.  (Isaiah 24:15)

A God of History

Great and amazing are your deeds,

O Lord God the Almighty!

Just and true are your ways,

O King of the nations!

Who will not fear, O Lord,

and glorify your name?

For you alone are holy.

All nations will come

and worship you,

for your righteous acts have been revealed. 

(Revelation 15)

 

This is a song we will sing in eternity, the song of Moses.   You know that feeling of singing in a large crowd, especially hymns and songs of praise? All the better if the ceiling is lofty and people know the various harmonies.  Even better when the songs are from the Messiah and it is professional singers making up the group.  We're talking Josh Groban here. 

 

But this hymn-sing will be much more vibrant and alive than even a Josh Groban concert. And it lies ahead for those who believe.  Can't you wait? 

 

What I love about this hymn of praise is that it glorifies God because of His works.  He is a God of history.  He has appeared in the history of the world and done His mighty deeds.  His deeds are too many to number: parting the Red Sea and the Jordan River, rescuing Jonah out of the great fish, coming to earth and healing people, dying on the cross and rising again, changing my heart into a heart of flesh.

 

These are real-time acts of His in real history.  He is not a far-off God, for He has been seen in His works and in His Son. Paul in Athens said, He is actually not far from each one of us, for ‘In him we live and move and have our being’ (Acts 17:27).

 

Don't you love that our faith is based on Someone so real?   He alone is holy, and we will worship Him, because His righteous acts have been revealed. 

Distractions

 

Quiet time again, and distractions abound.  The dog spills the coffee all over everything, including me, as he tries to jump onto my lap.  The other bigger dog tries also to climb onto my too-small lap.  I sit down with the fresh cup of coffee on a dry chair, and a hornet decides to join us. 

There is a force, a person in fact, that doesn't want me in the Word of God, meditating and addressing my issues with it.  He is a force to be reckoned with.  Jesus Christ has already taken care of him at the cross, so I am safe.  But still bothered by hornets. 

What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you (Philippians 4:9).

 

I am called to know God and to practice the things He teaches me.  If I am never in the Word, I am never able to know and practice what He teaches. 

The Word is the sword of the Spirit, both in my hands, and in Christ's mouth.  (See Ephesians 6:17, Hebrews 4:12, and Revelation 1:16)  As I give my day to Him, and determine to see my time with Him through in spite of dogs and hornets, He will teach me, and guide me, and give me grace for the day. 

I well know that there are other, more pertinent, distractions that many of you face.  Distractions like crying babies, and spilled oatmeal, and ringing phones.  God will make a way for you to spend time with Him, since it is His desire to do so.  Look for it, and grab it when it comes, rather than giving in to the distractions. 

As we all know, there are NO END of distractions.  Trust Him for the grace and the time to be ministered to by Him.   Nothing is quite as important as meeting with the Almighty God, our Savior. 

Proclamations of God's Glory

We went to Grandpa's farm a few weeks ago; our little Mr. Knightley loved the huge animals.  The big sky there and peaceful pastoral setting does wonders for my soul.  Not to mention the fact that Grandpa doesn't have internet access!  I could sit on the lawn all day looking at the fields and sky. 

We laid out on our deck Monday night, determined to watch the meteor showers through the little tiny window we have between the trees (because we don't live on a farm that has big skies).  Between the clouds and the drifting to sleep, we didn't see anything.  Oh, a planet here and there, but no falling stars. 

What's my point?  In this wifi-full world, with our crowded minds and places, it can be a real challenge to see the glory of God in His handiwork.  The heavens are declaring it, and the sky above is proclaiming it (Psalm 19), but we are too blind and deaf to see and hear.  Our minds and hearts are full of other things, good things even, but distractions still. 

This is why we need vacations.  Today we head north to a friend's cottage for the day to relax.  I trust that we will see skies and hear sounds that have become foreign to us.  Even as I write, the highway nearby is thrumming with business, white noise to me, but noise nonetheless. 

We hope to hear the declaring of the glory of God and the proclamations of His handiwork.  And I'm leaving the laptop at home. 

Judge, Lawgiver, King, Savior

Today I found a contradiction in Scripture.  Yes, I, who love to argue against contradictions in Scripture, found one.  Here it is:  For the Lord is our judge; the Lord is our lawgiver; the Lord is our king; he will save us. 

I found that in the 33rd chapter of Isaiah.  Do you see why that might be contradictory? 


What does a judge do?  He brings down judgment on lawbreakers, right? 


What does a lawgiver do?  He makes the laws that He intends to be obeyed, implying a penalty, right?

What does a king do?  He enforces laws and sees to it that they are obeyed, correct? 

Am I not a lawbreaker?  Haven't I broken a law, in fact, probably all the laws in one way or another?

Hasn't this judge, lawgiver, and king every right, responsibility even, to bring the fiercest judgment against me? 

The answer is YES.  Do you see the contradiction then?  This verse claims He will save us.


But all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.  But read on to see how God fixes this apparent contradiction:  And are justified by his grace as a gift (Hmmm . . . a judge who gives gifts), through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by His blood, to be received by faith. (Romans 3:23-25).  His wrath for my sins fell squarely on Christ, the Lawgiver's Son.  And there is now no condemnation left for the Judge to hand to me. 

Praise God.  He will save us indeed.  In fact, true live-giving fact, He already has.  His love for us is a contradiction.  We have not earned it, yet we receive it by His grace.  Such a God we have.  Such a people we are, to belong to this amazing, gracious, forbearing God. 

Sunsets

 

Haven't the sunsets been amazing this summer?  I hope you've seen plenty.  This is what we see regularly from the new pier in De Pere.  The line in the middle?  Ducks, swimming bill to tail. (I stopped counting at 50, and was only halfway.)

 

The heavens declare the glory of God,

and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.

2 Day to day pours out speech,

and night to night reveals knowledge.

3 There is no speech, nor are there words,

whose voice is not heard.

4 Their voice goes out through all the earth,

and their words to the end of the world.

In them he has set a tent for the sun,

5 which comes out like a bridegroom leaving his chamber,

and, like a strong man, runs its course with joy.

6 Its rising is from the end of the heavens,

And its circuit to the end of them. 

(Psalm 19)

 

Oh, our God is amazing, isn't He?  He doesn't have to make the setting of the sun so breathtaking.  He doesn't have to give us beauty.  But He does, for the pure joy of it.  Joy for Himself, and joy for us. 

And to better declare His glory. 

We are known by our fruits; so is He. 

 

Tonight, take time to savor a sunset.

(The De Pere walkway is a great place to do it.)

 

Another Month, Another Book

Presenting . . . our book club book for the month of August: 

 

An amazing book by an extraordinary young woman from Nashville.  After a short mission trip Christmas of her senior year in high school, she found herself so drawn to the people of Uganda that she went back after graduation . . . just for one year.  During that year, she started a feeding and schooling ministry, came to love the people even more, . . . and adopted 6 little girls.  Her heart was settled in Uganda by the grace of God.  Did Katie ever come back?  Did she marry the love of her life?  Is she still there?  Alright, I'm fishing for interest here.  Do I have you hooked yet?

Please read this challenging and exciting book about a 21st century Mother Teresa.  I promise: you won't want to put it down. 

Dog, Dog, and Another Little Dog

The dogs were driving me crazy this morning.  First, the baby chewed up our latest World magazine . . . before I had a chance to read anything but the Harry Connick article. 

Then he wanted in, no out, no in.  Then, rather than wanting to settle on the rug, he thought he wanted to settle at my feet, then really he wanted to get up on the chair.  So out into the garage he went. 

Then the next eldest wanted him to be allowed back in, which made the baby scratch and whine.  Which made the next eldest whine and cry. 

Then the eldest, on his master's bed downstairs, wanted to come up by the rest of us.  And on it went.

And, of course, all this was while I was trying to meditate on the Word.  It turned into exercise time instead.  Okay, check exercise off the list. 

Is this what your day looks like sometimes?  And you grab a verse because that's all you have time for?  Well, here's the verse I was able to grab today:  He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the Almighty (Psalm 91:1).  Okay, that is enough for today.  I dwell in His shelter, I abide in His shadow.  It is enough.  Praise God. 

Our Days and Our Lists

 

I don't know about you, but sometimes my days vanish beneath my feet.  The list I've made is a mile long and then some, interruptions to the list abound, and suddenly it's dinnertime and I've taken nothing out of the freezer.  One tiny game of Scrabble with my mom upends the whole works.  (No, I'm not above blaming my mother.)

My carefully curated list is in ashes on the floor. 

What are we to do, as believing women?  How are we to redeem our days and do the important things without giving up moments here and there for fun? 

We cry out to God, who, according to Psalm 90, has been our dwelling place in all generations.  We cry out for Him to teach us how to live and how to use our days most wisely and how to say no to the temptation to play just one more game of Bejeweled Blitz or visit one more shopping website.  

We cry these words to Him, that He wrote Himself:   Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us, and establish the work of our hands upon us; yes, establish the work of our hands!

I keep on my vanity this verse:

                   Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart

                                      be acceptable in your sight,

                                 O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.  (Psalm 19:14)

 

Not just my words, but my meditations, my thoughts, my desires and choices, be pleasing to You, bring honor and glory to You, extend Your Kingdom in my (very) little world. 

 

I have found that when I put His interruptions ahead of my list, without grumbling and whining, my list either gets done almost effortlessly, or I find that the things on it are immaterial.  When I take time to sit before Him quietly sometime during the day, the interruptions do not interrupt, because they are part of His plan for my day. 

 

It's not magic, it's submission.  It's allowing Him free reign in my daily, very ordinary, world. It's making my heart call Him Master.  And meaning it.   

 

Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love, that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.  

 

                                                                                            (All unmarked verses taken from Psalm 90) 

Class Reunions

My class reunion is Saturday.  That means I have 5 days to lose 10 pounds, get Botox, and cover up the grays.  Because if there's anything class reunions are all about, it's looking better after 40 years than everyone else.  So I have my work cut out for me. 

Or do I?  Is that what reunions should be about?  Do I care anything for the classmates I haven't seen in a lifetime?  How about marveling at the years in which we have all raised children, and had careers, now over?  How about exclaiming over how we have all changed in so many other ways?  Is there room at a class reunion for wondering at God's goodness to us all? 

I happen to know that many of my classmates have become believers in the intervening years.  What have their lives lived for God looked like?  Is there any room while we're all eyeing each other with the same goal in mind (I hope I look thinner/younger/more well-dressed than her!) for real conversations?  How about caring for one another, and sharing the joys/burdens of the last 40 years? 

Well, those questions certainly provide food for thought.  Perhaps since the 10 pounds will probably not come off this week (I don't really value not eating), and I can't afford to de-wrinkle, I could think of using my class reunion more productively, like actually caring for someone besides myself. 

And since Bec and Gary will be there, I'll have at least two people to talk to. 

Besides, I can always hide behind my trophy husband. 

Grace and Strength

2 O Lord, be gracious to us; we wait for you.

Be our arm every morning,

our salvation in the time of trouble.

3 At the tumultuous noise peoples flee;

when you lift yourself up, nations are scattered,

4 and your spoil is gathered as the caterpillar gathers;

as locusts leap, it is leapt upon.

5 The Lord is exalted, for he dwells on high;

he will fill Zion with justice and righteousness,

6 and he will be the stability of your times,

abundance of salvation, wisdom, and knowledge;

the fear of the Lord is Zion's treasure.  (Isaiah 33)

 

His is a strong arm.  His is a sure salvation.  Nations are scattered and destroyed before Him.   He dwells on high (and with us as well, both).  His will is justice and righteousness.  He is our stability, our salvation, our wisdom and our God.  To fear Him is to have the greatest of all understandings.  To fear Him is the beginning of wisdom.  To fear Him is our treasure. 

 

So fear Him this day, and wait for His grace.  Take His arm as your steadfast rock.  Take His strength as your own.  And rest in Him. 

Books, Again

Favorite children's book?  Well, I try to read Understood Betsy every year, but there's also the Narnia series (catch it tonight or tomorrow at 6 pm on the church "green"), the Naughty Little Sister series, anything by Edith Nesbit, Cynthia Harnett, or Jean Webster.  Oh, and I can't forget, ever, Winnie the Pooh and his buddies.  A Murder for Her Majesty tops the list as well.  Anything, and I mean anything, by V.M. Hillyer.  Oh dear, I could go on and on. 

It's time to take a breath and let you have a turn.  Favorite children's book(s):  go.