We Take Flight But We Do Not Soar

Posted on by December 30, 2013
Reply

Isaiah 40:31 — but they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

I heard somebody say this yesterday. First it saddened me … and then it resonated. It seems to me to reflect the state of so many Christians — me included. And it reminded me of this so well-known and much-loved verse.
Did you see the great documentary on the life of ducks? Baby ducks start very bravely — hurling themselves into life. But they cant’t fly. First they can walk, then swim a little. Eventually they learn to fly. Take to the air … a few hops … and, at last, they fly. They fly, but for most of them for a very long time it’s hard work. They fly, but they do not soar. But they get the job done. When the time comes, they can fly great distances.
I can’t help feeling that my Christian life has been that way too. In fact it’s not just “failure to soar”! Sometimes it’s a real slog. Paul writes about it in 2 Corinthians 4 (verses 8,9 and 16):

We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.

Being a Christian is hard work wouldn’t you say? Not the every day, being a decent person, reading the Bible, praying, quiet time … But the real nitty gritty. When work gets tough, when people are mean, when you are misunderstood — the constant daily struggle to live to a higher standard than comes “naturally”. Still, there seems to be just enough strength each day.
So how do us ducks get to soar? Isaiah makes it clear. We must wait on The Lord. He’s repeating what he has already reported God as saying:

For thus saith The Lord, the Holy One of Israel; In returning and rest shall ye be saved; in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength: and ye would not.

Return and rest in The Lord. in HIS quietness and confidence. Later in 2 Corinthians, Paul says “And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness.” (2 Corinthians 12:9)
Us ducks can only be like eagles when we are ready to stop working so hard at it, and admit that we’ll probably never get to soar in our own power. Even eagles don’t soar under their own power. They have to get themselves into the right place, and trust to the wind.
I said the other day that I want the trusting demanded in Proverbs 3:5-6 to be a greater part of my life next year. I’m going to try to wait on The Lord, and let Him raise me up!

Fireproof

Posted on by December 29, 2013
Reply

1 Corinthians 3:15 — If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.

O.K., the reference to “Fireproof” was just a hook to get you to read! But it is sort of on topic …
Our wonderful Pastor is off with his family for a short break after the hectic Christmas season (if anyone deserves a break just now, it must be pastors!) So we had a very able substitute. I should confess, perhaps, that I found him a bit hard to listen too — my weakness, I’m sure, as he had some new insights into the story if Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in the fiery furnace.
I don’t want to rehash the message, but one thing he said was that when the three young men came out of the furnace there was not even the smell of the fire on them — though they were not wearing fire-retardant clothing. That got me to thinking …
It’s not so much about having fire-retardant clothes as about having a fire-retardant spirit. As we get to the end of the year, the Revelation is featuring in our morning readings. Fire makes all manner of appearances, most frightful of which might be in chapter 20, “whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.” I’m reminded too of Jesus’s interpretation of the parable of the wheat and the tares: “The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; and shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.” (Matthew 13:41-32)
Daniel’s friends were fire-retardant. Then there’s those that will end in the lake of fire. Then there’s us. How do we stand?
I think Paul was talking about most of us when he said “but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.” Alexander McClaren describes wonderfully what Paul meant in talking in 1 Corinthians about a man whose work gets burned: “‘He shall be saved, yet so as’ (not ‘by’ but ‘through’) fire — the picture being that of a man surrounded by a conflagration, and making a rush through the flames to get to a place of safety. Paul says that he will get through, because down below all inconsistency and worldliness, there was a little of that which ought to have been above all the inconsistency and the worldliness—a true faith in Jesus Christ. But because it was so imperfect, so feeble, so little operative in his life as that it could not keep him from piling up inconsistencies into his wall, therefore his salvation is so as through the fire.”
The three holy children had no spot of inconsistency in them. They were fire resistant! The wicked are destined to be fuel for the fire. The rest of us are often inconsistent in our faith, and we might be going to smell a little smoky for a while — but never fear, we shall have new bodies, and new robes!

A “New Year”?

Posted on by December 28, 2013
Reply

Proverbs 3:5-6 — Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

Two good friends (at least, I hope I can call them that!) have been discussing the issue of New Year’s resolutions on facebook.
Now I have a couple of problems with New Year’s resolutions. The first is the common one. I’m really no good at keeping artificial resolutions. If I don’t really want to do something, resolving that I will isn’t going to help.
The other issue is, I suppose, just me being awkward — but who says January 1st is the right time to shape up and get into shape (or start towards any of the other worthy objectives that resolutions usually focus on)? Why not July 2nd (my birthday) or Easter Monday, when the rising of Christ might provide a great start date for spiritual refreshment. On the other hand …
On the other hand I am so fortunate as to have vacation at this time of year, most years. So it is a quieter time of year, and it does offer a chance for reflection. So this year I’m not making resolutions — which I will fail to keep – but I am (with Myra’s help in some areas) setting some new directions. It’s occurred to me that I’m not doing a “complete” job, and that I might tell you what that means. Perhaps if you were to do a complete job you would think about your direction in the seven areas of faith, family, church, career, finances, service and leisure. For me some of those areas overlap, and I’m not thinking about all of them at the moment — partly because I think some are in good shape (or at least the Holy Spirit hasn’t been talking to me about them) and partly because there just doesn’t seem time to give all of them the attention they deserve.
So here are the areas that are on my mind at the moment.
First, faith, and the spiritual context for everything else. I need to trust more. I am, by nature, prone to worry — which I know is a fruitless pastime. I mean to revisit and meditate on Proverbs 3:5-6 often in the next 12 months. I know God is directing my life, but sometimes I wonder about the direction and even try to take control of the wheel! Feel free to remind me if I forget in the year to come.
With that context set, there are two other areas. First, Myra and I are rethinking our giving. We feel led to focus on fewer causes, and to try to make more impact. In addition, even as we know that our finances can’t stretch as far in this direction as we would like, we are committed to be more intent on prayer support for the causes we support financially. We’re most of the way through being clear what they will be. If the Spirit leads that way, I’ll share about them.
Second, good stewardship demands that we take some practical steps to maintain our house. We try to do some things every year, but it hasn’t been easy to keep up recently, and now we have to step up the action.
The one area that I haven’t really got to that feels like it needs attention is that of ministry/service. I’ve been more or less fallow for a while, and am seeking steadily for guidance as to what I should be doing.
I hope you haven’t come this far with me only to say “so what”. If you have, forgive me. What I’m hoping, though, is that you will be seeing the need for a review for some of the areas on my checklist — and might even see some of the things I’ve talked about as examples. I’d love to know about your year end reviews — and in any case, as I’ve already said to a few of you, may God’s plans for the New Year be the same as your wishes!

Christmas : So Was That It?

Posted on by December 27, 2013
Reply

Revelation 2:4 — Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.

We were in Our local Walmart Superstore today. (Not picking on Walmart, but what I saw today focused my attention on the topic of today’s devotion.) It’s December 27th. The Christmas signage has been replaced by “Valentines Day” promotions …
I was reminded of the words of John Lennon!

So this is Christmas and what have you done?
Another year over and a new one just begun?And so this is Christmas.

Really. A tip of the hat to the Christ child, a gift-giving splurge, a few jolly festivities and … On to the next Festival of Commerce!
Do you remember the song about the Twelve Days of Christmas? The Christmas holiday used to be celebrated from Christmas Eve to January 6th — the Feast of the Epiphany, Twelfth Night. Somehow this year it seemed as though Christmas was being squeezed out — and this shift from Christmas to the spurious celebration of romantic love felt like the cherry on the secular cake!
It’s a long time since Christmas was last pushed out of America. In 1659 The Puritans of Massachusetts passed a law that said “Whoever shall be found observing any such day as Christmas and the like, either by forbearing labor, feasting or any other way, shall pay for any such offense five shillings as a fine to the country.” Christmas wasn’t a legal holiday in Massachusetts until 1681!
I’ve had the sense this year that the years-long push to get Christ out of Christmas has been more successful than ever before.
I think it’s time to bring back the Spirit of Ebenezer Scrooge — the reformed version, of course:

I will honor Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year. I will live in the Past, the Present, and the Future. The Spirits of all Three shall strive within me. I will not shut out the lessons that they teach!

Mind you, I’m not so much thinking of the three Spirits of Christmas as the three Persons of the Trinity!
I know that in some quarters it’s contentious to insist on America’s Christian roots — but I think the case is proven. And so it’s time to recapture that first love. The two verses in the Revelation that go before the one at the head of this devotion say:

I know thy works, and thy labor, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars: and hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name’s sake hast labored, and hast not fainted.

So how do all these scattered thoughts pull together?
There are so many Christians in America, and so many churches, doing so much great earnest hard work. But there are so many people struggling just as hard to undermine their work. They don’t have that same love in their hearts — and they’re OK with fighting dirty. We have to be prepared to fight back with love in both hands … And not the “love” of Valentine’s Day, but the love that knows no limits, and never ends …

Quiet Time Is Daily Life Is Quiet Time …

Posted on by December 26, 2013
Reply

Mark 1:35,39 — And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed… And he preached in their synagogues throughout all Galilee, and cast out devils.

Myra and I have been reading “Life Together” by Dietrich Bonhoeffer as a sort of bedtime devotional. In it he talks about “The Day Alone” and puts side by side the ideas “Let him who cannot be alone beware of community” and “Let him who is not in community beware of being alone”.
This morning we were talking about quiet time, and a related thought struck me. If I cannot listen to God in my quiet time I’m going to struggle to listen to Him in my daily life. If I don’t “practice the presence of God” in my daily life I might not hear from Him in my quiet time.
On the one hand there’s the thought that the time I spend alone with God, opening my heart to Him, trying to line up my will with His, is what fuels my day.
On the other hand there’s the thought that if I try to exclude God from the rest of my life (as though I could!) what are we going to have to talk about?
This might be one of my biggest struggles in my own Christian walk. All too often in my quiet time I struggle to focus. “What should I be thinking about Lord? Who should I be praying for today? What was that You said Lord? Let me start again ..,” And then during the day when there are those times when I realize that it’s been a while since I stopped to pray, or thought about God at all … And I have to stop, take a spiritual breath.
It may be that this is a particular problem for men. We are natural compartmentalizers. Work in one compartment, family and finances in another, church and faith in yet another. Is it obvious that we can’t put God in a box? But how hard we try … Or how little we try not to …
So what’s the magic answer? Well, of course there isn’t one. There are things that help, but the bottom line is that, like so much in Christian life, it’s a mystery. Somehow it’s about the developing relationship between me and God. And like all relationships it can feel tidal, like the sea — sometimes closer in, sometimes further out. But (and maybe this is one of those “man” things) sometimes in my quiet time it all clicks, and sometimes the day just flows.
And maybe this is a man thing too … But for me, the things that seem to help are the obvious — consistency, priority, practice. So I do my best to take my quiet time every morning early. I try to remember to look to the Holy Spirit for guidance. If I miss one discipline, the other one works less well. If I try to raise my game in one, I feel the benefit in the other. Me and God — alone together.

Christmas : I Am Grateful!

Posted on by December 25, 2013
Reply

Matthew 19:24 — And again I say unto you, It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.

Well, yes, I am so grateful. Unexpectedly shaken by gratitude in my quiet time today. “Well, of course”, you say, “it’s Christmas Day. How could you not be grateful?” Let me try and explain myself.
It’s not just the gifts. Although as usual my sweet Myra and I have had great joy in exchanging gifts — mostly practical, but some downright frivolous!
It’s not just the daily blessings of life, either. Though we have a nice house, clean water, food on our table … Things that most of the world are denied.
Nor is the focus of my gratitude today the fact that we live in a more-or-less free country, where freedom of religion is largely unconstrained, though that too is a rare privilege.
Not even my wife, the wonder of my life, is the center of my thankfulness today. Though God knows how great a gift she is to me, and how she has unlocked my heart, still that is not it.
Underlying all my gratitude of course, today, and always, is my gratitude for the gift of salvation. I’m not sure I could ever express that gratitude. I do know that through the year I see that gift in different ways … The jewel sparkles fresh and new, like a diamond and deepens, ruby red, at Easter. That platform of gratitude, though, might be the base of what struck me this morning.
I am grateful for gratitude! I am grateful that I can be grateful, in a society where so many seem focused on what they do not have — on “rights” they are denied, or things that others have, and they cannot aspire to. Too many of us are like the odious Dudley Dursley of the “Harry Potter” books, more interested in the number of gifts than the quality or the love that went into the package.
I’ve been reading “Soul Survivor” by Philip Yancey. In a section discussing his relationship with Dr. Robert Coles the American author, child psychiatrist, and professor he says:

I belong, with Robert Coles, to a privileged minority. Everyone reading this sentence belongs, in fact, for only a small percentage of the world’s people has the ability and leisure to read and the resources to buy a book. How do we, the “privileged ones,” act as stewards of the grace we have received?

Most of the time, of course, I forget that basic truth that Yancey reminds me of. But just sometimes I remember, and my gratitude for simple things is suddenly magnified. And today I realized how hard that is for so many people.
From a materialist point of view, the more you have, the less each new gift means. The child with a room full of playthings is not much impressed by one more toy. It’s easier for the poor man to have the gift of gratitude than it is for the rich man. I think that’s a part of the meaning of Jesus’s cryptic comment about rich men and camels.
So today, I’m grateful because — somehow — I am seeing the many gifts and privileges with brighter eyes today, with an extra “Yes!” of joy in my heart. I can’t exactly pin my finger on the “why”, and tomorrow it may be another story but today I am grateful that I can be grateful!

Christmas : Different Gifts, Different Wrapping!

Posted on by December 24, 2013
Reply

Romans 12:6 — Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith;

I’ve been wrapping Christmas presents today. I guess that’s what has put me in mind of this natural gift-related devotion.
Even those that love me best would admit that I DO NOT have the spiritual gift of “wrapping”. It takes me a long time, and the results are often not pretty! The one good thing you can say, I suppose is that it’s often hard to guess the contents from the wrapping. (Actually, those that REALLY know me know that I only ever got sent out of class twice … Once when we were cutting stars in elementary school, and once from a woodwork class.)
It seems to me that people are much the same. Not all “pretty” on the outside. In fact some of us are just about brown paper parcels wrapped with the roughest of twine. Of course others are beautifully done up in the nicest of glittery paper with elegant bows and finely written labels.
The thing is — we’ve been “wrapped”by the Master’s hand. Every one of us, whether we (or anyone else) knows it, is perfectly wrapped. Not like my parcels at all!
One thing that my gifts and the Master’s “parcels” do have in common is that you can’t always guess what’s inside, or what it’s worth, from what the appearance might suggest.
Each of us, when we accept the invitation to join God’s families are blessed with “spiritual” gifts. These are gifts, specially selected, given by God (more particularly, by the Holy Spirit) by grace — yet another blessing that we do nothing to earn, but that we receive because it pleases God to give it.
Just like any other gift, a spiritual gift needs to be received and unwrapped! Sometimes that will need the help of others to recognize gifts. It will always need practice! A neglected or unused gift has no value to the recipient and is, let’s be honest, a slap in the face to the giver!
There are some things that are very different about God’s gifts and mine, however. For one thing, you can’t regift the Father’s gifts. You can’t pass them on to anyone else. It’s no good wishing for somebody else’s gifts, either. They’re uniquely selected for the recipient, perfectly shaped, sized and fitted! That’s not to say you can’t request gifts. 1 Corinthians 12:31 says “But covet earnestly the best gifts” — but they can’t come on demand, they can’t be earned, they can’t be bought.
I hope you’ll get some wonderful gifts this Christmas … But whether you do or you don’t, spend some time thinking about spiritual gifts. A new one would be worth more than you could ever find under the tree!

Christmas : Grace

Posted on by December 23, 2013
Reply

Revelation 14:13 — And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labors; and their works do follow them.

We went to a wonderful party today! Well, to be clear, it was a “Homegoing Celebration” for a wonderful woman. Some might say the timing — just before Christmas — was unfortunate, but I can’t help thinking that The Lord was planning His birthday party this year and said to His helpers, “I know, let’s have Norma this year — she’s great fun, a wonderful singer, and I think she’s about ready”!
Her family spoke very movingly of Norma … of her live wire personality, her wonderful character and — above all — Her commitment to living out her Christianity, sharing it at any opportunity. I knew all that, but Norma touched me personally in a very simple way.
I lay awake for a little while last night, and I thought of Norma. As I thought, the word that came to mind was “grace”. Not the kind of grace that means “elegance of movement” (though judging by some of the photographs we saw today, she had plenty of that in her younger days”. No, Norma had — or rather gave — the kind of grace Christians understand: the giving of unmerited favor to those who need it. That was how Norma touched me — literally. When I joined the church choir, about two years ago, I was very unsure if I should. It was a good thirty years since I had done any singing, and I didn’t know if I could handle the choir’s program. Norma, who really didn’t know me just encouraged me. She’d come up to me, put her hand on my arm, and say a little word. Nothing great, just a little word that made it clear that as far as she was concerned, I certainly belonged.
Now you might not think Norma’s kindness to me was a big deal (I happen to think it was, but you might disagree). But Norma had been giving simple gifts of grace like that every day, for a long time. It’s hard to imagine how many people she witnessed to, and how many Christians she encouraged.
This morning, in our Bible reading, I came across Revelation 14:13. It, too, reminded me of Norma. Especially, my eye was caught by the words “that they may rest from their labors; and their works do follow them.” I love what Henry Cowles says of this verse : “their works are the witness of their fidelity to Christ and place them within the pale of his friends whom he graciously rewards immeasurably beyond the line of their simply just deserts. So great is his love to those who have sought to be true and faithful to his name!” So great, I think, is Jesus’s love for Norma.
Happy Birthday Jesus! Have fun with our friend!

Christmas : Score One For The Grinch!

Posted on by December 22, 2013
1

Jeremiah 6:16 — Thus saith the Lord, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein.

I’ve been saddened recently, and especially yesterday, by the sense that we might be failing Christmas.
Last year, in our church’s Living Christmas Tree presentation we sang “Christmas in the air, Christmas everywhere!” But it isn’t, is it? Maybe it’s just me … But I don’t think so.
My sense of loss has been heightened by Christmas shopping this year. Now I know some of you are going to say that a guy shouldn’t care about shopping — but it’s a job that has to be done, and I’m thinking we’d all like it to be in a joyous and festive environment. And this year, at our local mall I could find hardly a mention of Christmas. And yesterday, at our local outlets I couldn’t see any at all … and not much sign in fact that there was anything special about the season at all.
You might say “so what?” But there was a knock-on effect. I know Christmas shopping can often be frenetic, and even a little grumpy … but I seem to remember most people making an effort to be cheery and pleasant. And this year I haven’t felt that at all.
What really bothers me is that I think there’s a climate of opinion that is unfriendly to Christmas. It’s deep-seated and dangerous. It’s another step in a process. Activists lobby politicians to force the Bible out of schools. Schools start discouraging children’s love of the Christ of Christmas. The same activists start lobbying for equal time for Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Festivus, Koliada … “Merry Christmas” becomes “Happy Holidays”. Christians defending our faith are characterized as bigoted, racists an worse … and Christmas is no longer a cherished iconic time of togetherness.
I see the “reason for the season” being denied. Much “Christmas” giving takes on an obligatory character, becoming a form of worship of wealth. I’m reminded of a verse in the Revelation:

And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them, and make merry, and shall send gifts one to another; because these two prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth. (Revelation 11:10)

So much of the spirit of generosity seems to be morphing into a materialistic celebration as the witness of Christmas is undermined.
We need to “Stand in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein.” We need to find and favor retailers who speak up for Christmas and not just retailers — how about car dealers, and doctors, and lawyers and … well you get the idea.
Come on people! It’s time to restate the reason for the season, and take back December!

Christmas : It Was A Wonderful Life

Posted on by December 21, 2013
Reply

Acts 9:36,39 — Now there was at Joppa a certain disciple named Tabitha, which by interpretation is called Dorcas: this woman was full of good works and almsdeeds which she did. …Then Peter arose and went with them. When he was come, they brought him into the upper chamber: and all the widows stood by him weeping, and showing the coats and garments which Dorcas made, while she was with them.

My “Christmas” devotions for the next two days might be a little down, if the thoughts I’ve been given for now don’t change. They might even be better called reflections … but Monday feels like an upturn is coming … anyway, it’s what I’ve got. Make of it what you will.
Last night Myra and I watched the best Christmas movie of all time. It’s left me feeling a little sad, because I don’t think it could be made nowadays … and if it got made, I’m not sure how popular it would be.
The movie, of course, was “It’s A Wonderful Life”, surely Hollywood’s greatest Christmas gift to us all, released on Christmas Day, 1946.
For readers under (say) 50 — in case I have any that young: The story is of an ordinary man (George Bailey, played wonderfully by Jimmy Stewart) who is deprived by his own generous nature, and by the twists of circumstances, from following his dreams. Instead he spends his life working to help his friends and neighbors by running the Bailey Building and Loan Association, marrying a wonderful wife and raising four sweet children. Things go terribly wrong and George is driven to contemplate suicide when his absent-minded Uncle Billy misplaces $8,000 of the Building and Loan’s money causing George to be suspected of fraud. Against all expectations, George’s neighbors and friends rally round and make up the deficit, and all ends well.
So what’s the point? George Bailey’s friends and neighbors didn’t value him because he was a hero, a superstar, a business genius … or even a spiritual giant. They valued him because he was an ordinary decent guy, doing his best to make things better around him.
I was reminded of Tabitha — Dorcas — who was loved by her friends for her day-to-day kindnesses. Another one who, for all we can tell, was not a hero, a warrior … or even a spiritual giant.
Do you think the studios today would have bought that story? If they bought the story how many people would rush out to see it or put it at the top of their Netflix queue? This is the day of the star … the cult of the personality rules. We even have Christian “stars”. Wonder how that would have struck Jesus? Wasn’t there something about the first being last, and the last being first? I’m thinking that Jesus picked the guests for the nativity … and He loved shepherds and wasn’t that impressed by kings. I bet Tabitha gets a place at the high table for the wedding feast too. But I don’t think many people think that way today. Sad, isn’t it?