Where truth begins

In America, the South has a bit of a reputation.  There are actually many things associated with the South - some good, some bad - but what I am specifically referring to is the concept of "Southern hospitality" and politeness.  Of course there is a point where this is a wonderful thing - a large portion of southerners are legitimately kind and friendly and polite and hospitable.  But there is another side to Southern hospitality.  Many people in the South have a tendency to feign politeness to someone's face, and then turn around and bad-mouth them behind their back.   

I, however, although I was raised in the South, was not born there, and do not consider myself a southerner, and thus have always found this concept a bit difficult to grasp.  I've never understood the unwillingness to be honest with people.  Personally, I would much rather know someone dislikes me, than to think we're on good terms and then find out later that they've been gossiping about me without my knowledge.  My preferences in this matter, however, have often gotten me into trouble, and so it's a delicate balance that I am constantly trying to strike between honesty and tact, bluntness and prudence.  

But honesty with others does not begin with them.  Truth is not an outward expression of its own right. Honesty begins with yourself.  Truth with others is an outward expression of an inner condition.  Speaking the truth in love begins with speaking the truth to yourself.  So I challenge you to ask yourself....in what areas of your life might you be lying to yourself?  It doesn't have to be a glaring inconsistency.  It could be something seemingly small and insignificant.  But God doesn't want any strongholds in our lives - even the small and insignificant ones.  Let Him illuminate the dark places; let Him speak truth into your life, so that you in turn can go and speak it to others.  

Acts 5:1-10

Now a man named Ananias, together with his wife Sapphira, also sold a piece of property. 2 With his wife’s full knowledge he kept back part of the money for himself, but brought the rest and put it at the apostles’ feet. 3 Then Peter said, “Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land? 4 Didn’t it belong to you before it was sold? And after it was sold, wasn’t the money at your disposal? What made you think of doing such a thing? You have not lied just to human beings but to God.” 5 When Ananias heard this, he fell down and died. And great fear seized all who heard what had happened. 6 Then some young men came forward, wrapped up his body, and carried him out and buried him. 7 About three hours later his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. 8 Peter asked her, “Tell me, is this the price you and Ananias got for the land?” “Yes,” she said, “that is the price.” 9 Peter said to her, “How could you conspire to test the Spirit of the Lord? Listen! The feet of the men who buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out also.” 10 At that moment she fell down at his feet and died. Then the young men came in and, finding her dead, carried her out and buried her beside her husband.

Physical tongues and spiritual tongues

There's this concept in "Christian-ese" called love languages.  It was originally coined by a man named Gary Chapman, who wrote a book called "The Five Love Languages."  He says that everyone speaks at least 1 of 5 love languages - words of encouragement, acts of service, quality time, physical touch, and gifts.  Many people speak more than one language, but almost everyone has a dominant one, a language that speaks to them more than the others do.

My love language is, and always has been, gift-giving.  It's how I both give and receive affection.  I love spending on people that I care about, investing creativity and money and time to give them something that speaks to them.  The problem is, no one in my life is a gift-giver.  It was something I really struggled with as a little girl - I constantly felt unloved, because no one in my life knew how to speak my language, nor I theirs.  As time went on, I learned to be more understanding, and to appreciate the efforts that people do make, however small they may be.  But there's always a bit of a hole, a noticeable gap, a tangible emptiness where I want to be spoken to in my own language, and frequently am not.

I was reading in Acts today about the day of Pentecost, how God breathed into His people and allowed them to start speaking in other tongues.  I know that this passage is talking about the spiritual gift of speaking in tongues, of actually speaking literal languages that you have never learned before to use them to minister to others.  But I wonder if it can't be used in reference to other types of languages, as well.  "Love languages," for example.

The Bible says that the people were amazed and in awe when they heard the apostles speaking to them in their own tongues.  In my own small way, I can relate to what they were feeling.  I imagine how I would feel if someone in my life all of a sudden started speaking my love language to me, when they had never been able to do so in the past.  I picture my shock, my delight, my excitement.  It's nothing short of miraculous to have something like that happen, and when it does, it blesses the recipient like few things can.

When the Holy Spirit visits us, it's not just spiritual tongues that He gives us.  God wants us to be able to minister to people's physical needs as well as their spiritual ones.  I can't tell you how many times over the past few weeks I've followed the Holy Spirit's prompting and done something for someone that I thought fairly small and insignificant, and it turned out to be exactly what they needed.  Don't get me wrong, I'm not discounting spiritual gifts and prayer.  But sometimes, we really just need a word of encouragement, a meal and a sympathetic ear, or a good old-fashioned hug.  Don't neglect the physical for the spiritual.  Be sensitive to the Holy Spirit, and let Him teach you how to speak whatever language is needed.

Acts 2:1-11

When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. 2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. 5 Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. 6 When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard their own language being spoken. 7 Utterly amazed, they asked: “Aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans? 8 Then how is it that each of us hears them in our native language? 9 Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome 11 (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!”

Community

I've started going to a new church since moving back to America.  One of the things that they really emphasize is the importance of community.  But not just community, in the sense of having lots of big church potlucks or tailgates or outings around town.  They stress Biblical community - a large group of believers gathering to worship, smaller groups of believers gathering together for encouragement and comfort, and even smaller discipleship groups, where you really get down to the nitty gritty details of spiritual growth and accountability.

I've never known community like this before.  The kind of community where people call each other up and pray with them on the phone on a regular basis.  The kind of community in which it's a rare week, indeed, when an unexpected meeting of believers and subsequent spontaneous worship of the Lord does not happen.  The kind of community that doesn't see it as unusual to have people encouraging and keeping each other accountable, but rather as the rule.

We are meant to be in communities that encourage us.  But what does that mean?  Merriam Webster defines encouragement as "giving help or inspiration" to another person.  But God intends it to be so much more than that.  The Greek word for encouragement is symparakaleo, which means "to call upon or exhort and the same time or together; to strengthen or comfort with others."  Sure, helping other people out is a part of encouraging them.  But Biblical, Christian encouragement is meant to be much more than that.  It's a vibrant give and take, an active expression of Christ's love in a tangible way to the people in your life.

It's important to remember, too, that it goes both ways.  God does not expect you to always be giving, always be strong, always be encouraging, without ever needing to be on the receiving end.  Encouragement means to exhort together, at the same time.  It means to keep each other accountable, to be honest and open with each, to admit to your flaws, and to be loved in spite of them.  That's true community.  That's Biblical community.  Is that what your life looks like?

Romans 1:8-12

8 First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is being reported all over the world. 9 God, whom I serve in my spirit in preaching the gospel of his Son, is my witness how constantly I remember you 10 in my prayers at all times; and I pray that now at last by God’s will the way may be opened for me to come to you. 11 I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong— 12 that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith.

Blessed

It's amazing the differing interpretations that can result when there is a mistranslation in play.  I know this full well from my time studying languages.  I can't count how many times I learned a word in the classroom, memorized it, thought I knew it, and then used it or heard it in the "real world" and realized that it had a totally different connotation or definition from what I had thought.

And then, of course, there are words for which a translation simply doesn't exist, like the Indonesian word jayus, which is roughly translated as "as joke so poorly told and so unfunny that one cannot help but laugh," or the Scottish word tartle, which more or less means "the act of hesitating while you're introducing someone because you've forgotten their name."  Words like that throw a whole new level of confusion into the mix.

The Bible is like that, too.  We read the Bible so often in our native tongue, that sometimes it is hard to remember that it wasn't written in that language (unless, of course, you're reading it in Greek or Hebrew).  There are so many nuances, so many hidden meanings that are lost in translation.  The Beatitudes, which means "the blessings," in Matthew 5 are a good example of that.

I was always taught that the Beatitudes were a prescriptive list, something that should be aspired to in order to be blessed.  But the Beatitudes are descriptive, not prescriptive.  "Poor in spirit," which many people take to mean humble, is better translated as worthless or spiritually bankrupt.  Surely God is not telling us that we should strive for spiritual bankruptcy in order to receive His kingdom.  It's equally unlikely that a loving God would not actually want us to mourn, even if we do know that we will be comforted.  Even the rest of the Beatitudes, while not necessarily bad, are not attributes greatly prized by the rest of the world - things like meekness, mercy, and peacemaking are often considered weak, characteristic of doormats, of people who are easy to take advantage of.

The Beatitudes are not telling us what we should do to become blessed by God.  They are reminding us that we are blessed by God.  No matter what we have done in our past, despite our spiritual bankruptcy, even if we are mourning, regardless of our pain or frustrations - despite it all, we are still blessed, for God is good and has chosen to bless us, even when we don't deserve it.

If Jesus were speaking to us today, perhaps His Beatitudes would sound something like this (I borrowed this from my pastor; it's too good to not share!) :

Blessed are the unemployed, those who feel without purpose, 

for you are invited to participate in the greatest redemptive story ever told.  

Blessed are the addicted, who have struggled with sin and are caught in a web of flesh and lies, 

for in this place prisoners are set free.  

Blessed are the skeptics, the doubters, the wanderers, 

for your questions have answers and you can be satisfied.  

Blessed are the lonely.  You're invited to join a family 

that has more brothers and more sisters than stars in the sky.  

Blessed are those ashamed that someone might see your true face, 

for now your true face reflects the righteousness of Christ.  Hide no longer.  

Blessed are the homeless, blessed are the CEOs, 

blessed are those struggling to make rent next month, 

blessed are those tempted to put their trust in a huge bank account, 

for though your current state will fade away, you serve a God of abundance, 

and He has more than you will ever need.  

Blessed are those who made a bad decision last night.  

Rejoice, for today is the day the Lord has made, and His mercies are new every day.  

Blessed are the sexually broken, for in this kingdom you can be made whole.  

Blessed are those seen only as objects to be used, to be abused, to be discarded; 

by the grace of God you have a worth and a value 

that goes deeper than anything you could have imagined.  

Blessed are the insecure.  Security is yours - eternal security that can never be shaken.  

Blessed are the unattractive in the world's eyes, for you are beautiful.  

Blessed are the attractive in the world's eyes.  

You don't have to worry about growing old and losing your looks, 

for you have a value that can never fade.  

Blessed are you, sons and daughters, despite your sin, despite your rebellion, despite your fear, despite your insecurity, despite your disobedience.  All are blessed, for the kingdom of heaven has come near to you.  

Matthew 5:1-12

Now when Jesus saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, 2 and he began to teach them.

He said: 3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4 Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
5 Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.
6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.
7 Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.
8 Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
9 Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.
10 Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

11 “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Grasping at sand

When I was a little girl, I loved playing with sand.  I could sit for hours, making big piles, little piles, random designs, sand castles....it didn't really matter what I was making, as long as I had my sand.  I would squish it between my toes, drizzle it over my clothes, or watch it trickle slowly between my fingers.  I know it sounds bizarre, but sand had almost become a part of me.

In a way, sand can be seen as an analogy for how we live our spiritual lives, too.  It represents everything that we love, everything that we want to keep - our dreams, our hopes, our desires, our futures.  It represents things that we love so dearly, that we're so desperate to keep, that we will do anything to not lose them.  And so we clench our fists tightly in a ball, determined to hold onto those things that have become so precious to us.

But what happened to me in the playground as a child, happens in the spiritual realm, as well.  The tighter you clench your fists in determination to hold on to what you treasure, the more of it you will lose.  We stand there, watching all of our hopes and dreams slowly trickling out of our clutching hands, and we wonder in frustration what we are doing wrong.

What we don't realize, or so often forget, is that God wants to give us the desires of our heart.  But first we have to give our desires up to Him.  He wants to give us a new life, a new body, a new spirit.  He wants to give us new dreams, a new future, even better than what we had envisioned for ourselves.  But first we must unclench our fists.  We must open our hands and give to God everything that we are so desperately trying to do on our own.  Only then can you truly live in the freedom and blessings that God wants to give you.  Before you do that, you're just grasping at sand.

Romans 8:1-13

Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, 2 because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in the flesh, 4 in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

5 Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. 6 The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. 7 The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. 8 Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God.

9 You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ. 10 But if Christ is in you, then even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives life because of righteousness. 11 And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you.

12 Therefore, brothers and sisters, we have an obligation—but it is not to the flesh, to live according to it. 13 For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live.

Tearing through the roof

I have struggled for years with chronic back pain, probably due to a combination of scoliosis, poor posture, and stress.  It's not something I enjoy, of course; but it is something that I have learned to live with, and I don't really even think about it much anymore.  It's just  become a part of who I am.

But anyway, some friends of mine heard about my back pain, and decided that they wanted to pray over me and ask the Lord to heal me.  So we met together on campus in the middle of the day, and just read the Bible and talked and prayed together.  It was really a special time.

One of the passages that we read was from Luke 5, in which Jesus healed the paralytic.  As I was sitting there reading this story with my friends, something seemed to almost jump off of the page to me - the incredible faith of the paralytic's friends.

This man had probably lived with his paralysis for many years.  It's likely (or at least highly plausible) that he, like me, had learned to live with his disability.  It's not that he didn't have faith in God; it's more along the lines that he had just come to accept that this was his lot in life.  In fact, he actually did show faith in Jesus when he immediately obeyed Jesus' command to stand up, take up his mat, and go home.

But it was the faith of his friends who were instrumental in bringing him (literally!) to healing.  It was the faith of his friends who brought him on the pallet to Jesus in the first place.  And it was the faith of his friends who, when they found that they could not enter the house because of the crowds, literally tore the roof off of the house in their zeal to see their friend healed.  

Is there someone in your life who needs healing?  Maybe someone who has struggled with something for so long that it has almost become a part of them?  Have they prayed for healing and for release, to no avail?  It doesn't have to be something physical - God can bring about all types of healing, whether it be physical, mental, emotional, or spiritual.  But perhaps the reason that they are still waiting on God to move it not because of a lack of faith on their part, but rather on yours.

God made us for community.  He made us to bear each other's burdens.  He made us to take care of and look out for each other.  Like the paralytic's friends, He wants us to bring to Him those who do not have the strength to do so themselves.  Who in your life is needing you to help them tear through the roof and lay themselves at the feet of Jesus?

Luke 5:17-26

¹⁷ One day Jesus was teaching, and Pharisees and teachers of the law were sitting there. They had come from every village of Galilee and from Judea and Jerusalem. And the power of the Lord was with Jesus to heal the sick. ¹⁸ Some men came carrying a paralyzed man on a mat and tried to take him into the house to lay him before Jesus. ¹⁹ When they could not find a way to do this because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and lowered him on his mat through the tiles into the middle of the crowd, right in front of Jesus.

²⁰ When Jesus saw their faith, he said, “Friend, your sins are forgiven.”

²¹ The Pharisees and the teachers of the law began thinking to themselves, “Who is this fellow who speaks blasphemy? Who can forgive sins but God alone?”

²² Jesus knew what they were thinking and asked, “Why are you thinking these things in your hearts? ²³ Which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’?²⁴ But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” So he said to the paralyzed man, “I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.” ²⁵ Immediately he stood up in front of them, took what he had been lying on and went home praising God.²⁶ Everyone was amazed and gave praise to God. They were filled with awe and said, “We have seen remarkable things today.”

Persistence

It's finally November!  To me, the onset of November has always symbolized one thing - Thanksgiving!  There are many things about early November that I've always enjoyed.  I love the change of weather, the fall decorations, the anticipation of celebrating both Christmas and my 3 little siblings' birthdays; but most of all, at the beginning of November, the excitement that looms most in my mind is that of Thanksgiving.

Every holiday, in my opinion, has its own magic, and Thanksgiving is no exception.  The fun times spent with my mother cooking yummy things all day, the delicious smells that permeate the house, the relaxing and happy atmosphere, the sight of my entire family all together again; Thanksgiving holds a special place in my heart, indeed.

I thought it fitting, as I was waxing nostalgic about the holiday, to look up its origins.  I was surprised by what I found.  While the first Thanksgiving was celebrated in 1621, it would be hundreds of years later before it was observed by every state in the nation.  This was largely due to the efforts of one woman, Sarah Josepha Hale.  She campaigned and wrote letters to politicians - including 5 spearate presidents - trying to make it an official holiday, for nearly forty years!  She finally succeeded under President Lincoln's administration.

Can you imagine?  Spending 40 years working for something you believe in, and not seeing any results until the end?  What if she had stopped writing letters after 5 years, or 10, or 20?  November might be a very different month in America.  Her persistence is inspiring to me, to say the least.

I wonder if we would be that persistent in going after the things that God has placed on our hearts.  Of course we know in our heads that God will never leave us, and that He is always working behind the scenes for our good.  And, in many cases, we also know that God has called us to do something in particular, too.  But we want it done on our timetable, and if it doesn't happen within that particular timeframe, so often we give up, assuming that we must have misheard God, or maybe He just changed His mind and didn't tell us.

But God is not a God of confusion.  He will not lead you wandering around with no direction.  Even when the Israelites were in the desert, they had the pillars of cloud and fire to tell them exactly where they needed to go.  So if you are feeling discouraged, if you are feeling like what God has called you to do will never happen, take heart!  Remember that He is always with you, He will always guide you, He will always take care of you; sometimes it just takes a lot of persistence and patience to see the results!

Deuteronomy 29:1-6

These are the terms of the covenant the Lord commanded Moses to make with the Israelites in Moab, in addition to the covenant he had made with them at Horeb. 2 Moses summoned all the Israelites and said to them: Your eyes have seen all that the Lord did in Egypt to Pharaoh, to all his officials and to all his land. 3 With your own eyes you saw those great trials, those signs and great wonders. 4 But to this day the Lord has not given you a mind that understands or eyes that see or ears that hear. 5 Yet the Lord says, “During the forty years that I led you through the wilderness, your clothes did not wear out, nor did the sandals on your feet. 6 You ate no bread and drank no wine or other fermented drink. I did this so that you might know that I am the Lord your God.”
  

Freedom in Christ

Growing up, I had a very set notion of what "freedom in Christ" meant.  In my mind, it was applied on more of an ad hoc basis - God had forgiven you for whatever sins you had committed in the past, and would forgive you for whatever future sins you might also commit.  Some people even took this a step further, and looked at the concept of "freedom in Christ" as more of a get-out-of-jail-free card - "I can do anything I want," they rationalized, "because I know that God will always forgive me."  Perhaps that ideology was what the church had taught me, perhaps that was a product of myself, but that was where I was, regardless.

But the Lord meant for us to have such a greater freedom than that.  He meant for us to have freedom from our diseases.  He meant for us to have freedom from sorrow.  He meant for us to have freedom from condemnation.  He even meant for us to have freedom from sin, not just forgiveness of it.

How do we have freedom from sin?  We get it from the renewing of our mind, as He talks about in Romans 12:2.  Freedom in Christ means that we no longer want to "toe the line" between godly and ungodly behavior.  It means that He has given us a new heart, a new mind, a new desire for Him and His precepts.  It means that we now have the Holy Spirit living within us, who can prick our conscience even before we sin.  It means that we have Him as a guide to our lives, so that we no longer have to worry about whether we are making the right choices or not.

God never wanted the law to condemn us.  He wanted it to show us the path to true freedom - faith in Jesus Christ.  No one is perfect.  But because of the freedom that Christ has given us, we don't have to be.  He's constantly making us more and more like Him every single day.

Galatians 3:7-29

7 Understand, then, that those who have faith are children of Abraham. 8 Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham: “All nations will be blessed through you.” 9 So those who rely on faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith. 10 For all who rely on the works of the law are under a curse, as it is written: “Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.”

 11 Clearly no one who relies on the law is justified before God, because “the righteous will live by faith.” 12 The law is not based on faith; on the contrary, it says, “The person who does these things will live by them.” 13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a pole.” 14 He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.

15 Brothers and sisters, let me take an example from everyday life. Just as no one can set aside or add to a human covenant that has been duly established, so it is in this case. 16 The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. Scripture does not say “and to seeds,” meaning many people, but “and to your seed,” meaning one person, who is Christ. 17 What I mean is this: The law, introduced 430 years later, does not set aside the covenant previously established by God and thus do away with the promise. 18 For if the inheritance depends on the law, then it no longer depends on the promise; but God in his grace gave it to Abraham through a promise.

19 Why, then, was the law given at all? It was added because of transgressions until the Seed to whom the promise referred had come. The law was given through angels and entrusted to a mediator. 20 A mediator, however, implies more than one party; but God is one.

21 Is the law, therefore, opposed to the promises of God? Absolutely not! For if a law had been given that could impart life, then righteousness would certainly have come by the law. 22 But Scripture has locked up everything under the control of sin, so that what was promised, being given through faith in Jesus Christ, might be given to those who believe.

23 Before the coming of this faith, we were held in custody under the law, locked up until the faith that was to come would be revealed. 24 So the law was our guardian until Christ came that we might be justified by faith. 25 Now that this faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian.

26 So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, 27 for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.

Purifying the water

What do you think of when you think of salt water?  Perhaps you think of the beach, of friend and sand and fun in the sun.  Maybe it's the cynic in me, or possibly too many science courses, but when I think of salt water I think of many of its more negative properties.  Salt water is corrosive and leaves many undesirable mineral buildups.  It is unfit to drink, and requires filtration through expensive purification systems in order to become usable for drinking or washing.  It can sometimes leave a slimy film on one's skin if bathed in, and is difficult to remove with normal soaps.  Salt and water combined is not really a very desirable combination.

Our lives can be thought of as saltwater, in a way.  The water is our life the way it is supposed to be - clean, pure, unadulterated.  But then all this salt, all of this other yucky stuff, gets added to the mix and clouds up the picture.  The salt can symbolize many things - our past, our insecurities, our mistakes, our regrets, our flaws - but whatever it symbolizes, the point is that it has made our lives not as pure or as healthy as they could be.

If you look at salt and water separately, however, you see a very different picture. In the Bible, we see many uses of salt.  It was used as a preserver, and as a way to flavor and season bland foods.  It was sometimes given as an offering to the Lord at the temple.  Even to this day, it is eaten in many cultures as a sign of friendship.  In other words, salt by itself is a very good thing.  

You may feel like your life is just a pool of saltwater, murky and cloudy and unfit for anything good.  Your past failures and insecurities may seem so impossibly insurmountable and overwhelming, that there's no way you do ever do something useful for God's kindgom.  But God wants to separate the salt from the water in your life.  He wants to give you a new lease on life, one in which even your flaws and failures can be used to give light to others and to showcase His power in your life.

In 2 Kings 2, we even see an instance of God actually using salt to heal diseased water.  What a beautiful picture of redemption.  Not only does God heal the water - He does it by making it salt water. God doesn't expect you to come to Him without a past, without hurts, without things that you can't imagine ever overcoming.  He just wants you to come to Him.  He can purify you.  He can make you new.  He can take your murky saltwater, and turn it into cleansing water and healing salt.  Will you let Him?

2 Kings 2:19-22

19 The people of the city said to Elisha, “Look, our lord, this town is well situated, as you can see, but the water is bad and the land is unproductive.” 20 “Bring me a new bowl,” he said, “and put salt in it.” So they brought it to him. 21 Then he went out to the spring and threw the salt into it, saying, “This is what the Lord says: ‘I have healed this water. Never again will it cause death or make the land unproductive.’” 22 And the water has remained pure to this day, according to the word Elisha had spoken. 

Taking stock

My some friends of mine did an interesting experiment a few weeks ago.  They told everyone to pray and bring whatever cooking ingredient they felt the Lord was prompting them to bring, and then made something out of the resulting hodgepodge of foods.  It was a fun night, and really quite a riot to see the stuff people brought, as well as the ending concoction.  It wasn't nearly as toxic as it could have been - we all got there, took stock of our inventory, and made what we could with what we had.

It's easy to do the same thing with our own lives.  We look at what the Lord has given us, take stock of our talents and deficiencies, and then make an assessment of what we could do with what we have for God's kingdom.  The problem is, in our eyes we almost always come up short.  So often we excuse ourselves from God's greater vision, because we don't think that we have enough to work with.  Paralyzed by insecurities, we sit back and allow the enemy to neutralize our abilities and the effect that they could have on eternity.

But focusing on what we lack makes us forget about God's all-sufficiency.  It makes us forget that what we have - whatever it may be - is more than enough for God.  God has a history of using people who have little to give.  He used Moses' simple staff to part the Red Sea.  He used 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish to feed thousands of people.  He used a jar of oil to save a widow and her sons from destitution and slavery.

The next time that you take stock of your life, don't convince yourself that you don't have what you need to be used by God.  God can use anything and everything.  Ask God what it is that you have right now, and be obedient with that.  Instead of saying, "I can't," start asking God to use what you have right now.  Your greatest weakness may be God's greatest opportunity.

1 Kings 4:1-7

The wife of a man from the company of the prophets cried out to Elisha, “Your servant my husband is dead, and you know that he revered the Lord. But now his creditor is coming to take my two boys as his slaves.” 2 Elisha replied to her, “How can I help you? Tell me, what do you have in your house?” “Your servant has nothing there at all,” she said, “except a small jar of olive oil.” 3 Elisha said, “Go around and ask all your neighbors for empty jars. Don’t ask for just a few. 4 Then go inside and shut the door behind you and your sons. Pour oil into all the jars, and as each is filled, put it to one side.” 5 She left him and shut the door behind her and her sons. They brought the jars to her and she kept pouring. 6 When all the jars were full, she said to her son, “Bring me another one.” But he replied, “There is not a jar left.” Then the oil stopped flowing. 7 She went and told the man of God, and he said, “Go, sell the oil and pay your debts. You and your sons can live on what is left.”

Something worse, something better

I have an A-type personality, a very analytical mind.  I'm always considering my options, thinking about future choices, trying to pick the best choice for both the long run and short-run.  I'm constantly weighing pros and cons, making "what-if" contingencies and scenarios in my mind.

In all honestly, I probably do that too much.  There's a point when you really need to just let go and live, and that's something that God is teaching me more about daily.  But that's not the point that I'm trying to make today.  I was reading in John 5, about the crippled man that Jesus healed at the pool of Bethesda, and something that Jesus said really struck me.  "Stop sinning," He said, "or something worse may happen to you."

Really?  What could be worse than what had already happened to the man?  He had been an invalid for 38 years.  For 38 years, he had been forced to watch as countless others were healed in the pools of Bethesda, while he sat on the edge, unable to get into the waters because he had no one to help him in.

The wheels of my analytical mind starting turning.  What could possibly be worse than that?  Forced to take a backseat in your own life for almost 4 decades, while the rest of the world literally passed you by.  To me, that seems like the worst fate on this earth imaginable.

But Jesus wasn't making a statement about life on this earth.  He was making a spiritual statement.  Some may say that Jesus' words may be interpreted to mean that we deserve whatever bad things happen to us because of the sins that we have committed.  But I think it's saying something else.  What's worth than a life without legs and mobility?  A life without Jesus.  Why would the man's life have been worse if he had kept sinning?  Because he would have been without Jesus.  No matter what you may be going through, it can always get worse if you don't have Jesus in your life.  But don't let that get you down...because if you DO have Jesus, it can - and will - always get better.

John 5:1-15

Some time later, Jesus went up to Jerusalem for one of the Jewish festivals. 2 Now there is in Jerusalem near the Sheep Gate a pool, which in Aramaic is called Bethesda and which is surrounded by five covered colonnades. 3 Here a great number of disabled people used to lie—the blind, the lame, the paralyzed. [4] 5 One who was there had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. 6 When Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time, he asked him, “Do you want to get well?” 7 “Sir,” the invalid replied, “I have no one to help me into the pool when the water is stirred. While I am trying to get in, someone else goes down ahead of me.” 8 Then Jesus said to him, “Get up! Pick up your mat and walk.” 9 At once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked. The day on which this took place was a Sabbath, 10 and so the Jewish leaders said to the man who had been healed, “It is the Sabbath; the law forbids you to carry your mat.” 11 But he replied, “The man who made me well said to me, ‘Pick up your mat and walk.’ ” 12 So they asked him, “Who is this fellow who told you to pick it up and walk?” 13 The man who was healed had no idea who it was, for Jesus had slipped away into the crowd that was there. 14 Later Jesus found him at the temple and said to him, “See, you are well again. Stop sinning or something worse may happen to you.” 15 The man went away and told the Jewish leaders that it was Jesus who had made him well.

Good enough

Have you ever avoided something because you felt that you weren't good enough?  Avoided going to college or taking a particularly difficult class because you weren't smart enough, slathered on the makeup and sexy clothes because you weren't pretty enough, refused to enter a contest because you weren't talented enough?  Have you ever not spoken to someone about Jesus because you weren't a good enough public speaker, or declined an invitation to teach or preach because you weren't godly enough?

We've all done that.  We've all told ourselves, at one time in our lives or perhaps many times, that we're not _______ enough - fill in the blank with any positive adjective that applies.  But at the root of it all, is the feeling that we are not good enough, the feeling that we are in some way inadequate or deficient, and therefore unqualified to do big things for Christ.

This is one of the devil's most colossal lies of our time.  He has somehow convinced an entire generation that they are not good enough for God's kingdom, when God's word clearly says the opposite.  When God created man and woman in the garden of Eden, He said that it was "very good."  In Christ, you are more than enough, you are a conqueror - and God has equipped you to accomplish everything that He has called you to do.

Somehow we've gotten it into our heads that we have to be perfect before we can be used by God, that we have to have our lives together before we can serve His kingdom.  But by believing that, we have effectively neutralized our entire lives.  We will never have it all together - we will always be imperfect people in an imperfect world.

But God doesn't call us because we are particularly gifted, or talented, or intelligent, or articulate, or even godly.  He calls us because we are willing to be obedient and follow His lead.  God doesn't call the qualified.  He qualifies the called.  So whatever your insecurity may be, whatever lie the enemy has convinced you of - I'm not a good student, I'm not a good Christian, I'm not a good wife, I'm not a good father, I'm not a good cook, I'm not a good friend - whatever the lie may be, lay it down at the feet of Jesus.  The only thing you need to be good enough is a new birth and life in Christ.

1 Corinthians 3:10-16

10 By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as a wise builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should build with care. 11 For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, 13 their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work. 14 If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward. 15 If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved—even though only as one escaping through the flames.

16 Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst?

The look of royalty

When I was younger, I was obsessed with the stories of Sherlock Holmes, the great detective. His powers of deduction and ability to infer so much from just the smallest things always fascinated me.  I could spend hours and hours reading about his marvelous exploits.  I especially enjoyed how he was able to tell so much about people from their appearance.

He could tell a governess from the small blot of ink that her mischievous charge had splattered behind her ear, or a widow from the tiny band of paler skin on her left ring finger from where her wedding band used to lie.  He could tell a war veteran by his slight limp, or a writer from the smudge of ink on the palm of his hand.  His powers of observation and deduction were truly remarkable, and always left me fascinated and entranced, regardless of the fact that they were fictional accounts.

Ever since reading the tales of Sherlock Holmes, I have started analyzing people myself, trying to figure out what I can about them.  Usually my observance leads to more questions than answers, but every now and then I make a successful deduction.  I can, for example, generally pick a dancer out of a crowd by the way they walk, or a cook by the way they analyze ingredients before purchasing.

I wonder, then, what it is that sets us as Christians apart?  How would Sherlock Holmes, if he were analyzing us, be able to tell that we are children of the Most High God?  The Bible calls us children of God, joint heirs in His kindgom.  But we are not "royal" in the traditional sense of the word.

Instead of walking proudly, God has called us to love sacrificially.  Rather than dressing in purple and fine linen, like the kings of Biblical times did, God asks us to clothe ourselves in humility.  In lieu of being served, He has called us to serve.  This is our gift.  He has made us joint-heirs with Him, and that legacy of humility and service is our glorious inheritance in Him.  So when you look at your life, when others observe your actions in your day-to-day, ask yourself....do you have the look of royalty about you?

Ephesians 3:2-13

2 Surely you have heard about the administration of God’s grace that was given to me for you, 3 that is, the mystery made known to me by revelation, as I have already written briefly. 4 In reading this, then, you will be able to understand my insight into the mystery of Christ, 5 which was not made known to people in other generations as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to God’s holy apostles and prophets. 6 This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus.

7 I became a servant of this gospel by the gift of God’s grace given me through the working of his power. 8 Although I am less than the least of all the Lord’s people, this grace was given me: to preach to the Gentiles the boundless riches of Christ, 9 and to make plain to everyone the administration of this mystery, which for ages past was kept hidden in God, who created all things. 10 His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, 11 according to his eternal purpose that he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord. 12 In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence. 13 I ask you, therefore, not to be discouraged because of my sufferings for you, which are your glory.

What is love?

Growing up, I remember sometimes being so frustrated with my parents sometimes, because they weren't offering me exactly what I needed.  They wouldn't read me a story because they were too tired, or they wouldn't drive through the puddles like I asked them to because they were afraid of hydroplaning, or they made cabbage and noodles for dinner when I wanted lasagna.

It sounds silly, I know.  But that's truly how selfish I was growing up.  I had this mentality that my parents existed only to take care of me.  I didn't understand that there were other issues at stake beside my own individual preferences.  I chose to forget how much they really loved me, and focus on what they were doing (or not doing) for me.  Of course my parents love me - they love me unconditionally, and always have; but that never meant that they would always be at my personal beck and call.

So often it's so easy for Christians to look at God the same way that I looked at my parents.  We see Him as some sort of nebulous Being in the air, one whom we can talk to when we need something, but have no obligation to communicate with otherwise.  We have forgotten that God is a real live being.  He has feelings and emotions, just like us, and He wants to spend time with us.  He wants to have a relationship with us - a real relationship, a give-and-take relationship.

I can't help but notice the anguish, the raw pain in the words of the Lord in Jeremiah 2.  He is talking to Israel, who has forsaken Him, and asking them to come back to Him.  The language of that chapter invokes such powerful feelings in me.  The Lord is clearly broken-hearted.  He wants to commune with His people, but they will have none of it.  When I imagine how broken-hearted my parents would be if I refused to associate with them, I get a small idea of how crushed the Lord must have been by the actions of the Israelites.

It's easy to ignore the Lord for long periods of time.  It's easy to place Him at the bottom of the priority list, and let life get in the way of spending time with Him.  Goodness knows I've done it myself more often than I care to count.  But when you do that, remember that you are not ignoring some nebulous, faceless, emotion-less creature.  You are ignoring a God who loves you infinitesimally, and who desperately wants to spend time with you and to know you personally.  And if you don't even want to spend time with Him, if you don't even try to meet with Him every day, you have to ask yourself....do you even love Him at all??

Jeremiah 2

The word of the Lord came to me: 2 “Go and proclaim in the hearing of Jerusalem:

“This is what the Lord says: “‘I remember the devotion of your youth, how as a bride you loved me and followed me through the wilderness, through a land not sown. 3 Israel was holy to the Lord, the firstfruits of his harvest; all who devoured her were held guilty, and disaster overtook them,’” declares the Lord.

4 Hear the word of the Lord, you descendants of Jacob, all you clans of Israel. 5 This is what the Lord says: “What fault did your ancestors find in me, that they strayed so far from me? They followed worthless idols and became worthless themselves. 6 They did not ask, ‘Where is the Lord, who brought us up out of Egypt and led us through the barren wilderness, through a land of deserts and ravines, a land of drought and utter darkness, a land where no one travels and no one lives?’ 7 I brought you into a fertile land to eat its fruit and rich produce. But you came and defiled my land and made my inheritance detestable. 8 The priests did not ask, ‘Where is the Lord?’ Those who deal with the law did not know me; the leaders rebelled against me. The prophets prophesied by Baal, following worthless idols. 9 “Therefore I bring charges against you again,” declares the Lord. “And I will bring charges against your children’s children. 10 Cross over to the coasts of Cyprus and look, send to Kedar[a] and observe closely; see if there has ever been anything like this: 11 Has a nation ever changed its gods? (Yet they are not gods at all.) But my people have exchanged their glorious God for worthless idols. 12 Be appalled at this, you heavens, and shudder with great horror,” declares the Lord.

13 “My people have committed two sins: They have forsaken me, the spring of living water, and have dug their own cisterns, broken cisterns that cannot hold water. 14 Is Israel a servant, a slave by birth? Why then has he become plunder? 15 Lions have roared; they have growled at him. They have laid waste his land; his towns are burned and deserted. 16 Also, the men of Memphis and Tahpanhes have cracked your skull. 17 Have you not brought this on yourselves by forsaking the Lord your God when he led you in the way? 18 Now why go to Egypt to drink water from the Nile[b]? And why go to Assyria to drink water from the Euphrates? 19 Your wickedness will punish you; your backsliding will rebuke you. Consider then and realize how evil and bitter it is for you when you forsake the Lord your God and have no awe of me,” declares the Lord, the Lord Almighty.

20 “Long ago you broke off your yoke and tore off your bonds; you said, ‘I will not serve you!’ Indeed, on every high hill and under every spreading tree you lay down as a prostitute. 21 I had planted you like a choice vine of sound and reliable stock. How then did you turn against me into a corrupt, wild vine? 22 Although you wash yourself with soap and use an abundance of cleansing powder, the stain of your guilt is still before me,” declares the Sovereign Lord. 23 “How can you say, ‘I am not defiled; I have not run after the Baals’? See how you behaved in the valley; consider what you have done. You are a swift she-camel running here and there, 24 a wild donkey accustomed to the desert, sniffing the wind in her craving— in her heat who can restrain her? Any males that pursue her need not tire themselves; at mating time they will find her. 25 Do not run until your feet are bare and your throat is dry. But you said, ‘It’s no use! I love foreign gods, and I must go after them.’

26 “As a thief is disgraced when he is caught, so the people of Israel are disgraced— they, their kings and their officials, their priests and their prophets. 27 They say to wood, ‘You are my father,’ and to stone, ‘You gave me birth.’ They have turned their backs to me and not their faces; yet when they are in trouble, they say, ‘Come and save us!’ 28 Where then are the gods you made for yourselves? Let them come if they can save you when you are in trouble! For you, Judah, have as many gods as you have towns. 29 “Why do you bring charges against me? You have all rebelled against me,” declares the Lord. 30 “In vain I punished your people; they did not respond to correction. Your sword has devoured your prophets like a ravenous lion.

31 “You of this generation, consider the word of the Lord: “Have I been a desert to Israel or a land of great darkness? Why do my people say, ‘We are free to roam; we will come to you no more’? 32 Does a young woman forget her jewelry, a bride her wedding ornaments? Yet my people have forgotten me, days without number. 33 How skilled you are at pursuing love! Even the worst of women can learn from your ways. 34 On your clothes is found the lifeblood of the innocent poor, though you did not catch them breaking in. Yet in spite of all this 35 you say, ‘I am innocent; he is not angry with me.’ But I will pass judgment on you because you say, ‘I have not sinned.’ 36 Why do you go about so much, changing your ways? You will be disappointed by Egypt as you were by Assyria. 37 You will also leave that place with your hands on your head, for the Lord has rejected those you trust; you will not be helped by them.

Creativity

Fall is in the air here in Atlanta these days.  I just love this time of year.  The crisp, invigorating air that wakes you up with a thrill every morning; the brightly colored leaves that filter through the air and lay in piles on the ground that are just begging to be jumped in; the jeans and scarves and hats and gloves and jackets that come from hiding in the abyss of closets and are finally able to grace the world with their presence for a few short months.  There's something about the coming of fall that just speaks to me - it speaks of life and excitement and anticipation and joy and happiness.

When I was a little kid, I would always read the passage in Luke - the one where Jesus said that if we did not praise Him, then the rocks would do it for us - with a bit of skepticism.  I would picture rocks literally singing and dancing and praising Him - a real-life version of VeggieTales, if you will.  The almost cartoonish imagery that I saw in my mind made the whole thing seem a bit far-fetched and unbelievable.  I didn't understand it, and so I just dismissed it.

But it's mornings like today that give me a better understanding of what Jesus was talking about.  Here in Atlanta, there are no rocks literally singing out praises to God.  There are no flowers dancing before the Lord.  There are no trees lining up and doing high kicks in a neat little row a lá Broadway style.  But the earth is declaring His majesty, nonetheless.  The brilliant blue sky, the peaceful neighborhood calm that surrounds me, the majestic oak trees in my back yard, the intoxicating smell of lavender and roses and honeysuckle wafting through the air....they all testify to the greatness and creativity of the Lord.  

Maybe you don't like autumn like I do.  Maybe it doesn't speak to you in the same way that it speaks to me.  But the Lord is creative in many areas, not just one.  The Lord's grandeur can be manifest in many aspects of life, not just one.  It can be seen in the latent power of waves on a beach, or the overpowering grandeur of a snow-covered mountaintop.  It can be seen in the musical laughter of a child, or in the incredible precision of a racecar.  It can be seen in passion of dance, or in the variety of food.  Whatever makes you tick, however God most speaks to your heart, make sure that you look for Him there as you go about your day.  Look for His creativity and intimate love, a love that made Him want to create such a diverse and beautiful world for us, His children.  And then don't forget to thank Him for it.  Don't let the rocks be the only ones praising Him.


Luke 19:37-40
37 When he came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen: 38 “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” 39 Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples!” 40 “I tell you,” he replied, “if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.”

A dead faith

A friend of mine is going through a very difficult time right now.  I have been trying to help him out any way I can, but he has been resisting, saying things like it's ok, he doesn't want to bother me, I already have too much on my plate, I should focus on my school and work, etc.  I know that he meant those things for my benefit.  But honestly, it kind of got to me.  It seems that attitudes like that are becoming increasingly pervasive in the Church.  Christians who say things like, "well, I'd love to help you, I really wish I could, but I've got to study for this test, or go to work, or make this meeting."  It's like we've started to think that the day-to-day banality of life has suddenly become more important than the eternal impact that we can have on the people that God puts in our paths by living out our faith in their lives.

Now, don't get me wrong, it's important to study hard or work hard at whatever responsibilities God has given you.  We can't allow laziness or poor work ethics to creep into our daily lives.  But we also have to make sure that our priorities are set.  Fifteen years from now, are you going to remember more about that exam that you made an A on, or the grieving friend you prayed with and comforted?  Is it better to be able to give a knock-out presentation at work, or to spend time with and counsel someone who needs wise and godly advice?  When you stand before the throne of the Most High God, is He going to be more pleased with you for making it to work on time, or stopping and buying that homeless person breakfast and sharing Jesus with them while they ate?

I grew up hearing that Christianity was not an act-based religion.  "Works don't save you," was the all-too-familiar commentary that I would hear preached from the pulpit, the Sunday school teacher's mouth, or even the family dinner table.  This is inarguably true - the only things that saves us is a belief in the saving grace of Jesus Christ.

But salvation is not the end of the story.  The Bible says that "faith, by itself, if not accompanied by action, is dead."  Actions are the result of a genuine faith in the Lord.  It's not always easy.  It's often frightening.  I'm sure that Gideon, Abraham, or Rahab were scared to death as they amassed their army, took their son to be sacrificed, or hid enemy spies in their home.  But the point is not that they were afraid; it's that they had faith enough to act in spite of their fear.

Believing in God does not require an absence of fear.  It takes courage to act upon one's faith.  No one ever said it would be easy.  But the real question is this: if you don't act on your faith, if you don't live out the love that you say is in your heart, if you don't behave in a manner that shows that you unreservedly trust in the goodness of the Lord.....if you don't act on your faith, do you really have any faith at all??

James 2:14-27

14 What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? 15 Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. 16 If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? 17 In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. 18 But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds. 19 You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder. 20 You foolish person, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless? 21 Was not our father Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? 22 You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. 23 And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,”[e] and he was called God’s friend. 24 You see that a person is considered righteous by what they do and not by faith alone. 25 In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction? 26 As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead.

Wisdom 2.0

I went to a wedding this past weekend.  It was beautiful, tons of fun, and remarkably stress-free.  I loved catching up with my dear friend, the bride, and making plenty of new ones, to boot.  But there was something swimming around in my head the entire weekend.  I kept asking myself....how do you hear from God clearly enough to be willing to commit your entire life to one person?  How did this godly couple - and thousands of others just like them - become confident enough that they were following the Lord's will to say "I do"?  A marriage isn't like moving to another city for a new job, where you can always move back if you realized that you had not actually heard the Lord's voice.  A marriage is forever.

Perhaps I don't understand because I'm single.  I suppose that's a logical explanation.  But I think there's a better one.  As I was thinking and praying about this puzzle, I got an image of a piece of an outdated piece of computer software (leave it to the nerdy girl to make a spiritual analogy with computers :] ).  Our earthly knowledge and wisdom is like version 1.0 - full of bugs, glitches, and fallacies.  If we made our life choices based on wisdom 1.0, we would always be making the wrong choice.  But God has given us version 2.0 - the complete, whole, and perfect version of His godly wisdom.  He can, if we ask Him, give us an understanding of the world that we can have confidence is right, because it comes from Him.

So wisdom, true wisdom, simply comes down to having the proper source of wisdom.  If you rely on your own experiences, logic, reason, and understanding, you're bound to make enormous errors.  But if you upgrade your system, if you put away your own knowledge and rely on His, then you will have a wisdom that cannot be wrong.  Then you will have a wisdom that is "pure, peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere."  Then you will have a wisdom that gives you the confidence to move to another country, start a new job, or even commit the rest of your life to 1 person - all because you know that the Lord said that it was good, and you know that you can trust His wisdom.

James 3:13-17

13 Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. 14 But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. 15 Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic. 16 For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice. 17 But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. 18 Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness.

The unknown future

These days are nostalgic days for me.  I've spent the last year of my life living in Korea, and as my time here draws to a close, I'm starting to look back on all of the things I've learned over the last 12 months.  

This morning, I was particularly thinking about the new incoming class of Fulbright teachers.  They arrived in Korea for their 2 month orientation about 2 weeks ago.  I remember how I felt when I was in their shoes a year ago.  I was nervous, apprehensive, worried, scared, overwhelmed....pretty much any negative adjective you can think of, that was me.  I put on a good show, for sure - I laughed and joked around and worked hard and did well in my classes and played lots of ping-pong in my free time.....but on the inside, I was a wreck.

I wonder if anyone else from my class was like that.  I wonder if any of the new teachers this year are like that.  I'm guessing that there are lots of people who can relate to how I felt.  I can't be the only one with fears and insecurities about facing a new, strange, and unknown future.  But, contrary to the incoming teachers, I now have the benefit of experience under my belt.  My time in Korea is no longer unknown.  It is now a treasured past, instead of a dreaded future.  

It's truly incredible, the difference that experience can make.  But I think that there is a deeper element, too.  In a few weeks I'll be embarking upon another unknown future; but this time, I'm not scared.  I'm not filled with fear and trepidation and worry like I was the last time.  You may say that's simply because this future isn't as scary as the last one.  In this future, I will be fluent in the language of the country that I'm living in, and doing something (studying) that I've done for many years in the past.  But I think that the real difference is that I have learned to trust God over the past year.  

I remember so vividly my worries about moving to Korea.  And now I can testify so poignantly about how God took care of me while I was here.  He not only helped me to survive - He caused me to flourish.  And so I think to myself....why would He do that in Korea, and not in America?  He has never failed me yet; why would He start now?  And so, this time around, I'm learning to face the unknown future with anticipation rather than fear; with excitement rather than worry.  It's still scary, to be sure.  But I've found a God who is bigger than fear.  In your life and in mine, He is big enough to take care of all of our insecurities.  What an exciting future you can have if you put it into the Lord's hands!!

Deuteronomy 1:29-33

29 Then I said to you, “Do not be terrified; do not be afraid of them. 30 The Lord your God, who is going before you, will fight for you, as he did for you in Egypt, before your very eyes, 31 and in the wilderness. There you saw how the Lord your God carried you, as a father carries his son, all the way you went until you reached this place.”32 In spite of this, you did not trust in the Lord your God, 33 who went ahead of you on your journey, in fire by night and in a cloud by day, to search out places for you to camp and to show you the way you should go.

Enough

Have you ever wondered if you can run out of love?  I've thought about that many times this week.  This is my last week in Korea.  And every day has brought yet another round of goodbyes - with my students, my co-teachers, my friends, my family, or my church.  There have been times when I've just felt...dull.  Emotionless. Like I've cried all my tears, I've given all of my love, I've said all of the goodbyes possible, and there's simply nothing left of me.

But then more love always seems to spring up from somewhere deep inside of me.  It can be triggered by many things - the tears glistening in the eyes of a sweet student, the laughter of a dear friend, the notebook given to me by a student in which she had written a different note on every single page, the group of students who only had me as a teacher for 2 weeks last year, but yet they still took the time to special order a gift for me over the internet and give it to me as a group.  Or maybe it's just a low level-student who struggles through a sentence or two in English so that she can say goodbye to me.  Whatever the cause of it, I have found myself constantly surprised this week, over and over and over again, by the fact that I still have more tears to cry, still have more gifts to hand out, still have more people to thank, still have more love to give.

It's easy to think of God like I think of myself, as an individual with a finite supply of love to give His children.  And, if His love truly is finite, then how could He ever remember ME??  So often, I feel like I have slipped through the cracks of His love.  Goodness knows, He has so many other important things to think about...how could he possibly have time to love me, too??

But God's love is NOT finite.  It is infinite.  It is perfect, complete, and never-ending.  And there is enough of His love to go around.  There is enough for everyone.  There is enough for the pregnant teenager who feels alone and afraid.  There is enough for the drug addict who can't seem to escape his addiction.  There is enough for the respectable-looking businessman who always clears the memory on his computer, so that no one will know what sorts of pictures he's been looking at.  There is enough for the nerdy computer geek who is always getting picked on at school.  There is enough for the housewife who constantly feels overworked and under-appreciated. There is enough.  It is enough.  God's love is enough for you.  Period.

Song of Solomon 8:6-7

Place me like a seal over your heart,like a seal on your arm; for love is as strong as death,its jealousy unyielding as the grave.It burns like blazing fire,like a mighty flame. 7 Many waters cannot quench love; rivers cannot sweep it away.If one were to giveall the wealth of one’s house for love,it would be utterly scorned.

Make the most of now

It's amazing the amount of apathy that one can find on the average American college campus.  These kids go to parties, they put just enough effort into their classes to pass, they never vote, they basically spend their entire lives sliding under the radar, making as little a splash as possible, expending as little energy as possible.  "There are other people," they convince themselves, "who can do the world-changing stuff better than I."  Or perhaps, they think more along the lines of "I'm only 1 person.  What could I possibly do to make a difference??"

But either way, however their internal wheels may be turning, the end result is the same - nothing.  The end result, is that there are hundreds of thousands of young people who are totally wasting their talents, gifts, dreams, and ideas.  It's tragic, really.  It's so easy for young people to convince themselves that they're not qualified, or they don't have enough money or experience, or that their ideas are silly.  And so, instead of trying, instead of risking failure.....they do nothing.  

I think that's my single favorite thing about being a Fulbrighter.  Being a Fulbright scholar has exposed me to a host of truly fascinating, brilliant individuals.  And not only are they world travelers, or published authors, or business owners, or popular bloggers, or a host of other wonderful things....they are young.  The vast majority of them haven't hit 25 years of age yet.  They still have their whole lives ahead of them, but yet they are making the most of now.

It's easy to convince ourselves that we still have plenty of time, and we can do whatever it is that we want to....tomorrow.  Always tomorrow.  But if you keep waiting until tomorrow, eventually you're going to wake up and realize that you're too old, or too tired, or too busy, or have too many other responsibilities.

That's why I love Paul's letters to Timothy.  Timothy was a young man who wasn't afraid to change the world....now.  He didn't wait around until someone wiser, stronger, smarter, or richer could help him.  He guarded what had been entrusted to his care, and he made the most of it.  We all, like Timothy, have been entrusted with great gifts, great passions, greats visions with which we could change the world.  Don't waste what you have been given.  Don't let your talents and passions grow stagnant and dusty on the unused storage shelves of your souls.  Go out and do something.  The time is now.

Take on the attitude of one of the characters from the inspiring movie "Amazing Grace," who said it this way: "We are too young to know that certain things are impossible.  And so, we will do them anyway."  Don't just dream big things.  Do big things.

1 Timothy 6:11-21

11 But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. 12 Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses. 13 In the sight of God, who gives life to everything, and of Christ Jesus, who while testifying before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, I charge you 14 to keep this command without spot or blame until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15 which God will bring about in his own time —God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords, 16 who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see. To him be honor and might forever. Amen.17 Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. 18 Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. 19 In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.20 Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to your care. Turn away from godless chatter and the opposing ideas of what is falsely called knowledge, 21 which some have professed and in so doing have departed from the faith.

The City of Refuge

In Deuteronomy, the Lord commands His people to set aside 3 cities as "cities of refuge."  These were places that people who had accidentally killed other people to could flee to, and thus save their own lives.  "Otherwise," says Deuteronomy, "the avenger of blood might pursue him...overtake him...and kill him."

There are some interesting things that can be gleaned from these verses.  The word "city" comes from the Hebrew word iyr, which means "a place of safety, one that is always guarded by a watch."  That was why these cities were called "cities of refuge" - because they offered protection and safety from the consequences of one's mistakes.


But it gets even more interesting when you dig deeper.  Iyr is taken from the root Hebrew word uwr, which means "to be aroused or awakened," or "to be triumphant."  And so, cities of refuge become not only places where one can escape from one's sins; they become places where one can be victorious over one's sins.  They become a place where you can break away from the lifeless bondage that sin has imprisoned you in, and become awake and alive once again.


Isn't that just a perfect picture of what Jesus has done for us?  Although the Old Testamant never mentions Jesus Christ by name, it is full of analogies to Him, and this is one of my favorites.  We've all messed up.  We've all sinned, we've all made mistakes, we've all hurt people.  Whether intentionally or unintentionally, we've all done things that we shouldn't, and according to God's justice, we all should have to pay the price.  


But, praise the Lord, Jesus is our city of refuge.  He is the place that we can run to to avoid the punishments of our actions.  And, not only do we avoid punishment, but through Him, we can become victorious!  When you find refuge in Jesus, you don't simply survive - you thrive.  He doesn't simply take away the punishments of our sins; He gives us our lives back - full, rich, rewarding lives, that have no connection to our past mistakes.  He wipes the slate clean.  


Do you feel like you're drowning?  Like the "avenger of blood" is hunting you down?  There's no need to give in to your past.  Run to the City of Refuge, and let Him give you a brand new start.

Deuteronomy 19:1-7

When the Lord your God has destroyed the nations whose land he is giving you, and when you have driven them out and settled in their towns and houses, 2 then set aside for yourselves three cities in the land the Lord your God is giving you to possess. 3 Determine the distances involved and divide into three parts the land the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance, so that a person who kills someone may flee for refuge to one of these cities.4 This is the rule concerning anyone who kills a person and flees there for safety—anyone who kills a neighbor unintentionally, without malice aforethought. 5 For instance, a man may go into the forest with his neighbor to cut wood, and as he swings his ax to fell a tree, the head may fly off and hit his neighbor and kill him. That man may flee to one of these cities and save his life. 6 Otherwise, the avenger of blood might pursue him in a rage, overtake him if the distance is too great, and kill him even though he is not deserving of death, since he did it to his neighbor without malice aforethought. 7 This is why I command you to set aside for yourselves three cities.

Land still to be taken

Joshua is such an interesting character.  Apparently the Bible thinks so too, because he is only of the only people to have an entire book dedicated to him.  He studied and served under Moses, one of the most legendary pillars of our faith.  He was one of the only Israelites from his generation to survive to see the Promised Land.  It was under his leadership that such incredible miracles such as the sun standing still at Gilgal occurred.  He was undeniably a great man of God, and I'm sure that we can learn a lot from him.

But I wonder, sometimes, if Joshua ever got tired of being such a great leader.  I wonder if he was ever exhausted of following God, and really just wanted to curl up in a corner and rest for a few months.  In Joshua 13, the chapter starts off with this sentence: "When Joshua was old and well advanced in years, the Lord said to him, 'You are very old, and there are still very large areas of land to be taken over.'"

When I read this, I kind of giggled to myself.  I wonder if Joshua heaved a sign of frustration upon hearing these words.  Keep in mind, that he had already been leading the Israelites and fighting their enemies for many years at this point.  I wonder if he said to himself, "Lord, there's more??  How many years do I have to be doing this??  How many more people must be conquered, how many more lands must still be taken?"

I don't know if he did this.  But I can easily imagine him doing it, mostly because it's so easy to picture myself doing the same thing.  So often, I ask myself, "Lord, there's more??  Why do I have to help more people, serve those who need it more, obey your word more?  I've been a good, church-going girl all my life; I tithe, I don't swear or drink, I help out people when I can and it doesn't inconvenience me too much; haven't I done enough??  Why do I always have to be doing more??"

But that's a life of mediocrity, of acceptance of the status quo.  God has not called us to mediocrity, but rather to extraordinary excellence.  Excellence in our jobs, excellence in our personal lives, excellence in our hobbies, excellence in our relationships.  He has called us to that because He is the best, and so He requires nothing less of His people.  There are always ways to improve, because the Standard that we are seeking to emulate is Perfection.

That may sound like an overwhelming, impossible task.  But take heart.  If He was faithful with Joshua, He will be faithful to you.  He did not include the story of Joshua in the Bible simply to make us jealous about a standard of Christianity that we could never possibly hope to achieve.  He included it to encourage us, to remind us that nothing is impossible with God.  So cheer up, and whenever you get discouraged, just remember....there is always land still to be taken.

Joshua 13:1-7

When Joshua had grown old, the Lord said to him, “You are now very old, and there are still very large areas of land to be taken over.2 “This is the land that remains: all the regions of the Philistines and Geshurites, 3 from the Shihor River on the east of Egypt to the territory of Ekron on the north, all of it counted as Canaanite though held by the five Philistine rulers in Gaza, Ashdod, Ashkelon, Gath and Ekron; the territory of the Avvites 4 on the south; all the land of the Canaanites, from Arah of the Sidonians as far as Aphek and the border of the Amorites; 5 the area of Byblos; and all Lebanon to the east, from Baal Gad below Mount Hermon to Lebo Hamath.6 “As for all the inhabitants of the mountain regions from Lebanon to Misrephoth Maim, that is, all the Sidonians, I myself will drive them out before the Israelites. Be sure to allocate this land to Israel for an inheritance, as I have instructed you, 7 and divide it as an inheritance among the nine tribes and half of the tribe of Manasseh.”

Widen your perspective

I bought a popsicle stick today.  And as I was sitting there on the curb, staring at the asphalt road and metal grating right beneath my dangling feet, sticky sweet strawberry-flavored syrup running down my fingers, I had a revelation.  It occurred to me that, if I wanted to, I could pretend that I was basically anywhere in the world at that moment.  The asphalt, the grates, the ice cream, the curb....it was all exactly the same as almost every other country I've ever been to.  If I had wanted to, with my limited perspective, I could have literally imagined myself anywhere.

It was only as I looked up and around that I began to notice discrepancies, things that did not belong in Spain or France or the USA.  Like the huge ceramic pots of kimchi that were nestled in the alleys between the apartments.  Or the funny script that covered sign posts, buses, and buildings.  Or the aging, stooped old Korean ajjumas slowly making their way fearlessly across 4 lanes of traffic.

So many of us go through life the same way that I did while I was eating my popsicle.  We bury our heads into our chests, not noticing or caring what's going on around us.  We focus on what's directly in front of our faces, directly in our realm of responsibility, directly in our specific life.  It's easier that way.  Less complicated.  We don't have to think about the complications that arise when other people are brought into the picture.

But God has called us to touch not only our direct neighbors, but all nations, to the very ends of the earth.  Wow.  That's a steep commandment.  Now, don't misunderstand me; I don't think that God has really called every single Christian to be globe-trotting missionaries.  But He has called us to get out of our comfort zones sometimes.  We will never meet people in need, we will never show strangers God's love, we will never make disciples, if we go through life staring at the asphalt roads and metal grates right under our noses.  So get up.  Get going.  Look around.  Widen your perspective, and take note of the things around you, the people around you.  You will never be able to help them if you don't first see them.

Matthew 28:16-20

16 Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. 17 When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. 18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

A fast food culture

There's a graphic new book that's been taking America by storm recently.  Proponents of it say that it is a great love story, a raw book that shows the real human emotions and struggles of 2 people in love with each other.  Opponents of it, however, call it pornography, plain and simple.  Today I was reading a review of this book that was obviously written by an opponent of the book.  And in the comments section, someone wrote something that caught my eye.  "It will take courage for me to share this link on Facebook," she said, "but I will, because people need to be warned about this book."

What?  Is she serious?  When did courage get reduced to copying and pasting a link onto one's Facebook wall??  When did compassion becoming forwarding a chain email about a sick child to all of your contacts?  When did generosity turn into giving a few dollars to the homeless man on the street, or donating your old clothes that you don't even wear anymore to the nearest Salvation Army, so that you can make room in your closets for more stuff?

We have become a fast food culture.  Speed, technology, and convenience have become so important, that we tend to forget about everything else.  But this "fast food" mentality has not only affected our meal choices.  It has made everything briefer, of less importance, more expendable - especially relationships.  That's why people break up with each other over texts; or obsessively check their Facebook activity on their smart phone, even when they're in the middle of a group of friends; or prefer to stay in their room playing computer games or watching movies, rather than spend time with real people.  That's why it's now considered courageous to paste a controversial link onto your social media sites, it's compassionate to click 'forward' on a chain email, and it's generous to throw some spare change to someone in true need.

How did this happen?  What happened to Jesus telling us to carry each other's burdens?  Jesus was a friend of sinners - He ate with them, He spent time with them, He loved on them, He served them.  I think of stories in the Bible like when Jesus ate with tax collectors - some of the most despised people in Biblical times, or when He protected the woman caught in adultery from her accusers.  And then I compare it to the average American Christian - donating their used clothes to a secondhand store, sending checks to missionaries abroad, maybe on rare occasions volunteering in a soup kitchen once a month or so.  The two attitudes.....just don't compare.

Don't get caught up in our "fast food culture."  Sure, it's nice to be able to drive through McDonald's and pick up a hamburger and fries on your way home from work.  But that's where the convenience should end.  When it comes to people, time is what really matters.  Spend time with them - real time.  Don't just throw money at them and assume that someone else will help them.  Spend time with them; get to know their hearts, their hopes, their dreams.  Find out who they really are - and love them as they are.  After all, as "little Christs," how could we possibly do anything less?

Galatians 6:2-10

2 Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. 3 If anyone thinks they are something when they are not, they deceive themselves. 4 Each one should test their own actions. Then they can take pride in themselves alone, without comparing themselves to someone else, 5 for each one should carry their own load. 6 Nevertheless, the one who receives instruction in the word should share all good things with their instructor.7 Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. 8 Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. 9 Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. 10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.