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Seeing Near And Far
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May 15, 2012 5:12 am
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Read: Psalm 145
The Lord is near to all who call upon Him. —Psalm 145:18
Bible in a Year:
Job 5-7
Having two healthy eyes is not enough to see clearly. I know this from experience. After a series of eye surgeries for a torn retina, both eyes could see well but they refused to cooperate with each other. One eye saw things far away and the other saw things close up. But instead of working together, they fought for supremacy. Until I could get new prescription glasses 3 months later, my eyes remained unfocused.
Something similar happens in our view of God. Some people focus better on God when they see Him as “close up”—when they think of Him as intimately present in their daily life. Other Christians see God more clearly as “far away” or far beyond anything we can imagine, ruling the universe in power and majesty.
While people disagree about which view is best, the Bible works like a prescription lens helping us to see that both are correct. King David presents both views in Psalm 145: “The Lord is near to all who call upon Him” v.18 and “Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised; and His greatness is unsearchable” (v.3).
Thankfully, our Father in heaven is near to hear our prayers yet so far above us in power that He can meet every need.
Lord, You’re the high and lofty One,Yet close enough to hear our voice;You’re powerful, yet personal;Your love for us makes us rejoice. God is big enough to care for the smallest needs.
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The Old Windmill
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May 14, 2012 2:58 am
54 Views
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Read: Galatians 6:6-10
He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water. —John 7:38
Bible in a Year:
Job 1-4
A man who grew up on a ranch in West Texas tells about a rickety, old windmill that stood alongside his family’s barn and pumped water to their place. It was the only source of water for miles.
In a strong wind the windmill worked well, but in a light breeze it wouldn’t turn. It required manually turning the vane until the fan faced directly into the wind. Only when properly positioned did the windmill supply water to the ranch.
I think of that story when I meet with pastors from small churches in remote areas. Many feel isolated and unsupported—caregivers for whom no one seems to care. As a consequence, they grow weary and struggle to bring life-giving water to their flock. I like to tell them about the old windmill and our need to daily reposition ourselves—to intentionally turn toward the Lord and His Word and to drink deeply from Him who is the source of living water.
What’s true for pastors is true for all. Service for God flows from within, outward. Jesus said, “He who believes in Me, . . . out of his heart will flow rivers of living water” John 7.38. It’s when God speaks to our depths that we are able to touch the lives of others. To refresh others, let’s return to the Source of life regularly.
When our hearts grow weary,When our spirits dim,He will go before us,Leave it all to Him. When you’re weary in life’s struggles, find strength in the Lord
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A Sense Of Concern
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May 11, 2012 4:16 am
104 Views
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Read: Galatians 2:1-10
He who oppresses the poor reproaches his Maker, but he who honors Him has mercy on the needy. —Proverbs 14:31
Bible in a Year:
Esther 1-3
Statistics are tricky. While numbers give us information, sometimes they can also desensitize us to the people those numbers represent. This hit me recently as I read a statistic: Every year 15 million people die from hunger. That’s chilling, and for those of us who live in cultures of plenty, it’s hard to fathom. In 2008, nearly 9 million children died before their fifth birthday, with a third of those deaths related to hunger. These are staggering numbers, but they are much more than numbers. They are individuals loved by God.
We can show the Father’s heart of love by responding to people’s physical needs. Solomon wrote, “He who oppresses the poor reproaches his Maker, but he who honors Him has mercy on the needy” (Prov. 14:31). We can show mercy to the needy by volunteering at a soup kitchen, assisting in a job search, financially supporting the drilling of wells in places in need of fresh water, distributing food in poverty-stricken regions, teaching a trade, or providing lunches for school children.
Accepting this responsibility honors the Father and His concern for all. And those who are starving might be better able to hear the message of the cross if their stomachs aren’t growling.
If God ordained to giveOne gift for all my days,I’d want the way He lovesTo permeate my ways. The more we understand God’s love for us the more love we’ll show to others
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Apologies
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May 10, 2012 4:24 am
119 Views
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Read: Matthew 5:21-26
If you . . . remember that your brother has something against you, . . . first be reconciled to your brother. —Matthew 5:23-24
Bible in a Year:
Nehemiah 10-13
Mark messed up. He arrived an hour late at a restaurant where he was to meet a friend from church. The friend had already left. Feeling sorry about his mistake, Mark purchased a gift certificate from the restaurant and stopped at a local card shop to search for an apology card. Among hundreds of cards, he was surprised to find only a few “sorry for my actions” cards in an obscure part of the store. He purchased one and gave it to his friend who accepted his apology.
Although apology cards may not be popular, apologies are frequently needed in our relationships. Apologizing is a biblical action. Jesus instructed His followers to make things right with those we’ve offended (Matt. 5:23-24; 18:15-20). And the apostle Paul said, “If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all” Rom. 12.18. Living at peace may require apologies.
Apologies can be hard to make because it takes a spirit of humility to admit our mistake, which may not come naturally for us. But taking responsibility for how we were wrong in a situation can bring healing and restoration to a relationship.
Have you messed up? Swallow your pride and make the first move—even if you can’t find a card to help you say it.
Whenever you offend a friend,Apologize and make things right;For if you will admit your wrong,You may avoid a needless fight. The best way to get the last word is to apologize
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Building A Life That Matters
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May 9, 2012 5:52 am
157 Views
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Read: 1 Corinthians 3:9-17
I have laid the foundation . . . . But let each one take heed how he builds on it. 1 Corinthians 3:10
Bible in a Year:
Nehemiah 7-9
My grandkids love to play with Legos. These small colorful building blocks capture their imagination for building forts, planes, houses, or whatever the instructions may call for.
Emptying the contents of the box onto the floor, my grandchildren begin to put the pieces together. But soon they think they don’t need to consult the directions. This eventually leads to a point when they realize that building according to their own instincts has resulted in a bad outcome. So, they break it apart and start over again—but this time they have a keen sense of how important the directions are.
Do you need the pieces of your life broken apart and put back together according to God’s directions? If you have Jesus Christ as your foundation, begin to follow His blueprint for living. Paul wrote, “Let each one take heed how he builds” on the foundation (1 Cor. 3:10-11). What is the blueprint? Value others above yourself by humbly serving them (Phil. 2:3-4), give generously of your resources to those in need (James 2:14-17), respond with love to those who have wronged you (Rom. 12:14-21). These are just a few of the pieces that God wants you to put together to build a life that is worthy of being His temple
(1 Cor. 3:16).
Because of the grace and forgiveness that You have shown me, Lord, I want to live a life that’s worthy of knowing You. Help me to follow Your plans thatYou’ve laid out in the Scriptures. Amen.The Bible is the Christian’s blueprint for life.
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Here Am I
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May 8, 2012 5:11 am
186 Views
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Read: 1 John 3:16-23
Open your mouth, judge righteously, and plead the cause of the poor and needy.
—Proverbs 31:9
Bible in a Year:
Nehemiah 4-6
In the courtroom while waiting for his case to come before the judge, Gary heard story after sad story of people who were losing their homes. Many went through the procedure as if it were familiar to them. But one woman named Leslie seemed bewildered. Gary sensed that she didn’t know what to do or where to turn.
He tried to silence the quiet voice inside him that was urging him to help, but he couldn’t. He thought of many reasons not to get involved. First, engaging strangers in conversation is not one of his strengths; second, he was afraid of being misunderstood. But he thought that the prompting was from God, and he didn’t want to risk being disobedient.
When Gary saw Leslie leaving the courthouse, he spoke to her. “Ma’am,” he said, “I heard your testimony inside the courtroom, and I believe God wants me to help you.”
At first Leslie was suspicious, but Gary assured her of his sincerity. He made some phone calls and got her connected with people in a local church who provided the help she needed to keep her house.
God has called us to active duty 1 John 3.18. When we sense His prompting to help someone, we should be willing to say, “I believe God wants me to help you.”
God calls into action todayAll those who are children of light;Whatever our hand finds to do,Let’s do it with all of our might. We are at our best when we are serving others
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God`s Timing
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May 7, 2012 4:24 am
207 Views
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Read: Exodus 13:17-22
For every matter there is a time and judgment. —Ecclesiastes 8:6
Bible in a Year:
Nehemiah 1-3
Pastor Audley Black’s church near the south coast of Jamaica has been in a building program since at least 2005. That was the first time I visited his church and saw that they were expanding. The last time I was there—in the spring of 2011—some of the walls were up. By that summer, they had started on the roof. When I suggested to Pastor Black that perhaps the church would be done by 2013 when I thought I might return, he said it was a possibility.
There was no hint of disappointment that this project could take 8 years or longer! No, Pastor Black and his people are excited about what God is doing, and they’re patient with His timing.
We are often not that patient. We want our church to grow quickly, our young people to mature right away, and our problems to be fixed today.
Maybe we need to be reminded that some things take time—God’s time. For instance, when the Israelites first left Egypt, God sent them on the long route to the Promised Land Ex. 13:17-18. During that time He prepared them, taught them, and challenged them.
In our microwave world, we want everything done instantaneously. But sometimes that’s not God’s plan. Let’s seek God’s help and learn to accept His timing.
He does not lead me year by year,Nor even day by day;But step by step my path unfolds;My Lord directs my way. God’s timetable may move slowly, but it does move surely
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The Wright Stuff
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May 4, 2012 5:13 am
259 Views
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Read: Genesis 1:1-23
Let birds fly above the earth across the face of the firmament of the heavens. —Genesis 1:20
Bible in a Year:
Ezra 1-4
On September 29, 1909, a young man took flight in a strange contraption that resembled a huge box kite. As he gained altitude, the pilot manipulated the levers so he could fly over New York Harbor. People looked up in amazement. In the harbor, boats celebrated by sounding their steam whistles. Crowds near the Statue of Liberty exploded with cheers at the sight of Wilbur Wright taking a flight into the heavens.
Wilbur’s brother Orville, who had piloted the first airplane flight 6 years earlier, reflected on their inspiration to fly: “The desire to fly is an idea handed down to us by our ancestors who . . . looked enviously on the birds soaring freely through space, at full speed, above all obstacles, on the infinite highway of the air.” The Wright brothers spent a great deal of time studying birds in flight before designing their planes.
In Genesis we read that “in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth” (1:1), and He said, “Let birds fly above the earth across the face of the firmament of the heavens” (v.20). We applaud the inventiveness of the Wright brothers. Yet, the Creator, who made creatures capable of flight in the first place, deserves the ultimate glory—for the birds and for every other creation He has made!
Field and forest, vale and mountain,Flow’ry meadow, flashing sea,Soaring bird and flowing fountain Call us to rejoice in Thee. The design of creation points to the Master Designer.
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Walk Away From Worry
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May 3, 2012 4:45 am
373 Views
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Read: Philippians 4:1-9
Be anxious for nothing. —Philippians 4:6
Bible in a Year:
2 Chronicles 33-36
A few years ago, our Bible-study leader challenged us to memorize a chapter of the Bible and recite it to the group. Internally, I began to protest and groan. An entire chapter, in front of everyone? Memorization had never been my thing; I cringed as I imagined long silences while everyone watched me, waiting for the next words.
A few days later, I reluctantly leafed through my Bible, looking for a set of verses to learn by heart. Nothing seemed right until I landed in Philippians 4.
I read this verse in silence, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God” (v.6). That’s when I knew which chapter to memorize, and how to walk away from my anxiety about the assignment.
God does not want us to agonize over future events, because worry paralyzes our prayer life. The apostle Paul reminds us that instead of fretting, we should ask God for help. When we continually take this approach to anxiety, God’s peace will guard our hearts and minds (v.7).
Someone once said tongue-in-cheek, “Why pray when you can worry?” The point is clear: Worry gets us nowhere, but prayer gets us in touch with the One who can handle all of our concerns.
When you feel the tension mounting,And across the busy day,Only gloomy clouds are driftingAs you start to worry—pray! It’s impossible to wring our hands when they are folded before God in prayer.
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Are You Tuned In?
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May 2, 2012 9:44 am
317 Views
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Read: John 16.7-15
The Holy Spirit . . . will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you. —John 14:26
Bible in a Year:
2 Chronicles 30-32
When I was growing up, I stayed with my grandparents for a week or two every summer. They lived on a street that dead-ended into some railroad tracks. I would often awaken several times on my first night as the box cars rumbled by or when an engineer blew the train whistle. By the end of my visit, however, I had grown so accustomed to the noise that I could sleep straight through the night without interruption. I had tuned out the sounds.
There are other interruptions that I don’t want to tune out! I love it when my husband unexpectedly brings me a cup of coffee when I’m working at the computer. And it brings me joy when I receive an unexpected call from a friend.
Sometimes we’re tempted to tune out “divine interruptions” of the Holy Spirit instead of listening to His promptings. He may nudge us with a realization that we need to ask forgiveness for something we said or did. Or persistently remind us that we should pray for someone who is experiencing a crisis. Or convict us that we have never fully shared Jesus with a person we care about.
When the Holy Spirit indwells us, He teaches us, convicts us, comforts us, and guides us into truth (John 14:16-17,26; 16.7-8,13). Are you tuned in to the interruption of His voice?
Holy Spirit, help us hearYour inner promptings, soft and clear;And help us know Your still, small voiceSo we may make God’s will our choice. Make the right choice: Obey the Spirit’s voice.
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