Flying Debris

 

“They were terrified and asked each other, ‘Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!””

—Mark 4:41

Many of us remember the movie Twister that came out in 1996. Remember the flying cow? The story made for good entertainment. But, it also showed the deadly nature of the debris from such a storm. People became fascinated with tornadoes and I even found a website called “Tornado-facts.com” devoted to facts about such storms.

Did you know that every tornado has its own color, sound, and shape? In 1931, a tornado in Mississippi lifted an 83 ton train and tossed it 80 feet from the track. And, speaking of debris, a tornado destroyed a hotel in Oklahoma and people later found the motel’s sign in Arkansas!

Sometimes life feels like a tornado. We can seem caught in the path of “flying objects” that threaten to kill or maim us and change forever the way of life we’ve known. Often in such a “storm,” we don’t know where to run or hide. Nothing makes sense. And, even the familiar landmarks we had always used to guide our way seem to have disappeared.

The story of Jesus calming the storm, found in Matthew 8:23, tells us that the storm came “without warning.” Meteorologists struggle to predict tornadoes and other such deadly storms. These storms appear suddenly with little time to warn people in their path.

So, what does Scripture tell us about surviving storms, whether we get hit with debris or not? Jesus rebuked His disciples for their lack of faith. He wants us to trust Him and remain at peace—hardly an easy task when we see the terrifying objects swirling around us.

In Matthew 7:24-28, Jesus told His disciples that in order to stay standing when “the winds blow and beat against the house,” we need to build a strong foundation of hearing God’s word and obeying it.

I like the story of Elijah who had fled to Horeb. He was fleeing a “storm” in his own life. But, the Lord had an even bigger lesson for this prophet. In 1 Kings 19:11-12 we read:

Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake. After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper [still, small voice].

Sometimes it seems that storms come one on top of the other. And, we cannot get our bearings, even enough to hear what God says to us. But, we can be assured that He will stay with us in the boat. He does cover us in the wind and the earthquake and fire. Eventually, we will hear His voice speaking peace to us. “Everything is under my control. Don’t fear the flying debris. My love surrounds you!”

 

 

Extreme Makeover—Heart Edition

 

“May Christ through your faith [actually] dwell (settle down, abide, make His permanent home) in your hearts! May you be rooted deep in love and founded securely on love.”

—Ephesians 3:17 Amp.

Do you enjoy the house remodeling shows on television? I always enjoy seeing the contrast from the old building to the new. Everything always looks so inviting, as though this would make a wonderful home.

Unfortunately, a beautiful house does not necessarily make a beautiful and inviting home. I agree with the way that King Solomon addressed this issue in Proverbs 25:24:

Better to live on a corner of the roof than share a house with a quarrelsome wife.

In other words, a beautiful house needs peace in order for the inhabitants to enjoy it—and best of all, Christ’s peace.

In the little book, My Heart—Christ’s Home, author Robert Boyd Munger uses the illustration of a home and its rooms to describe the way Christ would like to inhabit each of His children’s lives.

Munger speaks of Christ’s entrance into his own heart-home:

One evening that I shall never forget, I invited Him into my heart. What an entrance He made! It was not a spectacular emotional thing, but very real. It was at the very center of my life. He came into the darkness of my heart and turned on the light. He built a fire in the cold hearth and banished the chill. He started music where there had been stillness and He filled the emptiness with His own loving, wonderful fellowship. ¹

The rest of the book tells about the rooms of the house, each closed up at first with its own secret and sometimes with embarrassing furnishings. Munger tried as well as he could to clean up each room. But, the minute one room pleased him, dirt would show up in the corner of another. It became a toilsome, burdensome process. He wore himself out throwing stuff away, painting, and moving furniture.

Finally, the man, hungry for fellowship with Christ, but worn out with trying to please the Savior, turned over the title to the house. Here’s how Munger put it:

Running as fast as I could to the strong box, I took out the title deed to the house describing its assets and liabilities, its situation and condition. Then returning to Him, I eagerly signed it over to belong to Him alone for time and eternity. “Here,” I said, “here it is, all that I am and have forever. Now You run the house. I’ll just remain with You as houseboy and friend.” ¹

God wants to fellowship with us, to settle down and live with us in a house He has cleansed and made livable—a house He has made into a home. All he asks is our obedience and submission to Him as Lord of the Manor. Maybe you have been trying to keep house for God, but find You can’t keep up with the work. Even when you get done cleaning, the job isn’t sufficient for such a holy God to inhabit.

Hear Christ say to you today the same words He said to people in Galilee so many years ago, as recorded in Matthew 11:28-30:

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

______________________

1 Munger, Robert Boyd. My Heart-Christ’s Home. Madison, WI: InterVarsity Press, a Division of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship, ©1954. (Note: Reprinted from HIS magazine.)

 

 

The “Sponge” and the “Mule”

 

“I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you. Do not be like the horse or the mule, which have no understanding but must be controlled by bit and bridle or they will not come to you.”

—Psalm 32:8-9

As a teacher, I have seen many “sponges” and many “mules.” Unfortunately, teachers spend far more time fretting about how to approach the “mules,” win them over to learning, and control their negative behaviors. Sometimes the teacher changes tactics and wins not only the “mules” with new excitement, but the “sponges,” as well.

Far too often, though, the “mules” weigh us down and no matter how many hours we’ve planned or how ingenious our lessons, they refuse to cooperate.

Many years ago, the song, “Swinging on a Star” became popular by Bing Crosby. You could either decide to “be better off than you are” or play the negative role of mule, pig, or fish. About the mule, the lyrics say:

A mule is an animal with long funny ears
Kicks up at anything he hears
His back is brawny but his brain is weak
He's just plain stupid with a stubborn streak
And by the way, if you hate to go to school
You may grow up to be a mule ^¹

Teachers love “sponges.” These students show eager delight in learning. They ask questions, read their assignments, love their teachers. Teachers mentor these kind of learners and pour themselves into loving and specially designing lessons for their abilities and unique qualities.

According to Psalm 32, God too loves to instruct, guide, counsel, and watch over “sponges.” He sees the teachable spirit and mentors those who readily come to Him for instruction in righteousness. There grows a bond of fellowship and deep knowing between Teacher and student.

What a wonderful offer comes to us from God’s desire to lead and teach us His ways. But, how heartsick He must become when we rebel against His careful and loving instruction. Check yourself for the way in which God must look at you when it comes to sitting at His feet.

When Jesus visited the home of Martha, Mary and Lazarus, as recorded in Luke 10:38-42, He told Martha that Mary chose the one thing needed:

“Mary has chosen what is better, [sitting at His feet], and it will not be taken away from her.”

When report cards come out, would it not please us more to have the Lord commend us, rather than to hear the kind of comment He made about Martha’s attitude?

Pray that when the Master Teacher wants to teach you, you will receive His instruction like a “sponge” rather than a “mule”—that you will delight His teacher’s heart with a “sponge-like” eagerness to learn from Him the lessons He has for you.

______________________

1 Burke, Johnny (music) and Jimmy Van Heusen (lyrics) Swinging on a Star, © 1944 as recorded by Bing Crosby on Decca Records Disc No. 18597 and as sung by Bing Crosby in the motion picture Going My Way. Music Manuscript published: New York: Bourne Company, 1944.

 

 

Stitch by Stitch

 

“Show me your ways, O Lord, teach me your paths; guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior and my hope is in you all day long.”

—Psalm 25:4

Having spent fifty-plus years of my life in a school setting, I tend to think like both a teacher and a learner. My natural bent toward learning forces me to think in a sequential way about understanding, processing, and retaining knowledge. And, on top of that, my experience as a musician reinforces the notion that learning is longitudinal—over a period of years.

No one has ever received maximum benefit from learning an instrument if they take a lesson every six months and rarely practice. Or, who takes lessons from one teacher for a brief time and then jumps to another teacher. The budding music student must carefully follow the long, slow process in order for learning to progress from foundational to detailed and to become specifically more complicated as time goes by.

How should we study the Scriptures? In the very same way—in a long, slow, sequential manner over many years. The Psalmist in Psalm 1:2 says that the blessed man…

…delights in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night.

Creative teaching with enjoyable methodology produces eager learners who don’t mind the perseverance they need to complete the process.

I note that during Colonial times in America, when, out of necessity, women taught their daughters to sew, the women would have their daughters practice by doing counted cross-stitch patterns with thread and cloth. These patterns taught not only useful stitching, but also taught letters, numbers, and Scripture verses. Such a lengthy project would allow these young girls to concentrate on God’s Word.

I’m not proposing that we all learn to cross-stitch in order to learn God’s Word. But, I am suggesting that each of us find a pleasant way that we have discovered helps us learn the best and use that method to “meditate day and night” on God’s Word.

Most people learn best on one of three ways: visually, aurally, or physically. Something learned in the style best suited to the individual will help him or her retain what he or she intends to learn.

Some learn best by journaling, or in some other way that uses their hands to learn. Others like to listen to God’s Word as they work or exercise. Others learn best reading aloud or quoting scripture as they drive. I’ve known still others who like to paraphrase portions of the Bible to hide the Word deep inside themselves.

Philippians 1:6 tells us that:

He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

God, our ever present heavenly Tutor, wants to partner with us as we learn His Word and put it into practice. Stitch by stitch, day by day, He opens His truths to us. Just as children enjoy the process, may we each make time to find the exquisite delights of learning God’s Word all the days of our lives.

 

 

Bless You!

 

“Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless His Holy name…”

—Psalm 103:1

Recently you may have heard about, or read about, the story of a Tennessee senior high student:

A young girl, who claims she was standing up for her religious beliefs in the classroom, was suspended after breaking a class rule by saying “bless you” after a classmate sneezed.

When Dyer County High School senior Kendra Turner said bless you to her classmate, she says her teacher told her that was for church.

“She said that we’re not going to have godly speaking in her class and that’s when I said we have a constitutional right,” said Turner.

Turner says when she defended her actions, she was told to see an administrator. She says she finished the class period in in-school suspension. ¹

Seems rather silly doesn’t it? To punish someone for showing thoughtfulness to a fellow human?

The Bible tells us, from Genesis to Revelation, that God’s character is one of blessing. When He blesses us, we, in turn, should bless others. Passing on God’s blessing does not come out of obligation, but out of a magnanimous heart filled with God-breathed love. He blesses us with health, comforts, truth, light, material goods, friends, family, His Word, and His presence.

If we want to reflect God, our lives should overflow with blessings for others. More than mere words, when we give our blessings to others, such blessings involve kind deeds, gifts, thoughtful remembrances, and delightful surprises of love.

Consider how you might bless others today. Think of something you can do to express Christ’s love to someone else. Remember that when you do, your life displays the goodness and character of God. What a privilege that is, indeed!

______________________

1 “Student Reportedly Suspended after saying ‘Bless You’.” WMC-TV, Memphis, TN, August, 20, 2014

 

 

The Exchange

 

“The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to … provide for those who grieve in Zion— to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair.”

—Isaiah 61:1, 3

We all remember the story of “Jack and the Beanstalk,” which began with Jack going to market for his mother to sell their old cow that no longer gave milk. On the way, Jack met a man who sweet-talked him into trading the cow for five “magic” beans. And. you likely remember how that opened Jack up to a whole lot of trouble, including being chased by a giant.

Now, not all of the exchanges we make in our lives end up quite the way that one did. But, as Christians, we have actually entered into an agreement with God that will forever result in an unequal exchange.

Ephesians 2:4 tells us:

Because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions.

So, the very first unequal exchange God has made with us involves Him giving us life for death.

If we look truthfully at ourselves, we must say that God has given us everything in exchange for our nothingness. Scripture tells us that we have nothing to offer Him in payment for our sin and in exchange for our new life except the gift of ourselves.

As we grow in grace, we realize that God wants to give us His strength in exchange for our weakness, His infinite knowledge for our confusion, His clear vision for our blindness, His health for our hurts, His answers for our questions, His power for our powerlessness.

In the verse quoted at the top, we see that He wants to give us joy for our mourning and a garment of praise for a heaviness we can’t take off ourselves.

Christ has taken our rags of sinfulness from us in exchange for His robe of righteousness. He has exchanged our life of futility for a new life of usefulness and an eternal future with Him. What a terribly lopsided exchange!

When you pray, allow yourself to picture two columns—the first with all your needs, and the second with everything that God can provide you in exchange. May this exercise cause you to thank Him for all He has to give you and exclaim with the Psalmist’s words in Psalm 103:2:

Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits.

 

 

Dirty Windows

 

“Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.”

—Hebrews 10:22

After a gray, cold, lifeless winter, I love looking out on a beautiful sunny day in May at the greening trees, the flowers, blue sky, and the new life all around. However, as I look out on the world, I notice that I am peering at this delightful sight through dirty windows.

In the winter darkness and gloom, I didn’t even notice the spots on the glass, which now blatantly stare back at me. What made the difference? I think the desire to take longer looks at the beauty combined with the extra sunshine and lengthening days added up to a new revelation of this untidy predicament.

Can we see our own lives in a similar way? Until the Light of the glory of Christ shines on us by the work of the Holy Spirit, we don’t even see the darkness of sin in our lives—the things that have gotten out of control from inattention. When Jesus taught His disciples about what would happen once He went back to Heaven, He spoke in John 16:7-8 about the Counselor—the Holy Spirit—who would come in His place. Jesus said:

“When he comes, he will convict the world of guilt in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment.”

God gave His Holy Spirit to us in order to keep us aware of sin, to help us feel the conviction of our wayward, spotty lives, and to agree with Him about our need for cleansing. King David had greatly sinned against God, and barely noticed, it seems, until the prophet Nathan came to him under God’s direction. The Holy Spirit turned a holy spotlight on his sin, which David could no longer deny. In Psalm 51:7, David cried:

Cleanse me with hyssop and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.

Just as we hate looking through dirty windows on a beautiful world, God want us to hate the sin we have to look through when we’re trying to see Him. He waits with His heavenly squeegee to clean us up and renew our vision for Him.

Bring the light of His presence into your life again with a look at the windows of your soul, and ask for His cleansing from all that darkens your view!