Showing posts with label make room for God. Show all posts
Showing posts with label make room for God. Show all posts

Sunday, April 10, 2016

Are we on a path for a reason?



Friday is my favorite day of the week.

Not for the reasons most would think though, the end of the work week. Rather, it is the day I get to dig into the Word with some genuine people in my men's Bible study group. We read a chapter a day in a specific book, looking for promises God has already granted us, for which we give thanks, and for other promises yet to be fulfilled for which we praise God for this gift and to keep us our eyes open for the time that those promises are fulfilled. It is an amazing frame of reference in which to read the Bible with a context and find just how much God must love us! There are an mazing amount gifts and promises He has given us!


This past Friday we were reading Romans 14. Paul writes to us commenting on the legalism which catches people up in judging others based on what, in this case, they eat or don't eat out of their religious beliefs. Paul asks "who are we to judge" and the answer is no one! We cannot judge, should not judge nor should we talk down to someone because they have specific dietary values for their faith.

As we were wrapping up, Mike Brown mentioned verse 23 caught his attention for personal reasons and explained to us that it meant to him we are each on our own path given some people have dietary needs due to health conditions and how some people choose to follow that path (and follow the Doctor's directives in this example and avoid foods they shouldn't eat) while others decide to not take their path.

The Holy Spirit then spoke to me very clearly how this is analagous to our journey as a believer. So many times we have heard how God has made us uniquely US, we should not try to be someone we are not. Our DNA is unique, our strengths and weakenesses are unique, even our fingerprints are unique. We are unique spiritual beings on a human journey while we are on earth, and we are each on our own, unique path, experiencing chance encounters of various situations and people meant to impact us or we are to impact them. When we refuse to follow that path, we are not only denying God, we are cheating other people with regards to the experience God would have had for them.

Not only that, but we are also cheating ourselves of eternal gifts from God for our obedience and spreading His Word as a disciple, and the sense of peace that only comes from being in the step with your Lord.

Each has a path, allegorically speaking, but that "path" has several areas we need to focus on- personal, professional and spiritual. The key is communicating with God on a daily basis to better ascertain what He is saying to you through the Holy Spirit and to consult Him when you make key decisions. By doing so, you will innately know where you are supposed to be, what you are supposed to do, and perhaps most importantly, what you are supposed to say during your journey.


Sunday, October 25, 2015

Perspective on the Parable of the Prodigal Son

Most of us have heard the story of the prodigal son from Luke 15. Superficially it is a story about greed, shortsightedness and then humility, and one most people feel they don't identify with.  It is the stories like this which make me realize when I speak with someone who has "read the Bible" and it was nothing more than a history book, I know they did not read the Bible with the influence of the Holy Spirit. As I reviewed this chapter in Luke again this morning, the Holy Spirit revealed still more to me despite the numerous sermons I have heard on the topic over the years. Some of what I am about to share is sharing previous revelation from sermons, but there were several salients points brought to my attention as well that I wish to share.

In verse 12 we read the younger of two brothers approaches their father and says I would really like to have my inheritance now (basically so he can enjoy it before HE becomes an old man). What he is really saying to his dad is "I wish you were dead NOW so I could have what is coming to me." Wow- what a sentiment to a father whom has loved and nurtured him in great comfort!

But notice the father does not rebuke him, try to persuade him otherwise or decline him. Rather, he divides his wealth between the two brothers.  Notice also the father does not weep for his son despite the ugliness he received from his youngest son.  I think this is because the father knew his son's heart and he would soon run through all his wealth because he was prodigal and had no foresight of the future. A reckless child, if you will. I think he knew the son would be destitute and back home soon.

Once the impertinent youth ventures from the rural area where life is relatively inexpensive and he goes to a big city, he lives an apparent life of partying and fool-hardiness to satisfy his heart. Soon, the money gone and severe famine bring this young man to his knees. Starving, he accepts a job feeding pigs garbage and refuse, or slop.

If you have ever been around slop, you know how vile it smells, and knowing Jesus is talking to Jews, the lowest form of animal is a pig, we get a sense of just how desperate a situation the prodigal son is in. He soon realizes these animals are eating better than him, even his father's slaves have it better off than him so it is not a hard decision to finally admit in humility the error of his ways and beg forgiveness of his father so he might be a lowly slave.

In other words, the son has NO idea just how much his father loves him, and the depths of his forgiveness for his son.

As the son approaches home from afar, the father sees him and is so overcome with joy that his lost son is now home what does he do? He RUNS to the son.  Again, realizing this is to a Jewish audience, the significance of his running is not lost on Jesus' audience. What it illustrates is the dignity of an elder Jewish man running, like a little boy, to bring his son to comfort and embrace him is an extremely powerful analogy of course to how much our Father rejoices when we turn our back on our prodigal lives and return to His embrace.

The son begs forgiveness and asks to be put to work, but alas, the father will have none of it! A robe is given him, a ring and sandals, and then a calf is sacrificed for a great party in the son's return. Symbolically that means there is a party when a child accepts the Kingdom and the blood of Jesus.

Meanwhile, the elder son is so busy with his works, he does not even notice his own flesh and blood returning. He is so focused doing what he thinks is right he fails to rejoice in this victory of his father. Instead, his pride makes him angry and will not permit him to enter the feast to honor his brother's return.

I must admit, I can certainly identify with this visceral reaction of the flesh. I have been wronged by believer and non-believer alike, and the flesh wants revenge but the Holy Spirit thankfully whispers to me to let it go and love nonetheless. (He is also kind enough to remind me I have offended others) which certainly helps me manage the bitter taste in my mouth.

But what the sons says next is quite revealing to me. He confronts his father and says I have "slaved" here while my brother has partied, yet you never gave me so much as a goat to enjoy with my friends."

REALLY? I'm sorry, sir, but I believe just a few short verses ago you inherited 2/3 of your father's wealth, and have continued to work it. While he may want to use the example of "like a slave" to describe his efforts, I submit that is the responsibility of a landowner. He is sustaining his wealth and livelihood by working. His pride has blinded him, making him feel he is the better son and more deserving of the father's love and adoration. I am so thankful my God does not think that way! It shows the imperfection of our flesh

But as always, there is more. He clearly missed how much HIS father loved him because he felt HE should have been recognized for doing his job! His responsibility as the eldest is to work the land and livestock! He is angry in his heart because his father never thanked him for what he had done or for his loyalty. I wonder, just how many times did he thank his father for the love and comfort he enjoyed?That is to say, the eldest sought recognition for his works!

He was not doing his works for the right reason- he was doing it out of duty and not faith.  This is where I think many of us are prodigal ourselves. We often get mired in a worldly situation and lose control of ourselves and find us behaving, at least in one manner or another, like the prodigal son. Yet the Almighty Father welcomes us with open arms every time we turn our back on the world and look to Him. The sooner we do that and realize the depth of His love for each and everyone of us, the sooner we will realize and experience this love. The eldest son obviously led a life not nearly as fulfilled as God intended, but because he was focused on his efforts and not on the Lord, he missed out on so many blessings.

So I ask in closing, which son was truly lost? How many blessings are waiting for you right now?

Friday, February 7, 2014

The 50/50 Proposition of a Marriage


Ask people recently married or are engaged to be married if they think marriage is a 50/50 proposition and odds are they will say absolutely. It takes effort on both parties' sides to make a marriage go.

Partially true. It does take effort from both parties involved, but it takes far more than 50%- it takes your all! Marriage is not about your half or your spouse's half; it's about ALL OF BOTH OF YOU. When two become one, that now equals 200% so for you math majors out there, 50/50 in a marriage means someone is missing in that relationship! All in is what it takes! (This is precisely why it is not for the faint of heart and should not be entered into lightly- it is a personal challenge to grow and improve yourself every day.)

All in is a popular term in the poker vernacular for when a player pushes all his chips into the center of the table on one hand thinking he has the best hand or hoping to bluff his way into winning. Either way, the saying is cliche's and perhaps a bit trite for this discussion, but I trust the visual image of someone betting a fortune on one poker hand by going "all in" is illustrative enough to make my point.

Marriage is all about being all in. If it were not then anyone could suffice with half-effort. Even athletes conditioning themselves for a game don't give half efforts. They run through the line every time or they get to do it again.  Why would we insist marriage be any different?

Marriage is defined in the Bible as the union of one man and one woman into one relationship. Perhaps this constructs a vision I am "half" of this marriage thus that is all I need to give, half.  Let us consider this for a moment to be fair. "I am going to give half of myself to my wife." Think on that for a moment. Is that fair and equitable or, is it selfish? Furthermore, if this is truly how marriage is "supposed to be" then which, pre' tel, half would any normal human being give to their spouse? Their best? Hardly. We would give our second best half. The leftovers. We are naturally selfish so this thought process is a bit awkward at first, contrary to the natural laws of survival. Thus the greatest commandment of all: Love your Lord with ALL your heart, mind and soul, and love your neighbors as you love yourself.

Ask yourself if your spouse deserves your best or your second-best efforts. For me, that answer is plain as the sun rising in the east; she not only deserves my best, she deserves better than I can deliver, but that is a topic for another day.

It is by no accident the phrase "...for better or worse" are in most all wedding vows for God knows our hearts. He knows we are inherently selfish and will commit foolish selfish acts out of self-love yet we promise to love our spouse unconditionally through it all. The only way that can happen is if we are all in ourselves, having left nothing on the table as it were. For times when I am weak my wife carries me and I her.  In times of illness we nurture each other.We are magnificently different from each other yet equal since we are both completely and unconditionally devoted to each other. Because of this we both are secure in each other's decisions and abilities to be in society and not cause angst or jealousy in the other.

Jesus gave us illustrations of this principle Himself when He "married the church" or died on the cross. He did not leave anything on the table for us to do or to complete in his stead. He was fully committed to each of us and the church for He so loves us. There is nothing more we could do other than follow the example set forth. There is comfort in that thought for me.

The best way we have discovered for this to happen is to invite God into our relationship to form a trinity in our holy matrimony. Three legs in your relationship will strengthen that bond beyond what might attack your marriage. Consider the rope below: It is made of 3 strands for optimal strength. Not two, not four or five, THREE. They are interwoven so one cord can lean on the other two in times of stress and to lend it's strength when all are challenged simultaneously while under a load of tension. There is another kernel of knowledge here, just below the surface: Tensile strength is a geometrically progressive function of diameter or cross section of the member(s) involved in the strength to resist tension. While it is obvious combining three equal strands of rope is going to be larger than an individual strand, the overall diameter is where this increase in strength takes place. Remember Pi(r2)? The surface area of a circle grows exponentially with an increase in radius? So too will your marriage when you increase your radius (or faith) and place a greater emphasis on relying upon God to help grow you and at the same time increase that radius as well.  It is also well to note ropes not under tension tend to last longer than ropes that are! You can see the ones that are under tension for they appear rigid and tight, perhaps fraying at one or multiple points.


My wife has been such a blessing to me over the years. We have literally grown "old" together. We met at the age of 16 and have been together ever since- over 30 years. We have grown emotionally and spiritually through the many trials we have experienced because we have chosen to. When faced with a challenge, we have two choices: face it head on hand in hand with each other or step aside and let our partner take the brunt of it. The latter of course is a selfish and unloving act, one more concerned about being right (the good half) than being supportive and leads directly to resentment and anger. (Not to mention heavy loads are always easier to bear with help!) We are all guilty of this from time to time, but at the end of the day wise is he/she who embraces his/her spouse at the expense of being right. 

How can you improve YOUR relationship and make room for God in it?