Opportunities to Grow

I recently came across a quote that is often credited to Thomas Edison.  It says that “Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.”

There’s a lot of truth to this.  We live in a world where people often look for easy solutions to their problems and challenges.  In a world where many individuals expect quick, high levels of service, we often become impatient when things don’t arrive on time, or our lives don’t go on a schedule that we planned out.

Thinking about this, how often do you and I make plans?  Even when our ideas seem honorable and God-pleasing, we often run quickly towards the direction that we have determined that we want to go in.

Yet, how often does life turn out differently than what we were expecting?  Perhaps, you or a loved one gets a health diagnosis that isn’t wanted.  You may have problems with a child – or are unable to have children.  Maybe a job or career didn’t go the way you had expected it to go.

The reality is that life is messy – it doesn’t normally go as planned.  Or does it?  Perhaps not by our plans – but how often do we stop and surrender our plans to God?  Do we submit our will to Him?  After all, He is the one who created us and gives us purpose – to love and honor Him.

Proverbs 3, verses 5-6, tells us to “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight.” 

Our wills and plans don’t always align with God’s.  This has been a discussion that my wife and I have had many times.  When we got married, our plan was to have several children.  Many years later, God has blessed us with one son and allowed him to be gifted with ADHD.  It’s through his struggles and successes that my wife and I are learning compassion and gentleness in ways that we may not have otherwise.

Likewise, I have often dreamed of having a fleet of trucks – since I was a toddler.  Now, several decades later, that goal often seems to be an unattainable dream – although I do know that God can still make that happen, if He desires to.  It does leave me asking if having trucks was my plan, or was it God’s?

My wife and I have talked many times about God’s plans.  Are our goals so important to us that we put them ahead of Him?  Neither of us wants our plans to come between us and our Father – and we definitely don’t want to miss out on what He might do in our lives.  The reality is that God will always work out His plans – whether we cooperate with Him or not.  Do we want to be in the center of God’s will, or does He have to use someone else to fulfill the purpose that was meant for us?

Opportunities are often found in surrender.  It’s only when we allow our plans and goals to be molded by God, and not by us, that He can fully use us.  The choice is ours.  God told Isaiah, in Isaiah 19, concerning the Israelites during their Babylonian captivity, that He was making a way through the wilderness. 

What often looks like a missed opportunity may be a blessing in disguise. Would our lives always honor God if our plans worked out how we thought that they should? Perhaps, it’s the Father’s mercy that prevents some of our goals to come to fruition.

When we patiently seek God’s plans, He will always lead us out of our “wilderness.”  Let’s draw close to the Father and trust Him for the opportunities that He desires to give us.

 Have a great day!  😊

 

Do We Show Christ’s Love?

(Photograph courtesy of Unsplash.)

During the first half of the 2024 showing of Super Bowl LVIII, a commercial was aired that has caused quite a stir and a fair bit of controversy

Honestly, I didn’t see the commercial when it was first aired.  My introduction to it was via news reports, and conversations with others who had seen it during the game.  Based on the comments that I had viewed and heard, I have to admit that my initial opinion of it wasn’t very positive.  It seemed to be trivializing things that God’s Word calls out to be sins, while spreading a message that many felt was polarizing.  Further, the video clip seemed to say that Christ offered salvation to everyone – without them seeing their need to surrender to Him. 

With these thoughts running through my mind, I sat down and viewed the commercial.  My initial reaction was “Yes, the video does a great disservice to the message of Christ.”

First off, Christ only washed twelve peoples’ feet – those of His disciples, at the Passover, recorded in John 13.  Other passages in the Gospels, would give us more insight to a couple of these men.  Among those whose feet He washed were Peter – who would deny Him three times in a single night, and Judas Iscariot – who would go on to betray Christ for thirty pieces of silver.

After washing their feet, Jesus commanded His followers to wash others’ feet.  We see this reading further in John 13.

As we look at this story of Jesus’ ministry, we realize that one – Judas, would fall away from Christ.  This particular disciple would forever be remembered as a traitor, who wasn’t committed to following God.  Yet, the powerful image leaves in our minds the realization that though Jesus knew what Judas was going to do, He still loved him.  The Savior’s compassion compelled Him to serve someone who was self-seeking, and ultimately hostile to Christ – Judas abandoned Jesus!

Peter’s prospects didn’t look much better, as we watched him deny Christ three times.  Matthew 26 paints the narrative in which Peter sinned against Jesus.  In the Savior’s time of need, this Peter seemed to walk away from Christ.

Yet, the stories of Judas and Peter offer a great contrast.  The traitor, when he realized what he had done, went out and hung himself.  He had placed faith in his own merits and ideas, and when they proved false, his recourse was to take his guilt upon his own hands.  Although he was broken, there seems to have been pride in him – in which he may have felt that he was beyond the reach of God’s grace.

On the other hand, when Christ looked at Peter after his denial, the disciple broke down and wept.  He could see the hurt in the Savior’s eyes, and feeling that pain, Peter was broken.  The man was crushed by the Lord’s response, and I think that Peter saw in those eyes that penetrated his heart, the Savior’s compassion and love.  Where Peter deserved punishment and total abandonment, Christ offered grace and mercy.

The Gospels also portray another glimpse of Jesus. We see Him talking and eating with those whom the religious leaders of that day – the Pharisees and Sadducees – considered to be sinners. The Savior showed love and mercy to those whom others considered to be beneath them.

The reality is that God’s grace – provided through the death and resurrection of Christ, is offered to everyone.  No sin, opinion or background can keep us from being offered that love.  Yet, you and I have a decision to make.  Will we accept Christ’s love and mercy, or are we going to reject Him? 

After digging deeper into the organization that funded the video, I believe that it was well-intended.  In a world that is often divided, with people angry with one another over even the most minute and trivial of issues, the message portrayed was one of people trying to show love and kindness towards others who may be different.  Towards that end, its intention was to point people towards the life and ministry of Jesus.

Yes, perhaps the video could have gone a little deeper and showed compassion being offered more broadly.  Further – and more importantly, the message could have been clearer that Christ doesn’t just see us or our pains, trials and sins – He asks us to come, surrender and seek His love and forgiveness.  As we read in Matthew 11, Christ invites all to come to Him.  If you and I don’t come to Him, we will ultimately be dismissed from His presence – because we made that decision not to surrender to Him.

Thinking through the message of the commercial, it may leave us asking what we should do with it.

We all face various degrees of criticism – whether it’s obvious to us or not.  There are always going to be people who don’t agree with us – even if they claim to believe like we do.  I can find some of those attitudes and methods offensive, as well.  But that doesn’t mean that we can – or should – reject those men and women.  After all, each individual has value as a loved, creation of God as we can read in Psalm 139 and Jeremiah 1.  Remember that He knew who you and I would become before we were born – and God still created us!

As someone who follows Christ, there are certain viewpoints that I can’t condone and agree with.  Yet, I still have an obligation – and a privilege – to love people who don’t agree with me.  

Each one of us should ask how well do we show Jesus’ love to the people whom we come into contact with?  Do they see our Savior, or are our opinions and judgments what they observe?  Unfortunately, the best – and worst – arguments for Christ are often made by how we live out our faith and treat others.  If we want people to know Jesus, then we must treat them like He would – remembering how the Savior has treated us. 

As we reflect on how well Christ has loved us, let’s consider how we can show that compassion to others.  Think of how it may change our families, communities – and ultimately Heaven.  Who will be there one day to meet you and me?  Will we hear God say “Well done, good and faithful servant!”? We’re only asked to love others and point them to the Savior – leaving Christ to draw them to Himself.

Have a great day!  😊

Why Trials?

Why does God allow us to face challenges and pain?

That’s one of the oldest questions out there, I suppose.  Especially, since people are against trials or heartache.  In fact, we read many different times in the Bible where various people asked God why He was allowing things to happen.

Nearly two thousand years after John wrote the book of Revelations, we are still asking God “Why?”

Obviously, the first reason is because you and I have a problem – with sin.  When Adam and Eve shared that forbidden apple, humanity crashed!  So, much for computer jokes – although it’s the simple truth.  Since that time, each one of us has inherited that sinful DNA trait from our first parents.

I’m also sure that God uses these afflictions to draw us closer to Him.  After all, how many of us would pursue our Creator so much if we could do life on our own?  Do you think that you’d talk to Him as much if you could manage your experiences and have things turn out in ways that were often in your favor?  

I’ve seen this with our own family having a child that has ADHD.  No one knows the struggles, emotions, dietary restrictions, daily frustrations and joys that come with something like that – except for the one who has such a diagnosis, and the people who are part of their life.  Even extended family, healthcare providers, educators and others who regularly interact with people with issues like this don’t always see the who picture.  

So, it brings me back to why do we experience pain and challenges?

As I get older, I am becoming more and more aware of my continual need for God – and for others who will help me to draw closer to Him. As a saying reminds us, no man is an island! We are definitely not meant to do life on our own!

We see this all around us.  Who better to sympathize with someone who recently lost a loved one, than someone whose already gone down that road?  Or who can relate to someone with a health concern, abuse issue, financial struggle or some family turmoil, than one who has walked that same path?  

Our trials and afflictions shouldn’t be seen as things to get frustrated over.  (I’m still working on that one!)  Rather, they should be seen as gifts to help draw us closer to God.  These things – the ones that often take the wind out of our sail, and burden our steps and breathing – should also be seen as our ministry.  Look at the impact of the nail prints in Jesus’ wrists and feet when the Savior showed love and grace to Thomas.  Likewise, the thorn that Paul wrote about may have been there to help soften his heart and help him sympathize and minister to others in a more humble, loving manner.   

Friend, you and I may not know why we experience those hard times.  Yet, let’s not allow them to rob our joy and keep us from running to God.  Rather, let’s allow the Father to show us His love – and allow Him to use our stories to show love and grace to others.  

We may not understand these hard times now.  However, one day you and I may come to realize that they were part of God’s love and tender mercy – for us, and someone else.

Have a great day! 😊

A Heart for the Banished

The story of King David and his son, Absalom, is well-known.  

Soon after Absalom had murdered his brother, Amnon, he ran off to another country. Three years later, King David’s military commander, Joab, sought to intervene and reunite David and his son.

Joab enlisted the help of a wise woman from Tekoa to speak to David.  In her conversation with the king, we read in 2 Samuel 14 where she said “Like water spilled on the ground, which cannot be recovered, so we must die.  But that is not what God desires; rather, He devises ways so that a banished person does not remain banished from Him.”

While I’ve read that passage before, I recently came across it once more.  The second part of that verse stood out as I reread it.      

Think about that for a moment!  

God is at work – even now – working out ways for each person to be reconciled to Himself.  His grace, mercy and love is active even today!

We know that He is working all things out for the good of those who love Him, as we see in Romans 8.  Even when we suffer or face consequences for our actions, God wants to use those times to draw us to Himself.

Yes, we know that God wants all men to come to Him.  But have you ever thought of how God devises ways for us to be reconciled to Him?

That’s the message of the Gospel – the Good News – of the entire Bible.  For in Romans 5, we are told that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.  In fact, one of the most famous verses, John 3:16 tells you and me “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

God’s love is unchanging.  He makes provisions for His children – so that no one who comes to Him will be lost, but instead have eternal life.  In fact, in Psalm 103, we are told that as far as the east is from the west, so has He removed our sins from us.  Consider that!  For there is no way that something going east will ever meet up with the west.  Take that from someone who has driven truck for many years!

Friend, I don’t know what you’re going through, nor the battles that you may face.  Yet, I can assure you that God will never leave you.

While there are times that we may feel alone – even from God, you and I are never truly by ourselves.  

Just as that wise woman told David centuries ago, please know that God is still devising ways to draw you and me to Him. Whatever you may be going through, lean into the Father. Trust God and allow Him to lead and direct – and know that He wants to lovingly walk with you.

Have a great day! 😊

What Jesus Saw

So much can happen in a few days.  Many of us know that from life experiences.

The week leading up to Easter is a time when many people think about the final days and hours of Jesus Christ’s time on earth before His crucifixion.

As I’ve been thinking about that time recently, I can’t help but think of what Jesus might have seen.  What did His eyes observe and take in during that time?

To the casual observer, Jesus was another man.  He saw what everyone else around Him saw.  

Yet, there was more.

Jesus could see what others couldn’t. Like the lady at the well whom He encountered, Jesus knew each person’s past, their present condition and what their future held.

As He rode into Jerusalem, Jesus knew the hearts and thoughts of every man, woman and child that He passed.  Even as many celebrated His arrival, He could see the betrayal that lay ahead.

The night before Jesus died, as He sat with His disciples, Jesus saw what the twelve didn’t see.  He knew who would betray Him.  As the Savior broke bread with them, He told who would fall away and deny Him.

In those agonizing moments before His arrest, we are given a glimpse into His great hurt and loneliness – the rejection that He felt. In those final minutes when Jesus sweat blood, we see the total isolation that the Savior experienced – because He knew what lay ahead. Yet, for all that He foresaw and knew would be happening, Jesus surrendered to the Father’s will.

Christ experienced the insults, questions and jeers of the leaders.  Jesus endured the horrific torture and shame as He was mercilessly flogged, beaten and abused.  His nearly mutilated body struggled under the burden of a heavy, splinter-infested cross.  Then, on that hill, the Savior suffered the worst public punishment of all – a Roman execution, in which His arms and feet were nailed to that cross, and which was then cruelly, violently raised for all to see.  Yet, as He went through all of this, Jesus saw and knew what was in each person.  It was His compassion for their sins and separation from God that held Him there.

Jesus took all of their treachery, misery, brokenness and great, agonizing pain with Him into the depth of Hades.  In doing so, He experienced the separation and rejection of the Father as Jesus bore the sins of mankind.  

Rising from the tomb, Jesus knew what humanity deserved.  Yet, He saw each person – then and now, in the helplessness that is found when we’re separated from God.  By appearing to His followers, the Savior showed them He hadn’t deserted them – and His compassion and gentleness was shown to Thomas in the moment of the disciple’s doubt.

Even today, Jesus sees what we’re going through.  He knows our struggles, pain and weariness.  Yet, in our loneliness, we really aren’t alone – if we will only turn to Him.  

The message of the cross is a story of redemption, mercy and grace.  It’s where we can know that our trials and pain have been seen and felt.  We are never too far away from knowing the great love and gentle goodness of the Savior.  

This Easter, and every day of the year, we can confidently know that Jesus is waiting there to meet us.  We’re never alone, for He sees and knows what we are going through – and with open arms, is calling you and me to Himself.

Have a great day! 😊

Small Town Heroes

It may seem like “old news” about the recent attack that killed 13 service members near the Kabul airport.

If you’re like me, you have probably seen different posts sharing their names. Perhaps, you’ve reshared some of those posts.

Having read some of their names, and seeing their hometowns, one young man stood out. He was from a small town a couple hours from where I live. As a truck driver, I’ve been through his community many times. Even now, I can picture some of the roads that pass through that area.

The thing is that each person matters – every life is a precious gift from God.

In this age, some people say that they’re offended by the American flag. Yet, the ideals of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness – the very values that these colors represent, were seen by those individuals as something to give their lives for. Those virtues aren’t some random, abstract, lofty idea. They’ll gifts that have been endowed – given, by our Creator.

Each life matters. The family and friends left behind by these brave individuals would tell you that. So would those who were being defended by them. Most of all, God’s Word tells us that truth.

Let their sacrifice – and the sight of the American flag, be a reminder that we must love and pray for each other, our allies, as well as those who want to do us harm. Let us live humbly seeking God’s forgiveness, grace and mercy. It’s only through Him that hearts, minds and lives will be mended and healed.

#prayforafghanistan #prayforamerica #prayforrevival

Pray for Afghanistan

Today has been declared as a day to pray for the people of Afghanistan.

Like many, I’ve been tormented by what I’ve seen and read over the past few days. How could such a thing happen? In fact, some people may be asking where God is in all of this – or, maybe they’re wondering if He really even cares?

Yet, God is not distant – and yes, He is concerned. We must see this as an opportunity that the enemy created. One, that God is able to use to draw His church to Himself.

The Father isn’t slow to work and He doesn’t waste opportunities to show His power, love and grace.

Perhaps, God is also wanting to draw all of us to Him. We live in a world that is divisive – over things that aren’t eternal! Yet, many of us find our worth in our identities and personal thoughts. As much as we place our value in such things, God is more concerned with our obedience than He is with our opinions.

Like Mordecai told Esther in their day, you and I were created for such a time as this! We are not here to share our opinions. Rather, you and I are here to show God’s love, grace and mercy – to stand in the gap for those who are defenseless and seek to show God’s love to those who may not seem to deserve it.

Let’s not waste this opportunity to humbly come before God! As God wants to save those who are in harm’s way, I believe this is also an opportunity for His followers to repent and seek Him – a time of personal and corporate revival.

#PrayForAfghanistan#PrayforRevival

The Difficulty of Loving One Another

Why do we make it so difficult to love one another?  In the Scriptures, Jesus tells us to do this simple command.  Yet, it seems as if we stumble over this one statement.

Many people seem to withhold their love from others who are not like them.  It seems as if we often treat people differently if they are not like us – whether the differences are real or perceived.

I don’t think that we’re born with all of these unloving tendencies – although, let’s face the fact that we’re born inwardly focused.  Just think about how little babies want everything done on their schedule – and they’ll not stop their crying and screaming until their wants and needs are satisfied.  Yet, toddlers don’t seem to have any problem playing with children who are different.

So, where do we learn to be unloving as we grow older?  It’s from the people that we’re around, and the media that we allow to influence us.

Jesus told His followers in John 13 that people would know that they were His disciples if they loved one another.

Again, in 1 John 3, we are shown the model of love – where Christ laid down His life for all who may believe in Him.

Think about this.  Jesus loved us while we were so unlovable.  He died for us when we were unworthy to be saved.  Yet, He saw something in us that made us beautiful to Him.  You and I were created in His Father’s image – making us worthy to die for!

We live in a world that is divided by beliefs, races, politics, economics – and a huge number of other differences.  It seems as if we look for reasons to be divided!

What would the world look like if we just simply obeyed Jesus’ exhortation to love one another?  How would it change others’ lives?  In which ways would it change ours?

Let’s look for ways to show the love that Christ modeled to everyone who we meet.  In doing so, we will experience a taste of the transforming power of God’s amazing grace and forgiveness.

Have a great day!

“Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.”  –  1 John 4:11 (NIV)

Understanding the Savior’s Mission

I came across a post sometime ago where the person posting said that Jesus fought corruption.  While I understand this person’s position, and perhaps, where they were coming from, let me assure you that nowhere in the Gospels does it mention Jesus fighting.

Before you try to argue, let me place a caveat.

Jesus did drive merchants and moneychangers from the temple twice.  He also became upset with religious leaders.  While these people were possibly corrupt, that wasn’t the reason why Jesus got upset with them.  They were making it difficult for others to come to God – and, that was the reason why He got angry with them.

The underlying theme why Jesus came to earth was to save mankind and reconcile each of us with God.  If He was trying to fight corruption, how could He offer grace – because, you see, fighting and forgiveness are polar opposites.

We live in a period when people want to fight for their causes and ideas, but, they’re not willing to love others and simply listen.  Many want to win fights – not to seek forgiveness and reconciliation.

It’s so easy to interpret the Bible in ways to say what we think that it should.  Yet, in our haste to use the Scriptures to our advantage, we often don’t share the full context of what God wants to reveal.

Let’s try to build each other up – instead of finding more ways to cause separation.  We should diligently search for opportunities to offer forgiveness and love.

I realize that we live in times that are full of emotion.  But, let’s not add to the strife and turmoil – especially by misrepresenting Jesus’ mission to mankind.

Have a great day!  🙂

“For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.  For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.”  –  John 3:16-17 (NIV)

Unconditional Love

We talk about God loving people.  Perhaps, the most well-known verse that tells us this is John 3:16.  In fact, there’s a great chance that you can even quote it.

Yet, do we really grasp what that really means?

Consider how God doesn’t condemn anyone to death – people do that on their own.  His Son, Jesus, didn’t come to argue opinions and choices, but rather He came to simply offer grace, mercy and forgiveness.  He came to love the afflicted, weary and outcast – which includes each one of us.  Every person has the personal freedom to choose whether or not they will accept Christ as their Lord and Savior.

He loves everyone – from those who are earnestly seeking Him, to the ones who deny His existence.  In fact, God sent His Son to die for each of these people – so that no one would perish.

Unfortunately, many people – even among Christians, don’t show this kind of love.

This fact has become glaringly visible lately – in light of the polarization that we see today.  Many people are kind to one another – unless someone doesn’t share their exact view or opinion.  Then, we find out that love is conditional – reserved only for those who share the same viewpoints and opinions.

Thinking through this, it seems as if many people are more interested in winning arguments and converts to their causes, than seeing people come to know the loving goodness of the only One who can save them.

In the end, an argument that we win probably isn’t really a win.  Rather, there’s a good chance that it’s a defeat – because, while we have convinced someone to agree with our viewpoint, they’ve probably come to it grudgingly – not really embracing our perspective.

So, let me ask this question.  What’s really important – our opinion, or loving others?

If someone is going to come to share our opinion, wouldn’t it be better for them to come to that decision on their own?  After all, that is how God draws people to Himself – by allowing them to freely come to Him.

We don’t have to agree with each other, but we need to be kind and considerate to one another.

Above all, though, let’s love each other – because in the end, regardless of the situation, LOVE WINS!

Have a great day! 😀

“For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.”  –  John 3:16 (NIV)