Watchful Eye

The LORD watches over the foreigner… (Psalm 146:9)  See also Psalm 121.

When my children were young they would take little trips with my husband. They'd go to see grandma, or to an amusement park, or to the beach. When they were away I wouldn't worry about them. After all, they were under their father's loving care and watchful eye.

Recently, as my grown daughter moved to Africa I found myself fretting. About her safety. About her health. About her happiness. Gently and kindly, the Lord reminded me that just as I had not worried about her when she was away with her earthly father, so now, I could entrust her into the care of her Heavenly Father.  

Reminder

Beware lest you say in your heart, 'My power and the might of my hand have gotten me this wealth.' You shall remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you power to get wealth, that he may confirm his covenant that he swore to your fathers, as it is this day. And if you forget the Lord your God and go after other gods and serve them and worship them, I solemnly warn you today that you shall surely perish.  Deuteronomy 8:17-19

Recently I was given some new responsibilities that are broad and big. It was tempting to feel that something I had done had earned for me this new opportunity. Until I came upon these verses from Deuteronomy.  A fit reminder. These words don't just give me a new way to think, or a formula for humility. These words are truth. And a "solemn warning." I am where I am by God's choosing. I have what I have by His blessing. Nothing to claim as my own, to feel superior about. And if I forget that truth, if I turn to the gods of power, and ambition, and pride, then I can be sure the God who gives will also take away.

Get up and pray

 "'Get up and pray, so that you will not give in to temptation.'" (Luke 22:46)

In his final hours, in his last private words to his intimate followers, Jesus instructs his disciples to pray.
Twice he urges them. Once as he walked away to his own private prayer spot, and again after he himself had prayed awhile.

In both instances he told them why they needed to pray: "so that you will not give in to temptation."

Even in his agony, Jesus is still teaching his disciples to pray. Even as he was praying his own prayer of submission, he plead with his followers to pray their prayers of submission. "Yet I want your will to be done, not mine," the Son says to the Father.

Isn't that the core struggle when we face temptations?  Whose will will be done?  The will of my flesh? The will of the world? The will of the devil?  Or the will of God?

How well did the disciples do?  Not so good. They fell asleep (Luke 22:39-47). They could not even overcome the temptation to not pray.

This Holy Week and beyond, how can we better learn to practice the prayer of submission that strengthens us against temptations? How can we guard ourselves from the slumber of a distracted heart?

Gather around

But Jews came from Antioch and Iconium, and having won over the crowds, they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing him to be dead.  But while the disciples stood around him, he got up and entered the city. The next day he went away with Barnabas to Derbe. Acts 14:19-20 (NASB)

There's a lot of things to beat us down on any given day. Criticisms from without, worries from within. Some days the failures seem to overwhelm any victories, and the frailties of body and soul seem to sabotage any of our best intentions. We find that our fallen nature has ambushed us once again and we lie wounded in a pool of disappointment.

It is at those times when we can keenly understand the reason God made us to live in community. We need others who can pick us up, brush us off, and set us back on the path.  "It is not good for man to live alone," declared the Creator-God. "Two are better than one," explained the wise teacher in Ecclesiastes.

In the Book of Acts we see Paul, beaten to the point of death. "But while the disciples stood around him, he got up ..." and continued on his mission. I need those disciples to stand beside me when my heart is bruised, my thinking jumbled, my body weary.  I need them to gather around to pray, to speak truth, to love, to help.

And as a disciple myself,  I need to be available to others when they need the same.

It's a gift

"I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid."  John 14:27 (NLT) 

What do you do when offered a gift? In my upbringing, you accept it with profuse appreciation. Then you might tuck it away in the closet to later put into the 'goodwill' bin, or re-gift it to someone who might actually want it or make better use of it. In a few instances you might actually like it and use it. It is at those times that you actually receive the gift.

Throughout the Gospels, Jesus tells us of many things God will give or has given those who follow Him: rest (Matthew 11:28); authority (Matthew 10:1); instructions (Matthew 11:1);  the life of Jesus as a ransom (Mark 10:45); the right to become children of God (John 1:12);  the Holy Spirit (John 14:16), and many more.

In John 14:27, Jesus offers his followers the gift of peace of mind and heart. What have I done with that gift? Put it away for a time when I really need it? Dismissed it as something I don't really want? Rejected it for the costly and impotent substitute the world offers?

Or have I received the peace of Christ (that passes understanding-that is not like what the world gives), so my troubled soul is calmed and my fearful heart is comforted?

Language Learning

 Bless the LORD, O my soul, And all that is within me, bless His holy name. Psalm 103:1 (NASB)

The Scriptures introduce us to a new language - the language we will use in heaven throughout all eternity. It is the language of worship. We see examples of what the Seraphim say when they stand around the throne of God (Isaiah 6:2,3). We get a peak at the praise language of heaven as the 24 elders fall down and sing a new song to the Lamb (Rev 5:8-10).

The Scriptures also instruct us on how to learn this new language of praise. Our private and corporate worship times give us opportunities to practice our new language.

One method the Bible employs to teach us to speak "worship" is mirrored in the language learning technique called "total physical response." An aspect of this process requires the learner to actually do with the body what the mouth is saying. So if the words I am practicing are "open the door," then I actually get up and open the door. I use my body to reinforce the words, and to learn the concepts behind the words.

In Scriptures we are told to lift our hands; bow; stand; kneel; dance; clap, etc. In all these things our bodies are assuming postures that reinforce what our words are saying and help us learn the language of worship.

Garden Hose

"... let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father. " Matthew 5:16 (NLT) 

I doubt it has ever happened. At least I've never heard it.  When has anyone ever complimented the garden hose for the lovely flowers?  People might say, "What lovely roses!"  Or they might comment to one with a green thumb, "My, you are a terrific gardener." But they never say, "Wow, that is an awesome hose."

As conduits of God's love, our desire is for people to experience the flowers of God's grace and look to Him as the giver of all good gifts.  We are only a tool in the Gardener's hand.


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Random #8

 "...do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others."
Philippians 2:4 (NASB)

"When it is all about me, the world becomes very small."
                                                                                                    - a thought expressed by a friend recently.




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Hoarding

So get rid of all the filth and evil in your lives, and humbly accept the word God has planted in your hearts, for it has the power to save your souls.  James 1:21

Once or twice I've watched the TV show "Hoarders." It exposes the tragic lives of those with a psychological disorder which compels them to accumulate, and never eliminate, stuff. Their homes are so cluttered that they are often injured just navigating through the piles. Often they are unable to clear out garbage and trash. In extreme, their homes are unsanitary death traps.

In watching these shows I have two responses. One is to jump up and start clearing out closets. The other is to just gasp with bewilderment and the thought, "If they would just GET RID OF that stuff!"

The Scriptures tell me that I too am a hoarder. There are many things that clutter my heart and leave no room for Him, for others, for the good things they would add to my life, if I would only make space. A quick Bible search gives us a list of the putrid and dangerous things we may be hoarding in our hearts: pagan idols, foreign gods, sins, vile images, log in your own eye, evil behavior, bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, slander, malicious behavior, dirty language, filth, evil, deceit, hypocrisy, jealousy, unkind speech.

In the TV show, loving, desperate family members initiate an "intervention." They hire a psychologist to work with the person to help them clean out the house. The counselor will pick up an item and ask, "Shall we get rid of this? Is there any reason to hang on to it?"  And the person will often have a very detailed and emotive explanation about why that thing - often broken and useless --must stay.

Perhaps I need to ask the Holy Spirit to counsel me as we walk through the tangled stockpiles in my heart and help me 'get rid of' these things.  Perhaps I should listen to my own excuses and justifications for why I keep this habit or why that hurt must stay.

And then I can make room to "humbly accept the word God has planted in your hearts, for it has the power to save your souls."

Interference

Suddenly, a man in the synagogue who was possessed by an evil spirit began shouting, “Why are you interfering with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One sent from God!” Mark 1:23-24 (NLT)

My grandmother used to say, "now you've gone from preaching to meddling." That about sums up this passage. Jesus is preaching, with authority, with power.  The Word of God speaking the words of God. The people are amazed at the preaching.  But the demons are affronted by the meddling. In the presence of this Holy One, the unholy ones are restless, threatened, fearful. 

This is true of me. When God's word penetrates my heart, the sin-loving part of me often responds,  "Why are you interfering?" "I don't want to change." "Leave me alone."

But unlike the evil spirit, I have the love of Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit at work in me, and so God woos me to respond with repentance and obedience.

(These thoughts are my reflections from Jay Wright's sermon at All Saints Dallas on "Power and Authority".  You can listen to it at: http://www.allsaintschurchdallas.org/sermons/sermon/power-and-authority).