Reading The Signs

When he finally came to his senses, he said to himself, ‘At home even the hired servants have food enough to spare, and here I am dying of hunger!  I will go home to my father and say, “Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, and I am no longer worthy of being called your son. Please take me on as a hired servant.  Luke 15:17-19

Just when you think you have it figured out, life throws you a nasty curve ball.  A person who I followed online committed suicide yesterday. It was ironic considering the day was ‘Suicide Prevention Day.’  A young life of only 30 years would never see their fullest potential.  That made me incredibly sad.  What made it much worse was this was a pastor.  Now to be clear, no life matters more than another.  But this had far reaching ripple effects across many lives.  His wife.  Family.  The congregation he shepherded, and the thousands of others who followed him.  The one person who you would think to be immune to such harmful behaviors had somehow succumbed to the very thing he would at times preach about.

Why?  I began to question my own faith for I felt either a lack of response from or distance between God and me.  This is not what I signed up for.  I struggled continually to find an answer, but alas, I could not.  I was suddenly in that very lonely place: lost.  When I first gave my life to Christ as an adult, my pastor back then spoke about being lost.  However, that was more about someone who had been wandering aimlessly like the Prodigal Son than a long-time believer like me.  Then it occurred to me I was wrong.  Being lost is not just about knowing where you are.  Sometimes, it’s about recognizing you are not where you are supposed to be.  As I thought more about it, perhaps the pastor was close to God, but somehow lost his way.  He knew where he was, but did not see the signs directing him where he was going.  As a result, he found a way that ended in his death not knowing the wrong path he had gone down.

Recognizing where you are is always important in finding God.  My pastor this week talked about having a sense of direction.  He mentioned about a sibling of his driving for miles without recognizing where they were.  Sometimes, our journey of faith will take us somewhere, and we make the wrong turn.  It’s important to have God as a compass.  Sometimes, it is to give a guidance as to what path to take.  However, there is more to it than that.  Other times it is to simply read the signs to know if we are going the right way.  The Prodigal Son had reached a point in his journey where he realized not only had he gone the wrong way but also was not where he belonged.  You see the story is not always one dimensional.  We see it most often as it never being too late to come back to God and how His grace alone is enough.  In reading this, we can add to the meaning saying that if we know who our Father is, we too can find when we are indeed lost.  We too can see where we do not belong, and can begin to make a way to where we do.

God is always there watching to lead the way if we are in tune with Him.  Prior to the story, Jesus said, “there is joy in heaven over one lost sinner who repents and returns to God than over ninety-nine others who are righteous and haven’t strayed away!” (Luke 15:7b)  Many of you are taking your walk of faith, and doing so with a clear sense of God’s direction.  That is great.  I write to you today not because I have lost God.  I write because if you are like me, sometimes you know you’re not exactly where you should be.  And that’s ok!  Just acknowledge where you are and move down the path that will lead you closer to where God wants you.  Do you know where you are with God today?  What hints can give you a sense if you are on the righteous path?  My prayer is that we are wary of our relationship with God, and make sure to read the signs.  Amen.

Love And Prayers

Come and listen, all you who fear God,
    and I will tell you what he did for me.
For I cried out to him for help,
    praising him as I spoke.
If I had not confessed the sin in my heart,
    the Lord would not have listened.
But God did listen!
    He paid attention to my prayer.
Praise God, who did not ignore my prayer
    or withdraw his unfailing love from me.  Psalms 66:16-20

Lately, I have been in an unusually thankful mood.  It is not because the world has become a more certain place.  It has not. It is not because I have no feelings of anxiety and concern in my world for there are plenty.  There is a feeling that God is preparing to rock my world, and not in a way that will make me comfortable.  That being said, I have felt such an outpouring of love toward others.  I am reminded of the incredible love my wife has for me, and she has simply been the best!  She has not done anything special or changed something that has made me notice her more.  It’s just that the spirit has tapped me on shoulder to remind me there is this fascinating and amazing woman who has loved me for most of my life.  God also provided me with great parents that have raised me in such a way that I knew beyond a shadow of doubt who He was.

Love is not limited to those who I am thankful for.  As I wrote previously about gifts from God, love is a gift to be shared with others.  It pushed a gentleman to share the fears we have for our children, and a young lady to find common ground in love for God even as we disagreed about other things.  Sharing struggles in our lives made us not only more connected with each other but also God.  I’ve prayed for others more this week than I have in a while.  There is so much pain and anguish out there, one cannot help but be prayerful hoping God will guide and protect strangers as well as close family and friends. I prayed that He not only lay His healing powers on them but also use me to provide inspiration, warmth, comfort, and anything He feels I can offer.  Furthermore, I prayed for awareness that I respond in a way that truly honors Him.

Our connection with God should be an intimate one.  In reading today’s verses, you have a sense of the closeness David has with God.  David acknowledged his imperfections and sinful nature.  Furthermore, he was repentant and filled with praise for God, and reveled in God’s attentiveness to his prayer and ‘unfailing love.’  There was sincerity in the words and genuine affection that he shows for Him.  It is an example of what our walk of faith should resemble.  We are not only speaking of God’s word but also acting out in deeds.  We see people as God does, and we are compelled to act as if He is with us every step of the way.  Therefore, David’s message to those who fear God is impactful; it is an example of a Christ-centered walk.  It is a message that we all are to hear and respond to.

God is always with us whether we recognize it or not.  David understood this, and Paul, as one fearing God, reiterated this fact stating, ““But God removed Saul and replaced him with David, a man about whom God said, ‘I have found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart. He will do everything I want him to do.’” (Acts 13:22)  When we both acknowledge our own sin and show adoring affection for God, He not only responds.  He delivers.  Let us embrace this example of who we aspire to be; responding to God’s calling and delivering as He has for us so often.  How intimate is your prayer life with God?  How does God’s love for you prompt you to act on His behalf?  My prayer is that our relationship with God is very active filled with love and prayers.  Amen.

Hungry And Thirsty

But thanks be to God, who always leads us as captives in Christ’s triumphal procession and uses us to spread the aroma of the knowledge of him everywhere. For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing.

2 Corinthians 2:14-15 NIV

We all have had moments where we haven't had anything to eat or drink.  Some of us get irritable, and others start to wear down.  No matter what the effect, it all means one thing.  We can't focus on little else other than that feeling of hunger or thirst.  I was reading a prayer from St. Augustine. It was energizing as he was speaking about how his love for Christ had blossomed in his early 30s.  He said words that truly resonated with me.  As the prayer ended, it read, “I tasted you, and now I hunger and thirst; you touched me, and I burned for your peace.” There are times that I did not relate to God, and I felt lost. However, there was this moment where it all changed, and I suddenly felt alive.  It has continued to this day, and I could not imagine life without Him.

Our pursuit of God should be filled with passion.  As we know relationships take a lot of work.  There are days you are tired, and others where you are frustrated.  But when it is right, there is a level of positivity and connection that is unmatched.  In today’s verses, Paul points out that we are full-fledged possessions of Christ.  So if we are truly representative of Christ, others will be attracted to Him as well (i.e. spreading the aroma of the knowledge of him).  Having the spirit of God in us means there will be joy in our hearts that is infectious to others.  It might draw a smile from some, and others might even ask why you are so happy.  This is not to say that every day will be that way, but on the days where you are not, other people notice even more those moments when you are not connected.  When we have passion for following Christ, you will know God is wired into you.  And if we are not feeling wired, we must find ways we to reconnect with Him (worship, reading scripture, helping others, volunteering, touching base with a spiritual advisor, etc.).

God intended to have fellowship with us.  This means that we should have awareness of His presence at all times, and be wary when we struggle to have that connection.  God once said to Moses, “I will indeed do what you have asked, for I look favorably on you, and I know you by name.”  God knows us that way.  It is not to say He will look favorably no matter what we do, but He always knows of us.  Our goal is to pursue Him as passionately as St. Augustine did; to be touched and burn for His peace.  Let us not lose sight of that.  Where is your passion meter for Christ today?  What disciplines have you identified as things that increase your awareness of God?  My prayer is that we focus intently on God where we hunger and thirst for Him.  Amen. 

Taking A Holiday With God

Now in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplying, there arose a complaint against the Hebrews by the Hellenists, because their widows were neglected in the daily distribution.  Then the twelve summoned the multitude of the disciples and said, “It is not desirable that we should leave the word of God and serve tables.  Therefore, brethren, seek out from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business; but we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word.”  Acts 6:1-4

Many of us took advantage of the 4^th of July holiday to do many things.  Some of which included reflecting and embracing the freedoms we enjoy and watching fireworks displays.  Others included getting away from the house to do mini-vacations to places both near and far from home.  It’s good to get away to unplug from all the things that go on in your life whether it be work or home to just relax.  In that space, I thought about focusing on God and those things that can prevent me from connect with Him.  We are influenced by so much like personal relationships, business situations, and political climate that it can overwhelm one and potentially impede our own ability to focus on God.  How can we successfully connect with Him when so much can become barriers to that connection?

Our efforts to connect with God must be one filled with intention.  We all can get caught up in the ‘busyness’ of life.  If we do not have an intentional plan of action to combat these times, we can lose sight of that which we can all rely on; God’s faithfulness and strength.  We must always focus on our relationship with Christ for the relentless pressures of the world are never ceasing.  In a similar circumstance, the Apostles in their early stages recognized such challenges, and thus looked to others to aide with other business to give themselves “continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” (Acts 6:4b)  Thus even then, a great emphasis was placed on ‘getting away’ from other things to focus on God and task they had ahead of them.

We are given access to God; the one who gives us peace.  Matthew 11 tells us what Jesus provides for all of His people.  It says:

Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.”  Matthew 11:28-30

Let us not be too shy to call or overburdened to forget.  Remember that God is your resting place.  How can ensure you rely on God when distracted?  What practice can you start to ensure a continual connection with God?  My prayer is that we go about finding peace with God . . . even if it means taking a holiday with Him.  Amen!