Monuments to God's Goodness

There is a monument that stands next to the Jordan river, you can find its description in Joshua 4. It is simple in construction, and it bears no plaque. Just twelve stones piled one upon the other. But it is a reminder of a profound and powerful event. This is to remind the children of Israel of when God parted the waters of the Jordan. 

Do you remember the story? The children of Israel are closing in on the promised land, all that stands between them is the swollen Jordan river. A spring river that contains all of the run off from the surrounding hills, a river that is angry and dangerous. And God chose to part those waters. He chose to make a path for the Israelites to walk across into the promised land, on dry ground.

This monument by the Jordan river is a reminder of God’s power on that day, and also of His willingness to intervene in miraculous ways. Has God done the same for you? Where did God provide an answer that you failed to dream up in all your brainstorming sessions? Spend time today remembering where God intervened in your life. Walk with the eyes of memory through your past and mark the hand of God in your life. Consider creating a written record to serve as a monument and reminder of God’s providence in your life.

In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day

Since I first learned how squiggles on a page carried stories, I’ve been a reader. I love reading biographies, poetry, theology and even a good Pollifax mystery. The written page can challenge and enrich, so I’m always casting about for recommendations. Recently a colleague pointed at the book, In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day by Mark Batterson. I laughed at the title and ordered my copy. Making the mistake of picking it up late at night, I found myself reading deep into the night.

The title comes from the words of 2 Samuel 23 verse 20, “ Benaiah son of Jehoiada, a valiant fighter from Kabzeel, performed great exploits. He struck down Moab’s two mightiest warriors. He also went down into a pit on a snowy day and killed a lion.” Benaiah is part of David’s might warriors, here in this scripture you find his resume. Not only did he not run away, he leaped into the pit to chase the lion.

We are called to be lion chasers too. The challenge is instead of running away from lions in the path, to chase them full speed. “What sets lion chasers apart isn’t the outcome. It’s the courage to chase God-sized dreams. Lion chasers don’t let their fears or doubts keep them from doing what God has called them to do.”

You know Benaiah didn’t come out of the pit free of cuts, he was probably covered with claw marks and scrapes from fighting a five-hundred pound beast. But he chased, he leaped, he conquered.

Are you a lion chaser? What will you do with the opportunities God gives you? Will you speak up to your co-worker about your faith? Will you choose to accept that ministry opportunity from your nominating committee? Will you risk to follow His leading and trust the results to Him?

Your greatest regret at the end of your life will be the lions you didn't chase. You will look back longingly on risks not taken, opportunities not seized, and dreams not pursued. Stop running away from what scares you most and start chasing the God-ordained opportunities that cross your path. In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day is inspired by one of the most obscure yet courageous acts recorded in Scripture, a blessed and audacious act that left no regrets: “Benaiah chased a lion down into a pit. Then, despite the snow and slippery ground, he caught the lion and killed it” (2 Samuel 23:20 -21). Unleash the lion chaser within! Amazon.com

Resting in Christ

For those of you who study the Sabbath school lesson, this title brings with it hints of color from your study last week. (For those of you who don’t study the lesson, I invite you to check out ssnet.org or absg.adventist.org for a free digital version.) The goal of the lesson was to take another look at the Sabbath, to understand what it means to receive Christ’s rest.

In Christ’s ministry we see Him turning away sharp questions, with a few words He can redirect or diffuse tension. He seems to carry with His ministry the restful calm that comes with the same power to calm a storm with just a word. And yet when we see Christ confront the Sabbath, He is militant.

It was unlawful in the society at that time to provide medical assistance to a person on the Sabbath unless it was lifesaving. And yet Christ worked seven miracles on the Sabbath, none of them life threatening illnesses. Christ wanted to reorient their lives around the Sabbath and recapture the joy that only Sabbath can bring.

Will you choose to look forward with eagerness to this coming Sabbath? Will you choose to prepare throughout the week for this precious, precious time with God? Take this attitude of expectation and joy with you as you join your church family for study and worship.

Celebrate Forgiveness

These words always thrill my heart, "He has not dealt with us according to our sins, nor punished us according to our iniquities. For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is His mercy toward those who fear Him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us." You can find these words in Psalm 103. You may want to highlight them gently with a colored pencil or a crayon so you can find them easily.

Maybe you need them as much as I do, a reminder that even though I fail Him, He is willing to forgive and remove my sin. Grace. That beautiful gift of God, that He gives so freely and paid so dearly for. A. Weiser says it this way, "As long as man does not understand the depths of the knowledge of sin, he does not really know what grace means."

Another commentator says it this way, "It is precisely because sin is the most shattering experience in his life that the poet is able to recognize the truth that God's grace is greater than man's sin. That His love is stronger than His anger." In spite of the striking analogies drawn on to express forgiveness, the word pictures can hardly do justice to the wideness of God's mercy.

Conversation starter with God: Talk to God about what forgiveness and grace mean to you. End with a time of praise and thanks to the God who chooses to give this kind of mercy.

Renewed Strength

I remember a quiet drive on the roads of Wisconsin. The winding paths, the sparkling sun, the crisp breeze whipping in through the crack at the top of the window. It was peaceful and routine, and then out of the corner of my eye I glimpsed a bird in flight. Turning my whole attention toward the bird it dawned on me it was a beautiful and strong bald eagle. And it was not alone, three companions took wing together on the wind currents.

Psalm 103 talks about God’s goodness and then the sweet reminder, He “Who satisfies your mouth with good things, so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.”

Naturalists tell us of the power and beautiful of an eagle that extends throughout its life. An eagle can live through its hundred years of life, and still be as energetic and vital as when young. Our own eyes remember the magnitude and strength of an eagle, we even choose it as the symbol for our country. To be renewed to the strength of an eagle is no small promise.

These words emphasize to us the infinite benefit of God’s forgiveness. Just look at the verse just about in Psalm 103 to gain context. Verse three says, “Who forgives all our iniquities, who heals all your disease.” When God forgives it is complete. He blots it out. Imagine the energizing realization that the burden of sin is removed. That God says to you, “Your sins are forgiven.”

Conversation starter with God: Spend time talking about the places you need to confess. What sin do you need to turn over to God and go boldly in the future knowing He truly and completely forgives you?

Painting Our Praises

Have you ever painted a picture? Maybe with oils, or water colors, or finger paints. How about writing a poem or a book? A sonnet or a haiku? What about sewing or weaving a tapestry? Built a piece of furniture or a house? Each of these take God-given abilities, talents you can use in turn to praise Him with.

David took his gift to praise God with song, and wrote a psalm. You can find his beautiful hymn in your Bible in Psalm 103. It begins with the words, “Bless the Lord, O my soul; and all that is within me, bless His holy name! Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits.”

This hymn is called a “star of the first magnitude” in the galaxy of hymns because of the all-pervasive sense of gratitude to God. David exhorts himself to bless, or praise, God’s holy Name. And he even explains the reason, “forget not all His benefits.” God has done so much for him, he can’t help but sing his praises. Apparently the psalmist so deeply appreciated God’s goodness bestowed on him, he feels the inner urge to express his gratitude to the Lord with jubilation, “Bless the Lord, O my soul!”

How will you praise God today? Will you sing? Will you speak his praise? Will you bless him with music or draw a picture of praise? Today, do not forget the many benefits that can only be attributed to God. Spend time praise Him for His goodness to you.

We Grieve with Hope

In the past few weeks these verses stands out as my theme: “And now, dear brothers and sisters, we want you to know what will happen to the believers who have died so you will not grieve like people who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and was raised to life again, we also believe that when Jesus returns, God will bring back with him the believers who have died. We tell you this directly from the Lord: We who are still living when the Lord returns will not meet him ahead of those who have died. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. First, the believers who have died will rise from their graves. Then, together with them, we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Then we will be with the Lord forever. So encourage each other with these words.” 1Thessalonians 4:13-18

You all know of the loss in my family. My father in law, Bill Crews passed away on March 31. This turned our known world upside down and sent us rushing to be with family in Florida. Life is different without him in our lives. As we gathered together to talk and pray and encourage one another, there was a steady stream of reminds that we walked this difficult road with a family of believers. Texts of courage came to my phone. Messages of lifted prayers on our behalf came. Then the bereavement cards arrived to remind us that while we grieve, we grieve with support. So during this time of loss I grieved with the hope of the resurrection, and with the full knowledge of my church family who came around and supported us. I thank you from the bottom of my heart for those expressions of caring and for the prayers lifted on our behalf. God is carrying us through into this new reality, and I thank you for letting Him use you to remind us of that.