Faith Like a Child: When life doesn't make sense.

       A little over a week ago Ty, our youngest child (10 months old), spent a little bit of time in the hospital because of an infection and an extremely high fever.  We are thankful to God that He is healthy and back to his normal self crawling all over the house getting himself into trouble!  If you have ever experienced being with a little one in the hospital it is hard.  The thing that, at least for me, made it so difficult was that it was impossible to explain to Ty what was going on, what was going to happen, and why they were doing everything they did.  I couldn't explain to him why I had to bear hug him and hold him down while they drew blood, and while they put his IV in.  I couldn't explain to him why he had this cord hooked to his foot that made it so he couldn't go wherever he wanted.  I couldn't explain why he felt so miserable.  I couldn't explain anything.  That is hard on a mommy and daddy and we hated it.  Even though we couldn't explain anything to him, there were things we could do; we could be with him, hold him, love him, sing to him, play with him, and wipe his tears away.  There were many things we couldn't do, but despite all of that what we could do seemed to be enough to get him through a very difficult and painful couple of days.  We didn't like what was happening to our little man, but we knew it needed to be done if he was going to get healthy.  We gave him everything we could, while the only thing he could do was lean into us and trust us, even though nothing made sense to him.
      This carries over to those of us who are children of God.  There are times when life flat out does not make sense.  What is going on seems to be the opposite of what desperately needs to be happening.  The pain seems pointless, confusion seems to dominate, and as much as we ask for an explanation we get nothing.  I believe it is difficult for God to watch His children go through pain, but in the midst of the pain and questions God offers us Himself.  All of Himself.  All of His love, comfort, peace, joy, and on and on I could go. God offers all of Himself, and asks us to lean into and trust.  Lean in and trust Him, trust that He knows what He is doing, and trust that everything will be ok.
       If you are in a place today where life does not make sense, lean in and trust God as He offers all of Himself to you.

Christian, don't forget your mission

       Christian, don’t forget your mission.  This post is less a response to the election results than it is a response to the reactions of some of my brothers and sisters in Christ are having to the election results.  Responses that at times have seemed almost hysterical and responses that have been predicting gloom and doom for the American nation.  Regardless of weather you are rejoicing or fearing gloom and doom this morning, I want to remind all of us about a couple of things.  

First, our hope cannot reside in a political party or a certain canidate.  Our hope rests in God.  What the people of this country need more than a balanced budget or a better economy is forgiveness of our sins and redemption of our lives.  That is the greatest need any person has, and the beauty of the Gospel is that it is available through Jesus Christ.  So our hope is not in politics, politicians, or legislation, it is in God and what is offered because of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  So Christian, regardless of who you voted for, remind yourself where your hope needs to rest. 

Secondly, if what the people of this country need more than anything is forgiveness and redemption, than what this country needs is you, as a Christian, living out the mission God has given to all of us.  Christian, if the hope of the world rests in Jesus, you have way more to offer than any political party, politician, or legislation.  What people need is for Christians to live out their mission.  Our country needs Jesus followers who will faithfully and daily live out the great commission and the great commandment.  Christian if you truly grasp that the greatest problem humanity faces is sin, than you realize that you hold the ONLY thing that can deal with that problem.  YOU, not the government, not the president, YOU.  So the question is, what are you and I going to do?  

       So today let us focus on the great commission and the great commandment.  Let's make a commitment to live those out today and everyday.  That is after all the mission that God has put us on after he so graciously forgave our sins, and redeemed our lives.  That is what we have been called to do, and that is what a dying world desperately needs from us.  Christian, don't forget your mission.  

Entitlement kills our joy.

       This morning I was reading Mark 15 which gives the account of the trials, crucifixion, and death of Jesus.  Verses 16-20 stuck out to me, "The soldiers led Jesus away into the palace (this is, the Praetorium) and called together the whole company of soldiers.  They put a purple robe on him, then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on him.  And they began to call out to him, 'Hail, King of the Jews!' Again and again they struck him on the head with a staff and spit on him.  Falling on their knees, they paid homage to him.  And when they had mocked him, they took off the purple robe and put his own clothes on him.  Then they led him out to crucify him."
        As I was reading those verses, and the verses that followed, I began to wonder what that must have been like for the God of the universe who created everything, and everything was created for, to be mocked.  The one who was perfect, the one who left the throne to come to earth for the very people who were at that moment mocking and ridiculing him.  As I was thinking about that it occurred to me that Jesus at that moment had every right to unleash terror and destruction upon those who were mocking Him.  He was entitled to it, it was his right to unleash terror and destruction.  If anyone ever had a claim to being entitled to something it was Jesus.  He had a right to be worshipped.  He had a right to be magnified.  He had a right to be praised.  He had a right to bring down justice on anyone who failed to live up to the standard of perfection.  It was His right, He was clearly entitled to it.
       However, he didn't demand his rights, instead He took upon Himself everything that I deserved.  The one who was entitled to everything, took the punishment of the one who was entitled and deserving nothing but hell.  Can you say amazing grace?!?!
      After reminding myself again of how amazing God's grace and love is for me, I began to feel convicted about how often I feel that I am entitled to so many things.  According to the Bible the only thing I deserve is hell.  That's it.  The moment I begin to think I am entitled to anything beyond that is the moment that the joy in my life is killed.  The opposite it also true.  The moment I realize that I am only entitled to hell, joy, overwhelming joy, begins to flow out of every fiber of my being.  When  I realize that everything I have from the breath I am taking as I write this, to having my sins forgiven and eternity secured and everything in between is an astounding gift from the God of the universe, is the moment joy overwhelms my life.  Take time today, and everyday, and preach the Gospel to yourself and be prepared to be overwhelmed with joy as you see gifts of grace everywhere and at every moment.  "Praise God from whom all blessings flow."