What's More Important? Doing or Being?

“Don’t rejoice just because evil spirits obey you; rejoice because your names are registered as citizens of heaven.” Luke 10:20 NLT

What aspects of our lives do we celebrate? When do we say, “Hooray for me,” or “You’re the best”? From our first steps as a baby to the end of our academic years, we celebrate each other’s successes. Beyond educational life, we celebrate goals reached in the business world and contributions made to the community. We give parties, gifts, and awards to people who reach certain milestones or achieve great things. We do this to thank, recognize, honour, and reward the person; and to encourage and inspire others to aim for these same great heights. Some of the rewarded activities are for personal gain and others are for the benefit of others. In all cases, the celebrated person has not achieved alone; other people have contributed in many ways thus the rejoicing is shared.

In my life, I have had many occasions to rejoice over both my own achievements and those of various family members and friends. Certainly, others were integral to each successful outcome. But, after the celebration, then what? There is usually an emotional letdown as we return to the routines of our daily lives. The rejoicing over DOING has a limited shelf life.

This is what Jesus was telling His disciples in the passage from Luke. They had just returned from their first mission trip and, joyfully, told Jesus of their many successes including the healing of several demon-possessed people. Jesus acknowledged their triumphs but reminded them: “I have given you authority over all the power of the enemy” (Luke 10:17-19). In other words, their success relied on Another Person. Then He brought their inflated egos back down to a more important reality: “rejoice because your names are registered as citizens of heaven.”

Wow! Even though we achieve and celebrate many successes during our life, from Jesus’ point of view, only one thing is worth rejoicing over: the decision we make to become His; to become a Christian; to accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior. This state of BEING qualifies us as “citizens of heaven” and has an everlasting shelf life!

“But let the godly rejoice. Let them be glad in God’s presence. Let them be filled with joy . . . rejoice in his presence!” Psalm 68:3, 4

Lord, thank you for the abilities, wisdom, and perseverance you have given me to accomplish many things in my life so far. Thank you that these things have benefited not only me but also others. Lord, help me to keep all these things in perspective when compared to the great gift you offer: living in your presence for eternity. I rejoice, yes, I jump for joy, that you count me as one of your chosen! Lord, may my readers also accept this, your most excellent gift! To you goes all the glory!

Pondering Responsibility Within the Kingdom of God

“Don’t eat meat or drink wine or do anything else if it might cause another Christian to stumble.” Romans 14:21 NLT

Is this right? Does the Apostle Paul want us to be responsible for other people’s faith journey? This seems shocking, especially compared to the world’s standard of: “I am not responsible for your reactions to my behavior” and “It doesn’t matter what I say or do, you are in control of your own responses.”

So after decades of not taking responsibility for another’s faith, I read this verse, and my walk with Jesus comes to a dead stop! How can this be? I turn to Jesus for the answer. “Yes, I want you to consider what you say and how you act in light of how it might affect another Christian’s faith.” I hang my head in stunned silence and growing guilt while I wrap my mind around this concept. Hmmm. Paul said he “was all things to all people” in order to make others relate to the Gospel message (1 Cor 9:22, 10:23-33). Peter learned to eat Gentile food and sit at their tables despite his Jewish customs against doing so (Acts 9). Paul further said, “look not only to your interests but also to the interests of others” (Phil 2:4).

What does this mean for my life? For a moment, I thought I would have to lock myself in a closet to avoid failure, as I surely cannot do this on my own! But, thankfully, I have Christ’s Spirit to direct my thoughts and actions. Certainly, it is easy to be considerate of my guests’ food choices and eating habits. But, the “don’t do anything else” is harder. God has brought three issues to my mind: I need to arrive on time for church services, exude more humility about my abilities, and give Him more credit for my successes!

Just as I dare to become responsible for not hindering another’s faith, you, too, may want to take on this challenge. Lord, please wring out the worldly influences in my life and wash me with your Kingdom love so that I might be Christ’s sweet fragrance in the world.

Appreciating God's Creation!

“God saw all that He had made, and behold, it was very good.” Genesis 1:31

Are you an early riser? Well, I’m not. Though, as an ardent photographer of God’s natural world, I seek every opportunity to capture the essence of His intricate and magnificent creation. Not only am I inspired by visually exploring nature first-hand but also by the works of other photographers. Seeing others’ experiences of a sunrise almost compels me to seek the same experience. I say, ‘almost’, because usually the physical desire for sleep overcomes the emotional need for the anticipated joy of viewing the beautiful beginning of a morning. If I’m up early it’s usually because I’m rushing to an appointment and then miss the sunrise anyway!

Do I need to see every sunrise in order to appreciate God’s work in our world? No, I can observe His amazing power and glory in other ways. His creation is all around me – I just have to notice it. Whether it is in the plant life, the geography, the skies, or even the people I meet, His creation is before me to appreciate at all times of the day and night.

While I did see this beautiful sunrise, I usually try to focus on seeing God's handiwork in everything and everyone I come across. The more I am amazed at His creation, the more I love God and appreciate His work in me, too. I acknowledge that I am His rays of light to shine His love on others.

Take a few moments now to notice and appreciate God’s creation around you. Then notice the goodness He’s created in you, too, and thank Him for this blessing!

What to do with Forgiveness

“But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from every wrong.” 1 John 1:9 NLT

In my early days as a Christian, I used God’s gift of forgiveness like a swinging gate. On one side there was the sinful behavior. However, after the delight of the sin had worn off, guilt and sorrow would set in causing me to run to God’s gate to confess my sin. Then, knowing that God had forgiven me, I walked through the gate where relief and gratitude would meet me on the other side. This side of the gate offered me yet another chance to be a “good” Christian despite my willful and repeated disobedience. Deep in my heart, I was thankful for God’s bottomless basket of forgiveness. Unfortunately, in hindsight, I recognize that there was no true repentance on my part as there was no true turning away from those sinful behaviors.

But what was God’s intention for forgiveness? Here is how the Apostle Paul described the situation for us when we accepted Jesus Christ as our Savior:

“When you came to Christ . . . there was a spiritual procedure-the cutting away of your sinful nature. . . Then God made you alive with Christ. He forgave all our sins. God disarmed the evil [influences] . . . by his victory over them on the cross of Christ.” Colossians 2:11-15.

I did not appreciate this victory over sin until I was much older and had recommitted my life to Christ deciding to focus on Him, not on the tantalizing treasures of society’s norms. I had seen and suffered the effects of sin enough that I wanted to be on the forgiveness side of the swinging gate. I wanted to obey God and heed Paul’s warning:

“Don’t let anyone lead you ashtray with empty philosophy and high-sounding nonsense that come from human thinking and the evil powers of this world, not from Christ . . . So put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you. Have nothing to do with sexual sin, impurity, lust, and shameful desires. Don’t be greedy for the good things of this life, for that is idolatry . . . Get rid of anger, rage, malicious behavior, slander, and dirty language. Don’t lie to each other. ” Col 2:8, 3:5-9.

What to do with God’s forgiveness? Accept it! Truly repent! Realize that now:
I am setting my “sights on the realities of heaven”;
I am clothed with a “brand-new nature that is continually being renewed as [I] learn more and more about Christ, who created this new nature within [me]”;
I am clothed in “tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience”;
I “make allowance for each other’s faults and forgive the person who offends [me]”;
I wear the most important piece of clothing that is the “love that binds us all together in perfect harmony”;
I “let the peace that comes from Christ rule in” my heart and will always be thankful;
and, finally, I “let the words of Christ, in all their richness, live in” my heart and make me wise (Col 3:1-16).

Thank you, Lord, for the gift of forgiveness. I accept it gratefully! And I pray for strength and wisdom to lead a life that honors your abundant generosity!

A Speck or a Log?

“Why worry about a speck in your friend’s eye when you have a log in your own?” Matthew 7:3 NLT

I look out my kitchen window everyday and see them in the neighbourhood park. I am talking about dogs running freely with tongues hanging and tails wagging. Their owners are throwing balls or sticks for them to fetch, or talking amiably with each other apparently ignoring where their dogs are. Such a happy scene for them, but not for me. As I continue gazing, my temperature is rising. I am fuming! I imagine a conversation/confrontation such as:

Me: “THIS IS NOT A DOG PARK! What gives you the right to take over the park?”
Them: Oh, MY dog is friendly and doesn’t bite.
Me: But I just want to walk peacefully and enjoy the nature in the park. I don’t want to be looking over my shoulder wondering if your dog will run up to me to smell me or jump up to lick my face.
Them: (Glaring, they swear at me and walk away.)

As I turn away from the park scene I wonder why some dog owners blatantly disregard the signs that say, “Dogs must be on leash.”

Recently, words spoken by Jesus strolled through my mind:

“Stop judging others, and you will not be judged. For others will treat you as you treat them. Whatever measure you use in judging others, it will be used to measure how you are judged. And why worry about a speck in your friend’s eye when you have a log in your own? How can you think of saying, ‘Let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye,’ when you can’t see past the log in your own eye? Hypocrite! First get rid of the log from your own eye; then perhaps you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend’s eye.” Matthew 7:1-5 NLT

Hmmm. Could this apply to me when I see these dog owners? Of course not! I certainly do not have any behaviors that disrespect others. However . . . maybe God wants to unmask some situations that I need to clean up. What could I possibly do that irritates others? Do I have to admit these things? Ok, I admit I did water the lawn twice this summer when it was not our day. Were my neighbours annoyed? Oh, I do talk on my cell phone when driving. Does that irritate some drivers? Well, I occasionally drive over the speed limit but mostly I stick to the posted speed. I wonder which one frustrates other drivers more. And, I allow myself to get caught up in details unnecessarily. I know that bothers some people!

Well, Lord, I am humbled now! Perhaps I am no better than these dog owners; or people who speed; or drivers who do not stop at stop signs. Forgive my arrogance, Lord. Help me to love the imperfections in others and to change the behaviors in me that irritate others. Fill me with your grace and mercy!

A Coat of Paint

“I could ask the darkness to hide me . . . but even in darkness I cannot hide from you, Lord.” Psalm 139:11-12

“A coat of paint hides a multitude of sins.” You’ve heard this phrase, right? Metaphorically, “sins” are marks, gouges, cracks and blemishes that appear on walls, ceilings and other paintable surfaces. Literally, a coat or two of paint does cover most indiscretions and quickly restores beauty to any object. Actually, I get much satisfaction from painting things around my home and seeing the resulting fresh new looks. But, as I admire my finished work, I also closely examine the surface to see if the blemishes show through or not. Did I prepare the surface properly? Did I actually remove or repair the damage as if it was not there in the first place?

I also love painting because, while it involves some physical exertion, my mind is free to contemplate greater issues. While painting recently, I wondered how effective I am at covering up my own “sins.” For my personal exterior, I make sure I dress well, apply make-up to my face, and tidy the house before guests arrive. This way, you cannot see the scars from a surgery, the ‘love handles’, or my household clutter. For my personal interior, I try to keep negative and hurtful thoughts from spilling out of my mouth because they are there just waiting to be expressed. Do I fool people as to my virtue? Maybe some, but not those who know me well!

But then I think about God. Ah yes. “You have examined my heart and know everything about me” (Ps 139:1). I resign myself to accept that no amount of “paint” can hide my sins from God. As the psalmist says, “even in darkness I cannot hide from you.” What can I do? What can we do to remove the blemish of our sins? The answer requires action on both our part and God’s. The Apostle John explains: “But if we confess our sins to Him, He is faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from every wrong. . . . Jesus Christ’s death is the sacrifice for our sins. He takes away not only our sins but the sins of all the world” (1 John 1:9, 2:2).

Thank you, Lord Jesus, that I don’t have to remain hidden in darkness under a “coat of paint” because of my sins. Lord, I confess my sins and ask your forgiveness. Thank you for paying the penalty for my sins. Thank you for giving me a new look and bringing me out the darkness into the light. Amen.

A Burden Shared . . . is better!

“Carry each other’s burdens.” Galatians 6:2 NIV

My daughter’s friend was in a desperate situation. She had a choice to make and both options would dramatically affect her present and her future. While my heart broke over the friend’s circumstances, I was equally concerned for my daughter’s state of mind and health as she walked with her friend through this dark valley. Even over the phone, stress was evident in her voice as she could barely put a sentence together when telling me this unfortunate story. Further, she admitted that the strain was dulling her appetite and keeping her awake at night. On top of this, she had to keep up with her college assignments and part-time work. After giving her some motherly advice, I promised to pray for her and her friend.

My daughter knows I pray about everything, so, even though she may not be praying, she is glad I am. Although I prayed for two days about this situation and its outcome, I still felt a nagging anxiety. But wait! Praying is supposed to replace worry with peace. Jesus says in Matthew 11:28, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” I have done this before and experienced God’s peace, but it was not “working” this time. What more did God want me to do? Then I remembered advice the Apostle Paul gave to the Galatians, “Carry each other’s burdens.” The Greek word for ‘burden’ is baros, which means: a weight (eg. boulder) too big for us to carry alone. Yes, this burden was too heavy for me. I quickly emailed the members of my church Small Group and asked them to pray, too. (This is something we do for each other while keeping all issues confidential.) As soon as I clicked, “send”, I felt the burden of worry lift from my shoulders! Yes, this is why God wants us to be believers in community not believers in isolation. “Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn”(Romans 12:15). Together, we draw nearer to God.

Despite our prayers in favour of one of the options, the friend chose the other. We who prayed were disappointed that God did not allow a different outcome, but consoled ourselves as the Lord says, “My thoughts are completely different from yours, and my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine” (Isaiah 55:8). We were thankful that my daughter’s stress ended and she returned to her usual self. Even though God knows our every thought and situation, He does not always intervene on our decisions (Psalm 139).

Thank you, God, that you listen to my concerns and give me peace while I wait for the answers. It is in your peace that I acknowledge that, no matter what the circumstances, “your mighty power reaches throughout the world” (14:26). I pray that others will share their burdens, too, so that together we may see your mighty works and glorify your name. Amen.

Mediocrity vs Excellence

“But those who wait on the Lord will find new strength. They will fly high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.” Isaiah 40:31 NLT

If excellence is 10/10 and failure is 1/10, then mediocrity is 5/10, meaning not too good and not too bad. For many years I felt I lived a life of mediocrity. How did I come to that conclusion? In school, I was a “B” student, neither excelling nor failing. As a young adult, I held jobs that paid above minimum wage but far below the top wage earners in the company. As a young mother, I watched my friends live in fancier homes, go on expensive holidays and buy the best foot-ware for their children. Do not misunderstand me, poverty was not knocking at our door, for, as a single income family, we managed, but some days I thought it was a mediocre existence. (Those feelings were probably exaggerated by, or caused by, my bouts with depression.) In short, I thought that living a life of excellence meant having the best things and being successful in the eyes of the world. Even after I recommitted my life to Jesus at mid-life, I searched for Christian books and practices that would lead me to “Christian excellence.” I wanted to succeed as a Christian from the world’s point of view. My thought was that Christians who lived above mediocrity were at the top of their earthly professions, lived in expensive homes, and took far-away vacations. How could I “soar on eagles’ wings” for God and break out of that zone of mediocrity?

Recently I picked up the book called, “Living Above the Level of Mediocrity” by Charles Swindoll – again, in hopes of finding that magic formula for excellence! Even before finishing the book, God showed me that I am already on the path to living a life of excellence according to His way! One of Swindoll's key points is that soaring above mediocrity means living from the perspective of Another Kingdom: surrendering my goals for God’s goals; giving rather than receiving; looking from God’s divine perspective not my earthly limited one; admitting weakness in order to be strengthened; and other such odd mentalities compared to society’s secular expectations.

Through this book with its many Scripture references and the Holy Spirit working in me through my own Bible study and prayer, I am slowly redefining my views of mediocrity and excellence. Now, I see mediocrity is a result of only half-heartedly serving God but excellence occurs when whole-heartedly turning all areas of one’s life over to Him. By waiting upon the Lord, as the verse in Isaiah says, we will receive strength, ability and direction to carry out His tasks and to achieve His purposes. In that way, we will soar like eagles and God’s excellence will result!

Smooth Sailing or Not?

“The Lord was with Joseph, making everything run smoothly and successfully.” Genesis 39:23 NLT

Wow! Joseph was close to God and God blessed his work. So, all I need to do is to be close to God and my life will be successful, too? hmm . . . Well, that was my first thought when I read this scripture verse. But wait, God was with others in the Bible and they suffered tremendously. Daniel was thrown to the lions and his friends tossed into a furnace. David spent years running away from attacks by King Saul. Peter and John were thrown into jail and frequently beaten. And yet, God was with these men.
The Apostle Paul details his suffering while serving God in 2 Cor 11:23-29 and 6:3-10: more jail time, more whipping, five times thirty-nine lashes, three times beaten with rods, once stoned, three times ship-wrecked; adrift at sea, traveled far, faced danger from natural disasters and unsympathetic people; hungry, thirsty, and cold.
Now, what I am to think? Paul shares his perspective:

“Three different times I begged the Lord to take [my pain] away. Each time He said, ‘My gracious favour is all you need. My power works best in your weakness.’ So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may work through me. . . . It is all for Christ’s good, I am quite content with my weaknesses and [sufferings].” 2 Cor 12:8-10

OK Lord, whether you give me smooth waters to sail or rocky cliffs to climb, I will rejoice because you are with me and working all events to your good purposes.