the waves and winds still know

Today's (yesterday's?) post is from Brendon. It has been exciting this week to compare notes with a number of people at church and see that God is teaching us each about varying aspects of trusting Him fully.

Over the past month or so, I've had a sudden powerful urge to learn.

The main problem I face is that I don't know where to start. By that, I don't mean that I don't know where to go to get an education, or where to go for any prerequisites. What I mean is that there are so many different things I want to study, that I don't know what order to pursue them in.

This is something I've often been in prayer about, asking God to reveal his plan for my life to me. I've been blessed in that whenever I get overly frustrated at work, with the feeling of time being wasted, God gives me an opportunity to do His work. Each time, it feels like a reminder, "I'm still using you here. Persevere."

God is showing me, bit by bit, that my knowledge isn't relative to His ability to use me. Although I can't stem the desire to learn (nor do I want to), I have God encouraging me to be patient. I've found trusting Him to organize my education, finances, and long term goals to be the hardest thing I've ever done. After so long of doing everything my way, to meet my ends, and by myself, relinquishing control is tough.

It feels like God is calling me to walk on water with Him, as Jesus did to Peter in Matt. 14:29. But like Peter, I constantly look at the wind and the waves, lose faith, and begin to drown. What a gracious God, that every time I cry out "Lord, save me!", He stretches out His hand like Jesus did for Peter, and pulls me from the waters.

Verses 32-33 say, "When they got into the boat, the wind stopped. And those who were in the boat worshipped Him, saying, "You are certainly God's Son!"

The boat and the worshipping at the end of the trial are a strong reminder of what is to come. A reminder of why God asks me to persevere.

Because one day, the wind will stop and I'll be the one getting into the boat. One day, I'll be the one who gets to worship at the feet of my saviour. Until then, I'll have to rely on God's love to keep me from the wind and the waves.

crazy stewards

I settled into a night of travelling tonight with a couple Puritans (including this one) and Through Gates of Splendor, which opens with a familiar quote from Jim Elliot, "He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose."

Then as we touched down for a long layover in Las Vegas I saw all the lights flashing in this dark, dark place and thought of Philippians 2:14-16:

Do all things without complaining and disputing, that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast the word of life, so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain or labored in vain.

You can't hide a light in the dark.

Why do I try so hard to hide mine? To dim it so that I fit in?

Then, thanks to YouTube and free wi-fi, my sister and I watched this documentary on the life of singer Keith Green. It's about an hour long (in installments) and definitely worth the time it takes to watch it.



Not everyone's light will shine the same way Jim Elliot's did, or the same way Keith Green's did. And that's a good thing (I'm exhausted just reading about the energy of those guys!). But does my light shine as brightly as it was created to? Am I a faithful steward of the life I have been given?

Where would my stewardship fit into this story?

praying Scripture for each other

[Note: As I read through this post I see that it could be understood to tend toward a brand of legalism that relies a particular formula to come before the Lord in prayer. This is not at all how it is intended. My intent is to, in writing praise to God for giving us His Word, encourage this blog's readers to experience the wealth of His Word in a new way.]

This year I've been learning about praying Scripture for people in our lives. For some reason I'd either missed all previous teaching on this or had never heard it and it just had never occurred to me. But it's been a treasure trove for some of those times when I don't know what to pray for as I ought.

So, on the off chance that I haven't been the only one in the dark about this, I thought I'd post about how it works.

It's simple. You take a passage of Scripture and turn each phrase into a prayer for a person or persons. So, the other night I thought that I should pray for a friend who needed wisdom to make a decision. I ended up reading Ephesians 1 and praying through verses 15 to 20. Here's how those verses go:

Therefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers: that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places,

Paul here basically gives an outline of what he prayed for the believers at Ephesus, which makes it even easier to follow. So you might begin by giving thanks to God for the person you're praying for, and for that person's love for the saints, and then take each of the rest of the phrases and break them down into a prayer.

In praying through the passage, more than in my previous readings of it, I noticed the magnitude of what God has promised us in Christ, and the amazing gravity of the things we can pray for each other.

What would happen if we were constantly bringing our brothers and sisters to the Lord in prayer asking

- that they would see ever more clearly the lordship of Christ and the glory of the Father
- that they would have a spirit of revelation and wisdom in the knowledge of Him
- that their prayers to know Him more would be answered
- that the eyes of their understanding would be enlightened
- that they may know the hope of His calling
- that they may know the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints
- that they may know the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe
- that they may know that the power we have in Christ is the same mighty power which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead

???

And that's only one passage.

He is good!

Peter

Having arrested Him, they led Him and brought Him into the high priest’s house.

But Peter followed at a distance.

Now when they had kindled a fire in the midst of the courtyard and sat down together, Peter sat among them. And a certain servant girl, seeing him as he sat by the fire, looked intently at him and said, “This man was also with Him.” But he denied Him, saying, “Woman, I do not know Him.”

And after a little while another saw him and said, “You also are of them.” But Peter said, “Man, I am not!”

Then after about an hour had passed, another confidently affirmed, saying, “Surely this fellow also was with Him, for he is a Galilean.” But Peter said, “Man, I do not know what you are saying!” Immediately, while he was still speaking, the rooster crowed.

And the Lord turned and looked at Peter.

Then Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how He had said to him, “Before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.”

So Peter went out and wept bitterly.

Luke 22:54-62

For the disciples, the night of Jesus' trial was a disaster. All their dreams had fallen to pieces. Their fellowship was broken, their Lord was arrested, and they scattered.

Peter's version of the story hit me hard tonight. Peter was full of energy and verve and bravado and plans -- plans to be at the right hand of the victorious Messiah, brandishing a sword and seeing that what was wrong was made right.

Then in a couple of hours everything changed.

Bravado and plans changed to denial and shame.

It is hard to imagine the heartbreak contained in the sentences, "Then the Lord turned and looked at Peter," "Then Peter remembered the word of the Lord," and "So Peter went out and wept bitterly."

* * *

How did the Peter of that night become the Peter we meet in Acts 2, or the Peter who wrote 1 Peter and 2 Peter?

Re-reading Peter's story tonight made me think differently about a passage from his letters that we seem to hear a lot:

Now who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good? But even if you should suffer for righteousness' sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, but in your hearts regard Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God's will, than for doing evil.

1 Peter 3:13-17

Something happened between "Woman, I do not know Him," and "always [be] prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you . . . with gentleness and respect."

* * *

Let's not take this Easter week lightly.

fellow laborers

A couple Saturdays ago I got to be part of a great conversation with Mary and Lisa (two of the most cheerful servants I know) about Christian service and the joys of serving others. Also that week I was able to talk with Elsa about taking time for private worship. Then on Monday with Aura about missions, martyrdom, and complete surrender to Christ. Thursday with Don about evangelism and the beauty of working together in the body of Christ. Friday with Paul about discovering new things while reading Genesis and Exodus. Yesterday and today with Becky about prayer and hanging in there even when it seems like God is not answering.

Looking back on each of these conversations, I see how God has been filling out my understanding of the spiritual disciplines we've been studying on Thursday nights through the living, breathing examples He has placed in my life.

Has anyone else been having similar experiences? What have you been learning about spiritual disciplines as you put them into practice during the week? How has the practice of spiritual disciplines impacted your days?

Yup, this is an invitation to comment!

See you in the comment box!

heads up

Here's a link to the Department of State page for how to get a passport:

How to Apply in Person for a Passport

It's always a good idea to apply when you're not rushed for time, especially right now while there is a passport crunch and some delay is inevitable.

Jesus wants me for a sunbeam

Last weekend the youth had a discipleship weekend where they studied and practiced some of the spiritual disciplines that we've been learning about on Thursday nights.

On Saturday morning they went out for service projects -- cleaning windows, planting flowers, and pulling weeds.

I spent some time with them on Saturday afternoon and heard from members of all three service groups (window-cleaning girls, flower-planting boys, and weed-pulling boys) what a great experience it was. Some things the kids noted were that

- it felt good to help someone
- they were able to meet people they'd seen before at church but didn't really know
- the people they helped really appreciated being helped
- they were encouraged by the responses of those they'd served, so that they walked away remembering smiles or kind words or cookies shared, not dirt or sweat or weeds

It was encouraging to me to see the true joy experienced by younger brothers and sisters in Christ who were able to share His love in service to others. While so many youth activities cater to "what will the kids get out of it," this was an opportunity to learn firsthand that it really is better to give than to receive.

It made me think about the ways that the life Jesus calls us to live is fundamentally different from what the world offers us -- but infinitely better.

He calls us to live for Him and not for ourselves, but in the process we find true freedom and the joy that comes from being a channel of His abundant love.

He calls us to abandon worldly pleasures in obedience to His commands, but in the process we find that the world's pleasures are only cheap imitations of His good gifts.

He calls us to discipline ourselves in service to Him, but along the way we come to know the exhilaration of running wholeheartedly toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

May His call change the way we look at every aspect of our lives -- the way we interact with people, the way we spend our time, and, yep -- the way we wash windows and pull weeds.

promise

For a month now I've been thinking about God as "the Faithful One who has never broken a promise."

Instead of the thought getting smaller and more manageable and familiar and sorted out with the passing of time, it keeps getting more awesome and incredible and weighty and earth-shaking.

He has never broken a promise. Never. Not in the thousands of years of human existence. Not ever. And He never will.

He gives THAT much importance to His Word.

He is the Faithful One who has never broken a promise.

How can our lives show that?

Hello, my father just died.

Here's a link to the article that Don read from on Thursday night.

I know Who holds my hand

This week I have been praying through some things and fighting hard to seek God's will instead of my own. All the while I keep running up against the picture of God as a perfect, compassionate, gentle Heavenly Father. When I think of Him that way, I see the foolishness of my doubt and I see my second-guessing as an offense to His perfect provision.

Sometimes I feel like He is telling me just to let go and hold His hand.

If you have ever been blessed with the trust of a little child, you know what a precious, innocent treasure it is. To a little one who lives in love with his or her daddy, there is no safer place than Daddy's arms, no more secure place to hold on to than Daddy's strong hand. The eyes of a child looking up at Daddy the Protector and Guide are eyes full of perfect trust.

Why should I give my Heavenly Father any less?

Today I was thinking about this hand-holding picture again and thought of two ways it should change the way I live from day to day (including the way I pray). Here they are:

My Joy

HE loves me! When I want to measure my happiness in a wealth of human affection, or in circumstances, or in my health, or in how well my day went at school, I need to remember the eternal, unquenchable fountain of joy that is my perfect Father's love. He has given His life as my ransom. And He wants me to be with Him in heaven. And He has promised that He has a plan for me. The joy of the Lord is my strength.

My Hope

Like the old song says, "my hope is built on nothing less than Jesus' blood and righteousness." Nothing less! How often do I build my hope on things that don't last? Why do I so easily settle for less than the glorious hope He has given me? "I dare not trust the sweetest frame, but wholly lean on Jesus' name." What fading earthly things am I building on while Christ our Rock has offered me Himself as a foundation?

May we all be as beloved children, never doubting the wisdom, power, and provision of the Father Who firmly holds our hand.

At that time Jesus answered and said, “I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and prudent and have revealed them to babes. Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in Your sight.

All things have been delivered to Me by My Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father. Nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and the one to whom the Son wills to reveal Him.

Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

Matthew 11:25-30

captives

A public university is a good place to learn . . .

about people.

Today a discussion about moral standards in my Communication in Groups & Teams class (yes, that is a real class) turned into a group therapy session. A significant portion of the discussion was devoted to "what would you do if you found out your significant other was cheating."

I was boggled by the definition of "cheating."

One girl explained the discussions she and her boyfriend had had about "would I forgive you if you were cheating," then wrapped up by saying that she knew he wasn't one she would marry and that sooner or later they'll break up and she'll be really down for about a month and then get over it.

Every once in a while someone in the class would make a comment about marriage. I couldn't figure out what the definition of that was, either. As best as I could figure, marriage is a really special kind of embellishment you add to a relationship that means a lot to you -- for as long as that relationship means a lot to you. After that, get out as fast as you can.

It was sad.

Later I had another experience off campus that emphasized the kind of moral vacuum that exists when the world looks at relationships between men and women.

On one side, this is a deep tragedy -- for the men and women who make the wrong decisions, and for the children who live with the consequences.

On another side, this is an awesome opportunity -- to let our standards in our relationships (which are totally foreign to anything the world is used to) shine the light of Christ.

We can let our love as brothers and sisters shine in our faithfulness and kindness in a world where people look at others as instruments for their own pleasure.

We can let our love as children toward parents shine in our obedience and honor in a world where parents and rejected and derided.

We can let our love as future husbands and wives shine in our purity and sincerity in a world where relationships are built on lust and greed.

We can let our love as husbands and wives shine as a picture of Christ and the church in a world where marriage is "been there, done that."

We can let our love as parents shine as we raise children that are citizens of another -- that is, a heavenly -- country in a world that is self-absorbed.

We can let our love as families shine in our harmony and hospitality in a world characterized by houses full of feasting -- with strife.

Marriage is not an accident of the human condition. It's an amazing, intentional picture of Christ's love. Let's defend it, diligently prepare for it, honor it, and live it.

what is fellowship?

At least in my experience, "fellowship" is one of those Christianized words that we use in the church without thinking about what it means.

We use it to describe our time when we get together for dinner with fellow believers. We use it to describe church socials.

But is that really what it's all about?

In The Four Loves, C.S. Lewis compares the camaraderie of friendship with the camaraderie of romantic love, saying that while lovers are content gazing on each other, the gaze of friends is fixed not on each other, but on a common interest or goal. Friendship is being delighted by the same things, being saddened by the same things, walking together toward a common end.

This picture can help us understand what real fellowship is.

Real fellowship isn't patting each other on the back or saying nice things to each other. Real fellowship is challenging each other to be more like Christ, the Author and Finisher of our faith, to Whom we both look in earnest expectation.

Real fellowship isn't covering another person's sin. Real fellowship is what Don talked about last week from Galatians 6: restoring those who are overtaken in a spirit of gentleness.

Real fellowship isn't all laughing and celebrating and having a party. Real fellowship is sharing in another's suffering, need, and pain, and offering earnest prayer through long dark nights.

Real fellowship doesn't observe a distinction between "spiritual things" and "everyday things." Real fellowship is always pointing to Christ and exchanging the wealth of His Word -- on days other than Sunday.

Real fellowship is not an end in itself. Real fellowship is only a preview of a totally Christ-centered life in Heaven.

audience of One

Yesterday my mom got a call from one of her friends from high school -- she called to say that her daughter was going to be on last night's American Idol. So, for the first time ever, we tuned into Fox to witness the Idol phenomenon.

It was one of the saddest things I have ever seen.

There was this one guy who said he never felt accepted by his mom until he broke to the next round of the show. Eventually came the round where he didn't break, and when he called to tell her, she hung up on him.

And then there was a girl who did break, and who exulted sincerely into the camera, "God likes good people," pointing to herself.

It was a celebration of unabashed selfishness.

It was a showcase for people who have no basis for their own self-worth.

It was a throbbing tribute to the pain and futility of living for what you can earn and hold and enjoy.

I kept wanting to jump through the screen and say "It doesn't matter!!! Give up this worthless thing and find something real to laugh and cry and scream and whoop over!"

But that is where most of our world lives.

Once again I was reminded of the importance of the "song" that we sing in our lives. Who are we singing for? What are we singing about?

All of the songs I saw sung on Idol last night were about love. But over and over again the singers displayed that they knew nothing about love. Some showed that they were unloved. Many many others showed that they were unloving.

Praise be to God that He gives us the assurance that we are loved and that HE is Love. That is a song worth singing.

because He has dealt bountifully with us

As a musician with regular musician-related tasks, it's not really possible for me to get away from music. So maybe it's not surprising that I can't imagine life without it.

But it continues to amaze me that there is so much music and singing in the Bible.

We look to music when we are full of victory and joy. We look to music when we are full of sorrow and despair.

What we sing -- and whether we sing -- is a vital part of our testimony to people we meet. We have been saved from a hopeless, desperately ugly eternal captivity to sin. Are we singing the kind of victory song that's described here in Psalm 126?

When the LORD brought back the captivity of Zion,
We were like those who dream.
Then our mouth was filled with laughter,
And our tongue with singing.

Then they said among the nations,
“The LORD has done great things for them.”
The LORD has done great things for us,
And we are glad.

Bring back our captivity, O LORD,
As the streams in the South.

Those who sow in tears
Shall reap in joy.
He who continually goes forth weeping,
Bearing seed for sowing,
Shall doubtless come again with rejoicing,
Bringing his sheaves with him.

Do our laughter and our singing draw the attention of the nations?

Do you have a song?

(P.S. -- I can't help but add this. If anybody out there thinks singing is a "girly" activity, check out I Chronicles 6:33 and see what the original he-man was up to.)

A Mind Like Muller's

Thursday’s thoughts on Muller sent me to the Christian Ethereal Classics Library searching for thoughts directly from Muller. I found a book by Andrew Murray on Prayer with a section entitled, George Muller, and the Secret of His Power in Prayer. Muller’s story is worth your reading time. You’ll find it here.

As clearly as Muller’s life displays the power of our prayer hearing God, it also demonstrates the efficacy of the word of God in the heart of His children. After years of depending on commentaries and other works, Muller committed himself to reading Scripture alone; he estimated the benefit of a few hours of study of God’s word to exceed months spent in the writings of men. On obedience to Scripture Muller said, “‘It had pleased God, in His abundant mercy, to bring my mind into such a state, that I was willing to carry out into my life whatever I should find in the Scriptures.”

Pray that we would all have that same mind - that we would all say, “Whatever I find in Your Word Lord God is what I will carry out in my life!” We all ask God for direction, wisdom, and guidance. Let’s commit not only to ask to know His will, but also to dive into His word with a readiness to live what we read. As we develop pure obedience to the Word of God I am confident we will find wisdom for each step on our journey home. What better way to acknowledge him in all our ways than to carry out everything we find in His Word? (Prov. 3:6)

Don’t know where to start reading? Check out what the Sermon on the Mount says about how we should live. Matthew 6-7

wrestling, swords, and dart-throwing

Monday was my first day of school.

In my preparation for this semester, and even on Monday as I drove to school, I had resolved to think of myself as a missionary on my campus: sharing the love of Christ is my reason for being there, as much as to earn my degree or learn new things.

As I walked around the campus, sat in my classrooms, and met some new people, I was overwhelmed by a flood of doubts about my missionary resolution: They won't understand, won't want to hear, won't like you, if you take a stand in some class you'll say the wrong thing and do more harm than good, what if someone really does have an argument that can shatter your faith, you're just a hypocrite and tow one line at home and church because that's where it's easy, just concentrate on your classes and don't let other people sink in, you've always failed before, and on and on.

I got home feeling pummelled, physically exhausted, and convinced -- in a spirit of fear -- that my effort to be a light on campus would fail.

Later that day a friend sent me an e-mail:

I prayed for you this morning. That God would make you a light on [your] campus. That you would shine brightly and would display the loveliness of Christ to your professors and peers.

So it went something like this:

(1) I purpose to be a light on campus
(2) Someone prays for me to be a light on campus
(3) Doubt attack! Fear attack! Doubt attack! Attack! Attack!!! ATTACK!

Coincidence?

I don't think so.

Guys, we are in a serious battle. It is no small thing to want to show the love and light of Christ.

We need to stay in the Word. We need to encourage each other with the truth of Christ. We need to pray boldness -- for ourselves and for each other.

We need to remember that it's not of our own strength or our own merit that we are able to reflect the light of Christ, but only through His strength and all-sufficient merit. By the same token, ours isn't to bring about fruit but to plant the seed and trust Him to bring the increase.

And we would all do well to keep Paul's admonitions from Ephesians 6 close at hand:

Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.

Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.

Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.

And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints— and for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.

losing weight[s]

Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Hebrews 12:1-2

This morning I was reading a commentary on Hebrews 12 by F.B. Meyer and ran into some potent reflections on the idea of weights we foolishly carry around with us. Here's some of what Meyer says:

No man would think of maintaining a high speed encompassed with weights. The lads who run for a prize litter the course with garments flung away in their eager haste. There would be little difficulty in maintaining an intense and ardent spirit if we were more faithful in dealing with the habits and indulgences which cling around us and impede our steps.

Thousands of Christians are like water-logged vessels. They cannot sink; but they are so saturated with inconsistencies and worldliness and permitted evil that they can only be towed with difficulty into the celestial port.

Meyer points out that this idea of "weights" is not the same as sin. A weight, he says, can be "something which others account harmless, and permit, and in which you once saw no cause for anxiety, but which you now look on with a feeling of self-condemnation."

It may be a friendship which is too engrossing; a habit which is sapping away our energy as the tap-root the fruit bearing powers of a tree; a pursuit, an amusement, a pastime, a system of reading, a method of spending time, too fascinating and absorbing, and therefore harmful to the soul -- which is tempted to walk when it should run, and to loiter when it should haste.

-- from F.B. Meyer on Hebrews, published in Parallel Classic Commentary on the New Testament: Calvin (Mark Water, ed.)

Hard words, eh?

What are your weights?

note those who so walk

A couple of weeks ago a friend reminded me of the Jim Elliot quote, "wherever you are, be all there."

When Jim Elliot said "all there," he meant it. For him, being all there meant giving up all he had -- his future, his family, and his life -- as a martyr in the jungle of Ecuador (read more of the story here).

Being "all there" is hard, especially while we live in a culture so saturated with distractions.

But most often what keeps me from being "all there" isn't a cell phone or an internet browser or an iPod (it probably helps that I don't own an iPod...). What keeps me from being "all there" -- fully engaged in whatever I believe God has called me to do -- is wondering what other people think of me, trying to figure out how the "Now" God has marked out connects with all the "Later" plans I've worked out for myself, or allowing myself to be defeated by sin.

Sometimes, in my human wisdom, I decide that being "all there" is dangerous, because I might put my safety at risk or miss some other opportunity that would be bigger and better. I worry that wholeheartedly following God's plan will compromise my well-being.

It isn't a new worry.

In fact, Jesus warned against it over 2,000 years ago:

“Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. -- Mathew 6:31-34

In His providence He gives us the imperative -- and the amazing liberty -- to be "all there," following Him.

Will we?

is this me?

Cartoon (c) 2007 by Ben Lansing (www.benlansing.com, www.tttblog.com)

not my life

The other night I was reading selections from The Christian's Daily Walk, a commentary on Christian life by Puritan Henry Scudder.

Along the way Scudder commented that we are stewards of the lives we are given.

"Steward" is one of those now-Christianized terms that seems to have lost the impact of its meaning. It has been defined as, "a person who manages another's property or financial affairs; one who administers anything as the agent of another or others."

This is a shocking concept if you think about it, because it means that we can claim no ownership of our own lives at all. In legal terms, to be an agent is to be fully responsible for every action to the person for whom you are acting.
So, to adopt Scudder's way of thinking, we are actually accountable to someone else for every single minute we spend on this earth.

While it is a position of heavy responsibility, the position of agent is also one of honor, since the person who uses the agent (the "principal," in legalese) trusts the agent to make the best use of his property.

The Bible has a lot to say about stewards and stewardship. As you have time, it is a helpful activity to look at the places where this word comes up in Scripture.

And think about these questions:

• Am I operating as if I'm a steward of the life God's given me?
• How do I demonstrate that stewardship?
• Am I a good steward of my material possessions?
• Would I treat my possessions differently if they weren't mine, but belonged to someone who had ultimate authority over me?
• Am I a good steward of the relationships God has placed in my life?
• What does it mean to be a "steward of the manifold grace of God"?

But the end of all things is at hand; therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers. And above all things have fervent love for one another, for “love will cover a multitude of sins.” Be hospitable to one another without grumbling. As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.

-- 1 Peter 4:7-11