Category: A Life Worthy

If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me (Matthew 16:24).

There is a man in my area who has a cross.  It’s a full-size, heavy, wooden cross, very authentic looking except for the wheel at the base.  This man, as far as I can tell, spends his days walking the highways and byways, sharing the gospel without saying a word.  To see him dragging that cross along the road is surprising, and comforting, and yet a little disturbing.  It’s a reminder that I do not always appreciate.  All of which is probably why he does it.

I admire the man, though I doubt that this is what Jesus meant in the above passage.  I kinda wish he had.  I mean, as tough as dragging that piece of wood undoubtedly is, it’s cake compared to the cross Jesus is talking about.

The cross of self-denial.

The cross of it’s not about me.

The cross of true humility.

What does your cross look like today, Beloved?  What will it mean for you to deny yourself so that you can be with Him?  Your cross will look different from mine, but it will be heavy all the same.  And yet…the reward.

To follow him.

To walk with Christ.

No matter how big, how ugly, how brutal your cross may be, his grace will enable you to lift it.  He wouldn’t tell you to do it otherwise.

Trust him…he’s earned it.

Heave-ho, Beloved.

Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others (Philippians 2:4).

Other people annoy me.

I know I’ve said it before, and I shouldn’t say it at all, but there it is.

The problem is, other people never seem to put me first.  I mean, I could put the other person ahead of me once in a while, if I were confident that they would be putting me ahead of themselves at the same time.  Then, you know, each of us would get to be first.  But what happens is, I put them first, and they put them first, and I’m left out in the cold.

But it’s not about me.

At least, it’s not supposed to be.

Why do I do it, Beloved?  Why do I keep score, like there’s a cosmic points system and I’m afraid of falling behind?  When will I learn—really, in my heart of hearts learn—that God will meet all my needs, and that I don’t have to look to others for my validation?  When will I be truly free to serve without keeping score?

I’m glad you’ve got it all together, Beloved.

Me—I’m a mess.

For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think more highly of yourself than you ought… (Romans 12:3).

“Yes, but I deserve…”

Dangerous words.

I can’t tell you how many times those words, or at least that spirit, has flashed through my mind when I had the opportunity to help/serve/love someone.  If it’s going to take any sacrifice on my part, my brain immediately jumps to reasons that I shouldn’t have to do it, why I deserve better…or at least why I deserve recognition for my noble sacrifice.

And then, if I’m lucky, I remember.

It’s not about me.

This verse comes right after Paul’s urging to offer ourselves, “As living sacrifices,” and to be, “Transformed by the renewing of your mind.”  The thread here seems to be that if we belong to God and he is truly at work in us, we will be able to see ourselves as we really are, with eyes that are unclouded by pride and self.

In those moments, when God allows me to see myself as I really am, I dare not utter the words, “I deserve…”

Because I know what I deserve…and it ain’t recognition for my noble sacrifice.

Take a good look at yourself today, Beloved.  You don’t deserve much, and yet you are worth everything.

And so is that person God is calling you to serve.

…the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many (Matthew 20:28).

The theme of this week’s One-a-Days is, “It’s not about me.”  It covers many reasons you can be glad I’m not God…

I want to be like Jesus.

Mostly

I mean, the teaching, the leading, the healing—I love that stuff.

The prayer, the compassion—I’m there.

Clearing the temple—are you kidding me?  Give me a whip, and let’s go!

But the serving…

I’m OK with serving, as long as it’s on my terms.  Who I want. How I want. When I want.

But God doesn’t usually let me set the terms.  And that bugs me, because it can be so inconvenient.

Like, I suppose, the cross was inconvenient.

Beloved, I wish I could tell you that I really want to be a servant like my Lord.  Right now, the best I can say is that I really want to want to be a servant like my Lord.

What about you?  How is your heart this morning?  Are you looking to serve—any time, anyone, anywhere?  Or are you, like me, just praying for the desire?

I’ll pray for you today, Beloved.  You pray for me.

…he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities (Psalm 103:10).

It’s called Grace.

Don’t try to analyze it

Or quantify it

Or codify it.

Not today, Beloved.

Today, just receive it.  Just breathe it in and know that it is yours.

Because you are his.

Happy Friday, Beloved

The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in love (Psalm 103:8).

Reason #43852 to be glad I’m not God.

Because if I were, this verse would read more like… “…insensitive and self-serving, easily frustrated and abounding in sarcasm.”

And who needs that, right?

Beloved—pardon the bathtub analogy—take a few moments today to lie back and soak in his utter goodness.   He is everything you need, and far more than you deserve.  He is completely on your side.

He is sympathetic without being codependent.

He is gentle without being weak.

He is patient without being passive.

He is forgiving without being enabling.

Oh, yeah—and he loves you.

And you need that, right?

Happy Thursday, Beloved.

Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not his benefits—who forgives all your sins, and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things so that your strength is renewed like the eagle’s ( Psalm 103:5).

Once upon a time I ran a marathon.

Well, I kinda ran-walked-stumbled-crawled a marathon.

Anyway, as I ran I had Isaiah 40:36 going through my head: Those who hope in the Lord shall renew their strength.  They shall mount up on wings like eagles.  They shall run and not grow weary.  They shall walk and not faint.

It was one of those verses that rang hollow in the moment, as I dry heaved by the side of the road and watched a 90+ year-old woman race-walk past me.  And yet, in the big picture, it was true.  I finished the race.  I knew strength that was obviously beyond my own.  I didn’t die, though I kinda felt like I had.

Sometimes he gives you the strength to fly.  Sometime it’s just the strength to take another step.  Or crawl another…crawlie step.  But make no mistake, Beloved—that strength comes from the One who loves you, and it is enough.

Maybe just barely, but enough.

Happy Wednesday, Beloved.

Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not his benefits—who forgives all your sins, and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires with good things …( Psalm 103:5)

I had a really great sandwich yesterday.

Seriously.  I was super hungry, and I grabbed dinner at a sandwich shop which shall remain nameless but has to do with underground trains.  It was delicious—full of fat and processed meats and indigestion peppers and dairy products and gluten and all that good stuff.

Served on a cheese roll, yet.  Oh, delight!

God satisfied my desire with a good thing.

Scripture made manifest on a cheese roll.

Now, don’t get your knickers in a twist.  I’m not trying to trivialize God’s work in our lives.  I know that he works on a much grander scale—home and health and family and eternal security—the big stuff.  But he also works in little ways, and it’s good to appreciate that, too.  I mean, if God cares about the sparrow, if he counts the ever-decreasing number of hairs on my head, why wouldn’t he give me something tasty, just because he likes me?

After all, I am his beloved.

As are you.

So keep your eyes open today.  Look for the small ways he is blessing you.

Just something to chew on—pun intended.

Happy Tuesday, Beloved.

Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not his benefits—who forgives all your sins, and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion… (Psalm 103:4)

When I think of a royal crown, I tend to think of power, of glory, of majesty.

Not compassion

When I think of a victor’s crown, you know, the Greek version of a gold medal, I think of victory, of triumph, of defeating your enemies.

Not love

But that is because, in so many ways, I am still a spiritual baby—pass the milk, please.  I mean, what shows more power than mercy?  What is more majestic than grace?

Can it really be that one day he will imbue us with the love and compassion that so characterize him?  Can it really be that he will conform us to his image, make us like him?  Can it really be that we will be made holy and complete by his very hand and heart?

Yes, Beloved—it can really be.

Happy Monday

Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not his benefits—who forgives all your sins, and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit…( Psalm 103:4)

The pit

Great description for where we were before him

Beloved, I gotta tell you, I am so glad that he didn’t just toss me a rope.  Because I never woulda, never coulda climbed it.

He didn’t let down a ladder.

He didn’t give me a self-help climbing DVD.

He didn’t stand at the lip and call out encouragement.

He climbed down into the pit

picked me up

and carried me out.

So, remember the pit, Beloved.

And remember that he lifted you out.

Happy Friday