A Life Worthy

Flower Power One-a-Day Thursday 3/30/17

Posted on March 30, 2017 by michaelMarch 30, 2017

And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin, yet I tell you that even Solomon in all his splendor was not dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you–you of little faith? (Matthew 6:28-30)

My family went on a wildflower hike last weekend. It was, in a word, wowifying. The sight of all those beautiful flowers–some of them no bigger than a dime–brought this verse to mind. In a few weeks, the blooms will be spent, the flowers dead, the hills returned to their normal shade of California Gold

Which always reminds me of brown.

Still, God chose to make them beautiful.

God did not make flowers in his image. He did not send his Son to redeem flowers. Flowers are not the temple of the Holy Spirit.

Flowers are not his Beloved.

That’s you.

So, yeah–I think he’s got you covered.

Happy Thursday, Beloved.

An Hour or So One-a-Day Wednesday 3/29/17

Posted on March 29, 2017 by michaelMarch 29, 2017

Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? (Matthew 6:27)

If I could, I’d be on track to the ripest of ripe old ages.

Beloved, it’s out of your hands.

All of it.

And that really is a good thing.

Isn’t it sad that something God intended for our freedom has become a source of bondage? Realizing that He is in control should bring peace and rest, but my pride panics at the lack of control. It just won’t admit that I am not Captain of my soul.

But I am most firmly not.

The sooner we come to grips with that painful fact, Beloved, the sooner we will be free.

Happy Wednesday

Livin’ the Bird Life One-a-Day Tuesday 3/28/17

Posted on March 28, 2017 by michaelMarch 28, 2017

Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or stow away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? (Matthew 6:26)

The answer, for the record, is “Yes!”

You are his Beloved, and he’s got you covered. That’s not saying you won’t have to work. Birds need to hustle to keep their gullets filled. But they don’t seem to stress about where next week’s worm is coming from. They simply do the work in front of them, and reap the reward. That’s the lesson here: do the digging God has set before you, and trust Him to provide the worm.

Or, you know, something even better.

Happy Tuesday, Beloved.

Worry One-a-Day Monday 3/27/17

Posted on March 27, 2017 by michaelMarch 27, 2017

Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? (Matthew 6:25)

This may be the hardest command Jesus ever gave us.

I mean, think about it: most of us aren’t murderers, don’t do much in the way of thievery, and tend to avoid fomenting nuclear holocaust.

But worry? Oy.

Worry is a silly, useless, bothersome thing. It’s also really dangerous. In essence, when we worry we tell God, “I trust you with the creation and sustenance of the universe, with defeating darkness and beating back the forces of evil, with the rescue and reclamation of my very self. But the car insurance? Lord, I’m really not sure how that’s gonna get paid.”

Silly

Dangerous

Prideful

Yes, prideful. Worry is a combination of underestimating God’s power and overestimating ours.

Look, Beloved, I don’t want to add guilt over worry to your worry. I just want to remind you…us…that God is God.

He is able.

He loves you.

He has chosen you–yes, you–out of this world of sin and pain to be his Beloved.

You are utterly safe in him.

Try to keep those thoughts in your head as you move into your week. And if you forget, don’t worry. He is totally able to remind you.

Happy Monday, Beloved.

Master One-a-Day Friday 3/24/17

Posted on March 24, 2017 by michaelMarch 24, 2017

No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money (Matthew 6:24).

Choose

this day

whom

you

will

serve.

It is, perhaps, the toughest choice you will ever have to make.

And yet it is no choice at all.

Happy Friday, Beloved.

Lamp One-a-Day Thursday 3/23/17

Posted on March 23, 2017 by michaelMarch 23, 2017

The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are good, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness! (Matthew 6:22-23)

I used to have this cool flashlight. It had several modes to it. It could throw red light, it could throw green light, it could strobe, it could even flash SOS signals. You know, the only thing it didn’t do well was throw normal, clear light.

Which, of course, was the only thing I really needed it to do.

Yeah…I got rid of that flashlight.

In the last several verses, Jesus has been telling his people to be the real deal. He calls us to forgive truly, to serve honestly, and to spend our strength on real treasure. In order to do that, we need to see things for what they are. We need the pure light of Christ pouring into us, filling us and showing us what is right and good and true and godly.

If our eyes are good–if we are seeing things as God sees them–the Light of the World will shine in us and through us and from us. If our eyes are bad–if we are seeing things as the World sees them–well, our Enemy masquerades as an angel of light, does he not?

But his light is not light at all. It is darkness.

I wonder, if Jesus were speaking this lesson today, if he might have used the analogy of a window instead of a lamp. His audience did not have glass windows to let in light, but we do. If the glass is clean and clear, the light can shine in full and bright. If the glass is covered with dirt and grime, the light is diminished and the view is distorted. Just a thought.

Light your lamp. Clean your windows. Let the Light in today.

Happy Thursday, Beloved.

Treasure One-a-Day Wednesday 3/22/17

Posted on March 22, 2017 by michaelMarch 22, 2017

Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also (Matthew 6:19-21).

You have limited resources.

Your time, your strength, your money, your energy, your talent, your skill, your stuff–these are finite assets. How are you using them?

Invest wisely today, Beloved.

Fasting One-a-Day Tuesday 3/21/17

Posted on March 21, 2017 by michaelMarch 21, 2017

When you fast, do not look somber as the hypocrites do, for they disfigure their faces to show men they are fasting. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, so that it will not be obvious to men that you are fasting, but only to your Father, who is unseen; and your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you (Matthew 6:16-18).

Yesterday I mentioned that God has little room for hypocrites.

Well, he’s not much into posers, either.

Let your time with him be with him, Beloved.

Not him and the crowd.

Because, in the end, there’s only one person in the audience that matters.

Happy Tuesday, Beloved

Forgiveness One-a-Day Monday 3/20/17

Posted on March 20, 2017 by michaelMarch 20, 2017

For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins (Matthew 6:14-15).

I keep waiting for some pastor or teacher to explain how this verse doesn’t mean what it seems to mean. You know, how there are 72 Greek words translated forgive, and how our position in Christ has absolutely nothing to do with the way we treat our fellow man.

Frankly, I think I’ll be waiting a long time.

It means…what it means.

Our Father has little room in his kingdom for hypocrisy.

Does God call you to be a doormat? No, Beloved. Some relationships are toxic, and should not continue. But that does not mean that you let bitterness and anger and frustration and betrayal and vengeance fill your heart and rule your life. You have to let God sweep that junk out, and forgiveness is the broom.

What? You’re not strong enough to forgive what they did? You need help?

No problem, Beloved. I know a guy…

Happy Monday, Beloved.

Forever One-a-Day Friday 3/17/17

Posted on March 17, 2017 by michaelMarch 17, 2017

For yours is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever, amen (Matthew 6:13).

There will never come a day when he is not King.

There will never come a day when he is not strong.

There will never come a day when he is not glorious.

There will never come a day when he does not know you.

There will never come a day when he does not love you.

There will never come a day when he does not forgive you.

There will never come a day when he is not your Father.

There will never come a day when he is not your friend.

There will never come a day when you are not his child.

There will never come a day when you are not his Beloved.

Forever is a good thing.

Happy Friday, Beloved.