A Life Worthy

Tag: a life worth living

  • A Moment in the Spotlight

    microphoneI was in the 6th grade.

    My class was doing some sort of choir pageant thingie.  I had already had some notable successes on stage—perhaps you saw me in the 5th grade production of The Invisible Man?  Well, you wouldn’t have actually seen me, given the character and all.  In fact, I read the lines from off-stage and earned rave reviews from the class newspaper—On the Scene with Room 14!  You could—and should—have seen me that same year portraying a giant cockroach.  No, it wasn’t Kafka’s Metamorphosis.  The psychiatric bill for that one would have been a bit high for elementary school.  I was just a giant bug being chased by an equally giant can of Raid.  Those who saw my performance were profoundly changed and/or disturbed.  Ah, those public school tax dollars at work. (more…)

  • One-a-Day Tuesday, 12/31/13

    number 1One thing I ask of the Lord; this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple.  (Psalm 27:4)

    Just to be with God.  Do you ever want that?  Do you ever have those moments when you get past wanting from God and just want God?

    If you are anything like me, those moments are too few and too far between.

    But then, the New Year is about fresh starts and making changes, isn’t it?

    So, how many things are you asking God for in 2014?

    How about just one?

    This one.

  • One-a-Day Monday, 12/30/13

    number 1The Lord is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear?

    The Lord is the stronghold of my life—of whom shall I be afraid?  (Psalm 27:1)

    We are coming up on the New Year.  When you think about it, it’s just an arbitrary date on an imaginary calendar.  I mean, it’s not like Wednesday is going to look different from Tuesday.  Sky will still be blue, grass green, gravity should remain fairly constant.

    Still…

    We look at the New Year as a time to start fresh, to begin (or re-begin) new things.  We wonder about the future and what it will hold for us.  What opportunities await us in the coming year? What challenges?  What treasures lie in our paths, and what monsters lie in wait?  It can be an exciting time—and a scary time.

    As you gird your loins for January 1, ask yourself the same question David asks: With God as my light, my life, my protector, what can possibly frighten me?

    Chew on that today.

  • A Life Redeemed

    Christmas CarolHe was a miser, a scoundrel, a skinflint, a crook—He was villainous, ominous, monstrous—a schnook!

    Lovely.

    This is the description of Ebenezer Scrooge from the musical Scrooge, currently running at LifeHouse Theater.  If you read last weekend’s post, you know that I have the privilege of playing that very miser, scoundrel, skinflint, etc.

    If you didn’t read last weekend’s post…ummm…why?

    I love story.  I love the way a good writer can get inside your head and show you pictures of yourself reflected in a fictional character.  I love the lessons we, as readers, or audience members, or even performers, can learn from the characters we experience.

    Here, then, are a few lessons we can learn from old Ebenezer. (more…)

  • One-a-Day Friday, 12/27/13

    number 1He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever.  The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this. (Isaiah 9:7)

    Not through political activism.

    Not through military strength.

    Not through personal charisma.

    Not through any power of man.

    The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this.

    Chew on that today.

  • One-a-Day Thursday, 12/26/13

    number 1Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end. (Isaiah 9:7)  

    I’m not really a fan of big government.  I would just as soon that the government leave me alone for the most part.

    But His government?  I’m all in.

    I’ve said before that the best form of government is a benevolent dictatorship.  Because of sin, that kind of rule is not possible for any length of time.

    Outside of Christ.

    One day Jesus will rule here on Earth in the flesh.  His reign will go on and on and just get better and better.

    Until then, we can know his government in our hearts and lives.

    If you belong to Jesus, his peace, his power, his rule in your life is growing each day.  Oh, you may not feel it all the time, but it’s happening.

    Chew on this today: are you allowing Christ to govern your life, or are you getting in his way?

  • One-a-Day Wednesday, 12/25/13

    number 1Prince of Peace.  (Isaiah 9:6)

    It’s Christmas Day.  A day when we celebrate peace on Earth.  A day that can be, ironically, one of the most hectic and stressful of the year.  For some of you, today will be a reminder of why you see your family only a few times a year.  Others might know the awkwardness of being the extra wheel at someone else’s gathering, or the pain of being alone.

    Except you’re not.

    Remember, he is the Prince of Peace.

    Peace between you and God.

    Peace that passes all understanding.

    Peace that allows the Lord of the universe to make his home in your heart.

    Peace with your freakish relatives.

    Peace within the tumult of your own heart.

    Embrace the baby today.  Celebrate this Prince who brings you peace.

    Merry Christmas.

  • One-a-Day Friday, 12/20/13

    number 1And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, (Isaiah 9:6)

    There can be a lot in a name.  My name is Michael, which means, “Who is like God?”  I like that—it’s a constant reminder of the answer…Nobody.  When I begin to get a little too big for my proverbial britches, my very name brings me back to Earth.

    Jesus has been given the name Wonderful Counselor.  Think about it—what does a counselor do?  A good counselor does three things—listen deeply, see to the heart of the issue, and offer wisdom.    So, we serve a God who actually listens to us—listens deeply.  He doesn’t just pretend to listen to you while he is mentally planning out his day, the way I might.  He actually considers every word you speak—and those you don’t.

    Jesus also sees to the heart of your issue—after all, he knows you better than you do—remember Psalm 139?  You couldn’t hide the truth from him if you tried, so knock it off already.

    Wisdom?  Uh…do I need to point out that his words are the very words of God?  Literally?  Yeah, worth listening to.

    You, Beloved, have a Wonderful Counselor.  Walk in his wisdom today.

  • One-a-Day Tuesday, 12/17/13

    number 1The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.  (Isaiah 9:2).

    The metaphor of light has been around for so long we’ve become numb to it.

    See if you can unnumb (denumb?) yourself a bit.

    Imagine the darkest place, the blackest night you have ever experienced.

    Multiply it by a factor of infinity.

    A blackness so complete it fills you, seeping in through your pores…crushing… suffocating.  It’s every nightmare, every horror coalesced and distilled into a pure, inky nothing that will consume you.

    That has consumed you.

    Then, a light.  It’s small at first, like a candle’s flame.  Even so, the darkness recoils from it; hope rushes in to fill the space.  The light grows and spreads until it fills you—or did it draw you into itself? Hard to tell.  The nightmare, the horror, the emptiness are revealed as fluff and nonsense by the glory of the light.

    Yeah, yeah, I know; the imagery is as old as time.  But…

    It’s true, you know.

    He’s coming.

  • One-a-Day Thursday, 12/12/13

    number 1Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me, and know my anxious thoughts.  See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. (Psalm 139:23-24)

    This psalm ends with a request.  Like I said last week, this is a powerful way to check the state of your relationship with Christ.  If the thought of God searching your heart frightens you, you’ve got to ask, why?  Three things to notice here:

    1. The psalmist asks God in.  God is a gentleman when it comes to our hearts; he won’t barge in where he’s not invited.

    2. The psalm began with the line, “O Lord, you have searched me…”  So this is not a one-time event.  It is a recurring, ongoing process.

    3. The psalmist asks for four things: search me, test me, examine me, and lead me.  We present ourselves before God so that he can show us what is getting in the way of our relationship.  Essentially, we’re trying to clear out the junk so that God can bring us closer to him.

    Are you in a place where you can ask this of God?  Can you afford not to?

    Be courageous, Beloved.  Ask him in.