A Life Worthy

Tag: trusting God

  • One-a-Day Thursday, 7/24/14

    number 1But when he saw the wind, he was afraid (Matthew 14:30).

    Poor Peter.

    There he was, walking on the water, standing on the waves with the One who made them.

    It doesn’t get much better than that.

    And it didn’t.

    Because he took his eyes and his thoughts off of Jesus for just a moment.  And a moment was all it took.  Scripture doesn’t tell us exactly what went through Peter’s mind at that moment, but I’m thinking it was along the lines of, “What am I doing?  I can’t walk on water!”

    And, just like that, he couldn’t.

    Peter’s in good company.  The prophet Elijah would understand completely.  He had just called down fire from God—pretty impressive—to annihilate the wicked prophets of Baal.  A little showy, perhaps, but very effective—and an obvious demonstration that God was with Elijah.  This annoyed Queen Jezebel, and she threatened to kill Elijah.

    So he ran.  Fast and far.  For just a moment, he took his eyes off God and focused on the danger represented by this woman.  And just like that, the danger became more real that the God Elijah served.

    I’ve done it, too.  So have you.  God is doing something wonderful in our lives, teaching us, growing us, showing us new dimensions of his love…

    And then we look down, like the tightrope walker a thousand feet in the air.

    And we panic.

    Scripture tells us to keep our eyes fixed on Jesus.  Life backs that up.

    What is God calling you to, Beloved?  What is he working on in you?  It doesn’t have to be as grand as walking on water or calling down fire—though if he does, call me.  I wanna watch.  It could be as ordinary as learning to trust him with your future, as simple as learning to love unconditionally, as basic as learning to give without thought of reward.

    Actually, walking on water may just be easier than any of those.

    Whatever today’s challenge is, lock your eyes on the author and perfecter of your faith and start walking.

    Don’t look down, Beloved.

  • One-a-Day Wednesday, 7/23/14

    number 1Then Peter got out of the boat, walked on the water, and came toward Jesus. (Matthew 14:29).

    Wow.

    He did it.

    I know it’s easy to focus on the fact that Peter sank—and we will look at that tomorrow—but for today, let’s give the young man some props.  He wanted to do what Jesus was doing, he got the go ahead from the Lord, and he went for it.

    And he did something that, frankly, you and I have never done.

    No you haven’t.

    One of Peter’s great strengths was his ability to take decisive action without overanalyzing every situation.

    Of course, the negative side of that is called, “Going off half-cocked without thinking things through,” which was probably his greatest weakness.

    But we’re praising Peter today.  And in this verse we see that Peter didn’t allow logic to override God’s call.

    Now, let’s be careful here.  Don’t hear what I’m not saying.  Am I saying that we should throw logic and wisdom out the window and just follow our feelings?

    Uh, no.

    Am I saying that we should make all our decisions with our hearts and not our minds?

    Huh uh.

    Am I saying that sometimes God may call us to something that makes no sense, by the world’s definition of sense?

    Ding ding ding!

    Now, he may not be calling you to something as blatantly wacky as waterskiing sans boat and skis.  But maybe, just maybe, that desire in your heart, that secret dream that makes no logical sense, is there because he put it there.  Maybe, just maybe, your Lord is calling you to do something the world calls crazy, but he calls right and good.

    Maybe.

    Just maybe.

    What will you do about it, Beloved?  Will you analyze and dissect debate his call until you convince yourself that it can’t be done?

    Or will you climb out of the boat and walk?

    Maybe, just maybe, it’s time to get your feet wet, Beloved.

  • One-a-Day Wednesday, 7/2/14

    number 1Take my yoke upon on you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your soul.  For my yoke is easy and my burden is light (Matthew 11:29-30).

    So here’s what I think…

    As you well know, a yoke is a contraption that allows an ox, or some other suitable creature, to pull a plow.  Oxen are yoked together in teams of two, with one ox leading, and the other ox more or less along for the ride.  This second, or “off” ox, is constrained by the yoke to follow the lead ox and do what he does.

    Jesus is inviting you to be his off ox.

    Follow his lead.  Do what he does.  Be conformed to his image.  That’s the offer.  And what is the result of this?

    You will find rest for your soul.

    Now Jesus could be talking about that rest as a reward for faithfully serving him, but I think it’s more than that.  I think rest is a natural byproduct of following Jesus.  Because following Jesus means walking in obedience to the Father, and obedience to the Father is the key to a peaceful heart.  Think about it—how could Jesus say that his yoke was easy, his burden light?  He was going to the cross to bear the sin of all mankind, and he knew it.

    He could call it easy and light because it was the Father’s will, and doing the Father’s will put him in harmony with—at peace with—the Father.  He was doing what he was sent to do.  He was fulfilling his destiny.

    When we obey God, when we allow him to direct our steps, we know peace, even when the path itself seems impossibly difficult.  When we do what we were designed to do for the One who designed us, our souls will know rest.

    Trust and obey, for there’s no other way to be happy in Jesus…

    What is he calling you to this day, Beloved?  Where are you most likely to fight against the yoke?  Could that—fighting against his lead—could that be the source of your stress today?  Could submission bring rest to your soul?

    Who am I to say?  What do I know?  But, maybe…

    Oxen are notoriously dull-witted creatures, but they manage to get it right.

    I think there’s hope for us, Beloved.

  • One-a-Day Monday 6/30/14

    number 1

    Lately I’ve noticed a lot of anxiety in the hearts around me.  Therefore, this week’s One-a-Days have a theme: Rest in Him.

    The Lord your God is with you; he is mighty to save.  He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing.  (Zephaniah 3:17).

    There’s a whole lot of great theology packed into this verse.  Walk through it with me, would you?

    The Lord your God is with you The God of the Universe, he who created everything—by which I mean everything—with his spoken word, is on your side.  He wants you to succeed; he wants you to prosper.

    He is mighty to save  This one who is on your side is the Lord of the Universe.  He has the power to protect you, to care for you.  Look, I love you, my friend, but what can I do?  God, on the other hand—when he says he’ll protect you, you know you’re protected.

    He will take great delight in you  This same Lord of the Universe we’re talking about?  He doesn’t just love you.  He likes you.  He delights in you.  You, Beloved.  You make his heart sing.

    He will quiet you with his love  God’s love has the power to calm that stressed out heart of yours.  I remember when my kids were little. Sometimes they would be upset, and I could scoop them up into my arms, hold them close, and feel their anxiety melt away.  God wants to do that with you, Beloved.

    He will rejoice over you with singing   You.  Your Father is filled with joy over you.

    Notice, nothing is said about how much you deserve all this—or don’t—so get the self-incrimination out of the way.  Just read the words—two or three or ten times—and let them sink deep.  Let him quiet you with his love this morning.

    Happy Monday, Beloved.

  • One-a-Day Friday 5/9/14

    number 1Warning: this poem–if you can call it that–kinda blindsided me.  It’s not what I intended to write today.  And yet, it’s what came out.  Read gently.

    For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it (Matthew 5:14).

    When will I let go?

    I am a child gripping candy in his fist.

    I won’t let go, even though the candy is old

    and foul

    and sticky

    and no good for me.

    I scream and wail and weep because you ask me to give you

    that which only rots my teeth

    and, frankly, tastes awful.

    It’s been on the ground, but I’ve scooped it up.

    I rubbed it on my shirt, but still it’s covered

    with dirt

    and grit

    and nasty bits.

    I can’t possibly enjoy it, but I will

    not

    let

    it

    go

    no matter how you ask.

    Why must you ask?

    Why must you be so gentle?

    Tear it from my hand, Lord—I know you could.

    Ignore the shrieks of protest.

    Ignore the tantrum.

    Just do it.

    Because if you wait for me to give it up, I fear I never will.

    Because if I…

    if I give it up, what if there is nothing else?

    What if, in spite of your promises, this sticky

    filthy

    nasty

    mess is all there is or ever will be

    of life

    of self

    of me?

    What if, once lost, I am never found?

    Oh God, you curse me with a freedom that is more than I can bear.

    Quickly now, before I can think about it

    like a splinter

    or a bandaid.

    I hold my breath

    and grit my teeth

    and close my eyes…

    and release.

  • One-a-Day Thursday, 3/13/14

    number 1…neither the present nor the future… (Romans 8:38c).  

    Neither the present…

    when I’m distracted and frazzled and busy and sad and lonely and frightened and desperate and insecure and so completely overwhelmed that I barely have time to read this silly little devotional

    nor the future…

    when I have no idea what will happen

    …though God does

    or what mistakes I will make

    …though God does

    or what sins I will commit

    …though God does

    or who will hurt me

    …though God does

    and I can only cling to his Word and trust and pray and hope that he really is all he promises to be.

    Yes, that’s about it.

    How about this: I’ll cling and trust and pray and hope for you today, and you do the same for me. Whaddaya say?

    Thanks, Beloved.