Healing Wounds

I recently did some research on how the process of healing takes place in physical wounds, whether serious wounds or merely scrapes, cuts or abraisions.  Our bodies are truly facinating. The scientific classic model for wound healing is divided into four sequential, yet overlapping phases: First is called “Hemostasis,” which basically is the body’s ability to create a blood clot thus stopping the bleeding. Second is, “Inflammatory Sequence,” which increases the clotting process thus attracting debris, bacteria and damaged tissue. In elementary school you probably saw the scientific cartoons of the good cells warring against the bad cells. The third stage is called, “Proliferative,” which means the growing process of new cells. Lastly, is the “Remodeling Stage,” which is the repair or reconstruction of the wounded area. I liken it to God’s way of doing plastic surgery. Of course there is much more to the whole process of healing than these mere four principles. There are “Fibroblast Cells,” that contribute to the formulation of connective tissue fibers. They also produce what is called, “Collagen,” which are proteins that form strong fibers, connective tissue between cells. Collagen increases strength in the wound. Then there is a process called, “Epithelialization,” that begins to take place. We call this, “a scab,” it is a covering or protection from outside particles and it aids the healing process by the localization of all this action into the wound that will be tightening around the edges, closing in and shrinking the wound as the healing takes place.

Jesus, while being a man walking the earth, must have had a keen discernment regarding these things as He was the one who designed them. Imagine what it must have been like to live in a physical world that was created through Him, by Him and for Him, Col. 1:16. No wonder so many of His parables and teachings were expressed through natural illustrations within the physical universe. He used many metaphores connecting the physical world to spiritual principles. One powerful metaphore which totally stumbled the “Pastors” of His day is found in The Gospel of John, 6:47-53 as He says to them, “I tell you the truth, he who believes has everlasting life.” Here is the kicker that stumbled them, “Your forefathers ate the manna in the desert, yet they died. But here is the bread that comes down from heaven, which a man may eat and not die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.” Then the next verse says, “Then the Jews began to argue sharply among themselves!” I bet! This is still the core of argument today as many religious leaders are bent on disproving Christ’s divinity. This is the main stumbling block. Then Jesus goes on to rub some salt into their indignation by saying, “Unless you eat the flesh of the son of man and drink his blood, you have no life in you……no life in you!

In tying my first paragraph into the second,  I quote from Robert W. Cummings, a missionary to India and well known writer, “Sin, (missing the mark, the relationship God desires to have with us.) amputated humanity from the source of its life in God. God in Christ takes humanity back into His body,The Source of true life, that man may eat the flesh of His body and drink the blood of His body and find life. Just as a sickly or infected part of my body can find life and strength only when it eats the flesh of my body and drinks the blood supplied by my body, so it is only as we eat the flesh of the Son of God and drink His blood that we can have life.” (Note the metaphore here regarding my first paragraph)

Life in Him begins to permeate my life both spiritually and physically (part of the same whole), while at the same time it actually enhances and pronounces my individuality  putting it all on display in all the intended glory of His Body on the earth.  As this New Year is upon us may we lay aside all our ” New Years Resolutions” for this one thing, that we may realize what it means to eat His flesh and drink his blood thus becoming truly one with Him. May our only resolve be this;  to surrender as we are empowered by The Holy Spirit to do so and may the deep wounds of our lives be localized and healed by His very being,  His presence within us and by His great love for us.

Happy New Year

Holiday Crazys

I recently saw coverage on the news of a citizen in Texas who had some cardboard cutouts on his front lawn depicting Jesus with a double barrel shot gun shooting Santa Claus and Rudolph, T.R.N.R. on his front lawn. Wow, such typical redneck evangelicalism, this could only happen in Texas. Sorry if you are from Texas!  The visual was quite impacting and at the same time humorous and then at the same time, sad indeed. Here at home, one of our most infamous atheist public protestors raised a protest about stars and angels on top of Christmas trees in our Sonoma County agency offices. The items in question were hastefully removed  fearfully, one could sense  the fear of lawsuits against the county.  That bothered me more than the atheist. At least he was confident in what he was doing!   Some of our county officials obviously do not understand our Constitution. I might add, I do support the County Supervisors, The Sheriff’s Office, the employees of the County and the job they do they do for us. I have many friends employed by Sonoma County.  Amidst the public outcry certain officials reversed their decision and placed the stars and angels back on the trees, this time, out of fear of the public. What was the Dillon song from the 70’s? You gotta fear somebody? Oh no, that was, “You gotta serve somebody.” I do appreciate the athiest’s protests however as he did more to spread the gospel in our county than most folks.  He actually called the citizens attention to the reason for the season. Good job, thanks bro! I couldn’t have done a better job of spreading the news and getting the public excited about God and taking a stand. Keep up the good work as God is using you to spread the Kingdom message. The star has always been a symbol pointing to the manger. It is amazing how God uses even what is meant for evil.

Regarding the County’s decision, Columnust, Rex Grady wrote this article in our local paper, “The decision would have been unobjectionable if it actually conformed to constitutional standards; the decision was objectionable because it didn’t. The U.S. Supreme Court is the final authority on the meaning of the Constitution. Back in 1984, in the case of Lynch v. Donnelly, the Supreme Court examined whether a municipal government may place holiday symbols with religious connotations on public property during the holiday season. Writing for the court, then-Chief Justice Warren Burger stated that such displays are permissible. The chief justice explained that the Constitution does not actually require ‘complete separation of church and state; it affirmatively mandates accommodation, not merely tolerance, of all religions and forbids hostility toward any.’ In reviewing the history of contact between religion and government, he noted, ‘The evidence of accommodation of all faiths and all forms of religious expression and hostility toward none. Through this accommodation…governmental action has followed  ‘the best of our traditions and respected the religious nature of our people.’ ” There’s nothing like reading the rules and understanding them!

What I think I see in my feeble and humble attempts to understand The Consitiution Of The United States is that the whole conversation of  “Seperation Of Church And State” is grossly mis-interpreted and mis-handled. The State was originally intended to be a protection for the church.  The State was intended to be  an agent of service to the church, not separation. The Constitution actually supports the church by protecting it from State control. When it is all said and done, the purpose of the State and Federal Government regarding religion was  suppose to have been about serving the people and their expressions of religious tradition. This is called, “Freedom!”  How do we so easily get this backwards? I think I can guess! Rex Grady ends his article with these thoughts, “It should not be forgotten that the Constitution protects social institutions, as well as individuals. There is a balance to be had. The County of Sonoma upset that balance, and it was appropriate to reverse its decision.”

As for our Texas  friend?  There is really nothing much more to it  than an excellent display of ignorance.  However, I do appreciate that The Constitution protects even his tasteless expression. I am sure if we could depict an accurate visual of how Jesus would handle Santa Claus today I see Him on his knees with a towel washing Santa’s feet and honoring him for his symbolic spirit of giving and service to children everywhere. That is just His nature! Considering all the mistreated and starving children in the world, Santa gives more hope than we do.  At least we have built some beautiful, large monuments called, “Church,” for them to read about and look at in the tattered newspapers in their local garbage cans. And what about  Rudolph? The beautiful creature would probably just lick Jesus hand as He would feed him some oats.

May God have mercy on this nation as our government seems to be desperately trying to find a way out of the mess we have created. Please, someone send us a King!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Joy

What joy? My body aches a little more each day, I am not getting enough sleep. I am 67 years old and I know death is coming to my physical body and I do not look forward to it. I excercise on a regular basis, eat healthy, try to think positive and I think I am doing my best but I can’t quite say ahead of the process my body is in. I pray, I study, I love God, He loves me, I desire Him, He desires me. I have Him, He has me, yet I struggle.  I have  good days but sometimes it seems like I have more difficult days than good ones. Maybe I should move to Italy or perhaps Costa Rica. If I could just find a better situation, something more fulfilling than merely being a pastor or a law enforcement chaplain and all the other things I think I am. I probably should write an uplifting, positive article on joy, one that might cause you to think I am just filled to the brim with joy, doing perfectly well but now that would not be very honest would it? We have enough of that kind of talk in our organized religious frameworks. I have had better days. When I was younger, carefree, less aches and pains, everything was a new adventure, fun, exciting, there seemed to be less problems than today. I think I have heard all the counsel someone might give upon reading this paragraph, I am not interested, thanks very much!  I often feel misunderstood, judged, unappreciated, and that no one really understands me. What is wrong with this picture? I am sure you never experience these thoughts about yourself but just try to imagine if you will. (Please don’t stop reading here it gets better, I promise!)

I’ll tell you what is wrong with this picture I just painted, it is all about numero uno…… me!  This is the way I think when I move off the true center or the core of my life which is Jesus Christ and become self absorbed, self conscious and focused on my own comfort and well being. There is no way back at least by my own volition. I need help! If I were to keep a journal of how many of my thoughts are about me and how many are about my Father and what He desires I think I have Him beat. In this process of thought I come to the end of myself, I throw my hands in the air and give it up. I give it all up and surrender it to Him and my confession becomes, “Take it Lord, I can’t go on like this, I can’t do this,” and He says, “I know my son, you don’t have to try harder just surrender it, cast all your cares on me, for I care greatly for you.” Then by this marvellous thing called “Grace,” the deep, deep joy begins to flood my being like warm oil being poured into my soul. My eyes begin to see differently. I begin to see the way I described myself in the first paragraph is not who I really am. It is me cut off from my Source of Life. I can’t wait to be in our little church out in Alexander Valley on Sunday, I can’t wait for my next Chaplain call, I can’t wait for the next funeral or wedding. The joy comes in pouring one’s life out for others.This journey is truly an adventure and I would change nothing! I am exactly where God wants me to be. The days of my life that are like my description in the first paragraph of this article are fewer as I grow older. I am beginning to see the great value in aging, less ego, more reflexion and insights than ever before. I think I am finally becoming a real father through much trial, error and struggle. Nothing comes easy except trusting in Him. Maybe that is why Jesus says, “My yoke is easy, my burden is light!”

We were created for joy. It is our inheritance, it is a gift, it comes from God and is not regulated by circumstances. Lasting joy is not intrinsic within us, at least not the lasting joy that God brings.  Nehemiah 8:10 says, “The joy of The Lord is my strength.” I especially love the expression of joy being a gift in Luke 1:44 as Elizabeth’s baby leaps for joy in his mother’s womb as Mary’s boy also unborn enters the same room. The word, “joy” as used here in this verse is from the Greek, “agalliasis” which means literally,” Highly elated,” “Jublilant,” “Exultant,” to exult is to be so excited as to jump, dance, twirl, spin and all other expressions of excitement. Luke 2:10, “But the angel said to them, Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will come to all the people.”

In closing I quote Romans 15:13 as Paul speaks to the believers in Rome, “May the God of your hope so fill you with all joy and peace in believing through the experience of your faith that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound and be overflowing (“bubbling over,” {amplified version} ) with hope. This is a good close. Selah!

Have a wonderful Christ Day, what a beautiful, beautiful time of the year.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Time, a most precious gift

I usually wake up early in the morning sometime between 12:30-1:30 A.M and lie awake for about an hour. Often times I will get out of bed, go into my office and read as it helps me get back to sleep. Most often however, I get inspiration for this blog or for what I am going to share in church. This morning I awakened as usual and began to think about the issue of “Time.” All the old cliches about time came to mind like; “It’s about time!”, or “Time is on our side,” how about, “I have no time,” “Time heals all wounds,”  “I am out of time,” or, “There just isn’t enough time in the day!”  I love that one! About all we have for sure is time, we are just not sure how much. Then there is, “Time out!” or “It’s time for change,” (That’s been big in Washington D.C. lately), or ” That was perfect timing ,”  this conversation could go for a long time. “It’s Time to move on!”

Time for me is the most precious gift of life. Time means I exist, I live and have being. Time produces beautiful symphonies, words of blessing and life. Time produces children, poetry, nature, artistry of paints, woods, and metals, sculptures, books, work accomplished, the ability to walk on the moon. Time may be filled with love or hate, life or death, blessings or curses. Unfulfilled time may feel like boredom, listlessness, lack of direction and purpose. Time may be filled with drugs or alcohol abuse, it is all our choice. Time may be wasted or well spent. I have experienced times of listlessness, wandering around my house, turning the t.v. on and off, seeking some stimulation, finding none, walking to the back yard, the front yard wondering what is next, hoping to find it. This shouldn’t be happening to me and I really shouldn’t be telling you about it, after all, what might you think about me?  Time spent being honest is probably the most valuable investment of  time don’t you think?

The best example I know of regarding time well spent is the life of Jesus. He was focused, intentional, aware, passionate, always moving in a specific direction. It seems to me the way he found his way was by having a proper center or core. In the realm of physical fitness there is a lot of emphasis on the “core.” Core is the center of our being or “center of strength.” Jesus’ core of strength was not in himself and that is important to emphasize. In other words,  He was not “self centered.” His core purpose was to do the will of his Father and follow the leading of The Holy Spirit. Because he was centered properly His time was as we say, “Well spent.” 33 years was not only enough it was the perfect amount time for him on the earth. It was enough time, adequate time, all the time needed to accomplish all that was willed for him by The Father.  Because he was centered properly, every moment of time in his life was a precious commodity, well spent, well stewarded. Great things transpire in short periods of time. Consider the work accomplished on the cross, only three days in the grave and then resurrection changing the cosmos forever and ushering in the promised Kingdom Of God upon the earth. In that short period of time the future was united with the present as well as the past and a new hope was established for all who would believe, as Jesus spoke in Mark 1:15, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand.” 

The offer for us as well is the same as it was for Jesus. We are free to move off our self-centered core and respond the same way Jesus did. There were significant times Jesus spent alone with his Father. We need those times also, especially in light of a culture that is racing, sometimes it feels like we are racing over a cliff. We need time spent alone, time spent in contemplation and meditation. We need time for silence in order to hear what we need to hear. We need time to listen.

Time is a most precious gift. Time is truly on our side if we steward it as the gift it is. There is enough time for you and for me to “git er done!” Well, I should quit writing now…..”I’m out of time!”

Inspiration

Friday,  my wife and I drove to Carmel, California to visit my son, his wife and our five grandkids. I must say it was like heaven being with them. We all had dinner together on Friday night and my son drove us around the area on Saturday as we shopped, laughed a lot and looked at 8-20 million dollar homes. My son works for a real estate firm in Carmel as a motivational trainer and administrator. My daughter-in-law homeschools all 5 kids and does a wonderful job. She is a master teacher. She helps them not only with their studies, she teaches them stewardship as they are trained in caring for their horses, chickens and various animals. The weather was perfect and the ocean was especially beautiful as the swells that day were around 14 feet. Then yesterday at church up in Alexander Valley we had such a sweet service. Several children spontaneously came to the front and shared, one sang a beautiful song about “Father.” It was deeply moving and spirit led , two little girls wept as they prayed for us as a church and then asked for prayer for their family who is struggling and then we dedicated a baby. Following the service we all sat down to a Christmas feast of ham, turkey, sweet potatoes and other hightly inspirational foods like pumpkin pie, home made cookies and sweet, sweet fellowship, completely free from any judgementalism and doctrinal dogmatism,  just a tender  church family time.  It was such a great weekend, I felt fulfilled and encouraged. Today I am coming off the high of the weekend and once again faced with some of the mundane aspects of life as I must be responsible with what lies before me and get back into my routines.

Today is a new day, yesterday now consists of only memories yet I sense I am somehow changed and the changes are all part of the process of transformation. In other words, “It’s all good!”  But now I am faced with the desire for fresh inspiration. I have today and the rest of my life in front of me. Inspiration is a word that I have assumed I understand but I have done some study and found some depth in the word that I did not have before. “Inspiration”  is defined; “The act of drawing air into the lungs, the inhaling of air; a branch of respiration and opposed to expiration. The act of breathing into anything. The infusion of ideas into the mind by the Holy Spirit (I am quoting from Webster’s 1828 Dictionary) the conveying into the minds of men and women, ideas, notices or monitions by extraordinary or supernatural influence, or the communication of the divine will to the understanding by suggestions or impressions on the mind, which leave no room to doubt the reality of their supernatural origin.”  Webster quotes II Timothy 3:16, “All scripture is given by inspiration of God.” Then he interprets the word “Inspire” like this, “To infuse or suggest ideas or monitions supernaturally, to communicate divine intstructions to the mind. “Monition,” (not very common in todays language) has the same meaning basically as “admonition” which is to gently reprove, a caution, a warning given by way of caution.

I am expecting the supernatural today. I desire and need fresh inspiration. I wait for it, I long for it!  As great as my experiences were this past week I need the breath of inspiration for today. I am hungry again for what is next, for a today word from God. I desire new creativity, a new song, a new idea, renewed enthusiasm and excitement for this day. His mercies are new every morning and this morning I breathe in His Spirit as I wait with expectation and anticipation for His inspiration and newness of life and continuing direction. I so look forward to those things I have never seen, heard or thought of before. As I wait on God this day I also pray for you that this day will bring a deepening of inspiration, encouragement and life abundant as this is your inheritance as sons and daughters.

 Breathe in deeply my friend and be filled!

Christmas Bells

I love the sound of bells, especially during the Christmas Season. They remind me of so many things pleasant from the past. There are little bells, sleigh bells, school bells, church bells, bells used by skilled musicians creating beautiful songs, I love them all. While visiting Florence, Italy we heard giant bells from the cathedral in the center of the city. They were so majestic, catching our attention for the moments of sound spreading over the entire area.

The book of Exodus gives us the earliest mention of bells in Scripture. It speaks of small golden bells which tinkled around the hem of the Levitical high priest in Exodus, 28:33.  Also, Zechariah spoke of the bells adorning the harnesses of the horses, in Zechariah 14:20. If one carefully studies the history of bells they have been around almost as long as man has existed. I wonder if there are bells around the throne of God?

Bells have been a means to call people together. Charles Wesley and George Whitfield used bells to call people into the middle of their towns, so they could preach the message of Christ to them. Bells have been used inside the belfries of the world’s grandest cathedrals, where it has often required up to sixty men to ring them. Bells were ringing in the tiny steeples of the smallest country churches, where worshipers would be called to gather. We still do this in our little church out in Alexander Valley.

Bells have been used to indicate time. Now we have sirens at noon which have replaced the bells. Bells not only announce and declare but also pronounce imminent war. In the eleventh and twelfth century, most war ships had bells mounted to them. When the bell was heard the crew would prepare for battle. In Richmond, Virginia, the Second Baptist Church donated their bronze bells to Robert E. Lee’s Confederate army to be melted down and made into cannons. And during times of peace, these cannons and other weapons of war have been in turn melted down and made back into bells. In peace or war we cannot lose sight of the meaning and purpose of the bell throughout history.

I believe most of mans creations of artistry, music and all edifying expressions have existed throughout eternity. May we hear the distinct sound of the bells of celebration through these days of difficulties which surround our lives and our nation. They call us to worship, to joy, to family, to desire for Him and for one another. 

Listen! Can you hear them?

Belive It Or Not

Remember “Ripley’s Believe It Or Not?” I notice it is still on T.V. I recently saw a man on the program with a 5″ tongue who could lick his eye. Another person could twist his body into several knots. Why would anyone want to do that? Ripley traveled all over the world looking for strange phenomena and writing about it. This was way back in the 30’s 40’s era and I remember reading a column in my local newspaper each week regarding his strange findings. Ripley lived in Santa Rosa and happens to be buried in a cemetery about two miles from my home.  I have run across his gravesite many times as I have conducted many graveside services in that cemetery. I use to take my 2nd grade class to visit the tombstone when I was a teacher. They loved it!

The way the bible is written kind of leaves us with the “Believe It Or Not” proposition. It all starts in Genesis 1:1 which says, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” He just did, take it or leave it! There is not a whole lot of explanation as to why, where or how, the fact just is……. As I read through the bible I am always faced with the facts and I believe or I don’t  believe or I just question, “How can these things be?”  It’s all good, just part of life. God did it because He wanted to, take it or leave it, what more is there? “Believe It Or Not!”

Thank goodness there is a little more explanation to believing than just,” Take it or leave it.” In Romans 1:19-20 there is a wonderful consolation for us and it goes like this: (paraphrased)” Everything that God wants us to know is made clear and plain to us because God has made it plain!” I emphasize, “everything  He wants us to know,” that’s all, no more! We simply do not get to know everything we want, only what He wants. Isn’t this the way in all aspects of life? The next piece of this scripture brings a little more light on this as it states in verse 20, (again paraphrased), For since the beginning (Genesis 1:1 which is specifically the creation of the world in which we exist and we know) God’s invisible qualities, His attributes, His nature, ideas, desires, temperment, personality, beauty, loveliness, kindness, generousity, compassion, committment, promise, love, His divine nature, heavenly nature, perfect nature, nurturing nature, living nature, redeeming nature, saving nature, forgiving nature have been clearly seen……..clearly seen…….clearly seen…….clearly seen……clearly seen…..Am I making a point here? Good, you are astute this day! His nature is clearly seen, being understood by what has been made, so that men are without excuse.  “Believe It Or Not,” your choice, my choice!

 Last week as I stood in a little room very early in the morning as the dawn was breaking, high on a hill overlooking the beautiful Tomales Bay which could be viewed through a beautiful little valley with Redwood trees on both sides. I watched as clouds rolled overhead, light fog blowing across the waters, I was thrust into the true cathedral of God’s created order. As hawks flew in harmony with the other smaller birds  it all became a glorious orchestra of light, of sight and sound……..and I was well into the mystery of it all. While I felt like a very small part in the total scheme of life I realized this is all for me and for you. I thought I heard God say, “Enjoy this  my son as I enjoy it with you.” I worshiped!

The scriptures in Romans 1 following vs.20 are grievious as it begins in verse 21, “Although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like a mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles. They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator-who is forever praised.”  As I have heard preachers refer to these verses many times there has often been a disgust and arrogance projected toward others as if we all have never been guilty of these things ourselves! Then I have heard what I perceive to be an almost gleeful distain as the words, “God gave them over to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another.” It is always good to know there are people who are doing what I would never, never do! It’s good to have an ememy I can look down on so I won’t feel so bad about myself. I think a more redemptive response would be tears over those people described, (especially gossips)  and tears for God that there are those who would not worship a God who is so worthy of the worship of all creation.  Sorry, I am getting a bit off the theme here.  Believe that!

In an elementary school in Michigan this week a class of students was asked to draw pictures that remind them of Christmas.  An eight year old drew a picture of Jesus crucified on the cross and was expelled. Believe It Or Not!

I cry for us!

The Acutal And The Ideal

I just returned from West Coast Post Trauma Retreat in Inverness, Ca.,  having spent 5 days there as resident Chaplain. There are now 5 Chaplains on staff as the Retreats are taking place about every 6-7 weeks. I do three per year which is three weeks of my time but time well spent.  The Retreat is a secular theraputic program, peer based, clinician led for first responders (Law Enforcement, Fire, Medical) who are suffering from extreme post traumatic stress. They have seen and experienced too much. It has been a great learning experience for me as I am not to evangelize but to be available to listen, to encourage, to pray for a client, only if requested. It has been a tremendous education in developinging  listening skills. A lot of my religious ideas regarding who I think I am have been gently shattered as I move out of the way and watch God work just fine without me and then using me in the most sensitive ways, fewer words, fewer opinions yet words spoken in sensitivity and in season. As long as I kept my focus on Him I was able to be sensitive in this way. You may visit the website if you would like more information. Just go to “West Coast Post Trauma Retreat.”

I have many friends who were praying for my time last week and I was surprised by what happened the first night. I began to develop a sore throat which moved into my lungs and for the entire time there I was fairly ill. I was really disturbed by the fact, I did not want the clients or peers to get my cold yet many of them already had colds so I remained through the week keeping my mouth covered when coughing so as not to spread whatever it was I had.

With all the prayer directed toward the week I was counting on going into the situation in power and strength but these words kept coming to me, “Your weakness, My power!” It became the theme for me throughout the week and I watched God begin to work in many wonderful ways which I really cannot share with you as the confidentiality factor is extremely important as you can well understand.

There were two significant patterns of thought I experienced during my time there. There were my pre-conceived ideas about how I wanted God to use me and then there was the actual way He used me. The two were extremely different and I was somewhat disappointed that He did not do things my way. I would interpret it this way; There is the actual and the ideal. The ideal is my “religious” presumption of how it should all work based what I have chosen to believe about God and what He thinks and what He wants.  Then there is the actual will of God which so often brings surprise and revelation.    

I am meditating on a scripture this morning that continues to surprise and amaze me. It is found in Romans 11:32-36, “For God has bound all men over to disobedience so that he may have mercy on them all.”  Meditate on just that today! Then it goes on to say; “Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgements, and his paths beyond tracing out! Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor? Who has ever given to God, that God should repay him? For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen.”

May God protect all of us from “The Bible Answer Man,” and the things we think we understand and continue to surprise us by leading us into the things we don’t know we don’t know!  Discern for us today O God the distinction between the actual and the ideal.

The Scent Of Water

As I walked outside this morning I could pick up the scent of moisture in the air as clouds are moving in and we should get some much needed rain soon. I love the rain. We need the water, we must have it to survive yet it so easy to take it for granted. It has just always been there for me all my life without thinking much about it  yet my survival depends upon it. About the only time I give it much thought is when I am thirsty.

All living things upon the earth depend on water for survival. As I have been reading the book of Job in The Old Testament I noted chapter 14 as Job was suffering greatly on many levels. He was awaiting deliverance and resurrection from his many troubles. I mean consider his life, he lost his kids, all of them, his livestock which was his wealth, he was described as sitting in the ashes and scraping painful boils off  his body with a broken piece of pottery. He states his case before God and his friends in 14:7 when he says, “At least there is hope for a tree; If it is cut down, it will sprout again, and its new shoots will not fail. Its roots may grow old in the ground and its stump die in the soil, yet at the scent of water it will bud and put forth shoots like a plant. I am focusing on “The scent of water” this day.

I heard recently that when mesquite is cleared off the land (mesquite grows in dry arid regions) no matter how hard they try to eradicate it with bull dozers or whatever, if there is as much as a very small root buried in the ground it will move toward the scent of water as scarce as it may be and take root and grow back into a mesquite plant. As I consider the fall of mankind and the sending of  the first man and woman out of the beautiful garden into the dry and arid regions of the earth there was a remnant of life left in them that would cause them to thirst when catching the scent of water. God always leaves a trace of the scent doesn’t He?

I love the analogy of the coming of Christ in Isaiah 53 comparing His birth to physical, growing things. Verse 2, “He grew up like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground”. Moving up to verse 4, “He took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows,” It must have been a desert for Him. Later in the Gospels while on the cross as the load of your sins and mine is weighing Him down he cries out, “I thirst.” When King David found himself in the Desert of Judah he cried out in Psalms 64:1, “O god, you are my God, earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you, my body longs for you, in a dry and weary land where there is no water.” And the beautiful beatitudes, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst……….” 

As Jesus encounters the Samaritan woman at the well and asks her for a drink in John 4:7,  He is setting her up to make her the offer of her life when in verse 10 He states, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.” Interesting to note how he did not make her wrong or even correct her, He merely offered the scent of the water of life………at no cost to her.

In conlusion to my thoughts I quote Revelation 22:1-3 which I assert is not a futuristic promise but a present reality. Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month, and the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations.” If this is merely for the future and not the present, then  we should  “Eat, drink and be merry” because woe is us!

Ah, the pleasant scent of water this beautiful day!  Take time to let the moist aroma of living water permeate every fiber of your being. Remember, you don’t make yourself thirsty, it comes through lack, through trial, through the pain of life, It comes in the desert. I love this quote from Kierkegaard, “With the help of the thorn in my foot, I spring higher than anyone with sound feet.” Oh God, my God may I find the scent of your rivers of life in this dry and arid desert of stress and trouble  and may the thirst for you never, never stop.

I will not be writing now for the next 6 or 7 days. Please pray for my time at The West Coast Post Trauma Retreat as I know the clients I meet in the next 5 days  will pick up the scent of water and become thirsty. I have water for them.

Despair

What a despairing word! I have often thought of  “Despair” as, depression, feeling down, having dread, etc. The meaning of “Despair” according to Webster is; “Without hope, specifically, loss of hope in the mercy of God.”  Hope is another interesting word and Webster has this to say regarding the meaning, “A desire of some good, accompanied with at least a slight expectation of obtaining it, or a belief that it is obtainable.” Hope differs from “wish” and “desire” in this, that it implies some expectation of obtaining the good desired, or the possibility of possessing it. Hope therefore always gives pleasure or joy; whereas wish and desire may produce or be accompanied with pain and anxiety.” How often are my wishes and desires not founded on what God wants but what I want?

In yesterday’s article, “Where is God When it Hurts,” I quoted II Corinthians 4:8, “We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned, struck down, but not destroyed.” I often have the feelings of being perplexed,  persecuted (judged wrongly), struck down, abandoned, yet none of it even compares with the same source of these feelings that Paul was experiencing. He was living in the midst of religious persecution because of his faith. Most of the persecution I experience is not from others but from myself. Hmmmm, interesting!    Up until now it seems I have been my own worst enemy, and I so want to blame the devil……or you!

In a recent article I mentioned my friend Isaac Lehr and his passing from this life in his mid thirties due to cancer. Last night I had the privilege of spending some time with his mother, Mary. When her son died I saw the look of despair in her eyes. As we spoke of Isaac I could see a new hope beginning to invade the shadows of the despairing sadness that had been in her countenance. None of us know what it is like to lose a son or daughter unless we have been there. Her feelings of despair and sadness was the price she paid for loving him and caring for him throughout his life. Her feelings of despair have been a normal reaction. Jesus felt despair in the garden when He cried out to His Father for release from “The Cup.” The Father heard Him and I am sure with a compassion that if it could be heard with human ears must have been  be like a million thunder storms of flashing light and sound. He left the cup in His Sons hands to continue to drink from until “It was finished.”  The Son was obedient unto death.

Mary’s sense of despair will not overcome her. She is being healed as I sensed something powerful and wonderful has been added to her life through her experience of Isaac’s death. You see Mary never lost hope in the mercy of her God. Just as Isaac’s cup was lifted and we all cried, “let his cup pass,” Father left it in his hand to finish, Mary’s cup also has been lifted to God until she drinks to the dregs. At the bottom of the cup is life abundant, pressed down, shaken, flowing over to spill out over all those whose lives she touches. Isaac’s ministry on this earth began when he was born but now continues on in a powerful way and in ways we do not see or understand.

Lord, may we all have the grace and sense of your mercy as we also hold our cups and even when we cry out as Jesus did when He said in Matthew 26:39, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.” It says he then returned to His disciples, spoke to them and then in verse 42 it says, He went away a second time and prayed, ‘My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done.” His will was done, may it be so for us! There are many well meaning folks who are actually praying against the cup, hoping for a miracle to help their unbelief. Peter was one such man as he tried to save Jesus from drinking the cup when Jesus said, “get behind me……” Peter finally changed his mind upon failing so miserably in his denial of Jesus, he repented, turned, faced another direction and placed his own cup to his lips.