Where's the Hope?

This morning I came across a very convicting statement in 1 Peter 3:15-

"...always be ready to give a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you."

As I read over the words, I started wondering if that statement even has a place in my life right now. Do others ever see the hope that is in me? Is it even there?

It's a difficult time of year. We're losing daylight, losing our beloved warm weather, getting ready to vote for the next president, stashing away money for Christmas, starting to get bored with the day-to-day routine that began when school started last month, etc., etc., etc. But, no matter what is going on, as Christians it's a part of our job description to always have hope. And it's not just a "when we go to glory someday" kind of hope, it's a now kind of hope. It's a noticeable, out-of-the-ordinary, annoying, incorrigible hope that doesn't fade and goes beyond all reason.

Last night I caught a bit of a radio program where an author was talking about Jesus saving the prostitute by saying, "Whoever is without sin, let him cast the first stone," in John 8. The author was  explaining that, though we may haughtily think otherwise, most Christians today would fit right in with the pharisees, shouting, "Stone her!" heartily as we stick to our religious rituals and think we're better than those caught in sinful lifestyles. Are we really loving people as Jesus did, or are we just expressing our opinions by self-righteously judging those around us and ignoring the planks in our eyes? It sort of tied a knot in the pit of my stomach as I heard what he said and thought about just how wrong I am so much of the time.

More than anything, I desire to stand out in a crowd. Not because of me, but because of Him. And it's not so they see me, but because I want them to see Jesus in all of His splendor. May His hope, His love, and the fullness of who He is resound through the lifestyles that we live. He didn't make us to handle situations the way the rest of the world does by complaining and worrying and meditating on "What if?"s all day long. And yet, how often is that exactly what we're doing?

We may have a long way to go, but that's no reason to wait another minute to grow up and have some hope.

In Awe of His Glory

Sometimes I think that one of the most beautiful things God can do for us is give us something that we can't take any credit for.

Nearly two and a half years ago, I sat at our kitchen counter and painted a picture of a bird.

This really doesn't sound very magnificent, except for the fact that I'm not a painter. I'm really not. I know absolutely nothing about painting. Before that day, everything that I had ever tried to paint somehow ended up becoming a large, multicolored blob that immediately ended up folded up in the trash so that no one would ever see it.

Well, that day I couldn't help myself. I had this strange desire to paint, and, for some reason, it actually worked. I remember sitting there and hearing Jesus speak the word "feathering" to my heart, not realizing until later that this was actually a legitimate painting technique that I was using at that very moment.

Then, one summer day, I sat outside and tried to paint a tree. It looked awful, and I had just given up when I heard Jesus whisper the word "refraction." For all I knew, refraction had to do with bending light and nothing to do with painting....until I looked up "refraction in landscape painting" and discovered that this, too, was a legitimate technique, and not using it was actually what was causing all of the problems with my pitiful tree.

Needless to say, Jesus had my attention.

So, what might Jesus be wanting to do in your life today? Answer an impossible prayer? Provide an impossible amount? Or simply reveal Himself in a way that He never has before? May He be glorified in all that we do, and when we come to the end of our days may we be able to truly echo the words of Jesus in John 17:4-

"I glorified You on earth, having accomplished the work that You gave me to do."

Ever Present Presence

 

"In God’s name, I beseech you, let prayer nourish your soul as your meals nourish your body. Let your fixed seasons of prayer keep you in God’s presence through the day, and may His presence frequently remembered though it be an ever fresh spring of prayer. Such a brief, loving recollection of God renews a man’s whole being, quiets his passions, supplies light and counsel in difficulty, gradually subdues the temper, and causes him to possess his soul in patience, or rather gives it up to the possession of God."

 -Francois de Fenelon

Enough for Today

"Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble." Matthew 6:34

I'm a planner. I'm such a planner that I plan to make plans for my plans. Two and a half years ago, Jesus said, "Would you be willing to give up your plans to follow Me?"

"Follow Me." He said it so many times in the Gospels, yet somehow I had come to the conclusion that following Him would involve a five year (or maybe, if I was lucky, a ten year) plan that He would clearly reveal as soon as I grabbed a pen and piece of paper and said, "Whenever You're ready!"

Last week I had a chance to share the testimony of where God has brought me over these two and a half years in front of a congregation of nearly 200 people. It struck me as funny how I could say, "It was all so worth it!" then, knowing full well that at the start of those two and a half years I was about as eager to move ahead without plans as a cow is who is on his way to be slaughtered.

You see, what happened when I let go of my plans and grabbed onto Jesus was nothing short of a perfectly scripted, unimaginable, challenging, fulfilling journey that is just getting started. It's been two steps of obedience forward, one step of disobedience back, but He's been so incredibly good and so wonderfully patient.

Then, last night, I had a chance to share with someone else about where Jesus has brought me, and I was reminded yet again of how faithful He's been to lead the way. Every single moment of it. It's been beautiful, not because of me, but because of His goodness and the way that He's fulfilled His promises to be my Guide and Shepherd.

What about tomorrow? What about the decisions we have to make every day? What about the times when God is "silent?" What if I'm not where I'm supposed to be? What if I'm doing something wrong?

"Do you trust Me?"

It's what He always whispers to me when the questions start coming. Do you really believe that He's going to be faithful to show you the way? Then let your soul be at rest and let tomorrow worry about itself.

Freedom in His Arms

Well, dear friends, it's been far, far too long, and yet I'm not terribly sorry for not writing. It feels like everything inside of me is an egg that has been under an incubator for the past three months and is just now getting ready to hatch.

Lindsey and I have been home for a month now from a marvelous, incredible, beautiful adventure at Ellerslie Leadership Training in Windsor, Colorado. That is where we spent most of the summer, hence the lack of posts. But now I do believe that it's high time to get back to sharing with all of you about the wondrous truths that Jesus reveals to us about Himself as we strive to know Him more.

Yesterday morning I was starting to feel overwhelmed. It wasn't about any particular thing, but about a very long list of things that was being compiled in my head until I wasn't sure what direction to turn. Responsibilities, old and new, were beginning to pile on top of one another, and I was folding under the pressure.

Then, last night, I sat down on a grassy hillside that overlooked a glorious sunset, meditating on God's faithfulness over the past five years and on the journey He's taken me through. Remembering my near-panicked attitude that morning, I felt embarrassed.

As I looked down the hill and across the park, I noticed a little girl no more than two years old running along a sidewalk as fast as her tiny legs would carry her. She smiled with glee, looking as if she had finally escaped and could run free. Not too far behind her, her father ran after her and tried to catch her.

"Slow down, Lauren," he whispered. 

The girl's name caught my attention, to say the least.

"Slow down, Lauren," Jesus whispered to me. "If I've really called you to complete all of these tasks, I'll give you everything you need to take care of all of them." 

Later, I saw the same man carrying his little Lauren in his arms. She was fussing (I'm sure because she wanted to keep running) but she stayed. Maybe someday I'll learn to do the same. 

"One day you'll learn that true freedom is found when you're finally at rest in My arms. Slow down and let Me carry you."

"'Do not fear, for I am with you; Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, Surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.'" Isaiah 41:10