knowing and doing

Leo Tolstoy is known for some of the greatest writing ever, and for his powerful words on the kingdom of God and the difference that can make on this earth, and in this life. The problem is that he didn't live it out well, by some accounts. He and his wife lived in a love-hate (and maybe hate should be put in bold, or capitalized letters) relationship. (I learned this from this book)

We in Jesus know more than we do, or practice. As we go along in our lives, hopefully the gap is narrowing. I can look at my life and see how in some ways that certainly is true. The one who built his house on the rock in Jesus' story, not only heard his teachings, but based his life on them.

But is there value in someone's words, like Tolstoy's, even though it seems he didn't come close to living up to them? I think there is. He saw something in Jesus that was beautiful and true. Something that hopefully beckoned him on, and that most certainly helped him see that the answer is not in anything this world has to offer. A part of the hope in Jesus we have, as we pray, "Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven."

What do you think on this?

God honors the faithful

Oftentimes we make much of the sin of unbelief, and it is a serious sin, indeed. But the hinge on which Israel of old failed in the Old Testament was unfaithfulness. They were not faithful to the covenant of their God.

Yes, we continue to walk by faith. But we're to walk by faith faithfully. I like the TNIV translation concerning Enoch:

Enoch walked faithfully with God; then he was no more, because God took him
away.

Genesis 5:24

"Faithfully" is added, because that is what characterized this walk with God on Enoch's part. Of course it was by faith, and done with love and hope, to be sure.

Are we faithful to our God? In the little things, as well as the big. Are we working on shoring up our lack of faithfulness in any area or issue, where needed? God the Spirit is working on all in Jesus, that we may all be faithful to our God to the very end.

Let's remember too, Jesus' teaching that the one who is trustworthy in little is also trustworthy in much, and the one who is not so in what seems small, is not so overall, or in the bigger things.

Lord, Let me be faithful to you, and give me sensitivity when I am not.

What would you like to add to this?

at a loss?

Sometimes we don't know what to do in a given situation. I have a particular case in mind, and it seems that after doing the same thing over and over, it is making little difference in this person's life. And I don't know what to do.

Not knowing what to do can mean that I'm no longer willing very well, to keep doing what we've been doing. It seems fruitless, though in itself, it's a good thing. And I know the person needs it. I also know it has its limitations, inherent in the practice itself, as well as in me, limited as I am. Yet I find that while prayer is important through this and everything else, it is also important to stay true to this person in a relationship, as well as to the good that can be done in that relationship and fellowship with him.

So I must strengthen my heart and my "hands" to continue on in the work I've been doing. More than just a work to be sure, as it's with a friend. But wanting to see God's breakthrough in his life, so that in Jesus, he can realize the good that the Lord has truly planted in his heart.

I know this is a bit nebulous, but from your own experience and thoughts on this, in relation to God's revealed will in Jesus, what would you like to add here?

memorial day

Memorial Day is our first Summer holiday here in the United States, and in it we remember the soldiers of the United States who have died in military action to defend the freedoms we enjoy here. Flowers adorn the cemetaries of such, and I'm sure from whatever country any reader may be from and a citizen of, you too would want to remember and honor your nation's men and women who have made the ultimate sacrifice.

As a Christian whose identity is found as one belonging to Jesus and part of the one holy nation, the church, scattered all over the world, I too would like to remember those Christians who likewise have made the ultimate sacrifice. For Jesus and the gospel, and for the kingdom of God in Jesus many have sacrificed their very lives as martyrs for the faith and their fidelity to it. We need to remember such and pray for those who continue to suffer today.

In gratitude to God for his mercies to us in Jesus, we're to present our bodies to God as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to him, which is true worship. A living sacrifice. Meaning that each day our lives should be at God's disposal, given over to him gladly so that his will can be realized in and through them. For some of us in the world, this may mean severe persecution and death. To follow Jesus requires that we not shrink back from whatever that may involve. That we look to God and depend on the Spirit to help us in whatever we face.

What thoughts might you like to add to this?

don't despise the simple things

We may want to do something great, not necessarily to call attention to ourselves- which would be a sin, but because we want to please the Lord and do well in his eyes. What was pressed home to me Saturday was the need to do well in the simple, humble things. In which the main thing one is doing is simply seeking to be faithful.

I met with a brother. We went over a study guide on forgiveness, beginning a lesson on Psalm 32. All we said I think was Scripturally sound, and it seemed to me inanely simple. So I have to admit I had a kind of contempt for it, probably thinking to myself I'd be glad when it's over. Yet I did enjoy fellowship with the guy I met with, and he seemed to genuinely appreciate our exchange as I sought to be a good listener and encourager, as well as our time of prayer afterwards. And I sensed that the Lord was pleased with that time.

This goes to show that I must beware of thinking I need to do something that is great in the sense of using my gift as well as I can. Yes, I want to do that, but what came home to me from this is that I simply need to be faithful. That this should be my goal. And not to despise the time of what seems to be simple things.

We do like to get beyond the milk to the meat of the word of God. We want to be challenged to grow to be like Jesus, which means to be missional since Jesus himself was missional (as our pastor Jack Brown pointed out to us yesterday). We want to move on. Yet even in the simplicity of those nearly two hours at a nearby bagel, coffee place, I could see that what we did really did move us to that end, as this man expressed the vision he has for a ministry that can impact others.

I want to have that sense of the Lord's approval in my life. Not just to hear it someday, which by grace we hope to. But also to sense it now, that God is pleased with us and what we do. And in that, let's be careful not to despise the humble things and seemingly little tasks. For in such we find ourselves in the way of Jesus.

What might you like to add to this?

don't be overwhelmed

When I look at problems we face of different kinds, or challenges ahead for me, I can tend to become a bit overwhelmed and want to run and hide from it.

I have felt somewhat overwhelmed lately. I knew Sunday would be a busy day, going to the nursing home not long after church in the morning, then soon after that heading back out for homegroup in the evening.

So I ended up sleeping much of Friday evening with Deb at work. And then felt guilty as I slept in fairly late Saturday morning. Then, instead of getting done some needed reading for this coming week I slept some more Saturday, too much more, and not all on purpose, either. While tired and knowing just how tired I can end up being the first part of a week, I think there was a strong sense of just wanting to avoid the challenge so that I was procrastinating, something I can do well.

Sunday ended up being a blessed day both in our singing and in the word: Psalm 104 at the nursing home, and Psalm 90 with the homegroup. The Lord certainly answered prayer. But I still have that sense of feeling overwhelmed and in over my head with what lies ahead. And also the desire for some real sabbath, so that we can kick back and relax. And enjoy this wonderful Spring, which though just a bit chilly was wonderful in its beauty yesterday, with blue skies all day.

What is there that is good about being overwhelmed, and what are the dangers of that? For me it's good in that I am cast on God in prayer. I know I can't do it, that all is a work of God, but that by prayer he takes us up into his work and does it through us. Not of ourselves, yet we can work in the working of God- even together with him. What is dangerous for me is simply the temptation to want to hide. To think it's too much. We each have our part; it may seem small, but it's significant to the whole. I could see that last night in our homegroup as people participated in our time there.

What helps you to not be overwhelmed with the ongoing responsibilities and challenges of life?

Halfmom, AKA, Susan speaks to this subject on her posting today, so much better than I!

expectations

We often live too held in the grip of others' expectations of us. This begins in our youth when children naturally want to please their parents (should be a good thing, of course). Then it can carry on into adolescense, when we want to be "cool" to our peers. And it goes on from there, hopefully a person finding their niche in life, but often still largely beholden to the expectations of others: their employer and "boss" over them.

I have found that those people who seem to me to walk closest to God, are the ones who seem less concerned about meeting other's expectations. For them it's about following the Lord, being faithful to him and to his calling. And letting the chips fall where they may. Their part is simply to be faithful.

Of course this is a life that involves, not so much meeting expectations, but walking by faith. As we do that in Jesus, we end up more and more wanting to please God. And in that, it's not like a list out there of things we need to do to please him. It's more like, and increasingly so as we walk in this journey of faith- more like things that we also begin to love, which are loved by God. Priorities we can call kingdom priorities, which in our growing love of our God we take to heart as the things that are near and dear to God's own heart.

Therefore, I should want to do God's will more and more because I love the One whose will that is for me. Of course this doesn't always feel good. And often it does fly in the face of my wants and perceived needs. But just the same we in Jesus would press on, ardently and passionately given over to the will of our Father, by the Son and in the Spirit- to the will of our God, so that all other things, things people expect of us, or the world expects of us, are put in their proper places.

What do you think about this? What insights might you have to help us here?

praying

Praying is a wonderful privilege we have from God. God wants us to speak to him. He actually listens, chooses to listen to our prayers. We have to cultivate this practice, but it's a practice in which we ought first, as a rule, to listen and seek to "hear" God. This is from meditative, prayerful reading of the Bible, God's word. And in silence, reflecting on what God may be saying to us as we reflect on our lives and on life itself. Not that we can't come to God when need arises, or trouble strikes. We need to cry out to God during those times, as we see repeatedly in the psalms.

God wants us to pray because this is an indication of true faith in him, and God desires communion with us. In Jesus we have this access to God, through Jesus' blood, that is, his death for us, and his resurrection, so that we can come to God in him, knowing full well that no matter how troubled we are, and sinful, he will hear us, if we come to him, in and because of Jesus. And indeed, we must ever come to him, just as we are.

There is nothing more encouraging than having a time of prayer with God in which I sense that I'm really praying to him and that he's hearing that prayer and helping others or myself- in my often poor, feeble prayers. It's like getting caught up sometimes into something beyond us, into the love and unfolding good will of God in Jesus. Though what we see others walk through, as well as what we walk through, will often be challenging in this life, and prayer will sometimes be difficult. To learn to pray during the bad times, as well as good. To be devoted to prayer. This is an important part of the will of God for us in Christ Jesus during this present life.

What would you like to add to this? How has God helped you in your prayer life?

looking good

Looking good is so overrated. What I'm thinking of is in our serving in ministry; how we come across. If people are blown away by us, then their focus is wrong; if people are unimpressed by us, then we're in good company.

We want, in Jesus, to be faithful. We want God's work to go forward through our prayers and lives and service. Whatever anyone thinks about us is beside the point. As God does his work, they can learn to see what's really important. That it's not about us, but it's all about him.

And what's most important is that they may see Jesus in and among us. Yes, by grace to actually see him in sensing that there's much more to us than meets the eye. Really nothing else matters at all. That is what counts in God's eyes, and needs to be our priority and passion.

What would you add or any thoughts on this?

be faithful where you're at

When we read the Story from God in Scripture we find the Story involving a bunch of people who lived much of their lives on the margins, not in the center of the world. This was true of Abraham, moving from the center of civilization in his day, in answer to what must have been a rather obscure, even though clear call from God to leave and find a new promised land.

Even as great as David is in Scripture there is hardly a whimper of him in the annals of world history. And Jesus himself lived in the margins most of his life. Around the age of thirty he did most of his ministry in Galilee, north of the center of the nation, Judea- and Jerusalem. And even in his ministry in Galilee he avoided the big cities with hardly a mention of them in the New Testament. Jesus did most of his work in villages and small towns and in the countryside.

Too often I'm afraid I can be quite discontent where I'm at and think of my work and life as of very little consequence. Yet it's of big consequence to my wife and daughter and to those around me, especially those I see daily. As well as to those Christians who gather with me. Even to the few I have contact with in the blog world and on emails. Everything is important in its place and time.

Teaching a toddler to walk, letting them try and fall and praising them for the one or two steps they manage is like how our Father sees us. We believe in Jesus, becoming newborn babies. Then the time comes for us to learn to walk in Jesus. God is there to encourage and help us by his Spirit and his word, and through others he places in our lives. Learning this walk is big in God's eyes. And to trust and obey him in that- big.

Often this faithfulness is needed in the midst of difficulty and disappointment. That's big in God's eyes too, as we learn to better follow God as dearly loved children, even through these problems.

We need to take it step by step in our lives. We need to have eyes and a heart to see what God has set before us to do, and to not despise the day of small things. God doesn't. Indeed that's how God works in this world. He starts from the small and seemingly insignificant. And from that, God's kingdom and work in Jesus even through us becomes evident and real. Jesus himself is seen in us.

What would you like to add to this?

the small things

We read in Scripture that God does not despise the day of small things. What is small in our eyes, often is not so in God's eyes. And what is large in our eyes, often is not so in God's eyes.

There are those times to be there for someone in helping pull the ox out of the ditch by prayer and in works of love. But most of life hinges on the smaller matters. Faithfulness in the everyday things. Seeking to do well in all we're called to do. And thinking of small things we could do or say that in Jesus can go a long way in helping another. Praying faithfully for our loved ones, for brothers and sisters in Jesus and for friends and enemies- keeping at that in small ways, regardless how insignificant it may seem at the time.

Jesus said that those who are faithful in small things are also faithful in greater things. And those not faithful in small matters are unfaithful in larger matters. What we do in the small areas really does matter.

Am I negligent on a small matter because I'm too engaged in the big things? Too bad. That is normally wrong. We need to not let the small matters slip by, such as a faithful prayer, a faithful listening ear and heart, faithfully seeking to come into God's presence to hear his word in our reading of Scripture and his voice. Blessing others with attitudes of love, grace and forgiveness.

This is part of what God has been working on in my life lately. Never to despise the day of small things. But to seek diligently to follow our Lord, together, in everything.

What would you add to this?

when we get off track

One of the most challenging problems I run up against for myself, is how easy it is for me to get off track in regard to my relationship with God in Christ. The great thing about this, though, is that God is ever present for us, in Jesus. And we can just as readily get back on track, as we got off. But we must want and choose this. This must be nothing less than a passion for us. Not only a belief. And we must also do so as soon as we realize this. To stay off track is to increasingly make it harder to get back on track.

I like how lost and miserable I feel when I'm off track. That indeed is an indication that I am. But getting off track can seem exhilerating or alright when we are doing that. Or it's like drifting. The point in this is that we're not following Jesus when we get off track. Our aim should be that we will follow him, no matter what, regardless of how we feel or what we're experiencing. And sometimes that will mean getting back on track in what could threaten to put us on a false track. This can happen often in many ways, seemingly small ways during one's day, and we have to learn to recognize this as it happens, so as to get back on, through realizing, acknowledging, repenting and by faith getting back on the Jesus way.

The way of Jesus. He kept on track himself, in following the road laid out for him, the road of the cross. A life of love and obedience to the Father. Only that kind of love can overcome all the false loves and idols we so easily become enamored by and even cling to. God help us to get back on track more and more readily. And to get off, less and less. That we might be among those who truly walk faithfully with God throughout our lives.

for the long haul

None of us knows how long we have here on earth before our time is up, or as we in Jesus say, before the Lord takes us "home". But I think it's important to note that while we're to live as those who are ready for our Lord's return- any day, now- we need also to be ready to honor God with our lives, over the long haul. This is what it means for us to offer our bodies as a living sacrifice to God, in gratitude for his mercies to us in Jesus- an act of true worship (Romans 12:1).

To be in it in this way is to be faithful to the end, not to the bitter end, either, though at times life may very well seem bitter. But God is with us in Jesus by the Spirit, to take off the edge, and add a sweetness that is of him, into the mix. This is how we're to live, not a down in the mouth, servile, grim existence, but a delighted, joyful, spontaneous, prayerful, sober, serious, hilarious even, trust in our God- kind of life and existence.

Grace and our response with obedient faith, alone will enable us to do this. And this is not a solitary existence, but one in company with others. Commitment to the Lord and to each other and others and to the world in which we are placed, because of Jesus. And through everything we encounter. We need to see ourselves as in it, in Jesus, for the long haul.

What might this mean for you, or what would you like to share here?

Advent and the faithful

We need to be thankful for the people in our lives who though, not perfect, are faithful in their walk in the Lord, and to us. We all have our flaws and blind areas. But I think of the few in my life that I can really look up to as brothers and sisters who love me enough in the Lord to hold me to God's truth in life.

Advent is marked along the way by those who from God did not settle for just getting through or surviving. There are remarkable examples of this during the Intertestamental Period- (and I suggest that we Protestants who call these books Apocryphal, rather than Deuterocanonical, dig into these books a little for ourselves, to find the value that is there) of men and women who in faith acted during that time. There are two great examples for us who before their passing were able to see the Promise for themselves: Anna and Simeon- and let's not forget Joseph and Mary themselves.

Advent is for everyone, for those of us weak and struggling in our faith, even for those with no faith- but Advent is God's great and good answer to the faith of those who won't let go of God's promises, and persist to see them fulfilled, in whatever way that may come. There is that human side, even though we know underlying it all is God's grace, without which there would be no remnant of believers or faith in the world left.

This is not in or of ourselves, this faithfulness, but it's in the One who became flesh for us. As we embrace him in faith, we will find that he is the faithful one who will help us to become characterized as truly more and more faithful in his way in this life. And this being true even though we will fail along the way.

We long for this, don't we.

I'm reminded now of the great carol: "O Come All Ye Faithful." What are you reminded of?