Going Home After All These Years

Colossians 3:7 In these you too once walked, when you were living in them.

This year my high school graduation class is holding a 40th class reunion. Getting past the reality of being 40 years since graduation has been a struggle. My home town has changed. There are many new buildings and businesses along with a few old buildings and businesses. It is a town which, for lack of a better term, has matured. As have my classmates and myself.

Class reunions are a time where many of us will engage in periods of self examination. Some might call it navel gazing. We look back on our lives and see where we started, where we have been and where we are today. Most will see a remarkable change in our past versus present comparison. And some may not see any changes. Some wines get better with age, and some wines do not. Yes people are the same. The 18 year old young man that left East Tawas, Michigan is not the 58 year old man that returned this weekend. Experiences have molded me for the better, and for the worse. A loving and most merciful God has allowed me to be here on this day to rekindle old friendships. My faith has matured in a manner I could scarcely have imagined as a young man. Finding a love for The Word of God is one of the joys I now have in my life. And being able to share that same Word with a gift from God is part and parcel of what I have become. Each of has our own story, and our own set of gifts from God. We have been given a set of unique experiences that can either grow us, or hinder us. It depends on how we chose to handle that which is our past. Lastly, and most importantly is we are never alone. He is always there. Jesus promised to be with us always to the end of the age (Matthew 28:20.) We embrace that truth and find comfort in that reality. We once waflked and lived in one life, but in Christ we are and walk as His followers. It is a different life we live, and it is a better life that we live.

PRAYER: Father, thank You for this life. Thank You for Your love and grace. Thank You for Your mercy and forgiveness that I cannot earn. Thank you for these 40 years I have been in this world since graduation. And finally Father, thank You for the gift that is each and everyday I am in Your creation. Amen.

An Offshore Wind

Colossians 3: 15-16 “Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.”

We are experiencing a series of days here in Cabo San Lucas where the winds are going from the land out onto the ocean. This phenomenon is called an offshore wind. The water near shore is relatively calm. But not too far offshore there are white caps on the waves. In my mind, that is very much how life is. It all looks good, until you venture out into the deep waters of life.

Often we take a short sighted view of our lives. We look at the next day or the next week and see calm and no struggles on the horizon. But that is an illusion, or a mirage at best. Life will bring struggles. We can and should count on that occurring. Illness or injury, trouble at work and struggles at home with family are just a few examples of opportunities for difficulties to enter into our lives. These troubles can be totally out of our control. They just show up. And we have to deal with them. Fortunately, we are not alone. The Lord is with us always. We also have the cloud of believers that surrounds us (see Hebrews 12:1). We can reach out asking for a hug, a prayer, a kind word or for a hand extended in support. That cloud of believers puts a face and a tangible feel to the Jesus we all love and worship. He is alive and He moves among us using one another as a physical example of His love for all. Today and everyday "let the message of Christ dwell among you richly". Be there for one another. For we do not know when it will be our turn to be in need of that hug sent from Jesus.

Prayer: Father, Your Son lived and died for us poor sinners. He admonishes us to love others as He loved us. That kind of love, that sacrificial kind of love can be daunting and we can fall away from showing that kind of love for others. Help us dear Lord to be the people You would have us be. We ask this in the name of Jesus, Amen.

Restores My Soul

Restores My Soul

Psalm 23:1-3 (ESV) The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

At times finding peace of mind can be a challenge. There are so many distractions shouting for attention. Distractions creep up with our family, our jobs, the civic organizations we belong to, and yes, even the church we attend. I know that last one will give many of you pause to think that I have lost my marbles. But hear me out, please.

The church we attend is an environment of what is called corporate worship. We, as believers gather together singing praise to the Lord, hearing scriptures being read, and partaking of the Body and Blood of Christ in Holy Communion. We participate in group bible studies and projects to serve others. All of this is done in a group setting. This environment can be consuming, if not balanced with a good strong personal time of prayer, worship, study and reflection. Our God deeply desires to have a personal, one-on-one relationship with you and I. Psalm 23:1-3 is all about that deep personal relationship. Hence the use of the singular "me" and "my" terms. It is not we, or as my southern relatives would say, "all y'all". One-on-one time with Our Lord is crucial to a healthy spiritual life. It is in that environment we connect most deeply. No distractions, just you and The Lord. It is in those moments that so much can be revealed. The intimacy of a deep spiritual relationship does in fact bring peace. It does "restore the soul". All other cares are set aside for you and I to embrace the truth of a profound loving God, our Father, who is longing for that continued connection. Take the time, do it today, before it is forgotten or distractions set in. Please, do this for your soul which needs to find rest and to be restored.

Prayer: Lord, as we come to You in prayer, help us to find that peace that surpasses all understanding, that is found in You and You alone. Let Your love and the Love of Your Son flow into us. Let Your Holy Spirit guide us in this journey of seeking Your presence in our lives. Amen.

Give You Rest

Exodus 33:13-14 “If you are pleased with me, teach me your ways so I may know you and continue to find favor with you. Remember that this nation is your people.” The Lord replied, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.””

Here I am, sitting in a lounge chair at the condo in Cabo, relaxing and thinking deep thoughts. Our annual trip to Cabo affords me the opportunity to find peace amongst the festivities of the resort where we stay. These trips also give me insight into another part of the world culture I would not have were I to stay in Idaho. This place, Cabo San Lucas, where I find rest for my body and soul is truly a land of haves and have-nots.

So many times I find myself in a state of struggle. The world rebels against any desire to be a dedicated servant of the Lord. The busy-ness of life can seek to displace me from a feeling of being at peace in the Lord. Diversions of this life abound. And there is a temptation, to fill the void of being to busy to stay deeply connected to the Lord, with something that this earth has to offer. This void is self created, and so easily avoided. It was created with my lack of diligence and can only be filled by the Lord. It is truly a God-sized hole.

Each of us has the hard wired longing to be connected with God and in a state of peace only God can provide. Our world diligently seeks to draw us away from that state of peace. Satan wins when we seek to fill the emptiness we create with something other than a connection with the Lord. Exodus 13-14 reveals a truth that is as old as man's time on earth itself. His Presence will go with you. And He will give you rest. When we forget that deep and simple truth, we open ourselves up to the separation from God we must avoid. Friends of the risen Savior, stay connected with God. Take the time today and everyday to keep close in study of His Word and prayer.

Prayer: Father, we are Your rebellious children. We seek to fill our lives with things other than You. We wander and can quickly become lost. Help us dear Lord to stay in Your Presence through Your Word and prayer. Fill us with Your Holy Spirit that the faith we need is the faith we embrace daily. These things we ask in the strong name of Jesus, Amen.

Where Moths And Vermin Destroy

Matthew 6:19-24 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. “The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness! “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”

I am on a research trip in Las Vegas, Nevada. Visiting Vegas is always an interesting experience for me. For one, gambling does not really appeal to me. Which may cause you to ask why I go to Vegas in the first place? The reason I come to Vegas is it's an awesome place to do research for devotionals. Seriously, this is an incredible location to walk, talk and observe. If you have ever visited Vegas, you may have so understanding. The Las Vegas Strip has miles of opulent casinos and resorts. The stars in the night sky are obscured by the glare of neon lights. In fact, some casinos even have blue sky and clouds painted on the ceiling in order to try to fool you into thinking you are in an outdoor environment. This same casino has ornate statuary and columns of beautifully carved marble. The floors in many areas or marble tiles. Interestingly enough, the statuary are of pagan gods that were worshipped in Jesus' day. The designer of this structure sought to create a place where extravagance would be displayed and mere mortals could find hope in being able to win a fortune gambling. Quite the opposite of the marble cathedrals and basilicas designed as houses of worship. And while all this marble looks beautiful for a few feet away, upon close inspection, the flaws are quite remarkable. Wear and tear have taken their toll. And given this is a man-made structure, it should not be surprising. In biblical terms, the "moths and vermin" have been very busy destroying. The buildings created in Vegas have a purpose. That purpose is to separate the unsuspecting and vulnerable from their money. The palaces of gambling were not built to just be looked at. The palaces are there to draw in victims and replace hope of winning riches with the despair that comes from losing. A popular advertising campaign from a few years ago referred to Vegas as Sin City. The idea was to help people to believe that sin was the sole purpose of Vegas. And while that may be part of the purpose of Vegas, truth be told Vegas is just another city where sin can be found. Vegas is just another place that needs to Gospel preached and embraced. It's another place that needs to hear and embrace the words of the Apostle Paul from Romans 7:24-25. "What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God’s law, but in my sinful nature a slave to the law of sin.”

Prayer: Father in heaven, our world is broken and lost in sin. Instead of spreading a message of rebuking sinful behavior, we hear the words telling us that sin is not really sin. And many of those voices tell us that to reject this sinful behavior is nothing short of hate for our fellow man. Lord, the light of the Gospel is missing in so many places. Help us Lord to be a beacon on a hill that shines the light of Jesus in a dark world. We ask this in the strong name of Your Son Jesus Christ, Amen.

Sorrowful and Troubled

Matthew 26:36-37 The Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, ‘Sit here while I go over there and pray.’  He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled.

Do you have a couple of friends that you can turn to when you are troubled?  The friends I am referring to are what would be called close friends. They are people you have laughed with, frequently share time with, and possibly shared tears with over difficult times in your lives.  They are the kind of friends that accept you for who you are, and you accept for who they are.  How you came to be friends can be of little consequence.  There are two important aspects in this kind of friendship.

1.) You are there for each other when times are good, and when times are bad.  The matter of being available is what counts.  In our modern world of cellular, text messaging, and social media the avenues for connection have expanded drastically from anything in the past.  Knowing that there is someone out there to talk with, to reach out to is incredibly important. And for the person that is reached out to, your role is to put a face on the love of Christ.  To listen, to talk, to care, and to pray with.  And most importantly to know that someone is there to not just pray with you, but to pray for you is so indescribably comforting.  A little piece of the peace of God that surpasses all understanding flows from that simple act of praying for a close friend.  The grace of God flows abundantly in prayer.

2.) A close friend also holds us accountable.  This can be difficult at times for the friend to do. But having someone who is willing to speak openly, honestly, and objectively is another part what a close friend can do.  It is very easy, and tempting to throw a pity party when we are suffering.  The close friend is one who will call us on things we need to be called on. They will help us to see with our own eyes what fault we have, or what role we played in our current situation.  This is truly an act of love and done with trust and without malice.  We may not be able to see the fault in ourselves and a close friend will step up in love to help. 

In Matthew 26 we learn that Jesus takes Peter, James and John with him because he needs the accountability, and prayers of these, his closest friends.  He asks this of these three men during a time when he is troubled as at no other time in his life.  He knows his limitations, and he knows that without their help and support he may weaken.  His time of testing is upon him and he needs to prepare for what He knows is ahead. Dear friends of the Risen Savior, do you have close friends and are you a close friend someone can call upon in their time of sorrow and trouble? 

Prayer:  Almighty God, we are placed on this earth with the knowledge that we are not alone. You are with us always. And we also know that You have given us close friends we can reach out to when we are struggling. Help us to reach out to You through faith. And help us to be worthy of the trust placed in us when others reach out in need. We ask this in the name of our Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.