Tag: God

Cultivate and Care

Apollo 11 Earth_croppedGod created everything that is. The universe; the Milky Way and all other galaxies; the Sun and all other stars; the Solar System and all other solar systems; the Moon and all other moons; the Earth and all other planets, etc. He created all life and all the ecosystems to sustain that life then He created Humankind to take care of all he created on planet Earth. With stewardship of His creation in place he declared all His creation on planet Earth as good. 

Genesis 2:15 is His mandate for humankind, His crowning creation. Here humankind is entrusted with the cultivation and care of the world He created as our home.

The LORD God then took the man and settled him in the garden of Eden, to cultivate and care for it

My struggle to take this mandate seriously has been aided by a few key insights that I want to briefly share with you.  I now believe that the purpose for which humankind was created was to be caretakers of God’s creation.

  • Creation

Our call to be responsible stewards of the environment is rooted in the biblical account of creation in which the earth was entrusted to our care. Humankind is created to cultivate and care for God’s creation.

  • Solidarity

The challenge of protecting the environment requires that the Church look beyond national, cultural, and other human boundaries to work for the common good of all. Citizens of the kingdom of God standing in solidarity can overcome any nation, any culture and any other boundaries which keep us from obeying our mandate.

  • Stewardship

Care for creation is fundamentally an act of stewardship. As faithful stewards we should receive the gift of creation gratefully, nurture it responsibly, share it justly and charitably, and return it to God abundantly.  As faithful stewards  we should love all of God’s vast creation, recognize God, the Creator, as He reveals Himself through His creation and nurture our environment to the glory of God..

  • Respect

The way we treat the environment is often mirrored in the way we treat one another. In other words the respect we show to God’s creation is reflected in the respect we have for one another. Disrespect (abuse) of the environment disproportionally impacts the poor, but impacts all of us as we are all dependent on the earth for our physical existence just as we are all dependent on God for our spiritual existence. Showing respect for this planet God has entrusted to us is just another way for us to respect one another since care for our environment is one way to see that all have their basic needs met.

Questions to ponder

  1. If we have a mandate to cultivate and care for God’s creation and we instead abuse it carelessly what does that say about our respect for God?
  2. If God made us stewards of His creation when he returns will he call us good and faithful stewards?
  3. If the Church united in solidarity against any political boundary or corporate power allowing hunger, disease and pain to flourish when its remedy already exists in God’s creation what impact would that have on how the world views the Church?
  4. Do we truly love God if we hate one another and His creation itself?
  5. Do we truly respect God if we disrespect one another and His creation itself? 

Respect My Authority, part 3 of 3

Wherefore it is necessary to be in subjection, not only because of wrath, but also for conscience’ sake. For because of this you also pay taxes, for rulers are servants of God, devoting themselves to this very thing. Render to all what is due them: tax to whom tax is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honor to whom honor. (Romans 13:5-7)

Christians are obligated to be in subjection to civil government regardless of how happy we are with the government itself. The most obvious motivation for our subjection is fear of the consequences of rebelling against the authority but that motivation is a shallow one. Think of it this way. A Christian who remains sexually pure based solely on the fear of contracting AIDS has obeyed the letter of the law while missing the main point. A higher reason for subjection is found in verse 5: a clear conscience.

The fear of punishment is an external motivation that promotes submission. The motivation Paul calls for here is internal—that of a desire to maintain a pure and undefiled conscience. The standard which the law sets is the minimal standard for all men. The standard set by our own conscience is personal, individual, and hopefully higher than the minimum set by human government.

What is the conscience? It is an internal standard, defining right and wrong. It is not present only in Christians. All men have a conscience (Romans 2:15). The conscience of one may be stronger than that of another (1 Corinthians 8:7, 10, 12). Some consciences have become hardened and insensitive due to sin (1 Timothy 4:2), while the consciences of others are sensitized by obedience (Hebrews 5:14). We must never defile our conscience by doing what it considers evil, nor should we offend others by practicing what their consciences condemn as evil (1 Corinthians 8).

Our conscience is not an infallible guide to good and evil. While we must never do what our conscience condemns, we dare not assume that everything our conscience permits is good, since our conscience can become hardened and insensitive (1 Timothy 4:2).

Conscience was a very important manner to Paul. He sought to serve God with an undefiled conscience (Acts 23:1; 24:16; 2 Timothy 1:3), which he urged others to do as well (1 Timothy 1:19; 3:9). A clear conscience is a prerequisite for love and service to others: But the goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith (1 Timothy 1:5).

Whenever we violate our conscience we hinder our fellowship with God and our service to Him and to others. A violated, guilty, conscience makes us less sensitive to sin and more vulnerable to error (Hebrews 5:12; 2 Timothy 3:6). A guilty conscience makes us tend toward a legalistic, external obedience, based upon appearances rather than on reality (Luke 16:15).

What does our conscience have to do with submission to human government? Mere outward compliance with the requirements of government is simply not enough. This we can expect from unbelievers, if for no other reason than the fear of punishment. But God desires a fuller, deeper, obedience from the heart. This requires conscientious subjection—submitting done out of obedience to God. Such an attitude of submission enables us to retain the right attitude and actions toward government even when we must disobey specific laws in order to obey God.

An internal attitude of submission stimulates us to obey government even when our disobedience cannot be seen or punished. The actions of verses 6 and 7  are the outflow of an undefiled conscience and a spirit of submission. Paul does not tell us here to “obey the laws of the land,” but rather to honor those in authority and to pay taxes. Why is this specific form of obedience named? I believe it is because this is an example of something easy to avoid doing with little fear of being caught and punished.

We can be rude and disrespectful to officials and get away with it. We can even more effectively pretend to be respectful and never have our insincerity detected. We can quite easily report our income in such a way as to avoid income taxes. More often than not, if we are devious, we will not be caught.

But Paul has already told us that government has God’s authority and ministers for Him. Thus, when we fail to “pay our dues,”  whatever these might be, we disobey God. Even if the civil authorities never catch us, our conscience before God will be defiled. Our fellowship with Him will be hindered. Our service to others will be adversely affected. We are called to live by the higher standard: not only compliance to the government, but cooperation in a spirit of submission. Living by this higher standard keeps our conscience clear, our testimony untainted, and our service unhindered by sin and guilt. Living in subordination to civil authority is beneficial to our walk with God and our service to others.

The things which God requires us to give government officials are those things which facilitate the ministry of public officials: honor and money. Both are necessary for public officials to carry out their tasks.
 Our subordination to those in authority not only means that we should do what we are required, but that we should provide all that is necessary so that our superiors can do their jobs. Our submission means that we serve and support them.

Romans 13:1-7  is not the only text in the Bible on the matter of “conscientious subjection.” Paul writes generally of this obligation to (Titus 3:1). Peter speaks of submission to human government in the context of suffering (1 Peter 2:13-14). But when Paul speaks of submission to government in this passage, he does so in the context of service.

This passage is part of a larger section with this theme in Romans 12:1–13:7. Paul opens the section in 12:1-2  with a challenge to present our bodies to God as living sacrifices, which is our reasonable service of worship. Paul then moves on to our sacrificial service in terms of the church, the body of Christ, and of the exercise of our spiritual gifts (12:3-8). Then in verses 9-21  Paul writes of our service in the context of love, whether we are serving our fellow-believers or our enemy. This is the context in which subordination to civil government is discussed in Romans 13:1-7.

Paul teaches on the importance of subordination in this whole section. We must subordinate our lives to God, presenting our bodies as living sacrifices to Him. We must subordinate our interests to the interests of others if we are to walk in love. We must also subordinate our lives to those in authority over us as civil servants.

Paul seems to me to state a principle: SUBORDINATION IS A PREREQUISITE TO SERVICE AND A MINDSET WITHOUT WHICH SERVICE IS EITHER IMPOSSIBLE OR UNFRUITFUL.

True service is only rendered if self-interest is set aside and replaced by a spirit of subordination. We cannot seek our own interests as a priority and serve others as a priority at the same time. It simply does not and cannot work. Subordination is prerequisite to service. This is precisely the point Paul makes concerning our Lord’s attitudes and actions in Philippians 2:5-8: Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

Subordination is the key to loving God and others. It goes against the grain. It is not the spirit of our age. But it is what God requires and what the Spirit enables when we walk in Him.

As I said in an earlier post, I see Christians rapidly moving in the direction of opposing government more than submitting to it. We have lost our respect for those in authority and have come to disdain, en masse, those in public office. We have come to view government as God’s opponent rather than as God’s ordained instrument. No doubt there is reason for disobedience to certain laws, but there is no excuse for our spirit of insubordination and for an obedience which is more compliant than it is cooperative and supportive.

It seems to me that the church of today is much more intent upon producing Christian leaders than it is in producing Christian followers. While the disciples of Jesus had their heads filled with thoughts of position, power, and prestige, Jesus constantly talked to them about subordination and service. While we think much about leaders, Jesus talked most about being followers, disciples. Ironically, the way to become good leaders is by learning to become good followers.

Evangelical Christianity is probably more purposeful and aggressive in seeking to influence government and legislation than ever before. And yet I fear that we are less effective than in previous times. How can this be? On the one hand, we seem to be relying on the “arm of the flesh,”
on human mechanisms and motivations, rather than on those which are spiritual. We seem to think that we need large numbers to attract the attention of government officials, and that we will not be able to change men’s minds or voting habits unless we hold over their heads the threat of losing the next election.

Down through history, Believers have had a profound impact on kings and government officials—even though they served God and even though they were in the minority. John the Baptist was a man who stood for what was right and who did not shrink back from pointing out Herod’s sin. And yet, Herod found himself strangely drawn to John and his teaching. He listened intently to him. He would not have put him to death except for his drunkenness, his foolish offer, and his foolish pride (Mark 6:14-29).

Jesus had the attention of the governmental leaders of His day. They were eager to see Him face to face. It was only reluctantly that they played a part in His death. Paul too had a spiritual impact on some of the political leaders of his day. Even today, men like Billy Graham are sought out by presidents and powerful political figures. Why? Because even when they disagree with the powers that be they are subject to God, to His Word, and therefore to the government under which He has placed them.

We do not need to muster more votes or more political clout. We need more “moral clout,” gained by simple obedience to God, to His Word, and to the institutions He has ordained.

To honor God we present ourselves to Him as living sacrifices, we subordinate ourselves to others and to the government He has ordained.

Respect My Authority, part 2

In my last post I laid out my understanding of Paul’s precept of the Christian’s relationship to civil authority: “Let every person be subject to the governing authorities.” (Romans 13:1a) Today I want to explore the reasons behind that precept.
      “For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God”. (Romans 13:1b)
Paul’s precept that Christians are to be subject to civil authority is based upon a fundamental premise: God is sovereign. As sovereign He possesses ultimate authority and all human authority is delegated by God.
 There is no authority independent of God.
How do we know that a given government is ordained of God and that He has given it authority? By its existence: Paul says, “those which exist are established by God.” A government’s existence is proof that it is ordained of God and that it possesses divinely delegated authority. God is sovereign. He is in control of all things. He causes all things to “work together for good” (8:28). 

Paul writes while under the government of Rome. As a Jew he is well aware that God raised up a disobedient Pharaoh in Egypt and the empires of Assyria and Babylon as His servants to discipline His people. So, like it or not, according to Paul – every government, whether democratic or autocratic, heathen or God-fearing – every government that has the power to rule over its people has been granted that power and authority by God. 

Submission to government then is an expression of our submission to God. God has instituted human government to exercise divinely delegated authority over menkind. Christians should be subject to human governments for this theological reason alone. But Paul adds two practical reasons for our submission and obedience in verses 2-7.
These provide additional motivation for our obedience to this command which goes against the grain of human nature.

“Therefore he who resists authority has opposed the ordinance of God; and they who have opposed will receive condemnation upon themselves. For rulers are not a cause of fear for good behavior, but for evil. Do you want to have no fear of authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same; for it is a minister of God to you for good. But if you do what is evil, be afraid; for it does not bear the sword for nothing; for it is a minister of God, an avenger who brings wrath upon the one who practices evil.” (13:2-4)

In Rom 13:1b, Paul asserts that human government is divinely commissioned. Based on that assertion he next emphasizes that our response to civil authority has divine consequence. His logic is that resistance to governmental authority is also resistance to God Himself. Therefore such resistance eventually brings divine judgment.
Next Paul moves on in verses 3 and 4
to warn that disregard for government’s authority also has present ramifications. In verse 4 he refers to civil authority as a “minister of God.” Government, then is a servant of God tasked with dealing appropriately with those who do good and those who do evil. In short, God’s purpose for human government is to reward those who do good and to punish those who do evil.

Since as Christians we are to abstain from evil and pursue what is good (“Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil; cling to what is good.” Rom. 13:9) the role of civil authority is both consistent with and complimentary to the Christian lifestyle. Government should praise those who do good and punish those who do evil. Therefore God’s purposes for us and for government are in harmony. Government is here to help us do what God has called us to do and what we should desire to do. Ordinarily, anyone seeking to do good need not fear government. Anyone who is serving God need not worry about government opposition. Christians should be the best citizens, for our calling is consistent with government’s commission. But we should fear government if we choose to do evil. Only the law-breaker looks over his shoulder, wondering where the police are. In order to live our lives without fear of punishment, we need only to do what God has required of us, and what government requires as well.
One of the major benefits of civil government’s God-given role is that it frees us from returning “evil for evil” by retaliating against those who persecute or mistreat us. God has taken the task of administering justice or of avenging wrong-doings off our backs and placed it on the back of governmental authorities. It is the role of government to deal with the evil deeds of men against us. Government “bears the sword” for such purposes. And if government fails in this task, we trust in God to make things right in that day when He judges with perfect judgment.

The failure of government does not give us the right to take the law into our own hands.

Next post: on to Rom. 13:5-7 for part 3 of this series.


“Respect my authority”

Whether a college, a corporation, or a community they all have their own “culture”. That is the written and unwritten “laws” that govern behavior within the group. There is always an authority to respond to. In every group that I have been part of there are those who respect authority and those that don’t. There are those that comply and those that defy. There are those that cooperate and those that comply without cooperating. Do we as Christians have any Biblical mandate about our response to authority?

Before I answer that question let me share an observation as an old man with lots of experience with Christians in different settings. Over the years I have found Christians are little different than non-Christians in their attitudes and responses toward authority. Compliance is given, but cooperation is not. For example I am just as likely to find a radar detector in the car of a Christian, as in the car of an unbeliever. Christians comply with the law. We slow down as we pass the police car with its radar speed detection equipment. We drive carefully and lawfully when the patrol car is following us. But as soon as we are sure it is safe, we drive normally—and illegally. (I am guilty as charged!)

Now back to my question about a Biblical mandate about Christians and civil authority. The Apostle Paul lived and died as a Roman citizen. In his letter to the church in the most powerful city in the world Paul, in Romans 13:1-7, deals directly with the Christian’s obligation to civil government.
 There are a number of reasons Christians and civil government often are at odds with one another, and it is relatively easy for Christians to twist these into excuses for disrespect and disobedience to authorities. Let’s look at this dynamic in the time of Paul’s writing.

The first factor is simple but far reaching, civil government is secular and the church is spiritual. According to the Apostle Peter Christians are aliens and strangers, just passing through this world. Paul writes in Phil. 3:20  that Christian citizenship is in heaven. This difference misunderstood led the state to view the church as hostile to its authority. The church acknowledged that “Jesus is Lord“ because their highest authority is God. The Roman government of Paul’s day acknowledged that “Caesar is Lord”. The church refused to acknowledge this and so the Romans considered Christians as atheists. It was a small leap for the government to see this atheistic institution as treasonous. The practical application of “Jesus is Lord” is that Christians are required to “obey God, rather than men“. With each conflict the government’s suspicions of the church were confirmed. The result of the secular/spiritual conflict was that government officials, either unconsciously or willingly, used their authority to actively oppose the church and to persecute Christians.

In this political climate with civil government viewing the church with suspicion, and even fear, Christians were tempted to see government as their opponent, and as an enemy of God and the gospel of Jesus. Therefore civil disobedience might easily become common practice rather than a necessary exception. Submission to governmental authority was a vital topic in a day and time when the church and civil government were on a collision course. So what? What does that matter today?

I believe the church is on a very similar course today. In the earlier days of our nation, our government was founded on certain Christian assumptions and convictions. If our early government founders and officials were not Christians, at least their beliefs and values were compatible with Christian doctrines and practices. Our culture and our government today are post-Christian.

I am amazed when I hear Christians talking as if their views and values are still held by a majority of Americans. These are those that still mistakenly believe that if we could just mobilize the moral majority and encourage them to speak out—especially by voting – it would turn things around. I believe this view is, for the most part, unrealistic and untrue. I believe that Christian moral values are largely an unpopular minority view. Consequently, I expect that government will increasingly regulate, hinder, and even oppose Christian objectives whenever they conflict with the government’s objectives. Not surprisingly in this political climate some Christians are becoming increasingly disdainful of the laws of our land. Some even teach that if we disagree with a particular law, we are both obliged to disobey it, and justified to disobey other laws in protest.

Now if a good time for us to read Paul’s words in Romans 13:1 “Let every person be in subjection to the governing authorities”.
What? No, God’s Apostle by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit would not tell persecuted Christians to be in subjection to the pagan, Christian hating Roman government would he? Yes he would and he did. This principle was not only vital for the first century church, but it is just as vital for the 21st century church. Let’s unpack what Paul says God requires of the church in our relationship to civil government: “Let every person be in subjection to the governing authorities”.

First notice that this is a clear, categorical commandment addressed to all mankind, without exception. Every person  includes both believers and unbelievers. Every person is to be in subjection to the governing authorities. Subjection includes obedience, but implies much more. Subjection means recognizing an authority over us to which we are obliged to not only obey but to respect.

The governing authorities  are quite simply those authorities which govern us politically. This is pretty straight forward and under normal conditions in any country, it is the government which is in place.

Are there exceptions to the rule or precept Paul has laid down here? Certainly there are Biblical examples of those who chose to “obey God, rather than men” (Daniel 3, 6; Acts 4:19-20; 5:27-32).
I believe that while the Christian may not, in good conscience before God, be able to obey the government in every instance, the Christian is never free to set aside true submission to the government. In other words, even when we cannot obey civil authority, we can always demonstrate a submissive spirit. According to Paul’s precept a submissive spirit should never be set aside when it comes to those in authority over us.

For example, in Acts 5 the Sanhedrin demand that the apostles (Peter and John) stop preaching in the name of Jesus. This they cannot do without disobeying God. Though they could not and would not stop preaching in the name of Jesus, they did not challenge the authority of this body. Their answer was evidence of their submissive spirit and intent: “Whether it is right in the sight of God to give heed to you rather than to God, you be the judge; for we cannot stop speaking what we have seen and heard” (Acts 4:19-20).  Submission usually is demonstrated by obedience, but even when we must disobey, it is to be done with a submissive spirit.

To summarize: Submission to the authority of legitimate civil government is required by God, at all times and in all cases. Submission usually, but not always, results in obedience. But even when disobedient because of a conflict between God’s command and government’s laws, we are still to have a submissive spirit toward civil authorities. Submission means giving honor to who honor is due.

In my next post we’ll look at Paul’s reasons for our submission to human government. For now ask yourself if you have a respectful, submissive spirit to our government. Do you want to obey God or men? Man’s way is rebellion and disrespect of authority. God’s way is “Let every person be in subjection to the governing authorities”.

Eating Crow

Eating crow is not very high on my list of gifts and talents.  But I have a bit of crow to eat today.  In my last post I said that I only received 1 phone call on my birthday.  While that wasn’t meant as a whine…well not consciously anyway…it turns out it wasn’t even true.   I missed some very important phone calls on my birthday because my phone battery was loose and when I fixed it I found that I had missed  some incredibly sweet calls on my birthday that, thankfully, were there on my voice mail.

I missed the birthday call from my mother and daddy. In my 64 years I don’t believe I have ever had a birthday without either being with them or hearing  from them.  Turns out this birthday was no exception.  Mother, now in her 80’s and daddy who just turned 90, are responsible for the good things I have done in life.  For my screw-ups I take full responsibility.  It was good to hear my mother say “We love you, Tim.”  Of course, happy birthday was ok but the “I love you” was more important. I’m really sorry I missed the call and the opportunity to say, “And, I love you and daddy, too.”

But the calls I really regret missing were the ones from Hudson, Cooper, Miller, and Maddox, my grandsons by J.J. and Eric Rubio.  I mean, talk about missing something precious!!  Just that they took the time to call means a lot!!  I’m glad I got to hear them on my voice mail but I so regret not being able to respond to them in real-time.

Hudson called me on his own cell phone and sounded very grown up as he wished me a happy birthday and then said “I love you, Papa.”  I missed your call Hudson, but thanks for calling and I love you too.

The next call on my voice mail was from Miller, my youngest grandson.  I could hear his dad prompting him in the background then his sweet voice said “I called to say Happy Birthday, Papa.  This is Miller. Happy Birthday. Love You”  I love you too Miller.

Next was a joint call.  The voice said (remember they are having to respond to a sterile phone message “Hi this is Tim. Leave me a message.”) Happy Birthday! Oh, this is Cooper. Happy Birthday. I love you Papa!  I love you too Cooper.

Then Maddox took the phone and yelled Happy Birthday and then proceeded to sing “Happy Birthday to You” to me replete with the tap,tap,tap refrain they use at their birthday celebrations.  I have laughed out loud with delight every time I’ve listened to his recording.  Thanks for being you Maddox and I love you too.

I also found that I received text messages from Melissa and the Berry boys wishing me a happy birthday. I missed those too. What a day for my phone to be on the fritz!  Thanks for the texts and I love you too.

So what I wrote in my last post about not caring for my birthday is only partially true.  Like many things enjoyed as children, adult birthdays are enjoyed differently or not at all.  I realize it is sort of an automatic response to prefer celebrating my grandsons’ birthdays, as I did my daughters, while they are innocent and capable of incredibly genuine displays of affection over simple things like candles on a birthday cake, over my adult birthday with its reminder that life is short.  Their calls and texts, not to mention eCards and mailed cards filled a void that I didn’t even know was there. It was as if I needed to hear them say they loved me…even though I know it.  I needed to tell them, too, for this love for each other is the two-way street of family, and I truly regret that I missed those calls and texts!

As I pondered all of this, it took me to a deeper level and I wondered, when we tell God, Our Father in Heaven, that we love Him, does He, too, in His Great Love and Mercy for us feel compelled to tell us that He loves us.  I think He does.  But, sometimes I don’t think we know it…or feel it…or understand it.  Sometimes our phones are on the fritz.

I feel challenged now to not only tell God that I love Him, but also to take time to listen for the ways He tells me that, yes, He does love me, too.

My first public prayer of my 64th year of life is that in any circumstance of our lives…the good times and the not-so-good times…the times of light and the times of darkness…that we may know the love of God.  May our eyes see the ways He impacts our lives.  May our ears hear the wonders of His love as we journey through the days of our lives.  May our hearts know clearly in our love for God that He loves us deeply and more intimately than we shall ever know or begin to understand.  Amen.

Footprints in the Sand

I have been a Jesus follower for a long time and I have experienced the ups and downs of life in Christ.  What I have discovered about the ups and downs is that most are the result of my feelings going up and down.   There are times when I FEEL close to God, and times when I FEEL like He is far, far away.   These ups and downs are not exclusive to me but rather are a common Christian experience.  This poem written in 1936 has been overdone but it so vividly portrays the emotional cycles that cause us to misinterpret the presence of God in our life that I’m going to include it in this blog.

Footprints in the Sand

One night I dreamed I was walking along the beach with the Lord. Many scenes from my life flashed across the sky.

In each scene I noticed footprints in the sand. Sometimes there were two sets of footprints, other times there was one only.

This bothered me because I noticed that during the low periods of my life, when I was suffering from anguish, sorrow or defeat, I could see only one set of footprints, so I said to the Lord,

“You promised me Lord, that if I followed you, you would walk with me always. But I have noticed that during the most trying periods of my life there has only been one set of footprints in the sand. Why, when I needed you most, have you not been there for me?”

The Lord replied, “The years when you have seen only one set of footprints, my child, is when I carried you.”

Mary Stevenson, 1936

Our feelings cause us to misinterpret the facts.  But we don’t have to be driven by our feelings.  We can be driven by faith.  We can let the engine pull the caboose.  Even during those times when God seems distant, we can by faith know He is there.

Regardless of how you FEEL I encourage you to cling to God’s presence.

Regardless of how you FEEL I encourage you to rejoice in what God has done.

Regardless of how you FEEL I encourage you to cling to God’s goodness.

David gives us a great example to follow: “But I trust in your unfailing love, My heart rejoices in your salvation. I will sing to the Lord, for he has been good to me.”

The life God has designed for us is to live continually in His presence.  And we do regardless of how we feel!

The Way Out of A Slump

Eight years ago I was in a slump. God seemed very distant from me.  I was tired.  I had been taught and had taught others that we can live with the assurance that everything that happens in our day-to-day life will work out for the best…for God’s best which is ultimately for our best.  I knew God’s promise that  He would take care of me.  I had experienced God lifting the burden off my back, and Him carrying it for me.  I had experienced God’s peace.  But at the moment none of that mattered to me.  I was in a slump and God seemed very distant from me.

What was wrong with me?  It wasn’t my faith.  I knew and even believed the right things but slowly, over time, I had closed the door of my heart to God.  I had relegated God to a safe place in my intellect that allowed me to say and teach the right things, to do my job, without the principles I was sharing with others impacting my own life.  My problem wasn’t my faith it was that I had forgotten that  what really mattered was my relationship with God not how much I knew about God.  I needed to reopen the door of my heart — and my life — to God. 

Some of you need to do the same thing I did.  I had to humble myself before God and say, “Jesus, I give my entire life to you.  Thank you for all you did and do for me.  Take the lead and I’ll follow.”  But hadn’t I done that before?  Oh yes, and I have had to go back to that relational square one many times since.  The wonderful thing is that no matter how often I retreat to my intellect Jesus is always there ready to gently welcome me into relationship with Him once again.

Maybe you have been following Christ for years, but, like me, you stubbornly keep putting yourself back in charge.  As a result, you find yourself trying to do everything on your own.  You’re attempting to build your own house, and watch your own city — and you’re discovering that what Solomon said in Psalm 127:2 is true:

“In vain you rise early and stay up late.”

From experience I can tell you that when you try to do it on your own, you find that there’s just no peace.  You find no peace no matter how hard you work, no matter how great your accomplishments, no matter how much you possess, no matter how much effort you put in your relationships, or in anything else.  There’s only one place of peace in this world: living everyday — all day, day-in, day-out, in dynamic relationship with the living God.

Being in relationship with God is different than our normal human relationships.  It is not a 50/50 arrangement.  We’re not equal partners with God.  To put it in sports terms (sorry, but that’s the way I roll!) He’s the coach; we’re the team.

When Vince Lombardi took over the Green Bay Packers in 1959, they were at the bottom.  They had won only one of twelve games during the 1958 season.  As the players arrived for camp in June 1959, Lombardi greeted them with this speech: “Gentlemen, we are going to have a football team and we are going to win games.  You are going to learn to block, run, and tackle.  You are going to outplay all the teams that come up against you. And, most of all, you are to have confidence in me and enthusiasm for my system.  Hereafter, I want you to think of only three things, because only three things matter: your family, God, and the Green Bay Packers!”

Lombardi was probably the best coach who ever lived but our Coach is infinitely better!  I want for you what I have: full confidence in God and enthusiastism for His “playbook”. 

God’s promise to each and every one of us is: Enter into relationship with Me through My Son.  Follow My lead, and I will make you more like My Son than you ever thought you could be!

Peace

Not a day goes by that I don’t pray for peace.  Peace for our world,  peace for our country, peace in my soul.  I don’t know anyone that doesn’t want peace.  What people disagree on is how we get it.  I really and truly believe that giving God responsibility for our life is the key to finding that inward peace we all want.

The psalmist writes in Psalm 127:2: “In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat — for He grants sleep to those He loves.”

“Responsibility” is a loaded word.  People who take their responsibilities seriously are good people to have around.  It is the type of person I strive to be.  But putting our responsibilities on our own shoulders alone causes worry – sometimes worry to the point of losing sleep.   I admire conscientious people; they work hard.  They get up early to get an early start; they stay up late to be sure their work is done right.  They go the extra mile.  But they also frequently find themselves tired and frazzled.

There’s nothing wrong with getting up early and going to bed late — that comes with having high expectations for yourself — but there is something wrong about depending so much on yourself alone that you end up living in a constant state of tension.  You don’t have to lie awake at night, staring at the ceiling, wondering how you’re going to make it through another day…if you’re going to make it through another day.  A wonderful by-product of giving God responsibility is peace of mind.   If we give God responsibility for our life , then our problems become His problems, not ours alone.

When we give God responsibility for our life, He takes it.   He handles it.  Does this mean things always work out the way we want them to?  No.  Better than that!  It means things always work out the way that God, in His sovereign and sometimes severe mercy, knows is ultimately the best way.

When we give God responsibility for our life, you can face every day with the assurance that He will cause all of the events of our life to work together for good.

I love God’s promise in Romans 8:28…

“We know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to his purpose.”

True peace comes by trusting in God more than in the circumstances of life.  I don’t always do that, in fact I don’t do it even most of the time, but I want to do it all the time!