Far Better

As soon as all the people saw Jesus, they were overwhelmed with wonder and ran to greet him. Mark 9:13

In last week’s blog we explored Mark 7:37 and how the crowds were overwhelmed with amazement at Jesus and His miracles. Today’s verse continues the same thought and adds that the people took action. They ran to Him.

I don’t know that I’ve ever really seen this verse so stark in its beauty before now.

In our overwhelming journeys of life, we run to our various and wonderful activities and to people and leisure.

We run to:
Food
Church ministries
Work
Games
Parties
Gatherings
Sports events
Sunsets
Pets
Music
Art
Play and relaxation
Television
Sleep
Hobbies
Children or spouse
Friends or peers
We also run to alcohol, boredom, negativity, anger or illness

Most of these bring us hearts full of joy and rightly so. We were made to live in community! We process our thoughts and heal while pursuing restful and calming activities.

Obviously, the poor choices I mentioned can ruin and waste our precious moments. Paying attention to what we value most helps us to be intentional with what we do in our season of trials.

However, when we are restless, wanting our pain to be gone (now!) all the pursuits of this list pale in comparison to the gift we have of running to our sweet Savior, Jesus.

We may not receive the quick resolution, but a resolution is not always what we need. We receive something far better: the Lord’s presence, His comfort and care. In fact, sometimes, any one thing on this list might even be a distraction from receiving what we truly need from Him, who is our best possible hope. Running to Him and bowing before His supreme love and sacrifice can move us to be open about having replenished and softened hearts (as opposed to staying in a habit [stuck] in our struggles). With His healing touch, we have more energy and stamina to be His hands and voice to a world in need.

The older I become, the more I realize: God wants us to lay everything (EVERYTHING) at His feet. He wants us to trust (truly TRUST) Him with why we must go through these struggles.

The beauty of pouring our anxieties and griefs out to Jesus is that, many times, His care for us will include His provision (at just the right moment) of a friend, a delicious plate of food, a day or week of rest or an inspirational movie that reminds us of who we are in Him. Healing through Jesus is pure and right and eventually stands us back up on our feet to fulfill His great callings. However, when we reach out on our own to manipulate food, friends, children or spouses (without Jesus) for the purpose of a quick fix of our problems, it only ends in more grief, sadness and restlessness. Jesus is the answer to everything, always! He has a way of bringing us peace even in our darkest moments.

Jesus, we run to you this day, first. Before we even think about all the other places of refuge, your name comes to mind. Let this become our greatest habit, our deepest desire. Bring healing to our souls and give us eyes to see you with clarity. Give us the heart of a child who wouldn’t hesitate to run to you, Lord. Make us aware of those who need your strength through us this day and give us all we need in our weakness to be a light. In Jesus name, we worship you. Amen.

I’ll Trade You!

For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts your thoughts. Isa 55:8-9

Today’s verse continues the theme from last week. When we face God with our lives and listen for His answers, we get a glimpse of His higher thoughts and ways.

What IF….God came to you right now and said, “Here, I’ll swap you MY peace for your bundle of stress.”

Basically, He would be saying: lay down your grief, pain or hurt and trade it in for a mind less cluttered and bogged down.

When I take Him up on His offer, I find a freedom and clarity that opens the way for so many wonderful things, such as peace and joy. It also opens the way to notice that others besides me have burdens. When my load becomes lighter (accomplished by taking my thoughts captive and giving them over to God), I have room in my head and energy in my body to pray and serve those who are downhearted and suffering.

Events occur in our lives that can cause deep distress. As I’ve said many times before: not always, but a lot of times, the stress is a distraction, pure and simple. The enemy brings attacks to blind us from a cry for help just down the road a bit or standing right in front of us.

If the enemy can preoccupy us with computer glitches, personality clashes and family squabbles, he can keep us away from caring about our fellowman.

Countless times, I have discovered, after a hardship, that something so much bigger was going on than the annoyance itself. God was calling me (during the distraction) to His higher thoughts and ways. Higher than petty quarrels, sullen anger or irritating situations.

Lately, I’ve been heading off the bothersome moments and internal dialogues and swapping them for the ability to pray for people in great need. I’ve been choosing to let go and give the moments to God. I actually feel Him asking me to do this and am impressed with the outcome of a more peaceful mind and a true desire to care for others instead of fighting for my own stuff.

I’m not saying that it is easy to let go of an argument or volatile situation, but walking away for now, and then addressing it later when tempers have calmed, and people are more rested is absolutely wise.

Once the challenging differences or the crashed computer or the disturbing emails are put aside, fall on your knees and pray. Ask God to give you names of those who need Him right this moment. Let the distractions become signals to move you to intercede for His people around the world and meet their needs.

Some distractions come in the form of restlessness, mild depression and cluttered or dull minds. There seems to be a sense of sad or downhearted feelings. Choose to put these aside and pray. Trade them in for the peace of God.

Oh, why does it take so long for us to understand that God wants to free and overflow us with joy and not for us to be in a constant state of worry and misery. His thoughts and ways are THE only path to know and understand Him more. His higher ways may save us from some trials. Yet, typically, His higher thoughts are not a way out of trouble, they are a way to get through them with healthier and wiser choices.

Father, take my life and breathe into it your will and your strength to soar into the heavens as I come to know your higher thoughts and ways. When you ask me to temporarily put aside the mending of earthly possessions, personal conflicts and other distractions, help me. Teach me how to leave these at your feet and walk away, knowing that I can return to these later (or not) and that you will care for me far better than I can care for myself. Give me the ability to trade my sorrows in for your goodness and peace and take my newfound time and energy to care for your hurting people. In Jesus Name, Amen.

The Driving Rain

A ruler who oppresses the poor is like a driving rain that leaves no crops. Prov. 28:3

In the previous blog, I presented a kind of ruler who would keep order in his kingdom. He would rule with wisdom and compassion. Ultimately, Christ is our perfect ruler, and hopefully, we are rulers (however imperfect) over our souls, under His generous care.

In today’s verse, a greedy, heartless leader, who is only hungry for more power, is said to be like a downpour that washes away the livelihood of his subjects. The rain, in this scenario, isn’t a blessing to the good earth but a devastation to the crops (the sustenance of the poor). The leader has no sympathy or mercy for the people of his kingdom.

Floods can sometimes wipe out the necessities of our lives just like an unjust ruler can wipe out and neglect the emotional, spiritual and physical needs of the poorest in the land. A good leader would never abandon his people, just as normal rains would never wipe out a crop. Rainwater is meant to grow things not tear them down.

Again, look at Christ, who is the ‘Living’ Water that gives eternal life to all who accept it; not a devastating flood, but an invitation to an abundant life in Him. His rule includes the care for the poor.

Once again, we must also address the ruler with and over ourselves. When we oppress our own souls through foolish habits of addictions, out-of-control anger and selfishness, we are allowing a flood to wipe out what is nourishing and good for us.

Certainly, a driving rain is especially destructive (not nourishing or good) to crops (our livelihood). It also damages houses and erodes the soil. Sometimes spiritually, that driving rain is me. I seek my way or I pressure those around me to comply. I drive them hard until I win. ‘I’ can be the destructive driving rain with myself as the oppressive ruler. Yet, it is more wise to leave that life of oppressing others (in which ‘I’ am really the one who is held captive).

True followers of God have wisdom to free themselves in charity for those around them, not in tightfisted ways. Sin is what we fight against, not the people we encounter.

Yet, what about those who oppress us? Any oppressor strips people of who they are. When we allow others to oppress our souls by giving into a life of crippling anger and resentment, our souls (that are always upheld and nourished by God) and our capability to live and give of ourselves well are reduced. In a way, we are soul-damaged. Never give into another person’s oppressive ways. Lean on the Lord to uphold your cause.

People and trials can feel oppressive and destructive, but it is not always the trials that hurt us, it is how we react to them. Trust is our greatest friend in the hard times. Peace is its cousin. Love covers over all evil with such powerful results that the trials don’t seem as bad as when we dwell on rage and self-pity. All the fruit of the Spirit can apply to the right responses we give to our hardships.

Constant thoughts bombard our minds about the pain we encounter. Fighting our perceptions can be tough. Life can hurt. When oppressed in the poverty of our minds, bodies or spirits, we can yield to the Father who is our Keeper.

When the oppression comes from all different directions, see it as a distraction, a reason to pray for others, to get down on our knees and to serve.

We are all, in a sense, poor and needy, but wonderfully, we have a God who never leaves us and always provides. We thrive, knowing that He provides all that is good for us. He is a good King. Our greatest need is to follow His will.

Father, I yield to your provision. I’m never promised a life without oppression. But I am promised your presence and provision. You are my everything. I trust you. In Jesus name, Amen.

You Gave Me Drink

If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat; if he is thirsty, give him water to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head, and the Lord will reward you. Proverbs 25:21, 22

Why is this verse in the Bible?

Giving to an enemy honestly seems impossible, demeaning and humiliating. Giving to an enemy feels beyond our abilities. “I just can’t to it!” we say.

So why are we given such difficult tasks? Is this guideline supposed to help the other person (the enemy) and make his life better, or is this a lesson for us?

An enemy is any person who hurts us deeply, who neglects, doesn’t consider or uses us. He doesn’t get our views, or clap and approve our values.

He’s not the kind of enemy one thinks of in war or hostile situations. Where I live, I am blessed to have a safe home and neighborhood. So the only way I can interpret the verse is to say that he is someone who simply isn’t on my side. He is someone who isn’t like me, and I’ve got plenty of those. Well, truth be told, there is no one exactly like me, so I deal with the “enemy” everyday, everywhere I go (if my thoughts take me there).

My choices are limited. I have no way around the fact that I’ll always have people in my life who don’t like or agree with everything I say or do.

I’ve seen situations in which friends are warm with each other when they are in agreement and then everything goes cold when the other expresses a different feeling or view. Yet, I KNOW that they have such potential to change the world together, if only, they would keep the unconditional love intact through the ups and downs of their relationship. They see each other as the enemy, when in reality the true enemy is working hard to separate their friendship on purpose.

What a loss to God’s kingdom!!

Yes, I’ll always have people in my life who think differently than I do. But the only time that makes them an enemy is when ‘I’ let the differences go into my heart and tear at me. In my weakest moments, it happens. I have to work through the struggles deep within.

First, I have to forgive them, though they did no wrong. They simply disagreed with me, I still have to work through forgiveness.

Second, I must look at the bigger picture. Why is the need for their agreement or approval bothering me so much? What is the REAL enemy (the enemy of God) trying to do in my life? Petty, annoying distractions take away from the good I could be doing for others, especially for the very person with whom I’m upset, the very person through whom God desires to do a mighty thing.

Therefore, third, I must figure out a way to give them food and drink (serve them).

Four, this kind of breakthrough is the sort of thing that opens up the heavens to let the power of God into our world. Wonderful, supernatural events occur because we choose to get over ourselves and give to someone with whom we have conflict. (I didn’t say ‘give in.’ We can stand strong in what we believe, but we can find a way to give a cup of cold water without losing our values.)

Sometimes my enemy is ME. I over-exert myself and get weary, and with that comes an avalanche of unwanted, uninvited emotions. I don’t act like me, and I don’t like me in those moments.

I become what I teach others not to be. Irritability comes to the surface and spews it’s ugly contents. So how do I give food and water to the enemy inside? Explain my situation the best way I can to those around me, go to bed, take a break and do something fun, stop the onslaught of the negativity and choose to be kind until I feel like being kind. Kindness is really who I am, just not in the moment.

Naturally, I can’t always find rest and play when I need to. In those times, I must hang on tight to the hand of Jesus and find my rest in Him. I ask Him to overcome the enemy that is within.

A habit of kindness comes in handy at times like this. It’s who people expect me to be and that makes it easier to continue being that even when I don’t feel like it. I joke around and laugh to bring happiness to others and that actually brings happiness to me. Kindness is healing. So are all the other items on the list of good things that come over me when I reach out for the Holy Spirit of God. Eventually, the enemy within dies away and my faith journey continues once again. The habit of serving kindness is a habit to fan into flame throughout my whole life.

Lord, teach me more about loving and serving my enemy. Often times, I am the one who is ‘your‘ enemy. I don’t mean to be, but I wander away, I forget, I fight or I don’t trust your ways for me. Yet, YOU give ME overflowing amounts of drink and you feed me every day in abundance when I least deserve it. You are my greatest example of this verse. Thank you for loving me even though I falter so much in life. Show me how to follow you. In Jesus name, amen.