Living In The Light

"Your eye is a lamp that provides light for your body. When your eye is good, your whole body will be filled with light." 

Matthew 6:22

Matthew Six is one of my favorite chapters in the Bible.  Jesus is speaking the whole time, and He has so many great things to say.  He talks about prayer.  He talks about how to receive God's blessings.  He reminds us we don't need to worry because God will always take care of us.  He takes a complicated religious system the people were burdened by and simplifies it to one rule: 'Trust God; He is your loving Father who will never overlook your needs or your deeds.'

The majority of the chapter is straightforward.  He gives practical, take-home advice.  Anyone listening to Him speak would not have to question what He meant, but He does get in one metaphor that takes some thought to consider.  "Your eye is a lamp that provides light for your body."  He makes a connection between our perspective and our actions.  The "why" behind the choices we make.  It involves more than following instructions.  It involves understanding why He gives those instructions.

He says not to do things to please people or be noticed by them.  Why?  People are difficult to impress, they don't pay much attention, and their praise is short-lived.  If that's what you're living for, you will be horribly disappointed.

He says to trust God.  Why?  Because God is trustworthy.  He always provides, always rewards, and always sees.  He sees you in your desperate hour.  He sees you in your effort to love, give, and forgive.  If you are trusting Him, He doesn't miss that, and He can't let you down.  If you are living to walk in His ways, the reward is guaranteed, not as a payment for dutiful service but as an inherent blessing.  He only asks us to do what is best for us anyway!

"Your eye is a lamp that provides light for your body."  How do you view God?  How do you view His ways?  How do you view yourself?  If your perspective is correct, you will be filled with light.  If your perspective is false, you will live in darkness.  Your actions reflect what you believe.

I don't need to tell you what you struggle with.  You know.  But do you know why you struggle?  What is it that keeps you from doing what you know is best?  What are you not believing about God?  What are you not believing about yourself and who He has made you to be?  Step out of the darkness and into the light.  Out of the lies and into the truth: God is love; His ways are best; And you are His treasured possession...valuable, worth dying for, and worth raising to new life.

You are holy and blameless as you stand before him. 

Colossians 1:22

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188.  All rights reserved.

Mighty In Battle

"Come to me...and I will give you rest." Matthew 11:28

As a writer I am familiar with, and use often, various forms of poetic language.  Hyperbole, metaphors, similes; these are like colors to me on a painter's palette.  The writers of the Bible use them shamelessly.  And so does God.  Not only in the spoken word, but in the way He has designed us to know Him and live life to the full.

Of the ways God expresses Himself and functions, I think my favorite is His use of oxymorons. (Too bad it doesn't have a better name :)  An oxymoron is when words or actions are used in conjunction but do not seem to go together. It comes from the words oxus, meaning ‘sharp’ and mōros, meaning  ‘foolish.’  And that's what it literally means: Sharp foolishness.  Something so stunningly opposite it makes you say, 'Wait a minute; How can that be?'

God brought some things together for me this week that fall into this category.  I've been reading about God's people after their time of exile in Babylon.  They returned to Jerusalem to rebuild the Temple, and God made some grand statements about His plans for them.  He promised restoration and strength.  He told the prophets, "They will be like mighty warriors in battle, trampling their enemies in the mud under their feet.  Since the LORD is with them as they fight, they will overthrow even the horsemen of the enemy." (Zech. 10:5 NLT)

God is referring to the Messiah coming "to look after his flock" and "make them mighty in battle".  And when Jesus came, many were looking for Him to overthrow the Roman government.  However, He didn't do that.  He came preaching a message of love and peace, not one of political revolution.  This begs the question, "What was God talking about?"

When Jesus went around Israel teaching and preaching, He didn't talk about winning battles against the "powers that be" or evil nations.  He didn't talk about winning battles against enemies or troublesome neighbors or people with different views; He talked about winning battles of the heart.  To choose love instead of hate, peace instead of strife, true worship instead religious piety, generosity instead of greed, trust in God instead of worry, rest instead of weariness.

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest."  He was ready to extend mercy, compassion, healing, forgiveness, and redemption.  He was looking for fellowship..."Love the Lord your God...Remain in My love."  He wasn't looking to lead anyone into battle against the government or religious leaders or whoever had wronged them.  He was leading them into a new way of life; abundant love and joy, perpetual peace and blessings.  He was leading them to overcome their greatest enemies: their inner demons of fear, hopelessness, pride, and unbelief.

Rest comes through surrender and trust.  It comes through a belief in His love; It comes through obedience; It comes with humility; It comes by hanging back.  Hanging out with Jesus.  Resting in His Presence. Abiding in His love.

Mighty warriors at rest?  Love trampling enemies?  Surrender overthrowing kingdoms?  

Sharp foolishness; But it's true.

Are you at rest?  It's possible to be busy and still at rest.  It's possible to be lazy and not at rest.  Jesus isn't talking about our activity-level, our schedule, or our calendar; He's talking about the heart.  Are you at peace?  Are you weary and burdened, or alive and free?  Is your heart filled with love and forgiveness, or anger and pride?  Is your life cluttered with a lot of meaningless, unsatisfying struggle, or rich with restful fullness?  Are you living the kind of life Jesus taught His disciples to live and enjoying it? 

The invitation is simple.  The promise of rest is real.  The choice is yours.  You can win the battles that plague you: "...not by force nor by strength, but by my Spirit, says the LORD Almighty." (Zechariah 4:6 NLT)

Let go...and let God.

Overcoming Evil With Good

God has given each of us the ability to do certain things well...

This morning I woke up with a depressed feeling.  As I remembered the horrific tragedy of those who lost their lives in a Connecticut elementary school, my heart was broken and angry.  The unspeakable evil that invaded a classroom of children is something I don't want to believe actually happened.  But sadly, it did, and this isn't the first time human beings have terrorized others, and it won't be the last.  I didn't want to get out of bed.  'What's the point of going on in this evil world?' I thought.  I'm so sick of evil, tragedy, and seeing others having to endure such horror and pain.

But as I was lying there, I began to think about what I had to do today.  What did I have to get up for?  Yes, this world is plagued by evil every day, but there is also a lot of goodness: many blessings in my life to live for, many ways to bless others and bring goodness to their hearts and lives.

In the Bible, Paul tells us the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.  God has given us His Spirit to possess these qualities of the heart that bring a lot of goodness to this world.  Against such things there is no law, he says.  This fruit of the heart not only exists, but it can abound in us.

I thought about what I had to do today: care for my children and have a lazy Saturday with them--they need that. I needed it, and the opportunity was before me.  I also had some "work" to do.  I have a new book coming out I needed to print.  This is not really work for me.  It's a joy--an opportunity to use the gifts God has given me to teach, encourage, and inspire others.  I needed to add the new book to my website for those who are waiting for its release, and I needed to make copies for those I gift books to this time of year.

And I had a blog to write to remind myself of the good God has given me to do and to remind you of the good you can do for the children and adults you care for, help, teach, comfort, and bring happiness.  Paul tells us to not grow weary of doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up...as we have opportunity let us do good to all people. (Gal. 6:9-10)

In his letter to the Roman Christians, people who were no strangers to the evil of their generation, he said, God has given each of us the ability to do certain things well.  So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out when you have faith that God is speaking through you.  If your gift is that of serving others, serve them well.  If you are a teacher, do a good job of teaching.  If your gift is to encourage others, do it!  If you have money, share it generously.  If God has given you leadership ability, take it seriously.  And if you have a gift of sharing kindness to others, do it gladly.  Don't just pretend you love others.  Really love them.  Hate what is wrong.  Stand on the side of good.  Love each other with genuine affection and take delight in honoring each other.  Never be lazy in your work, but serve the Lord enthusiastically.  Be glad for all God is planning for you.  Be patient in trouble, and always be prayerful.  When God's children are in need, be the one to help them out. (Rom. 12: 6-13 NLT)

So I got up today, and I was a mom.  I also printed and bound books for those I know will be blessed by the story and message of hope, seeking God's best, living in His presence, receiving His love, and living in a way that will bring blessings to their lives.  I prayed for those who are hurting today.  I thanked those who had blessed me in a specific way.  I let a gentleman go ahead of me in line at the grocery store because he seemed to be in a hurry.

I cannot do anything to change the events of yesterday, nor the evils that will likely take place tomorrow, but I did the good I can do today.  I pray you will do the same however you have the opportunity to do so.  In your home, community, church, local school, and however far your world goes.  God has given you His Spirit for that purpose.  Those who died in that school did not live in vain.  Those children brought a lot of goodness to this world during their short time here: to their families, teachers, and classmates.  The teachers and other school workers were doing what they had been called to do in making a difference in the lives of children and in many other ways we may never hear about.  We can honor their memory by doing the same.  We can live today and bring goodness to those around us.  And we can do it well.

Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
 (Romans 12:21)