Identity Crisis

I glanced out the window to find 3 woodpeckers at our hummingbird feeders!  They savor the sugar water intended for the ever-active hummingbirds.  Sometimes, we too get confused about who we are and what we are about.

Then we need to remind ourselves of certain defining truths.  Christians are God's children; we have been adopted into his family.  We are chosen and loved.  Our family spans continents and centuries.  

"As God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved..."  Colossians 3:12

"See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God; and that is what we are."  1 John 3:1a

"By his great mercy he has given us a new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who are being protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time."  1 Peter 1:3b-5

Our lives have purpose and meaning!  We follow Jesus and serve God wherever he sends us.  Sometimes we find ourselves backstage.  Sometimes we find ourselves center stage and proclaiming words of life.  Whether in the kitchen or in the board room, our joy is to love God and obey his commandments.  Our resume and our hard-won credentials matter much less than we assume.  

Indeed, the Apostle Paul came to think of his bloodline and accomplishments as baggage, garbage, or rubbish.  They can get in the way and confuse us as to our identity and primary mission.  

"I regard them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but one that comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God based on faith." Philippians 3:8b-9

You too can become a member of God's family anytime, anywhere.  He is waiting for you.

Praise God!

10,000 Reasons,  Celtic Worship, January 30, 2017

(Thanks DME once again for finding such inspirational music.)

Devotions for Techies

Most of us have been forced online due to the Coronavirus.  So many online meetings for work, school, family celebrations and check-ins.  Meeting online is fraught with hurdles:  timing with other householders who also need to be online, limited bandwidth,  choice between camera and/or mic, fuzzy and freezing screens, audio feedback, voices that don't sync with the speaker...  Connecting and communicating with clarity are not always ideal.  Still we persist.  Why?

Hard-core techies like the challenge.  Many are driven by deadlines set by the boss or the teacher.  Some need to hear a loved one's voice or to see a familiar face after too long a separation.  To give up is to surrender to isolation, loneliness, or drift without purpose.

Happily, we mere mortals can readily connect with our Father and Creator God.  Our Lord Jesus appeared on earth in the flesh to meet people like us.  He personally delivered messages from the Father.  God sent the Holy Spirit to indwell believers.  The Spirit counsels, comforts, empowers,  advocates, and brings teachings to remembrance.  Jesus taught us how to pray and assured us that we would be heard by God at anytime and from anywhere.  In a word, our Father in Heaven offers us "net neutrality"; we have equal access to almighty, unconditional Love.  He knows what's on our mind before we even say one word. 

Make time daily for this mysterious and wonder-filled meeting, powered by love.  God asks that we seek him wholeheartedly, that we listen to his voice, that we love and obey, and that we glorify his name.  He has something he needs to tell you, something he needs you to understand today.

Negotiations

Life flows along, until conditions change or someone blows the whistle for a timeout and revaluation. Perhaps a world event arises like a pandemic. Perhaps it’s a diagnosis, job loss, financial crisis, or relationship breakdown. Someone, for some reason, wants a change in rules to improve their situation. In business, we call this crisis management. CEOs may decide to file for bankruptcy and reorganize. In marriage, we call this separation. Maybe a spouse walks away for a time to ponder what he really wants in life.

In such cases, someone is unhappy with the current arrangements. Yes, mid-course corrections are part of living. Certainly resilience involves flexibility, adaptability, and perseverance. Whenever negotiators discuss new terms, they prefer to work from strength and greater leverage. One of the parties may suffer loss or setbacks. Few of us want to negotiate from a position of weakness.

God takes an entirely incomprehensible position in negotiations with us. He recognizes that we are not worthy rivals at the table. We are impotent paupers. We have nothing to win God over to our way of thinking, to spare us, or to help us out of our dire circumstances.

God recognizes we are sinners; we are flawed individuals. Incredibly, God chooses us anyway. Amazingly, God loves us anyway. Unbelievably, God offers us help and hope at the negotiations' table. God provides the costly solution; He shares with us his righteousness and victory over death. Christ died for our sins, redeemed us, and grants us new standing. We become new creatures in Christ with a fresh start. We enjoy new and improved terms, based on no assets nor strengths of our own. God’s strength is made visible in our weakness.

“’My grace is sufficient for you, for power is made perfect in weakness.’ So, I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.” 2 Cor. 12:9

Give Thanks.

Loving Relationships?

Church is a place where sinners gather.  A family can be a refuge or a battlefield.  As much as we try to befriend safe people, to marry well, or to associate with co-workers who can help us advance, we can feel betrayed, deceived, used, or unappreciated at the end of the day.  Why?  All we want is love, sweet love.

Admittedly, relationships are messy.  A friendship or a marriage may start well but deteriorate over time.  People change.  Individuals look out for their own interests and tend to trample on others, intentionally or unintentionally.  All of us bear scars and carry painful memories.  We may share these experiences with a trusted few and learn to live in the light.  If we stuff them down for years, they may blow one day like shrapnel.  Our secret anger, painful burden, or steaming resentment becomes visible. 

Listen to your life.  Address relational realities.  Stop trying to manage your image.  Stop pretending, hiding, or covering up.  Deal with root problems.  When you feel overwhelmed, get help.  Seek out help in the person of an experienced counselor.  See your pastor.  Read scripture and Christian literature.  Pray.  Practice healthy habits.  Take  yourself in for a tuneup, in other words. 

When we are in better shape, stronger, and healthier biblically-speaking, we are able to be present to others.  We stop sizing up someone by what we stand to gain.  We are at long last able to build relationships by blessing the other, doing good, and loving actively.  We give without expectations of cashing in.  Learning to consider the interests of others is a process in leaving selfishness behind.  It's an exercise in self-denial and sacrificial love. 

"Do nothing from selfishness or conceit, but in humility count others better than yourselves.  Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others."  Phil. 2:4-5

Will we get honest and own up to doing our part in making relationships happier and healthier?  As Christians, we are called to love.  (1 Corinthians 13)  It's a challenging, lifelong assignment.  Look to Jesus to see how he pulled it off.  Rely on Holy Spirit power daily to live out a lifestyle of love.

How Long, Lord?

Seniors in their 90s like my Dad are discovering iPads and FaceTime can bring loved ones closer, even when they are feeling isolated.  Seeing a smile or hearing laughter brightens the long day.  Technology enables connection. 

Those with immunity concerns are also feeling cut off from casual interactions with friends.  The realization that there is no end in sight to this COVID-19 pandemic makes the loneliness all the harder to bear.  How do we engage in abundant living while protecting our health?  How do we fellowship?  Are outdoor, masked, socially distanced gatherings a possibility?

Yes, survival requires adapting, letting go of accustomed routines, and embracing new practices like virtual interactions, outdoor meetings/activities, social distancing, and wearing masks.  

Who could have imagined working remotely for months, online silver sneakers workouts, virtual art and cooking classes, and web conferencing to discuss church matters?  We have been forced to rethink, to cope, to set up life differently, to distance to avoid possible contagion.   Life online is possible for many, but is ultimately less satisfying long-term.

A few suggestions for now:

Spiritual Formation:  Join a Crestview Bible Study or Summer Parables Group.  See the Crestview Website to connect online.

Worship:  Play the music you love, that promotes worship.  God is near.  Try listening now: 

In Christ Alone.

Fellowship:  Call someone in your life, that needs a word of encouragement or comfort.  Send a card.

Love One Another:  Give whatever you are longing for, to someone else.  A delightful surprise lifts the spirit. 

Create:  Like our Creator God, make something good to share:  a meal, a picture, music...