Have you ever been overwhelmed by your "to do" list? Your responsibilities seem to grow by the minute and as you weigh this list, it becomes boldly apparent...you CANNOT accomplish all that is required of you. How do I pay my bills, feed my family, fix my car, clothe my children, meet my deadlines and...serve the Lord? How do I handle those who hate me, those who persecute me, and those who are flat out mean? How do I deal with illness, loss, and death? It is a terrible feeling! Your chest caves in, your eyes droop and sometimes you lose the desire to even try. I've been there. I've been there more times than I can count. But there is one thing that lifts my head even in the center of the most stressful of circumstances.
The cross.
To kneel at the foot of the cross is the most precious gift. As the eye of my heart gazes on the Son of God things begin to change. I see the anguish and exhaustion tear through His body and I am captivated. I cannot take my eyes off of Him. His silence is disturbing. I want, with all my being, to hear Him rebuke the people. To stand up in His omnipotent power and display His splendor and wrath. But instead, He offers His hand to the soldier who will nail it to the cross. While the physical pain He suffers is beyond words, i can see another sorrow protruding. His eyes tell the story as He calls out "Father, forgive them." How can this be? God has loved you and me so much that in the midst of such terrible suffering He speaks of forgiveness. To know I am loved this deeply is humbling to say the least. I am quiet. By now the worries of my responsibilities have faded away and I am at peace. There I am reminded of my greatest and most pleasurable responsibility, to the love the Lord, my God, with all my heart, with all my soul, with all my mind, and with all my strength! God is good!
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Ordinary
"When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus." Acts 4:13
It wasn't long ago that I found myself in the company of several men highly regarded in the church for their knowledge of God's word and their ability to convey His message to masses. When I left their company I felt rather small to say the least. I wasn't able to join in some of the conversations because I had no expertise in the subjects we discussed. At one point I tried to interject but the effort only ended in embarrasment. Those men were gracious and kind but I couldn't help feeling silly for my mistakes.
I have caught myself on several occassions wondering what difference I could make in this world. I am not able nor do I possess the desire to become a scholar. But, is this really required for me to please our Father? Is His pleasure based on whether or not I can read the greek New Testament? I am ordinary. There is nothing about me worthy of mention, at least, not according to the world's standards. This was also the case with Peter and John. They were uneducated, unknown...ordinary. Yet these men accomplished great things for His kingdom. And the most beautiful thing happened in this story! Those men of authority and status "took note" that Peter and John had been with Jesus!
I have on occassion "taken note" of another. Several years ago I was blessed with the opportunity to lead worship for a group of college students on a weekend retreat. Leading worship is one of my greatest passions! I believe worship is a moment of intimacy between man and his Creator, a time when man is able to enter the throne room of the Most High and commune with Him. What an amazing gift! This weekend I had been given the charge of helping others enter this place of intimacy. Throughout the weekend I was humbled as I witnessed a student whose passion for the Lord erupted from him! It was as if there was absolutely no room in his being to contain the excitement he was experiencing. It was evident this young man had entered the throne room of the Most High and the love and compassion of our Savior had engulfed him. He had been with Jesus and there was no doubt in my mind about it. This was years ago and yet to this day I remember this young man! I had taken note that he had been with Jesus!
It is my prayer that when I am with others they will "take note" that I have been with Jesus. They will see His goodness displayed in me. My words will sound like His. My heart will look like His heart! His power and grace will overflow from my life in everything I do! "Being" with Jesus is of great value!
It wasn't long ago that I found myself in the company of several men highly regarded in the church for their knowledge of God's word and their ability to convey His message to masses. When I left their company I felt rather small to say the least. I wasn't able to join in some of the conversations because I had no expertise in the subjects we discussed. At one point I tried to interject but the effort only ended in embarrasment. Those men were gracious and kind but I couldn't help feeling silly for my mistakes.
I have caught myself on several occassions wondering what difference I could make in this world. I am not able nor do I possess the desire to become a scholar. But, is this really required for me to please our Father? Is His pleasure based on whether or not I can read the greek New Testament? I am ordinary. There is nothing about me worthy of mention, at least, not according to the world's standards. This was also the case with Peter and John. They were uneducated, unknown...ordinary. Yet these men accomplished great things for His kingdom. And the most beautiful thing happened in this story! Those men of authority and status "took note" that Peter and John had been with Jesus!
I have on occassion "taken note" of another. Several years ago I was blessed with the opportunity to lead worship for a group of college students on a weekend retreat. Leading worship is one of my greatest passions! I believe worship is a moment of intimacy between man and his Creator, a time when man is able to enter the throne room of the Most High and commune with Him. What an amazing gift! This weekend I had been given the charge of helping others enter this place of intimacy. Throughout the weekend I was humbled as I witnessed a student whose passion for the Lord erupted from him! It was as if there was absolutely no room in his being to contain the excitement he was experiencing. It was evident this young man had entered the throne room of the Most High and the love and compassion of our Savior had engulfed him. He had been with Jesus and there was no doubt in my mind about it. This was years ago and yet to this day I remember this young man! I had taken note that he had been with Jesus!
It is my prayer that when I am with others they will "take note" that I have been with Jesus. They will see His goodness displayed in me. My words will sound like His. My heart will look like His heart! His power and grace will overflow from my life in everything I do! "Being" with Jesus is of great value!
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
Entrusted
"Each of you has been blessed with one of God's many wonderful gifts to be used in the service of others. So use your gift well." -1 Peter 4:10
How do you rate or measure your service for the Lord?
For some time I have set certain "spiritual markers" that I believed were indicators of my service. If I met certain criteria then my actions were godly and valuable to His Kingdom. If I led a worship service in such a way as to engage and draw others into the presence of God then I had done well. Or, if I had spoken a word from the pulpit that challenge listeners to a deeper walk, then I had honored the Lord. While leading worship and speaking are valid expressions of one's faith in the Lord, what happens when you no longer have such opportunities to express or serve the Lord? What happens when those spiritual "acts of worship" are removed?
Leading worship and speaking are a couple of the gifts the Lord has blessed me with. But, He has entrusted me with so much more. I love the opportunities I have to use those gifts but what about all the other things He has entrusted into my hands? What about my children. Of all the people in the world, God has given me 3 beautiful children who are very much shaped by the words and actions of their father. Do I take advantage of this? Do I teach them about Christ not only through my words but through my actions toward them and toward those around me? How is my service to the Lord in relation to my children? I have been blessed with a wonderful wife. Do I honor her? Is she drawn closer to the Lord because of my walk with Him? God has blessed me with a home to live in. Do I use it to bless others through acts of hospitality? How about the knowledge I have? God has, in the past, blessed me with the opportunity to learn and work in the computer industry. I have gained knowledge about computers that exceeds the general population. Do I use this knowledge to bless others?
I don't know about You, but I often neglect many of these things the Lord has entrusted into my hands. I have neglected them, all the while frustrated that I didn't have more opportunities to serve God in bigger ways. Forgive me, Lord!
Father, help me to take advantage of everything You have given me and use it for Your glory!
How do you rate or measure your service for the Lord?
For some time I have set certain "spiritual markers" that I believed were indicators of my service. If I met certain criteria then my actions were godly and valuable to His Kingdom. If I led a worship service in such a way as to engage and draw others into the presence of God then I had done well. Or, if I had spoken a word from the pulpit that challenge listeners to a deeper walk, then I had honored the Lord. While leading worship and speaking are valid expressions of one's faith in the Lord, what happens when you no longer have such opportunities to express or serve the Lord? What happens when those spiritual "acts of worship" are removed?
Leading worship and speaking are a couple of the gifts the Lord has blessed me with. But, He has entrusted me with so much more. I love the opportunities I have to use those gifts but what about all the other things He has entrusted into my hands? What about my children. Of all the people in the world, God has given me 3 beautiful children who are very much shaped by the words and actions of their father. Do I take advantage of this? Do I teach them about Christ not only through my words but through my actions toward them and toward those around me? How is my service to the Lord in relation to my children? I have been blessed with a wonderful wife. Do I honor her? Is she drawn closer to the Lord because of my walk with Him? God has blessed me with a home to live in. Do I use it to bless others through acts of hospitality? How about the knowledge I have? God has, in the past, blessed me with the opportunity to learn and work in the computer industry. I have gained knowledge about computers that exceeds the general population. Do I use this knowledge to bless others?
I don't know about You, but I often neglect many of these things the Lord has entrusted into my hands. I have neglected them, all the while frustrated that I didn't have more opportunities to serve God in bigger ways. Forgive me, Lord!
Father, help me to take advantage of everything You have given me and use it for Your glory!
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