The Debate Is Over

Imagine if Presidential Debates (the only debates most people pay attention to) went on for days or even weeks.  What torture!  Few people would pay attention after a few hours, and most will have made up their mind long before that.

Have you ever been part of a "Facebook Debate," where someone has posted something controversial and dozens of people make comments for the next several days?  The angry statements "There is no God because..." seem to draw the most attention.  I love to weigh in on those debates, but sometimes you have to draw a line, and decide when the debate is over.

In 1 Corinthians 2:1-2 Paul says, "When I came to you, I did not come with eloquence or human wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God.  For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified."  

You can consume your intellect with arguing about the existence and nature of God, but ultimately it is a matter of the heart and faith, not the mind.  When people make the statement "I don't believe in God" they usually mean, "I want to live for myself."  Let's lay down the biggest idol in the world today: self.  It is only then we can truly see how big God is, and all he has for for our life.  It is then that the debate is over.

Falling Toward the Cross

Most of us have had to deal with the disappointment of those we looked up to that have let us down.  Sin can sneak into anyone's life, and the slightest compromise can open the doors for sin to pour in.  In these times, it is important for us to remember that we are all fighting the sinful nature, but when we fall, if we are still moving towards the cross, then we fall towards the cross.  It is much easier to recover from an uphill fall than a downhill fall.  We also need to remember that we need to be quick to forgive, but wise to know when we should trust again.  Don't turn your back on your brothers or sisters; instead, "restore him gently." (Galatians 6:1).  You never know when it may be you that needs an understanding heart.

Jesus Who?

We are busy people.  Sometimes we are too busy.  We cry out to Jesus when it's hard to pay the bills or someone is fighting for their life in the ICU, but when things are rolling along just fine we don't have time to pray.  One of the reasons I love Jesus Christ is because he is so patient with us.  Even so, we must break the cycle of crying out to him, then ignoring him until a crisis, and then crying out again.  Let's enjoy his presence; let's worship him for who he is; let's come to him for once not expecting something in return.  Ironically, it at these times he blesses us the most.

Answered Prayer

In 1 Samuel 1 Hannah prayed year after year for the blessing of a child.  She didn't know if or when God would answer her prayer, but one day her waiting was over.  My sister can relate.  After 2 1/2 years she and her husband have finally received the call they have been waiting for: they have a son!  He is nine months old, and he is waiting for them in Ethiopia.  If all goes well, they will be able to go to court in Ethiopia in a few months, and then return a few weeks later to get their precious boy.  Are we all nervous about the next few months?  Of course, but the Lord has always been in charge, from the moment he burned it in my sister's heart to adopt a child from overseas.  Can you imagine waiting 2 1/2 years for anything?  Join me praising the Lord for this incredible miracle, and know that whatever you are waiting for, if it is God's plan, it isn't over until God says it's over!

Darkness

It is just me, or does the time change feel like jet lag?  We get an extra hour, but for some reason I am thrown off!  In reality, the change of seasons can throw many of us for a loop.  Less sunlight means your brain releases more melatonin; in a bear, it makes you sleep for 5 months, but in humans, it makes us tired, lethargic, and grumpy. It is the source of a condition known as Seasonal Affective Disorder, or S.A.D.  Some people get depressed, and others simply retreat into their comfort zones.  I am guilt of the latter.  I become attached to my favorite spot on the couch, my regular bedtime, my daily routine, and my favorite foods.

It might not be a bad idea, as some S.A.D. patients do to suppress their melatonin levels, to look into the light.  Stick with your Bible reading, keep plugged in at church, and stay attuned to the voice of God.  Nothing overcomes spiritual apathy like the presence of God.  When you least feel like it, when you have nothing to say, when you are angry, depressed, or just tired, there is nothing better to do than just worship the Lord with all your heart.  Don't ask him for anything at that moment, and don't run down your list of prayer requests just yet.  Simply worship him for who he is, and the light of his presence will drive away the darkness that feels like it is smothering you.  Just like good medicine, it might not feel good at first, but it works wonders every time.

Seeing Through God's Eyes

In the short book of Jonah, we see a prophet with a problem.  When given clear direction by the Lord, he turns tail and runs the opposite direction.  After realizing the hard way he made a bad choice, and setting new records for body odor after being vomited out by a fish, he finally obeyed and preached repentance to Ninevah.  To his surprise, they actually repented!  This made Jonah upset; he was waiting for hellfire and damnation, but instead he witnessed mercy and forgiveness.  God told him, "What right have you to be angry?"  It's a good thing the Lord gives us mercy, and not a human jury.  What things make us angry that are really not worth getting angry about?  Would we be as angry if we saw things through God's eyes?  Is a homeless person a lazy drunk or a person who needs help?  Are the starving children of the world the result of corrupt foreign governments, or our obligation to care for as Christians?  Is the sex slave trade of Asia a cultural tragedy, or an evil that demands a response from the Church?  Let's try and see things through God's eyes, and we might end up seeing much more than we ever have before.

The Results Are In

Let's not forget that our current blessings are the results of sweat, blood, and unimaginable sacrifice by our parents and grandparents.  We are not entitled to anything; we may face new challenges in the global economy, but these challenges are nothing that can't be overcome with good old fashioned hard work, sacrifice, faith, and ingenuity.  Just ask the great generation about beating the odds.  Whoever wins in the polls tonight, let's hope they understand this concept.