Going Back to Egypt

In the book of Exodus, we see the nation of Israel finally set free from the brutal slavery of the Egyptians, and embark on a journey of freedom.  It only takes a few days, however, for the grumbling to start, and the Lord shows his power to provide with the quail and manna.  Then when they reach the promised land, they hear the report, and grumble again.  "Why is the LORD bringing us to this land only to let us fall by the sword? Our wives and children will be taken as plunder. Wouldn’t it be better for us to go back to Egypt?” (Numbers 14:3).  Are you kidding me?  They wanted to go back to slavery!  What was so bad that they wanted to go back to being beaten, killed, and forced to build shrines to foreign gods?  It was probably the most frightening thing in humanity: the unknown.

At least in Egypt, they knew what to expect.  It was slavery, sure, but at least they knew they had food, a place to live, and as long as they did their work they would survive.  Here they would have to fight enemies that looked terrifying, grow their own food, and face danger.  That was slave thinking. 

It took two generations, or 40 years of wandering in the desert, for the Israelites to stop thinking like slaves, and start thinking like soldiers.  As children of God, we are soldiers, but too often we think like slaves.  We pine for the "good old days" when life was more secure, more peaceful, and more predictable.  The problem with predictable is that it doesn't leave a lot of room for faith.  We can sometimes find ourselves wanting to "go back to Egypt."

God has once again reminded me I need to stop putting my security in the things of this world, and put it in him.  I don't want to be OK because I have a good job or solid investments.  I want to be victorious because I trust the Lord in everything and with everything, including my family.  Lord help us all to stop thinking like slaves, and start living like soldiers so God can do all he has planned for us.  Wouldn't that be the greatest legacy to leave our children?

Timing Is Everything

My poor sister and her husband have been through the ringer trying to adopt a baby boy from Ethiopia.  The three year rollercoaster decided to give us all whiplash these final weeks with delays, communication problems, breakthroughs, set backs, and then finally victory (although we'll all feel better when he is on US soil!).  Why is doing a great thing so difficult?  Why doesn't God make it easy to follow his plan and save a life? 

I think there are many books on the subject, but my favorite is the book of 2 Peter 3:7-9:

"But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day.  The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance." 

The context here is the second coming of Christ, but it also applies to our relationship with him.  It is not that God is slow, we are impatient, or God just likes to do things his way.  He is teaching us, being patient with us, so that we may understand his will.  It's we humans that make things take so long, because we are just slow learners.  As a horribly impatient person myself, I believe the least patient of us learn the most slowly. 

God's timing is perfect.  We may never understand why it took so long to bring my nephew home, why some live long happy lives and others are cut short, or why Christ is taking so long to return.  It is likely, I suppose, that the reason has something to do with what the Lord is trying to teach us.  We are fixated with time, a concept that doesn't touch God.  In the Bible and even today, it seems the one thing God rarely reveals is his timing; that is control we have to leave to him. 

My challenge for us: let's open our eyes to what he is teaching us through his perfect, if somewhat difficult, timing. It may be the toughest test of our faith, but it also is the most valuable.

Blessed be the Name of the Lord

In the early morning hours of Thursday, April 28th, 2011 a record setting system of tornadoes tore through the American South.  I heard terrifying stories and saw unimaginable destruction all around my own community.  It was nothing short of awe inspiring.

After surveying the devastation, most people ask, "why?"  Usually their eyes are pointed upwards, and we all look to God for answers.  Why did he let this happen?  The short answer is: we really don't know.  As Job said, "The Lord gives and the Lord takes away; blessed be the name of the Lord." (paraphrased). only God sees the beginning and the end; only God can truly fathom the purpose of tragedy; only God knows why he directed the tornadoes in exactly the way he did. 

I don't want to make light of people's suffering, but even in our human understanding we can see some benefits that come out of this tragedy:
1) People will be more prepared for natural disasters;
2) Many homeowners may get much needed repairs or replacements of things on thier home for the cost of an insurance deductable;
3) Some people may have been burdened by a mortgage or rent they couldn't afford before losing their home, and now they have a chance for a few months of relief until their finances improve;
4) Some businesses may have been burdened by inventory that didn't sell or facilities in need of an upgrade, and now they can receive both.

Finally, maybe it takes times like these to teach us about our relationship with God.  When it seems like we have nothing to be thankful for, do we still love God for being God, or just when we are blessed?  I hope that we all can find a depth in our relationship with the Father that looks at tragedy and says like Job, "The Lord gves and the Lord takes away; Blessed be the Name of the Lord!"

Which Side of the Cross Are You On?

I was never great at video games, but my favorite were always those with unlimited time and unlimited do-overs.  I always felt I was at my best when I couldn't lose!  Life is not so forgiving.  Rarely do we get a "do-over."

Fortunately, Jesus gives us the ultimate "do-over."  We get complete, unrestricted, unconditional, and unwavering forgiveness of sins.  The price: a genuine heart.  It doesn't get better than that!  So why doesn't everyone take advatage of it?  If a gas station was giving away free gas, there would be lines down the road, but it seems like so many pass on Christ's precious gift.  Luke 23 gives us a clue:

"One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!”
 ⁴⁰ But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence? ⁴¹ We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.”
 ⁴² Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.^[d]”
 ⁴³ Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise."

The answer is fairly simple: we can choose rebellion or submission.  We can be angry, blame God for all of our suffering, and go down to the grave shaking our fists at Him, or we can recognize His own immeasurable suffering and love, beg for his forgiveness, and find life everlasting. 

We are all "criminals" in God's eyes; we are sinful and deserving of death.  Because of the cross, however, we can chose which side to be on: anger and death, or forgiveness and life.  Which side of the cross are you on?

***If you are not sure which side you are on, or just need more information about knowing God, I encourage you to click on the book on the right side of the page: Faith and Facts.  It is free to download.  It can give you some perspective on what faith is and what it means to have a relationship with God.***

Without Reward

I got to take a tour of the Chick-fil-A Corporate Headquarters in Atlanta this morning.  I was struck by the massive multi-billion dollar empire created by a simple man with a vision and a commitment to honor God in all he did.  I'm sure for most of his career Truett Cathy never knew how big his company and his influence would become, but he never flinched along the way.  Perhaps the reason was because he wasn't working for reward.

Why do we live the way we do?  Do we fear God because we don't want to be punished?  Do we fear him because we hope for a reward?  What if we never saw a reward for our faithfulness on this earth?  When I think of my children, I love them without conditions, expectations, or restrictions.  Do we love God the same way, or de we expect a divine handout, a blessing, or success for our love?  I know I am guilty of falling into this "slot-machine" kind of thinking.

This Easter, let's remember what the cross is all about: Grace.  Just as Christ loved us with complete abandon and without any expectation of reward, let's renew our commitment to love him, live for him, and serve him unflinchingly without any expectation of reward, except the most precious reward of all: having a relationship with our Creator.

Are You Ready?

Today the largest earthquake in recorded history hit off the coast of Japan, spawning a massive tsunami that has been felt all over the Pacific Rim.  Losses will be difficult to estimate, but it certainly looks tremendous.  I am struck by a feeling you don't often see in catastrophic news reports: relative calm.  Few would doubt the resolve of the Japanese people, and their engineering is among the best in the world, but I think the underlying reason for such calm is simply preparedness.  To the extent it was possible, the Japanese were prepared.  Buildings held, bridges stayed steady amid a deluge of water and debris, and the Prime Minister reinforced this sense with a call to remain calm.  Not much can be done to stop a tsunami, but even then the people immediately went into action with emergency plans that have been in place and rehearsed for years.  Many people have lost their lives, but with nothing that could have been done differently, it seems easier to put it in God's hands.

In reality we control very little in our lives.  Sometimes we need to see skyscrapers swaying or 23 foot waves to remind us of this!  Nevertheless, we do have a responsibility to be prepared.  Are you ready for a fire?  A flood?  Do you have life insurance?  What about spiritual matters?  Are you ready to respond if someone asks you a question or challenges your faith?  Think about these things ahead of time.  When you've done all you could beforehand, it is much easier to place the rest in God's hands.  Ultimately, he has the final say anyway.

Farwell

This week our family lost a matriarch, but heaven is certainly rejoicing.  "Nana" went home to be with the Lord On February 4th, 2011.  She was the epitome of selflessness, faith, and courage.

When I start complaining about not having a babysitter, I remember she was left raising six kids on her own.  When I think I'm not treated fairly, I remember she was beaten by her husband.  When I am afraid, I remember she left her abusive husband with nowhere else to go.  When I worry, I remember she had faith that the Lord would take care of her.  When I fret about money, I remember she went to the food bank on a regular basis.  When I pine for something new and shiny, I remember she gave sacrificially so her children could have a memorable Christmas, no matter how tight the money was.  When I worry how my kids will turn out, I remember in her poverty she raised the first college graduates in her family.  When I get frustrated at life's little bumps in the road, she makes me remember what is truly important.

Everyone who knew her were blessed.  I am doubly blessed; I married her beautiful daughter, and am the father of two of her amazing grandchildren.  She will be sorely missed here on Earth, but I'm sure she is rejoicing in heaven now as she is finally reunited with her brother and sister.  We love you nana!