Why And Why Not?

“You can enter God’s Kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose that way. But the gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult. Matthew 7:13-14 (NLT)

When I was a little girl there was a popular country song that played on the radio. It was called “I Beg Your Pardon” by Lynn Anderson. (I realize that admitting that I know this song seriously dates me.) The chorus goes like this:

I beg your pardon
I never promised you a rose garden
Along with the sunshine
There's gotta be a little rain some time

We walk through this life and get frustrated because sometimes it just feels so hard. And we complain. We expected it to be easier. If I am following the Almighty God and he can do anything, why doesn’t he do something to make this better?

I wonder if God is saying “I beg your pardon? I never promised you a rose garden.” And he didn’t. In Matthew he tells the disciples clearly “But the gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult.” That gateway to life is the road we follow when we choose Jesus.

If you look at the people in the Bible, I can’t think of one who had a life that was amazing and free of difficulties. There isn’t one that chooses God, is blessed and then dies saying “That was easy.” Can you? Let’s face it. Stuff happens to everyone (that’s the effect of sin in our world.) We just think because we are Christ-followers it shouldn’t happen to us.

Instead of asking “Why?” maybe the question we should be asking is “Why not?” We are told we are in a battle. We are told that The Liar is trying to mess with us. We should expect that this life is not going to be easy. Then, we should remember that while Jesus said it would be hard, he also said “I’m in it with you. I’ve not gone anywhere. I’m right here. Trust me.”

I think as we contemplate the magnitude of His Presence in our lives, the gift we’ve been given, that would be the time to ask “Why?”

A Minute In It - What Does Your Character Look Like?

A minute in God’s Word will change your life. Take a moment to read the text below and then answer the questions at the bottom of the post.

1 So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, 2 complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. 3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. 5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

12 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, 13 for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.

14 Do all things without grumbling or disputing, 15 that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, 16 holding fast to the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain. 17 Even if I am to be poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrificial offering of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with you all. 18 Likewise you also should be glad and rejoice with me. Philippians 2:1-18 (ESV)

As you read through this text, what character traits does Paul say followers of Christ should have?
What character traits should define our churches?

Really God? Always?

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Philippians 4:4 (ESV)

How in the world are we supposed to do this? Rejoice always. Really?

How can I rejoice when someone I love is diagnosed with a serious illness?
Or maybe you are providing long term care for someone and it’s hard.
How can I rejoice when I lose my job?
How, when there are more bills than money, am I supposed to rejoice?
Am I supposed to rejoice even when I am looking at this momentous problem that I don’t know how to fix?

I don’t know if it is possible to rejoice in the midst of chaos. That’s what I think …… probably more than I should. And I bet you think it too.

But look at what Paul says next.

Let your reasonableness [or gentleness] be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand. (Verse 5)

The Lord is at hand. He is near. He’s not abandoned you to stare at what seems impossible. He, the always possible God, is in this with you.

Lately, I’ve been trying to teach myself to do something different. When I start to focus on what seems impossible to me, I instead focus on Jesus. I read my Bible, I read other things that remind me of how great God is, I sing and I do something that Paul recommends next.

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. (Verse 6)

I talk to God. I share my concerns and my fears, and then I give it to him. And sometimes, I thank him for what he is already doing (wish I thanked him more.)

We can’t ignore the things going on in our life. But we can put them in perspective. We can remember that God is the God of the impossible and we can choose to look at who he is instead of what we see with our human eyes. And most importantly, we can go to him and talk to him and rest in his presence.

As Paul says in Verse 7, when we do that the “peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

Hiding From Love

Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden. But the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?” Genesis 3:8-9 (NIV)

A few weeks ago I was at my daughter’s house cooking dinner. My grandson wanted to help. Now this kind of thing can be a bit tricky because I wanted him to help me but we also needed to be safe. So, I let him climb up on his step stool next to me to help me stir the pot on the stove.

I told him over and over again to not touch the pot because it was hot. I had a hold of one of the pot handles (and it wasn’t hot) and I had my other hand out in front of him to keep him from touching anything. But you guessed it. Inadvertently, he reached up and touched the other handle…..which was hot.

He quickly pulled his hand back and then had a reaction I didn’t expect. He stepped off the stool, ran up the stairs and hid in his room. Completely unsure of what was happening, I quickly followed. I found him hiding in his room and pulled him into my arms to hug him.

I am not sure what caused him to react like this. I don’t know if he was hurt, if he was embarrassed because he touched the pot when I told him not to or if he was afraid he’d get into trouble. But something struck me as I thought about this later. Don’t we do this with God?

We do something we know he doesn’t want us to do and we withdraw from our relationship with him. We get hurt or we’re embarrassed or we’re afraid we’ll get into trouble and we distance ourselves. We don’t pray, we don’t come to have our normal conversations. We disconnect.

And when we do, God has the same reaction I had with my grandson. He comes to find us. He runs after us and he pulls us into his arms whispering words of love and assurance. He tells us that no matter what we are loved and no matter how many times we reach for something we shouldn’t, he will be there to pick us up so we can try again.

That’s because he loves us. Not matter what we do, we are his kids and he will do anything to make sure we know it.

Ready For My Time Out

So there is a special rest [Sabbath-rest] still waiting for the people of God. For all who have entered into God’s rest have rested from their labors, just as God did after creating the world. So let us do our best to enter that rest. Hebrews 4:9-11 (NLT)

There is this song that I used to listen to by Mark Schultz called Running Just to Catch Myself. Lately, at the end of the week, I’ve been feeling like that. Here are a few of the words.

I'm still running
Running very late, For a meeting
Wait, that was yesterday
Guess I'm early for the one next week, Oh how sweet
I get on the ladder, I corporately climb
I wave at my life as it passes me by everyday

 I can't stand still Can I get a witness
Can you hear me Anybody, Anybody
I think I am running just to catch myself

In God’s infinite wisdom, he knew we would do this. He knew we would keep striving and not rest. He knew that our self-image would become about what we were doing instead of the Life-Giver. And in his infinite love for us, he gave us a day to rest. A day to stop thinking about what we needed to accomplish but to focus our gaze on the One who makes all things possible.

I personally look forward to this at the end of every week. It’s my time to unplug; stop thinking about everything on my to-do list and focus instead on my relationship with God. Kind of like giving myself a Time Out! And let me tell you, this week I am ready!

A Minute In It - What Do You Fish For?

A minute in God’s Word will change your life. Take a moment to read the text below and then answer the questions at the bottom of the post.

One day as Jesus was preaching on the shore of the Sea of Galilee, great crowds pressed in on him to listen to the word of God. 2 He noticed two empty boats at the water’s edge, for the fishermen had left them and were washing their nets. 3 Stepping into one of the boats, Jesus asked Simon, its owner, to push it out into the water. So he sat in the boat and taught the crowds from there.

4 When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Now go out where it is deeper, and let down your nets to catch some fish.”

5 “Master,” Simon replied, “we worked hard all last night and didn’t catch a thing. But if you say so, I’ll let the nets down again.” 6 And this time their nets were so full of fish they began to tear! 7 A shout for help brought their partners in the other boat, and soon both boats were filled with fish and on the verge of sinking.

8 When Simon Peter realized what had happened, he fell to his knees before Jesus and said, “Oh, Lord, please leave me—I’m such a sinful man.” 9 For he was awestruck by the number of fish they had caught, as were the others with him. 10 His partners, James and John, the sons of Zebedee, were also amazed.

Jesus replied to Simon, “Don’t be afraid! From now on you’ll be fishing for people!” 11 And as soon as they landed, they left everything and followed Jesus. Luke 5:1-11 (NLT)

Why was Simon reluctant to let down his nets when Jesus asked?
Why did he give in and do it anyway?
When they pulled in the catch, what was Simon Peter’s reaction?
Peter had seen Jesus perform miracles before, why did this one bring him to his knees?
After such a huge catch, Peter and the fisherman were going to be set for a long time, do you think it was harder for them to follow Jesus and walk away from that success?
Would it be harder for you to walk away from your success to follow Jesus?

An Example Of A Roof

So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. Galatians 2:20b (NLT)

Yesterday, we talked about love that bears all things. The love in 1 Corinthians 13:7 is translated as a covering and we equated it to being a roof of love and protection over people. And the example we live by is Christ. He was the ultimate covering, wasn’t he? The unconditional love he gave is our example.

He is our shelter in a storm.

But you are a tower of refuge to the poor, O Lord,
a tower of refuge to the needy in distress.
You are a refuge from the storm
and a shelter from the heat. Isaiah 25:4

His love for us covered a multitude of sins. He gave his life so our sins would be covered by his sacrifice.

Christ suffered for our sins once for all time. He never sinned, but he died for sinners to bring you safely home to God. 1 Peter 3:18

He gave of himself so we would know our worth.

Can a woman forget her nursing child, that she should have no compassion on the son of her womb? Even these may forget, yet I will not forget you. Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are continually before me. Isaiah 49:15-16

He is our safe place.

God is our safe place and our strength. He is always our help when we are in trouble. So we will not be afraid, even if the earth is shaken and the mountains fall into the center of the sea, and even if its waters go wild with storm and the mountains shake with its action. Psalm 46:1-3 (NLV)

Be A Roof

Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 1 Corinthians 13:7 (ESV)

What does it mean to bear all things in love? The word bears in the Greek is στέγω (stego). It means to cover; to protect or keep by covering. Similar to a roof.

To be a roof for someone means to help someone bear up under things that are piling on. It means to bend yourself into a position that will help them withstand. Being a roof means that you will protect them and keep them safe in life.

How often in our lives are we called to be there for someone who needs an extra covering? How often do we say yes? Too often we are looking at our own situation and trying to figure out how to cover ourselves oblivious to the shelter someone else might need. We are unaware that just a little bending in their direction may get them to the place where they can withstand on their own.

Whose roof can you be today?
Is there someone that needs the shelter of your arms or your heart for a time?

It’s been my experience that when I offer that safe place, my own space grows brighter and stronger as well.

Whose roof will you be today?