Facing Giants

That roused the Philistine, and he started toward David. David took off from the front line, running toward the Philistine. David reached into his pocket for a stone, slung it, and hit the Philistine hard in the forehead, embedding the stone deeply. The Philistine crashed, face down in the dirt. 1 Samuel 17:48-49

Run. Run quickly toward him. My breathing was fast as I ran. I was trying to control it by breathing deeply so I could have all the energy I needed when the battle began. Facing this Giant definitely was the craziest thing I've ever done. Ever. Even chasing a bear or a lion didn't seem so insane.

As I put my hand into my sling I felt the cool stone against my sweaty palm. "Lord, you've always been with me. You've provided what I've needed. I need you now." Without even thinking about it, my reflexes took over. All that I had done in the field as a shepherd kicked in. I put the stone in the sling and with an expertise that comes from hours and hours of practice; I swung the sling round and round over my head until I released it saying a prayer as it sailed through the air. "God, hit your mark."

It landed and hit the mark perfectly. The Giant crashed to the ground. As I ran toward him I thanked God for all he had taught me and for his divine hand in my life. Always. Always he's been there to help me face my Giants. "Thank you, God."

Thursday, Mar 23

“Now which of these three would you say was a neighbor to the man who was attacked by bandits?” Jesus asked. The man replied, “The one who showed him mercy.” Then Jesus said, “Yes, now go and do the same.” Luke 10:36-37 (NLT)

Most of us know the story of the Good Samaritan. We've heard it many times. The lawyer whose questions prompted the story started the discussion with one question, "Who is my neighbor?" He was hoping to get off easy; he was hoping that since he was already good to the people he knew Jesus would tell him he had done well. But God's definition of 'neighbor' and those whom you show mercy to requires more of us than we are often willing to give.

Let's make this real. I'm going to throw out some scenarios and I want you to put yourself in the role of the Samaritan. Remember, he helped the Jewish man who had been attacked - even though they were enemies. He inconvenienced himself to provide what was best for his enemy.

Let's start with the stories in the news where a policeman has shot a black man or visa versus, a black man has killed a policeman. You are the family member of the deceased. How will you treat the person who took your loved one's life?

You are living in Paris and were there when ISIS attacked the city and your family member was killed. You come face to face with the person who orchestrated the attack. How do you treat them?

How about some scenarios that are closer to home? Someone has hurt your spouse, your child, your parents. How will you follow up?

Someone you know in business deliberately causes you to lose a large sum of money and you nearly lose everything. You come face-to-face with them at a conference. What do you do?

Some of these are extreme situations and for a lot of us we will never have to face these horrific situations. But, as the world continually becomes more and more distant from God's ideal for us, the reality that we will be faced with our 'enemy' becomes more and more real. Look at your life. Is there someone that needs your forgiveness? Is there someone you should show mercy to? Is there someone who needs your best? This is what God is calling us to do. The idea is just as radical now as it was when Jesus introduced it. We can't do it alone. We need him in our lives to pull it off.

If you love only those who love you, what reward is there for that? Even corrupt tax collectors do that much. If you are kind only to your friends, how are you different from anyone else? Matthew 5:46-47 (NLT)

Wednesday, Mar 22

There is salvation in no one else! God has given no other name under heaven by which we must be saved. Acts 4:12 (NLT)

“I am trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Him: I’m ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don’t accept his claim to be God. That is the one thing we must not say. A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic — on the level with the man who says he is a poached egg — or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God, or else a madman or something worse. You can shut him up for a fool, you can spit at him and kill him as a demon or you can fall at his feet and call him Lord and God, but let us not come with any patronizing nonsense about his being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to.”    ― C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity

Tuesday, Mar 21

When the cool evening breezes were blowing, the man and his wife heard the Lord God walking about in the garden. So they hid from the Lord God among the trees. Then the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?” Genesis 3:8-9 (NLT)

Being approached by a snake. Now that's something special. How many of us come face to face with a talking snake? If that isn't an excuse to sin, I don't know what is. In actuality, we've all come face to face with a talking snake. Except it doesn't look like a snake any more. Now, it looks like a temptation that is personal to each and every one of us. To some of us it may be justified in a sale which leads to a shopping spree or a night out with friends that leads to a drinking binge which leads to a one night stand or maybe a way too stressful day which leads to a day of losing our temper with our loves ones. These are all our own personal talking snakes. Satan is an expert at gettingus to hit the pause button on what God wants; jjustify what Satan wants and he disguises it in the form of what we think we need.

And we fall for it. Then, we wish we hadn't. Then, we wish we could take back the one night stand or the day of angry retorts or the "Final Purchase" items sitting unopened in a bag on the closet floor. But we can't. Queue this thing called grace.

As with Adam and Eve in the garden, God comes looking for us. He knows our hiding places. He knows where we go when we feel bad. He's there...gently calling out to us and hoping we'll listen. He's saying "Why are you hiding? I saw what you did. I see you now. Let's talk about it. Let's move on." This is grace. This is who God is. And just as with Adam and Eve, God is calling out to us "Where are you? I am here waiting. You are forgiven." And this....this is where we should be overwhelmed.

Monday, Mar 20

And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others. 2 Corinthians 9:8 (NLT)

The weekend is over and we are staring at Monday like an unwanted illness. Why is it on the weekends we seem to be able to forget about all that worries us from Monday through Friday? And then Monday comes and here we go again. Not enough time or resources to do what is on our to-do list. We run from here to there and we feel like the busier we are, the more productive we become. I live in the Washington DC area and I swear people here think being busy is a badge of honor.  We often feel that we can't rest long enough to get our heads on straight. We leave ourselves no room to breathe. Last week, I was talking to God about how I feel like I am unable to do what I want to do (which I hope translates into what he wants me to do). I complained that I am pulled in too many directions and I asked him what I should 'give up' so I could get some stuff done. His reply came in the form of today's text.

And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others.

At first I started thinking along the lines of material things. He would provide and I could share but then as I prayed through it, I realized that maybe he was also talking about my time and my energy level. Too often we get distracted with (OK, I get distracted with) what I am doing and I lose focus on who God is and what he is capable of doing. I forget that my day, my week, heck, my life is his and if I dedicate each moment of each day to him, he will provide all that is needed to accomplish all I need and all he wants.

Father God, I give you today, March 20. Do with it what you will and Lord, thank you that as I give it my best shot, what actually transpires is up to you. Amen

Friday, Mar 17

When Jesus saw him and knew he had been ill for a long time, he asked him, “Would you like to get well?” John 5:6 (NLT)

Would you like to get well? Jesus was talking to a man who had serious health issues. He was a paraplegic. At any time, being a paraplegic is difficult but, in this man's day the situation was horrible. He had to live on the charity of others. He either begged for his income or it was given to him by friends and family. To move around, he had to be physically carried or he had to pull himself along the streets with his hands. Imagine it, hands scarred and bleeding from the road and your body scratched and covered with brush-burns or scabs. Paraplegics often have no bladder and bowel control so cleanliness is an issue. Needless to say, folks steered clear.

But not Jesus. When Jesus walked into the pools, he didn't migrate toward the 'easiest'  person to help; he bee-lined it to one of the most difficult cases. Not only was this man physically impaired, he was spiritually impaired as was indicated by Jesus' comment "Stop sinning." No matter how hopeless we seem, Jesus is with us, helping us.

How about you? Do you steer clear of the hard to sort through people with really messy lives? Or, do you get involved and stand by them in the mess. Jesus often got involved in the mess helping people who would have been abandoned otherwise. It seems to me the question "Would you like to get well?" is directed to all of us. Not only do we need his presence in our lives, It is through living as Christ did that we are truly healed.

Thursday, Mar 16

Jesus said to him, “Go your way. Your son will live.” The man put his trust in what Jesus said and left. John 4:50 (NLV)

The man came to Jesus because his son was sick and dying. Jesus told him "Go home. He'll be fine." The Bible says the man put his trust in him and left. WOW. Why did he trust Jesus? Was it the rumors he heard about him? Was it stories other people shared about their encounters with him? Did he personally experience Jesus prior to this moment?

If any of these are the reasons he trusted Jesus, why don't we? We've heard things about him. We've listened to stories others have shared and we've even heard stories about miracles. And we've probably encountered him personally. So......why do we not trust him?

The Bible doesn't say the man said "Well, we'll see what happens. When he proves himself, I will believe it." It says he trusted his word and left. He went home. He went home to hold his son, healed and well.

Could it be that our faith is a choice? We take all we've heard, all we've experienced and all we know and then....then, we must choose. The choice is completely up to us. No special gimmicks. No big show. Just a quiet decision made within our hearts.

What are you struggling to trust God with today? What choice will you make?

Wednesday, Mar 15

Happy Hump Day! It's the middle of the week; has it been trying already? Here are a few texts to remind us that God is not finished yet. No matter what is happening, he is still working. His plans will come to be and they are plans for your future and prosperity.

For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. Jeremiah 29:11 (NLT)

The Lord will work out his plans for my life—
    for your faithful love, O Lord, endures forever.
    Don’t abandon me, for you made me.
Psalm 138:8 (NLT)

And so I am sure that God, who began this good work in you, will carry it on until it is finished on the Day of Christ Jesus. Philippians 1:6 (GNT)

I know that you can do all things;
    no purpose of yours can be thwarted.
Job 42:2 (NIV)

The Lord of hosts has sworn:
“As I have planned,
    so shall it be,
and as I have purposed,
    so shall it stand.
Isaiah 14:24 (NLT)