Tag: Purpose

Purpose or career driven searches that might use vocation, job search, calling, passion, or direction as descriptors.

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A Memorable Heart

Proverbs 27:2, “Let someone else praise you, and not your own mouth; an outsider, and not your own lips.”

“A memorable heart is the easiest way to immortality.” ― Suzy Kassem

Nothing brings me to my knees faster than attending a memorial service for someone who has lived a life worth living. Several years ago, the son of a friend of mine died unexpectantly at the age of 21. Ryan FitzGerald was a good kid and well-liked. When I went to his memorial service, I expected a big turnout. What I got stunned me. Not only was the auditorium full to overflowing, but young person after young person went up on stage to talk about what Ryan had done for them; everything from facing down bullies to comforting loss. Some of these young people talked about things that had happened many years ago. Some even said that Ryan probably wouldn’t remember coming to their aid. They talked about wolves, sheep, and sheepdogs; Ryan was the sheepdog. He protected the sheep from the wolves.

1 Timothy 6:18, “They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share.”

Yesterday I attended another such memorial. I mentioned Robert before; it was his. Not only was the church full of people showing their respect, but they also told the story of his life. His was a life worthy of praise. I struggled throughout that service to imagine mine. Was I a sheepdog? Have I lived a life worthy of Christ’s sacrifice?

Psalms 127:1, “Except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it: except the Lord keep the city, the watchman watches but in vain.”

What will others say about you? In both of the examples I mentioned above, it was not just that they were good people. Evil can look appealing if it gives away enough stuff. Good people are better than not-so-good people, but ultimately, they don’t stand out. Their motives still linger like a shadow over their actions. Great people, the type of people that leave a positive impact on generations, are Godly people. They have a way of being good that reflects humility and compassion. Godly people understand where grace comes from. They act as they do, not to please others but to serve their creator in a manner worthy of His sacrifice.

Ephesians 4:1-5, “Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love, being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.”

Interestingly, you can’t be the type of person that wants a great memorial service and have it too. You have to be the type of person who doesn’t care, who doesn’t want the attention, and who only wants to live to please Christ. The main ingredient is always to look outward. Always concern yourself with the welfare of others. When you give yourself completely to servitude for Christ, amazing things start to happen in your life. Both Robert and Ryan would be a little embarrassed by what was said about them. The embarrassment would come because it was not their intent to get recognition. Their intent was to serve.

Matthew 6:1,” Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.”

“Feeling good about yourself is not the same thing as doing good.” ― Theodore Dalrymple.

Nothing I say here is new. It is not surprising that the people we esteem the most are not just charitable people; they are not just good people; they have a little something special that makes them stand out.  There is an assured humility that allows them to bend down to serve while still holding their heads high. They are confident that Christ is in their corner, He will not allow them to be laid low, and He will glorify their efforts. They do not need the accolades of men to motivate them.

Hebrews 13:16, “Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.”

Yet, we struggle to emulate these people. We struggle to believe that our God truly cares for us. Our worldview dictates that we can only do so much and no more. We cannot risk our future or the future of our family beyond a certain point. Serving is not only conditional but relative.

Ryan and Robert innately knew how to serve God unconditionally. For many of the rest of us, it is not that easy. I do ask that you try to ratchet up your efforts so that, over time, you will be embarrassed by the good things people say about you.

Matthew 25:23, “His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.’”

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The Fixer

Matthew 11:28, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”

I’m in my home town visiting my family. I spent my “formative” years here. Although I have been away for the better part of half a century, I still call this home. The kids I went to high school with are still kids to me. The images of them hanging out is still fresh in my mind.

THE PAST

One of my schoolmates just passed away. When she was in high school with me, she was a sweet, fun-loving girl with her whole life in front of her. Over time, disappointment and drugs took that away from her. I’m a guy, and being a guy; I want to fix things. I’m also an engineer, so double that. One of the hardest lessons I had to learn in life is that there are certain things that I can’t fix. No amount of trying and praying and working was going to improve it. Some things are the exclusive purview of God.

Psalm 73:26, “My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.”

I love the striving. I love overcoming. I love the against-all-odds victories. I relish the emotional high of seeing someone rise above their circumstances to achieve the improbable. But it doesn’t always work out that way. Sometimes we make choices that are hard to undo. We go in directions that are hard to reverse. We pick a life that doesn’t end well. I hate that. I hate that terrible endings are even possible.  

The truth is that God gave us free will. That free will allowed us to demonstrate our love for Him by freely choosing Him. It also means that we are free not to choose Him. We can not make that decision for anyone but ourselves. The guy side of me has a problem with that concept. Even though I make bad decisions for myself, I still want to help others make good decisions. It is most apparent when it’s too late. It is with regret and remorse that I look back.

John 6:40, “For this is the will of my Father that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.”

THE PRESENT

We all have people in our lives that we want to see for eternity. We want them to share the beauty and majesty of eternity with our Maker. But we believe there is time. There is time to share the gospel. There is time to have that difficult conversation. There is time to save a life for eternity. One day we find out there isn’t any more time.

Psalms 27:4, “One thing I ask from the Lord, this only do I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple.”

Don’t get me wrong; you can’t fix it any more than I can. We each have to choose. But do we choose with full knowledge? It is easy to feel responsible somehow. You knew them. You knew a little about what they were going through, but you’re a thousand miles away. Your orbits crossed sometimes but never synched up. What could you have done? Nothing in some cases. But there are a lot of cases you could do something. Would you? You know people who need to hear full disclosure concerning their decisions.

Hebrews 11:6, “And without faith, it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.”

Their soul gets pushed down into the mire of their lives and suffocates. They live the only life that they know. Unconditional love and redemption are not topics they believe in. Mostly these are not bad people; they do good for others and are positive examples to those around them. Their focus is worldly. Their actions are self-supporting. They believe when life is over, it is over; there is nothing else. I am sometimes surprised at how many activists don’t have an eternal view. These are people who fight against evil but don’t believe in it.

1 Peter 2:15, “For this is the will of God that by doing good, you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people.”

THE FUTURE

Where most great intentions fail is in the implementation. It is in the execution that we trip and fall. No, we can’t fix certain things, but we can create an environment that attracts curiosity. We can build relationships that expose full knowledge. We can take a minute to step into the lives of those around us to draw them in. In the end, it is they that must accept or reject Christ. It is up to us to lay the groundwork for that decision. That groundwork is not just words but actions; the way we live our lives. Then we let God take over.

2 Corinthians 4:16-18, “Therefore, we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So, we fix our eyes not on what is seen but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”

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“That Guy”

James 2:14-17, “What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.”

THE PRICE OF PRAYER

I have prayed for someone for over 40 years and still don’t know where God is taking her. I know her story, and it’s a bad one. She has endured almost every type of dysfunction imaginable, yet she still stands.  When I met her, I wanted to be that guy; you know the type, part star quarterback and part cheerleader. He knows when to step in to help and when to stand back to cheer. I never got there for her.

I get into these dilemmas where I want to be the Savior of humankind. I want to be “that guy.” The combination of Superman and Mother Teressa.  I want to be strong when strength is required and quiet and understanding when strength isn’t needed. I want to be the rock, the light on the hill, and the warm embrace. My therapist says I have a white knight syndrome, what does she know? As for me, I don’t know if “that guy” is a stereotype or a figment.

Romans 15:1, “We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves.”

This got me thinking about a lady I met in the park a few years ago. It was early spring, and the Dogwoods trees were starting to bloom. Every spring, Atlanta has the Dogwood festival. It is an event that brings some of the most incredible artisans in the country to Piedmont Park. I go down early Friday to talk with them as they build their booths. This year was no different, or I thought it wouldn’t be.

Romans 12:13, “Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.”

THE PRICE OF ART

As I sat on a picnic bench deciding what to eat for lunch, a lady sat across for me. She casually said that the price of just one piece of art would feed her for a year. I laughed and said I agreed. Then she mentioned that she had just gotten out of prison. God has done this to me enough that I have started to pick up on the tale tail signs of His hand in action. I had to ask the dreaded question, “Tell me about it.” God had a plan, and I was in the midst of it.

Galatians 6:2, “Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way, you will fulfill the law of Christ.”

She told a story about a girl who somehow grew up to be a tired middle-aged woman. This girl always picked the wrong man. Her heart leads her brain to the same place every time; women’s prison. You see, these guys are always into something, something the law doesn’t appreciate. She loves them anyway. Eventually, both of them part ways in shackles and jumpsuits. She gets out and starts the process all over again. One day she looks in the mirror, and the girl has turned into a middle-aged woman going nowhere.

That woman is now sitting next to me. She knows she can’t repeat what she has done in the past, but she doesn’t see an alternative future. You know that guy I told you about a few paragraphs ago? Well, he’s an idiot. He can’t let a thing go; compassion for baby kittens and stray dogs overwhelms him. So, that guy buys her lunch, and we start to talk.

Proverbs 19:17, “Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the Lord, and He will reward them for what they have done.”

THE PRICE OF SIN

As we talk, I want to cry for this woman. God has made her an incredible creature with almost limitless potential, but it has been highjacked. She gravitates to the wrong people. She is the right raw material, just in the hands of the wrong sculpturer. Lucky for us, this is God’s plan, not ours. Trust me; you don’t want to take advice from me. But God, that’s another story.

Matthew 25:44-45, “They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’ “He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for Me.’”

I asked her if she ever thought of going to church? My thought was that she might meet a better class of men. Better yet, she would find a better class of female companionship that would help her steer clear of a particular class of men. Sorry, this is all God gave me to go on. It was enough. She mentioned that group of women from the neighborhood church stop by the halfway house each week. That was her new plan to create an alternate future. She would go to church with them. God planted the seed that could grow into a better life.

THE RETURN ON THAT INVESTMENT

It was now late afternoon, and I had to return home. I didn’t get to talk to many artisans, but I watched God work. My friend from the first paragraph will always be in my heart. I always think I could have done more or been more, but that wasn’t God’s plan for us. God does remind me through these interactions that He is at work answering prayer. He has not forgotten her or me. He has planted the seed.

Hebrews 6:10 “God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown Him as you have helped His people and continue to help them.”

That is enough for now. It is enough to know that God never gives up and never quits. God will use a stranger to plant a seed of hope that will grow into a beautiful garden. It might not be part of His plan for us to see that particular garden, so He lets us walk through gardens that others have prepared beforehand.

Stay faithful in prayer and obedient to His call.

Luke 6:38, “Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”

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The Conundrum of Intentional Obedience

“I am only one. But still, I am one. I cannot do everything, but I can do something. And because I cannot do everything, I will not refuse to do the something that I can do” – Edward Everett Hale, American author, historian, civil war spy, and Unitarian minister, 1822-1909

Intentionality and Obedience

I sometimes feel like I am one of the Israelites in the desert. God provides, and I grumble. Every time, absolutely every time, I am intentional in my obedience; good things happen. But still, I falter. You see, I want something I should never have. I should never have them because they are not good for me. No matter how much I covet them, I will be disappointed. I know this, and still, I want. God does His best to protect me, except for this “free will” thing. If He took that away, decisions would be easier.

1 Peter 1:14, “As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance.”

At night, clarity came over me about what I needed to do. Intentionality and obedience go hand-in-hand. We can’t plan to be obedient; we have to execute. Much of the value in obedience comes from our dogged desire to see it through with urgency.

1 Timothy 1:5, “The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.”

I am at that point in life where my bucket list has only one last item, obedience to God’s call. It’s somewhat revealing that this is the last thing on my bucket list; shouldn’t it have been the first? In a long life, shouldn’t I have experienced this yet? There are two challenges; first, there is the constant nature of obedience, and second, there is the intentionality of obedience. Mostly I’m obedient when I can see the why. I can follow when what I want is synchronized with what I think God wants. In hindsight, I see that this synchronicity is mostly a false rationalization. I see what I want and assume God sees the same thing.  But His view is greater than mine.

1 Corinthians 2:9, “However, as it is written: “What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived, the things God has prepared for those who love him.”

The core issue concerns my genuine desire to be obedient. Am I only obedient when it looks to be to my benefit; when I see God’s desire for my life to be in concert with mine? Am I on God’s side, or do I expect Him to be on mine? Do I expect God to agree with me?

“Sir, my concern is not whether God is on our side; my greatest concern is to be on God’s side, for God is always right.” – Abraham Lincoln.

Over the last few weeks, I have started to perceive a new view of God that is somewhat different than my previous view. I have always read and heard about God’s emotional attributes; you know his mercy, love, and compassion. I’ve balanced God’s good side with His judgment, wrath, and condemnation. I have built up this image of a God not much different than myself. He is perfect, and I am not, but we share the same challenges. God is much better at taking the right path; His path is correct by definition. This leaves me in the position of trying to empathize with His decisions. I try to put His decision in perspective of what I am experiencing.

Numbers 28:19, “God is not man that He should lie, or son of man that He should change His mind. Has He said and will He not do it? Or has He spoken and will not fulfil it?”

Unchanging and Perfect

Hebrews 13:8, “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever.”

What if God was constant and our perception of Him changes? What if He is always perfect and absolute, but we perceive Him differently based on the decision’s impact on us? What if there is an innate purity to all of God’s decisions that supersede emotional attributes?  He is everything we perceive Him to be, but it is not what drives Him. It is not that God doesn’t love us unconditionally. It is not that He is not merciful, kind, compassionate, and long-suffering. It is not that God hates sin. Because of these innate attributes of His character, He does not become emotionally highjacked when making decisions. He always does what’s best.

Isaiah 14:24, “Lord of hosts has sworn: “As I have planned so shall it be, and as I have proposed, so shall it stand.”

What would that mean to our obedience? God does not decide based on human emotions like compassion or wrath but absolute truth. We judge the impact of His decision based on how we see it affecting us; did He bless or curse us? Job’s friends had a big issue with this. They tried to tie Job’s predicament to God’s emotional state. They felt Job must have angered God somehow.

Job 34:36, “Job ought to be tried to the limit because he answers like wicked men.”

Once our need to be obedient rises above the emotional attributes assigned to God, it becomes more intentional. We know God’s truth is innately super-eminent and pure so we can follow. Not because we can rationalize some benefit to our world or His kingdom, but because it is by design perfect. And because it is always perfect, we know He is working with our best interest in mind, even when we don’t see it.

I’m not sure about this idea. It resonates with me. It helps me rationalize why I stray when the path is clear, just undesirable. The concept explains why our human-size brain doesn’t always understand answered prayer. Like most people seeing answered prayer motivates us to be more intentional. Our goal should be intentionally obedient, not just reluctantly obedient. We should want to pursue His desire for our life, not just accept the inevitable outcome of His power. Being obedient is moving in the direction of perfection.

Proverbs 16:3, “Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans.”

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Be Audacious and Bodacious

Joshua 1:9, “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

When John Lennon became famous, he built a house for his mother near the cliffs of Dover. Over the mantel of the fireplace, he had a brass plaque made with the inscription of something his mother had told him numerous times “Playing the guitar and singing is just fine, John, but you will never be able to make a living at it.” Do you believe that living the life God has planned for you is just fine, but you can’t make a living at it?

I just got back from Honduras. If you haven’t gone to a developing country, I suggest you should. Stay away from the tourist traps and the Michelin Guide and meet the people. They are incredible. I never leave a visit without being inspired by some of the locals. This time I met the teenage twin daughters of our sponsor. Their drive, passion, and understanding of the need to forward the gospel were amazing. Kudos to the parents for raising such courageous and inspiring children, although calling them children is a disservice to these titans of adolescence. They have a lordly vision of who they could be.

One of my childhood’s great quotes was from George Bernard Shaw, given by John F. Kennedy at his inauguration to the Presidency, “Some people see things as they are and say why? I dream things that never were and ask why not?” Think of the reverse thinking presented by Shaw; why not? Do you look at the challenges to greatness in your life and see them as impediments, roadblocks, and obstacles, or are they stepping stones to the person God made you?

Psalm 127:1, “Except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it: except the Lord keep the city, the watchman wakes but in vain.”

In his book Leadership Essentials, George Ogden states, “Godly vision depicts an outcome that may seem outrageous given present reality.” The Bible contains instances when God called ordinary people to do outrageous things. There is nothing wrong with being ordinary, as the world would define it. Being ordinary is the clay used to create greatness in God’s eyes. Noah was not a renowned shipbuilder. Joseph was the youngest and most obnoxious of his siblings. He spent time in jail before he bloomed. Moses even told God he could not lead because he wasn’t good at public speaking. Nehemiah rebuilt the walls of Jerusalem. Mary was the greatest and most ordinary of all.

1 Peter 1:3-4, “He has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you.”

Becoming the person God has created is not just about your satisfaction but about worshiping God. It is the most profound expression of your faith. It is the crowning glory of God’s creation. Be audacious, energize not only your ambition but the Godly ambition of those around you. Create a tsunami of Godliness.

You can create any life you want for yourself. The God-given talents and resources are yours to use. Wealth, prestige, and status are yours to obtain. But living the life God had planned for you is not about the elevation of individuals and institutions but the exaltation of Christ. Divine vision is an expression of the God of the universe, not man’s attempt to better himself. You can do it your way and achieve some notoriety or worldly success, but it will be buried with you at the end of your time here on earth.

2 Corinthians 4:17-18, “For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen.”

One of the great testimonies of living a life dedicated to God is that you become living proof of the spoken truth that Jesus changes lives. You become a light in the darkness. People are drawn to your example.

There is a Japanese proverb that says vision without action is a daydream. Action without vision is a nightmare. Are you living a nightmare? Does your existence lack purpose? Are you achieving some level of success without the reward of meaning? Do you feel you have no reason to be dissatisfied, but you are not satisfied; you’re existing. Clinical psychologist Fredrick Herzberg defines satisfiers and dissatisfiers. Dissatisfiers are hygiene factors like the quality of your environment. Satisfiers are the motivational elements of your life. You can have all the bobbles and trinkets but still not feel motivated. You look at your life and see the trappings of success, but you don’t feel you have made an impact.

Romans 15:13, “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.”

We long for eternity. It is the hidden drive within us. Only when we look at our accomplishments through the lens of eternity, do we start to understand what satisfies us. What satisfies us is to have a deep relationship with the one who created us. It is to be loved and forgiven and welcomed into His family.

Pray for God’s vision in your life. Think God-sized. Question your decisions. Redefine your future.

John 16:24, “Until now you have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be complete. “

What three goals have you identified that you can accomplish within the next six months to move you closer to a Godly vision for your existence?

Romans 15:13, “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”

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Standing in the Gap

Ezekiel 22:30, “I looked for someone among them who would build up the wall and stand before me in the gap on behalf of the land so I would not have to destroy it, but I found no one.”

When I read this statement, I couldn’t help but feel sad. Imagine a point in time when you, and only you, stood between total destruction and life for a fellow human being. Think of what is going on in Ukraine, the destruction of property, families, and the destruction of cultures. Think of the lives of unbelievers who desperately need hope and salvation. Think of the most disreputable people in your life who don’t know Christ and imagine them existing for an eternity separated from Christ. Are you the person for which God is looking? Can you stand in the gap?

1 Peter 3:9, “Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.”

We live our lives thinking that there will always be another day. We see risk around us, but it doesn’t deter us. We believe we will go on until someday in the distant future when we don’t. If we are honest with ourselves, we live a relative laissez-faire existence. We are so wrapped up in our issues and opportunities that we live a life of non-interference in the affairs of others. We pop in and pop out as time allows.

Romans 5:19, “For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.”

We do good and provide aid when it’s part of our plan. But, even when the moment is spontaneous, the decision to help is deterministic. We weigh the cost-benefit and decide how to spend our time. Time is precious, not to be spent on the undeserving or those who can help themselves but don’t.

2 John 1:6, “And this is love: that we walk in obedience to his commands. As you have heard from the beginning, his command is that you walk in love.”

We all have people in our lives that need salvation. Those we love we take on as “projects for their good.” We don’t always recognize that God may be telling us not now or not us. We stand in the gap for someone we love, even when the gap doesn’t exist at the moment. I want to address the person we don’t like because of their demeanor or lifestyle. The person we know is separated from God, but it is their decision, and frankly, we don’t care. We don’t have a personal relationship and don’t want one.

Colossians 4:5-6, “Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.”

What I am asking is, if this was your moment to change eternity for someone, even an enemy, would you step into the gap? It kind of sounds like a Jonah question, doesn’t it. Jonah understood who God was and what He could do, but it was the wrong people for him. So he would not stand in the gap for the Ninevites.

One of the lessons I remember from the story of Esther was not just all that she went through as God prepared her for her moment to step into the gap, but when the time arose for her to act, God reminded her that His plan would prevail even if she didn’t do her part. Therefore, even if she does not choose to stand in the gap for those God puts in front of her, God will act. But God will act to her detriment.

Esther 4:14, “For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?”

“The past is behind, learn from it. The future is ahead, prepare for it. The present is here, live it.” – Thomas S. Monson

We need to live our spiritual lives with a sense of urgency. It is God who saves, not us. But we should want to be part of His plan for others, even those we don’t want in our worldly sphere. They are God’s children, not yours. If you do your part, He will always do His, and even if you don’t, He will.

Stand firm in the gap.

Romans 2:6-8, “God “will repay each person according to what they have done.” To those who by persistence in doing good, seek glory, honor, and immortality, he will give eternal life.”

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Apocalypse No(w)

On October 25, 1962, I was sitting in the den of our home on Lawrence Ave in Marseilles, Illinois, with my mother, father, and two sisters staring at a small black and white TV. We were all transfixed as the announcer gave us the play-by-play of the events in front of us. We were in the middle of a Cold War raging between the United States and the Soviet Union. Visceral, nasty interrogatories and accusations had been flying between the world’s two major nuclear powers since World War Two. We had Nikita Khrushchev, the shoe-pounding head of the Soviet Union, and on the other side John F. Kennedy of the United States. In the fall of 1962, the Soviet Union had started building medium-range ballistic nuclear missile sites in Cuba, just 90 miles off of the Florida coast. We had all seen the aerial photos from the U-2 spy plane, so we knew the threat was real.

Now it was coming to a head, right before our eyes. President Kennedy had enacted a quarantine (the interesting use of “quarantine” in place of “blockade” technically averted a declaration of war) of Cuba and made it clear that the US intended to use military force if necessary to neutralize this perceived threat to national security. He raised our nuclear readiness to DEFCON 2; it was the only confirmed time in US history. It was reported that one-eighth of SAC’s over 1,400 bombers were airborne, and 145 intercontinental ballistic missiles stood on ready alert, some of which targeted Cuba, others at the Soviet Union.

What we were watching wasn’t an “unscripted” reality show with volunteer contestants, it was real life, and we watched it as it unfolded. The Soviet cargo ship Kislovodsk approached the quarantine zone. It was like watching paint dry as the end of the world slowly crept forward. If the Kislovodsk crossed into the zone, it was game on or the end of life as we knew it. At the last minute, the Kislovodsk discontinued its route and turned back. Nuclear war was averted. In my mind, this was yesterday. It was one of the most terrifying moments of my childhood. Less than twenty years after Hiroshima, my dad, a WWII veteran, knew the devastation of one nuclear bomb and couldn’t fathom the effect of hundreds of them exploding in rapid sequence. My fear was an extrapolation of his but amplified through youth and ignorance.

I get overwhelmed at times by cultural change and world politics. It seems that, as a world, we have passed the tipping point of dystopia. But we haven’t. God is still in control, and we are right on plan. Just because I don’t know the plan doesn’t mean it isn’t happening right on schedule. I remember October 24, but I no longer fear it. Age gives me the wisdom of hindsight.

Matthew 24:6, “You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come.”

If you woke up today, and I assume you did because you are reading this, God has something specific He wants you to do. There is someone in your world that needs you. There is a person whose life is on a collision course with yours. Don’t be consumed with tomorrow when today is so important. Don’t lose the joy of living today because you fear tomorrow. God has created a great life for you; you need to live it. You can’t do that when you lose focus. Life becomes complex and distracting when you major in the temporal and minor in the eternal.

Matthew 24:14, “This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come.”

Remember, God loves you unconditionally. It is the very essence of His nature to love you. God created you for His pleasure. He does not get pleasure out of you living in fear. Problems will come, and problems will go, but God’s love for you is unchanging, rock-solid, and eternal.

I am studying the book “Gently and Lowly: The Heart of Christ for Sinners and Sufferers.” Several of the chapters emphasize that the very nature of God is to show mercy out of His heart. Not mercy in a detached, rules-based, unemotional sense, but a deeply caring, love-based desire for us. A dysfunctional world, or a dysfunctional life, can hide or shadow how amazingly God loves us and pursues us for His pleasure.

Revelations 4:11, “You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory, honor, and power, for you created all things, and for your pleasure, they were created and exist.”

There is a lot of work to be done. Our work is to be obedient to what God has put in front of us. Because he loves us, we know that He does not want us to live in fear. When we fear, we have taken our eye off the one who holds us in His hand. We have forgotten the security gained through His death on the cross. I know there will be tough times, but remember you are loved by the God of the universe who created you for His pleasure.

Daniel 12:13, “But as for you, go your way to the end; then you will enter into rest and rise again for your allotted portion at the end of the age.”

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Are You Valued the Right Way?

1 Samuel 16:7, “But the Lord said to Samuel, ‘Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.'”

I was told this story by someone who didn’t know who originated it; if you do, let me know, and I will amend this post. It’s a perfect parable for defining personal value.

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A father said to his daughter, “You have graduated with honors; here is a car I bought many years ago.

It is a bit older now, but before I give it to you, take it to the used car lot downtown and tell them you want to sell it and see how much they offer you.

The daughter went to the used car lot, returned to her father, and said, “They offered me $1,000 because they said it looks pretty worn out.”

Now, the father said, “Take it to the pawnshop.” So the daughter went to the pawnshop, returned to her father, and said, “The pawnshop offered only $100 because it is an old car.”

The father asked his daughter to go to a car club and show them the car. The daughter then took the car to the club, returned, and told her father,” Some people in the club offered $100,000 because it’s a Holden Torana and an iconic car and sought by many collectors.”

The father said this to his daughter, “The right place values you the right way,” If you are not valued, do not be angry, it means you are in the wrong place. Those who know your value are those who appreciate you. So never stay in a place where no one sees your value.

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Are you in the right place; are you valued the right way?

When I received my first promotion at work, I thought it was because I was the guy with all the answers. Luckily, I had a boss that corrected me on that. I was a command-and-control manager. It was my way or the highway. John McAlister was my boss; he was an old man of forty-five or fifty with many miles on his tires. He taught me that people needed to learn how to do things within their skill set and personality traits. They couldn’t be me anymore than I could be them. John taught me a lot for an old guy. Fifty years later, I still think of him.

When we are born, the two challenges God gives us are finding out who we are and finding where we fit. We are all God’s Holden Torana’s looking for a home. The world will put a value on you, but if you end up at a used car dealership or a pawn shop, you will never know the actual value of who you are.

Psalm 139:13-15, “For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. So I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth.”

Never underestimate your value to God. You are more precious than gold. If others do not see that in you, do not question yourself; question where in life you are; you are in the wrong place. One of the hardest things we do is abandon what we know for what we do not know, even when what we know isn’t good for us. Spiritual maturity is learning to walk away from people and situations that threaten your peace of mind, Godly self-respect, Christian values, or self-worth. Walking away has nothing to do with weakness and everything to do with strength. You walk away not because you want others to realize your value but because you finally realize your value.

Peter 1:18-19, “Knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot.”

My Dad once told me that if I was the smartest guy in the room, I was in the wrong room. Everyone brings something unique to the table. We don’t have all the right answers; we don’t even know all the right questions. We must remind ourselves that sometimes our friends will lie to us, and sometimes our enemies will tell us the truth. Please don’t buy into the lie because it makes life more comfortable; always seek the truth. Those we travel with must see the unique value created within us by Christ. When you recognize your value, you will find it harder to be around people who don’t.

John C. Maxwell says, “Your core value is the deeply held beliefs that authentically describe your soul.” When you doubt your value go to scripture; God will reinforce your value to Him.  Always remember that you are God’s ambassador to the world.

1 Peter 3:4, “But let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God’s sight is very precious.”

Never settle for a life that is less than the one God created for you.

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Doing Nothing Accomplishes Nothing

Ephesians 2:10, “We are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.”

It is interesting that as I open my eyes to the people around me, I see the greatness that God has put in each of us. I can see the light in their eyes come on whenever we touch on their passion; they sit taller; their back is straighter, and they’re more alert and engaged. It is true even when they do not know their passion. The person inside of them comes alive.

James 1:17 “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.”

The person God wants you to be is alive and well. But it is kept in chains because we are afraid of being everything we were meant to be. Somehow, we confuse serving with servitude. We confuse the free desire to be a benefit to others with the worldly view of being subordinate. We have this innate desire to be something more significant, but we somehow are afraid of actually being that person.

“Our greatest fear should not be of failure but of succeeding at things in life that don’t really matter.” – Francis Chan

It is not you but the Holy Spirit in you who will guide you. The first fear you have to let go of is the fear of failure. The freedom you seek is not the freedom to chase worldly ambition but the freedom of allowing Christ to pick your path. With obedience, we eliminate the worry of failure; it’s God’s plan, and He never fails.

Psalm 32:8, “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you.”

ASK

Everything starts with prayer. Ask that your real passion be made visible and complete. Set aside your worldly needs, God knows you have them, and He will meet those needs.

Matthew 6:25-34, “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.”

Concentrate on asking for guidance for living your life with the highest level of joy and obedience.

I sincerely believe that one of two things will happen in your life; either the passion revealed to you will become your vocation, or God will give you a tentmaking vocation that also supports your passion. God will always connect the two. God does not expect you to survive on air while chasing your God-given passion. God is enormous on sustainability.

John 6:27 “Do not work for food that perishes, but for food that endures eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on Him, God the Father has placed His seal of approval.”

DO

Philippians 1:6, “And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.”

“You can’t steer a stationary ship” – I don’t know who initially said it; I assume a pirate; seems fitting. You cannot get anywhere without movement. The most remarkable ideas and plans in life fail for lack of execution. Sometimes making the wrong decision helps you find the right decision. Doing nothing accomplishes nothing.

In some miracles, Jesus asked the receiver to do something. First, turning water into wine required them to “fill the jars with water” (John 2:1-11). Next, there was a blind man who was asked to “go to the pool of Siloam” (John 9:6-10). Next, a grown man healed of leprosy after dipping seven times in a river (2 Kings 5:11-14). Finally, Jesus made a coin appear in a fish’s mouth (Matthew 17:24-27). Please don’t wait for an answer; start searching for it. God will direct your steps if you ask. The best place to start is to inventory what God has already done through you up to this point.

James 2:17-18, “Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.”

I am always surprised by the number of people that discount their experiences. Things that we try and don’t like or are not good at doing open the door for what we enjoy and can do well. Things we enjoyed doing but didn’t seem to have an objective are discounted as leisure-time activities with no material value other than to entertain us. Everything that happens is part of God’s master plan for your life; every moment has a message; each experience is a guidepost.

Romans 12:2, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”

ENJOY

Psalm 37:4, “Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.”

Once you have a rough idea of what God has already done in your life, you can start moving toward the future. He will build off of your past to create your future. You don’t have to create the person God made you be; it is already there. Instead, you need to find that person and coax them out of the darkness.

God has never wanted His people to live stressful, uneventful lives. He understands how He has made each of us and understands that joy brings us both physical and mental health. That is how He created us. We will receive our highest fulfillment and satisfaction from living the life God has prepared for us.

Jeremiah 29:11, “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.”

It is your life; it is your shot at happiness. You can focus on worldly success, knowing that in the end, it will not matter, or you can focus on chasing the pure passion of God’s desire for you. That desire will last for eternity.

Isaiah 55:12, “For you shall go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and the hills before you shall break forth into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.”

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Joy Before the Angels

We remember from Sunday School the remarkable story of Jonah and the whale. We know how Jonah ran from God because he did not want the Ninevites to be allowed to repent. This story brings to our attention that just as God has shown us mercy, he will show it to those we don’t feel deserve mercy. It also shows the extent to which God will go to pursue us for His purpose.

Jonah 1:1-3, “Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah son of Amittai, saying, “Get up! Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it because its wickedness has come up before Me.” Jonah, however, got up to flee to Tarshish, away from the presence of the Lord. He went down to Joppa and found a ship bound for Tarshish. So, he paid the fare and went aboard to sail for Tarshish, away from the presence of the Lord.”

Few of us remember the story of Nahum. Nahum came along well after Jonah. After the Ninevites first repented, they again returned to their sinful ways. This time it was Nahum who brought them the message. However, the message was quite different.

Nahum 1:3, “The Lord is slow to anger and great in power; the Lord will by no means leave the guilty unpunished.”

The Ninevites’ sin was so entrenched there was nowhere for them to turn. Our God is merciful, long-suffering, and gracious, but He has His limits. God’s judgment will fall on the unrepentant.

We forget that sometimes. We want to dwell on all the richness of God’s love for us to the point that we shy away from what happens when we become unrepentant. We love that God is patient, kind, long-suffering, and willing to bear with our sinfulness. We find comfort in that if we are willing to repent and turn from our ways, He is quick to forgive.

1 John 1:9, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”

But what happens if we harbor unrepentant sin? What is the judgment for those that hold back certain sins as personal property? You know, the sin that we can not shake. The sin that we feel is not destructive; the victimless sin in our lives. The sin we hide in the darkness of our lives? There is no victimless sin. There is no sin that God deems trivial or meaningless.

James 2:10, “For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.”

I’m not trying to shame anyone, just bringing to our attention that we all have unrepentant sin. We all have sins that we don’t recognize as harmful or, worse, don’t recognize as sins. I’m not talking about unintentional sin, although that also is an issue, but unresolved sin. We live in a dysfunctional world that has normalized sin. In the last 50 years, we have normalized most of the sins mentioned in the Ten Commandments. Our quest for personal freedom has made it unacceptable to criticize someone else’s lifestyle choices. This passive acceptance tends to water down our perception of sin. Comparatively speaking, we feel we live less sinful lives as Christians. We don’t do the things that others do.

Isaiah 1, 18-20, “Come now, let us reason together,” says the Lord. ‘Though your sins are like scarlet, they will be as white as snow; though they are as red as crimson, they will become like wool. If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the best of the land. But if you resist and rebel, you will be devoured by the sword.”’

This blog does have a happy ending. Just because we have sins in our lives that have become entrenched or unrecognized doesn’t mean we will face the wrath of God. It does not disqualify us from salvation.

Psalm 62:1, “And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

It is not our behavior that determines our salvation; it is the redeeming grace of Christ.

Acts 16:31, “He has saved us and called us to a holy life-not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time.”

This blog reminds you to periodically quiet your mind and think about those things that have transpired. Think not just of the significant issues but the minor sins that pop up now and then. Maybe the habitual way you address specific issues or the bias and prejudges that have developed over time. We all have them, and they hurt God as much as the significant issues. Sometimes I think they hurt more because they are unacknowledged and unrepentant. Think of the joy you will bring to God by caring enough about His happiness to seek forgiveness for even the little sins in your life.

Luke 15:10, “Just so, I tell you, there is joy before the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

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