Colourblind

I was reading a friend's status this morning on facebook and I had to laugh.  Instead of retelling it, let me just quote it:

"Tucking [my son] in- [He] pulls up my bangs and says "mom, look at that nice "blonde" hair...here...and here...and lots more here..." - totally had a straight face and was serious! Didn't want to break it to the kid that he was really looking at grey:) he IS colour blind;)"

What a sweet sentiment this creates for those who are aging gracefully.  For the rest of us, we can just laugh and appreciate the heart of the child.  But this got me thinking.

I've been reading through the book of Job in my devotions lately and currently I am at the part where Job is sitting down with his three friends and they are constantly bombarding Job with how he must have sinned in order for the wrath of God to be poured out upon him like this but that cannot tell Job what he has done wrong.  They offer suggestions, but through their eyes, he has sinned.  Job on the other hand, maintains his righteousness and just wants a conversation with God asking why is this all happening to me.

I have been on both sides of the fence.  I have seen the things going on in people's lives and wondered what they have done to get themselves into the state of where they are at and ignorantly assumed it was their mistake.  I have also seen where people have seen something happening in my life and assumed that I had done something horrible to get myself into the situation that I was in.  No matter what a person has done or what they are going through, we are called to love people and appreciate them for who God has created them to be.  We need to stop focusing on their external situations and start focusing on the person.  We need to be colourblind.

God has called us to, "Love your neighbour as yourself"(Luke 10:27b).  Luke goes on to recount the parable of the Good Samaritan who helped his arch rival despite his circumstances.  No matter who the person is, what they have gone through or are going through, we need to be loving them the way that we would want to be loved ourselves.  We need to be colourblind.

If you are going through a difficulty today, I pray that people will be colourblind to your circumstances and come and help you in whatever way they can.  Likewise, if you know someone that is going through a tough situation today, may you not see the grey in their hair, but may you help them reach the blonde that you see in their life.  May you be the person who speaks encouragement in their time of trouble.  May you be colourblind.

The Secret Stash

Yesterday, my wife and I were out for an afternoon of shopping and time together.  It was a beautiful day with lots of sunshine and plenty of laughs.  We decided to stop at one of my favourite spots, Starbucks for a treat for us before we went for a walk.  I just ran in and ordered while she stayed in the car.  In my backseat were a few articles of clothing, a blanket and pillow (for those long road trips) and a few receipts.  However, what was under my seat (and possibly under the pillow too) was my secret stash.  

The secret stash is something I keep in the car for when I have that craving for something sweet.  I have some gummy candies, mints and other things, but nothing that melts.  It is meant for those moments when the sweet tooth just gets the best of you and you need a quick fix.  I value my secret stash quite a bit, but one thing I neglected to tell my wife, is that I have one.  *insert innocent angelic grin here*

How many times in our lives do we have those secret sins in our lives that no one else knows about?  What are we trying to hide under the seat and below the pillow so that no one will ever find it?  My mom and dad used a phrase a lot when I was growing up, "Be sure your sins will find you out".  I hated that phrase!  No matter what I did, I always got busted by them.  For instance, there was the time that I was given the car and told to go to work, pick up my cheque and head straight home.  I did that of course ... and then I went to my friend's place to play some basketball.  However, locking the keys in the car ... not such a good idea.  Did I mention that the car was running at the time?  Well, to make a long story short, I had to call my mom and have her come to my friend's house and let me in the car.  We laugh about it now, but the ride home was a little bit rough.

The bible says, "Nothing in all creation is hidden from God.  Everything is naked and exposed before His eyes, and He is the one to Whom we are accountable"(Hebrews 4:13).  Paul also says in his first letter to the Corinthians: 

"My conscience is clear, but that doesn't prove I'm right.  It is the Lord Himself who will examine me and decide.  So don't make judgments about anyone ahead of time - before the Lord returns.  For He will bring our darkest secrets to light and will reveal our private motives.  Then God will give to each one whatever praise is due"(I Corinthians 4:4-5).

Just when you think that no one knows about that little sin that you have in your life, God knows.  That habitual thing that might plague you, God knows about it.  That secret stash you have, nobody else might know that it is there, but God knows that it is there.  In the book of Jeremiah, the prophet says,

"'The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked.  Who really knows how bad it is?  But I, the LORD, search all hearts and examine secret motives.  I give all people their due rewards, according to what their actions deserve'"(Jeremiah 17:9-10).

What do you deserve today?  Let me take you back to my secret stash for a moment.  When I hopped back in the car excited for our walk, I noticed that the back seat had been straightened and that my secret stash wasn't in it's secret spot.  I was busted.  My sins had been made known.  However, I am very grateful for a loving and gracious wife.  Despite my shortcomings, she still loves me and forgives me.  We have already had a good laugh about it, but she still wants me to take care of myself and make sure that I am eating healthy things.  She loves me.

Jesus loves you!

We serve a loving and gracious God.  No matter how deep and dark our secrets are; no matter how big our secret stash is, He loves us.  It doesn't matter how bad you have been, His grace is enough for you.  The truth is though, no matter how good we are, we can never be good enough to earn salvation from our secret stash.  We all have fallen short of the mark and need God's saving grace (Romans 3:23).  But the best part is this, "But if we confess our sins to Him, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness"(I John 1:9).

So no matter what is in the dark recesses of your life today, come clean with God and allow Him to reward you.  He is a great God!  He is a gracious and loving God!  Quit hiding your secret stash and allow God to change your heart today.

Call of Encouragement

Have you ever been in one of those ruts where you feel like God has forgotten about you?  Have you ever gone through a time of disappointment and you just don't understand where God was in the whole situation?

I don't know how many times over the course of the last four to five years that someone has contacted me when I have been struggling or going through a hard time.  When I was ready to throw in the towel or just plain tired of the struggle, someone would call or email with a simple message of encouragement and remind me that God was still thinking of me.  It never ceases to amaze me each time it happens.  Think about it for a minute: Almighty God, the Creator of the universe cares about what I am going through enough to push someone to send a quick message to me at my time of weakness.  It really is a humbling thought.

I've been reading through the book of Job in my devotions and my thoughts keep coming back to the fact that God allowed Job to go through his struggle.  He actually even handpicked him and pointed him out to Satan when he said, "Have you noticed my servant Job?"(Job 1:8).  Then after Job had lost everything, God yet again focused Job out and said to Satan once more, "Have you noticed my servant Job?"(Job 2:3).  God knew in advance exactly what Job could handle and he knew that though Satan may try to get him to falter, Job would remain faithful.  He knew exactly what Job could handle.

There is a humbling thought to be considered in all of this.  When we go through trials, difficulties, struggles and times of frustration, we need to remember that God sees all that we face and He knows what we are going through.  Paul tells us in his letter to the Corinthians,

"The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience.  And God is faithful.  He will not allow the temptation to be more that you can stand.  When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure"(I Corinthians 10:13).

God makes a way, where it seems that all hope is lost.  God makes provision, when it seems your bank account is all but empty.  God provides healing even when the doctors tell you that you're as good as dead.  God sends people into our lives when we feel all alone.

God is faithful!

No matter what you are going through today, realize that God is with you.  He loves you and He is faithful to bring you through.  He might use someone to speak into your life and encourage you OR he might use you to speak into someone else's life.  Be willing to be used and watch how God steps in to change the situation.  Make the call and encourage someone.  Send the email and brighten someone's spirits.  You never know just how much your simple act of kindness can change the course of what the other person is facing.  They will greatly benefit from it and so will you.

What Are You Cooking?

Do you remember walking into your mom's house and smelling the fragrant delight of her toils in a hot kitchen and think to yourself that I just can't wait to sink my teeth into what she is cooking?  Often times, I am sure that you could even know what she was cooking just by the scent of what was permeating from the kitchen.  The best part is, you knew that what was being cooking was for you.  Oh the aromas.

For me, there are two smells that really stand out when I came home.  The first smell was usually cooked during the week either on a Monday or Tuesday.  I don't know why it was on those days, but I can remember coming in from school and getting smacked in the face by the smells of cabbage soup.  Now let me explain something.  I have not been, I am not and I probably never will be a fan of cabbage soup or the smells associated with it.  Honestly, it smelled like a sporting bag being found months later after a demanding game.  You first reaction was to try and control your gag reflex as you crawled with any strength you had left for the door.  It just wasn't pleasant at all (sorry mom!) but yet she was a fan of cabbage soup.

The second memory associated with smells from my mom's kitchen almost always happened after church on Sunday. Yes, you probably guessed, it was mom's roast beef dinner.  Reaching in trying to grab a small piece of the dad's carvings usually got your hands smacked followed by strict orders to get out of the kitchen until dinner was ready.  But that aroma, that comforting smell was like a warm blanket on a cold winter's days.  It just wrapped around you and sucked you in and said, "I love you".  My mouth is drooling now as I just think about it.  Words really cannot justly describe that pleasant nostril sensory overload.

I've just started a chronological reading plan of the bible with some friends. (NOTE: If you want to read the bible this way click on this link: Chronological Reading.)  It is a great read so far but the way things are popping off the page at me kind of catches me by surprise.  I've read the bible before but this time, things are grabbing my attention and I find myself asking, "How did I miss that before?".   In today's reading, God had just saved Noah, his family and the animals from the destruction of the earth.  Once God had given the okay, Noah and his entourage departed the world's first mighty ship, the bible says, 

"Then Noah built an altar to the LORD, and there he sacrificed as burnt offerings the animals and birds that had been approved for that purpose.  And the LORD was pleased with the aroma of the sacrifice and said to Himself, 'I will never again curse the ground because of the human race, even though everything they think or imagine is bent toward evil from childhood.  I will never again destroy all living things.  As long as the earth remains, there will be planting and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night'"(Genesis 8:20-22).

The sacrifice was pleasing to God.  

Immediately, my mind is brought back to my reading yesterday about Cain and Abel and the sacrifices that they offered to God.  Both brought a sacrifice, but only Abel brought his best.  Cain's offering was rejected because God got a whiff of the cabbage soup.  But Abel's offering was accepted and favour was shown to Abel because his Sunday dinner was presented from his best efforts.  Abel's offering pleased God and was a satisfying aroma.

What are you bringing to the table?  When you come to God, are you bringing your best offering?  Are you using the talents that He has given you to bring glory to Him and offer a sweet smelling aroma for God to enjoy?

I'm not hugely talented when it comes to sports, art or music.  I don't have a bucketload of money sitting around collecting dust.  My intellect isn't bursting off the top of the charts (just ask my brothers ... lol).   BUT ... whatever I do have, I want to use it to bring glory to God and allow Him to bless.  So if I run into some money, I want to use it to glorify God.  If I am able to help out behind the scenes at events, I want to bring my best efforts.  If I can help someone who is unable to do something that I can do, I want to do the best job that I can so that God is honoured.  Let's be people who bring our best to God.  Let's cook a meal that is pleasing to the senses and let God be pleased and bless it.

Holding On

The struggles of life can be overwhelming sometimes. Wondering if there is ever going to be some good news starts to become a common thought in your mind. You just don't know if you're going to make it. Even as a believer, your mind can get the best of you. You begin to over think things and the best of optimistic thinkers crumple to their knees in disbelief of where they are at.

In the Old Testament, Job is infamous for going through one struggle after another. Just as things look like they couldn't get any worse, another message of despair follows the one before it. Then after all hope is lost, his health takes a turn for the worst. Even his wife tells him to just curse God and die. (Job2:9)

Do you feel like giving up today? Do you feel like you're at the end of your rope? Is all hope gone in your life? Are people telling you that you need to toss in the towel and just give up on your faith?

I don't know when the answer is going to come in my own struggle and I know it hasn't been an easy road, but I have come too far to give up on a God who has been with me through so many other tough times in my life. God promises me in His Word that "I will never fail you. I will never abandon you"(Hebrews 13:5b). I cling to that truth. I hold God to His Word and I continue to have faith.

Don't give up! Keep looking to God to lead you. He won't fail you. He won't abandon you. He is Faithful.

Audience of One

I had the privilege of being a volunteer at a leadership conference this past weekend for young leaders and helping out behind the scenes.  There were great speakers, great music and some powerful times of prayer, but if I am being honest, I have to admit that I didn't connect with what was going on.  I understood what was happening, and I appreciated the talent of those around me, but I wasn't engaging in the powerful encounter that God had allowed me to witness.

Let's step back a minute and give you some background into my upbringing.  I have had the privilege of growing up in a christian home all my life.  My parents took me to church from the moment I was born.  I've been to thousands of services and encountered God in many of those opportunities.  I have seen miraculous things happen right before my eyes and witnessed lives changed by the very presence of God.  However, I find that as I get older, I find there are times that I get a bit cynical of the worship experience.  My fear is that the bigger the production becomes with all the talented musicians and vocalists, the more it becomes a concert or a performance.  If the band isn't good or the singers don't have great voices, we won't be able to enter into the presence of God.  Coming from a smaller church growing up, it was a bit of a let down after coming back from conferences to our small church which lacked the musical capabilities of those witnessed previously at the conference.  Now add to that the lighting productions that have entered into these settings and the huge screens projecting all sorts of cool graphics on them it creates a sensory overload which is euphoric but at the same time, a huge anti-climax when you go back to your small town church.

But this week, as I was singing in the shower praises to my God, a still small voice whispered to my spirit, that it isn't the size of the crowd, or the grandeur of the production but rather the attitude of the person that matters to God.  Worship is a choice.  Worship is an action based on the priority of your heart.  No matter what is going on around you; no matter how good of a lighting production there is; no matter how talented the musicians or vocalists are; no matter how many or how few the numbers of people around you are; no matter how many mistakes the sound person makes; no matter what the style of music is or even if there is no music at all; no matter how loud or quiet the music is; no matter how great or how bad you're feeling; worship stems from the heart and not your sensory experience.  Worship is not for the people around you, but rather, for an audience of One.

"Shout with joy to the LORD, all the earth!  Worship the LORD with gladness.  Come before him, singing with joy.  Acknowledge that the LORD is God!  He made us, and we are his.  We are his people, the sheep of his pasture.  Enter his gates with thanksgiving; go into His courts with praise.  Give thanks to Him and praise His name.  For the LORD is good.  His unfailing love continues forever, and His faithfulness continues to each generation"(Psalm 100).

Notice that it doesn't say, "Shout to the person beside you" or "Worship the LORD because the mood is right".  It just says to,  "acknowledge that the LORD is God!"(Psalm 100:3).  It is an exclamation of David.  It is an expression of what his heart is saying.  He is making the conscious choice to worship his Creator.

Wherever you are today, whether in the shower or in a crowded auditorium, choose to worship God and make Him priority in your life.  No matter what your sensory experience, come into the presence of the Most High recognizing who He is and all that He has done for you.  Give Him thanks for all that He has done acknowledge His unfailing faithfulness.

Here's a video that was playing in the background while I was composing this today.  I think you will find it very encouraging as you choose to worship: 

Dinner for Two

I came home from work last night and my wife had made an amazing dinner which included candles and no one else ... except the dog.  It was a very nice surprise.  It isn't that she doesn't usually make dinner, but the fact that she took the extra effort to have the candles and place settings just made it extra special.  It was a great time together of conversation and dreaming of the future together and just over all, connecting with one another.

It got me thinking, how many times do we set the table in our personal lives to spend time with God?  I must confess that I have on a number of occasions rushed my personal devotion time with God.    I have squeezed my time in with Him while rushing in the morning or even skipped it in the morning vowing to "make time" later on in the day.  Time with God should never be something we do out of convenience.  It should be something we do because it is a necessity.  Every morning, I make time to grab a shower, get dressed and usually eat.  There are times when one of those things doesn't happen, but I will always make time throughout the day for me.  The reality is, that when we don't make time for God, we are starving our spiritual appetite and ultimately throwing off the much needed balance in our lives.

In the book of Isaiah, we are reminded that, "the strength of those who wait with hope in the LORD will be renewed.  They will soar on wings like eagles.  They will run and won't become weary.  They will walk and won't grow tired"(Isaiah 40:31).  I love how this version says "wait with hope"(GWT).  It is a reminder that when we come into the presence of Almighty God, that we can come into His presence with expectation.  We can come with faith.  But we have to come.  If we never make time for God, then the table should only be set for one person.

If you are waiting for God to do something in your life today, make time for Him each and every day.  Set aside specific time where you can "wait with hope" for God to do something great.  He wants to have dinner with you, you just need to set the table.  The conversation will take off from there and you will be amazed at what God has to say to you.