It has always been one of the hardest questions for me to answer. For someone to ask this question, they're typically going through something where they may be lacking faith already, so to just tell them that God's plan is good even when we can't see it never feels like it's going to give them the enlightenment they're seeking.
I've asked the same question as I had friends pass away at young ages. I even had a friend pass away who I think was on the road to salvation but I don't think got there before their life was lost. It's always been hard for me to think about. What if I had watered that seed a little more? What if I had been a little more upfront about the saving grace of Jesus and the sorrowful eternity without Him?
I still don't know the answer and I may never, but I find hope and peace in John 9:3. In the verse prior, one of the disciples asked if a blind man they see along the road is blind due to his own sins or his parents. Once you understand that God has full control over everything, and you understand the scriptures of the Old Testament where sickness and punishment were brought on people for disobedience, the question isn't as crazy as it sounds.
Jesus responds, "Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him."
Although God can work and be present in the time between seconds, His plans happen in centuries and generations. For example, Jesus is called the Son of David even though there were TWENTY-EIGHT generations between David and Jesus. I've been trying to track down my family tree, because I'm interested in where I came from, and I think I've figured it out back SIX generations. I know nothing about that person other than a name and a birthday. So, when we look at where we are now and the things that are happening to us and around us, there's a really huge chance that God is at work in something now that's going to come to fruition long after we're gone.
Jesus tells His disciples that we aren't necessarily being punished when negative things happen, but they happen so that God can be known. If we were never ill, and nothing ever went wrong, God wouldn't ever have an opportunity to show His power. If the man in John 9 wasn't born blind, Jesus would have never been able to heal him and watch him share his faith in Christ to the Pharisees and his family.
It sucks, because like my friend who passed away, sometimes even as time passes, we look back and still can't see how God worked in that situation, but I've found everything else in the Bible to be true, so I'm going to choose to trust Him in those events too. His ways are greater than mine.
Wednesday, May 17, 2017
Sunday, May 14, 2017
Waiting on Your Moment
I can't remember the last time I didn't feel like I was meant for more. A lot of that is probably due to my own actions, such as chasing the follies of earth rather than fighting for souls in eternity, but I also believe that God has something in store for me that I haven't stepped into yet because it's not the right time.
In 1 Samuel 15, King Saul dropped the ball and ended up keeping some choice cattle and a king alive after a battle where he was asked by the Lord to kill every living thing. God was angry with him and decided to choose a new king to take his place, so He sent Samuel to the family of Jesse in Bethlehem to choose one of his sons to be the future king. It's kind of a funny story, because Jesse sends 7 of his sons in front of Samuel, and the Lord says no to every single one. Samuel has to ask Jesse if he has any more sons, at which point he decides he better tell them about David, the youngest son who is out in the wilderness caring for the sheep.
Once Jesse was able to fetch David, God directs Samuel to anoint him, so Samuel anointed him with oil in front of his brothers, then left. He left. He came and gave David this awesome anointing, then just moved on and left David right there.
If I had just been anointed as the future king of Israel, I would expect to be in that role very soon. I would expect Samuel to tell me to pack my bags and follow him, but instead he leaves and David just goes back to hanging out with the sheep. That would be a little confusing. Samuel was a very well known prophet during that time, so Jesse and his family are probably very aware that he's on a mission from the Lord. I think they would have some sort of expectation for some immediate actions after the blessings poured out on David.
David most likely knows something is coming for him and is waiting in anticipation, but he doesn't know when it's going to happen. He might be expecting Samuel to come back and get him, but with every day that goes by probably doubts a little bit that his season is ever going to change.
This is my favorite part. Samuel doesn't have to make the introduction. He doesn't need to be the one to take David to the palace. Saul ends up with an evil spirit and when searching for a skilled musician to play relaxing music for him, one of his servants ends up recommending David. It wasn't Samuel, the person who knew David was supposed to be in a kingdom position, but God used someone else - someone new to the story.
David was never in a position where he would have ended up in the king's presence without God directing his steps. A shepherd belongs out in the hills with his sheep, living in solitude, constantly watching out for the safety of his animals. He wouldn't ever need to go to the city and meet the king or even be in a place where he might somehow run into the king by chance. There was no reason for the relationship to ever happen.
All of the time when I'm hopeful for something or anticipating God to move somewhere in my life, I consider what actions may need to take place for me to get there, but then immediately start to doubt when I can't connect the dots from where I am to where I expect/hope to go. The open doors that I see in front of me don't lead to the well that I'm hoping to reach. It's hard to remember that God can so easily bring something/someone new into my story.
Three things happened for David.
In 1 Samuel 15, King Saul dropped the ball and ended up keeping some choice cattle and a king alive after a battle where he was asked by the Lord to kill every living thing. God was angry with him and decided to choose a new king to take his place, so He sent Samuel to the family of Jesse in Bethlehem to choose one of his sons to be the future king. It's kind of a funny story, because Jesse sends 7 of his sons in front of Samuel, and the Lord says no to every single one. Samuel has to ask Jesse if he has any more sons, at which point he decides he better tell them about David, the youngest son who is out in the wilderness caring for the sheep.
Once Jesse was able to fetch David, God directs Samuel to anoint him, so Samuel anointed him with oil in front of his brothers, then left. He left. He came and gave David this awesome anointing, then just moved on and left David right there.
If I had just been anointed as the future king of Israel, I would expect to be in that role very soon. I would expect Samuel to tell me to pack my bags and follow him, but instead he leaves and David just goes back to hanging out with the sheep. That would be a little confusing. Samuel was a very well known prophet during that time, so Jesse and his family are probably very aware that he's on a mission from the Lord. I think they would have some sort of expectation for some immediate actions after the blessings poured out on David.
David most likely knows something is coming for him and is waiting in anticipation, but he doesn't know when it's going to happen. He might be expecting Samuel to come back and get him, but with every day that goes by probably doubts a little bit that his season is ever going to change.
This is my favorite part. Samuel doesn't have to make the introduction. He doesn't need to be the one to take David to the palace. Saul ends up with an evil spirit and when searching for a skilled musician to play relaxing music for him, one of his servants ends up recommending David. It wasn't Samuel, the person who knew David was supposed to be in a kingdom position, but God used someone else - someone new to the story.
David was never in a position where he would have ended up in the king's presence without God directing his steps. A shepherd belongs out in the hills with his sheep, living in solitude, constantly watching out for the safety of his animals. He wouldn't ever need to go to the city and meet the king or even be in a place where he might somehow run into the king by chance. There was no reason for the relationship to ever happen.
All of the time when I'm hopeful for something or anticipating God to move somewhere in my life, I consider what actions may need to take place for me to get there, but then immediately start to doubt when I can't connect the dots from where I am to where I expect/hope to go. The open doors that I see in front of me don't lead to the well that I'm hoping to reach. It's hard to remember that God can so easily bring something/someone new into my story.
Three things happened for David.
- Saul was overcome with an evil spirit and needed someone to play him comforting music.
- David had most likely been living in a lifestyle of nightly jam sessions, raising the roof for his sheep, practicing for this moment he didn't know was going to come.
- One of Saul's servants had randomly heard David play and recommended him for the position.
The moments that God is going to use in our lives may not be extremely colorful or highlighted with trumpets and fireworks, but every moment counts for something and can be used for something. God has the ability to bring something new into our story and immediately change our circumstances.
I'm practicing my pastoral gifts, so here's another list of 3. Three things that I think we can do to create opportunities for a change in our stories.
- Matthew 22:37 - "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul and mind."
- Mark 12:31 - "Love your neighbor as yourself."
- Colossians 3:23 - "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord"
Every moment. Every person. Every gift we're given. They are all opportunities for us or others - chase after them.
Wednesday, May 10, 2017
Maintaining Joy in Trials
A couple days ago I posted a picture of my car after a hail storm came out of the mountains throwing nearly tennis ball size hail down around my office. Every car in the parking lot experienced damage - at least 300 vehicles. Some people saw the destruction of their property and cried. Others jumped into action hoping that insurance would turn things around for them. Some just sat in disbelief, not wanting to admit that they lost something that they had given so much value to.
I've chosen joy. It definitely sucks to have something that you depend on get ruined. It sucks to have something that you've given value to, suddenly lose a lot of it without warning. I've learned though that being upset about this kind of thing doesn't help. Anger or frustration aren't going to fix my car. Even worse, anger and frustration aren't going to build up and into the people that God has surrounded me with. I can't be a good witness with that kind of attitude.
Over time God has shown me that His plan is always great. I can look back at times and see that although it sucked in the moment, the end result was great. For example - moving to Charleston and being homeless for a week - that was rough, but I ended up developing some of the greatest relationships I may ever have. Tonight I read about how King Saul had a similar experience.
In 1 Samuel 9, Saul's father sends him out on a trip to find some donkeys that had run away from them. Donkeys were a part of their way of life. Based on other stories in the Bible we know that people of this time often used donkeys to travel and get around. The same way we use our cars, the people of this time used donkeys. They would ride one, and use the others to transport the other things they needed to carry. Probably one for groceries and one for a change of clothes and maybe a tent if the grocery store was a long way away. We don't know how many donkeys Saul's father had, but even if I had a multitude of cars, I'd still be upset if I lost one. Saul and his father are most likely feeling some negative emotions as they try to figure out what they might do if they never find their donkeys. Their first choice is to put everything they have into trying to find the donkeys in case they can be found and returned to do their duties.
It turns out that Saul's search for the donkeys led him in the direction of Samuel (a prophet of that time). Saul had heard of Samuel and knew that he was a prophet, so hoped he could tell him which direction to go to find his donkeys. As soon as Samuel sees Saul, he already knows who Saul is and why he has come. At this point, Saul doesn't even know why he has really come!
When Saul finally reaches Samuel, he's invited to come eat with him and is told not to worry about his donkeys because they have been found safe. Saul thought that he had traveled to Samuel in order to find his lost donkeys, but in reality, God used Saul's donkeys to bring the two men together so something much greater could happen. God had asked Samuel to name Saul the first king of Israel.
From Saul's point of view, his whole trip was one that involved a very large burden and some negative emotions. He was probably fearful that the donkeys wouldn't be found, angry that they had run away, and maybe even financially scared of what they would do if they couldn't find them. How do you react when you misplace something of value? Do you ever lost a credit card, wallet, purse, or phone when you're running errands and start freaking out thinking you may have left it somewhere and you'll never see it again?
Would you react differently if you knew you'd find your wallet with $100 more dollars in it? What if the person that found your phone was going to be your future wife/husband?
God always has a plan for us, and because of His position in our lives as our loving Father we can trust that His plan will be beneficial to us even if it doesn't seem like it is at the time.
I've chosen joy. It definitely sucks to have something that you depend on get ruined. It sucks to have something that you've given value to, suddenly lose a lot of it without warning. I've learned though that being upset about this kind of thing doesn't help. Anger or frustration aren't going to fix my car. Even worse, anger and frustration aren't going to build up and into the people that God has surrounded me with. I can't be a good witness with that kind of attitude.
Over time God has shown me that His plan is always great. I can look back at times and see that although it sucked in the moment, the end result was great. For example - moving to Charleston and being homeless for a week - that was rough, but I ended up developing some of the greatest relationships I may ever have. Tonight I read about how King Saul had a similar experience.
In 1 Samuel 9, Saul's father sends him out on a trip to find some donkeys that had run away from them. Donkeys were a part of their way of life. Based on other stories in the Bible we know that people of this time often used donkeys to travel and get around. The same way we use our cars, the people of this time used donkeys. They would ride one, and use the others to transport the other things they needed to carry. Probably one for groceries and one for a change of clothes and maybe a tent if the grocery store was a long way away. We don't know how many donkeys Saul's father had, but even if I had a multitude of cars, I'd still be upset if I lost one. Saul and his father are most likely feeling some negative emotions as they try to figure out what they might do if they never find their donkeys. Their first choice is to put everything they have into trying to find the donkeys in case they can be found and returned to do their duties.
It turns out that Saul's search for the donkeys led him in the direction of Samuel (a prophet of that time). Saul had heard of Samuel and knew that he was a prophet, so hoped he could tell him which direction to go to find his donkeys. As soon as Samuel sees Saul, he already knows who Saul is and why he has come. At this point, Saul doesn't even know why he has really come!
When Saul finally reaches Samuel, he's invited to come eat with him and is told not to worry about his donkeys because they have been found safe. Saul thought that he had traveled to Samuel in order to find his lost donkeys, but in reality, God used Saul's donkeys to bring the two men together so something much greater could happen. God had asked Samuel to name Saul the first king of Israel.
From Saul's point of view, his whole trip was one that involved a very large burden and some negative emotions. He was probably fearful that the donkeys wouldn't be found, angry that they had run away, and maybe even financially scared of what they would do if they couldn't find them. How do you react when you misplace something of value? Do you ever lost a credit card, wallet, purse, or phone when you're running errands and start freaking out thinking you may have left it somewhere and you'll never see it again?
Would you react differently if you knew you'd find your wallet with $100 more dollars in it? What if the person that found your phone was going to be your future wife/husband?
God always has a plan for us, and because of His position in our lives as our loving Father we can trust that His plan will be beneficial to us even if it doesn't seem like it is at the time.
Wednesday, May 3, 2017
Living in the Light
"For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have everlasting light."
This is the verse just 3 verses prior to "This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God."
Time for a sports analogy!
If I want to be good at basketball, I'm going to practice and I'm going to give it all I have every time I practice. But, if I'm practicing by myself, who's going to be there to tell me if my shot can be improved? Who's going to be able to correct my footwork if I'm practicing moves below the basket? You can get pretty good at certain aspects of basketball by yourself, but even NBA players have a coach that helps keep them on a track. They need someone to correct them when they're wrong and remind them what work they can put in to keep getting better.
If I have a coach that I trust, I'm going to want to practice in front of him. I'm going to realize that the criticism and discipline that he forces on me actually makes me better and helps my game improve.
People who don't trust God, they choose to live in the darkness. They don't want people to see the mistakes they're making. They fear correction and run and hide from discipline.
People who trust God trust that living in the light is a beneficial place to be, even when our lives are filled with sin. Attempting to hide our sin is a sign of not trusting that God has power over it, and not trusting that God loves us through our mistakes, which He promises us that He does through the sacrifice of Jesus.
Living in the light is opening your life up to God to correct and lead you away from your sins. It's showing Him that you trust His discipline to take you to a place you can't get on your own. He's the Coach that can take you to the next level that you were never able to attain on your own.
This is the verse just 3 verses prior to "This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God."
Time for a sports analogy!
If I want to be good at basketball, I'm going to practice and I'm going to give it all I have every time I practice. But, if I'm practicing by myself, who's going to be there to tell me if my shot can be improved? Who's going to be able to correct my footwork if I'm practicing moves below the basket? You can get pretty good at certain aspects of basketball by yourself, but even NBA players have a coach that helps keep them on a track. They need someone to correct them when they're wrong and remind them what work they can put in to keep getting better.
If I have a coach that I trust, I'm going to want to practice in front of him. I'm going to realize that the criticism and discipline that he forces on me actually makes me better and helps my game improve.
People who don't trust God, they choose to live in the darkness. They don't want people to see the mistakes they're making. They fear correction and run and hide from discipline.
People who trust God trust that living in the light is a beneficial place to be, even when our lives are filled with sin. Attempting to hide our sin is a sign of not trusting that God has power over it, and not trusting that God loves us through our mistakes, which He promises us that He does through the sacrifice of Jesus.
Living in the light is opening your life up to God to correct and lead you away from your sins. It's showing Him that you trust His discipline to take you to a place you can't get on your own. He's the Coach that can take you to the next level that you were never able to attain on your own.
Tuesday, May 2, 2017
Hope in Samson
God had a lot of plans for Samson. I wrote yesterday about how even before Samson was born, God had met with his mother to tell her that he was going to be used by God.
You know what Samson did while he was being used by God?
Judges 15:4 - killed 300 foxes by starting them on fire in order to burn the Philistines crops
Judges 15:8 - "Viciously" kills many Philistines to get revenge for killing his wife and her father
Judges 15:15 - Picks up a donkey's jawbone and kills 1000 Philistines
Judges 16:1 - Spends the night with a prostitute
Judges 16:3 - Wakes up in the middle of the night and steals the doors from the city gates and Gaza
Judges 16:4 - most likely has relations with Delilah
Judges 16:6-14 - lies to Delilah multiple times about where his strength comes from
Judges 16:30 - Blindly collapses the Philistines temple, killing over 3000 people
I hope you don't ever feel like you're too far gone to be used by God! Don't ever feel like you've messed up too much for God to use you.
We don't know a whole lot about Samson that made him a good person, but he listened when God called. We're never going to be able to completely separate ourselves from sin, but we can make sure that we move when God asks us to. We can make sure that our ears are open and that our hearts are willing to hear God's call and worship His name when the opportunities come.
You know what Samson did while he was being used by God?
Judges 15:4 - killed 300 foxes by starting them on fire in order to burn the Philistines crops
Judges 15:8 - "Viciously" kills many Philistines to get revenge for killing his wife and her father
Judges 15:15 - Picks up a donkey's jawbone and kills 1000 Philistines
Judges 16:1 - Spends the night with a prostitute
Judges 16:3 - Wakes up in the middle of the night and steals the doors from the city gates and Gaza
Judges 16:4 - most likely has relations with Delilah
Judges 16:6-14 - lies to Delilah multiple times about where his strength comes from
Judges 16:30 - Blindly collapses the Philistines temple, killing over 3000 people
I hope you don't ever feel like you're too far gone to be used by God! Don't ever feel like you've messed up too much for God to use you.
We don't know a whole lot about Samson that made him a good person, but he listened when God called. We're never going to be able to completely separate ourselves from sin, but we can make sure that we move when God asks us to. We can make sure that our ears are open and that our hearts are willing to hear God's call and worship His name when the opportunities come.
Monday, May 1, 2017
Seeking Confirmation
It's hard to get back into something after quitting. I had to take a break from blogging to study for an engineering exam I took last weekend, and I've also been out of the gym for a while... hopefully this is a sign that I'm about to be back to both soon!
I've been trying real hard lately to make sure that I'm praying throughout the day and including God in all my decisions. A lot of times that leads to questions of authenticity. I may feel God leading me one direction, or think that something I saw recently was a sign from the Lord to lead me toward some sort of action in my life. Sometimes I'll sit around and think about it for a while, trying to solve it on my own, when I'm not the one who has the answers.
In Judges 13, the mother of Solomon is approached by the Spirit of God to be told that she would be having a son and instructions on how to raise him as a Nazirite. When she tells her husband, Manoah, he has questions that she can't answer. (Similar to how I feel when God tells me to do something). Instead of just winging it as I try most of the time, Manoah prays and asks God to give him some clarity. Verse 9 says "God heard Manoah..."
God isn't a father of confusion. He's a father that loves and cares. When He gives us direction and instruction, He wants us to have a full understanding of His desires and expectations. When He hears that Manoah needs a little more information, He returns to him and his wife to make sure they understand His requests.
Let's make sure we're not walking forward with questions about what God is calling is toward and if we're in His will or not. If we're not sure, let's ask. He's omnipresent, so we know He's listening. He loves us with agape love, so we know that His love never fails. He exists outside of time, so He knows where we've been and He knows what's in our future and how to get us there. He has the answers when we don't. He makes a way through the wilderness, and He can help us avoid every stone, every root and every rough place.
On a dangerous hike, why risk doing it alone when there's a guide available who has never lost?
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