Faith is not intellectual understanding; faith is a deliberate commitment to the Person of Jesus Christ, even when I can’t see the way ahead. – Oswald Chambers

It is easy to have an intellectual or a theoretical faith, especially for those of us who have professed a belief in Christ for many years or been “faithful” church goers and know all the right phraseology.  Tough times come, I know the words, especially if those times are for someone else.  However, to have faith in all my actions and in all my thoughts, I think that is a more difficult thing.  Are the emotions and feelings I have toward others in alignment with my commitment to the Person of Jesus Christ?  Are the words that I speak in alignment with my commitment to the Person of Jesus Christ? Are my actions, even the smallest, most seemingly insignificant ones, in alignment to my commitment to the Person of Jesus Christ?  Is it any wonder that grace is needed every day? 

“Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like a mortal human being and birds and animals and reptiles.” Romans 1:22-23

Blaise Pascal said, “God made man in his image ... and man returned the favor.” Such a created god is impossible to please.  Try as hard as you can, and you are never good enough, someone is always better; you can never be smart enough, someone is always smarter; you can never be pretty enough, someone will always be prettier; you can never give enough, someone will always give more.  Do all you can and you still come up short.  So in order to compensate for our self-determined shortcomings we begin to make rules to set us apart; to make us special…then we link God to these rules.  The result is that we have a god that is known for what he is against, rather than what he is for.

While God’s holiness is beyond question, the Easter season must remind us that “…God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”  He did this with full knowledge of our sin, our conditions, our shortcomings, all of our fears, and anxieties.  Such a God is easily pleased, is very proud of those who call him Father, and the best news of all, he himself has made us good enough. 

If we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. 1 John 1:7

I am not sure about others, however, I tend to classify sins.  There are the big bold ones; then there are the little ones that I can easily excuse as mistakes; writing them off by saying things like, “everyone does that” or “it really doesn’t mean anything.”  Interestingly, Jesus never compared one person’s sin to another; rather all people’s sin to a holy God.  To that standard, we all fall short (Romans 3:23). Paul equated a quarrelsome spirit as carnality; and that a God sanctified person will exhibit no trace of that kind of behavior, by saying, “…walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh” Galatians 5:16.  If honest, I do not usually classify the sins I struggle with as the big ones; those are other people’s issues.  However, I must be careful, as Jesus challenged me to remove the log in my own eye; and only then will I be able to see clearly enough to help another.  

A close friend of mine lost one of her children this past week; my heart breaks for her.  I called her, halfway hoping the call would go to voicemail; I didn’t know what to say.  When she answered my mind was at an absolute loss of what to say; so I told her so and that I was so very sorry for her loss. Praise God, her son knew Jesus, and his eternity is assured; but for the mom, wife, and children who are left behind; the pain is immeasurable.

I don’t think parents are wired for the loss of a child. I always knew that I would one day bury my parents.  The thought of losing my wife is painful, but I know it is a real possibility that will someday happen.  But, the loss of one of my two children; I cannot even think of such a thing. So, when I think about my friend and what she is going through, I can only fall on my knees and ask the Father to grant her grace beyond measure and peace that passes understanding.

Horatio Spafford suffered the loss of four of his children in a tragic event at sea.  He visited the approximate site where the ship sank; grief beyond description.  Later he penned the words, which are also my prayer for my friend and her dear family:

When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say,
It is well, it is well with my soul.

It is well (it is well), with my soul (with my soul),
It is well, it is well with my soul.

And Lord haste the day, when the faith shall be sight,
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;
The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,
Even so, it is well with my soul.

Lord, we need your grace

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us” Hebrews 12:1

Yesterday I ran another half marathon.  As usual I experience various emotions throughout the race.  There is always a rush of adrenalin at the beginning, and if I am not too careful, I begin too fast; which I will surely pay for later in the race.  The last few miles are not bad, as the finish line is in sight and I know that I will finish.  But, oh those middle miles; I find them rather boring.  My body begins to tire, my feet hurt, my pace slows; I begin to think that I may not finish.  Questions like, “Why did I do this?” come to mind.  Sometimes I feel like an elderly person with a walker will soon pass me.  It is important that I begin to think right thoughts during those difficult middle miles; I must actually tell myself that I have trained for this, I have done such races many times, and most importantly that the negative things I am currently experiencing will pass…if I keep running.

Our walk with God is not much different.  Paul tells us to “run with perseverance the race that is marked out for us.”  We will face challenges and difficulties; there will be times that we feel like giving up.  The Lord tells us that it is important to begin to think right.  Romans 12:2, “…be transformed by the renewing of our minds.”  The Lord has marked out our paths, he was empowered us by his spirit, his word tells us that we are “overwhelmingly conquerors” if we continue to walk the walk of faith.  In those challenging times, when the finish line seems an eternity away, keep walking; don’t give up.  The exuberant feeling at the end of a half marathon is nothing compared to the words of our Lord, “well done, good a faithful servant.”

“A faithful person will be richly blessed…” Proverbs 28:20

I recently saw a Facebook posting about an individual’s personal heroes of the faith.  While I do not know this person very well, I knew just about everyone on their list, and I certainly can understand why each person was there; they were worldwide leaders who have impacted our movement in very positive ways. 

Each of us have individuals who have touched our lives and inspired us to be the best we can be. Some people impact our lives from positions of leadership and authority; others by simply being there, often going almost unnoticed.  The latter will seldom receive accolades or praises of the masses;  they will never show up on organization’s walls of esteemed leaders of the past.  These people humbly walk through life being faithful; offering their lives to both God and the people they serve.  I thank God for the silent faithful, while they may never receive many honors here; I think maybe they are close to the top of God’s list of heroes. 

Life can get rather mundane; to some degree all of us get into routines (or even ruts).  Think that is not so, try to drive to work using a different route than you usually do; or try to put your pants on with the opposite leg than you usually do first.  Because of routines, our actions become rather rote.  However, Paul reminds us that “…whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God,” 1 Corinthians 10:31. God calls us to do our best for His glory.  So, Lord I give you my routine; may I actually listen so that I actually think about ways to glorify you in all I do.  

“From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him…” John 6:66.  Most people who turn back from Jesus do not do so because of blatant sin, but because of subtle shifts in priorities or non-attention to their souls.   As believers, our struggles are usually not between good and evil; but rather between good and best.  Paul states in his prayer (Philippians 1:10) that we “may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless.”

Lord, help me to keep my eyes fixed on you; protect me from competing priorities so that I may only accept the best you have for me.  Everything in me tends to focus on myself; I need your grace to help to keep my eyes on you.

I like being a Facebook stalker, especially during election campaigns.  This year there is one candidate that is drawing more attention than any of the others.  Postings about this person often use words such as obnoxious, self-righteous, racist, insensitive, etc. Looking from afar, I can see the basis of those kinds of harsh words. It does make me think; as people look at my life I certainly hope those kinds of descriptors do not come to mind.  However, if I am honest with myself, some of those very things manifest themselves in me.  This weekend my wife and I watched the movie Race; the story about Jesse Owens.  I was repulsed by the things he had to endure, both in Germany at the Olympics and also here in the United States.  I wondered how people could be that cruel, so hateful, and mean.  As we left the theater I noticed that Sharron and I were the only white people in the theater.  It grieved my heart; not that we were the only whites, but that I noticed.  I asked God for forgiveness.  I have so far to go.  God help me see people as you do.

…Then there was grace.