Thursday, September 18, 2014

Thieves don't wear flashing neon signs

God is big. Bigger than you could ever imagine; full of extravagant love, immeasurable patience, perfect justice, overflowing mercy, and incalculable wisdom and knowledge. 

We've heard these things or read them. We know. We might smile reading them, offer up a thank you to Him, or declare them over the mountain we are currently battling. But do we really know deep in our soul? Is it written on our heart?

We stress about our finances, relationships, hardships, or illnesses. Sometimes we get our priorities out of whack. That's normal; human, right? Most Christians won't flat out say, "God can't handle this." But our actions, fear, anxiety, and lack of faith speak even louder. 

The problem is that we are slightly underestimating our enemy and grossly underestimating our Great Victor. What we don't realize is that Satan isn't more powerful than God, but he is sneaky. Most of the time he isn't going to appear on the road and slash a hole in your tire while you are on the way to church. John 10:10a says, "The thief comes only to steal kill and destroy." Of all the stories I've read, thieves tend to break in when no one is home. They steal when no one is looking. They are mischievous, quiet, and typically appear when you least expect it. And we somehow expect Satan, the leader of the thieves, to walk in wearing a flashing neon sign that says, "I'm here to steal your joy"? I hate to break it to you, but that's not how it works at all. 

He creeps in like a silent black smoke. He enters a conversation with your husband and makes you argue over something stupid. He clouds your vision of the beauty that is already in you. He whispers lies; the same lies that you thought you had already gotten over. He makes you assume the worst. He clouds your judgement. He plays stretches your patience. He makes sin look enticing and fun. He makes you sleepy when you should be paying attention. He is responsible for "waking up on the wrong side of the bed."*

*side note: That's not actually a thing. You know that, right? Being happy is a choice. The bed has nothing to do with you being a jerk to your barista before you get your coffee fix. 

**side side note: I'm not speaking for clinical depression or any other imbalance that needs medication or medical attention. I'm speaking for the people who just don't want to act right in the morning.

The only reason acceptable is that you didn't realize the enemy creeping in to steal your joy and purpose. 

We don't need to pray, "God, help me be strong." The same strength that raised Jesus from the dead lives in you. A miracle of raising to life after being dead for three days doesn't cut it? What more strength could you possibly be looking for? 

Instead I pray, God, help me to see. Help me to feel. Help me to discern what is true. Help me to realize the potential and power I have with your full artillery in my support. Help me to remember the victory is already won. Help me to give a good testimony of your greatness by your grace no matter what is in front of me. 

"For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places." Ephesians 6:12

The crap that happens on this earth is not the only thing life is about. What matters is that all people get to taste and see the goodness of the Lord. (Psalm 34:8) He is good. He is always good. Relationship with Him is sweet and my most precious possession. Anything that is not good does not originate from His character. There is grave evil in the world; sneaky smoke that creeps in to destroy everything that Jesus died to save and set free.

We are human. We get to make decisions. That is the freedom that has so graciously been given to us. We get to choose to love. We get to choose to harness the power inside of us to change the world. We get to silence the foe and avenger (Psalm 8:2). Along with that, we also get to discern that any thing that in it's current state of not bringing glory to God is not permanent; but a distraction and lie from the enemy. It is actually our next opportunity to change what was meant for evil to be used for good to the glory of the Great King. (Genesis 50:20)

Stop letting the enemy steal your joy! When you feel that creep of impatience, discontentment, unrest, ungratefulness, complaining, abandonment, rejection, mistrust, anxiety, or anything other than what is perfect and meant for our good, you have to call that smoke for what it is. Because in that moment, God hasn't left. He is still there. The enemy has been doing a great job convincing you that you don't have the victory, but you do. He was already defeated on the cross. You have the power. And this is your opportunity to shine. 

Have you ever thought of it that way? That obstacle is an opportunity for you to show off God's power. That conversation is an opportunity for you to show the unconditional love of God. That moment with your children is an opportunity to give them a glimpse of His character. That irritation with your spouse is an opportunity to practice selflessly giving love and acceptance to others whether they deserve it or whether they even will accept it. 

This is our responsibility. Not a forced chore that we have to be burdened with. But an honor to defend the name and character of our Great God and reclaim what the thief has been stealing!

Wednesday, September 17, 2014

That's worth smiling about

I hear you saying
You don't have to do a thing
Just simply be with me 
and let those things go
'Cause they can wait another minute
Wait, this moment is too sweet
Would you please stay here with me 
And love on me a little longer


Just letting these words resonate deep in my soul this evening. Sometimes it's hard to understand that the perfect, wonderful, all-powerful, all-knowing God wants to just sit with me and love on me. I know full well all my sins, my attitude problems, my over-analytical mistrust, my independence, my self-satisfying drive, my quirks.  His love is magnified an incalculable amount compared to my love for anything else. That is the good stuff. The meat and potatoes. The brightest color. The most valuable treasure.

I don't have to measure up to whatever scale that society or I have created for myself.
I don't have to do a thing.
That is a beautiful thing worth smiling about. 


Because He delights to answer

"Because I said so" has come out of my mouth a couple times. Ok, more than a couple times. I admit that I sometimes don't have the patience or time to explain things to my 3 year old. Sometimes I do have the time to tell her that if she drinks a second cup of chocolate milk her stomach will hurt really bad and half the time I still get the response "I want it". This means even though I did take the time to explain, my answer is still "No, because I said so." It's how things are right now, because she is 3.

As she grows older and understands more, she will be able to make more informed decisions on her own. She will get the chance to experience what consequences of actions feel like when they aren't all mom's fault. She will also get to the point of shifting the scale from mostly selfish decisions to seeing the bigger picture. The thing is, I love saying yes. I love to tell Sweetness that she can have "brown milk" or that she can watch that movie or that we can go to the park. Sometimes I love to surprise her with special outings that she didn't even ask for. Because I love to bless her. Because she is mine. Because I love her.

My favorite times to say yes are when she is asking for things that aren't merely things. These are my favorite things to say yes to.
I want a hug-- YES I will huge you so tight that you squeak!
I want a kiss.-- YES I will kiss you all over until you are sick of it!
I want you to lay down 'bout me.-- YES I will lay with you and play with your hair.
I want to sit in your yap.-- YES you can always sit in my lap and cuddle.

Yes. Every time, yes.
I don't think I could love her more. I have tried. I can't.
She is absolutely perfect. She is not perfect.
She has flaws and attitude problems.
Sometimes she is too strong-willed.
Sometimes she throws fits in public places or growls at strangers in the parking lot.
Sometimes she just wakes up on the wrong side of the bed and is mean for no reason.
She is not perfect in deed, but she is perfect from the freckle on the end of her nose all the way to her feet that are about 2 sizes bigger than everyone else her age.

So I delight to say yes.

If I delight to say yes, how much more would God want to give us what we are asking for?

In 2 Chronicles 1 God tells Solomon, "Ask what I shall give you." He essentially asks Solomon for his Christmas list. The immeasurable, limitless, all-powerful God asked Solomon not just "what do you want" but "what shall I give you?". Dear sweet Solomon replies, "You have shown great and steadfast love to David my father, and have made me king in his place. O Lord God, let your word to David my father be now fulfilled, for you have made me king over a people as numerous as the dust of the earth. Give me now wisdom and knowledge to go out and come in before this people, for who can govern this people of yours, which is so great?" God answered Solomon, "Because this was in your heart, and you have not asked for possessions, wealth, honor, or the life of those who hate you, and have not even asked for long life, but have asked for wisdom and knowledge for yourself that you may govern my people over whom I have made you king, wisdom and knowledge are granted to you."

Solomon asked, and God answered. But God didn't stop there. It delighted God to give Solomon more than he was asking for. God kept speaking and said, "I will also give you riches, possessions, and honor, such as none of the kings had who were before you, and none after you shall have the like." Not only is God giving Solomon what he is asking for, but more than he probably even thought to ask for.

God answered because He delights to answer.