Thursday Thought

Wonder is a tricky thing. We scarcely recognize it until it sneaks up on us—and we can lose it without even knowing it. That’s how it happened on the Hollar Trail at King’s Camp.

When Ava (9) and Emma (7) invited me to join them on their hike, I was unprepared for the visual karate chop that came our way. The dense greenery and delicately bloomed undergrowth made me almost forget the ugliness of urban cement. And the soundtrack of birds and bugs whisked the last of the gritty city away.

The woods offer a fragrance that rejuvenates. And the winding creek speaks the language of refreshment.

As we trekked along, it was the most natural thing in the world to keep up a dialogue with Ava and Emma about the greatness of our Creator, and the awesomeness of His works. The walk became worship.

I came away charmed, relaxed, grateful—and sorry our walk had ended. So, when Ava and Emma suggested we do the same walk the very next morning, it was not a tough decision.

Know what I noticed on that second walk? Not as much. I noticed fewer sounds, took in less beauty, and observed less magic. It was the same wonderful path, of course. And we thoroughly enjoyed the walk. But I found myself having to discipline my thoughts and actively work to thank and praise God. Wonder is a tricky thing.

Maybe wonder and worship are not so different. I suspect they are at least cousins. Because worship must take its first steps as wonder. If we are not awed by an encounter with God’s greatness, our praise will be hollow and puny.

Which is why the easiest thing in the world is to stand in church on Sunday morning, listen to the band, wave our hands—but not really personalize, let alone ponder, the words to the songs we call worship.

Familiarity is no friend to worship. Though we think it should be easy and automatic, it turns out there’s a work side to worship. Anything of value takes work, including worship.

Wonder is a wonderful thing—when it finds us. But worship is a deliberate choice to ponder the wonder we’ve already experienced. It’s a personal declaration that refuses to forget and chooses to remember the greatness of who God is and what He’s done. And sometimes, that takes work.

Lord, help us remember to remember!

People will speak of the power of Your awesome acts, and I will tell of Your greatness. They will burst forth in speaking of Your abundant goodness, and will shout joyfully of Your righteousness. -Psalm 145:6,7

To be American is to love a good bargain.

• If Google AI is to be trusted, about 90% of Americans regularly shop at discount stores, and 59% of us brag to friends or family members when we score a great sale or discount (C’mon—admit it!).

• Nearly three-quarters of us prioritize price over product quality.

• Truth is, we really don’t like paying full price for anything. Which is why three in four Americans are willing to wait up to a month for an item to go on sale rather than shell out the full price.

• Saving moolah makes us merry. Two in three shoppers report that finding a great deal genuinely boosts their mood.

• We bargain hunters have standards, though. The average shopper needs to save at least 36% on an item for the purchase to feel like a worthwhile deal.

• Surprise! Research shows that affluent, six-figure earners are showing up at Walmart and Costco to save money like the rest of us.

What can we say? We love bargains! But when it comes to a genuine Christian life, there are few—if any—bargains to be had. This quote struck me from the devotional, Daily Streams:

God has nothing worth having that is easy. There are no cheap goods in the heavenly market. Our redemption cost all that God had to give, and everything worth having is expensive. Hard places are the very school of faith and character.*

Like you, I love a bargain. But let’s never forget 1 Peter 1:19, which underscores that our salvation was purchased “with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ.”

Dear Lord,

As my salvation was not purchased cheaply, help me to live richly in obedience, in faithfulness, in holiness.

Amen!

*Source: Streams in the Desert, June 29 reading

Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

It’s one of the hardest things about parenting: knowing when to give permission, and when not to. But wise parents know that permission comes from more than words.

In the book of Genesis, we encounter Issac who has settled in the city of Gerar, just south of Gaza. Think dust and deserts—and very little scenery. Yet, Rebekah is a stunning exception to the drabness. It doesn’t take long for everyone around to notice that Isaac’s wife, Rebekah, is not just attractive but gorgeous. Her beauty is apparently an item of discussion between Abimelech, the region’s king, and Isaac.

Fearing he might be killed so that the king could get to his wife, Isaac lies to Abimelech, claiming Rebekah is his sister. But Abimelech eventually puts two and two together and realizes the two are actually married. So, he summons Issac, demanding an explanation.

Isaac then states his motive for deceiving: “Lest I die because of her.”

Then Abimelech (wisely) warns all the people: “Whoever touches this man or his wife shall surely be put to death.”

If the scene feels like Déjà vu, it’s because Isaac’s father, Abraham, felt that same fear and told the same lie about his wife, Sarah– who was also exceptionally beautiful. Like father, like son.

And there’s the lesson: our children are always watching us and our ways. Having heard about the lies his father Abraham told, Isaac somehow felt a twisted sense of permission to do the same.

What decent God-fearing parent or grandparent would ever give their child their approval to hide the truth? None. Zero. But we might as well shout a hearty endorsement to their lying—when we ourselves are lying.

Permission is granted—or not granted—more clearly in our conduct than our speech.

Numbers 32:23b “And be sure your sin will find you out.”

Photo by Ante Hamersmit on Unsplash

The sun is still low enough that the heat of the day is still on its way. I’m padding down the street—with purpose. Time to pick up our car after its early morning oil change.

But a mere 200 feet into the walk, a neighbor lady drives up and rolls down her window. Her greeting is genuine enough, but tears are dribbling down her cheeks.

“Hello, Emma,” I stammer. Emma (not her real name) manages a forced smile. “You don’t seem like you’re doing so well,” I offer gently. “Oh, I’ll be fine,” she counters unconvincingly. And then she spills a story that brings more tears.

What exactly am I supposed to do at this point? This situation is way above my pay grade! I love Jesus, and I love my neighbors. But Emma is a woman, and I’m a guy and… “Look,” I say, “Why don’t you come over and have a talk with my wife, Diana? She’d love to see you” (except Diana would still be in her robe).

Emma gives it a thought (she’s been over before) and decides she needs to first check with her husband at home. I seize the moment to call my wife and give her the good news that a guest will be showing up—immediately.

Then I walk Emma to our front door, let her inside, and resume my walk to the car dealership. Time to pray! I pray for Emma. I pray for Diana that she will have godly wisdom. And I pray that Emma and her family would come to know Christ.

Forty-five minutes later, I’m back, and Emma is still chatting in the living room. Without eavesdropping, I can hear a few laughs from my office. Clearly, God has brought comfort of some kind.

After Emma leaves, more of the story tumbles out as I sit down with my wife. The details are not mine to share, but the unusual encounter reminded me of the most basic of human realities: Hurt is everywhere.

Hurt is in every home, every car, every heart. It’s just that pervasive. As believers, we surely don’t have all the answers. We don’t possess all wisdom. But we DO have authentic hope—unstoppable encouragement sourced in nothing less than the blood of Jesus.

I don’t know your unsaved neighbors—but you do. I don’t know their hurts—but I know they’ve got them. And you’ve got Jesus! Which means—you’ve got hope. Why not share some with a neighbor who’s hurting?

But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect. -1 Peter 3:15

Photo by Mayank Dhanawade on Unsplash

What price are you paying to haul around burdens never intended for your shoulders?

I’ll never forget watching the producer sellers crisscross the streets of Hanoi. A bamboo pole sagged at their shoulders as they hauled baskets of produce to and from the open markets.

As a curious traveler, I just had to know how heavy those baskets were. So, I dodged some of Hanoi’s 5.6 million motorcycles and asked a worker if he would let me try lifting his bamboo pole. Amused, he placed the two-basket rig on my shoulders, and in an instant, I understood the cost of such work—the price their backs were paying for hauling this weighty stuff.

What price are you paying to haul around burdens never intended for your shoulders? Let me explain.

Many of us indulge in self-talk that says, “I must lug around all my problems and stagger under the weight of my burdens.” This distortion is particularly true of the troubles we’ve brought on ourselves through poor habits and sinful choices.

But there’s a much bigger, much better offer from our heavenly Father that many of us miss out on day after day. David shares it with us in Psalm 55:22, where he invites us to “Cast your burden upon the Lord, and He will sustain you; He will never allow the righteous to be shaken.” Is that your first response when burdens work their way into your soul?

Notice that according to this verse, nothing supernatural happens until we cast our burden(s) on the Lord. Nothing is promised or even offered to those who insist on pulling their own train, lugging their own load. We’ve got to cast that burden away first.   

But what an offer this is! We cast…God sustains. Oh—and He even reminds us that with Him carrying our load, there’s no need to be shaken.

When God sent Jesus to earth to die on the cross for our wrongdoing, He took the burden of our sins from our shoulders. Incredibly, He longs to do more for us.

He wants to take the load of every burden off your soul. He’s able. He’s willing. And as the one who carried that heavy cross, He’s also experienced. So let Him!

Hey, if you found some encouragement in today’s blog, let me share more with you in a podcast conversation with Jennifer Rothschild. Just click this link to listen: https://413podcast.com/406

Summer means beaches, bonfires…and bugs. Mostly bugs.

Did you know that there are more than 1 million species of insects, and that even more are discovered every year?

And did you know that there are roughly 200 million bugs per person on the planet (including 2.8 million spiders per person)?

Out at the camper, we see a few of those bugs now and then. My least favorite? The smallest bug I know: the Ceratopogonidae. It’s just 1/16th of an inch long, smaller than a mosquito. Yet its bite is painful. It leaves welts, and you never see it coming. Maybe you know it by a simpler name: No-See-Um.

The pain a No-See-Um inflicts is just the beginning. It can transmit diseases like the Oropouche virus, causing severe headaches, dizziness, nausea, meningitis, birth defects, and fetal death.

But the tiny—and terrible—bug we call the No-See-Um is an unpleasant reminder that small things cause big problems. That’s certainly true in the spiritual life, where we all battle with “No-See-ums” like pride, rage, and regret.

Mind if I ask what’s biting you, eating away at you? What are the No-See-ums in your life? (We’ve all got them).

For some of us, it’s jealousy. For others, that no-see-um is fear or anxiety. For still others, it’s greed, or bitterness, or lust. But what are we to do with our No-See-Ums? The Bible offers hope and help.

Name your No-See-Um.

Take a moment to self-assess what’s really bugging you (pun intended). What’s causing you to waste away spiritually? Confess it to God. 1 John 1:9 says If we confess our sins, He’ll forgive those sins. But there’s no forgiveness without naming the sin. You’ll feel better—cleaner—just for naming and confessing it.

Pray for Deliverance

In what we call the Lord’s Prayer, Jesus gave us this stunning phrase: “Deliver us from evil.” He intends us to speak just that way. So, why not pray, “Lord, deliver me from my bondage to fear…or greed…or lust…” If you pray, “Deliver me from evil,” He will! 

Please note. It’s not enough to pray this once in a while. We must pray it every day—sometimes every hour!

We pray without ceasing because we are tempted without ceasing, attacked without ceasing, and bitten without ceasing—by our No-See-Ums.

So, we must pray without ceasing. When we do, we enlist the help of the Captain of Heaven’s armies who can—and will—deliver us from our No-See-Ums. And that’s good news!

Now…where did I put that fly swatter?

Image by Sergio Cerrato – Italia from Pixabay

“Am I doing it right?”

That’s the question many of us ask about prayer. We desperately want to know if we’re “saying it right” or “thinking it right.” I do!

But Psalm 62 challenges our prayer norms. Verse eight says of God, “Trust in Him at all times, you people; Pour out your hearts before Him; God is a refuge for us.”

That phrase, “Pour out your hearts before Him,” seeped in deeply. It’s a command, you know, “Pour out your hearts before Him.” 

When it comes to prayer, many of us are comfortable praising God or thanking God. We know we’re supposed to be confessing to God. And when it comes to asking for stuff, we’re seasoned champs. But what about this invitation to “Pour out your hearts before Him”?

You say, “Isn’t that pretty much what I do every day? I tell God what I need and leave it with Him?” Nope. It’s not the same.

Charles Spurgeon advises, “Turn the vessel of your soul upside down in His secret presence, and let your inmost thoughts, desires, sorrows, and sins be poured out like water.”

Mind if I ask what’s in your heart?

• Sorrow over a lost loved one? Pour it out.
• Seething anger over a recent abuse? Pour it out.
• Disappointment over a failed relationship? Pour it out.

What’s in your heart? I dare you to go to a quiet room and dump out the whole nasty business. What if we prayed like this:

“God, I’ve made a mess of things. Everything is broken. Because you’ve invited me to pour out my heart, I’ll give you the whole list right now.”  And away you go—slowly and methodically listing any and every ugly word, worry, pain, fear, or sin. Skip nothing. Dump everything.

Spurgeon advises, “Hide nothing from Him, for you can hide nothing. To the Lord unburden your soul – let Him be your only Father-confessor, for He only can absolve you when He has heard your confession.”

I’m not saying we should permanently avoid times of adoration as we pray. Or that we jettison the idea of confession or thanksgiving. But it seems to me there’s a place—and must be space—to pour out your heart before Him. Try it!

What’s in your heart?

Image by Bruno from Pixabay

Five words.

No artwork. No fancy graphics. No bold colors. The tee-shirt displayed just five words: “Christ is all I have.”

I tried to wrap my brain around all the ramifications of that simple statement. More specifically, what would it look like to be stripped of every dollar, possession, hobby, ambition, pleasure, privilege, and health itself? 

Here is what is true of the person who can honestly say, “Christ is all I have”:

You have an inexhaustible supply of grace to power you through your deepest valleys and darkest moments. John 1:16 says of Jesus, “For of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace.”

You have guaranteed forgiveness for every wrong thought, word, and action you have ever committed—or will commit.

You have a permanent place in a worldwide family of like-minded believers who read the same Scriptures and serve the same Savior.

You have unlimited 24/7 access to the throne room of the King of the Universe, who eagerly listens to every syllable of every word of every prayer you utter. Even the ones for which you have no words.

You have the unshakable, unstoppable peace of God which passes all understanding. This peace brings the full force of heaven’s armies to guard your heart and mind (Phil. 4:6,7).

You have the rock-solid, bullet-proof assurance that God will never leave you or forsake you (Heb. 13:5). Not now. Not tomorrow. Not ever. Even if—and when—you mess up.

You have a connection with all three members of the Trinity. Jesus is in all things and all ways God. Colossians 2:9 says, “In Him (Jesus) dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily.”

You will someday see, hear, touch, and be with Jesus. Colossians 3:4 promises, “When Christ, who is your life, appears, you also will appear with Him in glory.” J.C. Ryle adds, “We will see his face, hear His voice, and speak with Him as a friend with a friend.” 

You have a laser lock on heaven itself. “Whoever believes in Him (Jesus) will not die but have eternal life” (John 3:16).

In short, if all that you have is Christ, you have all that there is worth having.

And what He gives can never be lost, broken, shrunken, or stolen.

If all that you have is Christ, you have all that there is worth having!

Checks are on the way out.

Surveys show that 46% of Americans did not write a single check last year. And almost half of Americans have never written even one. In an age of Venmo, Zelle, and debit cards, why would they?

But when my wife and I got married, there was no such thing as electronic banking. We used checks. Lots of checks. Which we’ve stored for far too long.

In a courageous act of spring cleaning, my wife gathered up hundreds of canceled checks. Some of these date back to the 2000s, the 90s — even a few from the late 80s! 

We took those checks and burned them in a big ol’ fire. Among them were checks we wrote out to churches, ministries, and missionaries. I watched as the edges of those documents curled in the heat, burst into flame, and vaporized into a sobering cloud of smoke.

On the one hand, we were reminded of the missionaries we’d loved. On the other hand, I wondered if we couldn’t have given more. Most momentous of all was the thought that those years—each representing opportunities for eternal investment—were gone.

The time for giving is now. But our ability to do so will come to an end—either when our money runs out, or life runs out. Ultimately, Paul assures us, “Each one’s work will become evident; for the day will show it because it is to be revealed with fire, and the fire itself will test the quality of each one’s work” (1 Corinthians 3:13).

Is there an upside to all of this? Yes! Consider that the physical evidence of those humble ministry gifts we gave years ago is now gone. But in the ledger of Almighty God, the record stands. For now. For all eternity.

Hebrews 6:10 promises, “God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people.”

Every wallet tells a story. What’s yours saying about you?

Every day, around 8,000 Americans die. According to the Centers for Disease Control, here are the top eight causes—in order:

1. Heart disease
2. Tumors
3. Accidents
4. Respiratory diseases
5. Alzheimer’s
6. Diabetes
7. Kidney disease
8. Chronic liver disease/Cirrhosis.

But our fears are much bigger than merely physical, which is the ultimate death. We fear the death of our relationships, our reputations, our job security, and our financial well-being. We fear the death of rapport with our kids and grandkids. We fear the death of our freedoms. The list is practically limitless—and so are our fears.

Which is why we often gravitate toward negative self-talk. That self-talk often descends to depths like:

“The struggle I am facing now will be the death of my reputation…relationship… employment…or financial well-being. There’s no way out. I might as well give up.”

But what if you could trade all that in for a better type of self-talk? In Psalm 68:20, David says, “God is to us a God of salvation; and to God the Lord belong ways of escape from death.”

Note that the Hebrew word for salvation used here means deliverance. David is speaking about God’s role as Deliverer from difficulties and deaths—of all kinds.

You and I are trouble-prone, disaster-bound, and in constant need of rescue. That’s why God stands ready for any and all deliverances. No wonder one of His names is Waymaker!

So, how can we make this verse a victory verse? How can we learn to harness this biblical self-talk? Here are three quick ideas.

Tell God What You Need

Yes, He already knows, but for whatever reason, He has asked us (commanded us) to “let your requests be made known to God” (Philippians 4:6).

Ask for His Deliverance

Again, God loves to hear us ask for His help. So be bold and be specific. Isaiah 30:18 assures, “The Lord longs to be gracious to you, and therefore He waits on high to have compassion on you.”

Speak Truth to Your Doubts

Not just any truth—speak the truth of Psalm 68:20. This fight against fear—especially fear of death—is never a one-and-done proposition. Doubts and fears will come at us again and again. We must answer every one of those lies with the truth!

Charles Spurgeon said it best: “As surely as He is our God, He will save us. To be His is to be safe.”

And if you’d like to work on replacing more of your negative self-talk, check out the book, Powerful Self-Talk from the Psalms.