Clay in the Hands

Have you ever noticed that we have a real knack for making things more complicated than they need to be or than they really are?  Often we get so pulled into the frenzy of things that we can’t look at an issue from the big picture view.

William Wordsworth is one of my favorite Romantic Period poets.  He was a lover of nature and had the ability to pull back the veil of human understanding with his words.  As I sat and pondered the complex simplicity of life today, his words came ringing back to me from a poem he wrote entitled, The Tables Turned: An Evening On the Same Subject.  The last two stanzas say this:

Sweet is the lore which Nature brings;

Our meddling intellect

Mis-shapes the beauteous forms of things: – – 

We murder to dissect.

Enough of Science and of Art;

Close up those barren leaves;

Come forth, and bring with you a heart

That watches and receives.

Isn’t it true that we often ruin things when we try to over-analyze and make them more complicated.

We can try and interpret God’s grace.  We can strive to understand it.  We can debate it, research it, question it and even doubt it.  But the reality is that God extends it to us even though we don’t deserve it.  It is a free gift.

All we have to do is accept it!

Be blessed today!

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Time for a Tuesday Faith Check.  The scripture for my time with God today was out of the book of Mark.  It was the story of the woman who was healed of a hemorrhage that had plagued her for twelve years of her life.

She heard that Jesus was going to be in her village and so she made it a point to be looking for him.  Here is the story out of Mark 5:

 A large crowd followed and pressed around him. ²⁵ And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years. ²⁶ She had suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent all she had, yet instead of getting better she grew worse. ²⁷ When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, ²⁸ because she thought, “If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed.” ²⁹ Immediately her bleeding stopped and she felt in her body that she was freed from her suffering.  ³⁰ At once Jesus realized that power had gone out from him. He turned around in the crowd and asked, “Who touched my clothes?”  ³¹ “You see the people crowding against you,” his disciples answered, “and yet you can ask, ‘Who touched me?’ ”  ³² But Jesus kept looking around to see who had done it. ³³ Then the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell at his feet and, trembling with fear, told him the whole truth. ³⁴ He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering.”

What incredible faith!  As she approached Jesus she did so with such humility and faith!  She was not thinking, “I need to get his attention and if I can tell him my story, maybe he will do something for me.”  She wasn’t even thinking, “I need to get him to touch me.”  In fact, she wasn’t even thinking she needed to touch Jesus.

No.  She knew that if she could just get close to him – just touch his clothes – then she would be healed!

I am not sure I have that kind of humble faith.  I pray for God to touch me every day.  I pray for God to intervene in my life and in the life of our 1st B family on a daily basis as well.  Maybe my focus should be on the unimaginable power of the supreme God.

All we really need is to get close to God – that is all it takes.  God’s power is sufficient!  God’s love is all we need.  God’s grace is life-changing!

Draw close to Jesus today – he will make all the difference!

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Today, during my time of being present with God, I read the first chapter of 2 Timothy.  As I read, Paul’s words reminded me of something we all need from time to time.

He assured Timothy that he believed Timothy possessed strong faith.  He shared that he had seen this faith in Timothy’s grandmother and mother and now sees it in him.  But then he said something very telling.  He says, “I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you.”

He goes on to explain that this gift is a spirit not of fear but of power, love and self-discipline.  I was reminded that I don’t always live with a spirit of power or of love or of self-discipline.

But the point of encouragement for me today from Paul’s words is that, as a believer, I already possess this gift – I just need to fan it into flame!

If this describes you as well, take some time today to think about this fact.  As a believer, you already possess this gift but maybe it has died down to a smolder.  Fan it back into flame.  Realize that God is a mighty God.  God is fully aware of everything in your life and is ready to provide for your needs.  God is still in control.  Regardless of what lies in your path today, God is saying, “I’ve got this.”

There is noting impossible for God.  There is nothing too big (or too small) for God.

As a believer, you know all of this.  So fan this gift of power, love and self-discipline into flame today.

Go impact your world!

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One of my favorite current praise songs is Come Awake.  When I sing this song, I am reminded how easily I doze off to what God is doing all around me.  I become so distracted by the busyness of my life – doing good things – that I become numb to God’s activity, and even God’s calling.

If this describes you as well here is my challenge for us today:

Take 10 minutes to be still – to settle your mind and your heart.  Open your eyes to God’s movement.

Come awake!

Be blessed!

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Last week I talked about the peace that God can offer when we simply trust.  You can read that post here.

This past Sunday was the fourth Sunday of Advent.  This season, we chose to tie the four descriptions of Jesus found in Isaiah 9:6 to each of the respective Sundays of Advent.  That being the case, this past Sunday we looked at Jesus as the Prince of Peace.  The pivotal point I made in the sermon and the one that I would make today is this:

True peace is not the absence of struggles and strife, but rather the presence of God that brings comfort and strength in the midst of them.

Regardless of what you might be going through today, Christmas should serve as a reminder that even in the midst of your struggles, God is with you – God has this!  Rest in God’s presence today – rest in God’s peace!

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In some of my reading this morning, I ran across these questions:  “What would the world look like if everyone took a few moments to let go of all or our worries and completely trust God?  There is a lot to be worried about.  If we don’t worry about all the economic issues, poverty, unemployment and crime in the world, who will?”

Then this answer was given – “God will.”

What would your day look like if you pushed your chair back from your desk right now and simply turned your concerns over to God?

It is a matter of faith – a decision to trust.

The God of the universe offers peace and contentment to those who trust.  And the amount of peace we receive is directly proportionate to the amount of trust we place in God.

Let go today – even just a little – and experience God’s overwhelming peace.

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I read an article this morning that made me think.  In fact, I am still pondering.

The article referred to the overwhelming number of “self-help” books on the market and the overall mindset of growing and becoming  better.  An author was quoted as saying, “leave me alone, I am happy just the way I am.”  Then the question was posed, “Is there anything wrong with being content?”

As I have thought about that question, I think there is a definite balance.  Our society pushes us to want more – more success, more money, more stuff.  But before we become too down on our society, I believe our calling as followers in The Way carries with it a desire to grow and become more like Jesus and not to become comfortable and complacent.

However, we cannot overlook the fact that God loves us just as we are – with all our baggage and sin.  God provides for us in spite of who we are right now.  So I think there is a balance between pushing forward to be more – to grow and become the person God intends – and simply resting in the fact that God loves us.  Maybe the difference is between being content and becoming comfortable.

So today, allow yourself a little time to think about how God loves you – the ways in which you feel God’s care – rest in those thoughts and feelings.

But don’t get too comfortable – we are still on a journey – this is just a rest stop along the path.

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As I drove to work yesterday, I followed my typical route and routine.  I listened to my devotional podcast and reflected on the scripture that was read.  As I reflected on the topic of the day, I began to see myself as I truly am in light of God – not usually a pleasant exercise.  I saw myself as a selfish person, bent on pleasing my own desires.  I began to pray for God to make me more holy and more like Jesus – to make me a useful vessel for Kingdom service.

I wrestled with that all day yesterday.

This morning, as I made my commute, I followed the same routine.  Then, after my devotion time, I switched over to listening to Gungor (a fairly new Christian group).   The title of the song that caught my attention as I listened was Beautiful Things.  As I listened to the lyrics, God used the chorus to speak to my soul.  The lyrics of the chorus say, “You makes beautiful things, you makes beautiful things out of dust.  You makes beautiful things, you makes beautiful things out of us.”

This truth washed over me and I remembered the feelings of yesterday.  I was reminded that even in the midst of being a sinful person, God can make something beautiful out of me.

Let me encourage you today – – no matter what you are going through or how bad you may think you are, God has the power to make something beautiful out of you.

Be blessed today!

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