Clay in the Hands

This morning, we awoke to snow on the ground.  I immediately turned on the TV to check school closings and delays.  I also wanted to see what the roads were like in our region.  I was planning on attending a workshop in Plainview today which is over any hour drive on clear roads.

So I was interested to see what I should expect.  It became apparent rather quickly that the winter weather hit harder north of us than it did at home.  Before leaving the house, I called the gentleman responsible for the workshop today and he informed me that the event had been postponed for a week due to weather.

I have to admit, with all I need to get done today, I was a bit relieved.  So I headed to the office.  As I drove, I noticed a huge difference in the amount of traffic on the road.  Most people were still at home.  Schools are starting later than normal to try and alleviate some of the traffic that is typical around 8:00 am.  Some businesses decided to open later as well.

As I have reflected on this morning, I have had to smile a bit.  Isn’t it amusing that in a world so developed with technological advances in transportation, weather forecasting and the like, a little snow still alters our entire existence.

Maybe we aren’t all that after all?!

God is still on the throne – and like it or not – we aren’t!

Just a thought.

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This morning I opened the garage door and as I was loading my computer in the car, I noticed that there was an amazing orange glow reflecting on the houses outside.  I knew it was going to be a glorious short commute this morning as I had the opportunity to watch the sun come up.  So I rushed back in to grab my coffee and tell everyone good-bye.

As I backed out of the garage and headed down the street, I was humbled by the sight of the sun beginning to peak over the horizon and the light reflect off the wispy, cotton-like clouds.  As I drove, I kept one eye on the road and one on the sunrise (well, maybe not literally).

It was a beautiful sight and I saw God at work in the scene.  As I reflected on this experience during my drive, it dawned on me that the sun comes up every day but it is not always as meaningful as it was today – the clouds, the visibility – all those things combined to make a fresh picture.  It happens everyday but it is fresh everyday.

Isn’t our Father like that?  A divine paradox.  God is unchanging but new every, single day!

Aren’t you glad?!

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We have entered the Advent season.  The time of year that we anticipate and celebrate the coming of Jesus to earth.  There is so much to celebrate – so many facets of this season to think about.  Things like the peace that Jesus brings or the love that God showed in his incarnation.  I think of the hope that we have because of Jesus’ coming.  And even within this hope we find layers of meaning.

But one simple, little idea hit me today.  The idea is this:

Hope comes in knowing that I was worth the effort.

Let that sink in for a second.

Regardless of what you are going through today or where you find yourself.  Regardless of where you have been or what you have done.  God saw in you a reason to shed heaven and put on human skin in order to bring redemption, a meaningful life and salvation to you.  You are that important to Jesus!

That brings hope – Christmas hope!

Be blessed today.

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Today has been deemed Cyber Monday.  As if it were not enough to have a day designated as Black Friday to set aside a day for shopping, now we have to have one for internet shopping as well.  We live in a world in which children die each day of malnutrition yet the earth produces enough food that no one should ever go hungry.  The problem is distribution and the answer to that problem is money.  But yet, we spend more and more each year at this time on things we really don’t need.  There is something wrong with this picture.  I wish I had the answer to the problem but I don’t.

I am not trying to be a scrooge.  I really love this time of year.  And yes, I will be spending money to buy gifts for my kids and family members.  It is as much a tradition as it is another way of showing each other we care.

My point is that maybe we need to take a step back this year and put more emphasis on the gift we have been given and we can pass on to others that money can’t buy.  The hope of the Christmas story.  In a world spinning out of control – hope is the answer.  Regardless of a person’s place in life – whether rich or poor, powerful or not – one thing unifies us all – we all need hope.

Remember the hope you have that is made possible by the Christmas event – – share that hope today.

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As I have mentioned several times oner the last month or so, we are knee deep in renovations on a home here in Littlefield.  This week has had me playing catch up, trying to get a bathroom back to the realm of being functional.

The biggest item on the To Do list in that regard has been getting the drywall up and floated.

I am in no way accomplished at this process but I have done it enough to know a few things.  For starters, it takes drywall mud, paper tape, a tape knife to apply the mud and a lot of patience.  I also know that the amount of texture needed to hide the mud work is directly related to how well that mud work is done.  In other words, if the finished product of covering nails and joints in the drywall is not smooth, it will take a lot more texture to cover it up.

This week I have been fighting that battle.  But here are some things I have learned:

1)  It is a process that takes patience.  The mud goes on wet and then must dry before the process can continue.

2)  The smoother I make things on the front end, the less work it takes once the mud is dry in the way of sanding.

3)  The quality of the finished product is directly related to the amount of patience and time I put into the process.

4)  Sandpaper is my friend.

Now why would I go into all of this here in this post?  Well, it occurred to me about 10:45 on Tuesday night as I was trying to get the mud smoothed out that there are a lot of similarities between trying to float a wall and growing along my spiritual journey.

This whole discipleship thing is a process.  It takes patience and a commitment to the finished product.  Becoming more like Jesus does not happen over night – it takes time – a lifetime in fact.  BUT, it doesn’t just happen.  It takes dedication and work on our end.  The harder we work at it now, the more rich our experience will be later on.

Just as sanding is necessary to smooth the lines in the mud once it has dried, God uses bumps along our path to mold and shape us – sand us if you will.  I have said this before, but God is more concerned about who we become than what we look like right now.  This journey in the Way is one of smoothing and shaping, of growing and learning.

My prayer for us today is this:  Lord, may you help us to grow to be something even more beautiful.  May we become the people you intend for us to be – a creation pleasing to you!

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As I said yesterday, this past Sunday we talked about the importance of God’s living and relevant word.  As part of that sermon, I challenged our people to spend a minimum of 10 minutes, three different days this week reading the Gospel of John.  So yesterday, I spend some time in the John chapter 1.

As I read about the Word becoming flesh, I was reminded that when Jesus came to earth, he came as a light in a dark world.  But not everyone recognized or acknowledged that light.

Verses 11-13 tell us that not all received him, but to those who did (and do) and to those who believed in his name, Jesus gave them the right to become children of God.

Think about that a minute.  Because I have received Jesus and I believe he is who he said he was, I am now a child of God!  God is my Father!  Not in the sense of a physical birth or natural decent but born of God.

I don’t know about you but when I stop and think about that, I am humbled and excited.

What about you?  Have you received Jesus – do you believe he is who he said he was?

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