Clay in the Hands

Seeing the Invisible

January 27, 2014 by jbrianhill

Have you ever had the blessing of watching God move? I have to admit, the visible evidence of the invisible occurs all too rarely in my life. And while I am confessing, I know that the rarity of its occurrence is not an absence of God moving but rather an absence of presence on my part. God is at work all around us every minute of every day – we just rarely slow down and pay attention.

I am working through a book right now entitled, When It’s Rush Hour All Day Long, by John Tadlock. In the book, the author refers to the reason we live at such break-neck speed as “hurry sickness.” He even offers a quiz to see if the reader suffers from hurry sickness. Unfortunately, he does not offer a scale of determining just how deeply the reader suffers from the ailment. I am afraid if he did, he would have to re-calibrate it after I took the quiz. One of the questions in the quiz is something like – do you count the people in each line at the check out and estimate how many items they have in their carts in order to gauge the speed of the process and then choose the line based on your best estimate? As I read that question, I found myself wondering – “Who doesn’t do that?” But then the next question hit a little closer to home – do you keep tabs of the other lines as you are waiting to determine who is winning?

Guilty.

Now I will say, not once in my life have I finished before the other lines and walked by them and yelled – “LOOSER!!” Alright, maybe I have thought it – but I have never said it out loud.

We all suffer from hurry sickness in our culture. In fact, if it were really a disease, I believe it would be considered a national epidemic.

What has become normal pace for us leaves little time to see God at work. We don’t even take time to process the things we realize are occurring around us. We just shrug things off and move on with little thought. How will we ever see the movement of the invisible?

The first step is to realize you must slow down. God did not create us to live at such a pace. In fact, Genesis records that when God was in the process of creating the world, the seventh day was set aside for rest. Did God get tired creating the world? No – I don’t believe that was the reason God rested. God set a precedent. God created us to need rest so God created Sabbath – rest – cessation from work.

This seems like an odd topic to discuss on a Monday. We are just getting started on a new week in which we have a full schedule and plenty to do. But God created us for relationship. When we get so wrapped up in our schedule – our To Do list – our world – we forget to look for God. We fail to see God at work all around us. We miss the blessing. We miss the fulfillment we are seeking desperately.

Stop!

Slow down!

God is at work!

Just look!

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Cosmic Mr. Potato Head

January 23, 2014 by jbrianhill

My kids had a Mr. Potato Head toy growing up. They played with that thing off and on throughout their childhood – sometimes taking some the items from the toy and trying to wear them on themselves. Our middle son loved to wear the glasses.

The toy is still around in stores today. It is a plastic toy with the basic shape of a giant potato. It has holes and slots all over it so that you can insert facial features – nose, mouth, ears, eyes, etc. where every you like. You can arrange the features to suit you. If you want to try and put the nose on top of the head – sure – no problem. Or maybe having the mouth above the eyes is the look you are going for – that works. The combinations are many. You get to create the look that you want.

As I think about that toy – I pause and wonder, is that our perception of God? Do we ever attempt to create God in our own image as opposed to realize we are created in God’s? If there is something about God that doesn’t suit us do we just leave that attribute off?

God is not a cosmic Mr. Potato Head.

Scripture teaches that God is all-powerful and unchanging. We need to always keep in mind who we are in relation to who God is. God is creator – we are the creation. God is pure – we are imperfect. God is holy – we are sinful. God is God and we are not.

So the next time you see a Mr. (or Mrs.) Potato Head toy remember that we may rearrange the features on that toy, but we can never change God.

Live a life that please God today!

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Who Is Thankful For You?

January 22, 2014 by jbrianhill

We are beginning to work through the book of Colossians on Wednesday nights. In the first chapter, Paul opens his letter to the believers by telling them that he always gives thanks for them. Here is what he says in verses 3 and 4 of chapter 1:

We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all God’s people.

What a great witness to the faithfulness of the people in Colossae! The believers there were so in-tune with God and living to follow Jesus that Paul felt compelled to offer thanks for them every time he prayed for them.

As I read what Paul wrote I have to ask myself this question: Am I living in such a way that others are thankful for me? Or maybe a more pointed question would be: Who is thankful for the way I live and represent Jesus?

Does your faith in Jesus and your commitment to live by his example positively influence others you meet each day? Will others be drawn to God because they encounter you today?

Who is thankful for you and the way you live out your faith?

Posted in Community, Formation, Motivational | Leave a Comment »

Shaping the Deformed

January 20, 2014 by jbrianhill

We are all spiritual beings. Like it or not – know it or not – agree with it or not – each and every one of us is a spiritual being. God created us this way. We are created to need God in our lives. In fact, life is not complete when we exclude God from it. But our nature wants to live life on our own. We can do this all by ourselves – so we tell ourselves.

When I went back to school a few years ago, what drew me to the degree was the opportunity to concentrate on a discipline called spiritual formation. Growing up in the Baptist tradition, I was intrigued by the description of what this might involve. My studies took me down paths I had never experienced and to authors of whom I had never heard. And on the back side of the degree, I – like most – realized I know even less. My eyes were opened to new worlds of thought I did not even know existed before – there is so much more to learn and experience.

But what was solidified for me through the process was that all of us are spiritual beings and we are all being formed. Our choices, our experiences and the people we encounter are all instruments of formation. I have begun to see myself as a deformed spirit that God is slowly but methodically forming into the being God intended.

You may disagree (and that would be fine), but the way I see it, sin has deformed my being. My drive to do things on my own – my selfish desires – my poor choices – they all have deformed the spirit God created.

When one is willing to allow God to shape her or him, God can take a deformed spirit and form it into something beautiful.

Are you the person you want to be? The better question is are you the person God intends for you to be?

Allow God to shape you.

You won’t regret it!

Posted in Formation, Grace, Hope | Leave a Comment »

Time Alone With God

January 13, 2014 by jbrianhill

When is the last time you were alone with God? For some, you might say “just a few minutes ago,” or you might say, “first thing this morning.” But for some, we might have a hard time remembering the last time we spent real time alone before God.

Jesus often went out to be alone with God. Mark 1:35 tells us he got up early to go out and be alone with God in prayer.

As believers, time with God is vital to our progression as Christ followers. Oswald Chambers said, “When God gets us absolutely alone, and we are totally speechless, unable to ask even one question, then He begins to teach us.”

It is when we get alone with God and allow all other distractions to fade – when our attention is given to nothing else – that God can begin to work.

Find time today to be alone with God and see the difference it will make in your day.

Be blessed.

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Time for Reflection

January 6, 2014 by jbrianhill

Here we are at the beginning of the new year. 2014 brings opportunities and challenges – some, a carry over from 2013, but some will be new and fresh. I always love this time of year. I guess it is because I am wired to be a planner and think through strategies. I love to dream about what could be and often should be. This time of year lends itself to that kind of thinking.

So what about you? What will you do to make 2014 a year to remember? Have you even thought about it? Last night, I asked some of our folks to think about what God has done in their lives this past year. So often, we make a somewhat mindless statement when we are asked how God is at work – “I have been blessed.” For some, there is real meaning in that statement. But I fear that all too often, it is just a casual phrase, thrown around with little thought. So I challenged some folks last night to be specific and list the top 3 things God has done in their lives in 2013.

Can you do it? Can you think of the top 3 things God has done in your life this past year? I extend the same challenge to you – to set aside some time this week to reflect on just what God has done. Then celebrate those things. Psalm 145 tells us we should remember God’s mighty deeds and offer praise. And not only offer praise, but share with others what God has done.

Don’t start another year without reflection. God truly blesses us but we need to train ourselves to see God at work.

Let me know how God has worked this past year.

Be blessed today!

Posted in Formation, Hope, Motivational | 1 Comment »

Splendor Made Simple

December 11, 2013 by jbrianhill

In talking about the coming of the Messiah many, many years before his birth, the prophet Isaiah said this:

The desert and the parched land will be glad; the wilderness will rejoice and blossom. Like the crocus, it will burst into bloom; it will rejoice greatly and shout for joy. The glory of Lebanon will be given to it, the splendor of Carmel and Sharon; they will see the glory of the Lord, the splendor of our God.

We often think of the glory or splendor of God being flashy and shiny. We think of mighty strength and magnificent power – and we are correct to do so.

But don’t miss the splendor and magnificence of God’s selfless act of love. The creator of the universe became a little baby – self-emptied and completely humble. That is splendor in the most simple form.

Praise be to God for loving us that much!

Be blessed today.

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Steps in Waiting

December 5, 2013 by jbrianhill

Waiting. No one really enjoys waiting. The very thought of it makes my “get it done” tendencies crawl. But unfortunately, waiting is a part of life.

When we think of waiting on God, the concept takes on a different nuance. We began this discussion yesterday. How do we approach waiting on God to come? This season of Advent is about waiting in anticipation for the coming of the messiah. The reality is that we often find ourselves waiting on God.

Here are a couple of things to keep in mind as we wait.

1. More times than not, God is at work right in front of us but we just aren’t paying attention. So in our minds and hearts we are becoming impatient with God when all the while God is actively at work in the situation. We need to learn the basic truth about waiting and that is that it is a constant reminder we are completely dependent upon God. When we remember this fact, we take our eyes off our situation long enough to see God at work.

2. God does not operate on our time frame to teach us something. It could be something about ourselves or something about God and how God works in our lives. Again, waiting reminds us of our dependence.

3. Other times, our focus may be so skewed that we are waiting on something that will never happen. Several years ago, I had a doctor’s appointment. As is my normal approach to any given day, I crammed as many things into my schedule as possible so that I walked into the doctor’s office just in the nick of time. I had my To Do list with me and a book to read just so that I would not have any down time while I waited. I rushed in, put my name on the sign-in sheet and then found a seat in the waiting area (we should take note – they actually call it a “waiting” area). 20 minutes passed and no call. 30 minutes of waiting and I began to see people who came in after me being called back into an exam room. My frustration with the wait was mounting. Finally after 40 minutes or so, I approached the counter, and luckily before I grilled the receptionist, I made a very revealing discovery. I was in the wrong doctor’s office.

In my haste and hustle, I had gone to the wrong building and signed in to see the wrong doctor. I could have waited there all day but would not have seen the doctor.

Sometimes, we are waiting on something that just isn’t going to happen. Our focus can become so self-centered that we fail to see God moving in other ways.

So what can you take away from my ramblings?

1) Seek God above all else.

2) Wait patiently with expectant anticipation.

3) Look for meaning in the wait.

4) Remember God is in control.

5) Trust.

God is active in the day to day. God is at work in your life – all around you. God loves you more than words can express and human cognition can understand.

So wait with assurance.

Be blessed today!

Posted in Formation, Hope | Leave a Comment »

The Depth of Waiting

December 4, 2013 by jbrianhill

Yesterday I took a look at Advent and the idea of waiting. You can read what I said here. But as we think about waiting, we must acknowledge that each of us come at this discipline of waiting from different experience, and even more relevant to my thought today, with different things pulling on us from different directions.

Some come to this time of year with happiness and excited anticipation. The thought of Christmas and Jesus’ birth turns an emotive response of sheer enjoyment deep within. The lights, the sounds, children’s faces beaming all add to the scene.

Others come to this time of year with sadness. This season is a reminder of loss. This season is especially hard for those who have lost someone close this past year.

Still others come to this season with dread. There is no sense of anticipation – only a resolve to “get through it.”

So waiting takes on a broader significance when we think about this season in this way.

But let me add a layer to this mystery of waiting. We celebrate advent as a time of waiting for the coming messiah. The reality is that all of us experience waiting on God – waiting for an answer to our prayer – seeking a sense of divine presence – looking for hope in seemingly hopeless situations. We each have experienced waiting.

Tomorrow, we will look more deeply at this mystery and offer thought on the significance of waiting in our spiritual progression.

But until then . . . wait. Isaiah 40 says those who wait on the Lord will experience renewed strength.

Wait on the Lord today.

Posted in Formation, Hope | 1 Comment »

It’s About Waiting

December 3, 2013 by jbrianhill

The Christmas season is upon us. If you have made a trip to Walmart you have seen the decorations – in fact, that has been possible since August. I love this time of year. I enjoy the gatherings of family and friends. I look forward to the music and caroling. Hot chocolate, food, football. All the sights and sounds of this season bring a smile to my heart.

But the most important part of this season is the celebration of the coming of God to the world. This year, I challenge you to begin Advent with clarity. The word advent is actually from the Latin word – adventus – which is translated “coming.” The purpose of celebrating Advent is to celebrate the “coming” of Jesus to live among us.

The season of Advent begins four Sunday’s before Christmas Day and continues through the month of December, culminating on that sacred day – the day we celebrate Jesus’ birth.

It is a season of anticipation – of waiting.

Few of us enjoy waiting. I must confess, waiting is not my strong suit. I live at break-neck speed most of the time. My shoes show the wear pattern of someone in a hurry – or so I have been told by more than one shoe repairperson. Waiting takes me out of my normal pace. It forces me to pause and sometimes stop.

Advent is about waiting. Waiting for the coming messiah to be born. Waiting for God to arrive. It is in our waiting that we are reminded that we are not in control. It is in our waiting that we truly begin to look for God.

I talk to people everyday who are waiting. Waiting for healing. Waiting for answers. Waiting for relationships to mend.

Waiting . . .

Remember that waiting forces us to look outside ourselves. Waiting reminds us that everything is in God’s time and in God’s control. Waiting reminds us that God is God and we are not.

So this Advent season, remember to focus on what is of primary importance. God loved us so much that he sent his one and only son to become one of us. With the people of old, we anticipate his coming. We wait for his revelation.

Praise be to God!

He is coming!

So we wait with anticipation!

Posted in Formation, Hope | 1 Comment »

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