Tag: Maturing

Today’s Word Is UNCONDITIONAL

Tue-May-12-2020

Having God’s unconditional love does not mean you have God’s unconditional approval. – Pastor Miles McPherson, former NFL player

While attending seminary I found a stray puppy one day and decided to rescue her. She was brown and black and fuzzy, possibly part German Shepherd. I took her home and fed her. Then I put her in the sink and cleaned off a lot of fleas and dried blood. Next, I took her to the vet to get rid of parasites from her bloated stomach and to give her immunizations to protect her future health. I named her Ginger, and eventually had a friend come forward who wanted to adopt her and give her a permanent home.

Here’s my way of saying what Pastor McPherson is trying to get at: ”God loves you just the way you are. But he loves you too much to leave you the way you are.”

Some folks interpret God’s unconditional love as requiring nothing in the way of change or improvement. They would contend that if God loves me the way I am, he’s not going to make me change or do anything. I am what I am. What you see is what you get.

But think of this … Suppose I take in this stray puppy but do nothing to “fix it up.” I tell my friends about my new puppy, and that she is really cute and lovable. So, they come by to see this little rascal but are astonished at her sickly appearance. Obviously, they would think that I didn’t care very much about its well-being. They would, in fact, think that I was cruel to take it in and then let it suffer through fleas, worms, sores, and malnutrition. If I really loved this puppy, then taking it in is not enough.

In terms of the love of God for us, being “saved” is only the beginning. When I took in Ginger the puppy, unconditional love was at work. I gave her a home when she was lost, unclaimed, and belonged to no one. That was her “salvation.” But that unconditional love also led me to nurse her back to health by fixing what was wrong.

God loves you unconditionally, which means he wants you to come home to him, but because he loves you unconditionally, he also wants to work on what is not healthy in you. Those of us who are looking for change and transformation can be encouraged today that it is available. God will meet us where we are and take us where we need to be. And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. (Philippians 1:6)

In the case of this helpless puppy, I took charge and worked on her problems. However, in our case, when God takes us in, and by his grace and our confession and faith, we receive salvation, God is not going to force us into change. We are not animals, but humans with a will and a choice.

So, yes, “God loves us as we are, but he loves us too much to ignore us and leave us like we are.” He lets his desires be made known, offering to lead us into health and well-being. He does not demand that we change or force us into it. He waits for us to want it and to seek it and to seek him. This is the way to life as we are intended to live it.

God in his unconditional love saves us and then leads us through the changes we must make to become the person we are intended to be. This is a life-long process. We may need to remind certain people what the unconditional love of God is really like – He loves us like we are, but he loves us too much to leave us like we are.

Blessings,

Chaplain Mark

(If you’re interested) … The Miles McPherson Story: The man behind the Pastor

Born in Brooklyn, New York, in March 1960, the second oldest of five children, Miles McPherson was raised on Long Island in a strong family. After excelling in football throughout high school, he attended the University of New Haven, where he majored in engineering. McPherson was the university’s first player to achieve All-American honors in football and be drafted into the NFL. Strong athletics run in the McPherson family; Miles’ brother, Don McPherson, was a Heisman Trophy runner-up in 1987.

Miles played four years in the NFL with the San Diego Chargers from 1982-1985. It was during this time that he developed a cocaine addiction that found the NFL star in a tailspin as he began feeding his habit.

After his second season in the NFL and after a weekend-long drug binge, he called out to Jesus Christ, accepted Him and stopped doing drugs in one day. This turnaround put him on the road to becoming a pastor.

Today’s Word Is MOTIVATION

Mon-May-11-2020

Compassion for others can be a great motivator, and that might be why you are working in a certain profession, or why you are involved in your church’s efforts to help others, or why you are driven to be on the lookout for someone to assist. The drawback to being motivated by the compassion in your heart for those in need is this … it can end up in “burn-out.”

Without sufficient “thank you’s” – without enough successes –  and because of untimely or distressing failures – we can sometimes find ourselves ready to quit. And our moments of discouragement like that can begin to occur more frequently. We might begin say to ourselves, “I’ve had enough,” or “This isn’t working.” We could just be gradually wearing down and wondering when we will cross over the line into saying, “I can’t do this anymore.”

Compassion, while necessary, cannot permanently stand alone as a motivator. Compassion both “empties our tank” and “fills our tank.” The time and energy we expend, which drains us, can be somewhat counterbalanced by the joy and satisfaction of seeing people get well, and of finding fulfillment through our work. But sooner or later, the drainage factors win, or the frustration of dealing with difficult people becomes too much, or we run into barriers or opposition to the good things we are trying to do. When this happens, and our tank gets low, we may be tempted to just hang it up  – unless there is another source of inspiration and energy that doesn’t depend on how successful we are at maintaining a positive attitude.

Here is a truth … The only long-term, sure-fire way of operating with sufficient and even excessive mental, emotional, and physical energy is to have a source other than just feeling good about helping the people we serve, or feeling fulfilled in our calling, or gaining respect and success.

From my perspective, the combination of the love of God, the work of Christ on the cross, and the comfort and power of the Holy Spirit is the only sufficient source in all the world to sustain us when our motivation is at a dangerous low. This love, affirmation, and encouragement from God is the emotional fuel that we require. When our motivation for our work is rooted in Him, we have an unfailing source that works equally well whether we are in a season of successes or in a moment of failure.

This is what the Apostle Paul meant when he said, “And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” (Colossians 3:17) We may be doing works of compassion, and we may care deeply about those whom we serve, but the motivation for doing them cannot simply be our desire to help.

So, I describe the deeper truth this way – “Yes, I am doing this because I care about you.” But underneath is a deeper motivation, that “I am doing this for Jesus and in His Name.” My ability to care about people has limits. My compassion can be tested sometimes and may begin to slide. But the compassion of Jesus has no limits. In the words of the Steven Curtis Chapman song, “His strength is perfect when our strength is gone. He’ll carry us when we can’t carry on. Raised in His power, the weak become strong. His strength is perfect, His strength is perfect.” (Based on 2nd Corinthians 12:7-10)

If you are relying on yourself, your successes, or even encouragement from friends to keep you motivated, eventually there will come a time when it won’t be enough. God doesn’t just want us to “survive,” he wants us to “thrive.” God alone can supply unlimited motivation. The other support we receive will be icing on the cake.

Have a blessed day,

Chaplain Mark

Today’s Word Is MOTHERHOOD

Thu-May-7-2020

Several years ago, my wife Jean and I attended Willow Creek Church in Chicago, which averages 18,000 attendance at their multiple weekend services. We were getting acquainted with the lady seated beside us and learned that she worked on the church staff as a drama/skit writer. In the beginning, she had just come as a visitor one Sunday, and ended up staying. So, I asked her, “What made you come back the second time?”

Her answer startled us and touched us deeply. She said she was struggling with life and relationships and felt led that she needed to be in church. She wanted some peace and hope, and Willow Creek Church had been recommended. However, if she made her first visit that next Sunday, it was going to be Mother’s Day, and for that reason, she almost decided to wait a week. “Why was that?” I asked.

She explained that she had an awfully bad relationship with her mother. They were not on speaking terms and there was a lot of hurt and bad memories. But she went to church anyway, she was desperate for change in her life.

What she experienced at church that day was that they didn’t “glorify” mothers as if they were all perfect. They were honest about good and bad relationships, but they did honor mothers in a very nice way. It made her feel like this was a place where she could grow and be blessed. It was affirming to her that they talked straight forward about family difficulties, because she was fully prepared for the pastor to preach that anyone who can’t get along their mother must be a bad person and should be ashamed. Instead she felt accepted and forgiven.

Motherhood, after all, is not that easy. And sometimes, things get complicated. For instance, my siblings and I had a good mother who loved us and did pretty good considering there were five of us to raise, a pastor for a husband, living in the South while all her family was in Connecticut, plus moving to a new town every few years, and tragically losing one of my sisters in a car wreck at age 17. Ten years prior to that, Mom had been dealing with rough patches that we were too young to realize were mental health issues, but she made it … yes, she did! And that’s the way most families are, I suspect. There are lots of ups and downs, and somehow, we make it.

This coming Sunday is the annual celebration of Mother’s Day. I think it is worth it to remember and discuss some of the awesome memories, the joy and laughter, as well as the difficulties, heartache, and tears. These things have made us who we are.

There are many people to pray for and affirm on Mother’s Day. There are women like my Mom who lost a child along the way. It seems like the most unfair thing there is. And then there are women who have wanted children but for some reason could not. This is true of someone close to me, and she is a ray of sunshine to all of us. There are women who have had miscarriages. I call this conceived on earth but born in heaven.

There are mothers who have suffered abuse, and others who seem to hurt everyone around them. There are mothers who were simply hard to understand, but we tried to love them the best we could. There are mothers we didn’t get along with because of our rebellion. There are mothers that we didn’t like in our teenage years, and now they are our best friend. And there are mothers who knew just how and when to do the right thing and the best thing for us.

There are also women that I call “other mothers.” I spent almost as much time in high school at the home of my best friend as I did at my own house, and his mother was my “other mother.” The Apostle Paul said, “Greet Rufus, chosen in the Lord; and greet his mother–a mother to me also.” (Romans 16:13)

There are single mothers who work and raise children, being mom and dad both. And let us not forget our many step-families, in which we may say “our children” and “our mother” without reference to whether they are “yours” or “mine.” Many of us have been blessed by having a mother and a stepmother. Some have struggled with this while others have blossomed. But we can affirm that God walked it with us.

Some of us can also truly say that our mother was influential in our spiritual life, perhaps our profession of faith, and our growth in the Lord. Paul also wrote this to Timothy: “I have been reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also.” (2nd Timothy 1:5) Isn’t that a great testimony to the influence that many women of strong faith can pass on to us!

Let us give thanks to the Lord for the blessing of motherhood, with all its ups and downs. May we remember that Mother’s Day is not a time to glorify mothers. It is a time to glorify God, who gave us mothers to bless us in a variety of ways. I am thankful that there are no perfect mothers – that they each have their particular strengths and weaknesses. I believe that regardless of how well each mother did, we can thank her for the good, forgive her for the bad, forgive ourselves for our part, and celebrate the blessings that came along the way, and remain with us to this day.

Happy Early Mother’s Day!

Chaplain Mark

Today’s Word Is CONTENT

Wed-May-6-2020

I’ve spent a lot of time in my life wishing I had more money. Somewhere along the way I began to think about the people I had known who had a whole lot of it, very little of it, or were just somewhere in between. And honestly there seems to me to be little or no connection between happiness and money. There are wealthy folks who seem to be pretty miserable. And there are very poor folks who are quite content with life. I am not belittling the blessing of provision, as long as the level of resources does not create a constant sense of discontent.

Jesus once told a story of “The Rich Man and Lazarus,” in which the eternal result of their earthly lives was reversed from what his Jewish listeners would have expected. (Luke 16:19) How could a poor beggar like Lazarus be carried away to be with Abraham, while the rich man ended up being tormented in Hades? Wealth and abundance were signs of God’s blessing in the biblical culture; whereas, poverty was normally an indication that God did not want to favor you.

And our culture looks at it pretty much the same … the clear message is “you’ll be happier if you have more money” … whereas, “if you’re in poverty you’re going to be miserable” … but … Not so, says Jesus. Believe it or not, Jesus had more to say on the topics of money and possessions than any other subject matter.

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. (Matthew 6:19-21)

“For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life, as to what you will eat or what you will drink …“ (Matthew 6:25)

Jesus said to him, “If you wish to be complete, go and sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” (Matthew 19:21)

The Apostle Paul had times of abundance and times of extreme lack, through which he developed this attitude: “… for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.” (Philippians 4:11-12)

One way of putting it is this … we should probably focus less on wanting what we don’t have and more on enjoying what we do have. This is contentment, the blessed state of trusting God rather than money or anything else, and being satisfied with the presence of God and the blessings of love, hope, family, and purpose, rather than riding the roller-coaster of abundance and lack.

Which “tent” do you live in? “Con-tent” or “Discon-tent”?

May the Lord help us to be content,

Chaplain Mark

Today’s Word Is DISCOURAGED

Tue-Apr-28-2020

“Disappointment is inevitable, but discouragement is a choice.” – Dr. Charles Stanley

We have every reason to be disappointed sometimes, as we are human, and disappointment is a natural emotion. But we do not have to let disappointment become discouragement, because faith in God makes discouragement avoidable. Do you believe the Scripture and the promises of God? Then you have a constant source of encouragement from the Holy Spirit, plus more from others who care about you.

The French word for “heart” is “couer,” and this relates directly to the words encourage and discourage.

Encouragement … means having “heart” put into you.

Discouragement … means having “heart” taken out of you.

In the Kingdom of God, no outside force can overpower the Spirit of God that is within you and remove all the “heart” from you. Your heart is Spirit-filled to be motivated and empowered.

But … we do get discouraged sometimes, so why is that? It starts with being disappointed, and that is natural and happens to everyone. But then … we have a choice … am I going to focus on the problem and “allow” (give my permission) for this disappointment to take some “heart” out of me … or will I lean into God and let him put more “heart” into me?

You will overcome a great hindrance to your faith and growth if you will accept the fact that … as Charles Stanley points out … discouragement is a choice. We see the obstacles and get scared, rather than seeing God and taking courage.

As Americans we have been somewhat conditioned to think that we can’t help being the way we are. If you think about it, this is equivalent to giving up control of ourselves and letting the world and circumstances turn us into what they want to. Yes, we have basic personality characteristics which remain with us throughout life. But the truth is that regardless of what we are like today, we can change by submitting ourselves to God and allowing him to transform us. God does his part and we do ours.

We can undergo this transformation by not choosing discouragement at times of disappointment. Jesus endured far greater disappointment and suffering than we ever could. So, think of him, as the Scripture says …

“For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls.” (Hebrews 12:3)

In times of disappointment we can catch ourselves and make a declaration  … “I may be disappointed by what has happened, but I will not get discouraged, because my God is bigger than my problems.”

Look around. Sometimes you can see the discouragement in someone’s eyes or body language, hear it in their tone of voice, or sense it in their attitude or conversation. My tendency earlier in life was to think that the way to help them was to solve their problem so the disappointment goes away, and the discouragement is avoided. But if we are always fixing the problem, they are not learning how to keep disappointment from becoming discouragement. They are learning that God is not the solution, the “fix” is the solution.

This is not to say that I should never help anyone. But I do have a responsibility to ask myself, “Am I pointing people toward Christ or toward me?” Is there someone who needs your encouragement today? Take the time. Put some “heart” into them.

Have a blessed day!

Chaplain Mark

Today’s Word Is IMITATION

Thu-Apr-23-2020

“You became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you welcomed the message in the midst of severe suffering with the joy given by the Holy Spirit. And so you became a model to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia.” (1st Thessalonians 1:6-7)

The tough things that you go through are often made easier by observing someone else who has handled such a situation very well. It causes us to think, “If they can do it, I can do it.”

The new converts in the city of Thessalonica must have liked how the Apostle Paul handled life. He was passionate about what he was doing, and seemed to have an extra portion of emotional, physical, and spiritual energy. To observe such a person is very inspiring. “Whatever potion he is taking, I want some!” Of course, that potion was the love of God so deeply infused into Paul’s being that he was confident in who he was and what he wanted to do for the Lord.

When Paul commended those folks for imitating him, it wasn’t a selfish moment of bragging, he was rather explaining the principle of how God passes on his gifts of love, joy, peace, and hope. And the result of imitating someone who demonstrates those fruits is that you begin to bear fruit yourself.

For you yourselves know how you ought to imitate us, because we were not idle when we were with you, nor did we eat anyone’s bread without paying for it, but with toil and labor we worked night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you. It was not because we do not have that right, but to give you in ourselves an example to imitate. (2nd Thessalonians 3:7-9)

Apparently, it was working because Paul said to them, “You have become a model …” It is both thrilling and humbling to think that someone would look at your life and be inspired, and to want what you have. Not the wanting of material things, but of the zest, determination, and blessed “state of being” that defines who you are, or rather who you have become.

Imitation in the manufacturing world often refers to things that are fake or cheap, not the real thing. But in the human world, imitation is a large part of how we learn. Imitation has been called a form of flattery, but its higher purpose in the spiritual realm is to be the Gospel model by which we learn to live, to be our best selves, and pass that on to others.

Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God. Consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith. (Hebrews 13:7)

Whom do you desire to imitate? Maybe a pastor, teacher, coach, classmate, co-worker, church member, parent, or grandparent.

And are there people who are inspired at what they see in you, and want to imitate you? I hope so.

Blessed to be a blessing,

Chaplain Mark

Today’s Word Is AFRAID

Wed-Apr-22-2020

The LORD is my light and my salvation — whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life — of whom shall I be afraid? (Psalm 27:1)

These are rhetorical questions … meaning you should know the answer without having to be told! Whom shall I fear? The obvious answer is no one. Of whom shall I be afraid? No one, of course.

Well, wait a minute … There is this phrase in the Scripture about the fear of the Lord. It means to respect and revere him. The old Bob Dylan song says … “It may be the devil, or it may be the Lord, but you gotta serve somebody.” The fear of the Lord means that he is the one you serve, and that you therefore have no fear of the devil. Fear of the Lord is a good thing.

In order for you to answer that you fear no one … you will have to be able to say that you fear, respect, submit to the Lord. If not, you’re on your own, and you definitely have a lot to fear in this life without God’s protection. In other words, fear God alone, or suffer with the fears of everything else. Charles Swindoll once said that as he got older, he came to be unafraid of anyone, their opinions, their criticism, and their attitude of superiority, all because of his fear of the Lord.

When God is your light, your salvation, your stronghold. … you won’t have to be afraid of anything or anyone. It is a life-changing transition to move from fear-based to faith-based living. Fear-based living creates a sense of being unprotected. There are constant thoughts about what might go wrong.

Fear is a sign of unbelief. Remember the disciples in the boat? And he said to them, “Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?” (Matthew 8:26) Notice he did not say “no faith,” he said, “little faith.” Do not panic and think that having areas of little faith or of unbelief indicates you are not saved. Many Bible characters, and many people today, have degrees or moments of unbelief. It does not necessarily mean the opposite of salvation. It may just indicate an area of your life in which you need God’s help to cast out some darkness and let God’s light come in. The father of a boy possessed with demons asked Jesus for help. Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, “I believe; help my unbelief!” (Mark 9:24) And Jesus immediately cast them out. I have said the same thing that father said a number of times in my life.

As for fear, if the Bible says, “Do not fear,” then fear is sometimes not just an emotion, but a choice we make, and we are told not to choose it. Fear freezes your growth. Fear robs you of blessings. Fear keeps you from blessing others. Fear invites the enemy to control areas of your life.

When these areas of fear are overcome, you will live with greater confidence. Your faith rises up to remind you that nothing can destroy you, no matter how bad it might seem. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? … No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. (Romans 8:35,37)

Faith-based living, “fear-less” living involves a trust in what the Apostle Paul said … “my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:19)

There are TV commercials and movie lines that talk about “no fear,” but they are more about striking back at an unfair world. This promotes an attitude of defiance, self-protection, and pride. When the Scripture says, “no fear,” it is about fully trusting and living at peace with God. That has a much different feel to it than boasting about “no fear.” You can experience that you are no longer afraid of what anyone or anything can do to you. We can again make that declaration today … or if you have never done so, declare it for the first time … I am not afraid; I will not live in fear.

Blessings,

Chaplain Mark

Today’s Word Is BETRAY

Wed-Apr-8-2020

This is about Judas. But it’s not just about Judas. It’s about what he represents. Betrayal is a harsh word that we wouldn’t want to use lightly or mistakenly label someone with. Betrayal is the last step of a process that probably had what seemed to be a noble beginning or at least a harmless purpose.

It starts with the idea that “I have a better way of doing things.” And that is a pride issue. In the case of Judas, this was complicated by the fact that he thought he had Jesus’ agenda figured out. This created a license in his mind to make judgment calls about what Jesus should be doing to fulfill his purpose.

Prior to the betrayal of Jesus, there is only one Gospel narrative that involves Judas. In the text below I am going to replace the words “300 denarii” with the value of today, which would be about $54,000.

John 12:1 Six days before the Passover, Jesus therefore came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. 2 So they gave a dinner for him there. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those reclining with him at table. 3 Mary therefore took a pound of expensive ointment made from pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped his feet with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.

4 But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (he who was about to betray him), said, 5 “Why was this ointment not sold for [$54,000.00] and given to the poor?” 6 He said this, not because he cared about the poor, but because he was a thief, and having charge of the moneybag he used to help himself to what was put into it. 7 Jesus said, “Leave her alone, so that she may keep it for the day of my burial. 8 For the poor you always have with you, but you do not always have me.”

Judas clearly thought Jesus had made a mistake in allowing this usage of the perfume. Judas had a better idea – give it to the poor. After all, doesn’t that reflect more of what Jesus is all about? And there’s the problem. Judas did not know what Jesus’ high purpose was. And John was right … Judas did not care about the poor … he cared about having a better idea … he cared about looking good in the eyes of others … he cared about himself.

A self-centered person can easily justify their words and deeds as acceptable, and then look at you like, “Don’t you get it?” I’m sure you know people like this. Their statements and actions often leave you baffled. How did you come to such a mistaken conclusion!?

Fast-forwarding to the final week that we call Holy Week, Judas has a better idea again. I can set up a confrontation and we will find out some things, and I can make a little money in the deal. Will the Pharisees really destroy him? And will Jesus really let that happen?

You know the rest of the story. Jesus calls him out at the Last Supper. After saying these things, Jesus was troubled in his spirit, and testified, “Truly, truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me.” (John 13:21) It is Judas, and Jesus hands him some bread dipped in wine as a sign. Then after [Judas] had taken the morsel, Satan entered into him. Jesus said to him, “What you are going to do, do quickly.” (v. 27)

Obviously, this did not all work out as Judas expected. Was he thinking Jesus would rise up and defeat the enemy and take over? Who knows? But he took the betrayal money back and went and committed suicide.

Here’s my point for today. The heart of faithfulness and belief is to trust God to set the higher purposes and guide the course of our lives, even when it doesn’t make sense to us. Our world is full of people who have ideas about how God could do things differently and better. The Israelites fleeing from Egypt couldn’t resist confronting Moses at moments when God didn’t seem to care. Moses certainly had some difficult exchanges with God, raising his own questions at times. But the difference between Moses and the people was that Moses obeyed because he trusted.

I hear this all the time … and you do, too … How could God let this happen? Why doesn’t God fix this and change that? I have also had such questions along the way. But … although I can’t identify the exact moment it happened, nevertheless, I changed. I began to trust the story God was shaping. I learned that if anything needs changing, it is me. I realized that what I don’t understand will make sense someday … if not in this life, then in heaven.

People ask why would Jesus be the only way to God? Doesn’t God love us enough to let us get to heaven in these other ways I’ve heard about? That is not faith. Faith says, “God knows why.” Faith says, “Let go and let God.” Faith says, “God’s Word is true.”

The road to betrayal starts with thinking, “I have a better idea than God does.” Don’t go down that road.

Blessings,

Chaplain Mark

Today’s Word Is HOPE

Tue-Mar-31-2020

We sang a song in church when I was young called “Whispering Hope.” One phrase in it said, “hope is an anchor to keep us, holding both steadfast and sure.” I always liked that analogy … hope is an anchor.

Hope looks to the future with confidence and waits patiently. The Apostle Paul said, “But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.” – (Romans 8:24b-25)

Some hopes are directed at short term needs, and others will take a lifetime to fulfill. Some hopes are directed toward material things, which we know can only bring limited satisfaction and sometimes even create dissatisfaction. How so? Sometimes we discover that “this” was not as fulfilling as we thought it would be, and now we need something more to make us happy.

This cycle is somewhat like the hamster in the wheel, it is never-ending. None of us will ever get enough “stuff” if we only listen to our worldly desires. Now … I am not belittling our desires for material things, I have a few myself. But I am mindful that the marketing we are bombarded with is constantly pushing us to want, want, want. If we become consumed by this, it could diminish our trust in God and our life of faith. Let us hope in the higher things.

The Apostle Paul says: “Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.” (1st Timothy 6:17)

Look at it this way … Would you rather have a gallon of milk … or be friends with the person who owns the cow? After all, milk spoils. Milk here would symbolize material things which diminish with time. As friends of God, our needs are supplied day by day, including both physical needs and the inner blessings of joy, fulfillment, love, and peace from the Perfect Father. God tends to give out the milk (physical needs) by the glass, by the sip, by the gallon, whatever he chooses for you, so as to build your confidence in his provision. Thus, the material things, as we mature, become secondary. Our hope has refocused on higher things. It makes you shake your head that you ever worried so much about the material things.

If you’re just getting provision by the sip right now,  fear not, God owns it all … everything. So, our hope is rightly directed toward Him. And it is amazing what holding onto hope can do to hold you steady during the storms of life. And no matter how many of our hopes become fulfilled, one at a time, there is always something more to hope for, the greatest and final of these being the hope of heaven.

Remember this … Genuine hope and true joy increase together. On Jesus’ last evening with the disciples in the upper room, he explained as well as he could about his imminent sacrifice and the work of the Holy Spirit to follow, linking them to the joy that is ahead. He didn’t want them to be alarmed or destroyed by the terrible ordeal of his death, because it was all for a reason. “I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.” (John 15:11) He was planting a new hope within them, one which would bring joy.

You will know the measure of your trust in God, and you will experience his peace when your unfulfilled hopes do not prevent your joy from being complete. Unfulfilled hopes do not bring us down, they build us up by creating anticipation of God’s good future for us.

Don’t let go of hope and don’t lose your joy,

Chaplain Mark

Today’s Word Is WITHIN

Tue-Mar-25-2020

In J.R.R. Tolkein’s book “The Hobbit” there is a point on the expedition to destroy the dragon where Gandalf the wizard has to leave the group to tend to other business, so he puts Bilbo Baggins in charge temporarily. The dwarves are displeased, as they regard Bilbo the hobbit to be lowly and incapable. One of the dwarves should be in charge by their way of thinking … after all, they are warriors and superior to hobbits.

But Gandalf persists, saying, “There is a lot more in him than you guess, and a deal more than he has any idea of himself.”

Now, as you may or may not know, J.R.R. Tolkein, author of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, was a close friend and confidant of C.S. Lewis, author of The Chronicles of Narnia. Both writers wove Christian themes into these works of fiction, and for Tolkien, the character of Gandalf was a Christ-figure.

When my children were elementary age, we had a cassette tape condensed version of The Hobbit, which we would listen to in the car as we drove on trips many times. And when the narrative would reach this scene, Gandalf would say (in the condensed version), “Bilbo Baggins, there is more about you than you know.” And then, I would pause the tape, and say to each of the kids, one at a time, calling them by name – “There is more about you than you know.” And they soon started saying back to me in unison, with delight and a giggle, “Daddy, there’s more about you than you know!” They are mid-life now, but still remember this line, as if it were imprinted on their hearts.

Do you believe that about yourself? Do you realize that God has planted things within you of which you are not aware? If not, then you’re somewhat like Gideon in the Old Testament. God’s people had called out in desperation because of the attacks of the Midianites. So, God sent an angel to Gideon to inform him that he had been chosen to lead the Israelites to do battle.

And the angel of the LORD appeared to [Gideon] and said to him, “The LORD is with you, O mighty man of valor.” (Judges 6:11)

Gideon vented some frustrations about how God seemed to have abandoned his people. So, the angel explained that now was the time to solve the problem and Gideon was chosen of God to pull it off. Gideon’s response was not … “Oh, boy! Thanks for picking me! I’m your man!” Nope … it was more like … “Great idea, but you’ve got the wrong guy!”

“Please, Lord, how can I save Israel? Behold, my clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father’s house.”  And the LORD said to him, “But I will be with you, and you shall strike the Midianites as one man.” (Judges 6:15-16)

Have you ever felt like God needed to do something about a situation, but you were quite certain it should be handled by someone besides you?

If so, then I pass this on to you … “There is more about you than you know!” God has hidden things within you. Don’t be intimidated. When Gideon questioned why he was chosen, God didn’t give a run-down on Gideon’s advantages. he just said, “I will be with you.” God is not going to hand you an advance list of what is within you. You are going to discover as you go.

As in the Hobbit story, don’t listen to the “dwarves” who think you are not fit for the task. Listen to God, who sees within you the gifts and strengths that you do not yet realize are there. As often as needed, say to yourself, “Yes Lord, I can. Because there is more about me than I know! And best of all, you will be with me.”

Blessings,

Chaplain Mark