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Pastoral thoughts

Picky, Picky, Picky

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PRINCIPLE: “When you want to be picky, pick well.”

Ever watch your children or grandchildren during a meal? There’s a wonderful fruit salad – and when asked if they want any, they say, “I don’t like melon; I just want the grapes and strawberries.” Or it’s a pizza with several toppings – and they say “I don’t like pepperoni – or mushrooms; just give me the cheese.” Certainly being picky eaters is not limited to children, but observing children lately I began to think – wouldn’t it be a great world if we could pick and choose what life serves us? “I don’t like illness – I just want health. I don’t want trials – just give trouble free living.” “I don’t like ______, I want ______.” You fill in the blanks.

It might be great; but then again, it might not. After all, do we really know what’s best for us? Would we really want the responsibility of choosing what does and doesn’t happen to and around us? Such questions can be fun to discuss, but in reality are pointless. We can’t choose the menu for our lives. The wise preacher, in Ecclesiastes 3:1-8, stated it eloquently: “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing, a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away, a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak, a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace.” The preacher reminds us that all these things happen to us – they are all on the menu of life. And for the most part we do not get to choose when they appear. And that’s often frustrating. We’d much rather be in control.

Perhaps we need to learn from Paul (Phil. 4:11-13): “I am not saying this because I am in need, 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.”  The word ‘learned’ means instructed or initiated into – so Paul Is saying the circumstances of his life – which he did not choose – had taught him not to worry about what comes, but to respond wisely. Even as he wrote these words he was in prison awaiting a verdict on his life. And the secret he learned? “I can do all this through him who gives me strength.” Paul, too, was picky – but he focused on picking how to respond so he could make it through and even overcome what the menu ordered. It’s a good thing to remember – “When you want to be picky, pick well.” Nothing says we have to like the menu; the issue is since we cannot choose the menu, what do we do with it? We can spend our time and energy trying to pick and choose – or we can take our serving knowing that “I can do all this through him who gives me strength.” Which will you pick?  “When you want to be picky, pick well.”

Because Paul gave up trying to control his life and let Jesus take over, because he knew the source of strength, he could survive and overcome – and even witness to Jesus while doing so. (4:4-7) “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.  Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” “When you want to be picky, pick well.” I appreciate how Eugene Petersen put it in The Message: “Don’t fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It’s wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life.”


The next time you don’t like the menu, what will you pick? “When you want to be picky, pick well.”
Pastoral thoughts

Turbulence

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PRINCIPLE: “When the turbulence is choppy, change your altitude.”
I don’t fly on airplanes all that often, but I’ve flown enough to become familiar with the voice of the Pilot: “It’s going to be a bit choppy on our climb-out today, but we’re expecting it to be somewhat smoother when we reach our assigned altitude at 31,000 feet.” I hear this almost every flight.  It’s a good principle for airplanes and pilots: “When the turbulence is choppy, change your altitude.”
“But not until I read a devotional by Norman Shawchuck[i] did a spiritual parallel come to mind. Norman points out that we were never promised a smooth flight through life but always have the option of moving up to our ‘assigned altitude.’ And what is our assigned altitude? Consider Ezekiel’s experience with the valley of dry bones (37:1-14). Here’s how it ends:
 9 Then he said to me, “Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to it, ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe into these slain, that they may live.’ ” 10 So I prophesied as he commanded me, and breath entered them; they came to life and stood up on their feet—a vast army.
 11 Then he said to me: “Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They say, ‘Our bones are dried up and our hope is gone; we are cut off.’ 12Therefore prophesy and say to them: ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: O my people, I am going to open your graves and bring you up from them; I will bring you back to the land of Israel. 13 Then you, my people, will know that I am the LORD, when I open your graves and bring you up from them. 14I will put my Spirit in you and you will live, and I will settle you in your own land. Then you will know that I the LORD have spoken, and I have done it, declares the LORD.’ “
Our higher altitude is life in the Spirit. Paul later wrote (Rom. 8:4-9 NLT):
“5 Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit. 6 So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace. 7 For the sinful nature is always hostile to God. It never did obey God’s laws, and it never will. 8 That’s why those who are still under the control of their sinful nature can never please God.
 9 But you are not controlled by your sinful nature. You are controlled by the Spirit if you have the Spirit of God living in you.”
 Life in the Spirit lifts us to a higher altitude. It usually takes some mental effort, but this higher altitude is only a few thoughts away.
“4Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
 8Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. 9Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.” (Phil. 4:4-9)
The next time you hit the turbulence of life, don’t feel you have to sit through it and endure it. Rather, “When the turbulence is choppy, change your altitude.”


[i]A Guide to Prayer for All Who Seek God, Upper Room Books, 2006, p. 172
Pastoral thoughts

Playing Catch

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PRINCIPLE: “For best results, start throwing.”

Sometimes television ads are good – really good. One such ad that caught my attention featured a dad teaching his son to throw a baseball. As the camera eventually zoomed in on the dad, we see that he is actually throwing awkwardly off the wrong foot, which his son, of course, mimics. The point of the ad, I believe, was to commend the dad for spending time with his son. Dad may not have had everything decent and in order and may not have been throwing correctly, but his son knew he was loved because dad was spending time with him.

Anytime the ad played I stopped what I was doing to watch – not only because it was heart-warming but because it got me thinking. My mind began to catch a glimpse of what God wants from us in our relationship with Him – our presence and focused attention. Just take the time to be with Him. Get in the presence of God. Pick up a ball and start throwing. “For best results, start throwing.”

When we do we will, first, find rest and peace. Isaiah wrote of it this way (30: 18-19) “Yet the Lordlongs to be gracious to you; he rises to show you compassion.For the Lordis a God of justice.Blessed are all who wait for him!People of Zion, who live in Jerusalem, you will weep no more. How gracious he will be when you cry for help! As soon as he hears, he will answer you.”The Psalmist, similarly, wrote (Ps. 92: 12-14) “The righteous will flourish like a palm tree, they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon; planted in the house of the Lord, they will flourish in the courts of our God. They will still yield fruit in old age; they will stay fresh and green.” John Ortberg1once asked the late Dallas Willard, a great coach and mentor of Spiritual Disciplines, how he monitored the condition of his soul. He replied that he regularly asked himself two questions: “Am I growing more or less irritated these days? Am I growing more or less easily discouraged these days?” How would you answer? “For best results, start throwing.”

Not only will we find rest and peace, but, second, we will be loving and honoring God. If we love someone, we give them gifts. A husband, for example, gives flowers to his wife. Taking time for God throughout the day is like bringing fresh flowers of love to God. It lets Him know we are thinking of Him and love Him. That honors Him. Too often, I think, we give up on spending time with God because we fear we are not ‘doing it right,’ or we’re ‘not getting anything out of it.’ But our daily disciplines are not so much a matter of doing everything right and on time all the time as they are an expression of love for Jesus as we spend some time with Him. Time spent with God doesn’t always need to ‘do something’ for us; it will always, however, do something to God. He is honored by our efforts.“For best results, start throwing.” It expresses love and brings honor to God.

The verse that has become precious to me in recent years precedes the verse sfrom Isaiah referred to earlier. 30: 15 says, “In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength.” Notice the very next words: “…but you would have none of it.” We have a choice – reject God’s provision for rest and strength and struggle through our circumstances and situations, or build salvation and strength for our circumstances and situations. The choice is up to each of us. I just want you to know – either choice is dangerous. To reject God’s provision is to distance yourself from Him and miss all the benefits He offers; to pick up the ball and start throwing will leave you wanting to spend even more time with Him. Which danger would you rather face? “For best results, start throwing.”

1John Ortberg, ‘Your Spiritual Growth Plan’, Leadership Journal, Winter 2010, p.81ter 2010, p.81
Pastoral thoughts

Chutes and Ladders

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PRINCIPLE: “Whether up or down, keep feeding.”

Chutes and Ladders has long been a great game. It’s one of those games that hangs on from generation to generation. But playing it can be frustrating because sometimes it takes a long time for someone to make it to the end. The chutes keep getting in the way. My grand-kids grandmother (yes – that would be my wife) was recently heard to say, “There are too many chutes and not enough ladders. It needs fewer chutes and more ladders.” And there was much agreement.

As I thought about her comment later, I realized that what we feel about this simple game is what we feel about life as well. I have frequently felt that in life “There are too many downs and not enough ups. We need fewer downs and more ups.” So often we climb up high only to immediately slide down to a low. We finally get the promotion we’ve prayed for, and the company then downsizes and wipes out our job. We rejoice at a new staff person or employee, only to have another good one leave. We rejoice at the doctor’s good prognosis only to have him reverse it soon after. We celebrate a great victory only to despair at a defeat in the next game. A pastor celebrates a wedding one day and presides over a funeral of a young person the next. A church celebrates the arrival of some wonderful new members, only to discover that some other wonderful, faithful members are moving away. We get excited about a nice raise only to find out that new tax laws or regulations will raise our taxes. The list goes on and on. It certainly would be nice to have fewer downs and more ups.

I sometimes wonder if the Psalmist played Chutes and Ladders. He, too, knew the ups and downs of life; he experienced the highs and lows. Yet his faith did not waver. Why? Because he knew that “…the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.” (Ps. 121:8) In my “revised Curry version” this translates as “the Lord will watch over your rising and falling, your climbing and sliding both now and forevermore.” And what gave the Psalmist this unwavering faith? Ps. 37:3 in the New King James Version provides the answer: “Trust in the Lord, and do good;
Dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness.” The key is to feed on God’s faithfulness. “Whether up or down, keep feeding.” The prophet Jeremiah, well know for his laments and difficult ministry, grandly proclaimed, “The Lord’s loyal kindness never ceases; his compassions never end.
They are fresh every morning; your faithfulness is abundant! “My portion is the Lord,” I have said to myself, so I will put my hope in him.” “Whether up or down, keep feeding.” God is faithful. Just think for a moment about God’s faithfulness in you life…
As I’ve meditated on this  I’ve been reminded that it’s important to feed on God’s faithfulness at both the top of the ladder as well as at the bottom of the chute. If I over-rejoice in the highs, the slides down will be even more painful. More importantly, remembering God’s faithfulness during the high and good times keeps me from pride (which, the Bible says, goes before the fall!); remembering God’s faithfulness at the bottom of the slides keeps me stable. “Whether up or down, keep feeding.” So enjoy the highs on the ladder tops and stay calm at the slide bottoms because you know that God is faithful. Feed on His faithfulness “…the Lord will watch over your coming and going, your rising and falling, your climbing and sliding both now and forevermore….The Lord’s loyal kindness never ceases; his compassions never end. They are fresh every morning; your faithfulness is abundant! …so I will put my hope in him.” “Whether up or down, keep feeding.”
Pastoral thoughts

Lessons from the Waterfalls

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PRINCIPLE: “When thinking of tomorrow, focus on today.”

It would be a long walk down to the falls, but we had been told it was well worth it. So we parked the car and began the trek down towards the falls. And it was long – and it was worth it! All along the way were beautiful views of God’s majestic creation.

After spending a fair amount of time soaking in the beauty, and snapping plenty of pictures, we began the journey back to the car. After just a few steps it dawned on us – if it was all downhill to get here, it will be all uphill to get there! It’s amazing how such a thought flavors the whole climb back! Once we realized it, the trek seemed harder and longer – and the beauty didn’t seem quite so glorious. Our conversation lessened and, in fact, became a series of “Are we there yet?” queries. To make matters worse, we kept looking ahead, up hill, to see how much further we had to go – not a good idea! The end never seemed to be in sight. We finally concluded that the best strategy was simply to watch our current steps, to focus on one step at a time, and let the parking lot, in a sense, come to us. It certainly gave new meaning to ‘on step at a time.’

Jesus taught the same lesson. In the Sermon on the Mount, after assuring his hearers of His Father’s continual, adequate, loving care He said “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” If we believe in and trust our Father’s loving care, then we need not worry or fret about tomorrow and what is to come. So “When thinking of tomorrow, focus on today.”

Jesus was not saying that we should never makes plans or provisions for tomorrow; He was saying that we should never let those plans and provisions rob us of seeing and grasping the opportunities of today; we should not become so absorbed in planning and providing for tomorrow that we fail to handle the stresses and challenges of today. So “When thinking of tomorrow, focus on today.” It makes me wonder how many times, under the guise of ‘good time management’, I’ve missed opportunities to give and receive love. It makes me wonder how often, under the illusion of being a good planner, I’ve failed to see or seize an opportunity that could have been life changing, for me and others. I wonder about all the stresses and challenges that have frustrated and sometimes even defeated me – could I have been been better prepared to handle them if, instead of looking up the hill to come, I had simply been taking one step at a time?

I’ll never know. That’s all in the past. I can’t change any of it. But I can change how I live today. I just need to remember that thenext step is most important; so focus on it. I can make some plans and provisions for tomorrow, but unless I take one step at a time today, I will interrupt and undo all those plans and provisions I made yesterday for today. As someone once said, ‘Today is the tomorrow you worried about yesterday!” Perhaps you, too, will approach today differently. “When thinking of tomorrow, focus on today.”
Pastoral thoughts

Some Thoughts on Tools

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PRINCIPLE: “To do the job right, use the right tools.”

We had a metal bar stool in our kitchen. One of its feet had lost it’s protective cap which meant it was now capable of scratching or otherwise marking up the floor. It was too nice a stool to just discard – but how to fix the uncovered foot? My wife discovered the solution – a plastic cap from a very small bottle. Its circumference was precisely that of the stool foot. All it needed was a little trimming and, since it was clear and the other caps were black, some black coloring. A black Permanent Marker worked just fine. The stool now has all its feet protected, the floor is safe, and all is well. All that was needed was the right tools. “To do the job right, use the right tools.”

It’s not a new or startling principle; in fact, it’s very common. No job can be done without the right tools.
A carpenter cannot build a house without the right tools. A seamstress cannot sew a gown without the right tools. A mechanic cannot repair a motor without the right tools. A musician cannot make music without the right tools. “To do the job right, use the right tools.”

But while it may not be a new or startling principle, I wonder if we’ve taken the time or made the effort to apply it to other areas of life. For example, when faced with a decision, how do we decide? What principles guide us? When we’re trying to decide what’s right in a given situation, how do we determine what’s right? When we’re in need of training, where do we turn? When we want to help another person whose life is seemingly falling apart, where are our resources?

The apostle Paul gave the answer (2 Tim. 3:16): “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”When we need to teach or be taught, Scripture is our tool. When we need to rebuke or be rebuked, Scripture is our tool. When we need to correct or be corrected, Scripture is our tool. When we need to train or undergo training in living godly lives, Scripture is our tool. When we need help, guidance, or strength for doing good works, Scripture is our tool.“To do the job right, use the right tools.”

No carpenter would think of building a house without the right tools. No seamstress would think of sewing a gown without the right tools. No mechanic would think of repairing a motor without the right tools. No musician would think of making music without the right tools. But I wonder – how often do we act without first using the right tool, the Word of God? What truly guides us – our emotions, our instincts, our habits, our feelings? Do we take the time to breathe in the truth and power of God’s Word? In all honesty, how often have we failed to do the job right because we failed to use the right tool?

As for me, now every time I see the bar stool in our kitchen it reminds me that whatever the decision or job is, “To do the job right, use the right tools.”
Pastoral thoughts

The Meeting of the Birds

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PRINCIPLE: “At the rising and the setting, remember the birds.”

It was a wonderful condo. Positioned on a golf course and a small river outlet, it was quiet and peaceful – except at sunrise and sunset. That’s when the birds flew in and squealed in one mass chorus. Everyday, without fail. Morning and evening; sunrise and sunset. At first I thought it was a nuisance, an unfortunate disturbing of the peace. But then I began to ponder their congregational gathering.

I have no idea what these birds were saying to one another – or if they were speaking, singing, or hollering. But at the beginning and end of each day they came together as one community and shared a common voice. Not a bad idea for communities and families! At the beginning and end of each day, get together, touch base, and share a common voice. Just think what it would do for our families and communities. “At the rising and the setting, remember the birds.”

I also wonder if perhaps these birds were singing in praise of their Creator – everyday, without fail. Morning and evening; sunrise and sunset. I began to realize that these squealing birds were pointing me to the Psalmist who wrote (113:2-3 CEV). “Let the name of the Lord be praised now and forever. From dawn until sunset the name of the Lord deserves to be praised.” Nighttime is for rest – but the daytime is for praising the name of the Lord. Beginning and ending the day with a common voice of praise frames the living of our days. “At the rising and the setting, remember the birds.”

Historically monks and monastic communities understood the importance of this common voice; they gathered at the beginning and end of each day to share in praise and worship (and usually during the day at appointed times was well.) The early church in America had an inkling of this importance. The tradition of the Sunday evening worship service was based partially on this concept. Families gathered from miles around to worship on Sunday morning, then they shared a meal, and before they took off for the long trip home they would worship again. It was, in a sense, the beginning and end of their Sabbath day. It provided a pattern for all other days. “From dawn until sunset the name of the Lord deserves to be praised.” I wonder what we have lost with the elimination of our Sunday evening worship? Perhaps not just another service of worship, but a pattern for living. “At the rising and the setting, remember the birds.”

While I believe more gathering together in our congregations would be of inestimable value, I also recognize that where and when this does not or cannot happen, we, as individuals, can still follow the pattern and habit of the birds – everyday, without fail. Morning and evening; sunrise and sunset. Consider the Psalmist: “In the morning, Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly.“ (5:3) “I think about you before I go to sleep, and my thoughts turn to you during the night.”(16:3 CEV) Everyday, without fail. Morning and evening; sunrise and sunset.“At the rising and the setting, remember the birds.”

If indeed,beginning and ending the day with a common voice of praise frames the living of our days, what are you doing? Or more importantly, what will you do? Whether it be in community or congregation or family, or as an individual, how will you frame your day? When you see your next sunrise, what will you do? When you see you next sunset, what will you do? “At the rising and the setting, remember the birds.”
Pastoral thoughts

The Value of Steeples

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PRINCIPLE: “When everything is looking down, look up!”
My wife and I had the privilege of attending a pastor’s retreat at a lovely place called the Normandy Inn. The buildings, not surprisingly, are all designed to look like Normandy. Therefore many of the buildings had steeples. Our host told us that the steeples were intended to draw our eyes upward to the heavens; they were an invitation to look up to God. That was a new and inspiring insight for me. No matter the weather, no matter the time of day, look up. “When everything is looking down, look up!”
I began to think of numerous passages in the Bible which give us the same invitation. Numbers 21 records the story God’s response to the grumbling Israelites. God sent venomous snakes; all who were but by them died. So they people cried out to God to save them. “The Lord said to Moses, “Make a snake and put it up on a pole; anyone who is bitten can look at it and live.” So Moses made a bronze snake and put it up on a pole. Then when anyone was bitten by a snake and looked at the bronze snake, they lived.” (21:8-9) “When everything is looking down, look up!” “Jesus gave this even deeper meaning: In the same way that Moses lifted the serpent in the desert so people could have something to see and then believe, it is necessary for the Son of Man to be lifted up—and everyone who looks up to him, trusting and expectant, will gain a real life, eternal life.” (Jn. 3:14-15 MSG) “When everything is looking down, look up!”
The Psalmist, in Ps. 121:1, declares, “I lift up my eyes to the hills – where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.” “When everything is looking down, look up!”
In the 40thchapter of Isaiah God is proclaiming his greatness to the Israelites to turn them from idols back to Him. “To whom will you compare me? Or who is my equal?” says the Holy One. Lift up your eyes and look to the heavens: Who created all these? He who brings out the starry host one by one and calls forth each of them by name. Because of his great power and mighty strength,
not one of them is missing. Why do you complain, Jacob? Why do you say, Israel,
“My way is hidden from the Lord; my cause is disregarded by my God”? Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God,the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary
and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary,they will walk and not be faint.” (25-31, underlining mine).“When everything is looking down, look up!”
Jesus, in Luke 21, is teaching about the signs of the end of the age. He drives home His application when He says (28), “When these things begin to take place,stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.”“When everything is looking down, look up!”
Notice how all the looking up draws us to Jesus. And looking to Jesus leads to life – eternal life. “For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day.”(Jn. 6:40) The message of Scripture, from beginning to end, is “Look up and live.” I’ve begun to thank God for steeples. The next time you see one, I’ll just bet you look up! And in looking up you’ll be reminded of Jesus – and you’ll experience new life.
Yet the really great news is that even if there is no steeple in sight, you can still look up. “When everything is looking down, look up!” And live!
Pastoral thoughts

Going for Gold

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PRINCIPLE: “When you’re awake, go for the gold!”
Meryl Davis and Charlie White won the Olympic Gold Medal for Ice Dancing. It was, as is always the case with Olympians, the result of persistent hard work over many years. Shortly after their victory NBC ran a short congratulatory piece in which they mentioned that Meryl and Charlie won the gold because they had been working together 17 years, practiced over 29,000 hours, entered 75 competitions, and skated 41/2 minutes of perfection. It’s truly a picture of dedication, commitment, and perseverance. I couldn’t help but think that they spent every waking hour thinking about or participating in their skating. Perhaps their motto was “When you’re awake, go for the gold!”
I also thought about someone else who spent every waking hour thinking about or participating in his passion. His name was Paul. He wrote, “Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.” (1 Cor. 9:24-25) Near the end of his life he reflected, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.” (2 Tim. 4:7-8) He spent every waking hour living for Jesus. “When you’re awake, go for the gold!”
Paul’s entire life was spent in preparation for the race. While I have no idea how many hours Paul spent ‘practicing’ and training, I do know he said, “Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.” (1 Cor. 9:26-27) “When you’re awake, go for the gold!” I don’t know how many times Paul entered into competition, but I do know he felt the pains of opposition: “Are they servants of Christ? (I am out of my mind to talk like this.) I am more. I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again. Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was pelted with stones, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my fellow Jews, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false believers. I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches. Who is weak, and I do not feel weak? Who is led into sin, and I do not inwardly burn? “(2 Cor. 11:23-29) “When you’re awake, go for the gold!”I also know that Paul didn’t need to rely on perfection; rather he rested in grace. “For I am the least of the apostles and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me.”(1 Cor. 15:9-10) “But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.”(2 Cor. 12:9) “When you’re awake, go for the gold!”
I know the gold – the crown – is in store for me, because I have been saved by grace through faith. But it makes me wonder: how have I been running – how strict is my training – how purposeful, or aimless, has my running been? At the end of my race I want to be able to say, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.”So from now on, I will strive to spend every waking hour living for Jesus. From hereon my motto is “When you’re awake, go for the gold!”Will you join me?
Pastoral thoughts

Irritation

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PRINCIPLE: “When the irritants irritate, drive!”
There are many things in life which irritate me. I’m irritated, for example, by the driver ahead of me on a two lane road, who keeps speeding up and slowing down – all because he’s paying more attention to his cell phone conversation than his driving. He’s a danger to others. I’m irritated when someone calls for tolerance but refuses to listen to my viewpoint. She’s a divider, not a unifier. It’s irritating when someone says “If I were you…”, because they’re not me. I imagine you have things which irritate you as well.
But there’s another kind of irritant that has grabbed my attention. It’s not something someone else has done or is doing that irritates me – it’s what I’m doing or not doing that causes the irritation. The nation of Israel was troubled by these irritants. In Numbers 33:55 God tells them “But if you do not drive out the inhabitants of the land, those you allow to remain will become barbs in your eyes and thorns in your sides. They will give you trouble in the land where you will live.” God knew their hearts – He knew that if they allowed temptations and evil to be among them, they would cave under the pressure and turn their backs on Him. So as they moved into enemy occupied territories God told them to drive out the inhabitants, to get rid of all evil that could potentially turn them in the wrong direction. If they did not, God warned, they would become barbs, splinters, pricks in their eyes and thorns in their sides. These tempting evils would irritate them to the point where they give in and give up.
What temptations, what habits, what tendencies towards sin are irritating you?  What are the ‘pulls’ on your life that that fill you with guilt or cause you anxiety? You’re tempted to click on that porn site, to take that one extra drink, to have that one ‘romantic’ fling, to lie on that application, to seek revenge on that person who hurt you…Whatever it is, drive it out. “When the irritants irritate, drive!” When someone or something other than Christ is controlling your desires and passions, when someone or something other than Christ is controlling your time and energy, when someone or something other than Christ is your focus drive it out. “When the irritants irritate, drive!” Or the irritants will become barbs and thorns that trouble you everyday. As the NLT puts it, “…they will harass you.”
But what does ‘driving’ look like? The primary action that will help you begin to drive is to put and keep God’s Word in your heart. Ps. 119:9-16 is clear and powerful: “How shall a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed and keeping watch [on himself] according to Your word [conforming his life to it]. With my whole heart have I sought You, inquiring for and of You and yearning for You; Oh, let me not wander or step aside [either in ignorance or willfully] from Your commandments. Your word have I laid up in my heart, that I might not sin against You.” (Amplified Bible) Eugene Peterson, in The Message, paints this picture for the same verses: “How can a young person live a clean life? By carefully reading the map of your Word. I’m single-minded in pursuit of you; don’t let me miss the road signs you’ve posted. I’ve banked your promises in the vault of my heart so I won’t sin myself bankrupt. Be blessed, God; train me in your ways of wise living. I’ll transfer to my lips all the counsel that comes from your mouth; I delight far more in what you tell me about living than in gathering a pile of riches. I ponder every morsel of wisdom from you, I attentively watch how you’ve done it. I relish everything you’ve told me of life, I won’t forget a word of it. Be generous with me and I’ll live a full life; not for a minute will I take my eyes off your road. Open my eyes so I can see what you show me of your miracle-wonders. I’m a stranger in these parts; give me clear directions. My soul is starved and hungry, ravenous!— insatiable for your nourishing commands.”  “When the irritants irritate, drive!”
There is more to do to drive away the irritants, but this is where it begins. Remember Jesus used the Word of God to drive away Satan in the wilderness. “Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.” (Mt. 4:11) It can be so for you. “When the irritants irritate, drive!”