“And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.”
1 Peter 5:10
I’d been watching a series on YouTube called Restoration Home. Now this is not your ordinary home renovation program – in this program ordinary people (some with deep pockets and some with basically no pockets) are purchasing historically significant properties that have been long abandoned and left to ruin. Their new owners, pour life back into them – perhaps making them better than new, while preserving their beauty and history.
The interesting thing about many of the properties being featured is that from the outside and a short distance away, these buildings look beautiful. It is not until you get up close and go inside to the heart of the building that the depth of the ruin is truly discovered. Buildings fall to ruin from the inside out, not unlike we humans.
Thanks to Eve and Adam’s selfish disobedience, all of us and our planet are ruins. In the passage above Peter is encouraging his readers that the suffering they are facing – some brought on by their own sinfulness and some by the persecution they are facing from the culture around them, will only last a short time and then God Himself will restore them, making them strong once again. We are all ruins – yes, but we are not abandoned. The original architect of our world stands ready to do an amazing work of restoration in our lives if we let Him, if we find the courage to realize that we are ruins, that we need new life breathed into us. As each ruined human allows God to do His work in them, they become strong, they show the beauty God placed in them from the beginning, they find purpose and the relationship between Creator and creature is restored and that is the very best part. As we are restored, God is working out His plan to restore our planet as well. In Scripture we read that He is making all things new.
How are you looking? From the outside do you look beautiful and whole, while on the inside you are living ruined and broken? Is your heart and soul in need of a total restoration? Will you deny that anything is wrong or will you find the courage to recognize that a chat with the Architect is in order so that restoration work can begin or be continued?
As we prepare to celebrate Christmas, remember that the reason for the celebration is Jesus – God in the form of a man come to open the way to restoration for those who believe and know they are ruined.
Let your life be restored by the original Architect and in the process your relationship with the Holy God who loves you will be restored as well.
A Prayer
Father – grant us the courage to recognized that we have fallen into ruin because of our selfishness and disobedient choices. Thank you for giving us Your Son, that we can be restored from the inside out. Restore our hearts that we long to serve You with everything in our being. Restore us, making us strong and steadfast. In the name of Jesus, who has made our restoration possible – Amen.
Friday, December 13, 2019
Wednesday, December 4, 2019
Grateful for Lint
“Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.”
Colossians 4:2
How many of you really love doing the laundry? Ok, now I know there are some out there who find ironing relaxing, but that’s not what I’m talking about. I am talking about the chore of washing, drying, folding and putting it all away. A necessary, menial task that gets done but isn’t necessarily a means of joy and thankfulness or is it?
Our oldest daughter admitted to lamenting about having to do the laundry, watching her family walk around clothed (how dare they) and realizing as soon as she had finished the laundry she would have to start the “vicious” cycle of laundry again. I get it. I helped her with the laundry once. Doing laundry at her house is a big task – the laundry room is in the lowest part of their house, it’s in the sub-basement and the master bedroom is on the highest level of the house – four flights of stairs away from the laundry room. Makes me very thankful for my tiny, single story house.
Then one day as she once again cleaned the dryer’s lint trap, she slowed down enough to actually see the lint. She discovered she could see all her reasons for being thankful in that lint. If the lint was dark, navy blue she could tell she had washed her firefighter husband’s work clothes. If the lint was tinted a paler color like pink, the clothes for her beautiful daughters had been washed. With each colored ball of lint taken from the dryer that day, she could see a reason to be grateful for what God had given her. What a change in perspective!
In the scripture passage above, Paul is preparing to close his letter to the Christians in Colosse. This church was feeling the pressures of other religious philosophies and Paul was writing to remind them of the truth of Jesus Christ and to encourage them to stay the course. As he prepares to close the letter he tells them to devote themselves to prayer – meaning to spend time with God communicating with Him, to stay focused on Him. To be watchful – watchful for the false teachers who would be trying to lead them from the truth and freedom they had found in Jesus and to keep a proper perspective on what it means to be a Christ following human. To be thankful – thankful for everything.
Thankful for the menial tasks that need to be done. Thankful for the celebrations of life. Thankful for the struggles and storms we often encounter in this life. Thankful for the perspective changing, course correcting moments in life. The kinds of moments that turn a disliked chore into a moment of thankfulness.
What are you not looking forward to? Do you have a never ending pile of laundry? Are you facing a more significant challenge in life – a health issue, the loss of a loved one, finances that never seem to keep up? Whatever it is – devote yourself to prayer. Pour out your heart to the God who loves you and listen for His heart to speak to yours. Be watchful, on the lookout for perspective changing moments and be thankful always and for everything.
A Prayer
Father – help us to wade through the piles of stuff we face in this life. Help us to seek you first in everything situation by being devoted to spending time with you in prayer. Help us to be watchful not only for the things and people who would try distract us from Your truth, but for those moment in life that can change our perspective and turn our laments into songs of thankfulness and praise. Help us to be thankful regardless of the situations we find ourselves in – because we can count on You to keep Your promises to finish the good work you have started in us. In the name of Jesus, who loves us more than we can possibly know. – Amen.
Colossians 4:2
How many of you really love doing the laundry? Ok, now I know there are some out there who find ironing relaxing, but that’s not what I’m talking about. I am talking about the chore of washing, drying, folding and putting it all away. A necessary, menial task that gets done but isn’t necessarily a means of joy and thankfulness or is it?
Our oldest daughter admitted to lamenting about having to do the laundry, watching her family walk around clothed (how dare they) and realizing as soon as she had finished the laundry she would have to start the “vicious” cycle of laundry again. I get it. I helped her with the laundry once. Doing laundry at her house is a big task – the laundry room is in the lowest part of their house, it’s in the sub-basement and the master bedroom is on the highest level of the house – four flights of stairs away from the laundry room. Makes me very thankful for my tiny, single story house.
Then one day as she once again cleaned the dryer’s lint trap, she slowed down enough to actually see the lint. She discovered she could see all her reasons for being thankful in that lint. If the lint was dark, navy blue she could tell she had washed her firefighter husband’s work clothes. If the lint was tinted a paler color like pink, the clothes for her beautiful daughters had been washed. With each colored ball of lint taken from the dryer that day, she could see a reason to be grateful for what God had given her. What a change in perspective!
In the scripture passage above, Paul is preparing to close his letter to the Christians in Colosse. This church was feeling the pressures of other religious philosophies and Paul was writing to remind them of the truth of Jesus Christ and to encourage them to stay the course. As he prepares to close the letter he tells them to devote themselves to prayer – meaning to spend time with God communicating with Him, to stay focused on Him. To be watchful – watchful for the false teachers who would be trying to lead them from the truth and freedom they had found in Jesus and to keep a proper perspective on what it means to be a Christ following human. To be thankful – thankful for everything.
Thankful for the menial tasks that need to be done. Thankful for the celebrations of life. Thankful for the struggles and storms we often encounter in this life. Thankful for the perspective changing, course correcting moments in life. The kinds of moments that turn a disliked chore into a moment of thankfulness.
What are you not looking forward to? Do you have a never ending pile of laundry? Are you facing a more significant challenge in life – a health issue, the loss of a loved one, finances that never seem to keep up? Whatever it is – devote yourself to prayer. Pour out your heart to the God who loves you and listen for His heart to speak to yours. Be watchful, on the lookout for perspective changing moments and be thankful always and for everything.
A Prayer
Father – help us to wade through the piles of stuff we face in this life. Help us to seek you first in everything situation by being devoted to spending time with you in prayer. Help us to be watchful not only for the things and people who would try distract us from Your truth, but for those moment in life that can change our perspective and turn our laments into songs of thankfulness and praise. Help us to be thankful regardless of the situations we find ourselves in – because we can count on You to keep Your promises to finish the good work you have started in us. In the name of Jesus, who loves us more than we can possibly know. – Amen.
Wednesday, September 11, 2019
With Sacrificial Obedience Comes Freedom
“Jesus called out with a loud voice, ‘Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.’ When he had said this, he breathed his last.”
Luke 23:46
Hours earlier, before Jesus willingly gave up his spirit he had been at Gethsemane, overwhelmed with sorrow, sweating blood and asking his Father if there was anyway… Let’s rewind, just a bit. Matthew, Mark and Luke all tell us that Jesus was not alone in the garden that evening – his disciples were with him. He told them to sit here while I go over there to pray and he took Peter, James and John with him. Peter, James and John were asked to “keep watch with me” (Matthew 26:38). Jesus went a bit further, falls on His face in prayer and in great emotional turmoil prays “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.”
Jesus agonizing with the Father over the act of sacrificial obedience he is about carry out – finds his friends asleep, not able to carry out a simple request.
Throughout scripture God demonstrates is preference of obedience over sacrifice. But I believe those who are willing to be sacrificially obedient, find themselves in closer relationship God. Abraham is a good example. Abraham and Sarah finally have the desire of their hearts a son. Then God tells Abraham to take his beloved Isaac and sacrifice him as a burnt offering. Abraham did not hesitate – but what agony must he have felt, was his soul overwhelmed with sorrow? God provides a lamb; Isaac is spared and Abraham walks closely with God all the days of his life.
Jesus’ willingness to act in sacrificial obedience to his Father, to be beaten almost to the point of death, to have the rough wood of the cross dig into his back and to die the torturous death that being crucified was, not only returned Jesus to his rightful place. It freed him from his earthly limitations and enabled Him to create and sustain a life transforming change on our planet – but it also sets everyone who believes in Him free, to be who they were created to be, to fulfill the purpose they were made for, to walk in close relationship with the creator of the universe.
Jesus’ disciples would carry out their commission with sacrificial obedience, all but one dying painful deaths. All being persecuted in one way or another, all facing painful storms. Yet they walked in freedom with the One who made them free and gave them the power they needed. The One who promised a forever life with Him in a forever kingdom.
What is God calling you to that requires sacrificial obedience? Do you trust Him to give you what you need to endure the pain of sacrificial obedience? Do you believe that Jesus will be with you in every storm, until you are filled with His light and the fullness of His kingdom?
With sacrificial obedience comes freedom. Embrace His freedom.
A Prayer
Father – We humans want to live a life that has as little pain as possible, we don’t want to sacrifice what we think we should have. We don’t even like to be obedient to anyone but ourselves. Help us Lord to see the freedom that comes with being sacrificially obedient to the things You are calling us to. Yes, it will be painful possibly very painful. But to be a fully restored image bearers in close relationship with the God who made us and loves us is worth it. In the name of Jesus, who showed us what sacrificial obedience looks like – Amen.
Luke 23:46
Hours earlier, before Jesus willingly gave up his spirit he had been at Gethsemane, overwhelmed with sorrow, sweating blood and asking his Father if there was anyway… Let’s rewind, just a bit. Matthew, Mark and Luke all tell us that Jesus was not alone in the garden that evening – his disciples were with him. He told them to sit here while I go over there to pray and he took Peter, James and John with him. Peter, James and John were asked to “keep watch with me” (Matthew 26:38). Jesus went a bit further, falls on His face in prayer and in great emotional turmoil prays “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.”
Jesus agonizing with the Father over the act of sacrificial obedience he is about carry out – finds his friends asleep, not able to carry out a simple request.
Throughout scripture God demonstrates is preference of obedience over sacrifice. But I believe those who are willing to be sacrificially obedient, find themselves in closer relationship God. Abraham is a good example. Abraham and Sarah finally have the desire of their hearts a son. Then God tells Abraham to take his beloved Isaac and sacrifice him as a burnt offering. Abraham did not hesitate – but what agony must he have felt, was his soul overwhelmed with sorrow? God provides a lamb; Isaac is spared and Abraham walks closely with God all the days of his life.
Jesus’ willingness to act in sacrificial obedience to his Father, to be beaten almost to the point of death, to have the rough wood of the cross dig into his back and to die the torturous death that being crucified was, not only returned Jesus to his rightful place. It freed him from his earthly limitations and enabled Him to create and sustain a life transforming change on our planet – but it also sets everyone who believes in Him free, to be who they were created to be, to fulfill the purpose they were made for, to walk in close relationship with the creator of the universe.
Jesus’ disciples would carry out their commission with sacrificial obedience, all but one dying painful deaths. All being persecuted in one way or another, all facing painful storms. Yet they walked in freedom with the One who made them free and gave them the power they needed. The One who promised a forever life with Him in a forever kingdom.
What is God calling you to that requires sacrificial obedience? Do you trust Him to give you what you need to endure the pain of sacrificial obedience? Do you believe that Jesus will be with you in every storm, until you are filled with His light and the fullness of His kingdom?
With sacrificial obedience comes freedom. Embrace His freedom.
A Prayer
Father – We humans want to live a life that has as little pain as possible, we don’t want to sacrifice what we think we should have. We don’t even like to be obedient to anyone but ourselves. Help us Lord to see the freedom that comes with being sacrificially obedient to the things You are calling us to. Yes, it will be painful possibly very painful. But to be a fully restored image bearers in close relationship with the God who made us and loves us is worth it. In the name of Jesus, who showed us what sacrificial obedience looks like – Amen.
Wednesday, March 6, 2019
Seasons Come and Go
Greetings to everyone who still checks in on this blog every now and again.
There is a time and a season for everything and that means seasons change. It would seem that the Something Special For You season has come to an end. There are 7 books after all and perhaps that's all of this format there was meant to be.
I feel something new coming, something called Simple Words - maybe?
It appears the winds of change may be a blowing so if you are inclined to pray - I'd appreciate it. Let me know what you think and what would encourage you.
There is a time and a season for everything and that means seasons change. It would seem that the Something Special For You season has come to an end. There are 7 books after all and perhaps that's all of this format there was meant to be.
I feel something new coming, something called Simple Words - maybe?
Something like: If you want to find your place in this world, seek His face.
This blog will remain with its archive of Something Special Devotions for as long as, well as long as Blogger continues to be available.
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