Hard Work

I’ve never been averse to hard work, but I am reluctant to put much effort into uncertain ventures. There are very few guarantees in life. Most of us start on a path without knowing for sure if we will make it securely to the end without paying too high a cost.

My friend DH and her husband have taught me some lessons about hard work. Over the years, they have raised beef cows, chickens, and goats, planted a variety of fruit trees, constructed hundreds of houses, provided for countless people, and started a church in our community. I’ve received the fruits of their labor: the best beef, eggs, fruits, vegetables...oh, and they also built my home. They start new projects regularly. I absolutely love being a spectator—observing and learning from them.

Last week, I received a windfall. The wind knocked down one of the branches off my apple tree. I ended up with more unripe apples than I could handle. At first, I searched for a way to make use of these apples without putting too much work into it. I thought about giving them away as feed for animals or using them for compost. Instead, I ended up spending several hours in a hot kitchen turning those apples into sauce, pickle, and hummus. I realized how much labor went into what I usually buy from the store for a few dollars. Yet the products of my work brought me much more satisfaction. Later that evening, I told DH how much I appreciated all the hard work she did daily. We came to the conclusion that good things require hard work and hard work brings satisfaction.

Another lesson that she has taught me is to factor God’s contribution into every project. When starting anything new, I tend to look at my natural abilities, accessible resources as well as liabilities and limitations. I hope for God’s help, but I don’t count on it. I write about depending on God, but my decisions and actions don’t always align with what I write. DH has taught me to trust God and to recognize Him as the majority shareholder in every good venture; and that when God leaves a project, it’s time for me to move on too.  

I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength--to do the hard work that is required to carry out His Will—which in turn, brings satisfaction and fulfillment. (My own paraphrase of Philippians 4:13)

Examining Intentions

“Active habits are strengthened by repetition but passive ones are weakened.” (The Screwtape Letters, by C.S. Lewis)

Habits are formed when thoughts are turned into actions. Let’s say you have positive thoughts like: “I should exercise daily, floss my teeth daily, and drink more water.” If you act on these thoughts and make them a daily practice, then the habit is strengthened and reinforced. However, if you ignore the thought and don’t act on it, eventually it will weaken and fade in importance. Similarly, let’s say you have a negative thought such as: “I’m afraid of failure, so I won’t try anything new.” If you act on this fear by refusing to explore new projects, you reinforce your fear and anxiety. Yet, if you ignore the fear and try new things, your anxiety is diminished.

Converting positive intentions into actions strengthens good habits, while allowing negative thoughts to pass through without acting upon them will eventually cause them to fade away. Although this seems simple, it is much more complicated than it appears. As anyone who has made a New Year’s resolution can tell you: unexpected stresses come up and your good intentions are laid aside while you find comfort in your bad habits. I’ve never heard anyone say: “I’m so stressed right now--I want to go run a few miles and then eat a salad!” What I have heard is: “I’ve had a bad day--I need a drink” (or substitute any personal vice here.)

As if all this weren’t complicated enough, sometimes what appears to be an honorable intention may be motivated by our weaknesses. For example, most of us want our children to succeed. This is widely accepted as a good intention that we are all encouraged to act upon. We work hard, save up money, and make sacrifices, so that we can give our children every opportunity to fulfill their potential. We convert our positive thoughts into actions, and they become a part of our parental duties. However, if we really think about what drives our desire for our children to succeed, we might discover some less-than-ideal motivations: If my son doesn’t succeed, others might think I’m a neglectful parent. If he doesn’t get a good job, I might have to continue supporting him. If he doesn’t have a wonderful family life, I might be blamed for inculcating negative character traits in him while he was young. His life is a reflection on me as a parent, and thus some of my desire to see him succeed is motivated by my own need for societal approval.

The motives behind every thought need to be examined carefully before the thought is converted into action, or else we might inadvertently end up reinforcing a poisonous habit. Once we are convinced that our intentions are pure, then we must act right away—before the thought fades from our conscience.

Reflection

I spend a lot of time reflecting on God—thinking and studying about Him. Yet, that is NOT what God intended. 

“God made humans in his image reflecting God’s very nature. You’re here to bear fruit, reproduce, lavish life on the Earth, live bountifully!” (Genesis 9:6 MSG)

God wants us to reflect His image, NOT just reflect on Him. Thinking, studying, and meditating may help us to understand Him—which is a great start. Yet God’s intention is for us to mirror Him.

In order for a mirror to reflect anything, there has to be light. I tried the following experiment: I went into a bathroom with no windows and turned off all the lights. I stood in front of the mirror. I couldn’t see anything. Then I took a flashlight and aimed the light at the mirror. I could see a shadowy image of myself if I hit the beam of light at a certain angle. Then I turned the flashlight around so that the beam was now pointed at the subject that was meant to be illuminated (in this case my face). The reflection in the mirror became clearer. Then I just turned on all the overhead lights in the bathroom. Now, I could see everything—myself, the towel rack, the wall behind me, the soap dispenser, the spots that needed to be cleaned on the mirror…

I imagine that the mirror is our earthly life and the reflected image is our soul. When God looks at the mirror of our life, He is expecting to see Himself in our souls. We tend to shine what little light we have onto the mirror of our earthly life instead of focusing the beam on the Subject that is meant to be illuminated. And then we wonder why everything is so shadowy and unclear. God’s natural light makes everything clearer. Unfortunately, this includes the blots on the mirror that mar His reflection. The scummy spots in our character obscure His image.

God’s nature is productive, fruitful, and bountiful in all that is good, loving, and pure. And when our souls reflect these characteristics, we mirror God’s image.

Internal Chatter

(Part of John study)

My sheep recognize my voice.” (John 10:25-30 MSG)

Is my relationship with God so intimate that I could recognize His voice amidst the chatter of earthly life? What prevents me from recognizing and understanding Him?

The obvious answer would be there is too much noise around me—what with all the distractions provided by technology, people, busyness, traffic, etc.  If I were able to get away from all of this, if I could live out in the country, away from all the hub-bub, if I had a quiet place of retreat—then I would be able to recognize God’s voice better. Well, I do live out in the country and have quiet places in my home. Yet I still have trouble tuning in to God, because I have a steady stream of internal chatter going on at all times.

God’s voice is drowned out by the noise of my desires. I want stability, security, happiness, health, and peace—for myself and all my loved ones.  My mind is always buzzing with ideas on how to attain and maintain these desires of mine.  The cacophony of cultural expectations also decreases my sensitivity to God’s voice. My mind keeps blabbing on about seeking significance and being productive. Finally, there is a quiet culprit that keeps me from listening to God. It’s the voice of reason. It tells me to not go overboard in my commitment to God—be reasonable; be pragmatic; make sure you enjoy a full life; don’t let God take over! No matter where I go, this internal dialogue is the biggest barrier to recognizing God’s voice and understanding Him.

“My sheep recognize my voice. I know them, and they follow me. I give them real and eternal life. They are protected from the Destroyer for good. No one can steal them from out of my hand. The Father who put them under my care is so much greater than the Destroyer and Thief.” (John 10:25-30 MSG)

Truth will overcome falsehood. The Legitimate Voice will one day triumph over the illegitimate noise. Our Father is so much greater than any destructive force.

 

Sidekick Spouse

My husband is in a profession that people tend to respect. I, on the other hand, am a home-maker/housewife. When we meet new people, they often size us up and dismiss me as immaterial. I’ve gotten used to this. One of us has to take the lesser role in our partnership, and it might as well be me. Moreover, I’ve come to realize that there are some benefits to being considered the sidekick spouse.

I rarely have people trying to befriend me expecting something in return. Most of my friends are truly genuine and are interested in me and not in any perceived power, influence, or wealth that I possess. By flying under the radar, I am also able to gauge people better. I can spot those who are manipulative, profit-motivated, and dishonest. Most people don’t put much effort towards trying to impress me.

Sometimes I feel like an undercover superhero—like Wonder Woman, with her costume underneath her secretarial clothes—my powers and skills are hidden from strangers. This allows me to observe others unobtrusively, function without recognition, and serve anonymously.

 

I’m not saying that I’m totally comfortable with being incognito all the time. Some days, I feel like revealing my true identity to everyone—to stop being inconspicuous--to  be recognized and considered worthy. But if I followed this urge, I would diminish my power and effectiveness. So I shall continue to wear my Wonder Woman t-shirt underneath my clothes…most days!  

Finding Myself

“If your first concern is to look after yourself, you’ll never find yourself. But if you forget about yourself and look to me, you’ll find both yourself and me.” (Matt. 10:39 MSG)

I often hear from parents that their young adult children are still searching…trying to find themselves. Well, I’m in my 40’s and wonder if I have found myself!

Who am I? What is my purpose? I often ask God for answers to these questions. I would like very much for Him to be my guide as I search for my own significance. But Jesus says that we have this all mixed up. I’ll never find myself this way. I must forget about myself and merely seek God—not so that He can assist me or be my advisor or agent—but because He is the Only One who is significant.

“Look for yourself, and you will find in the long run only hatred, loneliness, despair, rage, ruin, and decay. But look for Christ and you will find Him, and with Him everything else thrown in.” (--from Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis)

If we spend our lives searching for who we are, we might discover that our core is corrupt—full of vanity, self-absorption, pettiness, and degeneration. It’s like searching for a treasure all your life and finally finding a treasure box full of worthless, fake jewelry. What a waste of time!

Yet what if we modify our search parameters and seek the answer to the following questions:

Who is God? What is HIS purpose?

And during this quest, just maybe…He will reveal how I fit in to His plan.

Compost to Share

I used to have a compost pile in my backyard. We just dumped grass clippings, dead leaves, and any other organic waste together and waited for it to eventually decompose into humus—a crumbly black mixture, rich in nutrients, which could then be added to our soil as fertilizer. Or at least that was the plan. We didn’t know that you also had to add water and aerate the mixture regularly with a pitch fork. We were good at dumping yard waste on the pile. Along with grass clippings, weeds, and dead leaves, we would drag fallen tree branches onto the pile. This prevented us from mixing the compost, delaying the decomposition process by years. If we had shredded the wood into small pieces before adding it to the pile, we would have been able to use our yard scraps as fertilizer. Instead, our waste was wasted—we moved away from that house before our compost was usable.

Recently, I saw a post on Facebook that said: “Compost to Share.” What a generous offer! Someone had gone through the trouble of collecting all their organic waste, processing it into small pieces, watering it, mixing it for aeration, waiting for it to turn into useful humus, and now they were willing to share it with others.

We all have plenty of debris from our life experiences that can be composted and shared. Most rough situations we go through --our failures, poor choices, ignorance, carelessness—can turn us into useful humans. Just dumping it all into a big stinky pile is not enough. We have to process it, shred it, water it, mix it, and wait for it to turn into useful humus. Then this compost—these lessons in life--can fertilize our own growth…and maybe even help others.

The Woman at the Pool

The last time I was on vacation, I met a woman at the swimming pool who asked me about a vaccination scar on my thigh. She showed me a similar scar on her thigh and asked me where I got mine. It turned out she is from the Middle East, and they had the same childhood vaccinations as I had in my country of origin. So that became the conversation starter, and over the next hour, she shared her life story with me.

Mira (I’ve changed her name to protect her identity) had immigrated to the United States about 30 years ago with her husband and young children. Mira and her husband had liquidated all their assets from the old country and had brought it to the U.S. to start some sort of business. Shortly after they arrived, they met some fellow immigrants from their old country who seemed very helpful and friendly. These new friends convinced them to invest all of their money into a business that shortly divested Mira’s family of all their savings. Mira says she felt desperate and embarrassed at the same time. She couldn’t believe that she and her husband were duped by her own people and now couldn’t provide the basic needs for her two young children. One day, she needed to get diapers for her baby, but didn’t have enough money left for a whole pack. She took her two sons and went to the store anyway. On the way there, her older son (who was six at the time) found a scratch-off lotto ticket on the ground. He picked it up and told his mom that they should take it to the cashier at the convenience store and see if it was worth anything. It turned out to be worth $500. She explained to me that $500 was worth a lot of money 30 years ago, and her husband used it to start his own business which is still thriving today. This business has supported the family for the last three decades.

Now, here is where things start getting really interesting to me… After relating the above story to me in bits and pieces, over an hour (because we were still strangers who met by a swimming pool and every so often we took breaks to swim)—she ended the story praising, glorifying, and giving all the credit to God. As this was the first time she had mentioned anything relating to God, I was curious to know her faith background. I assumed she was a Muslim since she is from the Middle East—but I was reluctant to ask her such a personal question. I waited a bit longer and then just came out and asked her: “So, are you a Muslim?” She answered: “No, but I know a lot of Muslims.” At first, I thought that was a weird response…and then I realized that she thought I was a Muslim. It turned out that she was Christian too. Here we were, two brown-skinned women assuming common stereotypes about each other. We were both reluctant to talk about our faith, at the risk of offending the other. Yet, she couldn’t help but express how God had brought her thus far by grace.

This woman by the pool had taught me some great lessons: Don’t stereotype others based on your limited human perspective. Be open and transparent. Just share your life, give God the glory, and then wait for people to ask you about your faith.  

Millstones

My husband and I were having dinner at a Mexican restaurant the other day. There was a young man sitting with a group of his friends at a nearby table. His blue margarita arrived in an enormous fish bowl that he could wear around his neck. The rest of the patrons at the restaurant cheered him on as he posed for pictures with this enormous alcoholic drink.

The next morning, I randomly happened upon the following verse:

“Hard trials and temptations are bound to come, but too bad for whoever brings them on! Better to wear a millstone necklace and take a swim in the deep blue sea than give even one of these dear little ones a hard time!” (Luke 17:1-2 MSG)

I couldn’t help but remember the blue millstone tied around that young man’s neck from the night before. It was bound to bring on all sorts of trials, temptations, and bad choices.

I wondered what sort of millstones I am voluntarily hanging around my neck. What are the trials and temptations that I bring upon myself? I have a few bad habits in which I indulge. These indulgences slowly grow into dependencies, which in time become addictions that pull me down. I also have several hang-ups that I know are self-limiting. Yet instead of shaking off this restrictive yoke, I willingly carry it around. The worst part of this self-imposed bondage is that I might influence others to follow me into slavery. Most of us have someone who looks up to us, whether it be our kids, younger relatives, friends, coworkers, neighbors, or random strangers. Our indulgences may cause others who are watching to let their guard down and succumb to the same temptations. Our less-than- ideal choices could cause others to place heavy millstones around their necks as well. They might pass these negative traits onto their circle of influence, thus spreading the disease further and further.

What self-limiting behaviors or bad habits do you have that you would not want your children to emulate?

Turbulence

Recently, I was on a bumpy plane ride that made me feel queasy. As long as the plane was at a high altitude, the flight was smooth, but as soon as the plane dipped down into the cloud level or below, things got turbulent. Most pilots know to fly above the weather level of the atmosphere. Yet sometimes, because of airspace congestion, they may not have a choice.

During turbulent times in our lives, we too can aim for higher altitudes to stay above the fray. When people try to engage us in arguments, when we are disappointed that our plans didn’t work out, when we are struggling to make sense of nonsense—there is a higher place to which we can go.

As I release each of my concerns to God, I feel lighter. I trust God to take care of these things according to His design. I accept that the end result will probably be different than my expectations. I’m slowly lifted out of the turbulence and up to a higher level of peace.

An airplane can’t always stay at high altitudes. During take-off and landing, it’s forced to deal with the weather conditions. Similarly, we can’t always avoid turbulence in our lives either. Yet, with focused attention, we can pass through these emotions quickly and elevate our minds to a higher place.

Time-Sensitive Projects

My son thinks he has all the time in the world to accomplish his daily chores. I’m constantly reminding him not to waste daylight hours on indoor projects: “Get off the computer and go walk the dog, take the trash out, mow the grass…before it gets dark.” Like most young people, he doesn’t realize that time is a limited commodity that needs to be managed carefully.

I’m most productive in the mornings. By late afternoon my energy starts waning. I can still manage to do physical tasks, but my brain starts shutting down by 7 pm. So I’ve learned to cram as much as I can into the small window of time between 6 am to 11 am—my peak efficiency time slot.  

We all have tasks that are time-sensitive, light-sensitive—that are best done while we have the mental capacity, health, and vigor to accomplish them.

“We need to be energetically at work for the One who sent me here, working while the sun shines. When night falls, the workday is over. For as long as I am in the world, there is plenty of light. I am the world’s Light.” (John 9:3-5 MSG)

God has different tasks planned for each season of our lives. He shines his spotlight on specific areas—calling our attention to projects that He wants us to focus on. These are time-sensitive gigs. If we put off these assignments until we feel like doing them—until we feel ready to do them—often the peak time has passed and we no longer have the physical or mental prowess to do these tasks well.

There is a common saying among parents of young children: Delayed obedience is still disobedience. 

When we delay in obeying God’s instructions—when we put off doing what He has placed in our hearts, when we procrastinate and make excuses—we are essentially disobeying God.

Is Holiness Attainable?

Every year I make resolutions to strive for physical and mental health. I have yet to make a resolution to become holier. It’s not that I don’t value holiness; it’s just that I don’t think of it as an attainable goal. I mean, you can’t just decide to become holy…can you?

I’ve read many different accounts of what it means to be holy: dedicated or devoted to God, set apart for God’s purposes, spiritually pure...I like to think of holiness as the pinnacle of spiritual health. Just as there is a spectrum between physical or mental health and illness, there is a gradation between holiness and sinfulness. And just as we can allow our physical or mental health to deteriorate, we can also let our spiritual health degenerate.

“Don’t lazily slip back into those old grooves of evil, doing just what you feel like doing. You didn’t know any better then; you do now. As obedient children, let yourselves be pulled into a way of life shaped by God’s life, a life energetic and blazing with holiness. God said, “I am holy; you be holy.” (1 Peter 1:13-16 MSG)

Whether or not we reach the pinnacle of holiness, we can still move up towards it. Every step we take away from our sinful nature is progress. Every virtuous habit, every spiritual discipline raises us up and out of the mud pit. We were created to be holy, to be shaped by God’s life. Our Father wouldn’t set unreachable goals for us; thus holiness must be attainable. 

Deterioration

While many health issues are beyond our control, some are a direct result of our choices. Physical deterioration that results from weight gain, uncontrolled diabetes, alcohol or drug dependencies, eating disorders, inactivity, or exposure to harmful environmental factors are often preventable. In most cases, it is also possible to avoid abusive relationships, social isolation, or substance abuse which may lead to mental degradation. It’s really difficult to stand by and watch while a loved one deteriorates because of a preventable disease. Even though we would do anything in our power to stop the downward spiral, often there is very little we can do.

Those who suffer from preventable disorders usually have two ways of justifying their choices: It’s not a big deal, or, I can’t do anything about it. Both excuses fall under the category of denial.

Since there is a spectrum between wellness and illness, we might not notice the gradual downward slide. Most of us don’t have a person in our life who is objective, unbiased, caring, and also bold enough to get our attention when we are about to step into a sinkhole. And if we happen to have such a person, we might ignore her because she reminds us too much of our overly-controlling mom!

Fortunately, I have a few good friends who also happen to have good judgment. I routinely ask them to tell me when I’m slipping down that slippery slope towards self-destruction—and they have. I’m never really pleased to hear about it. I always feel a bit defensive. Yet, most of the time, they are just echoing what I already know to be true.

While the downhill slide was hardly noticeable, the climb back up takes so much effort and concentration. The progress is slow, and it’s easy to get discouraged. Yet, each arduous step up lifts us a little farther from the bottom of the dark pit. We are no longer deteriorating, but improving…no longer disintegrating, but rising.

Hell

I’ve heard people joke that they think heaven would be boring—filled with people always praying and singing hymns—similar to an eternal church service. In contrast, they imagine that hell would be more entertaining—full of people who know how to let their hair down and have fun.

In his book, The Great Divorce, C.S. Lewis describes heaven as a place for spiritually mature souls who want to be with God. He doesn’t really describe hell, but the reader is left with the assumption that it would be a place for those who would be more comfortable in darkness—away from the pure light of God.

I can see how some people would be very uncomfortable around decency, honor, and virtue. If you’ve always lived in a messy home, you might feel out of place in a clean, pristine environment. An outdoor animal might prefer rolling in dirt and mud rather than resting indoors on a clean bed. If I were invited to dine with the President, I would need some etiquette training. If I showed up in my normal attire and used my current table manners, I would be uncomfortable, even if it didn’t bother anyone else.

A clean life prepares us for heaven. Honesty, integrity, generosity, faithfulness, self-control, temperance, chastity, kindness—these disciplines train us to feel at home in the presence of God. On the other hand, a sinful nature makes us prefer the presence of like-minded people who would rather live in darkness.  

The Disease of Self

The Bible story of the adulterous woman, who was almost stoned, is a familiar one. (John 8) It’s about forgiveness and having a nonjudgmental attitude towards others—because we are all flawed and make bad choices at some time or another. However, when I read this passage recently, something else struck me.

Jesus does not condemn this woman, but He instructs her to “sin no more.” (John 8:11 NLT)

I have never committed adultery in the literal sense. Yet I have adulterated my life—debased it, made it impure by adding inferior elements to it. I have compromised myself in various ways. I have polluted and contaminated my surroundings with the choices I have made, things I have said, and things I have left undone.

God knows we are imperfect, but His goal is to mold us into His perfect likeness. His instruction to 'sin no more' means we are to—‘compromise no more, pollute no more, contaminate no more, adulterate no more.’

Of course, it is beyond our power to live a pure life. As the lyrics of one of my favorite songs says:

This disease of self runs through my blood
It's a cancer fatal to my soul
Every attempt on my behalf has failed
to bring this sickness under control. (In the Light, DC Talk)

This disease of self leads us into all sorts of compromising situations. Our conscience tells us that this shameful behavior needs to be kept in the dark. We are hesitant to come into the light for fear of being exposed. Yet Jesus asks us to do just that:

“I am the world’s Light. No one who follows me stumbles around in the darkness. I provide plenty of light to live in.” (John 8:12 MSG)

Life Maintenance

Our house was newly-constructed when we bought it 12 years ago. The yard was mostly seeded for grass, and it took a few years before we had anything resembling a lawn. My husband and I carved out a few spaces in the yard for flower beds. We tilled up the soil, planted shrubs and a few flowering plants, edged the spaces with paving stones, mulched, and then stood back and enjoyed our handiwork. These flower beds are aesthetically pleasing and have added some variety and definition to our yard. However, they require much more maintenance than the lawn. Keeping them weeded and tidy requires much more effort than mowing grass.

When we start a new job, or a new business, most of us carefully consider the initial investment of time and energy. We might put everything else on hold, and pour ourselves into this new project. But if this project continues to demand all our time, disrupting everything else in our life, then we have to reevaluate this venture. Is it worth the long-term maintenance?

A few years ago, my husband and I considered building our ‘dream house.’ We drew up the plans, got a rough estimate, and figured out how to pay for it. The initial cost of money and effort would be substantial, but that wasn’t what made us pause; it was the long-term maintenance of this ‘dream’, as well as all the other previous commitments that we would have to renege on.

When starting any new commitments—whether it be a new relationship, career move, educational pursuit, big purchase, or digging a new flower bed—consider the long-term maintenance of every endeavor along with the initial cost, time, and effort that need to be invested in it.

Secondhand Enlightenment

(Part of John study)

“You’re not in charge here. The Father who sent me is in charge. He draws people to me—that’s the only way you’ll ever come. Only then do I do my work, putting people together, setting them on their feet, ready for the End. This is what the prophets meant when they wrote, ‘And then they will all be personally taught by God.’ Anyone who has spent any time at all listening to the Father, really listening and therefore learning, comes to me to be taught personally—to see it with his own eyes, hear it with his own ears, from me, since I have it firsthand from the Father.” (John 6:43-46 MSG)

So many images swirl through my head when I read the above verses:

-Jesus putting us together like furniture that needs to be assembled—even when parts are missing or defective, it’s no big deal, because HE is a Master Carpenter.

-Jesus teaching me personally—as I listen and learn firsthand.

-Harriet Tubman, who escaped from slavery, and then kept going back and showing others the way to freedom.

-Kierkegaard, who tried to share his wisdom—tried to explain the mystery that is beyond human rational thought.

I know that these seem like random disconnected thoughts, but I listen and learn. I am still being put together, assembled, and completed by Jesus. Although I try to show others what I have learned thus far, Jesus reminds me that others far greater than I have attempted to draw their family and friends closer to God. Secondhand faith does not lead to intimacy with God. At the most, it may create followers of a particular religion.

Only God can draw people to Himself. Once we spend time with the Father, really listening and therefore learning, we experience firsthand, this unexplainable mystery. This is the only pathway to enlightenment. Only then can we be put together—made complete.

Eternity Seems Far Away

Many of us think of eternal life like we think of retirement. For the young, it seems so far away and thus not worth bothering about. For the middle-aged, it’s something to plan for, to save up for, and to look forward to. And for the retired, it’s a time they hope to enjoy in peace. We equate eternal life with a never-ending after-life—something to be enjoyed after all the hard work of this present earthly life. But, what if it’s not like that at all?

Most people go to a work place during the day and come home in the evening. Both home and office exist at the same time. Some people choose to come home during the day—to eat lunch, to pick up something they need, or to recuperate when they are sick. Most of us come home at the end of the day to replenish, recharge, and restore ourselves before the next day’s work. Some of us are lucky enough to be able to work from home.

Jesus said: “This is what my Father wants: that anyone who sees the Son and trusts who he is and what he does and then aligns with him will enter real life, eternal life. My part is to put them on their feet alive and whole at the completion of time.” (John 6:39-40 MSG)

 

Jesus uses the present tense to describe eternal life. It is concurrent, parallel, and more real than we imagine. Why would we equate eternal—which is defined as ‘always existing’—with the future? Eternal life or perpetual life might not be as tangible or visible as our temporal life, but it is here and now. It is the spiritual realm that coexists with our corporeal life. It is the home base to which we return—the place that replenishes and restores us. The place that we long for--the place where we truly belong.

Perpetual Contentment

(Previously published as part of John Study)

Here is my interpretation of the encounter between Jesus and the Samaritan woman. (John 4:7-30 MSG)

An imperfect woman comes to the communal well to take care of her needs.

Jesus shows up at the well and asks her: “Can you attend to me?”

Woman asks: “Why me?”

Jesus: “Well, if you asked me for help, I’d take care of your needs and then some.”

Woman: “Yeah right! You don’t even have what it takes to take care of yourself right now; and my neediness runs deep.”

Jesus: “Trying to meet your needs your way will always lead to dissatisfaction; whereas, my way brings perpetual contentment.”

Woman: “Ok, fine…let’s try it your way then…”

Jesus: “First, bring me the person who takes care of you now.”

Woman: “I don’t have anyone taking care of me right now.”

Jesus: “Aha! You’re right. Over the years, you’ve committed to many people and poured yourself into different pursuits that you thought would bring you happiness, but none of those methods worked.”

Woman: “If you’re such a know-it-all, then how come your followers are so confused? Why don’t you tell me which church is best?”

Jesus: “What?!—gosh you are dense! It doesn’t matter where you go to church. It’s who you are and the way you live that counts. Engage your spirit in the pursuit of truth. Be authentic.” (Romans 4:23 MSG)

Woman: “I guess we won’t know the whole truth till God reveals Himself.”

Jesus: “I am He, You don’t have to wait any longer or look any further.” (Romans 4:26 MSG)

I am similar to this woman. I try to satisfy my neediness by my own efforts. Jesus asks me to attend to Him. I debate, negotiate, and ask pointless, distracting questions. Jesus reveals Himself as the only solution to my deepest needs. He is the source of perpetual contentment.

Substitutions

I’m a bit of a health nut…until the first bite of junk food. My favorite place to indulge myself is McDonald’s or similar fast-food chains. It’s all or nothing for me; semi-healthy, subtly-flavored, fancily-presented, slow-food has no appeal to me. I can go all day eating healthily, but at the end of each day, I crave something salty and crunchy or sweet and crunchy. I’ve tried to kick this bad habit several times, but so far, I haven’t succeeded.

I’ve tried substitutions. For example, I might be craving some potato chips, but instead I eat air-popped popcorn. Substitutions rarely hit the spot. Instead, it just leaves me feeling dissatisfied and restless. Last night, as I was going through my junk-food withdrawal symptoms, I was reminded of the following quotes:

“Thou hast made us for Thyself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in Thee.” (St. Augustine)

“There is a God-shaped vacuum in the heart of every man which cannot be filled by any created thing, but only by God, the Creator, made known through Jesus.” (Blaise Pascal)

(Yes…craving potato chipsàAugustineàPascalàGod—this is how my mind works.)

I wonder what all I’m trying to substitute to satisfy my yearning for God…

Get Up and Move

There are some parables and stories in the Bible that make an impact on me every time I read them. One such story is the one about the paralyzed man who camped out near the healing pool of Bethesda. (John 5:1-18)

“One man had been an invalid there for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him stretched out by the pool and knew how long he had been there, he said, “Do you want to get well?”

 The sick man said, “Sir, when the water is stirred, I don’t have anybody to put me in the pool. By the time I get there, somebody else is already in.”

Jesus said, “Get up, take your bedroll, start walking.” The man was healed on the spot. He picked up his bedroll and walked off.” (John 5:1-9 MSG)

Do we want to get well? Or are we going to continue to make excuses?

If you feel paralyzed, invalid, ineffective…listen to what Jesus says:

-Get Up—Pick yourself up; no more of this lying around feeling sorry for yourself.

-Take your Bedroll— your bedroll is whatever has enabled you to stay comfortable in your rut. Don’t leave this behind or else you’ll be tempted to go back to it.

-Start Walking—take that first scary step.

And if you happen to be so lucky as to have some holy intruders to nudge you along, then pay attention to their suggestions.

Holy Intruders

A friend of mine used the phrase “holy intruder” to describe someone who nudges others along God’s path. She said that the Holy Spirit of God is the only true Holy Intruder. However, I think the Holy Spirit works through human beings who are willing to be used. 

I’ve been thinking about what it means to be a holy intruder. Holy means—dedicated or devoted to God. An intruder is--someone who thrusts himself into a place or situation without permission or welcome. So a holy intruder is someone who is willing to be intrusive because of his/her dedication to God.

Now, I can be intrusive, and I dabble in holiness. This doesn’t make me a holy intruder. I like to tell people what to do—I’m just plain bossy! But I have encountered several holy intruders over the years. They are willing to be the hand puppets of the Holy Spirit. Their submission enables God’s Spirit to fill and move them according to His whim. Even though they might look goofy and people laugh at them, they remain pliable—allowing God to put them in uncomfortable positions. They prod and nudge others on God’s behalf.

The Bible describes several instances where God sends an intrusive angel to nudge someone to move forward along God’s chosen path. The angel Gabriel comes to Mary and prepares her for motherhood. (Luke 1) Angels direct Joseph to accept Mary as his wife and to move his family away from danger. (Matt. 1 & 2) An angel appears to Peter, while he is in prison, and tells him it’s time to get up and move on from this place of bondage. (Acts. 12:7)

Humans who are devoted to God can become temporary angels—as long as they are willing to intrude into the lives of others under the direction of the Holy Spirit.

Cosmetic Issues

A few years ago, my family and I went on a medical service trip to Kolkata, India. The group set up free mobile clinics in poor villages and hundreds of patients showed up daily for the free medicines we were distributing. Surprisingly, an inordinate number of them were seeking help for cosmetic issues. Many of them wanted to know if we had any products to make their hair grow thicker, or shinier! We would kindly remind them that the medicines we were dispensing were mainly for their internal health.

Could this world and everything in it be like what is outside our skin? As humans, we are more concerned about visible, noticeable, tangible problems; but a few inches below the visible layer is a vast Spiritual realm. Many of our earthly concerns—today’s struggles and tomorrow’s worries—must seem like cosmetic issues to God. His purpose is to heal and transform us at a soul level; whereas we seek solutions for external, physical problems. I pray daily for my family, my friends, our futures, our health, our safety, and our peace. God cares for me enough to dispense some blessings, but His primary goal is to transform me into His image.

“He (God) decided from the outset to shape the lives of those who love him along the same lines as the life of his Son. The Son stands first in the line of humanity he restored. We see the original and intended shape of our lives there in him.” (Romans. 8:29-30 MSG)

God wants to restore us to His original design. His plans go beyond the cosmetic concerns of this earthly life. Christ-formation—shaping each of our lives into the mold of His child—this is His intended purpose.

Independence Day

Today we celebrate our country’s independence with parades, flags, fireworks and grilled meat. So naturally, I woke up thinking of all the patriotic sacrifices others have made and the freedoms I enjoy.  But then I came across the following verse:

“Jesus was nailed to the cross so that we may have independence and freedom from sin.” (Romans 6:6 MSG)

Am I independent of sin (anything that separates me from God)? Or in my pursuit of complete freedom, am I seeking independence from God as well?

Subjugation in any form is irksome. My actions and thoughts are, more often than not, manipulated by my desire to be useful, valued, and admired…on my own merit.

I am financially dependent on my husband. I am aware that society measures my worth based on my association with him. By choosing to be dependent on him, I have given him power over me. (My husband is a nice guy, so I don’t feel resentful about this.)

Similarly, when I submit to God, I give Him power over me. My value is measured in association with Him. This means that I can’t be useful on my own. This is hard to accept.

The more I attempt to be independent, to stand on my own, to be defined by my own accomplishments—apart from anyone, including God—the more I become enslaved to sin.

State Farm-God

The State Farm insurance company has an advertisement where the customer just has to sing the magic jingle, and the insurance agent immediately whisks them away from trouble. (To watch this commercial click on the following link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gRS4shfH1Pw )

A friend recently reminded me of this commercial and then told me: “I want a state-farm God—a God who will pull me out of troublesome situations rather than just stand by my side while enraged buffaloes attack me.”

What an authentic statement! Isn’t this what we all want—a God who will not merely stand by while we suffer, but will whisk us away as soon as we say a magic prayer?

Those of us who have dealt with insurance agents know that this commercial is meant to be a humorous exaggeration. In real life, the car would be wrecked and we would suffer. After the accident, we would have to call the insurance company, an agent may show up eventually, survey the damage, write up a claim report—and weeks or months later, we might get reimbursed for the medical costs and car repairs.

I don’t think most viewers would take this commercial literally. I doubt that anyone signs up for insurance, pays monthly premiums, and expects the insurance agent to prevent catastrophes. Yet we are tempted to take Scripture verses—especially ones that promise blessings in return for prayer, donations, sacrifices, or service—literally. 

I’m not sure what to expect from God. I suspect that everything I believe is merely a metaphor for the Truth…

Harnessing Power

Ancient people observed patterns in weather and worked out when to plant and harvest. They discovered how to domesticate animals. Once they felt like they had some control over the physical world, they tried to manage the Spiritual world. Native Americans built dream-catchers in an attempt to capture good dreams. Ancient cultures offered up sacrifices, hoping to gain favor and influence the gods.

Modern humans have figured out ways to harness the generative capacity of nature. We build dams, hydroelectric plants, windmills, and solar panels that convert the potential energy found in water, wind and sunlight into electricity. We turn fossils into fuel, which then automates our machines. We have learned how to capture, manipulate, store, and then use power according to our convenience. And, like our ancestors, we are still trying to harness God’s power, and use it for our own projects and purposes.

“The wind blows wherever it wants. Just as you can hear the wind but can't tell where it comes from or where it is going, so you can't explain how people are born of the Spirit." (John 3:8 NLT)

Much of what we call religion is our attempt to harness and domesticate spiritual power. We can’t devise methods to control, influence or gain favor with God. The spiritual world is not ours to manage or manipulate. Like a wind chime that tinkles in the breeze, we can merely respond to the Spirit moving through us.

Burning Bush

Euonymus alatus is a popular ornamental shrub that is found all over the Midwest United States. It’s commonly known as “burning bush,” because its leaves turn a flaming red color in the fall. Most of the year, this bush is just an average green plant, but for a few weeks in the fall, it definitely gets your attention!

In the book of Exodus, chapter 3, Moses is amazed by the sight of a bush that is on fire but doesn’t burn out. He stops what he is doing and focuses on this wondrous spectacle. God uses a burning bush to get Moses to pay attention to His instructions.

God can use figurative ‘burning bushes’ to get us to stop whatever we are doing and to pay attention. Nondescript events or people can suddenly light up as if on fire.

I shall mention one such burning-bush moment that I experienced. I have known a certain woman for several years. When I first met her, I didn’t think she was anything special. She was nice, kind, and gracious, but not the kind of gal that would make anyone stop and take notice. Then she went through a great trial. However, her suffering didn’t consume her; instead, it transformed her into this magnificent role model. I couldn’t take my eyes off of her. I’d watch in amazement as she kept burning without burning out. She glorified God through her suffering. God used her to get my attention and teach me several lessons about faith, trust, and endurance.

 

The Latin name for the burning bush, Euonymus alatus, is translated as ‘winged spindle.’ This plant was not named for its spectacular fall foliage, but for the winged branches that have always lain hidden under the leaves. Similarly, what defines my friend is not that she overcame great suffering, but that she had wings all along…