Neglected Garden

“So the Twelve gathered all the disciples together and said, "It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables.” (Acts 6:2 NIV)

For the first time in several years, I did not do any gardening this summer. I had other priorities. Thus, I didn’t plant, weed, or water anything. Unfortunately, my neglected garden didn’t stay dormant during the summer. It filled up with unsightly weeds.

Relationships require consistent nurturing. They have to be watered, weeded, and fertilized at appropriate times. Communion with God also needs constant care. It isn’t something that we can pick up at our convenience.

There are seasons of life when I neglect what God calls me to be in order to pursue other agendas. Invasive busyness takes over. My life gets filled with ugly weeds--pointless habits that suck up time and energy. When I look back, I realize that, although I worked really hard, I produced very little of substance.

Lord, help me to consistently nurture my relationship with You. Protect me from distractions. Pull out the weeds that are taking up space. Enable me to be attentive to whatever you have called me to be today.

Brim Over

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” (Romans 15:13 NIV)

The Crow and  the Pitcher, one of Aesop’s Fables, describes a thirsty bird who finds a pitcher with water at the bottom. The crow cannot reach the water with its beak, so it picks up nearby pebbles and drops them in one by one until the water rises to the top. What was once beyond reach is made accessible.

The power of the Holy Spirit resides in each of us, but it is sometimes unreachable. The pebbles of trust, joy, peace, gratitude, devotion, and submission--immersed one by one--brings the Spirit to the surface. What was once beyond reach is made accessible. The life-giving energy of the Holy Spirit brims over, infusing us with hope.

Spiritual Needs

“We should help others do what is right and build them up in the Lord.” (Romans 15:2 NLT)

What do we seek from the Lord?

Many of us begin with prayer for our immediate physical comfort. Then, we move on to emotional and spiritual needs: healing, forgiveness, love, acceptance, clarity, strength, wisdom, guidance, meaning, and purpose. Those of us who have reserves of faith are called to share with those who are running dry.

One of my neighbors delivers and stocks frozen pizza at local stores. He parks his delivery truck in his driveway overnight. I can hear his large truck rumbling down the road in the early morning hours as he goes to the warehouse to pick up his daily load. He spends the rest of the day stocking the freezers of all the local stores with pizza so that customers have access to them.

Similarly, many of us are called to be the middle person who builds up others in Christ. We wake up in the early morning hours and wait upon the Lord. We submit our requests, concerns, fears, weaknesses, confusion, and questions. The Spirit of God pours into us gently and slowly. Once we are filled, we go out into the day. We distribute what we have been granted. We make God’s gifts accessible. We stock up and serve the spiritual needs of those around us.

“In the morning, LORD, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly.” (Psalm 5:3 NIV)

Using Your Cross

“If any of you want to be my followers, you must forget about yourself. You must take up your cross and follow me.” (Mark 8:34 CEV)

The cross represents suffering, sacrifice, and submission. Christ died on the cross in acceptance of the Divine will. His resurrection led to our salvation. As Christians, we are taught to take up our cross and follow Him. Most of us view our weaknesses and burdens as personal crosses. We drag them behind us awkwardly. We don’t know how these heavy encumbrances could be useful in our walk of faith.

After a leg injury, crutches can be helpful during your recovery. However, crutches can also be a drag, if you don’t know how to use them properly. It helps to have someone with experience show you the proper technique of using crutches. You want to put your weak leg behind you and learn to put weight on the crutches. This allows you to move forward more efficiently.

Once you learn to merge  your personal weaknesses with the cross, you can learn to use it like a crutch to move forward.  Let’s say you have a particular cross to bear right now. Are you dragging it behind you by still depending on your injured appendage to get you where you want to go?  Or can you offer up your suffering to Christ and use the cross as a pivot to move forward?

Speaking Truth

“Speak truth to one another, render true and sound decisions in your gates.” (Zechariah 3:18 BSB)

Speaking truth seems like a simple concept, but it isn’t. There are so many factors to consider:

Is this my opinion or is it truth?

How will it be received?

What is my motivation for speaking up?

Will it create productive change or merely conflict?

Will silence cause more damage?

The Greek word parrhesia means to speak truth without ambiguity or circumlocution. French philosopher Michel Foucault described the concept of parrhesia in the following terms: “the speaker uses his freedom and chooses frankness instead of persuasion, truth instead of falsehood or silence, the risk of death instead of life and security, criticism instead of flattery, and moral duty instead of self-interest and moral apathy."

Transparency is more about accountability than self-expression.  Truth telling is a multi-step commitment. There is a cost: loss of privacy, security, relationships, and reputation.  Moral apathy and self-interest will have to take a back seat to your conscience. Once you speak truth, be prepared to stand up against the pushback. People will question your motives and you will most likely face criticism.  Boundaries, once drawn, have to be enforced. Sound decisions will have to be made within these lines. Truth, when motivated by love, is sacrificial, kind, and honorable. It doesn’t seek power, but healing and growth.

Isolation

“Elijah obeyed God's orders. He went and camped in the Kerith canyon on the other side of the Jordan.” (1 Kings 17:5 MSG)

When the world and its problems become overwhelming, I feel the urge to get away. I try to find quick and easy ways to decompress--browsing social media, watching mindless television shows, or pursuing other distractions. This is as counterproductive as drinking coffee when stressed. Instead of getting away from worldliness, I become even more immersed.

These days, I have learned to seek out a few hours of seclusion in nature. I leave all my digital devices behind and go out for a run by myself.  I use this time to talk to God. I tell Him my concerns. I ask for input. I argue. I complain. I pray. Isolation with Jesus clears my mind and calms me. My spirit is reoriented. I come away from my retreat strengthened and rejuvenated.

“Jesus said to them, ‘Come away with me. Let us go alone to a quiet place and rest for a while.’” (Matthew 6:31 WE)

Praying Isaiah 61

Lord, may your Spirit be upon me

To bring good news to the downcast

To announce freedom to all those in bondage

To tell others of Your grace

To comfort all those who mourn

To share joy instead of gloom

To encourage drooping spirits

To rebuild those who are broken

To be inclusive of outsiders

And bring justice to the marginalized

For You, Lord, are fair and righteous

You hate injustice and wrongdoing

And compensate all who suffer

You have dressed us with righteousness

And equipped us with the freedom to choose

Your Truth is on display

For all who pay attention

May we represent You

With wisdom, reverence,

Praise and joy