What degree of time and effort should a follower of Christ devote to knowing the Lord more fully?

So, the other night, Harold showed me this inspirational culinary video. It featured a woman using a waffle iron to create a range of appetizing goodies in the most innovative and seemingly effortless ways! She demonstrated how to create everything from omelettes and biscuits to the most perfectly golden-brown quesadillas!

Having recently acquired a waffle maker of our own, we were eager to attempt this "effortless" short-cut method to make one of my personal favorites: brownies (After all, who wants to cook them the time-consuming traditional way?). 

Upon receiving the green light from our waffle maker that our brownie waffle (hereby referred to as "braffle") was complete, we eagerly lifted the lid.  However, instead of the decadent, waffle-like brownie we had expected and longed for, we were met with only a pile of chewy (and somewhat burnt) brownie crumbles.

As my husband made the most of the situation (he slapped some Rum Raisin ice cream on the first batch of crumbles and went to town!), I decided to give it one more try with the remaining batter--to no avail. As I was excavating disastrous "braffle" number two from the waffle maker, a simple, yet profound, truth entered my mind: if you want something to be genuinely good and rewarding, there is rarely a short cut--it will take time and effort.

In that moment, I recognized that the Lord himself had planted the thought in my mind in order to admonish my heart.  Recently I have felt so underwhelmed by my relationship with the Lord. Though I claim to hunger for His nearness and for the sweet sense of joy, peace and purpose that accompanies time spent in His presence, I admit that I have put forth little time and effort to truly seek Him and know Him. It's as though I've been expecting a rich, rewarding and satisfyingly good relationship with Him, but have been attempting to attain it via the "effortless" short-cut method. 

If the "braffle" experience has taught me anything, it's that my fellowship with the Lord will not be savory and satisfying without effort-- that is, without my effort to intentionally and proactively seek Him, to know Him, to communicate with Him and devote my heart, mind, and soul to Him. And much like it takes a sacrifice of time (30 painstaking minutes to be exact!) to enjoy a batch of genuine, gooey, decadent, warm brownies, it takes an even greater, yet exceedingly rewarding, sacrifice of time to experience genuine, all-satisfying fellowship with our Heavenly Father.

And so the essential question I hope to ponder in my heart is this: What degree of time and effort should I be devoting to knowing the Lord more fully? What amount of time and effort will it take from me in order to experience the genuine, all-satisfying relationship that I desire with Him?

As I consider this question, my mind gravitates to Psalm 119. In this passage, the author describes the depths of his love for and devotion to knowing God by knowing his laws and His word. The effort he exerts towards knowing the Lord more fully is far from passive and effortless. His intentional pursuit of the Lord can be perceived plainly within the following few verses:

"I have stored up your word in my heart..." (Psalm 119:11)

"In the way of your testimonies I delight as much as in all riches. (Psalm 119:14)

"Oh how I love your law! It is my meditation all the day." (Psalm 119:97)

"I open my mouth and pant, because I long for your commandments." (Psalm 119:97)

These words boast of a fervent love for God's laws as well as a passionate devotion to knowing and applying these laws. And as a result of this follower of Christ drawing near to God by means of studying and knowing His words, God seems to have graciously filled his heart with a consuming satisfaction in Him--a satisfaction so overwhelming, it led to the very conception and birth of this entire Psalm.

I don't know about you--but that is the type of relationship I long for with our Savior and King. I desire to long so desperately for Him that it's as though my very heart is panting for Him. And I desire to delight so exceedingly in Him that it's as though I were delighting in the most valuable riches attainable here on earth.

It seems to me that the author did not simply attain this level of nearness to the Lord in one day. The act of storing up God's word into his heart implies that he spent diligent time reading God's word in an effort to store it there. In fact, God's word appears to be so deeply embedded into his heart during this particular season of his life that he can meditate upon it all day! So it is plain that he had put forth the time and effort to know God's word, so as to love it and meditate upon it, so as to experience such an elevated level of nearness to God.

To be clear, I do not believe that seeking the Lord through the reading of His word and through prayer and through service will automatically result in nearness to Him. There is a danger that we could approach these things out of a mechanical sense of routine rather than humble authenticity. I think the Christ-follower who wrote Psalm 119 was aware of this danger when he made this plea towards the end of the passage:

"Let your hand be ready to help me, for I have chosen your precepts." (Psalm 119:173)

He is acknowledging that, ultimately, his desire for God, his love for God, his pursuit of God, and his ability to uphold the commandments of God all depend upon the help of God. As we do our part, and determine in our hearts to seek to know the Lord more fully, the Lord will reward our efforts and help us to draw nearer and nearer to Him. We will experience the rich, genuine, all-satisfying relationship we desire with the Lord when we, like the Psalmist, make a conscience choice to seek Him and know Him more fully, in all humility. And so, let us be willing to exert the necessary time and effort, whatever that may look like for each one of us individually. Let us all, as Christ-followers, strive to know him more fully--with His help and with our minds set above. 

What has the first year of marriage looked like for two followers of Christ?

So, one year ago today, I said "I do" to the most generous, selfless, joyful, humorous and handsome man I've ever known! I met Harold while I was teaching in South Korea. Within a month of knowing each other, we started dating. Within our first month of dating, I was already telling close friends that I could see myself marrying him. By the end of our stay in South Korea, sure enough, we were engaged. And just a few days past our one year dating anniversary, we were married! I cannot believe it has been a full year since then!

I have been so richly blessed and so humbly challenged by my first year of marriage with Harold. I pray that this special edition anniversary post will serve as a testimony of God's grace, wisdom, forgiveness, and steadfast love--for every peak and valley of our journey thus far can be ascribed to the ministering hands of God.

There are many experiences from our initial year together that I could enumerate for you on my own. However, in doing so, I would fail to capture the manifold dimensions that characterize a joint adventure. And so, Harold has graciously agreed to lend his own valuable perspective to us as we expound upon the essential question of this post.

We decided that a Q&A format would be best and most engaging for the purposes of this post. We hope that you will enjoy reading our personal reflections. For our married audience, we pray that you will be encouraged to reflect upon and celebrate God's goodness in your own journey with your spouse. For our soon-to-be married and presently unmarried readers, we pray that you will be encouraged at the prospect of your own future journey--which is sure to be a sweet gift from the Lord in His due time!

Q&A with H&H

What is one word you would use to describe the first year of your marriage? Why?

"Revealing. God has used this first year of marriage to reveal to me how I should consider the needs and wants of another above my own. He has revealed this to me in matters both small and great. Whether it has been a matter of choosing a place to go to dinner, choosing a place for vacation, or deciding who is going to get up from the cozy bed at night and turn off the light, God has had to reveal my selfishness and cultivate His selflessness."-Hannah

"Cool- I use this word to describe our first year of marriage because I think it gives you an idea of how different Hannah and I are. She is a thoughtful, quiet, intelligent woman (and very good with words). She probably used some word that I didn't even know existed, and well, I’m very different (not that good with my words). We’re total opposites in many areas of our relationship! I think this year has taught us how to enjoy our differences, and value the God-given qualities in the other person." -Harold

What is one characteristic of Christ that your spouse has consistently displayed throughout your marriage thus far? How has witnessing this characteristic influenced you specifically?

"Harold is so generous. Harold has a genuine desire to bless others by giving selflessly, freely, and abundantly. He has displayed this Christ-like characteristic since the beginning of our relationship. I remember going to lunch with him on the first day I met him. He had just recently arrived to South Korea and barely had a handle on Korean currency, but he offered to pay for my lunch. When I told him he didn't have to do that, he simply replied, with all genuineness, “I wanted to!” And that has been the case throughout our entire marriage! He always wants to give and be generous to others. This has really inspired me to examine my own generosity. Witnessing his heart and his mentality in this area has truly inspired me to challenge my existing standard of generosity." -Hannah

"Hannah has been extremely forgiving; she is quick to forgive me and move on. I tend to hold on to things and stay bitter for a while. She has definitely been an example in that way, and has encouraged me to act the same towards her." -Harold

Describe a specific time in which your marriage has brought you joy. 

"Celebrating Christmas as a married couple brought me tremendous joy. We were able to spend time with both of our families for our first Christmas. At one point in the evening, while we (my family and Harold’s family) were all gathered at Harold’s family’s home celebrating, I thought back to a conversation I had with a close friend prior to meeting Harold. We were discussing our future marriages and how wonderful it would be to celebrate the holidays with our spouses and both sets of families! I was so excited at the prospect of the large family gatherings that would accompany the union of a man and wife! As I recalled this conversation, and then considered the reality that I was now married and in the midst of a large family gathering, I was filled with joy! It was such a wonderful experience to be in the same place with the man I love and all the people that we both love." -Hannah

"It's not just one specific time--it's more like something specific that happens every day--but praying together with Hannah brings me joy. We are able to share things that are on our heart, and bring them before a God who cares about every detail of our lives." -Harold

What is one specific example of how your spouse has been a source of encouragement for you over the past year? 

"Harold has been a source of encouragement to me in so many ways over this past year. Most recently, he has really encouraged me in my blogging! He is the first to read every post and he always gives me such positive feedback and he takes time to share with me specifically what he enjoyed from each post. His praise of and support for anything I do is such an encouragement to me!" -Hannah

"Hannah has been an encouragement in the many ways that she serves me. It’s been things like making me breakfast, packing my lunch, or doing my laundry. I’m thankful for the many sacrifices that she makes for our marriage, and it has encouraged me to do the same for her! -Harold

What is your favorite memory overall from this initial year of marriage? 

"My favorite memory from our initial year of marriage was when we went to Atlanta, GA for a weekend getaway. The week following our trip, I knew I would be having parent/teacher conferences, and so originally, I had planned on bringing some conference work with me to complete on the drive. Harold wasn't thrilled by the prospect of me bringing work on vacation; but, he understood the fact that I had to get it done. I decided, however, at the last minute, to leave everything at home. Because of that, we ended up having the best time together! We were totally free to enjoy each other’s company fully and without distraction. The weather was beautiful, it was our first trip together as a married couple (apart from our honeymoon), and for me, it was the best memory we have made so far!" -Hannah

"Other than the honeymoon?.......ANYWAYS, my favorite memory was when we took a mini-vacay up to Savannah, Ga. It was good being able to spend a few days together with no schedule or list of things we had to get done. Just a nice hotel, ferry rides to and fro along the river, and huge plantations. Plus they have crazy good southern food…like Paula Dean’s all you can eat buffet….or Wiley’s Championship BBQ….." -Harold

A special thanks goes out to my sweet husband for his willingness to compile and share his thoughts for the sake of this blog post! Harold, It means the world to me that you would sacrifice your time to do something so sweet for me, and yet, so challenging for you (Remember, he does NOT like writing!). You are the BEST husband, the BEST friend, and the BEST gift God has given me! Love you always and forever! 

How can a follower of Christ choose to be joyful when returning to work?

So, June 6, 2014 was a joyous day in history for me this year. Why? Because it marked the beginning of my two-month summer break from teaching! It marked the beginning of sleeping in, laying out by the pool, organizing and cleaning the apartment (Yes--I find that to be a fun task!), trying new recipes--essentially, it marked the birth of a new, more joyful me!

The past year was a stressful year of teaching for me. I was overwhelmed to tears on more occasions than I can count and I was ready to retire from teaching altogether. Harold had to constantly remind me that our joy, as followers of Christ, needs to be rooted in Christ Himself--not in our circumstances. The reason being is that Christ offers us a steadfast source of joy, whereas our circumstances offer us only a shifting source of joy.

It is now almost the middle of July. My summer days are dwindling down and my return to work is looming inevitably in the distance--as unstoppable and unpleasant as a Florida thunderstorm in the summertime. That being said, it's not hard to recognize that I am still (very much) struggling to rightly place my joy in Christ alone as I begin to consider another long school year. I have compiled a short--yet compelling--list of evidence that further proves the reality of my struggle:

1. I can't bring myself to check my work email. Even staring at the icon leaves my stomach in knots...
2. If you were to ask me when I have to go back to work, I wouldn't be able to tell you. I refuse to check the county website to see when I'm actually required to return...
3. My anxiety soars to new heights at the mere sight of back-to-school newspaper inserts...

Clearly, this teacher needs to be taught a lesson in choosing joy. Which leads us to the essential question of this post: How can a follower of Christ choose to be joyful when returning to work? Maybe you're a teacher like me, returning to work after nearly two uninterrupted months off! Perhaps you're returning to work after only a small taste of freedom--a vacation of some sort. Or maybe you're just returning to work from a standard weekend break. Whatever the case, as a follower of Christ, it is possible to return to our jobs with a joyful attitude. However, if you're anything like me, returning joyfully will require some biblical rewiring of your heart and mind.

Whenever my circumstances threaten to steal my joy in Christ, I am always encouraged by this verse in Philippians 4:

"Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your resonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:4-7)

In whom are we called to rejoice? In the Lord himself--not in circumstances. Our circumstances are not always good, but the Lord is always good. I also appreciate how this verse draws a connection between the human emotions of anxiety and joy. Our joy is affected by our anxiety. Thankfully, in this same verse, we are instructed by God how to eliminate the presence of anxiety: by transforming our anxious worries into prayer requests, thereby receiving the peace of God. I have a propensity towards anxiousness and I know this anxiety often spoils my joy in the Lord. The thought of returning to work--returning to new set of students, a new grade level, and a new curriculum--makes me anxious. But God is inviting me to abide in His joy and His peace as I submit these anxious thoughts to Him in prayer. 

The following verse in 1 Thessalonians 5 echoes the content of Philippians 4:

"Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God is Christ Jesus for you." (1 Thessalonians 5:16)

There it is again! A call to rejoice--to be joyful! Not just some of the time, but all of the time! And I believe this unwavering stance of joy is closely linked to the discipline of prayer and the act of giving thanks to God. My joy in the Lord will be more consistent and steadfast at my job when I am in constant communication with God through prayer. In addition, the joy I experience in my workplace will also be more consistent as I preoccupy my heart and my mind with thanksgiving--actively choosing to thank God for my job in times when I am tempted to despair over the circumstances of my job. 

Finally, Jesus' words recorded in the gospel of Matthew pertaining to the city on a hill remind us that there is a joyous purpose to our vocations. That purpose is to be the visible light of Christ in a dark, sin-plagued world. This is what our Lord says:

"You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven." (Matthew 5:14-16)

Jesus has entrusted us with a glorious task--the task of boldly and actively living out our faith by committing ourselves to the good works that God has already prepared for us to accomplish at our individual work places. As a follower of Christ, any opportunity to bring God the glory He deserves is a joyful opportunity. May this verse stir our hearts to respond joyfully, not grudgingly, to the task we have been called to by our precious Lord Himself. 

I cannot say, with complete confidence, that I won't cry (at least once) before having to return to work. But I can say that I desire for this year of teaching to be markedly different from the last. I pray that I will choose the joy of Christ in the midst of trying circumstances. May we all seek to choose and display this joy for the Glory of God--with minds set above. 

How can a follower of Christ battle the temptation to react in anger?

So, Harold has, on many occasions, had to remind me of this critical truth: I can control how I react to my circumstances--even when my circumstances are doing their very best to provoke me to react sinfully in anger.

In my sober (and by sober I mean not intoxicated with anger) state of mind, this truth is easy for me to embrace.  However, with one year of marriage under my belt, I recognize (all too well) how prone I am to surrender all control of my emotions at the slightest provocation.

As Harold and I navigate the ropes of Christ-like respect and love in our marriage, I confess that I am in need of grace and instruction from the Lord. Therefore, I have prayerfully assembled a selection of verses from God's word to help compose this post. I pray that these truths will cleanse the renegade chambers of my heart, soul, and mind, and will, in turn, provide me with the ammunition necessary to battle the deceitful enemy of anger. I hope that my transparency into this matter will encourage you to exercise control over your own anger as well--for the glory of God, alone!

Following one of my losing duels with anger, I tend to flip penitently to this instructive verse from the book of James:

"Know this, my beloved brothers: Let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger, for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness that God requires." (James 1:19)

It may seem like a simple set of precautions--be quick to hear and slow to speak.  However, these two short phrases supply followers of Christ with valuable wisdom and practicality. If I humble myself so that my ears are eager and willing to hear someone's point of view, explanation or even complaint against me, an entire battle could be circumnavigated. And if I am slow to voice my opinions or to make my defense upon hearing someone's point of view, explanation, or complaint against me, then--once more--the situation could easily deescalate.

Admittedly, this verse usually only comes into view once the consuming cloud of smoke and ash from my anger volcano has settled. How helpful it would have been, I think with remorse, to have regarded these words instead of reacting in anger! If only I hadn't allowed my anger to rise like lava from the mantle of my heart and spew uncontrollably out of my mouth! (Ok, so maybe my thoughts aren't quite this eloquent and simile-esque following an angry feud, but you get the point!)

Truthfully, all of us use our tongues to vent and direct the anger within our hearts. In his writings, James goes on to provide some powerful metaphors related to the human tongue and the manifestation of sinful anger:

"How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness...no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people made in the likeness of God. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing." (James 3:5-6, 8-10)

Because our words have the potential to be so damaging, the admonition we receive from James to "be slow to speak" is of great value. Christ himself is the greatest example we have to follow as we train ourselves to bite our tongue. I am always so humbled as I read about the events leading up to the Crucifixion of Jesus. Jesus was aware--even in the midst of the deepest accusation and persecution against Him--of His true identity. He knew he was:

• The King of Kings, the Lord of Lords (Revelation 17:14, Revelation 19:16)
• The name at which every knee would eventually bow and every tongue would confess as Lord (Philippians 2:10-11)
• The creator and upholder of the universe (Hebrews 1:2-3)
• The One worthy to receive power, and wealth, and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing (Revelation 5:12)

Jesus deserved to be worshiped and revered as King, but instead, he was whipped and ridiculed as a criminal. In light of who He was and how He was being treated, Jesus--more than anyone--was entitled to make a defense. He was entitled to get angry, and not even with a sinful anger, but a pure, righteous and justifiable anger. He could have unleashed the words of His mouth to silence and condemn any and all of His earthly opponents.

But as the pompous, hypocritical leaders brought their false charges against Him, Pilate, the chief officer who was set over the whole dispute, directed this question to the guiltless King Jesus:

"Have you no answer to make? See how many charges they bring against you."

What happened next was amazing. In fact, the Bible says that even Pilate was amazed! Because, rather than make His defense, we read that Jesus made no further answer.

Jesus would not compromise His obedience to God, for He knew that He had been called by God to love and die for His enemies. Therefore, He made no further answer. Wow.

You and I are not Jesus. We have none of the entitlements that He has. We are lowly humans, tainted by sin and tempted to sin at every turn. How much less of a defense, therefore, should we be willing to make when we are brought to trial as a result of our sin-laden actions and words.

I don't expect for my sinful reactions to change by my own will-power alone, and neither should you. I believe that our ability to react with love and self-control will depend upon the Spirit's enabling, for the Spirit that God has given us is one of power and love and self-control (2 Timothy 1:7).  May it be the Lord Himself that directs our hearts to the love of God and the steadfastness of Christ (2 Thessalonians 3:5) as we strive to put to death the sinful anger that rages within. And may we resist, as Christ did so graciously and willingly, the temptation to make a defense for ourselves--with minds set above.

 

How should a follower of Christ view death?

So, Harold and I recently paid a visit to our local theater to see The Fault In Our Stars. For those of you who might be unfamiliar with the premise, the film unpacks the evolving romance between two teenagers, Hazel and Gus, who are united by one debilitating commonality: cancer.

Hazel Grace Lancaster suffers from a highly intrusive and incurable form of lung cancer, which requires her to be connected to an oxygen tank at all times. At the beginning of the story, Hazel's mother suspects, contrary to Hazel's objections, that her daughter's depression is worsening as a side effect of the day-in-and-day-out struggles and limitations associated with her cancer. Hazel goes on to narrate her perspective of the matter by stating the following:

"Whenever you read a cancer booklet or website or whatever, they always list depression among the side effects of cancer. But, in fact, depression is not a side effect of cancer. Depression is a side effect of dying."

This quote struck me--mainly because, in reality, we are all dying, be it from physical illness, freak accident, or even just plain old age. So, if Hazel's observation is true--if depression really is a side effect of dying--shouldn't we all be depressed? I believe the answer is: yes, but no. Death, for the believer in Christ, should take on an entirely different connotation. Therefore, my aim in this post is to address the reality of death from the perspective of a follower of Christ. Because, along with Hazel, death is a reality that we must all confront.

We are first met with the concept of death at the beginning of the Bible in the book of Genesis, following what is referred to as "The Fall".  As a result of the first man's (and woman's) direct disobedience to God, sin enters the world--and with it, death. God makes this clear in verse 19 of the third chapter of Genesis:

"By the sweat of your face, you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return."

The sin of Adam and Eve, the first created humans, brought about sin and death for all of mankind. The brevity of life, the birth and consequence of sin, and the reality of death are all consistent (and solemn) themes addressed by Scripture:

Psalm 39:4-5- "O Lord, make me know my end and what is the measure of my days; let me know how fleeting I am! Behold, you have made my days a few handbreadths, and my lifetime is as nothing before you. Surely all mankind stands as a mere breath!"

Romans 3:23 and 6:23- "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God...The wages of sin is death." (meaning all, including you, me and everyone else in this world, have disobeyed God and deserve to be punished by death)

1 Corinthians 15:21-22- "For as by one man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive." (Though the birth and consequence of sin is a present theme in this verse, there is also a profound theme of hope to be found for the believer, which I am excited to address! Keep scrolling!)

Romans 5:12- "Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned..."

Those are just some of the verses I found that show (1) the origin of sin, (2) the reality that all have sinned, and (3) the ensuing death that follows sin. Although, there are two other passages that I find most sobering in relation to these themes. Contrary to what I used to believe, death is not merely a harmless state of eternal numbness and nothingness--rather, for those who have sinned against (or disobeyed) God (which all have), it is a state of eternal punishment and separation from all things good, especially from Christ himself:

2 Thessalonians 1:7- "...when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do no obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might..."

Matthew 13:41- "(referring to the end of the world, when Christ returns) The Son of Man (Jesus Christ) will send his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all law-breakers, and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth."

If the eternal state of suffering and separation depicted by these two verses is the reality of what awaits all mankind after physical death, then I wholeheartedly agree with Hazel Grace: yes, depression ought to be a side effect of dying. However, ironically enough, the antidote to this hopeless, depressing fate can be found in Hazel's very own middle name: Grace.

The Gospel, or good news, of Christ is the good news of God's grace and mercy toward sinners. One definition of mercy is "compassionate or kindly forbearance shown toward an offender or enemy." As disobedient sinners, all humans stand as enemies of God, in need of grace and mercy. Christ is that grace. And it is by the grace of God through Christ that we, as followers of Christ, are saved from death and eternal punishment.

The fate of a follower of Christ after death, in stark contrast to the fate those who do not know Christ, is depicted by this verse:

Revelation 21: 3- "And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, 'Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning nor crying nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away."

If the eternal state of joy, painlessness, and comfort depicted by this verse is the reality of what can await mankind after death by believing upon Christ, then I wholeheartedly disagree with Hazel: no--hope, not depression, ought to be a side effect of dying.

Though I've never faced cancer, I have faced the fear and hopelessness of death. Before discovering the eternal life offered by Christ, I used to lie awake at night and envision dying. I would picture myself drawing my final breaths, and then, nothing. Darkness. Loneliness. No family. No friends. No hope. No comfort. I thought of my family members dying and tried to imagine what their fate would be. This trail of thoughts would fill my heart with grief on many occasions.

But soon after, God graciously revealed His plan to me--a plan to give me life and not death, hope and not despair, joy and not sorrow. This hope came in the form of Jesus and His words. The concept of eternal life, let alone one filled with hope and love and a glorious God, was foreign to me. But it was also irresistible to me once God opened my eyes and my heart to believe the words of Jesus. And it is with His words that I want to leave you to consider today, both for the comfort they bring to the believer, and the invitation they elicit for the unbeliever:

John 3:15-16- "...So must the Son of Man be lifted up (raised from the dead), that whoever believes in him may have eternal life."

John 3:36- "Whoever beleives in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him."

John 5:24- "Truly, truly I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life."

John 6:27- "Do not labor for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you."

John 6:40- "For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day."

John 6:51- "I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I give for the life of the world is my flesh."

John 8:24- "I told you that you would die in your sins, for unless you believe that I am he you will die in your sins."

John 10:27-28- "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they will never perish..."

John 11:25-26- "I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die."

John 17:3- "And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent."

Death is inevitable, but grace through Christ is available. And though it is natural to mourn the loss of life of loved ones while here on earth, there is a supernatural perspective available to us, as followers of Christ, that can prevent the reality of death from stealing our joy and our hope.

I believe that the apostle Paul, a fellow follower of Christ, had a right view of death when he said, "For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain...My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better." Therefore, let us echo the sentiments of Paul as we confront the reality of death--with minds set above.

What enables a follower of Christ to understand the word of God?

Standard: [1 Corinthians 2:11-12]
Objective: We will examine the factors that enable a believer to understand (and cherish) God's word and how we should respond to the reality of these factors.

So, this past week, Harold and I joined a group of people from our church to go on a prayer walk at a local park in downtown Tampa.  The intent of the prayer walk was to engage in conversation with people, to learn of any present and pressing needs they had (and would be willing to share with complete strangers!), and to offer them prayer for those needs.

I was paired with another lady from the church, and at the onset of our walk, we each prayed for the hearts of the people that God would lead us to speak with, and for our own hearts as well. There was one specific part of my companion's prayer that God used to speak to me that evening.  Her plea went something like this: "Lord, help us to be humble and to simply be obedient to share your truth in love."

Talking to complete strangers about such an intimate and universally diverse matter as prayer can be intimidating. Even the apostle Paul seemed to be somewhat familiar with the intimidation that can accompany the obedient act of speaking truth to others. He makes this assertion in 1 Corinthians 2:1-5:

"And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom. For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God."

Paul confesses that it was in weakness and in fear and much trembling that he shared such an implausible, or unlikely, message. And yet, despite all intimidation, he walked in obedience and humility as he shared God's truth in love with the people in Corinth--the very thing we are called to do with the people in our own cities.

Well, there just so happened to be a storm brewing over our city that evening as we were driving to the park. I would be lying if I failed to confess that the nervous (and selfish) part of me was hoping that the inevitable downpour would soon commence and squelch our mission. However, upon hearing my partner pray those words--help us to be humble and obedient--and after engaging in conversation with one particular woman that evening, God began to lift my anxious thoughts and, instead, directed  my mind to this one, praiseworthy reality: He has graciously granted me with an understanding of the Gospel and of His word.

The stories and messages of the Bible, which once seemed to me empty, meaningless and fictitious, have--since believing upon the Lord Jesus Christ--become messages filled with hope, and instruction, and purpose. If you are in Christ today, the testimony of transformation I just shared will mostly likely resonate with you as well. And that leads us to consider the essential question of this post: What enables a follower of Christ to understand (and then cherish) the word of God, especially when we consider that so many others cannot understand it and do not cherish it?

I am writing this post under the conviction that before we endeavor to share God's word with others, in hopes that they will understand and cherish it, we must sharpen our awareness of how we ourselves have been enabled to understand God's word. And this awareness will remove (or at least lessen) the intimidation we may feel in sharing God's truth.

As i mentioned earlier, there was one particular conversation that evening which led me to consider the essential question of this post. At one point in the evening, the rain did indeed start to fall. We fled for cover under a nearby building, and that is where our conversation took place.

The woman we spoke with had a hodgepodge of incomplete, and sometimes incoherent, truths to share with us related to God's word, the person and work of Jesus Christ, and the reality of sin (please bear in mind that my aim is not to berate this woman and her understanding as I recount this experience to you--rather, it is my aim to respond humbly to this experience in an effort to seek and apply Biblical truth to my own life).

As we asked this woman questions, listened to her answers, and responded with God's word in love, I could sense that she did not possess an understanding of the true, saving Gospel of Grace--that Christ was sent by God to live a life of complete obedience (thereby substituting his obedient life in place of our disobedient life), to die and bear the punishment of sin (thereby absorbing the death and punishment we deserved due to our sin), and to be raised from the dead to eternal life (thereby restoring our hope for eternal life instead of eternal death).

While driving home that evening, I shared with Harold just how humbled I felt that God, in his mercy and grace, would grant me an understanding of His Gospel, while others, at present, were left without that understanding. And though that is a hard reality to consider (the reality that some are not/have not been given understanding) this post serves mainly as an opportunity to praise God, as believers, for the understanding He has granted to us, and the understanding he has yet to grant to others. I want to direct our focus to the factors that enable us, as followers of Christ, saved by grace, to understand the word of God and the true Gospel of Grace.

Inasmuch as Paul understood the intimidation of sharing God's word, He understood fully and with complete conviction the factors that enabled followers of Christ to understand God's word, and this compelled him to share with others. He says this in 1 Corinthians 2:11-12:

"For who knows a person's thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God."

Paul was well aware that followers of Christ are given a mind to understand the word of God only after God himself has given them the Spirit to understand.  And this precious Spirit of understanding is given the moment we believe upon Christ for salvation. So then, God himself enables us to understand His word.

Paul goes on to say this:

"The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned."

Apart from the Spirit of God in us, we would not understand, nor would we cherish, any of the things found in God's word. Again, God himself enables us to understand, and cherish, His word.

Do you see the theme emerging from this text? It is by God's grace and power alone that we can reap any understanding from His word and from the message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ! This is such a sweet, humbling, an praiseworthy truth to meditate upon! Just think about it--the only reason we, as followers of Christ, can receive comfort, healing, hope, wisdom, love, instruction, purpose, delight (etc.) from God's word is because God himself has given us a mind to receive such meaning! Without God's enabling, we would consider His word folly, or foolish.

This truth can give us great confidence to share God's word with others--for we know that the power to transform a mind belongs to God alone by means of His word alone. The power does not rest upon our presentation, rather, it rests upon God's enabling Spirit of understanding, which God graciously bestows upon those who believe in Jesus Christ for their salvation.

In closing, I want to share a song that beautifully captures the reality that God enables us to understand His word, by His Spirit. The song is titled, "O Great God" and is written by Bob Kauflin of Sovereign Grace Music (FYI--Sovereign Grace is my favorite worship group, so expect for me to bombard you with more of their wonderful songs as my blog advances!).  Every single time I hear the second verse, a sense of awe and gratitude washes over my soul:

"I was blinded by my sin

Had no ears to hear Your voice

Did not know Your love within

Had no taste for Heaven's Joys

Then Your Spirit gave me life

Opened up Your Word to me

Through the gospel of Your Son

Gave me endless hope and peace"

"O Great God"-Full Song with Lyrics

May we always be thankful to God for giving us eyes to see and ears to hear the truth of Christ, and may we share God's word in love, trusting in His power to transform and to save--with minds set above.

Why should a follower of Christ anticipate answers to prayer?

So, Harold and I received an answer to one of our prayers this past Friday.  As I mentioned in a previous post, I recently went to select a new teaching position due to the loss of my current position. I was second to last on a list of nearly 30 other displaced employees within the county.

What I hadn't mentioned was that prior to attending this selection process (known as "The Pool"), my principal had informed me that he was 99% certain there would be a first grade teaching position opening up at my current school for next year. I told him that I would definitely like to be considered.

The opportunity to continue teaching at my current school was far more appealing than the alternative, which was to acclimate to a new grade level and a new work environment with new routines and new people. Not only would it be new, but, apparently, it would be rough.

The school I ended up selecting, unbeknownst to me, was a rather rough school. And as I delivered the news of my uninformed selection in passing to other teachers, their facial expressions couldn't help but confirm this reality. Even my assistant Principal's reaction had a hint of distress. Based on these questionable reactions, I felt like I had made a huge mistake!

Needless to say, Harold and I quickly and consistently began to pray about this matter. We prayed that God would graciously grant me the opportunity to remain at my current school. In response to our prayers, our good and faithful God delivered a favorable answer! My principal informed me on Friday that the first grade position had officially become available and he offered it to me! Praise the Lord!! I am beyond grateful for His provision in this matter. 

And yet, I find that it is far easier to trust that God answers prayers after the fact.  Once He has changed the status of our request from pending to approved, we suddenly have all the confidence in the world in God! At least, I do. Admittedly, on the night preceding the good news of my answered prayer request, I was lacking that level of confidence. I had been scrolling through Facebook and I happened upon the status of a college acquaintance who was praising God for answering a prayer request of her own: After having a not-so-pleasant teaching experience at one particular school--which made her call into question her desire to be a teacher altogether--she had now been offered a full-time Kindergarten position at a school that she loved!

Although I was genuinely happy to see that God had been faithful to answer her request for a teaching position, for some reason, in that moment, I felt less inclined to believe God would grant me with the same answer. This led me to ask myself: Do I anticipate that God will actually answer my prayer requests? Because it's one thing to believe He is simply capable of answering our prayers, but it's another thing to trust, embrace and sincerely anticipate answers to our prayers.

So let's consider this question together: Why should a follower of Christ anticipate answers to prayer?

First of all, Jesus tells us to do just that in Mark 11:24!

"Therefore, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours."

Believe that you have received! In just 5 words, we are given the green light to start anticipating answers to our prayer requests! Bearing in mind that God's ways are higher than our ways and his thoughts higher than our thoughts (meaning his version of an answer to prayer might vary from our own), we can, indeed, anticipate God to answer our prayers, according to His perfect ways.

There are a couple of key verses from the Psalms that also encourage us to anticipate answers to our prayers:

Psalm 66:19-20-"But truly God has listened; he has attended to the voice of my prayer. Blessed be God, because he has not rejected my prayer or removed his steadfast love from me!"

Psalm 69:13-"But as for me, my prayer is to you, O Lord. At an acceptable time, O God, in the abundance of your steadfast love answer me in your saving faithfulness."

The Psalmist acknowledges that the timing for any answer to prayer remains in God's capable, all-knowing hands--yet, there will be an answer nonetheless! Praise God!

Perhaps you are like me, in that you often struggle to anticipate--sincerely and wholeheartedly--an answer to your own prayer requests (let alone, a good answer!). May we learn to trust that God is good, and he answers our prayer requests according to His abundant goodness. I challenge you to consider a prayer request of your own that is currently pending. Meditate on the words of Jesus in Mark 11:24, and start to wait with eager anticipation for an answer to that prayer--with minds set above.

How should a follower of Christ approach home ownership?

So, Harold and I are currently renting an apartment, and our lease is up in September. We started the home ownership process back in the middle of March--which involved getting pre-approved by the bank and deciding upon our Realtor (which wasn't much of a decision, considering she's my very own, and might I add wonderful, Aunt!). It is now May, and the search for the perfect (and still available) house persists.

At the onset of our search, we were scouring what seemed like a widespread radius of geographic locations, both around and within the Tampa region. We were considering everywhere from Land O' Lakes, New Tampa, and Riverview to Brandon, Lutz, Seminole Heights, and Oldsmar. And although that may seem like a rather broad range of possibilities, the mere decision to look for houses in Florida was a narrowed decision in and of itself.

Up until March, Harold and I had been prayerfully contemplating living in Atlanta, GA. Harold currently holds a position in store management. However, his degree is in Finance, and so he is eager to secure a position within the financial field. The company he currently works for has their financial department near Atlanta, which led us to consider relocating out of state to Georgia.

However, during the middle of March, Harold and I attended a Church in Downtown Tampa called Covenant Life Church (CLC). We were both tremendously blessed by our first visit to the church--blessed by the kindness of the people, the soundness of the preaching, and the genuine reverence for Christ and the Gospel displayed throughout all other aspects of the service. We literally left the service and started driving around looking at nearby homes for sale. We were both suddenly certain that the Lord intended for us to remain in Florida, and more specifically, in Tampa.

Our search for a house has triggered the essential question of how a follower of Christ should approach home ownership. There are many factors to consider when buying a home--including, but not limited to safety, affordability, aesthetics, proximity to work/entertainment/church/family, etc.  But what value should a Christian bestow upon these various factors? How does God's word guide us to distribute such value in a way that glorifies Him?

Verse one in 2 Corinthians 5 says this:

"For we know that if the tent, which is our earthly home, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens."

I believe this verse sheds light on the level of value we should assign to the aforementioned factors. Essentially, any house we purchase during our time on Earth is a temporary investment. We are temporary. Things, including houses, are temporary. However, God is eternal. And through Christ, we can share in eternity. Through Christ, we have a lasting, permanent investment--a permanent residence, eternal in the heavens! So no matter how safe, or how expensive, or how aesthetically pleasing, or how conveniently located a house may be, it does not compare to the glorious, eternal house that Christ has already purchased for those who call on Him in repentance and faith.

We find assurance of this eternal real estate purchase from Jesus himself in the Gospel of John:

John 14:1-3-"Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go to prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also."

As followers of Christ, we have a permanent residence in God the Father's house, prepared for us and promised to us by our Savior.

Armed with this truth, I hope to approach house hunting in a more God-centered and God-glorifying way. When I see a kitchen that is not totally renovated, and a bathroom that has a pink toilet--when I am tempted to stretch our budget ever so slightly in order to serve any other selfish aesthetic preference (can you tell that house-buying is almost 99% aesthetically-driven for me?)--I pray that I will remember just how temporary our home ownership is on this side of Heaven, and just how permanent our home will be once we step into eternity with Jesus Christ.

Let's strive less for the temporary and more for the eternal--approaching our home purchases with minds set above.

How is a follower of Christ called to trust the Lord?

So, as it turns out, my pre-k teaching position has been canceled for the upcoming 2014-2015 school year. It was a pilot program, one that apparently did not receive the desired level of response it needed to stay afloat. The good news is that I am a permanent employee through the county in which I am currently teaching. This means I am guaranteed a teaching position within the county. However, there is no specific guarantee of grade level or school location.

The essential question of how a follower of Christ is called to trust the Lord has stemmed from the news of my recent job displacement. I know that we have a sovereign God, who reigns over all that has happened, is happening and will happen. In light of this awareness, I know I ought to trust in Him fully. I am sometimes quick to put on a facade of complete trust as I relay the uncertainties of my current job predicament to others in conversation. However, I will not settle for a facade. I want my heart to be aligned more and more to authentic trust.

In Psalm 33:21, David expresses a pure sentiment of gladness as a result of His trust in the Lord:

"For our heart is glad in him, because we trust in his holy name."

I want to experience the same harvest of joy and gladness that David did. The gladness that comes from truly trusting in the Lord.

This morning revealed that my heart was not fully aligned with the authentic, joy-producing trust that David describes. I was on my way to what is called "The Pool". This is the instructional placement system that the county uses to provide permanent employees who have lost their current position (such as myself) with a new full-time teaching job.

As I was glancing at this girl driving behind me on my way to "The Pool", my mind began to meander down this trail of anxious thoughts: That girl looks like she could be going to "The Pool". What if she takes the job I want? Well maybe she lives on the very outskirts of the county and won't be interested in the same jobs that I am interested in. But she's probably ahead of me on the list, I can't believe I'm second to last on the list of 30 other employees. None of the jobs I want will be left.

You're probably getting anxious yourself just by reading my anxious thoughts! Well allow me to put you at ease and say that the girl ended up turning into a Winn Dixie parking lot. Total sigh of relief.

But the very fact that these anxious thoughts crept into my mind so invasively revealed a lack of trust in such a trustworthy God. Scripture speaks on many accounts about what our trust in God should look like and why, especially within the Psalms:

Psalm 13:5- "But I have trusted in your steadfast love; my heart shall rejoice in your salvation."

Psalm 20:7-"Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God."

Proverbs 3:5-6-"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths."

Psalm 37:5-"Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act."

Psalm 9:10-"And those who know your name put their trust in you, for you, O LORD, have not forsaken those who seek you."

In summary, I have concluded the following things about what our trust in God should look like and why:

First, we can trust in God because His love is steadfast. He loves us so unceasingly, with a love that is incomparable to anything we could ever experience from an earthly relationship. Hopefully, we have all been able to experience the deep love of another toward us--whether it be from a parent, grandparent, spouse or even a close friend. And hopefully, from that experience, we realize that trust is indeed produced as a byproduct of knowing we are genuinely loved by someone. And since we know we are truly loved by God, whose love is unsurpassable, our hearts can lean against Him in complete trust. (Psalm 13:5)

Second, we should trust in God because He is completely reliable, whereas the things, people, and circumstances of this world are often not. We are not called to trust in "chariots and horses", so to speak. Everything on this side of Heaven is unpredictable and unreliable to some degree. But God, the one who fashioned the Heavens and the Earth, is one in whom we can place our confidence and trust. (Psalm 20:7)

Third, we should trust in God with all of our heart, surrendering our prideful tendency to trust solely in our own limited understanding of things. (Proverbs 3:5-6)

And finally, we can trust with great hope and expectation. Expectation that God will act, and will not forsake if we seek Him and commit ourselves to Him. (Psalm 37:5, Psalm 9:10)

My job situation is not grave by any means. It does not require the degree of trust that another's situation might. And yet, if we cannot trust God in little, how will we trust Him in much? Louisa Stead must have understood this to be true. For she was prepared when "much" came to call. She is the author of the hymn, "'Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus", which was written in response to her husband's unexpected drowning incident. I will leave you with her words, for they testify to the sweet peace that can be ours as we learn to trust in our trustworthy God.

'Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus

Let's seek to nurture this trust in little and in much--with minds set above.

How should a follower of Christ plan for the future?

So, I'm the kind of person who likes to know "the plan". What's the plan for dinner tonight? What's the plan for this weekend? What's the plan for our vacation? And so on.

I suppose it's the teacher in me, but I love to have a plan for both the minor and major facets of life. And this just so happens to be a season of major.

Harold and I will be celebrating our one year anniversary in July. And so, in this youthful season of our marriage, there are a lot of future considerations stacked up for planning--namely, buying a house, starting a family, and navigating careers.

With so many things to plan for, it begs the question: How should Harold and I, as followers of Christ, plan for our future?

I believe James 4:13-17 provides an answer:

"Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”— yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.” As it is, you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil. So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin."

Our plans should begin with surrendering fully to the Lord and His will. It's not, "We are going to live in this house, in this neighborhood, by this date". Rather, it is, "Lord, if this is your will, we will live in this house, in this neighborhood, by this date." It's not, "We will start trying to conceive in this month, and will have our baby by this month." Rather, it is, "Lord, if this is your will, we will start trying to conceive in this month, and will have our baby by this month." To drive home the point, it's not, "We will get this kind of job by this time in this area." Rather, it is, "Lord, if this is your will, we will get this kind of job by this time in this area."

It's the phrase that should precede all of our plans: Lord, if you will.

For the most part, Harold and I have been praying in this way--that God would accomplish his perfect will in all of these future endeavors. However, I know my heart does not always lend itself to complete, genuine surrender. And so my heart needs to be reminded of the assurance we can have in Christ when it comes to planning our future. Here are some of the truths that should compel our planning here on earth:

1 John 5:14-"And this is the confidence that we have toward him, that if we ask anything according to his will he hears us. And if we know that he hears  us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of him."

As we surrender our requests and plans to His good and perfect will, God hears us and responds faithfully.

Philippians 4:5-"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."

As we bring forth our requests to God, we should do so prayerfully and with thanksgiving. No matter our desires or needs for the future, we should aim to display thankfulness to God, because essentially, our future is already secure in Christ for eternity.

Luke 12:18-21-"And he said, ‘I will do this: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.”’ But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’ So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.”

We must make sure our plans are not merely self-serving and earthly like those of the rich fool. We are, as James 4 bluntly points out, a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. We must consider our plans in light of this reality and weigh the eternal value behind them.

I know that my mind and my heart are prone to wander from these peace-giving precepts as Harold and I continue to plan for our future. Maybe you feel susceptible to the same. And so I pray that the Spirit will faithfully bring to our mind these truths as we are faithful to commit them to our prayers and meditations.

 

Let's start planning for the future--with minds set above.