daily devotional

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“Let it fill your lives”

What’s on your schedule this week? Do you have appointments, tasks, and objectives written on your calendar or stored in that little black box you carry? My spiral-bound planner lies open on my countertop, so that, with a glance, I see all my commitments and plans for the month. Last spring, the daily boxes were crammed so full of reminders that I was forced to also make notes in the margins of the page. (If you follow this blog, you probably noticed a gap of weeks without posts … )

No matter what form of calendar you keep, look at it now. You’ll see days and weeks and months filled with … what?

Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. (Colossians 3:16)

Isn’t that a lovely picture? This verse evoked an immediate image; I saw my life as a cup or bowl, with great and satisfying richness being poured into it until it overflowed.

But after I savored the lovely picture, I had to ask some questions.

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What fills my life now?

What fills the little white squares on my calendar? What consumes my minutes and hours, days and weeks? What is it that fills the cup of my life?

Just off the top of my head, I listed some of the things that might dominate our days, fill our lives:

Worry
Discontent
Trying to live up to certain standards, maybe your spouse’s, your peers’, God’s, your own
Thankfulness
Praise and expectation
Television (oops. Does that date me?  Would it be Facebook now?)
A search for possessions, security, health, position, the “right person”
Being the best parent, wife, grandmother, friend, employee
Working to pay bills and support a family
Working to building a secure future

This is just a beginning, and I’m not evaluating the rightness or wrongness of any of these things. I’m just trying to take an honest look at our days and ask… What are the things that rule our lives, our thoughts, our hopes and dreams?  

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So what, then, is the richness of the message about Christ?

How would you answer that question? What richness does the message of Christ pour into your life? Again, this list is just meant to prime your (and my) thought process:

No matter what is going on around me, Christ says He overcomes the world.
Christ’s Spirit works in me, empowers me, changes me, gives me a new life.
Christ gave me a clean slate before God.
The message about Christ is that He came because of God’s great love for this world.
God’s love is unfailing; He cares about the details of my life.
Christ makes available to me the power that raised Him from the dead.
The Lord is my Shepherd. I will have everything I need.
By His divine power, God has given us everything we need to live a godly life.
My life is in Christ, belonging to a kingdom beyond this world, going on eternally…

How might my week change if it is focused on these messages rather than on the first list above?

I am not advocating running off to our own little sanctuary and spending our days pondering Scripture rather than fulfilling the roles we’ve chosen in life. As long as we’re on this earth, we’ll need to tend to the business of living.

But I am asking … on what are we building our lives? To what do we give our thoughts, our energy, and our emotions? Are the hours of my day controlled by some of those things in the first list, or is everything in my life—responsibilities, happy times, sad times, troubles and triumphs—met and lived in the light of the messages that Christ brought to the world? Do Christ and His message saturate and sustain our every breath?

Even the most noble of human aspirations and efforts fall short; there are always disappointments, failings, and, eventually, everything in that first list will be gone. Even our thankfulness and praise is limited in our humanity. The second list is eternal. Is our focus—the light that leads us along the path and directs our choices and dictates what and how we think—is it the first list or the second?

We all know the story Jesus told about the wise man and the foolish man, one building upon a rock, the other on sand. Anyone who does not live according to His words, Jesus said, was like someone building a house on sand; and when storms come, the house will quickly be washed away.

Storms can quickly wash away all those things that fill up our calendar, even the best of the list. But building our houses firmly on the message of Christ is like building on bedrock; the house will never collapse, no matter what beats against it. (Matthew 7:24-27)

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And how do I fill my life with the richness of His message?

I want the richness poured into my life. I want to live on solid rock. I want security that will not disappear or be taken away. HOW does that happen?

Did you notice that Paul says, “Let the message about Christ …”?  We have to open the door, open ourselves to Christ’s message, invite the Spirit to start filling…

There are more Scriptures that point the way, but I find it interesting that Paul immediately gives us two concrete things we can do: Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom He gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts. (v.16)

I’d like to focus on his first statement.

Isn’t it interesting that the very first thing Paul advises is to teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom God gives? I repeat my plea from a previous post: Whatever gift God has given you for encouraging brothers and sisters – use it! The Spirit works through all of us in different ways, at different times, and in relationship to different people.

We all have some part in filling each other’s lives with the richness of Christ and His message!

The gift, the counsel, and the wisdom God has given you will help complete that lovely picture of Christ’s richness pouring into my life as I seek to build my house on the Rock.

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Putting on the armor and finding the right stone

In his early years of Little League baseball, my grandson sometimes played the position of catcher. Catchers must be strapped into equipment that protects head, body, and legs; but the miniature baseball players had not yet learned to put on all that gear in the few seconds between innings. So after that third out, two of the coaches worked quickly and efficiently to position, strap, hook, and tie the catcher’s protective armor before he moved out onto the field to take up his position.

Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil.
(Ephesians 6:11)

For a few weeks, I had been turning to Ephesians 6. In an ongoing battle, I knew I needed the armor of God; I labored over the passage, time and again, struggling to find fresh energy, insight, and strength from those verses. I wanted to put on the armor–but the battle was not going well, and discouragement nibbled away at my faith. 

Then came a series of meditations on a blog I follow — lessons from Ephesians 6! The writer who shared through the internet his understanding of that chapter had no idea I needed help in donning God’s armor. The Spirit did, though, and He gave me the help I needed. On those pages I found the new inspiration I sought, and the Spirit used another disciple of Christ to refresh me in the battle.

Right here, I want to stop and say thank you to every one who encourages others in the family of faith, whether by writing, music, prayer, leadership, teaching, counsel, quiet words of encouragement, hospitality, or simply sharing words of positive faith. You may never know who you have helped or what your actions or words have meant to someone else at just a certain time.

Paul writes to the church, So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing. (1 Thess. 5:11)

Like those little Little Leaguers, we can help each other suit up for battle. Many times, we need our brothers and sisters to help us into protective armor. Some days, we cannot quite fit the belt of truth around us; or in a long battle, we give in to weariness and lower our shield of faith; or perhaps we need the help of others in sharpening our sword of the Spirit, the word of God. 

To Philemon, Paul wrote:

Your love has given me much joy and comfort, my brother, for your kindness has often refreshed the hearts of God’s people. (Philemon 1:7)

How wonderful that we can refresh the hearts of others on this journey as we use the gifts God has given us! We might think it is a simple thing, just a word here or a song there or an act of service that takes only a few minutes. Or we might think what we offer is ineffective or insufficient. But when we live by the Spirit, our encouragement of each other can produce great harvests.

Recently I spotted a sign in front of a church that said

             For every Goliath, there is a stone.

True. But sometimes we need a brother or sister to hand us the exact stone at just the right time.

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Eastwood and Aroostook on Ownership

Neither Hollywood nor Washington gets much time here in this blog, but last night I watched the video of Clint Eastwood’s speech at the Republicans’ recent convention. “We own this country,” he said. A roar of assent from the audience. “And when someone isn’t doing the job, we’ve got to let him go.” Another roar of approval.

That statement will probably be the catalyst for all kinds of debates, and I do understand the context and the point Mr. Eastwood was making; but his talk of ownership reminded me of something we too often forget: 

The earth is the LORD’s, and everything in it. The world and all its people belong to Him. (Psalm 24:1)

I’ve just caught a glimpse of one of the Lord’s jewels, Aroostook County. The northernmost county of Maine, Aroostook covers almost 7,000 square miles and is the largest county east of the Mississippi.

In just two days’ drive, one can only sample the flavor of such a large place; but I saw blue and purple mountains, glittering lakes, green river valleys, and deep forests broken occasionally by sunny meadows filled with thick drifts of Queen Anne’s lace and goldenrod. We drove by hunting lodges, huge grain and potato fields, serene rivers, and tiny towns of no more than eight or ten houses. Aroostook may call itself The Crown of Maine, but it is surely one of the Lord’s dazzling jewels.

He owns this earth and everything in it.

For He laid the earth’s foundation on the seas and built it on the ocean depths. (v. 2)

He is the One who made it. He owns it. The people of a democracy might like to think they own their country, but the long drive through Aroostook reminded me there’s a much bigger and even more important perspective: This earth is the Lord’s; His hand made all this, including the people of this world. It is all His.

Who may climb the mountain of the LORD ? Who may stand in His holy place? (v. 3)

Who may even come into the presence of such a high and holy God, the one who made and owns it all?

Only those whose hearts and hands are pure,
who do not worship idols
and never tell lies. (v. 4)

Do not despair, thinking of how impure your hearts and hands may be … Christ has taken care of the stains blotched across our lives. His blood washes away those stains; He dresses us in spotless robes and presents us faultless to the Father. Hallelujah!

But two things hinder us from entering fully into His presence today: worshipping idols and telling lies.

In Biblical days, people worshipped man-made idols thought to have power over every aspect of life. In our day, all kinds of things usurp God’s rightful place in our lives–careers, possessions, passions, political parties, even a church or our loved ones. Any of those things can own us, claim to provide for us what God alone provides, and demand worship and devotion that belong only to God. If there are idols in our lives, they keep us from entering fully into His holy place.

And we cannot enter if we tell lies. Scriptures are very clear that God hates lying; Jesus said He Himself was truth. But I’m wondering if this particular verse might be referring to the lies we tell when we say we follow Him, but we are following other gods; when we say we trust Him, but we do not live with assurance of His care; when we say He is Lord, but we do not yield the throne to Him. Those kinds of lies keep us from climbing the mountain of the Lord and standing in His holy place.

Those whose hearts and hands are pure, who have burned their idols and do not lie, those people

…will receive the Lord’s blessing and have a right relationship with God their savior.(v. 5)

You own this earth and its people, Father.
We seek your holy place,
to live in Your presence all the days of our lives.

Amen.

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Right here, all the time.

It was obviously a special date. He wore khakis and a dress shirt; she was in a dress well accessorized with jewelry, makeup, and heels. Hand in hand, they walked down the sidewalk toward me… both of them oblivious to the other, since each was lost in animated conversation on their cell phone. But holding hands, at least! What a romantic date, I thought to myself (somewhat sarcastically, I admit).

This morning, that memory from years ago popped up in my prayers. Odd thing to remember during prayer, right? On my morning walk, I’d started as I often do these days, with Psalm 63, O God, you are my God; I earnestly search for you. My soul thirsts for you…

About that time, the image of the cell-phone date popped into my head…and I see that I’m the oblivious one walking along. Yes, I’m the one wanting to hold hands and forge a relationship with my God; but most of the time, I’m distracted by and feel compelled to answer everything else that comes along and clamors for my attention. And I forget that the One I say I thirst for, long for, and love above all else … is right there with me all the time. I forget.

The book of Psalms is a favorite for many people, and I believe it’s because those writers knew all about the ups and downs, triumphs and failures, of our walk with God.  The entire range of our pilgrimage experience is included in that book: rebellious sin and the misery that follows; helplessness in the face of enemies; fear; unspeakable awe in the presence of the Almighty; exultation in His goodness and power; disappointment and discouragement; absolute trust in God’s care; anger at circumstances. The list goes on and on.

Yet in everything, everywhere, the psalmist says in Psalm 139, God holds our hands. He is there. He never leaves us. No matter where we go, what we do,

… even there Your hand will guide me, and Your strength will support me.

I want to walk today, every day, much more aware that He is right here with me, holding my hand. All the time.

 

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He keeps my lamp burning

 

“Because of God’s tender mercy,
the morning light from heaven
is about to break upon us,
to give light to those who sit in darkness
and in the shadow of death,
and to guide us to the path of peace.” (Luke 1:78-79)

 

When John the Baptist was born, his father Zechariah saw a new day coming for the people of Israel. A new day, springing from the tender mercy of God. 

Zechariah’s prophecy spoke of light from heaven bursting into human history—Jesus. Light from the merciful Creator, Light to break the darkness enveloping the world He had created and loved.

Even after we know Christ, we may sometimes sit in darkness. It may be the darkness of hard times, darkness because we do not understand and still have things to learn, darkness because of our own bad choices, or the darkness of the shadow of death. 

Jesus brings light to our darknesses. His life brought light to everyone,  John writes about Jesus. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it.  

He comes into our lives to give light. No matter how our darkness feels today, God’s tender mercy, His compassionate love for us, breaks whatever darkness fills our lives. What is it you need? Healing? Cleansing of a bitter heart? Understanding? Forgiveness? Hope? Eyes to see Him? Faith? Unconditional love?

Jesus said, “If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.”

King David certainly had dark times in his life. But his song was this,

You light a lamp for me.
The LORD my God lights up my darkness. 

God’s tender mercy promises that He will also light a lamp for us.   

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Scripture: John 1:4-5; John 8:12; Psalm 18:26 (all NLT)

 More on the promise of Light that gives life: Psalm 27:1; Psalm 56:13; Isaiah 9:2; Isaiah 49:9; Isaiah 60:20; Micah 7:8; Matthew 4:16; John 12:46; 2 Corinthians 4:6-7; 1 Peter 2:9-10; 1 John 5:12,10;