Reflecting on the Past, Anticipating the Future

December 31^st- A representation of endings and new beginnings. In all reality, it’s just another day on the calendar. Nothing magical happens; Fairy Godmothers don’t miraculously appear and no one turns into a pumpkin at midnight. We all know this, yet there remains something special about the New Year. It’s an opportunity to reflect on past decisions and circumstances. Likewise it’s an occasion for making changes and new choices. It’s almost like a second chance at life.

Praise the Lord we have a God that is all about second chances. Not only that, He is all about third, and fourth, and fifth, and tenth, and hundredth, and thousandth chances! Whew! If that’s not enough, our God, full of wonder and surprise, is never surprised or shocked by us, our actions, or our circumstances. Sure, we surprise ourselves. We disappoint ourselves. We let ourselves down. But our God- He’s never shocked. He already saw our substance, being yet unformed. And in His book they all were written, the days fashioned for us, when as yet there were none of them (Ps 139:16).

As we reflect on the past, becoming overwhelmed with dread and regret, our God confidently rejoices in where we’ve been, who we are, and who we’re becoming. He takes our failures and hurts, and works them out for the good because we are called according to His perfect purpose. He foreknew you! He predestined you! He called you to be conformed to the image of His Son! And not only that, whom He called, He also justified, and whom He justified, He also glorified (Rm 8:28-30)! This is NOT future tense! Foreknew, predestined, called, justified, glorified… PAST TENSE! You already ARE. Period.

Still disappointed in your past? Still ashamed of your history? God’s not. As a matter of fact, He sees your past and

anticipates the future because He knows the thoughts He thinks toward you, and those thoughts are of peace and not of evil, thoughts to give you a future and a hope (Jer29:11). How precious are those thoughts toward you. How great is the sum of them! If you should count them, they would be more in number than the sand (Ps139:17-18)!

So as we enter into a New Year and anticipate a new beginning, let us not disregard the good, the bad, and the ugly of our past, because this is forming us into the image of the Savior, our Lord Jesus Christ.

But you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name

of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.  

-1 Cor 6:11

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In With the New

The coming of a new year brings thrilling anticipation. There is something special and unique about the new versus the old. I don’t know about you, but I get pretty excited about all things new, from the small insignificant new pair of shoes, new favorite song, new recipe, or new wall paper on my cell phone to the grandest new things like a new car, new job, new baby, or new house. What can I say? I love new stuff!

Unfortunately, newness lasts only a short moment and quickly wears off. After purchasing our home only 2 ½ years ago, it no longer feels new. I catch myself growing frustrated with my tiny kitchen and coveting a larger, nicer, newer house. Especially when packing fourteen people in for Christmas dinner! Likewise, my new pair of jeans, new hair color, and new cell phone stays new for such a fleeting moment.

In part, this desire to always have something new results from a lack of contentment; something I struggle with daily. On the other hand, yearning for that which we do not have is a craving given us by our Creator. We know that we were made for more. We long for that which we do not see (Heb 11:1). And yet, we attempt to fill that longing with a multitude of things we do see, hence all the new things I so desire.  Again and again, these grand, new, exciting things neglect to fulfill that yearning within.

Our faithful God offers a newness of life that will not disappoint (Rom 6:4). He makes us a new creation (2 Cor 5:17). He makes all things new (Rev 21:5). He grants new, unfailing compassion every morning (Lam 3:22-23). He gives us a new commandment of love (Jn13:34-35). He promises a new heaven, a new earth (2 Pt 3:13), and a new name (Rev 2:17) to those spending eternity with Him.

As we move into the New Year, let us set our hearts on the new life He has given us. Let us cast aside the old man which grows corrupts and be renewed by putting on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness (Eph 4:22-24). I thank God for new beginnings and new hopes that come with a New Year.

Behold, I will do a new thing, now it shall spring forth; shall you not know it? I will even make a road in the wilderness and rivers in the desert. -Isaiah 43:19

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Purposeful Parent or Manic Mama Bear

What’s worse than difficulties and trials in life? Watching our children face them. The moment I become aware of my son or daughter being unjustly accused or unfairly treated, I instantly go from peaceful, purposeful parent to manic mama bear. This may be one of the most difficult times for me. If you have children, young or old, you can surely relate. I have to admit I have not always handled these situations as I should! To see my child’s heart broken in such a way breaks my heart and my response is to do everything in my power to remove my child from this situation and fix it. Yep, I’m a fixer.

As a parent however, I strive to look to my Father, my Perfect Parent, as an example of how to deal with such a situation. I find that He protects me, teaches me, and guides me through life’s toughest moments. However, He does not always remove me from them nor does He immediately fix the problem.

And the Lord said, “Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren” (Lk 22:31-32). Here we witness Jesus warning Peter (also called Simon) of an impending trial. There are so many lessons for me in this small warning! 1. Satan must ask permission to sift us. 2. Jesus prays for us. 3. He doesn’t pray that we be taken out of the trial, but prays us through it; that our faith would not fail. 4. He trusts that in the end, we will return to Him. 5. His purpose is that through this experience, we will come out of it more able to strengthen others.   

And when they had laid many stripes on them, they threw them into prison, commanding the jailer to keep them securely. But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. So they went out of the prison and entered the house of Lydia; and when they had seen the brethren, they encouraged them and departed (Acts 16:23, 25, 40). Paul and Silas were wrongly accused and unjustly thrown into prison. How did they respond? Did they complain and grumble? Did God immediately rescue them or fix the problem? No! Their Perfect Father had perfect intentions: that they would use this trial as an opportunity, and that they would encourage the brethren through it.

My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing (Jas 1:2-4).  Here I find a clear purpose in life’s trials and the word that screams to me- let. I must let the trial have its perfect work in me. I must let the trial have its perfect work in my child. Ouch. Rescuing my son or daughter, fixing all of their difficulties and problems, is not letting God work His flawless purpose in their lives. As Jesus prayed for Peter, as He warned him of a coming difficulty, I too can pray for my children and teach them, train them, and warn them that life is hard, but God is good. I pray for the patience and wisdom to walk my children through life’s struggles as my Father does me. I pray that the purposeful parent in me will not be overcome by a manic mama bear.

Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which

is to try you, as  though some strange thing happened to you;

but rejoice to the extent  that you partake of Christ’s

sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you

may also be glad with exceeding joy.

-1 Peter 4:12-13

Beauty for Ashes

My family just took a short adventure through the book of Ruth. Because it’s such a small nugget, buried between much larger books, we like to use the humorous saying “Joshua Judges Ruth” to locate it more quickly. When I consider this little book, I think of a God fearing woman who forsook all to follow her mother-in-law and eventually give herself to the true God. Or I think of Boaz who is a clear picture of our very own Kinsman Redeemer. As we journeyed through their lives this time however, I was again drawn to Boaz, but in a somewhat different manner.

Looking closely at the scriptures, we learn that Boaz was the son of Salmon and Rahab (Ruth 4:21, Matt 1:5). Yes, the same Rahab (Canaanite harlot and all) we find in the book of Joshua whom God rescued from the destruction of Jericho. Now, God had previously made it clear to His people they were not to take these Canaanite women as wives simply because of the risk of turning from the true God to Canaanite false gods (Deut 7:3). Nevertheless, regardless of her foreigner status, God had a plan for Rahab.

Yes, our God is a God who shows no partiality (Rom 2:11). However, we are a people full of partiality and I cannot help but imagine the Israelites overflowing with it. Do you think they warmly welcomed Rahab the Canaanite harlot into their camp? Do you imagine her receiving many invites for fancy quail dinners, or having friends stop by for manna and coffee? My imagination pictures a lonely Rahab surrounded by strange Israelites, adjusting to unfamiliar customs, striving to become acquainted with an all new God. What must that have been like for her son Boaz; child of the rejected foreigner? I suspect his upbringing was no walk in the park.

God, through years of isolated rejection, formed Boaz into a man of compassion and understanding. This compassion was greatly bestowed upon another foreigner: a Moabitess named Ruth. Boaz knew what it was like to walk in her shoes.  He, son of a foreigner, shunned, ridiculed, and most likely wrongly judged, considered Ruth not just an outsider, not just a Moabitess, but a creation of his God. Able to relate to her circumstances, he reached out to her, treated her with kindness and respect, and took her as wife. How proud Rahab would have been! More importantly, how please Boaz’s God was.  So pleased in fact, He included them both in the genealogy of the Messiah (Matt 1:1-16)! A son to the Canaanite harlot and a foreign Moabitess, penned forever in scripture as relatives of our Lord. Does it get any better than that? His mercy and grace have no boundaries.

I pray we are able to comfort others with the comfort we have received from Him and from our brothers and sisters (2 Cor 1:3-7). What difficulties have you faced? What hardships are you facing now? Are you allowing God to use you to comfort and console those who mourn, to give beauty for ashes, and praise for heaviness (Isa 61:3)?  As Boaz had kindness and understanding toward Ruth, I pray for compassion toward those around me. God, please take our circumstances and use them to bless others, furthering Your kingdom and Your gospel.

Who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort

with which we ourselves are comforted by God.

-2 Corinthians 1:4

Got Fruit?

Do you love my poinsettia? Isn’t it the prettiest holiday plant you’ve ever seen? Don’t you want to run out and purchase one just like it?! Hardly! Did you even recognize it as a poinsettia? I received it from my big sis last Christmas season and have somehow managed to keep it alive the entire year. However, I grow more and more frustrated as I look at it each day, desiring for it to produce the red poinsettia leaves it once bore. Now, I know it won’t. I know it’s going to remain the way it is because I didn’t take the time to put it in a dark room so it could produce its leaves this Christmas season. Honestly, I’m ready to throw it out! I want to be rid of it and go purchase one filled with crimson red leaves! Recalling the fig tree Jesus caused to wither for lack of production (Mk 11:12-14, 20-21) leads me to seriously consider throwing that poinsettia out and teaching it a similar lesson.

Perhaps rather, my poinsettia is teaching me a lesson. Maybe it’s screaming at me that as a disciple of Jesus, I MUST bear fruit (Jn 15:8). Yes, sunlight and water has sustained it, just as the Son’s Light and Living Water will sustain me. However, unless it is kept in just the right conditions, it’s not going to bear the red leaves it was created to bear. Likewise, I will not bear the fruit I am designed for unless I am abiding in my Savior, being pruned and shaped by Him (Jn 15:1-8).

I read an article the other day of a mango tree that bears fruit all year round. Have you ever heard of such a thing? “The speciality of the tree is that its branches bear the fruits in different stages – from flowering to ripening – at the same time. While one branch has flowers, the others have matured mangoes.” Do you ever feel like this tree; like just when you figure one thing out and begin successfully bearing fruit in that area of your life, the other areas are completely undernourished and unfruitful? My thought- as long as you are bearing fruit, God is pleased to call you His disciple! We will never be perfect in every area of life and while those unfruitful areas seem useless at the moment, God is working, preparing them to bloom at any moment.

The article goes on to describe special irrigation and fertilizing techniques that make for the best fruit. As we are irrigated with Christ’s Living Water, fertilized by His Word daily, and pruned by Him in fellowship, trials, and joys, He will be faithful to produce in us good fruit: love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Gal 5:22-23).

So, I think I will permit my poinsettia to live, continue watering it, moving it around as needed to get its proper sunlight.  I will also receive its daily reminders that I can simply survive this life we call the Christian walk, or I can be more like the mango tree, bearing fruit in and out of season, being clearly recognized as a disciple of Jesus Christ.

For she shall be like a tree planted by the waters, which spreads

out its roots by the river, and will not fear when heat comes;

but its leaf will be green, and will not be anxious in the

year of drought, Nor will cease from yielding fruit.

-Jeremiah 17:8

Going Nowhere

Before I knew it, it was after two in the afternoon and I hadn’t gotten my run in for the day. Korrie’s basketball game was only a couple hours away so I knew I needed to get to it. I also knew my chances of not having to run in the rain were slim, since it had been pouring nonstop most of the day. I made the decision and stepped onto the dreaded treadmill. Ugh. And dreadful it was! I tried reading my Kindle while running, tried tuning into the video Joe had playing (too sci-fi for me), even tried distracting myself with Korrie’s iPod. Nothing worked! The crisp, cool outside air kept beckoning me. The smoldering heat of the woodstove made breathing nearly impossible. Over and over I found myself pressed up against the bar at the front of the treadmill, my body desperately trying to GO somewhere. Did I mention it was dreadful?

After about fifteen minutes, the rain ceased, and I couldn’t resist taking that chance. I flung myself off the treadmill, threw my jacket on, and escaped out the front door, quickly hollering at the kids, “be back in a few!” The outdoors never felt quite so refreshing! What a relief! There is nothing else like the sound of feet on concrete, the icy winter wind on one’s face, and the feeling of actually GOING SOMEWHERE! After all, running is NOT meant to keep you in one place.

The apostle Paul refers to the life of a child of God as a race (2 Tim 4:7). We are designed to go somewhere. We are made to do something. We have a calling. We have a purpose, and that purpose is not to stay in one place. I’m not necessarily referring to the need for every Christian to ‘GO’ to a foreign land as a missionary (unless you are called to do so, of course). I am referring to the simple act of obedience and growing in Christ. What has He called you to do? What is the desire of your heart? What do you long for? Are you doing it? Or are you staying comfortably in one place, suffocating in the stagnation of it all? Don’t you long to get out there and experience the freedom that comes from obedience? I know I do! I also know it’s not always easy. However, when we make that choice -when we put those shoes on and step out that door, pushing ourselves even though it’s so hard- this is when we feel accomplished.

Now, you might be arguing that the dreaded treadmill is not all bad; and you would be right. It actually offers me a GOOD workout. However, I want to strive for a BETTER workout. No, I want to strive for the BEST workout.  Just after I reached my house after my run that day, it started pouring again. I laughed out loud and thanked God for my fifteen minutes of clear weather. When God see’s our willing hearts, our desire to run hard for Him, He will hold back that rain and bless us beyond belief.

What desires has He placed in your heart? What do you so desperately yearn to obey Him in? Please share so I can pray for you.