A couple of days ago while logging in for my routine email check, I noticed a disturbing headline. It read, “Mother Abandons 11 Year Old Son at the Hospital.” Apparently, Nebraska is the last state to adopt a safe haven law that allows caregivers to abandon children and infants without fear of prosecution. Shortly after the law took effect, a mother brought in her 11 year old son and another woman brought in her 15 year old nephew (she was the legal guardian). Both stated that the boys had behavioral problems that they could not handle anymore. I was floored and the obvious was not the culprit. Unfortunately, children and infants are abandoned all the time…but an 11 year old and a 15 year old? That means the child has actually spent part of their life with that parental figure and upon arrival at the hospital and the days thereafter, they know who it was that gave up on them.
I know I couldn’t imagine how extreme the circumstances must have been to take those measures and I’m definitely not at liberty to pass judgment. But it got me thinking…What if we became too much for God and He threw His hands up on us? I mean, he actually was given this option. Dying for us had several implications. Many of us would ignore His call to our hearts. And although some of us would choose to heed the call, He would still have to strive with us because its impossible to live this life without stumbling. Yeah, people would be saved, but not only would He have to press to the cross, but He’d have to contend with our imperfections, our unintentional and intentional sins, our questioning the moves He makes in our lives, our constantly wavering faith, etc. Hebrews 12:2 (AMP) says:
“Looking away [from all that will distract] to Jesus, Who is the Leader and the Source of our faith [giving the first incentive for our belief] and is also its Finisher [bringing it to maturity and perfection]. He, for the joy [of obtaining the prize] that was set before Him, endured the cross, despising and ignoring the shame, and is now seated at the right hand of the throne of God.”
This tells me that He looked ahead and saw the full potential in each soul that would inhabit this earth…He peered through each person’s life, saw the ups, saw the downs, saw the choice for or against…and deemed us all “worth it.” The threshold of His mercy and grace was removed on the cross. He opted for the press…
I’m overwhelmed with gratitude right now for His sacrifice…and its only right that in this quest for God’s best that I opt for the same…
Saturday, September 20, 2008
Monday, April 28, 2008
Recommended Reading
I recently started reading a book by Mark Batterson called, “In A Pit With A Lion On A Snowy Day.” I’m only 36 pages into it, but I’m ALREADY feeling the life-changing power of the author’s words. To give some background, the title and premise of the book are based on II Samuel 23:20-21:
“And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man, of Kabzeel, who had done many acts, he slew two lionlike men of Moab: he went down also and slew a lion in the midst of a pit in time of snow: And he slew an Egyptian, a goodly man: and the Egyptian had a spear in his hand; but he went down to him with a staff, and plucked the spear out of the Egyptian's hand, and slew him with his own spear.”
The New Living Translation of the bold portion states that “on a snowy day, he chased a lion down into a pit and killed it.” Although seemingly hidden in scripture, once brought to my attention by the author, the magnitude of this act amazed me. Cause really, who chases 500lb lions that run up to several miles per hour and kill for their food??? We all know that normal people don’t. Doing something like that takes guts, nerve…any adjective short of insanity. But this guy did it and not because he believed he could, but he believed GOD could.
In our walks with God, He is creating us to be just that…gutsy, fearless, challenge-craving lion chasers. Not because of any ability of our own, but because of His presence on the inside. In reality, we don’t physically find ourselves in a pit with a lion. However, we do find ourselves in seemingly “bad” situations where the odds stacked against us are given more emphasis than God’s ability.
The author made a statement I thought was very profound. He referred to Bible scholar, author and preacher named A.W. Tozer, who said that the most important thing about a person is what comes to mind when they think about God. Furthermore, the complete answer to that question could predict, with certainty, the spiritual future of that man.
The truth is, “God loves impossible odds.” He likes going to bat for us in seemingly impossible situations because that’s when His glory shines the brightest. Your faith determines if you’re a “lion chaser,” choosing to make God inside of you bigger than your biggest problem.
But it all starts with an adequate perception of God…so what is yours??
“And Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, the son of a valiant man, of Kabzeel, who had done many acts, he slew two lionlike men of Moab: he went down also and slew a lion in the midst of a pit in time of snow: And he slew an Egyptian, a goodly man: and the Egyptian had a spear in his hand; but he went down to him with a staff, and plucked the spear out of the Egyptian's hand, and slew him with his own spear.”
The New Living Translation of the bold portion states that “on a snowy day, he chased a lion down into a pit and killed it.” Although seemingly hidden in scripture, once brought to my attention by the author, the magnitude of this act amazed me. Cause really, who chases 500lb lions that run up to several miles per hour and kill for their food??? We all know that normal people don’t. Doing something like that takes guts, nerve…any adjective short of insanity. But this guy did it and not because he believed he could, but he believed GOD could.
In our walks with God, He is creating us to be just that…gutsy, fearless, challenge-craving lion chasers. Not because of any ability of our own, but because of His presence on the inside. In reality, we don’t physically find ourselves in a pit with a lion. However, we do find ourselves in seemingly “bad” situations where the odds stacked against us are given more emphasis than God’s ability.
The author made a statement I thought was very profound. He referred to Bible scholar, author and preacher named A.W. Tozer, who said that the most important thing about a person is what comes to mind when they think about God. Furthermore, the complete answer to that question could predict, with certainty, the spiritual future of that man.
The truth is, “God loves impossible odds.” He likes going to bat for us in seemingly impossible situations because that’s when His glory shines the brightest. Your faith determines if you’re a “lion chaser,” choosing to make God inside of you bigger than your biggest problem.
But it all starts with an adequate perception of God…so what is yours??
Monday, February 11, 2008
Nearing The End...
I can't believe i'm in the last three weeks of training for my job...i didn't think the eight months would go this fast. Its kinda strange because even though i'm pretty much over the 100% travel, I'm going to miss being able to come home every weekend, seeing my family and enjoying the luxuries of familiarity. But I know that in order for God to be able to take me to new levels, I gotta get outta my comfort zone and find one in Him. It is fitting that the scriptures call Him the "God of All Comfort," because it implies that the sum total of all security, peace, consolation, assitance, reassurance, satisfaction (etc.) to be had in this world can only be found in His arms. It's crazy that to soar to new heights in Him that's all He requires of us...to be free from stress/anxiety, to be secure, to be at peace and satisfied with where we are because He is there. Philippians 4:11-13 (AMP) is especially encouraging to me:
"Not that I am implying that I was in any personal want, for I have learned how to be content (satisfied to the point where I am not disturbed or disquieted) in whatever state I am. I know how to be abased and live humbly in straitened circumstances, and I know also how to enjoy plenty and live in abundance. I have learned in any and all circumstances the secret of facing every situation, whether well-fed or going hungry, having a sufficiency and enough to spare or going without and being in want. I have strength for all things in Christ Who empowers me [I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him Who infuses inner strength into me; I am self-sufficient in Christ's sufficiency]."
God, the One who ordered the journey, gives us the ability to be all of those things no matter where it takes us. His presence and our obedience, in essence, are the minimum requirements for our success along the way. Departures from comfort zones are always the hardest goodbye's...but I'm starting to see that by trusting Him to take me into uncharted territory, i'm giving Him more workspace for His power to be made manifest in my life.
I appreciate God for always saving me a seat in the palm of His hand...and I've often heard it said before that His are the most capable hands of all...
"Not that I am implying that I was in any personal want, for I have learned how to be content (satisfied to the point where I am not disturbed or disquieted) in whatever state I am. I know how to be abased and live humbly in straitened circumstances, and I know also how to enjoy plenty and live in abundance. I have learned in any and all circumstances the secret of facing every situation, whether well-fed or going hungry, having a sufficiency and enough to spare or going without and being in want. I have strength for all things in Christ Who empowers me [I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him Who infuses inner strength into me; I am self-sufficient in Christ's sufficiency]."
God, the One who ordered the journey, gives us the ability to be all of those things no matter where it takes us. His presence and our obedience, in essence, are the minimum requirements for our success along the way. Departures from comfort zones are always the hardest goodbye's...but I'm starting to see that by trusting Him to take me into uncharted territory, i'm giving Him more workspace for His power to be made manifest in my life.
I appreciate God for always saving me a seat in the palm of His hand...and I've often heard it said before that His are the most capable hands of all...
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