journey onWord with us

Have you ever noticed how noisy your days are?  Riding through Amish country yesterday gave me a stark contrast to what typical days are like. It was so peaceful. There were very few cars and most stores were closed.  It seemed as if everyone was enjoying a very quiet Sunday afternoon.

Non-stop vehicles of communication have overtaken our world … and we love it. From Twitter to Facebook to our deep love of cell phones and anything technological, we have taken a major turn on the road toward eliminating the solitude of life that we so desperately need. It would be less than honest of me to say that I am not also caught up in that same traffic.  We all need a sense of quiet in our lives that tunes our ear to the Father’s voice.  Distractions (even good ones) can cause major traffic jams on the journey every believer in Christ wants to travel with the Father.

When the issues of life get really tough, we want God on “speed dial”.  Needing the Father in this way reminds me of an instance that happened many years ago, while walking my daughter into her school. As we were walking up to the front entrance, she suddenly fell and hurt her leg badly. Immediate tears and pain jarred dad into action. She wanted dad to help her right now!  My desire to protect, and make her better went into overdrive. Nobody else needed to help her … I would!

It remains important to me, even after all these years, that I was needed to calm her down and meet her needs at that moment of pain. My “father moment” begs the question, “Who else but your heavenly Father can really calm your spirit and heal your hurts?”  The noise generated by distractions in our lives so often drowns out the voice of a God who desperately wants to speak peace into our hearts.  Stop for a minute, and meditate on a verse that can give perspective to the will of the Father, and what He wants from us …

Psalm 46:10a

Be still and know that I am God;  (NIV)

Cease striving and know that I am God;  (NASB)

Step out of the traffic! Take a long loving look at Me, your High God, above politics, above everything  (MSG)

In the context of danger and turmoil, what does God say? Whether you prefer “be still” or “cease striving” the intent is clear. Do nothing. Know God. The Message paints a great visual, doesn’t it?

Take a long loving look at Me

Are you getting to know the Father better? Are you finding His peace? Or, would you admit that the distractions caused by non-stop communications are drowning out the Father’s voice? “Be still…”  “Cease striving…” The Creator of heaven and earth wants to speak peace. I believe you want to hear Him. I would suggest that it may take pulling over into the slow lane on the highway of your life!

My role is not to tell you how to grow in silence and solitude with the Father. Honest hearts will confess whether they are being distracted from His voice. He is the author of the solution, and you don’t have to look any farther than Psalm 46:10 to find His answer.

I liked driving through Amish country. It was a welcome escape from all that tends to distract me. Admittedly, it’s nice to have the technology to be in close communication, but in my travels, anything that distracts me from the Father and a quiet heart, hurts me. So I must ask you an honest question.  Are you traveling on a distracted journey? If so, step out of the traffic!

I was a mess! Tuesday afternoon I got caught in a torrential rainstorm. Getting from the car to my office was an adventure, and I got soaked. To top it off, my sad state of affairs continued when I got ready to return home and couldn’t find my keys. In the haste of grabbing my umbrella, jacket and iced tea to dodge the rain earlier, I left my keys in the ignition … with the vehicle running! Thank goodness no one needed an extra car that night. I was a mess! I am sure that you have done something similar (maybe?!). While you are laughing at my mess,  I’d like you to think for a moment of those whose lives are really a mess. Consider the following story I came across this week…

Pastor Jeremiah Steepek transformed himself into a homeless person and went to the 10,000 member church that he was to be introduced as the head pastor at that morning. He walked around his soon to be church for 30 minutes while it was filling with people for service….only 3 people out of the 7-10,000 people said hello to him. He asked people for change to buy food….NO ONE in the church gave him change. He went into the sanctuary to sit down in the front of the church and was asked by the ushers if he would please sit in the back. He greeted people to be greeted back with stares and dirty looks, with people looking down on him and judging him.

As he sat in the back of the church, he listened to the church announcements and such. When all that was done, the elders went up and were excited to introduce the new pastor of the church to the congregation……..”We would like to introduce to you Pastor Jeremiah Steepek”….The congregation looked around clapping with joy and anticipation…..The homeless man sitting in the back stood up…..and started walking down the aisle…..the clapping stopped with ALL eyes on him….he walked up the altar and took the microphone from the elders (who were in on this) and paused for a moment….then he recited

“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’

After he recited this, he looked towards the congregation and told them all what he had experienced that morning…many began to cry and many heads were bowed in shame…. he then said….Today I see a gathering of people……not a church of Jesus Christ. The world has enough people, but not enough disciples…when will YOU decide to become disciples? He then dismissed service until next week…….Being a Christian is more than something you claim. It’s something you live by and share with others.

I can’t verify the truth of this story, but it was sent to me twice this week. A friend from Florida sent it to me, and then an Ohio friend did the same. There are people who walk into our lives and our churches whose lives are really a mess. I am convinced that it is easier to contribute money to homeless shelters than to love homeless (hurting) people. My point isn’t for you (or me) to feel guilty, but to be honest and reflective about what our responses should be when we see a life that is a mess!

On several occasions recently I have asked individuals, “who is the wisest person you know?”  It has been interesting to me that there is never a quick answer.  Quite frankly, most of the time, I haven’t received an answer at all. If you were challenged to name the wisest person you know, could you name anyone? You may be wondering why I would even consider such a question.  The answer is simply that I believe one of the greatest virtues that can ever be attributed to someone is wisdom.  Proverbs 4:7 gives us a great picture of God’s view of wisdom.

Getting wisdom is the wisest thing you can do! And whatever else you do, develop good judgment. (NLT)

If it is such a big deal, we should all be seeking it!

Over the last few weeks, I have been meeting with a few business owners and discussing wisdom from Proverbs. The weekly comments have been insightful to me as we have looked at how to apply wisdom in our lives. What does a man or woman of wisdom look like anyway? When I think of a wise person, my mind goes to the person that doesn’t speak the most or the loudest, but when they speak, I want to hear every word.  The thoughts are typically reasoned and balanced. They have a handle on the subject matter being discussed, and an understanding of how to apply their knowledge.  An over-riding definition of wisdom to me is, the mind of God revealed. A person can have lots of worldly wisdom, and skills in certain areas, but the wisdom that transcends those characteristics is wisdom that looks at life from God’s perspective.

In my wisdom quest, I have been profoundly impacted by Proverbs 16:23, and its implications over the past week. As you read the verse, realize the potential that it can have for you.

From a wise mind comes wise speech; the words of the wise are persuasive.

For this verse I also chose the New Living Translation. Other versions use the word heart instead of mind, but I believe the context to be the same. We can look at the heart as the whole inner being, and it is the depository of wisdom and the place from where our speech comes. It goes without saying that to gain the perspective of God for all situations we must have a consistent intake of His Word. When we continually deposit the Word, focus on its truth and apply the principles….wise speech will be the result.

As you read the following story, reflect on wisdom personified and think of how you would have responded. Corrie ten Boom tells a fascinating story of her father’s wisdom in her book, The Hiding Place.

As a child, Corrie once traveled with her father by train from their home in Haarlem, the Netherlands to Amsterdam. Her father was a watchmaker and traveled to repair parts for new watches that he had sold. He carried a large, heavy briefcase with his parts and tools. Corrie had seen the word “sex” written somewhere and couldn’t understand what it meant so she questioned her father as they traveled. She asked her father to define the word “sex”. He turned and looked at her, but said nothing. At last he stood, lifted his heavy briefcase from above and put it on the floor. “Will you carry it off the train, Corrie?” he said. “It’s too heavy.” she said.

“Yes,” he said. “And it would be a pretty poor father who would ask his little girl to carry such a load.  It’s the same way Corrie, with knowledge.  Some knowledge is too heavy for children. When you are older and stronger you can bear it.  For now you must trust me to carry it for you”.

Wow, what wisdom! Corrie’s father was thoughtful and didn’t shun the question, but gave her a reasoned profound answer. We can all learn from his response.  I am sure he was a man who took in the Word, prayed about life, and applied the truth he knew. And at a critical moment, his words were wise.

Wouldn’t it be great if when asked, “who is the wisest person you know,” someone mentioned your name? You may feel it can’t happen, but I believe it can. It will only happen if you gain God’s perspective. You can … and when you do; your speech will be wise and your words persuasive. You won’t speak the loudest or the most. You won’t need too, because, the words you do say will carry tremendous weight. If getting wisdom is the wisest thing you can do, seek it.

If prayer was a place, I wonder if most people would note it’s mailing address as the land of wishful thinking. Stop for a minute and consider this for yourself. Every believer knows that they should pray, that the Bible admonishes us to pray, and that even the non-Christian will sometimes call out to God in moments of distress. But how many people pray with a strong view of God’s power, and real confidence that He will answer? Or is it more typical that our prayers are words spoken in a heavenly direction out of a sense of obligation or wishful thinking (although we certainly wouldn’t admit it), without much confidence in the outcome?

Earlier this week, my daughter asked me to pray about a big professional issue in her life. I reminded her how we had seen God answer before. Only a few days later, it seems her answer has come. Then this morning about five o’clock, I realized that another big family prayer request had been answered. I could tell you that I am a prayer warrior, but I often struggle with prayer’s address being that land of wishful thinking. The verse of a song from my childhood is great counsel for my prayer life, and I hope it can be for yours.

Got any rivers you think are uncrossable;
Got any mountains you can’t tunnel through?
God specializes in things tho’t impossible;
He does things others cannot do.

excerpt from Got Any Rivers, Oscar C. Eliason, copyright 1945

You, no doubt, have some uncrossable rivers before you right now, and so do I. There may even be a mountain or two of difficulty staring you right in the face. When we are not firm and steadfast in our view of God’s power, impossibilities look, well … impossible. The old song says that God specializes in things that are “impossible”. Can we believe it, or are those words just wishful thinking? Experience has taught me that those who pray earnestly with confident faith see God do “things others cannot do.” Are you ready to experience Him doing that in your life?

The prophet Jeremiah affirmed our assertion …

Jeremiah 32:17
Ah Sovereign Lord, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you.

Those words don’t sound like wishful thinking to me. They sound like blocks of granite you can build your prayer life upon? While those words are certain, our times of prayer often don’t reflect that certainty. Later in chapter 32, the word of the Lord comes to Jeremiah …

Jeremiah 32:27
I am the Lord, the God of all mankind. Is anything too hard for me?

Jeremiah prayed it, God affirmed it, and let’s just be simple enough to believe it. Nothing is too hard for God!

Is your prayer life firmly rooted in that truth? Are there rivers or mountains in your life right now that you don’t want to bother Him with, or you don’t really believe He can do something about?  If you are anything like me, there are times that I get it. Those times are special and quite profound. They are times of river crossings and mountain passes. There is no wishful thinking in the truth of God’s Word, and there should be none in our prayer lives. Nothing is too hard for Him. Believe it and pray like it!

I am glad God woke me before 5:00 am to remind me He answers prayer!

With an honest heart, I can tell you that there are people who I just don’t like very much. I didn’t say that I didn’t love them; just that I don’t like them very much. Now you may be aghast that such a spiritual giant (right) would make such a proclamation. But aren’t you the same way?! I guarantee that there is someone in your life who speaks, and the words affect you like nails on a chalkboard.  Can we just be honest and confess our feelings?  Last week on vacation, I was reading about someone who I don’t like very much … and I have only read about him. He is simply a person whose attitude and actions are like nails on a chalkboard to my ears and heart.  His name is Jonah!

Yes … the guy and the big fish, Jonah. But the book that bears his name tells far more than a fish story. Let me give you a snapshot of what we find in the four chapters of Jonah. The Lord called Jonah to preach to the people of Nineveh (capital of Assyria), and instead he took off in the opposite direction. You may have experienced running from God. Jonah’s journey of disobedience led him, of all places, to the inside of a big fish for three days and three nights. He gets right with God inside the fish (wouldn’t you?), and God directed the fish to vomit him onto dry land.  The second time the Lord said go to Nineveh, he did. He proclaimed God’s message, and a great revival ensued in Nineveh. The result? God didn’t bring destruction upon the city. Jonah was thrilled, right? Wrong!

When Jonah saw that God spared the city, he was angry. Jonah 4:2 gives us a great picture of his displeasure.

So he complained to the Lord about it: “Didn’t I say before I left home that you would do this, Lord? That is why I ran away to Tarshish! I knew that you are a merciful and compassionate God, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. You are eager to turn back from destroying people.

Jonah obviously had a hatred of the Assyrians, and God’s compassion got to him (think about that).  Jonah made a shelter, sat down, and God grew a vine to shade him from the sun.  I believe Jonah was hoping that God would change his mind again and destroy the city.  In His sovereignty, God destroyed the vine … exposing Jonah to the heat, and adding to his self–pity.  Look at the words that followed this scene.

Then the Lord said, “You feel sorry about the plant, though you did nothing to put it there. It came quickly and died quickly.  But Nineveh has more than 120,000 people living in spiritual darkness, not to mention all the animals. Shouldn’t I feel sorry for such a great city?”
Jonah 4:10-11

That rascal didn’t really care for the people God loved.  And he was a Prophet!  Can’t you see why he is like nails on a chalkboard to me?  He was selfish and nationalistic in his faith, but God cares for all mankind equally.  Oops … Does God care for men, women and children in countries that seem so hostile to Him and to us?  Does he care for the people of Iraq, Iran, or North Korea?  Does he care for the Taliban? Yes, yes, yes, yes and yes … to all those, YES! But how much do you and I care? I was in the Bahamas last week at a conference and remember viewing a man from another country and religion with quick disdain. I was so wrong!  God loves all mankind equally.  A better response would have been to look at that person as someone who is loved by my Lord. And better yet, I could have whispered a prayer for him. I would never want to consider myself having the spirit I viewed in Jonah, but in that quick moment, my attitude was like nails on a chalkboard to my Lord.

So I am going to cut Jonah some slack. And will you take a moment to pray right now for that person whose words hit you like nails on a chalkboard? You know who it is, or who they are.  And on a far deeper level, will you love more fully and have more compassion on anyone that God loves and has compassion for — which is all mankind!  Maybe you even need to ask the Father to forgive your attitude. I did! I guess it’s time to wipe that slate clean … thanks Jonah.

I spent each day last week sitting outside during my sacred time with God.  The sounds of nature can sometimes distract, but sitting quietly in the midst of it last week actually drew me closer to Him.  At either the beginning or end of my time each day, I spent a few minutes focusing in on something unique.  One morning it was the family of rabbits that have taken up residence somewhere in our backyard, feeding together on clover.  Another morning it was a smallish bird that sat for what seemed like forever perched all by itself on a high power line.  I was in full observation mode, but most mornings the sole outcome was a pencil sketch.  My Tuesday morning, however, had my senses on high alert, and the following thoughts flowed out of that experience.

For a few summers when I was a kid, my parents grew tomatoes in containers on the steps of our backyard deck.  We loved fresh tomato and mayonnaise sandwiches in the summertime, and come August during those particular summers, we were in heaven.  For the simple reason that there is absolutely no substitute for the fullness of flavor and freshness in things you grow yourself.  A store-bought tomato can taste really good, but it is nothing close to biting into one that’s been homegrown.  Even if you don’t like tomatoes, I am sure this truth resonates with you with some other sort of vegetable or fruit.  I fully believe this is the way God intended it.

Earlier in the Spring, my wife purchased some container plants to compliment our backyard seating area.  It’s really a section of driveway behind our house, and she always does such a great job of softening and coloring the normally plain setting with plants and flowers.  This year, among her expert choices was a cherry tomato plant.  I was excited to see it added to the “landscape,” and began dreaming of the day when brilliant red tomatoes dotted the healthy vines.

While that day of promise had arrived a bit earlier than expected with two beautiful red cherry tomatoes begging to be picked that Tuesday morning, my attention was drawn to several dead leaves.  I spent a few minutes removing those leaves and few other troublesome areas that I found on closer inspection.  As I sat back down and began to sketch the plant, I rested my head in my hands and caught a whiff of the most glorious scent.  I was instantly transported to my backyard porch, and the roadside stands on our way to Ocean City, NJ.  It was the scent of the vine, the unmistakable fragrance on the flesh of a fresh tomato.

My mind went instantly to the Bible, and the unmistakable fragrance of pure scripture.  So many times in my life I have relied on someone else to break down, discern, or translate scripture for me.  I had convinced myself that it took someone with years of training to extract its nutrition and share it with me; that I was not capable of doing that on my own.  And then one day a dear brother suggested that I just begin reading the Bible for myself.  I was going to need help, no doubt, but the Spirit was ready and willing, and waiting for me to ask.

I’m not suggesting that my store-bought tomatoes didn’t nourish me.  They tasted good, and did (still do) yield fruit in my life.  There are some really good local and commercial farmers out there.  But I am suggesting there is an unmistakable fragrance on the flesh of a tomato when it’s homegrown.  And there is an explosive burst of flavor and joy when you bite into one.

If store-bought sounds familiar, petition for the courage to try homegrown.  Experience the scent of the vine … and The Vine himself!

Do you ever get weary with praying? You have prayed, cared and sought the best for someone and things just haven’t worked out. Your original energy is waning and though you still care just as much, praying has become more of a ritual than fervent intercession. One area that I believe we all feel a deep sense of responsibility is in praying for our children (or family). They have needs and we care … but are we praying fervently and specifically?

This week, my wife and I spent a lot of time with our daughter who lives in Los Angeles.  Although we have never stopped praying for her, we both were re-energized to intercede more fervently for her … and never stop. We feel that we are called to be persistent in praying for her. So as you read this article, think about your children or a family member(s) who need your intercession.

If you have attended church for very long, you may have heard the parable of the persistent widow in Luke chapter eighteen. Christ in His wisdom used this parable to show the disciples the need to pray, and not give up. The disciples needed to hear good counsel — keep praying and don’t give up. In our heart of hearts, we all know if we have slowed down or even stopped praying. Sure there may be times of mouthing words, but I am talking about really seeking after God’s design on issues of concern to us. Looking back at my prayer journals would probably show some issues that were once important, that I regretfully gave up on. You may have become discouraged with His “delays”, angry over the outcome of your pleadings, and disillusioned that you prayed so hard and nothing seemed to happen. He understands our struggle, but gives us great counsel — keep praying and don’t give up.

Christ’s parable about the persistent widow gives us incredible insight about never, ever giving up. The unjust judge that she confronted was finally bothered to the point of giving in to her. We need to be careful with comparing the judge to our Lord because the context gives us a completely different picture, but the parable teaches us that being persistent in prayer is vital. Too often Christians become easily dismayed and don’t follow the Master’s counsel.

In studying the first two verses that follow this parable, I was challenged and convicted.

Luke 18:6-7
And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off?

Intellectually, there is no doubt in my mind that you believe God honors persistent praying. We all struggle, however, with the discipline to keep going.  Keep going when He seems to put our requests in delay mode, or our loved one is not healed.  Keep going when our finances don’t quickly turn around.  Keep going when our child continues to reject Christ no matter how long we’ve prayed. We all have reasons not to pray, but His counsel remains — keep praying and never give up.

I can’t tell you why God delays, but I can tell you that He loves you, He does heal, and He will honor those who cry out to Him day and night. Is there anything that you need to cry out to the Father about? Do it, and don’t give up.

Sir Winston Churchill in 1941 used the following words: “Never give in – never, never, never, never, in nothing great or small, large or petty. . .” You and I can take his words to a new level: never, never, never, never ever stop praying (especially for your children). Great counsel indeed!

I trust your 4th of July was meaningful.  To give you a challenge today, I have decided to share an archived Journey article from several years ago.  I found myself in a similar place during the past week, and the context of the article reminded me of great intentions, and praying from a distance. I trust it will encourage you.

At the beginning of every year, every month and every week, projects are started with great intentions.  Any honest person would admit that our great intentions often become issues of regret when they are not completed. Too many times I have started a new diet on Monday, only to regress to burgers and fries by Wednesday. Just thinking about projects you’ve wanted to complete, books you were going to finish, the time you were going to spend with your children, etc… can cause varying degrees of frustration and regret. Great intentions in our spiritual lives (where life really matters) left undone will cause us the same measure of frustration and regret. But since I am a strong proponent of yesterday ending at midnight, let me offer this to you.

In my weekend reading of the Bible, I was struck by both an Old and New Testament passage about prayer. Elijah prayed and it didn’t rain and then he prayed and it rained (you know the story). A church was praying for Peter and he was supernaturally released. They struggled with unbelief, but our God of grace answered. We all love the great passages that detail God’s dramatic intervention. But do we really pray asking or expecting that in our own lives?  As I started praying on Sunday morning, it hit me that my prayer life at the moment was stale. My great intentions about prayer were being left unfulfilled. I have seen my Father intervene countless times, and prayer is essential to me, but I was praying “from a distance.”

Prayer was still coming from my lips every day, but absent was the passion and discipline that my Father deserves. My most important relationship was not getting attention. I was still reading the Word, but not communicating well. If you are like me, your confidence level is lower in times like this. It is my firm conviction that those who really see God move are those who spend quality time with Him.

James 5:17-18
Elijah was a man just like us. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops.

My intentions are to see God move in my life, just like Elijah did. But it won’t happen “from a distance”. On Sunday morning, I had to square up my prayer life with the Father. And it was time to move forward. Very little is accomplished by using emotional energy on unfinished tasks. God meets us at our point of need, and I am confident that I will see the “rain” come as I seek Him. God loves you and I enough to forgive us for failed great intentions, and bless us in our new endeavors.

I hesitate to use personal illustrations, but today I prayed from a “closer distance” and you can rest assured I have great intentions about my prayer life going forward. And when you and I fall down, we’ll get up and begin again.

You may need to finish that book, complete a home project, give your son or daughter the time you promised … take heart, you can begin again today. Your relationship with your Savior may be “at a distance,” and you can square it up today. Never stop living with great intentions, but live with confidence in our God, who brings the rain.

From every angle, life seems to come at us with confusion. Will any of us ever really understand the Benghazi attacks, if the IRS targets certain groups, or how the NSA really does surveillance?  Very few of us could give good definitions of global warming or “going green.”  When we listen to our national leaders, there is often a question about whether we are really getting all the facts and if we can believe what we are hearing. But the confusion of life isn’t just about governmental and political issues; life is confusing on a personal level (at least for me).

From the moments of confusion that make me laugh, to bigger issues that cause me to pause and reflect about life, I just can’t figure everything out. Since I am a fixer, I want everything to be handled, corrected and put in order. But that doesn’t seem to be the way life works. It is confusing to me that others can’t see how simple it would be to fix the problems that face them. Have you ever just wanted to grab someone and shout, “just do it this way”?  How confusing!

But it even goes deeper for me; I get confused about why I so easily have spiritual highs and then seasons of discouragement. I can feel wise one day and completely ignorant the next.  There are days that I am very caring and then in an instant my attitude changes to one of great selfishness.  It is a bit confusing that my spirit can change so quickly.

My confusion logic was heightened this week while reading about Elijah. What a great man!  In one reading session, I was encouraged about his great faith and trust in God. I want that kind of trust! He prayed for a dead boy’s life and God answered. Then he defeated the false prophets, and prayed for rain (it came). I want the faith of Elijah!  But then after the great victories, the man who had prevailed against 850 prophets by faith, runs because of the threats of one woman. This season showed me a discouraged and defeated man. Why? It seems confusing that a great man with great faith after great victories would have great despondency. It reminds me of the way I can easily change.  Confusing, isn’t it?!

God eventually led Elijah to Mt. Horeb. Elijah goes in a cave and spends the night.  Note what happens:

“Go out and stand before me on the mountain,” the Lord told him. And as Elijah stood there, the Lord passed by, and a mighty windstorm hit the mountain. It was such a terrible blast that the rocks were torn loose, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake.  And after the earthquake there was a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire there was the sound of a gentle whisper. (I Kings 19:11-12)

There can be lots of reasons that we go from victory to failure quickly.  We can be overcome with the weight of issues, become exhausted, get emotionally drained and the list goes on and on.  Don’t lose heart, because God is never out of control when my life (and yours) seems confusing.  He knows how to deal with our discouragement and, yes, confusion.  Wouldn’t it have made sense for God to get Elijah’s attention through the power of the wind, fire or an earthquake?  But how much more beautiful that it was through a gentle whisper.

God still speaks … often gently!  The question for me (and you) is, are we listening?  God is more than willing to speak into our confusion.  Tune your ears and your heart to His whisper.

“What were you thinking?” is a common refrain after watching someone you care about make a huge blunder. We have all been on the giving or receiving end of that critique after an ill-advised decision. Sometimes even when we know all the right facts and potential consequences, poor decisions are made. There are times when all of us want to step back in time to re-write a moment of personal history. But since re-do’s are rare in life, keeping “What was I thinking?” moments to a minimum is essential.

I have a little known friend from Scripture who has both shown me great wisdom and the way to live, and made me want to say, “What were you thinking?” In the life of Asa, we are given a great picture of beginning well, but not ending well. Let his life speak to you as it has me.

In viewing the book of II Chronicles, we find the king of Judah blessed by God. Note some of the “beginning well’s” from chapters 14-15.

• Asa did what was good and right in the eyes of God.

• There were years when no one was at war with him, because God chose to give him rest.

• He led the people in seeking God.

• In a battle, we see his focus with these words, “Lord there is no one like you to help the powerless against the mighty. Help us, O Lord our God, for we rely on you, and in your name we have come against this vast army”. They won!

• Large numbers came to him from Israel because they saw the Lord was with him.

• He disposed of his own grandmother from her position as queen mother and destroyed her idols.

• He was very committed to the Lord.

But “what was he thinking” in chapter sixteen? Asa, a man who had trusted God so well, made a huge blunder and took money from the Lord’s temple to get protection from a heathen king. A man who knew better, he drifted from a life of blessings. Look at the depth of his fall in the words of verse twelve…

In the thirty-ninth year of his reign Asa was afflicted with a disease in his feet. Though his disease was severe, even in his illness he did not seek help from the Lord, but only from physicians.

I can’t explain exactly what happened, but the results speak for themselves. He was confronted throughout life with “trust” moments. Just like we are! He made good choices along the journey, but also some “what was he thinking?” choices. It would be easy to just condemn my friend Asa. But we have all failed in an opportunity to trust our Father. I wonder at the very end of his life if Asa wondered, “what was I thinking?”

You and I will be confronted with choices to trust the Father today, tomorrow, next week, and for the rest of our lives. Navigating those choices will help shape our peace and joy now and also our spiritual legacy. Trusting Him above our emotions and human logic will sometimes be tough, but in the end we will be glad we trusted. Asa’s life speaks volumes about following God, and then sadly the end of his life speaks volumes about refusing to seek Him.  What choices will you make … today, tomorrow, next week, and for the rest of your life?