Are we guilty of trying to impose our timetable on God's? We are so used to demanding quick results; everything is needed ASAP! We are impatient with the slow driver ahead of us or the delayed traffic signal. We don't like waiting in line for anything. And that "fast food" had better be fast or we won't be back again!
So, when we pray, believing that God will answer our prayers, do we find ourselves impatient with His timing as well? God is outside of Time, remember? He hasn't forgotten about you or your prayers. All kinds of things could be holding up your answers to prayers such as these:
 | "I prayed for a husband 5 years ago and I'm still single" |
| "Why don't we have children yet, Lord?" |
| "I prayed for my job situation to change and it's worse than ever" |
| "I prayed for healing and it hasn't happened" |
Is God deaf? No. But maybe we don't really understand prayer. (I don't understand it too well myself and would appreciate any further insights!) Is prayer simply "getting what we want from God"? That sounds crass, but isn't that what many of us unconsciously believe? Do we just "place our order" and wait for God to deliver?
Maybe we are doing too much of the talking when we should really be listening! Prayer should not be a one-way street. It is not placing an order or registering a complaint; perhaps it is more like having a heart to heart talk with a trusted and highly revered Friend. That is, a Friend who is Holy, Just, All-powerful, All-knowing, and Ever-present! I would take such fellowship over a mere "fast food prayer" any day!
You have heard the expression, "looking at the world through rose-colored glasses". Is that how you view situations and people? Good--you can stop reading now.
(Is anyone still there?)
Most of us, however, have the opposite problem. We tend to view other people through a negative filter. We generally judge others much more harshly than we would ourselves for the same offense. For ourselves, we offer excuses; for others, condemnation! Why is that? I suppose that we are just naturally prejudiced in favor of ourselves. It might also be because we know why we acted a certain way--that is where the excuses come in. If we would cut others the same slack, we might see them differently. Why do we assume the worst motives of others (she is sour and cranky) and the best for ourselves (I was tired, or having a bad day)? We believe our bad behavior or disposition is temporary and circumstantial, but yours is innate!
If we made allowances for others as we do for ourselves, we would be taking a step in the right direction--the direction of empathy. Toss out the filters of negativity and criticism; look through the filters of empathy and understanding. Our duty in the Body of Christ is to edify, not to tear down. Allow people the freedom to make mistakes, to be boring occasionally, to be irritating--or maybe to be richer, more talented, or better liked than you are! I am not talking about condoning sin, but simply about not demanding such a high degree of perfection from fallible brethren. God made us unique for a reason. Honestly, would you prefer a whole world of people exactly like you? (I shudder at the thought!)
It is gardening time again. I wonder how many of you are carefully watering and nurturing those precious weeds in your gardens? Sounds silly? OK, maybe you don't actually encourage those weeds (weeds do all right on their own!) but neither do you bother hoeing them or pulling them out; at least not when they are so tiny and harmless looking...
What kind of weeds am I talking about? Don't some of us have "weeds" in our life--bad habits, attitudes, or thought patterns--that we are reluctant to part with? We know that we should pull them out, roots and all. But that is such hard work! Maybe if we wait long enough, they will just disappear on their own. (Have you ever seen a weed do that?) No, if we don't get rid of our "weeds" when they are small, they will soon bear seeds and then we'll have a bumper crop of them!
Check out your spiritual garden; rip up those weeds now before they take over and threaten to choke out any spiritual "fruit". Think about it: you won't see healthy, strong plants in a garden that is never weeded. Don't despair if the patch is so overgrown that the job seems overwhelming. God will help you will with the weeding--but remember, when you really give Him complete control, He will probably end up doing some long-overdue "pruning" as well. It will be good for you, but it might be painful!
| Isaiah 5:4 "What could have been done more to my vineyard, that I have not done in it? wherefore, when I looked that it should bring forth grapes, brought it forth wild grapes?" |
What does it take for God to get your attention? Are you so in tune with Him, so sensitive to His guidance that a mere "nudge" will suffice? Or maybe you are so used to ignoring God (you prefer your own way!) that He has to knock you out cold just to make you realize that He's still there.
Most of us fit somewhere in between those two examples. How do we react to God's prompting and guidance? If He has a hard time getting our attention (if we've ignored the gentle nudges and it's time for a heavy blow), let's not be angry at the pain we'll suffer as a result. Rather, we should be thankful that He loves us and cares about us enough not to let us wander away without any consequences. He wants us to return to Him, to seek His will, and to walk in His paths.
May a gentle "nudge" be all that you will ever need!
P.S. I'm not suggesting that our misfortunes are all because we're not paying attention to God--not at all! Look at Job, for example. But it doesn't hurt to be sensitive and open to that possibility. You'll know, in your heart of hearts, whether or not you are willfully going your own way. If so, you are setting yourself up for a "knock-out". God will not give up on you. He will try to bring you back. Remember, He is trying to conform you to His will, to mold you into something better. Let Him do it!
There is a difference between mere change and real progress. Progress implies change for the better. We Americans seem to be enamored of whatever is "new", without considering if it is actually better. It reminds me of the Athenians in Acts 17:21--
"(For all the Athenians and strangers which were there spent their time in nothing else, but either to tell, or to hear some new thing)"
How quickly we cast aside the old ways for the new! Why are people so quick to discard the truth of the Bible for man's opinion? Could it be that they are looking for an excuse, any excuse to free them from accountability to a sovereign, Creator God? They indeed are "willingly ignorant"! Lots of people seem to have "itching ears" and there are plenty of false teachers to scratch that "itch" for them. But what about seeking the "old paths" and walking in them?
In a materialistic world, we tend to look mainly at technological progress. That has been tremendous, especially in the last century. But what of societal indicators? Are we getting better and better morally? No sane person would agree to that. We seem to be a fleet of rudderless, anchor-less ships. We may be faster, sleeker, and very impressive externally, but....we don't know where we're going (or even if there is any place worth going to!) Not only do we not know the answers to life's problems, we aren't even sure we are asking the right questions. Without being rooted and grounded in God's Word, there is no hope. Hope is still there, but we have to access it ourselves.
"Back to the basics", indeed. Or better stated, back to the Bible: Back to the "Truth".
The Christian message of salvation is elegantly simple: repentance toward God and faith in Jesus' atoning blood. But the Christian walk is not easy! It does no good to soft-pedal that message. Jesus said, "my yoke is easy". That is true; we do not have the burden of trying to keep all 613 of the commandments known as the "yoke of the Torah".
But Jesus' words never imply that the Christian walk is easy. Easy to understand, yes, but incredibly difficult to live. For example, it is simple to understand the concepts "love your enemies, forgive those who wrong you", but it is not easy to carry them out. That is why Jesus said we should "count the cost" (before committing ourselves?). He also said we need to deny ourselves and take up the cross daily.
The Christian walk is full and rewarding, but it can seem like an uphill battle. One reason is that we must continually "go up against our nature" as the hymn says. We'll also have to fight some spiritual battles against the powers of darkness. Satan is not happy that we left his camp and he will try his hardest to get us back (or at least to make us miserable and ineffective).
The Christian walk is demanding. We are to give up our whole self to the Lord. That is partly why the "New Age" movement is so attractive right now. It offers spirituality without any cost, without any reckoning or judgment. You can have your spiritual "cake" without the calories! These deluded souls can feel good while they are descending toward Hell. (Pray that their eyes can be opened before it is too late).
Does the Christian walk seem too difficult at times? That may be good--if everything is too easy, you may be on the wrong path! (Check out that road sign--does it still say "narrow way"?) Don't give up or be discouraged--you are not alone. You have a Friend on your side who doesn't even have the word "impossible" in His vocabulary!
it will be worth it all, hang in there!
Is the "best cook in the county" the one with the most cookbooks? Is the best cook the one who uses the most exotic and expensive ingredients? Neither is necessarily true. A mountain of cookbooks won't do any good if they are never opened (or if you don't know how to use them). A good cook can often make simple fare seem wonderful, and one well-worn recipe file may suffice.
OK, then, is the most devout Christian the one with the most Bibles in the house? Not necessarily true...especially if they are all still in mint condition! My point is, it is not what you have, but what you use (and how you use it).
So, neither is the most fruitful Christian the one who has been given the most. Some of us perhaps like to think, "If I had a lot more money (let's hope we don't say: "if I won the lottery"!), just think of all the good I could do for God. Well, how are you using the money you have right now? Or we think, "if I had this gift or that gift, I could really serve God in a big way". What are you doing with that "one talent" you do have?. Hiding it? Esteeming it such a small thing that it is unimportant? "Faithfulness in small things" is the key. If we can be trusted in little, we can also be trusted in much. Of course, the reverse is also true.
You don't have to be "the best"; simply do your best. And remember, God, like a Master cook, can do a lot with a little!
keep cooking!
Are we "spiritual vegetarians"? Are we content to keep on drinking the "milk" of the Word when we should be weaned and digesting the "meat"? (I Cor. 3:2) We do need the milk at first to get us off to a healthy start. But after awhile, we need to start eating meat--things that take more chewing, like doctrine.
Have we made any progress since we first believed? How do we measure up against the qualities of the "Fruit of the Spirit"? (Gal. 5) Do we demonstrate any more fully the characteristics of love found in I Corinthians 13? Are we not yet able to bear the meat of the Word? Is our thinking still fuzzy? Are we "dull of hearing"? Can we discern both good and evil, as in Hebrews 5:13 & 14:
"For every one that useth milk is unskillful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe.
But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil."
I can see that I have a lot of room to grow! (What's for supper tonight?)
"thoroughly steeped and piping hot"
I'm not a coffee drinker but I do like a cup of good, hot tea. Don't try to give me a cup that hasn't been properly steeped; it is weak, insipid, and tasteless. I don't want it lukewarm, either. How about you--are you like a cup of strong, hot tea? Have you taken the time to be thoroughly steeped in His Word and in His love?
Don't be a bland, tasteless Christian: one so weak that you can't even tell what sort of beverage you are supposed to resemble! Have you been soaking up the world's flavor instead of the real thing? Others can tell the difference!
I would desire someday to be so permeated by God's Word that it would just be second nature for me to speak to others of spiritual things. I would not be wearing my "religion on my sleeve" but my faith would be so much an integral part of me that you could not separate the two. No phony act; no cheap generic imitation; but the real thing. Until then, I'll just keep striving to be "God-absorbed", not self-absorbed or world-absorbed! ( A tall order for me!)
P.S. A lump or so of sugar doesn't hurt, either. Not so much as to be sickening sweet and treacly, but just enough to take off the edge!
| Rev. 3:16 "So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth." |
Hmmm....it looks like grass on that white robe of yours...and maybe some
ground-in dirt as well. What have you been doing? Out playing in the world
again? You just never learn, do you? It appears that your beautiful white
garments have become somewhat "earth-stained". There is only one substance
that will get out those tough-to-remove stains and that is--blood. But not
just any old blood; it must be very special blood from the Unspotted Lamb of
God Himself. Only His blood can make those whites dazzling and bright again.
So confess your stains, that is, your sins and let Him pick out the garment
for you this time. Don't try to make do with an old hand-me-down. Be sure
to be wearing His clothes of righteousness.(Matt 22:11,12) You do want to
be properly attired for the upcoming wedding; it could be any day now.
You'd hate to be wearing those dingy old clothes of yours when the shout is
heard, "Behold, the Bridegroom cometh. Go ye out to meet Him!" (Matt 25:6)
See you at the wedding feast!
| Rev. 3:4,5 "Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy. He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment...." |
| Rev.3:18 "I counsel thee to BUY OF ME...white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed..." |
| Psalms 51:7 "...wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow" |
| Rev. 19:7,8 "..the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints." |