Don's Devotionals: Learning to love God

1 Peter 4:9, 10  Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling.  Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God’s grace in its various forms.

There is an old story that has a powerful message about opportunities.  An Arab was traveling through the desert at night to escape the daytime heat, guided by the stars.  Crossing a deep dry riverbed he heard a voice call out in the night.  It said, “Dismount and gather up stones from the bed of the river and go on your way.  In the morning you will be both glad and sad.”

He did what he was told and gathered up a handful of small stones from the riverbed, and mounting his camel, he continued on his way.  At first light he opened the pouch in which he had put the stones and discovered that they were priceless jewels.  At first he was ecstatic and then he was sad.  He was grateful for what he had gathered but sad that he had not gathered more.

An opportunity had come to him and he had responded by filling one pouch.  He could have ignored the voice; or he could have filled several pouches with stones. The blessing he received – or missed – was based on the choice he made.   We encounter opportunities all the time.  The question is do we have the eyes to see them and the motivation to respond if we do?  We can be so caught up in our busyness that we don’t recognize or even consider them.  All too often, opportunities can appear to us as burdens – a pocketful of stones.

Today’s verses describe a way of life that is rich both in blessings and rewards; being a blessing to others and receiving the rewards of administering God’s grace.   These aren’t ‘stones’ to encumber us, but jewels to enrich us.   Offering hospitality and serving others are pathways to building relationships, establishing community and expressing the love of God to one another.  They are also marvelous blessings to the recipients.  The wonderful thing is that our Lord opens our eyes to see the treasure that these things are while we are doing them.  Pray that we will all respond faithfully to the opportunities He sends us each day.

Proverbs 25:11  A word aptly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver.

Suppose someone gave you a handful of $10 bills that you were to give out during the day to people that you interacted with.  It’s safe to say that the people who received the money would notice and be pleased.  They’d probably look forward to seeing you again on the chance you had more money to hand out.

Now suppose the Lord let you know that there would be included in your day, several people that you met that had a specific need for $10, that they were praying about.  Or possibly they would have a need for the $10 shortly after receiving it.  In both cases, their blessing would be far greater than just receiving a $10 gift.  They would have the opportunity to recognize that it was a specific provision for a specific need – an answer to prayer.  If they did see that, they would likely glorify God for His provision in addition to being grateful for your kindness.

The words that we speak can have a similar impact.  They can bring blessing and provision to those around us.  Think of the people we work or interact with.   Do we recognize the kindnesses they do and do we say thank you?  Do we ever acknowledge the good work that people do?  When we are in conversations that start going in an unrighteous direction, do we gracefully speak words that redirect the conversation?

Think of the opportunities we have to show interest in others – in helping them with their problems or tasks.  The insight we offer might be the missing ingredient they’re looking for.  Proverbs 15:23 adds this insight, “Everyone enjoys a fitting reply; it is wonderful to say the right thing at the right time!”   If we are in the middle of a chore, think of the blessing of someone seeing us and saying, “Let me help you with that.” Or as I’ve written earlier about my problem getting the weed-whacker started.  Wouldn’t it have been helpful if someone came up – saw the situation and said, “It might help to turn the switch on!”?

Maybe our words trigger something in their memory enabling them to recall what they need.  Sometimes people are just in need of an encouraging word.  Remember, it’s not just us.  We are God’s hands extended.  He wants to minister life through us that blesses and draws others to Him.  We need to pray that the Lord will open our eyes and ears to see the many opportunities that surround us where we can bring blessing through the words we speak and the kindness we show.

Luke 17:15, 16  One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan.

These verses are at the heart of the story of Jesus healing the ten lepers.  All ten were cleansed but only this one returned and gave praise to God.  Jesus wondered where the other nine were – why they didn’t come back too.

But let’s focus on the one who responded as they all should have.  There’s a good possibility that he led a normal life until he became a leper. Maybe he was a farmer or a shepherd.  He likely had family and friends.  Then came the day when he discovered that he had leprosy.

I cannot imagine the pain of being separated from wife, children, parents, friends, your home – your entire world.  This separation is on top of having this dreaded disease.  Living a life where you are shunned by everyone except those who have the same disease.

Then you hear about Jesus – a Nazarene who is performing all manner of miracles.  Think of the discussions among the lepers as they dared to hope that Jesus might heal them.  And then He does.  All ten are cleansed. But this one, in his incredible joy, returns loudly praising God and finding Jesus to thank Him.

Then, imagine returning to your wife and children – to your parents and brothers and sisters and friends.  This man had his life not only returned to him – but it was as though all things became new.  Can you see him asking God to help him to never forget what Jesus did for him?  Can you see him thanking God every day for all the normal little things that he can now do again?

Spend some time thinking about the wonderful things that Jesus has done in your life.  Think of where you might be, if He hadn’t responded to your cry for help.  Ask the Lord to restore gratitude within you if it is missing.  Hopefully, we all will be overwhelmed with gratitude for the loving kindness of our God.

Psalm 34:18  The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.

In church we sang a song that had a verse that really touched me.  It spoke of the tired and weary, the lost and lonely, and the brokenhearted.  All of us have probably experienced all these things at one time or another.  Hopefully in those times, we have experienced the closeness of the Lord and been blessed by His love and presence.  But each of these can be formidable things to deal with.

The thing that I was particularly struck by was the thought of all those around us, who may or may not know Jesus, who are experiencing one or more of these things.  Take a moment to think of those in your circle of relationships.  Are there any who are tired and weary?  I don’t think this is talking about physical tiredness that comes from working hard or doing something physically demanding.  It seems that it is referring to a weariness of spirit, which would be similar to one being lost or lonely, or brokenhearted.  Typically, these conditions come with discouragement.

An illustration that has really been helpful to me is that of an outrigger on a canoe.  It is there to stabilize the canoe in turbulent water.  I’ve found that there are times when we’re able to come along side of a friend or coworker who’s going through difficulties and the Lord enables us to function like an outrigger on their canoe as they go through “whitewater” in their life.  We’re there to encourage; pray with them; listen to them; give help and advice if asked; possibly share our faith.  The Lord gives us the opportunity to help them keep their “canoe” from tipping over.  We’re there to help them get through the difficulties.  It’s all about loving them.

It’s not about evangelizing – it’s about being the fragrance of Christ.  It’s about being salt and light.  It’s about loving those around us – being able to touch them with the love of God.  The Lord is close to the brokenhearted – and sometimes He wants us to be the ones, through whom, they experience Him.

A year ago was the release of the movie Dunkirk.  It is such an amazing story.  The following is taken from Joel Rosenberg’s newsletter regarding the event and what became know as “the miracle at Dunkirk”.

The year was 1940. The moment was one of the darkest in the history of the English people. More than 300,000 British troops suddenly found themselves pinned down in northern France. Nazi forces were bearing down on them. The Brits didn’t have enough ammunition or supplies. At any moment, Hitler’s forces would launch a ferocious attack. The Brits faced imminent annihilation.

Prime Minister Winston Churchill and his advisors thought at best the navy could rescue 20,000 to 30,000 before it was too late. Others feared even that might not be possible. And the stakes couldn’t have been higher. If so many forces were wiped out, Hitler and the Nazis would invade the British Isles — and win.

So the King of England called for a national day of prayer. That Sunday, an estimated 70 percent of the British people showed up at churches all over the country. They begged for the Lord’s mercy on their fathers and sons, and for their national survival. And the Lord heard those heartfelt prayers and responded with what became known as “the miracle at Dunkirk.”

Hitler inexplicably delayed giving his generals the order to finish off the Brits. A great storm over Germany prevented Nazi planes from being able to take off. The British people quickly assembled some 900 fishing boats, yachts, trawlers, and other private and government vessels, and began ferrying the troops off the French beaches and back to England a few at a time. By the grace of God, nearly a third of a million souls were saved as a result, as was the British nation.

I am reminded of 1 Chronicles 5:20.  The children of Israel were in a battle, and God gave them victory, “…because they cried out to him during the battle. He answered their prayers, because they trusted in him.” God answers prayer!

Psalm 23:1 The Lord is my shepherd; I lack nothing.

The unexpected is a fact of life.  Think how often in our daily routine that we encounter the unexpected.  Simple things: running out of paper, ink, dish detergent, the shirt you were going to wear is in the laundry, the lawn mower won’t start; your appointment is delayed.  Then there are those that are a little more noteworthy: traffic jams, canceled appointments, a friend lets you down, something is forgotten by someone who shouldn’t forget, the car breaks down, extra work is dumped on you in your job….

These (and many other) things when viewed from a distance don’t seem to be so bad – annoying maybe – but they aren’t major issues.  We usually don’t perceive them as tests of our faith.  They don’t fall into the category of losing a job, losing investments, losing a loved one, being injured in an accident, being betrayed by a friend, discovering you have a life threatening disease, etc….

But all of these things, whether big or small, have something important in common.  They are all opportunities.  Opportunities for what you ask?  Each and every one of them gives us the opportunity to reflect the reality of our life in Christ.  These opportunities are windows into our soul that give insight to those around us – and ourselves if we have eyes to see it.

Take a moment now and re-read today’s verse.  Now, read it again, out loud, pausing after the first phrase.  This verse describes an unshakeable, bedrock reality that God intends to
become ours as we walk in His ways – truly becoming a disciple of Jesus.  It becomes the reality of who we are to the depth of our being.  The reality of God in our lives is an unshakeable settled-ness that is reflected in our responses to everything we encounter.

The Lord is my Shepherd; I lack nothing.  Although a storm may be raging around us, it’s peaceful in the boat.  The storm doesn’t shake us.  Jesus is our Shepherd and the reality of our life in Him is reflected in all of the unexpected ‘opportunities’ we encounter.  Hopefully, that reflected reality is of someone walking in His ways.

Joshua 23:11  So be very diligent to love the LORD your God for your own well-being.  (Holman)

One of the things so precious to me is what I typically experience during the worship portion of our Sunday service.  It is a mix of wonder, gratitude, amazement and heartfelt love that Yahweh – our God – is my father and has made me His own.  I am one of His sons!  He is not distant – nor is He aloof.  He is my loving father.

Our four sons, John, Jamie, Andrew and Michael, will hug and kiss me when we see each other.  They will do this anywhere in front of anyone.  And our hugs are not perfunctory or just a little embrace, a little squeeze.  Our hugs are experiences in themselves!  We will embrace and hold each other tightly and just ooze with love and affection and joy in each other.  We then look at each other and smile.  My sons love me – and I love them. (I am in tears sitting here just thinking of my sons and the blessing they are to me).

This is what I experience with our Lord!  At times I want to pinch myself because it is so unbelievable. This is what He wants for all of us!  But this isn’t the end of it.  He gives us a way to respond so that we can experience the joy of giving back to Him.  We love Him in return.  Yes, we are commanded to love Him.  But when we understand how He loves us, our loving response isn’t a ‘have to’ but a ‘get to’.  WE GET TO LOVE HIM IN RETURN!  We GET TO walk in His ways!

But it gets even more amazing!  The more that our lives express genuine love for Him, the more He enables us to experience His limitless love for us!  There is so much of Him that we will not experience if we don’t.  In reality, He’s given us the keys to a storehouse of treasure that He wants us to have – if only we choose to use them.

Isaiah 42:16 I will lead the blind by ways they have not known, along unfamiliar paths I will guide them; I will turn the darkness into light before them and make the rough places
smooth.  These are the things I will do; I will not forsake them.

This promise to Israel is a promise from the Lord for us as well.  You might have to read
the verse several times to have it sink in. The Lord quickened this verse to me several years ago while I was in Brazil visiting my son John and his family.  It was a time when I was really struggling with direction and God’s plan for me.  I was having difficulty understanding what was going on in my life in terms of job/ministry/direction.

The “details” of my daily life were giving me problems as I grappled with them.  At the same time, I did understand that the Lord wanted me to walk in faith.  My struggle was between focusing on the Lord and dealing with my circumstances that I didn’t understand – back and forth.

Into this mix one morning, the Lord gave me this verse as a token of kindness.  It says that there are times in our walk with the Lord when He leads us in ways we have not known, along unfamiliar paths.  Our unfamiliarity translates into darkness, like finding our way on an unfamiliar hiking trail in the dark through treacherous terrain.  We usually aren’t
aware that He is leading us because we simply find ourselves in difficult unfamiliar
circumstances and have to deal with them.

But here is where the faith element comes in.  He will turn the darkness into light – our anxiety and distress over where we find ourselves is replaced by the peaceful confidence that comes from Him.  Think of being on that hiking trail in the dark in treacherous terrain and having a trusted guide meet you.  We still have to traverse the trail but we’re not alone.  The presence of this guide and our justified confidence in Him results in the rough places becoming smooth.

Our problem is that we are so inclined to focus on our troubling circumstances.  The Lord wants us to understand that life is filled with these situations – but He is always with us.  That is reality, not just a theological promise.  We might not know where we’re going or the details of how things will work out, but we have our God with us.  He provides the light in our darkness.  He guides and strengthens us in the journey.  He delivers us from fear
and uncertainty.    That is something to rejoice in no matter what else is going on!

Hebrews 12:2  Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

It is so wonderful to experience the exhilarating joy of our faith.  But there are times when the ‘stuff’ surrounding us just becomes overwhelming.  Problems, difficulties, fears and hurts can act like dimmer switch turning the “light” of our faith down.

It is particularly in these times when we need to turn our eyes upon Jesus – to focus
upon Him.  When we do, He can transform us so wonderfully.  The light of our faith is restored and refreshed.

This morning I have been so blessed by watching and listening to the linked video.  It is Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus by the Newsboys.  Take time today to turn your eyes upon Him.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XQzAYQE-U4Q&feature=related

Psalm 119:105  Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path.

This morning I would like us to consider a cooking illustration.  Do we view God’s word like recipe cards?  They sit on a shelf or in a drawer until we want to cook a dish where we need the specific recipe. Even then, we might think we are familiar enough with the recipe so we go ahead without looking for it.  I did this with one of my favorite casseroles lately – twice – and both times I forgot something.

We’ve all grown up around kitchens, so we have a familiarity with cooking.  We can fry eggs; make sandwiches; use the microwave to warm up a dish; etc…  Typically, the ladies who have raised families are much more knowledgeable about cooking because they’ve had to learn.  They answer our questions like, ‘What temperature do I use?’  ‘Where do you keep the blender?’  ‘How do I keep it from sticking to the skillet?’

We are able to function in a kitchen because of familiarity – so long as it’s kept simple.  Just don’t ask us to make a soufflé! Or gravy!  Or pie crusts!  This issue of familiarity can be a very serious problem in our lives as Christians.  We’ve been around church and have a general sense of things to do or not do.  We’ve read parts of the Bible so we have a ‘feel’ for what the Christian life should be.  The problem is life is filled with ‘soufflés’.  In fact, the Christian life requires us to live in the ‘cookbook’ not just hunt for a recipe card on occasion.

Today’s verse offers a nice parallel.  If we have to walk in the dark, we would always have a light with us, even if we are familiar with the path – let alone if we are dealing with rocky, uneven or unknown terrain.  It enables us to walk safely and securely – avoiding unexpected obstacles.  Familiarity with the Christian life is no substitute for having an intimate, thorough knowledge and understanding of God’s word.  Life is filled with ‘darkness’ even in the middle of the day, where decisions have to be made right then.  God’s word within us provides the ‘light’ to guide our steps no matter how difficult or unfamiliar the terrain.