Don's Devotionals: Learning to love God

NOTE: The Lord is those in with Kerr County Texas in the midst of the incredible flooding!

Matthew 7:24  “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.”

In my NIV Bible, the heading for this portion of scripture is “The Wise and Foolish Builders”. How we respond to the words of Jesus determines the foundation of the house we build.  It’s a major league choice that we have because the alternatives are rock or sand.  The structures built upon rock survive the storms and floods while those built upon sand don’t.

Yesterday I used the Three Little Pigs children’s story as an illustration of foolish choices and misplaced trust.  The first two little pigs were more interested in playing than working and took the shortcuts that enabled them to play.  They didn’t consider the consequences of their decisions until it was too late.  In terms of today’s scripture, they were the foolish builders.  Their homes built of straw or sticks are the equivalent of building them upon the sand.

The third little pig built correctly.  He was the wise builder and his home of bricks is the equivalent of building upon a rock foundation.  It not only withstands the storm and wind (huffing and puffing), but it withstands the floods as well.  When the foundation of a house goes – the house goes with it.  The issue is to be able to withstand whatever comes.

Such a simple story yet it’s significance is profound: doing things the right way leads to good results, while doing them the wrong way leads to catastrophic results.  The obvious question then is how do we determine what the right way is?  Or more accurately, what are the right ways?

Every area of life is affected: how we live, work, raise our children, relate to others, treat our spouse, respond to our parents – to authority, to responsibility – it goes on and on.  There are so many ‘voices’ saying, “This is the way.” – and so many of them lead to building upon sand – houses of straw or sticks.

How do we recognize the wise from the foolish?  Jesus makes it clear that the answer is hearing His words AND putting them into practice.  His words aren’t suggestions where we can pick and choose.  Nor do we have the option of not becoming familiar with what they are – our lives are to embrace them.  We are to become so a part of them that they are engraved upon our lives.  Let us set our hearts upon becoming wise builders so that every area of our lives will glorify our Lord.

Nehemiah 8:10c “…for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”

Yesterday we wrote of Jesus laughing and playing with little children.  A friend emailed me a picture of Jesus laughing and it speaks volumes to me!  All too often we think of Jesus as always being serious; always involved in serious things.  Maybe our view of Jesus – particularly as it relates to us – is that He is like a parent who is distressed by their child (you or me) who is forever messing up.  We don’t see the joy and wonder that would have been so evident in Him.  We don’t see Him smiling, let alone laughing.

Think of Jesus in the boat with the disciples as they rowed the boat and shared their experiences growing up with one another – talking about the fish that got away. Think of Jesus walking on the road with the disciples and they start picking on one of their group and Jesus has to rescue him.  I can just see Jesus rolling His eyes at them as He intervenes.

Think of Jesus doing miracles and witnessing the explosion of joy that occurred when the lame walked or the blind saw; or a parent received their dead child back to life.

Think of parents bringing their crippled children to Him and they are made whole.  Think of the little kids to whom the miracle occurs!  Picture the little kids running around yelling at the top of their lungs that they were healed.

In Acts 3:1-10 there is the story of the crippled beggar who has a miraculous healing.  Verse 8 describes his reaction:

“He jumped to his feet and began to walk.  Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising God.”

This man wasn’t quietly thankful, soberly contemplating the event that just happened to him.  He jumped to his feet and began walking, jumping and praising God.  All who saw him were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.

I thank God that He has given me a wonderful understanding of the joy He has in His people.  In spite of all my short-comings and frailties, I can see Him smiling at me – while He works with (and on) me.  I hope you can see Him smiling at you too.

Luke 18:16  But Jesus called the children to him and said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.”

Back in the 70s, Johnny Cash made a film titled “Gospel Road” about the life of Jesus.  I was thrilled a few years ago to discover it had been re-issued.  I purchased it and was so blessed to see it was as wonderful as I remembered.  It presents aspects of Jesus in a manner that I’ve never seen in another film.  One of my favorite scenes is Jesus with the little children.

Picture a bunch of children playing in the water and on the shore of the Sea of Galilee.  They are having a great time splashing and running – just being little kids.  Maybe I relate to them so well because I grew up right on Lake Michigan and spent so many hours playing like they were.  But then, they see Jesus coming!

The children all run to him and he kneels down on the shore with them and they are thrilled.  Can’t you just see Jesus sitting on the shore with a little kid in his lap and all the kids playing around them, splashing and carrying on.  Then he’s digging in the wet sand with them.  What a marvelous picture, seeing Jesus and the children grinning and laughing together having just a wonderful time.  He even picks one of the kids up and does a “zerrbert” on his chest – laughing all the while.

The children knew Jesus was someone they loved to be around.  He was special to them.  But they were also special to him.  He loved to be with them as well.  Can you picture him laughing and grinning?  Can you imagine having fun with him?  Think of being with him and going home knowing it had been one of the best times of your life – one you wished would never end.

The wonderful news is that we are never too old to experience such joy and delight in Him.  We too can experience him smiling and enjoying us.  We just need to become more like children.

Numbers 6:24-26  The LORD bless you and keep you;  ²⁵ the LORD make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you;  ²⁶ the LORD turn his face toward you and give you peace.

Remember the story of the little boy who was the ring-bearer for the wedding ceremony and when he went down the aisle he growled at everyone.  When asked why, he replied, “That is what a ring BEAR does!”  We probably all have wonderful memories of children and the words that they hear being a bit different than the words that are spoken.

When our son Andrew was little, he was convinced the name of the movie was Raiders of the Lost Dark.  No matter how Donna tried to convince him otherwise, he wouldn’t budge.  She finally said, “There is no DARK in the movie!”  To which he replied with great exasperation, “I KNOW – IT”S LOST!!!!

Another event in the heritage of misheard words occurred here a number of years ago.  Every night Fabi would sing to and pray with our 2 granddaughters at bedtime. Well one night something really sweet happened.   We heard about it the next morning and every time I think of it I laugh.

Fabi sang the song that consists of today’s verses to the girls at bedtime.

The Lord bless you and keep you; 

The Lord make His face to shine upon you;

And bring you peace, And bring you peace, Forever! 

So after she finished, one of the girls said to her, “Mom, why do you pray like that for me?  Do I really need it?”  Fabi answered, “Of course, Honey!  We all need it!”  To which our granddaughter replied, “But Mommy, I really hate PEAS!  Please don’t ask for that again!”

But after the laughter, remember these thoughts about this hymn that was adapted from Numbers 6:24-26. The great evangelist D. L. Moody, in his Notes from My Bible, made the following statement about this benediction:

“Here is a benediction that can give all the time without being impoverished. Every heart may utter it, every letter may conclude with it, every day may begin with it, every night may be sanctified by it. Here is blessing—keeping—shining—the uplifting upon our poor life of all heaven’s glad morning. It is the Lord Himself who (gives us) this bar of music from heaven’s infinite anthem.”

Psalm 116:15  Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints

Note: I thank God for Dan.

I think of him often and this morning just wanted to honor him and the gift he was to me from our Lord.  A little over 10 years ago I received word from his wife that a wonderful Christian friend went to be with the Lord.  Only the Lord knows to what degree my salvation was due to the seeds sown by this man.

It was my sophomore year in college at Western Michigan University.  I was not a Christian and didn’t think I could be one.  What little faith I might have had was long gone after a year of college.  Dan Crabtree was a new student in our dorm and lived across the hall from me.  His roommate was loud, crass and boisterous and had a bit of drinking problem to put it mildly.

Dan was a Wheaton College student who became a guest student for the year at WMU because Linda was there – she was his fiancée.  Dan loved Jesus – and was so different from anyone else I had ever met.  The more I got to know him, the more I enjoyed being with him.  I remember wondering how he could wind up with the roommate he had.  They couldn’t have been more opposite, yet Dan didn’t react negatively.

That year was a very difficult one for me but Dan was an oasis in the middle of a desert.  When I think of that year, my first memories are of Dan.  He was a true friend and loneliness was something I struggled with.  The following October I met Jesus – the impact of which was like a tsunami of love leveling a Matterhorn of doubt!  I can remember thinking of Dan after it happened and the marvelous example that he was for me.

Later on, when I was thinking of getting more schooling, I thought of Wheaton, because Dan went there.  I graduated from Wheaton Graduate School in 1978.  Over the years we were able to reestablish our friendship.  Donna and I have wonderful memories of times with Dan and Linda – their warmth and hospitality.  We didn’t get to see them often but time and distance could not diminish the treasure we had in them.

Much to my regret, I hadn’t talked with Dan for several years, I wasn’t aware that the illness had flared up again.  Fortunately, he was one of those I had been sending my devotionals to.  Less than two weeks before he died I received a reply email back from him: “- thanks for your investment and thoughtfulness.  Dan”.  I cannot put into words what his encouragement meant to me.

May we so love Jesus that our lives will shine for Him and be His witness to those around us like Dan’s life was to me and so many others.  May we be thrilled at the prospect of helping others to meet Jesus!

Psalm17:7a  …the wonder of Your love….

Let’s think about some things that produce a sense of wonder within us.  In the spring I am so blessed by seeing everything begin to bloom after the winter season.  The redbuds and dogwood trees never cease to strike me with their beauty and color.  I love seeing the woods take on the hint of green with the coming of the first leaves.

One cannot escape a sense of wonder at the mountains.  Their size, beauty and majesty are awe inspiring.  One of my favorite memories is of salmon fishing with my dear friend Jon out in Seattle.  We were in the boat fishing before dawn on a clear morning.   In the midst of the darkness, we beheld the sight of the first rays of dawn reflecting off the snow capped peak of Mt Rainier.  It was absolutely breathtaking and its wonder caused us to sit and behold the dawning of the morning light.

The ocean and the seashore are particularly special to Donna and me.  One of the great joys of my life is to walk along the seashore listening to the surf – enjoying the sights, sounds and smells.  We both love to be in a hammock, on an ocean-front cottage porch, listening to the sounds and feeling the breeze as we read or simply rest.

It’s not just that these things are pleasant or enjoyable – but there is a sense of wonder within us that is present even just thinking about them.  And as great as all these things are, they pale in comparison to the wonder we experience over the love of our God for us.  It is a tangible sensation within us that produces such joy.

The wonder of our God is far beyond the simple fact that He made the things that bless us so.  He has shown us – and repeatedly shows us – His great love for us.  That is the stunner!  The God who made everything – the entire universe – loves us and makes Himself known to us!  Through Jesus, we are His family and dear to Him.  He enables us to experience the exquisite pleasure of Him becoming dear to us each and every day of our lives.  Oh, the wonder of it all!

Proverbs 17:3  The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold, but the LORD tests the  heart.

Many years ago I heard the story of an old cowboy Christian.  He described God’s dealings with him as gold being purified.  Apparently the impurities bubble up to the top and can be skimmed off.  That is how he was experiencing God’s dealings.  He became aware of a behavior or problem in his life as God caused it to ‘bubble up’.  He would repent and God would ‘skim it off’.  He would no sooner get rid of one than another would bubble up and it too would be ‘skimmed off’.  Well, God was dealing with so many things in his life that he was concerned that he would be nothing but ‘skimmins’.

Seeing all the ‘skimmins’ in our lives is not particularly pleasant. The good news is that when we see them (or have them pointed out to us –ouch!), we can – and must – choose to deal with them.  Typically a great environment for this to happen is when we are overloaded with stress or situations that push us out of our comfort zone.  Issues involving work, friends, faith, family, finances, etc… can all work together to create an environment of ‘heat’.

Think about the crucible and furnace.  It’s the heat that melts the ore and causes the impurities to rise to the top.  Likewise in our lives – God uses our circumstances to reveal things to us about ourselves as well as giving us opportunities to glorify Him by how we respond.  Frequently it’s all going on at the same time.  We can be doing wonderful things but in the midst of it, ‘skimmins’ appear.

Fortunately the Lord is in the midst of it all.  He is for us!  He wants our lives to become all they can be and He is committed to that process.  As we are all aware, this process usually takes place in public rather than private.  Others experience our ‘skimmins’ and we experience theirs.  He expects us to be faithful in how we respond.  Proverbs 17:17 says, “A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.”  Other translations use “to help in time of need” or “in difficult times’ instead of “adversity”.

Fortunately, forgiveness, repentance and understanding are the currency of the kingdom of God.  Times of ‘skimmins’ are opportunities to respond righteously rather than react as the world would (such responses are ‘skimmins’ in themselves).  That’s why His grace and mercy are so abundant.  They enable us to show forth His love in the practical situations of day to day living.