Unlikely!

For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.

Ephesians 2:10

 

I like movies that make me think.  I like books that make me think.  I like to think.  Hmmmm....there seems to be a pattern here.  Be that as it may, I enjoyed watching "The Imitation Game" over the weekend, which is the story of Alan Turing.  

 

Alan Turing was a mathematician, exceedingly brilliant, socially awkward, and broke the German Enigma code during World War II with a machine of his own creation.  His computer was so far ahead of its time!  Yet to look at Alan Turing or to attempt to interact with him, you would not be impressed at all.  Why?  He was not outgoing.  He was not personable.  He was not jovial.  He could not tell a joke.  He was very serious and focused.  His life was numbers and logic.  He was rather like Mr. Spock from Star Trek or Sheldon Cooper from The Big Bang Theory.  Had the British Military not recruited Alan Turing, it would be very unlikely that his computer would have been developed.

 

Confession:  I have over 53 years of doing life wrong.  If there was a way for me to mess up, screw up, or just do it wrong....I did it, thought it, or said it. 

 

 If someone had told me 40 years ago that I would be in ministry, I would have looked at them in disbelief.  

 

If someone had told me 30 years ago that I would be working in a job I loved, I would have told them where they could insert such rubbish.

 

 Even 10 years ago, if you told me that I would get to interact with the most amazing heroes I have ever known.....I would have thought you were drunk.

 

BUT, the fact is God has been preparing me for this purpose since before time began.  How do I know this, because He has proven it to me over and over and over.  Every joy, every tear, every lesson learned, every experience, every dream has been God's hands preparing me for His purpose.  Although, I still don't use Algebra or Geometry, so I don't get that part except maybe to strengthen my patience.

 

Time after time we wonder what our purpose is in life.  We want to know because we like having quick, easy-to-understand answers.  We are not patient at all.  We forget that God has all the time in the world to get us ready to prepare us for what He has purposed us to do.

 

I wish I could tell each person that it's easy to figure out why we are here, but I'm not God.  I wish I could tell people that waiting for God to let us know our purpose is not painful at times, but that would be a lie.  I wish I could tell people that God's purpose for us will jump out at us like a large friendly dog, but what I have figured out.....when we try to focus on reflecting Christ in our lives every day, we will begin to see our purpose take shape.

 

My point: Reflect Christ as you travel through this life.   

Why Be Grateful!

But then I recall all you have done, O Lord;
    I remember your wonderful deeds of long ago.
They are constantly in my thoughts.
    I cannot stop thinking about your mighty works.

Psalm 77:11-12

It seems as though we are living in times where gratitude and thanks are long forgotten.  I hear it over and over when I talk with people:

 "But you just don't know what I've been through...how can I even THINK about being grateful?"

"You've got to be kidding me, right? Do you have any idea what my life I like?  Do you have any clue what I am going through?  And you tell me I have something to be grateful for?"

"I don't know what hit you on the head, but until you have worked for my boss (met my coworkers, lived with my spouse, put up with my kids, etc. Take your pick), don't tell me that I have something to be grateful for!"

The lists of excuses why we aren't grateful gets longer and longer and longer every day.  And, hang on to your seat, it's because it takes EFFORT to find things to be grateful for.  It takes effort to DECIDE to be grateful!  Two things we don't like to do!  We want everything to be happy and easy and gently float into our laps without our having to exert any sort of effort.

Newsflash!  God gives us lots of reasons to be grateful and we are being ungrateful if we choose not to see them!

1.  Did you wake up this morning?  Be Grateful!
2. Are you able to read this? Be Grateful!
3. Did you have something to eat? Be Grateful!
4. Are you able to move around? Be Grateful!
5. Are you able to think? Be Grateful!
6. Has God provided for you? Be Grateful!
7. Do you have friends? Be Grateful!
8. Dislike your job? Be Grateful that you have the choice to stay or go!
9. Don't have a job yet? Be Grateful that you have the ability to look for one!
10. Need to lose weight? Be Grateful that you have so much to eat.

You see, we make a HUGE mistake when we complain instead of being grateful.  The children of Israel spent their time in the desert complaining about EVERYTHING, and what happened? God let them wander in the desert, while He continued to provide for them, until that entire ungrateful generation had died.

Take a deep breath!  God let you do take that breath, so be grateful!  He who is grateful in the small things will soon realize that life is much better.



What A Valentine!

For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.

John 3:16

 

Today's passage is very familiar.  In fact, it's so familiar that most of us can recite it without having any real idea what we are saying (because we learned it by rote years ago).  

 

Valentine's Day just passed.  I hope you got a Valentine or two, and I hope you gave a Valentine or two.  Valentine's Day is the holiday designated to express love for those we truly care about.  And the Greeting Card companies, Candy Companies, Jewelry Merchants, Stuffed Animal Sellers, and all the other corporations seeking to profit from love, spare no expense trying to get (or guilt) all sorts of material goods that are supposed to "express what's in your heart."  Yet, none of them have been able to capture (or even mention) the greatest Valentine's Gift of all....Jesus Christ!

 

Think about it:  God didn't have to create anything, but He did.   God didn't have to give us anything, yet He has given us everything.  God didn't have to provide a way to rescue us from ourselves, yet He did.  God provided the perfect gift for imperfect people in the form of His Son.  

 

Jesus, who did not sin, accepted ALL of our sin and paid the required price to purchase our freedom for eternity.  This is the Valentine's Gift God offers.  And the only "catch" is that we have to accept His gift. 

When? YES, WHEN!

“When you pray, don’t be like the hypocrites who love to pray publicly on street corners and in the synagogues where everyone can see them. I tell you the truth, that is all the reward they will ever get. But when you pray, go away by yourself, shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.

  “When you pray, don’t babble on and on as people of other religions do. They think their prayers are answered merely by repeating their words again and again. Don’t be like them, for your Father knows exactly what you need even before you ask him!
~Matthew 6:5-8

 I was part of a discussion group a few days ago.  The topic of discussion was "What Is The Best Way To Pray?"  Well, let me just say that several of the attendees got quite talky about the "proper" way to pray.  

     *     Some felt the need to shout and yell 'so God would hear' their prayers.

     *     Some felt the only way to pray was to repeat certain key phrases such as 'Father God' as if God needs to be reminded of who He is.

     *     One person got very specific: first, one must never attempt to pray in a comfortable position. We must pray in an uncomfortable position to remind us of our unworthiness.  Second, we must pray with the holy icons to remind us that we are praying.  Third, we must make sure others SEE us praying in order to encourage them to do the same.

Let me just say, my thoughts on the who prayer topic differed from most of the group, and will probably get my invitation revoked, but here are my thoughts on Prayer:

1. Notice that Jesus uses the word "WHEN" in reference to prayer.  Jesus doesn't say 'IF you pray', He says "WHEN you pray."  Thus, prayer is expected.
2. Jesus reminds us that LOUD public prayers are not needed.  God is not hard of hearing.
3. Repetitive words and phrases are not needed. Like the constant clicking of a pen, repetitive phrases and words are a distraction.
4. Jesus tells us to go away by ourselves.  Some versions say we are to go into the closet and close the door.  I prefer to go someplace quiet where I can focus.  This requires that I get up early so the noises of everyone's day starting don't become distractions.
5. Usually, my recliner is the place I choose to pray.  If I am uncomfortable, then that will become very distracting and my prayers will be far from sincere.
6. Jesus reminds us that God already knows what you NEED before you even ask.  He knows that you need forgiveness and what you need forgiveness for.  He knows what you need to make it through the day and already has a plan.  He knows!  So don't even try to fool Him.
7. Prayer is an ongoing conversation.  It's not just something you do at specific times of each day, it is a continuous conversation with the One who knows everything about you and loves you anyway.

 

Think about that for a moment.  Maybe even tell God "Thank You" for loving you in spite of yourself.