Mysteriously Moved

In addition to this day being Thanksgiving and the 55th anniversary of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, it is also the 55th anniversary of the death of one of my favorite writers, C.S. Lewis. Lewis died without much memorial fanfair in the shadow of a horrific American tragedy. Yet he is beloved and venerated by so many. He is the author of some of my most favorite books: Mere Christianity, The Screwtape Letters and The Chronicle of Narnia, to name a few.

Recently, I have been listening to an audio biography about Lewis. About two days ago I came to the part where Lewis talks about his conversion to Christianity. He was a vocal atheist calling Christianity a "myth." He was introduced to Christianity slowly through the planting of many seeds by people around him, but it was a late night walk with J.R.R. Tolkien and Hugo Dyson on Sept. 20, 1931, that pretty much sealed the deal. They talked of all manor of subjects way past midnight, spending a good bit of time on Christianity. Lewis wrote to a friend after that stroll on Addison's Walk at Oxford University that he was "mysteriously moved" by the idea of God "sacrificing himself to himself."

There was something about that statement that made me stop, rewind and listen again. This is not new information for me by any means, but the phrasing was sweetly simplistic and accurate. The idea of God in heaven being worshiped by countless sacrifices over thousands of years - which never fully atoned for His creation's disobedience - then coming to the conclusion that He must sacrifice Himself on our behalves is overwhelming. An all encompassing sacrifice so that we would never again need to atone: Christ has done it all. Of course, such a revelation would be profound for Lewis. As a result of this realization (and his acceptance of Christ into his life nine days later), we are the grateful recipients of some of the best books of the last century and some profound theology. Praise God for the persistence of Lewis' friends and God's unwavering patience for his lost children.

This is why I never give up praying for and sharing the Good  News of Jesus Christ through words and love to the people in my life who have not accepted Him as Savior. While it can seem a daunting task when it seems God's mercy is falling on deaf ears, hearing about stories like Lewis' is inspirational and encouraging. We can strive on in hope that those we love will one day be "mysteriously moved" by something which brings them to a point of reverence, repentance and acceptance. The end result is so worth it and changes the world time and time again.

I excitedly await the time those on my prayer list come to the realization that our Awesome God, who sacrificed Himself to Himself, loves them that much. What a day of rejoicing that will be. Just as the very day C.S. Lewis walked through the gates of Heaven to meet face-to-face the God who persistently pursued him. Glory to Him!

Power Source

This morning the power went out. I heard a boom in our neighborhood, heard the fan in our bedroom stop and our smoke detector begin to beep. Every house on our side of the street lost its power.

My husband woke up and the first thing he said was, "I can't make my coffee." I immediately notified Alabama Power, and they acknowledged they knew about the outage and hoped to have it repaired within two hours. I turned off the air conditioning unit and some other appliances to protect them from a power surge. We made a mental note to not open the refrigerator or freezer just in case it turned out to be longer than two hours. Brad grabbed his battery-powered laptop to begin some work. I ate a cold breakfast (no eggs or pancakes this morning) and began to wonder what I could get accomplished that didn't require electricity. I had needed to spray the house for bugs (saw a cockroach in the bathroom yesterday) so set about doing that. Then Brad and I decided to take a 3-mile walk. I reminded Brad if he showered to remember once our hot water we had ran out, that was it until the power went back on.

By that time, two hours had passed and we still didn't have electricity. So we checked Alabama Power again and saw they found the problem, were repairing it and hoped to have it back on by 2 p.m. So we sat there in the living room, paralyzed by the lack of electricity. We talked about going out to lunch, playing a game, reading a book. But still we just sat there. A half hour later, the power was back on. We sighed in relief and started making lunch and getting about our daily routine.

How blessed we are to have electricity. It keeps us cool, gives us access to entertainment and internet. It helps us cook our meals, wash and dry our clothes, brighten a dark room, open our garage doors, keep our food cold or even frozen, helps us keep track of time and, yes, make coffee.

Frankly, it was embarrassing to me how dependent we were on power. It really stifled our plans by throwing us off our usual morning routine.

But it reminded me of how I should be dependent on the True Power Source. Sometimes I attempt to go through my day without taking time to pray, read Scripture and connect to my Father. Every action I take and every word I speak reflects whether or not I'm plugged in to God Almighty. Scripture says "In Him we live and move and have our being." Acts 17:28 We are told He will make our paths straight and strengthen us. John 15:5 says we can do nothing apart from God unless we abide in Him.

You know this morning when our power went out, I was so discombobulated, I didn't even think to read Scripture or pray? It made a difference in my Saturday.

Psalm 147:5 tells us God is "abundant in power." Ephesian 3:20 says, "Now all glory to God, who is able, through His mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.” And 2 Peter 1:3 says, "By His divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of His marvelous glory and excellence."

This Power Source is one that never, ever goes out, keeps us alert without coffee, sustained without food and able to shine without any light bulbs. So plug in and stay plugged in.

Yes and Yes

I was catching up with a young friend recently when she mentioned she'd been dating a guy for several months. I hadn't heard about a boyfriend in her life so I asked, "Does he treat you good?" She hesitated a second and said, "Well..." I interrupted her right away and said, "Darlin' the answer to that question is 'yes.'" Then I asked my typical second question: "Does he love Jesus?" She hesitated again, "Well ..."

"Ok, look," I said, "The answer to both of those questions is always yes. There is no 'Well...' You  hold yourself to a high standard so that he reaches to achieve it. You are worth it."

Moments later I ran into another young friend and asked if her boyfriend was treating her well. She answered yes immediately. When I asked if he loved Jesus, I got a second immediate yes. I was reassured and happy for her.

But sadly, the number of young ladies who don't answer those two questions with an immediate yes far outweigh those who answer in the affirmative. I ask those questions of all the young adults in my life. After teaching youth Sunday School for years, I know many precious young souls. When I hear they've begun dating someone, those are my go-to questions every time ... "Does he treat you good?" and "Does he love Jesus." And you would not believe the number of young ladies who cannot respond favorably to either. What has happened to the young women of this world where they are willing to settle for someone who does not treat them as the Princess of God they are? Or look the other way when it comes to faith in Christ? If a man is not following the Word of God, it's no telling what his moral guide is, what he emulates in his character, and where his priorities are. Are young ladies so desperate to date that they are willing to compromise their values and expectations? Good heavens, it's not worth it. Men are not a project. They are called by God to be the spiritual head of the household. So they should be held to that standard. And if they aren't there yet, then walk away. If every young lady expected every young man to treat them well and love our Lord Jesus Christ, men would strive to do both of those things. Trust me, with men thinking about sex every six seconds of the day, it's easy to blur the line between lust and true love. So keep that first bit out of the equation while dating, so there is clarity of character.

I read a quote by C.S. Lewis that said,

Yes, yes, yes! It's no wonder our country's females are dealing with case after case of sexual harassment and inappropriate behavior. No man should ever, ever feel he has the right to treat a woman any less than God's beautiful, precious, beloved daughter. We've heard the many women who are speaking out, some after many years of silence, but good heavens, why did it ever happen in the first place? I've seen so many #metoo hashtags (where women affirm they have been sexually harassed) that it's embarrassing for both men and women. I was harassed once. I'm a #metoo. It was a man who felt he could reach out and grab my bottom. I turned around, grabbed him by his shirt, slammed him to the wall, and getting inches from his face said, "Don't you EVER touch me again." The fellow was stunned and slunked away. How dare any man feel he had that right? Who knows how many he'd touched that way before who just let it happen.

Look, girls, your worth is in Jesus Christ. You are His cherished baby girls. You are valuable, priceless and so unbelievably loved by your Father. Never, ever let a man treat you disrespectfully, no matter who they are. And never settle for anything less than a man who puts God first in his life and knows that worth.

The answers to both those questions above are yes and yes. Don't settle for less.

Be Still

I've seen it over and over and over again this week. "Be still and know that I am God." It comes from Psalm 46:10. I have heard it in various devotions, Christian songs, even a Facebook memory where a friend shared a Jesus Calling devotion with me years ago on that very subject. It got to a point where I said out loud, "OK, Lord, I get it. I get it. I'm not spending enough alone time with you."

Anyone who knows me knows "being still" is not my gift. I like to keep busy. That's not to say I'm always running around, but I'm not one to sit still and do nothing. I'm pretty much always doing something, even in those sitting-still moments. So even during my devotion times with God in the mornings (after reading Scripture or while walking), I'm doing a whole lot of talking to him. To "be still and know" requires blocking out external influences and really listening for God. I suppose that's why I'm drawn to the beach so often ... you do a lot of sitting and "being still" there in awe of Him.

But recently, I found myself going full force first thing in the morning, forgetting to just be still and know Him. I'd walk into my office and see my Bible and journal sitting there on the pink bed and do an "oh yeah, I haven't done that yet. I'll get to it" wave of the hand before going about doing want I thought I needed to do first. I was pushing what should have been my first priority of the day to the side. And you know, when I do that, it seems as if my day gets out of whack pretty quickly. When the Lord keeps putting "be still and know" in front of you countless times in one week, you figure He must have something very important He needs to share with you, convict you of, teach you and/or nudge you to do. Or maybe, just maybe, He just wants to spend time with me.

My daughter calls me every single morning, except Sundays when she's worshiping. On her 25-30 minute drive to work, she calls. We chat about the previous day or the day ahead. We talk about things we're struggling with, joys we're experiencing, adventures we hope to have and funny stories along the way. I look so forward to speaking with her each day, that oftentimes I'll drag myself out of bed after a late night just to be sure I'm up to receive her call. And if I miss it, I feel like I've missed out on a truly precious moment to start off my day.

Now look at it from God's perspective. Look at the above paragraph as if God wrote it. If I love it when my daughter takes the time to call each day, how much more the Father must love it when we take time to "call." God was missing my calls. If Ayla let five days go by without calling, I would miss her so very much ... and frankly worry that something was wrong. Knowing this, I don't want God to miss me. I need Him in my life every single moment. And honestly, when I'm not going to Him, something is wrong.

The moment I sat down to have my quiet time with God this morning reading through my chronological Bible, I thought, "I've got to write about how important this is." So I read my Bible, wrote a prayer in my journal and immediately sat down to write this. So while I read and prayed, I really have not listened as much as I should have just yet. I do believe the Father inspired me to write this for His glory ... but now it's time to be still and do some listening.

Sin Burrs

Cenchrus spinifex. That's it's official name. We call them sand burrs. And they are beasts. Commonly found by the beach, this grassy plant has tiny burrs with 1/4 inch spikes on them that catch onto anything that passes by: shoe laces, pant hems, beach bags. Trying to pull them out without tweezers is risky as the spikes can go into your fingers. They feel like needles going deep into your skin.

On a recent weekend to the Gulf, the trek to the shore from our beach house was through an empty lot that had several of these sand burr plants. We didn't know it at the time, however, and came back with spiky burrs attached to the bottoms of our flip flops. Unbeknownst to us, these burrs were then transferred to the carpets in the bedrooms. On that first afternoon, you heard a number of "Ouch!" "What is that?" "Did I step on glass?" comments coming from the various rooms as people stepped on the nasty spikes. We quickly discovered the burrs and how they were getting in the house. From that moment on, we watched carefully where we walked and checked our flip flops for burrs before entering the house ... most of the time.

It reminded me of the way Satan sneakily creeps into our lives: latching on when we don't pay attention, finding different ways to eerily infiltrate our families and causing so much pain that could have been prevented had we been watching for Him. I watched as Satan did just that between friends who loved each other so much they thought they were impervious to that kind of trickery. But alas, no one is truly safe from the evil one. We know as Christians we are to armor up against such attacks (Eph. 6:10-17), but without a reminder once and awhile, we may forget to put on that protection and watch for the one who seeks to devour us (1 Peter 5:8). Precautions will be taken in future situations so that Satan will not have that kind of access, and hopefully repercussions will be minor as folks recognize the culprit. However, we allowed it to occur in the first place.

Praying we carefully examine our surroundings, ask for God's blessings and protection in our homes and relationships and forthrightly remove ourselves from circumstances that appear askew. May we always remember to Whom we belong and that our actions reflect it ... before getting stuck by the burrs of sin Satan hopes become commonplace in destruction of our love for one another and destruction of our obedience to the One who loves us most.

Praising God For Inconveniences

About a week ago while heading to work, the "tire pressure monitoring sensor" light in our van went on, indicating one of my tires was deflating a bit. While I knew it would make me late for work, I quick pulled into the gas station to check the pressure in all the tires. And wouldn't you know this was the day I chose to wear all white, and in a long skirt, no less. So here I am, on the ground, in 100-degree weather, dressed in white, hands covered in grease as I removed hubcaps, checked tire pressure and added air to the inner door specification of 36 pounds per square inch (PSI). I noticed it was the back right tire that had sunk low to 31 PSI. And of course, it was the last of the four tires I checked. But once done, I climbed back in the car, turned the ignition and saw the light was still on. I had remembered when we bought the tires last fall that there were all set at 40 PSI, which I thought was high, but wondered if all the tires should be at 40 instead of 36. So I went back out and filled them all to 40. But I had this feeling that was probably too high. When I couldn't get a hold of my Dad, I called my friend and former neighbor, Jennifer, who owns a auto repair place, for her advice while driving to work. She informed me that the tires should be at 36, so I told her I would deflate them a bit once I got to work. However, knowing that tires should be checked when their cold, I decided to wait until I was done for work for the day.

After work, I went back out to check the tires and get them all to 36 from 40, when I noticed the back right tire was yet again down to 31. I knew that meant something was wrong with the tire. So for the third time I was removing hubcaps and adding air in my all-white ensemble. On the way home, I called Jennifer to see if she could check the tire. She said to bring it right in. Sure enough there was a screw in the tire. A few minutes later, the tire was patched up (at no charge by my sweet friend), and I was headed home.

Here's the thing. On the way to work, I was annoyed that I had to stop. I was bummed I chose to wear a white skirt. I was frustrated the low-inflation light came on in the first place and then wouldn't go off when I thought I had the PSI correct. Then to have to check the tire pressure again, deflate and refill. Arrrggg, it was a pile of inconveniences.

But let me tell you, I praised my Father in heaven for every single one of them. I thanked Him that the light went on, or I would have been stuck on the shoulder of the interstate waiting for a tow. I thanked Him that the light stayed on even when I thought I had the correct PSI. I thanked Him that I over inflated them and that I thought to call Jennifer for advice. I thanked Him that the tire deflated so quickly that I had to re-inflate a second time. Because of all of those inconveniences which truly gnawed at me, I was protected from far worse circumstances.

It gave me perspective. I thought about the many times over the years I have complained about this or that inconvenience in my life. But how many times have those inconveniences actually been a forewarning or protection of some kind? It had made me stop and think a bit before I complain that perhaps God is trying to get my attention focused on something else or covering me with His protection. How I love Him!

I believe those inconveniences are why Paul wrote, "Be thankful in all circumstances." 1 Thess. 5:18 You just don't know how those circumstances are working for your benefit, even if they feel like hindrances at the time.

My husband left for work about five minutes ago, and he just walked back in the door with a shout, "I forgot my phone!" He grabbed his phone and headed back out the door to his car. I ran out to him and said, "Whoa, how about another kiss before you leave?" I have no idea why in the grand scheme of this life journey that he left his phone here at home. Perhaps God was protecting him from something he would have experienced had he not had to turn around. But if I get an extra kiss out of it ... it's worth the inconvenience. Praising God for that, too.

Gently Restore

This morning I listened to Romans chapters 1-4 as I was getting ready to start my day. I am finding much enjoyment and new incites into the Word while listening to it. And something really struck me as I listened today.

I had just heard Paul talk about this list of "godlessness and wickedness" where God's wrath will one day come into play come judgment time. Things like greed, envy, murder, deceit, arrogance, disobedience, slander and shameful lusts among others. Just after Paul shares this in chapter 1, he comments in chapter 2 that we should not pass judgment on someone else when we're doing the same things.  I heard myself ask out loud, "So are we not to judge or are we not to sin?" I almost choked on the words as they came out. That was it. Paul was telling us not to sin.

See in the world today, I so often hear people comment "Judge not lest ye be judged." They quote this from Jesus' Sermon On The Mount where Christ talked about judging in Matthew 7:1-5. And I often remind people that judging is about eternal destiny, not correction for behavior. The Lord expects us to correct one another, especially using Scripture to do so. 2 Timothy 3:16 says, "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness." We are absolutely to tell our brothers and sisters when they're behavior is not in line with the Word by using the Word. Even Jesus comments in Matthew 7:5 "You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye." According to the Savior, we absolutely can correct ... if we have repented, if we have cleaned house, if we are obedient to our Lord. Want to call someone out on their sin? They you better do some soul checking to make sure you don't have something you need to repent of first.

It doesn't mean, however that we should never correct our brothers and sisters when they sin. Good gracious, based on our track record with sin, there would be no morality in this world without that correction. God would give us over to our "sinful desires" as explained in Romans 1. We need to be held accountable to the Word our Father as given us. Paul explains, "The righteous will live by faith" (Romans 1:17) and our faith is based on the Word given us.

If we are to look at Christ as our example, look at his behavior with the woman caught in adultery. He asks her who has condemned her. When she replies, "No one, Lord," he says, "Neither do I condemn you. Now go and sin no more" (John 8:11). She's not being judged to eternal damnation ... she's being forgiven and told to never do it again. Do you see the difference?

We are not to turn a blind eye to our brother and sister's sin. We are to correct gently. Galatians 6:1 says, "Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently." 

Next time you hear someone quote, "Judge not lest ye be judged" examine your hearts for conviction of sin to be sure, but remind gently that we are most certainly to correct. And be careful that is the intent and not condemnation. When correcting those who sin, we're not be be hurtful or shaming. We are to gently restore them based on the Word God gave us. Too many point fingers, badmouth and criticize rather than have the intent to draw that soul into a faithful, obedient relationship with our Lord.

What is the goal of correction? It's repentance and restoration. But first, be sure you are obedient yourself.