Real Change

Change is all around me. My daughter is now driving as she races toward independence while my dad no longer drives and slowly slides into dependence. Seasons of life spin on. Yet, my life feels so unchanged from day to day. Circumstances are continuously different but real transformation keeps its distance. Short term progression becomes like Groundhog Day as I wake up again where I started. It is not fear of change but instead I stay wrapped in the comfort of un-involvement. The balance of being frustrated with the way things are remains tilted toward being too satisfied to change them. Inertia settles me in stillness, waiting for an outside force to inspire action. However, I know the force is not external but instead it calls from within if I will only listen and move.

Forgetting to Remember

"God blessed the seventh day and made it holy..."

Genesis 2:2 and Exodus 20:11

While creating an entire universe in the beginning of Genesis, the one thing deemed holy was the seventh day. Everything else on the list was good or even very good but because God rested from his work on the seventh day it became holy. Okay, so God makes everything and it is good but when He stops making, it is holy?

Later in Exodus when God is listing those pesky 10 commandments to Moses on how to live in this world, the fourth one down tells us - "Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy". Why is it holy? This happens to be one of two commandments God takes a moment to explain. Like any good Father, his explanation is "Because I made it that way". Six days work then on the seventh rest. Make one day different each week. Set aside and join me.

Has this become the least observed commandment? Wonder how many modern day Christian households define rest on a Sunday morning preparing for church? Or how many mom's feel rejuvenated after that big Sunday meal? Or what percentage of restaurant open because of the after church rush?

God rested then gave us rest. Holy was not in the doing but it was in the stopping. We are convinced that the world depends on us so we must GO every waking moment. God set a rhythm to everything, including us. He did not build a machine but someone to live in relationship.

Whether your Sabbath is Sunday, Saturday or Thursday, is there a day that is holy (set apart) in your life? Is there day you rest and enjoy? Is there any moment that time slides by with no doing but just being? I know my answer to those questions need a lot of work rest.

Yes, Lord

When you give your life to Jesus it really is just your first ‘YES’. It is the beginning of a life of saying ‘YES’ to God. Saying I trust you with my life. - Erwin McManus

A true Christian life is a long series of yeses to God. We should always be ready to say YES! The first yes means very little without the next one and the next one and the next. Aren’t the acts of discipleship simply preparing a heart to listen and respond ‘YES’? If I sit back in the glow of my first yes to Christ and never listen for God’s direction or follow the path Jesus laid out, what purpose have I served? The hard heart is one who refuses to say yes and rejects that God’s infinite understanding of life can be trusted to do what is right for me.

O Lord, prepare me to hear without doubt and act with out stipulation.

Stop Waiting

Not long ago a friend and I made plans to play golf on a Friday afternoon. The type of plan where nothing was in concrete but our intentions were to play golf. As soon as he called, I would wrap up a few things and leave work for the afternoon. It would be great to enjoy some time out on the course. However, the call never came. I got busy and worked through the afternoon not even getting out of the office until after six.

Next day when we talked, found out he had the clubs in the car and was ready to go waiting on my call. We both missed out waiting on the other to move. No one committed to call it was just our assumption that the other would pick up the phone if they really could get away.

How many missed opportunities do I let slide by waiting to see God lead the way? “God, I am looking for the unmistakable sign, something like a neon flashing arrow being held by a elephant while riding a bicycle. It doesn’t have to be a big elephant and a tricycle will do, just clearly point the direction and I will be all over it.“

When the elephant doesn’t show up right away, it may not be me waiting on God as much as God waiting on me. These words were in the margin of a book I re-read a few days ago. “When will I quit asking what God wants me to do and just do what God wants?” Wonder how frustrated God gets with me waiting for the right door to open when I could be using the doors that are already there?