Unveiling Hope

Going the Wrong Way

Living in Canada in the spring is wonderful. One of the things I enjoy about living in the Great White North is watching the geese come home from their hiatus in the south. The other day while sitting outside I noticed something I’ve never seen in the spring – geese flying south – yupper – they were flying the wrong way! I wondered if they were lost. I wondered if the leader was confused and the others were just following his lead because it’s what they do – follow.

I spent too many years of my life as a follower – the wrong kind of follower - following people who, in retrospect, were just as lost as I was. If they sounded reasonably intelligent, or appeared to have it together, I was right behind them – often with few questions asked. I rarely made my own decisions or formed my own opinions. Why bother? There was always someone who knew better that I relied on.

The first half of my adult life I spent going the wrong way. I have to say, in defence of most of my “leaders”, their intentions were good – they just didn’t know any better. As a parent, I have been a person of great influence on my children. Unfortunately, they had little choice but to follow my lead – and my intentions were good, but the road to you know where is paved with good intentions.

Very few people have an opportunity to change the impact of a poor decision. Many of us form opinions and make decisions on a daily basis without fully understanding the potential consequences, but there is a decision that every person on this planet has to make that will have eternal consequences.

In those days, when I thought I knew it all, I had allowed myself to be convinced that the Word of God – the Bible – was just a bunch of stories made up by a bunch of people. I thought that as long as someone had a “higher power” in their life they’d do just fine in life. They’d have good karma and they’d end up in heaven. I was wrong. Five years of studying has completely and irrevocably changed my mind. If you’re going the wrong way, the time to turn is now.

“Can a blind man lead a blind man? Will they not both fall into a pit?” Luke 6:39.

Knowing Someone

Have you ever had someone say to you, “I know you!”? When someone says that to me there’s a part of me that secretly answers back, “You don’t know me at all.”

In order to know someone we have to be in relationship with them.  Both parties need to allow themselves to be known – and therein lies the issue that afflicts many relationships. Do we want to be acquainted with someone, or know them? Either one is fine, but a choice is inevitable.  The truth is that I don’t want to be fully known by everyone I meet and it’s my experience that many people tend to feel the same way. I find it pretty ironic that I can spill extremely personal parts of my life over the internet and not feel as if someone is peering into the parts of my life that requires a bond of trust between two people. So, I’m known to many, but I’m known by few.

There is more to knowing someone than being familiar with their likes and dislikes, their hobbies and interests, or the names of their children and family members. It’s more than knowing an intimate secret or two. Developing a healthy relationship with someone requires love, honesty, an investment of time from both parties, and a bond of reciprocal trust that thrives in perpetual growth. 

We can learn things about others, perhaps even enough to permit us to notice patterns of behaviour, but we can never know someone until they open the door and we take that step over the threshold of being in relationship.

“the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened,”  Luke 11:10 ESV.

A Light in the Darkness

I used to live my present in my past. It was a very dark and lonely place. The greatest gift I’ve ever received came from my past and that gift – that Gift – is the Light that lead me out of the darkness of despair and desolation. There are times when I’ll be looking into someone’s eyes and seeing a deadness, a lack of hope, reflecting from their hearts into their eyes; it’s as if there’s a barrier that prevents light from entering.

In his book, The Purpose Driven Life , Rick Warren wrote that God never wastes a hurt. I remember the first time I read that line; it was a relief. It was a relief to know that the darkness I had lived in for so many years would one day bring Light into someone else’s darkness.

If someone would have told me six years ago that I would soon give my heart and soul to Jesus Christ I would have laughed them right out of town. But today I can’t even begin to express the gratitude in my heart that exists because He chose me. He was the Light that shone in the darkness that was my life. He gave me life. He gave me hope – a hope that never fails because His love never fails.

“In him was life, and the life was the light of men,” John 1:4.

Set Apart

A few days ago, a well intentioned girlfriend told me she’d like to “set me up” with a friend of hers. She began to sing this individual’s praises. He sounded like a very nice person. I had to decline – this friend of hers is not a Christian. For a few seconds her face appeared to look as if I had not only insulted her, but her eligible bachelor friend. She wanted an explanation and I was happy to give it; she thought I was being a snob.

I’m not a religious person by any means. I don’t like religion. I do however love God and I trust in Him – I trust in His words – and I trust in His wisdom. I also have experience under my belt – the experience of previously being married to a self-proclaimed pagan. Now, in all fairness, I have to admit that at that time, I did not know Jesus – but I did believe in God.

In the Pentateuch, God gives instruction to His chosen children – the children of Israel – concerning who they were permitted to marry. He did not want them to intermarry because their surrounding neighbours worshipped idols and false gods. In His great and awesome wisdom, He knew that their hearts would be lead astray from worshipping Him and, in doing so, they would lose the blessings that He had in store for them. “You’re not an Israelite,” she said. “No, I’m not. But, I’ve been grafted in to the family tree.”

In all his wisdom, King Solomon disobeyed God in this respect. His heart was turned to the gods that his wives worshipped. It didn’t go well for him. His exemplification of this disobedience had an extremely negative impact on his son Rehoboam and also, in fact, all his subjects.

I told my friend that if God was preparing someone for me that I am sure he would be a man who loves God even more than I do. Why? Because he would be the head of my family and would be responsible to set an example of godliness.

“That doesn’t sound very fun,” she stated. I just smiled because I know in my heart that divorce isn’t much fun and neither are the consequences of unwise decisions. I was chosen and set apart for a purpose. If and/or when God decides that it’s time for me to be part of a couple, I have no doubt that His choice will be the best choice and it will go well for me.

“Oh that they had such a mind as this always, to fear me and to keep all my commandments, that it might go well with them and with their descendants forever!” Deut. 5:29.

A Psalm of Hope and Praise

What are words? What greatness is in my words to render my gratitude for your awesome faithfulness?

Your words are power. They speak truth; they give and take life. Your strength is in Your Word. You whisper and mountains move.

You are Righteousness. Justice and judgement are on your lips.

Who am I that You should love me with the greatness of your wonderful heart? Your precepts abound; You reveal to me the wonders and secret mysteries of Your Word. You have inscribed them on my heart.

That I should love as you love is my soul’s desire. You speak loudest to me in your silence, for it is then that you hold me closest. I am lifted up in Your hands.

Your glory rises above all things; it fills the heavens and gives hope to all who praise You and walk in Your ways.

Your Spirit resides in me. Through Him comes wisdom. You give me understanding. You have planted eternity in my heart and soul.

Apart from you, O God, there is nothing good in me – You are Holy. You make your Temple within me.

I have no need that remains unfulfilled. When I surrendered my heart to You, all my desires became for You - first and above all. You are the Giver of Life. There is no hope without You.

My praise is my worship. I exalt Your Holy Name.

Though my body may die, my love will live on for You. You are my one desire. All my life is in Your mighty hands. I will praise You in the bounty of your blessing and I will praise You through the storms.

Because You love me I am.

What Are You Thinking About?

A friend of mine and I were having a little chat after the service on Sunday.We got onto the topic of feelings and how some of them can overwhelm us and subsequently control us. I used to despise being what most people call a “feeler”. Naturally, that’s because most of the feelings I had were self-involved, negative, and growth-stunting.

We discussed how to discern what is a useful feeling and what is not. Sidebar if you will; I can give some pretty solid advice from time to time, but believe me, I don’t always use the wisdom God gave me and follow it. Maybe writing about it will root it a little more deeply into my character.

I believe that all feelings originate as the product of the thoughts we entertain. What we see and hear can often be what seeds a thought into our minds. We don’t have to water those seeds. We know that there is one who travels to and fro upon the earth seeking that which he can destroy. It takes very little effort for that guy to plant rotten seeds, but we are the only ones who have the power to decide whether they will grow in the fertile soil of our minds.

Thoughts that encourage, edify, and exalt others, ourselves, and God are worthwhile. We can express them and make them fruitful. We can meditate on them day and night. We help others grow, we grow ourselves, and relationships with God flourish.

“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honourable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things,” Phil. 4:8 ESV

Takes My Breath Away

Every morning, just before 5:00, I sit on my back step while my dog – well, you know – and every morning God shows me something that takes my breath away. The Big Dipper lights up the sky; at this time of the morning the stars seem close enough for me to touch. Sometimes, He’ll shoot a star across the sky, or touch my cheek with a fresh breeze. The moon shines so brightly in the night that the snow in the yard glows.

Yesterday morning, at 4:45, I heard a flock of geese. I’ve never heard or seen geese flying while it was so dark. It wasn’t the flock of geese that amazed me as much as how God showed them to me as they flew over my house. The moon cast its light on them. As they flew across the sky the reflection of the moon made them shimmer. I stared at them, flying beneath the Big Dipper, until they were out of sight and thanked God for starting my day off with such a magnificent gift – something He made just for me.

How do you start your day?

“Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is yours. Yours, O Lord, is the kingdom; you are exalted as head over all,” 1 Chron. 29:11.

Where Were His Hands?

A couple of weeks ago, I was introduced to a sister in Christ for the first time. I haven’t seen this much sadness in a sister’s eyes in a very long time. Looking into her eyes were like looking inside a very deep and dry well. She was hurting and I hurt for her. I had barely introduced myself to her when she began to share her wound with me. I asked her if she would like me to pray for her; her eyes filled with tears. She had been walking alone in a spiritual desert for almost 2 months. She looked away and whispered, “No one has offered to pray for me for six weeks. I haven’t gone to church during this time and no one’s even called.” She was broken and I felt as if I had swallowed my heart. I can only imagine how she must have felt. My sister in Christ, sitting in a room filled with almost two hundred women, hadn’t been prayed for in six weeks. She had to bear her soul to a complete stranger; where were His hands?

Yes, there was sadness in this woman’s heart. I know it won’t last because God stands firm on His promises to answer our prayers. I think that somewhere deep inside her soul she knew this truth as well. She knew the way, she just needed to feel His hands reaching out to hold her. My burden is not just for my hurting brothers and sisters, but also for those who don’t know The Way, The Truth and the Life. If you’re part of His Body, please don’t assume that you’re not needed or valuable; you have a calling that is part of something bigger. It doesn’t take great talent or treasure to be His hands and to hold them out to one person in a hurting world.

Giving our hearts to God doesn’t mean we are spared from tragedy or pain. God rains upon the just and the unjust. Look at Job, he was blameless and upright before God. Look at Jeremiah, all those years of obedience and not one heart won over. Surrendering our hearts to God means – or what it is supposed to mean – is that we are part of something bigger – a body – a community – that is meant to function with one heart, one mind, and one spirit.

“When he had washed their feet and put on his outer garments and resumed his place, he said to them, ‘Do you understand what I have done for you?’ You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you.’” John 13:12-15 ESV.

A Great Suggestion

Being part of something bigger than yourself is the greatest gift of all. That gift was given to each and every one of us in and through God. Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Before giving my heart to the Lord it was all about me – my pain, my sorrow, my present, past and future. Before I knew Him, I was dead inside.

Recently, our Lead Pastor put this question out to the congregation: “What do you know now that you wished you knew 10 years ago?”  I’ve often wonder what my life would have been like if I would have known Jesus 10 years ago rather than five. I wonder would my knowing Him have had a greater impact on my children? I wonder would my knowing Him have had a greater impact on others? I know what the answers to those questions questions are: unequivocally YES. I would have been part of something bigger that would have taken my focus off myself and placed it on Him and on others.

Why didn’t the God-fearing, Christ-loving people in my life ever share the gospel with me? Did people make assumptions that I wouldn’t want to hear the Good News? They people assume I wasn’t ready to hear it? Did anyone ever look at my crusty and abrasive character and think – “OY! She needs some Good News to soften her up!” Did I seem like a hopeless case?

Hear my heart on this; I’m not blaming anyone for the time I missed with Him. I try not to look back upon any part of my life with regret because I know that God can use and has used much of it for greater purposes than I could have ever imagined. BUT, what if – God forbid – I would have perished before I surrendered?

I try to look for the positive in everything. I choose to look back upon those years and say, had I not fully experienced them perhaps my heart would not be so burdened for others who don’t yet know Jesus. Maybe I’d have assumed that if people believe in God, they must believe in His Son.

So why bother bringing the whole thing up, you wonder? Glad you asked. The Great Commission is not A Great Suggestion. Those of us who say we love God must act in loving ways. Jesus said, “If you love me, you will obey my command,” John 14:15.

Looking back at the past can serve a good purpose. The hurts and regrets of the past are a launching pad to a glorious testimony – a future filled with Good News that can be shared with everyone.

The Rear View Mirror

Accidents happen, but most “accidents” are not really accidents at all. Experts say that a good driver will check their mirrors every 5 – 7 seconds to be aware of everything going on around them. While mirrors are great and serve their purpose most people spend too much time using the rear view mirror when they should spend more time looking straight ahead. I am not including those those who use their mirror to shave or apply cosmetics – that’s a whole other post.

Like most people I learned to drive while I was a teenager. I had very little experience both driving and in life. Years later here I am still driving, but with a great deal more savvy in life and driving experience. Imagine, for a moment, the danger a driver puts themselves and others when they fail to be alert and aware of what is going on in their immediate surroundings. One never knows what’s waiting for us just around the corner.

In life, we all have blind spots. I think the worse blind spots of all are those we cause when we focus only on what’s behind us – that rear view mirror of life. It’s impossible to move forward safely, to follow the path to your destination, if your always looking back; someone is bound to get hurt.

The rear view mirror of life does have a purpose; it reminds us of where we have come from and gives us an idea of how far we have to go. We never really know however if this will be our final trip or even if we’ll arrive at our destination, so why take chances?

God expects me to follow Him. I can’t do that if I’m always looking back at what was. He moves in one direction and that’s always ahead. Danger rarely comes from behind when you’re moving ahead.

A good driver needs to be alert and aware of everything going on around them at all times. Are you a good driver? Remember, most accidents are preventable.

“Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come,” Mark 12:33.