Foggy With a Chance of Clearing

My home town of Boise is nestled up against the Southwest edge of the Boise Mountain range of the Rocky Mountains. The winters often bring a week or two of inversions where the fog hangs over the landscape, blending the snow covered fields with the heavy, frost-laden trees and grey cast sky.

Driving over the much traveled and familiar route to church, my perspective was limited to the next 100 yards. As all that was far off was obscured and my attention was limited to that myopic view and the immediate details, I remarked pointing to a nearby landmark, "Has that always been there?"

The rest of the drive found me contemplating the similarities to my spiritual journey. The grey fog of circumstances had descended on my heart, limiting my perspective and my focus was fixated on only what I could see. Doubts and anxieties crowded my thoughts and cast a gloominess on my soul. 

My thoughts continued through the service and as we worshiped, the words of the songs began to permeate my fog.

Jesus be the center

Be my source be my light Jesus

Jesus be the center

Be my song Jesus

Be the fire in my heart

Be the wind in my sails

Be the reason that I live

Jesus Jesus

Jesus be my vision

Be my help

Be my guide Jesus

(By Michael Frye)

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Open the eyes of my heart, Lord

Open the eyes of my heart

I want to see You
I want to see You

To see You high and lifted up
Shinin' in the light of Your glory
Pour out Your power and love
As we sing holy, holy, holy

Holy, holy, holy
We cry holy, holy, holy
You are holy, holy, holy
I want to see you

(by Michael W. Smith)

As we walked out of the service, the fog had lifted a bit revealing the foothills to the north stretching towards the east. And although the sun was not visible, you could feel it's presence and see it illuminating the low hanging clouds, promising sunshine soon. 

And so too, my spiritual fog began to lift as I focused not on my immediate circumstances, but on the Creator who continues to shine behind all of my anxieties and doubts....who promises clear vision and hope for the future...and Sonshine soon.

 ...that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe... (Ephesians 1:17-18).

IF...

'But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. (I John 2:1b)

What a wonderful, subordinating conjunction....'IF'. By definition, 'in case that; granting or supposing that; on condition that'. 'IF' does NOT imply a certainty, but only the possibility. And considering the subject and context of the passage, what a wonderful hope that provides for individuals stuck in the mire of a sinful habit. We all have a history of strength to resist temptation and willfully turn our backs in certain situations or environments. But oh, what about that one thing that continually catches our eye, our Achilles heel, our fatal flaw, that we daily struggle and daily fail to pass the test-tation. The 'IF' gives us an eraser to the blackboard of life, an Advocate to the Father who pleads our cause, a hope for the future that the fatal flaw is not a certainty but will be overcome, and a heavenly home that is free from all sin and guilt.

Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. (Romans 5:2)

Watch for the Curve...

Life throws us many curves. As we attempt to navigate the turbulent waters we run up against the rocky shores and shoals of conflict, disappointment, individuals who discredit us, our own inadequacies, weariness, etc. 

We contemplate an out. We want to win the lottery, discover the cure, beat our opposition either verbally, physically or competitively, throw in the towel, escape to a deserted island in the tropics or a cabin in the woods. We consider comprising our principles just to make it fair or get even, just this once.

Faced with invading forces and contemplating an alliance with an even worse enemy, Ahaz was met by Isaiah as he inspected the water source in preparation for war. Isaiah proclaimed to him, “Be careful, be quiet, do not fear, and do not let your heart be faint because of… (these enemies).”  (Isaiah 7:4) 

Be careful  – Consider your contemplated path and the consequences of that decision. Observe God’s history in taking care of you. 

Be quiet  –  Calm yourself. While out of your control, it is not out of God’s control. 

Do not fear – Fear reflects a doubt in the One who completely loved you and continues to love you well. 

Do not let your heart be faint because of….. (you fill in the blank) -  Our weariness and faint heart comes from the conflict of our own inadequacies and struggles to resolve the problem. We contemplate one set of actions only to see their imminent failure or impossibility and bounce to our next solution, only to discover the same results.  Our only solution is to throw ourselves on the goodness of God and His plan and provision for us. 

…thus says the Lord GOD: “‘It shall not stand, and it shall not come to pass….If you are not firm in faith, you will not be firm at all.’” (Isaiah 7:9)

Let the sea ROAR!

Walking along the beach in San Diego with my wife, we began discussing the beauty of the ocean and comparing it to the mountains. A native of Colorado, and a little squeamish about water, Cindi prefers the mountains. I love them both. The mountains speak to me of majestic splendor, a quiet, peaceful awesomeness, an unmovable strength. The great oceans communicate a wild unpredictability, an untamable strength, a consistent activity of breaking waves that lulls you into a cautious comfort with nearby danger.

Sunrise over El Capitan

Every time I witness the beauty of Creation,  I reflect on how it speaks to the personality of the Creator.  I still remember taking the picture of El Capitan early one morning in the Sawtooths. It was a beautiful, clear quiet, morning and I had wandered to the shoreline. Words such as Strength, Eternal, Unchanging, Persistent Presence and Beauty, all spoke to me of God's character. The mountains remind me of a verse that Cindi and I embraced during a difficult time of health and occupation issues years ago.

You will keep in perfect peace
    those whose minds are steadfast,
    because they trust in you.
Trust in the Lord forever,
    for the Lord, the Lord himself, is the Rock eternal. 
(Is 26:3,4)

Oregon Coast - Summer 2014

Every time I watch the ocean and it's endless waves, I am reminded of a quote from C.S. Lewis' The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe,  "'Safe?' said Mr. Beaver; 'don’t you hear what Mrs. Beaver tells you? Who said anything about safe? Course he isn’t safe. But he’s good. He’s the King, I tell you.'"

God is not safe. He is not controlled by our emotions or attempted manipulations. We can't bargain with Him.  But in a dangerous, evil world, I don't want a 'safe' God. Witnessing the wildness of the ocean does not make me restless but peaceful. I know behind the wild waves is a God who is Good, who has '...plans to prosper (me) and not to harm (me), plans to give (me) hope and a future. 

Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth;
break forth into joyous song and sing praises!
...Let the sea roar, and all that fills it;
the world and those who dwell in it!
Let the rivers clap their hands;
let the hills sing for joy together (Ps 98:4-8)

Marvel at the Mystery

Walking in to work from the parking lot yesterday, my attention was caught by three elementary boys huddled around a leaf seemingly suspended in midair. An errant spider web attached to a dry, fall leaf dangled right at their eye level. And such wonderment in their big brown eyes as they looked to see this mystery. It was gone in a moment as they recognized the source of the mystery and batted it down in a playful reaction. But I had caught the brief wonderment in their eyes, the marveling at a mystery, the joy of discovery.

I shared the story with my staff that morning and asked them, as they waded through their normal difficulties that day, to look for those moments of marvel. Perhaps in the spontaneous interaction with an individual, a compassionate gesture, a small token of appreciation. But to stop and marvel....

 I was surprised at how a simple story made an impression as person after person stopped later that day to relate their simple 'marveling of mysteries'. For me, it was a divinely ordained, serendipitous moment as I have been wading through a wall of discouragement, frustration, self-doubt and challenges to my faith. A recognition that God is in control and that He is not absent...and how this idea of God's Presence has been reinforced just today in all of my readings.

• “The God of Israel, the Savior, is sometimes a God who hides himself, but never a God who absents himself. Sometimes in the dark, but never at a distance." (Matthew Henry)
• If you’re sinking, it may be because you are looking at the waves of your health, finances, or relationships. Or maybe you’ve been listening to the howling wind of the culture, taking your cues from what others are saying and doing instead of keeping your mind stayed on Christ (Isaiah 26:3). But you don’t have to go under. Like Peter, if you get distracted and start to sink, it’s time to call out, “Lord, save me!”(James McDonald)
• And the angel of the LORD appeared to him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush. He looked, and behold, the bush was burning, yet it was not consumed.  And Moses said, “I will turn aside to see this great sight, why the bush is not burned.”  When the LORD saw that he turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, “Moses, Moses!” And he said, “Here I am.”  Then he said, “Do not come near; take your sandals off your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.” And he said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.”  (Exodus 3:2-6)

So today, I am going to look for the mysteries around me, to marvel at them, and perhaps there, I will see God, ‘sometimes in the dark, but never at a distance.”

Betrayed

Tonight is our Good Friday Service. During our choral presentation, I play Judas and have one line, "What are you willing to give me if I hand him over to you?" I receive the thirty pieces of silver, betraying Jesus.

I hope our director wasn’t typecasting because Judas is a villain we view with disdain. How could he? BETRAY the CHRIST... I’m not a betrayer, a JUDAS. 

Betray – “to deliver or expose to an enemy by treachery or disloyalty; to be unfaithful in guarding, maintaining, or fulfilling (Online Dictionary).  Hmmm. What’s my price? Pride. Saving face. Just getting along. Have I ever bypassed the truth to avoid conflict or an awkward moment? Have I been loyal to Christ’s teaching and example in my everyday life?

Perhaps it won’t be too much of an act. 

 

But there is hope... Sunday's a'comin...

 He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. (Colossians 1:13,14)

…Jesus our Lord, who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification. (Romans 4:25)