This past weekend I said something that was alarming. Even to me.
The introduction of my speech included the use of an "F" word from a childhood memory. Certainly there were gasps. People stunned with bewildered looks on stoic faces. While others sheepishly grinned. But not for reasons you would think.
In an effort to garner the attention of my audience I had stooped to a level of unprecedented depths. I said the word "fart" in church. And as a 10 year old boy in the home of my best friend I had carelessly used this "obscene gesture" to describe the unpleasant disdain of my friend's ill-timed shenanigans.
But this was not the alarming statement of my speech.
My sermon had focused on some obscene "F" words that prevent us from accomplishing and fulfilling our God-given calling in life. Words and phrases like "I'm fine" and fear and failure.
I expressed these sentiments as casual thoughts and attitudes that rob us from experiencing life to the full. To say "I'm fine" keeps casual conversations at bay from peering into the depths of our soul. It will not allow for honesty and vulnerability to shape our attitudes and actions. Fear frustrates and paralyzes us from accomplishing even greater endeavors than our resume already includes. Failure convinces us that we are the sum of our past mistakes instead of believing in second chances.
And then I shared what I believe can be life-altering thoughts to depose these gestures that keep us bound captive from experiencing God's best for our lives.
Forgiveness, faith, and freedom.
When we recognize that we've been forgiven we can choose to embrace and extend that forgiveness to create a dynamic shift in the way we see ourselves and others around us. When our faith is renewed it allows trust to take root, not in our strengths and abilities, but in the eternal presence and power of God to prevail. And the freedom we now have in Christ begins to release the chains and bondage of sin in our lives. To see ourselves as sons and daughters of God for that's who we are.
And here was the alarming illustration that is a constant battle and a constant frustration even in my own life.
Remember, the children of Israel? God sent Moses to be their deliverer from Egypt. They crossed the Red Sea and the Egyptian army was drowned. And God's people were free.
But do you remember their response to Moses in the desert? "You brought us out here to die! It would have been better for us to stay in Egypt!"
Are you serious? It would have been better to be in bondage and captivity and under the harsh rule of Pharaoh than to be free among God's people?
Lest we be too harsh we must remember that our hearts are just as sin-stricken as theirs. We oftentimes prefer the known to the unknown. The familiar rather than the unfamiliar. Even though Egpyt is more costly than the wilderness we still prefer bondage over freedom. Why? This battle that's raging in our minds blankets these "F" words: fine, fear, failure, forgiveness, faith, and freedom and we're constantly having to choose between Egypt and the wilderness.
Conforming to the patterns of this world will keep us confined to Egypt's landscape of captivity but being transformed by the renewing of our minds will lead us precisely toward God's will for our lives be it the wilderness or beyond.
Here's my dilemma: Egpyt or the wilderness? Conform or be transformed? Fine or forgiven? Fear or faith? Failure or free? Slave or son? Whatever course God is establishing for my life, that's the path I want to take. The journey that places all my trust and confidence in Him. Because He's good.
Tuesday, June 13, 2017
Saturday, June 03, 2017
Can I Really Trust You?
My son and I recently spent the day at Stone Mountain, the world's largest exposed piece of granite, riding the Skyride and hiking down the steep western border.
There are also smaller chunks of granite around the park that made for great places to run, jump, and play hide-and-seek.
As my son's courage continued to grow, I told him to jump off the rocks into my arms. "I'll catch you! Just jump! You can trust me!" And as he hesitated and considered all the possible outcomes he said, "Can I really trust you?"
I'm his dad. There's nothing more important to me than loving and protecting and providing for my son. And he's going to ask if he can trust me?
But how often are we guilty of asking the same question?
Can I really trust you?
Trust is a "firm belief in the reliability, truth, ability, or strength of someone or something."
Because we've been let down by others' unreliability we find ourselves holding loosely in our minds any real belief that we can trust them. Our hopes have been stripped from the firm grasp of placing our lives, our emotions, our future in their hands.
Broken trust can leave us basking in the rays of relational conflict. Where we find ourselves drowning in the tears of misplaced trust. Strangling on the words of broken promises. Carrying the bags of betrayal to the next street corner of frustration and insecurity.
And then people want to come offer their opinions and advice. "You have every right to be upset. You don't need them. Their time's coming. Forget them. Take some time away."
Even the religious crowd wants to chime in. "Well, you know everything happens for a reason. God is working all things together for good. Vengeance is Mine thus saith the Lord."
But when someone's trust has been violated they don't necessarily need our high and lofty opinions. They don't even really need our coffee cup verses from the Bible. What they need, what I needed, is someone to be present. Someone to be remain faithful. Someone they can trust.
My son jumped, not because I told him to jump, but because he quickly replayed in his mind all the times I had been there before. He asked if he could trust me but he already knew the answer. He knew I would catch him!
Remember, I said that my priority was to love and protect and provide for my son. I'm His father. And my Father, perhaps your Father, is doing the same for me. He's loving and protecting and providing for me. He's building my trust in Him.
Spurgeon once spoke these words, "God is too good to be unkind and He is too wise to be mistaken. And when we cannot trace His hand, we must trust His heart.”
I may not always see the way He sees but I'm learning to trust Him anyway. Why? Even though His ways and thoughts are higher, He's always been present and faithful. He's never forsaken me. He's never abandoned me. He's never let me down on one single promise. He's a good good Father!
There are also smaller chunks of granite around the park that made for great places to run, jump, and play hide-and-seek.
As my son's courage continued to grow, I told him to jump off the rocks into my arms. "I'll catch you! Just jump! You can trust me!" And as he hesitated and considered all the possible outcomes he said, "Can I really trust you?"
I'm his dad. There's nothing more important to me than loving and protecting and providing for my son. And he's going to ask if he can trust me?
But how often are we guilty of asking the same question?
Can I really trust you?
Trust is a "firm belief in the reliability, truth, ability, or strength of someone or something."
Because we've been let down by others' unreliability we find ourselves holding loosely in our minds any real belief that we can trust them. Our hopes have been stripped from the firm grasp of placing our lives, our emotions, our future in their hands.
Broken trust can leave us basking in the rays of relational conflict. Where we find ourselves drowning in the tears of misplaced trust. Strangling on the words of broken promises. Carrying the bags of betrayal to the next street corner of frustration and insecurity.
And then people want to come offer their opinions and advice. "You have every right to be upset. You don't need them. Their time's coming. Forget them. Take some time away."
Even the religious crowd wants to chime in. "Well, you know everything happens for a reason. God is working all things together for good. Vengeance is Mine thus saith the Lord."
But when someone's trust has been violated they don't necessarily need our high and lofty opinions. They don't even really need our coffee cup verses from the Bible. What they need, what I needed, is someone to be present. Someone to be remain faithful. Someone they can trust.
My son jumped, not because I told him to jump, but because he quickly replayed in his mind all the times I had been there before. He asked if he could trust me but he already knew the answer. He knew I would catch him!
Remember, I said that my priority was to love and protect and provide for my son. I'm His father. And my Father, perhaps your Father, is doing the same for me. He's loving and protecting and providing for me. He's building my trust in Him.
Spurgeon once spoke these words, "God is too good to be unkind and He is too wise to be mistaken. And when we cannot trace His hand, we must trust His heart.”
I may not always see the way He sees but I'm learning to trust Him anyway. Why? Even though His ways and thoughts are higher, He's always been present and faithful. He's never forsaken me. He's never abandoned me. He's never let me down on one single promise. He's a good good Father!
Friday, May 26, 2017
Step, Swing, Squish
"Step, Swing, Squish!"
This is the phrase I repeatedly tell my son before hitting whiffle balls in our back yard, practice balls off the tee, or baseballs in a game.
No, I'm not an MLB scout or the hitting coach for a travel ball team. I'm just a dad who hopes his sticky statement for hitting a baseball works.
So, what's with this silly phrase, you ask? It's a reminder that hitting the ball is not about aimlessly swinging as hard as you can to hit a ball in motion; rather, it's a combination of timing and technique.
Obviously any expert or even an amateur who's spent 10 minutes watching YouTube could critique my hitting lesson with ease. But the point I'm trying to make for my seven year old son is it's more than meets the eye; it's more than just swinging the bat.
Hitting practice balls off a tee is monotonous. Boring. Not much fun. But there's something beneath the surface that's being developed with every proper swing. And the discipline to keep swinging and refusing to lose focus is creating an incredible potential that will not be realized until the game is on the line.
Littering the yard with a bucket full of whiffle balls is fun but it doesn't produce any kind of measurable results for winning a game. So we have to be creative. Alternate sides of the field where the ball must land. Run the bases on every third swing. Get your granddad out here in the yard and chase you around the bases. Make it fun.
But baseball is a just few hours a week for several months out of the year. Remember, my son's only seven. We're not professionals. He's not being paid to play. In fact, we're shelling out pennies from our pockets this season.
So, what do we do with all those other hours, days, and months? We step, swing, and squish.
My son is more than a ball player. He's a scientist who loves to investigate and experiment. He's an artist who loves to be creative and use his imagination. He's a friend who loves conversations and making memories with others. He's my son, watching and imitating what his daddy is doing!
Stepping means we aren't standing still. Faith is an important part of our lives and we want to see each day as an opportunity to grow by taking steps of faith. Swinging means we will take risks. We won't be paralyzed by fear. Squishing means that we will drown out negativity and evil, and choose to lean in to opportunities to encourage one another.
My goal as a parent is to teach my son the fundamental truths of living a life of faith. No, I'm not perfect. No, I don't have it all figured out. No, I won't get it right every single time. In fact, my batting average as a parent is no doubt less than stellar. But we will keep stepping, swinging, squishing!
We will keep leaning in to hear the voice of our Creator, who is marking out a path toward a life of faith and righteousness. We will keep taking risks we believe He's calling us to take knowing that He will not abandon or fail us. We will keep drowning out the world's schemes to distract us from being who we are in Him. Our confidence will come from the identity that He's placed on us as His children. We will win! In fact, we have already won!
This is the phrase I repeatedly tell my son before hitting whiffle balls in our back yard, practice balls off the tee, or baseballs in a game.
No, I'm not an MLB scout or the hitting coach for a travel ball team. I'm just a dad who hopes his sticky statement for hitting a baseball works.
So, what's with this silly phrase, you ask? It's a reminder that hitting the ball is not about aimlessly swinging as hard as you can to hit a ball in motion; rather, it's a combination of timing and technique.
Obviously any expert or even an amateur who's spent 10 minutes watching YouTube could critique my hitting lesson with ease. But the point I'm trying to make for my seven year old son is it's more than meets the eye; it's more than just swinging the bat.
Hitting practice balls off a tee is monotonous. Boring. Not much fun. But there's something beneath the surface that's being developed with every proper swing. And the discipline to keep swinging and refusing to lose focus is creating an incredible potential that will not be realized until the game is on the line.
Littering the yard with a bucket full of whiffle balls is fun but it doesn't produce any kind of measurable results for winning a game. So we have to be creative. Alternate sides of the field where the ball must land. Run the bases on every third swing. Get your granddad out here in the yard and chase you around the bases. Make it fun.
But baseball is a just few hours a week for several months out of the year. Remember, my son's only seven. We're not professionals. He's not being paid to play. In fact, we're shelling out pennies from our pockets this season.
So, what do we do with all those other hours, days, and months? We step, swing, and squish.
My son is more than a ball player. He's a scientist who loves to investigate and experiment. He's an artist who loves to be creative and use his imagination. He's a friend who loves conversations and making memories with others. He's my son, watching and imitating what his daddy is doing!
Stepping means we aren't standing still. Faith is an important part of our lives and we want to see each day as an opportunity to grow by taking steps of faith. Swinging means we will take risks. We won't be paralyzed by fear. Squishing means that we will drown out negativity and evil, and choose to lean in to opportunities to encourage one another.
My goal as a parent is to teach my son the fundamental truths of living a life of faith. No, I'm not perfect. No, I don't have it all figured out. No, I won't get it right every single time. In fact, my batting average as a parent is no doubt less than stellar. But we will keep stepping, swinging, squishing!
We will keep leaning in to hear the voice of our Creator, who is marking out a path toward a life of faith and righteousness. We will keep taking risks we believe He's calling us to take knowing that He will not abandon or fail us. We will keep drowning out the world's schemes to distract us from being who we are in Him. Our confidence will come from the identity that He's placed on us as His children. We will win! In fact, we have already won!
Wednesday, April 26, 2017
I promise
I promise.
Words everyone longs to hear and yet oftentimes go forsaken in the midst of life unfolding in the most unlikely ways. All the while its those words that can still be found ringing in the ears of the betrayed and broken.
To find her dressed in white gleaming on her special day. Only to find her picking up the shattered pieces of what might have been. Replaying the memory of being down on bended knee in eager anticipation of hearing her say "Yes" has now been replaced with him on bended knee with the sickened feeling of wondering where to turn.
Whether it's the uncharitable disunity of a marriage, the severed ties of a parent and child, or the best of friends placing years of memories on the chopping block of petty selfish behavior, people have a way of choosing to disrupt years of stability with a few short moments of nonsensical behavior.
I recently had a conversation with a lady who felt like her life was on the brink of relational despair. While I didn't feel I had the words to console or encourage her in the moment, I couldn't shake the circumstances from my mind for several days before eventually tapping into my own experiences and suggesting some thoughts that began to help me deal with my own personal struggles.
Own your part and seek forgiveness. Relationships are developed between two less than stellar individuals who will always carry a fair share of responsibility for the direction of their relationship. And any time tension arises between those individuals it's important that they both own their contribution to the waves of that tension. Relationships have a greater chance to be reconciled when the offender recognizes the offense, chooses to change, and seeks the others' forgiveness to begin building trust again.
Extend forgiveness and trust God to heal you both. Individuals in relationships inevitably will offend the other. Humans are human. Imperfect. With flaws. They think differently. See differently. Just different. Incomplete. So, the best we can hope for is to believe that there's still work to be done. And that work comes in the form of healing. Bandaging the wounds of relationships with forgiveness and grace over long periods of time. And it's deeper than self help or the power of the mind. It really only comes in the form of someone greater stepping in to intervene and mediate our situation from the scope of eternity.
Filter others' advice and counsel. It's easy to get wrapped up emotionally in the appeals of others' facts, opinions, or nonsensical advice. What we need most in moments of broken relationships is for people to speak the truth in love. Those leading us to make wise decisions. Those more interested in our growing as a person than our ability to shoot darts of bitter venom at the offender.
Speak less. The more we speak when we're hurt the more likely we will begin to rationalize or justify our position to play the victim or execute judgment on those who've brought pain into our lives. Sharing our feelings and admitting our pain can be helpful in the healing process but we must careful with what is being poured out on paper, social media, and into the laps of those who will listen. Our hearts are fragile and certainly vulnerable to be shaped by the poison of bitterness, and what's locked up inside will eventually be spewed out when the lid on our mouths is released.
Spend more time alone with God. Perhaps the most profound notion we can take is simply look to find rest for our weary circumstances through being still. Thoughts running hundreds of miles per hour in our heads, asking questions like "what if" or "why" can be exhausting. And while we often fail to find answers to such questions I really believe there is a purpose in the pain. Our view of God is often blurred by our self-righteous acts and achievements. But it's in moments of devastation that an opportunity to see Him more clearly becomes possible. And He wants to create a change in us that otherwise may not be possible.
While I know this doesn't answer every question for the difficult circumstances in our lives nor does it bring healing to every fractured relationship, it does give a frame of reference for every individual seeking to find a journey toward healing.
I promise. These words invoke an overwhelming amount of trust or skepticism depending on our experiences with those who have such a claim. Here's what I believe, "every promise is Yes in Christ Jesus." He is doing a work in us that is incredibly life changing for our good and His glory!
Words everyone longs to hear and yet oftentimes go forsaken in the midst of life unfolding in the most unlikely ways. All the while its those words that can still be found ringing in the ears of the betrayed and broken.
To find her dressed in white gleaming on her special day. Only to find her picking up the shattered pieces of what might have been. Replaying the memory of being down on bended knee in eager anticipation of hearing her say "Yes" has now been replaced with him on bended knee with the sickened feeling of wondering where to turn.
Whether it's the uncharitable disunity of a marriage, the severed ties of a parent and child, or the best of friends placing years of memories on the chopping block of petty selfish behavior, people have a way of choosing to disrupt years of stability with a few short moments of nonsensical behavior.
I recently had a conversation with a lady who felt like her life was on the brink of relational despair. While I didn't feel I had the words to console or encourage her in the moment, I couldn't shake the circumstances from my mind for several days before eventually tapping into my own experiences and suggesting some thoughts that began to help me deal with my own personal struggles.
Own your part and seek forgiveness. Relationships are developed between two less than stellar individuals who will always carry a fair share of responsibility for the direction of their relationship. And any time tension arises between those individuals it's important that they both own their contribution to the waves of that tension. Relationships have a greater chance to be reconciled when the offender recognizes the offense, chooses to change, and seeks the others' forgiveness to begin building trust again.
Extend forgiveness and trust God to heal you both. Individuals in relationships inevitably will offend the other. Humans are human. Imperfect. With flaws. They think differently. See differently. Just different. Incomplete. So, the best we can hope for is to believe that there's still work to be done. And that work comes in the form of healing. Bandaging the wounds of relationships with forgiveness and grace over long periods of time. And it's deeper than self help or the power of the mind. It really only comes in the form of someone greater stepping in to intervene and mediate our situation from the scope of eternity.
Filter others' advice and counsel. It's easy to get wrapped up emotionally in the appeals of others' facts, opinions, or nonsensical advice. What we need most in moments of broken relationships is for people to speak the truth in love. Those leading us to make wise decisions. Those more interested in our growing as a person than our ability to shoot darts of bitter venom at the offender.
Speak less. The more we speak when we're hurt the more likely we will begin to rationalize or justify our position to play the victim or execute judgment on those who've brought pain into our lives. Sharing our feelings and admitting our pain can be helpful in the healing process but we must careful with what is being poured out on paper, social media, and into the laps of those who will listen. Our hearts are fragile and certainly vulnerable to be shaped by the poison of bitterness, and what's locked up inside will eventually be spewed out when the lid on our mouths is released.
Spend more time alone with God. Perhaps the most profound notion we can take is simply look to find rest for our weary circumstances through being still. Thoughts running hundreds of miles per hour in our heads, asking questions like "what if" or "why" can be exhausting. And while we often fail to find answers to such questions I really believe there is a purpose in the pain. Our view of God is often blurred by our self-righteous acts and achievements. But it's in moments of devastation that an opportunity to see Him more clearly becomes possible. And He wants to create a change in us that otherwise may not be possible.
While I know this doesn't answer every question for the difficult circumstances in our lives nor does it bring healing to every fractured relationship, it does give a frame of reference for every individual seeking to find a journey toward healing.
I promise. These words invoke an overwhelming amount of trust or skepticism depending on our experiences with those who have such a claim. Here's what I believe, "every promise is Yes in Christ Jesus." He is doing a work in us that is incredibly life changing for our good and His glory!
Sunday, April 23, 2017
I'm Addicted To...
"Addicted to what?" you ask.
I know this may sound trivial or contemplative. Normal or superficial. But...
I'm addicted to me. By that, I mean I'm addicted to pride and selfishness. The only one in the room. At least, the only one that matters. As if everybody else in the room, the universe for that matter, exists merely to appease my own self-interests. I manage low risk opportunities against sub-par competition to inflate my own stats and ego.
I'm addicted to you. Not you, really. But your approval. Every step I take and every word I speak is carefully calculated in search of your acceptance. You matter. Your opinion matters. But the truth is, because I'm addicted to me, your opinion only matters if it improves my position by lobbying my own self-worth.
I'm addicted to love. Maybe it's more like lust. Not lust like "50 Shades of Grey" but lust like I'm constantly wanting things that I cannot have or should not want. In reality they're not even necessary or really all that satisfying in the end. It seems as though I can't be content with the simplicity of having enough but I'm constantly reaching for just a little more.
I'm addicted to security. Actually, I'm afraid of being alone. I fear rejection; not having what it takes to measure up to someone's expectations. I stay close to the shore of the familiar and cling tightly to the known. Too often, I'm willing to concede the potential of my future for the pain and frustration of my past just because its familiar.
How will I ever overcome the strongholds of my addictions?
"Lay aside every sin and weight that so easily entangles us." It's easier said than done but sometimes I'm fine to simply let the weight of my addictions lay heavy on my heart rather than deal with the pressure of trying to change.
I know this may sound trivial or contemplative. Normal or superficial. But...
I'm addicted to me. By that, I mean I'm addicted to pride and selfishness. The only one in the room. At least, the only one that matters. As if everybody else in the room, the universe for that matter, exists merely to appease my own self-interests. I manage low risk opportunities against sub-par competition to inflate my own stats and ego.
I'm addicted to you. Not you, really. But your approval. Every step I take and every word I speak is carefully calculated in search of your acceptance. You matter. Your opinion matters. But the truth is, because I'm addicted to me, your opinion only matters if it improves my position by lobbying my own self-worth.
I'm addicted to love. Maybe it's more like lust. Not lust like "50 Shades of Grey" but lust like I'm constantly wanting things that I cannot have or should not want. In reality they're not even necessary or really all that satisfying in the end. It seems as though I can't be content with the simplicity of having enough but I'm constantly reaching for just a little more.
I'm addicted to security. Actually, I'm afraid of being alone. I fear rejection; not having what it takes to measure up to someone's expectations. I stay close to the shore of the familiar and cling tightly to the known. Too often, I'm willing to concede the potential of my future for the pain and frustration of my past just because its familiar.
How will I ever overcome the strongholds of my addictions?
"Lay aside every sin and weight that so easily entangles us." It's easier said than done but sometimes I'm fine to simply let the weight of my addictions lay heavy on my heart rather than deal with the pressure of trying to change.
"Come to Me all who are weary and I will give you rest." The brutality of empty promises have kept me guarded from trusting others. So instead of making myself vulnerable to trust someone to leverage their compassion I find myself striving, working, toiling to become the means to my own end.
Here's the word I need today; Jesus is making a promise. He's inviting me to hand Him my addictions, burdens, and weights in exchange for His rest, peace, joy, freedom.
How about you? The road to freedom begins with handing over the object holding you in bondage; yourself!
Here's the word I need today; Jesus is making a promise. He's inviting me to hand Him my addictions, burdens, and weights in exchange for His rest, peace, joy, freedom.
How about you? The road to freedom begins with handing over the object holding you in bondage; yourself!
Wake Up
In my dreams I'm 6 foot 4 inches, I'm dating a super model, and I own a summer house in Fiji. But it always seems that the slightest noise or a single beam of light awakens me at just the moment it couldn't possibly be better.
Then there are those moments in my sleep when nightmares of being suspended in the air with no measure of ground in sight or being squeezed between two walls feeling pressure from every direction that I'm thankful to be awakened at any time of the night.
Perhaps the pendulum that swings from one extreme to the other; from sweet dreams and wishful thinking to night terrors and extreme misfortune, would be best suited to simply find a balance of some happy medium.
Our lives are chock full of happy and sad moments; the blessings of a loving God and the pain of a world full of hate. It seems our sensational views are always circumventing our circumstances to say "life couldn't be any better" or "life couldn't be any worse."
Life often seems to leave us in a state of sponsored pride or pity; feeling like I'm something more or less than who I really am. We've either sunken too deep in our flaws to be helped or we've reach some apex of perfection to relinquish anyone's aid.
We need to admit that we are a bad and sinful people in need of a good and loving Father. A father who never sleeps. A father who will not neglect or abandon his kids. A father who is generous and responsible. A father who is constant and committed. A father who will be there when we wake up!
You can't save yourself. You can't be your own master. And you make a terrible god. Seriously, no amount of effort, money, work, or time can generate an acceptable version of you before God. But He made a way for you to become a presentable candidate for His family through the right-ness of His son. All you have to do is be awakened from this sleep, this death of a sin-stained life, and enter into the light and life of eternal bliss found only in the payment and promise of His son.
Wake up! This is not a dream! Realize that the dreams and nightmares you think are defining your current reality is incomparable to the identity being given to you by the One nudging your soul to awake. Your purpose, your mission is meant for more than dreaming; it's meant to live in an all-out pursuit of the One bringing those dreams to life!
Then there are those moments in my sleep when nightmares of being suspended in the air with no measure of ground in sight or being squeezed between two walls feeling pressure from every direction that I'm thankful to be awakened at any time of the night.
Perhaps the pendulum that swings from one extreme to the other; from sweet dreams and wishful thinking to night terrors and extreme misfortune, would be best suited to simply find a balance of some happy medium.
Our lives are chock full of happy and sad moments; the blessings of a loving God and the pain of a world full of hate. It seems our sensational views are always circumventing our circumstances to say "life couldn't be any better" or "life couldn't be any worse."
Life often seems to leave us in a state of sponsored pride or pity; feeling like I'm something more or less than who I really am. We've either sunken too deep in our flaws to be helped or we've reach some apex of perfection to relinquish anyone's aid.
We need to admit that we are a bad and sinful people in need of a good and loving Father. A father who never sleeps. A father who will not neglect or abandon his kids. A father who is generous and responsible. A father who is constant and committed. A father who will be there when we wake up!
You can't save yourself. You can't be your own master. And you make a terrible god. Seriously, no amount of effort, money, work, or time can generate an acceptable version of you before God. But He made a way for you to become a presentable candidate for His family through the right-ness of His son. All you have to do is be awakened from this sleep, this death of a sin-stained life, and enter into the light and life of eternal bliss found only in the payment and promise of His son.
Wake up! This is not a dream! Realize that the dreams and nightmares you think are defining your current reality is incomparable to the identity being given to you by the One nudging your soul to awake. Your purpose, your mission is meant for more than dreaming; it's meant to live in an all-out pursuit of the One bringing those dreams to life!
Thursday, April 13, 2017
Come and See
Have you ever heard a story that sounded too good to be true?
Some time ago I spoke with a lady who began telling her story, and as she continued to speak I couldn't believe how eerily similar yet wildly unbelievable it sounded.
Just a small town girl in a small town world her Friday nights were filled with cheers from the sidelines of her favorite football team. Weekends with friends. Sundays splashed with church services and family dinners.
But entering adulthood, life had taken her on the ride of her life. Big cities, prestigious universities, and a network of friends that was woven into one of the country's most historically successful football programs.
With diploma in hand, the world was calling her name. Little did she know what lay on the other side of her college experience; entering the hospitality division of a major sports franchise. Meeting successful people labeled among the Who's Who in sports and entertainment.
But the road didn't stop there. Next stop, one of the world's most famously successful retail corporations. And it's here that she partnered with others to help the company make strides in online operations.
In a world prone to arrogance, she carefully crafted her words with a tone of sincere humility. And I was speechless. Then, I finally asked if I could come witness her latest venture. Her response, "Sure, come visit and I'll show you around!"
For a story that sounded so incredible it wasn't untouchable. She invited me into a space of extraordinary otherwise known as her ordinary life. In essence, she was saying "Come and see!"
When Jesus comes on the scene, one of his disciples-to-be actually poses this question, "Can anything good come from Nazareth?" And the only words Philip could seem to muster were, "Come and see!"
When Jesus' disciples return from town to witness His encounter with the woman at the well they pose the question, "Why are you talking to her?" Meanwhile the woman had made her way back to town with this announcement, "Come and see!"
When hearing of His friend Lazarus's sickness Jesus delays His arrival for two more days. Then Lazarus dies. But upon seeing his sister weeping Jesus asked where Lazarus had been buried. "Come and see!"
On the Sunday morning following the crucifixion, Mary approaches the tomb of Jesus. Frantic, I'm sure, by the appearance of an angelic being, he reassured her of Jesus' resurrection with the words, "Come and see!"
The events of Easter weekend may appear unbelievable but the details are certainly undeniable. What appears to be so incredible isn't untouchable. And we've been invited onto the stage to witness the greatest escape the world has ever known. And the resurrection reverberates through all creation, "Come and see!"
Christ accomplishes more than anyone could imagine in the short span of his death and resurrection. Yet, our response is invaluable to this pretense; His life for mine.
To come and see sounds so attractive. But think of the enviable position of Thomas to have his doubts crushed when Jesus bids him to come and touch; to witness more than the attraction of others' experiences. To lay to rest all amounts of skepticism by the first-hand proof of His resurrection.
And yet way too many of us are content to only have a glimpse of the immeasurable greatness of God from a distance. He is calling us to so much more. Bonhoeffer says, "The cross is not the terrible end to an otherwise god-fearing happy life, but it meets us at the beginning of our communion with Christ. When Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die."
"Come and die!"
The cross is necessary. Death is necessary. But it does not end with his death. In fact, His death initiated a transaction toward life for us in Him. And now, through His death and resurrection, we can truly live in Christ.
This life leads to death if all we do is strive for all its trinkets and toys. To crucify the passions and lusts of this world and to find the death and resurrection of Christ a joyous occasion will bring life insurmountable.
May our hearts meditate on these words to stir in us a greater affection for God's Son Jesus Christ:
Oh the wonderful Cross, oh the wonderful Cross
Bids me come and die and find that I may truly live
Oh the wonderful Cross, oh the wonderful Cross
All who gather here by grace, draw near and bless Your name
--The Wonderful Cross by Chris Tomlin
Some time ago I spoke with a lady who began telling her story, and as she continued to speak I couldn't believe how eerily similar yet wildly unbelievable it sounded.
Just a small town girl in a small town world her Friday nights were filled with cheers from the sidelines of her favorite football team. Weekends with friends. Sundays splashed with church services and family dinners.
But entering adulthood, life had taken her on the ride of her life. Big cities, prestigious universities, and a network of friends that was woven into one of the country's most historically successful football programs.
With diploma in hand, the world was calling her name. Little did she know what lay on the other side of her college experience; entering the hospitality division of a major sports franchise. Meeting successful people labeled among the Who's Who in sports and entertainment.
But the road didn't stop there. Next stop, one of the world's most famously successful retail corporations. And it's here that she partnered with others to help the company make strides in online operations.
In a world prone to arrogance, she carefully crafted her words with a tone of sincere humility. And I was speechless. Then, I finally asked if I could come witness her latest venture. Her response, "Sure, come visit and I'll show you around!"
For a story that sounded so incredible it wasn't untouchable. She invited me into a space of extraordinary otherwise known as her ordinary life. In essence, she was saying "Come and see!"
When Jesus comes on the scene, one of his disciples-to-be actually poses this question, "Can anything good come from Nazareth?" And the only words Philip could seem to muster were, "Come and see!"
When Jesus' disciples return from town to witness His encounter with the woman at the well they pose the question, "Why are you talking to her?" Meanwhile the woman had made her way back to town with this announcement, "Come and see!"
When hearing of His friend Lazarus's sickness Jesus delays His arrival for two more days. Then Lazarus dies. But upon seeing his sister weeping Jesus asked where Lazarus had been buried. "Come and see!"
On the Sunday morning following the crucifixion, Mary approaches the tomb of Jesus. Frantic, I'm sure, by the appearance of an angelic being, he reassured her of Jesus' resurrection with the words, "Come and see!"
The events of Easter weekend may appear unbelievable but the details are certainly undeniable. What appears to be so incredible isn't untouchable. And we've been invited onto the stage to witness the greatest escape the world has ever known. And the resurrection reverberates through all creation, "Come and see!"
Christ accomplishes more than anyone could imagine in the short span of his death and resurrection. Yet, our response is invaluable to this pretense; His life for mine.
To come and see sounds so attractive. But think of the enviable position of Thomas to have his doubts crushed when Jesus bids him to come and touch; to witness more than the attraction of others' experiences. To lay to rest all amounts of skepticism by the first-hand proof of His resurrection.
And yet way too many of us are content to only have a glimpse of the immeasurable greatness of God from a distance. He is calling us to so much more. Bonhoeffer says, "The cross is not the terrible end to an otherwise god-fearing happy life, but it meets us at the beginning of our communion with Christ. When Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die."
"Come and die!"
The cross is necessary. Death is necessary. But it does not end with his death. In fact, His death initiated a transaction toward life for us in Him. And now, through His death and resurrection, we can truly live in Christ.
This life leads to death if all we do is strive for all its trinkets and toys. To crucify the passions and lusts of this world and to find the death and resurrection of Christ a joyous occasion will bring life insurmountable.
May our hearts meditate on these words to stir in us a greater affection for God's Son Jesus Christ:
Oh the wonderful Cross, oh the wonderful Cross
Bids me come and die and find that I may truly live
Oh the wonderful Cross, oh the wonderful Cross
All who gather here by grace, draw near and bless Your name
--The Wonderful Cross by Chris Tomlin
Monday, April 03, 2017
When Life Runs off the Tracks
Several years ago my life ran off the tracks of my own expectations. And there I was crashing and burning in the ditches of relational strife with God nowhere to be seen.
I begged God. I blamed God. I even tried to buy God off.
I gave him what I thought to be my A-list resume of good deeds and behavior; how nobody should ever have to go through that or feel this way.
I told Him I would do A if He would do B. And after many failed attempts to put the pieces back together I'm pretty sure I screamed obscenities in the direction of His seemingly deaf ear to my desperate pleas to change my situation.
And wouldn't you know it, He didn't heed to my attempts of manipulation at all. My ultimatums to fix the situation seemed to hit the ceiling and come crashing back down on the soul that had become numb to real intimacy.
And as the years go by I'm realizing that He's not interested in tallying the score of our deeds. He's not all that concerned with making sure we are comfortable with life's trinkets and toys. He's really not even placing the highest priority on our following all of the Bible's commands.
He's placing a priority on love. And I'll be honest, I'm terrible at love.
Well, maybe that's not fair to say. That I'm terrible at love. I do love me. I care for me well. I serve me well. I put my interests at the top of my priority list. In most instances, I'm willing to do just about anything to appease me.
Back to my life running off the tracks...
Maybe my perspective of love; self-love, wasn't really love at all. Maybe it's just a fabrication of love; self-centeredness in disguise. Dressed in a horrible wardrobe and all kinds of dysfunction on display for the world to see.
But what God has begun doing is exposing something woven into the deepest parts of my being.
What's most important; who's most important.
And it's still a work in progress. That's evident to the people who know me well.
Nevertheless, I will continue to fight this fight each and every day. This fight of believing that I'm most important. That I matter most. That my comforts and circumstances take priority over others.
Realizing that God scoffs at my manipulative behavior and ultimatums to change my situations.
So, have the wheels of my life found the tracks again? I think so. There's still tension. Sparks still fly. It's not the well-oiled life I thought I was living. But's it's moving forward. And it's producing change.
God created this world and called people to Himself for one purpose; to become more like His Son. He has no intention of letting us as His people continue living with a misguided, misinformed view of mission.
He sent His Son to bear the ultimate display of mission; a self-less, others-focused act of unconditional love. The trajectory of His love was uninhibited by any and all circumstances. No amount of sacrifice, inconvenience, or preference could de-rail His mission to declare to all the world the love He had for them.
When He could have very easily petitioned to His Father to change the course of His eternal plan, He didn't. Because His love flowed much deeper than the momentary circumstances of His affliction.
His willingness to endure the wrath of God and the anguish He felt from the hands of sinful men led to a forgiveness and freedom for us to experience that otherwise would have been void apart from His submission and obedience.
And our response to this great act of love; His sacrifice, is to surrender our lives and direct our love to the greatest lover we have ever come to know. And rather than hanging our condition-filled love in the balance of our circumstances, we should trust that what He is doing in our lives is producing an immeasurable weight of glory that is incomparable with any obstacle in our life that He is using to make us more like His Son.
So, when you think your life is running off the tracks, remember, He has every intention of using those circumstances to produce something incredible. While it may not be enjoyable, don't lost heart. He's making something new!
I begged God. I blamed God. I even tried to buy God off.
I gave him what I thought to be my A-list resume of good deeds and behavior; how nobody should ever have to go through that or feel this way.
I told Him I would do A if He would do B. And after many failed attempts to put the pieces back together I'm pretty sure I screamed obscenities in the direction of His seemingly deaf ear to my desperate pleas to change my situation.
And wouldn't you know it, He didn't heed to my attempts of manipulation at all. My ultimatums to fix the situation seemed to hit the ceiling and come crashing back down on the soul that had become numb to real intimacy.
And as the years go by I'm realizing that He's not interested in tallying the score of our deeds. He's not all that concerned with making sure we are comfortable with life's trinkets and toys. He's really not even placing the highest priority on our following all of the Bible's commands.
He's placing a priority on love. And I'll be honest, I'm terrible at love.
Well, maybe that's not fair to say. That I'm terrible at love. I do love me. I care for me well. I serve me well. I put my interests at the top of my priority list. In most instances, I'm willing to do just about anything to appease me.
Back to my life running off the tracks...
Maybe my perspective of love; self-love, wasn't really love at all. Maybe it's just a fabrication of love; self-centeredness in disguise. Dressed in a horrible wardrobe and all kinds of dysfunction on display for the world to see.
But what God has begun doing is exposing something woven into the deepest parts of my being.
What's most important; who's most important.
And it's still a work in progress. That's evident to the people who know me well.
Nevertheless, I will continue to fight this fight each and every day. This fight of believing that I'm most important. That I matter most. That my comforts and circumstances take priority over others.
Realizing that God scoffs at my manipulative behavior and ultimatums to change my situations.
So, have the wheels of my life found the tracks again? I think so. There's still tension. Sparks still fly. It's not the well-oiled life I thought I was living. But's it's moving forward. And it's producing change.
God created this world and called people to Himself for one purpose; to become more like His Son. He has no intention of letting us as His people continue living with a misguided, misinformed view of mission.
He sent His Son to bear the ultimate display of mission; a self-less, others-focused act of unconditional love. The trajectory of His love was uninhibited by any and all circumstances. No amount of sacrifice, inconvenience, or preference could de-rail His mission to declare to all the world the love He had for them.
When He could have very easily petitioned to His Father to change the course of His eternal plan, He didn't. Because His love flowed much deeper than the momentary circumstances of His affliction.
His willingness to endure the wrath of God and the anguish He felt from the hands of sinful men led to a forgiveness and freedom for us to experience that otherwise would have been void apart from His submission and obedience.
And our response to this great act of love; His sacrifice, is to surrender our lives and direct our love to the greatest lover we have ever come to know. And rather than hanging our condition-filled love in the balance of our circumstances, we should trust that what He is doing in our lives is producing an immeasurable weight of glory that is incomparable with any obstacle in our life that He is using to make us more like His Son.
So, when you think your life is running off the tracks, remember, He has every intention of using those circumstances to produce something incredible. While it may not be enjoyable, don't lost heart. He's making something new!
Saturday, March 18, 2017
Tell the World
We tell the world all of our greatest moments and others' biggest blunders.
In years past it was our small world gathered around the fridge to gaze upon spring pictures and report cards from school.
Our world then grew to include the mailing list of recipients for Christmas cards in the mail.
Now we've expanded our world to include hundreds of FB friends and Instagram followers. Goodness, even thousands of likes with the right tag line of trending events.
And so this weekend I will have the privilege to help my son tell the world of his latest news. To help create what I hope will become an unforgettable moment.
It was eight years ago when his mom told me she was pregnant and it was then that we began praying for the day that he would become a follower of Jesus. And a couple of months ago he made the decision to follow Christ.
While his journey is just now beginning, my hopes are that he will not waver in what I consider to be the most important decision in his life. That doubts will not creep in. That his flesh will not win out. That evil will not prevail. That Christ wins his thoughts and affections every time.
Many people have compared baptism to the exchanging of rings on a wedding day. While baptism doesn't save you, it does become an outward expression of inward change when choosing to follow Christ. Even so, a wedding ring illustrates the covenant relationship you have with your spouse.
However, just like a wedding band cannot be the guarantor of a abiding commitment to love your spouse, baptism is not the guarantor of a totally devoted life to Christ. Believe me, I know. But both are meant to serve as a constant reminder of the day when the vow of submission was made and meant to be cherished and cultivated for a lifetime.
I'm so excited to see that my son has chosen to take this step of faith to follow Christ. He has a family that loves him and wants to see him be successful in every area of life. But most importantly, to reflect a Christ-likeness in his life that is unparalleled to any other announcement or achievement he could possibly imagine.
He has a church family that has embraced him as one of their own. It is becoming a place where he can continue to grow and develop as he learns to worship and serve others in the context of our church community.
And I'm so thankful to my church family for allowing me the awesome opportunity to take part in his baptism. To create an unforgettable moment for the both of us. To be reminded again by this up close and personal encounter of the sacrifice Christ has made for us. God help me to be reminded that we are to put to death every old way of life because we have been raised to walk in a new life that can only be found in Him.
Son, when you read this I hope you know how proud I am of you. And how exciting it is to know that you have chosen to follow Jesus. Not a day goes by that you don't put a smile on my face. Not only are you my son but you are now my brother in Christ. And it is my responsibility and my privilege to walk alongside you to encourage you and help direct your steps on this journey of faith. We may not get it right every single time, but remember, we are both a work in progress. I get so excited when I think about the young man you are becoming. And as long as God gives me breath I want my life to be a life that gives you a godly example of a father and a friend. My prayer for you and me both has been and always will be that we would go where God leads, do what God says, and become the person God has called us to be.
In years past it was our small world gathered around the fridge to gaze upon spring pictures and report cards from school.
Our world then grew to include the mailing list of recipients for Christmas cards in the mail.
Now we've expanded our world to include hundreds of FB friends and Instagram followers. Goodness, even thousands of likes with the right tag line of trending events.
And so this weekend I will have the privilege to help my son tell the world of his latest news. To help create what I hope will become an unforgettable moment.
It was eight years ago when his mom told me she was pregnant and it was then that we began praying for the day that he would become a follower of Jesus. And a couple of months ago he made the decision to follow Christ.
While his journey is just now beginning, my hopes are that he will not waver in what I consider to be the most important decision in his life. That doubts will not creep in. That his flesh will not win out. That evil will not prevail. That Christ wins his thoughts and affections every time.
Many people have compared baptism to the exchanging of rings on a wedding day. While baptism doesn't save you, it does become an outward expression of inward change when choosing to follow Christ. Even so, a wedding ring illustrates the covenant relationship you have with your spouse.
However, just like a wedding band cannot be the guarantor of a abiding commitment to love your spouse, baptism is not the guarantor of a totally devoted life to Christ. Believe me, I know. But both are meant to serve as a constant reminder of the day when the vow of submission was made and meant to be cherished and cultivated for a lifetime.
I'm so excited to see that my son has chosen to take this step of faith to follow Christ. He has a family that loves him and wants to see him be successful in every area of life. But most importantly, to reflect a Christ-likeness in his life that is unparalleled to any other announcement or achievement he could possibly imagine.
He has a church family that has embraced him as one of their own. It is becoming a place where he can continue to grow and develop as he learns to worship and serve others in the context of our church community.
And I'm so thankful to my church family for allowing me the awesome opportunity to take part in his baptism. To create an unforgettable moment for the both of us. To be reminded again by this up close and personal encounter of the sacrifice Christ has made for us. God help me to be reminded that we are to put to death every old way of life because we have been raised to walk in a new life that can only be found in Him.
Son, when you read this I hope you know how proud I am of you. And how exciting it is to know that you have chosen to follow Jesus. Not a day goes by that you don't put a smile on my face. Not only are you my son but you are now my brother in Christ. And it is my responsibility and my privilege to walk alongside you to encourage you and help direct your steps on this journey of faith. We may not get it right every single time, but remember, we are both a work in progress. I get so excited when I think about the young man you are becoming. And as long as God gives me breath I want my life to be a life that gives you a godly example of a father and a friend. My prayer for you and me both has been and always will be that we would go where God leads, do what God says, and become the person God has called us to be.
Saturday, March 11, 2017
Snow and Basketball
It was this weekend some 24 years ago that we loaded up and took off to the midget league state basketball tournament without a care in the world.
And only one word on our minds, "Domination!"
As we arrived at the hotel, we piled out of our parents' minivans onto the asphalt of our new home for the weekend, the Super 8 Hotel.
The team gathered for a pre-game snack and went over the game plan for Friday night's duel with the host team, the Villa Rica Wildcats.
After the hard fought victory we did what every little league team does, celebrate. With a trip to the world's greatest post-game cuisine, Pizza Hut.
As parents scurried all of us kids back into our hotel rooms we were scheduled to play the next morning in the semi-final matchup of the state tournament. But we were certainly caught off guard by what happened next.
No amount of coaching could have prepared us for this. It wasn't about defense or easy baskets!
Now it was survival!
We woke up to what appeared to be 10 foot tall mounds of white powder scattered across that asphalt landscape as far as our eyes could see!
And while the kids were screaming with excitement, parents were cringing with fear. Nobody was prepared for this. Not enough clothing. Not enough money. Not enough food. But we had plenty of time.
So we put on our uniforms, sweatpants, and hoodies with plastic bags over our shoes and trekked out into the snow-ridden landscape of parked cars, sidewalks, and street signs firing off one snowball after another.
While the players sat in hotel rooms to thaw out frozen fingers and toes, parents conjured up a plan to remedy "Destination Not Going Home." So the older siblings went to the local Ingles supermarket to bag groceries in exchange for food for our families.
In a world without cell phones and power outages all throughout the region there was certainly a heightened state of nervousness among parents meshed with the carefree spirits of their kids. Surprisingly enough not one single child went missing nor any parent arrested for being pent up in a hotel for 5 days while we weathered the blizzard of '93.
By day 3, our excitement for the snow had turned to boredom and now as parents were reeling from the dread of their homes being damaged they were being forced to entertain the kids as well. Talk about a tall task to bear!
While the state tourney had become an afterthought, I will say this and move on. We returned the following weekend with "redemption" on our minds (we were last year's runner-up) to face off against a supremely talented Ft. Stewart team. We lost. Still bitter. Enough said.
While that weekend and the subsequent days of processing the events of basketball, a blizzard, little cash flow, and concern for our homes have been engraved in our minds, maybe there's something more to consider.
We as kids were able to be carefree because our parents were responsible for our care. They let us play in the snow, kept us warm in our hotel rooms, fed us meals from the groceries our brothers had retrieved.
And here we are some 20+ years later, deliberating over significant decisions that we need to make, wondering if the world is going to come crashing down on us. And our Father is trying to say, "I've got this!"
No, it won't always go as planned. No, we may not have the best clothes, the most expensive gadgets or toys, eat at the fanciest restaurants, or run in some elite circle of acquaintances. But He does make this promise, "I will provide."
So whether it snows or rains on your little parade, remember, there's a good, good Father watching over us and caring for us in every circumstance of your life.
Whether you feel stranded on an island of self-pity or grief. Or whether you're living among the rainbows and cloudless days without a care in the world. He's there. He will not abandon you.
And maybe just maybe we will notice His presence and be more grateful for all that He's doing for us. But more importantly what He's wanting to do in us.
And only one word on our minds, "Domination!"
As we arrived at the hotel, we piled out of our parents' minivans onto the asphalt of our new home for the weekend, the Super 8 Hotel.
The team gathered for a pre-game snack and went over the game plan for Friday night's duel with the host team, the Villa Rica Wildcats.
After the hard fought victory we did what every little league team does, celebrate. With a trip to the world's greatest post-game cuisine, Pizza Hut.
As parents scurried all of us kids back into our hotel rooms we were scheduled to play the next morning in the semi-final matchup of the state tournament. But we were certainly caught off guard by what happened next.
No amount of coaching could have prepared us for this. It wasn't about defense or easy baskets!
Now it was survival!
We woke up to what appeared to be 10 foot tall mounds of white powder scattered across that asphalt landscape as far as our eyes could see!
And while the kids were screaming with excitement, parents were cringing with fear. Nobody was prepared for this. Not enough clothing. Not enough money. Not enough food. But we had plenty of time.
So we put on our uniforms, sweatpants, and hoodies with plastic bags over our shoes and trekked out into the snow-ridden landscape of parked cars, sidewalks, and street signs firing off one snowball after another.
While the players sat in hotel rooms to thaw out frozen fingers and toes, parents conjured up a plan to remedy "Destination Not Going Home." So the older siblings went to the local Ingles supermarket to bag groceries in exchange for food for our families.
In a world without cell phones and power outages all throughout the region there was certainly a heightened state of nervousness among parents meshed with the carefree spirits of their kids. Surprisingly enough not one single child went missing nor any parent arrested for being pent up in a hotel for 5 days while we weathered the blizzard of '93.
By day 3, our excitement for the snow had turned to boredom and now as parents were reeling from the dread of their homes being damaged they were being forced to entertain the kids as well. Talk about a tall task to bear!
While the state tourney had become an afterthought, I will say this and move on. We returned the following weekend with "redemption" on our minds (we were last year's runner-up) to face off against a supremely talented Ft. Stewart team. We lost. Still bitter. Enough said.
While that weekend and the subsequent days of processing the events of basketball, a blizzard, little cash flow, and concern for our homes have been engraved in our minds, maybe there's something more to consider.
We as kids were able to be carefree because our parents were responsible for our care. They let us play in the snow, kept us warm in our hotel rooms, fed us meals from the groceries our brothers had retrieved.
And here we are some 20+ years later, deliberating over significant decisions that we need to make, wondering if the world is going to come crashing down on us. And our Father is trying to say, "I've got this!"
No, it won't always go as planned. No, we may not have the best clothes, the most expensive gadgets or toys, eat at the fanciest restaurants, or run in some elite circle of acquaintances. But He does make this promise, "I will provide."
So whether it snows or rains on your little parade, remember, there's a good, good Father watching over us and caring for us in every circumstance of your life.
Whether you feel stranded on an island of self-pity or grief. Or whether you're living among the rainbows and cloudless days without a care in the world. He's there. He will not abandon you.
And maybe just maybe we will notice His presence and be more grateful for all that He's doing for us. But more importantly what He's wanting to do in us.
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