Monthly Archives: October 2014

Abide in Me

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Do you remember singing your ABCs?  As a child we learned a lot of things through song and verse. Some of them may have stuck with you as life lessons. In a world of constantly changing moral directions it behooves us to look to the source of wisdom that never changes, that always is true to course. With that in mind let’s take some time over the coming weeks to consider some ABCs worth memorizing and living well.

 

 

As for me and my house we will serve the Lord. Joshua 24:15

 

Abide in me and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me. John 15:4

 

Each  day we make countless decisions, many of them unknown to our conscious mind. Some are trivial but many are essential to living as we were intended. The leader Joshua put a choice before his people: Don’t be wishy-washy. Either follow false gods or follow the one true God. Then, as if to drive a symbolic stake in the ground, he made his choice firmly known. “As for me and my house we will serve the Lord.”

 

Okay, so you’ve already made this choice before. But have you declared it today? It serves us well, before we start on our list of daily to-dos to declare, “Above all else today, I will serve the Lord.” It’s not a matter of “Look at me and see what I can do,” but rather a determination to acknowledge your real identity as a follower of Christ and to stand firm in that calling. Repeat this declaration throughout the day when you are tempted to act in ungodly ways.

 

Recognize that you are powerless to do this in your own strength. Jesus says, “Abide in me and I in you.”  Jesus-in-me is my only hope. I can start out the day with great plans and strategies but ultimately my accomplishments, if they are to bear lasting goodness, depend on me remaining in Jesus. You’ll fail at this many times today. So will I.  Our minds will wander. Our motives will fall prey to our self-seeking desires. But at any time you can (and must) return to the source of your real power. Guess what? He will be expecting you…with open arms!

 

Decide today whom you will serve and remain in the one who gives you strength and wisdom to live the day well.

 

 

A quieter, gentler world

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Maybe I’m just getting old. They say, “You know you’re getting old when any sound you don’t make bothers you.” But really, don’t you find life can be too noisy?! And does it seem to you that it is getting noisier all the time? Machines whirring, constant chatter, more and more people in a hurry and eager to beep their horns, and always – I mean always – something close by beeping some reminder at you. Then there is the ‘noise’ of fast paced living. Even in the absence of sounds, the level of activity itself seems ‘noisy.’

 

If you have encountered any sort of life changing trauma, be it cancer, loss of a loved one, loss of a job, or some chronic pain, you know that even soundless tension can also register as noise and set your spirit on edge. I experienced this when I contracted Tinnitus. It was as if a switch went On that I could never turn Off. The ringing in my ears was and is like the whine of a jet engine that never goes away. Fifteen years later, I still long for “the sounds of silence.” Perhaps you’ve been in a situation where you’ve had to closely attend to medical routines, medications, or pain levels. So much mental focus becomes unbearably ‘noisy’.

 

If you endure such an experience, you might come to experience an appreciation for a quieter, slower pace of life. Some things that once seemed urgent become less important. It’s fine to want to be excellent in what you do, but it really doesn’t add any value if you sand the studs before you put on the drywall, if you know what I mean.

 

There are seasons of life that are busier and noisier than others and we all have to get through those and enjoy them the best we can. But if you find that life has become too noisy and hectic, perhaps it is time to make a list of how you can slow down. In business we used to ask, “What needs to stop and what needs to start?” “What do we need to do less of (or stop doing entirely because it just wastes time) and what do I need to do more of?” Try it. You’ll be glad you did if it leads you to slow down and enjoy a bit more peace in your life. And for ultimate peace, turn down the noise in your life and turn to God. Spend quiet time meditating on and memorizing His Word. If you are too busy for God, you might be too busy.

 

“You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.” Isaiah 26:3

 

 

Awake or asleep?

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We never know exactly when we fall asleep at night. At some point we close our eyes to the world. Our heart rate slows down and our body temperature decreases. Reality fades away as we enter a world of dreams. In a deep sleep we may even get out of bed and not be aware of our activities.

 

Falling asleep spiritually follows a similar pattern. We become tired of living with purpose and close our eyes to our true calling. Apathy sets in and compromising situations start to take on more appeal. We think to ourselves, “It can’t be bad if it makes me so happy.” If we don’t wake up to our senses we will find our spiritual temperature lowering. What used to be a burning passion for God’s ways cools to a lukewarm condition. And this dangerous coolness allows us to slip into a deeper trance-like sleep where reality blurs into a foggy road where we easily lose our way. Like Samson of old, we allow the Delilah’s of our age to lull us to sleep.  From an outsider’s perspective we may look the same, but inside we find ourselves drifting further and further from our purposed path.

 

The good news is that just as living in compromise makes us drowsy to God’s calling, so does His Spirit consistently urge us to wake up. There are numerous practical ways to stay spiritually ‘awake.’

  • Examine yourself as David did. “Search me O God. Know my heart.”
  • Be accountable to someone in whom you can trust to be honest about your struggles.
  • Stay grounded in God’s Word. Beyond rote memorization, earnestly seek to apply wisdom practically to your life.
  • Rest! Really rest. An effective method of not falling asleep at inappropriate times is to rest when you need to. Jesus is calling you: “Come to me all of you who are weary, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28)  Cease striving. Be still. Know that He is God. (Psalm 46:10) Remain intently in Jesus. Your accomplishments mean nothing without Him.  (John 15:4)

 

“Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” Matthew 26:41

 

 

Beauty everywhere

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White Fireworks – Thayerapy Gardens

 

“Beauty is everywhere when you know where to look for it.”

– Alice Herz-Sommer, 1903-2014

Beloved Pianist and Holocaust Survivor

 

Do you believe beauty is everywhere if you know where to look for it? If you lost loved ones to the Holocaust and were imprisoned yourself, would that still be your view?

 

It seems that few if any escape the prison that suffering brings. Be it for a day or a lifetime, torturous or merely a nagging interruption to a joyful life, be it physical, emotional, relational, or spiritual – we all come to know some degree of suffering and pain, for some a sorrow that enshrouds their entire world. It can become a darkness where little light seems to penetrate. But a holocaust survivor says she finds beauty everywhere. Another shares, “When you come out of Hell, you realize there are only a few important things in life: life itself, relationships, and faith.”

 

Actually, when it comes down to brass tacks, what choice do we have in the crucible of pain, sorrow, and suffering? We can’t escape it. It will demand we attend to it. But do we have to be crushed by it? Is there a way to transcend its vise grip on us? Can we choose to rise above it, to find our “more than a conqueror” spirit we are promised? Can we choose, like Job, to praise God while we scrape away the boils of pain that wrack our bodies and souls?

 

I don’t know of anyone who can do this in their own power, most certainly not me! In the midst of cancer I told God six times, “I give up. Take me home. I’m done with this.” I am convinced that my pain was small compared to what others’ endure and yet it was real enough for me. And each of those times, He held me patiently and lovingly, reminding me that His grace is indeed sufficient, even if I don’t sense it. We don’t have to sense God’s love for it to be real any more than a child who defies you even as you love them dearly.

 

I’ve decided to believe God at His Word even though I’m too feeble to understand it. His supernatural power within us continues to sustain us, no matter what this life throws at us. It is a calming peace that transcends all understanding. It might not calm the storm raging within us. But it is able to calm us in the middle of the storm. I don’t think it is a heroic act to believe this. I think it is a choice of faith if not desperation that in the midst of the darkness, His light will shine and reveal beauty yet to be found. What other choice would you make?

 

“We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed. 2 Corinthians 4:8-10

 

And the peace of God which transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:7

 

 

Be transformed

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Stained Glass Monarchs - Thayerapy Gardens

‘Stained Glass Cathedrals’ – Thayerapy Gardens

Monarchs are the quintessential butterfly, easily recognized and greatly appreciated. I find it hard to imagine any stained glass cathedral more beautifully designed. I’m certainly delighted I came across these three in my gardens one day as evening was approaching!

 

But these gorgeous creations were not always so abundantly graced with beauty. As you know, they started out as common caterpillars. As they approach adulthood, their hormones change and they form a cocoon, hooked to the underside of a leaf. They turn around and lower themselves into the cocoon and prepare for a metamorphic process that will totally transform their life!

 

Inside the chrysalis, enzymes are released creating a chemical soup that totally consumes and digests the caterpillar’s body. If you were to interrupt this process too early you might conclude that the life of the caterpillar had ended. There would be nothing left to resemble its original form. But inside the body of the caterpillar sets of embryonic cells called ‘imaginal disks’ grow to form completely new parts  never seen before: wings, legs, antennae, and organs of the newly created butterfly. Nothing like this happens in vertebrate creation. But here in the life and seeming death of a simple caterpillar, a beautiful new creation is made.

 

Believe it or not, we are intended to go through this same process. We are designed to mature, turn around from our selfish ways, connect to God, and become transformed spiritually.  This process requires us to die to self and allow ourselves to be surrounded by His  creative and life-transforming grace. In our case of course, the outer shell of our body looks the same. But the spiritual rebirth manifests itself in a totally new creation. At least this is how it is intended. Calling ourselves Christian doesn’t make us followers of Christ any more than a caterpillar saying, “I can fly!”  But submitting ourselves to God’s transformational power creates a totally new life, one with power to soar on new wings and to reflect His glory. At last, you are no longer a crawling thing, but a new creation with a God-given purpose for an adventurous and fulfilling life!

 

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. Romans 12:1-2

 

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! 2 Corinthians 5:17

 

 

Bloom where you are planted

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Lamb’s Ear – Thayerapy Gardens

I like keeping Lamb’s Ear in my gardens. Some consider it a weed, perhaps because it is rather prolific. But to me it’s a thing of beauty and soft to touch.  It’s not edible like some of the other, less attractive weeds in the garden. For example, Purslane and Lamb’s Quarter have a quite sweet spinach-like taste when rinsed and boiled (and soaked in butter :-). But they don’t possess the beauty of the Lamb’s Ear. More over, Lamb’s Ear contains a God-given astringent substance that slows the bleeding of a wound. Its abundant and soft petals provide an adequate bandage if none other is available.  Not bad for a common weed!

 

I’m guessing we all could name a few ‘weeds’ in our ‘human garden’ of friends and acquaintances…and likely be named one as well.  And yet, like the common Lamb’s Ear flower, we are each created for a purpose with a different sort of beauty than the other flowers (and weeds) that surround us. Rather than trying to be like someone else, try to ‘bloom where you are planted‘ today.

 

To bloom means to be the person you were uniquely created to be. It is not just what you do, but the expression of God-in-you to those around. Don’t worry if others look more beautiful than you. Just bloom as you were created to be. Where you are is not some special place reserved for ‘ministry.’ You bloom wherever you happen to be at the time. It’s wherever you live and breathe and have your being. Blooming is an expression of life and praise and thankfulness. Don’t reserve it for special occasions. Planted implies there is an intentionality and purpose about your life. Sometimes you find yourself transplanted to a new city, neighborhood, job, or even a place of temporary isolation. As a flower stands firmly, bending with, not against the wind, plant yourself firmly and let your spiritual roots dig deep to bring nourishment to your soul right where you are planted.

 

Rejoice in the God-given characteristics only you uniquely possess and slow down enough to recognize these in others around you, even if they do at first seem a bit weedy.  Be useful to others and give God the glory for everything good that blooms in your community of relationships today.

 

Bloom where you are planted.

 

“Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, to all the exiles whom I have sent into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: Build houses and live in them; plant gardens and eat what they produce. Take wives and have sons and daughters; take wives for your sons, and give your daughters in marriage, that they may bear sons and daughters; multiply there, and do not decrease. But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the LORD on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare.”  Jeremiah 29:4-7

 

 

Like a single grain of grass

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Prairie Grass or Fairy Grass?  -Thayerapy Gardens

 

For, “All people are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall… ” 1 Peter 1:24

 

“Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds.”  John 12:24

 

I have a prairie garden in my backyard. I suppose to the casual passer-by it might look like so many weeds the way the wildflowers and prairie grasses crowd one another in such an undisciplined manner. And indeed, there are weeds that find their own way in this spot of wild creation, often insisting on having more space  for themselves than perhaps would be warranted by a better gardener.  But still, I like the look of an untamed prairie garden. New flowers that I never planted spring up on their own to reflect the sunshine in my day.

 

The bible says we are like grass and the flowers of the field. They grow and then wither. Their flowers fall to the ground. I suppose you might think this a morbid thought. But really, it is just the opposite. The frailty of our lives lends scope and purpose to the way we live. Imagine if we lived our lives on earth as if they will never change, never end. We would quite wastefully flit around from this passing thing to that, and never amount to anything of value. We’d miss the beauty that surrounds us in search for something of greater grandeur. Instead, we can choose to be mindful of the season we have before us and live that well, bearing some resemblance to the one who created us and lending shelter to those little ones who seek relief from the storm.

 

The fact that we, like grass, live for a season and then die speaks not only to the focus of our very day but also to the lives that follow.   Unless a single grain of wheat dies and falls to the ground, it remains just one seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. Called to ‘die to self,’ our testimony of faithfulness and goodness likewise produces many other seeds, bringing new life to follow our own.  We don’t do this of our own power of course, but in the name and power of a Master Gardener, the creator of life itself, and the one who specializes in the regeneration of life.

 

Rejoice in being like grass. Live a fruitful life!