Monthly Archives: July 2015

NO STRINGS ATTACHED

“But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve . . . But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.” (Joshua 24:15)

Think back to your childhood and you will most likely remember the story of a wooden boy named Pinnochio who was attached to strings and magically came to life.  He is one of the most famous marionette characters ever created. Originally published as a novel in 1883, The Adventures of Pinnochio has been adapted many times, the best known of which is most likely the animated feature created by Walt Disney. Anyone who grew up in the early days of TV will remember another well-known marionette by the name of Howdy Doody.  He, along with the show’s host, Buffalo Bob, conducted the pioneer children’s program that became famous for the line “It’s Howdy Doody Tiime” which ran on NBC from 1947 to 1960. Interestingly enough – there is documented evidence that marionettes, string and wire controlled puppets, were used throughout history, some say as early as 2000 BC.

In today’s society, we can find strings attached to much of the world around us, ranging from physical confinement to the manipulative controls others attempt to exercise over us.  It’s everywhere. When I take my daily walk, I notice the sign stating “All dogs must be on a leash” at the entrance to the recreational park where I get my exercise.  Whenever I have been in big cities, I have observed professional dog walkers strolling with many canines at one time.  I think there has to be a knack to that accomplishment. Leashing children has taken on strong opinions from those who want to do the utmost to keep their child safe while others say that doing so is simply lazy parenting. And beware of the strings attached to that credit card for which you just enrolled or the mortgage contract you recently signed. What seems like a good deal today may come back to haunt you in a short period of time.

From the beginning of creation, God has always desired a ‘no strings attached’ relationship with mankind. He could have commanded that we love Him, but then we would truly been no different than the stringed puppets previously mentioned. Without the ability to choose for ourselves, we would have been less than human; merely a body controlled by a higher power. Theological discussions about ‘free will’ can become very deep and confusing, sometimes to the point that they defy logic. Suffice it to say that each one of us is inherently sinful by nature, but we can freely choose which path we will follow. “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you” (James 4:7). Even though He deeply desires to fellowship with us, we are free to accept or reject God. Jesus said, “everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin” (John 8:34). But He also stated, “For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother” (Matthew 12:50).

Free will should be valued as a unique human quality. Ultimately it is a choice between life and death. Charles Spurgeon once said, “Free will carried many a soul to hell, but never a soul to heaven.” If we make the decision to follow the teachings of Jesus and align our will with that of God’s, we then will to constrain the kinds of things we say and do. We come to realize that true free will isn’t freedom to be sinful but rather the desire to receive the grace of God we so do not deserve, move beyond our inherited fallen state, and be destined for eternity. That’s a journey worth taking for sure. Jesus said: “If anyone chooses to do God’s will, he will find out whether my teaching comes from God or whether I speak on my own” (John 7:17). So don’t ever be mistaken about God’s intention. He won’t connect us to wires or otherwise manipulate what we do with our lives. He doesn’t tie us to a leash to keep us within His grasp. God pulls at our heartstrings instead, for love freely given is so much more valuable.

REFLECTION: Do you sometimes find it frustrating when you are not allowed to make your own decisions? How is your relationship with God different when you realize He gives you the freedom to choose the direction of your thoughts, words, and actions?  Is there argument for the fact that belief in the concept of free will can equip you to be a better person? How would you react to a statement from another that free will in its truest form cannot coexist with belief in God?

(MY NEXT WEEKLY DEVOTION WILL BE UPLOADED ON SAT., AUGUST 1, 2015.  IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE REMINDED OF THE FREE WEEKLY POSTINGS, SEND YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS TO: LookUpwrd@aol.com  YOUR ADDRESS WILL NOT BE SHARED)

THE VOICE

“Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path.” (Psalm 119:105)

While I generally display little interest in any type of reality TV (including competition programs), I occasionally pay attention to how some of the contestants are advancing on NBC’s The Voice.  What I find somewhat interesting about the show is that celebrity judges initially select vocalists during “blind auditions” in which they hear the performance but do not see the competitors. At times, they are quite surprised by the bodies that contain some of the voices.  Over a course of successive weeks participants are mentored, and through public voting the number of contestants is narrowed and a winner eventually declared. Voices, whether set to music or in our minds ready to be penned or spoken, are important. Mahatma Gandha once said: “Everyone who wills can hear the inner voice. It is within everyone.”

A friend of mine told me recently about another type of voice she heard.  While attending the funeral of her neighbor’s husband, she heard a faint voice during the service. While relating the story, she smiled and said that for a moment she wondered if it might be the voice of the recently departed. As she listened more closely, she discerned the words “low battery.” It was then that she realized that her hearing aid was just telling her that the charge in her device was weakening. For many years, the trademark of RCA Victor consisted of the image of a dog sitting in front of an old wind up gramophone. The symbol evolved from a painting by English artist Francis Barraud.  The picture titled His Master’s Voice depicted a terrier named Nipper sitting in front of the trumpet-like speaker. The idea came to Barraud when he observed the dog of his late brother taking a peculiar interest in his former master’s recorded voice coming from a cylinder phonograph, an image which went on to gain worldwide fame.

As we go about our Journey and draw closer to God, we can hear His voice as well. Although we come to sense His presence in many ways, it is when we begin to hear the Master’s voice that we are assured that we are one of His. In scripture, Jesus spoke of the Shepherd and the Flock: “The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep recognize his voice and come to him. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. After he has gathered his own flock, he walks ahead of them, and they follow him because they know his voice. They won’t follow a stranger; they will run from him because they don’t know his voice” (John 10:3-5). Jesus could not make it any clearer when He said, “Whoever is of God hears the words of God. The reason why you do not hear them is that you are not of God” (John 8:47).

So how does God speak to us?  In the Old Testament we are told to “Listen carefully to the thunder of God’s voice as it rolls from his mouth” (Job 37:2). But more frequently I have found that God speaks with a still, small voice.  At times, I hear Him through the promptings in my conscience. Frequently, I recognize His voice in the counsel of trusted friends or family, the lyrics and melody of a song, or when I hear the birds of the air, the sound of a distant rain, or the gentle rustling of the leaves in the trees during a summer breeze. And when I am alone, quiet, and make time to meditate on scripture – God speaks through His Word. It is as relevant today as it was when it was written those many years ago. “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12). By comparing what we perceive in our lives to the truth of His written word, we can learn to recognize the voice we hear as that of The Master. And we come to realize that it’s not so much about how He speaks but what we do with what He says that truly matters.

REFLECTION:  How have you heard God’s voice? Rick Warren says thatGod’s truth is consistent. He is not going to tell you one thing in the Bible and then tell you something different in an impression.How could you use his quote to encourage others who might say that some scripture is not relevant today?

(MY NEXT WEEKLY DEVOTION WILL BE UPLOADED ON SAT., JULY 25, 2015.  IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE REMINDED OF THE FREE WEEKLY POSTINGS, SEND YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS TO: LookUpwrd@aol.com  YOUR ADDRESS WILL NOT BE SHARED)

BROKEN BUT STILL USEFUL

“My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart you, God, will not despise.”    (Psalm 51:17)

I walked into the den, and there on the floor I was surprised to see a broken collector’s plate.  It had apparently fallen from the plate rail on my wall and hit a piece of furniture on the way down before it broke into four pieces. I had never had that happen before, but over time the plate must have gotten shifted from vibrations in the house. As I picked up the fragments, I was reminded of the nursery rhyme we learned as kids . . . something about not being able to be put back together again. Then I recalled it was “Humpy Dumpty.” Upon further examination, however, it appeared as though these breaks were fairly clean. After a few brushings of the edges with some good glue and the application of a little pressure, the plate is now back on the plate rack in one piece.  Unless one would know better, you could never tell it had been broken. I think our lives are also that way at times. Through a course of events, we become broken. But rather than “all the kings horses and all the king’s men” – it only takes the King of kings to restore our life.

Over the past year, I have been listening to some wonderful sermons preached by the head pastor of one of America’s mega churches.  After delivering the message this past Easter he disappeared, and I became concerned that maybe he was seriously ill. Recently I heard that through a course of events, there had been infidelity in his marriage. Consequently, this pastor resigned his pulpit. Interestingly enough, I found two lines that he had posted on social media quite a while before these happenings had occurred.  The first: “Your brokenness is fertile ground for a forgiving God to make something new and make something beautiful.” The second, “Brokenness precedes usefulness.”  I believe his statements to be true, and I look forward to seeing the evidence of how they will be fulfilled in his life.

I guess when it comes right down to it – we are all broken, each in our own unique way. The Bible is full of stories about broken people who provided great service to God. Just like they – we find that when we are broken, we suffer a variety of emotions ranging from shame to guilt and fear. We feel useless, sometimes lose hope, and just want to withdraw from society. We would be wise during these times to reflect on the words of Vance Havner: “God uses broken things. It takes broken soil to produce a crop, broken clouds to give rain, broken grain to give bread, broken bread to give strength. It is the broken alabaster box that gives forth perfume. It is Peter, weeping bitterly, who returns to greater power than ever.” We come to realize that where brokenness exists, it is hugely a state of mind.  The body and soul can remain whole if we sustain them with what they need including words like these: “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go” (Joshua 1:9).

When we traverse through our journey as persons of faith, we have a lot more going for us than the average Humpty Dumpty. “And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us” (Romans 5:3-5). Therefore, we do not have to be ashamed of our brokenness when it occurs, if we understand that it is through these periods that God is humbling and preparing us to be better servants for His kingdom here on earth.  Henri Nouwen once said, “The main question is not, how can we hide our wounds…but how can we put our woundedness in service to others.” I have often wondered what it might be like to worship in a body of brethren known as “Sinner’s Church.”  It would be curious to see who might attend as well as to take stock of who would not want to be seen there. To be sure, membership would not be an issue for any one of us.

REFLECTION: Can you recall a time in your life when your sinful nature took over and you felt broken? Do you remember those who ministered to or otherwise stood next to you?  Are there ways that you been able to use the grace you were given as an opportunity for service to others?

(MY NEXT WEEKLY DEVOTION WILL BE UPLOADED ON SAT., JULY 18, 2015.  IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE REMINDED OF THE FREE WEEKLY POSTINGS, SEND YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS TO: LookUpwrd@aol.com  YOUR ADDRESS WILL NOT BE SHARED)

LIVING THE DREAM

“And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh;              your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,  your old men shall dream dreams,                and your young men shall see visions”      (Joel 2:28).

I was recently talking with a friend of mine, and she mentioned that she had run into a former work colleague of ours. While we could not remember this individual’s full name, we did recall one thing about him. Whenever you would ask this guy how he was doing, he would always look at you, smile, and say “Living the Dream.” I used to think to myself, “What dream?”  I figured it was some form of sarcasm, but I wasn’t completely sure I understood and, at the time, I truly didn’t care enough to ask. But for sure – it was part of who he was. I have since realized that the expression is frequently associated with a degree of boredom or monotony related to a project, often dealing with work. But it can also imply that you are making a reality of something you have planned for a long time, like a dream vacation. Bottom line, the dream is whatever the person who holds it desires it to be.

For many years advertisers have tantalized us with the ideal of the American dream.  If you lived through the heyday of commercials in the latter part of the twentieth century – you will remember Coca Cola’s jingle, “I want to teach the world to sing in perfect harmony.”  Or better yet, who didn’t want a Chevy after you heard the mantra, “Baseball, Hot Dogs, Apple Pie and Chevrolet.” After all, what could be more American than that? In 1935, President Roosevelt signed legislation to enable the Treasury Department to sell savings bond to support the war efforts, After the attack on Pearl Harbor, they became known as War Bonds, and American citizens felt proud to buy them knowing that they were partnering with their country. Not so these days. Bonds are no longer popularized, and the once-touted American dream has become somewhat of an enigma.

Serious coin collectors know that on the 1926 Peace Silver Dollar, the word “God” in the motto “In God We Trust” is notably bolder than the other letters.  Some say that this reflects the nation’s sentiment at a time when Darwin’s theory of evolution was squaring off against Biblical creationism. One wonders if this positioning favoring the Creator would ever occur today, as there are those who would advocate for the removal of this religious reference from all currency entirely.  In a recently released poll conducted by the Public Religion Research Institute, only 69 percent of those surveyed think that believing in God is “truly American” while 58 percent consider the same about being born in America, and 53 percent in reference to being Christian. That provides a huge gap in affirming that God or birthright has much to do with what has traditionally been considered to be termed as American. Scripture tells us: “Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord, the people whom he has chosen as his heritage” (Psalm 33:12).

As we celebrate another Independence Day, one cannot help but wonder what has happened to the religious values on which our nation was founded. The great orator and statesman Patrick Henry said, “It cannot be emphasized too strongly or too often that this great nation was founded not by religionists, but by Christians; not on religions, but on the Gospel of Jesus Christ.”  Whether or not the American Dream ever existed or still exists could be relentlessly debated, but it is clear that the nation who moves forward without the one true God is headed down an ill-fated path. “If a prophet or a dreamer of dreams arises among you and gives you a sign or a wonder, and the sign or wonder that he tells you comes to pass, and if he says, ‘Let us go after other gods,’ which you have not known, ‘and let us serve them,’ you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams. For the Lord your God is testing you, to know whether you love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul” (Deuteronomy 13:1-3).  So the next time someone tells you that they are “Living the Dream” – it might do you well to ask the question as to where exactly they think that dream might be taking them.

REFLECTION: In your journey, how might you move away from dreams focused on earthly things and more toward visions of Heavenly things?  How would you respond to someone who tells you that they would feel more liberated in a nation without so much emphasis on God?

(MY NEXT WEEKLY DEVOTION WILL BE UPLOADED ON SAT., JULY 11, 2015.  IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE REMINDED OF THE FREE WEEKLY POSTINGS, SEND YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS TO: LookUpwrd@aol.com  YOUR ADDRESS WILL NOT BE SHARED)