"Eternal Thanksgiving"

Devotional originally posted August 11, 2016

This human being (or is that “being human”) gig is not an easy one. We live in a crazy, complicated and contentious culture where terrorism, mass shootings and random violence are becoming so commonplace that the shock of these events threatens to give way to resignation. This year we have the added craziness of a political system gone haywire to make sense of. Too often I still find myself frustrated by people, events or circumstances that plague this fallen world. It would be easy to allow these feelings to take me down the all too familiar roads of anger and resentment or worry and depression.

Sometimes I wonder where God is amidst all of this turmoil? I must admit that there have been times when it feels as if God has abandoned us and left us here to get through this world on our own…  but then I realize that God is right where God has always been: Within. Within me, within you, within the sunset and the rainbow, whether we recognize it or not we are interconnected by His internal, eternal presence. God will always live within our hearts and souls and no terrorist or politician can change that.

James 1:17
Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.

Some years ago, I entered a treatment program to overcome an addictive behavior.  One of the most important parts of my rehab was to write a page or two in a journal at the end of each day. The idea was to reflect on what went well and what did not go so well and to learn from the experience. I always ended my journal entries by listing three things for which I am grateful. The gratitude entries didn’t have to be anything major because remembering to be grateful for the little things can help keep us grounded. I remember one night being grateful for rose petals, bottle-caps, and opposable thumbs.

One of my best defenses still, against the world, is to keep adding to that gratitude list. The simple act of writing down those people, events, and circumstances that are blessings, helps me better appreciate the experience of the present moment.

Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, today is a gift of God, which is why we call it the present.  ― Bill Keane

After all… How can I continue to operate in frustration when I am thinking about how others have contributed good to my life? How can I fail to understand the gift of each day as I experience life’s small pleasures? How can we not feel a sense of abundance when we take a few moments to think about the beauty and wonder that surrounds us?  Thank you Lord for the gift of this day, help me learn better how to walk with you in it.

"A Smell & a Memory" by Lauren Watson

While watching TV I saw a commercial for ToysRUs with trolls and I suddenly saw in my memory an orange hair troll toy I was given when I was in 3rd grade. I had fallen off my bike (before the days of helmets) hit my head and spent 3 days in the hospital with total amnesia. My parents not only gave me the troll but a bouquet of carnations in a white poodle vase. When I remembered the troll, I suddenly smelled not only the flowers but the distinctive enamel paint of the vase. I don’t remember too many tender moments in my childhood, but this fragrance memory did bring back the picture of my mother sitting on my hospital bed and kissing my forehead.

The next morning I woke up with the realization that my mother’s kiss came during the 3 days of which I have no memory. As soon as I knew who I was in the hospital, there was no touching or tenderness: in fact, one of my neighbors told me how worried my parent had been and I was shocked. So this was not something I had forgotten, it wasn’t available to me before. Miraculously, it was given to me with a physical smell that penetrated the darkness and void of a severe concussion.

What an amazing and powerful God to restore things lost in total darkness. He has shown His power and His love by giving this memory to fill the void where I have no loving recall of childhood. My upbringing was not nurturing, especially when I was sick or injured, I am learning to accept support, concern and love from my church family. He is restoring my ability to receive and believe I am worthy of being a part of the Body, I feel this is a special gift to remind me He is in control of my past present and gives me hope to the future.

Ps 68:5-6, Jn 1:12, Rms 8:15,2 Cor 6:18

 

"God Our Dad" by Terry Sheldon

I recently had a conversation with my Dad. No, my Heavenly Dad. Does that wording sound strange? Did it take you by surprise? Interesting, isn't it?

Ok maybe you are perfectly comfortable thinking and talking about our God in that way, with that language, but I have to admit I'm not so much. With me, "Heavenly Father" is as close as I get. Maybe it's simply about respect. But I suspect for me, it's more than that.

This all started on my Wallowa Mountains backpacking trip in July. On this particular day I was by myself exploring the other side of a lake. I set my tired body down, and my stuff. I removed my glasses to relax my eyes. I noticed an amazing creek across the way with abundant wildflowers and went to investigate. It was so beautiful and I was quickly lost in my typical wilderness rapture. And you know, when the emotions are in hyper drive, the brain sometimes shuts off. I went back to retrieve my belongings, but left my glasses behind.

Later I returned to get them but they were not where I thought I left them! These were not only my close-up reading glasses, but my sunglasses as well. It was TWO big problems I didn't need with 20 more miles to go on our bright and sunny trip, not to mention an expense upon my return home.

So I reacted in typical fashion - I yelled for God. I perceived Him near because I was in crisis and went LOOKING for Him (just like teenagers, huh?). "God can you PLEASE help me find my glasses?!" No response. Then comes "the pact", right? (I won't tell you what was promised). Still nothing. Then I distinctly heard Him answer "I'm your Dad. I care about you." Soon I found my glasses, but I have not forgotten about the interaction.

As I have since processed this, I've noticed that in all our worship, the emphasis is all towards God (as it should be). But how often do we really feel Him "worship" us back? Ok, likely too strong a word, but can't it sometimes be a bit too easy to avoid intimacy with someone we look up to, by focusing all on them? Or we too easily put ourselves down and diminish our good points? Is it possible that there could be some "false humility" here, by staying on a "formal name basis" with our Heavenly Dad? I'm just poking here, but it has me thinking.

Certainly we have all heard that God is relational, and relational is always a two-way street. I remember the father of the prodigal son running out to not only greet, but hug and kiss his son. Then came the big bash. This is the same son who squandered his father's money, took him for granted, even distain, and attempted to ruin his life and the family name. Money, ego, and social status could have easily come between them both, but the father made sure that didn't happen. He was still Dad, and his son was still his son.

What a powerful picture, and the scriptures are full of so many more.

 

"Eternal Thanksgiving" by Joseph Scheyer

This human being (or is that being human) gig is not an easy one. We live in a crazy, complicated and contentious culture where terrorism, mass shootings and random violence are becoming so commonplace that the shock of these events threatens to give way to resignation. This year we have the added craziness of a political system gone haywire to make sense of. Too often I still find myself frustrated by people, events or circumstances that plague this fallen world. It would be easy to allow these feelings to take me down the all too familiar roads of anger and resentment or worry and depression.

Sometimes I wonder where God is amidst all of this turmoil? I must admit that there have been times when it feels as if God has abandoned us and left us here to get through this world on our own…  but then I realize that God is right where God has always been: Within. Within me, within you, within the sunset and the rainbow, whether we recognize it or not we are interconnected by His internal eternal presence. God will always live within our hearts and souls and no terrorist or politician can change that.

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.
~James 1:17

Some years ago, I entered a treatment program to overcome an addictive behavior.  One of the most important parts of my rehab was to write a page or two in a journal at the end of each day. The idea was to reflect on what went well and what did not go so well and to learn from the experience. I always ended my journal entries by listing three things for which I am grateful. The gratitude entries didn’t have to be anything major because remembering to be grateful for the little things can help keep us grounded. I remember one night being grateful for rose petals, bottle-caps, and opposable thumbs.

One of my best defenses still, against the world, is to keep adding to that gratitude list. The simple act of writing down those people, events, and circumstances that are blessings, helps me better appreciate the experience of the present moment.

Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, today is a gift of God, which is why we call it the present. 
― Bil Keane

After all… How can I continue to operate in frustration when I am thinking about how others have contributed good to my life? How can I fail to understand the gift of each day as I experience life’s small pleasures? How can we not feel a sense of abundance when we take a few moments to think about the beauty and wonder that surrounds us?  Thank you Lord for the gift of this day, help me learn better how to walk with you in it.

"Expect the Frogs" by Lauren Watson

One of my favorite places is the Oregon Garden, it’s where I go to have a date with Jesus. I walk through Creation, enjoy the beauty of the flora, listen to the birds and to the Holy Spirit. Recently as I was wandering, I found myself getting excited as I approached a certain location and realized it was a spot where I had a treat a few years ago. My friend and I had been photographing a stand of dahlias, and noticed some adorable little tree frogs hiding inside the very large blossoms; it was such a surprise and gave me some of my favorite photos. Since then, I have found them only occasionally in that same area but each time I expect to see something special there. I have also seen them in other types of flowers in other areas, but I know to look and HOPE to be delighted.

As I walked towards the dahlias and felt my excitement grow, I heard the Lord say it was just like prayer. We go to a lovely place to invest time with the Lord, knowing the time itself is an amazing experience. However, since I have had a supernatural healing, I believe and expect there to be the extraordinary replies, like the charming little critters.

I often go to this place physically and spiritually and each time it’s different, but what I heard on my stroll is to not overlook the garden and its beauty while searching for the revelations. I have--right now--a huge Gift of faith and am enjoying His Presence and it is enough to be with Him and know that the heart of our loving heavenly Father is to give beyond what we need, to delight us.

Why are some prayers answered and others not? How do we believe when some people are healed and others suffer and even die? How can we trust when we ask according to the Scriptures but don’t see the expected results? These are big stumbling blocks for so many Christians and since I’ve experienced my own miracle, a topic of discussion that comes up often in my hearing, I’ve pondered and asked how to represent why I got a Gift of healing and my friends still hurt, and I got frogs. 

We don’t know what the answers to our prayers will be but when we take time with God and expect the best, sometimes we get to experience the miraculous. I am convinced that when we have the ability to look back on our lives and truly see the trail we’re on we will see how many frogs we missed along the way. They might be hiding in the pretty flowers of blessings or may be in the murky waters of suffering, but they are there and the Creator knows where each is and how it benefits our path.

So keep your eyes open for those frogs.

 

"Christian Geography" by Terry Sheldon

I've been looking at a lot of maps lately. It's always been an interest of mine. My inner nerd comes out when the topic of exploration comes up in conversation, especially here in our beautiful Oregon playground. Yes I really do know where Wagontire Oregon is. Want to stump the master? Go ahead and try. Really.

My fixation lately has been on the Wallowas - 350,000 acres of glaciated valleys, granite peaks and sublime high lakes in Northeastern Oregon. As you read this, I should be pushing my fifty-something body and a backpack up relentless dusty inclines, and for what? The payoff is incredible, or so Google Images show.

For me, part of the fun is just the imagining, the planning - to a point, of course. Maps are a 2-D counterfeit of a 3-D reality. Good for figuring out where you want to go, or where you are once you're there. But they certainly don't capture the aesthetic romance, the emotion of the evening sun peaking over the ridge before it retires for the day, or the dainty loveliness of Indian Paintbrush.

And technical notes like shown distances and topographic lines cannot capture how hard a trail really is, or how your tired body will respond. Or the mood you'll be in at that moment when you've "hit the wall", exhausted and spent like the wadded up Cliff Bar wrapper in your pocket.

I find the same similarities to the Bible, and our assumptions about things we think we know "on paper", versus the times we actually go there. Something in our life pushes us from "volunteer" to "professional", to being forced to practice what has been preached.

Usually they are changes, or challenges anyway that come up. We are forced onto the path. It's our time to learn, to experience, to PROVE something. We want to go back to the security of "the map", where it feels good to just dream. But instead there's no turning back, and we have a job to do.

I am greatly anticipating my trip. But a small part of me is apprehensive. I am not a young man anymore, and the uncertainty of how I will do is a nagging thought. But I am sure God will be speaking to me along the way. For me, He typically speaks best to me, or rather, I LISTEN best, when I am in motion. Hiking is a metaphor for a number of things, and I'm sure we will have many great conversations.

So let's not just think about God and learn about Him. Let's walk with him. Everyday.

"Simplicity and the Cemetery" by Randi Nelson

“The Lord preserves the simple” (Psalm 116:6a). I’ve always sort of understood that verse as referring to the feeble, unsophisticated, poor or underendowed. But the other day as I read it again, I felt what Pastor Shannon Kearney used to refer to as a spiritual speed bump … that bounce that says, “Slow down, pay attention.”

So I researched the Hebrew word translated as “simple”. It comes from a root word that means to open; to be or make roomy. In other words, this verse could be read this way; “The Lord preserves the open, the roomy, the ones who quiet the noise and clear the clutter.” Ouch.

Life is noisy. My head gets full of stuff: to do lists, appointments, fatigue, failure. It gets full of arguments, both internal and external; full of worries, fears and yes … FUN! But even when it is fun, the stuff of life can drag a mind and spirit down; we can be “brought low” as it says in verse 2.

Becoming “simple”, to make one’s spirit “roomy” requires decisiveness. It requires a break in habit or pattern. It takes an act of willful openness. And then the Spirit comes forward with a little nudge, a quiet embrace, a word that encourages or enlightens.

But honestly, I have trouble, especially in the realm of unproductive habits, making room for His ministry. I can identify lots of important stuff that I want to talk with him about. But it all gets to be a jumble. Perhaps that is why something Mike Mercer recently said is resonating in the meditations of my heart. He said, “Invite God into your cemetery.”

So Simple: Identify what is dead. Open up and invite God in. Somehow this two category system, Life or Death, short circuits the complexity. It brings a degree of honesty that I could comfortably skirt with a bigger system of labels. “Lord, You know that habit of ___ that is making me crazy? I want to be real. It isn’t a matter of how I was raised; it is a matter of tombstones. Would you come into this dead place?”

Psalm 116:3-9 – “The cords of death encompassed me, and the terrors of Sheol came upon me; I found distress and sorrow. Then I called upon the name of the Lord: ‘O Lord, I beseech Thee, save my life!’

“Gracious is the Lord, and righteous; Yes our God is compassionate.

“The Lord preserves the simple; I was brought low, and He saved me. Return to your rest, O my soul, for the Lord has dealt bountifully with you.

For [God] has rescued my soul from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling. I shall walk before the Lord in the land of the living.”

Praise the saving, gracious, righteous, compassionate, bountiful preserving God!

"One More Night with the Frogs" by Lauren Watson

Recently I’ve been reminded of the choice Pharaoh made in Genesis 8. Pharaoh asked Moses to plead with the Lord to take the plague of frogs away and in return he would let the Israelites go. Moses replied, “You set the time” and Pharaoh answered “Do it tomorrow”.

Why would he not say “RIGHT NOW”? Why would he choose to spend another night with the slimy, smelly, noisy frogs? Why not ask the God of the Universe intervene ASAP? I have always thought Pharaoh short sighted and downright stupid, and hoped I would make a more intelligent response. However my recent journey shows me how easy it is to delay expectation of God’s Power and Promise.

I have suffered an undiagnosed pain for a couple decades. At times it has been tolerable and others, debilitating. There have been several types of doctors, exams, tests, ultra sounds, theories and referrals, but no answers. These last two years have been the worst and have damaged my general physical health through inactivity, my soul through isolation and darkened my spirit. Many health care providers discounted what they couldn’t explain and in the process caused me to doubt myself and lessen my self-worth. Trying to work eight plus hours wore me out and sometimes I couldn’t make it through the day. Movement caused pain and anyplace I couldn’t control my circumstances I wouldn’t go, I felt captive in my own body and “mostly dead” (Princess Bride reference).

When the opportunity to go to Bethel Church in Redding, renown for successful healing prayer, I was sure that was the answer, it had to be- I was desperate. The worship was amazing, the teaching was inspired, the company was delightful, and the prayer was anointed. During worship the first night I saw scar tissue over my spiritual heart caused by the relationship trauma throughout my life. The last service I saw a bolt of lightning go into my mouth, but had no idea what it meant; since that time I feel that it was the Holy Spirit melting the wounds and freeing my heart. We all came back richer for having been there and I came back feeling less the pain and feeling that I had been healed.

Four days later I was in more pain than ever and incredibly discouraged, I felt a failure…

While in California, we saw our friend Lee posting testimonials of his most recent trip; he operates in the gifts of the Spirit, especially healing and had even prayed for my pain several years ago. When my pain came back I called him to see if he had any insights as to why this had been a temporary relief. We went over the process through which Bethel took us, and Lee offered to pray for me again, after fasting. I took the next few days and inquired of the Lord, and then along with his wife Lisa and some friends, we met. The two women on whom I have most depended were present, each has a wealth of personal experience with inner healing and had received her own treasures from Bethel. By the end of the session, I felt no pain and knew the heaviness of spirit had lifted.

The first day after, I kept poking myself to see if the pain was still gone and at the end of the second day I realized it was so completely gone, I hadn’t even tested it. I have had soreness from the muscles and ribs that are two years out of shape due to protecting the area of pain and right away there was the accuser trying to snatch away my healing. It’s been a delight to see how quickly it comes to my mind to STAND in my health – physically and spiritually, I have learned to contend for that which I have been given. My heart is open, my mind is clear, my spirit is light, I feel more whole than I ever had.

So those frogs????

Why did I not go to the available resources before? Why did I spend all that money and time with doctors? Why did I endure years of pain? I knew Jesus heals. I knew Lee prayed successfully for people all over the world. I knew miracles still happen. Why did I spend years with the frogs when the Creator of the universe (and me) was available to touch and mend me? I have pondered this for days and now have a thought on it-a few pictures actually; a recipe, a jigsaw puzzle and a mountain path.

While the group was praying for me I felt like there was a recipe and each of these intercessors were bringing different ingredients to add to the whole of my healing. Physical, soul, mental, spiritual and relational pieces were all there and together, these wonderful friends presented the substance the Holy Spirit needed to mend me.

Jigsaw puzzles are put together piece by piece; the structure of the whole is assembled with common connections. I saw my life being fit together by the hand of God, some sections went together easily, and others were very elusive. Once constructed, sections joined together showed big surges of growth but I had key pieces missing. As the Hand worked I saw more of what to expect the finished project was to be, but until those missing links were joined I was still fragmented. I longed with all my will to be complete but had to wait as bit by bit, with Divine strategy the image became more complete. This time of prayer had to wait until the adjoining pieces were in place.

The mountain path image comes from an experience decades ago when my friends and I decided to climb the Middle Sister. Because of many delays we didn’t start the ascent until dusk and the majority of the climb to base camp was done in the dark. All I could see mile upon mile was the back of the foot of the climber ahead of me, illuminated by my flashlight. After hours of dark path we finally set up camp in the blackness. The next day, in the light, we scaled the summit and got ready for the descent the following day. Trekking the territory we had traveled in the night, I realized I could not have made it had I seen the entire mountain. I would have been overwhelmed by its enormity and by the dangerous cliffs at the edge of the very path on which we walked. Because I could only see the next step, it was something within my ability and I had faith I could move my foot one more time. Then in the light of day, that amazing panorama was visible.

Another night with the frogs? No. My images convince me that I had to wait until the needed ingredients were available for the recipe, the connecting pieces were not yet in place and the toughness of this path would have again overwhelmed me if I concentrate on anything other than the next step. I do believe that I am seeing one of those vistas right now because my pain is gone, my faith has been amplified, and the Touch I received is one of Love that has melted my calloused heart.

I am grateful.

"The Old And the New" by John Rice

I heard a statement recently that really caught my attention. It went something like this:

“In the Old Testament if a Believer touched a leper, he was pronounced ‘unclean’ and had to be removed from the congregation. In the New Testament if a Believer touched a leper, the leper was healed.”

I have treasured the Old Testament all my Christian life and argued for its inclusion in the teachings of our modern day church, even defending it against those who would say it isn’t relevant to us Christians anymore. Some think of the Old Testament as just an old history book, which presents an angry, vengeful God who is Himself transformed in the New Testament by the coming of Jesus. I would still argue that this is a false conclusion and that while the Old Testament does record the history of ancient Israel, with all its struggles and battles, it also paints a picture of the true character of God and man.

God is characterized through his interactions with people as a patient, compassionate, wise, forgiving and loving God. In fact, the Lord describes Himself to Moses in Exodus 34:5-7 in this way: And God passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, “The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet He does not leave the guilty unpunished.” David also describes the amazingly gracious character of God in his psalms, as does Isaiah and other prophets.

Even though the Old Testament is as much “God’s Word” as the New, what Jesus does when He comes to earth, born of a woman and very much human, yet equally divine, is truly world-changing. The New Testament speaks of a new covenant with God, which allows us to live in a radically different way from the way our brothers and sisters of the Old Covenant lived.

So back to the statement I heard recently, mentioned above, we see an example of this huge difference. In the book of Leviticus, chapter 14, we read what the Israelites were to do if anyone had an infectious disease. That person was to “wear torn clothes, let his hair be unkempt, cover the lower part of his face and cry out, ‘Unclean! Unclean!’. As long as he has the infection he remains unclean. He must live alone; he must live outside the camp.” Now to be sure, this was an ingenious way to keep infectious diseases from spreading through the whole population in a time when there was little medical knowledge for a nomadic desert people. In fact, the requirement to shave and wash wasvery advanced hygiene in those days.

Nonetheless, contrast this to what Jesus did and instructed His disciples to do. He constantly laid hands on sick people and restored their health, their sight, their wholeness. Paul and the other apostles went around healing the sick, lame, diseased and possessed. The power which Jesus ministered in and with which He empowered His disciples, was the same power that raised Him from the dead after three days in a tomb. It was the power of God’s Holy Spirit, which Jesus sent to His people on earth during Pentecost 50 days after He had been resurrected.

God is the same God in the Old and New Testaments, but when Jesus sent us the Holy Spirit to live inside all of His followers who invited Him there, everything changed. I can’t even begin to understand what power lives inside me. I struggle with the faith for that sometimes. But I do know that God keeps His Word and that Jesus said we would do even greater works than He Himself did because of the Holy Spirit. I choose to believe Him and seek to open up to Him in every way He wants me too. Help me, Lord! Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven….and help me play my part!

 

Exodus 34:5-7

And God passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, “The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin. Yet He does not leave the guilty unpunished.”

John 14:12

I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in Me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.

"Constructing a Soul" by Laura Rice

Once we believe and invite the Lord Jesus into our lives, we must “go on to construct a Soul”. This is a quote from C.S. Lewis, shared by the late author and pastoral care leader LeAnne Payne. I remember when hearing this for the first time, how it struck me as such an insight of truth and challenge.

I had been a Christian long enough to experience disappointment in my performance and to see the failings in other believers. We all know believers who profess their faith, and yet show huge deficiencies in their characters. I recently spoke with someone who helps to arrange cruise events for groups. She has experienced and heard reported that Christians are the most demanding and the stingiest with tipping personnel. 

Also, statistics show that Christians are less likely to tip serving staff at a restaurant. Where is the gap between the message of a generous and sacrificial God and the actions of so many who supposedly represent Him? What does it mean to construct a soul? I can’t answer that question comprehensively, but I will list some things that I have learned regarding the need to know self and to know God.

One, it is God who examines our hearts and reveals sin and disobedience. Secondly, if we allow for this interchange, God will reveal this to us and convict us about our soul health.  This probing by the Lord is not to depress us or leave us broken. 

Again, C.S. Lewis says, “The Christian does not think God will love us because we are good, but that God will make us good because He loves us.”  With God’s prompting, our job is to repent and then cooperate with the process of change. To truly repent is to turn and walk another way. We choose to walk another way and He strengthens us to do it.

One way we offer ourselves to God for soul health is by reading His word.  In Hebrews it says that the Word of God is alive and powerful to divide between soul and Spirit and the thoughts and intents of the heart.  As we read, His word will read us.  We need to develop new habits. 

As we all know, the changing of a habit is very difficult.  But through our choices and God’s grace, it is possible.  God stirs up the need to change and we respond over and over again.  We ask Him for His empowering grace, as we learn to say no to old ways and yes to new ways.  I love the verse that says, “He who began a good work in you will be faithful complete it.”  As we stay in a humble stance before Him and others, and keep an open and listening heart, He will guide us on the path to maturity and soul health.

 

Scriptures:

Psalm 139

Hebrews 4:12-13

Hebrews 13:20-21