How and why do we seek God’s face?

My dad often traveled for his work. My sisters and I were always excited to go to the airport and pick him up. Those were the days, before 9/11, when we could enter an airport and walk to the gate to wait. 

My sisters and I would look out the airport windows and try to guess which plane landing was Dad’s. Eventually, one of us was right. 

That plane pulled near, the stairs were rolled out, and the door would open. We’d watch every person get off the plane, trying to be the first one who spotted Dad’s face. 

He’d often glance up at the windows looking for us and smile when he saw us jumping up and down and waving. 

That’s a pretty good picture of what it means to “seek God’s face.” 

Seeking God’s face is synonymous with seeking God’s presence. 

How badly do you want to see God’s face?

We often equate seeing God’s face to those moments we enter heaven. That is when we will see God face to face. 

But Scripture teaches that we are supposed to seek God’s face, his presence, every day, all day. Psalm 105:4 says, “Seek the Lord and his strength; seek his presence continually!” 

My favorite beatitude is Matthew 5:8. Jesus taught, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” 

C.S. Lewis wrote, “It is safe to tell the pure in heart that they shall see God, for only the pure in heart want to.” 

One time I got a “U” in conduct on my report card. My teacher had warned me to “stop talking,” but I didn’t take her warning seriously enough. (My friends and family are probably grinning right now. I still might get a “U” on occasion.) 

The point is this: I wouldn’t have been quite as excited to see Dad if I knew I had to show him that report card when we got home from the airport. 

Sometimes we don’t seek God’s face because we don’t know we are supposed to. Most of the time, we choose to avoid God’s presence because we know what we are going to hear when we do. 

How badly do you want to see God’s face today? 

Is there something in your life causing you to avoid his presence? 

If so, take some time and consider 1 John 1:9: “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 

My dad saw the “U” in conduct, and I’m sure I had some extra chores to do as a result. I also had to promise him I would try harder to do better. And, if I remember correctly, that was the only time I got a “U” on a report card. 

God’s discipline and direction are for the purpose of making us better people. 

When we seek God’s face, we are likelier to want to please him. We are blessed when we can approach God with a pure heart. Why? 

Because that is when we “see God.” 

That is when we come into his presence. 

Seek God’s face in the crowd

It’s probably a good idea that we can’t go to the gates at the airport any longer. I remember the crowds of people, all trying to meet up with someone. I’ve always been a people-watcher, and my favorite greetings always involve a few tears or a few kisses. 

My dad used to give all of us a hug, but it was my mom who got the kiss. Even today, I enjoy standing at the baggage claim, watching a wife meet her husband. I especially enjoy watching the soldiers greet their families. In those moments, the rest of the world fades away because the person who matters most is the one they have been waiting to see. The loved one feels loved. 

That is the way the Lord would like us to treat him each day. That is one way we can choose to love him. The apostle Paul wrote, “If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth” (Colossians 3:1–2). 

We need to seek the face of God, knowing we are seeking the face of Jesus. We need to seek his face like there is nothing else that matters more. God’s face, his holy presence, needs to stand out from every other in our crowded lives. 

The church, God’s people, are referred to in Scripture as the “bride of Christ.” Look for his face like my mom looked for my dad at the crowded airport. Understand that Jesus is looking for you like my dad looked for my mom. 

If my people . . .

This is a chaotic season in our history, for all kinds of reasons. 

We can find ourselves looking at others in order to place blame or find solutions. We might watch the evening news thinking that is the information we most need. But Christians have a higher calling and higher standards. 

The reason I wrote this post today is that I thought about a familiar verse from 2 Chronicles in a new way. I read the words like a teaching lesson for how to seek God’s face. God told Solomon, “If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land” (2 Chronicles 7:14). 

God spoke those words to King Solomon at the dedication of the temple. The most important place in the world was the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. The temple was built around the Holy of Holies that contained the Ark of the Covenant, the Presence of God. People came to that temple for centuries in order to find forgiveness and seek God’s face. 

If our culture improves, it won’t be because a person is elected. The eradication of a virus isn’t going to cure the problems in our cities. What our culture needs most is the holy presence and priority of God. 

They need to seek his face. 

We are called to be God’s presence

You and I live in the promises of the New Covenant. We no longer visit a temple because Christians are a temple. The Holy Spirit, the same Spirit that indwelled the Holy of Holies, is present in every person who has made Christ their Lord and Savior. 

When you walk into a room today, you will bring the face of God into that place. Not everyone will be looking for you. They may have come to the crowd to find someone else. 

Here’s my point: My sisters and I always drew smiles at the airport. Picture three little girls, often with bows and ringlets, jumping up and down because their dad was smiling at them and giving th›em hugs. People couldn’t help but notice. 

And God said, “If my people”—if my kids—would “humble themselves, and pray and seek my face,” they would need to turn from evil in order to face what is holy. 

Today, let’s seek God’s face in this crowded, noisy world. 

People are in the crowd for all kinds of reasons. But it is difficult to ignore a child who is excited to see their dad. And our heavenly Dad is excited to see us. We are greatly loved, and we are called to help others know his love in their lives. 

Who will see God’s face today because they have seen yours? 

This blog post was originally published on October 14, 2020.

Photo by Jakub Żerdzicki on Unsplash

Convenience and character

“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” —Romans 12:2

We recently had to do a complicated update on our home’s technology system. The company thought it would take a day. They showed up Friday morning, spent the day, and let’s just say our technology was a hot mess when they left at seven that evening. It was an unpleasant weekend as a result.

Our televisions didn’t work properly, we couldn’t stream our favorite shows, and I couldn’t change the channels, the source, or the sound with my remote. We had to use the TV’s audio instead of our surround sound. 

Are you feeling sorry for us yet? If yes, thank you. Then again, the whole weekend taught me that I’ve become incredibly spoiled with all the benefits of technology and incredibly impatient with all the flaws that inevitably come with complicated systems. 

I wanted the young men who were here guessing to pick up their cell phones and ask for help. They finally did check, but it was too late in the day on Friday to do anything about it. That was Friday, and this is Monday morning. Those same young men just arrived, and I’m hopeful they will have it figured out today. My attitude, interestingly, is so much better now than it was on Friday evening. I’m just grateful I held my feelings inside so that I didn’t have to apologize to them this morning for anything I said on Friday. 

I’m writing about it this morning because I did a lot of thinking this weekend. (I didn’t have television to distract me!) I often thought about how our entire culture has become increasingly dependent on our conveniences. We have high expectations, and it has become easy to feel angry, troubled, short-fused, and even wronged when our conveniences are taken away! 

I tend to value things like my technology as necessities, and there isn’t much biblical advice on computers, large-screen televisions, surround sound, and various streaming services. You have probably heard someone say, “This is a first-world problem.” How have the conveniences of our first-world culture robbed us of the first-century Christian character revealed in Scripture? How do we work hard not to develop a character that depends on convenience?

Biblical truth transcends culture

Paul wrote his letter to the Colossians while he was under house arrest in Rome. He was writing to the first-century Christians in Colossae, whose faith had cost them almost everything. They had been alienated from their culture, their families, and their friends. Many had lost their jobs as well. The Romans were beginning to place significant pressure on Christians, and compromised theology was becoming a reasonable solution for many in the church. Many believed that the compromise with the culture was a safer, more effective way for the church to survive. Paul wrote to correct that way of thinking. He wanted them to know that pure truth, pure faith, and pure living were the only options for God’s children and the only truth to teach.

Paul taught the Colossians, “Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him” (Colossians 3:12–17).

My point: Friday evening when those nice young men left our home for the weekend, leaving our technology a hot mess, my character was not the character Paul insisted upon. Later, I had to wonder, when did all my conveniences begin to feel like important necessities?

Conveniences can rob us of our character and more

I’m old enough to remember the days when we had three channels on our TV. If we wanted a different station, one of us had to walk over to the television set and turn the channel. The entire family had to negotiate and then watch the same program because we only had one set in our home. 

If we didn’t want to watch what the rest of the family chose, we had the options of picking up a book and reading, listening to our radio or record player, playing a game, putting together a puzzle, or, if it wasn’t too late in the day, playing with the kids in the neighborhood.

We had one phone we had to share. We were excited to eventually purchase a VCR player, even though it meant driving to a Blockbuster store to choose a movie from the shelf. We had a McDonald’s, a Taco Bell, and a Burger King, but Jack-in-the-Box was the only fast food with a drive-through!

You probably know where I’m going with this. Our conveniences today are so GREAT!! We can download a movie we want to watch at any time. We have more than one TV, we each have a phone, a computer, a tablet, and literally thousands of convenient options for our entertainment. 

People today don’t read as many novels. Most of us don’t cook as often because we can drive through or have whatever we want delivered, whenever we want to eat it. We feel inconvenienced if there are long lines or the delivery runs late. 

Have we exchanged our values for something more convenient, but less worthy?

What can we do about it?

I have no idea what we can or should do with all these changes. But join me in thinking about possible solutions. Our culture of convenience is creating some cultural weaknesses. I read a really great novel this weekend. Jim and I had some great conversations. (Most of those began with a complaint about our televisions, however!) We had time with our family, time with one another, and time to enjoy the quiet. We spent our time differently this weekend, but in many ways, it had greater value.

They are going to fix our technology, and we will be SO GLAD to have it all working again. Jim and I admit we are spoiled people who love our conveniences. I just want to be careful not to value my first-world conveniences more than I value God’s eternal blessings. 

Faith and a Christian character are inconvenient at times. In fact, exercising our faith and putting it into practice is almost always an interruption and inconvenience to our own choices. That’s why Paul told the Colossians, “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ” (Colossians 3:23–24).

We are a spoiled generation of Christians. My grandparents once thought of owning a phone or a car as a luxury. Eventually, those things became conveniences and are now considered to be necessities. It was good to be reminded this weekend that conveniences shouldn’t feel like necessities. That perspective can protect our character, our culture, and our companions. 

Dear Lord, focus our hearts on things eternal. We know that your inheritance will matter forever. 

Photo by Anastassia Anufrieva on Unsplash

A Pearl of great price

“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it.” —Matthew 13:45–46

My readers have learned by now that I’m not a dog owner. My friends and family have tried over the years to convince me of all that I am missing. So far, I remain staunchly unconvinced. I know very few people who pursue and value quiet and stillness as much as I do. I’ve been that way my whole life, so I don’t think it will change. I’m sitting on my patio right now, enjoying the serenity of these moments to write. I don’t need a dog’s head on my feet or a dog’s bark in my ears. I’m enjoying the solitude.

There have been a few dogs over the years, like a white lab named Pearl, that I have imagined I could enjoy. Jim and I see Pearl and her owner quite often while we are out walking on the trail. Pearl’s favorite moment of the week is when her owner takes her to the pond, and she is free to jump in the water and chase her toy. Other days, she just walks next to the pond with wishful eyes.

It struck me today that all of us could learn a lot from Pearl’s God-given instincts. Jesus told a parable often titled “Parable of the Pearl of Great Price.“ The lesson of that parable teaches that a wise person is the one who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it”
(Matthew 13:46).

Watching Pearl is like watching a lesson in growing old gracefully with God’s wisdom. God has given animals instincts that those of us created with the ability to choose could learn from. Pearl no longer chases everything she used to chase. She has learned to ignore most squirrels; she waits at the street corners; and she rarely tugs on her master’s arm. Pearl has defined her “pearl of great price” as life at the feet of her master.

We can ignore the squirrels, too

Ecclesiastes 1:14 is pure wisdom. Solomon said, “I have seen everything that is done under the sun, and behold, all is vanity and a striving after wind.” Solomon had it all according to the world’s values. He is thought by many to have been the wealthiest man ever to have lived. (Although Elon Musk seems to be pursuing that title now!) As an older, wiser man, Solomon understood that chasing the temporary stuff of this world was like chasing the wind, or a squirrel.

Pearl used to love chasing squirrels, and when she was young, she actually caught one or two. Her youthful instincts used to tell her to chase every squirrel she saw. Now, she is older and wiser and understands she doesn’t really want the squirrel anyway.

What were the things you used to chase in your younger years? One of the great lessons for growing older is the realization that the squirrels in our lives have become less enticing. The temporary, earthly stuff we used to chase tends to lose its appeal. What are the possessions, titles, priorities, awards, and even relationships that just seem to be chasing the wind?

God wants us to lay the squirrels in life at his feet. We will be much more peaceful and content with our lives when we are finished with those chases.

Stop at the streets

There is one corner where the trail crosses the road, which is often the spot we run across Pearl and her owner. We usually enjoy a brief conversation and later walk away grateful that God allowed us to become friends. Pearl would rather be continuing her walk, but she quietly sits and waits for her master to finish the conversation.

I’ve never seen Pearl tug on the leash or try to cross the street without her owner. She has been kept safe; she has been well loved and well fed. Pearl wants to be at her owner’s feet because that is where she is most content. The psalmist wrote, “Make me to know your ways, O Lord; teach me your paths. Lead me in your truth and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; for you I wait all the day long” (Psalm 25:4–5).

I love to picture God holding a retractable leash (a leash with a button that controls the length of the leash). God can give us more room to wander and explore, but when we are not safe, he can push the button that gives us less leash and draw us back to be closer to him. God’s ways are perfect, and when he wants to talk, he will bring us near him. The only mistake we can make is to pull or tug on that leash because we want a different direction. God is strong, but his leash allows for our free wills as well. If we keep trying to run into the street, one day we might end up there. The psalmist told God, “For you I wait all the day long.” Are we willing to do the same?

When God wants to talk, we should be quietly patient until he finishes the conversation. It helps to remember that we can be content, safe, and loved at his feet. The stop signs of life are simply to protect us from the rush of this world.

When do you chase and tug on the leash? When are you quietly content?

God’s perfection is not ours yet. Pearl’s owner still uses a leash most of the time. She knows that Pearl is a wonderful dog, but she also knows she is still a dog. And now, you probably know what I’m about to say. Yep, we are all still dogs on this side of heaven. Our instincts have not been completely perfected yet, and this world will never be a perfect place. On the other hand, if we have lived our lives with God’s teaching, God’s love, and God’s direction, we have learned a LOT during our walks.

Pearl is a great dog, but we pass a lot of dogs on the trail who aren’t! I saw one young woman who practically fell into the street trying to hang on to her pet! We pass other dogs each day who still, three years later, bark at us like we are their enemy. There are also three Dobermans who are allowed to run freely in an area next to the path. Those dogs used to make me nervous because they are fast and chase everything they see. Yet, when the master calls, they come instantly to sit obediently at his feet. I’ve learned a lot watching them as well.

I’m a huge fan of Pearl. I didn’t know her as a puppy, but she has grown into a beautiful, peace-filled Labrador who is loved by her owner and knows how to love in return. I enjoy watching those Dobermans, but I want to be more like Pearl.

God has provided us with many lessons to learn throughout our lives. Pearl has taught me a lot about sitting quietly at the feet of the One who loves me most. I want to praise God for the leash he provides for my safety until I reach heaven. We know there are a LOT of squirrels here on earth! 

I like to imagine what it will be like to run free in heaven, joyfully chasing the perfection around us. I like to imagine the voice of God calling me to sit at his feet. Until those eternal moments, I will work to wait patiently at the feet of God, submitted to the leash of his guidance. 

I still don’t want to own a dog, but I realize that I have a lot to learn from the dogs around me. I want to remember there is a “Pearl” of great price to value and obtain! 

Lord, help us to submit to your leash and enjoy the fact that at the end of our walk, it is you who will bring us safely home.

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Will God let him in anyway?

“But in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect.” —1 Peter 3:15

Blake Shelton described the first time he heard the song Let Him in Anyway as a “gut punch.” He immediately told the songwriters that he wanted to record it. He was interviewed about the song in the church where the music video was filmed. I also feel a “gut punch” each time I listen to the song. I imagine most of you will feel the same.

The “seeker-friendly” days of church growth had a downside. The subject of eternal separation from God is not discussed very often in our churches these days. There was a day when the possibility of hell was a weekly reminder at the close of a sermon. An invitation to come to salvation and join the church followed the Sunday preaching. The problem was that most of the people who heard that message had already chosen to ask Jesus to be their Lord and Savior. Gradually, over time, the church services were designed to please God’s children more than to reach those people still needing salvation. 

Will God let them in anyway?

Let Him in Anyway delivers a distinct “gut punch.”. Our culture elevated the message of tolerance so loudly that the church was influenced by the idea. The message of tolerance contains a lot of biblical truth, and while I would never want us to go back to the days of “hellfire and damnation” as the primary message of the church, I don’t want people to be convinced that God will tolerate us and our sin anyway. I doubt many of us believe in the message of universalism, but does our emphasis on tolerance quietly preach that idea to others? 

That’s why I love the lyrics of this song that asks the question, “Won’t you let him in anyway?” We need to know that biblically, there is an answer to that question.

Have you asked God to let someone in anyway?

Most of us have attended the funeral of a friend, co-worker, or family member who really didn’t appreciate or acknowledge Jesus as their Lord. Maybe this person had great character and chose to treat others kindly. Blake Shelton’s song asks God to let a friend into heaven anyway, since the friend was already headed toward faith. He just needed more time. Have we asked God for that same thing at some point? Did we believe that God might possibly let him in anyway, because one day he would have believed?

Blake Shelton and his wife, Gwen Stefani, have both been interviewed about their faith in God. Everyone has a different faith journey, and none of us gets to heaven without tripping along our way. I enjoyed hearing these two speak about their faith and was reminded to be cautious about judging others’ faith. I don’t think show business is conducive to our ideas of evangelism. The world and the church don’t blend cultures easily. But God’s Spirit has always worked in both cultures to draw others to God.

The Gospel of Matthew serves as a good reminder. Matthew 1 opens with a genealogy of Jesus that lists several names, revealing the fact that God has always used many different types of people to bring him glory! (Consider Rahab, Tamar, and King David, for example.)

Blake Shelton’s wife, Gwen, grew up in the Catholic church. That denomination does light candles and prays for those who have already died, hoping to pray for a person’s continued purification even after death. Purgatory is based on a Jewish tradition of praying for the dead, and while it isn’t taught in Protestant churches, the idea that God knows the hearts and future choices a person would have made is something that preachers are often asked about.

How does the Bible address the anyway question?

It is a difficult question, and we have all wanted to encourage a grieving person and friend with thoughts about the love and mercy of God. That said, what does the Bible make clear that we need to keep in mind?

Most Christians are encouraged to memorize John 3:16 as the verse that lays out God’s plan for the salvation of souls. 

  • God loves this world and gave his only Son, Jesus, to provide for our salvation.
  • Jesus was given so that anyone who believed in him could be saved and inherit eternal life.

The question for today is this: Have you memorized John 3:17–18 as well? Do you deeply and profoundly trust those two verses in the same way you have come to trust John 3:16?

John 3:17–18 says, “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.”

John 3:16 promises salvation to anyone who chooses to believe in Jesus as their Lord and Savior. John 3:17–18 makes it clear that those who do not believe are “condemned.” There is an eternal decision everyone can make, and one everyone must make. It is easier to teach John 3:16 to today’s culture if we omit the message of the next two verses.

Let Him in Anyway is a song to consider

I really like Blake Shelton’s new song, which, at the time of this writing, is rising in popularity on the country music charts. Blake mentioned in his interview that it was difficult to find a song these days that contains a new message. That was why he jumped at the chance to record the song “Let Him in Anyway.“

I love a song, a sermon, or a story that makes me consider God and his biblical truth. The song made me realize our need to return to the old-fashioned and ever-true theology of heaven and hell. I pray the song will prompt people to ask, “Will God let someone in anyway?”

I wanted all of us to think it through for ourselves so we can “be prepared to give an answer” (1 Peter 3:15). None of us wants to think about hell, and it isn’t usually something we are excited to talk about, either. Nevertheless, if we really care about someone, we need to find a way to let them know that God’s word doesn’t teach the assurance of salvation to anyone, anyway. 

Who came to your thoughts as you read this article? It would be good to pray for them specifically and to offer your time, compassion, and theology to anyone who still needs to know Jesus as their Lord and Savior. John 3:16–18 tells the whole story. Maybe we should all make certain we can quote the entire truth of God’s wonderful gospel story—his plan to save the world he loves.

Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash

A verse for the strong

“We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves.” —Romans 15:1

The book of Romans is a tough read, a comprehensive study, and quite possibly the most important book of theology in the New Testament. Paul wrote this book to help the churches serve the gospel with strength from the Holy Spirit, uphold holy standards for the Christian faith, and find the joy and hope of God’s blessings. If Christians lived according to the book of Romans, we would change the world. 

Chapter 15 sums it all up

Chapter 16 is Paul’s thank-you list. Chapter 15 is the summation of his book of theology. The chapter begins with his message to the Christians who are strong in their faith, and his words should probably hang over the door of every church. Sadly, many Christians wouldn’t understand or even agree with Paul’s message.

Paul was a Pharisee. In fact, Paul described himself as a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees” (Acts 23:6). Paul’s pedigree as a Pharisee was well known, and yet, he dedicated his life to sharing the gospel message of Jesus Christ. Paul knew there was no decision in life more important than surrendering to Jesus as Lord and Savior. 

The apostle knew how important it was to obey God’s laws. Paul also knew how completely impossible it was to achieve a right relationship with God through our own abilities and works. Paul had fanatically tried to kill Christianity in the beginning, using self-motivated, unrighteous indignation as his strength. He lived the rest of his life with the weight and consequences of his sin. No one teaches more about the value of God’s grace through Christ than the former Pharisee.

Paul wrote the words in Romans 15 to sum up a long list of theological truths he had been inspired to record carefully. He begins with the words, “We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves” (Romans 15:1).

How might that one verse change our churches and our Christians today?

Who are the strong?

If we made a list of the strongest Christians we know, how many modern-day Pharisees would be named? Human nature still tends to measure works when defining spiritual strength. That tendency isn’t completely wrong. The book of James almost didn’t make it into our Bibles because it says, “faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead (James 2:17). A strong Christian displays their faith through their obedience to God’s Word. If a person’s life doesn’t preach the gospel, their mouth probably won’t preach it well. That said, we won’t preach it well unless . . .

Paul said, “We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak.” Why are strong Christians obligated to bear with the mistakes and failures of the weak?

The answer: Because apart from the strength of God’s Holy Spirit, we are weak too. The fact that we can consider ourselves strong is equivalent to considering ourselves extremely and gratefully blessed. Paul is telling the strong Christians how incredibly lucky they are to have been filled with Christ. Paul is reminding his readers that our knowledge of Christ’s sacrificial gift of grace for our own sin obligates us to bear with those who have not yet gained the strength that could be theirs as well.

What if the “weak” who entered our churches were overwhelmed by the love and acceptance of those inside? What if they felt nothing other than welcomed and included by God and his people? What if we determined that next Sunday, we are obligated by God’s Word to bear with someone’s mistake or failure? Who would leave the building thinking, “I want to come back here next Sunday!”

The tension: How do we “bear with” sin without offering “acceptance” for the sin?

This is the tension of living as a strong Christian without, as Paul put it, the choice of “not living to please ourselves.” This is the other behavior that Paul would say we are obligated to embrace.

We all need a little bit of Pharisee in our witness. The Pharisees were respected because they were so eager and careful to obey God’s laws. We “fight the Pharisee within” because we want that same respect from others. Paul, the Pharisee of Pharisees, told us we are obligated to bear with the sins of others “not to please ourselves.” In other words, we don’t offer grace for the weaknesses of others to make us look better or feel better than we truly are. We aren’t better; just more fortunate.

How do we address sin with grace? First, we admit we understand the inclination for sin. Our sins might be different, but they still separate us from God. Second, God wants better for our lives. There are consequences for every sin. God will either bless and reward or discipline our lives. Grace does not mean God doesn’t respond to our sins. Grace doesn’t usually remove the consequences of our sins either, just the eternal punishment we would deserve without his grace.

Sometimes the best way to obligate ourselves to bear with the failings of others is to obligate ourselves to sharing his message of truth. We can speak to someone who is living with spiritual weakness and failures, look them in the eyes and say with compassion, “God wants so much better for you than this. God wants to be able to pour his blessings into your life, but he can’t bless disobedience to his words of truth.” Our convictions are a gift of encouragement and grace from God if we will speak them with his love for others. 

Romans 15:1 is a verse for the strong

If we want to follow Paul’s teaching, we should memorize Romans 15:1 and allow the Holy Spirit to use it as a check to our human natures. The Holy Spirit of Jesus has to contend for our motivations just like he had to contend with a Pharisee named “Saul of Tarsus.” That Pharisee had to be completely changed by his salvation down to his very name. Paul battled the Pharisee within every day of his life, and we will have a similar battle. 

We are obligated to treat people with grace because that is how Jesus treated us. We are obligated to serve others, not to please our own sense of self, but to please Jesus. Jesus is and always will be our model of selfless service. We are obligated to serve others as Jesus would have served them.

It probably won’t take long for the Lord to test your obedience to Romans 15:1. Who will you see today and realize you have an obligation to selflessly serve? I hope we will all prayerfully welcome the opportunity.

At the end of chapter 15, Paul wrote, “May the God of peace be with you all. Amen” (Romans 15:33). I think he would pray the same thing for all the “strong Christians” today.

Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash

This Independence Day, choose dependence on Christ

“For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.” —2 Corinthians 5:14–15

I had never heard of the term semiquincentennial before this year. America will celebrate 250 years of Independence this year, our Semiquincentennial. There are many big celebrations, and I pray that Americans will be protected from those who may seek to harm or discourage our people and our values.

I’m looking forward to the day and all that it will bring. That said, I’m looking back as well, and those thoughts give a powerful perspective.

July 4, 1976

1976 was a big year for me. I graduated from high school in June of that year with more than seven hundred fellow seniors. The graduation ceremony was outdoors with red, white, and blue balloons. We were told to wear red, white, and blue clothing. The music represented our class and our country. When Steve Zerta crossed the stage, a huge roar went up from the crowd. He was a popular guy, but he was cheered for being the last name of the 700-plus students!

After graduation, we boarded buses to Disneyland’s “Grad Night” celebration. We stayed up all night at Disney and celebrated with other graduates from other California high schools. Mickey, Minnie, and the other characters were all wearing red, white, and blue costumes, and Winnie the Pooh sported a mortarboard. We drove home at daybreak, exhausted, excited, and thinking ahead. Every graduate knew that Grad Night was probably the last thing we would do as a group before we headed to various universities, jobs, and branches of the service.

July 4 was an important day for me spiritually as well. I grew up an “interdenominational” Christian. I’ve been Methodist, Presbyterian, Disciples of Christ, and then Baptist. I’ve been “sprinkled” once and “immersed” twice, which makes me the most-often baptized Christian I know.

The baptism I count as my own took place on Sunday, July 4, 1976. That was the day I stepped into the baptistry to tell God and others that I was a Christian. I remember it because of the day, but also because that was the day my baptism was between my Lord and me. I was baptized because I wanted to obey Jesus when he said, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned” (Mark 16:15–16).

In many ways, my personal commitment to Jesus as my Lord began on July 4, 1976. I had already accepted Jesus as Savior, but I chose to be baptized that day because I knew I wanted to live in obedience to Christ as my Lord. For me, those two choices were separate and unique in my life. In many ways, I felt called to give up my independence that day in order to depend on Jesus as my King.

Later, when I wanted to join the Baptist church, the pastor told me I needed to be re-baptized. I told my parents that I didn’t want to do that, so the pastor asked me to come see him. I agreed to the meeting, and he explained that I had been baptized under a different theology and therefore needed to be rebaptized to join the church. We politely “argued,” and I finally agreed to be baptized with the understanding that my real baptism was July 4, 1976. My bicentennial baptism was a spiritual commitment for me. I just got wet that day in my second immersion.

When did you give up your independence?

It has been fifty years since I was baptized as a commitment to Jesus as my Lord. When did you choose to make Jesus your King? It’s easier to choose Jesus as Savior than Jesus as Lord. If we ask Jesus to be our King, we don’t get to sit on the throne of our lives. His Word is no longer a book of suggested guidelines or good ideas. The Bible becomes a manual of required values and behaviors. None of us will ever follow it perfectly, but if Jesus is King, we will try to place his control over our lives above our own independence. 

Can you remember a time when you asked Jesus to be your King? 

Fifty years later

I have thought a lot about this July 4, but for different reasons than most. How might my life have been different if I hadn’t stood in the baptistry that day and truly meant the words, “Jesus is my Lord”?

My dad came home a year later and said, “I’m accepting a job in Houston, TX.” I was nineteen years old and DID NOT want to move to Houston. But I did, and my entire future changed.

There have been a lot of major decisions in the past fifty years, and when I included Jesus in those choices, he was able to redirect, control, guide, and bless those days. I was a child of the seventies when independence often meant an escape from traditional values, traditional music, traditional haircuts, and traditional religion. Fifty years later, I see some of the long-term consequences of my generation’s choices.

We elevated independence at the expense of our submission to Christ as Lord. I wonder what our country would look like today if the value changes in the seventies had not occurred. California was a hot spot in the seventies, and I still remember the communes at the beaches and campgrounds that harbored drug users and “free-love” thinkers. My generation introduced much of the thinking that shapes today’s culture.

A semiquincentennial commitment

Will America have a tricentennial? Jesus could return in the next fifty years. I, and probably most of my readers, will not be here to find out. We will celebrate that July 4 in heaven, where time is not measured, and the things of this earth have “passed away.”

This year, I will remember July 4, 1976, and the commitment I made in church that day. I want to recommit my life to have the same passion for Jesus as my Lord that I felt that day. This Independence Day, I want to once again make the choice to sacrifice my independence for the sake of my dependence on Christ as my King.

Revelation 19:15–16 describes our King today: “From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords.”

Can you remember the day you gave up your independence and chose to make Jesus your King? If not, join me in making this July 4 a day you will remember for every day to come. Simply pray, “Jesus, thank you for being my Savior. Today, I choose to make you Lord of each moment to come.”

Happy “dependence” day!

Photo by Tuong Nguyen on Unsplash

Should women preach?

“There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slavenor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” —Galatians 3:28

I am usually proud to be a Baptist, in spite of the recent news from the SBC Convention. I’m not directly involved in the SBC and consider myself a Texas Baptist now. I didn’t grow up a Baptist, but spiritually, I credit joining a Baptist church and attending a Baptist university for leading me into a deeper walk with the Lord. I was thinking I would keep my mouth shut on the whole “women in the pulpit” issue because I don’t want to give the controversy attention. That said, my mind kept writing this article, and I felt my thoughts were worth expressing. 

I was a young preacher’s wife during the big Baptist blow-up over biblical inerrancy. My husband has a well-known paper on the eight different definitions of inerrancy, if you would like to read it. I knew people on both sides of the vote who I respected as leaders, teachers, and preachers. I realized as I lived through the 1980’s controversy, there were ungodly behaviors on both sides of the issue. I’m sad to see similar rhetoric about the recent SBC vote. The denomination I truly love took major hits to its institutions and witness in the 1980’s that Baptists have still not recovered from. Sadly, I expect the same will be true with this controversy. 

On the one hand, I’m proud to be part of a denomination that Satan attacks with nuclear strength. If Baptists weren’t messing with Satan’s agenda, he probably wouldn’t be messing with Baptists. You can go into almost any Baptist church on any given Sunday and hear a sermon based on biblical truth, preached through the power of God’s Holy Spirit. Baptist congregations have been taught and encouraged to make sure those who visit feel welcome and find a place to belong. I’m proud to be a Baptist. 

After the Convention news, there are some who won’t be proud of me.

If you haven’t heard . . .

Christianity Today has an article that describes the controversy, if you want to read about it. My Facebook page was covered with posts and comments from both sides of the vote. It’s easy to see the controversy and notice Satan at work, much like in the 1980’s. Many of us don’t see the issue of women pastors as a theological one. Rather, it is more of an individual church decision. 

Are women pastors a biblical issue of theology?

First, you are allowed to choose your answer. There is really good theology on both sides. All of us should listen to sermons and lessons each week that are preached or taught by someone we believe is Spirit-led and biblically accurate. The first criterion for anyone bringing a message from God is whether or not the Lord is speaking through that person.

Second, has that person been called of God? If someone has been called by God and chooses to obey that call, they can count on God to equip them for that call.

Third, has this person taken the advice Paul gave his protégé Timothy? Paul wrote, “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15). A pastor or teacher should work hard to study God’s word and rightly present God’s truth.

Why, then, is there controversy about women as pastors?

The controversy largely stems from a passage in Paul’s letter to Timothy, who was serving the church in Ephesus. 1 Timothy 1:3–7 says, “As I urged you when I was going to Macedonia, remain at Ephesus so that you may charge certain persons not to teach any different doctrine, nor to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies, which promote speculations rather than the stewardship from God that is by faith. The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. Certain persons, by swerving from these, have wandered away into vain discussion, desiring to be teachers of the law, without understanding either what they are saying or the things about which they make confident assertions.”

Later in chapter 2, Paul says, “I desire then that in every place the men should pray, lifting holy hands without anger or quarreling; likewise also that women should adorn themselves in respectable apparel, with modesty and self-control, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly attire, but with what is proper for women who profess godliness—with good works. Let a woman learn quietly with all submissiveness. I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; rather, she is to remain quiet. For Adam was formed first, then Eve; and Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived and became a transgressor. Yet she will be saved through childbearing—if they continue in faith and love and holiness, with self-control” (1 Timothy 2:8–15).

It seems pretty clear if you look at this passage that women don’t have a place in the pulpit. On the other hand, it seems pretty clear in other passages that women did have the job of preaching and leading in the church (cf. Acts 18:26; 1 Corinthians 11:5). In fact, if we want to be truly in line with Paul’s message to Timothy, women also need to take his advice about personal appearance and modesty. (I haven’t seen any “votes” over gold jewelry, hairstyles, or costly attire yet.)

In theology, it’s very important to study why things were said. We know Timothy was in Ephesus. We know there were some disruptive people in that church who were teaching “different doctrine, myths, and endless genealogies” which promoted “speculations.” The problem with building a theological doctrine from this passage is that it is specific advice for a specific problem in a specific church. The church in Ephesus reached out to minister to the women in that city, many of whom had been rescued from the Temple of Artemis and local brothels. It seems likely that if these women who had come from prostitution were speaking out, they needed to be silenced. Hair and gold jewelry indicated wealth and prestige in Ephesian culture. Did Paul speak to a specific problem or author a theology for every church?

You can study, pray, and then choose what to believe about this 

Paul also praised Priscilla and Aquila, who led in the church in Rome. Priscilla’s name is listed first in Romans 16, which usually meant she was the most highly regarded of the two. In fact, Romans 16 lists several women who were key influencers. But Paul doesn’t say they “preached.”

Conversely, Acts 21:8–9 says, “On the next day we departed and came to Caesarea, and we entered the house of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the seven, and stayed with him. He had four unmarried daughters, who prophesied.” Philip’s daughters “preached” to others. There is no other interpretation for “prophesied.” But, maybe they only “preached” to other women? That’s possible, but the Bible doesn’t say that.

The Bible lists many women whom God used to accomplish his kingdom purpose. There is also the passage that contains Paul’s advice to Timothy. What then should we believe about a woman’s ability or permission to preach?

My belief about women in ministry

I have delivered a biblical message to churches on a Sunday. I often teach a Bible lesson to both men and women. I work hard to learn the passage and then pray for the Spirit to deliver the message through me. I will bring God’s word to people when I am called to do that.

My confidence isn’t in anything other than the power of the Holy Spirit. It is his word, and I am just the voice being used to teach it. I believe I received the same Holy Spirit that God gave to men, and I believe that I am called to serve as the Spirit leads. 

I also believe that I am not called to obey a convention vote. I won’t stand before the Father one day and answer to a room of people who defined my role as a teacher of God’s word. I’m accountable to obey God’s Holy Spirit. I do believe the Bible is our perfect truth. I do believe the Bible reveals that both men and women were used by God to share the gospel. All of us were called and gifted by the Spirit of Christ to be his disciples. My theologian husband wrote a great paper on women in ministry, if you want further study.

Al Mohler was speaking at the SBC Convention about the women in ministry vote when he said the issue marked “a great line that divides liberal and biblical evangelicalism.” I believe a line was painted on the ground during the convention. I would just ask all of us to consider this: Who, or what, exactly, do you believe was holding that paintbrush?

Let’s study, pray, and then present our lives and our ministries to God. We need to live as workers whom he can approve of because we rightly handled his word. We will all stand before God one day to answer for that. Personally, I think that is the line Scripture has painted for each of us.

There are those who will say a person is not allowed to preach God’s word. Only God can tell us that we are not able. We are all called to be his disciples. Serve the Lord with all your heart, as the Holy Spirit directs you. You are serving the Lord, not man (Colossians 3:23–24).

Photo by Emotionary App on Unsplash

The whole world in a Father’s hands

“Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.” —Colossians 3:23–24

This Sunday is Father’s Day, a day to celebrate what it means to be a great father and know we have a perfect Father in heaven. As children we sang, He’s Got the Whole World in his Hands and learned to trust that God is in control of this world. As we grew older, we came to realize and accept that our perfect Father also honors the free will of mankind. God will always work to redeem the wrong choices of mankind, but the consequences of those earthly choices usually remain.

I’ve thought a lot about this subject this past week. As I write these words, I am thinking about a family whose son will spend most of his remaining life in jail. I’m also thinking about the family whose son will never come home again. Both boys were barely old enough to qualify as “adults” when they made choices they cannot take back. Justice was done, but the justice still feels like a tragedy. Many lives were damaged by a few moments of uncontrolled rage.

How does an innocent baby grow up to become a young man who is labeled guilty for the rest of his life? As I watched the news unfold, I thought, “Did this young man have a father in his life?” “Will this young man ever have the chance to know he has a Father in heaven?”

This article goes to thousands of people each week. I know that some are incredibly grateful for their earthly fathers, while others are not. Most of you are Christians and have the hope and joy of knowing your Holy Father in heaven. As I think about the song I sang as a child, I think about our country’s great need to honor God and place the whole world in his hands.

Only God is a perfect Father. Only God can perfectly guide the earthly fathers in the world right now, and he wants to do that. Which father comes to your mind as someone you need to stop and pray for right now? 

Thank God for those who are working hard to parent well

Cooper Alan has a song that will make you smile. He wrote Whole World in his Hands after the birth of his daughter. The video is a peek into the love he feels for his baby girl. His lyrics are a reminder of what it truly means to be a father in this world of confused priorities. No man will ever get it exactly right, but the best dads are those who choose to work hard at the role of “dad.”

There is a life lesson from Colossians for every person and every parent. Paul wrote, “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ” (Colossians 3:23–24). The apostle Paul would tell every dad today to work hard to parent their children, as if they were serving the Lord’s purpose for their lives. He would also tell them that teaching their children to know the Lord as their Father will be the greatest accomplishment in their role as a dad.

Whenever I speak to groups of parents, I remind them that they can do their very best, but their children were created with a will of their own. No amount of parenting can remove a child’s God-given free will. That fact doesn’t change their role as parents. We don’t ever stop praying, and we don’t ever stop parenting. We continue to parent in different ways, once our children are no longer kids.

I loved the Cooper Alan video because of the joy and love his face revealed as he looked at his baby girl. On this Father’s Day, every parent can take a moment to remember the awe we felt when the doctor or nurse handed our child to us and said, “Here you go, Dad or Mom.” 

We also need to remember that parenting is something we work at with all of our hearts, as our service to the Lord. We are called to serve our families as if we are serving the Lord, because we are serving Jesus.

Pray and serve those who don’t have a dad

According to AI, “25 percent (about 1 in 4) of U.S. children under the age of 18 live without a biological, step, or adoptive father in the home. This rate has roughly tripled since 1960, giving the United States one of the highest rates of father-absent households globally.”

Every Christian in America needs to let that number sink in. My readers were probably kids in the 1960’s. The vast majority of us had a dad in our home. I’m grateful every day that I had a dad who loved me, disciplined me, and taught me to be a hard-working parent. But the number of kids who don’t have a dad like that has tripled since I was in elementary school.

As Christians, we can’t ignore the facts, and we shouldn’t ignore the need. Children need parents who will invest in their character, their futures, and their faith. Children today need that more than ever. AI also says, “While exact numbers fluctuate, various advocacy groups and studies estimate that between 70 to 85 percent of incarcerated youths and adults grew up in father-absent homes.” The stats say it all.

The good news of the gospel message

Jesus told Nicodemus that he needed to be born again. We are used to that phrase and often substitute “saved” for the words “born again.” Saved isn’t a wrong definition, but it might be an incomplete definition.

If you grew up in church and naturally came to a salvation experience, then you probably remember a day when you chose Jesus as your Lord. Later, you were baptized to affirm and witness to that choice. But when you woke up the next morning, your life probably didn’t seem much different than the day before. That wasn’t true for those early Christians in the first century. Their faith in Christ changed almost everything. It was a new beginning to their lives, their families, and their faith.

Our lives were dramatically changed by our salvation experience, whether we were aware of it or not. That is the power of the Holy Spirit that Jesus spoke of in Acts 1:8. 

Who do you know that needs to become a member of our eternal, heavenly family? Some are sitting in prison. Many are sitting in our schools. Many go to work every day, wondering whether work will really make them happy. 

There are a lot of people who need a family, a complete family to embrace them. The good news of the gospel message is that through Christ, everyone can be “born again.” Who will you share that good news with for Father’s Day? Everyone can have a perfect Father if God’s children make the introductions. I pray that the young man who is spending his first Father’s Day in prison will be given that opportunity. 

God’s “got the whole world in his hands,” but he will also honor our free wills. We need to place our lives in his hands and submit to him as our Lord today. Imagine what would happen if we made that important choice each day! The world can be a better place if God’s children will work at it, with all of our hearts, knowing it truly is the Lord Jesus we are serving.

Photo by Jennifer Kalenberg on Unsplash

Kids, grandkids, and family

“So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord.” —Ephesians 2:19–21

Beyond Words is a book of devotionals by Frederick Buechner. My husband forwarded me an entry that was simply titled “Grandchildren.” We happened to be taking care of two of our grandkids that day, so Buechner’s words were especially meaningful. Even if you don’t have children or grandchildren, his thoughts give a powerful perspective for every relationship we invest time in this side of heaven.

The older I get, the more I define the word family as the souls that I will spend my eternity with. I adore my earthly family, and they are truly the most special people I know, but my heart also knows and loves others in this world as brothers and sisters. 

Frederick Buechner’s website describes him as “an American writer and theologian. The author of thirty-nine published books, he has been and continues to be an important source of inspiration and learning for many readers, writers, preachers, and theologians.” I’ve quoted him quite often over the years because he is simply, profoundly brilliant. I think that is why his words about grandchildren were so meaningful. I wanted to share his thoughts with you. It’s a long quote, and it’s worth every minute it takes you to read and think about his words. He titled this entry: Grandchildren.

TO HAVE GRANDCHILDREN is not only to be given something but to be given something back.

You are given back something of your children’s childhood all those years ago. You are given back something of what it was like to be a young parent. You are given back something of your own childhood even, as on creaking knees you get down on the floor to play tiddlywinks, or sing about Old MacDonald and his farm, or watch Saturday morning cartoons till you’re cross-eyed.

It is not only your own genes that are part of your grandchildren but the genes of all sorts of people they never knew but who, through them, will play some part in times and places they never dreamed of. And of course along with your genes, they will also carry their memories of you into those times and places too—the afternoon you lay in the hammock with them watching the breezes blow, the face you made when one of them stuck out a tongue dyed Popsicle blue at you, the time you got a splinter out for one of them with the tweezers of your Swiss army knife. On some distant day they will hold grandchildren of their own with the same hands you once held them by as you searched the beach at low tide for Spanish gold. 

In the meantime, they are the freshest and fairest you have. After you’re gone, it is mainly because of them that the earth will not be as if you never walked on it.

Our genetic family and our spiritual family

I loved Buechner’s concept of the unique genetic combination God has used to wire us into a certain family. If you are like me, your family history is a wide-ranging, eclectic group of traits, abilities, and characteristics. A doctor once told us that we should do everything we can to be strong and healthy, but, in the end, it is mostly about three things: genetics, genetics, and genetics.

According to our Bibles, each of us is “fearfully and wonderfully made” (Psalm 139:14). The rest of that verse says, “Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.” Our lives are the product of generations of genetics combined to make each of us the unique individuals we are today.

We can thank, or not thank, a grandparent for our noses. We can be grateful or not so grateful for our hair color, our height, or our tendency to tan or burn in the sun. We are born with behavioral tendencies, too. We are “fearfully and wonderfully made,” and all of us were made to know God as our Father, if we will just listen to the deep thoughts of our souls.

Our genetic family is actually a good example for our spiritual family as well. We have a family tree that can be traced, but we also have a spiritual genealogy. Both genealogies will be filled with a variety of people from diverse circumstances. 

And God has carefully designed and planned both.

How did your life change earth?

I loved Buechner’s closing words: “After you’re gone, it is mainly because of them that the earth will not be as if you never walked on it.”

Who is your “them”? Who are the family members and the people that God brought into your life that will each change the world just a bit? Maybe you have invested in people who changed the world a LOT! I smile as I think about the two men who ran the bus ministry at College Park Baptist Church in Houston, Texas. The church is very different now than it was in the seventies, but my husband’s life was changed forever because the church bus picked him up at his apartment complex, and he and his brother rode it to church.

These two men just knew how to keep an old school bus up and running. They found their ministry, and they helped Jim find his. That same church helped me find Jim. We will soon celebrate our forty-sixth wedding anniversary. We have two sons who married two wonderful women. Our sons and their wives brought us a granddaughter and three grandsons. If the Lord tarries, we might someday hold the hands of their children. Some of the genetics of our great-grandparents will be seen in those children as well. Hopefully, some of our spiritual genetics will be passed on as well. A lot of amazing Christians have invested in our lives over the years.

All of our lives will impact the world in ways we will never see, especially through the people we call family. Those two men who drove the bus that day are an important part of our family forever. The people who have prayed for, loved, and encouraged us have a much greater influence in our lives than we probably know.

Whose lives are different today because you held their hands at some point? I want to spend as much time as possible with those people now so that I can spend all of eternity with them later. May Frederick Buechner’s wisdom cause all of us to view the people in our lives with God’s perspective. When Jesus instructed us to go and make disciples, he gave us our most important task on earth. 

Whose life will you touch today?

Photo by Howard Walsh on Unsplash

Embracing life in sensible shoes

“Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching.” —2 Timothy 4:2

There comes a time in life when style can’t compete with comfort. I’m 67 years old, and according to AI, I’ve likely taken 183,534,375 steps in my lifetime. It is time I reward my feet for carrying me through life by providing them with arch support and a firm connection to the ground beneath me. I still enjoy looking at ads for pretty shoes, but when it’s time to buy a new pair, I check the box marked “comfort shoes.” This season of sensible shoes is also the season of enjoying the common-sense wisdom that 67 years has provided.

I am older, but I have never known this level of peace, quiet, and joy in my life. I want to embrace this season of life and enjoy my sensible shoes.

Celebrating 46 years of marriage this week

Jim and I were married two weeks after we graduated from college. We had a three-day honeymoon in San Antonio, came home, packed our meager possessions in a small U-Haul, and drove to our duplex in Arlington, TX. The next seven years were spent living close to the seminary so Jim could get his PhD and I could get my PhT…(Putting husband THROUGH!). During that time, we pastored one church, had our two boys, and then moved to Midland, Texas, to pastor there. 

We have lived a BUSY, full life for these forty-six years, and now we are enjoying our less busy, peaceful season of life in Tyler, Texas. People sometimes ask us when we plan to retire, and our only answer is, “When Jesus tells us to!” We love our life, our ministry, and we still love each other. Life together as husband and wife continues to be my greatest blessing on earth. 

Happy Anniversary, Jim! As the song lyric says, “You’re Still the One.”

Adapting to the changes

In each church we pastored, I’ve been blessed to know, appreciate, and grow to love people who were older and wiser. We were able to attend church functions that were designed for our “senior adults.” In every church I noticed and can still name the senior adults who made me think, “I want to be them when I get older.” 

I still remember the Sunday morning that Jim and I looked at the announcements and then at each other because we realized the announcement was for US! It’s strange to realize we are safely in the final quarter of our lives, our marriage, and our journey to heaven. It isn’t sad or scary because we both know where we are going. Heaven is mostly an unknown, but we know it is going to be eternal joy, peace, safety, happiness, and reward. I can’t wait to give Jesus my praise and gratitude face-to-face. 

I love the song I Can Only Imagine by MercyMe. When I consider the chorus of that song, I realize that I will likely dance with joy the day I get to see my Lord and Savior face-to-face. Until then, I pray that Jim and I can adapt to each change life brings with the same joy we will feel when we see Jesus that day. I hope we DANCE our way to the gates of heaven, together! I hope my mansion in glory has a wide array of beautiful shoes in the closet, none of which bother my feet at all. Who knows, maybe we will walk those streets of gold in bare feet, never needing shoes again.

We will need to adapt to the changes this earthly life brings until our earthly lives are done. But I bet if you read my article each week, you will dance your way into heaven too. Life with Jesus is the only way to live this season of sensible shoes.

Words from a saint who grew old

The New Testament doesn’t have many quotes from the elderly. John was the only apostle we think died a natural death. I love the book of Revelation for many reasons. It’s the only book in the Bible that promises a blessing to those who will read it. Revelation 1:3 says, “Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear, and who keep what is written in it, for the time is near.”

That verse has troubled Christians who focus on the phrase, “for the time is near.” It’s been more than two thousand years since John wrote down those words Jesus spoke to him. It is Scripture, therefore it has to be pure, complete truth! I read that passage differently now that I am older. We know that with God, a day is like a thousand years and a thousand years is like a day. (2 Peter 3:8) 

There is a phrase that most senior adults have said about their lifetimes, with a sense of wonder in their voice. Almost all have said, “Wow…how did we get here so fast!” Jesus told an elderly John, “The time is near.” John was imprisoned on the island of Patmos, not knowing what the next day would bring. When Jesus told him the time was near, those were words of encouragement intended to bring his beloved apostle joy.

There is another reason why the verse above is one of my favorites. Jesus said, “Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words,” and “blessed are those who hear, and who keep what is written in it.” How long has it been since you sat and read aloud the words of Revelation? We need to read those words, especially as we age, and share them aloud with others. Don’t worry about the passages you don’t understand. Do focus on and share the verses that you DO understand. Those words were encouragement to the apostle John, who was elderly and living a very difficult season of his life on Patmos. Jesus encouraged his friend, and his words can encourage us! In fact, his words promise to bless those who will read and share them with others.

But we also need to “keep what is written” in the book of Revelation. Revelation is the book designed for the fourth quarter of life. We don’t need to know when Jesus will return for the final time, but we do need to take notice of the people around us who don’t have the hope of heaven that Revelation has promised to Christians. We need to share that hope “out loud” and often with people, and live now with the hope and joy we look forward to. 

Shout joy to those around you

I have a wonderful life, and I’m living it with a wonderful man who is “still the one!” I feel like a blessed person almost every day of my life. It is a joy and a blessing to grow older and hopefully wiser. Senior adults have the opportunity to be the people, the married couple, the mature witnesses for those who are younger. We should look for opportunities to share the hope and truth of the Revelation with others. 

When Jim and I were on our honeymoon in San Antonio, we saw an older couple holding hands while walking on the Riverwalk. Forty-six years ago, I said to Jim, “That’s who I want us to be when we get older.” I’m smiling now and realizing we are likely older than that couple was in 1980!

I often think of June as the beginning of the summer season. How long has it been since you read the Revelation? The NIV study notes are the best help for the parts you don’t understand. The Holy Spirit is your best teacher as you read. Most importantly, this book has promised to bless us for reading its words, sharing its lessons, and obeying them with joy.

Are you hoping to have a blessed summer? Jesus and the apostle John would love to help. This season of sensible shoes has a lot to offer us. If we live it well, we will have a lot to offer the generations that will follow. If you are younger, watch for the joyful Christians who pass you wearing sensible shoes. Wisdom is a powerful goal, and most wisdom comes with age. Christians can live with John’s blessings and joy if we read and obey the wisdom in John’s Revelation from Jesus.

Wishing you a summer of blessing as you wear those comfort sandals and walk with joy!