If only?

Having a vivid imagination can be fruitful, but also annoying. I’ve imagined myself as many great things that I will never be, like a singer or an actress. Some of these roles show my pride and vanity. I’ve also imagined myself blind so I would know what it is like to walk around my house without knowing what was in front of me.
 
The most significant question about why God made me the way I am is this matter of being easily distracted. Never diagnosed as ADD, but with all the symptoms and a lifetime of trying to stay focused. This scattered mind struggled with sticking to homework, getting any project finished, and once into a task, stopping to make supper or answer the phone.

When asking God, “Why have you made me like this?” He has never given me an answer that fed my ego. Most of the time I hear Him saying, “So you will trust Me” or something like that. The best explanation finally came in a quilting class.

The instructor asked class members to share things about ourselves and when my turn came, I said something about the difficulties of focusing. It happened that this instructor had training in counseling and came to me later with excellent advice. She told me to stop fighting that ‘problem’ and work with it, applying it to quilting and to other activities of life.

From this, I began to understand that God made me the way I am so I could do the things He wanted me to do. In a nutshell, He says:

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. (Ephesians 2:10)

Being easily distracted means I can drop whatever I’m doing to help someone in trouble, or to pray when prayer needs come to mind. It also gives me the ability to have many projects on the go. I can easily follow the thinking of others with the same problem.

The challenges have not gone away. For instance, the desire of my heart is always to pray after spending devotional time with Jesus. However, my to-do list or something else so easily distracts and pulls me away. I make excuses but know that this is vital and the rest of the day is filled with interruptions and so on — when I fail to focus on prayer. The worst part is that no matter how determined I might be even at this moment, in ten or fifteen minutes I could totally forget that resolve to talk to God.

My theology tells me this is a spiritual war. The enemy does not want me to pray so uses the way I think to take me into far less important activities. I could blame Satan, blame how I am made, but the Word of God persists in telling me to “pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17) so those are excuses. Prayer is hard work. I’ve much else to do. Other excuses come to mind, but they are obviously not valid. The bottom line is:

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak. (Ephesians 6:10–20)

PRAY: This short prayer is not what You want from me, Jesus. There is so much need in the world, in our city, in our church and in family and friends. I cannot carry the burdens and know You want me to bring them to You. You are good and even though my mind is easily distracted, prayer lists, praying aloud, and walking while I pray do help me stay focused on this important task. Make me a prayer warrior that glorifies You, even though it seems this wandering mind is not capable to do any such thing.

Honoring God’s handiwork

Leviticus 7; Psalms 7–8; Proverbs 22; 1 Thessalonians 1

Last night I dreamt I was teaching a Sunday school class, only three little girls but it was an amazing dream. I lost my lesson plan and had to wing it so asked them what made them feel important. Their answers were insightful and showed they knew the Word of God. We ended in a discussion on how to make others feel important. One of the girls was a loner and the other two soon drew her close in loving application.

Upon waking, I asked hubby what made him feel important. He said, “That Christ died for me.” Not a surprise that Leviticus 7 is about the OT sacrifices that point to Christ’s great sacrifice. This NT passage describes the wonder of it and how it makes us complete:

And every priest stands daily at his service, offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, waiting from that time until his enemies should be made a footstool for his feet. For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified. And the Holy Spirit also bears witness to us; for after saying, “This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my laws on their hearts, and write them on their minds,” then he adds, “I will remember their sins and their lawless deeds no more.” Where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer any offering for sin. (Hebrews 10:11–18)

My husband also said with a great deal of humility that he felt important regarding his work because some people think that he has significant knowledge and understanding of what needs to be done. Today’s readings in Psalms and Proverbs affirm his words, that in grace, God has blessed his life with significance.

When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is man that you are mindful of him, and the son of man that you care for him? Yet you have made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor. (Psalm 8:3–5)

A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, and favor is better than silver or gold. (Proverbs 22:1)

He didn’t add three other God-given qualities that I admire in him: generosity, purity of heart, the ability to say the right thing and as already said, outstanding skill in his work. He does not have an engineering degree or special education yet is highly respected and has had many unexpected opportunities.

Whoever has a bountiful eye will be blessed, for he shares his bread with the poor . . . . He who loves purity of heart, and whose speech is gracious, will have the king as his friend. . . . Do you see a man skillful in his work? He will stand before kings; he will not stand before obscure men. (Proverbs 22:9; 11; 29)

Wives are supposed to respect their husbands and realize their importance to God and to others. I need to do that more often. In line with what he said makes him feel important, the Lord gave me these thoughts in today’s NT reading that line up perfectly with those from the OT:

“I give thanks to God always for my hubby, constantly mentioning him in my prayers, remembering before our God and Father his work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. For I know he is loved by God and chosen by Him because the gospel came to him not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction. I see what kind of a man he has proved to be in this family. He imitates others who are godly, pays attention to the Bible even during trials and with the joy of the Holy Spirit. He has become an example to other believers in our church and our church family. The Word of the Lord sounds forth from him in all his life. He shares his faith with others — I don’t have to urge him to do it. Others tell me of his leadership qualities and how he serves the living and true God. I know that he waits for Jesus from heaven, whom God raised from the dead, and trusts in Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.” (1 Thessalonians 1:2–10, personalized)

APPLY: Simple. Tell this man today and more often how much I appreciate him and his Christian example!

The Lord guides each step

Christians are supposed to be different, not different-weird but different from the sinful, selfish people we once were. For instance, when Jesus encountered a rich man who was a “chief tax collector” and called a sinner by many who knew him, that man was transformed:

“And Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, ‘Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor. And if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I restore it fourfold.’” (Luke 19:8)

Today’s devotional passage also talks about that change, affirming that it not about pulling ourselves up by our own bootstraps, but about something God does by grace and for His purposes:

“But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” (Ephesians 2:4–10)

The changes made by God are because of His mercy and love, not anything I did or could do. I was “dead in sin” and dead people are useless. To that need, He made me “alive in Christ” together with other Christians and gave us an eternal place with Him in the heavenly places that we might experience His grace and kindness. That is a huge change. Before my salvation, I enjoyed “common grace” in that I could live and breathe, but I had no clue about the matters of God or His purposes for my life.

These changes produced by God are for good works, not because of good works. That is, I could not do anything to please God until after He sent Jesus into my life. However, He had prepared good works for me to do — even though I could not do them until He saved me by grace and changed my heart, motivations, attitude, and direction.

What delights me is that what God wants me to do (His will for my life) was planned and prepared beforehand. That is, God had my life mapped out long before He walked into it. I do not have to struggle with “what is God’s will for my life?” because He knows it and has saved me so I can do it. My part is paying attention to Him in obedience, one step at a time.

^^^^^^^

Jesus, this is a great assurance. You created the plan and You also direct it and make it happen. How do I know that? I know it because the most important step in that plan was changing my life just as You changed the life of Zacchaeus and millions of other people. There are times when I disobey for which I regret, yet You know all things and have worked out Your plan regardless of my stumbling and resistance. Because of your great love, I walk with You and am grateful that You know and guide each step that I take.

Motivated by grace

Why do people do what they do? A benevolent lady once told me that she did charity work “because it makes me feel so good.” The Bible indicates that behind all acts of the ordinary human soul lies the question, “What’s in it for me?”

This is definitely true of my sinful self. Apart from Christ, life and decisions are all about me, even if it doesn’t look like it to others. My classic illustration is the taking of a pie to a new neighbor. I could be welcoming them to the neighborhood in a sacrificial act that took time and effort. Or I could be trying to impress them with my pie-making skills (ha!).

When Jesus came into my life, that sacrificial motivation showed up along with Him. I found myself wanting to do things for others for their sake, even if it cost me something. I’m still amazed when this happens for I know how self-centered I can be.

… Our great God and Savior Jesus Christ… gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works. (Titus 2:13–14)

 Jesus Christ gave Himself to redeem me from the bonds of sin, that “what is in it for me” attitude. He died that my sins might die, that every self-centered thought, word and deed could be washed out of my heart and life. He died that I might belong to Him and live for Him.

Belonging to Jesus Christ is an amazing joy! He cares for me as His child, values me as His inheritance, engraves His name on my heart. He takes me from sin that destroys and freely grants me life and righteousness. Those who think being a Christian is too restrictive have no idea what it is like to be set free from sin which is the real bondage.

He also makes His people “zealous for good works.” Whatever motivated me before does not approach “zealous.” This word describes a person who will die for what they believe. By implication, this means I would rather die than not do the good that God has arranged for me to do.

For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. (Ephesians 2:10)

Zealous also means more than a nod of approval. It is being “red-hot” to do the will of God, to be involved in all that is right and true. Zealous goes beyond being quiet and inoffensive, of doing our part toward a good cause. It is about being ardent, fervent, filled with zest for the will of God in my own life and the lives of others.

I cannot be like this by my own effort. My selfish motivations might kindle lavish energy, but only the grace of God can make that energy pure and unselfish, as Spurgeon says, “a fountainhead of holy impulse.” My part is to renounce “me, me, me” and let Him do His redemptive work, obeying this impulses from His heart in loving service to others.