What Are You Drinking?

Now that Christmas is past, there is always that look at the previous year and the roller coaster ride of good and bad, successes and failures, treasured memories and trials that we have endured. As we look to 2017 there are things we all want (and maybe NEED) to do differently. We all have those areas where we need to improve in order to become who we were created to be. Some needs are pretty universal. We should get more exercise, be kinder, serve others, walk with Jesus, love God, be compassionate, drink more water, listen more than we talk, do our chores with a good attitude… and then the world will be a better place for all of us.

Clearly, drinking water is a pretty big deal and should be high on our list. Even Jesus needed water. Remember the story in John 4 where Jesus sits and waits at Jacob’s Well… longing for someone with a vessel to draw some clear, cool water to bring relief to his parched throat. Certainly he must have been dehydrated, for he stopped at the well and sent the disciples on into town for provisions. Apparently, without a drink of water, he couldn’t make it into town with them.

No, wait… this was Jesus. He could draw water from a rock if He chose to. But he didn’t. He had a greater need than water that day. He needed to connect with a sinner. On this day it was a woman whose life was a train wreck. He needed her to connect with Him, to engage and communicate with God in human flesh. That is why he waited at the well.

Every life seems to have a story of longing and seeking fulfillment; looking for all life has to offer; struggling to find our place to shine, our reason to “be.”  Our bellies are full of “best laid plans” and sour milk situations that we once thought would make our existence meaningful, or at the very least, happy. We go to the right places. We do what we are advised to do. We read and follow the self-help gurus… but still, we can’t quite quench that need deep within us.

Jacob’s Well was a good well. He was an ancestor to be proud of. Drinking from his well should be enough. It was probably the Evian of the first century. Jesus, however, being all wise, knew that even this water that had sustained life for generations was not enough. Not for Him. Not for the sinful woman who came to draw her water.

 With grace and compassion He appealed to her that day… out of HIS NEED… not for a drink of water, but to reunite with one He loved, even in her lost state. He needed to pardon her so that she could be His child, with all the benefits of a princess. He is doing the same today with you and with me. In the midst of our hot mess….even right in the middle of our identity crisis… our search for fulfillment… our climb to “significance” …our quest for true love. There He is, asking you, asking me to join Him, forever… to drink from His wealth … not our own; not our ancestors; not from places to which a broken world seems to have directed us.

The "well" where we "drink" may have good water, but it is not going to create the life for which our souls long. Our cravings will continue. Our hearts will remain dry. Our joy will not be complete until we submit to the One who engages our heart in that conversation, asking us to drink from His unending supply of Life. Life that is more amazing than we can ever imagine.

If you want to be a better parent, a better spouse, a better student, a better employee, a better follower of Christ in 2017, try focusing on the One who is calling you to sit with Him and drink in all that He has for you. That is the reason for the manger. That is the reason for the cross. You have an invitation from the Creator of the universe. Your time with Him is never EVER wasted. It is transformational.

He has been missing you…

The Thrill Of Hope

“The thrill of HOPE, the weary world rejoices

For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.”

These words from the familiar carol, “O Holy Night,” speak to me today, even though they were written over 150 years ago about the birth of Jesus Christ over 2,000 years ago. Why? Because the world is still weary. I hear from people regularly who are weary from hope that has been lost. It seems to be a familiar theme in Christmas stories…

In the Christmas classic, “It’s a Wonderful Life,” George Bailey lost hope when a financial crisis hit his Savings and Loan. He was ready to end his life when Clarence the angel came on the scene to show him that his life had great value.

In the movie, “How the Grinch Stole Christmas,” the Grinch became “grinchy” because of his loss of hope of ever being valued and loved by anyone… that is, until Cindy Loo Who came into his life and showed compassion by inviting him to be part of the community that had initially shunned him.

I wonder, as I type this column, if you are experiencing a profound weariness as you prepare for Christmas. All the shopping, the decorations, the food prep and parties… all the lists and cards and decisions to be make… all the blessings and programs and cookies to bake… the list seems endless and exhausting. What is it about the holidays that drain us and steal our joy?

The enemy of our soul will be happy to take credit for our weariness. As long as he can fill our lives with fun and busyness and list upon list at Christmas, he can keep our focus off of the “thrill of HOPE.” Without that Hope, you will certainly not “fall on your knees” in awe and wonder at the precious gift of a Savior.

Perhaps it isn’t a busy schedule, but a hopelessness in your spirit that has stolen your joy. Maybe you need the thrill of hope to be restored in your soul. Jesus came to bring hope. He came to bring life and make it better than you can imagine. He came to reunite His broken creation with the Creator. He came because of a love that we will never be able to comprehend.

This Christmas, may your heart be filled with hope as you encounter the beauty and the glory of God, becoming like us to reunite us with Him for eternity. May you see His love like never before and realize that there is indeed reason to have HOPE!

Merry Christmas!

"God and Sinners Reconciled"

Hark the herald angels sing, "Glory to the newborn king"
Peace on earth, and mercy mild - God and sinners reconciled
Joyful all ye nations rise. Join the triumph of the skies.

Christmas is a time to celebrate the gift of reconciliation. The whole purpose of Jesus coming to earth as a human baby was to bring reconciliation to God and humanity. Christmas is a gift of connection; of joining our needs with His supply; of bringing our loneliness to his comforting Presence. Christmas is the solution to the problem in Eden, when the great divide occurred between God and humanity. Christmas is “God and sinners reconciled.”

What a beautiful thought… God becoming man so that we can become divine; heirs of the King of Kings; companions of our Creator throughout eternity; free from the bondage of the sin that dominates our broken world. It is a gift beyond measure with an incomprehensible value.

Like any gift, it is only ours when we accept it.

So, do you want the gift?

It seems so simple. Of course we would want to be with God throughout eternity. Certainly we want freedom. As parents, we pray for our kids to accept this gift of immeasurable worth. But, do we really accept the gift, or just talk about it? Describe it? Read about it?

William Wallace wrote a poem in the 1800s championing the power and beauty of motherhood, but it applies to our homes today. The refrain will be familiar to you… “The hand that rocks the cradle rules the world.” As parents, we hold the power to change the world by raising our children to understand the reconciliation that Jesus came to bring. Its primary purpose may have been to reconcile God and humanity, however, if we cannot bring ourselves to reconcile with one another, we have essentially rejected the gift.

If our kids are to take seriously the offer of reconciling with God, they must witness reconciliation, in its purest form, in our homes. Our unbridled tongue, our judgmental words, our lashing out in an emotional outburst, our unkindness, our refusal to accept an apology, our insistence to hang on to our bitterness as if it were a badge of honor… all these are indications that we are refusing the gift of Christmas, reconciliation with God. If this is what they see, they will not ever grasp the reconciliation that God has for us.

This Christmas, can we just let go of the heavy baggage of resentment that we proudly wear like an ugly Christmas sweater?  Can we rise above the tendency to bear grudges? Can we demonstrate love for everyone, no matter what, so that they can see the transformation that comes when we are truly reconciled with God? Scripture tells us that before we can be truly reconciled to God, we must be willing to be reconciled to one another.

Make this a Christmas to remember by unwrapping that gift of “God and sinner reconciled” and find true “peace on earth” and at home.

Demonstrate What You Celebrate!

Let There Be Light!

I like light. I don't maneuver well in darkness and tend to run into things. Life is just easier when you can see clearly. That said, there have been times when darkness has been a blessing...  Like when the neighbors pop in unexpectedly. I know what my floors look like in the light of day. It's been a busy couple of weeks... don't judge me! But with only the light of the Christmas tree and a few candles, I can confidently invite them in for hot cider and feel pretty good in my dimly lit, festive home...as long as they don't have to use the bathroom and turn on the light in there!  The point I am making is that darkness seems to be a blessing when we are trying to hide something. In that situation, light becomes the enemy.

If I were content to live in the light of the candles and tree lights, my floors would likely remain untouched longer. My bathtub would look pretty good if I never turned on the light. Even the left over mascara from yesterday doesn't  look bad smudged under my eyes when I don't turn the light on in the morning. Light tends to show us things that we don't really like to see, at times. It uncovers the flaws we mask. But without it, we slip into a state of neglect that is not healthy. Living in darkness helps us pretend we are okay when we really are a hot mess.

Perhaps it is a good idea to shine a spotlight into our lives, from time to time to see what we have either intentionally or subconsciously left untended. Parenting is a responsibility that keeps us running. Keeping up with the schedules that our children have can leave us exhausted and allow little time for the things to which we were once completely committed. Often times it is the busyness of life that becomes our "darkness."

 Do you remember when you decided to follow Jesus and were convinced that you were going to read your Bible daily? Do you recall those who you promised to pray for daily? Can you feel that inner pull to spend time daily with Jesus that you vowed was a lifetime commitment? How about mealtime with the family around the table? Or church every Sunday morning? Some invisible creature seems to have crept into our "darkness" and stolen our resolve to be the people of God.

For others of us, broken relationships and hurts have left us in "darkness" and rather than seeking the light that would expose our needs, our failures and our brokenness, we are content to stay in the darkness. Shining a light into our hearts would be painful, because in the darkness, we can assign blame to the ones who have hurt us rather than see our part in the hurt. It is easier to leave the lights off and live in darkness than it is to allow the light of God to expose the areas where we could begin to be transformed.

Jesus came to be the light. Jesus is light... not so he can humiliate or shame us, but so that He can bring healing. As Christmas approaches, allow His light to illuminate your soul and reveal the broken places where He wants to restore you. He is a good and faithful Father. Trust the Light.