So Divine

The last few days, I've been reading the book Crazy Love and thinking about it a lot. It's an amazing book, really. Besides the Bible it's probably one of the most convicting books I've ever read. Probably the most convicting part is an area that talks about being luke-warm; whether or not there is such a thing as a luke warm Christian. This is such a powerful section because our American society has made Christianity into such a religion. We've convinced people and even ourselves that all we need to do is pray the 'sinner's prayer' and 'become Christians' and that's our ticket into Heaven. You know that children's song, "Acts 1, 2, and 3"? It goes something like this:
Act one: Seek Jesus,
Act two: Believe,
Act three: Live for Christ and serve Him faithfully...

But we've entirely left out the second and third steps. We tell people to 'ask Jesus into their hearts' without putting emphasis on the fact that it isn't just the prayer, it's the belief in your heart; and that faith, if real, will manifest itself out in a tangible way that results in godly living.

If you read the gospels, Christ says that we're to go make disciples. He says that anyone who won't take up their cross to follow Him cannot be His disciple. He says not to even waste time burying the dead, but to follow Him as soon as we seek Him and let the dead bury their own dead. He says anyone who is ashamed of Him will not be known by Him when the Father is judging. He says the ones who love Him will obey Him. He says that those who try to look good on the outside without caring what their hearts are truly like are like white-washed tombs that look beautiful but are filled with dead people's bones. He says that if you aren't willing to sell everything you have to follow Him, you can't follow Him at all. He says not to store up treasures on earth, but treasures in Heaven. He says that if you're burdened, you should give it all to Him. He says that when the world opposes you, to remember Him, because they opposed HIM first and HE has overcome the world! He says to love your enemies and pray for those who hurt you. He says that anyone who didn't help the least of these didn't help Him. He says you can't serve money and Him.

How much more radical can you be?

Jesus was radical. He wasn't like anyone else in history. All other teachers and religions have taught that you need to be good enough; He taught that you can never be good enough-- and then He proved it by paying for the sins of those who would follow Him!

But look back over the section of 'He says.' He says all these things to us today. These weren't just things He told people in Scripture; these are commands for today. Yet we're content to just call ourselves Christians because 'that's our relgion' and we go to church for an hour on Sunday mornings. Jesus came to call sinners, of whom I am the worst, yet I'm content to do so little.

I don't want to admit it, but this is the plain honest truth: I often want to still be able to call myself a Christian and have assurance of my salvation without living super radically. I think something along the lines of, "If I don't talk to so and so about Jesus all the time, will He really be ashamed of me when judgment days comes?" When I think about that, I'm saddened because I realize just how bad my heart really is. I'm more concerned about still being a Christian than being totally sold-out for Jesus. I'm not concerned enough with having the same kind of crazy, all-consuming love that He had for me; I'd rather just stick with the comfortable, half-hearted love that I've indulged in for too long.

But we aren't called to be "Christians"; you know, those people who say they love Jesus but won't actually ever serve Him to a point where they have to sacrifice; we're called to let Christ rule our hearts and lives, being "little Christs" (the original meaning of the word "Christian," before it became so distorted by our materialistic, selfish culture).

It's that kind of love that demands my soul, my life, my all. It's a crazy kind of love.

Something Significant

This weekend was amazing. We had a missionary conference at our church, East Cooper Baptist Church, and it was amazing.

During this conference I had the privilege of helping in the children's ministry program where kids ages Kindergarten to 5th grade learned about missions in Thailand. It was a huge blessing to me for a number of reasons, but one in particular. Saturday morning, the second day of the festival, all of us workers for the children's ministry showed up outside the sanctuary. There weren't very many of us; 10 adults or so and a handful of teenagers. I felt minorly excited, but mostly just underwhelmed. For those of you who have seen me on a Backyard VBS high-- trust me, it was nothing like that. During that time I'm enthusiastic, excited, and passionate and ready to tell the children about God. But on Saturday I felt just... normal. I was happy to help out, but that was about it. The night before had been fun, but different than I had expeceted. I guess I felt as if my being there was pointless.

Then Pastor Steve, the children's pastor, said something that shook me. He thanked us all for helping and then remarked about a little girl who had asked him a question; not about Thailand, but about China. She said that she had heard that people in China could only have one child, and she was curious what would happen to the other children. He didn't say how they had answered, but he did say that this little girl was really concerned about that. Who knows how God will use that. He continued on, saying that some of these children may really be impacted by this weekend. Maybe through a craft a child really liked, or through the testimonies, or anything. And maybe the impact might be significant enough to change their lives. And maybe their changed lives will result in the changing of other lives.

That really stuck with me. Later in the day, we were reading 1 Corinthians 15:58, "Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain."

Don't you love it when God just hits you right in the face with something you needed to hear? No one else would know that's how I was feeling. I didn't tell anyone that I felt useless. But God knew. And so, just at the right time, He told me that my labor in Him is not in vain. NOTHING! Nothing I do for Him in vain. It doesn't say 'only the really big things' it says 'your labor in the Lord is not in vain'! Jesus also said, "And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is my disciple, I tell you the truth, he will certainly not lose his reward."

Even the littlest, day to day things, if done in Christ's name, are not done in vain. I think there's something really significant about that. I think it's significant enough that it should change how I live my day-to-day life. Do I seek to do even the smallest tasks for God's glory? Do I desire to point to God's grace when I wash the dishes, do my Chemistry homework, play with my younger siblings, and make lunch? It's one thing to say I'm a Christian. But do I shine with the radiance of Christ, first for Him, and only because of Him-- no matter how small or menial the task before me seems?

You will never know the impact that you will have on someone's life unless you let Christ rule your life.

And I think that's pretty significant.

Today, I Fell in Love

Looking at the title again, it is, admittedly, a bit deceptive.



However, you are reading this, am I not correct?



Okay, so I really didn't fall in love today. It's more that I've been thinking about the love I'm already drowning in. But no, for those of you who are still wondering, I'm not actually in love. At least, not in the traditional sense. But while we're on the topic, why is 'falling in love' so important to us? Have you ever noticed that when someone gets engaged, or even just starts dating, it seems to be the juiciest news?

Why are we (human beings in general) so concerned with people's 'love lives'?
Because we are relational people. We need to love. We need to feel loved. It's the way God made us.

But I look around at so many young people who are already involved in dating relationships, and even at my own heart dreaming about what it'll be like 'some day' after I get married, and I can't help but think that God must have had something better in mind. He must have had a better reason for making us people who need to be loved. Of course, He does. He has given us a 'God-shaped hole' if you will-- a need to be loved by Him. Listen to Romans 5:18-21:

"Consequently, just as the result of one trespass was condemnation for all men, so also the result of one act of righteousness was justification that brings life for all men. For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous. The law was added so that the trespass might increase. But where sin increased, grace increased all the more."

Just to say it now, I love these verses! Just as the result of one trespass was condemnation for all men, so also the result of one act of righteousness was justification that brings life for all men. That's the way God saved us. The same way that we first sinned against Him.

And listen to Ephesians 3:17-19:

So that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

How wide! How long! How high! How deep is His love! In the presence of such love, how could anything else even seem important? John Piper once said, "Following Jesus is first and foremost not heroic!" Following Jesus isn't something that should deserve accolades and awards. I'm often tempted to think that I'm doing something great by simply following Christ; as if I'm so much better than those who don't follow Him. But it's not heroic-- it's the natural and reasonable response to such great love!


I agree with C.S. Lewis when he said, "We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased."

We'd rather have 'true romance' than this eternally wonderful, satisfying love that's right here. We're so easily satisfied!

So, I guess all in all, I didn't fall in love today. Sorry if I disappointed you. :) But I have found the greatest love ever, and I can't wait to worship Him forever and ever. And I pray that I would never think of following Him as heroic. But that instead, I'd follow Him as what I truly am: a sinner, desperately clinging the cross and seeing how deep, how wide, how long, and how high His love is.

Pretty First Place

Recently, my friend Hannah wrote something on her blog (http://xian-na.blogspot.com/2010/10/pretty-ball-for-louis.html) in which she talked about "Pretty Things" in our lives that we often don't want to lose or give up to God. She says it so so well that you should probably go read her post before using your valuable time reading this. Anyway, lately, I've realized how many 'pretty' things appeal to me-- how many things I desire other then God. The song "Pretty Things" (which, the most observant of you will have noticed, was recently added to my play list) by Tenth Avenue North says it so well.
Look at all the pretty things
That steal my heart away.
Wow. Not a long section, but so so powerful! The things that I love the most besides God are the things that have the most power in pulling me away from God. The things that look the best on the outside can be the most harmful, because they steal my heart away from my best friend, God.
The strange thing about it is that the things I desire other then God are the things I expect Him to give me! If I'm distracted by other things (and I am), and He is the sovereign of the universe (and He is) then isn't it within His perfect rights and power to take away all those things that don't bring Him the glory He deserves?

Now, I can't even tell you how I've wrestled with this. How many times I've thought (in my wicked, sinful heart) "If I do this right, then God won't have to do this and that and then things can go back to the way they were! So I just need to trust Him in this and then *maybe* He'll reward my trust and make things easier later." Of course that isn't how it works at all! Do I actually think that God would ever, ever be tempted to change His amazing plan because I trusted Him? No, that's what He wanted in the first place. Only He doesn't want me to trust Him out of my selfish motives, but because I really, really do trust and love Him with my own heart.

Do I really, really trust Him?
Do I really, really love Him?
Do I really, really want Him to have everything?
yes.
yes.
yes.

"Therefore, we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are be renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." Oh, how I love these verses! Oh, how I wish that these verses might be exemplified in my life-- so that I wouldn't fix my eyes on either troubles nor pleasures of this life, but on Christ, Who is my Joy, my Life, my Love.

I think the best thing to sum it up is a story told by Leslie B. Flynn, one of my favorite illustrations of what the gospel is.

"An orphaned boy was living with his grandmother when their house caught fire. The grandmother, trying to get upstairs to rescue the boy, perished in the flames. The boy’s cries for help were finally answered by a man who climbed an iron drainpipe and came back down with the boy hanging tightly to his neck. Several weeks later, a public hearing was held to determine who would receive custody of the child. A farmer, a teacher, and the town’s wealthiest citizen all gave the reasons they felt they should be chosen to give the boy a home. But as they talked, the lad’s eyes remained focused on the floor. Then a stranger walked to the front and slowly took his hands from his pockets, revealing severe scars on them. As the crowd gasped, the boy cried out in recognition. This was the man who had saved his life. His hands had been burned when he climbed the hot pipe. With a leap the boy threw his arms around the man’s neck and held on for dear life. The other men silently walked away, leaving the boy and his rescuer alone. Those marred hands had settled the issue. The boy was convinced of his rescuer’s great love because of the great sacrifice he made."

Today, there are many things that may try to pull us away from God. But there is One whose nail-pierced hands remind us that He did not come to pull us away from God, but to draw us near to Him.

I want no other 'pretty thing' or 'substitute' then Jesus Christ: the One who doesn't steal my heart away, but deserves my whole heart-- and my everything.

Sold out for Jesus

A few months ago, I was thinking about Vacation Bible School. That's not so strange. You think to yourself. She's ALWAYS talking about VBS. Why shouldn't she think about it? But bear with me a moment. This was one of the rare times that I was thinking of VBS in a non-positive way. In fact, you might almost call it a negative way. Why? Well, because, I bought into this lie that you and I both have heard everywhere. I was thinking that the lie was truth. I was thinking one day, that if only someone else would lead this VBS, he or she could do such a better job than I could. For instance, if someone who was really musically talented led the VBS, the kids could sound like a professional choir! Or if someone who was really talented at crafts led the VBS, she could help us save a ton of money on crafts and they would look great! Or if someone who knew his neighbors well led the VBS, we could have more neighbor children join in. These thoughts went on in my mind, and as you can probably imagine, I thought of more and more scenarios in which people who had talents that I don't have led the VBS, which would help it be better.

This, my friends, is not only ridiculous considering I can't really help the fact that I don't live around here and know neighbors here or that I'm not very great with crafts, but it's also one of the worst lies that Christians could ever believe! Think about it. If we believe that God can only use us when we have certain talents or abilities, we'll think twice about volunteering both in the community and in the church body. You'll stop telling people about God if you don't think you're a great evangelist. You'll stop teaching Sunday School if you don't think you're a natural-born teacher. If you're not incredible with toddlers, you'll stop volunteering in the nursery. If you don't have a "passion" for cooking, you might stop setting up snacks after church or for Bible Study. You don't think you're great at traveling, so you stop going on mission trips. Imagine, even, if everyone who didn't think that he was a great listener stopped attending the Sabbath day service!

These may sound like extreme cases, but it's the truth. What if we waited for God to give us the full dose of talent that we would like before serving Him? Listen to the wise words of the apostle Paul, in 1 Corinthians 1:26, "Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised thing-- and the things that were not-- to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before Him." God has chosen those who are FOOLISH (me) and WEAK (me again) so that He can show His perfect power clearly, if I am only willing to be used by Him. As 2 Corinthians 12:9 says, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness."

If God can delight in using my insufficiency to show His aptitude and sovereignty-- then the least I could ever do is be willing to serve Him.

I don't just want to serve God-- I want to be sold out for Him. I want to be so sold out for the Lord that, no matter what else, my talent doesn't matter, my resources don't matter, my strength doesn't matter-- but that all these things pale in comparison to how great and awesome my God is!

I suppose I made it sound above as if I don't think it's important to have gifts. That's not it at all! God is the giver of all good gifts. He gives us all talents and abilities to SERVE HIM. But. If we're always concerned with waiting for someone with more talent to step up to the plate, we'll stop serving God where He wants us. One of my favorite verses is 1 Corinthians 2:4-5, "My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit's power, so that your faith might not rest on men's wisdom, but on God's power."

I don't think the author is saying that being able to speak well is bad, but rather that it's not where our faith should be. Our faith shouldn't rest on the fact that someone says or does things well, or in our abilities, or even how well we think some ministry opportunity will go.

Where, then, shall we put our faith?

In Christ Alone.

VBS: the dramas, the lessons, the snacks, and more!

Haley and I with Bailey, the doll/puppet
Listening to the lesson

And questions

Me teaching the lesson!

Awww... Christina, Abby, and Anne :)

Praise and Worship

Silly Songs

Walking... it's the natural pose :P

Book time!

Me, teaching the children about a missionary named Joyce who works at God's Littlest Angels Orphanage in Haiti-- the kids were amazing. We raised nearly $200 for GLA!!

Working on the books!

Miss Sophia's review team!

Miss Grace's review team!

More book work. I love the expressions on Keely and my faces. We look like we're engaged in a very passionate conversation.

The drama cast! AHHH! The play was one of my favorite parts! From left to right: Albert (Raymond), Carson (Hannah), Claire (me, Rachel), Joe (Keely), Mackenzie (Haley), and Percy (Anne)! I had a great cast!

Silly Song!

Your First Love

I wrote this post a while ago, but it still rings true. Let my love burn with passion for you, Lord!

Billy Graham said this prayer for our nation:

“Heavenly Father, we come before You today to ask Your forgiveness and to seek Your direction and guidance. We know Your word says, ‘Woe to those Who call evil good,’ but that is exactly what we’ve done. We have lost our spiritual equilibrium and reversed our values. We confess that. ...
We have ridiculed the absolute truth of Your Word and called it pluralism;
...We have worshipped other gods and called it multi-culturalism;
...We have endorsed perversion and called it an alternative lifestyle;
...We have exploited the poor and called it the lottery;
...We have neglected the needy and called it self-preservation;
...We have rewarded laziness and called it welfare;
...We have killed our unborn and called it choice;
...We have shot abortionists and called it justifiable;
...We have neglected to discipline our children and called it building self- esteem;
...We have abused power and called it political savvy;
...We have coveted our neighbor's possessions and called it ambition;
...We have polluted the air with profanity and pornography and called it freedom of expression; ...We have ridiculed the time-honored values of our forefathers and called it enlightenment.

Search us, O God, and know our hearts today; try us and see if there be some wicked way in us; cleanse us from every sin and set us free. Guide and bless these men and women who have been sent to direct us to the center of Your will, to open ask it in the name of Your Son, the living Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.”

Is our society really one that is ambitious, pluralistic, and enlightened? Or is it simply one that does not properly fear God? My heart is saddened by the words of Matthew 24:12 “Because of the increase of wickedness the love of many will grow cold.” Sometimes I wonder if our love as Christians is growing colder. Oh, I’m not saying that we’ve deliberately or completely stopped loving the Lord. As Christians, that is our greatest command! But I do think we have stopped loving Him completely in different ways that may seem to us very small, but indeed are not. Think about it. Whenever sin seems "normal" to us, our love has grown cold. Whenever we are not bothered by things strictly forbidden in God's holy Word, our love has grown cold.

In my devotions a few days ago I was reading Revelations, and I was struck by this verse (2:4), "But I have this against you, that you have left your first love." Have we, too, left our first love, Jesus Christ, by letting our love grow cold? This sincere cry of my heart: Let not my love grow cold, oh Lord!

Why Not Gold?

Today I was reading Gracie, Titus, and Matthew a Bible story about Joseph and his brothers-- how he was sold into slavery for pieces of silver, forced to leave his home, punished for something he didn't do, yet in the end God used all of this for something good: so that Joseph could forgive his brothers and give them food. At the end, we started talking about how another King was similar. He had to leave His Father and home, He was sold for pieces of silver, people wished Him dead, He was punished for something He didn't do-- yet in the end, God used it for good: so that He could forgive the sins of anyone who asked Him to. I explained that this King was Jesus. Then I asked Grace and Titus, "Do you remember that Jesus was sold for pieces of silver?" They shook their heads as I explained, "One of Jesus' disciples, Judas, decided to sell Jesus to some very bad people so that they would give him silver."

Titus then piped up, "Why not gold?"

Um... I think we're kind of missing the point here...

Something Even Greater Than Worship

"No one else holds or has held the place in the heart of the world which Jesus holds. Other gods have been as devoutly worshipped; no other man has been so devoutly loved."

--John Knox

In Ancient times, and even still today, many people worship(ed) false gods whose whims 'demanded' human sacrifice. When Jesus came to earth, He proved, through humbling Himself, that He not only wants to show His power and glory to gain our worship-- He also desires our love. You can worship, like the pagans, out of fear. But you can only love out of love.

Will I Be His Disciple?

A friend of mine is involved with an online writing class/ forum. It's called the One Year Adventure Novel program, and from what I've seen, it's really neat. Some of the students (or authors, I should say :) really are amazing. Sometimes my friend will tell me about things that various students post on the forum for everyone to read and enjoy. One young lady, named Ashley Jones, on the forum wrote a poem that really sticks out as something we as Christians should think about more often.

Muslims and American Christians

"The Muslims bow to the floor
Their voices all in one accord.
They shout in unison, to Allah they pray
All their lives, five times a day.
They even bow in a certain direction,
Facing Mecca with flawless perfection.
The people honor the month of Ramadan
By giving up the food they rely upon,
By abstaining from ignoble deeds,
And not adhering to their every need.
Don't you find there behavior sort of odd?
Since they serve a false god?

So-called ‘American Christians’ hardly pray.
Not even close to five times a day!
Attendance levels look kind of bleak
They go to church maybe once a week.
The self-styled Christians live their own lives
Not paying mind to another’s strife,
Nor giving to the needs of the poor,
Wanting for themselves more and more!
Scorning Jesus Christ’s name,
Playing their silly little Christian game.
Don’t you find their behavior sort of odd?
Since they serve the true God?"

~Ashley Jones, Copyright 2010


Now, no matter how much one agrees or disagrees with the theological views of the Muslims, you have to admire that kind of commitment! Fasting, ignoring thier own personal preferences, and praying upwards of five times throughout the day.

Wow.

What if Christians in America (an avowed 81% of Americans) had a commitment like that?

The last two lines of the first stanza ring true with me. "Don't you find their behavior sort of odd? Since they serve a false god?" My answer: a resounding 'YES!' It's easy for me to say this because I have been redeemed and loved by the true amazing, all-powerful, loving, rational, merciful God-- the One and Only.

BUT-- am I willing to give Him the same kind of complete, total, and absolute devotion that the most devout Muslim would give to Allah? It's a silly question, really, but it's a valid one. Isn't it only right if I do?

Will I serve my God no matter what expectations I'm surrounded by? No matter who I'm with? No matter where I am? Will I love Him with the kind of love with which He first loved me? Will I give Him my trust; my whole heart?

Would I give everything up for the One and Only?


Luke 14:27, "And whoever does not bear his cross and come after Me, he cannot be My disciple."

On a Hill Far Away

On a hill far away stood an old rugged cross,
The emblem of suffering and shame;
And I love that old cross where the dearest and best
For a world of lost sinners was slain.

So I'll cherish the old rugged cross,
Till my trophies at last I lay down;
I will cling to the old rugged cross,
And exchange it some day for a crown.

O that old rugged cross, so despised by the world,
Has a wondrous attraction for me;
For the dear Lamb of God left his glory above
To bear it to dark Calvary.

In that old rugged cross, stained with blood so divine,
A wondrous beauty I see,
For 'twas on that old cross Jesus suffered and died,
To pardon and sanctify me.

To that old rugged cross I will ever be true,
Its shame and reproach gladly bear;
Then he'll call me some day to my home far away,
Where his glory forever I'll share.

Yes, I'll cling to the old rugged cross... For the dear Lamb of God left His glory above... to pardon and sanctify me.

Safe, at Last

Lately, I've been worrying a lot about the future. For those of you who don't know me very well, I'm sort of a planner. I like to be prepared for the future... I don't really like to just leave things up in the air until the last minute. I like to have a plan. A purpose. A direction.

This has proved a struggle for me over the last few years (actually, longer, but why push it? :) Because my family moves around quite a bit. So whenever I think about making plans for the future, the Lord gently shows me that those plans might not work out by-- how else?-- moving us somewhere different. Our most recent move has landed us in Nagoya, Japan, and while we were planning on going back to our home state after this move, there is a slight chance that we will move to a different state in a few weeks instead. Last night, I cried for a good while with my mom about it. However later that night, I was reading in my devotions about worry, trust, and trouble. I read Matthew 6:25-34,

"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?
"And why do you worry a bout clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."

It's so true. Even if I don't worry about what I'll be doing tomorrow or next week or next year, Jesus Christ has granted me today to live for Him! I have enough struggles, enough work, enough everything just for today, because that's all I'm guaranteed. I can live right now for God's glory, or not. The choice is mine. A little later on in my devotions, I read a beautiful promise, "I was young and now I am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken." - Psalm 37:25
God never forsakes those He calls! Jesus also promises us, "I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." - John 16:33

I was also listening to Phil Wickham's song 'Safe' recently. I won't quote the whole song, but the chorus says,
You will be safe in His arms
You will be safe in His arms
'Cause the hands that hold the world are holding your heart
This is the promise He made
He will be with You always
When everything is falling apart
You will be safe in His arms

Even if everything falls apart in the world; even if there isn't anything else I can rely upon, I know this: I don't need to know where I'm going, as long as I know the One that I'm following and I'm willing to give everything up for Him.

Where is the Cross?

Recently in World Literature, we read the story "The Mansion" by Henry Van Dyke. For those of you not familiar with this work, it is about a very wealthy man named John Weightman. He gives, and gives, and gives to many different charity organizations. This seems noble enough, yes? Until one reads further and Mr. Weightman proudly states that he has given and 'invested' his gifts into organizations that he is sure will more than pay him back, through either prestige or admiration or respect or something of that sort. One night, he has a dream. He dreams that he died and went to Heaven. When he gets there, he meets many other people who are also preparing to see their mansions. Among them is a widow with several children whom she raised in purity and love; a nurse who took care of cancer patients; a teacher whose whole life was dedicated to training his pupils to grow to be strong men; a doctor who could have had a brilliant career but gave it all up to work as a medical missionary in Africa; a gorgeous girl who gave up her desire to marry so she could care for her hurting father; a poet who worked merely to cheer people; and a lady who, although an invalid most of her life, had but one goal that she accomplished-- giving others a sense courage and love from being around her; and others who had had the one pure ambition of pleasing Christ.
Although Mr. Weightman believes that the good these people did is of some impact, he is sure that none of them can compare to the great things HE has done. So one by one, all the people are shown their beautiful mansions. Finally, it is just Mr. Weightman who has not yet seen his mansion. When he reaches his 'mansion' he is sure that there has been an error. It is not so much a mansion as... well, as a hut. Here is the conversation that ensues:

"'But how could such a house be prepared for me,' cried the man [John Weightman] with a resentful tremor in his voice-- 'for me, after my long and faithful service? Is this a suitabel mansion for one so well known and devoted? Why is it so pitifully small and mean? Why have you not built it large and fair, like the others?'
'That is all the material you sent us.'
'What!'
'We have used all the material that you sent us,' repeated the Keeper of the Gate.
'Now I know that you are mistaken,' cried the man, with growing earnestness, 'for all my life long I have been doing things that must have supplied you with material. Have you not heard that I have built a school-house; the wing of a hospital; two-- yes, three-- small churches, and the greater part of a large one, the spire of St. Petro--'
The Keeper of the Gate lifted his hand.
'Wait,' he said; 'we know all these things. They were not ill done. But they were all marked and used as foundation for the name and mansion of John Weightman in the world. Did you not plan them for that?'
'Yes,' answered the man, confused and taken aback, 'I confess that I thought often of them in that way. Perhaps my heart was set upon that too much. But there are other things-- my endowment for the college-- my steady and liberal contributions to all the established charities-- my support of every respectable--'
'Wait,' said the Keeper of the Gate again. 'Were not all these carefully recorded on earth where they would add to your credit? They were not foolishly done. Verily, you ahve had your reward for them. Would you be paid twice?'
'No,' cried the man, with deepening dismay, 'I dare not claim that. I acknowledge that I considered my own interest too much. But surely not altogether. You have said that these things were not foolishly done. They accomplished some good in the world. Does not that count for something?'
'Yes,' answered the Keeper of the Gate, 'it counts in the world-- where you counted it. But it does not belong to your here...'"

How powerfully this speaks! Although I know that God does not need our money to build a mansion in Heaven, I really don't believe that this is the point of the story. The them of this story (stated as a question) is : What motivates you to do the things you do? What is the motivation for the actions you take? You could be the most giving, mature, kind, patient, and loving person in the world-- but if you were not doing these things for God's glory, aren't they useless? Isn't any work that we do apart from God's grace of no use? Think about it. Our patience, if used for our own glory and not for the glory of God who has changed our hearts, can quickly become something that makes us proud. Our giving could either be for God's glory, or for our own: so that we are praised, recognized, and shamelessly promoted.

Recently I've been challenged with this. Having character is not just doing what is right; it is doing what is right simply because I love the Lord with my whole heart. It is doing what is right not because anyone else will ever know about it, but because the Lord sees everything I do. It is doing right because I have my eyes fixed on Jesus and what He did on the cross.

I want to quote the final section of Mr. Weightman's dream before He awakens.
"'But how have I failed so wretchedly,' he asked, 'in all the purpose of my life? What could I have done better? What is it that counts here?'
'Only that which is truly given,' answered the bell-like voice. 'Only that good which is done for the love of doing it. Only those plans in whcih the welfare of others is the master thought. Only those labors in which the sacrifice is greater than the reward. Only those gifts in which the giver forgets himself.'"

If I am not willing to forget myself, follow Jesus, and take up my cross; I am not worthy to be His disciple. Anything that I don't do with my mind on Jesus' cross, I am doing wrong.