Reflections

Where Will You Be?

Eternity
How Will You Spend It?

Today’s reflection isn’t on designer perfume, but on the concept of “Eternity”. I just found that the ad campaign for this Calvin Klein product seemed fancy and eye-catching enough for the discussion.Ironically, this symbol of “high fashion” is an example of the material comforts that do not last the test of time and in fact, are a part of what we leave behind when we die.

As believers in Christ, we are reminded that life on earth is a mere temporary stop on our journey. Life here is intended only as a testing ground for what lies ahead: an eternal feast in the true presence of the Lord our God.

John 14:1-3
“Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.”

There is a place for us that is prepared and not one of us spends a day more than God intends us to have on this earth.

Many of us grieve when we have lost a loved one also often ask the question “why“? Author Max Lucado said it best when he writes: “You and I both know I can’t answer that question. Only God knows the reasons behind his actions. But here is a key truth on which we can stand. Our God is a good God.” (Traveling Light, Max Lucado). As inspired in the Book of Psalms: “You are good, Lord. The Lord is good and right.” (Psalms 25:7-8) God’s plan may not be revealed completely to us, but the motivations are pure and loving; it truly is “for the good” that these things happen.

But how could death be good? Isaiah writes: “Good people are taken away, but no one understands. Those who do right are being taken away from evil and are given peace. Those who live as God wants find rest in death.” Death is God’s way of taking people away from evil.What is this evil that the Bible speaks of? It could be a number of things, but mostly they are the things that turn us away from God or the things that harm us or cause unnecessary suffering in ourselves and in others.

That’s where eternity comes into the picture. What length of time is our life here on earth compared to eternity? It’s almost nothing… “In God’s plan every life is long enough and every death is timely.” (Lucado) We all have our season of life and our time, though highly unpredictable is completely intentional and planned by the Lord.

Psalm 23:6
Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.

These “days” are the eternity that believers long for – for those of us left behind to live, we should take comfort in the loss knowing that the sacrifice of Christ has ensured the continuation of the journey for the dead in the life of the world to come.

Fatherhood in Tough Times

Today’s reflection comes from Purpose for Everyday Living for Fathers, which really speaks to this current life and times facing families today. It talks about the nature of unpredictable change and the anxiousness that some fathers may feel about factors affecting their families that seem so far out of their control.

Our world is in a state of constant change. God is not. At times, the world seems to be trembling beneath our feet. But we can be comforted in the knowledge that our Heavenly Father is the rock that cannot be shaken. His word promises, “I am the Lord, I do not change” (Malachi 3:6 NKJV)

The author reminds any father facing difficult circumstances that God is far bigger than any of those problems that you may face.

By putting your faith in the Father and His only begotten son: “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever” (Hebrews 13:8 NKJV) Because the savior does not change “you can face your challenges with courage for today and hope for tomorrow.”

I myself as a father experience this anxiousness each day as I prepare my children for their day, struggle to pay the bills and expenses or hear about yet another violent crime happening in my community. Sometimes the number of troubles at my feet seem insurmountable and the pressure that comes from having a family count on me introduces a whole new level of change and uncertainty.

With God there is certainty. God will protect you if you ask Him. So ask Him and trust in Him to handle the many things that seem out of your control.

“For we walk by faith, not by sight.” – 2 Corinthians 5:7 NKJV

Corinthians reminds us that we are meant to be beings of faith. If we succumb to what we see before us, it is certain that we will be overcome and overrun with the multitude of problems that face us. By walking with faith we look beyond and towards the Lord instead. With faith, we trust in Him to handle what seems out of our control allowing us to serve Him instead of the problems before us.

Where is Jesus?

Many of us are familiar with the promoted acronym: WWJD. For those who don’t, it stands for “What Would Jesus Do?”; it is a reminder for those who wear bracelets or accessories with the simple saying to consider their actions and decide if they are Christlike in nature. I’ve been reflecting on this saying and find it very catchy. It really gets to the point about a Christian’s journey seeking the path that Jesus has laid down for us to follow. On the other hand, in a post on “Eventful Journey“, a blogger makes an apt statement about the WWJD sentiment when he wrote:

Recently I have been rephrasing the bracelet: What WILL Jesus Do? This seems a much better way of looking at things. Jesus is not absent. Nor is he waiting to see if, through our own efforts, we can live up to his enormous expectations. Instead, he is in us, working through us by the same Holy Spirit that raised him from the dead (Romans 8:11). We are co-workers with him, not second-rate replacements for him. I have found this new way of thinking profoundly liberating.

I like that thinking because I agree that Jesus is NOT absent at all throughout our lives, our trials and our struggles. On the contrary, He is guiding our every action and gently leading the way. WWJD (What Would Jesus Do) is a nice sentiment, but to some people who consider its nuance will realize that the saying pits each of us alone at a crossroads, faced with decisions that are eminently beyond our ability to handle. As Jesus said in John 14:6: “no one comes to the Father except through me.” Our lives as Christians isn’t about rediscovering some hidden formula or path behind the life Jesus led on earth. It’s in finding Jesus Himself within the things that we pursue and the things that we do. So, where is Jesus? As in the beautiful poem about the footprints in the sand, we continue our life’s journey not alone and falling behind a trail Jesus has left behind. Instead we are right there, side by side with Jesus through whom we find our way to the heavenly Father.

Move Those Mountains

Faith Moves Mountains

Many of us have read the Bible passage in Matthew 17:20 which reads: “If you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.”

Indeed, moving mountains is not an easy task. They’re tall. They’re massive. Even all the earth’s forces at work together can only carve out mere inches from a mountainside let alone move it from “here” to “there”. The metaphor is there for a reason. Faith allows us to achieve what may seem to us as “impossible”.

I read this reflection this morning in the book: “Purpose for Everyday Living” and I think it’s a great one:

God did not create you for a life of mediocrity; He created you for far greater things. Reaching for greater things usually requires work and lots of it, which is perfectly fine with God. After all, He knows that  you’re up to the task, and He has big plans for you if you possess a loving heart and willing hands.

We are meant to be up to the challenge: moving mountains and conquering insurmountable challenges… if we have faith. To have faith is to believe that through every problem you face in life, God is with you every step of the way, ready and willing to strengthen you.

The passage also encouraged readers as Christians to “Live Courageously”… and to put fears and disappointments in God’s hands for able handling. When we feel fear or doubt approach us, turn to God.

I am a firm believer that these fears and disappointments in life are meant for us to develop our character and our inner being. How we handle ourselves in times of turmoil is a reflection of that character. Through it all we are not alone. Acknowledging this more in our lives enables us and increases our ability to take on life’s big challenges. “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” (Philippians 4:13). As Christians and followers of the Lord, our ability to move mountains attribute to His glory, inspiration and might.

Be patient. When you feel lonely, stay with your loneliness. Avoid the temptation to let your fearful self run off. Let it teach you its wisdom; let it tell you that you can live instead of just surviving. Gradually you will become one, and you will find that Jesus is living in your heart and offering you all that you need – Henri Nouwen

The lessons of life build our character and with faith they inevitably lead us to Christ:  both for comfort from our fears and for steady endurance and strength to take on the tasks at hand. Author Max Lucado wrote this on fear: “Earthly fears are no fears at all. Answer the big question of eternity, and the little questions of life fall into perspective.” Eternity is your destiny and your salvation. Faith in God leads you there.

I pray that this reflection leaves you feeling encouraged and emboldened to tackling bigger problems and tasks in your life, knowing that through Christ you are strengthened and meant to accomplish many great, amazing things. Now leave your fears at the door and go out and start moving those mountains!

The Butterfly Effect

The “Butterfly Effect” is a metaphor that encapsulates the concept of sensitive dependence on initial conditions in chaos theory; namely a small change at one place in a complex system can have large effects elsewhere. The popular story illustrating this is of a butterfly flapping its wings on one side of the planet triggers a chain of events that eventually contributes to a major weather event elsewhere like a hurricane or a tsunami.

The Butterfly EffectThe closest example I can think of that relates to the “Butterfly Effect” is the concept of “Random Acts of Kindness” or “Pay it Forward”.

In Random Acts of Kindness, one chooses to live their life with accents of acts of kindness towards complete strangers both small and large: paying someone’s parking meter that has run out or when visiting a hospital, spend a few moments with someone who doesn’t have visitors. The acts are usually encouraged to be anonymous or secretively done.

Some additional inspirational examples of acts of kindness can be found at bukisa.com or daretobeanangel.com. A google search for “random acts of kindess ideas” also yields some great results.

The point of this is that things like the “butterfly effect” or “random acts of kindness” are not an example of chaos or randomness in this world at all. Christian faith teaches us that nothing in this world is left to chance or to randomness. All are designed and integrated into a “master plan” managed by God himself.

To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heavens (Ecclesiastes 3: 1-8)

The inspiration to do good works and random acts of kindness comes from the Holy Spirit – and from it the machinery of the universe and the wonderful “positive energy generator” continues to move forward in our lives.

There are times where we are privy to witness even a small glimpse of what becomes of random kindnesses when it snowballs forward in the world around us. The concept of “pay if forward” is used to describe the concept of asking that a good turn be repaid by having it done to others instead.

Television and media mogul Oprah Winfrey has on occasion talked about “pay it forward” and has even tracked on her show instances where a second and third generation act of kindness has exploded into something both inspiring and wonderful at the same time. All involved have no idea how they can be related to the initial act of kindness but many will agree and attribute that the unpredictable effects is a wonder and mystery of God’s work in this world.

The movie of the same title, while fictional, also illustrates the concept of how a simple act of kindness can snowball and grow into something more… both positive and of great impact to society at large.

Arguably, the butterfly effect is not chaos at all. It is the product of a higher, divine “order” of the universe that is dictated by an infinite number of complex, tiny and large interactions at work. As humans, we may pretend to understand the wisdom and the machinery of such interactions, but we cannot – it is beyond the scope of our understanding. Faith shows us that by contributing to the energy of acts of kindness and good deeds something positive will eventually become of it whether or not we will be able to observe its outcome. So get busy and pray for your own revelations – so that you will be more observant of God’s plan for your day and your butterfly role in the world around you.

Taking the Time

Ten minutes in a hectic schedule can even be very difficult to muster. Still I must be a good steward with the time God has afforded me in this life.

In the early life of the Hebrews, it was a common practice that after every harvest or immediately after an animal was slaughtered, a portion of that “gift” from God was set aside and burned or sacrificed in offering of thanks to the Lord, our provider. The important thing to note from this anecdote is that the offering of thanks was made BEFORE anyone dug in and helped themselves to eat or partake of the food.

And so it is with our time.

We live meaningful, busy lives and yet we still wonder why at the end of every exhausting day we are left spent and unable to muster the time or the strength to pray, read scripture, write inspirational/religious blog entries or to meditate over everything that God has provided for us. When we slaughter our time-clock each day, we should set aside our piece of time for God FIRST.

This suggestion isn’t intended out of guilt. On the contrary, it is intended to be a source of inspiration and change in your life. The moment that you put God FIRST in your life is the moment you say YES to something more meaningful, fulfilling and also God centered. Even after four years of trying to do this, I can’t put to words how wonderful a feeling it is when I started doing that.

In an attempt to resurrect this blog, which has exemplified this quest for a God centered and focused life, I want it to be an inspiration to all readers to know that it begins with 10 minutes. Where it goes from there can only shine even brighter in this world for all to see. God has provided many ways for us to shine. Let’s make that happen in 2011.

Peace, Love and Prosperity.

Stumbling Along

Recognize

Everyone who comes to know Jesus stumbles because of him. He fails to meet our wrong expectations. He calls us to do impossible things or to become something we think we could never become. This is his way of teaching us how much we need Him. He breaks us to pieces so that he can put us back together in His image. -Michael Card

Renew

The rule is this: Christians are people who remember their own weaknesses and failure. They are under reconstruction. So they offer hope and forgiveness to people who fall and who need Jesus’ healing grace and hope. -Donald M. Joy

Revive

1 Corinthians 1:20-31
2 Corinthians 4:1-12

Commentary

1 Corinthians 1:20-31 – I found this passage oddly confusing, but the last part gelled it together: “…For this world in its present form is passing away.” It’s all temporary. To remember the way we were when Jesus calls us is important because that status (no matter how terrible or difficult it may have been) holds a key to the hope of our future: For all that we have, reflect as if we do not have it. For all that we lack, think not of our deprivation. Whatever status we are in is only temporary in the grander picture of eternity.

2 Corinthians 4:1-12 – A nice passage about how our own resurrection is through our dependency and our tie to Jesus Christ. We are in need of Jesus’ saving grace and hope. We are totally and completely dependent on Him for salvation.

Good Morning Lord

Woke up inspired today. I have this feeling to pray and read the Word like nothing before. It’s like I’m on fire to reconnect with the Lord this morning.

Good Morning, Lord. I am here again today. But I feel an energy like never before and I wanted to start pouring it first in praise and love for you. I know I have been absent for a little while – my prayers seemingly get shorter and shorter each day until they became merely a rushed word or two before I fell asleep or a mumbled phrase of thanks while I scarfed down my meals in a hurried rush. Even my moments of prayer in mass seemed hurried and distracted as I stumbled through my daily list of tasks as I sit through my Sunday day of worship. I see now, by letting those other distractions into my life, it is easy to come up with excuses not to pray or not to focus on your Word.

Dear Jesus, you chastised the hypocrites of your times as they stumbled through life under the mantle of goodness but yet failed to do the works that would exemplify their true devotion to you and your teachings. Forgive me for putting you on “hold” when in fact, every day should begin -and- end with you. Help me to build a stronger relationship with you and through you may I learn compassion, charity, patience and love. Help me to let go of the material things and their pursuit so that I may bring myself back… centered on God and readily listening for His will for me. I ask this in Jesus’s holy name. Amen.

Keep It Real

Found a quotation from author C.S. Lewis in a blog entry on prayer:

“The prayer preceding all prayers is ‘May it be the real I who speaks. May it be the real Thou that I speak to.”

A very appropriate statement to preface our prayer efforts. May we always strive to examine ourselves to make sure that we approach God as our TRUE selves… may we always approach the true God (and not an image of idolatry) in our prayers.

I also think it appropriate in current context of myself. This quotation comes as an answer of sorts to some recent, personal concerns regarding prayer. I sometimes worry that I have not prepared myself for the mindset or the right attitude for prayer during my daily 10 minutes. Again, the answer to this wordly concern is in the form of a little prayer and intention.

What About the Wicked?

Read a great blog entry by “Stushie” about “payback” in the form of a quick devotion inspired by a life experience. The intro to his article has a good reminder for many of us who feel wronged or crossed by our neighbor:

Sometimes we are too zealous in our outrage at the world that we want to payback evil with evil. Payback belongs to the Lord; we are meant to love our enemies and forgive those who hurt us.

Amen to that. Of course, I will be one to admit it is more easily said than done. Often times I carry grudges in an effort to “avoid” getting harmed again – but that goes contrary to the whole concept of forgiveness. Forgiveness lets go. And generalizing other people in the future goes contrary to treating our neighbors with love… imagine, receiving others with hostility or suspicion just because of a bad past experience… the cynicism of it all ruins all our future relationships and closes our hearts.

Each day I have prayed through one devotion or another for freedom from the grudges I have carried over the years. I find that the more I reflect on my release from their chains, the more my burden seems lightened. It seems that reliving past wrongdoings is different when you put it in the light of prayer vs. plotting or seeking revenge and payback. There are times that I even look back on the related experiences and noticeably felt that I really didn’t care about them anymore… my feelings were at best neutral and waning on forgetfulness (thank God for that!)

On a closing thought (also from Stushie’s post):

… Help us to do whatever we can do to make this world a better place through the strength of your Love…

I like Stushie’s thoughts on the topic. What is to become of the wicked people who harm us in this world? It’s not up to us. So stop brooding and get on with living and enjoying life!

I’m sure a search for “4 minute devotions” (a similar theme to “10 minutes for God”) may yield more of his posts on various topics related to prayer, life and reflection. Enjoy!