Stay Warmed

 

The air was really cold the day we decided to take the Jeep with its doors removed to the store.

The errand was intended to be a short one.
Just one simple stop at Lowe’s to get what we needed and then, perhaps a stop at Starbuck’s and home.

Ahh… but it didn’t turn out as planned.
Three cities and six stops later, we found ourselves finally arriving home almost 7 hours after we began our journey.

To say I was cold was an understatement.

I could see the passerby’s giving us, “the look”, too.
I know what they were saying.
I was saying the same thing.
“Fools!”

And nearing complete sundown, we approached our home just as the temperatures plummeted to under fifty degrees!

He’d graciously put the heat on high for me.
And I was thankful for the sweatshirt with sleeves that served as conduits of warmth to my upper body.

But I noticed something.
(Thank you, God, for your lessons!)

When I placed my hands up to the vents, exposing my skin to the heat, it felt glorious.
And in an instant I was comforted and relieved from the harsh elements.
But when I pulled away from the warmth, I was all the more frigid and miserable.

Exposure to the heat source heightened my awareness to the damaging effects of the bitter cold.

My reception of gladdening warmth proved how dreadful the chill of night can be.

I recalled to my mind the numerous conversations I’ve had with friends as of late.
The honest questions for the ones following Jesus, “Why does the world look so ugly to me!?”

And internally and silently I celebrate when I hear it.

“Because the closer you are to Him, the uglier the world becomes.”

Because once you’ve felt the fire… the freezing temperatures of a sin-filled world become almost unbearable.

Because once you’ve experienced the pleasure of the fiery Presence… the enemy appears more dreadful in his schemes and tactics aimed at destruction and division.

And so the answer is to stay close to the fire.
Stay warmed by His radiance.
“Keep the fire on the alter burning.” (Lev 6:12)

There is danger to disengagement from the source of all satisfaction.

And once you’ve perceived this kind of delight, nothing else will do.

Sacrifices Being Made

 

I would ask him on our hike the other day... "Who in the world do you think planted all of these gorgeous wildflowers?”

There was such beauty.
And so much of it.

Bright lavender flowers companioned our three mile walk.
And all of this lovely - discovered just out a few hundred yards behind our house.

This.

And yet who planted them?
Where did they come from?
What was the giver of such luxuriance considering?

And it got me thinking.
This sort of beauty generally does.

What kinds of things are taking place for the Kingdom of God that we know nothing about?

How many hours of preparations are being made by the now wrinkled-faced sweet gentleman, fitting for himself a Christ-centered message for a small number of sickly patients shut in tightly to the confines of an elderly facility?

How much toil and sweat are being experienced by those laboring daily to build - one brick upon another - in the remotest parts of this crazy wildly spinning world, in a singular effort to be the hands and feet of a Savior to the lost who are in such desperation to hear about Him?

How many weeping prayers are being uttered by the single momma who’s struggling so intently to minister through her own brokenness, to the very ones she gave life to, and whose own pain she’s still striving to understand, while learning to trust Him more faithfully every single day?

How many sit frightened - but still come as willing vessels every day?
How many are crippled with doubt - but press on for what Paul calls, “the prize” that awaits the one who "endures to the end?”

All over… right now… sacrifices are being made. Surrender is being offered up. Love is being lived out.

And so much of it will be hidden by a quiet, ordinary and secret existence, that the masses will never know anything about.

Those wild flowers there in that field are the evidence of someones brave bestowal of loveliness.
Those beauties there in that field, obscured, really, by those who pass by on pavement only… never venturing closely to observe from the place of intimacy… the place few are willing to go… give testimony to the richness of Grace and Love.

There are millions of victories all over the world.
They’re happening right now.

And in those moments on that path, in that field, I know who to thank.

I thank God for the ones who selflessly pour out - often from nearing empty cups themselves - so that others may experience the same beauty they’ve have the privilege to see themselves!

Look Up!

 

There was a moment in our hike the other day, when Trevor rightly identified the difference between us as we walk.

He is an observer.
I am a missionary.

And it’s true of us both, really.

He has always been observant.

He takes his time.
He sees the beauty that is around us.
He stops often to snap photos.
He’s unconcerned about his pace.

But not me.

When I’m out there, I’m on a mission.
My focus is on the steps being tracked.
My goal is to get it done and check it off the list.

And then I noticed something on our journey this past Sunday.

My neck started to stiffen up.

The pain became intense as we rounded the last curve towards home, and just as the rain began to pelt our faces.

And yet when I lifted my head, the pressure was relieved.
When I turned my face upward, the pain seemed to lessen.

I had been on such a “mission”, and was so improperly fixated on my stride, I had managed to inflict unnecessary pain in my neck and back.

And the only real solution was to… “Look up!”

In Luke 21, Jesus is preparing His students for the coming of the Son of Man.
In His prediction of future events, He was lovingly preparing their hearts for His departure, and yet for His subsequent and ultimate return.

Take a look at verses 25-27, “…there will be strange signs in the sun, moon, and stars. And here on earth the nations will be in turmoil, perplexed by the roaring seas and strange tides. People will be terrified at what they see coming upon the earth, for the powers in the heavens will be shaken. Then everyone will see the Son of Man coming on a cloud with power and great glory.”

And then look at verse 28, “So when all these things begin to happen, stand and look up, for your salvation is near.”

Ahh yes.
Jesus, I remember.
I just need to look up.

Look up - and be redeemed.
Look up - and find comfort.
Look up - and see His face and know it’s all going to be okay.

And Jesus said, "... when these things BEGIN to happen, stand and look up!"
I barely noticed the solution until I was rounding that bend nearing home. If I had only, "looked up" earlier, I may have saved myself some needless suffering!

We get so bogged down with worldly evil when we remain ground-focused.
All has a tendency to look like, “turmoil” that leads us to being unnecessarily “terrified.”

When we insist on keeping our eyes at foundation level, we miss a whole world… a heavenly Kingdom… He has designed for those who know Him and love Him.

And THIS is the reality we need to stay focused on.

It did my neck a world of good to shift my gaze.
Imagine the healing that would come to our very soul if we intentionally altered our eyesight!

Look For Him

 

She is so funny.
And so predictable.

As is her habit, my sweet Isabel follows me around all day long.

She is pretty content in the early morning hours.
She knows where I will be.
In my office doing my quiet time.
And she knows this is rest time for her, and makes her way to the little bed I have for her on the other side of my office.

In the spring and summer months she pretty much knows my routine too.

She knows I will take a shower and then immediately tend to my plants and flowers.

I start in the back yard.
It begins with filling up my watering can and making my rounds to all my potted arrangements on my deck.
And she knows this is going to take a while.

She watches my movements, with one eye trying to rest, perched atop our living room couch, and the other fixed on me.
And she so well knows my pattern that she rarely concerns herself with fear that I might not return.

But when I make my way to the front of the house… where she can no longer “see” me, even from her elevated position… her curiosity and suspicion get the best of her.

When I have been gone for longer than she’s comfortable with, she’ll go looking for me.
And this is how I typically discover her - sitting patiently by the front door - longing to catch a glimpse of me… taking great interest in what I’m doing, where I am moving, and how she can get close.

And it got me thinking.

What if we were like that with Jesus?

I’ve heard it said many times as of late from many who know Him well, “I just don’t feel as close to Him as I used to.”

But because I know His nature, I have to ask, “Have you looked for Him?”

Earnestly looked for Him?
Urgently looked for Him?

He’s not hiding.
He’s not concealing Himself for the discovery.

He’s busily about the world.
And those who, “…seek the LORD your God… will find Him if you seek Him with all your heart and with all your soul.” (Deut 4:29)

Scripture tells us that He, “…love(s) those who love Me, and those who seek Me find me.” (Prov 8:17)

He hasn’t left.
Perhaps He’s just rounded the corner and we haven’t quite caught up yet.
But He is still there.
Longing to be discovered. Recognized. Found. Identified.

Maybe we have a lesson to be learned from this sweet dog of mine.

When we feel He’s been absent longer than we are comfortable with. When we sense He’s far off and no longer nearby, maybe we can say, “I haven’t seen Him in a while… I must go find where He is!”
Taking great interest in what He’s doing, where He’s moving, and how we can get close.

In the seeking - we find Him.
In the searching - we discover Him.

He’s never too far away that we cannot, with intention and diligent pursuing, find where He is.

Come looking for Him today… He patiently and lovingly delights in your discovery!