sit, walk, live

Posted on October 22, 2009 by Dana

One of my students wrote: “I want to learn to be closer to God in my everyday life.” An unknown author wrote a similar desire in an old spiritual:

“Just a closer walk with Thee, Grant it, Jesus, is my plea.
Daily walking close to Thee, Let it be, dear Lord, let it be.”

Throughout time, perhaps more now than ever, the busyness and pace of society works against us, yet Jesus still invites: “Come to me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn of me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”

So, can a teenager or a young adult or a middle-aged adult or an old adult unplug the i-pod, turn off the cell phone, shut down the computer, switch off the television and sit down with Jesus? “As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, ‘Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!’ ‘Martha, Martha,’ the Lord answered, ‘You are worried about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken from her.’”

Is it really so simple? “Only one thing is needed… ‘Me’.” If I will resist the distractions, quit worrying about so many things, and spend time with Jesus, he can teach me to walk and live. “So I say, walk in the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature… If you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law… The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control… Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.” (Gal. 5)

Jesus teaches us to walk close to the Father, just as he did on this earth. He also gives us the greatest gift, the Holy Spirit, to enable us to live in fellowship with God. Fellowship with the Father produces fruit, freedom, light, and life. “Let it be, dear Lord, let it be.”

“I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” John 8:12

“This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.” I John 1:5-7

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hinder

Posted on October 15, 2009 by Dana

What hinders us from getting close to Jesus? My friend Harry, who has lived with his wife Dagmar in Jerusalem over twenty years, recently shared lesser-known details of the story of the woman in Mark 5 who fought through the crowd to reach Jesus. “Do you know it was unlawful for the woman to touch Jesus or any other man? According to Jewish law, she was bleeding and therefore wasn’t qualified to touch any man – not even their garments.”

So, if the woman had asked for permission to get close to Jesus in order to be healed, she would have been denied. But Jesus knew the purpose of the Law… and he knew he had come to truly fulfill the Law and the Prophets. This woman was a ‘bruised reed’ and he would not break her. Matthew, quoting Isaiah: “A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out, till he leads justice to victory.”

Yes, there are many things that hinder us from getting close to God – sin, lack of faith, lack of knowledge – but the good news is that Jesus is able to overcome them all. He’s paid the price for our sin. He’s the Author and Perfecter of faith. He is the Source of all knowledge. His arms are open wide as he says, “Come!”

God forbid that anything or anyone prevent man’s most important quest. Even well-meaning disciples can be a hindrance if comprehension of the Savior is too weak. “Then little children were brought to Jesus for him to place his hands on them and pray for them. But the disciples rebuked those who brought them. Jesus said, ‘Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.’ When he had placed his hands on them, he went on from there.” (Matt. 10:13-15)

It is interesting that the very next story in Matthew 10 is of the rich young man who asked how to get eternal life. After witnessing the interchange between this man and Jesus, the disciples were really confused. Their Master had just welcomed children who had nothing to offer and seemingly rejected one who had everything. But Jesus had simply told a seeker the truth and the young man allowed his wealth to hinder him. Jesus then taught his followers: “I tell you the truth, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, “Who then can be saved?” Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

So here’s our answer: Many things can hinder a man or woman from getting close to Jesus, but nothing is impossible for God to overcome. Jesus says: “Come to me. Believe in me. Listen to me. Obey me. Cast your cares on me. Trust me. Love me. Follow me.”

“I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6

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come near

Posted on October 8, 2009 by Dana

On my first day of teaching this school year I asked each student to
write what he or she would like to gain in Bible class the remaining
weeks of the semester. The overwhelming majority of answers had
something to do with getting closer to God and understanding him
better. What a great goal! But is it safe?

From The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis – regarding
Aslan, the Lion who represents Jesus:

“Then he isn’t safe?” said Lucy.

“Safe?” said Mr. Beaver; “Who said anything about safe?

‘Course he isn’t safe. But he’s good. He’s the King, I tell you.”

“Come near to God and He will come near to you.” A woman had been plagued with bleeding for twelve years. No doctor had been able to help her, and though she had spent all her money, things were getting worse instead of better. When she heard the ‘Gentle Healer’ was in town, she boldly fought through the crowd to simply touch the hem of his garment. Her great faith was rewarded as healing instantly came to her body, but she was not allowed to shrink back to her home unnoticed. “Who touched my clothes?” Jesus asked. Mark says this woman fell at his feet trembling with fear. Holy fear is not uncommon for those who come close to God, but as He comes close to us we receive assurance and blessing. “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering.”

His best friends, who followed him (and failed him), were asked a troubling question: “Can you drink the cup I am going to drink?” What is the cost of following the risen King? “Pick up your cross and follow me” does not sound too comfortable. John the Baptist, who determined to become less as Jesus became greater, did not always understand why things were happening the way they were. “Why, if Jesus is really the One, am I sitting in this dark dungeon?” John’s disciples took his questions to the Master and while Jesus sent back a message to confirm the truth, He gave no simple answer for John’s suffering. Today, scores are suffering because they carry the name of Jesus. “We have learned that suffering is not the worst thing that can happen to you. Disobedience to God is the worst thing.” Tran Mai, a Vietnamese pastor, shared what Christians in his land have learned through persecution. “Blessed is the one who does not fall away on account of me,” Jesus said. He knows that doubts, fears, and temptations to retreat will always beset those who aim to come near.

So… the hope for the seeking young person (and me and you) is the promise of the Living God: He will draw close to those who draw close to him. Though the path may not be easy or safe… it is the only path to take. Jesus once asked his closest disciples if they wanted to leave him. “Lord, to whom shall we go?” Peter asked. “You have the words of eternal life. We believe and know that you are the Holy One of God.” This is our faith… and “He rewards those who earnestly seek him.”

“… let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful.” Hebrews 10: 22-23

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history

Posted on October 1, 2009 by Dana

We all know George Washington was one of our founding fathers and the first president of the United States. Even before I moved to Georgia, I knew that James Oglethorpe was one of the instigators of an idea to create a colony giving debtors and other ‘unfortunates’ of England a chance to start afresh in the ‘new world.’ I guess I had lived in Atlanta eight or ten years before I learned my county was named after Button Gwinnett, one of three Georgians to sign the Declaration of Independence in 1776. Only last week did I learn of his unfortunate death. Within one year of signing the declaration, another Georgian named Lachlan McIntosh called Gwinnett “a scoundrel and lying rascal.” If Button had simply recited the “Sticks and Stones” verse and ignored the insult he might have lived a lot longer. Instead, he challenged McIntosh to a duel which resulted in a terrible wound. He died three days later.

“The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of Heaven and earth and does not live in temples made with hands… From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live.” (Acts 17:24-26)

This goes for George Washington, Button Gwinnett, and me and you. When I get a little sad at the realization I probably won’t make it into any History books, I remember there are quite a few people in our country who know nothing at all about Button Gwinnett and even more on this planet who have never even heard of George Washington. Truly, the only Person that needs to be known by every individual on earth is the One who saves our souls.

I’m not positive but there may be one place I have visited that had never heard the name of Jesus. My son, Taylor, and I were with a missionary in a remote village in Benin, West Africa. I couldn’t understand the language, but it seemed a real possibility that the Good News was being proclaimed there for the very first time. There are places on this earth today where Jesus is totally unknown and a few bold believers are praying “Here I am, send me” to fulfill the will of the Father that all men find him. The next verse from the Acts passage above says: “God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us.”

The disciple’s place in history is to point to the One everything revolves around – the King, the great High Priest, the Savior of mankind, Jesus Christ. There needs be no goal of “making a name for myself” when Jesus is the One who deserves to be famous. Most of the people we meet have heard of Jesus but may not realize the urgent need to know him. A missionary friend in Sweden recently shared in an e-mail that only 1% of the population of Sweden regularly attends church. In a survey done among the Swedish youth, 99% said they would consider going to church if they thought there would be some relevance to their lives. The missionary’s next sentence was: “Come Lord!”

Jesus came and lived and taught who God really is… “but his own did not receive him.” Today his ambassadors are not only given the task of proclaiming the Name through whom all can be saved, but we are charged to live in such a way as to demonstrate relevance. Does my faith make a difference in the time and place where I live? Only if I adopt the attitude of John the Baptist as Jesus came on the scene: “He must become greater; I must become less.” As we give up ‘self’, Jesus shines all the brighter. “Come Lord!”

“I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” (Galatians 2:20)

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reminder

Posted on September 24, 2009 by Dana

Fred is a friend my age who has been dealing with liver disease quite a while and is on the list for a liver transplant in Maryland. He called to encourage me while I was in the hospital, though he has really been in a more difficult trial. Sunday I called to encourage him, but he is the one that was the encourager. He reminded me of an important attitude. “I don’t care if it is a bad day or a good day, I always give thanks to the Lord.”

Our city has experienced unprecedented flooding this week and many have suffered great loss. A news crew filmed a circle of eight or nine people praying as the devastation was shown in the background. The section of the prayer shown on television was full of praise and thanksgiving. Though they had lost their homes and property, they were giving thanks that they had been rescued and they were praising their Father in the name of their Savior, Jesus Christ.

“Be joyful always, pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” (I Thessalonians 4:16)

It is God’s will for those in Christ to be thankful. This is the reminder I’ve needed this week.

Written from prison:
“Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:4-7)

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