It's Mother's Day!

If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!

(Matthew 7:11)

It’s Mother’s Day!  A day to celebrate our mothers, and all those women who bring meaning into our lives.  We take a moment to celebrate mom’s sacrificial love, her tenderness, her guidance and her willingness to always put us first. Many will honor their mom today with a special card, a hug, flowers, chocolate, perfume, a special gesture such as breakfast in bed, or with that once in a lifetime memento.  Take a moment to thank the Father who gave you such an incredible gift in your mother.  You didn’t even ask, but He gave you one of the best mothers anyway.  That's just who He is.

But wait, there are others for whom this day will be bittersweet.  It’s a different kind of Mother’s Day, a Mother’s Day without mom.  For some, the grief journey may have brought you to a place of acceptance and rest in God, but for others it may still be a painful day for you.  You may feel alone, empty, angry at God, you might even still be actively grieving…but celebrate mom anyway.  Yes, through your tears celebrate her.  Remembering is a part of healing.  So celebrate the essence of who she was; celebrate the memories, the laughter, the hugs and all the significant moments in-between.  Celebrate the privilege of calling her mom.  It was a privilege, right?  Then tell your Father about her, what you miss the most..., honor her.

Then there are those for whom the name ‘mom’ triggers deep sadness; it triggers a sense of failure and rejection, a profound and utter sense of feeling unwanted and unloved.  Mom may have chosen alcohol, drugs, or prostitution and life on the street, even herself over you.  And while her choices reveal that life is complicated and that we live in a fallen world; and while those choices are tragic, they do not determine your worth to the One who loves you the most; the One who thinks you are the most incredible human being in the world; the One who declares you are beautifully and wonderfully made.  He is the loving Father who today reminds you that He gives good gifts to those who ask him. So tell Him what you need.

I am reminded lastly, of a final group; the ones who suffer deeply and quietly.  You have longed for a baby for many years, but your arms are still empty.  Or perhaps you held your baby briefly, but your baby died.  Mother’s Day brings up a torrent of emotions for you.  Your heavenly Father says, “Be still, and rest in me.  I will get you through this day.  I am here.  I am the One who makes not just this day, but every day worth living.  Ask for what you need and do not get tired of asking.  Seek me and you will find peace.  Knock and watch me open the floodgates of heaven’s blessings on your behalf.”

So wherever this day finds you, whether in celebration or lament, take a moment to thank your heavenly Father for His faithfulness.  Take a moment to thank Him for meeting you where you are; asking, seeking or knocking.  He means what He says.  He gives good gifts to those who ask.

Loving and Gracious God, thank you for those who perform the sacred role of mother.  Thank you for my mother, I am deeply grateful for her today and every day.   Thank you for mothers across the world.  We commit them to you today with the understanding that it is a tougher world in which to raise children.  So give them your Holy Word, your wisdom, your strength, your tenderness and your love.  Draw close to those mothers and children who need your forgiving and comforting embrace today.  Hold them in your everlasting arms and give them your peace.  Amen.

Looking for Jesus

"Everyone is looking for you!"

(Mark 1:37)

Can you believe 2016 is already a quarter of the way through?  How are those resolutions and intentions going for you?  What was that goal again?  Many of us look for things every day, but we quickly give up, only to go in search of something else.  Consider how casual it has become to go from one relationship to another; how easily our children and grandchildren talk of “breaking up” friendships and then beginning another.  They are searching for something; we are searching too, for beauty, health, rest, longevity?  Everyone is constantly searching for something.

You see, it does not matter what we call them: resolutions, solutions or intentions.  The larger question is “Why?”  Why are we in this constant search and pursuit?  Nothing is wrong with exercising more regularly, eating healthier meals, or connecting with family and friends more frequently.  In fact, these are commendable goals.  But what exactly are we looking for?  What are we trying to fill?  If it were just things we needed, we would all have had our fill by now, and yet year after year we keep going back for more. Could it be that we are looking for something more, and that true contentment will only come when we find it?

Bishop Augustine (354-430) may have given us a great clue about this.  In his spiritual autobiography, Confessions, the Bishop writes: “Lord, you have made us for Yourself, and our hearts are restless until they find rest in you.” (Confessions 1.1.1.)  Human hearts are constantly seeking, “restless,” until we find “rest” in God.  We were created to seek after God and all our seeking is a symptom of a much greater hunger.

 Almost a millennium later, Blaise Pascal (1623-62) said: “What else does this craving, and this helplessness, proclaim but that there was once in man a true happiness, of which all that now remains is the empty print and trace?  This he tries in vain to fill with everything around him, seeking in things that are not there the help he cannot find in those that are, though none can help, since this infinite abyss can be filled only with an infinite and unchangeable object; in other words, by God himself.” (Pensees 10.148). We humans have an “empty”-ness inside which most try to “fill with everything around,” but only God will exactly fit.

The crowds in Mark were pursuing things too.  They had experienced Jesus’ dynamic ministry.  They had heard his unique teaching, seen him heal the sick and cast out demons and they wanted more of it, but they recognized something else.  I believe that they realized that though there were other teachers and healers, what they really craved, was Jesus’ life-changing presence, which is why Mark says, “Everyone is looking for you!”  They are looking for him because they know, that once they find him, they will have found all they really need because Jesus is enough.  To know him, not just know about him (knowledge can be found in the library), but truly know him, causes the things of this world to “grow strangely dim.”  It brings true contentment.

Today, as you read this ask yourself, “What am I looking for in life?” Are you just seeking good grades in school?  Or is your ambition to get up every day, go to work and pay your rent?  Or maybe it is to enjoy retirement by filling your day with one activity or another.  This very minute, what are you looking for?  Are you discontented with your life? Is there a longing for something more, something new?

The worldly things you are searching for are not bad, but are they enough or does your hunger just grow deeper?  The crowds that were looking for Jesus may have come looking for some of these worldly comforts too.  They needed the food, the healing, the teachings but I believe they also realized that true contentment can only be found in Christ.  The rest of the world scoffs at the notion that true satisfaction can be found in a person, but what about you?  What do you think and what will you do?  “Jesus is the Answer” is not just a tagline or cliché, it is the simple, yet profound truth that many have already found and I hope you will too.  When the Son of Man comes in his glory, may we all be looking for him.

Loving God, we thank you for every good and perfect gift sent from heaven above.  Today, we ask for more of you, nothing else, just more of you.  Draw us closer into your presence by the power of your Spirit and remind us that godliness with contentment is great gain.  And may you find us looking for you, hungry and thirsty for you, when you come in your glory.

Give us a King!

"Give us a king to lead us..."

(1 Samuel 8: 6a)

Throughout history, we human beings have pursued leaders who looked the part, and gave us the hope that they could deliver our ideal social environment.  Each culture, generation and group has had it's own criteria for choosing a particular leader.  But we only have to read the Book of Judges to get a reality check.  We are dealing with humans here and humans are flawed.  Jesus is the only leader who did everything right.

Some leaders, though clearly flawed, have carried out their leadership responsibilities with distinction while others have been bitterly disappointing.  Today our nation cries out for a leader, just as Israel did.  At the time, Israel was dissatisfied with the way things were; they longed for something different.  It's no different today, many are crying out for something new, because they are dissatisfied with the status quo.  While many seek change because of their rage at the way things are, believers must be sober minded, humble and prayerful. 

When the Israelites cried out for a leader in 1 Samuel 8, they wanted none other than Saul, who to them must have seemed like a tough and seasoned warrior.  They would not listen to the counsel of Samuel, the prophet.  In the end, God relented and granted them "their" king.  No sooner had Saul taken leadership than they realized their terrible error as he began to flout God's rules.  We find them repenting of their choice of Saul in 1 Samuel 12:19. 

The children of Israel made a terrible mistake by leaving God out of their decision making process.  They looked on the outside and hoped that their choice of leader would carry the necessary anointing, but the Bible teaches us that God looks on the inside and then equips the leader to lead (1 Samuel 16:7). The elections of Saul and David as King, are good examples of the difference between the human and divine perspectives.  One looked kingly, but wasn't suitable to lead, the other looked like a mere youth, but turned out to be God's chosen.

I believe that we are living in critical days when the decisions we make as believers will matter more then ever.  The choices we make will have lasting repercussions on our children and our grandchildren.  God has called the Church for such a time as this in the history of our nation.  His word reminds us, “if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land (2 Chronicles 7:14)

Our loving Father wants us to humbly seek his face today, not just about a future leader for our nation, but about every important decision we will face today.  Only he is able to deliver what we really need, for he alone is Sovereign.  As the children of Israel discovered, we can trust in his judgment; we can trust in his care.

Our Father in Heaven, you are Sovereign over the affairs of humanity.  You know all and you see all.  Today, we pray for a leader to lead us.  Today we surrender every important decision in our lives to you. Align our wills to your will so that we might choose wisely and carefully.  We thank you for our nation and ask that you will help us to be good stewards of all the blessings you have bestowed upon us.  In Jesus' name we pray.   Amen.

Put Out Into the Deep

When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, "Put out into the deep water and let the nets down for a catch."

(Luke 5: 4)

While Jesus was speaking to the crowds by the lake of Gennesaret, Simon and his fellow fishermen were doing what felt familiar to them, they were fishing.  The events of the crucifixion and resurrection had certainly left them in a state of shock.  So much had happened in such a short time, they probably needed a moment to catch their breaths.  They had gone fishing as they had done when they first met Jesus, and they were expecting the same old catch; perhaps they were expecting to go back to life as usual.  What the disciples forgot is that an encounter with Jesus changes everything.  Their lives were routine until Jesus entered the picture.  On this occasion, Jesus commanded them to do something peculiar, Jesus told them to put their nets into the deep water (Luke 5:4).  Jesus told them to fish where they had never fished before.

From a human perspective, I can only imagine how Simon and his friends felt after hearing Jesus' unusual command...perhaps apprehension, doubt, or fear.  There is nothing comforting about deep water.  It is dark, mysterious and frightening.  I bet these fishermen had all kinds of reasons bubbling in their minds as to why this might not be a good idea.  After all, this new idea of deep water fishing was contrary to what the other fishermen on the shores were doing so why should they take the risk of being different?  But wait a minute, ...this was Jesus!  They had spent three years with him and knew that he was no ordinary being.  They had seen him feed the hungry, heal the sick, and bring the dead to life.  They could definitely trust him.   Perhaps for this reason, Simon put his faith in Jesus saying, "...at thy word, I will let down the net (vs.5b)"  Simon did not require justification for such an unusual command, all he needed was Jesus' word.

There are times in our lives when God speaks telling us to launch into the deep. This call may frighten some of us and cause us to focus on our deficiencies, rather than on God's sufficiency.  Going into the deep takes a special kind of courage.  It takes faith in the one who guides.  I believe God calls believers into the deep not so much because of ability as the world does, but because of our availability and willingness to follow him wherever he leads.  But willingness to follow does not just happen by osmosis, but through a close relationship.  As we walk with Jesus daily, and as he equips us for the task, we learn to trust him more and more.

Perhaps this is a season when God has been speaking to you about launching into the deep but you are afraid of failure, you are afraid about what others might say and you are uncertain about following him into the unknown. Maybe you are overwhelmed by the magnitude of the call and don't know what to do.  Or it could be that the little inner voice within you is telling you, "Just continue with life as usual, it's less complicated."  Life as usual may be less complicated but it yields a thin harvest.  Whatever your case remember this, an encounter with Jesus changes everything.  You and I were born for more.  He put us here on this earth for a greater purpose.  God put us here to fish in the deep because that's where the biggest haul of fish can be found.  Simon discovered that obedience led to the greatest catch they had ever had.  "Simon and his friends, beckoned unto their partners, which were in the other ship that they should come and help them (vs.7a). Obedience to God leads to abundant living in him.

Following God by faith can be a frightening prospect even for mature believers.  Like a toddler learning to walk we may even fall a few times but in time we learn to hear his voice providing assurance that his presence will never leave us. We learn to trust that even if we fall, he will be there to catch us.  And as we grow in faith and trust, we can grow in confidence as we follow him into the deep and do his bidding in new and exciting ways.  In the end, it's not really about doing, as it is about growing in grace, growing in trust and growing in relationship with him. I pray that today you will find the courage you need through the power of the Holy Spirit to follow him into the deep.

Father, I honor you with all that I am and all that I have. Give me the grace to obey your word with simple childlike faith and to remember that my encounter with you has changed everything.  Show me your way and give me courage to follow you into the deep.  In Jesus' name, Amen.