Prepare To Be Great

Greater love has no one than this...

John 15:13

The man stood quietly, head bowed in humility, as he accepted the award for heroism. There was a sense he didn’t feel comfortable with such attention. He did, however, hold the Mayor’s gaze as the man shook his hand and spoke something private. Then, as the Mayor moved on to the next recipient, the man’s gaze returned to the floor.

As the eyes of the audience moved to watch the next person to be honored for a different act of bravery, one pair remained on the man. No one but she truly understood the act of selfless compassion that found him here today; for her life was the life he had saved.

In one blinding moment her world had exploded in twisted metal and fire. Coming upon the wreck just moments after it had happened, this quiet man had risked his life to extricate her from the wreckage of her crumpled and burning vehicle. In the process he had received third degree burns on his hands and arms yet had refused to leave her to die.

He had declined all subsequent interviews, stating he’d done nothing to warrant attention; “I only did what needed to be done.”

†

The same selfless attitude that caused this man to shun the accolades of his peers is the very attribute that enabled him to put another’s welfare ahead of his own. Not that he did not value his own life, but rather, was willing to disregard personal injury and risk death in the hope that he might save another.

In our day-to-day life, great love is not usually measured in the literal laying down of our lives. It is more often than not measured in our willingness to be used to meet the every-day needs of those within our sphere of influence.

Each of us has an innate desire to help others; it’s God-given. But fulfilling God’s gift through us requires participation; He never imposes His will on us…even for the sake of another.

Doing the every-day things right, unselfishly helping meet the needs of those around us, prepares our hearts and minds to be inclined to take affirmative action in a perilous situation if called upon. Be prepared.

Prayer

“Help me be a selfless servant to those who need me today, Lord Jesus. Amen.”

 

Undefeatable!

But thanks be to God! He gives us victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

1Corinthians 15:57

Gerald awakened with complete recollection of his dream: A soldier in uniform, he had suffered defeat at the hands of a vicious and cunning enemy. He felt shame and self-loathing for what he considered utter defeat! Crouched on one knee, one arm resting on his other knee, his helmet tucked under the other arm; he was contemplating his incompetence when Jesus showed up!

“Oh, Lord, please go away!” he exclaimed. “I am not worthy of Your presence. I cannot endure Your gaze!”

But Jesus did not retreat. Instead, He placed His hand on Gerald’s shoulder and said, “You are not defeated. You are a great warrior! You focus on this one battle. Yet, you have won many victories in My service!”

“But Lord…” Gerald said, “It was such a strategic battle!”

“And what valor you displayed!” Jesus proclaimed. And after a moment He questioned, “Son, did you learn from this battle?”

“Yes, Lord.” Gerald answered.

“And what did you learn?” Jesus prompted.

“Not to take the enemy’s advancements lightly!” came his impassioned response.

“And will you?” Jesus asked.

“Will I what?” Gerald asked, momentarily lost in his anger.

“Take him so lightly the next time?” Jesus asked with a smile turning up the corners of his mouth.

“No!” Gerald said with resolve.

“Then you were not defeated.” Jesus said.

He lifted Gerald to his feet, placed his helmet on his head, and declared, “I have already defeated the enemy, Gerald. Remain in Me. For in Me you are undefeatable!” And with that, Gerald had awakened with new and valuable understanding.

†

Satan would have us focus on failure, looking at things with a distorted perspective.

Jesus speaks a different language; one of truth and encouragement: “You can learn from each battle!”

By focusing on Jesus, and taking what we learn from each skinned knee, bump or bruise, we become more seasoned in battle, and learn to lean on His strength instead of our own. We come to understand that the only way we can lose is by giving up our will to fight.

Prayer

“Lift me above my failures, Lord Jesus. Show me how to remain in You, so I don’t become distracted by the enemy. Help me become undefeatable in battle! Amen.”

 

Geographical Relationships

Fathers, do not exasperate your children;

Ephesians 6:4

Kane hollered as he left the house, “I’m heading out! Don’t know when I’ll be back!” When he hadn’t returned by 11:30pm his parents weren’t too concerned. However, when his father, Blake, rose at 5:00am to find Kane still not home, he became concerned.

Three days later Kane called to let them know he was alright, and not to worry.

“It’s a little late for that,” his father growled. “Your mother and I are worried sick! Where are you?!”

“Look, Dad,” Kane responded in an impatient tone, “you never cared where I was before. You never even questioned my hollering ‘don’t know when I’ll be back’ when I left the other day! I don’t know why it should matter now! You don’t care if I come back. All you care about is what this will look like when your friends find out! You’re so wrapped up in them and your careers…you barely acknowledge Chris’ and my existence, let alone provide any evidence you care!” Kane was on the verge of an emotional meltdown, and decided to end the conversation; “I’ll call back in a couple days!” he said abruptly, and hung up.

Still holding the phone, and digesting what Kane had said, Blake had to admit much of what his son had said was true. They were totally committed to their friends and careers. And they had pursued 'those' relationships to the exclusion of their children!

†

It is possible to be geographically close to someone and remain light-years away in relationship.

Family, after our relationship with God, should come first. Aspirations and goals can serve as motivation if handled correctly, but to exclude our most precious relationships to attain them is destructive and wrong.

We are to model wisdom to our children, teaching them how to relate to God, their siblings, and the world. If we fail to invest in them we not only miss out on wonderful experiences, we fail to provide the tools necessary for healthy emotional and spiritual growth.

Prayer

“Draw me close, Lord. Teach me to rightly relate to those You have entrusted me with. Cause me to sense when they need my attention. Give me wisdom to know how to balance my time as You would have me do. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”

 

Acquainted With His Grief

A man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief:

Isaiah 53:3 KJV

Caught in another lie, Jenna was trying to explain her inability to stop, “I’ve tried, Mom! But it’s like…” she paused, struggling to articulate her thoughts, “It’s like I hear myself telling another lie…like someone else has taken control of me, and I’m just a spectator.”

Her father’s comment brought the sting of conviction, “It’s hard to trust you, Jenna. We struggle to believe you.”

“I know, Daddy!” Jenna said. “I honestly don’t know why I can’t stop.” Her apparent frustration told them that, at least in this case, she wasn’t lying.

Receiving divine inspiration her father asked, “Do you remember your first lie, Jenna?”

“No,” came her embarrassed reply.

“That’s because of all the lies that have followed.” He let that sink in, then continued, “Jenna, once we get used to doing something it becomes second nature. If it’s something wrong, any conviction we were intended to feel loses its desired effect. When we no longer feel sorrow for our sin we have become desensitized to its destruction. Honey, for every lie you’ve ever told, or will tell in the future, Jesus took a beating.” He saw this was a revelation, and added, “He suffered so we could gain victory over the sin in our life.”

Between sobs Jenna said, “I’m…so…sorry…Daddy!”

“Jenna, you know how you said it felt like someone else took control of you?” She nodded.

He continued, “That’s not Jesus, because Jesus wants to set you free, not watch as Satan holds you in bondage. Do you understand?”

“Yes, Daddy.” came her subdued response.

†

Our definition of an acquaintance is someone we know; yet not intimately. We have shared no deep connection; there is no lasting bond. Within the human definition of today’s text there is no hope of defeating sin.

Only Someone truly acquainted with the sorrow of our sin has the knowledge of how to defeat it. Jesus’ acquaintance with grief is unlike ours; and so is His power to overcome!

Sin will reign in our lives until we become intimately acquainted with the sorrow and grief of the One Who can defeat it.

Prayer

“Take me deep enough that I can know You intimately, Lord, then take me deeper, to where sorrow and grief conquer sin. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”

 

One Life to Love

Do not work for food that spoils…

John 6:27

Eve was dying of an unknown virus that had shut down her liver and kidneys. The doctors had said there was nothing they could do. As John stood beside her bed, he prayed that God would give him a chance to make things right.

“Lord, I’ve gravely misunderstood what it means to be a husband and father. Please…” he begged, “give me another chance with Eve. Give me the opportunity to show her what she really means to me.” His heavy heart cried, “The kids and I need her, Lord! Please?!”

John had believed his family’s financial security was the most important item on his to-do list, and he had adhered to that principle to the exclusion of Eve and his children. Right now, he wished he’d listened to Eve’s pleas to spend more time doing the truly important things that matter in a family, instead of investing all his spare time at his job. But he’d nobly given her the same response each time, “I am doing what matters most, Eve…I’m providing for our future.” Now it appeared the future was about to play a cruel joke on John’s philosophy.

Instead, God raised Eve from her sickbed, completely healed!

It’s been four years since that miracle. John still works the same job, but his work ethic has been revised. He now devotes precious time to Eve and the kids...each and every day.

†

God expects us to work, giving our best while on the job. He does not, however, want us to exclude relationships in the process, especially our relationship with Him. That vital connection influences the way we relate to everyone else.

John’s case is only one example of misguided ideologies, and we all make mistakes that cause relationship spoilage. God wants to remove such waste from our lives so we can experience true fulfillment.

There’s an old adage that says, “Right before you die you probably won’t say, ‘I wish I’d spent more time at the office.’” That’s pretty much how God feels about it too.

Prayer

“Help me remove or change the things in my life that qualify as excessive, Lord. Show me what adjustments I need to make. In Jesus’ Name, amen.”

Inspired by the song, One Life To Love by Christian recording artists, 33 mile

 

Time With God

With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day.

2Peter 3:8

Dewey set out to accomplish as much as he could on his to-do list. The truth was he was pretty sure he might only make it half way through the list before running out of time, but that wasn’t going to stop him from trying. Climbing into his car, Dewey decided to take a moment and ask God for help with the list, “Guide me today, Lord. Help me make the most of the time I’m given. Amen.”

Following the prayer, Dewey was struck by a deeper thought which prompted a deeper question, “How are we going to accomplish everything You have for us to do before Your return, Lord?”

God reminded him of Peter’s proclamation, “With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day.” And then God said, “If you let Me help you, we can get done in one day what will take you a thousand years to do.”

Dewey contemplated God’s words as he went about carrying out the tasks God set before him that day. At the end of the day he’d completed all the tasks on the list! God had certainly maximized his efforts.

†

Inviting God into our day is paramount to making the most of the time we have. Scripture says we are but a vapor (James 4:14) and then we are gone; not much in light of eternity.

If we choose not to enlist God’s help we won’t have much of an impact on the world in the time we have. By asking Him to make the most of each day, using our gifting and talents, we can maximize our efforts, and God can accomplish great things through us.

Here’s how God’s math works with ‘a thousand years as one day”: one hour equals 41.66 years. One minute would be .69 of a year, or 251.85 days. One second would equal 4.2 days.

If we call on the power of Heaven we stand a much better chance of accomplishing God’s goals in our lifetime.

Prayer

“Help me be a good steward of my time, LORD. Order my steps as I call on You for help. In Jesus’ Name, amen.”

 

Honored

…whoever heeds correction is honored.

Proverbs 13:18

The festivities were over, still the majority of people lingered before taking their leave. The honored guest had been well-liked. Most everyone wanted a word with him if possible, and was willing to wait their turn regardless of the wait.

Willie had been honored after an illustrious career spanning six decades. Garth had his attention right now, “It’s funny, Uncle Will,” he said, “these people see something in you I’ve missed all these years.” He smiled and winked, “It’s not that I don’t appreciate your accomplishments…I mean, after all, you have made an impact in your field.” He chuckled, revealing his fondness for his Uncle. Then he sobered a bit and asked, “How is it you managed to rise to the pinnacle of your profession and remain there?”

The man, well past grey at the temples, looked warmly at his nephew and replied, “I’ve been accused of many things in my life, Garth. But closed-minded and unteachable are not among them.” Garth had a puzzled look, so Uncle Will cleared up his confusion, “I never stopped learning. I refused to believe I knew enough. I learned to listen, no matter who was talking, and found use in other’s experiences.” He leaned a little closer and confided, “Above all, I never rejected correction, Garth, regardless of how hard it was to endure.”

†

Correction can be uncomfortable. And pride has a way of convincing us that any correction is nothing more than unwanted information, something to be rejected without further consideration. And if we take the bait we fail to grow.

No one enjoys being told they were, or are wrong. But if we hold our response, and ponder long enough to assess the information provided, we often find tender morsels hidden within a bitter pill.

Accepting well-intended or even misdirected correction can be painful in the moment. But tempered with time and wisdom we can gain tremendous experience and knowledge to be used in our maturation.

We can train ourselves to dig for the truth instead of bristling; listening to everything being said, seeing it as an opportunity instead of a reproach.

Prayer

“Lord, teach me to listen. Show me how to put correction to use instead of pridefully dismissing it. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”