Common Threads*

Rich and poor have this in common: The LORD is the Maker of them all.

Proverbs 22:2

What a strange weekend. Everywhere Trevor looked he saw a familiar face.

What made it strange was that Trevor and his wife, Erin, Erin’s sister, Carolyn, and her husband, Dick, were on vacation two hundred miles from home. And yet, person after person looked familiar. If he’d seen one look-alike he’d seen fifty!

He’d noticed the curious phenomenon yesterday, while they were shopping. Several times he’d seen a friendly face only to remember where he was and that the odds were it wasn’t actually them.

The next day in church Trevor looked around the sanctuary noticing men, women, and children who bore strong resemblance to friends back home. Knowing this wasn’t a coincidence, he silently asked, Okay, Lord, what are you trying to tell me?! But God remained silent.

With vacation over, they headed home. Stopping along the way to grab some dinner, Trevor decided to share his experience with everyone. As he began to share Dick’s eyes lit up. “Me too!” he said surprisingly. “I thought I saw your brother, Tim, yesterday! How weird is that?!” Erin and Carol had also had the same experience! This was more than strange!

In that moment God spoke to Trevor, “There is a common thread running through humanity. None are strangers to Me. Rich and poor, saved and unsaved…I made them all. These are your brothers and sisters.”

†

It has become human nature to insulate ourselves from the seedy or questionable characters of life, looking on them as unsavory; those people with whom we’d rather not interact. And while I am not advocating that recovering alcoholics and addicts cavort with drunks and junkies, or that we must all minister in the crack houses of our neighborhood, I am suggesting that if God brings someone questionable across our path we not dismiss them as an inconvenience.

There is no more than a 0.2 percent difference in the DNA of every race on the planet, though skin color and distinguishing features may suggest otherwise, God says we are family. How would you treat your sister if she were in need?

Prayer

“Teach me to treat everyone with the respect and dignity with which I want to be treated, Lord. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”

*DNA percentage obtained from: www.ChristianAnswers.Net on 08/27/2009 by Author 

Eternal Homelessness

Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners…for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life.

1Timothy 1:15, 16

Wendy had walked past Rufus’ cardboard box on a daily basis since she’d begun working at Kelvin’s Furniture. That was two years ago. But why was she thinking about him this morning? She reflected on the many times she’d brought him coffee and breakfast…even extending him a hand up once; offering to make him a loan of sorts to help him find a job.

He’d refused, sighting that he just didn’t have the emotional or physical strength to meet daily workforce demands…he seemed content to live out his life in a 4’x 8’ box.

Wendy shelved the memories and finished getting ready, then left for work.

As she walked she considered this morning’s sensitivity to the Spirit. The closer she got to Rufus’ box the more sensitive her heart became. Strange, but she felt a sense of freedom.

As she drew near she could see the box wasn’t in its customary space. A policeman told her Rufus had died during the night…he’d frozen to death. Instead of feeling guilt or remorse over her inability to bring him in out of the cold, she felt peace. She had talked to Rufus about Jesus, and knew he had accepted Him as Lord and Savior. The reality in the meaning of his earthly departure brought Wendy comfort. Rufus was no longer homeless! He was finally Home!

†

Homelessness is an ugly blight on humanity. We are not to judge, we are to reach out. We have no idea what they deal with on a daily basis and for whatever reason, some people cannot overcome the adversities that leave them homeless; some even feel more comfortable on the sidewalk than in a shelter or home.

Jesus came to stamp out eternal homelessness by offering us an Eternal Home!

Truthfully, to be homeless on earth and know Jesus as Savior is acceptable. We are all nomads here; our earthly existence is only temporal. It’s our eternal destination that matters to Jesus. He wants us to come Home!

Prayer

“Help me reach out to those who are headed for eternal homelessness, Lord. Give me courage to approach them and offer them eternity with You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”

If You Get There Before Me

For God so loved the world…

John 3:16

Mitch and Daryl had been best friends since second grade. If you saw one…you saw them both. So it wasn’t a surprise when Daryl shared some words at Mitch’s funeral…“Mitch and I shared life; hunting, fishing, girlfriend choices…I could tell Mitch anything without fear of ridicule. He was my best friend.” Daryl smiled a lonely smile, “I think we probably only get one of those in a lifetime.

“Mitch and I had an agreement. Whoever got to Heaven first is supposed to ask God some questions on the other’s behalf. What Mitch wanted me to ask God isn’t important today. He’s got his answers. But what he wanted me to ask you is; are there any of you who don’t know Jesus? If you don’t, we invite you to get to know Him. You see, as much as I’d like to think I was Mitch’s best friend…that’s not true; second best would be more accurate. Jesus was Mitch’s best friend…and He wants to be yours too. He’ll give you something no earthly friend can ever give you…life everlasting!”

He surveyed the crowd, and smiled confidently, “I do know what Mitch is asking God right at this moment. You see…we both agreed to ask God to use the one left behind at the other’s funeral to bring salvation to those who don’t know Him. Friends…this life is short…and once we die our choice is sealed. If you haven’t made that decision, let it be today.”

†

Is today the day that you or someone close to you will die? No one knows.

If Jesus is not your Savior, I invite you to ask Him into your heart right now.

If you’ve already accepted Him as Savior, and you know someone who hasn’t…go talk to them; make a phone call; write a letter or email; say a prayer for them…but don’t let the sun set without taking action.

Don’t wait until someone is speaking a eulogy over a coffin…because then it will be too late.

Prayer

“Lord Jesus, I believe You are the Son of God, sent to die for my sin. Forgive those sins, and come into my heart today. Take control of my life and lead me into eternal life. Amen”

Out Of The Wilderness

He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.

John 10:3

Jake's nerves were on edge as he surveyed his surroundings. This was his first out-of-state deer hunt, and he lacked confidence. He’d been assigned this section of woods at camp headquarters before being dropped off by his guide for the morning’s hunt. It was miles from civilization; the closest hunter was approximately two miles away.

Jake wasn’t afraid of getting shot. He’d met and felt he could trust everyone in the hunting camp; they were all seasoned hunters. Besides, they were far enough apart as to be out of shooting-range of each other.

What was slightly unnerving to Jake was being on his own in the wilderness. He would have to make decisions based on his limited knowledge of the area. He freely admitted his lack of ‘mountain woodsmanship’ and sought to remember everything he’d been told and tested on prior to being dropped off; survival skills were at the top of the list. Jake didn’t want to make a potentially dangerous mistake, because the deep-seeded reason for his concern was that he wasn’t sure he could find his way out if they never came back for him!

†

All of us—without exception, and from time to time—will find ourselves in a spiritual wilderness where one patch of woods looks like every other, and nothing appears familiar. If we’re not careful we could make things worse by heading off on our own…in the wrong direction.

Regardless of whether God orchestrated our circumstances to get us alone, or we’ve done something to cause this unwelcome isolation by not having thought our actions through to their logical conclusion, we’re unable to affect our own rescue.

Jesus knows how to lead us out of our wilderness. His Word says we know the sound of His Voice. But in order to hear Him we must quiet ourselves, and allow Jesus to speak through the worries of our day. Take heart! Because unlike Jake, we never have to worry about whether Jesus is coming back for us.

Prayer

“When I find myself in the wilderness, Lord, help me quiet my mind so I might sense Your presence. Speak to me in ways I will understand, and lead me out of this spiritual desert. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”

The Optimistic Hypocrite

Woe to you…you hypocrites!

Matthew 23:23

John was well-respected as one of the most active members in the church. He tithed and gave to needy causes and even sat on several committees. So when one of the young men in the church called him a hypocrite to his face, it seemed the teenager was destined for discipline.

“Why would you call me a hypocrite?” John asked. “I love the Lord…and the work I do for Him.” he professed.

“And working for Satan, too?” the teen rejoined.

John was taken aback. “How dare you?!” he said. “Do you know how serious false accusations are?!”

“It’s not a false accusation,” the teen said bluntly. “I know what you do behind closed doors; so does God. You just think it’s a secret,” he added.

John fought to compose himself. “I don’t know what you think you know, but spreading rumors and destructive lies is defamation of character, young man! Do you realize charges could be brought against you for such talk?”

“Charges?! Against me?! What about you?! Serving alcohol to minors during private parties from that well-stocked bar at your cabin on Lake Erie?”

How could this kid know about that?! I haven’t told or invited anyone from around here to the cabin. How did this kid find out?!

†

Optimistic hypocrisy is the art of judging others as the real sinners while we ourselves live by a different standard, appearing as impressive symbols of Jesus’ sanctifying power. We do things, believing in our hearts we are good enough and worthy of salvation, refusing to surrender our whole heart because we enjoy a little sin. John believed his was hidden from those who mattered. In his arrogance, he was found out, unintentionally showing people that he was, indeed, hypocritical of what he professed.

The Pharisees felt they were superior, living by a different set of rules. Jesus called them on it.

There is a line across which we are not to wander. In his song, 'The Fall Line' Jack Johnson related to an unseen, yet real line that, once crossed, denotes losing our grip on honesty and falling into hypocrisy. It's equivalent in scripture is a religious spirit.

It is easy to judge others, while we, ourselves, do some of those same things, it makes us feel just a little bit better about our own failures.

But, as Jesus says in today's text, it is wrong and brings its own judgment. If we persist, we might just find ourselves, like John, being called out.

Prayer

“Reveal anything that doesn’t belong in my life, Lord, and help me surrender it to You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”

Catch The Wind*

As you do not know the path of the wind…so you cannot understand the work of God, the Maker of all things.

Ecclesiastes 11:5

Meg held the dandelion in her tiny hand, took a deep breath, and gently launched the hundreds of seeds skyward. “Look, Mummy!” she squealed with delight. “Look at em go!” Meg was mesmerized as she watched the dandelion disintegrate, its individual seeds scattered to the wind; such an integral part of the flower’s reproduction through dispersal.

Meg’s joy wasn’t exactly anchored in the procreation of the little wildflower, she sensed a bit of mystery in the way the seeds gave way to her gentle breath, floating as if weightless, to destinations unknown.

Reaching down, separating stem from root, Meg smiled as she twirled another dandelion between her fingers and gently blew. She giggled as the flower exploded, its seeds wafting away on the gentle breeze, followed by the inevitable questions: “Where do they go, Mummy? Is it far away? What happens when they get there?” And finally, “Why did God make em so fuzzy, Mummy?”

“Well, Meg,” her Mum explained, “they go wherever the wind carries em…it could be far away, indeed! As far as ‘What will they do?’ They’ll set down roots and become new dandelions.” She thought for a moment, and then answered the remaining question, “God made them fuzzy so they can catch the wind, Meg.”

†

God has a perfect plan for our lives. And if we allow Him, He will direct our path. The catch is that His work in our lives tends to be a mystery to us. Not knowing what will happen, or where we will end up, can be intimidating. Without experiential faith we generally avoid change, even knowing it’s God who beckons.

The Maker of the Wind will not forcefully blow us about, instead, He sends the Gentle Wind of the Holy Spirit to guide us to our life’s destination.

By raising our hands to Heaven, giving Him permission to influence our flight path, we become like the fuzzy dandelion seed, catching God’s Wind and floating toward His divine plan.

Prayer

“Blow me to where I’m supposed to be, Lord. Complete Your work in and through me as I faithfully submit to Your plan for my life. Amen.”

*Inspired by the story: New Horizons, published on August 20^th, 2009 in The Upper Room By: Meg Mangan, New South Wales, Australia

A Change In The Atmosphere

When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb…

Luke 1:41

There was something different about Jessie. Wherever she went people took notice. It was as if the atmosphere around her was thick with goodness and joy. Always smiling and cheerful, Jessie’s presence was tangible. It wasn’t an act; she really was a cheerful person! She had reason to be otherwise if she chose.

A single mother of three, Jessie worked long hours making sure her girls had each need met. Arriving home from work, she spent time with each child, making sure they were on target at school…and in life. They shared a deep and abiding love.

Jessie’s relationship with her children was born out of her relationship with Jesus. She gave Him the credit for her ability to rise above the demands of being a single parent, especially with three teenage girls! She eagerly proclaimed that because of Jesus’ faithfulness she was able to look at each day as a blessing to be lived to the fullest instead of a sentence to be served with a fatalistic mind-set. Through continually submitting to Jesus, Jessie had learned to let goodness seep through instead of allowing her struggles to choke the life out of her and her family.

There are those who are just good people, people you enjoy being around; Jessie was good people!

†

When John the Baptist leapt in Elizabeth’s womb it was because the Son of God was present in Mary’s womb. Jesus’ arrival was felt in the atmosphere!

God wants us, like Jessie, to affect the atmosphere by bringing a spiritually-charged tangibility with us wherever we go; to our workplace, the grocery store, our schools…everywhere we find ourselves.

When we look to Jesus for our strength to live as victors, instead of victims presenting a defeatist attitude, He is able to change the atmosphere around us. His Spirit manifests in power in the face of adversity so that others not only take notice, but want to receive this same overcoming power.

Prayer

“Lord, make me an atmosphere changer for You! Teach me to rely so completely on You that life no longer drags me down. Come near so that Your presence is detected through the life I live. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”