The Greatest Invitation

During a recent week, I received several invitations in the mail. Those inviting me to attend "free" seminars on retirement, real estate, and life insurance were immediately thrown away. But the invitation to a gathering honoring a longtime friend caused me to reply immediately, " Yes! I accept." Invitation+ Desire = Acceptance.
     Isaiah 55:1 is one of the greatest invitations in the Bible. The Lord said to His people who were in difficult circumstances, " Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost." " This is God's remarkable offer of inner nourishment, deep spiritual satisfaction, and everlasting life.
      Jesus's invitation is repeated in the last chapter of the Bible: " The Spirit and the bride say, 'Come!' And let the one who hears say, ' Come!' Let the one who is thirsty come; and let the one who wishes take the free gift of the water of life."
     We often think of eternal life as beginning when we die. In reality, it begins when we receive Jesus Christ as our Savior and Lord.
     God's invitation to find eternal life in Him is the greatest invitation of all! Invitation + Desire = Acceptance.
      Lord Jesus, thank You for Your promise of mercy, pardon, and eternal life. I acknowledge my failures and receive Jesus as my Savior today.
When we accept Jesus's invitation to follow Him, Our whole life changes direction.

Life and Death

I will never forget sitting at the bedside of my friend's brother when he died; the scene was one of the ordinary visited by the extraordinary. Three of us were talking quietly when we realized that Richard's breathing was becoming more labored. We gathered around him, watching, waiting, and praying. When he took his last breath, it felt like a holy moment; the presence of God enveloped us in the midst of our tears over a wonderful man dying in his forties.
     Many of the heroes of our faith experienced God's faithfulness when they died. For instance, Jacob announced he would soon be " gathered to [his] people". Jacob's son Joseph also announced his impending death: " I am about to die," he said to his brothers while instructing them how to hold firm in their faith. He seems to be at peace, yet eager that his brothers trust that He with breathe our last breath, but we can ask God to help us trust the Lord.
     None of us knows when or how we will breathe our last breath, but we can ask God to help us trust that He will be with us. We can believe the promise that Jesus will prepare a place for us in His Father's house.
      Lord God, Your dwelling place will be with Your people, and You will be our God, wiping away our tears and banishing death. MAy it be so!
The Lord will never abandon us, especially at the time of our death.

Trial by Fire

Last winter while visiting a natural history museum in Colorado, I learned some remarkable facts about the aspen tree. An entire tree grove of slender, white-trunked aspens can grow from a single seed and share the same root system. These root systems can exist for thousands of years whether or not the produce trees. They sleep underground, waiting for fire, flood, or avalanche to clear a space for them in the shady forest. After a natural disaster has cleared the land, aspen roots can sense the sun at last. The roots send up saplings, which become trees.

     For aspens, new growth is made possible by the devastation of a natural disaster. James writes that our growth in faith is also made possible by difficulties. " Consider it pure joy," he writes, " whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its    work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything."

     It's difficult to be joyful during trials, but we can take hope from the fact that God will use difficult circumstances to help us reach maturity. Like aspen trees, faith can grow in times of trial when difficulty clears a space in our hearts for the light of God to touch us.

     Than You, God, for being with us in our trials, and for helping us to grow through difficult circumstances.

Trials and tests can draw us closer to Christ.

Bearing Good Fruit

The view from my airplane window was striking: a narrow ribbon of ripening wheat fields and orchards wending between two barren mountains. Running through the valley was a river-life-giving water, without which there would be no fruit.
     Just as a bountiful harvest depends on a source of clean water, the quality of the " fruit" in my life-my words, actions, and attitude-depends on my spiritual nourishment. The psalmist describes this in Psalm 1: The person " whose delight is in the law of the Lord...is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season". And Paul writes in Galatians 5 that those who walk in step with the Spirit are marked by " love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control".
     Sometimes my perspective on my circumstances turns sour, or my actions and words become persistently unkind. There is no good fruit, and I realize I haven't spent time being quiet before the words of my God. But when the rhythm of my days rooted in reliance on Him, I bear good fruit. Patience and gentleness characterize my interactions with others; it's easier to choose gratitude over complaint.
     The God who has revealed Himself to us is our source of strength, wisdom, joy, understanding, and peace. As we steep our souls in the words that point us to Him, the work of God's Spirit will be evident in our lives.
God's Spirit lives in His people, in order to work through them.

Image Management

To celebrate Winston Churchill's eightieth birthday, the British parliament commissioned artist Graham Sutherland to paint a portrait of the celebrated statesman. " How are you going to paint me" Churchill reportedly asked the artist: " As a cherub, or the Bulldog" Churchill liked these two popular perceptions of him. Sutherland, however, said he would paint what he saw.
     Churchill was not happy with the results. Sutherland's portrait had churchill slumped in a chair wearing his trademark scowl-true to reality, but hardly flattering. After its official unveiling, Churchill hid the painting in his cellar. It was later secretly destroyed.
     Like Churchill, most of us have an image of ourselves we want others to have of us also-whether of success, godliness, beauty, or strength. We can go to great lengths to conceal our "ugly" sides. Perhaps deep down we fear we won't be loved if the real us is known.
     When the Israelites were taken captive by Babylon, they were seen at their worst. Because of their sins, God allowed their enemies to conquer them. But He told them not to fear. He knew them by name, and He was with them in every humiliating trial. They were secure in His hands and " precious" to Him. Despite their ugliness, God loved them.
     We will find ourselves less motivated to seek the approval of others when such a truly sink in. God knows the real us and still loves us immeasurably.
     God's deep love means we can be real with others.
Please read Judges 1-3 and Luke 4:1-30