I am reading this book on running. The premise behind the book is to run on a given day based on the way you feel. Now, you would say, isn't that how everyone runs? I would say yes, if you haven't been spending the last year checking your pace, interval splits, on a watch that is almost as big as your forearm! I used to know how to just run. I used to go outside and run like nobody's business and come home and think, "man I wonder how that went?" Yet, somewhere along the way I got lost. I started thinking that I needed to be checking every mile and every pace because that is what I was told would make me a better runner. I was told that if I ran 20 miles at 8:20 I could definately run a marathon faster than that! My life became about what my watch said and not about my insticts, my heart, my own sweat.
As I turned each page of this book, God spoke to me. He showed me that not only had I become so pressed on getting a certain time in running but it boiled over into my life. I was trudging through without paying attention to how I felt. So often, we can make decisions in life based on facts. These facts we think are all we need. If it is rational, we should do it. If we want to get promoted, we should earn a higher degree. If we want to run faster, work harder, make more friends, even tell people about God, we must push harder until all the facts are in line.
This is not entirely the case. If we forget how to live by feeling, we miss out on the joy of living. There is so much joy in leaving my watch at home and running holes in my shoes. I have no idea what I did for pace but man it sure was fun! The same is true in my life. Who cares what people think about me? Who cares if I say all the right things? Who cares if I upset a million people with my blogposts? If I'm not living, I would rather give up.
So I encourage you to look at your life with a clear lense. Are you checking your watch, making sure the facts are right? Or are you living my the seat of your pants? It is important to review the facts and make a decision based on part by them and part instinct. I pray that you would release all the things that tie you to a certain way of life and embrace a new one, one that is full of joy, peace, and contentment.
Ditch the watch...its too heavy anyways. You are great, no matter the pace, no matter the time on the clock. Your award in heaven is far greater than anything you can achieve here on earth. Look up and surrender, the result is life, a full one.
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Monday, April 25, 2011
Suffering for his sake?
Whenever I need encouragement, I feel like God always reminds me to read the book of Philippians written by Paul. In this book, God speaks to Paul about suffering for the sake of Jesus. Paul then encourages people to push past their own desire for advancement and comfort and look for God's prompting in life.
Reading the first chapter, I began to think about where discontentment in life finds its origin. We have all been there. We look at our lives and think how did we get here? I was supposed to be married by 25, on my way up the career chain, and raising two beautiful children that love and respect me, all the time. We look at our failures, our hopes and dreams that were smashed, and we think, what went wrong? But, I tell you, that those dreams you had were smashed for a reason. In suffering, God teaches us so much good, if we allow him. Our knee jerk reaction is to give up on life when we suffer. We think, this is too hard to handle, there is no good in the world. We are forgetting our purpose.
Paul reminds the Philippians as I have been reminded today, that we are here on earth to live. When we are seeking our own advancement or comfort, we are missing the point. As a Christian, we are supposed to value Jesus and our life with him over comfort, pleasure, and the feeling of being liked. It is such a hard task. Yet, when we do it, it advances the gospel. You see, when people recognize that we are living for a different cause, it is contagious. If we are seeking to find our own purpose and value and life, we miss out on God's.
Today, I feel encouraged, not because I have warm and fuzzy feelings in my heart, but rather because I can see my suffering in life for God's value. Whether it be in relationships I have, or circumstances, I can tell that there is God's prompting to advance his glory here on earth in these things. My favorite thing to do is complain. I love it. And, that tells me that I have lost the value in God's charter of my life. He knows the plan behind the suffering. I have to put up the faith in order to see its value.
If you are struggling today because you look at your life and think what happened or what is happening, I challenge you to ask God to see the bigger picture. Open up Philippians and ask God to speak. It is great to be a Christian because Jesus brings comfort, joy, peace and a myriad of other blessings when we just say, "what is going on here?" Suffering brings an advancement of the gospel. If we try and fight it, we prevent others from knowing God. So if you hear me complain, remind me of this fact.
Now, I do recommend finding someone that you trust to be able to share your frustrations with. In order to get to the place where we can see suffering as good, we need to be able to voice these concerns with someone we trust. Praying for our eyes and hearts to be open to God's work is key. We cannot muster enough strength on our own to handle these sufferings. It is only through prayer, relationship with others, and God's work that it can be done.
Be encouraged today. God is at work in the good, bad, and ugly. He intends to use each situation for his glory. Find a friend to work that out with and pray like you have never prayed before.
Reading the first chapter, I began to think about where discontentment in life finds its origin. We have all been there. We look at our lives and think how did we get here? I was supposed to be married by 25, on my way up the career chain, and raising two beautiful children that love and respect me, all the time. We look at our failures, our hopes and dreams that were smashed, and we think, what went wrong? But, I tell you, that those dreams you had were smashed for a reason. In suffering, God teaches us so much good, if we allow him. Our knee jerk reaction is to give up on life when we suffer. We think, this is too hard to handle, there is no good in the world. We are forgetting our purpose.
Paul reminds the Philippians as I have been reminded today, that we are here on earth to live. When we are seeking our own advancement or comfort, we are missing the point. As a Christian, we are supposed to value Jesus and our life with him over comfort, pleasure, and the feeling of being liked. It is such a hard task. Yet, when we do it, it advances the gospel. You see, when people recognize that we are living for a different cause, it is contagious. If we are seeking to find our own purpose and value and life, we miss out on God's.
Today, I feel encouraged, not because I have warm and fuzzy feelings in my heart, but rather because I can see my suffering in life for God's value. Whether it be in relationships I have, or circumstances, I can tell that there is God's prompting to advance his glory here on earth in these things. My favorite thing to do is complain. I love it. And, that tells me that I have lost the value in God's charter of my life. He knows the plan behind the suffering. I have to put up the faith in order to see its value.
If you are struggling today because you look at your life and think what happened or what is happening, I challenge you to ask God to see the bigger picture. Open up Philippians and ask God to speak. It is great to be a Christian because Jesus brings comfort, joy, peace and a myriad of other blessings when we just say, "what is going on here?" Suffering brings an advancement of the gospel. If we try and fight it, we prevent others from knowing God. So if you hear me complain, remind me of this fact.
Now, I do recommend finding someone that you trust to be able to share your frustrations with. In order to get to the place where we can see suffering as good, we need to be able to voice these concerns with someone we trust. Praying for our eyes and hearts to be open to God's work is key. We cannot muster enough strength on our own to handle these sufferings. It is only through prayer, relationship with others, and God's work that it can be done.
Be encouraged today. God is at work in the good, bad, and ugly. He intends to use each situation for his glory. Find a friend to work that out with and pray like you have never prayed before.
Saturday, April 23, 2011
It's Easter. What do you believe?
It's Easter! To you, that may mean absolutely nothing. And, even if you are a Christian, the holiday can lose its joy over the years. Today, I was reminded of how amazing this holiday actually is and I wanted to share it with you. You see, there is so much to celebrate and remember each year during this holiday. It is a time for us Christians to rejoice over what our faith means for us in the here and now and also for eternity.
I believe in the man Jesus. I believe that he came to live on earth to show us our potential and to give glory to God. Jesus, being God, knew that he was to die. However, we live not knowing our hour of death. I really do not know what situation is worse. Yet, the fact remains that death is inevitable. Before Jesus died, he spent the night praying asking God to remove the plan to die for him, yet his heart remained focused and it was still chosen for him to die. See, this is where I know that Jesus is God. When we pray to God, we often ask him for things. I do not know about you, but if I knew I was going to die a painful death, I would probably ask God to take it away from me. Just like Jesus, I would follow his lead. However, unlike Jesus, I would run, run as far away from the people that I knew where going to kill me. Yet, he did not. He continued along the path towards death. You may find yourself wondering why. And, I tell you simply, for you. A man that lived thousands of years ago, that you can no longer see, died for you. Crazy, I know.
There is such joy in Easter because it means that although our physical body may die, we have an opportunity to live forever. You may doubt this. It is very possible that this may seem abstract and out of alignment with everything you have learned. Which, I think is the point. It is so crazy that is has to be true. And, even if you find yourself confused, doubting, and even a bit angry, I ask you to consider this. If you take a step and just try and say that is might possibly be true, you can step into a life in eternity. Isn't it worth the risk? Wouldn't you rather take a chance and believe this Jesus is God than risk missing out on eternity?
Please rejoice with me this Easter. Please find value in the day. There is a God that was in complete anguish knowing that he would die. He did it for you and he did it for me. You may find yourself struggling with how God can be good and there can be evil. I say to you that Jesus looked evil straight in the face and won. You are right in saying there is evil in the world. And, God doesn't always rescue us from struggle, as evidenced by Jesus, he may even ask you to suffer. But, the reward in heaven is much greater than the rewards on this earth.
This Easter, I ask you to consider Jesus. Think about his life. Pick up a Bible and begin to read. I do not stand on a soap box asking you to say a prayer and accept him into your life. No, I ask you to open your heart to him. Let him in. Because no matter what I tell you, you cannot believe with out God's help. No pamphlet can tell you how great I think Jesus is. My life may not always exemplify how great he is. But, my heart believes and for that I am thankful. What do you believe?
I believe in the man Jesus. I believe that he came to live on earth to show us our potential and to give glory to God. Jesus, being God, knew that he was to die. However, we live not knowing our hour of death. I really do not know what situation is worse. Yet, the fact remains that death is inevitable. Before Jesus died, he spent the night praying asking God to remove the plan to die for him, yet his heart remained focused and it was still chosen for him to die. See, this is where I know that Jesus is God. When we pray to God, we often ask him for things. I do not know about you, but if I knew I was going to die a painful death, I would probably ask God to take it away from me. Just like Jesus, I would follow his lead. However, unlike Jesus, I would run, run as far away from the people that I knew where going to kill me. Yet, he did not. He continued along the path towards death. You may find yourself wondering why. And, I tell you simply, for you. A man that lived thousands of years ago, that you can no longer see, died for you. Crazy, I know.
There is such joy in Easter because it means that although our physical body may die, we have an opportunity to live forever. You may doubt this. It is very possible that this may seem abstract and out of alignment with everything you have learned. Which, I think is the point. It is so crazy that is has to be true. And, even if you find yourself confused, doubting, and even a bit angry, I ask you to consider this. If you take a step and just try and say that is might possibly be true, you can step into a life in eternity. Isn't it worth the risk? Wouldn't you rather take a chance and believe this Jesus is God than risk missing out on eternity?
Please rejoice with me this Easter. Please find value in the day. There is a God that was in complete anguish knowing that he would die. He did it for you and he did it for me. You may find yourself struggling with how God can be good and there can be evil. I say to you that Jesus looked evil straight in the face and won. You are right in saying there is evil in the world. And, God doesn't always rescue us from struggle, as evidenced by Jesus, he may even ask you to suffer. But, the reward in heaven is much greater than the rewards on this earth.
This Easter, I ask you to consider Jesus. Think about his life. Pick up a Bible and begin to read. I do not stand on a soap box asking you to say a prayer and accept him into your life. No, I ask you to open your heart to him. Let him in. Because no matter what I tell you, you cannot believe with out God's help. No pamphlet can tell you how great I think Jesus is. My life may not always exemplify how great he is. But, my heart believes and for that I am thankful. What do you believe?
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
What's with the running craze?
What's with the running craze in America these days? I think a lot of it has to do with Facebook. People put up pictures of themselves completing races, other people get motivated to start running, injure themselves and then end up to see me in PT. If you are reading this thinking, I should sign up for a race, a long distance race. Think about it. Why do you really want to do it? Is it to feel better about yourself? Is it so that people will think, man, she is super fit? Because I will tell you, when you are trying to breath at mile 23 and your legs feel like they have been shot, with a gun, you better dang well have a good reason for signing up. I have been struggling to write this post actually for some time. I have read too many blogs, listened to too many conversations, and even had people lie to me about their running. I actually quit Facebook because there was running overload. But, like everything, God teaches me things in my frustration.
I started running seriously in 2006. My reason, I wanted my new husband and I become healthy. Chris and I would wake up at 5 am every morning and head to our gym and start jogging. There was no goal other than to become healthy. We did this for about a year. I decided to test my fitness and signed up for a 5k. My first 5k was 23:49. It was clear that running was something I could actually be good at. Then, for the next 2 years, I trained myself to get better. I began winning awards and running really well. This got to my head and I actually thought I was a good runner when I could run 7 minute miles (ha what did the guy run yesterday 4:40s for 26.2 miles!). I told my mother I was going to be able to complete the Boston Marathon someday. She laughed. Then, she passed away in 2009.
In 2010, running became more than awards. Running became more than a pat on the back and something to post on Facebook. Running became something I did to deal with my grief. I belong to a church and it is supportive. However, when my mother died, it seemed like everyone disappeared and no one wanted to help me work through what just happened. People sent letters, cards. But, not one person asked as the months passed, how are you doing? And, if you are in my church, please do not take offense. I understand that when people are going through a death it can be hard to ask the right questions. But, I do encourage you to push through what you may think is awkwardness, because it could help someone heal. Because of my struggle, I began to run longer and harder to deal with my frustration, anger, and feelings of loneliness. I found Jesus when I ran. I heard his voice tell me to keep going, to push through the pain, run harder, run faster, get through the agony.
In May 2010, I wanted to train for a marathon, not actually to run one, but to run the miles to work on my heart and soul. I found a group of people that ran every Saturday and I joined them. I ran hard every Saturday throughout the summer of 2010 and realized I could actually complete a marathon. So, I signed up. I began to think maybe I can make good on the promise I made to my mom. My running friends watched me develop and because of all the stuff I was dealing with I could run long and at a good pace. My training log displays that qualifying for Boston actually was a possibility. The only reason I wanted to qualify for Boston was to get there. In October 2010, I ran what is supposed to be the "easiest" marathon to qualify at and I failed. In December, I tried again. I failed again. But, I had a small voice from the Holy Spirit telling me that I will make it into the 2011 Boston Marathon. A joke because it sold out in 1 day. I even tried to get a charity number and it failed. I kept running. Running now with frustration over why I couldn't make in happen on marathon day. In March of 2011, I got word that I could have a number for the Boston marathon. Unheard of! Of course, I signed up. Yet, now I had been training with my sister-in-law and felt sad that she would not be able to run with me. Running with her is a side bar. She always wanted to qualify for Boston. She tried like me and was unsuccessful. I knew this and wanted to start running with her to change the way we both thought about running. I wanted us to run to develop our relationship. And, we did. Running many races together, the best races of my life, to get to marathon day and be successful. So, when I heard that I was in and she was out, I was full of sadness. Yet, two days before the 2011 Boston Marathon, I was able to get her a number! And, yes, we ran the 2011 Boston Marathon together.
You would think this is where my running story would end but it does not. We got into the most prestigious race by an act of God. We even had VIP passes to enjoy a stress free start. Yet, when started running and I did not have it, mostly because we were dodging runners for the first 7 miles of the race. I struggled the entire race. We even stopped to pray for the Holy Spirit to help me because I was in pain, could barely run or breath. But, because I love running more than the time on the clock, I kept going.
You see, I know why there is a running craze. People think that through running they will experience joy. There will be accomplishments and medals to tote around. There is approval when someone knows you just ran a race, and even more when its a marathon. But, I tell you friends, its not the race day that gives the glory. Its in the hours of pounding the pavement when you pray for God to heal your broken heart, or change the ways of your enemy, or allow some way for you and your sister to get into the Boston Marathon.
I love to run because it connects my heart to Jesus. When I run for my own glory, I get a bad day. When I run to develop my relationship with God and his people, I get to see his glory. Please do not fall into believing that you will be called awesome if you run a marathon with a sub 4 hour time. Please value God more than that. When you wake up the day after the Boston Marathon, nothing has changed unless your heart is connected with the God above. Sure, I have a medal, but today when my feet hit the pavement, I cried, because I love that for 45 minutes, I met with Jesus and he consoled my broken heart. 4:03 in the Boston Marathon seemed like an epic failure yesterday and today it is a glorious Hallelujah because I ran the race set out for me despite the trials and tribulations. Next time I enter a marathon, I know it will not be a failure because God gets the glory and I get to sit back and watch.
I started running seriously in 2006. My reason, I wanted my new husband and I become healthy. Chris and I would wake up at 5 am every morning and head to our gym and start jogging. There was no goal other than to become healthy. We did this for about a year. I decided to test my fitness and signed up for a 5k. My first 5k was 23:49. It was clear that running was something I could actually be good at. Then, for the next 2 years, I trained myself to get better. I began winning awards and running really well. This got to my head and I actually thought I was a good runner when I could run 7 minute miles (ha what did the guy run yesterday 4:40s for 26.2 miles!). I told my mother I was going to be able to complete the Boston Marathon someday. She laughed. Then, she passed away in 2009.
In 2010, running became more than awards. Running became more than a pat on the back and something to post on Facebook. Running became something I did to deal with my grief. I belong to a church and it is supportive. However, when my mother died, it seemed like everyone disappeared and no one wanted to help me work through what just happened. People sent letters, cards. But, not one person asked as the months passed, how are you doing? And, if you are in my church, please do not take offense. I understand that when people are going through a death it can be hard to ask the right questions. But, I do encourage you to push through what you may think is awkwardness, because it could help someone heal. Because of my struggle, I began to run longer and harder to deal with my frustration, anger, and feelings of loneliness. I found Jesus when I ran. I heard his voice tell me to keep going, to push through the pain, run harder, run faster, get through the agony.
In May 2010, I wanted to train for a marathon, not actually to run one, but to run the miles to work on my heart and soul. I found a group of people that ran every Saturday and I joined them. I ran hard every Saturday throughout the summer of 2010 and realized I could actually complete a marathon. So, I signed up. I began to think maybe I can make good on the promise I made to my mom. My running friends watched me develop and because of all the stuff I was dealing with I could run long and at a good pace. My training log displays that qualifying for Boston actually was a possibility. The only reason I wanted to qualify for Boston was to get there. In October 2010, I ran what is supposed to be the "easiest" marathon to qualify at and I failed. In December, I tried again. I failed again. But, I had a small voice from the Holy Spirit telling me that I will make it into the 2011 Boston Marathon. A joke because it sold out in 1 day. I even tried to get a charity number and it failed. I kept running. Running now with frustration over why I couldn't make in happen on marathon day. In March of 2011, I got word that I could have a number for the Boston marathon. Unheard of! Of course, I signed up. Yet, now I had been training with my sister-in-law and felt sad that she would not be able to run with me. Running with her is a side bar. She always wanted to qualify for Boston. She tried like me and was unsuccessful. I knew this and wanted to start running with her to change the way we both thought about running. I wanted us to run to develop our relationship. And, we did. Running many races together, the best races of my life, to get to marathon day and be successful. So, when I heard that I was in and she was out, I was full of sadness. Yet, two days before the 2011 Boston Marathon, I was able to get her a number! And, yes, we ran the 2011 Boston Marathon together.
You would think this is where my running story would end but it does not. We got into the most prestigious race by an act of God. We even had VIP passes to enjoy a stress free start. Yet, when started running and I did not have it, mostly because we were dodging runners for the first 7 miles of the race. I struggled the entire race. We even stopped to pray for the Holy Spirit to help me because I was in pain, could barely run or breath. But, because I love running more than the time on the clock, I kept going.
You see, I know why there is a running craze. People think that through running they will experience joy. There will be accomplishments and medals to tote around. There is approval when someone knows you just ran a race, and even more when its a marathon. But, I tell you friends, its not the race day that gives the glory. Its in the hours of pounding the pavement when you pray for God to heal your broken heart, or change the ways of your enemy, or allow some way for you and your sister to get into the Boston Marathon.
I love to run because it connects my heart to Jesus. When I run for my own glory, I get a bad day. When I run to develop my relationship with God and his people, I get to see his glory. Please do not fall into believing that you will be called awesome if you run a marathon with a sub 4 hour time. Please value God more than that. When you wake up the day after the Boston Marathon, nothing has changed unless your heart is connected with the God above. Sure, I have a medal, but today when my feet hit the pavement, I cried, because I love that for 45 minutes, I met with Jesus and he consoled my broken heart. 4:03 in the Boston Marathon seemed like an epic failure yesterday and today it is a glorious Hallelujah because I ran the race set out for me despite the trials and tribulations. Next time I enter a marathon, I know it will not be a failure because God gets the glory and I get to sit back and watch.
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
I'm not perfect and will never be...
I started to think about the difference between working to accomplish a goal and accomplishing the goal with faith that it can be accomplished. What a difference! I noted several of my own personal experiences of recent striving. The outcome has never been what I hoped. My heart, mind, and spirit were all out of joint. There were pains and aches out of the selfishness within me. Yet, then, I began to reflect on the times I let my faith take control and these are among the best moments of my life.
God doesn't tell us not to work for our salvation because he is a strict Father with mysterious rules. No, he knows, that his yoke is easy and when we give up our work to him, we will enjoy the process much more.
For me, I work so hard to be perfect. I want to be the best at everything I do. I spend hours forming aspects of my character, physical body, etc. Yet, this is so off base with God's way. Some would say I am forming excellence which is good and honoring to God. But, I disagree. Any time we are working to influence others or God, we are off base. You see, we will never be perfect. We cannot prevent hurting someone's feelings, or prevent our children from disobeying. No, we cannot always win first place, or even be liked. There is always room for error. There is no best self now in this life.
So, instead of working to obtain whatever it is we seek, we should try handing these burdens over to God. This life is not about us and what we do with it but, rather about God and what he is doing. You know, even if Jesus isn't your God, that working to attain a goal always ends in disappointment. You either fail to meet the goal or you meet it and have to strive to meet another one. You may call this self improvement but, I argue that it leads to dissatifaction.
So, if you are like me, wanting to always do it right, I encourage you to look back on those times you just let life ride. I'm sure you found much mor joy, less judgement of others, and a deeper respect for peace that can only come from God. Give up the work and embrace the faith that it takes to believe you will never be perfect and neither will this life.
God doesn't tell us not to work for our salvation because he is a strict Father with mysterious rules. No, he knows, that his yoke is easy and when we give up our work to him, we will enjoy the process much more.
For me, I work so hard to be perfect. I want to be the best at everything I do. I spend hours forming aspects of my character, physical body, etc. Yet, this is so off base with God's way. Some would say I am forming excellence which is good and honoring to God. But, I disagree. Any time we are working to influence others or God, we are off base. You see, we will never be perfect. We cannot prevent hurting someone's feelings, or prevent our children from disobeying. No, we cannot always win first place, or even be liked. There is always room for error. There is no best self now in this life.
So, instead of working to obtain whatever it is we seek, we should try handing these burdens over to God. This life is not about us and what we do with it but, rather about God and what he is doing. You know, even if Jesus isn't your God, that working to attain a goal always ends in disappointment. You either fail to meet the goal or you meet it and have to strive to meet another one. You may call this self improvement but, I argue that it leads to dissatifaction.
So, if you are like me, wanting to always do it right, I encourage you to look back on those times you just let life ride. I'm sure you found much mor joy, less judgement of others, and a deeper respect for peace that can only come from God. Give up the work and embrace the faith that it takes to believe you will never be perfect and neither will this life.
Thursday, April 7, 2011
God as CEO
Today, I was reading Luke 19: 11-27, The Parable of the Ten Minas. The main purpose of this parable is emphasizing the importance of being a good steward of what God has given us most notably in the realm of business. This passage encourages us that God actually cares about how we conduct business and finds the business world useful for glorifying his purpose.
In this passage, it is demonstrated that there are three classes of how people conduct business on earth. There is the first servant who multiplies what God has given him and then he is given more to be in charge of at that same ratio as what he earned. What I find interesting is the response the servant has. He states, "Lord your mina has made ten minas more." He does not state, "Lord, look how business-minded I am, I made you more. This servant sees the mina as his Lord's, not his own. The same is true with the second servant. And, he is of no less value than the first and also is given the equivalent of what he has earned. The third servant is where I think most of those in business actually find themselves. He says, "I have kept your mina hid away on a handkerchief but I was afraid of you because you are strict."
How often do you find yourself keeping what God has given you tucked away or out in plain view for everyone to see.Too often, we believe that we have to write our own way in this world. We see business as a ladder to climb to the top or we see it as a means to end to pay our bills. God wants us to do well with his things on earth and give him the credit. This is not so that we may say, look how much of a powerful player in this world I am. No, rather he wants us to see what he has given us as belonging to him for his credit. Our talents, money, and power belong to him. We are in charge of what he has given while he is away. Please do not squander this responsibility or feel that you have some special skills that are not from God.
We are meant to conduct business and go about our affairs with grace and dignity. We must ask ourselves, are we hiding away our spoils, or parading around waiting for affirmation. Think about how you treat your co-workers, supervisors, etc. Do we sit and waste time thinking we could do a better job? Do we sit and analyze their every move? Do we hide what we want to truly say in order to make things run smoothy? Do we boast about how business savy we are? God cares about how we conduct our business. If you are barely getting by at work or sliding right to the top on a slippery slope of itimidation or flattery, I would consider these verses.
We have what belongs to God. We decide if we use it to give it back to him or to return to us. Its your choice, either God as CEO, or you. I bet on God.
In this passage, it is demonstrated that there are three classes of how people conduct business on earth. There is the first servant who multiplies what God has given him and then he is given more to be in charge of at that same ratio as what he earned. What I find interesting is the response the servant has. He states, "Lord your mina has made ten minas more." He does not state, "Lord, look how business-minded I am, I made you more. This servant sees the mina as his Lord's, not his own. The same is true with the second servant. And, he is of no less value than the first and also is given the equivalent of what he has earned. The third servant is where I think most of those in business actually find themselves. He says, "I have kept your mina hid away on a handkerchief but I was afraid of you because you are strict."
How often do you find yourself keeping what God has given you tucked away or out in plain view for everyone to see.Too often, we believe that we have to write our own way in this world. We see business as a ladder to climb to the top or we see it as a means to end to pay our bills. God wants us to do well with his things on earth and give him the credit. This is not so that we may say, look how much of a powerful player in this world I am. No, rather he wants us to see what he has given us as belonging to him for his credit. Our talents, money, and power belong to him. We are in charge of what he has given while he is away. Please do not squander this responsibility or feel that you have some special skills that are not from God.
We are meant to conduct business and go about our affairs with grace and dignity. We must ask ourselves, are we hiding away our spoils, or parading around waiting for affirmation. Think about how you treat your co-workers, supervisors, etc. Do we sit and waste time thinking we could do a better job? Do we sit and analyze their every move? Do we hide what we want to truly say in order to make things run smoothy? Do we boast about how business savy we are? God cares about how we conduct our business. If you are barely getting by at work or sliding right to the top on a slippery slope of itimidation or flattery, I would consider these verses.
We have what belongs to God. We decide if we use it to give it back to him or to return to us. Its your choice, either God as CEO, or you. I bet on God.
Monday, April 4, 2011
Reputation is for Rebels
Reputation is such a funny idea. Some people could care less about it, some people haven't really any mind of it, and others live and die by it. Boston is a city founded on reputation. Whether in the name of universities, scholars, historians, and even famed sports teams. Reputation is something that this city lives and breaths. If you have grown up here, like I have, you haven't the slightest clue that you even care about it until you become a Christian.
Today, I realized, I care more than too much about my reputation. Yet, I was only struck by this because of verse shown to me in the Bible. It says in Philippians 2:5-7,
" Jesus did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no REPUTATION, coming in the likeness of men."
Here's the idea friends. Jesus was living in heaven with God in perfect harmony. Although debatable by those who aren't Christian, he is God. Totally God. And, he decides that he is going to come and live on our earth, the one he created, and give up his reputation as God and let us decide if he really is what he says he is. PLEASE do not tell me that you would be able to do that! I know right now that I care way too much about how smart, attractive, well liked I am, to give that up for people to decide if I am what I say I am. Yet, that is the bit that caught me! That means that I care too much about myself to be willing to risk it for that sake of letting you know that I love God and he loves me!
Reputation is something that God wants to wipe away from our minds. There is only one reputation that he cares about and that is the one we set in heaven. Being a Bostonian is not my excuse any longer. When you see me, you should see who God really is. So, when I flash you some other credentials, you better be ready to challenge me. If I say I am a Christian that should mean that I care about my savings bank in heaven growing more exponentially than my treasures here on earth. There is no other reason I follow God. If God can come down here and give up a throne, I sure can give up what people think about me.
If you find yourself struggling with building a good reputation, have no fear, you will figure it out sooner or later that it really has no value. But, I do pray that you will find comfort today knowing that you are loved just the way you are right now, without a degree, without a penny, with no one waving and clapping for you. God sees you, just as he created you, and is pleased.
Today, I realized, I care more than too much about my reputation. Yet, I was only struck by this because of verse shown to me in the Bible. It says in Philippians 2:5-7,
" Jesus did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no REPUTATION, coming in the likeness of men."
Here's the idea friends. Jesus was living in heaven with God in perfect harmony. Although debatable by those who aren't Christian, he is God. Totally God. And, he decides that he is going to come and live on our earth, the one he created, and give up his reputation as God and let us decide if he really is what he says he is. PLEASE do not tell me that you would be able to do that! I know right now that I care way too much about how smart, attractive, well liked I am, to give that up for people to decide if I am what I say I am. Yet, that is the bit that caught me! That means that I care too much about myself to be willing to risk it for that sake of letting you know that I love God and he loves me!
Reputation is something that God wants to wipe away from our minds. There is only one reputation that he cares about and that is the one we set in heaven. Being a Bostonian is not my excuse any longer. When you see me, you should see who God really is. So, when I flash you some other credentials, you better be ready to challenge me. If I say I am a Christian that should mean that I care about my savings bank in heaven growing more exponentially than my treasures here on earth. There is no other reason I follow God. If God can come down here and give up a throne, I sure can give up what people think about me.
If you find yourself struggling with building a good reputation, have no fear, you will figure it out sooner or later that it really has no value. But, I do pray that you will find comfort today knowing that you are loved just the way you are right now, without a degree, without a penny, with no one waving and clapping for you. God sees you, just as he created you, and is pleased.
Sunday, April 3, 2011
God's Church
I know why many of you reading this blog are opposed to church. Yep, I can totally relate to why you wouldn't step foot in a church even if you were told they were giving away free money. It can be a horrible place. Church can be a place where people are hurt, abused, taken advantage of, and grace is given like a band aid instead of the truth it really is. I admit there are days I wake up and ask myself why I even bother. Why do I subject myself to a sense of falsehood and foe relationships that only last for 2 hours on a Sunday? But, the truth is that Church is God's plan for us. He didn't intend that we stay by ourselves in this world. The fact is that the world is messed up and so is the Church. Now, its no excuse for the behavior. And, really, most churches need to get a grip on reality. Yet, there is something we can all learn from going to Church. It's almost like God knows its going to be rough and he plans on it that way. When we humble ourselves and subject ourselves to people that are surely the most annoying we have ever met, and try and see the good, we are changed. When we go to grab a cup of coffee and find out that one single guy has been drinking it all and there is none left for us, we are changed. When we hear the stories of broken lives that have led people to find comfort in the Church, we are changed. When we sing a song about God's faithfulness, when we have just lost everything dear to us, we are changed. The Church is place where God challenges us. Do we really believe that he loves us and everyone else in this world? Do we really believe that his love can change this world?
Church can be discouraging. It can be a place where many times you want to throw up your hands and say, enough is enough. It is full of liars, manipulators, haters, and sinners. But, the difference of our Church and the dirty world, is that God says that those titles no longer apply to those he has welcomed in His building. He wipes away their old identity and gives it a clean bill of health. The challenge you are up for when you come to church is believing that that is actually true! Truth is, Church isn't about the people in it at all, its really a test of how much faith in the grace of God you actually have!
So next time you enter a Church, hopefully the same one I enter, think about the shear fact that God sees people different than you do. That single guy, who steals all the coffee, he really is a treasured possession of God that God intends to build into a strong man that loves his wife and children and actively teaches them about God. And, the most annoying person in the room, is most likely the best opportunity for you to learn how to love like God does.
There is a disclaimer to this post, however. It is by no means acceptable for Christian people to abuse others. Therefore, if you attend a Church and are being pushed around, that is not right, and God doesn't stand for it. God is clear that he wants no messing around in his temple. He tosses tables for things like that. If you feel like Church is a place you have been mistreated, and taken advantage of, that is not what God intends. And for that, I apologize for all those silly Christians who thought they were treating you the way God wants you to be treated. That my friend is a lie, and you need to find a new Church!
Understand this, if you go to Church, you will have problems. Its no different than your workplace. But, the best part of going to Church is that God never leaves you the same on your way out. Believe that He is a good God. People are not. That is why he suffered on a cross. He didn't give himself a shot to go to sleep, or take poison for the easy man's way out. Nope. Our God suffocated on a cross for well over 3 hours to prove to you that he loves you. The least we could do for him is learn to love his Church the way he intended.
Church can be discouraging. It can be a place where many times you want to throw up your hands and say, enough is enough. It is full of liars, manipulators, haters, and sinners. But, the difference of our Church and the dirty world, is that God says that those titles no longer apply to those he has welcomed in His building. He wipes away their old identity and gives it a clean bill of health. The challenge you are up for when you come to church is believing that that is actually true! Truth is, Church isn't about the people in it at all, its really a test of how much faith in the grace of God you actually have!
So next time you enter a Church, hopefully the same one I enter, think about the shear fact that God sees people different than you do. That single guy, who steals all the coffee, he really is a treasured possession of God that God intends to build into a strong man that loves his wife and children and actively teaches them about God. And, the most annoying person in the room, is most likely the best opportunity for you to learn how to love like God does.
There is a disclaimer to this post, however. It is by no means acceptable for Christian people to abuse others. Therefore, if you attend a Church and are being pushed around, that is not right, and God doesn't stand for it. God is clear that he wants no messing around in his temple. He tosses tables for things like that. If you feel like Church is a place you have been mistreated, and taken advantage of, that is not what God intends. And for that, I apologize for all those silly Christians who thought they were treating you the way God wants you to be treated. That my friend is a lie, and you need to find a new Church!
Understand this, if you go to Church, you will have problems. Its no different than your workplace. But, the best part of going to Church is that God never leaves you the same on your way out. Believe that He is a good God. People are not. That is why he suffered on a cross. He didn't give himself a shot to go to sleep, or take poison for the easy man's way out. Nope. Our God suffocated on a cross for well over 3 hours to prove to you that he loves you. The least we could do for him is learn to love his Church the way he intended.
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