On Romans 12 and Cows

Romans 12:1-8

Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.
And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.
For through the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has allotted to each a measure of faith.
For just as we have many members in one body and all the members do not have the same function, so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. Since we have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, each of us is to exercise them accordingly: if prophecy, according to the proportion of his faith; if service, in his serving; or he who teaches, in his teaching; or he who exhorts, in his exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.
(emphasis mine)
There is little in scripture that gives me more encouragement about my role in the Body of Christ (aka the church) than these verses. We are each created by God with our specific strengths and weaknesses for One purpose--to glorify God! (Yes, in our weaknesses, too.)
We are ONE body, with MANY parts, for One purpose--to glorify God!
We walk different paths in different ways for One purpose--to glorify God!
We are gifted and called for One purpose--to glorify God!
So there is no need to want to be anything other than who we are, because we are not mistakes--we are for a purpose!
We are full of purpose--purposeful! And it is acceptable to God! Shouldn't it be acceptable to us?
Now it goes without saying, that we should be reaching for the goal of being more like Jesus, but as we do, can we not content ourselves to be Who We Are for His sake?
Can we agree with His Word, and work at renewing our minds, or will we buy the lie that we aren't spiritual, pretty, thin, smart, talented, called, healthy, gifted, special, disciplined, normal, rich, strong, savvy, you-name-it, ENOUGH to glorify Him?

Had He wanted, could He not have made us those things? Has it not pleased Him to make us as He did? While I look at you and wish I had the X you enjoy and you look at me and covet the Y that I have, doesn't God see us both as He made us to be and desire that we should trust Him?
We should be overwhelmed with thanksgiving for His careful plans for us. We should be in awe of the love and sacrifice with which we were saved.
"Oh, but if I could just have some....of....the....grass....over....there!"
We are not cows. That greener grass is called DISCONTENT--discontentment with God's plan for us, the very people He purchased with His blood. We are a purchased and redeemed people, and yet like the Israelites in the desert, we're grumbling! I am anyway, and I'm guessing I'm not the only one.
So, I repent. I will choose, instead, to be THANKFUL!
I will be thankful that I am who I am and I will be thankful for my family and I will be thankful for my life and I will be thankful for my home. I will be thankful to be 43, out of shape (although round is a shape!), middle-lower-class, over-busy, exceedingly imperfect, and frequently just plain weird.
But I will not be discontent.
I choose, this day, to NOT BE A COW.

An Uncertain Future & Fruit With A Purpose

My friend Diana posted the devotional below last week and I thought it was very appropriate for the season of the year (harvest) and this season in my life. (The season where I, to be honest, am very tempted to worry about things I can do little about, so instead should be focusing on using what I have to serve God.)

To my surprise, I am rather worried about current and impending events and asking myself questions I don't always have the answer to, like: What does the future hold? Frankly, it is not looking good. Most everything I see and hear gives me no cause to feel confident or secure; and: How will we get through these increasingly difficult times? That one I do have an answer for...

It's simple really--either with faith, or without it. God will provide for us according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus (Phil. 4:19). That is true. How do I know? Because He has promised it in His Word (and I have seen Him do it over and over again). BUT He will not necessarily provide in the ways I expect or think that I want Him to. Instead, He will provide in His perfectly-planned, loving, and sovereign way--a way that meets my real, not necessarily my perceived, needs.

We can trust that He will work all things together for good to us who love Him and are called according to His purpose. (Rom. 8:28) But that purpose is primarily a spiritual one, with eternal ramifications, and we may or may not recognize the 'good' He is working out when we are in the middle of the trial. In truth, if we have Christ, we already have all that really matters, and there is nothing else that we actually need although our perception may be otherwise. (Ooh, I tremble when I say stuff like that, because it means the test will inevitably follow, and it won't be fun.)

So the only question that really remains is: Will I trust Him, be happy in my circumstances, and offer all that He gives me (whether ease or hardship) back to Him, with thanksgiving, as my spiritual service of worship? OK, that's really about 4 questions, but you know what I mean... I hope the answer is 'Yes.' That is my plan and what I'm aiming for. In the process (read: successes AND failures), He will develop more fruit (Christlikeness) in me, and use it in the world to His praise and glory.

mjv

Sep. 10, 2008 - The purpose of fruit. . .

Some neighborhood children, who had previously requested and received permission, were gleefully picking rosy red apples off our apple tree today. We have plenty to go around, so it was merely an interesting experience to watch them, seeing how carefully they looked for the best apples. The purpose? Eating! Right then. Warm from the tree. Perfect food for a gorgeous autumn day.

As I pondered this little vista, I suddenly thought about the purpose of fruit.

Do you suppose that an apple tree bears fruit just so we can gaze at the perfectly red orbs and say, "Wow, what gorgeous fruit!"?

Or, does an apple tree find its highest purpose in producing fruit which can be picked and eaten?

Jesus cursed the fig tree that wasn't bearing fruit. . . Which gives us insight into its purpose.

I know, I know. This is SO simple. Ridiculously simple. The fruit is there, hanging on the tree, so we can pick and eat it.

Right.

Now, think about the fruit of the Spirit. He grows these increasingly mature and ripe fruits in us of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

Are they there so that others can stand from afar and admire how wonderful we look?

Or are they there so that others -- including our children and spouses -- can pick and eat them as they have need?

So, for instance, when my son is being a growly bear, would there be gentleness and patience available in me for him -- to the point where it was tangible and satisfying to him?

If my daughter was pushing all of my buttons, would there be a large enough portion of self-control that she could really taste its reality?

If my life's circumstances are debilitating and hard, is there enough of the Spirit's joy in me that the rest of the family (myself included) can be encouraged and refreshed to continue to trust God's plan for our lives?

It's just a thought.

And it coincides with what Jesus said in John 15:

"Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me."

Blessings,

Diana

Humility without humiliation--is it possible?

I don't want to be proud--God is opposed to the proud. I want to be humble, like Jesus, so I have often prayed:

"Oh God, help me to be humble........but please don't humiliate me."

Fortunately for me, that prayer isn't quite as preposterous as it sounds, unlike the one that I've often been tempted to pray but haven't bothered with: "Oh God, help me to lose 50 lbs, but please make it effortless..." While the first prayer actually has scriptural precedent; unfortunately for me, my own sinfulness renders it almost as unlikely to be achieved as the second one.

I desire humility enough to put out great effort to work with Him towards that goal. And my perspective and prayer is in good company. In Psalm 25:1-5 David said virtually the same thing:
To You, O LORD, I lift up my soul. O my God, in You I trust,
Do not let me be ashamed; Do not let my enemies exult over me.
Indeed, none of those who wait for You will be ashamed;
Those who deal treacherously without cause will be ashamed.
Make me know Your ways, O LORD; Teach me Your paths.
Lead me in Your truth and teach me, For You are the God of my salvation;
For You I wait all the day.

And, as a follower of Jesus, it's part of what I am commanded to do.
1Peter 3:8-9 To sum up, all of you be harmonious, sympathetic, brotherly, kindhearted, and humble in spirit; not returning evil for evil or insult for insult, but giving a blessing instead; for you were called for the very purpose that you might inherit a blessing.

So I try. And I grow. And I do better. And I start feeling pretty good about my humility, and then on occasion--wham! Humiliation. Apparently I've still got plenty to learn. However, because I really do want it, I am willing to submit to the pain of the process. (Oh yeah, and I deserved it, too.) I confess, I repent, I make amends and I start again.

Being humble is a good thing--definitely worth the effort. And even if I wasn't sure about that, I would certainly be sure that it is better to become well-acquainted with humility than for God to give me a hard and fast introduction. I've seen it in person--most of us have at some time. Luke 4:11 " For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled..."
For the arrogant child of God it often involves public knowledge, broken lives, collateral damage, grief and humiliation. It's just plain scary; but severe correction is evidence of sonship and it's better than death.
Hebrews 12:9-11 Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of our spirits and live! Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.

The School of Humility sometimes leaves me wondering if I've been disciplined or if this is just another lesson. Either way, I know in Whom I have trusted and He is worthy of my trust. He will teach me in ways I cannot teach myself and correct me when I err. But to those who exalt themselves, puff up and look down, believe their own press and reject correction He makes a horrible promise.
Isaiah 2:12 For the LORD of hosts will have a day of reckoning against everyone who is proud and lofty and against everyone who is lifted up, that he may be abased.
That isn't something I want to be a part of--I'll take my lumps now, thank you.

The Lord is my Master. He gets to decide the path I take in life and my job is to obey and to learn to do it--whatever it is--with humility. Jesus himself is my example.
Philippians 2:8 Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

I want to be like Jesus. I want to walk in ways that honor Him. So if, while on this path, humiliation is the tool God chooses to help make me like His Son, then I will try for His sake to recall that Jesus went there first and I am just a Follower.

Earthen Vessels-An Average Servant

For we do not preach ourselves but Christ Jesus as Lord,
and ourselves as your bond-servants for Jesus’ sake.
For God, who said, “Light shall shine out of darkness,”
is the One who has shone in our hearts
to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.
But we have this treasure in earthen vessels,
that the surpassing greatness of the power
may be of God and not from ourselves...
2Cor. 4:5 -7

I'm an average bond servant. What I mean is, if a bond servant is one who serves willingly, selflessly and not under compulsion, for Christ's sake, then my performance today is, at best, average. I would think that I could manage to be a shining example of at least a lowly bond servant, but really, I'm average. Today, probably less than.

I am of dirt. He is Light, Glory, Surpassing Greatness and Power. I get the whole contrast thing, but today I'm just not liking it. I'm irritated by both the contrast--I want to be more like Him and less like me!-- and the fact that I'm not succeeding in reasoning myself out of my emotions. I should be glad to highlight His brilliance by my earthiness--but the earthiness is winning the day and I think it sucks.

If Jesus is the light that shines in me then I am the darkness He is shining out of. He is the positive and I the negative. Well, this is certainly evident this morning! :) Usually I walk around more like twilight, occasionally I even shine like mid-day, but today seems like midnight. Twilight's sounding real good today. It is a useful feeling, it should help me appreciate my 'normal' state, but unpleasant nonetheless. At the very least I am thankful that most days don't feel like midnight. So what's the difference today?

A noticeable stack of small and medium-sized failures, internal and external, unmet desires and relentless pressures, all allowed by God, to remind me of my fallen-ness. NEWS FLASH: I have NOT arrived. I probably am not even in the building. So, my challenge today is to lay hold of what makes most days so much better: Jesus. If yesterday was better it was not because of my amazing spirituality but because I let His truth reign in my heart. There is only one thing to be done on a day like today, besides take a nap, and that is to camp out on what is true and offer sacrifices of praise because He is worthy. (Um, that's two things--but, there you have it, er, them.)

Through Him then, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that give thanks to His name.
And do not neglect doing good and sharing; for with such sacrifices God is pleased.
Heb. 13:15-16

We are clay pots

Here is a devotional from Elizabeth Elliot, which captures the essence of what it means to be clay pots.

Clay Pots

The jungle indians of Ecuador make clay pots of very simple design with no ornamentation or glaze. They challenged me to try shaping them as they did, rolling "snakes" of wet clay and then coiling them round and round until they had a perfectly smooth and balanced vessel. It looked rather easy, but I found that it was a highly developed skill, and my attempts to imitate it were laughable. Mine was not a master hand.

The next step was to build a very hot fire of thorns and brushwood and bake the pot. It was then ready for use, to carry water from the river or to cook in. Nobody thought much about the pot itself once it was made. What mattered was what was in it.

We are, Paul said, clay pots. The Potter has formed us, shaped us into a useful vessel, put us through the fire of testing that we might be fit to hold what He gives us. We are useful and fit--but we are still clay pots--it's what's inside that matters. It is a priceless treasure (2 Cor 4:7 NEB).

I can think of no clearer analogy of our place in God's service and a no more accurate picture of the relative merits of who we are and what we have to offer. We shall always be just pots, quite cheap on the market, but what we carry for others is priceless.

Love, Paul said in another passage, does not "cherish inflated ideas of its own importance" (l Cor 13:4 JBP).

Author: Elisabeth Elliot
Source: A Lamp For My Feet
Scripture Reference: 2 Corinthians 4:7 1 Corinthians 13:4

Hard Things

Today is hard. Dear friends and family in Oregon are undergoing the most difficult circumstances. Their bodies are all failing; their battles are in different stages. One nears heaven rapidly and will leave a wife and 4 children; one sees the end approaching--probably within months--and does not have a firm grip on the Savior; one sees an agonizing deterioration before her time to be with Jesus and a husband and 3 children walk with her. The last chapter of their physical lives looks to be very hard for all three.

What can I do? Pray. How can I help? Pray. Where is comfort? That God has promised that my prayers are effective to help. Our faith is in Christ alone, and He is Victorious over death and the grave.

Thank You, Lord of all mercies, that I can do that for them.

IT IS WELL WITH MY SOUL

When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

It is well, with my soul, It is well, with my soul, It is well, it is well, with my soul.

Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
Let this blest assurance control,
That Christ has regarded my helpless estate,
And hath shed His own blood for my soul.

It is well, with my soul, It is well, with my soul, It is well, it is well, with my soul.

My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!
My sin, not in part but the whole,
Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!

It is well, with my soul, It is well, with my soul, It is well, it is well, with my soul.

For me, be it Christ, be it Christ hence to live:
If Jordan above me shall roll,
No pang shall be mine, for in death as in life
Thou wilt whisper Thy peace to my soul.

It is well, with my soul, It is well, with my soul, It is well, it is well, with my soul.

But, Lord, ‘tis for Thee, for Thy coming we wait,
The sky, not the grave, is our goal;
Oh trump of the angel! Oh voice of the Lord!
Blessèd hope, blessèd rest of my soul!

It is well, with my soul, It is well, with my soul, It is well, it is well, with my soul.

And Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight,
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;
The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,
Even so, it is well with my soul.

It is well, with my soul, It is well, with my soul, It is well, it is well, with my soul.

This hymn was writ­ten af­ter two ma­jor trau­mas in Horatio Spaf­ford’s life. The first was the great Chi­ca­go Fire of Oc­to­ber 1871, which ru­ined him fi­nan­cial­ly (he had been a weal­thy bus­i­ness­man). Short­ly af­ter, while cross­ing the At­lan­tic, all four of Spaf­ford’s daugh­ters died in a col­li­sion with an­o­ther ship. Spaf­ford’s wife Anna sur­vived and sent him the now fa­mous tel­e­gram, “Saved alone.” Sev­er­al weeks lat­er, as Spaf­ford’s own ship passed near the spot where his daugh­ters died, the Ho­ly Spir­it in­spired these words. They speak to the eter­nal hope that all be­liev­ers have, no mat­ter what pain and grief be­fall them on earth.
(Above, from www.cyberhymnal.org)

Pick Up Your Cross

Another EE devotional to stir my soul--A Lamp For My Feet is definitely my favorite of her writings so far....
Author: Elisabeth Elliot Source: A Lamp For My Feet

Jesus invites us to be his disciples. If we choose to accept his loving invitation, we must understand that there are certain conditions to be fulfilled. One of them is a willingness to accept the cross. Is this a once-for-all taking up of one particular burden? I don't think so. It seems to me that my "cross" is each particular occasion when I am given the chance to "die"--that is, to offer up my own will whenever it crosses Christ's. This happens very often. A disagreement with my husband can cause an argument and harsh words, even if the matter is ridiculously small--"When are you going to get that dashboard light fixed in the car?" I have already mentioned the light three times. It may be time to keep my mouth shut, but I don't want to keep my mouth shut. Here, then, is a chance to die. A decision which affects both of us may be a fairly big one, but we find ourselves on two sides of the fence. One of us, then, must "die." It is never easy for me. Shall I make excuses for myself (that's the way I am; it's my personality; it's the way I was raised; I'm tired; I can't hack it; it doesn't turn me on; you don't understand)--or shall I pick up this cross?

Perhaps my illustration seems to trivialize the cross of Christ. His was so unimaginably greater. What cross could I possibly take up which would be analogous? Just here is the lesson for me: when Jesus took up his cross, He was saying yes with all his being to the will of the Father. If I am unwilling to say yes in even a very little thing, how shall I accept a more painful thing? What sort of practice does it take for a disciple to learn to follow the Crucified? A friend hurts us, a plan goes awry, an effort fails--small things indeed. But then cancer strikes, a daughter marries unwisely, a business folds, a wife abandons her home and family. The call still comes to us: Take up your cross and come with Me. With You, Lord? Yes, with Me. Will You give me strength and show me the way? That was my promise--is it my custom to break promises?


What a challenge and joy! I am challenged because I don't want to die; but what a joy to have opportunity in every situation to honor Christ's willingness to die (for me!), and follow His example, and bless the One who created me and all that is! Oh, that I were more consistent....

Evidence for the Resurrection

Several of you asked for my presentation from Sunday morning, March 30, about evidence for the Resurrection of Christ. To download the PowerPoint presentation click here.

If you want to see the speaker notes, mouse down to the lower left, click on the icon, and choose Screen->Speaker Notes.

I hope this is an encouragement, and feel free to use it however you want.