Via: Today I Learned Something New
How far would you go for your beliefs?
“If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow me.”
— Jesus (Matthew 16:24 [NLT])
My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
— Paul (Galatians 2:20 [NLT])
My wife’s car rolled to 24,000 today while I ran an errand.
Took her seven years…she doesn’t venture far from home base.
Several weeks ago, I shared Matt Redman’s song “Endless Hallelujah” during the offering time at church. The song has quickly become one of my favorites from his new 10,000 Reasons album [iTunes].
One thing that gets me each time I listen to the song is the phrase:
“Ev’rything as it was meant to be“
In the context of the song, it’s:
When I stand before Your throne
Dressed in glory not my own
What a joy I’ll sing of on that day
No more tears of broken dreams
Forgotten in the minor key
Ev’rything as it was meant to be
The thing that challenges me in regard to that phrase is the frequent difference between how I feel or expect “things to be” and how God would have them – in His position as Sovereign Lord in my life.
Quite often, miles and miles separate the two…
…and my version of my “story” is without adversity or challenge.
With certainty, God has promised a life with, as the song’s chorus declares,
No more tears, No more shame
No more sin and sorrow Ever known again
No more fears, No more pain
We may enjoy a foretaste of that on earth, but the reality of a life like that – life “as it was meant to be” – will only come in heaven.
And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”
— Revelation 21:3-4 (NIV)
Maranatha!
A year ago, my dad and his wife died in a car accident. Then and now: it hurts.
A person I’d loved my entire lifetime and another I’d only known less than a year were tragically gone…
I’ve been and still am: angry, confused, bitter, regretful, sorrowful, apathetic, depressed, broken, … many things.
I’ve grappled with the knowledge that others have lost loved ones as well, often thinking to myself, “who am I to think that I am any different.”
I’ve asked “why?” too many times to count, knowing that I’ll never know the answer to that question this side of heaven – for we read:
“Now we see things imperfectly as in a cloudy mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely.”
I Corinthians 13:12 (NLT)
I believe clarity will come…
…and yet, at the very moment it does, it probably won’t matter.
For, as the song Soon expresses:
I will be with One I love.
With unveiled face I’ll see Him.
There my soul will be satisfied.
Soon and very soon
Maranatha!
“I run in the path of Your commands,
for You have broadened my understanding.”
Psalm 119:32 (NIV)
Funny how we sometimes read the words, but comprehend them differently:
“I sit comfortably and complacently alongside the path of Your commands,
satisfied with my limited understanding of You, Your ways, and Your purpose for me.”
Psalm 119:32 (HP*)
[or, maybe I’m alone in this observation…]
*”Hearer’s” Paraphrase
A while back I bought Sara Bareilles’ album Kaleidoscope Heart for my wife. It synced to my iPhone back then and, while scrolling through my music the other day, I figured I’d give it a listen.
It’s not what I normally listen to, but the album’s got some pretty good tunes and creative lyrics.
One song that jumped out at me was King of Anything [YouTube, iTunes]. I guess we’ve all had the feelings expressed in the song in most of our relationships: “I’ve got it together”, “like you’re perfect”, “you don’t understand”, “who do you think you are”, …
When I heard the chorus, though, my parochial-school-educated and Holy-Spirit-convicted mind immediately went to what Christ-followers basically tell God when we don’t agree with Him or His Word and do what we want or think is right…you know, that thing called SIN…
“Who cares if you disagree
You are not me
Who made you king of anything
So you dare tell me who to be
Who died and made you king of anything”
ouch
As we flew home from Hawaii last Friday, I occupied my time in various ways: talking with my wife, looking at pictures, napping, playing Angry Birds, watching videos, and listening to music.
At one point, Lincoln Brewster’s song God You Reign came on…
I so appreciate that song and have listened to and lead it many, many times. Honestly though, when I listen to it, I usually skip the ending and proceed to the next song (I guess I do this on other songs too). This time, I let it play through as I stared out the window of the plane…
At the end of the song (at ~5:36),the words “God You Reign” are spoken three times as the song plays out.
Not to sound overly spooky or weird, but in my mind, I imagined my parents speaking those words…
…reassuring me that, no matter what…
…God reigns supreme and providentially over all.
[YouTube link]
[as i write this, i feel somewhat like a Galápagos Island naturalist]
Lorenzo the lizard, as my wife “affectionately” calls him, lives in our backyard. I’m not exactly sure where he hangs out all the time or where he sleeps, but he can be seen roaming around the yard most of the time.
We also have a black lab – a 90-pound bundle of energy who still thinks she’s a pup. We KNOW where she hangs out – which includes Lorenzo’s “territory.” For the pup, hanging out in the backyard involves playing with all sorts of balls, Frisbees, sticks, etc., and – well – relieving herself.
We’ve come to discover that Lorenzo is quite intelligent. He has discovered that, while our dog is a threat, she’s also quite useful: he’s noticed that dog droppings attract flies – or as he calls them, FOOD.
Further, and again, being the intelligent and observant reptile that he is, he’s noticed that if he lays reeeeal still on the droppings, the flies think he’s part of the pile – landing within close range and making meals come relatively easy.
As you’ve probably discovered, I’m not a trained naturalist; but I’d think for most animals, laying on a “pile” is not highly desired – though I’m sure there are exceptions…
The thing is, in my “expert” analysis, I see Lorenzo as being willing to make the sacrifice of some discomfort (at least in my mind) for the benefit of something he needs or desires. Put simply: pile laying = fly-a-palooza
Which leads to the “Life Lesson from Lorenzo the Lizard”:
Sometimes you have to endure some crap
to reap life’s benefits
z
NOTE: The photo above is not Lorenzo, he’s proved difficult to capture on film. Also, if you ask my wife, Lorenzo is approx 7 times the size of that photo and probably could detach a limb if one got too close!
In his pride the wicked man does not seek Him;
in all his thoughts there is no room for God.
— Psalm 10:4
Ever read a verse and think, “mkay, glad that doesn’t reflect me”?
x
“Wicked: sinful; iniquitous…” – dictionary.com
“stinkin’ dictionaries.” – dennis
x
Possible t-shirt tie-in: SIN: Edging God out since Adam & Eve.
x
(if you’re from Boston,
you get the post title)
(i’m not from Boston,
but am somewhat
creative)
DENNARR(dot)COM 