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Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony. And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are called to live in peace. And always be thankful. Colossians 3:12-15 (NLT)
How do you get up in the morning? The attitude we have when we get out of bed with has a large part to do with the rest of the day. If we get up anticipating a good day, no matter what happens we’ll be more positive than if we start out on the ‘wrong side of bed’. Colossians says we have been raised to new life to share in God’s glory. That means each day should be looked at as a new day! A new beginning. All the old stuff from yesterday is gone. We start new. When you have positive anticipation it’s simply easier to get out of bed. Why do kids that normally sleep in get up early Christmas morning? PRESENTS! The anticipation of the new outweighs the comfort of the familiar.
Once you get up in the morning you prepare yourself for the day. Physically, you shower (or the world hopes you do) and do all the things necessary to make you presentable for the day. In a Spiritual sense we need to put off all the old and put on the new. Approach each new day with the attitude that ‘Christ is all that matters’. You do that by spending some time with your Savior. A word of prayer, some time in his Word. Think of it this way. Would you get up in the morning and say, “I just don’t have time to get dressed this morning. I’ll go naked this once. No one will notice.” Of course not. But we often put off the spiritual preparation for the day because we don’t think it important. Consider your spiritual preparation as important as your physical preparation for the day.
Now you are ready to get dressed. Clothes tell others a lot us. The first thing others see is our clothing before anything else. A person full of cancer, but well dressed looks better than a healthy bum. The following article appeared in a magazine:
Clothes tell a lot about us, our era, our jobs, etc. But the Swiss bank UBS raised eyebrows last month when it’s very conservative dress code was leaked on the Internet. The comprehensive, 44-page document defined how men should knot their ties, and how women should care for their skin. Underwear in a neutral color is, apparently, a must.
The reason we have dress codes is essentially this. Companies or organizations expect a certain look for their employees. The dress code assures that everyone that aligns themselves with that group look the same.
The Bible says we clothe ourselves so others see us as being merciful, kind, humble, gentle and patient. Paul goes on further to say that our ‘clothing’ ought to be such that we ‘make allowance’ for the weaknesses and failures of other people. Why? Because Jesus takes your weakness and failures into account and forgives you time and time again. He wants you to clothe yourself in the same way so that others will know you are associated with him.
The last thing you put on in the morning may be a belt. That’s what it was in the NT times. The belt pulled all the garments together. It was security and it was aesthetic. Going out without your belt would be like going out naked.
So what’s the ‘belt’ we wear to pull all this together? Love. The most important thing you do in the morning, before leaving for the day’s activities, is to put on an attitude of love. Love like Christ gives. Love that says ‘no matter what, I’ll never give up on you.’ The last thing you put on is the first thing others will see!
Now you are dressed for the day. Your earthly situation doesn’t change your heavenly calling. A calling to represent the cause of Jesus Christ. Follow these guidelines and you’ll be dressed appropriately for any weather changes that come your way.
PRAYER: Lord Jesus, may I dress each and every day for the activities you lay before me. Empower me to love, endure and embrace those I meet with grace and forgiveness as you have me. Amen.
The Lord is my shepherd; I have everything I need. Psalm 23:1 (NCV)
First of all, we need to get rid of the romanticism behind being a shepherd. We’ve seen the pictures. Soft little lambs playing in an open meadow while adult sheep lay enjoying the sun. In the background a shepherd sits against a rock looking out over a peaceful valley. Blue skies. Green grass. Gorgeous scenery. Life is good.
Without a doubt there were days like that but have you ever really thought of what life as a shepherd was like? Occasionally (as in the night Jesus was born) you may be lucky enough to spend some time with other shepherds and other flocks. But much of their time is spent alone.
Shepherds didn’t go home at night. Their home was with the sheep. Smelly, stubborn, stupid boring sheep 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. They endured hot days and cold nights. They endured storms and winds and were under constant threat of enemy attack, especially in the dark. And the picture of peaceful sheep following a shepherd? Forget that too. Sheep are stubborn. They don’t know where to eat. They won’t go find good grass on their own. They don’t know enough to stay out of rushing water. If they tried to cross a stream that was too deep their wool would turn them into an effective anchor! They certainly aren’t fighters. Bears, lions and other predators see sheep as fair and easy game and an easy, instant meal.
Sheep rebel constantly, lack motivation, vision, passion, desire and wisdom. Even so, Jesus gives us a glimpse of what a shepherd was like. David, of course, was a shepherd. Shepherds were the first ones told of the birth of the Christ-child.
Jesus calls himself the good shepherd. Here’s what he says about a good shepherd. A good shepherd knows your name. He may have hundreds of sheep in the flock, but he knows you. personally. That doesn’t mean he knows your name alone. He knows your likes and dislikes. He knows the intricate things about your personality. To me all sheep look the same. To Jesus every sheep is unique and exciting. That’s you. Unique. Exciting.
The good shepherd protects. He lies down at the gate so no predators can get through. The only way to get to you is if they get through the shepherd first. Not much chance of anyone getting past Jesus. He’s passionate about protecting you.
Good shepherds know what is best for you. He prepares the day’s journey. He’s walked the path many times. He knows the best and safest route to take. We aren’t cookie-cutter sheep. Jesus knows that. Since we aren’t cookie-cutter sheep we don’t have one-size-fits-all needs. He won’t try to force you into some mold for life; rather he molds life events around you to make you the best you can be.
Jesus calls us sheep. We are described as sheep without a shepherd wandering aimlessly, getting into danger, struggling with survival, defenseless against the enemies in our life. So why would Jesus spend so much time with you, a silly sheep? Jesus knows that will all the faults you have, you are worth the fight. He’ll fight to the death to protect you. He’s willing to endure all of your negative qualities, your weaknesses and your rebelliousness. Why? Jesus loves you and you are worth the risk!
PRAYER: Lord Jesus. Thank you for a love that goes so deep. Thank you for understanding my weakness. Thank you for loving me enough to fight for me, cry with me and walk with me through the night. Most of all, thank you for forgiving my sin. Amen.
If the master returns and finds that the servant has done a good job, there will be a reward. Matthew 24:46 (NLT)
Who are your heroes in life? Chances are your response to the question brings up the names of athletes, powerful preachers, award winning authors or political figures. Those that are not likely to be on your list? The barista at the local coffee shop (because she makes great latte’s, the guy who changes the oil in your car, the garbage man, the people who service your hotel room, the person in bankruptcy court or the people cleaning up the mess you made at the ball park.
A few years back the Chicago Bulls played the Minnesota Timberwolves inMinneapolis.Chicagowas at the top of their game behind the play of Michael Jordan (and others). The ‘Wolves were brand new to the league. Everyone knew there was no way the home town team would win. However, the arena was full to capacity. Why? To see Michael Jordan. The score didn’t matter. The competition level was low. They came to see one person perform. A local paper covering the game gave this headline, “We all want to be like Mike.”
In this Kingdom awards and accolades are given out to those who are the best or to those who have succeeded in life. Only those who are at the top of their game get the award. Number two may try harder, but in reality they live in the shadows. Only champions are remembered.
In God’s Kingdom ALL who persevere are rewarded. These ‘champions’ are the ones who give of their time to help those in need. These champions realize that personal wealth here on earth is nothing to be sought after, that true wealth is laid up for them in heaven. These champions are the ones who live life with the understanding that they are no better and no worse than the person next to them. These champions realize that nothing they accomplish without Christ is of any value.
Jesus doesn’t demand that we BE best. He asks us to do our best. Then he sends his Holy Spirit into our lives to help us be the person he wants us to be. The greatest things we can accomplish here on earth will have eternal results and be largely unseen by others.
You may feel your labors for Christ are in vain because no one notices, but Jesus notices and your reward will be great. Don’t give up doing good. Don’t get sucked into the lie that what you have physically (wealth, status, career, etc) is the most important thing. In God’s kingdom the true champions are those who serve in the shadows.
PRAYER: Lord Jesus, I try so hard to serve you, but now I realize that I’m really trying to impress men and build my own wealth according to this kingdom and not your kingdom. Thank you for the opportunities I have to serve today. Help me do it with gladness so others can see you in me. Amen.
Then Jesus said, “I am the bread that gives life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty. John 6:35 (NCV)
Contentment defined: The quality or state of being contented. (I love when they do that! Tell you a definition by telling you a different word you don’t know.)
Contented defined: Feeling or showing satisfaction with one’s possessions, status, or situation.
Do a search of images that define contentment. You’ll find cute pictures of animals sleeping in odd positions, people smiling while walking with loved ones, or various pictures of people, clouds, the sun and water. Even the word conjures up peaceful surroundings, happiness and joy.
Contentment means that even though there may be things I’d change, few of those changes would be major. The things I see around me are good. My life is good. I’m content.
The picture of contentment that comes to my mind is far from the ones I found on the search engine. The picture of contentment I see is one of a bird snuggled down into her nest. A violent storm is tossing the branches of her tree back and forth. Lightning is flashing, thunder is crashing and the world around her is taking a thrashing. Still, there she sits, riding out the storm, satisfied with where she is at that given moment.
That’s the kind of contentment that Jesus talks about. The feelings of hunger affect every aspect of your being. You look at people differently; situations you encounter seem larger and harder to conquer. Hunger makes you weak and ineffective. Add thirst to hunger and the problems magnify. A person can live a few weeks without food and water, but their health is affected in just a matter of days.
Spiritually hunger has the same effect. There is, within each of us a desire for contentment. A longing to be satisfied with where we are and who we are and what we have. The only way you will find true contentment in life is to look beyond the external pleasures of life. True contentment begins in the heart. When you are satisfied on the inside nothing on the outside can take away the contentment you seek.
A crowd gathered around Jesus one day. They’d just witnessed an amazing miracle. Jesus had just made over 5,000 men content with a few loaves of bread and a couple small fish. Jesus said, “You’re still here with me because I gave you contentment with the externals of life. But I have so much more to give you. I can give you comfort in the wilderness, encouragement in the midst of the storm, courage in the face of danger.”
You won’t find contentment in relationships, or money, or status. Contentment isn’t measured by the size of your bank account, the number of friends you have on your social networking site, or the victories in your win column. Contentment can only come as you grow in relationship with the one who makes us content in the midst of the storm.
PRAYER: Lord Jesus, right now I’m going through a storm in life. Some of it’s due to my own poor choices. Some is at the hands of evil people. No matter what I’m going through, I ask that you would help me be content because of your presence, love and protection. Amen.
And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him. Hebrews 11:6 (NLT)
When the Russian Cosmonauts went into space in the 1950s they reported there was no sign of a creator God and no evidence of creation.
It seems ironic that the very sky these men saw as proof of God’s ‘non-existence’ is the same sky that reminds me of the awesomeness of his creation! New advances in technology have given new evidence of a vast, uncharted universe. Planet earth is a tiny speck in the grand scheme of the universe and mankind an even smaller speck.
Still, there are people who echo the words of the cosmonauts. They don’t, of course, make their prognostications from a spaceship. They do it from a classroom, an easy chair in front of the TV, and on the street corner. They wonder about God’s presence in the hospital room, the disaster relief office and the courtroom.
When times are good our search for God isn’t usually a priority. But when the journey of life becomes full of potholes and boulders it’s different. During those times when we realize we can’t fix what we are facing, we look for someone who can.
Many have sought God, and frankly, have found him to be non-existent. Prayers have gone ‘unanswered’. The cancer has come back. The lost child has been found murdered. The divorce has become final. The accident victim dies. In all of this, the question screams out: “So, where is God now?”
I don’t mean to minimize the pain and agony life brings our way, nor do I intend to categorize all of our emotions into a one-size-fits-all approach. But in the midst of our crisis of faith we need to honestly ask ourselves a question.
Do we diligently seek God as he is or do we seek the God we want? Some view God as a Santa Clause type individual. The God they want sees them being good and brings toys to good girls and boys. Of course, this philosophy never allows for the naughty list. Santa loves everyone.
Others seek a vending machine God. This God is a little more pleasant to the senses. If you are good, he will reward. Save up your good acts. Be a moral person. Go to church. Follow the Ten Commandments. Help old ladies across the street. Be involved in your community. End result: Blessings of God.
A diligent seeking after the God who is requires our faith in a God that may not always be understood, but is always love. His actions are beyond comprehension, but his forgiveness is without requirement. He’s not about what you do, or have done. He’s about what Jesus has done and can do in your life. He’s not a tame God. He can’t be put in a box. But his thoughts, his actions, his desire is for you and you alone.
PRAYER: God, I’m having a hard time understanding how you work. So many times I’ve sought you without relief. I now realize I was looking for the God I want, not the God I need. Show yourself to me in a new and amazing way so that I can grow in a love relationship with you. Amen.
