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Draw Near to God

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  I was working in the yard the other day when I saw and heard a flock of migrating birds passing overhead. There were almost a hundred birds flying in a V formation. It’s fascinating that birds have an innate sense of when it’s time to come home and an unerring directional compass that allows them to get there. They may not know what lies ahead but they know what they need to do. They put aside their daily routine to follow a call that is part of their inmost being.   As Christians, we have an innate longing to draw near to God. The Spirit within us knows where we belong and will guide us along the way. Our part is to be open to His guidance, being willing to block out the noise of the world in order to concentrate on His message. We should follow our path confidently, not fearing what may lie ahead, not holding back. We may feel unworthy due to our sins and failings, but Jesus has gone before us and He makes us worthy. We’re advised to “…..Approach the throne of grace wi...
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Priorities

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  We went to the Fort Worth Botanic Gardens today. We were at the Dallas Arboretum a few weeks ago. The gardens at both places were beautiful. Everything was healthy in appearance and well-arranged. Our flowers at home look nice but they can’t compare with theirs. Of course, we don’t have the time or the conditions to create the perfect garden. It’s not one of our highest priorities.   In my last post, I noted that the Easter season   is a great time for renewal. How far that renewal takes us spiritually depends on how much of a priority we make it. Just like we can’t have a professional looking garden with minimal effort, we can’t achieve the level of spiritual maturity we want without it being a high priority in our lives.   Jesus was asked which commandment was the greatest. He quoted Deuteronomy 6:5 in his reply, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind” (Matthew 22:37). This should be our goal for renewal,...
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Renewal

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  I’ve been busy studying for my medical boards the past few weeks. I’m required to pass an exam, as well as meet other requirements, in order to renew my certification. I actually like the process, because it forces me to stay current with all the changes in treatment that occur each year.   Renewal is an essential part of life. That which is not renewed eventually begins to decay. This is as true in the spiritual world as it is in the physical.   Paul told the Ephesians, “You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness” (Ephesians 4:22-24). He realized that this was not a one time decision but an ongoing commitment. It’s easy to drift back to worldly ways, letting ourselves be carried along by the current of the times. We need to consciously choose...
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Every Good and Perfect Gift Is From Above

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  We took a quick trip for spring break this year. The airline we flew on charged for reserving a seat, carrying on or checking a bag, and even for getting a cup of water. I’ve noticed the trend over my lifetime for businesses to “nickel and dime” people by charging them for every little thing. It gets kind of aggravating after a while.   Fortunately, God’s ways are not like man’s ways. Everything He gives to us, He gives freely. The only thing that came with a price tag - our salvation - He paid for us with the gift of His Son. We tend to take for granted all that God gives us each day, not because we are ungrateful by nature, but because we don’t pause for reflection in our busy lives.   The challenge today is to be mindful of God’s grace and goodness to us. When we do so, we not only honor our loving Father, we bless ourselves as well with a joy that comes from knowing how much we are loved and how much we’ve been given.   James tells us, “Every good a...
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In God's Hands

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  I liked riding roller coasters when I was younger. The drops and turns were a little scary but I could enjoy them because I knew the rides were safe and that we would never go off the track. Eventually, we would get back to the platform safe-and-sound.   We can have some gut-wrenching drops and distressing twists and turns in our lives. We may feel sometimes like our world has turned upside down and that our lives have gone off the track, as it were.   Nothing can take us out of God’s hands. Jesus promises us, “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand” (John 10:27-29).   This doesn’t mean that we are immune from bad things happening to us. After all, Jesus died on the cross. Things may happen that we can’t understand, times that we wonde...
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Running in the Dark

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  The Cowtown Marathon and related events are always run on the last Saturday in February. Thus, most of my training was concentrated in the winter. Given that I didn’t get home from work until after sundown, it meant that I did most of my training runs in the dark. It’s usually pretty well lit in our neighborhood but it bothered me when one of the street lights burned out because I didn’t feel very safe running in the dark. It was too easy to trip over obstacles or step into holes and it was too hard for oncoming motorists to see me clearly.   If you’ve ever been in a completely dark room that is unfamiliar to you, I suspect you’re like me and just inched along with your arms out in front of you until you could find a light switch. I can’t imagine you would just stroll along confidently in the dark and not even try to turn on a light. That’s why it seems funny to me that we often do just exactly that in making important decisions in our life. Without asking for God’s inpu...
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Wholehearted Devotion

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  I watched the Super Bowl last week. I was impressed by all the preparation that the players and their coaches made in getting ready for the game. They showed total dedication to their profession. It made me wonder about the sacrifices they had to make in order to be so single-minded in their focus.   As Christians, we have a calling that demands that same level of dedication. We should be devoted to serving our Lord and Savior. We are part of a “team”, the Body of Christ. If we get distracted by the affairs of the world and don’t fulfill our role, it affects not just us but the rest of the team.   We shouldn’t become complacent, accepting mediocrity instead of wholehearted effort. Paul urges us, “Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last...
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