Crosswalk.com--The Devotional

[Judy Harder]

Feb 2, 2010

Pop Quizzes
Alex Crain
Editor, Christianity.com

"...covetousness, let it not even be named among you, as is fitting for saints
...but rather giving of thanks."
Ephesians 5:3-4 NKJV

"Clear your desks. Take out a blank sheet of paper and a #2 pencil. Write your name and today's date in the top right corner..." Years later, I can still hear the sound of Mr. Young's voice intoning above the moans and groans in our 7th grade classroom. Maybe you had the same kind of teacher... every day was a potential pop quiz day.

Although it wasn't much fun facing the unexpected pressure of a pop quiz, I can see looking back that Mr. Young's intent was to teach me to think hard when reading assignments were given and to listen carefully during lectures. I recall that the answers on the quiz were usually fairly obvious as long as I was half-way plugged into what was going on in class. Rarely, if ever, were the quiz questions about any sort of new or obscure information. This was just his way to review material we had already read or heard.

Now, I see every day has a potential pop quiz day of another sort. Something happens daily to test the reality of my love for God and others. And, like Mr. Young's pop quizzes, it's usually a matter of review. That doesn't mean that the A-plusses come easily though. Often, the pop quizzes of life are about desires going on within my heart—desires balancing on the razor's edge between contentment and covetousness. As the Scripture passage above says, the only response that scores an A+ in these pop quizzes of life is having a thankful heart at the very moment I don't get something I want.

The reading this week in chapter one of Francis Schaeffer's True Spirituality may not be anything new or obscure to you, but it's certainly good review. Following on the heels of last week's teaching about serving Christ and others in love, Schaeffer speaks further on the matter of what authentic Christians actually do in the living of the Christian life. And his emphasis is, again, on the inward state of the heart.

"I think there are two practical tests as to when we are coveting against God or men; first, I am to love God enough to be contented; second, I am to love men enough not to envy."

"When we talk of the Christian life or true spirituality, when we talk about freedom from the bonds of sin, we must be wrestling with the inward problems of not coveting against God and men, of loving God and men..."

"This immediately raises a question. Does this mean that any desire is coveting and therefore sinful? The Bible makes plain that this is not so—all desire is not sin. When does proper desire become coveting? When it fails to include love of God or men..."

"Even our natural and proper desires bring us into revolt against God. God has made us with proper desires, but if there is not a proper contentment on my part, to this extent I am in revolt against God..."

"When I lack proper contentment, I have forgotten that God is God."

"A quiet disposition and a heart giving thanks is the real test of the extent to which we love and trust God at that moment."

So, a quiet and contented heart is one that yields its desires—even its proper desires—to God at all times. There is never a spirit of entitlement in a heart that is full of genuine faith toward the Lord.

In the face of such a high standard, do we despair?

Yes, if we are striving in our own strength.

No, if we believe in the reality of the Holy Spirit.

If we cease striving and rest knowing that contentment is accomplished by the Holy Spirit's work of inward heart change (Jer. 31:34, Ezek. 36:26), there will be peace and constant giving of thanks. This is something for which we must trust Him. It can never be accomplished by attempting to keep rules outwardly. Such a strategy only leads to a heart that spirals further and further downward in pride, personal deception and revolt against God. What's the proof of such a condition? One failed "pop quiz" after another.

It is the rigorous internal standard of "thou shalt not covet" that finally humbles us. This was the commandment that convinced Saul the "perfect" Pharisee of his sinful state (Romans 7:7-9), remember? But being brought down in humility casts us safely into dependence on God; and the fruit of dependence is "giving of thanks for all things" which, by the way, is commanded of us in Ephesians 5:20.

Ephesians 5:15-20 "See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, 16 redeeming the time, because the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is. 18 And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit, 19 speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, 20 giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ."

Intersecting Faith & Life: 

What's your "pop quiz average" lately?

On the basis of His covenant promises (Jer. 31:34, Ezek. 36:26), daily ask God to do His supernatural work of heart change in you and fill you with His Spirit (Eph. 5:18) so that you might do what is humanly impossible—give thanks always for all things.

Further Listening:

Psalm 62, song by Aaron Keyes

[Judy Harder]

February 3, 2010

A Song for the Snow
by Katherine Britton, Crosswalk.com News & Culture Editor

"I waited patiently for the Lord; he turned to me and heard my cry... He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear and put their trust in the Lord." - Psalm 40:1,3

I have previously written of the hilarity that ensues when Virginia wakes up to a blanket of snow. It's true that I have not had much experience getting stuck in the stuff myself. My idea of roughing it has included a snowsuit, an hour of playfulness, and then an afternoon of curling up by the fire with a good book in my own house. After this weekend, however, I can count myself among the woeful victims of southern incompetence in the snow.

"Woeful" is perhaps an exaggeration, as my weekend still involved a warm house after an hour of playfulness. It's just that the house was three hours from my own, and I was supposed to be home, not stuck in the mountains. But the roads' lack of guardrails and our lack of four-wheel drive extended this whimsical getaway beyond the expected.

My fellow snow-day partakers included a delightful mix of thoughtful, hilarious, and gracious women, but the mood visibly fell when we realized it would be another 24 hours until we could escape each other's company. All of us thought of the husbands, kids, family, and ordinary comforts awaiting us back in Richmond. The trials of waiting an extra day - and potentially burning vacation time with people I liked! - had me calling home with a voice that, I confess, had a little quaver.

Granted, if we had left when we had planned to leave, I would have never faced down the growling pit bull (true story). Several irreplaceable memories and inside jokes would have waited for another time, if they happened at all. I would not have had to readjust my attitude because everything would have gone my way. I would have missed the blinding sunshine and quiet contentment of a snowy country road with beautiful friends.

God's grace shines so much more clearly in hindsight, doesn't it?

As we roadtripped back home, I thought of my teary phone call with some humor. The Lord really had put a "new song" in my mouth for that extra day, and made me slow down long enough to hear it. The desires of my impatient heart could not outlast that.

Intersecting Faith & Life: True joy finds its source and inspiration in God. Too often, I want God to sing my own song, to follow along my own plans, rather than replace it with a "new song." And yet, some of my best memories are from times when I was clearly not in charge of a situation. Are you willing to sit quietly and wait for this new theme?

 

[Judy Harder]

February 4, 2010

The Temporary Non-Path of Patience
by Shawn McEvoy, Crosswalk.com Senior Editor

Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. The farmer waits for the precious produce of the soil, being patient about it, until it gets the early and late rains. You too be patient; strengthen your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is near.
James 5:7-8

We all know that patience isn't easy, or fun. What is is, though, is the path of the wise. Or, perhaps it's better to say the "non-path," since it usually involves a decision to do nothing for a while, to be still and know that you are not God, to reflect, or to strategize.

I recently gained new insight into the value of patience and the reason it's prized so highly in the Bible, from verses about "those who wait on the Lord" to "letting endurance have its perfect result."

I've just finished a month racing through a blog of the first five seasons of the TV show LOST.  The series is replete with Christo-religious metaphors and parallels. One such area it studies in detail is patience. Early on, one of the characters tells another that "Patience, which you lack, is the quality of a leader." It almost flew right by me, like it did the first time. Patience? The quality of a leader? Does that sound right? Not really, not to today's ears. Don't we usually think of leaders as people who make immediate, command decisions, rush into action, tell others what to do, and make people feel safe (i.e. how they think they need to feel)?

That's part of it, however, those are the very flaws about the concept that plague most of the characters on LOST. They are so driven to do, fix, run, save, correct, fight, and prove that they don't take time to actually ponder the next step or, even better, wait for the next step to present itself. Their lack of wisdom in making these rush decisions and actions is obvious to the audience, who keeps wondering why they can't remember the miracles they've already seen, why they can't reflect on what they've already come through, the amazing ways they've been granted second chances, the redemption they've been given despite not deserving it, the way they keep longing for home while failing to realize they're building a new one (if they could just slow down and see it).

As I watched it all unfold, I was reminded of the children of Israel. Granted, 40 years in a desert would be a long time to wait for anything, particularly a promised new home. So they grumbled. They longed for the old ways, even though those meant bondage and servitude. They failed to stop and understand that the miracles of manna and the Red Sea meant more were on the way - at the right time. They nagged their leadership, sought unproductive solutions, and just like the characters on LOST, were plagued by always feeling they had to do something, to take control. The paradox is that control is indeed involved, but it's self-control instead of situational control. Relax. Quiet yourself. Let's remember where we came from and the amazing ways we passed through peril for a while. Let's reflect on the present - the fact we're here - and how amazing the Lord is. Let's ponder our future steps before rushing up them and tripping.

Patience - the "strengthening of the heart" James suggests - then is directly related to another fruit of the Spirit, self-control. Self-control thus leads to maturity, which is completeness, which is wisdom, which is leadership, which is purpose, which is ministry, which is being used of God, which is where we see miracles again. Full-circle we come, eventually, when we patiently wait on the Lord, who is never late and perpetually victorious.

Situational control may provide temporary satisfaction, but it also often makes a situation worse. Patience is a willing temporary dissatiscation, but it puts your emotions under control and God in control. It might make a situation feel like it's not getting better, but the solution can only be miraculous with it as part of the equation. Patience prevents rash judgment, and judgmentalism. It secures a plan. It is a beautiful paradox of being a non-action and yet a conscious exercise of free will. It is the basis for the merciful ways the Lord deals with us. Patience provides the path in proper time, and promises that faith will be rewarded.

Intersecting Faith & Life: Practice patience this week by seeking not to pursue control in one particularly vexing portion of your life, and ponder whether it's indeed your problem to solve in the first place. Start by remembering the miracle of how God got your attention and delivered you, and his promise that the great work he began in you will not remain incomplete, no matter how long it takes. What miracle will be next? Wait and see. "You will know that I am the LORD; Those who hopefully wait for Me will not be put to shame (Isaiah 49:23)."

Further Reading

Galatians 5:22
Hebrews 6:12
1 Corinthians 4:5
Isaiah 40:31

[Judy Harder]

February 5, 2010

What Are You Looking At?
by Laura MacCorkle, Crosswalk.com Senior Editor

So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
2 Corinthians 4:18


In "a previous life" and in a different job, I worked in a bull-pen situation.

For those of you who have not experienced this type of work environment, imagine this if you will:  A narrow room of maybe 100 x 300 feet. Four or five windows along the length of one wall (so plenty of natural light, thankfully). Exposed brick. Hardwood floors. High ceilings. Open-concept layout with desks for about up to 10 people. 

Employees hollered across the room at one another to relay information, instead of phoning or instant-messaging. And most of the time, we would all just roll our office chairs across the floor to make our way from desk to desk. 

Add in 10+ hour work days, music blaring (at each work station), phones ringing, keyboards click-clacking, voices chatting, a disco ball (literally) that came out after dusk ... and well, you get the picture. Crazy as it were.

This was my life for about a year or so. But somehow, I learned to focus and get my job done despite all of the distractions. Looking back, I have no idea how I did it. I even did some writing while in this type of environment! Go figure. Most people require peace and quiet so that they may collect their thoughts and let the creativity flow uninterrupted. But in my situation, I had no choice. It was sink or swim.

Thankfully (and as fun as they actually could be at times), those circumstances were only temporary and didn't last long. Nowadays, I have my own office again and am able to get my work done in a relatively calm environment. But you know what? I have trouble focusing! 

Unbelievable, I know. But when I do a little personal inventory to figure out what's distracting me, I see that it's internal. It's all in my mind!

There's no one rolling past me in their chairs. No phones ringing or loud music playing. The only noise is in my head. Life issues, mostly. In fact, I just made a list of 10 things that are distracting me right now and feel like they are sweeping over my life. They all seem to be crashing in and keeping me from the task at hand. They are "demanding" my attention and my natural response is to drop what I'm doing. To worry. To grow anxious. 

Much like the disciples did when a storm overtook them in the Sea of Galilee (Matthew 8:23-27), I am not putting my faith in the Lord. "You of little faith, why are you so afraid?" Jesus asked the disciples. I must ask myself the same question today. If God has power over all of nature, doesn't he also have control over all of the elements affecting my life? A thousand times yes!

"What kind of man is this?" asked the disciples after Jesus calmed the storm. "Even the winds and the waves obey him!"

No matter what we see overtaking our lives today, let's resolve to put our faith and our focus in what is unseen:  the Lord of all creation, the Almighty God.

Intersecting Faith & Life:  What are you looking at today? Are temporal things distracting you? Make a list of everything that has got your mind tied up in knots. Pray through these items and ask the Lord to help you not be overwhelmed by what you see and to fix your eyes on what is eternal. Know that he has a plan and purpose for your life and is always working, even when you can't see what he's doing.

Further Reading:

Hebrews 3:1

Proverbs 4:25

[Judy Harder]

February 8, 2010

Truth or Love?
Sarah Jennings, Crosswalk.com's Family Editor

Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. Ephesians 4:15 NIV

"Love takes up where knowledge leaves off." ~ St. Thomas Aquinas

It's a common quote among Christians: "Speak the truth in love." It's also one of the greatest challenges of being Christian. Even those unfamiliar with the Christian faith and this scripture verse battle with balancing truth and love. It is why the "white lie" - a common tactic to avoid sharing unflattering truths to loved ones - is so popular.

I recently had a conversation with a Christian struggling with this tension between truth and love. A zealous soul, this Christian is convicted in the truth and concerned that many will die without the truth. His concern, no doubt, is born out of love. But his delivery of the truth often does not reveal love for the recipient.  Unsure of how to proceed, and fearful of watering down the truth, he has come to the conclusion that some are called to focus more on love while others are called to focus more on truth.

I think this struggling Christian's conclusion hits at the heart of the dilemma. In our broken, splintered natures, we tend to see truth and love as opposing forces - at best, difficult to reconcile. Yet this perception that there is tension between truth and love can prove fatal. Putting truth on one end of the spectrum and love on the other, we are forced into measuring each situation on a linear plane. "Hmmm, should I err more towards the truth end or the love end today?"

It only takes a little imagination to see how this approach fails. How many times have we encountered a person that "chose love" and glossed over the truth? We see souls confused and dying in the wake of this person. While "love" may have been the intent, their victims have not been loved.

And how many times have we encountered a person who spat cruel words in the name of truth? While illumination (or perhaps justice) was the goal of this person, we clearly see that those left in their wake have bitter souls, scarred and blinded to the truth.

Ultimately, Scripture reveals that God is both Truth and Love. If this is the case, the two cannot be contradictory or incompatible.

So where does that leave us?

Scripture tells us we cannot do anything "against the truth" (2 Cor 13: while also emphasizing that "whoever does not love does not know God." (1 John 4:

This message doesn't offer us the luxury of a simple, clear-cut gameplan to every situation we will ever encounter. But it does leave us with confidence that as we grow in our relationship with God, we will also grow in our ability to approach the challenges of life with genuine truth and love.

I've also found it helpful to continually revisit my definitions of "truth" and "love" by examining the ways Christ lived out these two traits. Christ's love is both soft and tough. His expressions of truth are both merciful and just. He comprimises neither yet expresses them differently depending on the need.

The next time you find yourself battling with how to express something truthfully and lovingly, don't settle for choosing one over the other. Pause before you act and dig deeper. Allow God to lead you down his path of truth and love.

Intersecting Faith & Life:  Which do you struggle with more? Speaking the truth or effectively expressing love? Pray about the reasons you get tripped up, and ask God to help you grow in your area of weakness.

Further Reading

1 Corinthians 13

[Judy Harder]

February 9, 2010



Romans 8:28 Does Not Mean Giving Thanks with a Plastic Smile
Alex Crain
Editor, Christianity.com

"And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those
who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose."
Romans 8:28

Catastrophes like the recent earthquake in Haiti remind us that, indeed, we live in a sin-cursed world. Not only do tragedies like this cause thousand to lose their lives, they often leaves thousands more roiling in doubt and disbelief. Images of the horrors of human suffering stain our minds and can obscure our vision of the God who is there.

Closer to home, we experience the curse of sin in personal ways through losses or disappointments that grieve the heart. We may wonder in all honesty at such times what verses like Romans 8:28 mean. Does Christ His followers to simply put on a plastic smile and somehow grin and bear it?

Hardly.

Francis Schaeffer offers a helpful explanation to this dilemma in the first chapter of his classic book, True Spirituality. In fact, he says that a proper grasp of Romans 8:28 is crucial to understanding the world.

First of all, he takes care to point out that the Bible's view of life in the world is clear-eyed and realistic: At the Fall of man, everything became abnormal. The whole world is not what God made it to be. Therefore, Scripture verses like Romans 8:28 cannot be calling us to think...

"...that in some magical way everything is really fine when it isn't. Rather, we are to say "thank You Lord" knowing that God will somehow bring good ultimately, though we may not know how all the pieces fit together. 

            "It is not that Christians are to give thanks with a plastic smile, saying things are wonderful when they are hard.

             It is knowing that the hard things are really hard things, a result of the abnormality of the Fall, yet not revolting

            against God when the hard things come." 

"We do honor to God and the finished work of Christ as we throw the words 'all things' in Romans 8:28 like a circle around all things..." 

"...we are contented before God... not complacent about the suffering of the world." 

In other words, Christ neither calls us to be indifferent nor to put on a plastic smile. Rather, we are to face the facts of hard reality and then sink our roots more deeply in who He is.

What a privilege that we who are naturally God's enemies can have a relationship of trusting Him—the faithful, sovereign, covenant keeping God who is incapable of failure. He makes and keeps great promises not only for His glory but for the ultimate good of those who are His.   

Intersecting Faith & Life:

In what situations are you tempted to be shaken from trusting God?

Clearly, this is a sin-cursed world.  Still, do you sometimes catch yourself expecting a rosy path? Why? What do we really deserve? (Read Romans 3:10-20)

Further Reading

Jonathan Edwards' sermon: "Men Are Naturally God's Enemies" 

[Judy Harder]

February 10, 2010

Grace to Break the Cycle
by Katherine Britton, Crosswalk.com News & Culture Editor

God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. - James 4:6b

"Why was Eve so stupid?!"

I displayed my own sin nature when I asked my mother that question at the age of eleven. With all the self-awareness a pre-teen can muster, I was doggedly sure that I would not have fallen into the same deception if I had been in Eve's place. She knew God's commandments. She knew the punishment was death. And then, on top of her original offense, she tried to shift the blame to the tempter, when her own hand had taken the forbidden fruit. I was positive that I would have stood firm, and berating poor Eve for the next couple weeks. Certainly, she bore the blame for the sin in my life thousands of years later.   

Oh, the irony of pride.

Eve originated the blame game, but we are still busy perfecting it after all this time. The husband leaves his dishes by the couch, causing my temperature to rise every so slightly. I "ignore" the offense, but shrug off whatever question he happens to ask me next. He perceives the slight chill, and gets annoyed at my condescension. My decision to blame him a little gives way to resentment on his part, which will probably continue to escalate until the truth comes out and one of us does something radical. Like apologize.

The cycle that begins with finger-pointing doesn't end with two parties compromising. It ends when someone backs down from the right to continue. Christians should know this better than anyone, shouldn't we? We know that the decision of who is worthy of forgiveness is not ours, no matter how tempting it is. And so easily, we deceive ourselves into ignoring the perceived offense, telling ourselves it doesn't matter, because we aren't escalating the conflict. Or are we?

That would be too easy. Like so many other parts of our faith, we are called to go far beyond mere indifference - we're supposed to turn offense on its head by turning it into "blessing" (1 Peter 3:9).

A friend gave the example of two little girls on the playground. The snotty one say to another, "You're dress is so ugly! You're so ugly in that dress!" The girl wearing that dress could take the so-called high road by walking away from the conflict, and we would probably applaud her for it. But what if she looked at the snotty girl and said, "Well, your dress is really pretty!" and meant it? Wouldn't our mouths have fallen open?

That's the kind of radical grace that pours from a humbled heart.

Intersecting Faith & Life: What does it look like to humble ourselves in such a way that we can return blessing for blame and offense? We won't be capable of such Spirit-filled living until we give up the right to decide who is worthy of grace and leave that in God's hands.

Further Reading

Known by Our Fruit
Romans 12:21

[Judy Harder]

February 11, 2010

Ambition
by Shawn McEvoy, Crosswalk.com Senior Editor

Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life and attend to your own business and work with your hands.
1 Thessalonians 4:11

Quaint, right?

Be honest; read today's verse and then try telling your children that such is all they should aspire to; that, essentially, unheralded blue collar work should be their ambition. Aim high? Sounds more like settling for anonymity.

What could Paul be getting at? Sure there are times we all grow tired of the rat race and perhaps dream about a scenario where we forsake the city and a high-pressure job for a more pastoral setting, crafting furniture and knick-knacks, living in harmony. Is that what this verse is getting at?

Let's look deeper.

The Greek word philotim means to labor, endeavor, strive, study to become. It is used in three places in the New Testament. The first is quoted above, regarding ambition, which sounds not much like what we typically imagine when we think of things to be ambitious about.

Another place the word appears is Romans 15:20, where Paul writes, "And thus I aspired to preach the gospel..."

In 2 Corinthians 5:9 we read, "We have as our ambition... to be pleasing to Him."

Contrast these goals with the first defitinion under "ambition" on Dictionary.com:

1. an earnest desire for some type of achievement or distinction, as power, honor, fame, or wealth, and the willingness to strive for its attainment.

I thought so. The more I study, the more I philotim to know God, the more I understand how different the Word and the world really are. Perhaps folks who live in other parts of the globe are less shocked to learn such lessons. For me, born, raised, working, and raising children in these United States, the lesson is always one of dichotomy, paradox, and sadly wondering if I'm handicapped beyond repair from truly following.

One of my bosses is fond of saying that in business, it's crucial to determine early on whether a person you are dealing with is a "make me rich" or a "make me famous" person. Everyone, the story goes, is either one or the other at heart. And truly, according to the world's definition of ambition, that makes sense. We all have something we want that drives us.

Lately I've been wondering a lot at where this has gotten me. Everything I have done, accomplished, purposed, learned, studied (i.e. "philotim-ed") in life has led to... what, exactly? What goal? When I pray that the Lord would make my life useful and provide for me and let me know His will and keep me safe it's all so... what? So I can watch my TV programs every night without acid in my stomach and with an easy feeling in my chest? As opposed to having to really live by faith?

Today I read this quote by the English poet Samuel Johnson: "To be happy at home is the ultimate result of all ambition." Instantly my face fell. I knew that feeling all too well. All my aspirations only lead to the place of comfort, happiness, the path of least resistance. What's wrong with that? It quickly becomes a place that feels too far from God, too self-centered, too out of the loop, too far removed to be making a real difference.

So what then is the ambition of the Christ-follower?

Lead a quiet life
Attend to your own business
Work with your hands
Preach the gospel
Be pleasing to Him
In other words, don't stress yourself with fame, or getting and spending, always climbing, making more more more. Don't bother with being a busy-body or a gossip. Be creative; let God work through you. Tell others about Him. And live by faith.

It's so simple, almost too simple. Ambition isn't something far out there, some unabashed worldly success beyond our dreams, though that's where God may take us. It all goes back to the very reason God made man in the first place - to have someone to know Him.

And there's just not anything quaint about that.

Intersecting Faith & Life: The bulleted points above might sound too easy, too simple. And they can be. But when was the last time you made any or all of these your ambition? Pick one and practice it today, perhaps preaching the gospel to someone, perhaps seeking God's pleasure more than your own in any decisions you make.

Further Reading

What Motivates You?
Romans 15:20
2 Corinthians 5:9

[Judy Harder]

February 12, 2010

Don't Forget to ...
by Laura MacCorkle, Crosswalk.com Senior Editor

Remember how the LORD your God led you all the way in the desert these forty years, to humble you and to test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands. ...  Be careful that you do not forget the LORD your God, failing to observe his commands, his laws and his decrees that I am giving you this day.

Deuteronomy 8:2, 11

Whoever invented Post-it® Notes is my hero.  Really.  Truly. 

If you came to my home, you would see at least one of these self-adhesive squares of paper somewhere, in some room, on some surface.  At. All. Times.  As my mind is aging, I really need all the help I can get to remember what I'm supposed to do.  Where I'm supposed to go.  Who I'm supposed to be with. And at what time.

Just yesterday, I wrote "Don't forget to bring in the cyclamens!" on a note and stuck it to my bathroom mirror to remind me to bring these little potted plants  inside before the temperatures dipped below freezing overnight.  It's safe to say I would have forgotten them had I not put this visual reminder to myself in a prominent place where I would see it (hello ... a mirror is a gal's best friend, yes?).

I use Post-it® Notes to remind me of other important things as well:  grocery lists, chores, people to call, inspiration for writing projects and more.  I'm so thankful that I have a found an effective way to get my attention so that I will take action and complete these tasks.  These little scraps of paper are invaluable in reminding me and keeping me focused every day.

Back in Bible times, there weren't any of these types of handy-dandy items per se, but the people definitely had their own ways of remembering.  Altars were built, geographical landmarks were given special names and temple ceremonies and family observances and rituals were constant reminders of where people had come from, what God had done, was doing and would do, and what his purposes were in their lives. 

In Deuteronomy 8, Moses exhorted the Israelites not to forget what the Lord had done in bringing them through the wilderness:

Remember how the LORD your God led you all the way in the desert these forty years ... He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna ... Your clothes did not wear out and your feet did not swell during these forty years ... For the LORD your God is bringing you into a good land—a land with streams and pools of water, with springs flowing in the valleys and the hills ... a land where bread will not be scarce and you will lack nothing ... When you have eaten and are satisfied, praise the LORD your God for the good land he has given you.  Be careful that you do not forget the LORD your God. ...

Oh, how easy it is to forget when we get to the other side of a test or a trial in our lives!  We all do it, yes?  We quickly close the chapter on what was uncomfortable and painful.  On what made us unhappy.  On what caused us fear or doubt or unrest.

And oh, how all of us would do well to look back with grateful hearts and thank the Lord for leading us through these "wilderness" times in our lives.  For guiding us.  For sustaining us.  For not giving up on us when we gave up on him.

Whether you are in the wilderness today or if you are experiencing a time of prosperity in a "good land," let us remember who God is and what he has done, and what he is doing and promises to do in our lives in the days to come.  Praise him and purpose not to forget!

Intersecting Faith & Life:  Perhaps a particularly painful or trying time period in your life came to mind as you read the above devotional today.  How did you feel then?  And how do you feel now?  List out the ways that God provided for you then and how he has blessed you since.  Praise him for leading you and providing for you whether in times of plenty or want as you remember his blessings in your life.

Further Reading:

Genesis 22:1-18

Psalm 34:9-10

Philippians 4:19

[Judy Harder]

February 15, 2010

The Five Traits of Love
Sarah Jennings, Crosswalk.com Family Editor

So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. Genesis 1: 17

We love because he first loved us. 1 John 4: 19

Yesterday was Valentine's Day - the day of love. I personally enjoy Valentine's Day. I see nothing wrong with setting aside a special day when we all stop to reflect on love. One problem I do have, however, is how confused our culture is about love, especially romantic love. We are a people yearning for love, but looking for it in all the wrong places. We can see the symptoms of our struggles in the brokenness of families and frustrations of singles all around us.

What can we do about all the heartache and brokenness? Should we stop looking for love and become hermits?

Quite the opposite, I think. Scripture tells us that not only did God create love, he is love (1 John 4: . And he created us to know, receive, and give love. Instead of throwing love out the window as some unattainable goal, we need to refocus on God and learn from him.

Last summer, I took a fascinating college-level course where we dove into the rich teachings of the late pope John Paul II known as "Theology of the Body." Few others have articulated the scriptural truths about love, marriage, and sexuality in a way that resonates so much with the struggles of the modern world. In our studies, we looked closely at the way God loves and identified five characteristics that are present in godly love. These characteristics can be applied in many ways, but especially help clarify the often confusing journey that accompanies romantic love. Whenever one of these five "f's" becomes diminished, love starts to break down:

1. Faithful: Your love, O Lord, reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies (Psalm 36: 5). How many of us get angry when we see a celebrity or politician cheating on his or her spouse? Most of us instinctively know that without faithfulness, a relationship cannot experience the trust and security needed for true love to thrive.

Some claim faithfulness is unrealistic - that men in particular are hardwired to cheat. But those who embrace this philosophy only cheat themselves. God has remained faithful to his people throughout the millennia when he had every reason to abandon us. We too are called to remain faithful to God and our loved ones for the brief time period we will walk this earth.

2. Free: Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom (2 Corinthians 3: 17). There may have been times when you've wished you could "make" a crush fall in love with you, but deep down, we all know true love cannot be coerced. This is why you and I were created with free will. God does not want to control us - he wants us to freely choose him, and he wants us to freely choose one another. Christian marriage must always be founded in freedom to be a valid union. This is why the pastor asks each spouse on the day of the wedding, "Have you come freely without reservation?"

Sadly, some do try to control their loved ones through manipulative or abusive behavior. The ensuing misery is evidence enough that true love is meant to be an act of free will.

3. Full: "Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name--the name you gave me--so that they may be one as we are one." (John 17: 11). "

"'For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh'..." (Matthew 19: 5)  Our culture often portrays love like this: we take what we enjoy from a person, avoid what we don't, and give a little here and there until the relationship no longer suits us. This is a failure to love fully.

God's love holds nothing back; no secrets or barriers exist. His love does not say, "I'll take what I enjoy and leave the rest." The Trinity is a perfect union between Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. And Jesus gave his entire life for you and me, withholding nothing. It is only in loving fully that true intimacy can thrive. When a man and a woman marry, they are called to give everything - their entire selves, in service to each other and God.

4. Fruitful: "The LORD God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being (Genesis 2: 7).

"God blessed them and said to them, 'Be fruitful and increase in number" (Genesis 1: 26).

"I have come that they may have life" (John 10: 10). A key quality of godly love is its life-giving nature. Love is not meant to end where it started. God gave us life even though he didn't need us, and even when humanity stubbornly chose sin, decay, and death, God rescued us and gave us yet another chance at life through Christ. Married couples in particular have the privilege of bringing new life into the world through their love. This is a special calling - one that is all too often seen as a burden instead of a blessing in modern culture.

Of course, those who are unmarried or unable to conceive do not live fruitless lives when rooted in Christ. Wherever God's love is, life flourishes and death flees.

5. Forever: "Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever" (1 Chronicles 16: 34). If you've ever been through a divorce, you know the unique pain that comes with a person failing to fulfill their promise of "forever love." Too often, our culture portrays love as something that can come and go. Couples live together and split up. Teens fall in and out of "love." But, true love is grounded in eternity and perseveres through temporary trials.

God does not say, "I will love you for a little while." One day, we will all face eternity and an eternal God - this is our goal. The love we've expressed in our lives, or failed to express, will be waiting for us in eternity.

Notice that of these five "f's" of love one is absent: feelings. While love may bring many feelings, scripture does not place much importance on feeling any particular emotion. True love is much bigger than the up's and down's of our feelings.

Intersecting Faith & Life:  Think of your relationships. Are one of these five characteristics of love missing? Ask God for the grace to love as he loves.

Further Reading

1 Corinthians 13