Who's in Charge, Anyway?

This year's apple harvest is outrageous! Branches--big ones, high ones--have broken and fallen. Across our state trees have crashed from the outside in. This fall, I set up scaffolding to reach what I couldn't otherwise and on a damp, foggy morning, tendrils of hair curled and fell, making it difficult to keep my balance in upper branches. After brushing them back multiple times, smearing dirt across my face, I realized 1) I could get frustrated with my stylist for cutting (or not cutting) my hair properly, factories that make insufficient hair tie-backs, etc. or 2) I could simply accept the fact that my hair doesn't stay put when wet and stop complaining. Who, after all, was standing on top of a scaffold picking apples in the rain? Get down already. Problem solved.

It's a benign example, but the issue arises every day: I can blame others or I can accept all things as coming from the hand of God. Our Sunday school class is reading the book of Job and what stood out to me this week are the things Job did not say and do. Job did not blame, curse or mount a posse to go after the Sabeans who took his oxen or the Chaldeans who took the camels. He did not issue a lawsuit against the contractors who built his son's house or file multiple insurance claims. He did not fire his cook, personal trainer or house servants who may have precipitated his failing health.

The very fact that Job "fell on the ground and worshiped," is strange to our man-centered ears. How could Job fall at the feet of God when there was so much to do, to regain, to reckon, and restore? When difficulty arises and my health or wealth is attacked, how quickly do I place the blame on someone I can see, hear and touch? Unlike Job, we are slow to turn to God, let alone worship, in the face of disaster.

I am learning to listen and compare my head's thoughts with the Word of God. To be man-centered is to views others as the problem, as creating the problem, as an obstacle or irritation. To be God-centered is to view God as the sovereign designer of the problem, His love as the motive moving me toward sanctification and Godliness (James 1:2-4). If I have a man-centered view, I must fix the problem. If I have a God-centered view, I must seek to change my heart (James 4:1-3). A man-centered view focuses on a solution. A God-centered view hones in on my desires, trusting God with the outcome (Psalm 37). A man-centered view is critical and judgmental of others. A God-centered view is loving and kind, patient and joyful (Galatians 5:22-23).

When I choose to think about situations as coming from God instead of others, I find great joy and peace. I also find that poor choices result in bad results and certain behaviors need to stop (like picking apples on slippery metal in the rain). Some things are what they are: my body type, the neighbors next door, the job that got away, the line at the checkout counter. It is not my job to fix or change or solve what God has placed in my path. It is my job to ask God for help to  see the situation or person or problem the way He does, repent if I need a change of heart, deal with my end of it and move on. When that is the case I am free from bitterness, anger, malice, slander, clamor, unforgiveness (Ephesians 4:31). Doesn't that describe the life of Job? When God took all that was good and left Job's wife--even that proved a trial--he kept his heart and mind at the feet of God.

May we learn and be blessed as we make Christ the center of our lives.

"Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

"Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints— and for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak." (Ephesians 6:10-20)

Spiritual Communion

"While this recipe was good. I'd like to hear your thoughts on how we serve communion to the church body on a spiritual level."

This comment was left on the communion bread entry and kept me thinking. On a side note, thank you for sharing your thoughts and responses! When you leave a comment or idea, it is a great encouragement for readers around the world to see God at work. Leaving a topic or comment makes it more of a conversation than a one-person megaphone--and conversations are ever so much more fun!

Thoughts about how we serve communion to the church body on a spiritual level? It had never entered my mind. Until now.

What happened when the Lord Jesus Christ instituted the Lord's Supper? Who made the bread? Set the table, provided the meal, furnished the room? Here is where my thoughts took me--and the next two paragraphs are, as I often say when teaching, "free of charge."

On Sunday preceding the Passover, Jesus told His disciples, "Go into the village ahead of you; there, as you enter, you will find a colt tied on which no one yet has ever sat; untie it and bring it here. If anyone asks you, 'Why are you untying it?' you shall say, 'The Lord has need of it.'" (Luke 19:30-31 NASB)

The Lord has need of it. That phrase rings in my mind when I feel taken advantage of or the Lord requires something I didn't think to offer--yet. I know it's all His, but in those difficult moments, the reminder, "The Lord has need of it," brings comfort and conviction.

The same attitude was reflected Thursday, the "first day of Unleavened Bread.... And He said to them, 'When you have entered the city, a man will meet you carrying a pitcher of water; follow him into the house that he enters.

'And you shall say to the owner of the house, "The Teacher says to you, 'Where is the guest room in which I may eat the Passover with My disciples?'

'And he will show you a large, furnished upper room; prepare it there."" (Luke 22:10-12 NASB)

Many Bible scholars believe this was the home of John Mark, who followed Jesus and the disciples to the Garden that evening and later travelled with Paul and Barnabas. We don't have specific names; we do know arrangements were made by the disciples. The cooking and details were taken care of by __?___. That's just as it should be. The making, preparing, serving is anonymous in our own churches. The focus is not on the preparations. It is "the Lord's Supper," a reminder of His death, of how He "loved them to the end" (John 13:1). It's all about Jesus.

The bread represents His body, broken for us. The cup represents the new covenant of His blood, shed for us. Earlier Jesus had aid, " He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him." (John 6:56). It's no wonder that many left Him at that time. But knowing the end from the beginning, we understand that He was not talking about a physical meal but a spiritual one. Followers of Christ we are called to ingest Him--to receive His personal sacrifice by faith that we may inherit eternal life. Through His death, His body, we exchange our unrighteousness for His righteousness through repentance (1 Peter 3:18). We come with weakness, failure, sin, ineptitude. He extends grace, forgiveness, righteousness, and holiness, when we turn away from our own efforts and rely on His.

Could it be that when we share, or speak of, the death and resurrection of Jesus, we present the body and blood of Christ? 

Among fellow believers, then, perhaps we serve one another spiritual communion when we share testimonies of God's grace, His work through His Son: over the phone, via email or Facebook, on a street corner, in a store aisle or library, even in a Sunday evening service or home church.

The Lord's Supper is not to be taken lightly--with disregard for others, harboring unconfessed sin, or in an effort to fulfill unmet desires--but with reverence, gratitude and reflection. May our memories, words and expressions of gratitude point to Christ and His sufficiency rather than to ourselves, our wit or self-righteousness. And  as we speak, as we partake of physical, regular celebrations of Christ, may we "proclaim the Lord's death until He comes." (1 Corinthians 11:26)

"For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light  (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth), finding out what is acceptable to the Lord...
See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is.  And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another in the fear of God." (Ephesians 5:8-10, 15-21)

An Untouched Portrait

I used to think that reading the Bible was enough. I can quote verses about the importance of God's Word, meditating on it day and night, the spiritual sustenance it provides--and that's true, of course. If I set time aside, walked through a passage, prayed about it and took away an application, I was doing well. There's a far deeper level than that.

What I failed to see for so long is now staring back--it's me, myself. Obviously, learning about God is the most important part of Scripture: He is not like us, He is the Creator, the Sustainer. His thoughts are not our thoughts and His ways are not our ways. In the Bible we connect with Him, learn of and find Him. But the piece we easily overlook in church-world is implanting the Word in our imperfect lives--not just looking at the Word, the mirror, but looking intently at the untouched reflection of ourselves. 

Our words and thoughts agree with God, "It's wrong to lie. It's a sin to cheat. I need to love God with all my heart, mind and soul and love my neighbor as myself." But without the working of the Holy Spirit, I am blind to the lies I tell to make others feel good or how easily I cut corners to get the best deal. Without God's help, I don't see the many ways I love myself and want what I want instead of loving Him. Apart from His working, I gloss over the God-words of the Bible: always, never, every, all, love. Instead, I read Scripture through my best persona, the one I want to be instead of who I really am. In that mode, I look at Scripture with agreement instead of conviction.

Thanks be to God, I am learning to see myself more clearly--the repeated struggles and strengths, tendencies, likes and dislikes. With God's help, I am reminded throughout the day of my failure to obey, to love, to live according to His Word.

The other wonderful thing about pulling Scripture out of the sacred world of church and quiet and into the cesspool of real life is that God's love becomes more full, rich and free; His mercy deeper, His grace miraculous.

Don't be afraid of yourself--God's not. You are who God made you and He promises to accomplish His purpose through you--for His glory. It has been said, "If God predestined you to be conformed to the image of Jesus, just how much change can you expect?" Change. It starts where you are.

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.... (John 1:14)

To me, who am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to make all see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God who created all things through Jesus Christ; to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places, according to the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through faith in Him. Therefore I ask that you do not lose heart at my tribulations for you, which is your glory.

For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height—to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen. (Ephesians 3:8-21)