Have you ever stopped to think how lucrative the exercise equipment business is? Buff guys on television "paid programming" make the latest, greatest, "get rock hard abs like mine" machine look so effortless. It's easy to morph into a fit body with sculpted muscles in just a few minutes a day - more like a quick look at the machine - if we can believe the advertising pitch! And it's crazy how many people do believe! We hope that if we have that miracle-working piece of equipment, we will somehow develop the self-discipline it will take to actually use it consistently so that we become fit, like the guy in the ad, without breaking a sweat, and in just a few short sessions.
So we fork over 4 easy payments of $99.99 plus shipping and handling. When it arrives, we unpack the box with determination, place the "thing" in front of the television, put on our newly purchased work-out gear (it is, after all, all about the look), and begin to exercise, only to discover that the guy on the ad lied. The machine is NOT easy and the effort required to make it work is HUGE! It doesn't take long for our resolve to dissolve and for the equipment to end up in the storage room along with all the other exercise stuff we've accumulated and rejected.
I wonder if we sometimes assume that becoming a mature Christian is supposed to come without extreme effort, personal sacrifice, and self-discipline. Once we accept Christ as our Savior, the training begins, and it doesn't end until we stand before the Lord, face to face. What is absolutely encouraging is that we have all we need (Phil. 4:19) to develop into "buff Christians." God has given us faith, and he's promised to provide the strength we need to grow in him and to become who he created us to be (Phil. 4:13). He's given us a complete training manual, the Bible, an example to follow, Jesus, and a personal trainer, the Holy Spirit.
Romans 5:1-5 is an interesting explanation of the kind of "circuit training" we can expect once we sign on for God's "Devoted Follower's Boot Camp." We discover that first we have entered into relationship with him through faith (Romans 5:1-2). It's this faith that allows us to believe and receive the grace of God and the gift of salvation. It's small faith (maybe the size of a mustard seed - Matthew 17:20), but like muscle and cardio-vascular capacity, it has growth potential!
Along with this faith, we have hope that, as a result of our salvation, we will know God's glory. Hope goes hand-in-hand with faith (Hebrews 11:1); therefore, hope has room to grow too. But just as muscles and lung capacity don't increase and strengthen by just wishing it so, faith and hope have to be pushed, stretched, and exercised to build endurance.
God's "training routine" requires that we know "tribulation" (Romans 5:3). But, it's the tribulation that develops patience in us. If we exercise our faith and hope during the tough times, if we stay focused and committed and draw our strength to endure from God, we come out stronger. That strength translates into a "chiseled, Christlike physique," which produces in us the will to keep on following after Christ, doing whatever it takes to become like him.
The "circuit training" God designs for us follows this pattern - faith to accept salvation, hope for a glorious future with him, tribulation to develop patience, patience to produce experience, and experience that results in more hope (Romans 5:3-5)!
Romans 8:25 says, "But if we hope for that which we see not, then do we with patience wait for it." We don't begin our training looking like the physically fit pitch-men in the advertisements, but we do hope that if we are patient (and patience doesn't always mean inactivity) and keep our eyes on the goal, we can develop the fitness God desires for us.
As we gain endurance, we have the experience to encourage us on to the next level. God wants us to graduate from his "boot camp" fully developed so that on the day that we stand before him, he can say, "Well done! You've run a good race" (I Corinthians 9:24; Hebrews 12:1)!
Lord, you know that we need to be pushed to develop into who you intend for us to be. You start our "training" gently, but you know for us to run the race to the finish, we will need more rigor! Thank you for providing all we need to be successful as we mature in our walk with you.
Showing posts with label trust. Show all posts
Showing posts with label trust. Show all posts
Sunday, May 23, 2010
Sunday, March 14, 2010
Parenting - Examining the Culture of "Entitlement"
Read the daily newspaper, watch any news show, scan the internet blog posts, or watch people in public and you will no doubt see people who believe themselves to possess the "gift of entitlement." Just this morning, headlines shared the news that insurance fraud is up during these desperate economic times. A tiny little "human interest" story was tucked into one page relating the actions of a thrill-seeking 60-something male who walked through a Walmart thumping little kids on the head with his keys. Stories of robberies are sprinkled among accounts of "nations warring against nations." All of this makes for some pretty dismal reading and gives people like me the opportunity for deep reflection on what's at the root of all these situations. Not to over-simplify or minimize the gravity of any of the aforementioned (and the millions not mentioned) accounts, I do believe that the source lies in the hearts of people. Human nature tends toward a "I deserve this" mentality. When let run its course, this "gift of entitlement" produces hurtful results, both for the "entitled" and those who are it's victims.
The Bible begins with a vivid example - Adam and Eve. Eve decided God was holding out on her, denying her and Adam access to the fruit of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. You know the outcome; Eve felt "entitled" to have her eyes opened, so off she went to test the fruit and invite Adam to join her. We have struggled with the knowledge of good and evil ever since. Arguing that no one but Eve was hurt in this little transaction is impossible!
Another story involves a man, Haman, who had been elevated by King Ahasuerus to second in command. Haman really embraced his "gift," to the point that when Mordecai, a devoted follower of the God of Israel, refused to bow down to him, he finagled a King-decreed punishment for Mordecai and all Jews - they were to be killed! Haman had nothing to lose and everything to gain; he felt he deserved this kind of honor. This is a fascinating story of self-deception and what happens when an individual is convinced of his invincibility. The short version is that Haman's moment of glory - the one for which he is most remembered - was his hanging from the gallows he had built for Mordecai! Not only was Haman destroyed, so were his ten sons and hundreds of enemies of the Jews. One man's sense of entitlement led not only to his own demise but to that of others.
Buying into the notion that self-serving actions don't hurt self and others is deliberate self-deception that leads to ruin. It's sin. It comes from the heart. Mark 7:20-23 provides a bleak picture of the heart of man, the desires that reside there that defile. Among the list are things like theft, covetousness, pride, deceit, and foolishness. Any one of these can lead people to convince themselves that they are justified in whatever they are doing because they "deserve it." The thought of the hurt to others and to self is buried deep and ignored. The results are destruction.
We can be seduced by the experiences in our lives to become one of the many who claim the "gift of entitlement," taking matters into our own hands, or we can turn our attention to God's word and what he promises. Matthew 10:30-33,39 and 16:24-27 promise that we are of great value and if we take up the cross of discipleship we may lose our lives for Christ's sake but we will also gain them and be rewarded by our Heavenly Father. Earlier in Matthew we're promised that our obedience in secret will be openly rewarded by God (6:1-8), and we're warned to "lay up treasures" in Heaven because "...where your treasure is, there will your heart be also" (6:19-21).
We may be be tempted to get out ahead of God and take what we believe to be ours, but we need to wait! Self-promotion leads to self-destruction. We only hurt ourselves and others. God promises great things for us, not only in this life but in the one to come, if we will trust him (I John 3:1-2,22; 4:4; 5:14-15).
Lord, I'm impatient. I sometimes want what I want NOW and assume that I have a "right" to it! That's not your way, though. You have instructed us to put others before ourselves and to trust you to take care of all our needs. You know when we need promoting and when we need to stay where we are. You know when to reward us and how. I pray for a heart that is fully surrendered to you and strength to remain humble. Amen.
The Bible begins with a vivid example - Adam and Eve. Eve decided God was holding out on her, denying her and Adam access to the fruit of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. You know the outcome; Eve felt "entitled" to have her eyes opened, so off she went to test the fruit and invite Adam to join her. We have struggled with the knowledge of good and evil ever since. Arguing that no one but Eve was hurt in this little transaction is impossible!
Another story involves a man, Haman, who had been elevated by King Ahasuerus to second in command. Haman really embraced his "gift," to the point that when Mordecai, a devoted follower of the God of Israel, refused to bow down to him, he finagled a King-decreed punishment for Mordecai and all Jews - they were to be killed! Haman had nothing to lose and everything to gain; he felt he deserved this kind of honor. This is a fascinating story of self-deception and what happens when an individual is convinced of his invincibility. The short version is that Haman's moment of glory - the one for which he is most remembered - was his hanging from the gallows he had built for Mordecai! Not only was Haman destroyed, so were his ten sons and hundreds of enemies of the Jews. One man's sense of entitlement led not only to his own demise but to that of others.
Buying into the notion that self-serving actions don't hurt self and others is deliberate self-deception that leads to ruin. It's sin. It comes from the heart. Mark 7:20-23 provides a bleak picture of the heart of man, the desires that reside there that defile. Among the list are things like theft, covetousness, pride, deceit, and foolishness. Any one of these can lead people to convince themselves that they are justified in whatever they are doing because they "deserve it." The thought of the hurt to others and to self is buried deep and ignored. The results are destruction.
We can be seduced by the experiences in our lives to become one of the many who claim the "gift of entitlement," taking matters into our own hands, or we can turn our attention to God's word and what he promises. Matthew 10:30-33,39 and 16:24-27 promise that we are of great value and if we take up the cross of discipleship we may lose our lives for Christ's sake but we will also gain them and be rewarded by our Heavenly Father. Earlier in Matthew we're promised that our obedience in secret will be openly rewarded by God (6:1-8), and we're warned to "lay up treasures" in Heaven because "...where your treasure is, there will your heart be also" (6:19-21).
We may be be tempted to get out ahead of God and take what we believe to be ours, but we need to wait! Self-promotion leads to self-destruction. We only hurt ourselves and others. God promises great things for us, not only in this life but in the one to come, if we will trust him (I John 3:1-2,22; 4:4; 5:14-15).
Lord, I'm impatient. I sometimes want what I want NOW and assume that I have a "right" to it! That's not your way, though. You have instructed us to put others before ourselves and to trust you to take care of all our needs. You know when we need promoting and when we need to stay where we are. You know when to reward us and how. I pray for a heart that is fully surrendered to you and strength to remain humble. Amen.
Sunday, February 7, 2010
Parenting - Taking on the Giants and Winning - Part I
I absolutely hate snakes! When I was a little girl, I used to play in the dirt under a huge oak tree in my grandmother's front yard. One day, as I was digging around minding my own business, an evil looking snake fell coiled from that tree. I ran screaming in the house for my grandmother to come and save me! I can still see her, undaunted, walking out to that snake and putting a quick end to his menace with a garden hoe. Grandma the Snake Slayer! I never doubted for a moment that my grandmother could save the day!
The innocent faith of children in the "big people" in their lives to save them from their fears is exactly the kind of faith we are to have in our Father in Heaven. In I Samuel 17:1-58, we read the story of the Israelites cowering in fear of the Philistine giant, Goliath. Every day he would taunt them; every day they would run and hide in fear. All that changed on the day that a young shepherd boy showed up with supplies for the army and his brothers. David heard all the talk of the giant and wondered why the soldiers were so fearful. After all, they were the army of the living God (I Samuel 17:26). It's here that David demonstrates that childlike faith in his Father. David boldly professed that he would fight the giant and win, not in his own strength but in the strength of the Lord: "God, who delivered me from the teeth of the lion and the claws of the bear will deliver me from this Philistine" (I Samuel 17:37).
The soldiers and the King found it hard to believe that one so young and inexperienced in battle would be able to defeat the giant that had stymied them for forty days. David wasn't anything special to look at; he was a kid watching over his father's sheep and running errands. Certainly, he wasn't equipped to pull off a major military coup, but God had other plans. You see, God often uses the small things in life, those things that we overlook or discount, to defeat the giants in our lives. In I Corinthians 1:27b, Paul says, "...God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong."
Whatever the giants are that we face, we must come to God with unwavering childlike faith that He will defeat them. We truly are no match for those giants in our own strength, but God provides all we need to be victorious. Paul tells us in II Corinthians 12:9: "But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me." Our logic and pragmatism can defeat us; trusting God to provide, often in ways that seem illogical and improbable, is the key to victory. Remember, God can bring down giants with a slingshot and a stone!
Lord, the giants in our lives loom large. Some days they send us running for the nearest hiding place. Please help us to stand our ground and trust You to defeat those things that come to bring us down. Help us to never question your ways but to believe that You are working all for our good and doing so through your perfect plan. Thank you that we are victorious when we face life with your power and strength.
The innocent faith of children in the "big people" in their lives to save them from their fears is exactly the kind of faith we are to have in our Father in Heaven. In I Samuel 17:1-58, we read the story of the Israelites cowering in fear of the Philistine giant, Goliath. Every day he would taunt them; every day they would run and hide in fear. All that changed on the day that a young shepherd boy showed up with supplies for the army and his brothers. David heard all the talk of the giant and wondered why the soldiers were so fearful. After all, they were the army of the living God (I Samuel 17:26). It's here that David demonstrates that childlike faith in his Father. David boldly professed that he would fight the giant and win, not in his own strength but in the strength of the Lord: "God, who delivered me from the teeth of the lion and the claws of the bear will deliver me from this Philistine" (I Samuel 17:37).
The soldiers and the King found it hard to believe that one so young and inexperienced in battle would be able to defeat the giant that had stymied them for forty days. David wasn't anything special to look at; he was a kid watching over his father's sheep and running errands. Certainly, he wasn't equipped to pull off a major military coup, but God had other plans. You see, God often uses the small things in life, those things that we overlook or discount, to defeat the giants in our lives. In I Corinthians 1:27b, Paul says, "...God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong."
Whatever the giants are that we face, we must come to God with unwavering childlike faith that He will defeat them. We truly are no match for those giants in our own strength, but God provides all we need to be victorious. Paul tells us in II Corinthians 12:9: "But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me." Our logic and pragmatism can defeat us; trusting God to provide, often in ways that seem illogical and improbable, is the key to victory. Remember, God can bring down giants with a slingshot and a stone!
Lord, the giants in our lives loom large. Some days they send us running for the nearest hiding place. Please help us to stand our ground and trust You to defeat those things that come to bring us down. Help us to never question your ways but to believe that You are working all for our good and doing so through your perfect plan. Thank you that we are victorious when we face life with your power and strength.
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