When I Can't Work for God

Ever since the dawn of time and the constructive work of God to take some dust from the ground, form a man out of it and then breathe into him, God has designed for man to work.  There is no mistaking the purposes of God.  Adam was given a plethora of tasks: be fruitful and multiply and have dominion over some of creation (Gen 1:28), to take care of the Garden (Gen 2:15), name the animals (Gen 2:19).  This is a part of the good purposes of God in His creation.  Of course Adam and Eve, these representatives for the rest of humanity, also brought upon themselves and all thereafter the curse of God that resulted in work being difficult, and less than enjoyable (Gen 3:17-19).  But make no mistake about it, God's design includes work.

The Purpose of God's Faithfulness (observing Paul in prison)

We often give opposing things and people way too much credit for what they didn't do. We give them credit for what they haven't purposed.  We all too quickly point out the apparent sin in the lives of those who face opposition, or difficulty, because as we know and understand God, we believe living in a certain agreement with His rules seemingly provides us with an immunity to anything that is undesirable, painful, or oppressive in nature.  And we are quick to locate the specific sin in our lives for which we assume God has this cause against us for which we are apparently suffering.  But that is not necessarily the case, and indeed likely isn't at all the case. Difficult situations display something far greater than plans and purposes and results of the sinful and even our sin. 

Chasing After the Rejection of God

It is so easy to look at the failures of many of those before us at a different time and in a different place and quickly observe the folly of their foolishness.  As of late I have been reflecting on the Israelites and their freedom from Egypt.  For a group of people who saw things that nobody else ever saw they sure are quick to forget about the LORD.  Consider the ten plagues that God brought upon Egypt.  For all that could only be described as divinely miraculous, these people soon thereafter forgot about what God had done.  And though they advanced between two walls of water at the parting of the Red Sea, these same people shortly after found themselves doubting the same God who did that.  

So Many Trivial Treasures

There are many things we all chase after most of which are trivial.  So many conversations in which we engage (both internally in our minds, and externally with others) are focused on the job we work, the house we live in, the car we drive, the money we make (or wished we made), the sports we watch, the recreational activities we engage, and so many similar fleeting things.  We know better that these things don't ultimately satisfy us, but we continue going to these various "wells" of refreshment hoping that it will give us that same thrill and somehow sustain us.

When All is Stripped Away

There is rarely the time in this life where we recognize the sufficiency of God.  The fact of the matter is that we don't often have any concept of how needy we are, nor how sufficient He is.  And this is because too many of our "things" get in the way.  As the life of Moses came to an end it was Joshua who was left with the responsibility of leading the people of Israel into the promised land.  It may not seem like such a big responsibility, but consider a few things: 1) there were an estimated 1.5 to 2 million people he was leading, 2) there stood in the promised land nations and cities of people who will war against Israel, 3) Joshua had never led before, and 4) Moses, his friend, and leader is gone.  We get the indication that Joshua was exceptionally frightened by what was upon him and in front of him because three times in verses 1-9 of the first chapter of Joshua we hear these words "Be strong and courageous."  God is the one who said this and He did so because He knows what Joshua knows: that Joshua is neither strong nor courageous.

Not This Life, But the LIFE TO COME

Pain is a wonderful reminder of our vulnerability.  It exposes just how needy we are.  It grips us with a deep desire for both how things were in a day prior, and births from somewhere within a hope that one day we will find relief.  It causes us a brokenness in us where others can finally see the person who cries, who suffers, and who "can't do" the simple, mundane things previously taken for granted.  And pain exposes the innate desire of every human who has ever lived: to be happy.

Perspective on Living by Faith

If you have been a Christian for any time you have probably met them.  They are everywhere.  They are these "super-Christians" for whom everything seems to go just as they want, or as they planned.  And while maybe it doesn't (and of course it doesn't) they at least convince us that more faith is the key to our life's journey, even as theirs has been changed by such faith.  They use phrases like, "Well you need to believe more," and "Put all your faith in God," especially to encourage us on through our trying seasons.  They ultimately cause us to think that there is quite a bit less faith in us such that God will not answer us until our faith rises to a higher level.  While I believe there can be some truth to that, I do not think we understand faith rightly if that is all we can say to people.