You are God’s Masterpiece

I just watched the early morning show on TV showing stretches you can do right in your office chair to relieve stress. Is Jesus stressed about your job? Here is His perspective on you and your job. 1 - God initiates your work. “…the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does” (John 5:19). God wants to lead you to your workplace not follow you there. Don’t ask Him to come to work with you, follow in His footsteps. Jesus’ pattern for doing His Father’s will was to watch to see where His father was working and join Him in his work. He followed the Father’s initiative in His work. 2 - God does your work! Yes, really! First, what is your job? Show Him off in your work; proclaim HIM, admonishing and teaching EVERYONE with ALL wisdom, so that we may present everyone PERFECT in Christ (Col 1: 28-29). WOW tired yet? How can God expect all that from me? By “…struggling with all HIS energy which so powerfully works in me!” Working with His energy, can’t you see the energizer bunny getting it all done, thanks to the special batteries? He is doing the work through you so don’t try to handle it on your own. 3 – God finishes the work He starts. You can be “confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus” (Phil 1:6). Jesus finishes what He starts. He is working on you, in you and through you. You are His masterpiece and He will not leave you half finished. “For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago” (Eph 2:10). So, go to work! Do the work He planned for you and let Him do His work in and through you. Watch this Youtube for a great illustration of how he's working on you. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AhfUzodLRvk&t=6s  If you are not sure He has started, or is currently, working in you, message me.

My extravagant, lavish, ‘excessive’ God!

Extravagant! What picture does that word conjure up in your mind? Excessive? Too much? Over the top? Wasteful perhaps? How about Godly? My no frills, conservative, Mennonite upbringing taught me to scrimp, save, reuse, and never waste. Don’t spend money on what is not practical and useful. These attributes were presented as Godly. Thriftiness is next to Godliness, right?

Last month I had the opportunity to brush up on my childhood ice skating skills. Thankfully I didn’t break any bones, the ice, or my brother’s camera. He was taking pictures of the ice. The bay had just frozen over and there were thousands of fragile frost fragments that were so small they couldn’t be seen without a mega-magnifier lens. My brother was on his face on the ice taking pictures but I didn’t really appreciate what he was doing, until I saw the pictures blown up on the computer screen. WOW! How extravagant! Lavish!

These microscopic clusters were too fragile to touch but they were more intricate and dazzling than any king’s crown or queen’s tiara. It seemed like a waste to have thousands of these stunningly beautiful crystals flung across the ice on the bay where no one saw them. Is that Godly? Absolutely!

He is lavish and extravagant, showering us with blessings we don’t deserve or appreciate, pouring his love out on those who ignore him, use him, hate him or deny that he even exists. “God demonstrates his own (lavish)love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom 5:8). How wasteful! How not-thrifty. “Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment.” (1 Tim 6:17). Did you get that? He richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment! Lavishly generous, extravagantly excessive, that is my God! I think I’ll go enjoy everything he has provided, and while I am at it I think I’ll choose to be extravagant, lavish, Godly, towards others today!

Christmas – it’s all about the presents!

I remember a visitor to our community who would never miss a service at our church no matter what day of the week it was. It was not that the program or the speaker was so awesome, he just wanted to make sure that if God showed up he didn’t miss Him. The hope and anticipation of God’s presence is compelling. The shepherds left work early when they got the singing telegram that “God showed up!” It reminds me of all the Christmas choir presentations and cantatas I have been a part of. Each orchestrated presentation a wonderful expression of the events of the first Christmas. Just like the angelic choir the present day presentations bring good news, but those melodic crescendoing announcements are just that, announcements. When the shepherds heard their Christmas cantata they left what they were doing saying, “if God showed up we don’t want to miss Him!” My point is, those moments that bring Christmas thoughts to our minds, those warm memories, warm clothes, wonderful celebrations are just precursors to His presence. It’s not Christmas until you get to HIS PRESENCE. Emmanuel, God is in the house!

Don't worry, get a facelift! Yes men too!

Some sports require complete commitment, there is no trial/testing period to gently ease into it, sports like sky diving, ski jumping, scuba diving and bungee jumping. I remember really, really wanting to learn to ski and being convinced by my ‘ex’ friend that the bunny hills were unnecessary I took the lift to the top of the blue slope (intermediate, for those of you who do not ski). It didn’t look too bad looking down on the hill from the chairlift and I was quite sure I would be fine. Until, UNTIL, I stood on those two slippery slats of wood looking down! I couldn’t even see the bottom of the hill from the top and could not make my feet move, I needed a little push. I got one and made it down in one piece although I do not remember breathing for the entire run.

Isaiah was in much worse trouble. It was not a sport though, it was life and it was bad. His people were prisoners in enemy territory and he was being treated with contempt and disgrace and could see no way out, but he did not give into that fear. He said, “For the LORD God will help me; therefore I have set my face like flint, and I know that I will not be ashamed” Isaiah 50:7 (NKJV). This short verse is a prescription for overcoming when life is hard, demands are heavy and the outcome seems unfair. Look at it closely.

First, get your position right. “For the LORD God will help me.” He is GOD and you are not! Stop acting like it all depends on you. Not only is He in charge, He is willing and able to help you and you can count on Him. II Chronicles 20:12 states it differently, “we do not know what to do, but our eyes are on You.” We will gravitate to what we are focused on. What are you looking at?

Second, you have an investment in this endeavor, “therefore I have set my face like flint.” Attitude matters. What are you thinking about? Focused on the problem? Reliving the scenario with different endings? Isaiah set his face like flint (determined, unswerving, solidly facing the truth), in Colossians 3:1-2 Paul says, “set your hearts on things above,” and “set your minds on things above.” Pretty much then, ALL of you is resolute, single-minded and focused on the right things, the things above, the answer, the solution, the goal. Focusing for long periods of time on the problem will only drag you down.

Third, be confident in the one in whom you trust. “I know that I will not be ashamed.” I know (am completely convinced, certain) the kind of confidence that allowed Jesus to sleep in the boat that was being tossed around by the waves, the kind of confidence that lets you sleep in the middle of your storm.

When we are facing a difficult situation or facing an adversity of any kind, the Bible is very specific in giving us instruction as to what we are to do. Look at 1 Peter 5:7, “Casting (releasing the weight of, flinging, hurling, as throwing overboard where they are irretrievable) all your cares on Him; for He cares for you.” Unless you have determined to call upon the Lord and seek His face, you will not be able to “cast your cares upon Him,” and therefore, you will be weighted down with “the worries of the world.” Worries divide the mind. The word “worry” means, “to divide into parts.” “a preoccupation with things causing anxiety, stress, and pressure.” Yuck! Remember setting your mind/heart is being single-minded, so focus and focus on what is good. Jesus specifically said, “do not worry about your life” (Matthew 6:25) or, “do not be anxious,” “take no thought for your life,” rather, “Commit your way to the Lord [roll and repose each care of your load on Him]; trust (lean on, rely on, and be confident) also in Him and He will bring it to pass” Psalm 37:5.

Commit, not think about it, consider or try, but COMMIT your way. When you say, “I do” you’re committed, when you stop worrying about it, smile and do what you know you should. Ask someone’s forgiveness, give generously, or go to sleep without worry, commit your way (give it totally to Him) and TRUST HIM. Not the bank, not your friend, not the doctor, not your mother, but HIM, TRUST HIM. Trust Him because he is the one who will make it happen. He will send the sunshine and the rain, He will bring health, He will restore ~ HE WILL BRING IT TO PASS. That is His promise. You can spend a lot of money and time on facelift products but the best way to get rid of worry lines is, don't worry!

Clear water, sandy beaches and gentle breezes.

Escape from the routine pressures of job, traffic and the everyday ordinary; spend a few days on the beach relaxing in the sand with the clear Caribbean water lapping at your feet and the gentle breeze stirring the palm branches overhead. The scene I just painted in your head sounds like freedom, freedom from the restrictive routines that regulate our everyday lives. Take a closer look and “as a rule” that beach scene is filled with routine, rules and restrictions. Jeremiah 5:20-25 tells us many things we can learn from the sea. Read it in your Bible and see if you don’t hear the same things I did.

Jeremiah 5:20-25 (in Martha’s words)
Tell my people to listen to the wisdom of the sea. Learn from her. You see the waves washing on the shore but do not understand. You hear the rolling breakers but don’t listen to what they say. This is what they show you. This is what they say. “Fear the Lord! Don’t go beyond the limits of His Word. Live in respect and response to His ways and directions and the seasons will come as expected. The sea understands that and respects the one who put the beach at the water’s edge then drew a line in the sand and said “don’t cross this line.” The waves try, they wash over the line only to recede again and come back to rest on the seaside of the line. “The sea knows, understands, and fears (respects, reveres, responds to) Me!” But my people do not. They don’t understand, comprehend or understand that fearing Me is for their own good. They resist the boundaries I have laid down for them. They have made their own tsunami by departing from the Lord and not fearing Him."

Fearing God – something we do not often think about and maybe do not understand but it is a good thing. In fact, “the LORD delights in those who fear him,” He takes pleasure in those who understand and respond appropriately to how awesome and powerful and mighty and loving He is (Ps 147:11).

Your attitude is showing

Offence! How easy it is to be offended. Real or imagined we see the splinter in our sister/brother’s eye and want to ‘help’ by pointing it out and in that way remove it but Jesus says in Luke 6:37-45, "Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you."

Judging another requires pointing out his/her faults – ‘you’ve got something in your eye, here let me get it out for you.’ How can you help when you can’t see yourself. I am a nurse and I know how hard it can be to get a little speck out of someone’s eye. Even more so now that my eyes are changing. I wear glasses because I have been nearsighted since I was a child. But for years I have worn contacts for that and for the last year I have been using reading glasses. If I don’t have my contacts in I have to take my regular glasses off and hold the page close to read and if I am wearing my contacts I need my reading glasses to see detail or I have to stretch my arms out as far as they will go. SO come over here and let me take that little speck out of your eye for you. That is what it is talking about. Don’t judge (pronounce judgment on) and don’t condemn (pronounce guilt/judgment on.) We are too blind to our own faults to see that we are just as guilty. We are just as condemned. Look at the next verse, you can use my glasses if you want.

Read on from verse 39. He also told them this parable: "Can a blind man lead a blind man? Will they not both fall into a pit? (skip verse 40 for now) 41 "Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? 42 How can you say to your brother, 'Brother, let me take the speck out of your eye,' when you yourself fail to see the plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.
43 "No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. 44 Each tree is recognized by its own fruit. People do not pick figs from thornbushes, or grapes from briers. 45 The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks.

The fruit does not fall far from the tree. The apple tree is full of apples. The mango tree is full of mangoes and the tree that drops judgment on the person sitting under it must be full of judgment. Now let’s look back at verse 40, “The student is just like his teacher.” The student is a product of the teacher just like the fruit is a product of the tree. So what does your fruit look like? What product falls from your lips? Out of the fountain of thoughts and feelings your words spill out. So what kind of words are they? They reveal your teacher. We say we are children of God and Christ followers, then our words should reveal that our hearts are like His, not judging, not condemning, but forgiving and full of love. The tree of forgiveness produces the fruit of forgiveness.

Lovin’ action

She was supposed to be a friend, a ‘joint heir’ with me in the salvation of Jesus Christ. We worshiped at the same church. How could we have gone from sharing difficult life experiences with each other to her hanging up the phone in my ear? I knew my position at work made me her supervisor but she seemed fine with it as we exchanged pleasantries. Later, when I informed her that I would need her help in another department for a short while she still seemed fine but when the time came for her to go she became angry on the phone. I tried to explain my reasoning to her but she had already made up her mind that she didn’t like this and it was my fault. She hung up the phone in my ear and with that I went from Christian to cross in 1.2 seconds.

My heart raced and my neck flushed as I marched in her direction. Half way there I thought to myself, ‘let me take a few deep breaths and calm down.’ I ducked into a side room and said a prayer, ignoring the words I could hear coming down the hall as she told coworkers how unfair I was. Inside I just wanted to go the other direction but I knew that in order to do my job I had to speak to her. I took another deep breath and walked down the hall towards her station. I stated my case calmly knowing my decision was right, I was just doing my job. I turned and walked away knowing that the words we had exchanged would forever change our relationship.

I was still thinking about that later when I opened my Bible.
“Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.” (1 John 3:7-11) Oh Lord what are you telling me now? Am I suppose to reach out to her even though I was right? I don’t like this, let me look somewhere else. So I turned the page.
“Do not be surprised, my brothers, if the world hates you. We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love our brothers. Anyone who does not love remains in death. Anyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life in him. This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers.” (Oh God, you are not easy.) Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth. (Actions? You want me to reach out to her even though she treated me like that?) "This then is how we know that we belong to the truth, and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence whenever our hearts condemn us." (OK Lord, set my heart at rest.) "For God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything. Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God and receive from him anything we ask, because we obey his commands and do what pleases him." (Obey, mmm, so I can’t just forgive her in my heart and let it go? I actually have to obey that action command?) "And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as he commanded us. Those who obey his commands live in him, and he in them." (1 John 3:13-24)
So this is what separates the men from the boys, love in action.