Stop me please part 1... Psalm 46:10-11

Psalm 46:10–11

I laughed my way through Judith Viorst's How Did I Get to Be Forty and Other Atrocities. I've long since passed the half-century mark, so it seemed reasonable that I should at least face the music of being forty. Even though I must admit I feel more like thirty . . . until I think about my schedule of involvements. Then I wish I were eighty and had an excuse for hiding away in a cabin, writing my memoirs . . . as if anybody would ever care to read them.

It's bad enough just meeting the daily and weekly deadlines along with fulfilling some people's expectations—ugh!—but when I include a bunch of other self-assigned projects, the stress level can approach borderline madness. Which explains why, in my reading, I toss in Bombeck along with Steinbeck and Schulz along with Schaft and Pirsig along with Paul. Gotta have that balance! Otherwise, the screws get cinched down so tightly that I revert to nail-biting and fist-slamming and choking down too much food without tasting it.

I've got enough people in my life who frown authoritatively and admonish me to get serious. I need a few who smile relaxingly and encourage me to kick back, loosen up, and laugh a little more. I've got more than my share of "get-with-it" ghosts haunting me already, don't you? Maybe that's why I'll pull Viorst from the shelf on a Saturday afternoon or a Monday morning. She helps Sunday make better sense. Extreme and uptight, she ain't. But she is clever, witty, sometimes subtle, and always real.

In her piece called "Self-improvement Program," Viorst demonstrates how quickly we tend to turn a simple plan into a federal case. Her poem about escalating to-dos and expectations culminates with the desperate cry of, "Won't someone please stop me?"

Strange, isn't it, how we tend toward extremes? What begins as self-improvement becomes self-enslavement . . . what starts as merely a mellow change of pace leads to a marathon of fanaticism. We're nuts! Left to ourselves, we'll opt for extremes most every time. Which explains why God's Book so often stresses moderation, self-control, softening our sharp-cornered lives with more curves that necessitate a slower speed.

Are you spinning out of control on the fast track? How can you slow down? Where can you go to find enough stillness to rediscover that God is God? We'll talk about that tomorrow.

 What begins as self-improvement becomes self-enslavement if we’re not careful.

The Home part 2... Ephesians 5:21-6:4

Ephesians 5:21–6:4

If you are involved in church or religious activities to the point that your home life is hurting, you're too involved—and you're heading for trouble. Look at what you're doing in the light of eternity. God is primarily interested in the quality, not quantity, of our spiritual fruit. He looks behind our hurry and hustle . . . to our motive, our inner purpose.

What if He examined your home life today? What would He find about your relationship with your wife, my friend? Are you loving her "as Christ loved the church"? Are you showing honor to her and building up her character? Wives—how's the inner beauty of a "gentle and quiet spirit" progressing? Does the man of your home know you're really behind him? Does he sense your undivided loyalty?

And dare I speak to the children? Do you promote harmony and happiness . . . or have you created a pressure-packed atmosphere? If you are among the younger ones in the home, are you showing respect . . . are you giving your folks the assurance that you're submissive and willing? Look over Ephesians 6:1–4 as a family tonight. Discuss it together.

One final reminder. The church can seldom resurrect what the home puts to death. The very best proof of the genuineness of your Christianity occurs within the framework of your home. If you must become over-involved, become over-involved in your role as a character builder in the home. Believe me—the church will stay healthy and strong as long as its homes are healthy and strong. God's priority system seems to begin at the grassroots level—at home. Cultivate that soil with care.

 The best proof of the genuineness of your Christianity occurs inside your home.

The Home, part 1...1 Corinthians 3:12-15

1 Corinthians 3:12–15

God has ordained and established three great institutions:

1) the home (Genesis 1:27–28; Ephesians 5:22–31),

2) the church (Matthew 16:18; Acts 2:41–47), and

3) government (Romans 13:1–7).

There is no question regarding our belief that the church and state (government) should be separate and distinct. Each is a unique entity, not to be consolidated. Our Lord Jesus Christ stated as much in Mark 12:17 when He said: "Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's."

But what about the church and the home? Is there cooperation . . . or competition? To be specific: Has your home lost its identity? Has the role or responsibility of your home been lost in the "religious shuffle" of the church?

How very many churches you and I could name that plan a calendar of events so involved for its members that a meaningful home life is virtually impossible! "Something for everyone, every night" is a slogan that must be considered as an enemy to our homes.

If you are involved in church or religious activities to the point that your home life is hurting, you're too involved—and you're heading for trouble. The law of diminishing returns is soon to catch up with you. Somewhere down the busy religious road you're traveling, a dead-end sign will appear, forcing you to stop, turn around, and return to the place of balance and restful blessing . . . at home . . . if it's not too late.

One sage put it this way: "Too much of our religious activity today is nothing more than a cheap anesthetic to deaden the pain of an empty life." Does that describe you? If so—if your involvement is an escape from home—stop where you are. Look at what you're doing in the light of eternity. Listen to what God says about activity that is done simply in the energy of the flesh:

Now if any man builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw; each man's work will become evident; for the day will show it because it is to be revealed with fire, and the fire itself will test the quality [not quantity] of each man's work. . . . If any man's work is burned up, he will suffer loss [loss of eternal rewards]; but he himself will be saved. (1 Corinthians 3:12–13, 15)

God, you see, is primarily interested in the quality of our fruit. He looks behind our hurry and hustle . . . He probes and penetrates down to our motive, our inner purpose . . . and on the basis of that discovery, He plans our eternal rewards.

What if He examined your home life today? What quality of fruit would He find? We'll talk about that tomorrow.

 If your many church activities are hurting your home life, you're too involved.

Where is God?...

"Rise up, O God, and defend your cause; remember how fools mock you all day long." (v. 22)

How do we develop trust in the goodness of God when so much that is happening in the world seems to contradict it? If God is good, how can He allow disasters? Dr. M. Scott Peck opens his book The Road Less Travelled with these words: "Life is difficult. This is a great truth because once we truly see this truth, we transcend it." I have great difficulty with some of Dr. Scott Peck's statements, but I fully endorse these remarks. Once we accept the fact that life is difficult -- that the mystery of why calamities and suffering occur will never be fully solved while we are here on earth -- then we will stop demanding that a satisfactory answer be found and begin to get on with life. Christians go down different routes regarding this matter of calamities and suffering. One is to close their eyes and pretend the tremendous problems are not there. But integrity requires that we face whatever is true. Reality is grim -- innocent children are abused, starved, massacred -- and countless other forms of atrocity are carried out around the world daily. We must not blind our eyes to these facts and pretend they are untrue because they appear to contradict the concept of God?s goodness. Pretense must never be our refuge. We must be willing to look at these things, unpleasant and horrible though they be, and allow ourselves to be jarred by them. When we face life honestly and allow ourselves to be jolted by what we see, then, and only then, are we ready for God to speak.

Prayer:

Gracious and loving heavenly Father, give me the courage not to bury my head in the sand and pretend there are no problems. Help me stand even when I cannot understand. For Your own dear Name's sake. Amen

Ancient birth... John 18:37

Then Pilate said to him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world — to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.” (John 18:37)

This is a great Christmas text even though it comes from the end of Jesus’s life on earth, not the beginning.

The uniqueness of his birth is that he did not originate at his birth. He existed before he was born in a manger. The personhood, the character, the personality of Jesus of Nazareth existed before the man Jesus of Nazareth was born.

The theological word to describe this mystery is not creation, but incarnation. The person, not the body, but the essential personhood of Jesus existed before he was born as man. His birth was not a coming into being of a new person, but a coming into the world of an infinitely old person.

Micah 5:2 puts it like this, 700 years before Jesus was born:

But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days.

The mystery of the birth of Jesus is not merely that he was born of a virgin. That miracle was intended by God to witness to an even greater one — namely, that the child born at Christmas was a person who existed “from of old, from ancient days.”

Finding satisfaction...Philippians 4:11-13

Philippians 4:11-13

God has provided us with many things to enjoy. But too often our lives are filled with turmoil instead of contentment. Four practices that create dissatisfaction are . . .

Busyness. We live in a hurry-up society, dashing from one activity to another. Jesus did not rush anywhere, yet He accomplished whatever God gave Him to do. Not once did He tell His followers to move faster. He even praised Mary for choosing to stop her work and spend time with Him (Luke 10:39, 42).

Earthly perspective. Too often we live focused on our circumstances. Our minds think about what happened earlier in the week, what’s on today’s agenda, and the activities occurring next week, month, or year. No wonder enjoyment of life remains elusive. The solution is to have an eternal perspective, which acknowledges that God is in charge and our goal is to please Him.

Self-imposed pressure. We have all experienced the unavoidable burdens of schoolwork, employment, and relationships. But we bring needless pressure on ourselves when we allow unnecessary “musts” and “shoulds” to rule us. The remedy is to turn to God, acknowledge His right to order our days, and ask for His plan.

Unhealthy attitudes. Perfectionism, false guilt, and apathy all undermine our enjoyment of life.

Satisfaction is found in a life that reflects God’s priorities—and time with Him comes first. Reading His Word, we become mindful of the Father’s great love, learn what He views as important, and experience the joy of belonging to Him. When contentment is elusive, it’s time to examine our priorities.

Finding satisfaction...Philippians 4:11-13

Finding Satisfaction

Philippians 4:11-13

God has provided us with many things to enjoy. But too often our lives are filled with turmoil instead of contentment. Four practices that create dissatisfaction are . . .

Busyness. We live in a hurry-up society, dashing from one activity to another. Jesus did not rush anywhere, yet He accomplished whatever God gave Him to do. Not once did He tell His followers to move faster. He even praised Mary for choosing to stop her work and spend time with Him (Luke 10:39, 42).

Earthly perspective. Too often we live focused on our circumstances. Our minds think about what happened earlier in the week, what’s on today’s agenda, and the activities occurring next week, month, or year. No wonder enjoyment of life remains elusive. The solution is to have an eternal perspective, which acknowledges that God is in charge and our goal is to please Him.

Self-imposed pressure. We have all experienced the unavoidable burdens of schoolwork, employment, and relationships. But we bring needless pressure on ourselves when we allow unnecessary “musts” and “shoulds” to rule us. The remedy is to turn to God, acknowledge His right to order our days, and ask for His plan.

Unhealthy attitudes. Perfectionism, false guilt, and apathy all undermine our enjoyment of life.

Satisfaction is found in a life that reflects God’s priorities—and time with Him comes first. Reading His Word, we become mindful of the Father’s great love, learn what He views as important, and experience the joy of belonging to Him. When contentment is elusive, it’s time to examine our priorities.