All Too Familiar

"SSSSSSShhhhhhwwwoosh!"

This morning, I was awakened by the sound of the street cleaner, its brushes making a continuous sound against the pavement and water residue from the rain before. If I hadn't known any better, I would have imagined it to be the end of the world as a giant monster's breath was getting closer to my house with every second that passed by. But no, it was simply the street cleaner, and my childlike fantasies were corrected by my understanding of it's actual form.

However, this wake-up call triggered something else in my mind as I turned and readjusted myself in bed. I was brought back to the first time I had heard the street cleaner, or any strange noise for that matter, and was reminded of the immediate fear that rushed in my bones to the unfamiliar sounds. Being younger in age, I had not yet experienced the object, and therefore, the insecurity would cause anxiety to bubble up from within. Yet now, because of my constant interaction with such things, the flame of fear has dwindled to a flicker, if anything, as everything has become so familiar.

Almost too familiar.

In John 8, Jesus talks about two types of "families" when talking about children: children of God and children of the Devil. Now, evidently, Romans 8:12-16 makes it clear that when we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior and believe that He is the Son of God, then we too take on that same persona; Jesus took our place, and now we are able to take His. Therefore, we are children of God, receiving full the inheritance and the blessings that comes from that (1 Peter 1:3-5). Certainly, we've heard this before, right?

If this is to be true (which it is, solely based on the fact that God's Word is true and everlasting, see Psalms 33:4), then where is our home? From this standpoint, if we are in God's family, our home would be found with Him, making us "visitors" or "aliens" to the earth. However, my experience this morning led me to realize a certain conviction that I've been ignorant too: I may be a child of God, but my lifestyle is one infatuated with a strange land. It suddenly became apparent to me how little I know of my heavenly home and how much I find comfort in this temporary dwelling of earth. With that understanding, I've come to realize the urgency I suddenly have to better understand my real home, in order that I might not walk in hypocrisy any longer.

1. First, I must get to know my Father. Spending time in prayer and His Word allows me to understand his perspective, and character, along with strengthening my relationship with him.
2. Second, I must "die" to myself. This may sound tragic, but it's actually a beautiful image. Jesus knows we can't live a "double-life," so he urges us to give up the dust in Mark 8:34, in order that we might grab hold of the gold he has in store for us. To grasp onto one thing, we must let go of another.
3. Third, I must allow for a mind transformation. Romans 12:1-2 says it all: "Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will."

God, help me not to conform, but be transformed, that your daughter would be true to her father, and become oh-so-familiar with her true family line. Thank you, Lord.

Psalms 91: "I Am With You--Do Not Be Afraid."

"Liane... Liane..."
My eyes seemed glued-shut from my deep REM sleep just moments before, and my first instinct left me wishing I had a lock on my door. But the voice continued, softening my heart and opening my ears.
"Can I just tell you something?"
I remained "asleep," but listened intently to my six-year-old sister's whisper.
"I was sleeping and I had a bad dream last night...and I couldn't really see anything. And 'den I saw bright colors," she stammered. "And 'den I just heard this voice, and I thought it was mommy or daddy, so I tried to call to them...the voice said, 'Rissi. Rissi. I am here with you, don't be afraid.' And then this morning, I went downstairs and asked mommy and daddy why they had called me, and they said that they didn't. So, it was God!"

With that, my mind was wide awake, but my eyes were still heavy from the a late Friday night on the computer. Still, I felt that I story like that needed some sort of acknowledgement.
"That's great, baby," I whispered. "That's so cool."


Growing up with a six-year-old sister has often reminded me the wonders of a childlike faith and humbled me in learning from the young, innocent mind. With that being said, her anecdote was exactly what I needed to wake up to this morning, and it led me back to Psalms 91, which I had been reading a lot last week:

1 He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High
will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
2 I will say of the LORD,
"He is my refuge and my fortress,
my God, in whom I trust."
3 Surely he will save you from the fowler's snare
and from the deadly pestilence.
4 He will cover you with his feathers,
and under his wings you will find refuge;
his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.
5 You will not fear the terror of night,
nor the arrow that flies by day,
6 nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness,
nor the plague that destroys at midday.
7 A thousand may fall at your side,
ten thousand at your right hand,
but it will not come near you.
8 You will only observe with your eyes
and see the punishment of the wicked.
9 If you make the Most High your dwelling—
even the LORD, who is my refuge-
10 then no harm will befall you,
no disaster will come near your tent.
11 For he will command his angels concerning you
to guard you in all your ways;
12 they will lift you up in their hands,
so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.
13 You will tread upon the lion and the cobra;
you will trample the great lion and the serpent.
14 "Because he loves me," says the LORD, "I will rescue him;
I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name.
15 He will call upon me, and I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble,
I will deliver him and honor him.
16 With long life will I satisfy him
and show him my salvation."

Last night, my dad (the God-given 24/7 counselor in my life...thank you ,dad!) and I were examining my schedule as we do about every month-and-a-half. Too often, my life gets dangerously too busy and jam-packed with activities, engagements, and promises that I am obligated to fulfill. It's around the fifth week of this (and these specifics aren't exact; I'm exaggerating to better explain the dilemma) that I begin to feel spiritually and emotionally drained, leaving me frustrated and trapped. As we sat in the living room last night, he asked me a startling question, which later led me to reflect on Psalms 91. He had asked what it was that drove me to do so many things, and left me with this analysis that left me awestruck at the accuracy and insight of my father, along with puzzled as to what to do next: "I believe you are driven by fear," he said.
"Fear of what?" I asked.
"Fear of disappointing God. Me. Yourself," he answered. Wow. Deep down within me, I knew he was right. My insecurity rooted in fear is expressed in a busy and overwhelmed schedule. I couldn't believe I had lived this many years with this root within me. Now, my thoughts lingered to wonder: how would one rid themselves of a fear as binding and controlling as mine?

The answer was found in Carissa's testimony this morning.
"I am with you. Don't be afraid," God had said to her.

In other words, God is revealing the truth that there is "nothing to fear when He is near." Absolutely nothing.

• Afraid of failure? - Romans 8:28 reminds us that God works IN all things for the good of those who love Him.
• Afraid of "losing God"? -Romans 8:35-39 reminds us that there is NOTHING that can separate us from God. He is always with us (see also Psalms 139:7-12).
• Afraid of mistakes? -Jesus died for us while we were still sinners, revealing his love for us in the midst of our mistakes! (Romans 5:8).

For now, let me leave you with this truth of God's love. It's by His love alone that our lives are changed, and specifically in mine, fear is removed. Look at 1 John 4:16-18:

16 "And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him....18There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear..."

Where else could one find perfect love, but in God, the creator of it? Know it more. Rely on it. Let's let that love be enough to drive out the fear binds us all!

Psalms 115: The Real Deal

It's so easy to take hold of the "image" of Christ: take a guy with a really nice demeanor, a smile on his face, and a normal figure, and you have the biblical Jesus, right there. Or, you could find someone who puts food on the table and heals your cat when she's sick and label him the "convenient" Jesus of the 21st Century. If we're not careful, we can slip into the habit of "worshipping" a makeshift Jesus, one who fits our images and our standards. It's then that we fall into believing lies that lead us into deep deception. We're not only fooling ourselves, but idolizing a creation of our limited, flawed human minds.

Psalms 115:1-8 reads:
"1 Not to us, O LORD, not to us
but to your name be the glory,
because of your love and faithfulness.
2 Why do the nations say,
"Where is their God?"
3 Our God is in heaven;
he does whatever pleases him.
4 But their idols are silver and gold,
made by the hands of men.
5 They have mouths, but cannot speak,
eyes, but they cannot see;
6 they have ears, but cannot hear,
noses, but they cannot smell;
7 they have hands, but cannot feel,
feet, but they cannot walk;
nor can they utter a sound with their throats.
8 Those who make them will be like them,
and so will all who trust in them. "

What happens when we live for a man-made "Jesus?" Psalms 115:8 makes it very clear that we become like that which we worship; the thing we attribute our attention and our affection to is the very being we emulate. Therefore, our one-dimensional, super-hero only "Jesus" will create a life lived in limited circumstances, based only in a faith during the "good times." This leads me to question and to evaluate one very important truth: Who is Jesus? And really, I want to know: who is my Savior, the One I worship? What a seemingly impossible task! How can I, in my already sinful, restricted mindset, understand a perfect and boundless God? Suddenly, the thought overwhelmed me: I can't. So how can I truly worship Jesus himself? Again, examining my flesh, it is so obvious the answer to that subsequent question: in my own ability, I fail at every attempt to please the pure God with my gray-tinted offering.

And here, at this point of humility and understanding of my weakness, is where the real Jesus is finally introduced.

This morning, as I was skimming through John, this beautiful truth caught my attention, leaving my eyes dead in their tracks. John 17:3 reads:

"Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent."

From that scripture, it is evident that the genuine knowledge of God and Jesus Christ is not something we can conjure up in our own strength, but rather it is a gift. In John 3:16, it is made clear that God gave as a gift his only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, that

"whosoever believes in him will not perish but have eternal life."

We could think for decades, or spend our years in philosophical inquiry, but never come close to completely understanding the Lord of the Earth. Wisdom, as we see through Solomon's desire, is given as a gift, as it is given without any obligation. Likewise, we can see that through salvation in Jesus Christ, we are alloted a free opportunity to know God intimately. Through prayer and reading the Scripture passed on for generations, we can know the God we worship, discounting the blind, mindless rituals of mere Christianity and engaging in a lively, personal relationship with the God of the universe! However, there is one requirement on our part: we have to put down the "god-shaping tools" and open our eyes to the Master in front of us.

As Jeremiah 29:13 says, "You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart."

So, my question now is this: are your eyes open? The real Jesus is right there. Let's throw away our efforts and be blown away by the truth we've been missing all along. Let's receive the true gift of salvation: knowledge of Jesus!

Pause for Prayer

It's been a while, but I'm back, and Lord-willing, there will be more posts here in the near future relaying my reflections of the Psalms and various spiritual truths. But, before we continue, why not take a moment of reflection, catch our breathes, and sit back as I record a quote I read in a book, Red Moon Rising, recently:

"And when we get our heads around God's character, prayer, devotion, and discipleship ceases to be a technique and becomes instinct. That's when we can take our place in an army that marches on its knees, fighting for the Prince of Peace" (14).

There's a reason why soldiers are never seen on their knees; logically, they're marching to fight, so as they "stand on their feet," the army is ready for battle and movement at any moment. However, God's army, as denoted here, is vastly different. We're still fighting, pushing through every stride to take back the lost for Christ, however, we do so, "not by might, nor by power, but by [God's] spirit," (Zechariah 4:6). There is more power behind a child's prayer than behind an army of physically trained, armed men. Why? Because through prayer, the Spirit of the Living God is released in action; no one, not even death, can defeat Him.