NOT MINE!

 

Hashtags + snarky comments = how to do life in today’s world.  For some people.

Of course, I myself am not a snarky person.  Well, hardly ever.   And let me also say that I never-ever spout political commentaries.  Until today, because hashtags and politics seem to collide and procreate quite often on social media, and it’s just too hard to resist tiptoeing through the hashtags.

One of the most viral was the #notmypresident cerebral joy fest.  It’s yuge!  Uh-oh, I just snarked, didn’t I?  Well, anyway, no matter who the political contenders are, some of the townspeople are inclined to rise up with pitchforks and torches and if they can’t run him/her outta town, at least they express their dismay with great gusto, and marching.  Why?  Because the townspeople refuse to have someone as their leader with whom they disagree mightily.  Doesn’t matter if the contender is ultimately elected fair-and-square (or unfair-and-unsquared), the people still insist that this person is #notmypresident.

And since nothing is new under the sun, I believe that long before social media and hashtags ever existed, that same thought process was in townspeople’s minds, regardless if the leader was an elected president, a king, or a despicable ruler.  In the people’s minds, they’re muttering, “#notmine!”  But ya know what?  This rebellious attitude of refusing to acknowledge leaders is the same as refusing God’s sovereignty. "The Most High God is ruler over the realm of mankind and He sets over it whomever He wishes" (Daniel 5:21).

Remember Pharaoh?  What was his attitude toward God?  “Who is the Lord that I should obey His voice to let Israel go?  I do not know the Lord!” (Exodus 5:2).  Yep, #notmylord. 

Ungodly and unrighteous men “suppress the truth in unrighteousness …; even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks …; they did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer” (Romans 1:18, 21, 28).  In other words, I want what I want, and if God doesn’t agree with me, well then, He’s #notmygod.  Frankly, the hashtag attitude is all through Scripture.  Men are wise in their own eyes, and if anyone, especially God, doesn't measure up, gets the hashtag eye roll.

My God, I know that You have forgiven me for my pre-salvation eyerolls at You, and my prideful rejection of You.  I refused to acknowledge Your sovereignty, and I refused to trust You.  I am eternally thankful that You saved me.  Please keep me from being wise in my own eyes, not expecting You to bow to my wishes, and to trust You daily, regardless of my personal and/or worldly circumstances.  I know that this earthly life is but a blip in time.  I want to be continually looking up in anticipation of that day when I’m face to face with my Lord Jesus Who saved me. And every day, I will humbly honor You as #myGod.

AM I BOTHERING YOU?

Over the last few years, my husband and I have become caretakers for my parents.  Their common refrain is, “I don’t want to be a bother!” They’re sure that they’re depriving us of a much more exciting life. They think they’re doing us a favor by trying to do things themselves (like driving!) instead of asking us. They don’t always tell us when one of them has taken a tumble, or spent several days searching for a lost object, or botched a recipe. They want to appear as strong and independent as possible. As much as we try to help them understand that it is a privilege, a gift from God, to care for them, they still worry about being bothersome to my husband and me. So now I sabotage their worry by walking in the door bearing groceries and start right off by whining to them, “you’re right, you guys really ARE a bother, we could be extreme sporting in his-and-hers barrels over Niagara Falls!” Thankfully, despite weak eyes, ears, and knees, they still have a strong sense of humor.

You know what just occurred to me? I wonder if sometimes I have that same mindset towards God, of not wanting to be a bother to Him by prayer, petition, intercession, or fellowshipping. Do I ever think that I’m doing Him a favor by not telling Him when I mess up, because I suspect He’s probably busier with more important things, and because I want to appear strong and independent? Do I really think I’m making His life easier by trying to handle everything myself?

My loving Father, You already know everything about me and my life, so why would I even consider holding anything back from You, the Creator of all things? Is anything a bother to You, too difficult for You? No. I thank You that I was given the right, through belief in Christ, to be called Your adopted child (John 1:12-13). In this Christmas season, and every day thereafter, I thank You for the scriptural reminders that my Jesus reconciled me to You (Romans 5:10), gifting me with bold and confident access to You, through Him, in the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 2:18, 3:12).  It is a privilege and a gift from Youto care for me!

Every day, You regularly call Your children to draw near to You. What a relief, and how I praise You, that because of the gift of Your Son, I know that I can never a bother to You!

FAKE NEWS, MR. ROGERS, AND ITCHING EARS

My hubs and I don’t have cable, nor do we subscribe to a newspaper.  We get our news from a limited regular-tv supply, not to mention the invaluable social media daily tsunami.  Most of this is ignored, and rightly so, because we’ve become aware recently of something hilariously labeled as “fake news.”  Apparently, somebody out there achieves great self-glory by spreading false information in such a way that people actually believe it to be true.  The icky fake people must be in a constant state of helpless giggling as they consider the potential gullibility of total strangers, passing on this creative “journalism” as truth, thereby causing their victims to not care about actual true truth at all.  Therefore, I took it upon myself to discover that one “ground-zero” person who is at the bottom of all this.  And now, after months of excrutiatingly thorough work, there will be a one-hour t.v. spectacular where I’ll share with you who’s responsible.  But you don’t want to wait that long, so here ya go --

It’s Mr. Rogers!  You thought he was deceased, didn’t you?  Nooooo, he’s still alive, skulking in back-room tobacco shops, wearing camouflage overalls, scribbling incendiary fake political commentaries, endorsed by the Russians who pay him in chocolate cigarettes and vodka, and …

Wow, this is really fun, I see why people do it.  I sit here grinning to myself that gullible people will be reading this on social media, commenting with shock-face emojis, and sharing it with all their friends.  What a power surge!

Ok, enough of that.  Because right now, I’m thinking of the whole fake news issue from a different angle, and it’s giving me wheezes.

Just as there are sneaky people with questionable motives spreading false information to the undiscerning public, there are also people passing themselves off as biblically literate preachers and teachers, taking advantage of many gullible itching-ear people who actually prefer this fake news instead of the Good News, the true gospel.  And why would these fake teachers want to do this?  Because of the one self-glorifying individual behind it all, and it’s not Mr. Rogers.  It is the ground-zero “father of lies” (John 8:44).  He’s the one who, from the beginning, purred, “Indeed, has God said …?” (Genesis 3:1).

Fake news/gospel says:  “God is love (and nothing else depressing), and He loves everybody because you’re all so sweet and adorable.  You’re definitely going to heaven, whatever that is, because you’re so good.  And the more money you give and the more niceness you show to others, the more you’ve earned your place in heaven.  Jesus is one road, AND so are Buddha, Mary, and reincarnation!  It all works out in the end, so don’t worry, be happy!”

Good news/gospel says:  “God is love (and holiness and everything else awe-inspiring).  And He says that no one is good, no not one.  We are all disgustingly dead in our sins.  The one true God arranged for our salvation by faith alone, through His grace alone, NOT our own good works.  The Lord Jesus Christ is the only Way and the only Truth, and only He accomplished our salvation on the Cross, reconciling us to God.  And only by genuine on-our-knees repentance before God, do we receive forgiveness for our sins, and freedom from our sins.  It’s a narrow road.  Only those who come to Christ, and know Him personally, will see Him as He is, to live with Him eternally.  We’re justified, sanctified, and glorified.  Buddha, Mary, and reincarnation are hopelessly inept and incapable.  If you depend on them, you have much to worry about.”

My God and my Savior, how I thank You for Your true words in Scripture, and through the Holy Spirit, giving me discernment, and the desire to exercise that discernment, keeping me from being a woman of itching ears.  I don’t want to believe things that only make me feel good about myself and ignorant of eternity.  I want to treasure in my heart Your words that convict, encourage, comfort, and keep me hand-in-hand with You through eternity.  I praise You according to Your excellent greatness (Psalm 150:2).

ALL SHOOK UP

A few years ago, we were blessed to behold one of God’s more unusual creations on our back deck -- a varmint that carries the official scientific name of “Nutria.” That sounds like a faux sweetener to me. Said Nutria looks like a combination of a beaver and a Jurassic rat, and it belongs in Louisiana marshes, so what it’s doing in the Midwest, I dunno. We're accustomed to seeing foxes, skunks, and raccoons, but this varmint was totally unexpected. It’s good to get shook up occasionally, especially as a retired person. It keeps the blood pumping.

I'm a big fan of dainty wee ladybugs, delicate butterflies, and sweet green inchworms. But the rare sight of a jungle-sized spider weaving its trap on my deck causes shock and awe, and a desire to move to Antarctica, where there are only frozen spiders.

It’s far too easy to take for granted the daily sun-sets, and moon-rises. I’ll never forget the day when my “laissez-faire” attitude towards the created universe was immediately changed. We were driving home on our hilly road, and there was a harvest moon so huge, blazingly orange, and low on the horizon that I swore it had landed ON the street in front of us. My heart almost stopped for the extreme beauty, and yes, even fear of God’s creation!  And now that a very rare solar eclipse is upon us, I prepare to be amazed once again at His handiwork.

This causes me to realize that, in daily Bible readings, it can be easy, through repetition, to fail to appreciate the sovereignty of God, and the eternality and dominion of Christ. It’s important for me to stop occasionally, and meditate on the instances where people in the Bible actually fell on their faces when confronted with the majesty and holiness of God (Genesis 17:3), and of the preincarnate and risen Christ (Ezekiel 1:28, Revelation 1:17). There will come a day when “at the name of Jesus, every knee should bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord” (Philippians 2:10).

Lord Jesus, may I never become a spiritual sluggard, taking You and Your sovereign authority for granted.  I praise You when I read Your thundering perspective to Job, "where were you when I ..... [created] ..." (Job 38-41).  How blessed I feel when You get me “shook up,” renewing the proper perspective of humility before You, and to keep my “spiritual blood” pumping.

FALLING OFF THE WAGON

Y'all try not to be jealous, but … I am the Queen of Klutz.  Most of my acquaintances know that I accidentally knock elbows, knees, and forehead all over my house, into walls and into furniture.  I’ve fallen off chairs, off my bicycle, off my front porch into a rose bush, and I even fell into an open grave once.  Don’t ask.

I’ve also learned that it’s possible to fall in other ways.  Falling off the proverbial “wagon” means, in my case, falling off a carefully-constructed diet plan.  This year I’ve been eating almost exclusively healthy food.  Yet when confronted with a huge chocolate cake, I tripped over its 6-foot shadow and fell face first into that pile of gooey wonderfulness.  That’s certainly not MY fault.  Is it?  Surely, being klutzy, and falling off things into other things, can be blamed upon The Fall!?  Good, we agree, now I feel better.

HowEVer … it’s occurred to me that sometimes, maybe, perchance … I don’t just fall off the wagon, nor am I pushed off by enablers with ornery tendencies.  I hate to say it out loud, but there are those rare times when instead of falling, I actually dive into temptations and sins headfirst, whooping with glee all the way down, like extreme bungee-cord jumping.  I hear certain people (sometimes just my own voice) chirp to me, “ya gotta have fun sometimes!”   And shoving away any common sense at all, I yell, “okay!!” and off I leap into my sin du’jour where wallowing commences.

I don’t think there’s anything in Scripture specifically against pastry sin (well, okay, there’s gluttony).  There’s plenty about using discernment in hanging out with (alleged) friends who may enjoy leading me astray (Proverbs 22:24-25; 1 Corinthians 15:33).  Isn’t it interesting how we want to blame somebody else?  How about Eve!  Because just as she saw and lusted, then dove headlong into sin, I’m also prone to leaping off my sanctification wagon.  Yeah, it’s all her fault.

My loving, patient Lord Jesus, although it’s depressing to know that sometimes I obstinately choose to sin, it’s so mega-comforting to know that You understand.  You were tempted because You shared in flesh and blood, yet without sin (Hebrews 2:18).  My Jesus, please cause me, on a daily (sometimes hourly) basis to choose NOT to dive into sin, but into your grace.  Help me not to walk according to the flesh, but by the Spirit (Galatians 5:16-26).  And how I praise You for the blessed reminder that there is now no condemnation in You, because You have set me free from the law of sin and death (Romans 8:1-2).  Just as the Holy Spirit intercedes for me from within, so do You intercede for me from above (Romans 8:26, 34).  As I walk with You through the rest of my days, I anticipate less spiritual klutziness, so no more blaming allowed!

FROM YOUR LIPS TO GOD'S EARS

 

Remember days of yore, when you were a kid sitting around the campfire, whispering phrases in each other’s ears just to hear what kind of gobbledy-gook the sentence turned into at the end? Fun, wasn’t it?

Now, transfer this to adulthood, only there’s not 25 kids, but just you and another person trying to have a conversation. And it seems that when the words leave your lips, they take on a whole different shape and meaning by the time they enter the other person's ears, and confusion runs rampant, and you wonder why this person is so rude and annoying and insensitive!

Sometimes there may be legitimate reasons. I remember an eon ago, being a kid with teensy ability to stay focused. Mom would do her best to explain to me why baking toys in the oven was a bad idea. I heard only the first few words, because I was pondering whether or not a certain doll would fit down the toilet. I just wasn’t that interested in being obedient to mom, because I could only focus on having more fun.

Now that my parents are elderly, it’s apparent that words can misfire because of a genuine inability to hear well. Although occasionally, I detect “selective” hearing between them. One of them deliberately refuses to hear what’s being said because it conflicts with personal desire. I now see that life can certainly be a “circle” of confusion and misspent words.

So, it’s one thing to audibly hear words, and quite another to comprehend, to take the words into the mind and heart, to want to know what the speaker intends, to follow through, and to fellowship. And now I’m wondering to myself -- how do I hear His words?

What if I reverse the saying “from my lips to God’s ears” (meaning the speaker hopes that God hears and will answer) and consider it from His point of view, “from God’s lips to my ears.” If He’s speaking to me from His Word, and I’m not really hearing Him, is it because I’m preoccupied with the worldly “lust of the flesh and the eyes” (1 John 2:16)? Or because I’m choosing not to be obedient because His will conflicts with mine? Or because I’m listening to everyone else’s ideas instead of His divine wisdom?

My loving Father, please forgive me for annoying and grieving You by my rudeness and insensitivity. May I never, for even a minute, be like the people You warned through the prophet who “stopped their ears from hearing” (Zechariah 7:11), or turn my “ears away from the truth” (2 Timothy 4:4) in favor of a myth, or hear my Jesus’ commands and have no desire to be obedient (Matthew 7:26). You told the disciples to listen to Your Son (Matthew 17:5). You don’t mumble, Your words are very clear. I have no genuine excuses for hearing “yakkity-yak” noises from Scripture. You want me to know Your heart’s desire for me, and for me to have a joyful obedience to, and fellowship with You in return. I’m so thankful for Your continuing patience, truth, and wisdom, even in the midst of my “selective” hearing.

ARE WE COMFY?

Back in my youthful days, I used to wear size 7-1/2 shoes.  Over time, something sinister, like gravity, has taken hold, and now my average shoe is a whopping size 9.  Since “comfort” is now my middle name, no 6-inch pointy-toed pinching instruments of torture for me.  No sirree, gimme shoes with stretchy fabric and marshmallowy insoles.

Yes, being comfortable seems to become more important the older I get.  I want things to be easy, not hard, I want to feel good, not bad.  I had a friend once say, “what is life, if not to be comfortable?”  I remember cringing at that remark … yet, here I am, craving comfort in my shoes, my pillows, and my car.

But thankfully, the Lord loves me so much that He’s spent the last 3 decades teaching me that life is more than squooshy comfort.  As I’m learning to know Him, I’ve found that sometimes His Word is not comfortable at ALL.  In fact, more often than not, it “pinches” my heart. And the crazy thing is, this is one area where I actually WANT to be somewhat uncomfortable.

So I need to check myself, as I do my daily reading.  Am I looking only for the “comfortable” verses?  Or do I want to experience growing pains from His words?  If I’m opening myself to Him as I read, and ask to be taught and convicted of sin, I know that He will do it.  He certainly wants me to be comfortable and secure in His love, promises, and salvation.  But beyond that, He also desires that I grow up in Christ (1 Peter 2:2; 2 Peter 3:18; Ephesians 4:15).  That means being willing to accept conviction and discipline.  I am blessed when He chastens me (Psalm 94:2).  He reproves me because He loves me, as His child (Proverb 3:11, 12).  Therefore, I accept the pinching of my soul and not reject it.

My compassionate, loving, and reproving Father, how I thank You that You have planted me into a church that doesn’t offer pinch-free sermons so that I can feel good about my sins (and no comfy spiritual shoes to walk through that very wide door to hell).  You have given me brothers and sisters in Christ who are able and willing to be the “Nathans” in my life (2 Samuel 12).  You didn’t save me just so I could have a comfortable life on this earth.  You saved me to glorify You, to grow in Christ, to do Your work which You have prepared for me to do (Ephesians 2:10), and ultimately, to be like You, and with You, for all eternity.  I praise You, that you have “opened my lips that my mouth may declare Your praise” (Psalm 51:15).

DANCING DOGS AND PLAGIARISM



Disclaimer:  This is not a political commentary.  I don’t do that sorta thing.  Because I’d rather be watching dancing-dogs-in-dresses on talent shows.  It’s such a welcome relief.

However … today a particular word has exploded from the depths of all things political – PLAGIARISM (gasp!).

Probably most of you have never deliberately absconded with others’ literary and/or musical masterpieces.  At least, not on purpose.  Because in these days of inexhaustible internet information, it’s realllllyyyy easy to find stolen lyrics, poems, and even thought processes, and then tweet to excess that boo-boo du’jour.

Now, to make myself feel superior, I hereby offer you a definition of the word:  it’s stealing someone else’s stuff and passing it off as your own.  It’s called Theft.  In an offshoot way, it’s breaking the 8^th Commandment.  Or at least twisting and/or crinkling it.

Offshooting it even more, think of it this way … is it possible that, when you were a brand new squeaky-clean baby Christian, you felt that you had something to do with your own salvation?  That you had a tiny hand in helping God out with getting yourself cleaned up?  That you opened your own heart-door and invited Jesus in of your own volition?

Well, guess what.  That was prideful salvation plagiarism.  I was very guilty of that for the first year or two.  I took what God did and pretty much told people that I did it.  Thankfully, He didn’t whack me upside the head.  No, He gave me His Word to show me that salvation is His gift, not my works.  I am His workmanship (Ephesians 2:8-9).  I am not adequate in myself, but my adequacy is from God (2 Corinthians 3:5).  “Who can say, ‘I have cleansed my heart, I am pure from my sin’?” (Proverbs 20:9).  Not me.  By God’s doing, all of His adopted children “are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption, so that, just as it is written, ‘Let him who boasts, boast in the Lord.’” (1 Corinthians 1:30)

My Father, how I praise You that it is You alone Who saved and redeemed me, and through Your Spirit, you continue to purify me more every day to be more like Jesus.  My Lord Jesus, You took my sin upon Yourself and gave me Your righteousness.  It amazes me that I could ever have been boastful of myself, but in Your great patience, You have shown me Yourself, and now I boast only in You, and I thank You that, among other things, You have forgiven me for my spiritual plagiarism.

POP QUIZ

If you haven’t been a student for many decades, the words “pop quiz” may cause you to hyperventilate. If so, I’m sorry. But not really. Now, take the bubble gum out of your mouth, sit up straight, and don’t cheat. Here we go.

A friend calls to tell you that she’s in the neighborhood and is going to drop by in about 10 minutes, and she’s going to take you to the world’s best combination amusement park and shopping mall and 10-star restaurant, and you need to be dressed and ready to leave. Do you --

A. Panic-stricken, race around the house at warp speed picking up flotsam, hurling things in closets and under rugs, wiping up spills, hoping she won’t notice and tell you what a slob you are, and you can’t find anything to wear, and the whole time you’re hoping she’ll hit a pothole and be indefinitely delayed;

OR

B. Do you lounge in your cushy recliner with a glass of raspberry tea, relaxed and confident in your organized home, wearing just the right all-purpose wrinkle-free stain-free outfit and say, “come on over! Can’t wait to see you!”

Clearly, analogies go just so far. And I’m sure you see where I’m going with this. Nowadays, just as in the olden days, people ask, “where is the promise of His coming?” (2 Peter 3:4). Unbelievers clearly think that Christ’s return for His Church is a bunch of “hooie.” But sadly, even many believers have difficulty realizing that Christ really meant it when He said He was coming back to take us with Him (John 14:3).  He’s certainly not going to shoot off a text to us, saying, “hey, heads-up, I’ll be down there in 10 minutes.” But if He DID, would you --

A. Be embarrassed at His coming, scurrying around, trying to clean up spiritual messes and flotsam (1 John 2:28-29)?

OR

B. Be relaxed, look up with great expectation, and say, “come, Lord Jesus," because you're oh-so ready for Him. You don’t have to run around wiping up spiritual spills, trying to hide spiritual unconfessed flotsam, thinking He won’t notice, because you, in obedience, have been continually abiding in Him.

My precious Lord Jesus, I don’t know when You’re coming, but You have graciously already told me the “signs” (Matthew 24). I believe Your promise that You are preparing a place for me. And it will be so much better than any park/mall/restaurant combo, because You will raise me to be imperishable (1 Corinthians 15:50-54), and so I will always be with You (1 Thessalonians 4:13-17). By Your words, I am encouraged and comforted.

STOP, DROP, AND ROLL

Recently, as I walked through a parking lot, I was entranced by someone else’s unusual display of disobedience. A car pulled into a parking space with a large sign specifically designating that this space was for the convenience of pregnant women. And when the car doors opened, 4 teenage boys emerged. I must say, I’m quite proud of myself for not chasing them down to ask when their “due date” was. I also wondered if they perpetually ignored signs on the roadways. Scary, scary thought.

It has been many decades (5 exactly) since I first learned the rules of the road in high school Driver’s Ed. As every one of us knows, there are certain behaviors expected by those who bestow driver’s licenses upon us. Mostly, the directional signs are not that difficult to comprehend. “YIELD” means slow down and watch out. A picture of a BICYCLE means do not run over the helmet-headed bicycler. And “STOP” means ... stop! There are 2-way stops, 4-ways stops, stop-then-proceed, but there’s no getting around it, it means stop.

The most intense sign I observed recently demands: STOP, WRONG WAY, DO NOT ENTER. And instantly, it occurred to me -- Scripture is loaded to the brim with the Lord’s loving warnings, to beware, watch out, don’t indulge in “deeds of the flesh” (Galatians 5:19-21). Don’t go there! Why? Not to ruin all my fun, but because ignoring His “signs” can trip me up in my walk with Him, because it causes me to be a bad ambassador, because it doesn’t glorify Him.

More often than not, Christ’s big warning against anxiety (Matthew 6:25-34) is often the biggest problem for me. It is so incredibly easy to dwell on the past, which is anxiety in reverse. It’s easy to fixate on possible trauma in the future. And yet, He says, if you’re about to worry, don’t start. If you’re already worrying, STOP. Just knock it off, don't go there!

I work well with visuals. So this particular STOP sign in my mind’s eye has proven to be very effective. But I’ve learned to take it a couple of steps further. Thankfully, I’ve never found myself on fire. But we’ve all heard of the infamous “Stop, Drop, and Roll” maneuver to extinguish flames. STOP running, DROP to the ground, and ROLL around, thus quenching the flames.

So now, when I find myself in danger of being “on fire” with anxiety, envy, anger, whatever my flesh decides is fun, I STOP. Then I DROP to my knees in prayer, confession, repentance, and praise to my Lord and Savior Who took these very sins upon Himself. And finally, I ROLL ... in His grace, mercy, love, forgiveness, and yes, even His necessary discipline.

My loving and compassionate Father, “You are a shield about me, my glory, and the lifter of my head” (Psalm 3:3). I thank You for the permanent gift of the Holy Spirit causing me to want to be obedient to Your warning signs. And I am daily thankful for Your Word as my “instruction manual” to drive through my life in a way that is pleasing and glorifying to You.