A Stumbler's Walk | GOD GOT PERSONAL

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. …and the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.

- John 1:1; John 1:14 

John’s account has been called “the gospel from above.” Where the synoptic gospels (Matthew, Mark and Luke) begin from an earthly perspective – the birth of Jesus in a Middle-Eastern stable; John begins with a view from heaven. Jesus, the Word who has always been… who spoke and creation leapt into existence… Jesus, the life-giver... the light of the world… steps in to time and space. Emmanuel, meaning “God with us,” has come.

God got personal.

Religion can be personal. Often it is not. The major religions of the world teach of god or gods. The three great theistic religions teach of an all-powerful god. But there is a divergence. The Bible alone speaks of this all-powerful God as a personal God. More than that, he is an intimate God. He is Emmanuel, God with us; the Word become flesh.

And the result of incarnation? Life and light. Later in John’s writing we will come across these words of Jesus: “I came that you might have life, and have it abundantly,” (John 10:10).

Emmanuel desires intimacy with us today. He desires to give us life and light by which to live it. I write this confidently, not because I can speak for God, but because he has made it plain in scripture. We can be confident of God’s great desire for intimacy with us because “…the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.”

God, “Forgive me for being so ordinary while claiming to know so extraordinary a God.”
― Jim Elliot

For now...

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A Stumbler's Walk | JOYTITUDE

Rejoice in the Lord always…

- Philippians 4:4 

Joy and happiness are cousins. They are not twins. And they are definitely not one in the same. 

Think of the hap in happiness. It is the same root found in happenstance or happening. (I'll leave further Google-search etymology to you). Happiness is, at least in part, based on haps or outside circumstances. As a matter of fact, in ancient days, happy and lucky were synonyms (these were the twins). 

OK, a lot of words to get to this point: happiness is typically dependent on something outside, and it works its way in. Think child… Christmas… box… puppy. Circumstances make us happy.

Joy however, is not based on externals. Joy is internal. Joy works its way from the inside out. Joy is not dependent on circumstances. Joy is an attitude of the heart and a choice of the will. Joy is the response of intimacy with Jesus, who said, "… my joy may be in you… that your joy may be full" (John 15:11). I have witnessed unfiltered joy in areas of the world and among people that seemed to be in the unhappiest/unluckiest of circumstances.

Paul tells us - in very strong terms - to rejoice. It is active. We may say, "but wait, my circumstances are…" It doesn't matter, rejoice! Why? How? "… in the Lord…." It is God's imminent and abiding presence that enables us to have this joy. And how often should we actively rejoice in the Lord? "Always." In case we didn't get it, Paul repeats the command; "...again I will say, rejoice."

A joy attitude determines our life altitude. Sorry for the cliche, but it is true. We often quote (and very often without context) a verse later in chapter four: "I can do all things through Christ…" (v.13). What is easy to overlook is the tie that the power of overcoming in v.13 has to the rejoicing of v.4. It is the attitude of joy, no matter the circumstance, that produces the contentment (vv.11-12) that empowers Paul to exclaim: "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me!"

There is so much more about joy to be said… and lived! For now, I am going to joyfully go to sleep.

God, I rejoice in you.

For now...

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A Stumbler's Walk | PRESENT POWER

"…forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal…"

- Philippians 3:13-14 

Things from the past often hinder us from moving forward. They are the anchor ropes we need to let go (see post from Nov. 10th, Acts 27). Not all of these are bad or negative. We can at times be most hindered by the positives, by victories of the past.

Paul is not saying that we need to erase the past from our memories. Frankly, that would be frustrating and impossible. As a matter of fact, reading verses 13 & 14 in context, we see that Paul has a vivid recollection of his past (he repeatedly tells his story - something to keep in mind since we each have a unique story).

Paul is telling us that our past is just that, past (or better, passed). You are not your past. Neither am I. Our past helps to shape us, to forge us and our character. But our past does not define us. Our past cannot hold us captive. Or maybe better said, it can only control us to the extent we allow.

Turning:

In verses 13 and 14 there is a turning. Paul glances over his shoulder down the pathway of his past, then he abruptly turns to his present. Wait, you expected me to write that he turns toward his future. But I don't think that is accurate. "Straining… I press on…;" these are current actions. They are present tense.

In the first chapter of the letter Paul speaks of his longing to be at home with Christ; "absent from the body," he calls it. But he declares "for to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain" (Philippians 1:21). For Paul, the goal is ahead, the straining, the pressing on, are now. This is important. We are often as controlled by the unknowns of the future - its worries, fears or even its dreams and desires - as we are by the past.

So let's take a glance over our shoulder now and again. But the past is passed. The future? We can't live in tomorrow any more effectively than in yesterday. But the present… the now; this is where God meets us. And this is where we strain, where we press on to know him and to join him.

God, thank you for my past - the good, the bad, the ugly. And thank you for my future; it is secure in you. Most of all meet me in my present, and let me know your presence, as I turn to you... 

For now...
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A Stumbler's Walk | GOD AT WORK

…work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you…"

- Philippians 2:12-13

Part 1:

There are things only God can do. 

However, God will not do for us we he has called us to do in faith. We must understand this. If not, we remain stuck in the same spiritually-stagnated spot. No progress, and we somehow blame God. 

Spiritual stagnation is evidence that we have not been faithful to act on what we know. James, in the book bearing his name, makes the argument that faith is demonstrated in action.

Paul tells us to work out our salvation. We do this by acting on what we already know, and trusting God for what we don't. The biblical narrative is chalked full of examples of the greats of the faith acting on what they knew and relying on God for what they didn't. Faithful action, steps of obedience, trust in God; this is working out our salvation.

Notice Paul writes, "…your OWN salvation…" No one else can do it for us. Not our parents, pastor, friend, spouse, favorite author, etc. We are responsible and accountable for the incredible gift God has given us. No one can be faithful and obedient for us.

God, I will take the steps I know; help me to trust walk the steps i don't see.\

For now...

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A Stumbler's Walk | AT WORK

And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.

- Philippians 1:6

Years ago (wow, decades!) there was a popular Christian song that included the lyric: He (God) didn't bring us this far to leave us. He didn't lift us up to watch us fall." Moses said it more poignantly to his protege Joshua: "It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.” (Deuteronomy 31:8)

God begins a work of transformation in us when we say yes to Christ. Actually, we really don't know how, and how long, he has prepared us. And this God who has prepared us; this Christ who laid down his life for us; this One who has given us forgiveness and new life by his powerful grace; He promises to continue his transforming work in us until the day we see him face to face. (That last sentence was a little long, but we need to grasp it. I need to grasp it - more today than ever.)

Paul writes: (He) is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us. (Ephesians 3:20)

It is God's power, according to his plan, that is at work in us. Our part? Simply put… cooperation. Cooperation with the Spirit of God requires surrendered humility and audacious faith. 

In the second chapter of Philippians Paul exclaims, "…it is God who is at work in you…" (If you don't mind, I need to add an exclamation point!) Ponder it. The Creator, who said, "Light!" and light happened; who breathed life into clay and you and I happened...

...that God works in us!

God wants us to be more than we are; to be ever growing. His desire is that we would be, "… continually being transformed…" (Romans 12:2). He wants us to live more, love more; to serve more, to dare more.

Paul is convinced: "...I am sure of this..."

God, work in me.

For now...

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A Stumbler's Walk | AND THEN...

And then… - Acts 29:1 

True, there are 28 chapters in the book of Acts. Chapter 29 is our chapter. And its pages are filled with the accounts of what you and I do with this message of grace. 

The story of Christ's ongoing mission is being written every day. It is scribed in our hearts. The Acts 29 journals of our lives are written with ink of joys and pains for others to read; and in these words, to find hope.  

In the closing lines of Acts, Paul quotes the prophet Isaiah: 

For this people’s heart has grown dull, and with their ears they can barely hear, and their eyes they have closed… (v27). 

Could there be a more sobering description of the spiritual state of culture today? Could there be a better description of my heart, my ears and my eyes at times? (Yours?)

But there is hope! 

…lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears 

and understand with their heart and turn, and I would heal them. 

Therefore let it be known to you that this salvation of God has been sent… (v27-28).

As the recipients of God's great love, we are the conduits of his grace and power. We are the pages upon which his story is still being written.

God, write your story in me… and through me.

For now...

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A Stumbler's Walk | OVERBOARD

And when they had eaten enough, they lightened the ship, throwing out the wheat into the sea... So they cast off the anchors and left them in the sea.

- Acts 27:38,40 

There come times when we need to throw some things overboard; when we must leave old anchors out to sea.

Paul had a message from God. It was not one he, or those with him wanted to hear. In the midst of the blowing tempest, he told those in charge of the prisoner ship that everyone on board would be spared. However, he said, they must be willing to run aground. They must be willing to face shipwreck.

276 men clutched to the rails, the mast, anything they could as the storm violently rocked them. The ship, they thought, was their hope and salvation. However, their wooden hope was being shaken apart plank by plank. 

There come times when we have exhausted possibilities. We’ve worked through the options and are at a loss. It is at this point that desperate faith takes over. (How much better it is to begin with desperate faith, than to be driven to it.)

And when they had eaten enough, they lightened the ship, throwing out the wheat into the sea. (v.38)

We are wise to prepare for our tomorrows. However, we must realize that our plan for tomorrow is near-sighted. We should never be so confused as to think our plans give us control. Jesus called such a man who trusted himself and his plan for tomorrow a fool (Luke 12:18). 

The men aboard Paul's ship threw overboard their provision for tomorrow (some by faith, and certainly, some by force). The result? Rather than one more meal aboard a sinking ship, they found life.

So they cast off the anchors and left them in the sea. (v.40)

The men’s last hope of riding out the storm in their ship was abandoned when they let go of the anchor ropes. They were completely at the mercy of the wind and the waves. Or so they thought. It was actually at this point that God’s provision was activated. The analogy is too easy; Jesus is the true anchor of our souls and lives. Any other anchor is faulty and we must let go the rope.

So we cast the wheat overboard and let go the anchor ropes. What’s next? A pleasant cruise into a sandy shore? We would like to think so, but that is seldom reality. No, a reef stood in the way, and shipwreck was the means to realizing God’s plan of grace. 

All 276 would later say it was well worth it when gathered around a beach fire. The difficulties of life are always easier in retrospect.

Two questions: 

Am I willing to throw the wheat overboard? 

Will I let go the anchor rope?

God, guide me to the beach.

For now...

D