Autumn- the season of fall fashion, pumpkin spice calorie bombs, and trees so colorful it looks as if God himself has a scrap bag of yarn with which he knits cozy, colorful sweaters to wrap the hillsides in. For me, it is also the season when dread begins to peak out from under the comfy blanket of summer and chills the tip of my nose. It always starts when the days begin to shorten. I’m no longer basking in the luxury of free daylight from 5:30 AM to 9:30PM. I wistfully remember bouncing out of bed with the sun, excited by the prospects of Energizer bunny levels of productivity. Instead, I resentfully crawl out from under chilled covers onto moonlit ice-cold floors, with a pessimistic nod to a long list of unchecked to-do boxes. My energy and mood contracts with the daylight. I know what comes next, but I avoid thinking or uttering the word, hoping that somehow silence will make it imaginary, rather than imminent. Yes, I dread, loathe, and harbor levels of contempt as high as the piles of dirty clothes in my laundry room for (whispers)…w-i-n-t-e-r. I don’t even want to type the word. I have goosebumps already, and it’s not even December.

When autumn starts to tip-toe in, the temperatures dip their toes into the shallow end of the pool at dawn and dusk giving us a pleasant revival of our melted summer sensibilities. I think to myself, “This is refreshing. I can do this! Maybe I’ve finally acclimated and winter won’t be so bad. I’ll dress for the weather. I am a woman warrior, descendant of Neanderthals, with outdoor chores to do and I will persevere!”

Then, the first day below 40 degrees arrives (that’s 4.4 degrees Celsius for the cooperative lot of you, who acknowledge the world-wide temperature standard). I step outside in the “mildly” cool temperatures; I take a breath, my lungs contract and…winter gleefully slaps me in the face with my frozen list of unachieved summer goals and skips away laughing as my feet slip out from under me on the ice, smacking all remaining motivation out of my head as it slams into the ground. Nope; not acclimated, never adapting.

So, what to do with my recently gifted present of depression, carelessly wrapped with dread and tied in a bow with ADHD- tinged procrastination ribbons? Let’s be honest- I unwrap the box, (because I LOVE gifts), and I wallow in its new contents for a few days, because it’s familiar and fuzzy. BUT then… there comes a moment when there is no longer any empty space on the counter.. or the coffee table… or the laundry room floor…and my Neanderthal female warrior awakes. Well, really she stumbles on the stuff all over the floor and has no choice but to start picking things up one at at time.

The first thing I pick up is my Bible. My go to for when times get tough. It’s really my go-to first thing every morning (well, most mornings- sometimes familiar and fuzzy win). I used to do this out of obedience, like I would get some kind of a “best student” award from God if I just read the Bible every day. Then, it became more like a habit; “I’m out of bed, so this is what I do, cause anything else would take too much thought.” And then, it became a necessity to start my day with the right perspective- that God loves me, gave his life to prove it, he wants a relationship with me; and by the way- it’s not all about me, it’s about the things he has given me to accomplish in this life with, and for others. God doesn’t need me to read the Bible, I need the Bible to grow my relationship with God.

So, I’ve picked up my Bible; I’ve read it, but I’m still depressed, I’m still procrastinating, I’m still freezing, and my cat ate the procrastination ribbons and puked them up all over the floor- now what? Life is hard! We live on a broken planet with our broken selves. Like a candy apple dipped in tar, we may be created in the image of a holy God, but we know we’re far from holy and can’t escape the sticky film of selfishness through which we view everything around us. The next step is to pray and actually meditate on what we’ve read.

The Bible is clear and helps remind me that God gives us a helper- several actually. Very few things are free in life, especially help; but God promises us helpers to use every second of every day, we just have to ask. No subscription plan, no one-time down payment, just your request. The Bible talks about these helpers in Ephesians 1:3 (ESV) “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places…” and in 2 Peter 1:3-4 (ESV), “His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through our knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire.”

This help may come in many forms:

–The Holy Spirit– This is a difficult concept to grasp for a world dependent on what is tangible, however, if you’ve ever experienced the still, quiet voice that asks you to do hard things, you know it’s real. God gives us the free will to listen or ignore that voice. Below are a few of many verses that point to references made regarding the Holy Spirit within the Bible.

Romans 8:26-27 (ESV) “Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.”

John 14:15-17 (ESV) “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.  And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.”

–The Word of God– The first place we should turn when we seek God’s guidance and assistance. The Bible is full of references to the power and wisdom available to those willing to seek God through the reading of his Word. Below are a few of my favorite verses:

Hebrews 4:12 (ESV) “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”

Psalm 119:105 (ESV) “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.”

–Angels– The word angel is used over 200 times in the Bible. The two verses below are just two of many references to angels and their interactions with humanity.

Matthew 18:10 (ESV) “See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you that in heaven their angels always see the face of my Father who is in heaven.”

Hebrews 1:14 (ESV) “Are they not all ministering spirits sent out to serve for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation?”

Pslam 91:11 (ESV) “For he will command his angels concerning you
    to guard you in all your ways.”

–Human Beings– the Bible makes many notable references to human helpers and friends that support us in our journey. For example, Romans 16 is filled with references of “fellow workers” in Christ. Have you ever had someone help you out when you most needed it, with no benefit to themselves or expectations in return? It is quite likely the love of Christ working through human hands. Christ set the ultimate example for us when he arrived on planet earth in human form, and allowed us to nail him to the cross as the only sacrifice holy enough to allow our sorry butts to be forgiven and gain us access into heaven and eternity with our loving creator. In his infinite wisdom, he knew we could never do it on our own, so as the ultimate example of a loving father, he did it for us. Once again, all we have to do is ask in order to receive his help.

So, if you wake up one, morning, like I have, and wonder how you’re going to put one foot in front of the other on the icy, cold floor of winter despondency, I hope this gives you some hope and guidance. Just be sure to turn the light on first- there may be cat puke on the floor.

Unprecedented times- a phrase we hear all too often lately.  Although true, as this is a unique time in history, just as we are each uniquely created human beings; yet each generation has had it’s own “unprecedented time” or crisis.  It is not a novel concept to history.  There have been other pandemics, other crushing tragedies, other examples of cultural shake ups throughout history of even greater magnitude than what we are currently experiencing, both nationally and globally.  I’m in no way minimizing the fear, pain, loss, and despair that is seemingly running unrestrained through the nation in 2020 like a Tasmanian devil freed from a cage. This reality is dreadful, real, valid, and sobering; but this reality is made real to us and seemingly of a greater magnitude because of the immediacy and uncertainty of the experience.  We don’t have the benefit of a coffee table history book that we can turn the page on and see what is behind the curtain of tomorrow. But if we did… what would we do to change the way history is written? This unprecedented time is real to us because we are living it, and the reality is we still have the ability to impact its nature and the direction of its trajectory.

The latest crisis to shake and bake our culture is the horrific tragedy of a needless loss of life inflicted on a man by an authority figure which has further polarized an already divided nation.  Why are our nation’s nerves so inflamed?  Today’s default answer is injustice, and there is most certainly merit and validity in that response to recent events in our current history.  I think it goes much deeper than this, however.  The Floyd case is the gasoline thrown on an already smoldering pile of historical tinder. The incendiary device being used by every affiliation, every ethnicity, every political party, every human category, is labeling- and the resulting actions and group think sparked by these labels.

By applying a label, we are instantly requiring a choice- either we identify with the label or divorce ourselves from the label.  We are either American or non-American, Boomer or non-Boomer, Millennial or non-Millennial, young or old, sick or not sick, mentally ill or not mentally ill, rich or poor, liberal or conservative.  The pattern is that a label forces a black or white, yes or no, true or false, right or wrong, belong or don’t belong mentality.

A label in and of itself has purpose.  Labeling is a natural human mechanism to make sense of our world and serves as an integral part of our language and communication.  We teach our children the labels for the various colors in the world around us, we label the foods we eat, we label structures and tools we utilize on a daily basis. In Genesis God had Adam assign names to the animals around him.  All these labels are functional labels. We create labels to create a faux sense of order in the world around us. So labels, by themselves, are not the problem; they are useful and necessary ingredients to the language of a functioning society.  It’s when we begin creating divisive labels that the labels are no longer functional, but begin to spur dysfunction, disharmony, and eventually disaster.

When we use a label to divide, unjustly stereotype, accuse, mislead, ostracize, or overly generalize, we divide rather than unite.  We force an unnecessary divisive choice.  Are you a member or not a member? Are you with me or against me?  Are your liberal or conservative?  Are you a northerner or a southerner? Are you a cat person or a dog person?  The list is, of course, as endless as the loads of laundry in your life.

The truth is, the actual answer to most divisive questions is somewhere in the middle- on a continuum between the gas gauge of most and least.  There can only be one bearing the label of “most” and one the label of “least”.  The rest of us fall somewhere in between. Not all  self- professed conservatives or liberals have exactly the same ideas or perspective on every issue. Not all Millennials or Boomers act or think identically.  Not all cat lovers love only cats or even all cats.  Not all dog lovers despise cats or love all breeds of dogs. Even identical twins disagree.

Forcing labels, forcing identification, or declaring that anyone not agreeing with us 100% on a specific issue is automatically an enemy, is a very narrow and limiting way to address a problem, much less life.  It puts the focus on division rather than discussion, ultimatums rather than options, anger rather than answers.

Revelation 21:4  promises, “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”   but until that time, we need to remember the one label that matters-  we are all human,  thereby we are all flawed, and all unique in the  way our experiences filter the way we see the world around us.  The only path to progress is through respectful problem solving, and problem solving apparently does not spontaneously materialize from clever, shaming and blaming Facebook posts.

When we choose to look for unifying commonalities rather than divisive labels, we stop viewing others as enemies and are better able to listen, to learn, and cooperate.  As Ephesians 6:12 wisely states, “Our struggle is not against flesh and blood…”  It is impossible to evolve beyond our current struggles if we refuse to see others as unique individuals rather than as a limiting label and if we refuse to look at the problem instead of attacking the person.  Assumptive labels block our ability to see beyond our emotions and prevent us from using our intellect to actually focus on progressive, cooperative problem solving.  It’s time for us to stop picking sides like an elementary PE class, and stop slapping labels on everyone like a family station wagon held together with vacation bumper stickers.

The path we’re on is predictable- there are plenty of history books that document similar paths of mindless group think and group follow – spoiler alert- the outcome is not pretty.  Instead, we have the opportunity to make history great again (sorry-I couldn’t resist) by creating an unprecedented response to tragedy by transforming it into unprecedented progress; a 21^st century Renaissance of peace, cooperation, communication, respect,  and refusal. Refusal to focus on what we disagree on before acknowledging common goals which we can agree on. Refusal to see individuals as disembodied labels without value, but rather see each individual as an irreplaceable human being worth hearing. That indeed would be unprecedented.

If you think this is yet another COVID- related reminder to wear a mask- it isn’t.  I have shamelessly lured you into a different dialogue entirely.  Although I am 100% a proponent of wearing a mask to prevent the spread of contagion, fully support proper hygiene techniques, and applaud those tirelessly reminding us to act responsibly, I think we’re all in need of some diverse topics of conversation to help encourage sanity in these ever-changing times.  Rather, I’d like to get your attention with an equally shocking topic- nudity! For the faint of heart, there are no revealing photos to follow, nor a treatise on the merits of nude beaches. (Sorry if I’ve disappointed anyone at this point, but read on and hopefully at the very least I will have distracted you from quarantine- crazies for a good 5-10 minutes).

In Genesis, Noah has the 1st recorded experience with the over indulgence of alcohol.  According to Genesis 9:22, Noah apparently passes out in his tent.  Somewhere along the way, he got himself comfy for bed and stripped all his clothing off before passing out.  I’m sure he was just being considerate and trying to save his wife some extra laundry should he not make it to the outhouse in time.  We weren’t there, so we can’t know for sure;  I’m just trying to give him the benefit of the doubt.  If I were cooped up on a boat with animal excrement for months on end I’d want to change clothes too.

In any case, Genesis goes on to record that Noah’s sons, Ham, “saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brothers outside.” The two brothers, Shem and Japheth reacted by walking backwards with a garment or cloak to cover Noah, without disrespecting him by looking upon him in his compromised position.

When Noah awoke, he was royally ticked off at his son, Ham.  This is the last we hear about Noah’s life- his angry reaction to Ham, so it must be worth noting. This raises a lot of questions in my mind.  Why is Noah so mad at Ham?  The Bible doesn’t say anything about Ham slipping whiskey into Noah’s juice, I think it is safe to presume that Noah got himself into this predicament.  Was Noah just hungover and grumpy? Was he angry he forgot where he put his clothes?  Why wasn’t he angry with Shem and Japheth for coming into his tent?

I believe the clue to these unanswered questions lies back in Genesis 3:7.  Genesis Chapter 3 contains the first mention of the word “naked” in the Bible, and it happened to coincide with Adam and Eve’s eating of the fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.  The very 1st thing they noticed was their nakedness- the first time they felt shame and felt the need to cover themselves.

Why would nakedness have bothered them?  After all, God made them that way.  Adam and Eve were the only two people on earth at the time.  No worries about  growing love handles or extra chins.  Heck, they didn’t even have clothes, so they wouldn’t have noticed the waistband on their pants getting a little snug.  Psalm 139:14 refers to us as “fearfully and wonderfully made.”  A Chapter or two earlier, in Genesis 1:27,  the Bible states that “God created man in His own image.”   So why does the word naked elicit giggles from anyone under the age of 13 or the ol’ eyebrow side eye from anyone old enough to legally drive?  Why all the fuss about nudity?

It doesn’t seem that nudity in and of itself was the issue.  The issue was Adam and Eve became self-aware.  They “realized they were naked.” They immediately became aware of their sin, aware of their disobedience to God.  The result of their 1st act of rebellion against God was to become aware of their guilt, their shame, their unworthiness to commune with a Holy God.

Since humans are hardwired to fight or flee adversity, Adam and Eve’s instinct when they sensed their awareness of sin was to flee, and then hide from God.  They covered themselves with vegetation and hid like a child who had inhaled the entire contents of the cookie jar in one sitting.

So, getting back to Noah, if nudity wasn’t the issue, what was?  Genesis Chapter 3 shows us that nakedness is representative of awareness of sin.  It is self-awareness of our separateness from God; awareness of the fact that our sin will always be there to taunt us and remind us of our shortcomings, our weaknesses, our poor choices, our yielding to temptation.

Noah, born on a sinful planet, awoke to self awareness of his own sin- his gluttony of alcohol which was, until Ham walked in, just between him and God.  Rather than turning away or covering his father’s sin, Ham immediately told his two brothers- he exposed his father’s sin to others, thereby disrespecting Noah.  In modern day terms, he gossiped.  As a result, Noah cursed Ham by declaring him a servant to his brothers.  Anyone with siblings that has ever lost the “I’ll do your chores for a week,” bet knows that this is a pretty steep penalty indeed.

When we gossip, it serves to lift us up in our own mind as being better than the person whose sin we revealed to others.  We ironically convince ourselves that we are somehow better or stronger than the individual that succumbed to the sin, all the while succumbing to our own sin of partaking in the guilty pleasure of gossip.  While futilely trying to lift ourselves up in our own minds by pointing out the sins of others, we become slaves to our own sin, just as Ham was condemned to serve his brothers.

While we can all relate to an incident where we revealed something that wasn’t ours to share with others, or a time perhaps when we were the target of unnecessary over-sharing, my objective isn’t to make you feel less than, or to feel like a failure for giving in to the ever-present human temptation of gossip. It is wrong, to be sure, and hopefully this will remind us to be ever aware of this counter-productive human propensity to crave news about others that makes us feel better about ourselves. Yet, I hope the main takeaway is that by gossiping or speaking ill of others, as Noah pointed out to Ham, we lower ourselves deeper in the sinful mire of life and become slaves to, rather than victors over, temptation.  One rumor shared leads to another, and pretty soon we manage to camouflage ourselves with the vegetation of social acceptance.

It’s never easy to push back our human natures, but it will be worth it.  God rewarded Shem and Japheth and blessed them for the respect they showed Noah in spite of his sin.  They knew that by sharing in this sin of disrespecting Noah, they would be disrespecting God.  They turned and they did the right thing, that which was in Noah’s best interest, and in doing so, they pleased God and were blessed.

It’s not just gossip we need to be on guard for.  We all have unique temptation profiles that will dog us.  They may change over time, but I don’t think any of us are able to completely shed our self-centered human natures until we leave planet earth.  Just as God covered Adam and Eve’s guilt with skins, Shem and Japheth knew Noah’s sin needed to be covered.  Those of us born post Old-Testament have been blessed with the opportunity to not just have our sins covered, but removed completely and removed “as far as the east is from the west, so far does He remove our transgressions from us.” (Psalm 103:12) All we have to do is ask God for forgiveness and accept Christ’s sacrificial gift.  Gratitude for this undeserved gift will hopefully give us the will-power to show grace rather than condemnation or slander to those whose sin simply looks different, yet is no worse than our own. Maybe those masks we should be covering our faces with will be useful for us in more ways than one. We all need a reminder now and then.

Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you. Ephesians 4:31-32

FEAR.  Probably one of the most common emotions we experience as homo- sapiens .  Motivated by anxiety over what may (or may not) happen next, fear is a reaction to uncertainty and to the unknown.  To be human is to fear, an inescapable, inevitable, truth.  Ironically, one of the few certainties we have in life is that our lives will be full of fear- generated by the uncertainty that exemplifies life.

So what do we do with fear?  Ignore it, embrace it, deny it?  Life is a lot like a rickety roller coaster.  You sit in the rusty seat, bring down the bar, which only partially locks, and debate on whether you should close your eyes tight or open them wide. If you squeeze them closed, you can’t see what’s coming, yet despite not being able to see, the sudden twists and turns still lurch you and leave you fearful and breathless all the same.  The ostrich approach to life is just denial of the realities of life, but it doesn’t prevent them from happening. If you leave your eyes open, you fearfully watch what you have no authority over unfold.  You have no control over the speed or what is around the next corner, and all you can do is hold tight hoping you won’t get pitched over the side or that the structure itself doesn’t collapse underneath you.  The anxiety generated by trying to predict, anticipate, or control every possible scenario of what might happen next does not allow you to escape fear; in fact, it makes you more fearful of an innumerable series of events that may in fact never come to pass.

The Bible says not to fear in one form or another 365 times throughout its pages.  That’s one for every single day of the year! I don’t think that is a coincidence-  perhaps God is asking us to turn to Him each morning and thank Him for His presence and trust in Him rather than choosing to fixate on what is wrong, has gone wrong, or will go wrong.  Dwell on His love rather than your fear. If you say something to your kids 365 times, you expect them to eventually take note, to acknowledge what you’re saying, to adjust their behavior accordingly. Granted, they usually won’t listen, but coupled with the hard knocks of reality, they will eventually put two and two together and realize that there is a correlation between the nonsense coming out of their parent’s mouths and the fact that a hot stove will in fact burn you if you touch it. Maybe not until they are 20, but life is an excellent teacher.    Likewise, I think it is safe to assume that if God’s word repeats anything over 300 times, it’s probably for our own good and He probably expects us to take note- even if we’re AARP members by the time it sinks in.

This is a fallen world, no one gets through life unscathed, but God knows what is about to befall us before we experience it and will loving guide us and help us through it, promising that he will be our constant companion; and if we’re willing, he will make us stronger through the storm,  teaching us to trust Him and showing us how  we can help others through similar circumstances.

Fear is inevitable, life’s unexpected twists and turns will happen to us all, whether we’re rich, poor, famous, ordinary, faithful, or faithless.  However, if you picture yourself on a roller coaster seat that consists of the loving palm of God’s hand, there is no need for a seat belt, no need for fear.  His presence and love combined with our faith and trust in God’s provision will get us through whether the next twisting turn brings sorrow or joy, plenty or lack, healing or death.  In Mark 5:36, Jesus Himself commands, “Don’t be afraid.  Just have faith.”

We are surrounded by fear, fear mongering, and unpredictable, unpleasant events. There is nothing special or unique about this moment in time other than it is personal, because it’s happening to us. We want to avoid even getting on the roller coaster.  Yet, here we are. We don’t get a magical “get off the ride free card”.   There are multiple tragedies and chaos- producing events in every generation, every decade, every century, every millennium.  This is not a time to panic, to spread fear, to hoard, or to ignore the realities around us.  It is, however, a perfect time to pray, remember God’s promises, study God’s word, and in the wise words of Jesus, replace fear with faith. God isn’t the author of evil, He is the God who can make a miracle out of our mess.  Romans 8:28 promises that He can work all things for our good, in this life, and the next.

So to answer the question, “What do we do with fear?”  Acknowledge it, admit it, and turn it over to God.  Worry does not extend our life, or prevent life from happening.

“And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? If then you are not able to do as small a thing as that, why are you anxious about the rest? Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass, which is alive in the field today, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith! And do not seek what you are to eat and what you are to drink, nor be worried. For all the nations of the world seek after these things, and your Father knows that you need them. Instead, seek his kingdom, and these things will be added to you.” Luke 12:25-31 (ESV)

We can’t control what the roller coaster of life will bring around the next corner, but we can control our thought life and whether we choose to spend our next breath futilely fostering fear and what we can’t control, or choosing to facilitate faith, one breath, one unpredictable day at a time.

Politics- a topic that brings terror to polite dinner party hosts around the world.  Why is a discussion of politics so volatile?  Why have we allowed it to become such a divisive factor within our country and  universal church?  What did Jesus say about politics?

Well, first of all, the Bible is very clear that as Christians that make up the church body of Christ, we have an obligation to love one another. The Bible offers no qualifiers such as “Unless they hold differing political opinions from you”

By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” John 13:35 ESV

It seems that in this country we are increasingly glorifying division, forcing individuals to take sides on difficult issues, insinuating there is only one right answer, and if you don’t agree with me, you’re obviously wrong and therefore an evil person.  Do you know anyone that has been convicted by a Facebook posting and instantly changed their political party affiliation as a result?  I sure don’t.  All the name calling, snide comments, and accusations do nothing but to motivate individuals to dig their trench deeper, and to motivate them to throw larger word grenades at the opposing party.  It doesn’t seem to be changing the tide, but making the war of words yet more volatile and irrational.

Jesus avoids the topic of politics other than to say that someday He will return to rule (Revelation 19:15), and that we need to obey the leaders put in place by God, trusting that through both “good” and “bad” leaders He will accomplish His perfect will.  He calls us to trust Him when we don’t understand or agree.  He deftly avoided being drug into the political controversies of the day because they distracted from his mission, which was doing the will of His Father.  He was not sent to eradicate or establish political positions.  He was sent to deliver the world from it’s sin.  Politics are a productive distraction  technique of our enemy and are extremely effective at dividing and distracting us from the truth of the Word.  God makes it clear, however, that despite your opinion, we are to respect his sovereignty.

“You shall not revile God, nor curse a ruler of your people. Exodus 22:28

“Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, for he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer. Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God’s wrath but also for the sake of conscience.” Romans 13:1-7 ESV

First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. 1 Timothy 2:1-2 ESV 

But avoid foolish controversies, genealogies, dissensions, and quarrels about the law, for they are unprofitable and worthless. Titus 3:9 ESV

Tell us, then, what you think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?” But Jesus, aware of their malice, said, “Why put me to the test, you hypocrites? Show me the coin for the tax.” And they brought him a denarius. And Jesus said to them, “Whose likeness and inscription is this?” They said, “Caesar’s.” Then he said to them, “Therefore render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s. Matthew 22:17-21 ESV 

Politics and governments have their place.  Without government there would be no order, justice, or national boundaries. However it needs to be put in it’s proper place and not become the birthplace of anger, pride, resentment, and self-righteousness.  Jesus seems much more concerned with whether we prioritize God and how we treat others than He does about the outcomes of a political debate.  

“And one of the scribes came up and heard them disputing with one another, and seeing that he answered them well, asked him, “Which commandment is the most important of all?” Jesus answered, “The most important is, ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.  And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’  The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” Mark 12:28-31 ESV

We dare not let any thing take precedence over putting God first in our life and making every thought captive to His will, not ours. At the end of the age, or the end of your life- whichever comes first, God will be far more concerned with your allegiance to Him than with what political party you have aligned with. 

We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ.  2 Corinthians 10:5

The odds are you will,  at multiple times in your life, be put under the authority of someone you disagree with.  Presidents will come and go, and you will undoubtedly like some more than others.  I believe governing authorities apply not just to governmental authorities, but perhaps church leadership, hierarchies at work,  and even parental authority.  The Bible doesn’t seem to be saying that we have to agree with everything our authority figures believe, but we do  have to respect God’s sovereignty by not attacking or slandering them. Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.  I think there is always room for healthy debate and questioning, but it needs to be done in a respectful manner, being mindful that God has allowed this person to be in authority and will use it to advance the kingdom.  He doesn’t owe us any explanations.  That’s what trust in God is all about, acknowledging that He is in control and resting in the peace that accompanies trust, surrendering the fantasy that we can and should fix everything.

We are blessed to live in a country where we have the freedom to express ideas and are able to vote our consciences, but we need to leave our desire to control at the exit door of the voting booth.  You’ve done what you can do by voting, now the job is to trust God to fulfill His will.

For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord.
For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.  Isaiah 55:8-9 ESV

I am confident that there are loving Christian members in all political parties.  I am also confident that Jesus does not have a political party affiliation.  As Christians, we should be modeling love to one another to the extent that others looking in marvel at our humility and treatment of one another in the midst of differing opinions, thus pointing the way to a glorious God; and hopefully creating in others a desire to learn more about the mysteries of faith.  It doesn’t mean we have to agree on everything, but in order to glorify God, we need to be able to have respectful debates with one another, displaying respect for others by really listening, and seeking unity with all our might.  A divided church is no church at all and does nothing to differentiate us from the rest of the world.  As Christians, everything we do should stand out as different in order to attract others to the grace of God.

James, the half brother of Jesus knew a thing or two about trials and temptations.  After all, can you imagine growing up in a household with Jesus as a sibling?!  Talk about sibling rivalry!  Growing up with a perfect older brother to compare yourself to would have been a breeding ground for all types of resentments and jealousies, especially given the Jewish tradition of the significance place on the first born son’s inheritance. And yet, here James is, a professing follower of Christ, giving everything he’s got to help the tenuous early church.   In the very first passage of James, Chapter 1, James begins by talking about trials and the testing of our faith:

 James 1
2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, 3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

How’s that for a sermon opener?  The implication here is that trials may tempt us to turn away from our faith in God, like pouting toddlers who don’t get our way, essentially saying “If you don’t make my life easy, God, I won’t believe in you!”

Yet James is telling his newly believing,  immature audience to rejoice in trials admonishing that if you do not waiver in your faith and continue trusting and believing in God, even in the midst of trials,  you will have increasing faith.  Not buying it? Stick with me…

Now, I too would much rather read something to the effect of, “All you have to do is have faith, and nothing bad will ever happen to you again, and you will live happily ever after as your faith continues to multiply unchecked!”  Unfortunately, that is not what James says. Furthermore, James doesn’t state, “…if you meet trials,”  he states, “…when.”  And unfortunately he doesn’t say trial singular, he states “trials” plural.  Welcome to planet earth, my friend, the struggle is real.

So how is it that James is convincing the new church to find joy in trials?  When he talks of trials, we’re not talking about a ruined manicure,  a wardrobe malfunction, a flat tire, or even a remodeling nightmare.  No, he is talking about financial ruin, persecution, temptation to turn from the faith, and death.  This was a difficult time to be a follower of Jesus.

The joy James speaks of results from having faith that, as difficult as the trials may be, continued faith would result in steadfastness, or depending on the translation your read: patience, endurance, perseverance.  If I were a newly converted Christian living in those perilous times, and James told me to be joyous and celebrate my trials, I admit my inherent immaturity would have caused me to look at him as if he had two heads- perhaps even pop an eye roll or two. Seriously?  My life and that of my family’s is in jeopardy here- I have been ostracized by Jewish society and you want me to rejoice?!  But James goes on to say that continued faith in the midst of trails produces- choose your word- steadfastness/patience/endurance/perseverance.  Why is this necessary? Because when we persevere in faith we will see God’s work manifest.  We will see His provision, His mercy, and in some cases His miraculous intervention.  We will experience the strength He gives us to overcome what doesn’t seem humanly possible.  We will see His grace working in our lives and those of fellow believers who suffer alongside us.  Our faith spurring their faith, their faith reinforcing our faith, our steadfast faith inspiring curiosity in others regarding these Christian oddities who seem to maintain joy irregardless of circumstances because we know planet earth isn’t the end goal.

Furthermore, we can be grateful for trials because if it weren’t for difficulties, the universal church body would be much smaller and weaker.  Without trials we humans tend to think “God who? I’ve got this- I don’t need God.” Yet it is in times of trial that we are most likely to turn to and rely on God.  I’m pretty sure God knows about this little idiosyncrasy of ours and isn’t afraid to use that knowledge for our benefit and to grow His kingdom, despite our tantrums.  If God were a statistician, I’m pretty sure his recruiting stats would show a much higher return on Christian converts recruited through trials and tribulations; and if stats were kept on the impact of difficult circumstances on the advancement of spiritual maturity, lets just assume the return on investment would be significant.

James had a big picture perspective.  Now you could argue that he had an unfair advantage as a 1/2 brother to Jesus Christ, but nonetheless he isn’t using the status that relation undoubtedly gave him among new believers to self aggrandize himself, rather his goal is to strengthen the church as a body.  James is encouraging the new church body to persevere in faith, both individually, and wholly together by watching God working through difficult circumstances to supernaturally benefit the newly established yet fragile church body.

James ties up this paragraph by stating, “Let steadfastness [endurance/patience/perseverance] have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.”  Much to our dismay, this does not seem to be referring to earthly riches. He is rather referring to something of much greater value-  our spiritual maturity, or how close we are to reflecting the qualities of our Savior.  As we unwaiveringly persevere in our faith, relying on God through all circumstances, we are able to grow in our faith, suppressing our selfish human default mode and reprogramming it with the the qualities that Christ demonstrated for us, which are ours for the taking through the fruit of the Holy Spirit:  love, joy, peace patience, kindness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Think of it like a spiritual game of Pokemon- gotta get ’em all!

Lest you feel I’m being flippant, I had the misfortune of needing to apply the wisdom of this first paragraph of the Book of James recently.  I learned that a childhood friend of my daughter passed away unexpectedly.  It was sudden and tragic, and a very dear family was cut to the core by grief and disbelief.  My initial reaction was selfish and predictably human- “Why, God?”  Yet who are we to question our Creator, who is responsible for every good gift  and who is responsible for every life I have ever had the privilege of loving?  I don’t presume to understand how the push and pull of good and evil work themselves out in the spiritual and natural realms, but God gently reminded me through Isaiah 55:8-9, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways.” The most painful anguish we can experience is the death of a loved one, yet none of us have a “get out of death free” card for planet earth.  God knows there are many things we won’t understand, but he asks us to have faith and trust Him.  Trust that what he promises for those who believe in His Son, Jesus is the real deal. At some point we will all leave our earthly bodies, and if we put our trust in the saving grace of Jesus, turn from our sins and live for Him, we can rejoice that we won’t be on planet earth forever.  We deeply grieve our friend’s passing, yet rejoice with thankfulness that she had a relationship with Jesus and  was a member of God’s adopted family, guaranteeing her a welcome into eternity with our loving Father.

Trials will persist, but through faith and reliance on God, we will overcome.  As we persevere and our faith grows, the faith of those around us grows, creating a larger and larger reflection of Christ to draw others near.

If you’re reading this blog, you’ve probably experienced a trial or two in your life.  How was it used by God to reinforce and grow your faith or that of those around you?

What is the key to living a contented life?  Is it fame, material wealth, power,  marriage, children, or consumption of a rare Amazonian herb yet to be discovered ?  If history would be any indicator, I would postulate that it is none of the above.

You’ve likely encountered someone in your close circle of family or acquaintances who has come abruptly face to face with a prognosis predicting their life has a rapidly approaching end game.  Talk to anyone faced with this unsettling news and they will tell you that their world quickly becomes very small- compacted into the most essential and important of tasks and relationships.  They speak of family and close friends as being the critical ingredient to squeezing the most out of the precious life they have left on earth.  They don’t spend their last days scrambling for one last power move, one last successful stock trade, or securing a square on the Hollywood star walk of fame.  They draw those they love close to them, reinforce beloved connections, and often seek to repair those relationships damaged by human misplaced priorities and misunderstandings. Impending death also tends to make one consider the state of their spirituality; what will happen to me and my loved ones after death?  It’s no secret that one of the things we all have in common is that our life on earth will end, maybe sooner, maybe later; but one day each of our hearts will stop beating.

So, if this is not revolutionary information, why is it we are so easily distracted into the human moth- like behavior of being drawn towards the light of worldly priorities rather than those of eternal value?  I certainly don’t have all the answers, but I suspect we as humans are too easily distracted by the allure of the world’s definition of success; the distractions created by selfishness, and desires created when we compare the state of our lives to that of others.

History is littered with detailed accounts of military generals that authored death and destruction because of a desire for more power, more land, more of what someone else had that they desired.  Yet, despite the acquisition of astounding power and victory, their life, like everyone before them, ended in death- sometimes at the hands of assassination, sometimes of illness.  Even the most powerful man on earth cannot claim exemption from the reaper.

Likewise, clearly fame is not the magical solution to contentment if tabloid headlines are any indicator.  All too frequently the front page proclaims yet another celebrity death due to an abundance of self- medication as they sought to escape the undesirable side of fortune by chasing a magical formulaic concoction of happiness in the form of drugs and alcohol.

What about marriage and children?  Surely this is the path to happiness and success?  Apparently not accordingly to the percentage of marriages that end in divorce.  Even those that remain happily married will tell you that marriage is not an easy journey, and although it certainly can add to the quality and satisfaction of life, it does not come with out it’s struggles, and in and of itself does certainly not guarantee a contented life.  God created us as social beings designed to commune with one another, but while marriage and children are certainly a blessing from God, we would be horribly misleading a friend if we told them the secret to happiness is simply to get indiscriminately get married and have children.

No, the secret to contentment and satisfaction cannot be found in earthly markers of success or achievement.   I think the secret is two-fold: contentment with what God provides us, and a life that prioritizes a relationship with God.

Eve and Adam’s sin was not rooted in eating the wrong fruit, but rather in desiring that which God did not wish for them to have.  Eve sinned in caving to the serpent’s alluring temptation- “Wouldn’t it be great if you had the god-like power of knowledge?”  Wouldn’t it be great if- I won the lottery, was a famous celebrity, was CEO of a fortune 500 company… fill in your blank.  Adam and Eve chose to believe the serpent’s promise of earthly pleasures and disbelieve God’s warning of death that would come from disobedience.

“Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?”

² The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, ³ but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’”

⁴ “You will not certainly die,” the serpent said to the woman. ⁵ “For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” Genesis 3:1-4

Is this really any different from our desires to cave to the pressures of our culture’s narrowly defined version of success as measured by our bank accounts, possessions, or influence and power? I am not saying that God does not want us to succeed or to prosper, but rather that we need to be content with the success and possessions that he has blessed us with, not succumbing to the allure of “more.”  God did not put Adam and Eve in dire surroundings of destitution- they had access to the entire garden of Eden- all except for that one tree in the middle of the garden.  That one tree that God wanted to protect them from.  The one tree that by avoiding they would display their trust in God’s Word; displaying their trust that God had their best interests in mind.  They needed to trust that “more” wasn’t necessarily better, but that contentment with God and his provision was enough.

Because we are indeed social creatures, created by a God who desires a relationship with us. We will never be truly fulfilled until we have a relationship with our Creator, who loves us beyond comprehension and who desires an intimate relationship with us.

How precious is your steadfast love, O God! The children of mankind take refuge in the shadow of your wings. Psalm 36:7

“So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. If a son asks for bread from any father among you, will he give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent instead of a fish? Or if he asks for an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!” Luke 11:9-13

 “For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” 1 Timothy 2:3-4.

“Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9.

“And the Lord, He is the One who goes before you. He will be with you, He will not leave you nor forsake you; do not fear nor be dismayed.” Deuteronomy 31:8.

One of the greatest gifts God has bestowed on earthly mortals is the gift of children, or a relationship with a child.  It is through this gift that perhaps God is best able to demonstrate the depth of his love and desire for a relationship with us.  Yet, even the love for a child does not come close to God’s incomprehensible love for us; it is simply the earthly analogy of His desired connection to each of us.

“Just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will …” Ephesians 1:4-5.

God loves you and desires a close relationship with you, including your flaws and all.  As his creation, there is nothing he doesn’t know about you, and wishes you a life of satisfaction, contentment and blessing. The type of contentment that comes from a life that trusts God for their best life.  A life that finds satisfaction in contentment with what God has already provided and trusts that God will continue to provide adequately and abundantly; maybe not all that we want, but all that He knows is best for us.