The monoploy

Years ago there was a merchant who was the only source for a much valued product.  Everyone wanted it, but he was the only merchant that had it.

Some complained.  "It's unfair" they said.  

Other merchants protested.  They demanded access to the product so they might sell it as well.

But the little merchant who had the monopoly on this amazing product ignored the complaints and protests.  

You see he wasn't selling his one of a kind product, he was giving it away, but you had to come to his shop to get it.

Some said it wasn't fair and refused to go to him for this valuable and rare gift.  They demanded all merchants have access to it.

And some merchants made copies and sold them.  The copies were not nearly as beautiful, valuable or special, but people bought them even though the original product was absolutely free for anyone who would come to the old merchant and simply ask for it.

We are such strange creatures.  In spite of this wonderful product being free, in spite of everyone wanting it, most simply wouldn't humble themselves to get this gift on the merchants terms.

But many did.  They came, they saw the treasure and with a pause asked, "May I buy one?"  The merchant would always smile and reply, "No, but you can have it for free simply for asking."  

Those who had it were different, happy, at peace.  In spite of this strange series of events- a merchant with a monopoly on a valuable product given to anyone who would ask, most simply refused to go to the merchant to get it.

Most refused to agree to the merchant's terms.  Pride does funny things to us.

And yet, his doors were always open, the only source of the most precious gift anyone could possess.  

How strange, most simply walked past and missed the greatest gift of any life.

“Salvation belongs to our God,

who sits on the throne,

and to the Lamb.”

Revelation 7

The little shop keeper is God, the great gift of humanity is salvation and he is the only source. 

It belongs to Him!  

If you want it you have to get it on his terms.  

But don't forget...it's free!  All you have to do is ask!

Charles Manson

Charles Manson died.

I've read many jeering and cruel comments on media sites celebrating his death and wishing him well in hell.

I grieve.

Sin has destroyed so much, it's sad when it destroys our humanity as well.

As a Christian I am sad to know of anyone's death without Christ.  

I know, from reading scripture, that God grieves as well.

He says,"I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but rather that they turn from their ways and live. Turn! Turn from your evil ways! Why will you die."

There is a God who rules the heavens and eternity.  There is a judgment coming. There is a heaven and hell.  I don't claim to understand the justice of all of it, but I do know God is good and I trust him to be more than "fair" with each of us.

Charles Manson now faces eternity.  For a few years on earth he destroyed and ridiculed.  Now he faces eternity.

I grieve.

in 1,000,000 years

Today you worry about so much. You're distracted by fears, worry, anxiety, concerns over money, the economy, the government, the future....

...But in 1,000,000 years what will be your thoughts about these things?  Will you even remember this moment of anxiety and fear?  Will you be embarrassed by your lack of trust in God?  

Moments seem overwhelming, but when you bring God into the moment everything changes.  Yes, it might be hard right now.  Yes, there may be pain, suffering, loss, doubt and sadness....but we aren't done yet.  All of this is part of a grand plan by a glorious God.

You see, the God of creation is in charge and the outcome will surprise you.  Take a moment, yes, this moment you are so worried about and turn it over to the God of eternity.  Did you forget about him?  Did you think he didn't care?

He's waiting to walk with you, to help you, to meet you in this moment, no matter what the pain may be.  God loves you and he is working on something amazing.

Daddy

Jesus did something no one had done before.  No one had dared to do before. He called God his Father.  Actually it was more scandelous than that.  He called God "Daddy."  The original word was Abba.  It's the word small children would use for their fathers.  It's an intimate, personal word.  To call the God of creation "Daddy" must have sounded like blasphemy to the religious of Jesus' day.  It did upset them.

But what does it speak to you?  Here is what Paul wrote, "And because you are sons, God has sen the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, "Abba! Father!" so you are no longer a slave, but a son, and if a son, then an heir through God."

The scandal of the gospel is that the God who made us has adopted us as sons and daughters, children called by his name and a people who call him "Daddy."  He has invited us into an intimacy that few of us dare enjoy.  An intimacy of relationship that is driven by a love few really know. 

Do you know that the God who made you is not mad at you? Do you know that he loves you and wants to be your father?  Do you know that he loves you more than you could ever understand? 

God longs to wrap you in his love, to say to you, "my child."  He has loved you with a love that is bigger than you have ever experienced, more than you will ever understand.  And it's free! 

"For God so loved you that he gave his one and only son that if you would believe in him you will not perish, but will have life forever."

Never

There are times, if we will listen, when God speaks.  It's never a shout.  At times it sounds like a whisper, a voice that speaks into the moment with clarity that makes you aware this is someone else, this is God.

This morning, as I read the word and worked through several other books I'm reading, these words came clearly to me.  They weren't part of what I was thinking or what I was reading, but they were clear and stopped me.  They were,

"I will never leave you or forsake you."

I grabbed my bible to find that passage. It appears twice, once in Joshua and once in Hebrews.  But the phrase started to tumble in my head over and over.  And with each pass I thought about the days ahead.  The people I know. Others who love God as well.  It became clear to me that these words speak to all of life and bring a comfort no one else can offer. A comfort I badly needed.

When I'm well or when I'm ill he will never leave me or forsake me.

When I'm prosperous or when I can't buy bread he will never leave me or forsake me.

When I have a job or when I'm let go he will never leave me or forsake me.

When my family is healthy and even when one I love dies he will never leave me or forsake me.

When I'm happy or full of fear he will never leave me or forsake me.

When I have friends or stand alone he will never leave me or forsake me.

When you are liked or when you are hated he will never leave me or forsake me.

It seems the more I thought about this the more solidly the mortar of this truth firmed under my feet.  No matter what happens, no matter what my situation he will never leave me or forsake me.

In the moments of the days I live in this gave me a footing I badly needed.  When it seems you have lost things that give you value, identity and security a solid foundation is more important than you realize.  For me today, as my mind swirls around a thousand fears, concerns and worries I'm thrilled to hear him say, "I will never leave you or forsake you."

Apathy

I've noticed that some who have walked with Christ, people who I know are Christians, have simply wandered off.....quietly wandered away.  They aren't mad really, they aren't even discouraged....not yet.  They have simply not seen the life of God in the community of faith and have lost interest.  

Life is busy, work is hard, things are crazy, why waste my time with church and church stuff when I get nothing from it?  Why invest my time when no one really knows I'm there or even cares?  I'd rather sleep in.

I think, in these days of craziness, the best weapon of the enemy is apathy.....a slow chilling of faith and interest that leaves us unfeeling and uncaring about the most important thing in life- a walk with God.  Without passion, without a real interest why should I keep going, why should I continue to be part of something that does nothing for me?  

Apathy chills us until we forget what excited us in the first place.....we lose our first love, we get cold.  You need to know this happens to all of us!  We all cool off.  The flames of our faith are something we must fan constantly to keep it fresh.

It means seeking out others for fellowship, time to pray and share our lives.  It means setting aside time to be in the bible, just reading, to hear from God.  Honestly,  it's a lot like paddling upstream!  It's work, it's the narrow road, it's challenging, and it's easier to do nothing....

....but when we do nothing apathy seeps into our very bones and chills us to the point we forget why we were excited about faith in the first place.

It's easy to wander, to become apathetic, to grow cold.  It's a challenge to stay near the flames, to seek out community even when you don't feel like it.  It's important because the greatest weapon of the enemy in our day is not outright sin...it's apathy.

You're missing it!

May I tell you something important?

I might offend you, but you need to know it.

You are missing it!

You're missing the moments, 

the breath in, 

the breath out.

You're missing the second that just passed and you were worried about the hour ahead.

You're missing a smile from a child, distracted by your cell phone.

You're missing the breeze that just blew on  your cheek, distracted by the dog barking in the next yard.

You're missing the moments.

We all do.  

We all live beyond the moments 

but there is nothing more important than this very moment in time.  

It will never happen again, you will never see it again, your child's smile will never be the same again, the breeze will never touch you again as it just did.

There is so much we miss without even realizing it.

Recently I was in Israel and had the experience of a lifetime as I toured the holy land.  On the third day we were at the sea of Galilee about to take a boat ride in a boat similar to the one Jesus sailed these waters and I realized I didn't have my cell phone. It wasn't in my pocket, it wasn't in my bag. I didn't know where it was.  I lost it.

We had to board the boat for the trip and all I could think about was that phone, where was it? did I lose it? what happened to it?

And suddenly I caught myself with this thought, "You're missing this! You're missing all of this distracted by something you can't do anything about right now."  I caught myself and set aside the phone to enjoy the moment I would never have again.  It was great.

But then I thought, as we moved through the week, how often I have done this same thing over and over again.  I have missed years of important things by the distractions of other things.  

I've missed much of life with things that really don't matter at all.

The Bible talks of this and gives direction for the solution.  

It demands we realize what is happening, make a decision and change our moments.  If you don't, you will miss it.  Possibly the most important 'it' of your life!

At the end of life you will say just one thing, "I wish I had enjoyed the moments more. I missed so much."