Are you ready?

This afternoon I went to hospital to visit with a man dying of cancer.  He told me he knows he's dying and he's scared!

I asked him what he was afraid of and he told me he has no idea what's ahead!  He's afraid of dying.

We had a great talk. We talked about what God is like, how he can have hope, how he can know what's next.  He asked a lot of questions, had a lot of ideas about what is ahead and a lot of fears of the unknown.

We all fear death even though we all know it faces each of us.  No one will escape without death at the end.  

My question to my new friend was this, "Are you ready?"  He admitted he's not and wants to get ready, but faith is so hard for him.  His family experience made it difficult to believe in a good God.  All he knew was an angry God, vengeful, mean, ready to punish.  When I told him that's not the God of the bible it surprised him.

I think we will have several more visits.  I hope he will discover the answer to the most important question, "Are you ready?"

Are you?

Life under the cloud

This site has been a place for my thoughts, devotions and personal journaling for almost 10 years.  I find this discipline helpful to me and I hope it helps others as well.  It's not my goal to bare my soul here, but to share what God is doing with me and what I know he will do in any life.  

There are times that all of us live under a cloud of depression for a time.  When we find ourselves under the cloud we all sense that our lives are a waste, much too difficult, that "God is playing a cruel joke on us" as one friend wrote to me yesterday, but in those days when the gloom settles over us we need the Lord and his presence more than ever.  

In my own life I've been "under the cloud" of depression for quite a while.  It's shown in my lack of presence here.  Who wants to read the ramblings of a depressed old man as he works through his thoughts and struggles, but there are days when that voice needs to be heard.  

Depression does feel like a dark cloud keeping the sun away, but it also brings rain, shade and new life. In the moments and days when depression comes we fail to see the shade, enjoy the rain and celebrate the life, but they are all part of the cloud. 

For Israel in the desert the cloud gave them shade and I'm sure it gave rain as well.  What seems a sign of depression to us is most often really a wonderful provision of God.  He's not punishing us when depression comes, he's not withholding his presence...quite the contrary...he's more present in those moments than we could ever know. 

But the cloud over us seems to only bring darkness, depression and doubt of whether God really cares for us at all.  And yet, the cloud is the evidence of his care more than anything else we could experience.  It's a sign of his provision, his presence when all seems lost and we see no  hope.

My favorite depressed person in the bible is David.  He, like Elijah, struggled with depression in significant ways, but they dealt with it quite differently.  

Elijah quit.  

But David sought God.  And in his seeking we find words like this,

Why are you in despair, O my soul?

And why are you disturbed within me?

Hope in God, for I shall again praise Him,

The help of my countenance and my God.

Psalm 43

David looked up, he sought God, he hoped in the only one who could lift his cloud.  In the passage above did you notice that when we are in despair, when we are depressed, we don't praise God?  David wrote, "I shall again praise Him" meaning that in that moment he wasn't.  He didn't "use" praise as a way out, but instead he thought through the truth that depression isn't forever and when the cloud passes he would once more praise God. 

Life under the cloud is difficult.  Just ask anyone who lives in Seattle, but with the cloud comes the reality that God is with you.  He never leaves and soon, sooner than you know, the cloud will lift and you will praise him again.  While you're under the cloud rest in Him, enjoy the cool of the shade, celebrate the rain and know that joy will come again.

What if....

We are in a world that challenges us to "make a difference", "live well", "make an impact"....and a dozen other quaint slogans that challenge us to "be all we can be."  But what if that way of living is completely contrary to what God has called us to be?  

What if all of this is completely upside down?

As I read the words of Jesus yesterday I began to wonder about our culture and value system.  We rate our lives based on what we do, how much we have, who knows us, how many friends we have on Facebook.....but what if....

What if we lived in a completely different way?  What if we followed the guidance of Jesus to the man who asked for an answer to this very question?

Here is the text,

“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law? (What the most important thing to do?)”

Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment.  And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’  All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

That's it.  That is all Jesus gave him!  Here is a worldview completely contrary to the way we live.  It's not based on what you have, what you do or who knows you....it's based entirely on who you love.

How upside down is that?  It betrays everything about how we live and what we value.  It declares that God and others are more important than anything else, than everything else!

I wonder....what would change if we lived this way?  

Ego

Beginning well!

Since I started this blog more than nine years ago I have titled it "Finishing Well" but I wonder....is that the right way of looking at things as a Christian?

It seems we look at this life as a beginning and end finishing with death, but I am rethinking that idea.  Is this view of life, with a finish to my story, the right perspective?  It seems...as I think about it...that viewing an end, a finish line, is very short-sighted.

You see, since I've trusted Christ I no longer have a finish line, an end, but I will live forever!  This life and its culmination is not a finish, but really just the beginning.  It seems I've viewed life as a journey with a finish,  but in fact it's the beginning of eternity with a moment's transition from this life to eternal life....a moment when I move into real life, eternal life.

How could I view life with a finish line when it is just the beginning?  If I think I'm living for a finish here I live below what I'm made for, but if I live for eternity ahead, with this as merely the beginning, it changes how and why I do everything.  

So, what would change?  Instead of seeing this life as a race to finish I would see it as an opportunity to live out now who I already am in 1,000 years, a million years.  I'm a son of God already!  I'm forgiven already. I'm an heir with Christ already.  I'm seated with Christ in heavenly places already....so now, in this brief life, I get to live out my identity with my Father and creator in real time and see the results of it in eternity.

I think I've been viewing this all wrong....so let's change the title of this blog to- "Beginning Well."  How you view this life changes everything!

There's more to say on this topic and we will explore it in the days ahead.  

(I would love your thoughts on this idea as well.  Help me explore it further.)

Keep looking up!

(from Sploid.Gizmodo.com)

The heavens proclaim the glory of God.

    The skies display his craftsmanship.

Day after day they continue to speak;

    night after night they make him known.

They speak without a sound or word;

    their voice is never heard.

Yet their message has gone throughout the earth,

    and their words to all the world.

Psalm 19

Look up!  You stand on the floor of one of the best observatories in the Universe.  From this vantage point God shows mankind his power, glory and great creation.  

What an amazing sight to see....a Universe larger than we can measure on display for us to say, "Wow, I wonder who made all this?"  And in reply God says, "I did!  Isn't it grand?"

Look up, praise the God who made all you see...and made you too.  He is the God who made heaven and earth.

Grace is....

Grace is the discovery of desperate men who can find no other solution.

All you had...

If all you had was God would that be enough?

If all you had were taken could you trust him anyway?

If all you had is little would you thank him anyway?

If all you had would help someone else would you give it?

Can you live with an open hand, 

trusting God to give you all you need?

Life and death

It seems we only savor the joys of life when death is near.  What a shame we miss so much when life is good.

A letter from heaven

(Years ago, after one of my church members died, I got a letter from her.  It came two weeks after her funeral.  It was hand written and quite a surprise!  A letter from a dead person would be a surprise to anyone.  She had written the letters months earlier and given them to her nephew to send out a few weeks after her funeral.  It was a wonderful letter, but much too personal to share here, so I have written my own version of such a letter....a brief fantasy of what a letter from heaven might be like.  Sadly, I'm sure it's much too human and lacks the glory of what a letter from heaven would really be like, but I hope it inspires you a bit anyway.  Enjoy.)

Dear Mike,

I’m sure you didn’t expect to get a letter from me, but I wanted to tell you how I’m doing since I died.

It’s been a little over a week since I left earth for eternity and I just had to send you a letter and tell you about it! 

When I arrived in heaven I was overwhelmed by the colors, the sights, the people, the dramatic difference from all I knew on earth.  Some of it I will try to explain, but much of it is beyond words and you will just have to see it for yourself.

I had planned to ask God a number of questions when I got here. In fact I had a good list ready, but when I arrived I realized how silly most of my questions really were and frankly, I have to tell you, I forgot most of them in light of all that I saw and sensed the moment I got here.

I’ve seen a lot of people here from all over the world and from different times in history.  It was a strange sensation to know immediately who they were…even though I had never met them…and find an instant bond with people of different language, color and time.  It was also wonderful and strange that we all could communicate with each other.  Our native languages suddenly became unneeded. And what surprised me the most is I knew everyone's name!  It was great!

On the second day I ran into someone who said, with a start of surprise, “What are you doing here?”  I know I blushed a bit, but we both laughed, hugged and visited for hours.  I noticed others I was surprised to see here as well.  Many who, if I told you their names, would surprise you that they made it into heaven.  I’ve been told I can’t reveal their names.  You will just have to be surprised like I was.

When I arrived I was immediately looking for the “pearly gates” and Peter with his book of admission.  I guess that came from the many cartoons I have seen over the years, but that wasn’t the welcome at all! When I arrived I found waiting for me friend, family and many I had shared the gospel with over the years.  It was a miniature family reunion!

They all took me to the throne to be welcomed by God himself.  I so wish I could describe him to you, but words are not enough…there are no words for it!  It was glorious, awesome, breath-taking….so much more wonderful than I had ever imagined.  And Jesus!  How glorious, how beautiful, what a smile.  He came up to me and gave me the biggest hug I had ever experienced!  I couldn’t believe it…my savior…in person…hugging me!!!!  It was wonderful!  (You will find that word is unavoidable here, but even “wonderful” is not enough for the glory you will experience.)

One sensation that I wondered about on earth was what would it “feel like” to be a spirit, a person disconnect from my body.  At first it was a bit unnerving, but suddenly I realized all the pain, the aches, the ills of my body no longer were an issue.  I felt great!  It didn’t take long to adjust to this new reality.

And I realized something else.  I suddenly realized that at least four things that were woven into my humanity my entire life were gone (I’m sure there are more, but I’ve yet to discover them)….I tried to sense them, feel them, experience them…but they were gone!  Fear, worry, insecurity and doubt were completely gone!!!  In that moment of time from earth to heaven the things that had been my constant companions and enemies did not follow me and I realized they were not here at all.  No one was fearful, even when the sites were overwhelming.  We all were like children on a Ferris wheel having the ride of our lives. And worry had evaporated.  I couldn’t muster up a good worry in spite of my best efforts.  After I bit I began to laugh at myself for my silliness.  Insecurity vanished as well.  Eternal security turned all my insecurities into a vapor. And finally, my great enemy and constant companion, doubt, was a distant memory! Now, all my doubts were gone because I had now seen and experienced reality!  My faith was real, it was founded on God’s promise and now I’m seeing it with my own eyes, touching it with my own hands, walking here with my own feet!  I am overwhelmed.

I have to tell you that it was like having thousands of pounds of weight taken off my shoulders.  For the first time since I could remember I was able to really think!  And not just to think about what was going on around me, but to really explore all of life and how God had worked in every moment of my life on earth.  In just moments the fabric of my life and God’s work in it became clear, as if a cloud had lifted, and now I can see the landscape of God’s plans and work.  He is so wonderful, so amazing!

I also want to encourage you that we aren’t all going to be sitting around on clouds playing harps.  I was much relieved by that insight.  When I was told of all that God had planned for me, of the fact that life, as I knew it, was just the beginning of God’s work in me, I was thrilled and I’ve been busy, fulfilled and happy every moment since I got here.

I wish I could use words to tell you about heaven, but you wouldn’t understand.  You have to see it, you just have to see it.  And the colors!  OH MY!  I never knew there were so many colors or that they could be so bright…and they almost seem alive.  Anyone who was an artist on earth will suddenly see where all the inspiration came from when they get here.  It all comes from heaven itself.  It’s just glorious!

I know I’m rambling a bit, but I assume you want to know about heaven.  I always did, but no one ever send me a letter.  Jesus told me I could send this out to a few close friends because even when you tell someone where it came from they won’t believe you and we will all giggle about it up here.

Anyway, before I close, I have to tell you about Jesus!  I mentioned him above (the hug and all) but he is beyond my words to describe….although I will try for your sake and faith.  He is beautiful, beyond words.  I saw his wrists and the scars, his side and the scar there too.  He smiled at me.  I thanked him for what he did and he told me,  “We love you so much that we would have done it all just for you, but isn’t it wonderful so many have said ‘yes’ to my gift of life?”

In his eyes I saw love, kindness, mercy, but I also saw strength.  His clothing was glorious and the crowns he wore made it clear he is king of heaven and earth.  I was a bit surprised that we all had access to Jesus.  No one had to wait in line, make an appointment or “get a number”.  We all were welcome in his presence anytime we wished to be with him.

So many questions have found their answers here.  I realize now that I wouldn’t have understood the answers on earth, but now I “get it”, now I understand what God was doing and all I can tell you is trust God.  He’s working all of this out for our good and his glory.  And, last, before I close, don’t worry!  God is more awesome, glorious, powerful, loving and grand than you can ever imagine and he loves us!  I’m still awestruck by his love, but I expect I will never get over that and it’s ok.  To be loved more than you can ever understand is quite a wonderful feeling.

Ok,  I have to run.  So much to do.  And relax!  God’s in charge, he loves you,  when you get here all your worries and fears will seem so silly.  Just know this- the sovereign God of the universe loves you.  Just look at the cross and you will begin to see how much.  I can’t wait to show you around.  See you soon.

Your friend and new citizen of heaven,

Pauline

Worth

“You are worth more than many sparrows….”  Mat. 6

There are several questions we all ask.  Questions that somehow plague us all.  They are questions of meaning, purpose and worth.  Why am I here?  What am I here to do? What gives meaning to my existence?  And, last, do I have worth and value?  Do I matter?

These are questions each of us struggle with.  Just for a moment I want to discuss this grand idea of worth.  It’s something each of us wonder about…am I worth anything? How do I know?  These questions and struggles are revealed in our insecurities, our uncertainties, our frequent search for approval and acceptance.  We all need worth.  We all need to matter, to make a difference in some way.

Because this desire for worth is so important to us we try to achieve it by what we do.  Success, cars, money, busy lives all give us the sense that we are valuable, that we are worth something.  But it’s never what you do or what you have that establishes worth…..

….it’s who loves you.  Worth is measured by who cares about you even if you had nothing.  Worth is about who loves you when you’re mean, angry, unhappy or just unlovable.  Worth, true worth, is never about what you do or have, but about who loves you when you do and have nothing at all!

In Matthew 6 Jesus made a value statement about us that should be heard.  He said, in the midst of our worries and striving after things, “you are worth much more….”  Worth much more to who?  Who is setting this value? Who is it that thinks I’m worth anything at all? 

God says so.  In his value system you have worth.

Now, take God out of the picture, as the atheist has done, and how do we find worth, how do we find our value?  For a man without God it comes down to what you do and what you have.  But what if all of that is gone, taken away?  Then what?

God say you have worth to him.  How much?  Here’s your value- he values you so much that he gave the best thing he had to purchase your freedom, to make you his son or daughter. 

How’s that for worth?

He values you so much that he wants you to spend eternity with him.  HE REALLY LIKES YOU!  You may not feel you have worth to anyone in the world, but the God who made you thinks you are awesome!  He loves you. 

Feeling a bit worthless today?  The one who made you loves you and wants you to be his child.  He wants to spend time with you.  He thinks you have worth!  How could anything the world offers compare to that?

The journey

You've seen this saying too, haven't you?  

It's a simple idea...the idea of beginnings, but that's not the most important part of a journey.  

The most important part of any journey is having a destination worthy of the trip!  

With a destination in mind that will challenge you to keep walking beyond steps two through ten million you must have a destination that will keep your passion for the trip alive...that will keep you going through the difficult steps that are always part of any journey.

None of us will venture on a difficult journey unless we think it worthy of our time and efforts, unless we are willing to pay the price it will take to get to the goal.

It's never the first step that's the most important...it's the goal, the destination.  Where are you going?  Do you know?  Is it a destination worthy of the effort?  Is it a goal your willing to give your life for?  If not, you won't finish, you'll stop somewhere along the way.  

Pick a destination that will challenge everything in you, a goal that will give your life purpose and meaning.  Pick a journey worthy of your life and then give it all you have, all you are.  

What destination, what journey of life would challenge you?  Then go for it.

For me, as you might guess, the journey I'm on is the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.  I'm on my way to spend eternity with the God who made me and along the way, as often as possible, I invite others..."come with me, you'll never regret it!"

I'm 22nd

A few days ago 21 Christian men were martyred on the shores of Tripoli, Libya.  The back story is one of days of torture, trying to get these men to deny their faith in Christ.  None of them would deny Christ.  The results were seen on media around the world.  21 men werre willing to die rather than deny Christ!

Today, although they are dead to this world, they live with great joy in the presence of God.  Their names added to the martyr's hall of fame.  Men willing to die rather than deny Christ will be honored before the God they lived for....and died for.

As I thought about their stories, the days leading up to this day on the beach, there is a decision they had to make that determined life or death for them.   They chose Christ....and found real life!

I want to take my stand with these men, men I highly respect for their faith and add my name to the list.  I want to make the decision before it's ever necessary to say, "I would rather die than deny my Jesus!"  I hope I don't have to make that choice, but if it ever comes the choice is already made....I choose Jesus.

I'm 22nd.

Living in the last days

These are scary days, aren't they?  Chaos, wars, fears, violence...all around us the tensions are rising, the world is beginning to pull apart at the seams.

And, it seems, we are finding new and more horrible ways to hurt, kill and destroy one another.  Evil has finally shown it's face and it is not pretty.  But this is just the beginning.  It will get worse.  Fears will rise and even strong men will shake with fear at what is coming.

How do I know all that?  I know the one who made the world and he tells us what is ahead in the bible.  His intent is to prepare us, to make us aware of the evil days when "all hell will break loose."  

And here we are...those days have come.

Does fear fill your heart?  Do you shudder at what might happen next?  Will it happen here? Will it happen to me?  All of us wonder what is coming. In the midst of it all God tells us to not fear, but to trust him.  He writes these strange words from Jesus' teachings in the gospels,

"Do not be afraid of those who kill the body 

but cannot kill the soul. 

Rather, be afraid of the One 

who can destroy both soul and body in hell."

Wow!  Challenging, isn't it?   Living in the last days will be exciting.  It might cost some of us our lives, but don't worry, death is not the end....it's only the beginning.  

How exciting all of this is!  Perhaps today we will see Jesus.  Could anything be better?

Grateful

As I take a moment this morning to think back on my short years here on earth I realize how wonderful the days have been.  I have a sweet wife who loves me, kids who are living well and grandkids who are happy.  Not everything is perfect and I don't have any money, but what a great life.  I'm so glad I have the important things in my life- people.

Today I'm grateful for the wonderful people I have encountered, spent time with, cared for and who have cared for me.  Chuck Swindoll said, "If you have a handful of friends at your funeral who don't look at their watches you had a good life."  I'm grateful for a wonderful life rich with people....the only eternal things I will ever encounter!