Unlikely World Changers

"At night, some shepherds were living out in the fields in that region watching their flock. Then an angel of the Lord stood before them. The glory of the Lord surrounded them, and they became very frightened. The angel said to them, 'Do not be afraid because I am bringing you good news that will bring great joy to all the people.'" — Luke 2:8-10, Expanded

Maybe these guys wouldn’t have been our first choice to announce the arrival of the Savior of mankind. But just maybe, God was beginning to lay a foundation to the Gospel message, even before one word was spoken or before one miracle was performed as evidence and simply out of Love. A timeless foundation, and reminder, for even the 52nd week of another year quickly flown by:

This world is not our home, so make every day count while we're here.

Because the angelic announcement was made to home-less shepherds, about a home-less Savior who came to ransom the homeless of heart so that they (and we) would be sent back to the “fields” of the day-to-day to repeat the sounding joy...

...Sometimes with words, sometimes with deeds and by example, often both. And always, like the shepherds and the Child born in a manger — as unlikely world-changers — living each day with an understanding (and even with a sense of urgency) that this is all merely our transitional shelter. 

“It is true that God may have called you to be exactly where you are. But, it is absolutely vital to grasp that He didn’t call you there so you could settle in and live your life in comfort and superficial peace.” — Francis Chan

[ADAPTED FROM 12-22-13]

O Come Let Us...

"And after entering the house, they saw the Child with Mary His mother; and they fell down and worshiped Him. Then, after opening their treasure chests, they presented to Him gifts fit for a king..."—Matthew 2:11

There is absolutely nothing wimpy or cute about the word "adore."

Three (or quite possibly more) very wise men's men were among the first to put it into action. Adore is far more than a reasonable facsimile for "love" or "worship." It is shocking in its against-the-grain invitation to actually linger awhile instead of hurrying on to the next thing, or the next latest-and-greatest. In fact, adore is such a rugged word, its depth reaches to the point of being an expression of something that, considering the Subject, really can't be put into the right words.

It blows "wow!" and "woah!" out of the water.

Adore may not be found in the most authentic bible translations, but nevertheless, its call is on nearly every page, and embedded in every breath of a Creator who desires nothing more than daily relationship with His created kids.

Which, of course, is why He came in the first place.

And so, in the whirlwind of the season, it's good to take a deep breath this morning and sing like never before:

O come, let us…

Love and respect deeply

Cherish

Love dearly

Be devoted to

Prize

Treasure

Think the world of

Love in the highest degree

Put off shoes that stand on holy ground

Approach joyfully and yet in an attitude of reverent face-downness

And there, and only there, find perfect peace and rest...

...adore Him, Christ the LORD.

The ancient carol may take longer to sing that way, but this is not the week for wimping out on what really matters...remembering, celebrating, embracing, and learning to live out the greatest Gift ever given.

"Worship is life. Every breath. Every word. Every thought. Every deed. In public. In private. Everything. Everywhere..."

—Jeff Deyo, "Awakening Pure Worship"

A Joyfully Shocking Response

 
"An angel of the LORD appeared to him in a dream and said, 'Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid...'" — Matthew 1:20

His head has been spinning over how his wife somehow got pregnant without being with a man (yeah, right), never mind him. He loves his wife deeply and wants to believe her, but... He's stressed over what his family will think and say, and whether they might even disown him, and what might happen to his carpentry trade. He has no answers that make any sense to give anyone, including himself. And that's only the immediate issues. If Joseph, husband of Mary and earthly dad to Jesus, only knew what was ahead: no warm and comfortable place for his wife to give birth, the unspeakable fear of a terrorist-type king wanting to kill his son and all others in his age group, running for their very lives, and in the dark, to a strange place where they know no one, and then more running back home, well sort of, due to one more fear-inspired detour, this time to Nazareth where they would finally, finally settle down...

Joseph may not get all the attention the songwriters have given to Mary, the shepherds (and even their sheep), and wise men bearing unusual holiday gifts. But it's hard to imagine where we would be right now without Joseph's hard-to-swallow "Yes, Lord" response to several angelic visitations. He could have said, "I just can't do this." But God must have known something about what drove Joseph when the pressure is on, and so He stuck with him. In fact, Joseph is like that seemingly minor character at the beginning of the movie on whom the plot later turns, resulting in a fantastic ending for all that few saw coming:

"When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him...he took his wife,  but knew her not until she had given birth to a son.
 And he called his name Jesus."

How does a guy get to "Yes" when everything within him was screaming "No way!" ? The clue to Joseph's joyfully shocking response, and our own hope in the midst of life's stresses, may be in which identity he chose to believe most about himself. In the flesh, as Matthew noted a few verses earlier, he is the son of Jacob — a presumably much-loved dad, but, like all others before and after, didn't hit it out of the park every single time, try as he might. The angel, however, spoke something even better into Joseph's life: he reminded him of his perfect identity as a son of a King's lineage and of a child of a perfect God who makes promises that cannot be broken. And so just maybe, when all was spinning and nothing was making sense, Joseph remembered this as the angel called him by his new ID:

"Once for all I have sworn by my holiness — and I will not lie to David — that his line will continue forever and his throne endure before Me like the sun; it will be established forever like the moon, the faithful witness in the sky." — Psalm 89:35-37

And to every one of us facing our own pressures and decisions of life more than 2,000 years later, the timeless angelic message of trust and true identity that was spoken into the life of an under-appreciated Nativity character repeats the sounding joy:

"Others might, in fact, others will, but I haven't failed yet, nor will I ever. Nothing may make sense right now. But trust Me on this one, and on all of the ones to come. I've got this. Better still, I've got you. And the safest move you can ever make is to stand on My unshakeable promises.... So, what do you say?"

Binder Upper

"...He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted." — Isaiah 61:1, Luke 4:18-19

On HGTV's popular show "Fixer Upper," Chip and Joanna Gaines open each episode with a variation on "we take the worst houses in the best neighborhoods — diamonds in the rough — and turn them into something special." More than just a great motto for home improvement, here, too, is the Christmas story:

Jesus came to turn the broken hearts of sinful mankind, on this beautiful planet He created for His and our good pleasure, into a new, everlasting creation built for fullness of joy and His glory.

"Hallelujah!" never seemed so appropriate.

But not only that, just as the Gaines don't transform dead houses into masterpieces by just slapping on a coat of paint here and there, Jesus doesn't do band-aids when it comes to healing and transforming our hearts. In fact, the moment we said, "Lord, You alone have the words of eternal life — You are our only hope," our irregular, misdirected heartbeat became brand new and pure in His eyes. And for all the scars from arrows of word and deed we've accumulated since childhood, the Binder Upper is right there still in the midst of the brokenness, providing around-the-clock care, assurance, and protection.

While some of those scars are miraculously healed, others can seem healed one minute but then flare up again the next, triggered by an accuser who is constantly trying to rip open those old wounds in our minds, and almost always along the lines of: "God doesn't really like you all that much."

It's pretty easy to rip open a band-aid that has been slapped on and left alone. Instead, Jesus is the Binder Upper who works completely and thoroughly, always for our good. He is the Warrior Lover who guards the vulnerable spots with His very presence, and with Words of assurance that trump the adversary's lies every single time:

"See what an incredible quality of love the Father has shown to us, that we would be permitted to be named and called and counted the children of God! And so we are!" 

It is a compassionate, patient, attentive process designed to cultivate Father-son/daughter relationship and trust. One where words of positive identity are increasingly absorbed and thrown in the face of the accuser. And along the way, in the goodness of the healing and the fight, the One who came from heaven to earth has an uncanny way of continually arranging Divine appointments with others whose heart-busted wounds may be similar to ours...to encourage, to stand by, and to run with.

This is the magnificent power and love of the Binder Upper born in a manger. Tidings of comfort and joy, all around.

"A Christian is not simply a person who is forgiven and goes to heaven. A Christian, in terms of his or her deepest identity, is a saint, a spiritually born child of God, a divine masterpiece, a child of light, a citizen of heaven." - Neil T. Anderson

Thanksgiving Days

Steep your life in God-reality, God-initiative, God-provisions. Don’t worry about missing out. You’ll find all your everyday human concerns will be met. Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don’t get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes.—Matthew 6:33-34

There are certainly more profound reasons why Jesus looked Up and gave thanks as He prepared to take the ridiculously few fishes and loaves to feed thousands. One is so simple, so powerful, so timeless, that it went right by His disciples. And so it has been for all the years that have passed since that hillside miracle until right now. They were, and we tend to be, so preoccupied with the hows, what-ifs, and yes-buts of life, especially for being ready for the challenges and needs of what lies ahead—or, desperately wanting a do-over for decisions and conversations of the recent or distant past—that it can be hard to focus on what God is doing and wants to do in the moment right in front of us.

Jesus also has a lot to say about being prepared and ready, and of confession and forgiveness. But almost without exception, along with the simple thanks for fishes and loaves, all of it is couched in one foundational word: Today. This day in November, like all the others that have come before it, is a day the Lord has made for you to live in the moment; to look Up and be grateful for inhaling and exhaling, for beauty, majesty and faithfulness displayed in His creation, for loved ones and loyal friends, for even the seemingly few things that you have on hand for an overwhelming need—be it food, money, energy and determination, or even limited evident solutions to large problems at work or in life…..

Lord, this is all I’ve got:

Just a couple of loaves of bread and a fish or two.

You know what that’s all about.

Doesn’t seem like much at all for what needs to be done, and I don’t know how this is going to work.

But You have provided, not me.

Thank You that You always do.

Better than that, You know me, my needs and desires far better than I think I do.

But I do know this much: You are good, and You have proven over and over again that You love me

With a how-much-more kind of love that is beyond my comprehension. 

And that You won’t leave me floundering when I ask for help,

Or ever reply with “yeah, well, good luck with that.”

Ever.

So along with all the usual things to be thankful for this season (ones that I too often take for granted),

Let my first song of this and every morning be: “Today is the day You have made,” 

And rejoice in these very 24 hours You've given me

Rather than stare at tomorrow’s hopes and fears, or yesterday’s regrets.

And today, not if but when I hear Your voice, don’t let my heart be hardened by complaining

Or even a hint of unbelief,

But instead, help me (because it ain't always easy) to put on a gratitude attitude wardrobe.

For as long as it is today

So that I can think less about myself for just one second to encourage someone else

To hold on to the Hope we profess—the only hope worth clinging to.

Most of all, to remember that lifting Up fishes and loaves point to the key;

The one that unlocks a meaningful, satisfying life, and a lifestyle of thanksgiving:

"...first and most importantly, seek, aim at, strive after His kingdom and His righteousness—

The attitude and character of God—

And all these things will be given to you also."

So be it, Lord, even today.

"Thanksgiving is worry's kryptonite." — Matt Chandler

No Photo ID Necessary

"Lift up your eyes on high and see who has created these heavenly bodies,
The One who brings out their host by number,
He calls them all by name;
Because of the greatness of His might and the strength of His power,
Not one is missing."
—Isaiah 40:26

There are tens of thousands of reasons why we may be speechless and full of wonder when standing under a night sky.

One of them, for times like these when the world is being shaken to the core, is knowing that no matter what it feels like, the universe is still firmly in God's control—because even of the stars in the galaxy, “not one is missing.”

And in times like these, when even the strongest saints experience a tinge of uncertainty or vulnerability, perhaps the most wonderful and mind-blowing of them all is to remember that God also did not create any star, any galaxy, any thing—or any person—and call it "Anonymous" or "Hey you."

There may be moments and days when we wonder otherwise, but as Isaiah emphasizes nine chapters  later, the good and compassionate God who created the universe and all that is in it never needs a GPS or photo ID to find us, to come near when we call...even when, in times like these, it's often just groans and sighs without words.

“See, I have engraved you on the palms of My hand. It does not say your name — the name is there, but that is not all! See the fullness of this: I have graven your person, your image, your circumstances, your temptations, your weaknesses, your wants, your works. Everything about you, all that concerns you, I have put you altogether there. Wilt thou ever say again that thy God has forsaken thee?” — Charles Spurgeon

ADAPTED FROM: 11-17-13

I Know Who Goes Before Me...

“Lean on, trust in, and be confident in the Lord with all your heart and mind, and do not rely on your own insight or understanding. In all your ways know, recognize, and acknowledge Him, and He will direct and make straight and plain your paths.”—Proverbs 3:5-6, Amplified           

What’s the first thing that often comes to mind when you step out on a big decision after you think you are getting the Lord’s leading on something, and it turns out that it wasn’t what you thought? “Wow, dude, missed it again!” Maybe. But perhaps more likely, we just think we missed it when, in fact, God has a way of using our shaky steps of trust to help us see something more important than that big decision.

This is a big deal. Hardly a week goes by when we aren’t faced with some huge or relatively small decision that feels like we’re jumping without a safety net. There has been no “God told me so” voice from heaven, only a persistent, feels-like-God-might-be-behind-this sense deep within. So, you test it some more, pray about it a lot, perhaps seek Godly counsel about it all. And, on occasion, try to talk yourself out of it. Finally, if there are no obvious red flags, there comes no other option—you choose to trust God, launch out, leap, and see what happens…

…and even though the enemy of your soul may have been chuckling from the sidelines, the landing is safe, even without a net. God-focused trust, even scared-to-death trust, always has the last laugh. Sometimes, though, the details of what lies ahead after the leap don’t wind up being anywhere what you expected. Not a bad thing, just a wonderfully strange journey. “God, what was that all about?!” And sooner or later, we realize that we had not “missed it” at all, because beyond what we thought was simply making a decision, we learned something else very important—perhaps more important—by taking that leap. Something we’d been blind to that probably wouldn’t have been seen any other way.

But why? Not to mess with our heads, or because God likes to play shell games with all of life’s decisions. But because His Love poured out is always good, and has one goal in every situation of life: to transform and conform us to be like Jesus in all of our spheres of influence, our actions, our attitudes, our serving, our speech. In the words of Charles Spurgeon: "We cannot always trace God's hand, but we can always trust God's heart."

For all the leaps of faith big and small yet to come, it is good to know that:

“… God is able to orchestrate everything to work toward something good and beautiful when we love Him and accept His invitation to live according to His plan. From the distant past, His eternal love reached into the future. You see, He knew those who would be His one day, and He chose them beforehand to be conformed to the image of His Son so that Jesus would be the firstborn of a new family of believers—all brothers and sisters. … He called them to a different destiny so that they would experience what it means to be made right with God and share in His glory. So, what should we say about all of this? If God is on our side, then tell me: whom should we fear? — Romans 8:28-31

“I know Who goes before me, I know Who stands behind: the God of angel armies is always by my side. The One who reigns forever, He is a friend of mine..."— E. Cash, S. Cash, C. Tomlin

Good to be Sheep-ish

“He calls His own sheep by name and leads them out.”—John 10:3

You may forget the person’s name you just met five minutes ago, and others may know you only as a “hi, how are you?” But what joy there is in knowing that when, by faith, we decide to follow Jesus, we are never an anonymous face in the sea of humanity. He not only knows my name, He is continually speaking to me—sometimes to get my attention, or to give direction, but always there to just enjoy the journey together. Jesus is the friend who would outdo all others with simple text messages of encouragement, “still here,” and “hey, did you ever think about this?”

And not only that, He is continually setting life-satisfying priorities before my very eyes. First, that the safest, happiest, and best place on earth is always within the gates of the presence of God—no matter how often, or how many ways, we try to prove Him otherwise. And that despite our insistence of perfection, it's always best when lived out with other sheep who don't always look or think like us. (Sheep, after all, is singular and it is also plural.)

And then, when it’s time to step out into the unknown of each day, or to simply go higher up and deeper in our walk, He always leads and never drags us along. Never a "dude, when are you ever going to learn?"

Sometimes, it can feel like we’re being pushed, but even then, it is done in the context of this:

No eye has ever seen and no ear has ever heard,

And it has never occurred to your heart
All the things I, your God, your Shepherd, your Friend, have prepared for you

Simply because you love and trust Me.

Lord, help us to know Your voice more and more, to forsake all others, to follow, to commune as breathing in and breathing out...and to remember that the reason the plural sheep has survived all these centuries against all odds and has impacted the neighborhood and world is because of one thing only: Love—first love, not second or third, or when-I-have-time-for-it Love. 

The Divine Knockout Punch

“O Eternal One, lend an ear to my prayer and answer me, for I am weak and wanting. Safeguard my soul, for I remain loyal to You. Save me, Your servant, who trusts in You, my God.”— Psalm 86:1-2, Voice

"Wow, where did that come from?" It's often while making faith-fueled advancements on this journey that, out of nowhere, we are ambushed with an attack that can leave us wounded in faith and in desperate need of a God-grip. All it takes is one otherwise harmless comment made in your direction that triggers a weakness, a bad memory; one blip on the radar amongst the thousands of wonderful moments in any given day.

More often than not, the ambush manifests in a sudden onslaught of negative self-talk compounded by “yeah, you’re no…” accusations from the enemy of our souls.

Even David, the standard-bearer of the “man after God’s own heart” banner, encountered some type of ambush that left him “weak and wanting.” What is eye-opening, though, is that he doesn’t just plead for a God-rescue, David goes for the jugular—for the all-satisfying, joy of God's promises and presence. (“Bring joy to Your servant, for to You, O Lord, I lift up my soul.” —Psalm 86:4)

And then he finished his quick prayer, took one more sip of coffee, and got up and went about his day.

Instead, David sets an example for the ages by taking the time—just a few minutes, even—for a simple counter-ambush of renewed faith:

Among the gods [of this world] there is NONE like You (vs. 6)

You are GREAT and do MARVELOUS deeds (vs. 10)

You ALONE are God (vs. 10)

GREAT is Your love toward me (vs. 13)

You have DELIVERED me from the depths of the grave (vs. 13)

You, O Lord, are a COMPASSIONATE and GRACIOUS God (vs. 15)

You, are SLOW to anger [and thank You so much for that] (vs. 15)

You are ABOUNDING in LOVE and FAITHFULNESS (vs. 15)

You, O Lord, have HELPED me and COMFORTED me [in the past, over and over and over] (vs. 17)

Anyone can psych themselves up for awhile. But a joy-filled counter-ambush is a Divine knockout punch because it overrides the negative self-talk and “yeah, you’re no…” accusations by not arguing with the Adversary but rather agreeing with the positive declarations of the Truth—the Truth of who God is, of who He is in me, and who I am in I AM.

And, most of all, it forcefully declares the unspeakably joyful reality that I am forever His and He is mine.

“Begin to rejoice in the Lord, and your bones will flourish like an herb, and your cheeks will glow with the bloom of health and freshness. Worry, fear, distrust, care-all are poisonous! Joy is balm and healing, and if you will but rejoice, God will give power.”—A.B. Simpson

Everyone Gets to Do This

 “John was the lamp that kept on burning and shining.”—John 5:35

When Jesus told His disciples to “Go, therefore…,” He was giving them—giving us—not just a Sunday job or a good deed to do, but a ministry. A full-time ministry. Maybe not in a pulpit, but certainly in a place of influence. Robe, pastor’s parking space, or “the very right reverend” on the sign out front not required. And not only that, a ministry that isn’t a one-shot deal, but rather something of lasting impact and influence that would reproduce itself in others, who in turn touch others in situations and places beyond our imagination

Everyone gets to do this. Everyone.

Our everyday ministry is not unlike that of John the Baptist, who wasn't out to promote his own talents and accomplishments and personality that will eventually wither as the grass. Instead, it's an everyday ministry of humility and testimony that simply points others to the Christ who is the only everlasting Light of hope and love that can overcome the darkness and unraveling of this world (not unlike the world's condition when Jesus first walked the shores of Galilee.) The pointing is all ours. The results are all His.

And like John, our most meaningful pointing ministry opportunities probably won't be in a church and when we're feeling spiritually "up," but awaits in the wilderness—an actual place or environment (like someplace un-churchy), or even or especially the moments when we feel dry and God seems to be nowhere. Both scenarios totally God-dependent and God-glorifying. We can be encouraged to know, however, that Jesus knows the wilderness really well, has walked through it Himself, and shows up there to walk among us still and work through us.

Most of all, there is John’s mysterious internal lamp. The one that that not just shed light during a moment of a heavenly buzz, but that somehow burned from deep within…and kept on burning, even when it seemed like little good was resulting from all the pointing and passion, even when simply seeking to walk out what he knew was True, day in and day out. John seemed to be supernaturally fueled by an undying faith, by having seen God's love and faithfulness over and over and over again, and undoubtedly by cultivating a lifestyle of abiding-listening-trusting-doing.

And for us, add the most powerful fuel of all: His Holy Spirit running through our veins.

Maybe we can pass on John's locusts and wild honey diet. But Lord, we want in. Let the Baptist’s example fuel us in every way for our everyday ministry, big or small, knowing that each one of us has been created to "point," to prepare a way in the wilderness until You come again.

"What, then, is the witness that we all are bound to bear, and shall bear if we are true to our obligations and to our Lord? Mainly, dear brethren, the witness of experience. That a Christian man shall be able to stand up and say, ‘I know this because I live it, and I testify to Jesus Christ because I for myself have found Him to be the life of my life, the Light of all my seeing, the joy of my heart, my home, and my anchorage.’ That is the witness that is impregnable."—Alexander MacLaren

'With Every Eye Closed'...or Maybe Not

[PHOTO: CROSSWALK.COM]

"With all prayer and petition, pray with specific requests at all times, on every occasion and in every season in the spirit; and with this in view, stay alert with all perseverance and petition, interceding in prayer for all God's people."—Ephesians 6:18, Amplified

Earlier this week, I heard on the radio a well-respected pastor encourage his flock to do something quite shocking: "pray with your eyes open." Speaking for many who would rather not admit as much, the pastor confessed that often when he closes his eyes to pray...he falls asleep or zones out.

Surely, there's a time and place for closing one's eyes to pray, but sometimes, when you don't know exactly what to pray, or when you're so burdened or distracted (or tired), the next thing you know, you're experiencing one of those jolting "hey, where am I—what time is it?" moments. (See Peter, James, and John in Gethsemane.)

Which might be one reason why Peter urges the faithful to stay alert for the roaring lion who would try to devour one-on-One communion and the motivation to pursue same, and why Paul pleads to God on the Church's behalf that the eyes of their hearts would be opened. In the gospels, when we see Jesus  praying, He's often looking heavenward, not "with every head bowed and every eye closed." In fact, there appears to be no Biblical mandate that says one must close one's eyes in order to pray effectively. It's a good, humbling, reverent prayer posture that's been handed down through the history of the Church. But it's good to know that God is OK with other options, too.

Especially good to know when praying while driving.

Or, when God puts someone on your heart, and you don't know why—so, now what? Praying with eyes wide open, and Bible wide open, can be one of the most powerful postures you could assume on behalf of that friend, or loved one, or your pastor. More than ancient words for another time and place, the prayers and promises within the Bible spoken over another person's life are as active and alive as ever. Sometimes, the King James' poetic flow can knock it out of the park, and sometimes, one of the more modern translations can put into words what your own tongue and brain can't articulate at the moment.

The one that follows, for example, might be one of the best any of us could stand on, this or any week...

God of our Lord Jesus the Anointed, Father of Glory:

I call out to You on behalf of _____________.

Give _______ a mind ready to receive wisdom and revelation

So [he/she] will truly know You.

Open the eyes of ________ heart,

And let the light of Your truth flood in.

Shine Your light on the hope You are calling _______to embrace.

Reveal to ________the glorious riches

You are preparing as [his/her] inheritance.

Let ___________ see the full extent of Your power

That is at work in [him/her and] those of us who believe,

And may it be done according to Your might and power.

EPHESIANS 1:17-19, The Voice

The Goodness of Unforced Rhythm

"Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me - watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly."—Matthew 11:28-30, Message

And the reason the questions in this modern translation hit it out of the park is because, so often, the answer is:

Yes. Yes. And maybe—at least strangely restless with a sense that there’s got to be more than just being a good church-goer.

We are slow to get this, but how good to know that all through our journey, the perfect answer is always right in front of us, beside us, behind us, over us, and under us. Try as we might, perfect "rest" is not found in searching for another good idea out there that will make everything right, or a bigger or better this or that, or the ideal political leader, or even in one more lap around the track of world system insanity, but in trusting the One who personifies the word “rest,” and Who created it...and everything else.

  

This is no escape from reality, or sitting back and doing nothing. It's not something weird or mindless, either. Rather, it’s like the sweet spot—that unforced rhythm—a runner or walker or hiker feels when he is in step with his partner: the heart is pounding, the hills are steep at times, but there is someone there who is either talking with you or ready to listen every step of the way, and cheering you on when you’d rather call it a day. But more than a partner on the journey, this is the only One who leads the way perfectly every time, and whose trustworthy anthem is: "I Am the way, and the truth, and the life..."

Best of all, though a get-away would be nice, to get to a “Come to Me” kind of rest, we don’t have to go any further than the heart cry from our mouths, no matter where we happen to be:

“O Lord!”

“Here I Am”

"So teach my song to rise to You

    When temptations come my way

        And when I cannot stand I'll fall on You

           Jesus, You're my hope and stay."—Matt Maher