At Just the Right Time

 (Photo: Pexels.com)

“Faith is acting like God is telling the truth.”—Pastor Tony Evans

When everything in our world seems upside down, it’s good to think of this:

“When the right time arrived, God sent His Son into this world …”—Galatians 4:4, The Voice

And…

“When we were utterly helpless, with no way of escape, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners who had no use for Him.”—Romans 5:6, Living

And if that is so, we can be encouraged by this, even in 2020:

“His destiny-plan for the earth stands sure. His forever-plan remains in place and will never fail.”—Psalm 33:11, Living

And…

“There is no human wisdom or understanding or counsel that can prevail against the Lord.”—Proverbs 21:30, Amplified

Trusting in God’s “at just the right time” timing in our day isn’t always easy when our natural eyes and ears see and hear things that try to convince us otherwise...

...But, if “faith is acting like God is telling the truth,” then it means something we know well but forget quickly—the need to stir up an active trust that determines each day to acknowledge the mess as real while remembering that our God is still in the business of “at just the right time.” 

...To remember His promises made and fulfilled, to stand firmly there when “all other ground is sinking sand,” and to fight to look at it all from a Heavenly perspective instead of our own …

“The issue is not what is God doing or going to do; the issue is are we going to see it, agree with it, and be part of bringing it? What will wake you up and become your food for thought, your foundation for emotion, and your confidence for what is possible? Will we continue to be a people who deconstruct, criticize, and dwell on what is wrong? Or will we become a people who believe in the promises, join with the petition, see with the perspective, and fulfill the prophecy that God’s glory is already and will continue to cover the earth? [Habakkuk 2:14] Kingdom now, kingdom coming, kingdom here!…This is the perspective that can birth revival in the face of any circumstances, and any society, at any depth of depravity.”—Andy Byrd and Sean Feucht, from “Fire and Fragrance”

Our “at just the right time” Savior drives it all home…

“Here’s another way to put it: You’re here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept. We’re going public with this, as public as a city on a hill. If I make you light-bearers, you don’t think I’m going to hide you under a bucket, do you? I’m putting you on a light stand. Now that I’ve put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand—shine! Keep open house; be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you’ll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven.”—Matthew 5:14-16, The Message

Selah.

Take the Back Road

 

(Photo: Good News Magazine)

More timely words from the journal…

Maybe not every day, but often enough, I come to a crossroads in my decision-making with two paths to choose—one, the well-worn, comfortable, tempting path of the world’s way of doing things, the other one much less traveled and with a One-way rougher but incredibly beautiful route of faith that seems to disappear into who-knows-where over the horizon.

And at each crossroads of life—whether the biggest decisions or the littlest ones— the anthem I keep hearing ringing in my ears is the same: “Choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve.” (Joshua 24:15). 

Choose for yourself things not to be checked off but to be walked out over and over again.

Things Jesus said and did.

Things He said and did only because His Father was saying and doing them.

Things His first followers saw Him do in the routine of their days, and then sought to do likewise,

And then wrote down for our benefit some 2000 years later.

A roadmap for the much less traveled path.

Things like this:

"Love others well, and don’t hide behind a mask; love authentically.

"Despise evil; pursue what is good as if your life depends on it.

"Live in true devotion to one another, loving each other as sisters and brothers.

"Be first to honor others by putting them first.

"Do not slack in your faithfulness and hard work.

"Let your spirit be on fire, bubbling up and boiling over, as you serve the Lord.

"Do not forget to rejoice, for hope is always just around the corner.

"Hold up through the hard times that are coming, and devote yourselves to prayer.

"Share what you have with the saints, so they lack nothing;

"Take every opportunity to open your life and home to others."—Romans 12:9-13, The Voice

At every crossroads, then, take the back road and choose Life as it was meant to be lived.

And as you go, stay the course.

Keep listening for the still small voice of Wisdom and lean not on your own understanding.

Listen, even, to the confirming words of the great New England poet Robert Frost, who probably didn’t even realize he was speaking prophetically when he wrote…

“Two roads diverged in a wood,

And I—I took the one less traveled by,

And that has made all the difference.”

—from “The Road Less Traveled” 

When It's Always Sunday

 Photo: Daniel Alexander @ stayalfresco.com

“…Day and night, they never stop saying [singing]…” (Revelation 4:8-11)

Let my worship be at any and all times

Anywhere

And not confined to Sundays

Or, even wrapped up in the definition of “singing”

Let my worship be at any and all times

Everywhere

Because, look!

A foretaste of heaven is all around us:

People from every tribe and shape who You love and long for everlastingly…

What it will look like around Your throne

And landscapes that declare Your hugeness and majesty and beauty

Like those tiny, fragrant flowers that bask in the glow of a field that few notice

But You see them all…Because nothing and no one is too small or unimportant to You

And sunrises and sunsets that declare Your faithfulness

Even when my internal weather may be unsettled...

Everywhere I look (if only I will),

I see Your goodness in the land of the living

All things are Yours

Even those things, like black flies and stink bugs

That make me go, “Why, God?”

Maybe, just perhaps, so that I would simply ask You

And keep the conversation going

At any and all times

About any and everything

Anywhere

Everywhere

To remember over and over and over again:

This life and breath You’ve given me is by You, and from You, and for You

And to remember that I can rest in this promise over and over and over again:

In You, "all things hold together”

(Whew!)

You are the glue of my life and of a world that seems totally unglued

Seems

So let my worship be at any and all times

Anywhere

Everywhere...

A worship that grooves to a regular rhythm of

Looking Up, looking all around at what and who You made for Your pleasure

Even in the routine of the day, whether difficult or smooth-sailing

And think good thoughts, yes,

But also, let it out!

Loud, even

Your will be done on earth, in me and from my lips,

As it is, and is being said and sung right now in heaven

24/7

To remind myself that going to church is good...

... But it’s not my destination

It’s a launching pad to bring Sunday with me

Anywhere

Everywhere.

“The blessed and inviting truth is that God is the most winsome of all beings, and in our worship of Him, we should find unspeakable pleasure.”—A.W. Tozer

[Updated from 4-30-17]

On Being Well-Seasoned

(Photo: Justin Meckes @ unsplash.com)

Some timely words from the journal…

If you are an old-fashioned New Englander, this truck is a great image for this time of year. Whether it is firewood or harvested fruits and vegetables, fall is for “putting up” — for storing up fuel and nourishment for cold weather months when it will be greatly needed and appreciated. And when it comes to canning, “putting up” is done in such an intentional way as to “kill off organisms that would create spoilage.”…

“My son, keep my words and store up my commands within you.”—Proverbs 7:1, NIV

…This truck is a good reminder that every day, and every time within a day, that  I pick up the Word that I don’t just try to read it like a novel. It's unlike any other book ever written, and so it is vital to ask the Holy Spirit to “open my eyes that I may see wonderful truths in Your Law.” (Psalm 119:18)… to help not just to read good words but to harvest some Truth that God is speaking to me at that moment — and He will if I will just ask. And then, storing it all up inside for fuel when I will need it most, and to help “kill off” the lies of the adversary that are whispered in my ears.

Yup, nice truck. But "putting up” isn’t just for autumn—it’s for every season of life.

Therefore, be well-seasoned, because...

The atmosphere may be thick right now with hateful words, anger and division

But there’s a light for that:

So speak Life.

Speak encouragement to someone along your path today.

Speak value into someone’s humanity.

You don’t have to be great with words or with speaking.

Some of the quietest people you know seem to be best at speaking “the right word at the right time.”

God has appointed each of us for such a message, for such a time as this.

And today is always a good time for that kind of good word, 

And good Word.

To maybe hear, “thanks, that’s just what I needed.”

A simple word, even one stored up from the Word, that may be the one to break discouragement, depression, fear, or hopelessness.

And who knows what larger door for conversation of Light may open after that?

And to remember...

That though all seems bleak, Hope has a Name, and He is still at work!

And He still reigns, no matter what the headlines try to say,

And He is coming again soon to take us Home—maybe sooner than ever.

So, therefore, be ready and watchful ... 

“…let us who live in the light be clearheaded, protected by the armor of faith and love, and wearing as our helmet the confidence of our salvation. For God chose to save us through our Lord Jesus Christ, not to pour out His anger on us. Christ died for us so that, whether we are dead or alive when He returns, we can live with Him forever. So, encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing.”

—1 Thessalonians 5:8-11, NLT

And to remember most of all…

"We are indeed the light of the world ... but only if our switch is turned on." — John Hagee