April 3, 2020
Today, I'm thankful that beauty exists, that we can enjoy the world through our senses. As I sit here, I see green and yellow and pink out my window, courtesy of spring. The pungent aroma of my window orchid fills my nose when I lean close. Rain--pitter-pattering on the roof--, and birds--chitter-chattering on nearby tree branches--sound like peace and joy and comfort in my ears. Slowly, I sip and savor my coffee as I sit and savor the warmth of my own bedroom. And it's all beautiful and it's all the doing of a Being who delights in delighting us. Intentional beauty. When we could have been created sense-less, we were created sense-ful, gifted with the ability to acknowledge and experience beauty.
Thank You, Creator of this world, for Your good and beautiful gifts. |
April 4, 2020
The strength of a Christian doesn't come from a strict morality. The secret source of our strength is in the disarming power of grace poured out to us through Jesus. We become more like Him through surrender, not through self-striving. Therefore, we must pursue a different paradigm. The harder we strive in our own strength, the more we prove our incomplete understanding of the Gospel. If His grace and love aren't the fueling strength of our lives, then we remain weak even as we work harder toward holiness.
This is the encouragement that Paul gave Timothy in his second letter to him. If Timothy could grasp grace, then he would be able to stand strong in the face of whatever lay ahead. |
June 20, 2020
"Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom." Luke 12:32
Coming on the heels of "seek first the kingdom of God," this verse stood out to me as a gentle reminder that even though seeking God's kingdom is hard--because it means going to war with the enemies of darkness--, we don't have to fear because our Father delights in giving us the kingdom. I picture Him smiling encouragingly as we struggle along in our kingdom pursuit, much like a father would smile as his young child pads perseveringly behind him, eager to keep up and straining the muscles in its small and feeble legs just to be near its father. |
December 17, 2020
Faith is not belief in good outcomes. Faith is the placement of all one's trust in one single thing. To have faith in God is to lean completely--to put all one's weight--on Him. And yet so many of us treat God like a sheet of thin ice. We fear to put all our weight on such a delicate, unsure foundation, so we inch forward hesitantly, cautiously testing each step as we go. But that is not faith. That is semi-faith, quasi-faith, pseudo-faith. That is doubt.
What of God being a Sure Foundation? A Rock of Refuge? A Strong Tower? We rarely think to question the surety of these things in the natural realm. We put our faith in them all the time. So why do we struggle to put our faith in Someone infinitely more reliable, trustworthy, and sure? God is not the suspiciously slippery surface of a frozen lake. On Him you can put all your weight--your faith—with no fear of breaking through. His Word is a firm foundation, upon which you will not slip. So put your faith in God. Jump and leap and dance upon the Rock of your salvation. Prove His faithfulness through unfettered faith. Faith is fearless when it is placed in the impenetrability of a fortress. So have faith in God. Run the length and breadth of His promises and find every inch faith-worthy. And in finding you will prove His faithfulness—to yourself and to the watching world. No more hesitancy. No more doubting. Lean. Put all your weight on God without fear of falling. That is faith. |