A Lesson from Nothing

Luci and I stepped through the door into the cool of our climate-controlled home. The sun was barely breeching the horizon, but the humidity was already peaking. A heat wave had begun. When the alarm in my head had gone off at 5:30 that morning, I'd quickly and quietly dressed, dashing out the door to get going before it became too oppressive. Just a word of caution, and this may be TMI, but as a public service I feel compelled to say: If you catch me walking my dog by the dawn's early light, DO NOT approach; chances are, I haven't even brushed my teeth (I can't risk waking other members of the Murphy household that early.) Fairly pleased with myself --it was just after 6 AM when we arrived back at home, and I already had at least two miles under my belt --I checked my app to congratulate myself. I mean, I didn't think of it that way; that is, until I looked down and noticed my phone was off. Huh? I'd approved a software update as I was getting my shoes on and never followed through. My pedometer, my workout calculator --everything was set to "0". 0 steps. 0 calories burned. 0 miles. I had nothing to show for all that work. And I was crestfallen. 

Why? the voice in my head inquired. What difference does it make? Who are you trying to impress? What are those numbers supposed to mean anyway? All good questions, so I began to form some answers. 

"Because I want to know if I've done enough work," I countered.

Enough what work? You eat what you need; you exercise as you should. Isn't that how it works? I mean, you eat to fuel your activity, right? Or is there something more? 

Someone was turning this into a lesson.

I have lived with an "eating disorder" for as long as I can remember. I and others called it "bulimia" for years. I would eat for an entire day --anything I could get my hands on. The following day or two or three were spent starving myself and purging. Repulsed by my own behavior and able to feel the damage I was doing to myself physically, I'd promise myself reform. The following week I found myself in the same place. As I grew in the Lord, I began to name this behavior for what it was: idolatry and impenitence. Huh? Rather than call on the Lord when I was facing adverse conditions, I would call on food. Idolatry. To "cover" my offense, rather than repenting, I'd exercise ad nauseum, punishing my body for the sins of my soul because, of course, I am judge and jury. Impenitence. Arrogance and a bent toward self-righteousness as well.

Looking down at those zeros the other morning reminded me just how much I need Jesus. Why was I crestfallen? Why had I put so much value on steps and calories and distance? Because I still want to do things my way. Because I still have idols or fragments of idols remaining. Because I still value my own work --sometimes, if I'm being completely transparent, over the work of Jesus Himself. Because I still want to trust in what I see. Because old habits die hard and the old self, even harder. Because I need a Savior --One who has completed the work even when I can't feel it, One whose forgiveness is eternal and perpetual, One who demands I "go and sin no more" and One whose grace enables me to do just that, One who was in all points tempted as I am, One who intercedes for me, One who saves to the utmost, and the only One who is worthy of my worship. The only One who can turn those zeros into wisdom better than gold and insight more precious than silver!

How much better to get wisdom than gold!

And to get understanding is to be chosen rather than silver. ~ Proverbs 16:16

Midweek: Here Are Some Thoughts

When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars which You have set in place,

What is man that You are mindful of him, the son of man that You care for him?

~ Psalm 8:3,4

How precious are Your thoughts toward me, O God!

How great are the sum of them!

If I should count them, they would be more in number than the sand;

when I am awake, I am still with You. 

~ Psalm 139:17, 18

O God, how tiny we are compared to You! Tiny in stature. Tiny in significance. Tiny in character. 

You hold galaxies in Your hand. The heavens of heavens cannot contain You!

And yet, You care for us. We are but tiny specks in time on a tiny planet; but You imbue us with worth. You care.

Your focus as You lovingly, carefully created Adam, as You created each of us; as we go about our days, 
smiling or crying, 
or failing, 
or eating too much or not enough, 
or hating our bodies or loving ourselves too much, 
or resting, 
or feeling loved, 
or serving others -- Your attention is with regard to us because of who You are.

Why?! Why would You, O God? With rocks and stars and trees that sing for You day and night, with seasons and migration patterns and planets and creatures, every one, obeying You without question, with angels to serve You and lift up Your holy name --why would You lavish so much attention on us? Why would Your thoughts toward us be precious at all, infinite, and changeless?

Because You ARE love.

Because You ARE peace.

Because You ARE mercy. 

Because You ARE goodness.

Because Your grace is like no other.

And there is no other like You.

Good Enough

"Meets all expectations."

Maybe you've received a report card or performance review, maybe you've written a Google review with those words. Not bad, right? I mean, it's good to meet all expectations. Unless of course, there's that box to be checked --you know the one --the one that says, "Exceeds all expectations." 

In Psalm 16:5,6 the psalmist declares:

O Lord, You are the portion of my inheritance and my cup;
You maintain my lot.
The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places;
Yes, I have a good inheritance.

A good inheritance. 

Romans 8:28 assures us:

And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

All things work together for good. 

Are we, as a culture that loves superlatives (See what I did there?) selling ourselves short when we strive for more? What if God's good is the best? What if God's good --so comprehensive, so perfect, so lavish --is absolutely, without doubt or argument good? Where are we getting our standards from, anyway?

Webster's dictionary says good is "sufficient or satisfactory." Sufficient --equal to the end proposed; enough; able to meet obligations. Why is that such a second-rate --even contemptible thought to us? Culturally, we want more; we want to exceed what is needed, have more than that which will fit in the cup. That's why public storage works! As individuals merely being "good" is not enough. We want to be noticed, to be unique or thought of as special; we long to be considered exceptional. My generation had the annual edition of Guinness's Book of World Records on its Christmas list.

What did God declare of His creation in Genesis 1? Again and again, we read "God saw that it was good." Not spectacular. Not excessive. Good means it was exactly what was needed, perfection in its goodness. God continues to create a life and a testimony for each one of us based on His expectations. Our expectations, as admirable as they may be from a human perspective, best not conflict with God's. That entry level job that supplies for your family's basic needs, that allows you to attend church on Sunday and serve at a shelter every other Saturday, may not meet your expectations; but if God says it is good, if God says you are just where you need to be, it will --in the long run --exceed your imagination in its benefits. The house with which He has blessed you may not be the biggest you can afford, you may have to wait for the bathroom from time to time, but if God has placed you in that neighborhood, if God has said, "This is good," ignore the pressure to be "exceptional." Let us never be disappointed with what God calls good. We are not settling when God says it is good; we are not missing anything when God has given us what is good. Good in God's economy is not merely good; it is perfect in its goodness.

So, are you satisfied with the good God has done in your life? Are you happy to have a good job or be in good health? Are you satisfied with the places God leads you? Do you want to go viral, or do you want to be obedient? Do you want to be relevant, or do you want to be faithful? Do you want the world to notice you, or do you want them to notice your King? Seek God's good, and declare with me, "Yes, I have a good inheritance."

Keeping an Open Mind

Christians are really closed-minded about things, aren't we? For instance, only a closed-minded person would entertain the possibility of a supernatural Creator bigger than themselves. Only a closed-minded person would think that same Creator could or would heal and work beyond our imaginations in some of the most hopeless situations. Only a closed-minded person would think that same Creator had infinite opportunities for their life and the lives of those who were touched by them. Only a closed-mi-- Hey! Wait a minute! That doesn't sound closed-minded at all!

The truth is, those who do not follow God, who refused to believe He exists are the most closed-minded of us. Psalm 14:1 says, "The fool has said in his heart, 'There is no God.'” That's it. There is no. Period. End of discussion. That way of thinking is what closes doors, what eliminates opportunities, what negates possibility. Not the converse. As a matter of fact, Christians are called believers for a reason. Because we believe! We don't deny things we do not comprehend; we seek truth. We don't say can't; we say, "God can." We believe in a power greater than anything mankind has harnessed, a mode of operation greater than anything mankind has devised, a Being outside of time or any other constraint to which mankind is subject. That, to me, sounds very open-minded.

Do we live our lives in a different and deliberate manner because we have discovered that for which we have searched? Absolutely. Do we cease to believe lies because we have discovered truth? Who wouldn't? Do we want others to know the truth? Of course we do! The truth is a wonderful gift! The truth sets people free! And watching others live the same lie we lived before we found the truth is troubling to us! But closed-minded? Not at all!

Let me just drop this little slice of heaven on ya: The tiny, tiny body of believers with whom I worship each Sunday (35 or 40 people on a good week) provides our community with a Thanksgiving dinner and a Memorial Day picnic each year. We help people pay their mortgages and have paid the mortgage on our building in full and early. We have partnered with a church in Liberia to assist their community and hosted a men's conference for years. We offer two weekly Bible studies and operate a thrift shop in our community twenty Saturdays out of the year. As individuals, we are involved in foster grandparent programs, programs to feed and clothe children in impoverished areas, adoption, and international ministries. There is more than one author among us, one member is regularly involved in helping police during crisis situations, a couple is mentoring children in their neighborhood and holding prayer meetings in their home, and another sister is currently using her domestic skills to raise money for a church project. I say all of this because it is our belief in the supernatural that causes us to step out in areas a truly closed-minded person might say are impossible; it is our belief in infinite possibilities that propels us forward in the quest to bring heaven to earth! The Church universal is, or should be, people who have looked at the world with the eyes of a loving Creator, seen others with His compassion, and responded in ways a closed-minded person would never dream or be remotely comfortable with! Being a Christian does not make one closed-minded, it makes one Christ-minded, opening the door to possibilities that are out of this world and the supernatural power to serve in those possibilities.

"The fool has said in his heart, 'There is no God.'" No infinite possibility. No infinite love. No infinite power. No supernatural. Just all this world has to offer --Have you seen it? --and then death. That sounds like a pretty limited view to life, if you ask me. You might even call it closed-minded.