Finish Strong

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.” (Hebrews 12:1)

Gabriela ("Gaby") Andersen-Schiess ran in the women’s marathon in the 1984 Olympics. Twenty minutes after the winner, Joan Benoit, crossed the finish line, Gaby staggered into the stadium. The crowd gasped in horror and disbelief when they saw her. Something was evidently wrong—badly wrong.

Gaby’s body was twisted, her left arm hung limp, and her right leg was seized. Realizing that she was in the throes of heat exhaustion, the medical personnel started out on the track to offer her assistance. To everyone’s dismay, she waved them off, knowing that if they touched her, she would be disqualified from the race—a race that seemed impossible for her to finish.

After an excruciating 5 minute 44 second final lap, she fell across the finish line and received medical help. Thankfully within a couple of hours, she was revived and doing well.

The apostle Paul was fond of racing metaphors when he spoke of the need to persevere in our faith and commitment to Jesus, no matter what difficulties we may face—physically, emotionally, spiritually.

How easy it would have been for Gaby to give up, to quit the race. No one would have questioned that decision. But she was determined, and she ran with perseverance.

Think of the obstacles that get in the way of you running the race. Sometimes life is just plain hard! Illness, the death of someone we love, financial setbacks, a difficult marriage, estrangement from our children, and much more.

We each have a race marked out for us. The particulars of that race are different from those of other people’s race. But God calls us to “run with perseverance the race marked out for us.”

Let’s encourage each other not to throw the towel in, not to give up on our faith when things get tough. Then at the end of a faithful life, we will be able to say with Paul, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith” (2 Timothy 4:7)

Lift with Your Faith

Have you ever lifted something heavy and told yourself, “Lift with your legs! Lift with your legs” and then yell out, “Oh! I hurt my back”? Just telling ourselves to “lift with our legs” doesn’t mean that we will necessarily do it.

In life situations I tell myself, “Rely on God! Rely on God!” and then I proceed to rely on myself. I said the right thing to myself, but myself didn’t listen. And when I rely upon myself, I end up ushering in anxiety and fear and faithlessness without even realizing.

Going into 2013 one of my focus scriptures is Paul’s prayer for the Ephesian Christians:  

    For this reason I kneel before the Father, [15] from whom his whole family in heaven and on earth derives its name. [16] I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, [17] so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, [18] may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, [19] and to know this love that surpasses knowledge--that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

    [20] Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, [21] to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. (Ephesians 3:14-21)

As I read through this prayer the other day, God gave me an insight I had not had before. Paul prays that (1) that they may be strengthened with power through the Spirit in their inner being, (2) that Christ may dwell in their heart, and (3) that they may be filled with all the fullness of God.

The Spirit, Jesus and God—all indwelling us, empowering us, filling us up! As I was reading this, I was sitting in my car overlooking a quiet pastoral scene in Tennessee. But what I was imagining was spiritual explosions going off inside me with so much power surging and crackling within!!

I am reminded that in every way possible I have been given the power to “lift with my faith.” I pray God will help me to rely on him in simple, new and inventive ways. How about you?

Eternal Setting

Diamonds last forever.


Do they?

Really?

Lately I have been thinking about eternity. Solomon tells us that God “set eternity” in our hearts. I think that “setting” will last longer than a diamond one.

When each of us is born, we enter the eternity continuum with infinity extending behind and before. Once we are here, we have a decision to make: Will we bow to our creator and spend the eternity with him in the “new heaven and new earth” or will we be separated from him and experience spiritual death.

Heavy topic, I know.

But, real, all the same.

Things on this earth can seem so important, so disappointing, so whatever. But are they? Really?

Remember today: You are a child of God, and you have eternity in your heart. Live like that is true.

“Give thanks to the Lord for he is good. And his love endures forever.” (1 Chronicles 16:34)

Instant RePray

Have you ever come across a prayer you wrote in the past, and you realize you could have written the very same prayer today?

Here is one I found a while back and taped up in my workspace...it is dated 07/07/80:

O Father, I make a promise to you today:

I will trust that you are in control of my life totally.

I will ask your help and direction in every matter.

I will have no part of or fellowship with doubt.

Forgive my lack of trust,

       my giving ear to the accusations of Satan,

             my lounging in doubts.

You are my life!

I praise your name.

Thank you that you inhabit that praise.  (Psalm 22:3, KJV)

Camping Angel

                       The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him,
                              and he delivers them. (Psalm 34:7)

                     

I have been “camping” on this verse quite a bit lately. One reason is that I pray often for my youngest daughter, Corrie, who is currently living and teaching in Bogota, Colombia. As a mom, of course, I would like to live closer to her, but Tom and I have no plans for such a move.


At my desk in front of me is a board on which I pin various pictures and papers and lists. Inspired by this verse written by David, I have a picture that reminds me that God’s angels are “encamping” around Corrie. This was taken on the front porch of an artist friend of mine in Montgomery, Alabama.

As you see, the angel (sculpted by my friend) is in close proximity to Corrie. She is right there with her all the time. When I get up from the desk and can no longer see the picture, that angel is still right there beside her. She is camping with her for the duration, and she is never distracted.


What a comfort this is to me as a mom.


I hope this picture can also remind you that God’s angels are encamped around you too as you go through your day today.

Jesus: The Most Focused Man

Six weeks ago, my husband's dad died. His name was Thomas Reuben Jones, and he was generous, smart and witty. We miss him.

We have been with Tom's mom (two hours away in Sheffield, Alabama--our hometown) 80- to 90% of  the ensuing time up until now. There was much to clear up and to get done...as there always is after a death.

I had my computer with me, of course. I worked and kept things going with DPI. But one thing I realized was that it was very hard to stay focused. This was true in my time with God too. My rhythm was off, my schedule derailed, and my thinking distracted.

Today...this Monday morning, I had some good time with God (I decided to read back through DPI's first book: Thirty Days at the Foot of the Cross. That book and the scriptures it points me to always help me focus on the center of God's message.)

And I love being back in my office, at my desk, in front of my large-screen monitor. My to-do list is getting checked off with precision. I'm riding high in the saddle of productivity.

All this made me think of Jesus, a man who never once lost his focus--not even while in torturous pain, hanging on a cross. What love, what power, what confidence in God.

In Proverbs 4:20-27, Solomon gave his son instruction about staying focused:


My son, pay attention to what I say;
listen closely to my words.

Do not let them out of your sight,
keep them within your heart;

for they are life to those who find them
and health to a man's whole body.

Above all else, guard your heart,
for it is the wellspring of life.

Put away perversity from your mouth;
keep corrupt talk far from your lips.

Let your eyes look straight ahead,
fix your gaze directly before you.

Make level paths for your feet
and take only ways that are firm.

Do not swerve to the right or the left;
keep your foot from evil.

*

Lord, help me to "look straight ahead," to stay focused on your words, and not to "swerve to the right or the left." Thank you for walking with me and lifting me up when I stumble. I need your help!

God's Heart for the Alien

After we lost our little Shih Tzu Lydie last May, my only pets were “my” bluebirds. I eagerly anticipate their inspection of the bluebird “condo” I put up for them outside our bedroom window. I enjoy seeing the guy bring his girl to check out the digs. The male seeks to impress the female by finding a great first home and proving himself to be an able provider. I have seen the female stick her head into the entrance hole at least thirty times to carefully inspect the box and figure out if all the furniture will fit.


This year, there was a problem. A big problem…with a small bird: English sparrows, to be exact. Sometimes they take over bluebird houses, and they have been known to actually kill the bluebirds if they trap them in the house. So bluebird enthusiasts instruct you to trap and kill the sparrows (since they are not indigenous birds, it is legal to kill them). I could never do that, so I just clean out the nesting material and put duct tape over the hole, hoping they will give up and settle elsewhere.


This year I went back and forth with them, but they kept persisting. Finally I thought I had won the battle when a pair of bluebirds came house hunting and seemed to be settled on my offering.


But the next thing I knew, here was Mr. Sparrow popping into the hole carrying a load of straw. Foiled again!


I finally gave up, assuming that the bluebirds had been intimidated and decided the neighborhood was too dangerous.


I used to get up in the mornings and open my blinds to check in on the bluebirds. I still open the blinds and look out, but it doesn't give me any pleasure to see the little sparrow head poking out of the house.


I realized that I had to get a handle on this. I really resented the sparrows for messing up my joy. Those alien birds. They don’t belong here anyway. I missed my beautiful bluebirds.


Tom said, “Maybe God is just protecting the sparrows.” Which I know is true; the Bible tells me so. But I still muttered a bit.


Then I thought about God’s heart for the aliens in the Old Testament:


"Do not mistreat an alien or oppress him, for you were aliens in Egypt.” (Exodus 22:21)


“And you are to love those who are aliens, for you yourselves were aliens in Egypt.” (Deut. 10:19)


“Do not go over your vineyard a second time or pick up the grapes that have fallen. Leave them for the poor and the alien. I am the Lord your God.” (Leviticus 19:10)


God has a soft heart for the alien. And if I get right down to it, I was an alien myself before God redeemed me and brought me into his family:


"Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God's people and members of God's household." (Ephesians 2:19)


And in another way, I am now an alien in this world:


"Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul." (1 Peter 2:11)


I pray that God will use that little brown English sparrow to remind me to have my Father’s heart for the alien.