Brain Pain

Where can I go from Thy Spirit? Or where can I flee from Thy presence? Psalm 139:7 (New American Standard Bible)



My daughter, Tammie, once told me, “Dad, you think too much.” She was referring to a moment when I wondered about some kind of intangible cosmic concept. But I have to admit I’m not the only one. When my granddaughter, Dakota, was 8 years old she asked me out of the blue, “Peepaw, what’s outside the universe?” And I think too much?

When I share that story I am often asked, “And what did you tell her?” The only thing I could and that outside the boundary of our universe is the Person of God. He’s both transcendent and immanent which is not to be confused with imminent-without delay. Being transcendent means He is above and beyond all things, even outside of the known universe; immanent simply means He is presently active in every area. I sometimes have to press my brain’s reset button when I try to contemplate a place I could go to be out of God’s presence.

I have often wondered why David’s thoughts on this are in the Bible. There is no secret theological fact in God being transcendent. There is no life concept that directs me to act a certain way in my relationship with Him. Yet here it is from a Jewish king who thought about it 3,000 years ago. Even at that I take comfort in knowing I rely on a God who is there and is able to meet my need. I’m just plain awed because through His power all things were made-things in heaven and on earth, things seen and unseen, all powers and authorities, lords, and rulers. All things were made through Christ and for Christ (Colossians 1:16). Yes, God is everywhere present and there is no place I can hide from His Spirit. The life lesson in this for me is huge. There is no place He is not and there is no moment He is not in for me and you. His Power and Might are unsearchable and His Loving Kindness so tender. He is large enough to transcend eternity yet able to abide intimately and personally within a surrendered heart. Now that’s something really big to think about.

Thank You Lord Jesus, creator of all that is, that You have chosen to live within your children and fill us with your glorious Presence. Amen.
Ken

www.devotionstoday.blogspot.com

The Nastiest Man Alive

Devote yourselves to prayer, keeping alert in it with an attitude of thanksgiving; Colossians 4:2 (New American Standard Bible)

I would cringe every time I would answer the order desk phone and hear his voice. He was and still is to me the vilest man I’ve ever dealt with. He would curse, belittle and spill his venom at me until it seemed to drip from my end of the phone. After getting off the phone with him I would be literally sick to my stomach. I approached my boss about it. Her response was that this man represented one of our company’s biggest accounts and even though we all knew how nasty he was no one was going to jeopardize that. “None of us like dealing with him, Ken. Just accept it and don't rock the boat.” The stress was so bad I considered looking for other employment but the Lord said pray. I set aside one hour every evening to pray for this situation and this man. About three weeks later as I walked into work one of my customer services associate stopped me and said, “Good morning, Lucky.” She was always such a kidder. I laughed and said “OK Joann, what’s the joke?” She smiled and said “You don’t have to work Raymond’s account any longer. The accounts have been switched around.” Then she frowned. “I’ve got him now.” A still small voice said to me, “See, I told you to trust me.” It was like an anvil had been lifted from my shoulders. Wow, this prayer stuff really works. I think all of us have a similar prayer story. So why is it so hard to be consistent with a determined prayer life?

Prayer is tough and it’s hard to pray for something we aren’t sure we’ll get from someone we can’t see with our eyes or hear with our ears. I know my senses are oriented toward a physical world and I tend to disregard what I cannot touch. Pushing the prayer envelope is usually done by something that poses a threat to my sanity or safety.

The Apostle Paul practiced a mature prayer life and prescribed it for every believer. I’ve seen so many wonderful answers to my own prayers even when I sometimes prayed without faith. I believe that if I could see into the spirit world and the good effects of my prayers I would have to say “Why didn’t I pray more?” Christ Jesus wants us to pray and delights in showing Himself strong on our behalf. He says, “Talk to me for nothing is too hard for me to do for you. I can even take care of the nastiest man alive.”

Ken

www.devotionstoday.blogspot.com

The Fear of Measure

Therefore do not go on passing judgment before the time, but wait until the Lord comes who will both bring to light the things hidden in the darkness and disclose the motives of men’s hearts; and then each man’s praise will come to him from God. 1st Corinthians 4:5 (New American Standard Bible)

I am being honest here when I say I lived for many years in the fear of what God would have to say to me when I finally stood before him. No one has ever had to tell me how dark and deeply some of my thoughts and desires run or some of the really foolish things I’ve done in the past. Remembering those things and thinking of standing before the completely pure Judge of the universe is quite a frightening proposition. As I heard one person say at a church I once attended, “I don’t want to be there when God flashes my life before everyone on a giant screen.” It sounds funny to some while others understand that terror. We seem to have a natural fear of having our sins revealed and the thought of others seeing them on some giant cosmic movie screen seems unbearable. I don’t want to be faced with my life’s poor choices and I surely don’t want anyone to see a replay of any of my wicked acts. Oh, and by the way, Ken; let’s put some of your many thoughts on audio for everyone present to hear. Aw, come on.

Not having that done to any believer is based on the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. All my sin was forgiven and forgotten through God’s full redemptive work (Micah 7:19). What a liberating thing to know all who are in Christ will not be humiliated by God but instead will receive their rewards and even praise from Him on the day we are called to stand before Him. Paul says all believers will appear before the judgment seat of Christ to be rewarded for actions done in this life (2nd Corinthians 5:10). The good deeds will evoke one response while the ‘worthless’ actions will evoke another (1st Corinthians 3:15. Colossians 3:25). This judgment is for believers only. The unbelieving world will come before God at a future time to be judged for their deeds at His Great White Throne (Revelation 20:11).

No one can measure up to the perfection of God’s standard no matter how good they are. But there is rest from worry in the One True and Living God who says He will never leave or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5). The great news is as we trust in this same One who promises us His eternal loyalty we can rest assured that on the day we do finally meet Him face to face, He will be absolutely delighted to see us. Sounds good to me.

Ken

www.devotionstoday.blogspot.com

Getting a Handel on Things

So we Thy people and the sheep of Thy pasture Will give thanks to Thee forever; To all generations we will tell of Thy praise. Psalms 79:13 (New American Standard Bible)

I got a CD of Handel’s “Messiah” for my birthday recently. I hadn’t listened to this magnificent musical work in years but as I listened to it again I was immediately caught up in its beauty. Handel composed this work in 24 days during the summer of 1741. He became so caught up in the work that he slept and ate very little during the time he was writing. His own household servants reported that at various times as they brought him food he would be so moved by the theme of redemption by the Messiah that he would be sobbing as he composed this glorious oratorio. Listening to it again I can see why he was so moved. I get that way at times, so moved by just the wonderful love and grace of Christ I never deserved but was freely given anyway.

I sometimes get so caught up in finding a biblical truth that I miss letting my mind run free in simple meditation on the Messiah and the worship that naturally follows. This kind of worship has risen in the souls of many saints for the past 2000 years. Every once in a while we get to hear a treasure like Handel’s “Messiah” and be swept up in the euphoria of one Saint’s praise and worship to the One True and Living God. It is pure adoration as the words and music lift us to One who is purer and fairer than we can imagine and in whom is absolutely no shadow. Nothing beats the full electrical energy of praising the God who is Almighty. This promise is fulfilled in every Saint from one generation to the next.

At the establishment of the literal and eternal kingdom of God there are millions and millions of Saints of all nations and languages who lift up an anthem of praise to the Lamb of God who has taken away their sin. The good news of God’s great love and redemptive plan given to every tribe and tongue and passed down from generation to new generation will be celebrated throughout eternity. Every believer from every age will be in that grand group (Revelation 19:5, 6) from the Psalmist David who cried “Let all who has breath praise the Lord" to George Frederick Handel who composed such electrifying praise of his Messiah. We have occasional jolts of that current now in the awe and praise of our Mighty God. Imagine what it will be like as we stand together in our new bodies in a new kingdom and raise an anthem of praise to Handel’s Messiah that will vibrate the foundations of heaven. Let all who has breath praise the Lord indeed.

Ken

www.devotionstoday.blogspot.com

Perfect

For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. Hebrews 4:15 (New American Standard Bible)

There have been moments in my life where I needed to face a situation or person that was fearful to me. On a couple of occasions I was fortunate to have someone who knew me step up and say, “Don’t worry, Ken. I’ll take care of this for you.” Wow, what a relief it was to know someone who was capable was going to go to bat for me and would get things set right. I am forever grateful to these few individuals who did this for me. I can only imagine they had faced a couple of fearful times themselves and knew the panic and dread of going it alone and extended grace to me in the situations. They were the perfect persons to step forward and represent my case.

I’ve often thought of this in regard to my relationship with God. The writer of Hebrews calls Jesus the Great High Priest who has passed through the heavens (4:14). A priest is a intercessor or a go-between representing us to God. If I were going to have someone represent me to God I would certainly prefer it be another human being, one who knows what the daily grind is like. I’ve not only got that in the God-Man Christ Jesus but He is the Perfect Human to represent me perfectly to the Father. He totally understands what I go through having lived as a human on this earth. He was hungry, He needed sleep, He got thirsty, He loved to hang with folks, He experienced suffering and He knew death. I think He would qualify as knowing what the human existence is all about. The marvelous thing was He did it all without sin and remained the Perfect Man of History even raising Himself from the dead (John 2:19). No one else has ever measured up to that. How great it is to have the Perfect Human Being represent me to the One True and Living God.

I take the greatest comfort in the fact that as I live day to day in my imperfect life there is One who can understand my faults completely and goes before our Heavenly Father on my behalf with the deepest grace and compassion. I do need a little help now and then in situations I deal with on a daily basis. I can use all the help I can get. In dealing with a sinless and perfect God how sweet it is to have the ideal human who represents me totally sympathizing with my weaknesses. Better than sweet. It’s perfect.

Ken
www.devotionstoday.blogspog.com

Getting It Right

And His disciples asked Him, saying, Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he should be born blind?” John 9:2 (New American Standard Bible)

At the height of a great physical illness I received an unsigned postcard from what I presume was a well-meaning Christian. The person wrote, “If you just get your mind off your problems and more on God you wouldn’t be suffering as you are.” Who sent this card is immaterial. Why they sent it is what bothered me.I have thought like this person more times than I’m comfortable admitting as I think have most of us. I’ve found if someone is suffering the last thing I usually consider is that God might be working something in a life to bring Him ultimate glory. But most often because suffering is present I automatically assume the only correct conclusion is that this person is most likely being punished due to some sin in their life. That’s ungrace, beloved.

The Lord’s own disciples thought that way. But does it mean that the negative experiences of life are some kind of punishment for sin or lack of faith? God doesn’t cause suffering but He certainly can use it to forge molten pain into spiritual steel. As He has worked in my trials He has always brought me to a point of awe and glory in His ways. What was Jesus’ reply? The answer is both beautiful in its insight and its simplicity, “It was neither that this man sinned, nor his parents; but it was in order that the works of God might be displayed.”

My human condition really has to work to be quick to think and slow as Christmas to speak. I am constantly on the alert when these feelings of ungrace begin to surface and I am tempted to judge the circumstances of another. Jesus’ example was to build up the flock of God and not cast stones. Any stone I need to deal with in the course of what I see in another’s life need only be the Foundation Stone Jesus Christ.

Ken

Get it right or let it alone, the conclusion you jump to may be your own. James Thurber

www.devotionstoday.blogspot.com

Better Than Solomon

Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. Matthew 6:34 (NIV)

One of my major priorities deal mainly with how much month I have left at the end of my money. Some months seem shorter than others. A few bucks saved will invariably be gobbled up in auto or home repair or some other unexpected problem. While Jesus tells me not to worry about what’s going to happen tomorrow I often times find myself fretting over what may come. This is not to say I should not plan for my needs. Food, shelter and clothing are the essential part of my life’s needs in this here and now.

Jesus wants me to see to my needs, He just doesn’t want me to fret over them and worry about things I can’t control. He desires for my priorities to be set on things above and trusting in His power to take care of me. And He is taking care of me. As the Psalmist David said, “I have been young, and now I am old; Yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, Or his descendants begging bread (Psalm 37:25). Now that's pretty sure isn't it? Jesus taught us to pray "give us this day our daily bread." Can worry make one hair white or black? It’s just made mine fall out.

Jesus summed up my struggle with three words; do not worry. If lilies are dressed better than king Solomon and the King of the Universe takes note when a lowly sparrow falls to the ground how much more valuable are each one of us? He certainly knows when my water heater breaks or I need new tires for my PT Cruiser. I’m much more valuable in God’s sight than a flower or sparrow and so are you. In the vast almighty power in the splendid Being of God is knowledge of mine and your slightest need. My greatest reassurance comes in thinking how in past situations I’ve never been forsaken by Him or my church family or have I or my wife and kids been found begging. He’s always taken care of us. Tomorrow’s trouble is enough and Jesus doesn’t want me to go there. How valuable are we? We’re prettier than lilies.

Jesus, thank you for reminding me how much worth I have as your child and that any need I have you can fully take care of. It’s good to know I am dressed finer than a king and as well cared for. I bless Your Holy Name.

Ken

www.devotionstoday.blogspot.com