Packin' God's Peace

Isaiah 26:3 You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you.

Cancer. It's one of those words no one wants to hear, especially in the same sentence with a loved one's name. My husband had just phoned to tell me that he had been diagnosed with prostate cancer. At 46, he was his doctor's 2nd youngest patient ever. As the shock began to wear off, my thoughts turned from, "How could this be?" to, "Why is this happening?" As I sat devastated before the Lord, pouring my heart out to Him, His quiet, gentle voice whispered in my heart, "Stop asking why and start asking what." Immediately I knew what He meant. What did He want to change in my heart through this trial? What amazing things would He do in the lives of my children through this? Not only did peace begin to reign in my heart, but an excitement blossomed in the place of despair as I focused on seeing God work in my family in a major way, whatever the outcome of Scott's cancer.

Today I read John 13:1-20. This section of scripture is a familiar one, as it recounts Jesus washing the feet of His disciples. This single act of humility should function as enough inspiration to fuel a lifetime of service in a Christ-follower. I began reading this passage with the expectation that God would talk to my heart about the importance of having a servant's heart and loving others without regard to whether they serve or love me. One of the things I've come to love about spending time with God is that He rarely meets my expectations. He usually has a surprise in store for me. Today was no different. As I read, Verse 7 leapt off the page. "Jesus replied, 'You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand'."

Never had I thought about the penetrating truth of this verse. This is a great promise of God. The next time I face a seemingly insurmountable trial, this truth will be in my heart. I will understand. I cannot tell you how many times I have left a sermon discouraged because the deliverer just told me I may never understand the "whys" behind my "whats". Here I have God's truth telling me that I can and will understand.

Thank you, Jesus, for your truth. Your truth truly does set me free (John 8:32). I am free to trust God completely during every minute of a difficult situation and free to allow exitement and wonder fill my heart even before I see Him work. Today may have in store unimaginable suffering or just the mundane frustrations of everyday life. No matter what I face today though, Jesus, I'll face it packed with Your peace.

All I Really Need is Love...

Matthew 22:37 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.

When Hayleigh (11) was very small she was not overly interested in physical affection. I would often hug and kiss on her and get rebuffed for my affection. I can clearly recall hugging her sweetly up to my body one afternoon and hearing the retort, "Mommy, can you please let me go? You're squishing me!" We laugh about this today because now she wants to sit in my lap and snuggle up next to me perhaps even more than her sisters.

This morning my scripture reading is John 12:27-50. It is days or perhaps hours before the Last Supper and Jesus is addressing the general public for the last time. I muse what I would say to my friends, neighbors and acquaintances if I knew for certain this was the last time I speak to them. There are three statements in this passage that really stick out to me this morning and I realize they sum up to a message straight to my heart.

I deeply desire to grow closer every day to Jesus. That's part of the reason I choose to give Him the first part of my day. Not only is it when I am at my best but I find spending time with Him first sets my heart and attitude for the rest of the day. The section of scripture today is a practical roadmap to a closer walk with God. Essentially, I have to decide that God is not trying to "squish" me and enjoy my relationship with Him. Let's take a look.

1. Hug Him Back (Verse 32) - "But I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself". When I am drawn close my a loved one, my whole body fills with peace and contentment. Jesus too, desires to draw me close. Have you ever tried to hug someone who resisted you every bit of the way? It's like trying to hug a stiff board. Hugs work much better when two are hugging not just one. James 4:8 tells us if we draw near to God, He will draw near to us. If I want to grow closer to Jesus, I need to give my heart to Him.
2. Hug in Public (Verse 43) - "They loved praise from men more than praise from God." In this section John relates that many Jewish leaders had placed their trust in Christ but refused to confess their faith out of fear and a desire to be accepted by others rather than God. God loves PDA (public displays of affection). He doesn't want our relationship to only be 15 minutes in the morning, He wants me to proudly walk holding His hand all day. If I want to grow closer to Jesus, I need to choose Him throughout the day with my mind.
3. Hug in the Light (Verse 46) - "I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness." While much of the affection I've given or received over my life may have been done in the dark, it is actually much easier to execute if you can see what you're doing! I need to toss out anything that's shrouding my life in darkness such as sin, worry and toxic relationships. If I want to grow closer to Jesus, I need to come to Him with clean soul.

Jesus, today may I not resist your love. Instead, I want to draw closer to you so much so that our relationship is freely seen by others through Your light shining in my life.

Way Beyond a Better Home

Joshua 24:15 Choose for yourselves whom you will serve...but as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.

For me one of the hardest parts of moving is selling your home. It has nothing to do with how much we profit or lose, although I'm all for a profit of course. It has little to do with the stress of wondering when the house will sell, but of course I'm for a fast one. It's that as I hand over the keys to our home, I feel like our memories and dreams go with them. The excitement felt the day we moved in is replaced with dread that our home may no longer be used to grow a godly family.

This morning I am reading in John 12:1-26. Chapter 12 opens with Jesus, once again arriving at the home of Lazarus, Martha and Mary. Today Jesus is whispering to my heart to look at this family as a model of the three things He desires in every godly family:

• Extravagant Worship (Verse 3) - As Jesus relaxed with His followers, Mary poured an expensive bottle of perfume of his feet and cleaned them with her hair. The fragrance of her worship filled the entire home. What fragrance greets guests in my home? Is the stench of dissension and turmoil, the smell of busyness and overcommittedness or the sweet aroma of a home dedicated to worshipping God?
• Extraordinary Service (Verse 2, 9) - Just as in Luke 10:38-42, we find Martha serving others. In contrast to her appearance in Luke, she serves with a joyful heart. There is not even a mention of a complaint when an entire crowd shows up for a visit. What sight bursts before the eyes of my guests? Would they find us dishing up plates of materialism, waiting on our own wishes and wants or serving up a feast of love for God and His people?
• Exemplary Evangelism (Verses 10-11) - After being raised from the dead Lazarus didn't languish in his new life, but purposefully communicated to as many as possible what Jesus had done for him. In Verse 10, we read that the Jews made plans to kill both Jesus and Lazarus. This plan of the Jews for Jesus would come to fruition in less than a week; it is reasonable to assume that Lazarus' fate would soon follow. What sound greets the ears of my guests? Would it be the clanging of current events, the honking of gossip and slander or a sweet symphony of praise for God and His work in our family?

The deep desire of my heart is that my family would have a Bethany address. I want my home to be overflowing with worship, service and evangelism. Jesus, today may the sounds, sights and smells of my home bring you nothing but glory and praise.

Deposit Your Praise Here, Please

John 11:40 Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?

When I went to college, my dad went to seminary. An excellent student, my father's efforts were rewarded when he received the acknowledgement as "Most Outstanding Graduate Student" of Mississippi. To honor my dad's accomplishment I chose to attend the awards banquet with him. Since I was closer to the age of the other recipients, person after person congratulated me on my achievement. It would have been so easy to take my dad's deserved praise. As a loving father, he would have been happy to pass the praise on to me and it would have prevented many awkward moments as I explained time and again that, "No, I had not received an award. My father was the one being honored." To take the credit for something I had not accomplished would not have diminished in anyway what my dad had done but it would have prevented others from crediting and celebrating the one to whom credit was due.

This morning I am finishing up the account of Lazarus' miraculous resurrection from the dead in John 11:24-57. This story is a touching reminder of God's love for each of us. Jesus cried right alongside those who mourned and very soon later faced the cross and grave so that each of us might experience a resurrected life, today and for all eternity. Today, however, this story is speaking to my heart more about God's glory than God's love. Jesus deeply loved Lazarus and his family but Lazarus' healing was not motivated by that love, it was motivated by God receiving His rightful glory. Before Jesus ever set out for the town of Bethany, he said, "This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God's glory so that God's Son may be glorified through it." If I read this account closely though it seems that no one shared Jesus' objective.

• The disciples (Verses 7-8) - The disciples outright opposed Jesus going to Bethany and had no qualms about verbalizing their concern.
• Martha (Verse 39) - Martha, Lazarus own sister, had just confessed that Jesus was the Messiah (Verse 27) but even still tried to reason Jesus out of his actions.

What about me? Am I willing to become less so that He may become great (John 3:30) or do I allow worry and reason prevent me from giving God the glory He's due?

• When one of my kids is complimented, do I credit my gene pool or God's goodness?
• When my home is admired, do I credit my husband's financial wisdom or God's provision?
• When my gifts are praised, do I credit my good fortune or God's unmerited grace?

Oh dear Jesus, I don't want to oppose Your plan in any area of my life. I am reminded that everything I have is for Your glory alone. I could never diminish what You have done, but I could prevent others from seeing Your gracious work in my life. Today, may this resurrected life be a vessel through which no one but You is seen or praised.

Power to the People

Ephesians 6:18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.

There are two types of movie viewers - those who must get there long before the scheduled start time to ensure that even the previews aren't missed and those who actually plan to arrive later than the start time in hopes of skipping the previews and going straight for the main event. I am squarely in the first group. Sometimes I enjoy the previews almost as much as the movie itself. Previews are tantalizing tidbits that wet your appetite and prepare you to later take in a feast of moview viewing.

This morning I am in John 11:1-23. This is the well-known story of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead, only the section we're reading is only the preview. "The event" won't actually happen until tomorrow. Because this is God's Word though, we don't have to wait for the full-blown movie, He has a great word for us even in the trailer.

For the last two days we've looked at recognizing God's voice and then listening to God's voice. Today, God is expounding in my heart on the theme of prayer through this passage by teaching me about praying for others. Let's take a look.

1. Prayer Powered by Love - When Martha and Mary realize that Lazarus is gravely ill, they send word immediately to Jesus, "Lord, the one you love is sick" (Verses 1-3). My heart is pierced with those words. Do I cry out to God bathed in His love for the one who's sick, hurting or needy or is my prayer for others even really focused on myself?
2. Prayer Powered by Persistence - Even though Jesus deeply loved Lazarus and his sisters, he waited two days to come to them (Verses 5-6). Does my prayers for others have staying power? Do I pray just one time, maybe when I first find out about something or do I persist even when Jesus doesn't "come to them" right away.
3. Prayer Powered by Faith - When Jesus arrives, Martha comes out to greet Him and imediately affirms that 1) she knows if He'd been there, Lazarus would not have died and 2) she knows that God will give Jesus whatever He asks (Verses 21-22). Do I pray out of what I know or out of a flimsy hope or wish? Do I approach Jesus confidently like Martha or do I pray from a distance like Mary (she didn't come out to greet Jesus)?

Oh, Jesus, I desperately need your power behind my prayer for others. Today, I will pray with Your love, persistently when I don't hear from you right away and in the confidence that comes from having true faith in You.

Is Anybody Listening?

Psalm 45:10a Listen, O daughter, consider and give ear.

I didn't hear you. It's a phrase that wafts to my ears many times a day. The speaker could be my kids, my husband, a friend or even an acquaintance. Whether delivered in the polite form, "I'm so sorry but I didn't hear you" to the irritated, "You never told me that", what's really being communicated is, "I wasn't listening!"

Today my passage is John 10:24-42. Here, Jesus continues to expound the parable of us being the sheep and He being the Shepherd. Yesterday, our focus was "my sheep hear my voice" (Verse 4). Today we will look intently at Verse 27, "My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me."

When I first attempted to truly begin praying, I found it awkward to talk to God. In the fullness of time, however, I have realized that listening to God can be far more challenging than talking to God. So, I decided to look up the word translated "listen" in its' original language of Greek. It means:

1. Not deaf
2. To understand what has been said
3. To consider what has been said

Let's take a closer look at each of these definitions:

1. Not deaf - This seems so obvious. The difference between spiritual and physical deafness, is that the former is often a choice. Just as my children have a choice to hear me say, "Clean up your room", I have a choice to hear God say, "Clean up your ______."
2. To understand what has been said - Many of us have been exposed the skill of active listening. When developing this skill, one of the basic techniques is to repeat back what you've just heard someone say. This gives the other person the opportunity to clarify if necessary or affirm what you've said. Not surprisingly, the technique of active listening can be very effective with God. Here's an example of a conversation, I would have with God from this verse. God: My sheep follow me. Shannon: Yes but when you said follow, you didn't really mean like always follow, everytime follow, right? (Clicking of computer as Shannon pulls up blueletterbible.org to see what follow means in the Greek). God: The Greek word here means to follow one who preceds, be his attendant, accompany him. Shannon: Okay I get it, I can't really attend to or accompany someone I'm not with, so I must need to follow every time, all the time.
3. To consider what has been said - As silly as my conversation with God may sound, it is necessary to prepare me for this next step. Once I "agree" with God that His Word says what it says, I'm ready to consider it. In my example, I might ask myself, "What does it mean to follow? What does it look like to follow? Is there any part of my behavior or attitude that looks 'wander-y' instead of 'follow-y'?" Once I have identified the action(s) I need to take, and then actually take it, I have really heard God.

Oh Jesus, please help me have a heart that truly listens to you today. Today I will unstop my ears, take the time to understand what You've said and then consider it. May my life be a reflection of my listening skills.

Excuse Me Mam, But Your Phone is Ringing

John 10:10 I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

My cell phone rings. The number is not programmed into my phone so I have no idea who's calling. When I say, "Hello", the caller responds with the casual, "Hey". They are assuming I know who they are, that I know their voice but I have no earthly idea how upon a "Hey" I'm going to figure out who's calling. I begin to sweat. If I don't say something soon, I'll look like an idiot. I mumble, "How are you?", all the while wondering who in the heck "you" is. My perspiration turns into a full-on panic as seconds stretch to hours in my mind. Finally something in the conversation registers and I can deduce who is calling. Immediately after the call, I program the number into the phone while obsessing over whether they could "tell" I didn't recognize them on the phone.

Today I am reading John 10:1-23. In the section of scripture, Jesus uses the analogy of sheep and shepherd to teach about His relationship to His people. Jesus makes some beautiful statements about the sheep: He calls them by name, His sheep know His voice and He came to give his sheep a full life. I'm wondering if I can't recognize a human when they call, how will I ever recognize the voice of God? I believe there's some helpful clues in this passage.

1. Admit You Don't Recognize the Voice - How much simpler would be if when I don't recognize the caller's voice, I had the humility to just say so? Then all that mind-reeling figuring would be avoided. If I am having trouble discerning Jesus' voice, I need to admit it and ask for His help.
2. Commit to Calling More Often - I recognize someone's voice on the phone because of the frequency of our conversations. The little clues such as their greeting, the pitch of their voice, their accent, etc. all draw a permanent picture of their voice which I can recall easily. If I am having difficulty hearing from God, I need to commit to "calling" more often. That means spending more time in prayer just talking with Him about what's going on in my life.
3. Stop Screening His Calls - If I have taken the time to enter someone's number in my phone then I permanently avoid the embarrassment of not knowing who they are. The problem is though that now I can screen their calls and just choose not to talk to them at all. I may know their name, but that doesn't mean I know anything else about them. Jesus knows me by name (Verse 3). He will never screen my calls. The question is, do I screen His? When I am awoken an hour early and know God is nudging me to roll out of bed and spend time with Him, do I take His call? When I have a difficult decision to make and I feel urged to take the path that's not logical, do I take His call?

This passage contains an often quoted verse, John 10:10. "I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full (or abundantly)." This morning Jesus is saying to me that He came not for me to have a sweaty, anxiety-riddled life but for one overflowing with peace and joy. Philippians 4:6-7 tell us that He pours out that peace into our hearts when we pick up the phone and call out to him in prayer. Jesus, today don't let me have even one missed call.