L is for the Laundry You Do For Me

Mathew 25:40 (Jesus Speaking) Whatever you did for the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.

As I was beginning my morning routine of trading out the laundry, I noticed the laundry fairy had visited. Some kind soul had taken a moment to hang out in one of the least popular locales in the home and leave me with a surprise. Folded amongst socks, shirts and jeans were kisses and hugs. No one but me could see them but I knew they were there because the hands that folded my laundry did so with love.

This morning's reading is 1 Timothy 5. In the early church it was a common practice that the church body would provide financially for women who were widowed. This chapter clarifies the guidelines for whom should be eligible for this kindness. One of the qualities Paul notes as important is a woman who is known for her "good deeds". He then gives four examples of what he considers good deeds to be:

1. Raising Children (Verse 10) - Rearing children is a noble task indeed. Mundane tasks such as carpool lines and checking homework can be done for God's glory. Each Christian mother is God's agent to her children as she cares, loves and guides.
2. Hospitality (Verse 10) - Who knew the barbecue grill was a sacred vessel? Ever since the first century, receiving someone into your home has been an opportunity to serve Christ. The simple act of opening the door can open a person's heart to Jesus or a deeper understanding of what it means to love and serve Him.
3. Washing Feet (Verse 10) - The practice of washing the dusty feet of foot travelers has passed. Today our biggest foot problem might be the occasional gasoline that splashes our shoes. As I pondered this ancient practice, I thought of the bathtub. When we wash tiny toes, we serve Jesus Himself. But Christ is also served in many other often unrecognized posts held by women. The hands that rock a baby in the nursery so her mama can hear about Jesus. The voice that teaches young teenage girls the important of sexual purity. The lips that pray for the sick, lonely and hurting.
4. Helping Those in Trouble (Verse 10) - The woman who stops to tie a toddler's shoes and the woman who gives godly counsel to a friend serve the Lord. A godly woman aids hundreds if not thousands during her lifetime. From phone calls made to encourage a hurting friend to the hand-me-down coat given to keep someone warm, small acts of kindness become acts of worship.

Jesus, how amazing it is that You can take the every day moments of my ordinary life and use them to touch hearts and change lives. Today may I see the opportunities for good deeds that lie all around me and not wait for some distant day of being widowed to perform them. Today and every day is a great day to serve You!

Don't Take a Walk

1 Timothy 6:10 Some people...have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.

Clara's genetic make-up is 50% adventurer and 50% independent spirit. From the time Clara could walk she had a tendency to wander. In fact, we call her the Israelite because just as the Israelites wandered in the desert for forty years, Clara can float away from her family at any given moment.

On two different occasions she has been misplaced for such a significant period of time that a full-on panic has overtaken me. Both times, I searched the house and yard as my cries of her name grew more desperate by the moment. In each of these incidents, I eventually found her...sleeping peacefully.

This morning my reading is 1 Timothy 4. This passage addresses the issue of teachers who either add to or subtract from scripture with the intent to lead their listeners astray. I want to follow Jesus with a passion and leave no room for my heart to wander. As I read this chapter, I noted two safeguards to help keep us tethered to Christ.

• Nourishment (Verse 6) - The more I feed my mind and heart on God's Word, the easier it will be for me to recognize counterfeit ideology.
• Training (Verse 7) - Godliness doesn't just happen; it is acquired through training oneself to be godly.

Jesus, I want to stay so close to You, it would be impossible for me to meander off. Today I nourish my mind by feeding on Your word while I train my heart in godliness. As I do, wrap me in Your arms and let me stay safely nestled on Your chest...sleeping peacefully.

Anchored Faith = Qualified to Lead

Hebrews 6:19a We have this hope as an anchor for the soul.

When Scott was diagnosed with cancer in the spring of 2009, we had to face the very real possibility that his illness could result in death. I will never know every thought that passed through his head or the substance of the tough conversations he held with God in those days. What I do know is that his life was marked by a quiet assurance that no matter the outcome God would take care of him and his family. His faith was firmly anchored in the goodness and provision of our awesome God.

This morning my reading is 1 Timothy 3. This chapter succinctly lays out the qualifications for someone to be considered for a governing position in a local church.

The overseer which may be titled elder, pastor, minister or priest depending on your faith tradition should be:

• Above reproach
• The husband of one wife
• Temperate, self-controlled, respectable and hospitable
• Able to teach
• Not given to drunkenness
• Not violent but gentle
• Not quarrelsome
• Not a lover of money
• Mange his own family well
• Have a good reputation

The deacon which may also be referred to as a lay leader should be:

• Worthy of respect
• Sincere
• Not indulging in much wine
• Engaged in an honest and ethical line of work
• Keep hold of the faith
• Have wives that are worthy of respect who do not gossip and are trustworthy
• Be the husband of one wife
• Manage his own family well

These are daunting lists that make it clear those in church leadership should be the finest among those in our church and community. Later in this chapter, Paul notes that church leaders will have "great assurance in their faith in Christ Jesus." (Verse 13)

When God first began whispering in Scott's heart that He wanted Him to lead, he felt neither qualified or worthy. I suspect most anointed leaders feel precisely the same way. I, however, could witness his unwavering faith in Christ. I knew with certainty he was called and qualified to lead.

Jesus, thank you for church leaders. Today I lift them up to You and pray that You would give each one concrete assurance in their faith. You are the hope that anchors the soul.

Hand-Picked By God

Romans 13:1 Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.

A few days ago mid-term elections were held that resulted in the largest shift in political power in decades. I was fascinated to note the next day on the social networking site, Facebook, that friends on both ends of the political spectrum were calling on God with either praise or petition as a result. As much as it amuses me to visualize it, I'm fairly certain the King of kings is not a card-carrying member of the Republican, Democrat or newly formed Tea party. However in His sovereignty and according to His purposes alone, He not only allows but establishes every authority on earth.

This morning I am reading 1 Timothy 2. As he opens this chapter, he advises Timothy to present requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for kings and those in authority. Frequently I have heard individuals beseeching others to pray for governmental officials but cannot recall a single time that I've been asked to give thanks for them.

Can you imagine how the fabric of our faith communities would change if the morning after every election we joined together in thanksgiving regardless of the outcome? In truth, this should be our reaction. Our leaders are hand-picked by God. Seeing God's work should always result in praise by His people.

Jesus, Your ways and thoughts are higher than mine. Help me keep my focus squarely on You not only the morning after an election but every morning. You raise up every leader and every leader You raise is according to Your plans and purpose. Thank you, Jesus, for every one of them.

Cast Away

Psalm 37:23-24 The Lord makes firm the steps of the one who delights in him. Though he may stumble, he will not fall, for the Lord upholds him with his hand.

In the spring of 2002, everything about my life changed. My husband of eight years and I separated and divorced. I moved to a city where I knew not a single soul and became a single mother of two children. My life as I knew it had been torn apart. The pieces of my life were now flotsam and jetsam, floating amid the shipwreck that was my life.

This morning I am reading 1 Timothy 1. Paul considers Timothy his son in the faith and addressed him as a loving father. In this first chapter, Paul is helping Timothy identify the causes and symptoms of a believer who is wandering from his faith. Among the reasons Paul gives for this happening are distractions (Verse 4) and non-Biblical teaching (Verse 6).

As he ends this chapter he categorizes those who wander as having "shipwrecked their faith". I pondered what the life of a shipwrecked Christian looked like and realized it is quite similar to what led to the demise of my marriage. Perhaps both my marriage and my faith can be enhanced by guarding them against shipwreck.

• Isolation - I associate being stranded on a desert island as the result of a shipwreck but in matters of marriage and faith this is often the catalyst for the wreck. Marriage and the church are institutions designated and designed by God to give us fellowship and encouragement. We are strengthened as we grow together not apart. At home, I must resist the temptation to live a separate life from spouse with divergent schedules and interests. At church, I must step out of my comfort zone and allow myself to live in authentic, Christ-centered community.
• Difficulty - Storms are quite often the culprit that results in a shipwreck. Whether I choose to react or respond to disagreement and difficulty in life, will determine if I grow towards my spouse and church or away from them during periods of stress. Reacting means allowing my emotions to control me. Responding means allowing my emotions to serve as God-given signals that alert me to my need to further work on my relationships.

In the fullness of time, we know that many maritime disasters could have been avoided or greatly mitigated with proper attentiveness and preparation. If the captain of the Titanic had heeded warnings from other ships. If the ship had been properly equipped with enough life jackets and boats. When my marriage fell apart, I was left pondering the ifs in my life. If I had heeded the warning signals in my marriage. If I had properly equipped my marriage with Biblical truth. Disaster in faith and marriage can also often be avoided by attentiveness and preparation.

Jesus, You desire no person to find themselves shipwrecked. I choose to run toward my spouse not away from him. I choose to live in authentic Christian community, not without it. I choose to press into You when the storms of life hurl around me. You are the unsinkable.

Singing in the Rain

2 Thessalonians 3:5 May the Lord direct your hearts into God's love and Christ's perseverance.

Clara (5) has a unique relationship with bad weather. For most of us, the presence of cloudy, rainy day induces a coma-like state best accompanied by a steaming cup of cocoa, a warm blanket and a blissful nap. Not my Clara. Rain inspires her to don her rain boots, grab her umbrella and go romping, laughing and playing in the midst of the storm.

It is raining here today. True to form, Clara is as excited as a bee in field of wildflowers. She has sung, smiled and splashed all afternoon. Watching out my window, I was reminded of a day over 35 years ago when I splashed in the rain with my siblings. We were on vacation in New York City and no doubt had an agenda full of sight-seeing that summer day. Rain may not have been on the itinerary yet the laughter and wonder of those moments have settled permanently in my heart. Other than the Statue of Liberty, I do not recall a single other landmark I witnessed that vacation but I do remember the joy of splashing in the rain.

This morning's reading was 2 Thessalonians 3. Paul is finishing out his second letter to the church at Thessalonica. In this epistle, Paul has equipped the church to face hardship by focusing their hearts on the long-term perspective of everlasting life which waits after this brief stop here on earth. As he closes this letter, he yearns for God to "direct your hearts into God's love and Christ's perseverance." (Verse 5)

God's love is the single most compelling force ever known. God's love drove His only Son to die in my place and yours. It was Christ's perseverance that kept Him on the cross until He could cry, "It is finished." There is no rain that has ever or will ever splash down on my little world that could begin to compare to the agony Jesus endured on my behalf. In fact, Jesus died that I might be able, like Clara, to have joy amidst the rain of my life.

In James 1:2-5, he writes, "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him." Indeed it is possible to have joy among the rain.

I must admit that when one of my children rebels, or I have an unexpected, unbudgeted expense or when illness befalls my household, my first inclination is not to splash around in the puddles of my storm. Maybe that's because I haven't let God direct my heart to His love and Christ's perseverance.

When I think about it, my response to trials is quite a bit like my response to rain:

• I Stay Indoors - It seems everything is made more difficult when it rains. My hair looks bad. Traffic gets congested. It is so much easier to just go hide in my house and wait out the storm then to get out in that mess. God doesn't want me to hide from my problems. He is with me. I don't enter the storm alone. It is with His confidence that I can leave the safety of my home and go confidently into the rain.
• I Use My Blanket - When I pull my blanket tightly around me, I can not even feel the temperature drop associated with the rain. I successfully completely insulate myself from the effects of the weather. I cover myself from the rain because I don't want to have to feel its' impact. It is in the storm not away from it that God transforms my attitude, life and character. This usually requires feeling some difficult emotions.
• I Take a Nap - Wake me up when this is over. Have you ever wanted to just check out of life until the storm has passed you by? I know I have. When I sleep my way through a difficult time, I miss the lessons God could be teaching me. Like James noted, trials lead ultimately to wisdom. That wisdom is gained in the fiesta of a storm, not a siesta from a storm.

Jesus, You are able to calm any storm. Sometimes You choose not to but instead to use that storm to direct my heart to You. Today if rain falls in my life, may I not go run inside, hide under my blanket and take a nap. Instead, may I go romping into that rain with the joy of knowing the lessons you teach me in that storm will stay in my heart permanently.

The Joy of Re-Gifting

Philippians 4:9 Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me-put this into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

It was Hannah's first year to go trick-or-treating. She was a few months shy of three and more than a bit adorable in her Scooby Doo outfit. I delighted in watching Hannah's face light up as she went to the first door and received her candy prize. After a shy, "Thank you", she was ready to head to the second house. Once there, she rang the doorbell and spoke her, "Trick or treat" with a greater measure of confidence. She then immediately reached into her bag and asked the homeowner which of her candies she would prefer. She had received and now expected to give away what she'd been given.

This morning's passage is 2 Thessalonians 2. The subject of this chapter centers around the prophetic events covered in greater detail in the book of Revelation. In light of these coming happenings, Paul admonishes them to, "stand firm and hold to the teachings we passed on to you." (Verse 15).

Many theologians believe that Paul was taught by Christ Himself after his salvation on the road to Damascus. Whether it was Jesus or one of His faithful followers, someone taught Paul. Notice he says that he passed those teachings on to them. This implies someone first taught Him.

Do you ever find yourself hesitant to pass on a word of encouragement or something interesting that you learn? You are not alone. Many of us struggle with this very thing. However, it is God's intended plan that we would give away to others what we He teaches us.

Jesus, this morning I have been taught by You the importance of not holding on to what You teach me. Today I will look for others whom I can give encouragement and hope. The lessons You teach are so precious. Far sweeter than the finest candy and of much greater significance. Help me, like Hannah, to give away what I've been given.