Better Days Ahead

Jesus said to his followers, "Why are you afraid? Do you still have no faith?"

-- Mark 4:40

“Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”

It’s been about 2,000 years since Jesus’ first disciples heard this great declaration of truth and wisdom. And isn’t it just as relevant to modern-day Christ-followers? Surf the web and turn on the TV, and just try to avoid the stormy headlines about political scandals, wild weather and unrest in the Middle East.

Whether they’re literal or figurative, we’re always facing a storm of one kind or another. And there’s no escape — even after we’ve switched off the smartphone and changed the TV channel.

For some people it might mean a job loss or financial setback. For others it’s a chronic illness or the prospect of major surgery. Or maybe your trouble involves family or relationship issues like a divorce or the loss of a loved one.

Christ-followers, however, have the hope of better days ahead. That’s because we worship a God who’s much greater than any natural disaster, financial difficulty or international dispute. Ours is a Creator who literally spoke the universe into existence, formed great mountain ranges with his hands and parted the seas with a breath.

“Is anything too hard for the Lord?” asks the writer of Genesis, the first book of the Bible.

So let’s take God at his word. His hopeful message is that he works for the good of those who love him and have been called according to his purposes. But let’s also keep in mind that we’re not exempt from personal storms once we turn our lives over to Jesus. What does change, however, is that eternal assurance that helps us endure any difficulty or trial — trivial or immense.

In one form or another, the storms of life surround every one of us. The lightning flashes and the thunder rumbles. But as Christ-followers, there’s real hope for blue skies on the horizon.

Fear Not

“Don't be afraid!" Moses replied. "God has come only to test you,

so that by obeying him you won't sin."

Exodus 20:20

The National Institute of Mental Health reports that nearly 13 percent of American adults have experienced a phobia — a strong, irrational fear of something that poses little or no actual danger. Common phobias include claustrophobia (the fear of enclosed areas), aviophobia (the fear of flying) and one of the biggest of them all: glossophobia (speaking in public). You also wouldn’t be alone if you suffer from galeophobia (the fear of cats) or even coulrophobia (the fear of clowns). And what about folks diagnosed with panophobia? They’re afraid of everything!

Christ-followers aren’t immune from phobias. In fact, some suffer from

zeusophobia — the fear of God. But to be fair, it’s more accurate to say that they’re afraid of saying yes to him. One reason is that we too often think of God as a cosmic consultant offering well-intentioned suggestions rather than the all-knowing Creator who made us, loves us and wants only the best for us. Saying no to God is the most basic definition of sin. And mankind has been doing just that since the earliest days of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden.

We know in our heads and in our hearts that God loves us. In fact, he loves us so much that he sent his only Son to die in our place to pay for our transgressions. So with this in mind, why would anyone say no to God?

First, saying no and playing it safe is a basic human instinct. Fleeing from danger (real or perceived) makes perfect sense when we consider our innate desire for self-preservation. We can also refuse God when he calls us to do something uncomfortable or inconvenient. Maybe it’s helping a neighbor who’s between jobs, driving a shut-in to the grocery store or talking with a co-worker who’s reached a spiritual crossroads. Taking that first step can be awkward, difficult — and even scary.

Selfishness is likely the biggest reason that so many people are afraid to say yes to God. After all, it usually means saying no to us. But be forewarned: When we decide to turn our backs on our Creator, we need to prepare for a certain level of spiritual turmoil. God knows what he wants and how he wants to do it. So it’s only fitting that we’ll find ourselves in a much worse situation than if we had just said yes in the first place. As the saying goes, sometimes we need to feel the heat before we can see the light. But it doesn’t have to be this way.

“God's Spirit doesn't make us slaves who are afraid of him,” the Apostle Paul assures us through the Book of Romans. “Instead, we become his children and call him our Father.”

Do you have that common phobia of saying yes to God? Fear not!

Making Time

A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a time of adversity.

-- Proverbs 17:17

God’s omnipotence and perfection are consistent themes throughout the Bible. And since he’s the Creator of all things and we’re merely his limited creations, we shouldn’t think twice that he’s all-knowing and all-seeing of things past, present and future. On the other hand, what can make us wonder is that his words and deeds so often contradict human nature.

“My thoughts are not your thoughts,” God tells us through the Book of Isaiah, and

“neither are your ways my ways.” Jesus — who was God in the flesh — also expressed a viewpoint that opposes our modern, me-first generation. “To be first,” he declared, “we must be last.”

Christ’s bold perspective sheds new light on the ways we should treat our neighbors. And how much better would this world be if we made time to adopt a servant’s attitude and put the interests of others before our own?

Jesus answered this question through his own example. First, he willingly surrendered his rightful privileges as God’s only Son. He entered the world through humble circumstances — a birth among farm animals in a filthy stable. And as he grew up, he learned to make a common-man’s living as a carpenter. Jesus could have lived in splendor as the King of Kings. But he instead chose a nomadic lifestyle for teaching the Good News of salvation to all who would listen.

That’s quite a life-lesson — and one taught by the One with a humble servant’s heart. He’s also the One who came to serve rather than to be served. And although he had just three years to save the world, he still made time in his busy schedule to touch the lives of society’s outcasts. It was this same Jesus who healed the sick, fed the hungry and trained disciples toward the way of truth.

Our non-stop, 24/7 existence may pull us in many self-serving directions, but our call as Christ-followers is to follow his example. It’s by defying our selfish nature that we can love our neighbors — whether they’re next door or a continent away — and make God’s thoughts our own.

The International Language

One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?”

-- Mark 12:28

The estimates vary, but there are approximately 6,500 spoken languages in the world. Mandarin Chinese has the most native speakers (about 1.2 billion), Spanish comes in second at about 400 million, and English follows at 360 million. But regardless of their nationality, every Christ-follower should be fluent in at least one Romance language. It’s not French, Spanish, Italian or even Portuguese. Instead, it’s the language of love.

We learn through the Bible that God speaks it in several dialects.

Think about the famous story of the Prodigal Son, where the loving father welcomes back his wayward (and totally undeserving) child with open arms. Or what about the shepherd who searches tirelessly for a single missing sheep? When he finally finds it, he returns it triumphantly to the rest of the flock.

Jesus also told his disciples about a man who sold all his possessions to buy a field. But not just any field — instead one that held buried treasure. Although the cost to buy the land was staggering, the man did whatever it took to gain the prize.

These are all pictures of how God expresses his love for us. And he’ll go to any length to bring you and me into his family. Perhaps the most famous passage in the New Testament, John 3:16 tells us that God loves the world so much that he gave his only son (Jesus) so that those who believe in him will have eternal life. God willingly let Jesus suffer and die to pay for all our wrongdoings — past, present and future. We rightfully deserve death because of how we’ve lived our lives and broken God’s laws. But God’s love offers us joy and happiness if we’re only willing to accept it. By living on Earth among everyday people and then dying for our sins, Jesus has already paid the ultimate price.

We can see from these examples that God’s love language — the one we all need to speak — isn’t about feelings or emotion. Instead, it’s all about action. And as the most important of the Fruits of the Spirit, the demonstration of love in our lives is evidence that we’re truly Christ-followers and that he’s living through us. For some, that might translate into feeding the hungry at a homeless shelter, mowing the lawn of an elderly widow or even paying (anonymously) the utility bill of an unemployed neighbor. There’s no shortage of examples or opportunities.

Learning a new language can be difficult. But James, the brother of Jesus, tells us that speaking the most important language of all is quite simple. And it’s when we do that we know we’re on the narrow life-path that Christ advises us to take.

“This royal law is found in the Scriptures: ‘Love your neighbor as you love yourself.’ If you obey this law, you are doing right.”

Give Me a Break

Be kind and loving to each other, and forgive each other just as God forgave you in Christ.

-- Ephesians 4:32

Ever consider that it’s our friends and family — not strangers — who tend to give us a hard time?

The late President George H.W. Bush once reminisced that his son, George, had visited the family compound in Kennebunkport, Maine, and made the unforgivable mistake of resting his feet on the coffee table.

“George Bush, you get your feet off the furniture!” demanded his feisty

mother, Barbara.

“For goodness sake, Barbara,” responded Bush’s elderly father. “He’s the President of the United States.”

“I don’t care who he is,” she answered. “It’s still my coffee table.”

How right Jesus was when he observed that prophets are honored everywhere: except in their hometowns, with their own people and in their own homes!

Joseph, one of God’s great servants of Old Testament times, would identify with this awkward fact of life. He was by far his father’s favorite son. And one day, his jealous brothers decided to get rid of him by selling him into slavery — and blaming a wild animal for his demise. But God had a different plan. Years later, faithful Joseph had impressed his Egyptian captors to the point that they appointed him to the second-highest post in the land. 

When famine swept over the region, Joseph planned wisely to ensure that the people had enough grain to eat. Meanwhile, unaware that their sibling was still alive — much less a high-ranking government official — Joseph’s brothers traveled from Canaan to Egypt in search of food. Joseph put them through several arduous tests before finally revealing his identity. And he could have had his revenge by enslaving his brothers or even putting them to death. But he instead repaid them with a heartfelt invitation to bring their father, livestock and servants to live with him in his adopted land of plenty.

Christ-followers are also called to shun revenge and show kindness. And many times we do respond to crises by giving to strangers whom we’ll never meet. It might be a famine victim in Africa, an earthquake survivor in Central America or an evacuee from a California wildfire. But there are also those certain people who live down the street, next door or even in the next room.

They’re your friends and family — the ones who tend to give you a hard time.

“Don't ever forget kindness and truth,” the author of Proverbs tells us. “Wear them like a necklace. Write them on your heart as if on a tablet.”

God has given us more breaks than we can count — and we certainly didn’t deserve them. So be sure to share a few with others. We don’t have to look far for those who need them the most.

The Peter Principle

Dear friends, don't be surprised or shocked that you are going through testing
that is like walking through fire.

– 1 Peter 4:12

Its brilliance lies in its frankness and simplicity.

Its the Peter Principle, the hypothesis introduced by Dr. Laurence Peter and Raymond Hull that asserts that in a hierarchy, every employee tends to rise to his or her level of incompetence. Dr. Peter also observed that work in an organization is actually accomplished by those employees who have not yet reached their level of incompetence.

If you’ve ever been a cubical-dweller in corporate America or a fan of the comic strip Dilbert, you know that Dr. Peter was onto something. On the other hand, many people have legitimately

worked their way through the ranks and earned their way to the top. But once they made it, the experience sometimes defied their expectations. Challenges arose, problems materialized and the limelight of prestige began to burn. That once sought-after corner office quickly became a place of tension and anxiety. 

If opposition and distraction are what many people face once they attain success (as the world defines it), what's it like for Christ-followers who strive for life's real measure of accomplishment: faithfulness to God? For the Lord’s perspective on the matter, let’s consider what we might call the 1 Peter Principle.  

The Bible teaches that those who’ve accepted Jesus as their Lord and Savior can also expect opposition. In fact, they can count on it. The key to enduring the onslaught is learning how to recognize the opposition, and then turning it to an advantage — and all while placing our hope in God.

It's important to understand that this opposition will always bring added challenges. But the life-long habits we develop as Christ-followers — such as consistent prayer, Bible study and regular time with other believers — will prove themselves worthwhile many times over. It's like the long-distance runner, whose car breaks down in the middle of nowhere. That’s a desperate scenario for many people. But for those who have trained and prepared, that 5-mile jog to the nearest gas station is a mere inconvenience.

The challenges that Christ-followers face are also sure to bring testing. Maybe it's a layoff at work, an illness in the family or an unanticipated, budget-busting expense. Whatever it is, we can respond by either giving up … or placing our faith in our Creator to see us through the storm. Real faith and hope will stand strong to the end. But what's false is bound to fail. As the Bible puts it, "blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in Him."

Is your faith-journey’s ladder to the top shaky or rock-solid? And if you’ve already landed that hard-earned promotion, are you finding that the view isn’t quite what you expected? If so, maybe it’s time to talk to The Boss:  

“I give you peace, the kind of peace that only I can give,” Jesus reminds his followers. “It isn't like the peace that this world can give. So don't be worried or afraid.”

Back On Track

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.

-- Joshua 1:9    

It was a televised mishap that would have sidelined most athletes.

At the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, Germany, Finnish runner Lasse Viren tripped and fell during the 10,000-meter race when his feet tangled with those of American gold medalist Frank Shorter. Both men crumpled to the track. But then Viren did the unimaginable. He got off the ground, resumed the race and soon caught the runners who had passed him. And then on the final lap, he not only passed his competitors, he literally left them in the dust to cross the finish line alone. Many sportswriters consider Viren’s performance to be one of the greatest comebacks in Olympics history.

Maybe your own errors and foul-ups aren’t of such epic proportions. And they might not play out before a global audience, but they certainly feel like it. How many times have we all made

such huge mistakes that it seems like the end of the world? We think we’ve blown it. It’s over. We’re discouraged. And we’ll never get back.

Life-changing mishaps can cover lots of territory. They might affect our personal relationships, career or even spiritual life — and maybe all the above. But the good news for Christ-followers is that we worship a God who not only understands what we’re going through, but also One who cares. What’s more, he’s a God of second (and third, fourth, etc.) chances.  

The apostle Peter learned this after asking Jesus, "How many times should I forgive someone who does something wrong to me? Is seven times enough?" Jesus answered, “Not just seven times, but seventy-seven times!”

If we’re to be so forgiving when others offend us, consider God’s patience with us when we make our many mistakes and fall short of his perfect standards. Let’s take to heart Peter’s testimony about our Creator — the One who can help us arise from failures, pain and discouragement — and then get back on track:

“Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time,” proclaims the apostle. “Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.”