Worth It

We’re running short on sleep this week because we’ve been up late watching the Summer Olympics (which start late and run until midnight in the Eastern Time Zone). It’s worth the lost sleep to hear inspiring stories of struggle and triumph, and to see the worlds’s best athletes competing at the highest level.

Just after the finish line or the final judges scores, you can see the culmination of years of intense focus and effort on the faces of the victors in that instant when they realize they have won a medal. . . an Olympic medal. Some smile ear to ear. Others give a primal scream while pumping their fists. There are the team group hugs, and many times, tears of joy, relief, and validation in a flood of emotions. 

In the post-event interviews some of these winning competitors have said things like, “It’s been a tough journey, but this makes it all worth it.” 

What has been worth it? The thousands of hours of training. Tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars invested. Literal ‘blood, sweat and tears’ have finally culminated in an Olympic victory. 

The pain. 

Injuries 

The sacrifice. 

Disappointments.

Early mornings, and late nights. 

These are the ones who didn't quit. These are the ones who didn't give up when the going was hard. They shook off the sweat and pushed through the pain. Some were told they’d never come back from a certain loss or an injury. Yet, there they stand on the Olympic podium with a medal around their neck that proclaims them the best in the world.

Yes, it is worth it. 

But how much more . . . 

24 You know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize. So run to win! 25 All those who compete in the games use self-control so they can win a crown. That crown is an earthly thing that lasts only a short time, but our crown will never be destroyed. 26 So I do not run without a goal. I fight like a boxer who is hitting something—not just the air. 27 I treat my body hard and make it my slave so that I myself will not be disqualified after I have preached to others.  1 Cor. 9:24-27 NCV

The Olympics are not only a picture of triumph and dreams come true, there are those who fall short or are disqualified. Like the world-class athlete whose dream of an Olympic medal just was shattered as they fell off the gymnastics apparatus. Others didn’t run their best race and finished just 1/100th of a second short of receiving a medal. 

These images of failure also remain in our minds and on the ‘lowlights’ reels of sports channels for years to come. I always felt bad for Vinko Bogataj, the ski jumper from Yugoslavia who had to watch his ‘agony of defeat’ at the World Sky Flying Championships in Overstdorf Germany in 1970 over and over for years every time ABC played the opening video montage to the Wide World of Sports. (If you are young enough to not know what I’m talking about, click the link). 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P2AZH4FeGsc

To have come so close, . . . and fallen short. They remind us as it relates to our spiritual journey, to always run the best race that we can. Unless, like Paul said in 1 Cor. 9:27 above, we be disqualified. . . fall short . . . fail . . . eternally. There is so much at stake. 

The Apostle Paul also writes to Timothy in the New Testament: 

7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8 Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing. 2 Tim. 4:7-8

This crown Paul speaks of is not a temporary earthly award that we receive from the hand of an Olympic official in a blue blazer. No. When we receive the eternal crown of righteousness it comes from the nail-scarred hand of Jesus Himself. A solemn reminder that we are not the only ones who have been rejected, criticized, and mocked. We are not the only ones who have shed literal blood, sweat and tears and had to sacrifice to obey God.

Yes, winning an Olympic medal is worth all the work, commitment, sacrifice, and endless training. 

But How much more . . . 

When we receive the crown of righteousness from Jesus and hear Him say,  “Well done good and faithful servant.” 

So, if I could coach you today: 

Fight.

Press in. 

Don’t quit. 

Keep training. 

Keep the faith. And,

Don’t give up when it’s hard. 

It will definitely be worth it. 

Enjoying the Journey, (and the Olympics)

David

Attitude

My dad is almost 87 and should probably win the ‘best attitude’ award in the ‘over 50’ category.

He is always happy and positive, and glad to see everyone. And I mean everyone . . . which results in people wanting to be around him. He brightens up any group, because he loves life.

Last summer I picked Dad up to take him to our house for an afternoon of hanging by the pool and a cookout with the family, including Cindy and I, one granddaughter, grandson-in-law and two great-grandkids. On the way, as he was looking out the window, enjoying the trees and the California sun, he said, “Life is good.”

I stopped for a moment, amazed at his ability to either forget what he’s just been through, (which might be a blessing of old age) or to focus solely on God’s goodness and His many blessings. This was coming from someone whose last two years have involved nothing but major change and loss.

Aging…and all that comes with that.

The severe illness of a spouse.

A forced move to another state with two days notice.

Dramatic change…(hard enough for us young people).

A car accident that totaled his car.

Death of his wife of 52 years.

Yet still, “Life is good.” At least once each week when we are together with our California family for a meal, he tears up and says, “God is so good. Our family is so blessed.” And he’s right. For Dad, life is good because in every situation, he sees that God is good.

Yesterday was the 2^nd anniversary of my mom’s death. Our daughter Sheena posted this on her facebook page two years ago today, April 30, 2013.

My grandpa is my hero... We left the funeral home from making arrangements and ran by Walgreens. The cashier was just trying to be friendly and asked how he was doing today. He said, "ok." And when she asked, "just ok?" he told her about the car accident he was in last week, but said that no one was hurt too bad and that insurance was covering it. She responded by telling him he was lucky. And he said, "I am very blessed." 

Even in the midst of sadness and mourning, he knows who is in control and whose hands he is in.

That’s it! 

Dad’s is the attitude and outlook of gratitude and of faith. No matter what is happening, God is good, so life is good.

If you’re in a storm, look for the rainbow today. If you’re in a difficult season, count your blessings…name them one by one, and it will surprise you what the Lord has done.

Enjoying the Journey,

David

The Four Sides of the Cross

            The hours Jesus spent on the cross were the most significant six hours in human history. Consider with me, a 360 degree view of the cross. The perspective is different depending on where you stand. We are always looking at the front view. This is the viewpoint shown on paintings and in movies. We’re so captured by the horror of the crucifixion of the Son of God that we stop there. We see the nails, the blood, the crown of thorns, and the sign over Jesus’ head reading “The King of the Jews.” But look with me from the other perspectives.

 Restoration:

           

            If you look at the backside of anything, you usually miss the main point. Consider the back of an oil painting or tapestry. Not much to see…not much makes sense…but not so with the cross. Each side is significant. Each side holds deep meaning for us. From this view we see the bloodied back of Jesus, where time and time again, the Romans’ cruel whip laid open the flesh on His back. In failing to see from this angle, we have missed the significance of the stripes on Jesus’ back. Yes, we know Jesus was scourged. A torture so terrible that at times those being punished died from the severity of the beatings. This was part of the punishment Jesus bore on our behalf. Listen to the passage on the Messiah as the suffering Servant in Isaiah 53.

           

Surely He has borne our griefs
And carried our sorrows;
Yet we esteemed Him stricken,
Smitten by God, and afflicted.
5 But He was wounded for our transgressions,
He was bruised for our iniquities;
The chastisement for our peace was upon Him,
And by His stripes we are healed. Is. 53:4-5 NKJV

                                               

            Peter echoes the reality of this restoration of the cross in 1 Pet. 2:24 . . . who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness--by whose stripes you were healed. NKJV

            In both these passages, Old Testament and New Testament, we see that the provision for both our forgiveness and healing is visible from the backside of the cross. Jesus bore our sins in His body, and . . . His stripes have healed us.

Relationship:

            Jesus was on the cross because of relationship. The relationship He had with His Father was one of love and obedience. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death– even death on a cross! Phil 2:8 NIV

            But we also see His relationship with His mother. Almost all the others had forsaken Him. . . but not His mother. . . not Mary. The prophecy of Luke 2:35 is coming to pass... “...and a sword will pierce your own soul too.” Can you feel the anguish in the heart of a mother who is watching her son die in terrible pain? Her grief is so deep that there is not a word recorded in any of the gospels that was spoken by her at the cross.

            On the cross, Jesus’ relationship with His mother changed. He is moving from being her son, to being Her Savior, her Sacrifice, her Redeemer. Yes, Mary was a great woman of faith. We’ve seen it in the account of the wedding at Cana. She turned to Jesus with the problem, and in faith told the servants, “Whatever He says to you, do it.” Mary was blessed among women, but she was still a sinner . . . in need of a Savior.

            Jesus was the Lamb of God Who takes away the sin of the world, but still, as Jesus hung dying on the cross, He didn’t forget His relationship with His mother. He passed her care on to John, His beloved disciple.

            ...“Woman, behold your son!” Then He said to the disciple, “Behold your mother!...” John 19:26-27 NJKV

            The fifth commandment is to honor your father and your mother, and in death, as in life, Jesus did not come to abolish the Law, but to fulfill it.

Rejection:

           

            From still another side of the cross, we see Jesus rejected by the thief. He was used to rejection. Even His miracles would not convince the religious leaders that He was sent from God and they rejected Him as the Messiah. These men were in ‘church’ every Sabbath and they could quote the scriptures from memory, yet they were unchanged by their dead works and dead religion.

            The crowd also rejected Jesus that day. And those who passed by blasphemed Him, wagging their heads... Matthew 27:39  Already their shouts of, “Crucify Him!” Had led unjustly to His death sentence. Now they were witnessing the execution of the Creator, shouting blasphemies and ridicule.

But there’s one more side to the story.

Rescue:

             From the fourth and final side of the cross, we see rescue. The thief crucified on the other side of Jesus rebuked the criminal who was mocking and rejecting Him.

“Do you not even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation? 41 And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this Man has done nothing wrong.” 42 Then he said to Jesus, “Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.” 3 And Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.” Luke 23:43 NKJV

            Listen carefully to what this thief is saying. He acknowledged his sin, admitting that he deserved to die. He testified to Jesus’ sinlessness and expressed his belief that Jesus was going to come into His kingdom. This is one of the greatest statements of faith ever uttered. He put his faith in, and trusted his eternity to a man about to die on a cross. Jesus told the repentant criminal that he would be with Him in paradise…today.

The Four Sides of the Cross: 

            The soldier at the foot of the cross saw the complete picture. He saw the sacrifice of Jesus from all angles, and the response even from this Roman executioner was. “Surely this man was the Son of God.”

What is your response?

Joy

I was reading my devotions this week early one morning and this verse stuck me. 

And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit. Acts 13:52

Now that sounds like a good day to me. . . being filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit. We might assume that followed a great day of ministry, miracles and healing, with thousands believing in Jesus. But what struck me was where this verse came in the biblical narrative. You can read it for yourself in Acts 13, but here's the summary. 

Paul and Barnabas had gone to Pisidian Antioch. Their first sermon in the synagogue was well received, and so they were invited back next week to speak again...to continue the revival. And the whole city showed up! 

Then it went south. 

The Jews began contradicting what Paul was saying and 'heaping abuse' on him. Paul then said, "Okay, since you reject our message, we'll go to the Gentiles." And many Gentiles believed. Then we come to the last few verses.

The word of the Lord spread through the whole region. But the Jewish leaders incited the God-fearing women of high standing and the leading men of the city. They stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them from their region. So they shook the dust off their feet as a warning to them and went to Iconium. And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit. Acts 13:49-52

The good news = the word of the Lord spread through the whole region. 

The bad news = people stirred up important 'God-fearing' women and leading men. They persecuted Paul and Barnabas and kicked them out of town. 

The result = And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit! 

There always have been, and there always will be people stirring up trouble for God's servants. Sometimes its even the good 'God-fearing' people that get stirred up. What amazes me about this passage is that in spite of having their message challenged and rejected, in spite of the abuse, persecution and getting thrown out of town, Paul and Barnabas were still full of joy and the Holy Spirit.

I don't know about you, but I need to work on that a little. 

I'd say they knew what it meant to enjoy the journey.

David

Barriers

As the saying goes, do you ever feel 'so close, but yet so far'? 

There are times when we dream the dream, . . . times when the goal is almost in our grasp, but there is something in the way, or holding us back. We just can’t quite get there.

It’s like looking at a beautiful scene out a window, but you’re not really outside. You’re trapped in a bathroom, surrounded by . . . well, you know what’s in your bathroom. You can see the palm trees, the ocean, the beautiful flowers, but you’re not feeling the wind, you don’t hear the ocean or smell the fragrance of the flowers.

What has kept you from realizing the dream or vision you once had?

Sometimes there are man-made roadblocks. That's life.

Find a detour, or another way to get around them. Maybe there are people who can help you navigate your way through the obstacle course to reach your destination. If that doesn’t work, remove the roadblock. If lack of education is your barrier, go back to school. Team up with someone who can give you needed experience and ask them to mentor you.

Sometimes, you may just need to get a bulldozer. That may not be the best first response every time. In fact, I'm sure of it. But if you’ve tried everything else, . . . persistence, aggressiveness, and a ‘never give up’ attitude can go a long way. Some dreams are unrealized because we get discouraged, give up, and take ‘no’ for an answer. How many great stories have you heard where someone was told they couldn’t do something and that was their motivation to push through to success?

If we’re walking in fellowship with God, He places dreams and visions in our hearts. But,  disobedience, unforgiveness, bitterness, and pride are major hindrances to what God desires for us in our spiritual life. Filling our minds and hearts with the wrong things can keep us from reaching that new level of worship or fulfilling God's calling on our lives.

Don’t let anything get in the way of the dream or vision God has spoken to you. Remove the hindrances that are in your control, and pull down spiritual strongholds that hold you back from God’s best.

Enjoying the Journey,

David

Arrested

Jesus is presumed innocent on all charges until proven guilty in a court of law. A news article caught my attention a couple weeks ago. Someone named Jesus was arrested and charged with possession of a stolen vehicle, grand theft auto, and numerous weapons charges.

Talk about not living up to your namesake. Can you imagine the hopes and dreams that parents must have had for their child to name him after the Son of God? Surely there were expectations of a leader or teacher, perhaps a healer or at least one who would act in ways that were good and moral to all he encountered…a man of God.

Whatever your given name, if you are a believer in Jesus, your family name is ‘Christian.’

Let’s live up to it.

Power

The landscape of any city is filled with power poles. Large structures carry high voltage wires from power plants to substations where the power is dispersed to businesses and our homes. In fact, there are power poles in the country, too. Lines carry needed electricity to farms and farmhouses.

At night, when the sun goes down, what do we do? We turn on the lights. It’s a little after 1:00 AM now, and I have the lights on. That little switch causes a demand or a draw on the power and applies it to the light bulb in the socket.

“And there was light.”

The power has actually been there all day, waiting… every amp and volt anxious to do the work it was created for. In fact, the power is there all the time. We can turn the switch on at any moment, but until we do, we will live in the quiet darkness of our homes. Turn on the power, and there is music, … light, … life, … communication on all of our ‘i’ things. You know, ipads, iphones, ipods, . . .

Jesus ministered in power.

Jesus returned from the wilderness ‘in the power of the Spirit…’ Luke 4:14

“Power was coming from Him and healing them all.” Luke 6:14

“And the power of the Lord was with Jesus to heal the sick.” Luke 5:17

And then, before He ascended to heaven, Jesus told the disciples,

 “… you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you;… Acts 1:8

The power of God's Spirit is resident in believers. We are supernaturally wired for power! Paul says in Rom. 8:9-11 that the same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead dwells in those who are in Christ. Now, that is power!

So why do we walk in the dark? Why do struggle in our own weakness, living in defeat and caught in the trap of sin? We simply do not draw on the power available to us.

There is another way.

Flip the switch and walk in the light. Engage the power of the Holy Spirit and you will be able to walk in the Spirit, bear the fruit of the Spirit, receive the gifts of the Spirit and minister in the power of the Spirit.

Therefore I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands. ⁷ For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. 2 Tim. 1:6-7

Holy Spirit, move in me…in power.

Enjoying the Journey,

David