So how are you, really?

Last weekend was tough with news of growing Pandemic numbers, increased security and safety measures and an extended provincial lock down.  

So how are you? Really?

When I was asked that question recently I wasn’t quite sure how to answer.

Some moments are fine, other moments are great and then there are moments when I feel sad, lonely, anxious and scared — followed almost immediately by pangs of guilt because really I  have nothing to complain about.  The emotions run the gambit and often all in a span of a few minutes.  It almost feels like I am going around in circles.

Can anyone else relate?

My feelings, in this midst of the chaos of this world, can be all over the place, but I am comforted by the Word of God.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding. (Proverbs 3:5)

Really, to "lean not on your own understanding” is to lean completely into the strong arms of God. It doesn’t mean that we are not to be critical thinkers. There are no walls of separation between our intellect and faith, in the Bible. When we are told to lean not on “our own understanding”, it refers to the conclusions based primarily on our own perceptions. And respectfully, our own understanding simply will not bear the full weight of what was, what is and what could be. 

In order to lean there has to be a shift from that comfortable and stable upright position. And this is the same with God, we must let go of that seemingly reliable thing we are trusting (what we think, how we feel) and lean back on God. That is when our faith becomes active and God can work.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. (Prov. 3:5-6)

When we lean, not on our own understand but when we lean into God, we will still experience the chaos of the world, but we don’t do it alone.  

When we lean into God, instead of going in circles, God will make our paths straight.

When we lean into God, there is a renewed strength. 

When we lean into God there is renewed focus and clarity.

When we lean into God, there is hope.

God can use anyone!

Ever feel insecure?  Just don’t measure up to the next person?

Have you ever met someone that seems to have it all together?  Wakes up at the crack of dawn to pray for hours, spews scripture like nobody’s business, serves the community, never gets tired, never gets sick, never fights with their spouse, never selfish, never has doubts?  Ugh!

Well, I am definitely not that person! 

But when I read the Word of God, here is what I find encouraging: 

The word of the Lord came to me, saying,

“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you,
    before you were born I set you apart;
    I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.”

“Alas, Sovereign Lord,” I said, “I do not know how to speak; I am too young.”

But the Lord said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am too young.’ You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you,” declares the Lord.  —Jer. 1:4-8

You know what I love about this?  In these verses God doesn’t just give Jeremiah a pep talk, like ‘You can do it, you can do it!, Go Jerry!” But in these verses God acknowledges that Jeremiah is inadequate, He knows all about Jeremiah. After all, God created him (v.5).  It’s as though God is saying “so what if you are inadequate, listen up - I AM not, so stop making excuses - let go of the baggage - and trust me!”

If you take a read through the Bible, you will discover that God used a great number of individuals who were unworthy, and inadequate to accomplish amazing things! 

• Noah was a drunk! (Genesis 9:21)

• Abraham thought he was too old! (Genesis 17:17)

• Isaac was a liar, just like his Dad! (Genesis 26:7, 20:2)

• Jacob was a liar & a schemer! (Genesis 27:19 and many more!)

• Leah was plain (ugly?)! (Genesis 29:17)

• Joseph was abused! (Genesis 37:18f and many more!)

• Moses had a speach problem! (Exodus 4:10)

• Gideon was afraid! (Judges 6:27)

• Samson had long hair and was a womanizer! (Judges 16:17, 14:2, 16:1)

• Rahab was a prostitute! (Joshua 2:1, 6:17)

• Jeremiah and Timothy were too young! (Jeremiah 1:6, 1 Timothy 4:12)

• David was an adulterer and a murderer! (2 Samuel 12:9)

• Elijah was suicidal! (1 Kings 19:4)

• Isaiah preached naked! (Isaiah 20:2-3)

• Jonah ran from God! (Jonah 1:3)

• Naomi was a bitter widow! (Ruth 1:20)

• Job went bankrupt! (Job 1:13-19)

• Peter denied Christ! (Matthew 26:69-74)

• The Disciples fell asleep while praying! (Matthew 26:40-43)

• Martha worried about everything! (Luke 10:40-41)

• The Samaritan woman was divorced, more than once! (John 4:18)

• Zaccheus was too small! (Luke 19:3)

• Paul was too religious! (Philippians 3:4-6)

• Timothy had an ulcer! (1 Timothy 5:23) AND

• Lazarus was dead! (John 11:1-44)

God was able to use all of these people for His plan and His purposes.  What I love is that we don’t have to be perfect for God to use us.  We just have to trust that God is perfect and has a plan for our lives. 

Easter's over, now what?

After Easter, now what?

Granted this Easter, not unlike Easter 2020 looked different. For those of us who typically spend almost all of Holy Week in the Church building, it was again different than years past. I missed the grandeur of Holy Week, the setting up and creating of an experiential Good Friday service. I missed the music of Easter Sunday morning. 

These Covid days have a tendency of blurring into one another and unless you have little children around anxiously awaiting the Easter Bunny, you may have found yourself saying, “Oh right, it’s Easter”. 

My prayer has been that even though we were unable to gather in person, that you were still able to stop, reflect and celebrate.  Now that Easter has passed, my prayer for you is that you will remember that Jesus lives in the everyday, and every day we are invited into His presence. 

After the eggs are cracked and egg salad sandwiches consumed, after the little foil wrappers from the chocolate eggs are picked up off the floor and table tops and thrown away, after the bunny decorations are packed up… it’s easy to put “Easter” away until next year.  

But Jesus says, “I am always with you.”

That means that Jesus is with us as we are pumping gas or at the dentist. Jesus is with us if we are worried about test results, or anxious about our online presentation. Jesus is with us when we lose our temper or when we feel like all that we do goes unrecognized.

Jesus says, “I am always with you.”

There is a story in the Bible of two men walking to Emmaus. Jesus joins them on their journey, but the two men didn’t recognize Him. They were chatting away, telling Jesus all that had happened to Him, and they didn’t even know it was Him. Jesus was right there next to them.  He was right there all along and they didn’t see Him.  How often do we do the same?

As you journey through the next days, weeks and months after Easter, remember that the Easter message was never intended to be a one-Sunday-a-year event.  We are to live out the message of the good news that Jesus was indeed crucified, buried and He rose again on the third day with all power and glory. 

Remember today, no matter what circumstance you find yourself in, Jesus says, “I am always with you.”