August 11, 1998
In case you think your car is a gas-burner, the cruise liner Queen Elizabeth II moves a mere six inches for each gallon of diesel fuel. (Multiply that by fuel costs and you’ll know why an ocean cruise is so expensive.)
That amazing bit of trivia is a reminder that getting somewhere requires fuel. Not only that, now and then most of us have a “cruise liner” day — we burn a lot of energy but don’t go far!
Last week, I had one of those. It was Friday and my granddaughter was here. We both slept a bit later than usual and after we got going, she wanted to go shopping. My to-do list was long and the phone kept ringing.
In the hubbub, I did not take time to pray more than a couple of token sentences. Whenever that happens, by suppertime I’ve little left to keep me going. The worst of it is I know what I need to regain some energy but this time I simply didn’t do it.
One of my favorite Bible stories illustrates our need to be fueled up so we can sail through our responsibilities. Jesus is visits the home of Mary and Martha at dinner time. Martha rushes out to the kitchen but Mary sits at the feet of Jesus. Martha is annoyed and complains to Jesus that Mary should be helping her. Jesus rebukes Martha for being so anxious about her meal that she neglects the “most needful thing.”
Taking time to talk with God is a needful thing. Martha needed it so she could make dinner with the right attitude. I need it for my attitude and for the energy to make it to dinner time. Although most people think praying is bringing God our list of requests, prayer also prepares us for whatever lies ahead.
In the morning, we need strength and wisdom for the day before us. When we talk to God first thing, it helps us remember He is in charge of the universe and nothing is too difficult for Him. It also helps us remember that He loves us and listens to our prayers. Those things calm our hearts — and a calm spirit is energetic and creative.
In the evening, we need to unload our burdens by discussing with Him our concerns. He says, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” Prayer also insures a good nights sleep!
In between morning and evening, God offers to renew depleting resources. Scripture says, “He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who wait on the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”
Taking time to pray is tough in an age of fast-lane living. It takes a great deal of discipline to spend time in prayer when you already have more to do than hours in your day. It is also difficult when the day past leaves you so exhausted that you fall asleep before your head hits the pillow.
It is even harder to pull over in the middle of the day for a prayer-stop. However, God says the problem of not enough time is not solved by having more of it but by allowing Him to take care of every detail of our lives. His cure for exhaustion is not always more sleep but that our hearts are at rest. His cure for tough situations is not necessarily “work faster and harder” but “Come unto me, all who are weary and heavily burdened and I will give you rest.”
God helps us go farther with prayer — it is fuel with the highest octane.
Showing posts with label restoration. Show all posts
Showing posts with label restoration. Show all posts
Wednesday, June 28, 2017
Wednesday, May 3, 2017
Maintenance or prevention? ................ Parables 583
February 3, 1998
John R. Kasich, chairman of the USA House Budget Committee, has this to say about the B-2 Stealth Bomber airplane: “The Pentagon’s Office of Operational Test and Evaluation have concluded that the B-2 has significant maintenance problems, mainly because of the sensitivity of the plane’s special coatings (supposed to make it invisible to enemy radar). Testing shows that the bomber’s skin can be damaged by extreme climates, dust, water and high humidity. This means the B-2 requires up to 124 maintenance hours for every flight hour.”
Wow! Some days, after heavy demands on my time and energy, I feel like a B-2. Not only is my surface damaged but some vital systems are threatening to shut down. Obviously, something is needed. But is it maintenance or prevention?
Looking at what knocks me out of commission, exhaustion is at the top of the list. That happens when I give lengthy output toward people and my work, without enough input from God. A tired body is one thing but a dust-dry spirit is like an empty gas tank.
Refueling is an important part of maintenance. Without it, I am like that sensitive airplane; I crash. Thankfully, what I need to keep going is not nearly as time-consuming or expensive as what the B-2 requires. I simply must keep connected to God, going to Him for my needs.
Old Testament King David wrote: “The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock in whom I take refuge. He is my stronghold.” David knew where to get refueled.
So did the prophet Elijah. When he was exhausted, the Lord had him lie down and sleep, eat nourishing food, then sleep some more. Another prophet, Isaiah, also knew that even “youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall” but he also knew that “they who wait upon the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings as eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”
If enemies take the form of people rather than our human limitations, God is also our helper. David wrote: “Free me from the trap that is set for me, for You (meaning God) are my refuge . . . . You have not handed me over to the enemy but have set my feet in a spacious place . . . . I trust in You, O Lord . . . . My times are in Your hands; deliver me from my enemies and from those who pursue me.” Scripture shows that God answered his cries again and again.
On the other hand, sometimes my “surface damage” is just that. The problem is a “thin skin.” In other words, I take things personally and incorrectly interpret what people say or do and then get upset or feel attacked — but it is not necessary.
God has an answer and a comfort for that too. My problem is that I’ve chosen an excessive focus on myself. 1 Corinthians 13 defines love as doing the opposite. Love is not “self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.” The passage also says that love always protects, trusts, hopes and perseveres. If I am loving people as God commands me to love them, I will not read evil into everything they do and then feel sorry for myself because of it.
My husband sometimes refers to thin-skinned people as “high maintenance.” He recognizes they are like a B-2 and need constant care to prevent them from feeling hurt about many things. We both realize the best care comes from the One who knows us inside and out. He “manufactured” us. He knows what to do with both exterior and interior damage.
Someone said the B-2 is a great plane, just don’t take it out in the rain. We often try to do that with ourselves, refusing to risk anything that might mean bombardment. Yet who can escape hazards? No matter how hard we try, life is full of adversities. The great comfort is that God cares for us and although we might crash, He will not leave us on the ground.
John R. Kasich, chairman of the USA House Budget Committee, has this to say about the B-2 Stealth Bomber airplane: “The Pentagon’s Office of Operational Test and Evaluation have concluded that the B-2 has significant maintenance problems, mainly because of the sensitivity of the plane’s special coatings (supposed to make it invisible to enemy radar). Testing shows that the bomber’s skin can be damaged by extreme climates, dust, water and high humidity. This means the B-2 requires up to 124 maintenance hours for every flight hour.”
Wow! Some days, after heavy demands on my time and energy, I feel like a B-2. Not only is my surface damaged but some vital systems are threatening to shut down. Obviously, something is needed. But is it maintenance or prevention?
Looking at what knocks me out of commission, exhaustion is at the top of the list. That happens when I give lengthy output toward people and my work, without enough input from God. A tired body is one thing but a dust-dry spirit is like an empty gas tank.
Refueling is an important part of maintenance. Without it, I am like that sensitive airplane; I crash. Thankfully, what I need to keep going is not nearly as time-consuming or expensive as what the B-2 requires. I simply must keep connected to God, going to Him for my needs.
Old Testament King David wrote: “The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock in whom I take refuge. He is my stronghold.” David knew where to get refueled.
So did the prophet Elijah. When he was exhausted, the Lord had him lie down and sleep, eat nourishing food, then sleep some more. Another prophet, Isaiah, also knew that even “youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall” but he also knew that “they who wait upon the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings as eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”
If enemies take the form of people rather than our human limitations, God is also our helper. David wrote: “Free me from the trap that is set for me, for You (meaning God) are my refuge . . . . You have not handed me over to the enemy but have set my feet in a spacious place . . . . I trust in You, O Lord . . . . My times are in Your hands; deliver me from my enemies and from those who pursue me.” Scripture shows that God answered his cries again and again.
On the other hand, sometimes my “surface damage” is just that. The problem is a “thin skin.” In other words, I take things personally and incorrectly interpret what people say or do and then get upset or feel attacked — but it is not necessary.
God has an answer and a comfort for that too. My problem is that I’ve chosen an excessive focus on myself. 1 Corinthians 13 defines love as doing the opposite. Love is not “self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.” The passage also says that love always protects, trusts, hopes and perseveres. If I am loving people as God commands me to love them, I will not read evil into everything they do and then feel sorry for myself because of it.
My husband sometimes refers to thin-skinned people as “high maintenance.” He recognizes they are like a B-2 and need constant care to prevent them from feeling hurt about many things. We both realize the best care comes from the One who knows us inside and out. He “manufactured” us. He knows what to do with both exterior and interior damage.
Someone said the B-2 is a great plane, just don’t take it out in the rain. We often try to do that with ourselves, refusing to risk anything that might mean bombardment. Yet who can escape hazards? No matter how hard we try, life is full of adversities. The great comfort is that God cares for us and although we might crash, He will not leave us on the ground.
Friday, August 8, 2014
Trash or Treasure? ........................ Parables 154
Last week, Simon my editor told me he’d had a lousy morning. He’d been tracing a special vintage motorcycle, one he wanted to restore. As the trail narrowed, anticipation grew. I could see his vision of what a little love and a lot of elbow grease could do with that particular bike. But when he finally found the most recent owner, he received the bad news; the bike had been taken to the dump over a year ago.
Can you identify? He must have felt just as we would if a precious possession had been dropped off a cliff. He could see it disappearing out of his grasp and there was absolutely nothing he could do about it.
I felt Simon’s disappointment with him. Besides, there’s a unique joy in restoring something back to new condition. And instead of adding to the pollution in the environment, restorers make meaningful contributions.
Later in the day, I thought about this throwaway generation that we live in. While some would feel repulsion at the thought, a few trips to the local trash bin has furnished a home for some who otherwise may never get beyond using cardboard boxes.
Cars, appliances, clothes, you name it, are not always worthless before they are treated that way. But affluence and easy-come, easy go makes the mounds of throwaways higher and higher.
Unfortunately, human lives sometimes are tossed aside too. Sometimes that life is an unwanted baby, or it could be a mentally or physically handicapped person. It might be a “fallen women” or a man who fell into the gutter somewhere and can’t get out.
Unfortunately, the human trash heap includes anyone that other people feel have no value, no purpose, or no potential. They are the ones that many of us tend to put on our “avoid this creature” list.
I wonder how God feels about lives that are tossed in the garbage. Does He feel their rejection? Of course He does. He has been rejected. Does He think about them the same way society often does? Not at all!
The good news is that God is in the restoration business. He sent Jesus Christ to “seek and to save that which was lost” … or tossed. That includes those whom no one else wants or will have anything to do with. In Jesus’ day, it was the prostitutes, the publicans (“traitorous” Jewish tax collectors working for Rome) and an assorted group of people simply called “sinners.”
Jesus said He came to seek these rejects, and when He ‘‘found” them, He loved them. The Bible says He was ‘‘the friend of sinners,” yet He did more than eat and drink with them. His saving power restored any who placed their faith in Him. They were given peace, joy, and the sure hope of eternal life, as well as a useful and purposeful life here on earth for God.
Ephesians 2:10 says that those who trust in Christ are “His workmanship, created in Jesus to do good works which God prepared in advance for us to do.”
When Simon finds an old motorcycle, he carefully cleans and restores each piece, remaking parts if necessary. Then he puts the whole bike back together with infinite care. The engine is tuned to purr-fection, the leather polished, and the paint bright and shiny. No one would even know that this sleek machine was once a cast-off, even if it came from a trash heap.
Jesus says. “If any man is in Christ, he is a new creation. Old things are gone, the new has come” ...that (sexually immoral, idolaters, adulterers, prostitutes, homosexual offenders, thieves, those guilty of greed, drunkards, slanderers, swindlers) is “what some of you were, but you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.”
In other words, unlike Simon’s latest disappointment, the human trash heap does not have to be the end. The Lord can do the job beautifully, no matter who has tossed us aside, and no matter what condition He finds us.
Can you identify? He must have felt just as we would if a precious possession had been dropped off a cliff. He could see it disappearing out of his grasp and there was absolutely nothing he could do about it.
I felt Simon’s disappointment with him. Besides, there’s a unique joy in restoring something back to new condition. And instead of adding to the pollution in the environment, restorers make meaningful contributions.
Later in the day, I thought about this throwaway generation that we live in. While some would feel repulsion at the thought, a few trips to the local trash bin has furnished a home for some who otherwise may never get beyond using cardboard boxes.
Cars, appliances, clothes, you name it, are not always worthless before they are treated that way. But affluence and easy-come, easy go makes the mounds of throwaways higher and higher.
Unfortunately, human lives sometimes are tossed aside too. Sometimes that life is an unwanted baby, or it could be a mentally or physically handicapped person. It might be a “fallen women” or a man who fell into the gutter somewhere and can’t get out.
Unfortunately, the human trash heap includes anyone that other people feel have no value, no purpose, or no potential. They are the ones that many of us tend to put on our “avoid this creature” list.
I wonder how God feels about lives that are tossed in the garbage. Does He feel their rejection? Of course He does. He has been rejected. Does He think about them the same way society often does? Not at all!
The good news is that God is in the restoration business. He sent Jesus Christ to “seek and to save that which was lost” … or tossed. That includes those whom no one else wants or will have anything to do with. In Jesus’ day, it was the prostitutes, the publicans (“traitorous” Jewish tax collectors working for Rome) and an assorted group of people simply called “sinners.”
Jesus said He came to seek these rejects, and when He ‘‘found” them, He loved them. The Bible says He was ‘‘the friend of sinners,” yet He did more than eat and drink with them. His saving power restored any who placed their faith in Him. They were given peace, joy, and the sure hope of eternal life, as well as a useful and purposeful life here on earth for God.
Ephesians 2:10 says that those who trust in Christ are “His workmanship, created in Jesus to do good works which God prepared in advance for us to do.”
When Simon finds an old motorcycle, he carefully cleans and restores each piece, remaking parts if necessary. Then he puts the whole bike back together with infinite care. The engine is tuned to purr-fection, the leather polished, and the paint bright and shiny. No one would even know that this sleek machine was once a cast-off, even if it came from a trash heap.
Jesus says. “If any man is in Christ, he is a new creation. Old things are gone, the new has come” ...that (sexually immoral, idolaters, adulterers, prostitutes, homosexual offenders, thieves, those guilty of greed, drunkards, slanderers, swindlers) is “what some of you were, but you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.”
In other words, unlike Simon’s latest disappointment, the human trash heap does not have to be the end. The Lord can do the job beautifully, no matter who has tossed us aside, and no matter what condition He finds us.
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