Back to the Real World

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Well, it’s official. Tomorrow, I go back to the office. My so-called “snow”cation is over.

I have to say that I was disappointed. I think I want my money back. Or I want the money I didn’t make from not working those 5 days.

I never thought I’d be so thrilled to be going places like Publix and Taco Bell, but when you’re basically snowed in and the roads are treacherously icy (at least in my neighborhood), then you get used to looking out the windows at all the pretty snow. And not much else.

But tomorrow, reality returns. You might say that this is like hitting the reset button to 2024 and tomorrow is like the second New Year’s Day. If you like, you can start over on all those resolutions that you made that crashed and burned by week two. Or you can make new resolutions.

I for one am still looking forward to all that 2024 will teach me. Or more accurately, all that God will teach me in 2024. I’m hoping that it won’t just be another 365 or so pages that I tear off my calendar but a year that finds me growing a year older and wiser. A year that finds me more like Jesus on December 31 than I was on January 1.

It will take a little time to readjust to the routine. It will take a couple of nights before I get used to the new sleep cycle. I will more than likely have a bazillion emails waiting for me at work. But on the bright side, I have a car to get me to work and a job waiting for me when I get there. That’s worth the routine, I think.

Winter Weather Update

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Before this week, I never thought I’d be as excited as I was to visit Aldi’s and Taco Bell, though not necessarily in that order. I was just really tired of being snowed in and looking at icy roads all day.

I visited the infamous Mystery Aisle at Aldi’s, otherwise known as the Aisle of Shame for all the unplanned and spontaneous purchases that people make when they see all the random items in one aisle. I myself got a coffee canister because it was $10 (and not because I necessarily needed it).

Even Taco Bell tasted better for all the snow. I don’t remember the quesadillas being as spicy before, but maybe my taste buds have regressed this winter.

It’s amazing to me that God uses even things like snow and ice to teach me patience. Not that I ever thought that I was the patron saint of patience, but I thought I had more than I did until I didn’t. That is, I realized just how quickly I can go stir-crazy instead of using my time more wisely. I have the attention span of a three year old, I think.

I did listen to records, which is always a calming and relaxing activity for me. I didn’t quite manage to get to all that reading I had stated earlier that I was going to do. I managed to stay current on my Bible reading plan for the year, which is always a plus.

But for once, it’d be nice to learn patience by discovering that I have it rather by realizing that I don’t. That would be nice for a change.

The Ye Old Quest for a New(er) Car

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I figured out it’s been a while since I actually had to look for a car. The car that I’ve had for the past 10 years was my Mom’s old car that they sold to me when they got a new car. That was in 2013. Before that, I found out my cousin was selling his old Jeep that he had barely ever driven. That was in 2003.

Before that, I can’t really remember. I had a 1988 Ford Taurus for my very first car that I think I bought from a used car dealership. Then I got another Taurus, this one a 1993. I remember very little about the actual process. I remember looking at a few cars that seemed like a good idea to me at the time but probably wouldn’t have worked out. One was an older BMW convertible with a non-working A/C. One was a car brand that didn’t even exist anymore but looked cool and had leather seats.

I’ve learned to trust God’s timing in all things, not just in car shopping. In my experience, God usually never gives me what I ask for when I ask for it. Or it seems like my requests take a long time to reach God’s ear.

But I can attest that God’s provision is never a moment too late. I can trust that God’s denials can be as much of a blessing and a grace as God’s gifts, though they may not seem like it at the time.

Today, I looked at a 2021 Jeep Wrangler. It looked great, but there were a couple of red flags that made me hesitate. So the process goes on. But as I’ve learned, what I end up with will be better in the end. Plus, the process will be a learning and growing experience.

If you know of anyone who’s selling a relatively new Wrangler, I’m in the market. Plus, I really like the color red.

When It Seems Jesus Doesn’t Care

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Here I am with another mostly borrowed blog post. But this one spoke to me as deeply as the one I posted yesterday. Some days, God can feel distant and silent. If we trust in our feelings, we’re very much tempted to give up on God. But if we trust in the promises of God that are all Yes and Amen, we will find that God is present even in the silences and we can see Him near just as our eyes adjust to the darkness around us:

“Martha came to him Jesus and asked, ‘Lord, do you not care?’ (Lk 10:40).

Lord Jesus, when Martha called your empathy and compassion into question, thank you for giving her grace and not taking offense. Though she ‘only’ felt under-appreciated, there are times when we experience crises, stories, and heartaches that seem to contradict your compassion, care, and control.

When ‘darkness hides your lovely face’ we become vulnerable to all kinds of graceless voices:

•The devil’s toxic whisperings … ‘Where IS your Jesus now?’.

•Karma replacing the Gospel, telling us, ‘You’re sick because of hidden, unconfessed sin’.

•The narration of a cynical friend or weary family member, or nosy neighbor. Like Job’s wife telling Job, “Curse God and die” Job 2:9.

•Our own emotionally exhausted, pain-fueled monologue … ‘Maybe there is no Jesus. Maybe I’d be better off dead.’

Lord Jesus, though you don’t always explain yourself or fix things on our timetable, you will never “crush the weakest reed or put out a flickering candle” (Matt.12:20). The Scriptures are very honest about life between your resurrection and return: We will have days when mystery is more real than mercy, heartache is more tangible than hope, and pain is more convincing than providence. But, we will never have a Jesus-absent day.

When we’re angry like Jonah (Jonah 4:9), disillusioned like Job (Job.10:15), fearful like Elijah (1 Kings 19:3), doubt you like John the Baptist (Matt. 11:3), ‘beastly’ like Asaph (Psalm 73:21-22), despairing of life like Paul (2 Cor. 1:8)… you welcome us, and meet us right there… taking no offense, only giving us grace.

Jesus, no one cares like you. No one understandings suffering like you. No one has done more to eradicate all ‘death, mourning, crying and pain’ (Rev.21:4). Thank you. Meet us today, and meet our most weary friends through us. So Very Amen” (Scotty Smith).

A Prayer of Confession for 2024

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I found this prayer penned by Scotty Smith on Facebook and thought it was worth sharing. I think more than anything the Church in America needs to posture itself for the new year in a position of repentance and seeking forgiveness for not living up to biblical standards.

I think on one hand we’ve been too legalistic and self-righteous, looking down on others who sin differently than we do. I also think at times we’ve tried to look too much like the culture we’re called to reach out to and have compromised the message of salvation in the process.

So here’s my prayer for 2024:

“Abba Is Changing Us. Let’s Cooperate.

‘If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth. But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness’ (1Jn.1:8-9).

Heavenly Father, for your steadfast love, we bless you. For your patience and kindness, we praise you. For your daily mercies, we trust you. Hallelujah… you’ve already declared us righteous in Christ, and now you’re at work to make us as beautiful as Jesus. Here are some of the areas of heart and life for which we need grace and the Spirit’s work—clear manifestations we’re not as Christ-like as you intend.

•We confess thinking of ourselves too much and marveling at Jesus too little.

•We confess it’s easier for us to rush to judgment than linger in your presence.

•We confess over-believing our fears and under-resting in the Gospel.

•We confess scheduling ourselves into bad attitudes and diminishing health.

•We confess indulging a critical spirit more than we seek your Spirit’s filling.

•We confess being more upset by the news than at peace through your Word.

•We confess making more of other’s sins and weaknesses than our own.

Father, thank you for the full forgiveness we already have in Christ, and the sure hope of being like Jesus one Day. We look to you for strength to repent quicker when you convict us of these and other sins. Humble us. Change us. Heal us. Free us. Thank you… and So Very Amen (Scotty Smith).”

True Faith Prevails

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“Christendom has had a series of revolutions and in each one of them Christianity has died. Christianity has died many times and risen again; for it had a God who knew the way out of the grave” (G.K. Chesterton, The Everlasting Man).

It seems that in every generation, people have tried to modify Christianity to make it more culturally acceptable and more palatable to modern ears. The Bible even promises that people won’t want to hear the truth but will follow after those who tell them what they want to believe and want to hear.

But true faith has a way of outliving all those who want to change it. True orthodox Christianity will always exist because it alone has the power to transform people and truly set them free. There is only one gospel with the power to save.

I don’t claim to be smart enough to understand how true faith has managed to stay alive all these centuries, even when it was just about dead in the world and hardly any recognizable form of the gospel could be found.

But I believe that just as God promised Elijah that there was a remnant in Israel who remained faithful, so God again promises that there will always be a true remnant who will hold fast to the teachings of the Bible and of the true Jesus of the gospels. And it won’t be because of any of us who are super faithful and super spiritual, but because it is God’s truth and God will preserve His truth.

My prayer for those who have fallen into false teaching and a pseudo-faith is that they will come to THE truth — not my truth, not their truth, but God’s unchanging and unwavering truth as found in Scripture. I pray they will embrace true faith and find the true joy of salvation.

And I will trust that God is able to keep that which He has created and committed to us, the real and true gospel of Jesus Christ.

Faith in the Waiting

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I’m revisiting season 3 of The Chosen in anticipation of the new season premiere in February. I just finished the episode where Jesus has a talk with Little James about how God has chosen not to heal him but is sending him out to preach and to heal.

Jesus says that the testimony of Little James’ faith in the midst of his suffering is a greater witness than if he had been healed. God is trusting Little James to be faithful for a little while until the full and final healing comes in eternity.

How many of us are waiting? How many of us have desired that God should make us healed and whole but have yet to see it? How many have prayed for the healing of others and not seen the answer they prayed for and desired so earnestly?

If God granted us everything we ever wanted, our faith would seem like a natural response. It’s only when we hear the words not yet to our petitions, when we don’t get what we ask for, that trust shows itself as supernatural.

The prayers of the saints throughout history has always been along the lines of “Lord, I trust You, no matter what. Use me however You see fit wherever You see fit for as long as You see fit. Have Your way in me, no matter the cost.”

That is the prayer that God honors. That’s the prayer of lives who leave a legacy of faith behind for us to follow.

So you and I can rest in the promises of God even in the waiting and know that whatever God withholds is only because He has something much better in mind that we are not yet ready to receive. Best of all, what we find is that more than anything God could give us apart from Himself is God giving us Himself completely.

1st Snow Day of 2024

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Well, that didn’t take long. 14 days into the new year and it’s already snowing. I don’t think they’re overreacting yet and calling this the Snowpocalypse of 2024, but I’m sure if given time, they’ll give some kind of name to this particular wintery weather event.

All I know is that my office is closed, so I am forced to stay home and sleep in. That time I joked about having a snow day to catch up on my reading? Well, that’s about to happen tomorrow.

I get that for those North of the Mason-Dixon line, snow isn’t a big deal. You see it all the time. If I saw as much snow as you do throughout the year, I’d probably get as sick of it as you will probably be by March (or possibly earlier).

But in the state of Tennessee, snow is still magical. It still makes me feel like a kid again, all excited for snow and no school the next day. For those of you who work from home, it means nothing — except possibly that you have a change of scenery out your office window.

So happy 1st snow day of 2024! Merry Winter!

The Books I’m Reading

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Normally, I’m not a multi-tasker when it comes to reading books. I’m strictly a one book at a time kind of dude. But lately, I’ve been reading three at the same time.

Two of them are books that easily break down into daily readings. The Winter Fire book is really an Advent devotional based off the writings of G. K. Chesterton, and Every Moment Holy III: The Work of the People is a series of liturgies that can each be read as devotionals.

The Boxen book is one that I’ve been reading off and on as time allows. I have a feeling that if the weather delivers all the cold and snow I’ve been hearing about, I may have a bit more time in the next few days to catch up on my reading.

But that’s where I am. I’m also in a Bible reading plan with all the Brentwood Baptist regional campuses, so that’s something new as well. I mean I’ve read through the Bible before, but never as part of a large group.

I recommend each and every one of these books if you’re looking for new reads. The Bible I’m using is a Day by Day Chronological Bible that breaks down into easy daily reads with some helpful commentary from Dr. George Guthrie.

Now it’s time to catch up on some of my reading.

It’s Time

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As much as I would have wanted the Red Sled to last forever, her time is coming to an end. It’s time for me to get another car.

Buying another car may not be a big deal for most people, but I’ve had four cars throughout my entire life, so for me, it’s a bit of an adjustment. I get so used to the cars I drive that I can hardly bring myself to give them up.

But it’s time. The latest trip to the car hospital which will cost me north of $900 tells me that I need to move on to something newer and more reliable. And it’s not like I didn’t get my money’s worth out of the old Jeep.

I have my heart set on a 2-door Jeep Wrangler. I’m thinking something yellow or turquoise. Or maybe keeping it red. I want something that will stand out in a parking lot full of white and black and silver cars. I want something that reflects my personality as much as being reliable transportation.

When the time comes to say goodbye to the Red Sled, I will most likely be sad. I might even cry a little. I confess that I get maybe a little too attached to my cars.

But I also know that just as with every other car, God will lead me to the right one at the right time. I will know it’s right and I will also know it’s an answer to prayer. And then I will start driving car number five.