Wait a Moment!

"So teach us to number our days aright, that we may present to you a heart of wisdom."  Psalm 90:12, NASB

 

Millenniums, centuries, decades, years, months, days, hours, minutes, seconds, nanoseconds ~ all units of time divinely ordered by God.

 

For thousands of years, man has created calendars and mechanical devices to keep track of these increments. The ancient Egyptians divided the day into two twelve-hour periods and used obelisks and sundials to track the movement of the sun across the sky. We now have astronomical clocks to gauge the movement of the heavenly bodies as well as tide clocks to monitor the ebb and flow of the lunar and solar tides. Men have created water clocks, chronometers, hourglasses, pocket watches, pendulum clocks, cuckoo clocks, quartz and atomic clocks, wristwatches, calendar watches, and stopwatches, yet, no matter how we try to control it, time never stands still, never retreats. Time is always moving forward as if on a mission.

 

There is an Irish saying, "When God made time, he made plenty of it," and yet, we lack sufficient hours in our days to complete what we perceive is necessary. We have always regarded time as something to keep up with. We identify with the White Rabbit's dilemma in Alice and Wonderland, as he scampers through life exclaiming, "I'm late. I'm late, for a very important date. No time to say 'Hello, Good-by.' I'm late, I'm late, I'm late!" We scurry behind schedule, or dart ahead of it, all in an attempt to be on time. And if ever we are on time, we keep a discreet eye on the clock, for there is always another appointment to rush off to, a brand-new dream to chase, a carpool to taxi, or simply one more moment to stalk.

 

Since it debuted in 1965, the daytime soap opera Days of our Lives has featured an hourglass with sand slowly trickling to the bottom, accompanied by the trademark voice-over, "Like sands through the hourglass, so are the days of our lives."

 

Have you ever taken the time to number the days of your life? This year on my birthday, I was 23,360 days old. Sounds as if Methuselah is my next of kin, doesn't it? (And stop that! I know you are dividing it out to see how old I am.) According to the life expectancy calculator on the U.S. Social Security Administration's website, I can expect to live another 21.6 years, or another 7,884 days. When I look at that number in relation to how many days I have already lived, it puts my life into sobering perspective.

 

Like sand in an hourglass, our days are rapidly slipping away. We can flip an hourglass over and rerun the sands of time ~ not so with the true "days of our lives." Those sands we will never recall. Perhaps, then, we need to stop keeping track of the moments and start numbering our days "aright."

 

King Solomon avowed that God "set eternity in the hearts of men." Deeply rooted in every human heart is a continual longing for something more than this world has to offer, and yet we are incapable of fully grasping the eternal. Nothing within this physical realm will ever truly satisfy our yearning for something more. Only the eternal presence of God living deep within our hearts will bring the fulfillment we are seeking ~ fulfillment which stretches into eternity.

 

So breathe! Slow down! Take time to spend quiet moments with the Father of time. Consider the brevity of life and devote your heart to true wisdom ~ a wisdom that can only be imparted to us by his Spirit. The previous moment has passed, and the subsequent moment may never come. This moment is all we have. This moment is our life.

 

What shall I do with the next 7,884 days of my life? Stop counting and ~ live!

 

How many days do you have left to be truly productive for God? Apply your heart to true wisdom and, instead of counting the moments, make each moment count for eternity.

Knowing Perfection

 

"And God saw every thing that he had made, and behold, it was very good."  Genesis 1:31, KJV

 

Without warning, the large, burly instructor ripped the nose from my face and threw it across the room, shouting words of disapproval which I cannot recall. Perhaps at the time I was simply too frightened for them to register. Even so, my instructor's disparaging remarks left a lasting impression deep within my spirit.

 

The setting was a big-city art school in the South; the perpetrator a ruthless sculpture professor who enjoyed intimidating freshman. His target the clay head I was painstakingly laboring over; his casualty me. I was proud of my creation. And the nose ~ well, it was just about perfect, at least in my eyes. I had no clue someone might view my creation differently. Neither did I know how my view of myself and my abilities was about to change.

 

Words ~ what power they emit! Their probing tentacles pry deep into our souls, unearthing emotions we are unaware exist. Words have the capacity to change how we think, feel, and act. They have the power to uplift or the power to destroy.

 

Yet, regardless of their power, it was neither my instructor's words nor his actions that held the potential to wield the death blow to my development as an artist. Rather, it was the negative self-talk I would continue to feed my own soul. My destructive internal words began to wear away at my confidence, not only in my individual creativity, but in who I believed I was as a person. I began to second-guess myself and my abilities. My God-given potential slipped from my view. I only saw my failures. Never quite sure my work would bear up under the scrutiny of others, it became easier for me not to produce at all. I was blind to the fact that the assessment of others paled in comparison to the death sentence I was passing down to myself.

 

Elbert Hubbard, a late nineteenth-century American writer, publisher, artist, and philosopher and an influential exponent of the arts and crafts movement, stated, "The greatest mistake you can make in life is to continually be afraid you will make one."

 

Fear of failure is paralyzing. It breeds perfectionism. We hesitate to begin because we believe that, in the end, we will fail. Even when we begin, our work never measures up to our own inflexible expectations, and thus, we fail to finish. In some strange way, we find our solace there ~ never opening ourselves up to the valuation of others.  As a result, our fear of failure robs us of our destiny, holding us hostage to the lies of Satan and our own perpetual self-talk.

 

Recently, my youngest daughter was given an opportunity to "throw" a pot at a nearby potter's house. Before beginning, the instructing potter said, "Do not be afraid to mess up. It's just clay!" ~ simple, yet profound insight that bears repetition in our own spirits.  I believe the Master Potter speaks similar words: "Do not be afraid to mess up. YOU are just clay!"

 

The One who formed us understands that we are dust, and it is his valuation alone that counts. As we surrender our efforts to him, he will take our unskilled hands in his and with the skill of the Master Potter, help us to begin again.

 

Is there something you have been putting off doing because, in the end, you are afraid you will fail? Quit taking yourself so seriously. After all, you are just clay! Begin again by placing your hands in the hands of the Master Potter and partnering with the One who knows no failure. To him, your creation is perfect, and in the end, his valuation is the only one that matters.

 



A River Runs Through It

 

"When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you." Isaiah 43:2, NIV

 



KER-SPLASH!                     

The look of surprise on our young's daughter's face was priceless as the cold mountain stream cut its way around her tiny body. Only moments earlier, with arms outstretched to keep her balance, she  had playfully leaped from rock to rock. It looked easy enough, great fun with evenly laid out stones defining the way. Reaching the other side almost became a reality and then ~ her unexpected plunge. 

Life mimics this at times, plunging us into icy, cold waters as we make our way along what we think is a clearly defined path. It looks as if we are making notable progress, and then ~ the unexpected happens. We are taken off guard and submerged in the current of life's troubles ~ winding rivers of difficulty that eventually confront us all. There are days when we are pulled under, entrapped, dragged down by life's undertow ~ days when the current is too swift and the river far too wide to pass through. How do we navigate our way to safety? Where do we find the courage to press on?

 

The day our daughter plummeted from her path and was flooded by the icy, cold water, she didn't hesitate to cry for help . . . and help didn't hesitate to come. The same will be true for you. Cry out! God will come running.

 

"He reached down from on high and he took hold of me; he drew me out of deep waters. He rescued me from my powerful enemy, from my foes who were too strong for me." (Psalm 18:16-17, NIV)

 

My daughter emerged wringing wet that day, but her spirit was not dampened. Her goal was still in sight; she would not be deterred. After drying off, changing into her sister's over-sized pants, and enjoying a picnic, she returned to her game. With pant legs rolled up and determination set, she plotted her way across the swiftly moving stream with slow, deliberate steps. As she planted each foot securely on the rock in front of her, her confidence grew and her fear of failure subsided. Finally, she stepped onto the opposite side, her face beaming with pride. She knew the joy of rising above what once had defeated her. Victory was hers!

 

What is blocking your pathway to victory? Does a river run through it? Do not let it defeat you! Cry out! God will come running and will plant your feet securely on the rock.

 

Now . . .  are your feet wet yet?

Doormat Dialogue

Really, Lord? I do have my limits, you know. No one should be treated this poorly! It's time I take my stand. This turning the other cheek thing isn't working. It only seems to embolden them and their uncanny need to humiliate me. I'm done! This is the last time they walk all over me. Certainly, it is not your will for me to be treated like a doormat. Why, I'm your child!

Really? My child? You could have fooled me ~ except for one fact ~ I am God! What's wrong with being a doormat, anyway?

What's wrong with being a doormat? How would you like someone wiping his feet all over you? Oh! Sorry, Lord. I guess I forgot whom I was talking to for a moment. You do know what I mean though, don't you? Why, it's just ~ it's just degrading. That's what it is ~ degrading.

My child, you have it all wrong. What you need is a fresh perspective. Yes, it is true. A doormat is designed to wipe one's shoes on before entering the house. But it can also be a thing of beauty. A doormat not only serves as a welcoming invitation into a home, it helps keep the house clean. You do like a clean house, don't you?

Well, yes ~ who doesn't! But, what's your point, Lord?

Have I not told you, "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends" (John 15:30)? Laying down one's life should not be looked on as a degrading task, but as an act of love.  I laid my life down for you so that you can walk in righteousness. Follow my example, and love others as I have loved you. Laying down one's life is a good thing, especially if it means, someone's walk will be cleansed.

Well, I never thought of it like that, Lord. True, there is no greater calling than to lay down one's life so that another can enter your presence ~ leaving all the dirt at the door. I want my usefulness to outweigh my beauty. Life has its share of useless decor.

Oh, I'm sorry, Lord. I didn't mean to leave you standing at the door. Won't you come in? But, don't mind me . . . I'm just "laying" down.

Displaying Christ

Each year as the Christmas season begins to unfold, I cautiously bring from our attic three large cardboard boxes which contain our mantle nativity scene and gently remove the brown paper wrapping from each piece. Whenever I unwrap the baby Jesus, he always welcomes me with outstretched arms as if to say, "I was wondering when you were going to take me out of this box!" I then give him his prominent place upon our mantle alongside Mary, Joseph, and the three wise men.

Throughout the Christmas season, those who enter our home are drawn to the two-to-three-foot figures, their uniqueness, and their beauty, while the set's primary placement in our home helps us  remember to keep Christ at the center of our hearts and all our holiday activities.

The nativity is always the first Christmas decoration I display and the last one I put back in the attic. Sometime during the first week of January, I carefully remove it from the mantle, wrap the figures, pack them back in the boxes, and return them to the attic until the next Christmas season.

This year, as I contemplated my annual ritual, I sadly surmised that far too often, I deal with Christ this way in my daily life ~ putting him on display for specific occasions, or during moments of hardship and then, as soon as the occasion or situation passes, quietly tucking him away again. How this must sadden the heart of my Lord! How many opportunities to display Christ have I missed simply because I placed him back in the box to await another season, another occasion, another hardship?

Today I will return our nativity to a dark corner of the attic once again. But this year I am choosing to make a simple change: I will not put Christ back in the box! I will display the Jesus figure in the center of our home throughout the year as a subtle reminder to myself that displaying Christ is not a seasonal event, but a daily necessity.

"No one lights a lamp and puts it in the cellar or under a basket, but on a lampstand, so that those who come in may see its light" (Luke 11:33, HCSB).

Jesus came as the Light of the world. Displaying Christ in all that we say and do is vital to our relationship with God, our families, and our fellowmen. It is my prayer for this year that the precious Christ of Christmas will remain in the most prominent position of my heart and yours, never to return to a place of obscure darkness again.

Where have you positioned Christ in your life? Have you given him a place of prominence for all to see, or have you hidden him away? Can you hear him say, "When are you going to take me out of this box?"

Let today be the day! He is waiting with opened arms.