Get Clean

Picture by Caprice Miller

“The woman left her water jar beside the well and ran back to the village, telling everyone, “Come and see a man who told me everything I ever did! Could he possibly be the Messiah?”  So the people came streaming from the village to see him.” – John 4:28-30

Machines such as this front loading washing machine sometimes make me ponder the past.  Before this invention, clothes would be painstakingly scrubbed on a washboard, rinsed and then hung on a clothesline to dry.  That must have taken forever.  No wonder there was a designated day in each home called “wash day” – it would literally take all day – so I've been told.  Today, we can usually just throw a load of clothes in the washer, carry on with something else, then throw them in the dryer, carry on with something else, then fold and put away.  Sure, the “washing, drying and putting away clothes task” can be time consuming and a real chore.  But when we compare it to what it used to be, it’s not that big of a deal in the grand scheme of things.  In the end, you are thankful it is done and it didn’t take longer than it did.   We usually end up asking ourselves, about any chore in life, “Why did I wait so long to do that?  I could have had this feeling of accomplishment so long ago.”

It’s funny to think of, but I’ve heard something similar from people who have made the decision to follow Jesus Christ.  And, even though I accepted Christ as a young child, I didn’t always do things His way.  When I finally began to actually follow His lead, I too asked, “Why did I wait so long to do that?”  I was like the woman at the well running to tell everyone what I had discovered. It wasn't even a “chore” to do so.  The real chore was living outside of His path for me.    I wonder why so many wait or just ignore the message of Christ – The Gospel?  I know there are some that just believe if they are a “good enough” person, they will be just fine.  God will give them a pass.  But then we have to ask ourselves “What defines ‘good enough’?”  We all have different versions of that.  We all mess up in some way.  The Bible even tells us in Romans 3:23 –“ For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.”  So being “good enough” can’t be right.  We all have dirt and stains to be dealt with.

There are also those who don’t even try the “good enough” path, they just convince themselves that because of whatever they have done in the past God could never forgive them anyway.  There’s no use in trying.  In other words, the past has been allowed to define them.  However, the Bible says this about that: “ For ‘Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’” – Romans 10:13.  Jesus himself even assures us - “God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him.” – John 3:17.  So even if you bring the most stained things of your life to Him, He can handle it.

There are many who don’t understand what it could mean to be “washed clean”.  There are many who don’t understand their own need to experience this in the first place.  But that’s all right.  Most of us don’t understand how a washing machine operates in order to get our clothes clean either.  Yet we still put our clothes in with the detergent trusting that it will come out as it supposed to – clean.  The irony in this scenario is interesting though.  It is through the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus – the shedding of His blood – that we have the opportunity to be made clean.  However, the process of His death, burial and resurrection was very dirty and cruel.  He was sinless – clean.  But he was betrayed, spat upon, beaten, nailed to a cross and died.  His blood was shed, but not without cause.  That blood could be said to be the detergent that makes us clean.  He was the sacrifice for the world so that we could have the opportunity to spend our eternity in Heaven with Him.  God is in the cleaning business.  Allow Him to clean the dirt and stains in your life.  You may end up like the woman at the well as you run to tell everyone what you have discovered.

No Fear

Picture by Caprice Miller

“The Lord is my light and my salvation— so why should I be afraid? The Lord is my fortress, protecting me from danger, so why should I tremble?” – Psalm 27:1 (NLT)

Holy Cow!  Who would have thought that an overhead light and sunglasses pocket of a car could look like it wants to eat you? That is not a face I want to have stuck in my head.  So much for peaceful dreams as that image pops up!

In a similar manner that’s what can happen when the stresses of life get to us. They become “scary monster faces” that keep us awake at night as we wonder when and how they will attack us.    We become that child again that is convinced there is a monster under the bed AND in the closet.  We become so convinced of their presence that we have our parents come look in those places for us to scare them away.  It was always a comfort to realize that our parents had some sort of “super hero mojo” that made the monsters go away.  Those monsters were no match for them.  If only we could have the same “mojo” for ourselves as adults.  Oh, but we can!

The verse above is a great reminder that our God is our protector.  I love the questions it asks – “…so why should I be afraid?”  “….so why should I tremble?”  Many times we allow even the possibility or thought of the presence of monsters in our life to overwhelm us.  Our minds spin with “What if” questions.  These are questions that keep us distracted and draw our focus away from God, our protector.  As a result of this mind game, we mentally, and sometimes physically, curl up in the fetal position waving a white flag of surrender.  In these times we forget about the power of the God we claim to know and love.  The enemy, with his mind games, causes us to be ineffective for God’s purposes.  We don’t have the courage to step out and do what God created you to do.  We don’t even have the courage to lift our voice and call on Him to take us out of the spin cycle of fear that the “what if” game creates.  God is bigger than that.  We should not be afraid or tremble because we are His.

But then there are other times when the monsters in our lives are actually very real.  They come in the form of illness, violence, debt, addiction, loss and a host of other things that can go under each of these categories.  When we are faced with these real life monsters our lives can quickly be turned upside down.  It is at this point that we come to the proverbial fork in the road of our life journey.  One road will be full of overwhelming fear, pain, and grief that the monster of the circumstance can cause.  If will consume us and cause more destruction.

The other road will have its share of fear, pain and grief also.  However, this fork in the road will have rest stops for us to pull in to.  Not the seedy, questionable rest stops.  No, these rest stops are truly refreshing for our souls.  They are full of light and reminders of how God is working on our behalf even though we may not be able to see it at the time.  These rest stops help us to take a moment to refocus and regain our strength to stand strong under the weight of the circumstance.  There can even be people at these rest stops that are there to encourage us and pray for us.  The choice seems pretty easy of which road to take.  But due to the size of the monster that may be in our life, we can become confused and a bit disoriented and end up taking the wrong path.

Proverbs 16:25 says, “There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end it leads to death.”   See?  We aren't alone in our struggle.  #thestruggleisreal.  Confusion is a part of all of us and apparently has been for a really long time.  When we allow fear and doubt to overtake us we tend to take the wrong paths in an attempt to control the circumstances in our lives.  There is a way truly regain control of our lives though - by giving up control.  Sure it sounds counter to what we think will help us.  But this is what the verse is talking about.  When we give control of our circumstances to God, we make the choice of taking the right path where we can experience rest, encouragement, comfort and rejuvenation. We force ourselves to be still and turn our focus to Him.  (Psalm 46:10)  When we do, we are reminded of His power and strength in our lives.  We are reminded that He is God and we are not.  We are reminded of His command over and over again to “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” – Joshua 1:9. It’s like asking your Heavenly Father to look under our beds and in the closets of our lives to make sure the monsters are gone.  We are then able to rest and think more clearly in order to determine what path God wants us to take.

Do not allow the fear of monsters – perceived or real – overwhelm you.  Ask God to clear away those monsters in your life and take control.  Ask Him for clarity in order to see the path He is guiding you to.  Ask Him to give you that strength and courage that only He can to step out onto that path and become that person He created you to be with no fear.

Just A Squirrel Tryin To Get A Nut

Picture by Caprice Miller

 

“When Jesus came by, he looked up at Zacchaeus and called him by name. “Zacchaeus!” he said. “Quick, come down! I must be a guest in your home today.”   Zacchaeus quickly climbed down and took Jesus to his house in great excitement and joy.” – Luke 19:5-6

As I looked at this picture I was so taken by the contrast of the grays and browns of the tree against the bright blue sky that I almost missed the furry little guy in the middle.  I’m the kind of person that enjoys watching squirrels scamper around.  I watch how they interact with each other and I laugh at how they seem to enjoy tormenting the dogs at times.  Looking at him I’m reminded of lyrics in a song – “It’s your world and I just a squirrel tryin to get a nut.”  (Everybody Dance by Bob Sinclair)  This little guy also reminds me of a guy mentioned in the book of Luke – Zacchaeus.  In a way you could say he could probably have related to those song lyrics too.  He may have thought of himself as “just a squirrel tryin to get a nut” although his means were not very honest. 

 The Bible tells us that Zacchaeus was the head tax collector in the region of Jericho.  He was basically working for the Romans and taking money from his own people, the Israelites.  And to add insult to injury, he was known to be very dishonest about it and took much more than he should.  Needless to say, he was not a favorite person among the people of Jericho.  But in spite of his transgressions, there was something in him that obviously stirred when he heard Jesus was passing through the town.  It was such a stirring that it caused him to run ahead of the crowd and climb a sycamore tree so he could see Jesus for himself.  For a man of his position this was an extremely undignified thing to do.  You know that it must have been REALLY important to him to see Jesus if he went to such undignified means to do so.  Perhaps this undignified activity is what drew the attention of Jesus to him.  In the verse above we see that Jesus stopped, looked up in the tree, called him by name and then proceeded to invite himself over to the guy’s house for dinner. 

It’s important as your read the Bible to slow down sometimes and really consider what is being said.  As I slow down here I have to ask,

·         How did Jesus know his name?  He just came into town. 

      ·        And if he knew his name, wouldn’t He also know that he was not an honest man? 
      ·         Why wouldn’t Jesus choose the house of a nice, hospitable person to go to? 
      ·         After all, what would people think?

What I then realize is that this is Jesus.  Why wouldn’t he know the name of Zacchaeus?    He knows all.  And yes, He knew the little guy was a notoriously dishonest man.  And yes, He could have gone to the house of any nice, hospitable person.  And of course, he knew this choice would not be popular among the gossipers – the Pharisees. (Those that thought themselves to be more appropriate host of the “nice and hospitable” nature probably) This was not the first time Jesus encountered this reaction.  We see in Matthew 9 another occasion He decided to befriend a tax collector – his future disciple, Matthew.  Jesus response to the Pharisees who asked the disciples, “…Why does your teacher eat with such scum?” – Matthew 9:11 was this:

 “Healthy people don’t need a doctor—sick people do.” ¹³ Then he added, “Now go and learn the meaning of this Scripture: ‘I want you to show mercy, not offer sacrifices.’ For I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners.” – Matthew 9:12-13

 We are all sick in some way, shape or form.  But too many times we don’t recognize our illness.   Zacchaeus knew he was sick and that he was doing wrong.  When we sin, when we are wrong, we instinctively know it too.  There are times when we would like to ignore it and pretend it’s not there, but the reality is that we know what is wrong and we also know that God knows.    If we allow ourselves to pause we also realize that Jesus is passing by in our own lives.  We know we want to get a glimpse of Him, but that transgression in our lives seems to get in the way.  We even convince ourselves that we are too sick or too messed up to see Him anyway.  But if can choose to climb above that sin, that transgression, that wrong in our lives we can discover that Jesus already knows all that.  He also knows our name and He still wants to come into our house and spend time with you. 

As you continue to read in Luke 19 you see that because of his encounter with Jesus Zacchaeus became a changed man.  He determined to correct his wrongs and give back four times as much as what he had taken.    That’s what happens when we humble ourselves enough to recognize the sickness in our lives and choose to spend time with Jesus.  We can experience healing and restoration of that relationship with Him that leads to amazing life change.   And really, you don’t even have to climb a tree – Jesus sees you already and knows your name. That’s how truly special you are to Him.  

True Freedom

Picture by Caprice Miller

 ^“For, there is one God and one Mediator who can reconcile God and humanity—the man Christ Jesus.  He gave his life to purchase freedom for everyone.  This is the message God gave to the world at just the right time.” – 1 Timothy 2:5-6

Lady Liberty….well, a replica anyway.  But no matter how small she may be in this picture, what she represents is still very significant.  As we know, the real Lady Liberty stands tall in the middle of Ellis Island.  For so many years this statue has been a beacon of hope to those seeking an opportunity for a better way of life in this “Land of Freedom” called America.  For those of us who are blessed to be a part of this land, we can take for granted the freedoms we have and ability to pursue our dreams that it offers.  We can also take for granted that this freedom we have was not free.  Many have sacrificed their very lives so that we can continue to have hope and pursue those dreams.  We forget that this freedom that has been fought so hard and valiantly for is something that others in the world want to steal, kill and destroy.  Why would anyone want to take away freedom?

It really isn’t a surprise that there are those who want to steal something they don’t understand and have never experienced.  Having a relationship with Jesus Christ can be met with the same disdain by those who don’t know Him and have never experienced Him.  They don’t realize that He told us what the enemy was doing then and what he continues to do in our world today.  Jesus also told us what His purpose in our lives is.  He said:

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” – John 10:10

Those who haven’t experienced Him look from the outside and assume that being a Christian is all about a list of “don’ts and can’ts” and if you cross the line on any of those rules and regulations, you’re doomed.  The reality is that we have ALL missed the mark – sinned.  The enemy would like for us to live a life full of hopelessness, shame and despair that the realization of our mistakes – sin brings.  Sin has created a gap…a chasm between God and humanity.  It has robbed us of our freedom and damaged the relationship that God so desires to have with us.  Jesus bridges that gap to enable that relationship to happen. Jesus came to this world, died a sacrificial death and then defeated death through His resurrection so that we could have freedom from that sin and the hopelessness, shame and despair it brings.  This freedom allows us to have a relationship with God Himself!   He provides us the opportunity to live in the freedom and peace that His forgiveness and grace brings.  Jesus is the path to true freedom and destroying the enemy’s attempts to kill, steal and destroy the freedom and peace only Jesus can provide. 

The world we live in today is full of people being used by the enemy to carry out his mission of killing, stealing and destroying.  There is a lot of fear that can come with this - fear that will rob us of our freedom. Know that your freedom in Christ is so much stronger than whatever the enemy can sling.  Grab on to the peace He provides and determine today to live a life NOT of fear, but one of abundant love and joy in freedom. 

If you haven’t accepted the free gift of freedom Jesus provides, here’s how you can do that right now:

“Dear God, I admit that I am a sinner and that I have messed up from time to time. I believe that Jesus died on the cross for my sins and that God raised Him from the dead. I choose to follow You, Jesus, and I confess that You are my savior. Thank you, Jesus, for saving me and giving me freedom. I love You. Amen.” 

Now, tell somebody so they can celebrate with you and get involved in a local church so you can be encouraged by others.

Run Your Race

Picture by Caprice Miller

 

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.” – Hebrews 12:1

 

I don’t know about you, but when I see advertisements about races such as the one above my first thought is usually NOT “Hey, I want to do that!”  Typically it’s more like “Note to self, avoid that area on that day.”  But then I see pictures of the participants and the crowds cheering them on as I watch the news and I feel a little tug inside that seems to say “Aaawww, they look like they had fun.  I could have done that.”  But alas, I’ve missed the opportunity and continue on with my normal, everyday routine.  Although, now I have a twinge of inspiration that has been lit inside so in the back of my mind I make another note – “Note to self, find out when the next one will be.”   Who knows if I will actually sign up.  But I’m encouraged by Caprice’s comments of her own experience:

“In the 5K ... well... I didn't come in last.” – Caprice Miller

But at least she was IN the race.  Way to go, Caprice!  So many times we don’t even attempt these types of challenges because of the thought that if we can’t win, then why try?  We forget that it isn’t about the win, it’s about the journey and the experience of being a part of it.  The ability to declare, “I was there!  I ran that race and I’m here to tell you about it!” 

This is the same declaration we can have as we run the race in the verse mentioned above.  God has given us this life for a reason.  Many of us search endlessly for what that reason is.  Much of that search though consists of comparing ourselves to everyone else and what they are doing. There is a race that each of us has been designed to run.   But we sometimes get stuck in the comparison game and tell ourselves that if we can’t run the race like someone else, then we just won’t run at all.  As a result, we never get off the couch of life so that we can step in to that race God has marked out for us.  We miss the cheers of the crowd encouraging us and giving us inspiration as we run our race.  We also miss the opportunity to witness life change as we influence others to begin the race God has for them.

The excuses for not being in the race are endless.  We don’t like to talk about our race – it’s private.  We think we aren’t needed – there are already others doing it.  We think we might do it wrong.  In other words, we let fear stop us before we even get on the track.  Could this be the day that we stop comparing ourselves to others and stop allowing fear to dictate our lives?  This is what the Bible tells us in 2 Timothy 1:7 “For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.”   Could this be the day that we get off the couch we’ve molded ourselves into and begin the race designed for us?   God has provided us with exactly what we need to run that race.  He has also provided that crowd to cheer us on and encourage us.  They are already running the race or have even completed their race in life.  And as we run our race for Him, it will be the inspiration someone else needs to begin their race. 

That’s really what this race is all about.  Letting others know what God has done for us and about the relationship we have with Him.  Letting them know that they can experience that relationship too and begin their own race.  The life change we will experience in our own lives and witness in the lives of others will be just the adrenalin rush we need to continue on in our race.   And when you look back on it all you too can declare, “I was there!  I ran that race and I’m here to tell you about it!” 

Talk About It

Picture by Caprice Miller

“Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads.  Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.  Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates,” – Deuteronomy 11:18-20

 

What a sweet baby calf!  It is incredible to think that this baby could actually stand within an hour of its birth.  Imagine trying to keep up with that child after it gets comfortable on its own legs.  This momma cow has to start teaching fast!  Every baby in the animal kingdom has certain instincts that come naturally to them.  But they are still dangerously curious about certain things.  They don’t yet know they should stay away from certain fences because it can hurt them.  They don’t know not to play with the slithering “stick” on the ground because it could bite them and hurt or even kill them.  And, of course, they don’t know to stay away from certain cows in the herd because they are just mean.  And then there are basic skills as they grow such as the best places to get water and graze.  And make sure you aren’t late to the “hay party” that Farmer Joe throws every day.  You don’t want to get left out of that one.  There are all sorts of things this baby has yet to learn as it grows and matures.   Momma has a big job ahead of her.

As a mom, I’m grateful my daughter wasn’t walking by the time she was an hour old.  I needed time to take the parenthood thing in for a while.  I remember that moment of panic when I was left alone with her for the first time – that was 18 years ago!  “What if she cries?  How do I know if it’s a hunger cry or a wet diaper cry or a gassy cry?  Oh God, please just let her sleep and not cry!  I’m not sure if I’m prepared for that yet.”  Even before this moment though, I recall another “cry out to God moment”.  When we learned we were having a girl, I immediately thought of those pivotal teenage years and I began to pray right then.  “Oh God, please help me to teach her how special she is in Your eyes.  Help us to raise her and guide her in the path You have created for her.”  We had been blessed with such a gift and we needed His guidance NOW!

The verse above is a directive to the Israelites.  He knew this was a fickle crowd and they needed a strong reminder for their lives and parenting skills. God was reminding them to not have short memories about the miracles they witnessed as He lead them through the desert and to remember the commandments they were given.  Not only were they not to forget, but they were told to share it with their children.  Earlier in the chapter they are reminded of why it was important to share this with their children.  Their children were not witnesses to the miracles that brought them out of Egypt and to the Promised Land.  They didn’t witness the manna each morning that just appeared on the ground for them or the water coming out of the rock and so much more!  And if the children were not told, how would they know?  How would they understand the reverence and love they should have for their Creator if they aren’t taught?  It amazes me that they would have to be reminded to tell these stories.  It’s as though God’s miracles had become so common place to them that they just took for granted that these things always happened to everyone.   And yet, we do the same thing in our own lives today.

It is said that Christianity is only a generation away from extinction.  If the story of the amazing love and grace of God is not shared with our children, we could be responsible for that.  The enemy would like for us to believe that whatever relationship with God we have is just between ourselves and Him.  NOT TRUE!  How can we keep such a thing to ourselves?  He loves us so much that He does miraculous things in our lives every day.  So much so that we take them for granted just like the Israelites did.   Stop and take an account of the blessings in your life and thank God for them right now; let that gratitude overflow so much so that it can’t be kept quiet.  And as you do, tell your children!  Do as the verse says – talk about these things as they lie down and get up, as you’re walking, or just sitting around talking.  Let them know of your love for God and the miraculous things you have witnessed in your life so they can become that next generation sharing His love with others.  The daily survival skills of life are important to teach our children.  But to help them know and understand God’s love for them is really the most important lesson we could ever share with them. 

Connected

Picture by Caprice Miller

“The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.” – Psalm 145:18

In case you didn’t recognize it, this picture is of an older model cell phone.  This lit up key pad was all the rage back in the day.  And that wasn’t really that long ago when you think about it.    How did we ever survive life without our “fingertip communication” capabilities?   Today we can make calls and send text from anywhere.  And who needs a map anymore?   We have maps at your fingertips that will not only light up that path you should take, but in a very pleasant voice, tell you exactly how to get there.  And when you get to your destination you can “google” whatever local happening and restaurant to make sure you get the most out of your time.  And, of course, you are never out of the loop with the latest world news and much more importantly, social media news. Seriously, how did we ever survive without being constantly connected?  Today, our biggest fear is that our power charge goes out or we can’t get service.

I’m so thankful that we don’t have to worry about losing power or service when it comes to our connection with God – the true source to the answers we need.  In our society of instant connection, we seem to forget that we have actually always had an instant connection to the true source for our answers.  Perhaps it is the ease of this access that makes us forget about it at times.  The reality is that we can truly talk to our Creator anytime and anywhere.  From the beginning God has always desired a relationship with us – a connection.  Unfortunately, we have a way of allowing life’s circumstances to distract us from this direct line to God.  We search and search for the answers everywhere else.  It seems when we finally decide to turn to God it’s as a last resort instead of the first response.  Sure, it may sound too simplistic when you first think about it.  Our instinct tells us that we have to DO something on our own and many times that equates to worry and anxiety about our circumstances.  This is what Paul had to say about that: 

^“ Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done.  Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.” -    Philippians 4:6-7 (NLT)

Perhaps this connection to God through prayer is something new for you.  Maybe it seems as though there should be a certain way to do it or that you have to use “thee and thou” or you have to be on your knees all the time.  After all, this is GOD we’re talking to – the Creator of the universe.  That is one of the great things about prayer.  God just wants us to talk to Him – He wants a relationship with us.  That’s what the word “truth” in the verse above is about.  He doesn’t want ritualistic words and posturing – He wants YOU.  He already knows what is going on in your life and what is in your heart.  But He wants you to open up to Him on your own – not because you think you have to, but because you love Him and you know He loves you.   He wants you to have the answers you’re seeking and that peace you are striving so hard for. 

The circumstances we encounter in this life can really cause us to spin out of control at times.  The answers to our problems will not be in flashing neon.  The answers are right in front of us though.  We can have them through a relationship with God through Jesus Christ.  We have the ability to have a constant open line to God.  He will answer you.  Perhaps it will be through a word from your pastor, perhaps it will be from a friend who is also connected to Him also or perhaps it will simply be from His whisper in your heart as you spend time talking to Him.  Whatever manner, expect answers because you have called. Maybe it won’t be an immediate answer either.  Perhaps it is an answer that comes after spending some time with Him.  Just don’t take for granted His accessibility.  He is always near – just start talking to Him.