Lesser Lights and Fleeting Shadows

The title is a phrase from the song "Still, My Soul Be Still."  The actual line is "Do not be moved by lesser lights and fleeting shadows."  Sometimes we are satisfied with less than what the Lord offers. We miss His best because we would rather focus on what is convenient or what is begging for our attention at any given moment. Our lists of things to do are made without considering what the Lord might want because there are so many demands on us - ones that are often self-inflicted. Shame on us when impatience and the refusal to reconsider agendas cause us to settle.
Do we live with a partial understanding of the abundant life that God has planned for us simply because we won't slow down? We choose the lesser lights that do little to uncover truth.  A variety of things - schedules, deadlines, worldly desires, fears, misplaced loves (just to name a few) - may bind us to those fleeting shadows. More often than not, we are just too busy, allowing our selfish choices to steer us from righteousness.
Each of us know when we are avoiding dealing with what is in our hearts, but when the truth is less exposed, then we feel less exposed...and comfortable.  God invites us to abandon the darkness and run to Him because shadows move aside in His presence. They are no more.
Lesser lights might have some value in a dark room but if we decide to live in and embrace those shadows, we will fall prey to hidden agendas - secret attractions to every temptation that vies for attention.  Sounds awful, doesn't it?  It is...and it happens so quickly we hardly even notice until convicted by God's word and His Spirit.  When we expose ourselves to Truth - in sermons, in prayer, in Scripture, and in Godly counsel, our attraction to those lesser lights and fleeting shadows fades.

Still, My Soul Be Still

“Still my soul be still 

And do not fear  

Though winds of change may rage tomorrow 

God is at your side  

No longer dread  

The fires of unexpected sorrow 

God You are my God  

And I will trust in You and not be shaken  

Lord of peace renew  

A steadfast spirit within me  

To rest in You alone 

Still my soul be still  

Do not be moved  

By lesser lights and fleeting shadows  

Hold onto His ways  

With shield of faith  

Against temptations flaming arrows 

Still my soul be still  

Do not forsake  

The Truth you learned in the beginning  

Wait upon the Lord  

And hope will rise As stars appear when day is dimming."

— WORDS AND MUSIC BY KEITH & KRISTYN GETTY & STUART TOWNEND

Camelot in Deer Park

This past week, my great nephew Oliver turned three.  I went by my niece Tamrynn's house to deliver his birthday present.  I was greeted at the door by a beautiful princess in a beautiful dress, Elsa, and a dragon just begging to be slain. Words failed me.
Elsa (Cherith) held a lid to a clothes hamper as her shield while she wielded her trusty spatula in defense. Princess Tamrynn held her cardboard protection against the dragon's flaming breath while staying his advance with her wooden spoon (also used at times as a tool of admonishment on the derrieres of said Elsa and Dragon.)  The Dragon Oliver was fearsome as he struggled to attach his clawed glove to his hand so he could portray the dangerous threat his female companions believed him to be.
Tamrynn indicated that this scenario was a regular occurrence in their dwelling. I commented that she - the mother of a four month old baby girl - should be very proud of the fact that she could fit into that dress.  She admitted that she was.
It is nice to know that Camelot is still in existence in all its glory.  A perfect world where valor, innocence, and victory still thrive.  You only think you know what goes on behind your neighbor's doors.
King Arthur showed up in time to whisk Elsa away in his chariot for a doctor's appointment.  It seems the flu has invaded Camelot.  I just hope I did not carry it into my castle.

A Funny Thing Happened On My Way Through Whataburger

I have developed an allergy to writing lately, but am working on a cure. Sometimes life offers a bit of humor and you just can't help but be grateful for simple moments of raw humanity.
On my way to my grandson Luke's Saturday morning basketball game, I decided to gain some popularity by showing up with breakfast.  Whataburger offers huge cinnamon rolls for a pretty penny.  After ordering four of them at a dollar ninety four each, I pulled up behind another car. By the time I got to the window, this is how the conversation went:
Young man around seventeen years old:  "That will be four eighty."
Me: "I think you mean eight forty."
Young man (stammering): "Oh, yeah. Sorry.  The girl in that car was so beautiful.  I, I am totally undone and discombobulated.."
I handed him the money.
Young man: "So, do you want ketchup with that?"
Me: "Um...no."
Young man (again stammering): "Oh, right... why would you want ketchup with cinnamon rolls? I'm sorry, I just can't get over that girl."
Me: "It's ok.  I remember those days."
I drove off smiling.  It was refreshing to see that cute girls can still undo young men and that young men will openly admit that they are flustered and unable to gain composure because of  them.
I delivered my rolls with the results I had hoped for.

Luke won his game 34 to 10. He is ten years old.  One day some girl will affect him in the same way. It's just one of the things that make the world go 'round.

The Law, The Gospel, and Love

Scripture tells us that the Law of Moses in the Old Testament shows us our sin.  The Gospel in the New Testament washes it away.  The Law as it was written on stone tablets could be destroyed. The Gospel brings new life to all who will believe and it is permanent. It changes stony hearts to ones of flesh.  

The Law serves as a mirror to show us who we really are if we are brave enough to take a peek. The image before us isn’t pretty, but it is truthful.  When we look at the Law, we face a list of requirements we can’t possibly meet without a blood sacrifice. Thankfully, we no longer need to search for a spotless lamb to be slaughtered.  God supplied our once for all Perfect Lamb in His Son, Jesus.

Sacrifice: A nine letter word meaning grace, freedom, sanctification,  justification, forgiveness, life, and most of all Love.

So, I asked myself – Does my life give evidence of a permanently changed life?  Probably not every moment of every day, but even on my worst day, I am His; sanctified and redeemed. I am changed. I am living proof, not because there is anything redeemable in me, but because of Christ Jesus my Lord.

Paul to the Corinthians:

2 Corinthians 3:3-9   And you show that you are a letter from Christ delivered by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts. Such is the confidence that we have through Christ toward God. Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God, who has made us competent to be ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. Now if the ministry of death, carved in letters on stone, came with such glory that the Israelites could not gaze at Moses' face because of its glory, which was being brought to an end, will not the ministry of the Spirit have even more glory?  For if there was glory in the ministry of condemnation, the ministry of righteousness must far exceed it in glory. 

Could there be any better news for you and me?  No. 

Matthew 5:17   "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them." 

Faulty Premise, Faulty Promise

I always look back on a project, a party, an endeavor, or event into which I put time and energy in order to gauge how it went as to success or bust. If I determine it a success, then I sleep with a smile in my heart and thoughts of how well it went because of my best efforts. If I surmise that it was a bust, then agony ensues with what should have been done differently and/or what improvements can be made next time. Neither is profitable in every circumstance.  More often than not, we gauge our successes by the results we wish for and if they are absent, then we wear the label 'failure' or so stamp the whole event.
Why must man center everything around himself? Why do we measure success by the world's standards - whatever they are? We hold in our heads what an outcome should look like and if ours is less than, then cursed be our time wasted and energy given.  But...what if we are getting it all wrong because we started with a faulty premise believing a faulty promise?
2 Corinthians 2:14-17  But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere. For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing, to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life. Who is sufficient for these things? For we are not, like so many, peddlers of God's word, but as men of sincerity, as commissioned by God, in the sight of God we speak in Christ. 
When we commit our efforts to the Lord, He leads in triumphal procession...no matter what we might think of the fruit borne from them.  He never promised we would be successful. He only asks that we be faithful and obedient. Thankfully, we may never see a report card indicating 'pass' or 'fail' or even a check mark that says 'project completed.'  We do not operate from an earthly realm, but from a spiritual one. Rewards are yet to come.
God sees the true outcome of all we do.  So, the next time you host a crowd, but your meal is overdone, take comfort.  The next time you speak/teach/share a testimony of any kind and you can't remember where a verse is found or the right words to say, take comfort. When your best is just not good enough, know that God has prepared the outcome you might never see.  The truth is...your best and my best will never be good enough. He takes our best, our least, our worst and turns it into what will bring Him the most glory.  Be comforted by that beautiful fact.
So, put the magnifying glass down.  Quit looking for anything redeeming in what you do.  Instead, enjoy the peace that comes from knowing He will take what you and I offer and give it more meaning than we ever could on our best day.
This passage speaks to those who minister the Gospel.  For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing, to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life. 
The faulty premise of thinking that everything done well yields success is based on a faulty promise that says everything will turn out great if we do our best.
Jesus took all of our failures and sins.  Romans 8:27-28 is His promise to make them good.
And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. 

 "What seemed to be defeat was actually victory.  

The Resurrection morning was Hell's gloomiest day." 

Sinclair Ferguson

Do Not Despair of Texas Winters

No snow in the southern part of the Lone Star State...but we have sand.  No frostbitten toes...but we have wet ones.  No frozen pipes...but we have salt water to chase us.
There is something about the beach that calls my name again and again.  I share that love with my loved ones as often as I can.  Mae had never been to feed the gulls or chase the water and have it chase her in return.  I think her delight was mine - as has been the case with all of my grandchildren.
The birds hovered above Luke's six foot five inch frame and gathered at our feet as we hustled to fill their demands for more food.  We took crackers along with leftover red and green chips from Christmas.  They would eat everything but the green chips.  They just lay there on the sand as if seaweed.
Memories are best captured with a camera - especially as I age and forget all too soon what happened yesterday, much less last month.  This was a great day.  See for yourself.

Nerds, Chess, and Kemah

My son Luke, his wife YuJueng (Julie), and daughter Mae are here for another day or two from Salt Lake City where he teaches music at the university. He and his brother Lee have been playing chess on the internet and recently took advantage of the opportunity to play in person. Luke also plays others from Russia, Holland, Germany, India, and S. Africa.
Nephew Levi was just as intense in watching. (Sorry for the blurry pic.)

The other night, while we were dining in a Chinese restaurant, he was playing Canada. His pensive look says it all.

Mae had finished her dinner and was taking pleasure in her chosen dessert - a box of Nerds.  She offered me a tiny piece.  I was humored by the analogy: nerds and Nerds. (Luke won, by the way.)

I intend to learn chess.  If he would stop long enough to teach me, I would learn from Luke, but then I am afraid he would see just how slow his mom is.
Afterward, we ventured to Kemah to shop and watch fireworks.

Happy New Year!  May the Lord's goodness and grace be so very real to you in the coming year. His steadfast love endures forever! Praise His holy name!