Category Archives: Value

Posted on

Poor Offerings

by

A poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which amount to a cent.  Calling His disciples to Him, He said to them, “Truly I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all the contributors to the treasury; for they all put in out of their surplus, but she, out of her poverty, put in all she owned, all she had to live on.”  Mark 12:42-44

In an attempt to get more familiar with our new surroundings, Marie and I ventured out to a diner that we hadn’t tried yet.  As we walked in, I noticed a young man serving as a busboy.  It only took a fraction of a second to recognize that he was both physically and mentally challenged.   Some might conclude that he had little to offer, yet here he was providing a service for the restaurant and its patrons.  During our meal, I also observed that despite his challenges, he appeared to communicate a kind heart as he interacted with a few of the customers as they came in or left.  Whether it is due to self-perception, physical handicap, chronic illness, or some other limitation or trial, many of us often feel as though we have little value and little to offer because our resources are lacking in some form or fashion.  As the passage above indicates, God is more concerned about what we do with our resources rather than how grand they are.  In that regard, consider how expectations, assumptions, and actions relate to our offerings to God and man.  

Continue Reading »
Posted on

One God and Father

by

Yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom are all things and we exist for Him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we exist through Him.  1 Corinthians 8:6

Yesterday was another rough day.  I had a dentist appointment, met with my trainer briefly and went to the doctor.  Prior to illness taking over my life, working these in around my job and responsibilities at home would have been nothing exceptional.   They were minor adjustments to my normal routine.  However, yesterday, they wiped me out and left me pretty useless.  Some days, the thought of getting out of bed and simple routine tasks such as taking a shower can be daunting and insurmountable.  While chronic illness seems to bring with it a regular cycle of pain and fatigue leaving one feeling alone, defeated, and useless, other trials in life like the death of a loved one or a job loss can do the same until they are resolved or the critical stage has passed.  In an effort to combat those feelings consider the following passages about God and His perspective. 

Continue Reading »
Posted on

Divinely Placed

by

Painting of Esther with King Ahasuerus

The LORD has made everything for its own purpose, even the wicked for the day of evil.  Proverbs 16:4

“Right time, right place” is a phrase commonly used to indicate good fortune.  Conversely, “wrong time, wrong place” is often used to describe an unfortunate outcome or tragedy.  Both of these imply coincidence, luck, or fate rather than direction at the hand of our sovereign Lord.   When it comes to God’s sovereignty and planning, people readily accept that our Creator is directly responsible for placing us in circumstances that we view as a blessing or useful service to God and man.    However, there is a great reluctance to include the difficult circumstances in life as God ordained placement, equipping, refinement, or calling home.  To put it another way, God is often seen as decidedly directing blessings, but assuming a reactionary role in trials.  Nevertheless, while God does not perpetrate evil, He resolutely creates each person, actively directs the course of their lives and decisively places them to accomplish His purposes.    Therefore, as the verse above indicates, we (both God fearing and wicked) are all created with purpose and equipped accordingly and Esther was no exception. 

Continue Reading »
Posted on

Lovingly Shaped

by

Sculpture of Christ

But now, O LORD, You are our Father, We are the clay, and You our potter; And all of us are the work of Your hand.  Isaiah 64:8

As I write, facilitate support groups, council, and discuss my own situation, the subject of God’s work to refine, shape and equip is always a significant topic.  While I certainly don’t enjoy the pain and suffering associated with my health issues or the negative impacts of them on my family members, I rejoice in what I have endured due to the changes that they have brought in my life…especially my spiritual life.  Whether it is physical, spiritual or mental pain, I know that God is at work refining me and perfecting me…especially when I choose to cooperate with the process rather than fighting it.  I rejoice because God desires that I be more like Christ and adequately equipped for each task that He has planned for me.  God in His love and mercy is continually at work to mold me into the man that He envisioned before time.  (Ephesians 1:4)  I also trust that He is doing the same for you.

Continue Reading »
Posted on

Awareness, Opportunity and Blessing

by

One of the principal rules of religion is, to lose no occasion of serving God. And, since he is invisible to our eyes, we are to serve him in our neighbor; which he receives as if done to himself in person, standing visibly before us. John Wesley

How blessed is he who considers the helpless; the Lord will deliver him in a day of trouble.  The Lord will protect him and keep him alive, and he shall be called blessed upon the earth; and do not give him over to the desire of his enemies.  The Lord will sustain him upon his sickbed; in his illness, You restore him to health.  Psalm 41:1-3

Last week I stayed at the Holiday Inn at Cleveland Clinic while I was seeing doctors and having tests done. (You can read more about that in last week’s post here.) While I have stayed in many hotels with varying levels of service, I’ve not been in one like this before and I really didn’t notice how different it was for at least a day.  As I was sitting at dinner in the café on the second evening, I noticed that the din which typically surrounds the restaurant and bar areas was missing.  In fact, it was rather quiet.  I also noticed that there were more families taking the time to thank God for their food.  It then occurred to me that the vast majority, if not all, of the patrons were either ill, caregivers or some combination of the two.  As I sat there taking this in, I further realized that the staff was different as well as they were more engaged that I’m used to.  With this realization came an awareness, an opportunity and a blessing.

Continue Reading »
Posted on

Small Things

by

Picture of Ore Lake and Brennan Manning Prayer

For whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because of your name as followers of Christ, truly I say to you, he will not lose his reward.   Mark 9:41

Our family spent the weekend with my aunt and uncle at their lake house.  Saturday morning our older daughter asked if I would go running with her so I agreed.  I can usually run a short distance without much problem, however, this time it seemed as if everything was against me.  In the end it was a couple of miles of pure frustration.  It left me unsettled with a few questions: is this an anomaly, will I no longer be able to enjoy a good run, or is this something that I will recover from?  Further is it may be yet another loss that I must accept and another limitation to undermine how I feel about myself?  In any event, I kept moving one small step at a time…sometimes running, but mostly walking.  In the end it became an object lesson about living well and led to a conversation with God about life and faith.

Continue Reading »

Divine jealousy is thus a zeal to protect a love relationship or to avenge it when it is broken. Jealousy in God is that passionate energy by which He is provoked and stirred and moved to take action against whatever or whoever stands in the way of His enjoyment of what He loves and desires. The intensity if God’s anger at threats to this relationship is directly proportionate to the depths of His love… Jealousy in God is not a “green-eyed monster” but a “red-faced lover” who will brook no rivals in His relationship with His people.

Sam Storms
Pleasures Evermore: The Life-Changing Power of Knowing God (NavPress – www.navpress.org, 2000), 295
Posted on

True Value

Understanding Your Worth

by

Matthew 10:29-31

“In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.  Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.”  1 John 4:10-11

My Aunt Margaret and Uncle Wilbur raised sheep.  For the twelve years I was in elementary school through high school, some portion of the summer was spent at their home.  One Wednesday evening we were getting ready to go to church and my uncle got a call that dogs had gotten into one of their pastures.  My aunt and I went on to church while my uncle and older brother went to check on the sheep.  While the dogs were removed quickly, it wasn’t until we had the light of day the following morning that the damage that they had done could be assessed.  I remember riding in the back of the truck looking for injured sheep.  There were several and the scene wasn’t pretty.  Uncle Wilbur loaded a couple on the truck to take home, but most, if not all, of the attacked sheep died.  The basic tactic of the dogs was to chase the herd until one of the sheep got separated, attack it and then repeat the process.    In most situations, there is usually safety in numbers, but isolation weakens our level of protection.

Isolation comes in many forms.  Like many, mine is associated primarily due to illness and my inability to work.  For others, it may be personality type, a change in marital status, leaving the work force, increasing frailties as a result of age, or any of a number of other issues which may present themselves individually or in concert.  Further, one does not need to spend a lot of time unaccompanied to feel isolated.  Often I have felt completely alone while surrounded by people.  Satan loves to find us isolated as it makes us more vulnerable to his attacks.  Just like the dogs with sheep, he uses our vulnerability to undermine our thought processes and, thereby, erode our faith.  One of his first targets is our sense of worth.   He works on us until we begin to forget our true value.

Continue Reading »