PERSISTING IN THE PRESENCE OF GOD

This blog is a republish from June 18, 2018 of last year — Susan.  We lost Susan this past Friday.  I’ll miss her but I’m so, so grateful.  The lessons Susan taught me will stay with my for a lifetime.  Lessons the Lord taught me through a chicken.

SUSAN

You’d be surprised what you can learn from a chicken. Yep, a chicken. I’ve had laying hens for about a year now and I’m convinced you can learn all you need to know about life from them. Everything I Need to Know I Learned From a Chicken – not really, but sort of.

I have seven laying hens, different colors, different breeds, different sizes, different personalities (yes, chickens have personalities), even different egg colors – white, brown and blue. I started with eight but Esther ended up being Edward and had to go. Anyway, I have one named Susan. She’s a beauty. A Rhode Island Red with this deep rich red coat. She’s a handful.

As we were leaving for Church one Sunday, I glanced down at the barnyard. Susan had hopped out of the chicken pen and was wandering alone in our front field. We headed out.

After Church a quick check on “the girls” revealed Susan had not yet come back. I went on the hunt. It is not safe for a chicken to be out and about alone in our neck of the woods – predators. I walked through the field calling her – yes, she knows her name, making my chick-chick sounds. No answer. I walked through the barn – no answer. I was concerned. The search party (Livi and Tony) eventually located Susan inside the barn – she had been hanging out on the hay, alone. Susan was taking a minute. She had left the hustle and bustle – yes, of the chicken pen for a moment alone. The chicken pen is an active place, noisy — squawking, one is always bossing, pushing around, pecking, trying to nudge out another, always butting in line, talking over top of each other, constantly trying to establish the pecking order, stealing each other’s food, making a mess of the hen house, generally messing with each other’s minds. Sound familiar? Kind of like our lives, right?

Susan got fed up and made a getaway. Susan needed a minute. I completely understand where she was coming from. Don’t you? Sometimes we need to pull-a-Susan and take a minute. Runaway, get rid of all the noise in our lives – all the squawking, pushing and shoving, and get to a quiet place – we need to run to Jesus. We need a minute — sometimes two.

You see that’s exactly what Jesus did and we are to follow his example. Mark 1:35 tells us:

And in the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed.

Jesus was in the thick of things – Jesus was the thick of things. He was a busy man. He was gathering His flock – calling His disciples, organizing, giving instruction, teaching the Good News, traveling from town to town healing bodies and souls. The more he taught and healed, the more people came to be taught and healed. In the midst of that hustle and bustle, Jesus needed a moment. He needed to be alone, without companions, away from the squawking, pushing, shoving, etc., to speak to God, His Father.

Jesus started his days by taking a minute in the morning. We do that too sometimes — take a morning moment. But do we often run to Jesus throughout our day, or do we just wait until the next morning to take another moment? Luke tells us in 5:15 that despite Jesus’ instructions, word of His power spread like wildfire and loads of people came to hear his message and to be healed. Hustle and bustle. Luke then goes on to tell us in verse 16: “But Jesus often withdrew to the wilderness for prayer.” It doesn’t say Jesus withdrew occasionally, just in the morning, or once a day, it says he “often” withdrew. Often, again and again, regularly, usually, repeatedly, consistently.

Paul tells us in Philippians 4 not to worry about anything but instead pray about everything. Take a moment – separate yourself from the life-craziness, the overdrive of this world – and lift your cares to Jesus. We are told if we do this – take a moment — we will experience God’s peace which is more wonderful than our minds can comprehend.

When we found Susan, she hopped off the hay bales and calmly walked back to her pen. She was refreshed. Susan’s escape lasted for a few hours. Our escapes may only last a few minutes but then we too can walk back to our pens, our jobs, our families, our laundry, our kids, our Churches, our communities, our lives – refreshed.

Yes, you can learn lessons from a chicken. Thanks, Susan.

It’s raining …again. That seems to be the story of our life, right? Open the floodgates of Heaven, let it rain? I’d be much more inclined to welcome the Reign with a cheerful spirit. You too?

Hey, I recently heard that there was no rain on the earth until the great flood of Noah’s time. How about that? I’m still digesting that, you know, working on that understanding thing, but that’s what I heard. Honestly, until Dr. Jeremiah told us that, I had never really thought about it. Oh, like you, many odd things run through my head, all at the same time, but whether it rained or not before the great flood definitely wasn’t one of them. But I’ve been rolling it around and checking it out. Every good Bible teacher will tell you to get into the Word and check it out. They will encourage you to be a studier of the Word, not just a reader. Dr. David Jeremiah is no exception.

Anyway, I’ve been pondering this rain thing, trying to work it out for myself. I’ve checked out God’s Word, Genesis, specifically and the internet (so it must be true – Bonjour!). The best I can tell is that there was no rain until the great flood. Of course, there is information to the contrary, you have to check the sources and come to your own conclusions.  But this rain thing is fascinating to me. I’m no scientist so I’m not going to try to explain it, I struggled to spell the word, but think about the implications of a rainless earth prior to the flood. Talk about a little climate change going on!

All the more reason for folks to look at Noah like he had twelve heads. He’s building a boat – what for? They’re watching and wondering. Their hearts were hard so the only answer was that the man was crazy.

When we talk about following Jesus, do you think folks ever feel the same way about us? Do they look at us like they looked at Noah, twelve heads? Are they watching us and wondering? Do they think we’re crazy? Undoubtedly, some do. Just like those in Noah’s time they had never seen rain and they weren’t open to believing something they hadn’t seen, so they couldn’t possibly understand what it was and they certainly weren’t going to set store by it. Who needed a boat? They were landlocked! It’s the same way in our time. There are those who have never seen Jesus who aren’t open to believing in something they can’t see, and so they can’t possibly believe. They don’t need a Savior. They are heartlocked.

Noah was a righteous man, the only blameless man living on earth at the time. He consistently followed God’s will and enjoyed a close relationship with him.
Genesis 6:9

Noah was a faithful man. Not a perfect man. A faithful man. It says he “consistently followed God’s will.” Do we stumble a little there? It says he “enjoyed a close relationship with him.” Do we stumble a little there?  Can those same things be said about me? About us? (Remember, I’m not alone in this journey.) Will He say…

Beth was a faithful woman. Not a perfect woman. A faithful woman. She consistently followed My will and enjoyed a close relationship with me.

Uh-oh, looks like I’ve got some work to do. Fill in your name. Am I in good company?  Shouldn’t that be our desire though?

By consistently following the Lord’s instruction and being in close relationship with Him, Noah set an example to all those around him. His faith was not influenced by the world, his faith influenced the world — there weren’t many but there were others on that boat. That’s exactly what we’re supposed to do too. We’re supposed to be different, if people don’t look at us as if we’re different, we need to check our faith. Our lives should be so radically different from the world that those who do not know Jesus notice the difference, maybe even think we’re a little crazy, a little extreme, a little fundamental, a little radical. So, how’s your faith?

Is that not the cutest thing ever? Even though the little thing resembles (check out the beard), that’s not his daddy. Here’s how it went down…Livi and Jon were on their way home from town last Sunday when they came across this little fella running down King Street in front of the Rocs and Sheetz stores. This small fry was dashing frantically between four lanes of traffic. Many folks were trying to help it. Jon was able to snatch it up.

Here’s the problem, the little guy’s chances of survival are slim. His survival would be miraculous. He’s only a few days old and without a mother – not good odds. So, they brought him home. Now, it’s not legal to keep wild animals without a license, so the only thing we could do was put him out in the field. His chances are pretty good out there, it’s getting on dropping time and there are a ton of deer. It’s very possible another mother will allow it to nurse and that gives it the best chance of survival. Although survival will be tough, the chance of survival is much greater in the field with other mothers than on King Street with no mother. This little fella now has a second chance, the first chance would have surely ended in death. The field is his best chance and everything deserves a chance.

You are to bring into the ark two of all living creatures, male and female, to keep them alive with you. Two of very kind of bird, of every kind of animal and of every kind of creature that moves along the ground will come to you to be kept alive. You are to take every kind of food that is to be eaten and store it away as food for you and for them.
Genesis 6:19-21

Do you see that? He loves His creation – remember, it was “good.” The Lord takes care of His creation. His instructions to Noah even provided food for the animals.

Look at the birds of the air, they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?
Matthew 6:26

And yet, look at how much more He loves us.

God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Romans 5:8

Just as that little buck has a chance at life, we too have the chance of eternal life. Ours though is not just a chance because God is not a God of chance, He is a God of choice. He chose us and we must choose Him. That’s how we survive for all eternity.

The little guy has been in the field a week and it appears as if he’s been adopted into another family. Isn’t that just like us? We’ve been adopted into the family of God – joint heirs with Jesus!

I went for a walk in town during lunch the other day. I’m walking down the street and I see a friend headed out to their vehicle. I wave, we exchange niceties, without missing a step. I then see this friend at the Stop sign. I then see this friend a block or so later. I started thinking…am I supposed to wave every time I see this person? Does one wave count for the whole day? Do I give half-waves after the initial full-wave? Is there a wave protocol? I don’t know. I just didn’t know what to do?

Have you ever been in that situation where you just didn’t know what to do? Where you didn’t know what to say? How to act? You know what I mean, right? Like hug or handshake. Bow or curtsy? Speak or don’t? What to do?!?!?!? Oh sure, there are those folks out there who always seem to get it right. They always know what to do and always know what to say, in every single situation. Those folks grate on me (she says in jest), because I rarely, if ever, know the right thing to do or the right thing to say.

So, that’s what I ruminated on during my walk – to wave or not wave, that is the question!?! Actually, I started thinking, more like obsessing, kind of like the worst-best on a bone. Other than Miss Manners, is there a one-stop answer for what to do, at all times – from grease spots to place settings? I know you know what I mean. Where are the answers to all of life’s questions?

Now you may be saying – I can’t believe she doesn’t know that, it’s The Bible! And you would be right, but that’s a 30,000 feet answer, for a six foot mind! Here it is:

But seek first the kingdom and his righteousness,
and all these things will be given to you as well.
Matthew 6:33

That’s a little anticlimactic, isn’t it? Oh no, I don’t mean that seeking the Lord is anticlimactic, I mean it’s probably not the response you expected. That’s the answer to the wave-or-not-to-wave question? Actually, it is! In fact, that’s the answer to every question we may have! How so? Seeking the kingdom is seeking the rule or reign of Jesus Christ over our lives. Are you seeing it?

“…the kingdom of God is within you.”
Luke 17-21

This means just what it says, that the kingdom is present within us. Jesus is our King. His Spirit is living within us. If Jesus is reigning over our lives, we will have right attitudes, we will have right thoughts, we will know what to say, we will know what to do. If His kingdom only reigns on Sundays, we will not have right attitudes and right thoughts. We will use our own words and select our own actions, which may not be pretty.   We will not be sinless but we will be conscious of it when we do.

The Lord continuously births faith in the yielded believer so they can know what He prefers.
1 John 5:4 (Strong’s)

Back to the original question – to wave or not to wave?  If He reigns within, even the smallest of our actions must be dictated by Him.  What would He prefer?  Let’s live our lives with that question on our minds.

Unending Chorus

My morning practice after my husband leaves for work is to wrap up in my porch blanket and sit on my deck with my prayer cat.

This morning I noticed a bird beginning to rustle around and awaken in the darkness of the sky. His song was so sweet. In the darkness he sang. Then another awakened, then another, then another. Their individual songs became this lovely, sweet chorus.

As the sky lightened and the sun was peaking, I noticed that the song did not end. Their chorus was unending. I stopped to think. Is my song unending? Is my chorus unending?

You know I don’t notice the chorus so much during the day. Why is that? It’s not because the song is not being sung, it’s because I don’t hear it. It isn’t because the birds stop singing, the chorus hasn’t stopped – it’s because I don’t listen to it. Even as I sit, the motion of my day has begun. I’m slowly moving on to what’s next in my day – work, home, family, obligations. Their song is growing faint.

Day noise – mind chatter — that drowns out the unending chorus. Living daily in God’s presence is cultivated. We don’t just wake up one morning and say today’s the day – I’m going to live in God’s presence today – I’m going to see Him in everything today. Unreasonable. Training our hearts and minds to reset on God every minute of the day takes training. The more we look, the more we see. The more we listen, the more we hear.

Zephaniah 3:17 says:

For the Lord your God is living among you. He is a mighty savior. He will take delight in you with gladness. With his love, he will calm all your fears. He will rejoice over you with joyful songs.

You see, He is living among us. Amen! He is a mighty warrior. Amen! He delights in me. Amen! He will calm my fears. Amen! He will rejoice over me with loud singing. Amen!

If I can’t see Him it’s not because He’s not present. If I can’t hear Him it’s not because He’s not present. Maybe there’s too much mind chatter… God’s song is being sung all day to everyone of us. He is rejoicing over us today. We need only train ourselves to hear His song. How do we do that? Simple steps…the next time you hear the birds unending chorus, think about how God is rejoicing over you with loud singing. Amazing. Rejoicing over me. Rejoicing over you.

As the deer panteth for the water so my soul will long after you today, Jesus, listening for your song. Persist in the presence of God – strain your ears to hear His love song over you today – long for the song.

What’s your vibe? What do you give off? What do you emit? At work the other day someone came to me and asked if I was upset with them. I said “No, why would you think that?!?!” Ahem. They said they felt I was “directing negative energy” toward them. What? What is negative energy? Is that like a science experiment? I don’t even know how to direct negative energy. I mean, look at me, I’m Little Miss Sunshine, unicorns, cupcakes and all that jazz. How could someone ask me that question? Slowly, very slowly, like a couple of days later slowly, I understood.

You see, there was this equipment malfunction at the office. I did what every civilized, professional, example-setter would do. I screamed at the equipment. I was frustrated over the lack of a solution to a nonsolutionable (Is that a word?) problem. You see, sometimes we can’t get blood out of a turnip, or blood out of a rock, or blood out of wine, however that saying goes. Some things just aren’t fixable, especially technology! Anyway, clearly, I was out of line. If my attitude was such that someone in the same room thought that I was directing negative energy at them, there was a problem.

I stopped. Thought. Prayed. Received. Frustration had oozed from me and damaged my witness, because of a stupid (it really is) scanner. I started thinking, how many times a day do people feel my negative energy? Whether it be frustration because of a piece of equipment, frustration because I’ve filled my busyness plate to over flowing, frustration because I don’t like what’s going on in my life, frustration because I don’t like what’s going on in your life, frustration because I feel completely out of control, frustration because I have too much to do and not enough time to do it, frustration because…frustration because…frustration because…you name it. I have no right to impose my frustrations, or as some would say my negative energy, on another.

I may not be looking or talking to anyone when directing my negative energy, nevertheless, negative energy rolls out. You’ve been in those situations where someone has sounded off and it feels like all the oxygen has been sucked out of the room. I’ve been the oxygen sucker. You have too. Chances are we didn’t even realize it until someone pointed it out. Regardless of what side you’ve been on, either side is not pleasant.

They claim to know God, but by their actions they deny him.
Titus 1:16

Brother Paul was talking specifically about false teachers who were condemned by personal conduct. They claimed one thing and acted out another. Their lives didn’t line up with their lips. They were leading folks astray. Not so different than me, huh? My lips proclaim my love for Jesus yet that’s not the life vibe I’m always giving off. That’s deceptive to folks. It is confusing when I say one thing and act another. So, what to do? Get it together. Stop making excuses. Live what I proclaim. Of course, I cannot do this alone – I’m desperate for God to give me the wisdom to know how to live what I proclaim and to choose to live that way.

If you are wise and understand God’s ways, live a life of steady goodness so that only good deeds will pour forth.
James 3:13

The scriptures tell us that if we are wise and understand God’s ways, our lives will reflect that. In fact, it says our lives will pour forth.

He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them his way.
Psalm 25:9

Well, it sounds like I’ve got some humbling to do if I want to be taught His ways. I can pretty much guarantee He doesn’t teach us to sound off at office equipment, be overly busy, pout about our lives, live out of control, you know what I mean, right? As Christians we need to give off good vibes. Who would want what we’ve got if we act like the rest of the world? We want folks to pick up our good vibrations. Good, good, good good vibrations!

I’ve been thinking about Memorial Day all week. It’s a national holiday. A day of observance, of recognition, as well it should be. But, in our changing world, we’ve become a little less traditional – not always a bad thing, I’m loving this business casual thing – but, sometimes in doing so, we forget the meaning behind some of our observances. Memorial Day is not just another three day weekend.

The Civil War ended in 1865. Because this war claimed more lives than any other U.S. conflict, it required the establishment of federal cemeteries. That’s a sobering thought, isn’t it? Through the decoration of graves, memorial services, and gatherings to pay homage to those many fallen soldiers, Decoration Day was established. Decoration Day became known as Memorial Day. Decoration Day was birthed as a result of the Civil War and observed each year, Memorial Day was established as a federal holiday in 1971. Memorial Day was established to honor all men and women who have died while serving in the U.S. military.

Many have died so that we and others throughout the entire world can be free. Free from bondage, free from oppression, and many other things that have held our country and other countries throughout the world captive.

Today, we honor those men and women who lost their lives so that I could live mine. I thank them and I thank their families

As I’ve been rolling Memorial Day around in my mind and thinking about all the freedoms I have as a result of others, folks I don’t even know who died for my freedoms, there’s something else I’ve been wondering: Shouldn’t we too include Jesus and God in our Memorial Day observances?

Didn’t Jesus pay the ultimate price for our freedom? Didn’t he lose His life so that I could live mine, eternally? Didn’t His death result in my freedom? Freedom from the oppression of sin? Freedom to choose eternal life? Just like those who gave their lives, Jesus too gave His life. Just like families offered up their loved ones through the military, God offered up His Son at the cross.

Through Jesus’ life, death and resurrection, we too are freed from bondage, free from oppression. We may not know those who died in the military conflicts, but we have an amazing opportunity to come to know The One who paid the ultimate price on a cross on a hill not just for my earthly freedom but most importantly for my eternal freedom. How do we memorialize that? How do we honor that?

The best way to honor someone is to live honorably. Maybe today we should think about those who gave their lives for us, for our earthly freedoms and most importantly for our eternal freedoms, and ask ourselves “Does my life bring honor to them? Does my life bring honor to Him?”

Everywhere we turn these days, folks are talking about carbs. We count our carbs, we limit our carbs, we balance our carbs. I’m counting, you’re counting, everybody’s counting, carbs. I could go Dr. Seuss on you, but I won’t. What even are carbs? I’m not going to get all nutritionist on you, because I can’t, you’ve seen my trough, but let’s just check it out. So, what’s a carb?

Carbohydrates are one of three nutrients (fat and protein are the other two), that provide energy for our bodies – the gas to go. You with me? I’m told there are two types of carbohydrates –sugar and starch. We eat these sugars and starches and something happens inside our bodies – who knows what — but the end result is energy. So, ice cream, fudge, macaroni salad, icing, chocolate, and brown sugar are good for me? Yes!!!!! Party on!

So, why is the whole world counting? This is how I understand it (remember, I’m not a nutritionist) if we eat a lot of carbohydrates, that’s the energy source our body will rely on and it will store fat.

Unfortunately, the energy from carbs doesn’t last long. We’ve all experienced the carb crash – muscle weakness, brain fog, and grumpiness – ahem. If we rely on carbs as our only source of energy, we will continually crave carbs and when our bodies run low on them, we will crash. Carbs give us short bursts of energy. Carbs cannot sustain us over the long haul.

One of our other energy sources, protein, keeps us fuller longer and does sustain us over the long haul. If we eat fewer carbs and more protein, our bodies will then use the protein and fat as our energy source. Proteins fuel our cells with the nutrients we need to keep us going, to sustain our energy levels, and to pump up our immune system.

Why am I checking into carbs? Just get to the point, right? Here’s the point. I’m checking into carbs because I heard it said that devotionals are like carbs. You get a short snipit of the Word of God that may soon leave you hungry and starving for energy. This initially confused/annoyed me (my eyes just rolled in case you didn’t see that). I mean come on, isn’t this blog a devotional? It talks about God. It references scripture. Doesn’t it have value?

After investigating carbs a little, I understand the statement and it’s a very true statement. Devotionals are like carbs and they cannot substitute or provide the energy we need to sustain us long-term. Only the written Word of God can do that. The Word of God is the protein. It provides the energy and support we need to grow and fully experience God. Furthermore, it provides us what we need most, immunity, protection, and a defense against things that would invade our hearts and minds.

Oh sure, devotionals have their place, they can definitely supplement our study of the Word of God, but they cannot be the sole source of our spiritual energy. We must feed our bodies with what will sustain us – protein versus carbs, a snipit of the Word of God, or the whole Word of God. Look here:

Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.
2 Peter 1:2

Peter is saying the more you know God and Jesus our Lord, the more grace and peace you will have. Who doesn’t want an abundance of grace and peace? Who doesn’t want more than enough grace and peace? That sounds terrific, doesn’t it? But, let’s not stop there.

His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.
For this reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from past sins.
2 Peter 1:3-9

Boom! His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him. We have got to know who He is! We cannot know who He is if we are only snipping at The Word.

Do you see that? Peter says make every effort…make every effort. Try hard. Work hard at it. Give it your all. What kind of effort? Bible study and prayer. Why? To add to our faith!

Faith must result in action. Look further in the passage. Peter says if we possess these qualities, the virtues we only learn through The Word of God, in increasing measure, not stagnant, or inert, but increasing in measure, it will keep us from being ineffective and unproductive in our knowledge of who Jesus is. Isn’t that awesome!?! Why is that so exciting, you ask? Because then we are living on protein – something that will sustain us!!!! Furthermore, we can feed other people!

Concerning this salvation, the prophets, who spoke of the grace that was to come to you, searched intently and with the greatest care, trying to find out the time and circumstances to which the Spirit of Christ in them was pointing when he predicted the suffering of Christ and the glories that would follow. It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but you, when the spoke of the things that have now been told you by those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven. Even angels long to look into these things.
1 Peter 1:10-12

Peter is saying to them, the prophets were told of the things to come but it wasn’t until years later, through the power of the Holy Spirit, it was preached to you. Big deal, you say. It is a big deal! Because of the Word of God we too know the things to come. Just as the prophets foretold of Jesus’ birth, death and resurrection, we can tell others of the abundant grace and peace that is available to them now and in the future.

We only know these things because they are in The Word. We ourselves cannot have knowledge of the abundance of grace and peace if we do not know the Word of God, that reveals who He is. I’m not bashing devotionals, I am a devotional! Devotionals are great tools, and sometimes that’s all we can do. But, devotionals cannot be a substitute for reading The Word of God. Open your Bible and read it. You will be amazed at your spiritual energy over the long haul.

You’ve heard it said that life is full of second chances. But, I’ve heard twice in one week, the mention of the possibility of just the opposite. Ahhh!!!!! Relax. It went something like this: We must listen to and act on Christ’s stirring of the heart because we never know if that opportunity may come again. What opportunity?

Let’s think on this a little. We do know that we don’t just choose to be saved, right? He stirs our heart to choose Him. Our parents can’t pass it on to us as if it’s a family possession. We don’t wake up one day and say today is the day, I’m going to be saved. It’s not about carpe diem, seizing or plucking the day. We choose whether or not to accept the salvation that Christ afforded to us, but it all starts with a stirring.

“It is the Spirit who gives eternal life. Human effort accomplishes nothing. And the very words I have spoken to you are spirit and life. But some of you don’t believe me.” (For Jesus knew from the beginning who didn’t believe, and he knew who would betray him.) “That is what I meant when I said that people can’t come to me unless the Father brings them to me.”
John 6:63-65

A stirring in the heart. What does that mean? What’s she talking about? How can a heart be stirred? What’s it feel like? Search your minds, you guys know what I mean. Even the most imperceptible of us have experienced stirrings in our lives, in our hearts – you know, that tug at your heart – that inner voice saying sit up and listen – that intuition, a hunch, a perception – you know, something in your gut – for those of us who are “feelers,” that feeling you feel when you’re feeling. So now that we know what it is, what do we do about it? Answer the call of Christ. Many have answered the call, some are on the brink. He has put eternity in our hearts, when stirred, accept. Don’t delay. We may not have the opportunity again.

I have called you my name, you are mine.
Isaiah 32:1

Upon answering the call of Christ, our hearts will continue to be stirred. The stir to tell someone about Jesus and what He’s done for us, for them. The stir to talk about the change He’s made in our lives because of his death, burial and resurrection – that’s the Good News! The stir to talk about how sin has lost it’s grip on us – we no longer have to be slaves to it. The stir to talk about being filled with a peace that passes all understanding – not an easy life, but a peace-filled life. The stir to talk about who we are now through the power of Christ on the cross – the Spirit within.

This is why I remind you to fan the flames the spiritual gift God gave you when I laid hands on you. For God has not given us a spirit of fear or timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline. So you must never be ashamed to tell others about our Lord.
2 Timothy 1:6-8

As Christians, all those things that stir our heart are beautiful things. Some painful things, but nonetheless beautiful. Why? Because they are stirrings of the Spirit. We don’t want to miss the opportunity to convey the saving power of our Lord – it is our responsibility as Christians, and the importance of which cannot be underestimated  in as much as we may never have the opportunity again.

We are true West Virginians, born and bred, and way proud of it! We fly the colors, blue and gold (Yeller or old gold? There’s that debate.) We walk with one leg shorter than the other because of the ridge tops, we are fiercely proud, barefoot and pregnant (not I!), we are God fearing, gun toting, moonshine drinking, deer hunting, Moth man chasing, ramp eating people, at least that’s what folks on the outside say.

But this past Sunday evening I truly felt at one with this great State. Tony and I had been on vacation. We got back in town Saturday afternoon. It’s always good to get away, but it’s always great to come home – my home is West Virginia. Anyway, you know what happens when you get home from vacation, you unpack, go to the grocery store, catch up on mowing, and do massive mounds of laundry. So, I started on the massive mounds. Load em up.  But, there was a problem. When I hit start on the dryer it made this hideous noise. Not a little grind or squeak but a high pitched, nonstop squeal. Not just a let’s sit on the front porch until the dryer stops, but a noise ordinance (Do we have one?) violating noise.

We did what every innovative West Virginian would do — we Googled it! We diagnosed what we thought the problem was and Tony started taking the dryer apart. We went at it. Do you know how many parts there are to a dryer? We had dryer pieces and parts laying all over our kitchen and laundry room. After a bit we determined that we were not Maytag repair men and we had to go with Plan B. We did a little cost comparison – age vs. repair vs. purchase and at 7:00 on Sunday evening, we ran to Lowe’s and we got a new dryer – Happy Mother’s Day to me!

We brought her home – her, because all laundry goddesses give life to their appliances – it’s a partnership. We did what everyone does with a broken dryer at 8:00 on a Sunday night – moved that puppy to the back porch. That’s the moment I felt at one with our great State. With many of our kinsmen in West Virginia, we now have an appliance on a porch. Although our neighbors are probably going – what?!? I’m not too hung up on it. We have finally arrived. We are finally living up to the perception of others. Every State has it’s identifiers – those things it’s known for – whether they are true or not — and each State has their loyalists, those myth busters that constantly try to debunk or challenge what other people think.

I got to thinking. What am I known for? Are there perceptions (you know that’s reality to folks) that need to be debunked? Are there myths about me that others think are true? Maybe.  You too, I bet.

People struggled with who Jesus was too. There was a time even the disciples did.

“Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!”
Mark 4:41

But then the disciples arrived, became one with the One.

“Who do people say the Son of Man is?” They replied, “Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets. “But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
Matthew 16:13-15

You see, the myths people believed about Jesus were slowly debunked.

Folks were looking for a military leader — He led the Lord’s army. Folks were looking for someone to save them –He is the Savior of the world. Folks were looking for a king – His Kingdom will reign forever. Folks were looking for someone to cure what ails them – He came to provide the ultimate cure — healing of broken and dead hearts.

That’s what He was known for. That’s who He was. How did people know that? That’s what His life reflected. Jesus didn’t just tell them who He was – He lived who He was. How He lived His life is what debunked the myths.

He truly was the Son of God.
Matthew 27:54

That’s an example to follow, isn’t it? Our actions speak louder than our words. We can talk about Jesus all we want but our lives and our lips have to line up. If they don’t, we’re no more than a myth. – we are not believed to be true. So who do people say we are? Maybe the best question is not who do they say we are, but whose do they say we are? How can they tell? Is perception reality?