first love

Someone once wrote, “Love is a many splendored thing.” Human beings are obsessed with love – rightfully so. Love is completely intangible, yet supremely indispensible. Love is nearly impossible to define, yet most of us can’t imagine an existence devoid of it. It frustrates us and fulfills us at the same time. It fills our stomachs with butterflies and, at times, injects our hearts with pain. Yet, in spite of heartache, we still search for enduring love. We write songs about love, make movies about love, and read books about love. Love truly is vital for us to flourish as people.

Many of us have been found by Christ and have tasted the love of God – a love that quenches a profound yearning for intimacy and purpose deep in our souls. Most of us can remember the moment our eyes were opened to the love that Jesus was offering to us. Maybe you were in church and you heard a message about the love of God that paid for your sins and you were suddenly struck with the realization that you needed the forgiveness that this love offered. Maybe you were at home and the words of a friend or family member finally soaked in and the barriers that you had built suddenly began crumbling under the realization that God loved you in spite of all that you had done. Maybe you were driving in your car and you heard a stranger’s voice declaring the immeasurable love of Jesus through the airwaves and as the Holy Spirit enlightened your heart you surrendered to His unspeakable grace. Wherever you were, you probably remember the immense joy and indescribable love that swamped your soul and engulfed your life.

The funny thing about love, though, is that in spite of the fact that it is vital for our existence, we so easily begin to take it for granted. It happens all the time with married couples. A man pursues, woos, and romances the woman of his dreams until she finally capitulates and agrees to marry him. Most of the time, men don’t do a very good job of keeping that romance going. After a time, the same man that went out of his way to court the woman he married will begin to take her love for granted. Unfortunately, the same is true of us as lovers of Jesus. Most of us experience incredible love and gratitude toward Jesus when we first meet Him, but too often after a few years the fire of that love grows cold. If many of us were to examine our hearts closely, we might find that we have directed our love and our passion away from the things that really matter in life and toward things that are fleeting. In particular, many of us would discover that we have grown to love other things more than we love Jesus…and I hope that discovery would break your heart.

That’s what happened to the church in Ephesus when its members were forced to realize that they had lost their first love. In Revelation 2, Jesus commends them for their works, their endurance, and their doctrine. On the heels of that commendation He says, “But I have this against you, that you have left your first love.” They had done all the right things, but had forgotten why they were doing them. Jesus offered a prescription to them for rediscovering what they had lost. In Revelation 2:5, Jesus said, “Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first.”

The pathway to rediscovering your first love of Jesus starts with remembering. Remember where you used to be. Remember who you used to be. Remember what Christ saved you from. Remember what it was like to know that you had been forgiven. Remember the indescribable emotions that flooded your heart after you met the Savior. Remember all of those things and let those memories give birth to a longing to return to your first love – Jesus. After you remember, the next step is to repent. Repentance literally means “a change of mind.” To repent means that you change your mind about what’s important to you and you change your mind about what you will pursue with your time, energy, and money. You begin to agree with God about where you are as a person and ask Him to change your heart. That change of mind leads to a change of action and you “do the works you did at first.”

There are plenty of things that we need to do as a church, but the most important thing we can do is fall in love with Jesus all over again. Let’s pursue our relationship with Him. Let’s chase after the things that bring joy to His heart. Let’s fall in love with Jesus again.

sing

I love being a dad. I mean, I absolutely love it. Granted, there are a few parts of parenting that aren’t much fun. When your child is very young, you have to do terribly nasty things like change poopy diapers. (I never imagined that I would ever use the word “poopy” in a blog post…I feel strangely proud.) There are nights when you’re required to get up in the middle of the night to clean up after an upset stomach finds relief…not fun. Neither is it enjoyable to deal with the drama that often follows when you tell a four-year-old, “No.” Doling out discipline is torturous. I now understand what my parents meant when they said absurd things like, “This is going to hurt me more than it hurts you.” When my dad said something like that I always wanted to knowingly nod my head and reply, “I understand. Don’t put yourself through it.” Fortunately, even as a child I had a modicum of wisdom that helped me resist the urge to say something that would surely have caused me even greater pain that I was about to endure. On top of these things, I cringe in fear when I think of the horrors that await me as a future dad of teenage girls, but I digress.

While it’s true that there are difficult, messy, and painful responsibilities that I have to tend to as a dad, the weight of those things is nothing compared to the joy that I find. Nothing this world has to offer can compare to those moments when one of my girls walks up to me and gives me a kiss, not because she wants something from me, but just because she loves me. Deep pleasure wells up inside my heart when I hear my girls laughing and giggling as they play. My soul feels warm when my girls want to cuddle with me on the sofa as the day is winding down. My life as a dad is absolutely filled with joy.

One of the greatest of these joys is when my daughters and I share our love of music. My girls love to sing and dance. In our house, it is not uncommon to be treated to an impromptu dance recital or a spontaneous vocal performance filled with songs, some of which are recognizable and others that are born out of the moment. I love to hear my girls sing. When we are driving in the car, I love to crank up one of our favorite songs and we sing together at the top of our lungs. The notes aren’t always in tune (for you American Idol fans, “That was a little pitchy, dog.”), but I don’t care. When my little girls sing, Daddy’s heart melts.

I believe that when we sing to our God and willingly lavish our love on Him He is pleased. As our Heavenly Father, His love for us knows no bounds and His heart is filled with joy when He hears his children sing. Listen to just a little of what the Bible says about singing to the Lord.

1 Chronicles 16:23–25 (ESV) - Sing to the Lord, all the earth! Tell of his salvation from day to day. Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous works among all the peoples! For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised, and he is to be held in awe above all gods.

Psalm 13:6 (ESV) - I will sing to the Lord, because he has dealt bountifully with me.

Psalm 59:16–17 (ESV) - But I will sing of your strength; I will sing aloud of your steadfast love in the morning. For you have been to me a fortress and a refuge in the day of my distress. O my Strength, I will sing praises to you, for you, O God, are my fortress, the God who shows me steadfast love.

Psalm 95:1–3 (ESV) - Oh come, let us sing to the Lord; let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation! Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise! For the Lord is a great God, and a great King above all gods.

Isaiah 5:1 (ESV) - Let me sing for my beloved my love song…

Zechariah 2:10 (ESV) - Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion, for behold, I come and I will dwell in your midst, declares the Lord.

This is just a tiny sampling of literally hundreds of verses that tell us to sing to our God. Don’t let it be mere cognitive knowledge. Let it sink into your heart and put it into action. Sing to Him! Let your heart overflow with love! Don’t hold back! Don’t let anything stop you! You’re singing for an audience of one, and He doesn’t care if it’s “pitchy.” Your song of love for Him brings joy beyond measure to His heart. So, open your mouth wide, throw your shoulders back, and sing with all the intensity you can muster! Your Father will love it.

be still

Have you ever had one of those crazy days where it just seems like life goes haywire? Have you ever had one of those days where you just didn’t know if you could handle all the stress, all the uncertainty, or all the pain? Have you ever had one of those days where no matter how hard you struggled you just seemed to sink deeper into the quagmire? Maybe that day turned into weeks, the weeks turned into months, and the months turned into years and you’re still fighting.

We try so hard to fix ourselves and to manage our circumstances. It's the American way. That's why we love John Wayne, Rambo, and Wyatt Earp so much. (I'm pretty sure I've never used those names in the same sentence before.) We live with a suicidal love affair with self reliance. We subsist in the illusion of control, when we really have no control over anything that really matters. You've probably witnessed the illusion of control evaporate in a person's life after a single conversation with a doctor who says the dreaded "c" word - cancer. Or maybe the illusion of control was shattered by a financial disaster. Or maybe it was destroyed by the death of a loved one. However it happened, if you have lived on the face of this earth for very long, it has happened. And yet, we continue in our insistence that we are self-sufficient. We say things like:

• "I don't need anybody else."
• "I can handle it." 
• "I just need to try harder."
• "I'll just pick myself up by the bootstraps and move on."

If that paints a picture of where you find yourself today, I think the Lord has something to say to you. Stop. Stop trying to fix things in your own strength and wisdom. Stop worrying about things that are out of your control. Stop struggling so hard to find freedom. Stop tying yourself up in knots wondering if He could possibly still love you after you've let Him down for the umpteenth time. Stop living in fear of the unknown, or of failure, or of being alone, or of being unloved and unwanted. Stop trying to earn His affections. Stop working so hard to change your heart...you can't.

Psalm 46:10 says, “Be still, and know that I am God.” Slow down. Quiet your heart. Know that He is God. Believe that He is more than powerful enough to take care of you and those whom you love. When the disciples were afraid for their lives in the midst of a storm, Jesus simply said, "Be still," and the wind and the waves obeyed Him. He calmed the tempest in an instant and at any moment He can silence the storm in your life. If He hasn't silenced the storm, then maybe He's trying to teach you something through it. Maybe He's trying to develop something eternal through temporary circumstances. Maybe He's been trying to talk to you, but you've been so busy "fighting the good fight" that you haven't heard a thing He's been saying. Slow down enough to hear the voice of your Creator and trust Him. He knows where you are, He knows what He’s doing, He loves you, and He is God. That, my friend, is a powerful combination.

three dark days

Have you ever thought about how the disciples must have felt during the three days and three nights when Jesus’ lifeless body was lying in a cold, dark tomb guarded by Roman soldiers? All of their dreams for a better future had been tied to this man and now he was dead…and so were their dreams. All the talk about who would be the greatest in the kingdom seemed silly now. All the miracles that had been performed seemed pointless. All the hope was now hollow. The joy of knowing Jesus had evaporated. Jesus had told them repeatedly that he was going to rise from the dead on the third day, but they never understood it. Perhaps it was because they were so busy denying that he would die in the first place. Regardless, they lived a grim existence devoid of hope for three days and three nights.

Like the disciples, you may find yourself in a place filled with darkness and despair. Maybe it was a conversation with your doctor and the news was not good. Maybe the one person you thought you could trust has thrust the knife of betrayal deep into your back and twisted it for good measure. Maybe your facing a mountain of financial problems so large that it seems an exercise in futility to attempt to scale it. Maybe death has come knocking at your door leaving a house that is all too quiet and left you wondering why you didn't say all the things you wanted to say. Your joy may have vanished like a morning fog that’s been burned away by the midday sun. Depression and anxiety may have descended upon you like a dark, foreboding cloud. Like the disciples, it may seem that any expectation for a brighter tomorrow has melted away and evaporated like an ice cube on the sidewalk on a sweltering summer day.

The good news is that the disciples' story didn't end there. The three days of pain, disillusionment, and confusion that the disciples endured must have seemed like an eternity…but then came Sunday. Jesus came back to life and so did their joy, their hope, and their future. Even when we walk through the valley of despair, hope is still alive because Jesus is alive. No matter what sorrows may befall us in this life, we gain strength knowing that it is only temporary and we are not forsaken. Hold on to Jesus. He will not leave you alone.

death and taxes

“In this world nothing is certain but death and taxes.” We have all heard the famous saying penned by Benjamin Franklin. It speaks to us of the uncertainties of life and the inevitability of change. If you’ve spent much time on this terrestrial sphere, you have come to realize that there isn’t much that a person can count on. We can make plans, but there’s no guarantee that any of them will ever come to pass. We all know people whose plans for life were cut short by illness, tragedy, or financial calamity. Truly, there are very few things in life we can count on. Life is fluid. It’s like a river that is forced to twist and turn as it makes its way toward the ocean. We don’t know what tomorrow will bring or how the events of tomorrow will affect our plans for the future. It can be a little unsettling to ponder this reality. What do we do when we realize that our lives are riddled with uncertainty? Where can we find a foundation solid enough to carry us through the uncertainties of this world?

For the follower of Christ, there are some things that we can count on. There are truths that serve as a warm blanket for the soul. They bring comfort and peace even in the midst of turmoil and ambiguity. They supply a foundation that’s strong enough to hold in the fiercest tempest. They provide courage in the face of our most crushing fears. They furnish an anchor that keeps the soul steady when circumstances erupt in our lives that threaten to send us into the depths of despair. Among the many truths from scripture that we can count on, two of the most powerful are God’s grace and God’s love.

In a world of uncertainty, we can count on the truth that the grace of God is sufficient for us. When Paul was walking the face of this earth, he was afflicted with a “thorn in the flesh.” We don’t know what that thorn was, but we do know that he pleaded with God for its removal on three different occasions. God’s reply to Paul provides a principle that tutors us all. He told Paul that he wasn’t going to remove Paul’s thorn in the flesh for some very specific reasons. That must have been disheartening for Paul to hear that, but the Lord also added a word of encouragement when He said, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9, ESV). When life becomes particularly grueling, it is in that moment that we comprehend the true depths of our weakness. For the follower of Christ, it is also in that moment that we begin to grasp how unfathomable His grace and His strength are.

Another truth we can count on is that He loves us. If you’re like me, there are many times in life that you feel unlovable. It’s easy for me to believe that God will love some future version of me, but how could He love me now? I am constantly being wooed by the things of this world and my heart so easily wanders from the God I love. How could he still love someone like me? The answer to that was revealed to me after my first daughter was born. Any parent will tell you that the early years of a child’s life are filled with some pretty nasty stuff. Changing diapers is a horrible, horrible job. However, I never told my little girl that I would only love her after she figured out how to use the toilet. I loved her regardless of the mess and worked to help her mature. That’s the way the Father is with us. He loves us the way we are, but loves us too much to leave us wallowing in our own mess.

When my girls were learning how to walk, they constantly fell down. I didn’t respond to that with anger. In fact, I barely noticed it when they tumbled. I was too busy rejoicing over the steps they had taken to be upset with the fact that they had fallen. So it is with our heavenly Father. As we learn to walk with Him, we will stumble and fall. It is at that point that many of us believe that He is angry with us and couldn’t possibly love us anymore. He’s not angry. He picks us up, dusts us off, and says, “You were walking! Let’s try it again!” He longs for us to grow up and learn to keep in step with the Spirit, but when we fall his love doesn’t change in the slightest. When we fall He rejoices over the steps we’ve taken in the right direction and goes to work to help us with our next steps.

When you need a rock upon which to stand, remember God’s grace and His love, and find the strength and peace of God that sustains the human soul. These things you can count on.

avoiding god

I was recently reading Francis Chan's book "Forgotten God" about the person and work of the Holy Spirit. At one point he asks a question that I think is both intriguing and in some ways frightening. Essentially he asks, "When was the last time you undeniably saw the Spirit at work in or around you?" That's a question every follower of Christ should be asking themselves. Ask yourself that question. If you've recently witnessed the undeniable work of the Spirit in you or around you, then pause for a few minutes to give thanks to God for the opportunity to witness the supernatural at work in our natural world and for His active work in your life.

If that question brings you to the realization that it’s been a while since you’ve witnessed the Holy Spirit irrefutably working in or around you, then it’s time to ask yourself, “Why?” Could it be that you’ve heard Him ask you to do something that carried with it the risk of looking foolish, so you decided to ignore His prompting and convinced yourself that it wasn’t God speaking to you? Could it be that your life is filled with so much activity that the voice of the Spirit can’t be heard above the din? Could it be that you’re harboring something in your heart that you’ve been unwilling to yield to the lordship of Christ, so you’ve been avoiding His presence in order to sidestep dealing with it?

Whatever the reason, we all need to remember that the Father loves us and He is working in our lives with an eternal perspective. We tend to lose sight of eternity and live as if this life is all there is. When we lose the perspective that this life is temporary, then we begin to live in fear and we end up giving our lives to things that are ultimately meaningless. We all need to slow down and take time to listen to God. We can trust Him to work in our lives for our good…even if it frightens us.

insatiable

I have always loved tacos. Now, when I say that I loved tacos, what I really mean is that I had an absolutely insatiable appetite for tacos. Whenever our family had tacos for dinner, I would invariably be the last one at the table and I would eat and eat and eat until there was nothing left to eat. My parents would just look at me and sadly shake their heads. To this day, my dad will chuckle and ask me if I can still eat my weight in tacos. The answer is: Yes, I can…but I don’t like to show off. 

I’m wondering about our appetite for God. Are we insatiable, or are we too easily satisfied in our relationship with Him? My fear is that many of us get just enough of Jesus to inoculate us from Him. Someone once said that you have as much of God right now as you really want. He’s not holding out on you. If your relationship with Him isn’t what it should be, could it be because you’ve turned your attention elsewhere and you really don’t want more of Him? May God awaken an insatiable desire for Him in our hearts.

love

It’s Valentine’s Day! Men, if you’ve forgotten that today is Valentine’s Day…it’s too late…no one can help you now. Seriously, though, today is a day we set aside each year to celebrate love. It’s healthy for us to pause and reflect on the depth of love that we have for those around us because it’s terribly easy for us to begin to take them for granted. It’s easy to forget the qualities that attracted you to your spouse and begin to focus on all the “defects” you’ve discovered since they stopped courting you. It’s easy to forget the wonder of God’s creative power when our children have stepped on our last nerve. Maybe we need to slow down and remember how much we love those whom God has placed in our lives.

Maybe we need to slow down and remember the Father’s love for us, too. If we begin to take for granted the love of those we see, how much easier is it for us to take for granted the love of an invisible God? Today, as you celebrate the love you have in your life, don’t forget to take time to remember the One who showed us what love is. Give Him your best love today. You won’t regret it.

read this!

It has been a crazy, crazy summer. My family and I have relocated to Georgetown, South Carolina, and we love it! We miss all of our dear friends in Reno, but we are certain that we're in God's will for our lives. In all of the business, I haven't had a chance to post anything, but I hope to get settled back into the groove of things soon.

In the meantime, Perry Noble nailed it in his blog about 14 Things That Jesus Did Not Say. You've got to read it and tell me what you think.

just drive

I was driving in my car the other day and my three-year-old daughter, Abby, was with me. We had been in the car for quite a while and I knew we would be picking up my older daughter from school soon, so I thought it would be a good idea to make sure that Abby didn't need a potty break. So, I asked, "Abby, do you need to go potty?" She didn't answer, so I asked again only this time a little more forcefully, "Abby, do you need to go potty?" Again...no answer. This pattern of asking and ignoring went on for a while until Abby finally couldn't stand it anymore. She barely looked up from the toy that had captured her attention and with a certain level of disgust said, "Just drive!"

After I stopped laughing, I began to think about that scenario. I realized that there are many, many times that I don't know what God is up to and I'm full of questions. I begin to storm heaven with a barrage questions: "What are you doing? Why is this happening? How are you going to fix this? Why won't you answer me?"

I think there are times when God looks at me and, like Abby, says, "Just drive!" He tells me to stop worrying about the mysteries of life, the timing of His will, and all my questions about the future, and says, "Just keep moving forward with what I've placed in front of you."

I'm learning how to learn to trust Him with all the uncertainties and unanswered questions of life. The key is to walk in obedience to the things I do know, and stop wasting my time and energy on the things I don't. I have a lot of questions about certain things in my life right now, but instead of worrying about those things, I think I'll just drive.