CamDevo

A friend of mine who couldn’t swim well risked a canoe ride. Unfortunately as she was getting into the boat from a pier, it tipped, and she fell into the water. She panicked and thrashed. Her friends were yelling advice to her from the pier and the shore. She continued to flop and splash and do her best to keep her head above water.

Finally, she stopped floundering, too weak to continue her fight. Once her splashing stopped, she could finally hear what her friends had been yelling: “Stand up!”

Sheepishly, she straightened her legs and was able to stand on the muddy bottom of the lake with her head comfortably above the surface.

“So I take pleasure in weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and in difficulties, for the sake of Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” (2 Corinthians‬ ‭12‬:‭10,‬ ‭CSB‬‬)

In times of crisis, I tend to flop and flail around in a panic. I think I have to struggle and fight and figure it all out by myself. I let fear take hold and despair set in.

But like the stable lake bottom, God is always with me. He is there to hold me up with infinite strength. All I have to do is stop flailing and stand on Him.

Dear God, I’m so glad that you are always here with me and always strong enough to provide what I need to accomplish your will. Forgive me for trying to use my limited strength and doing things my way. Remind me to always turn to you, listen and obey. In you I can stand strong no matter what dark waters swirl around me.

What I wear is very important. It seems a little silly to say as I’m sitting on my couch wearing jeans and a sweatshirt. But we humans use clothing to distinguish who we are and what we do.

The clothes I wear can tell you that I’m in the military, and exactly what branch, rank, unit, how long I’ve served, and for which country. My clothes can tell you what college I attended or what sports team I care about. My clothes can indicate that I’m an employee at the store you are shopping in. When I go home after my shift, the first thing I do is change my clothes.

“Therefore, as God’s chosen ones, holy and dearly loved, put on compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience,” (Colossians‬ ‭3‬:‭12,‬ ‭CSB‬‬)

What I wear is very important. This includes what I put on inside. When I wake up in the morning, I think carefully about my shirt. I check the temperature so I know whether I should wear a sweater or a t-shirt. I check my calendar so I know whether I’m going to be seen in public or slouching around at home.

But I should also take some time to check my attitude. I need to reach into God’s closet for a fresh set of compassion, humility, kindness, gentleness, and patience.

If I don’t wear God’s loving Spirit, people won’t recognize me as His child. They won’t know to come to me for prayer or help any more than they’d know I was a police officer if I weren’t wearing my uniform.

Dear God, remind me to wear your beautiful uniform of love every day. Forgive me for getting lazy and throwing on the dirty garb of hatred, apathy, and selfishness instead. I want to be recognized as your obedient employee, ready to help and to love.

America just elected a narcissist to be our president. This is what our culture values. Self-promotion, without regard to validity, is rewarded. Celebrities are worshiped just for being celebrities. (If they have some talent too, so much the better. It’s easier to justify the adoration.)

And everyone wants to be that worshipped celebrity. Kids are learning to seek likes and followers more than friends and genuine relationships. Getting seen in a selfie from Rome is more valuable than experiencing a trip to Rome.

This kind of clamoring after the power of fame was present in Jesus’s time as well. The main perpetrators were the leaders of the church. They enjoyed celebrity and the fawning worship and power it brought them.

That’s why they hated Jesus so much. For one thing, Jesus was gaining His own fame, stealing their power. But even worse, He was preaching things that turned their power structure upside down. Jesus said the last shall be first. As people who thought of themselves as first class, they did not like that one bit. Jesus taught that the command to love God and love other people summed up the entire law, which basically rendered moot the laws the church leaders been using to manipulate and control the people. Jesus taught about our chance to have a personal relationship with God, which pushed the church leaders out of the picture. Jesus lived and taught humility, and the world hated Him for it.

“Do nothing out of selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility consider others as more important than yourselves.” (Philippians‬ ‭2‬:‭3,‬ ‭CSB‬‬)

Jesus modeled this verse for us and expects His followers to go and do likewise.

Dear God, please forgive the times when I seek to feel important instead of seeking to love others well. Forgive me also for the times when I give my allegiance to people who don’t love you. If someone I’m following is not pointing the way to you, remind me that I’m on the wrong path.

When I was a small child, I first learned that my actions have consequences. If I don’t pay attention while pounding a nail, I might end up pounding my thumb. If I tattle on my sister today, she may tell on me tomorrow. If I sleep in, I may miss the bus which creates a whole cascading series of consequences.

Occasionally I was able to escape some consequences, like when I didn’t get caught stealing a candy bar, I didn’t get in trouble. But the consequence of guilt and shame remained.

Every day, we all deal with the consequences of our decisions. Sometimes those consequences are good, but often the consequences are unpleasant, unexpected, and undesirable.

Occasionally the consequences don’t correspond to the actions — like when a man unremorsefully commits crimes but gets elected president, or when another man dies after rescuing a child from a fire — but that is because we live in a fallen world.

One day, there will be a reckoning however, where all my sin in this life will come back to me in full measure. The wages of sin is death.

Fortunately, God loves me despite my bad choices and selfish behavior. When I repent and choose Jesus to be my Lord and Savior, I can escape my consequences.

“Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus,” (Romans‬ ‭8‬:‭1,‬ ‭CSB)‬

I can have true everlasting immunity.

Dear God, I am so grateful for the escape from my ultimate consequences that you provide for me through the sacrifice of your Son, Jesus. In the meantime, teach me how to live up to the immunity I did not earn and do not deserve.

On the night of the last supper, Jesus told His disciples many things. Some were very frightening. He kept saying He would be leaving them. They had no idea what He was talking about, but I’m sure there was trepidation, bewilderment, and fear. They knew something momentous would happen, and it wouldn’t be good if it needed so much preamble, warning, and prayer.

Sure enough, the events of the next couple of days were the worst they could have imagined. All seemed lost.

“Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Don’t let your heart be troubled or fearful.” (John‬ ‭14‬:‭27‬, ‭CSB‬‬)

And yet, all was not lost. No matter our situation here on earth, God is exactly the same from one day to the next. When change comes, bringing bad news, God is still the ultimate power in the universe. His plan cannot be thwarted. And His plan is good.

Difficult times will come and go. Days may seem dark and hopeless, but God is at work. His love is all around for me to draw from. He expects me to keep on distributing His love in this present darkness until He comes again.

Knowing God means knowing true peace, in the midst of a warring world.

Dear God,

I’m so grateful that you never change. I look to you for hope today. I know your love reigns, and your plans are in full swing at all times despite appearances. Give me the courage to keep hoping for your swift return and to keep loving in the meantime.

I’ve lived with roommates, and I’ve lived alone. Living alone has its charms. Everything stays exactly where I put it. The only messes are the ones I made (which are totally reasonable, and will be cleaned as soon as necessary.) I can watch whatever I want on TV or play music or enjoy silence at any time.

But living alone was also lonely sometimes. When I laughed at a TV show, the sound echoed hollowly off the walls. When I came home from work, there was no one to greet me or to have prepared a meal. There was never anyone to notice my discouragement or exuberance, and if I wanted someone to talk to, I had to make a call or a trip or an invitation.

Living with other people can help with the loneliness issue, but it can also go badly off the rails. Instead of feeling lonely, conflict can cause anger, resentment, and frustration. If it gets contentious enough, I can even dread coming home. Or living with someone who has the same weaknesses as I do can bring out both of our worst selves.

But sometimes, things go smoothly between cohabitants. That is the dream. Privacy is maintained while loneliness is banished. Cooperation and empathy reign. Triumphs are celebrated and multiplied. Griefs are divided and put into perspective.

“How delightfully good when brothers live together in harmony!” (Psalms‬ ‭133‬:‭1,‬ ‭CSB‬‬)

As Christians, we should always strive toward harmony with each other. Not just among those we live with, but among those we worship with, pray with, study with, share God’s purpose with. We need to be the best roommates in this harsh and foreign world. Empathy, understanding, patience, and generosity should be on our interpersonal agendas instead of fighting about who’s right, who’s wrong, or whose turn it is to wash the dishes. If we can’t get along, who would want to come live with us?

Dear God,

Thank you for giving us the church so that we can worship you in harmony, sharing our joys and dividing our sorrows. I’m sorry that we are so fractured and caught up on unimportant details instead of prioritizing love for you and for other people. Help me to be a good roommate to my fellow believers and thus an effective witness to those looking in from the outside.

In this world of greed, someone is always trying to get me to buy more. And the best way to get me to buy something is to convince me that I have a problem which can be solved by a product you sell. To get me to buy soap, you must show me how dirty I am. To get me to buy a new car, you have to show me how slow or ugly or unreliable or outdated my current car is.

In other words, negativity sells. When I am told that things are bad, and I dwell on all that is wrong with my life, I will be ripe for manipulative sales tactics for everything from political campaigns to toothpaste.

To break out of the hyper-consumerism of this culture, I need to stop listening to the fear-mongering sellers of discontent and despair and focus on the Truth. After all, it’s really hard to sell anything to a happy, contented person.

“Finally brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable — if there is any moral excellence and if there is anything praiseworthy — dwell on these things.” (Philippians‬ ‭4‬:‭8,‬ ‭CSB)‬‬

The truth is that no matter what is going on in the world or in my life, God is the same. He loves me, He has a plan for me, and He will never forsake me. When I follow God, I already have everything I need.

Dear God, thank you for your promise to meet all my needs when I let you be my Shepherd. When I trust you and follow your voice, you will tend to me with loving mercy and generosity. Forgive me for letting fear lead me instead, for letting the world tell me I am lacking, and for listening to ugliness and lies. Teach me how to dwell on whatever is true, lovely, and excellent.

My brain cannot grasp infinity. And I have tried. I was a math whiz in school and loved solving math problems. I used to travel around the state with some fellow students to compete in Mathlete competitions. Great fun.

But I still couldn’t really wrap my head around infinity. How can pi have an infinite number of decimal places? How can 1/x never quite reach 0 no matter how large I make x (or as x approaches infinity)? How can it be that no matter how small I cut a piece of pie, I can still cut the piece in half (theoretically)?

Infinity, to my human brain, is an idea. And that’s all it can be. I might as well try to divide 1 by beauty. It just doesn’t compute.

But to God, infinity is an ordinary fact of life. He is infinite, and He created an infinite space for us, as far as we can tell. It must be mind-blowing to be an astronaut looking out into the darkness beyond earth. Does it end? Where does it end? How can it not end?!

“When I observe your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you set in place, what is a human being that you remember him, a son of man that you look after him?”
‭‭(Psalms‬ ‭8‬:‭3‬-‭4,‬ ‭CSB)‬‬

Despite the enormity of God’s creation, from the incomprehensible vastness of outer space to the infinite smallness of the space between our molecules and everything that exists in between, God notices little, old me. And not only does He notice me, He is interested in me. He cares about me. He loves me. He wants a relationship with me. And the same is true for you.

That is almost as mind-boggling as the idea of infinity.

Dear God,

You blow my mind. When I try to understand even basic facts about your creation, I am hopelessly lost. But I am so glad that I am not insignificant to you. What a joy that you consider me, that you look after me, that you actually love me. Thank you.

What does worship mean? I’ve heard the word an awful lot growing up attending church. The main event every Sunday morning was called the “worship service.” That was where the choir sang, an offering was collected, and the pastor preached a sermon. There were some other songs and prayers and maybe some personal testimonies. Sometimes we stood up, and sometimes we sat on pews.

But worship is so much more than that. And also less.

I don’t need any of those physical trappings to worship God. I don’t need a choir or a pastor, a hymnal or a pew, I don’t even need a building. I can do it by myself, but it’s much better accomplished in the company of others. Singing can be involved or not. The Bible doesn’t even need to be involved in this aspect of my Christian life. Joy is always a part though.

The only things required for worship are me and the object of my worship. Fortunately for me, God is always around. I can worship Him anytime, anyplace.

“Therefore, brothers and sisters, in view of the mercies of God, I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God; this is your true worship.” (Romans‬ ‭12‬:‭1‬, ‭CSB)‬‬

To worship God, I need to first confess, repent, and accept the atoning sacrifice of Jesus. Through that, I am made holy, worthy of approaching God. When I enter His presence in this state, I am overwhelmed by His magnificence. Worship happens spontaneously.

Being in God’s glorious presence automatically generates worship, adoration and awe. Like seeing the most beautiful sunset I’ve ever seen, but better. Like hearing the most dramatically soaring orchestral composition played perfectly, but better. Like feeling the most profound love and goodness I have ever felt, but so much better.

Here on earth we only get a small taste of His vast glory. One day we will feel its full effects. Then we will finally know what true worship is.

Dear God,

Thank you for your mercy that allows me access to your glorious throne room. When I contemplate all that you are, leaving behind the baggage of my earthly existence, I am in awe of you. I adore everything about you. You are beautiful in every way.

Have you ever been part of a mob? Maybe you’ve never grabbed a torch or a pitchfork and marched in outrage with a group of other crazed individuals also carrying torches and pitchforks toward some perceived threat. But there are many modern day equivalents and not all of them are online.

It’s very easy, when I find myself part of any group, to lose sight of my own values and to give in to the loudest voices, to become swept along with the flow of the mob.

This happens in churches too. That’s why the Bible is critical. It is our grounding truth, and our only valid measure of righteousness and description of God’s character. It’s easier to listen to this “preacher” or that “theologian” than it is to study God’s word myself. But therein lies the enemy, just waiting to trick me and lure me from the truth.

“There are some who are troubling you and want to distort the gospel of Christ.”
‭‭(Galatians‬ ‭1‬:‭7,‬ ‭CSB)‬‬

It happened in Paul’s day, and it happens today because there is tremendous power to be had when commanding an unthinking mob. Paul urged the church not to be part of a mob, to remember the one true Gospel: Jesus loves me so much that He died for me, and in return, my purpose on earth is to love Him back by loving other people. Anything beyond that is a distortion and earns a curse.

“If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you received, a curse be on him!”
‭‭(Galatians‬ ‭1‬:‭9‬, CSB)‬‬

Dear God,

Thank you for the Bible which is readily available to me in my language. Forgive me for taking it for granted. Remind me of its sacred value and guide me in its careful, frequent, and thorough study so that I can correctly evaluate messages I hear from people who claim to be speaking for you.