Being accepted and being wanted are two very different things. You can be accepted because of your own merit. Being wanted takes grace from the other person. When Paul writes to the Ephesians that God’s eternal purpose is that we might be able to “approach God with freedom and confidence” he was speaking of being wanted – not just accepted.
If all God did was “accept” me – that would still be huge (and vastly more than I deserve). But to know that He wants me? Now that is a game changer.
Just finished reading Have A Little Faith by Mitch Albom (same guy who wrote Tuesdays with Morrie). True story about Mitch’s eight years of conversations with his childhood rabbi who had asked him to do his eulogy. Also woven in is the story of Henry Covington, the pastor of an inner city poor church in Detroit.
Read this book. Please. It’s an easy read – except for the fact that it really makes you think about faith, church, God, community, family, and what you want said about you at your own funeral. Truly one of the more enjoyable, thought-provoking books I have read in a while.
From page 234
It is summer and we are sitting in his office. I ask him why he thinks he became a rabbi.
He counts on his fingers.
“Number one, I always liked people.
“Number two, I love gentleness.
“Number three, I have patience.
“Number four, I love teaching.
“Number five, I am determined in my faith.
“Number six, it connects me to my past.
“Number seven – and lastly – it allows me to fulfill the message of our tradition: to live good, to do good, and to be blessed.”
I didn’t hear God in there.
He smiles.
“God was there before number one.”
What is a book that you have read that has inspired you, encouraged you, or nurtured your soul?
Yesterday was Day 9 of my 4-month commitment to read the whole Bible. Every Tuesday from now until May 11th several guys are meeting at 6:30am with a very simple agenda: Share what God’s been saying to us through His Word.
At the first meeting, I was expecting three guys (other than me) who said they were coming. Two additional guys ended up showing up. We had a great time.
So cool to see guys excited about reading the Bible. Just reading, listening, and sharing. One guy said he had never read the Bible before. Other guys had been reading the Bible for years. None of us had ever read it faster than over the course of a year.
I just finished Leviticus today, and I gotta say, I thought it was going to be a real chore cranking through all the “laws.” But woven throughout Leviticus is this phrase “I am the Lord.” (shows up 49 times in 27 verses) I got this sense that God was saying, “It’s so easy for you to forget me. I’m putting this all in place so that you will always remember – I am the Lord…and you are not.”
And in Chapter 26 I found these words (verses 9-12)
I will turn to you and make you fruitful and multiply you and will confirm my covenant with you. You shall eat old store long kept, and you shall clear out the old to make way for the new. I will make my dwelling among you, and my soul shall not abhor you. And I will walk among you and will be your God, and you shall be my people.
The law was never just about the law. For God, it’s always been about relationships. Everything is about relationships. Can’t say I was expecting to be reminded of that while reading Leviticus. Ain’t that just like God to show up in ways and place you least expect Him?
Gotta say – I’m loving this. In case you haven’t heard, I’ve committed to reading the whole Bible in four months. Started last Monday and I’m halfway through Leviticus as of this morning. It’s about 40 minutes a day, but I’ve ended up wanting to read more every day. I realized there will be days I can’t read as much, but right now, I can’t get enough.
I first thought reading through the Bible in four months was a crazy goal. I just punched some numbers into my calculator and if I stay on my current pace, I’ll actually finish in three!
Two things stand out to me as I think back on Week 1. The first is how quickly the people of Israel turned to false gods after seeing the plagues, walking through the Red Sea, and being delivered from slavery. Moses head up Mount Sinai and within 40 days they’re asking Aaron to make them new gods. And he does. Collects their gold jewelry, etc. and makes a calf. Yes, I’ve read the story before. But seriously?!?
Then I look at myself. How quickly I can move from seeing God’s hand clearly to doubting or turning to lame imitations of the beauty, joy, and LIFE He offers.
The second thing is the heart of David in the Psalms. (I’m reading two at night before hitting the sack.) He is awed by God’s majesty and glory. He is frustrated with his enemies. He calls out to God in pain and need. He proclaims his commit to serve God. He admits his failings. He longs to see His face. It’s all there.
Can’t say Leviticus is “jumping off the page.” But seeing all the requirements of the law (and the absolute impossibility of keeping them all perfectly) has given new meaning and authority to Galatians 3:24 “So the law was put in charge to lead us to Christ that we might be justified by faith.”
Ever have something just keep gnawing at you, saying, “Hey. You should be doing this?” The gnawing has been going on in my head since late October. Started with an email from someone who had recently taken my Falling in Love with God’s Word Workshop. The email told me about a former interim pastor at her church who does “Bible Read Thrus” and she pointed me to his blog and this article.
I read about how a few decades ago he (Ron Frost) was challenged by a missionary to “just read the Bible.” This particular missionary read the Bible two to three times – every year! I had done the Bible in a year before, but never anything like this. Gnaw. “You should do this Keith.” Gnaw.
Well, today is Day 5. Cracked open my Bible to Genesis 1 on Monday morning at 6am. Hung out in Genesis for four days. Finished Chapter 50 last night. I was surprised that reading out loud at a “normal” pace only took about 45-50 minutes a day.
This morning I walked thru the first 12 chapters of Exodus. Can’t say that I’ve ever sat down and read Moses story – from birth, to basket, to exile, to burning bush, to all 10 plagues, to the instituting of Passover – all in one sitting. It was amazing to see that much of the story woven together. A few different mornings this week I looked up thinking about 20-30 minutes had passed, only to find out it had been over 40! When was the last time you got “lost” in Bible reading?
Here’s my plan (in case you’re interested) :
So…what’s the fastest you’ve ever read thru the Bible? What was your experience like?
Last Sunday my pastor said, “God’s church doesn’t have a mission. God’s mission has a church.” It got me thinking about whether I’m trying to do things “for God,” or seeking to do the things that are on God’s heart.
The former seems to have a lot to do with my effort, my goals, my mission. The latter requires me to do something that’s much harder – listen.
I posted this quote and asked for feedback and here are a few responses (with names removed):
1. “Can a church (or a Christian) really call themselves God’s people if they don’t share His heart nor obey His commands? Obedience in the missional commandment of God is not an optional extra for special people, but an essential in our identity. God’s mission is the church, the family of people who have made Jesus Lord of their lives and live according to the cross. Let me put it this way: every Christian is a missionary, an ambassador of God to a broken world in need of salvation, or they are not a Christian at all.”
2. “I don’t think that it is either/or. I think that it is perspective. Our mission should be the same as Christ and the Father. Christ same to seek and save the lost. As Christians we are supposed to be like him.”
3. “My comment would be how do we know what God’s mission for our church is supposed to be and not get distracted by all the other to do’s and fun things available out there?
4. “My understanding is that God has a mission and part of that answer is the church as a corporate expression of the faith that is within, being expressed outwardly by us as a body of believers… God’s mission is redemption of all, He uses individuals, and groups to be tools of communication of the message of redemption to all..”
5. “I like to think that church is a tool in working out God’s purpose. A place for encouragement, support, refreshment and (of course) collaboration and the sharing of resources. Even so, I am less worried on any given day about what church I belong to or what the church is doing than I am about being sure I’m living God’s purpose in my life. I thank god for church families, but am likewise thankful that there’s more to being a Christian than your connection to a church.”
So…what do you think?
This video was sent to me by my friend Robin. Thank you. I love Francis Chan’s zeal for life and passion to see Christians actually live it!
A few days ago, my friend Melea Brock sent me this email message:
The Sovereign LORD has given me an instructed tongue,
to know the word that sustains the weary.
He wakens me morning by morning,
wakens my ear to listen like one being taught.
Isaiah 50:4This is a scripture that seemed to leap off the page and say, “Encourage Keith, as well, with this word I’ve given you.”
God bless your day.
Melea
I was immediately blessed and found myself thinking Why don’t we all do this more. Shouldn’t we all look for those “little opportunities” to encourage one another? It would certainly be a better use of email than 99% of the other uses. I wrote to thank Melea and included some of these thoughts. Her reply sums it up perfectly…
Hi Keith,
They are very important—these “little opportunities” and we do need them. Most of us feel these “tugs and nudges” through the day but lack the moments to activate or we perceive them as flitting thoughts. For me, whenever I activate on one as I did yesterday for you, I find God had a message for that person and I was the one given the privilege of being a messenger of it.
God bless, Melea
Hey everyone! So…I just received the final numbers from Children of the Nations with the donation amounts raised directly through www.giveawaymybirthday.com. Combined with the money given through Facebook, a total of $2880 was raised! Wahoooo! Praise God! I am so excited about this.
To those of you who donated, prayed, and encouraged me in this…Thank you. Thank you. Truly…thank you! You have tangibly helped families in the Dominican Republic be cleaner, healthier, and simply feel better about the home they live in. It’s an honor to walk this journey with you.
A friend just sent me this quote.
The test of our progress is not whether we add more to the abundance of those who have enough; it is whether we provide enough for those who have too little. -Franklin Delano Roosevelt
So…what do you think? Are we progressing? As a country? As families? As churches? As individuals?
