A Transformed Life

last summer i had the opportunity to speak at a women’s conference on the topic “moving forward.”  one of the things that stood out to me (and i’ve shared it in several groups since then) is that if you’re going to move forward, something else is going to be left behind.  The first two verses in Hebrews 12 speak of laying aside “everything that hinders” and the “sin that easily entangles.”  We talk alot in christian circles about leaving sin behind, but i think there’s more to the life of a committed Christ-follower than just turning our backs on sin.

What do you need to get rid of before you can move forward?    Maybe you’re in a relationship that is negative and hurtful. Maybe your own self talk is negative and hurtful.  Maybe you spend too much time with TV or movies that send your mind down the wrong path. Maybe you are addicted to shopping and it’s causing trouble with your family’s finances.  Maybe you’re addicted to food or alcohol or cigarettes and it’s keeping you from having the energy you need for positive pursuits. Maybe you’re holding a grudge against someone and it eats you up inside.  Maybe you’re just too busy (even with “good” activities) and it’s keeping you from making time for the better activities.  Maybe you own a beautiful
home or valuable collection of antiques or jewelry – but the worry about upkeep and insurance keeps you from enjoying them.

The interesting thing about this list is that not all of these things are necessarily sinful, in and of themselves.  I think it’s harder to identify those things that may be good, or neutral, items…some of them may even be cherished possessions, a well paying job, or close relationships…but they may still hinder us from growth in Christ or complete obedience.

There are several songs that use the word picture from Revelation 4 (read vs 9-11) “We fall down, we lay our crowns at the feet of Jesus”.  Usually when you think of laying things at Jesus’ feet, we want to “cast our cares” on him, or give Jesus our problems or burdens.  But the elders in Revelation lay down their crowns…their symbols of leadership, power, and possession.  When you picture a crown, don’t you think of royalty, and riches, and diamonds?  Something you would value highly?  But we are called to lay down these things as well – not just our problems – at the feet of Jesus so that we can move forward in God’s will.

What do you need to lay aside in order to move forward?

We have a lot to be thankful for.

My list would be topped with my very patient husband, my awesome kids, and a certain little boy who calls me nana.  I’m also thankful for my extended family and for the fact that I still have both my parents.  Many of you know that last year, my mom was diagnosed with her third type of cancer in 25 years and frankly, i wasn’t sure she’d to live to see another holiday.   But lord willing, she and my dad are going to be at my house for dinner later today.  So I have a lot to be thankful for.  You probably have a long list as well.

But consider another list…the one in Ephesians 1.  Paul writes to remind believers of all our spiritual blessings in Christ…and that because of this we should “live a life worthy of the calling we’ve received.”  We have a lot of SPIRITUAL BLESSINGS to be thankful for.

If there is any encouragement I could share with you, if there are spiritual blessings I would want to remind you of, it would include this short passage, verses 18-19.  “I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the
riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, and his incomparably great power for us who believe.”

Remember the HOPE that we have.   God promises us both a HOPE and a future (Jeremiah).  We have HOPE because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit.  (Rom 5) We have HOPE in our adoption as sons and daughters, and we wait both eagerly and patiently for it. (Rom 8).  Even secular scientific studies show that those who have HOPE live longer than those who don’t.  So be encouraged and reminded of the HOPE that He has called us to.

Another blessing Paul highlights here is the INHERITANCE we have.  Many passages speak of INHERITANCE in the future sense, and in common usage the word refers to something we might receive after the death of a family member.  I Peter speaks of our new birth into a living hope as an INHERITANCE “kept in heaven for you.”  Certainly that future inheritance is a blessing we should be thankful for.

But interestingly enough, in this passage in Ephesians, Paul adds the phrase IN HIS HOLY PEOPLE.  This is an inheritance we receive after our
own death to self, our baptism into Christ and into his CHURCH.  We have an INHERITANCE into a family, and I’m thankful for these fellow believers.

Finally, Paul mentions the “incomparably great power for us who believe.”  Paul says it’s the same power that raised Christ from the dead.  This is the power available to us, as Christians, through the gift of the Holy Spirit.  Yet we often live as if we have no power, not fully appreciating the spiritual blessing that is ours.  In 2^nd Peter we read that God’s POWER gives us everything we need to live a godly life.  POWER to say no to sin.  POWER to take up our cross daily and follow Christ.  POWER to live a transformed life.

We have a lot to be thankful for.

stopping to post to my blog in an effort to clear the cobwebs out of my greek brain.  Yikes!  this class is definitely the biggest test ever of my perseverance and discipline.  sometimes i succeed…and sometimes i procrastinate.  i have to keep reminding myself WHY i want to study greek.  (1) because i need it to go further in ministry grad studies (2) because i want to understand as much as possible about the Biblical text, and (3) because i stubbornly believe that the discipline is good for me.

a recent quote from Louie Giglio expresses my feeling exactly: “Passion = the degree of difficulty we are willing to endure to accomplish the goal.”

I traveled this week to St Meinrad’s Archabbey and Retreat Center for a two day break from the chaos of ministry.  Just like my morning hour of quiet is essential for my personal sanity (just ask my long-suffering husband), I find these two days of quiet are essential annually for my personal well-being.  Normally there is no set agenda – I alternate between reading, praying, hiking, and singing – but I always go home refreshed and reminded of God’s grace and love for me, and his purpose in my life.

St Meinrad’s is an especially quiet community (population 830) in the southwestern corner of Indiana, surrounded by the Hoosier National Forest and a variety of corn fields.  I’ve been here a couple of times before and there are usually fewer than 10 adults in the prayer service (besides the monks). I don’t always have the opportunity to travel this far for my retreats (it’s 3 hours from home) so I’ve been really looking forward to the peace and quiet.

At least that’s what I expected.  Minutes after I dropped my suitcase in the room, the guest house had a scheduled “fire drill.”  I’m not kidding.  With strobe lights flashing and my ears ringing from the siren, I threw on my coat for a (chilly) walk outside.

Just over the hill, instead of the bleating of nearby sheep, there was the clamor of three leaf blowers clearing sidewalks.  A block past the library on site there was a full contingent of construction equipment doing demolition inside one of the older buildings.  As I walked past the nearby lake, I noticed not one, but two tour buses in the parking lot.  This could be interesting.

I walked to the Vespers service (I went early, thinking it would be quiet in the church) and noticed nearby there were 30 school children and their chaperones touring the grounds.  Sure enough, about 5 minutes before the service was to begin they all trouped inside the cathedral to complete their experience.

You may be imagining some of the dialogue that was going through my head.  God, I want to listen to you…I’m came all the way here to pray…Where’s my perfect, silent, retreat experience?  It’s easy to make excuses, isn’t it, when we feel cheated out of something that didn’t turn out exactly the way we expected?

And yet, God showed up.  In the midst of the noise and chaos at even this quiet little monastery, his presence was evident.  Reminding me that prayer may not always be packaged neatly into hour long walks or a 30 minute service.  Assuring me of his love for each 11 year old student, 70 year old monk, and 40-something year old retreat goer who graced the church that day.  And, with a characteristic sense of humor that I’ve come to expect, God sent His peace in the midst of our noise.  That’s the paradox of prayer.

A few weeks ago we celebrated Labor Day…a day that most of us (I assume) were able to sleep in, go out for breakfast, hike in the park, or otherwise enjoy a day off.  As I reflected on the opportunity to rest, I thought it might be nice if we could convince Those Who Decide Such Things that an unscheduled Monday off every month would be a nice addition to our calendars.  Enjoying the freedom of a completely unscheduled day with no appointments…it was definitely a treat for us.

Later it occurred to me that long before politicians were involved with declaring national holidays (or before Hallmark started creating them in order to market greeting cards) God had already planned for our need to rest.  He called it the Sabbath.  And it was included in the list of the Ten Commandments.

In Exodus 20 we read “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. 9 Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the LORD your God. On it you shall not do any work…Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.”  In subsequent passages where God expands on this He includes additional detail:
• “no one is to go out” (Ex. 16:29)
• It was a sign of a covenant between God and the people (Ex. 31:13)
• “Whoever does any work on the Sabbath day is to be put to death” (yikes!  Ex. 31:15)
• “you must deny yourselves; it is a lasting ordinance”  (Lev. 16:31)
• “have reverence for my sanctuary” (Lev. 19:30)

I realize that as Christians, we live under grace, not under law (Galatians 2) and we are not saved by our good works (Ephesians 2) including the “good work” of slavishly observing one day’s Sabbath out of seven.  I simply want to point out that God has a plan for us, and one thing He thinks best is that we schedule a weekly time to rest.

I don’t know what that will look like in your life.  There are dozens of excuses for NOT scheduling time away (and I’ve heard, if not used, most of them.)  But God didn’t suggest a Sabbath IF we had time…it’s commanded in the middle of our busyness.  By stopping our “striving” we confess our dependence on God, realizing that life will go on (and God is in control of all) whether we are racing at breakneck speed…or not.  Jesus modeled this rhythm himself when he stepped away from his ministry of teaching and healing and “went off to a solitary place” (Mark 1:33ff).  Even the disciples come looking and seem to scold him saying “everyone is looking for you!”  Making time for a Sabbath rest may not be popular or easy…but it is important.

So until we get approval for a “monthly three day weekend”…it’s up to you.

Be still, and know that I am God…Psalm 46:10

i just finished reading an article about 3 teens that stepped up to “do the right thing” when they saw an overturned, burning car on a highway near their home.  Because of their efforts a pregnant mom escaped with minor injuries.  When the boys were interviewed they were very nonchalant, saying “we just thought it was the right thing to do.”  What if their choices had been different?  or just delayed?

The book currently next to my Bible is Radical, by David Platt.  He makes the point that the American Dream (our propensity to seek status, success, and stability) has been the undoing of the mission of the church.  Jesus calls us to a more radical faith, summing it up in Luke 9 when he says “those who lose their life for my sake will save it” and later in Luke 14 mentions leaving family behind and “even his own life” in order to be a disciple.  Hundreds of thousands still live in lands where the gospel has yet to be preached.  Thousands more die of starvation and preventable diseases, even while we spend hours on the trivia of television, and many dollars on clothes, food, and toys we don’t actually need.

The contrast is great.  The need is clear.  The expectation is stated with no exceptions for those who want to live their version of the american dream.

I’ve been thinking this week on what transformation has happened over the last 10 years that i’ve been serving in ministry at my church.  Externally i’ve gained and lost weight, changing clothing sizes at least 2-3 times.  I (finally) last year changed my hair…but ended up cutting it shorter than it was before and like it much better.  my kids have grown up and left home, and we moved into a different house.  I added another degree to my schooling and attended more conferences and classes than i care to count.

other external changes abound in the church family i’m a part of.  kids who were toddlers when i began are now in the middle school ministry.  The first fifth grade class i taught graduated from high school last year.  The preschool wing was remodeled, and the whole facility is now due for an update.

But the transformation Paul is talking about in Romans has to do with changes on the inside.  How many times do you think about your internal dialogue, the self-talk that takes much of our thinking time?  Most of mine is much improved over a decade ago when i struggled with self-worth and anger issues.  Sometimes the old dialogue rears its ugly head again, but i notice it quicker and silence it with a good dose of memorized scripture or praise music, both effective tools in “renewing my mind.”

Joyce Meyer wrote a book called the Battlefield of the Mind and it’s an accurate title because most of the changes (positive or negative) we see in life are directly correlated to the dialogue that starts inside.  I pray that in my next decade i continually find ways to renew my mind so that the “words of my mouth and the mediation of my heart” are acceptable in God’s sight.  I want the transformation i experience to bring me to a place where i can say, with Paul, “we have the mind of Christ.” (1 Cor. 2:16)

sometimes my learning and being gets ahead of my doing.  did you ever experience that?  a dozen ideas, all valuable in their own right, that sink to the bottom of the desk pile because of the dozen new ideas that came after…each idea needs development and decisions made about its priority in relationship to the other potential projects you think you want to work through.

the 99percent.com people have been studying this to find out what helps some creative types actually develop their new ideas to completion.  (the book is called Making Ideas Happen)  It’s  helpful to have a starting point that defines your priorities.  If you have an idea but it doesn’t relate somehow to one of your priorities, you let it go, or pass it on to someone else who is  more passionate about it… remember the movie City Slickers when Billy Crystal is encouraged to figure out his “one thing?” – that’s a good place to start.

there’s also benefit in taking a step, even if you’re not entirely sure how the idea is going to develop.  imagine a trajectory of what your life could be like in 10 years…what kinds of experiences and education would be along the path to get from here to here?  how does that fit with what you’ve seen from God so far, made evident in your life, gifts, and passions?  who do you need to partner with to find out more about getting from here to there?

people who have traveled the path before and friends who are truly encouraging you to become your best version of yourself are resources God provides to help us find our way.  I love this quote from Frances Moore Lappe…

It’s almost impossible for people to change alone.  We need to join with others who will push us in our thinking and challenge us to do things we didn’t believe ourselves capable of.

so do the research…call a trusted friend…open yourself to possibilities and opportunities that you hadn’t previously considered.

it’s your move.

opportunities abound to learn if we are only willing to search for them.  sometimes they take the form of intense class or discussion time…exchanging ideas and asking questions like i experienced at a conference this weekend.  sometimes it shows up quietly in a friend’s willingness to listen (how many times have you learned something you needed to hear, just by having someone listen while you talked through it?) and of course, sometimes learning takes place when we not only read a book, but interact with the text in dialogue (i use a lot of post-it notes when i read, but i’ve also been known to write directly in my books.)

i enjoy borrowing books from other learners precisely because of this interactive approach – i love it when i read someone else’s book and they’ve inserted some dialogue of their own.  learning in community can be a powerful way to expand our understanding and keep from being too buried in our own presuppositions.  i also love it when i have the chance to interact with an author and find out more about why they said things they did (even when i don’t disagree with what they said, i enjoy learning about the why, the process they went through to land at a particular thesis.)

powerful learning begins when i come to an understanding that i don’t yet know or understand everything…that much of God’s word is mystery and metaphor…and even in having dialogue with the text (Scripture or other books) we may well find that we are left wanting.  I think God can be honored in that sort of open-ended dialogue.  I think it honors God that we seek him in relationship to the text, not just want to learn about what his text says.  And i think it can change us in ways we don’t even begin to understand when we are willing to dialogue with others about what God is teaching us.

Love the Lord your God…with all your mind…Mark 12:30

Several years ago, Henry Blackaby published a book and Bible study called Experiencing God.  To say that it was life changing for me would be an understatement…it led into a year of soul searching and eventually understanding God’s call on my life to enter ministry.  Along with the Bible study there was a group of recording artists that relased a CD of songs that were based on the themes of Blackaby’s book.  I pulled it out last month when I needed music for a road trip and have been blessed by it all over again.

One of the songs was recorded by Point of Grace and is titled The River Keeps Rushing On.   The river serves as a metaphor for God’s will and work, and one of Blackaby’s main points is that God IS working…instead of moving ahead of or behind him, we need to join Him in what HE is doing.  Scripture makes it clear that God will accomplish His purposes with or without us (Isa. 55:11) but isn’t it amazing that God wants us to partner with Him in what he’s doing?!   And in doing so, we also allow Him to fulfill his purpose in us…through us…and sometimes in spite of us.  What an awesome responsibility.

Philippians 2 ¹² Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed—not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence—continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, ¹³ for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.