Tim

Need A Guide?

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The pathway was steep and narrow. The ground on one side, steeply rose, and on the other side dropped away just as steeply. On the left, I could reach out and touch the mountain. On the right, a misstep would send me for an extended tumble down the mountainside. Part of the path was through loose shale. Here and there, the trail narrowed to 12 inches wide or less. Yet the pathway was clear. There was no doubt which way I should lead the group as I climbed the mountain. Occasionally another trail would stray off in a different direction only to fade into oblivion within a few yards. The correct path was clear, worn down to the soil, and indicated with blaze marks on the trees. 

In the western part of Montana, towns commonly put the first letter of their name on the mountain above them. I was guiding some visitors on a hike to the “A.” The “A” was across the valley from the town of Alberton and about 1,200 feet higher altitude. Being the leader, I had to pace my visitors so they could complete the climb.

I have often wished that all the paths in life were as easy to follow as the one I hiked that day. I seem to have trouble knowing what direction the path of life is going next. I find that I get stuck in the switchbacks of life. I spend time deliberating which way to go when there is an intersection. Maybe I have trouble seeing what is in front of me, or perhaps I am just stubborn, but these hard times help me to recognize the value of having a guide. Someone who knows which way to go and what the results of a wrong turn will be.

A key aspect of using a guide is to trust the person guiding you. We must have faith even when the trail is challenging to travel and takes us into unfamiliar territory. God is our Guide through life. He leads us along, urging us to stay so close to Him that we live in His shadow. 

 Several years ago, my wife received a diagnosis of vocal cord cancer. We were anxious not just because of the danger of having cancer but also because during her cancer treatment; she would lack the ability to continue in her job. We prayed. We asked God for miraculous healing. We begged for God to sustain us through this time. Yet God’s answer seemed to be, “Just hold tightly to my hand.” We wanted to know the plan. We wanted to see the path ahead of time, but God said, “Just trust Me.” We worried. We tried to plan how we would survive. We attempted to prepare. Nothing could have prepared us for what God did.

 During the time my wife was off work, gifts appeared in the mailbox from unexpected and sometimes unknown sources. Her coworkers donated leave time. Vehicles would show up with trunk loads of food. A group running a local food drive showed up with an SUV full of food. We still have no idea how they even heard about us. The funds always appeared just in time to pay the bills, and we came to understand that God was guiding us on this path. He knew where He was leading us. He had a plan, and we needed to trust Him as He guided us. We could not see any way forward. We were not even sure there was a path to follow, but God knew the route.

Sometimes we ask God, “Why am I in this lonely place?” or, “Why do I need to do things that make me uncomfortable?” We find comfort when we realize that God always provides for those who are willing to be guided by Him. We need to hold on and see what the destination He is leading us too.

I was hiking with a friend when we encountered a small cliff that blocked our way. He scrambled up the face and got on top. He was several inches taller than I was and could reach further than I could. I tried to follow. I got most of the way up the cliff face and could not reach the last few inches to pull myself up over the edge. Then his hand appeared. He said, “Here. Grab my hand.” I grabbed ahold of his hand, and he pulled me up over the edge.

Sometimes we are on the cliff face with nowhere to go, and God offers us His hand. He says, “Let me pull you up.” We desperately cling to the eroding handholds we have as we question, “Can I trust you, God? How can I be confident that You will not drop me?”  We recognize that we will have to release our grip on the crumbling stone under our fingers, and we might fall as we reach for God. We hesitate as our strength begins to fail, and the handhold we are trusting continues to dissolve under our fingers. God has never dropped anyone who was reaching for Him. He has always caught those who slipped as they stretched in His direction. He holds them and protects them.

When I was a teenager, the place we lived was within a few hundred yards of public land. It was not unusual for me to tell my parents I was going hiking, give them a general area, and then disappear for several hours. One day I was going hiking, and I took our dog with me. I set out with a specific location I wanted to hike to that day. I was only a short distance on my hike when the dog stood across the path in front of me and refused to let me pass. She kept looking down the trail and positioning herself between me and whatever it was that she perceived as danger.  She had never behaved like this before. Eventually, I gave up and headed home. She stayed and kept watch until she felt I was far enough away from the danger, and then she ran to catch up to me.

When we feel that the path we are walking in life is blocked, it is a good idea to stop and see why. Perhaps we have quit following the Guide and started to follow personal preference instead. Maybe God is trying to keep us from stepping into a disaster.  We must trust the Guide, follow His lead, and live in the protection of His shadow.

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Friends are like Suspenders

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Friends are like Suspenders

Grandpa always wore a belt and suspenders. Relatives accused him of being a pessimist. They claimed he worried too much. He said he just wanted to be sure nothing could go wrong. Perhaps if he used only a belt or only suspenders, something might happen to cause his pants to fall. Using both, one would hold if the other failed.

As a child, I can recall several preachers who jokingly suggested that Ecclesiastes 4:9 – 10 was instruction wear both a belt and suspenders. Grandpa certainly seemed to follow that advice. I grew older and reread Ecclesiastes 4:9 – 10 and then went on and read through verse 12. This scripture was not about a belt and suspenders!  The more I read, the more I understood. This passage is about having friendships with other humans. The author indicates that while having one friend is good, having two or more is better. 

Friendships behave a lot like suspenders during difficult times of life. Everyone has heard that it is the difficult times of life that show who your real friends are. Who was willing to step forward, even if it was inconvenient for them, to help you when they saw you had more than you could handle? Who spoke up when they saw you were discouraged and tried to encourage you? Who saw that you were becoming disconnected from your circle of friends and worked to help you reestablish that connection?

I live in western Montana. Snow is not uncommon here. I recognize that my abilities and reactions on snowy and icy roads are not nearly as good as they were when I was 20. If the weather is hazardous, I try to stay home, even if it means missing local events that I would usually attend. A few years ago, the winter was worse than usual. We had so much snow that only about 6 inches of the tops of the fence posts in the field showed above the snow. Due to the weather, I was snowbound for a long time. Then one day, I received a text from a friend who was also part of a group I had joined. The message stated that the group missed me and that they were looking forward to when I could attend again. They offered understanding support for where I was and encouragement to rejoin the group. It helped to brighten the dreary days until the snow melted, and the roads were safe for me to drive again. This friend acted as “suspenders” for me at that time. 

Many times we start to believe that we must pursue God solitarily. We mistakenly begin to think that we must only find encouragement in scripture or prayer. Joining with others who are in pursuit of God is healthy, and something scripture encourages. (Hebrews 10:24 – 25) The idea of these verses is to help each other to stay focused on living in God’s shadow.

This matter of mutual encouragement reminds me of when I was about nine years old. I had begun to collect postage stamps. My dad was a stamp collector, and I picked up the hobby from him.  I displayed my collection in a “Stamp Album.” The album helped me know what I had and what other variations of stamps were still to be collected. My dad and I would go to “Stamp Club.”  Viewing other people’s stamp collections and listening to lectures about stamps at the club would invigorate my interest in the hobby. Once or twice a year, we would attend a stamp show. At these shows, people would have all kinds of stamps and other old postage related materials for sale. These stamp shows would also encourage me to work on my collection. After a club meeting or a show, I would spend time properly affixing stamps in my album. I searched my loose stamps looking for any still missing from the collection.  The problem was that the “Stamp club” was only once a month, and the shows were even less frequent. In those weeks in between, my interest would begin to wane. I would almost forget about my stamp collection. Then the next meeting would excite me again. Eventually, our family moved to another area. In this new area, it was a long drive to any stamp club. My interest withered. I would occasionally get my album out and look at what I had collected and then put it back. There was no impetus to continue the collection. Today I know that my old album is somewhere in my house, but I do not know where. I have not even looked at it in several years. 

I have found that usually, if we think we are alone, we will eventually get discouraged and quit whatever it is we are doing. Believing we are alone will lead to discouragement in our pursuit of God as well.  Perhaps that is why we have scripture verses like 1 Samuel 23:16, Ecclesiastes 4:9 – 12, and Hebrews 10:24 – 25. Each of these speaks of finding or receiving encouragement to continue through fellowship with likeminded people.

This association with other likeminded people works to encourage all parties involved. Sometimes we are excited and feeling extra blessed and can help others. Other times we will have to be supported by those around us. Sometimes we need someone to come alongside us and kindly remind us of what our goal is and whom we are pursuing. 

Living in God’s shadow, we learn how to live pleasing to Him and how to live in fellowship with other believers. In that fellowship, we encourage and challenge each other to live in God’s shadow. As friends, we are “suspenders” for each other. We support each other. We encourage the discouraged. We share the things we find in scripture, and we move closer to God.  

Be “suspenders” for a friend today. Encourage someone who is discouraged. Draw others with you in your quest to live in God’s shadow.

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Special Valentines

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Our fourth-grade classroom buzzed with excitement. The day of our Valentine’s party had arrived. Each desk was equipped with a box or a bag to receive cards from other students. We darted around the room passing out Valentine’s cards before class started. 

Some students tried to secretly deliver gifts to the boy or girl for whom they had feelings. The romances of my fourth-grade friends seldom lasted more than a few days. One boy, in an attempt to win the affections of a girl, delivered a cardboard heart filled with chocolates. His efforts to be secretive failed when the girl’s card receptacle tore and crashed to the floor.

 Most of our parents had purchased identical boxes of Valentine’s Day cards at the same store for this party. Many of the cards I gave were exactly like the cards I received. Still, I wanted the perfect card for each person. I thought about how much I liked or disliked the person I intended to give the card too. I considered whether the card was going to a boy or a girl. I worried about what meaning the recipient may, or may not, read into the message of the card. Assigning cards to my classmates was a difficult task. 

I usually gave friends a card that said something like, “Glad you are my friend, Valentine.” A person whose affections I wanted might receive, “Will you be my Valentine?” Anyone who was not a friend would receive a card that simply said, “Happy Valentine’s Day.” Today I shake my head at how much time I spent deciding which Valentine’s Day card to give to each person.

If I spent as much time pursuing the heart of God now, as I did sorting Valentine’s day cards in fourth grade, what would happen? How much better would my life radiate His love for those around me? My walk with Him would certainly be closer. What effect would that closer walk have on every one of my relationships? Would I be more of an inspiration for my family, coworkers, neighbors, and anyone else I come into contact with? How much better of a husband would I be for my wife?

Did you know that God pursues us? He wants a relationship with each one of us. The story of scripture is the story of God working out a plan for the redemption of fallen humans. The Bible is filled with stories of God desiring to have a relationship with the humans he created. This pursuit is even more amazing when you consider He opened the way for us to be reconciled to Him through the sacrificial death of His Son.

The development of a healthy, romantic relationship requires each person to pursue the other. I had a friend who was enamored with a young lady who attended the same college as he did. All her friends stated that she had expressed a romantic interest in my friend. He would ask her for a date and she would turn him down over and over. He refused to give up on her. Finally, she agreed to go on a date. One date turned into many dates. Those of us watching recognized she was not reciprocating his pursuit. She worried. What if he proved untrustworthy? What if he ever found out the things about her that only she knew? Eventually, she seemed to soften a little. She began to show that she cared about him. He proposed marriage. She hesitated and then said no. He continued to date her. She began to understand that the relationship could only grow if she also invested in it. He proposed again and she agreed. They have been happily married for many years now.

Unfortunately, this story is often a picture of what happens when God pursues us. We do not believe that He cares. His promises seem to be too good to be true. We see how unworthy we are. We appreciate the gesture, but not enough to pursue Him in return. Fulfillment and spiritual growth come in the recognition and reciprocation of the pursuit.

God wants us to pursue Him. The pursuit of God is not all that different from when one pursues the affection of another person. When I was dating, I tried to avoid doing things that my girlfriend found offensive. I tried to act like I had good manners. I even opened her car door for her. I allowed her to change me. I was hoping I would be the person she would choose to pursue. What would happen if I allowed God to make changes in my life the way I allowed my girlfriend to make changes in me?

I recall learning patience and consideration on some of our dates. Taking her to a fast-food restaurant was challenging for me. I am the type of person that orders quickly and usually orders the same thing every time. My girlfriend was a missionary kid who had grown up in Peru, South America.  Consequently, she was unfamiliar with the items on the menu in even the most famous fast-food restaurants. She would stand there and read through the menu while the line behind us grew. She would ask questions, while the line continued to grow. Then, with hesitation, she would try to make a choice. I would bite my tongue as the growing line grumbled behind us.  Finally, the order would be placed, and I would pay and breathe a sigh of relief.  To show the patience and consideration for her that was needed, I had to understand why she was slow ordering. I had to care more about her than about my embarrassment.

As I look at my life, I marvel at the patience and consideration God has shown me. God always knows when I do not understand, am hesitant, or am confused. He has shown great patience while trying to teach me, even when I have to repeat the lesson. God always considers my ability to understand what I experience. He is never mystified about the intent of my thoughts and actions. His goal is to draw everyone into His shadow and show us all how much He loves us. 

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The Refuge of His Shadow

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The air raid sirens wailed. Firetrucks drove up and down the streets of the small town in Indiana.  We stood on the second floor, looking out of the windows, watching the storm, and laughing at the firemen. We surmised that the firemen lacked anything else to do. We were unaware that a tornado had been spotted near our town. We did not understand that the air raid siren was a tornado warning. We did not know, the firemen were trying to keep people safe. Our lack of understanding was due to our lack of experience. We were from western Montana. We had no experience with tornados. We only knew a severe thunderstorm was occurring.

I have come to realize everyone faces storms in their life. These storms of life often feel like they will uproot the whole world. Many times we fail to recognize the warnings given and the dangers present in the storms of life. This is because we have never experienced these types of storms before. These storms of life will vary in type and intensity.  Sometimes they will be a bad weather storm like a tornado that destroys everything we own. Other times it will be a storm in our relationships, or our health, or our finances. Occasionally, the storm will be the death of a loved one.  In these storms of life, we will be buffeted by the wind, drenched by the rain, and bruised by the hail. God does not always prevent these storms. When we live in His shadow, He is with us through the storm. God offers us the comfort and the strength to stand throughout the storm.

We will not understand the “why” for every storm that comes into our lives. We may not comprehend the reason for any of the storms we encounter. God is with us whether we understand the storm or not. There is no storm that frightens God.

It is in these stormy times, God reminds us, he wants us, we are valuable to Him, and He is still writing our story. The storms may make us think that our story is over. Yet, God reminds us that our story is not over until He says it is. When the time comes for our story to end, He will give us the grace to face that storm as well.

My sisters and I would huddle around my mother during those severe thunderstorms. Attempting to comfort and calm us, she would take us to the basement or a more central room. Inside the refuge she chose, the sound of the storm was muted. She would sing to us and try to get us to join in. While her efforts did not lessen the intensity of the storm, they did offer us comfort. When mom was there, we had hope. Similarly, God stands with us, encouraging us, reassuring us, and holding us as the storms of life wash over us.

Stormy times arise when we least expect them. They are times when it appears the lies others tell about us are going to win the day. Situations where we feel our character has been assassinated. Times when we are told, we are unnecessary and unwanted. These storms cause us to question whether we have any value. These storms can also make us ask if God still loves us.

I recall a storm in my life. It was a time when everything seemed to have gone wrong. I felt unneeded by the church I attended at the time. I  found myself on the outside of the group I had considered friends. The only place that people seemed to accept me was in the secular realm. During this storm, I prayed. I asked God for hope, some sort of an anchor point. His reply was, “Do you believe that I love you?” My first response was a quick affirmation that I did. But God persisted, “Do you truly believe that I love you?” This exchange was repeated daily for a while. I was so damaged from the storm, I did not understand the question. Eventually, I realized that because of all the trauma of the storm, I had started to doubt God’s love. I had begun to question if God still loved me, still valued me, and still had a plan for me. Listening to His voice, I realized He loved me intensely. God had not made unfavorable comments about me. God had not misunderstood my actions and misinterpreted my intentions. It was not God who had said that I was unneeded. It was not God who had indicated I was without value and had no further purpose in His plan.

The storm of accusations whirling around me, the voices of others, had said and done those things. I realized I had to refocus on God and on living in His shadow. There was no doubt the storm was big and scary. It seemed never-ending. I felt like it was impossible to stay anchored during the storm. But God was there, whispering, “I love you” and holding me tighter than I had ever experienced. He was patient with me. Helping me to understand that He was with me and that my story was not over yet. 

We try to fight life’s storms by ourselves. We want to believe we can handle anything. God will allow us to try to fight the storm in our strength if we insist. Yet, He welcomes us back when we are overwhelmed by the storm and flee to the refuge of His shadow.

 God’s shadow is a place of refuge, healing, and restoration. I can never remember God saying, “See, I told you so.” when I came running back to Him. I have found that He simply starts from where I am and goes about helping me to repair the damage the storm has inflicted. I may beat myself up, saying, “I should have known better.” but He just says, “Do you love me? Will you let me heal the wounds the storm caused?” Everyone is welcome to find the refuge of God’s Shadow.

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Seeking God’s Face

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Have you ever tried to locate someone without seeing his or her face? I have. The results have been etched in my memory ever since. 

I was about 4 or 5 when my family traveled with my aunt from our homes in western Montana to Glacier National Park. The park was beautiful. The scenic views on Going to the Sun Road were incredible. At the top of Logan Pass, we stopped at the visitor’s center. I began my time in the visitor’s center with my aunt. Eventually, I decided I wanted to be with my dad, who was just across the room from us. She asked if I was sure I could make it to my dad by myself. I assured her I could because I could see his pants from where I stood. She let me go. I headed straight for those pants. I made it to the pants and wrapped my little arms around one leg. I heard a voice say, “Hello there, sonny.” It was not a voice I recognized. I looked up and realized that another man wearing the same color and style of pants as my dad was in the building. I had the wrong person. I was very embarrassed. Fortunately, the visitor’s center was small, and I was able to spot my dad just a few feet away in a different line at the counter.  That day I learned what happens when you look only at pants and not at faces.

A couple of posts ago I wrote about God providing us with a map in 2 Chronicles 7:14.  When that map is followed it enables us to live in His shadow. The starting point on the map was to humble ourselves. The next stop on the map after humbling ourselves was to pray, which I discussed in my last post. The final stop on the map is to seek God’s face and turn from evil.  

I enjoy studying faces. I study faces wherever I go, walking down the street, in restaurants, in the mall and yes, even in church services. Most of the time, a face gives you a snapshot of the person in that instant. I am not alone in making determinations about people based on the expressions on their faces. Teachers, preachers, salespeople, cashiers, and customer service representatives all learn to read faces. Everyone who must engage with the public learns to read faces. Are they happy, sad, scared, or angry?  Are they aware of their surroundings or oblivious? Are they awake, alert, and engaged? These observations help to keep us safe and help us to interact appropriately.

 We never have to worry that God is disinterested in us. He is never oblivious to the situations we are facing. He is never sleepy or disengaged. God’s eyes are constantly on us. He is continually trying to catch our attention. God wants us in a close relationship with Him. Did you know that humanity is God’s prized creation? 

 We live in God’s shadow by seeking His face. Seeking God’s face is allowing Him to shape our lives, our thoughts, and our actions. It is following God’s lead. Seeking God’s face allows God to reveal the contents of our hearts to us.  It is asking Him to show us anything that would hinder us in our efforts to live in His shadow. 

I have been married for over 27 years. I have found that understanding what my wife prefers is important, but doing what she likes makes life a whole lot easier. It also seems to make the marriage work much smoother. I do not always get it right. Sometimes, I feel like I make mistakes more often than I get it right. She has found the same to be true about me.  The more we are together the more we know about each other. We must seek to learn about each other. When we stop studying each other, our marriage starts to become dull and burdensome. 

Similarly, when we seek God’s face we are finding out what pleases Him. Learning about Him teaches us what we need to change in our lives. It helps us make good choices in our relationship with Him. This creates a stronger and more vibrant relationship. The more time we spend in conversation (prayer) with God, the more we know about Him and His desires. The more we learn of Him, the more He reveals His plans for us and our lives.

It is impossible to truly seek God’s face and continue pursuing evil at the same time. Anyone, who has tried to do two conflicting things at the same time, is aware of this fact. Distracted driving is very dangerous, yet many of us have done it. I drove distracted on a date once. Okay, so I was trying to kiss her and drive. I was very distracted. Suddenly, I heard the sound of tall weeds hitting the car. I tore myself away and looked. I found my car had traveled in the same direction I was facing. My distracted driving had resulted in the car drifting off the edge of the road. Fortunately, I was able to correct the course without so much as a dent. I drove on with a racing heart and shaking hands. I learned kissing and driving do not mix. It is now about 30 years later, and I still do not mix kissing and driving.

When we pursue sin, we step out of God’s shadow. We travel in the direction we are looking in. We stop seeking God’s face and favor. The longer we stay distracted, the harder it is to refocus. The reverse is also true. When we pursue God’s shadow, we step away from sin. Turning away from sin is the natural result of turning toward God. 

When I was small, there was one requirement for getting dessert at the end of a meal. Eat all my dinner. That meant all the meat, potatoes, and vegetables that my mother put on my plate. This rule was in place for my well-being. Likewise, following all of the simple steps, in the order listed, in the map found in 2 Chronicles 7:14 will enable you to live in God’s shadow. Living in God’s shadow is good for everyone’s well-being.

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