The moments of light.
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The moments of light. There is in the realm of possible human experience something real, yet indescribable: the transcendant encounter. These unique times happen when we sense that there is something greater than our own existence. The transcendent is a sensory paradox: somehow both outside ourself and yet also inside--within us. I remember well my first encounter of this kind: I was seventeen years old, out for a walk on the beach during a cool, dark summer evening. I was contemplating my life, what I'd do, what I believed. While sitting on the sand it happened. I saw a mound of smooth sand to my right. I turned left for a moment and then right. The mound had changed, divinely engraved with an symbol unmistakable to me. Inside I gasped with the realization that God had carved it into the sand just for me. God had come and I was changed irrevocably.

We usually grumble against someone we've judged to be in error or else they've done something to anger us.
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We usually grumble against someone we've judged to be in error or else they've done something to anger us. Somewhat self-righteously we believe their actions have violated some standard or perhaps they've wronged us in some way. What's wrong about this? Let's say you're the one grumbling. First, let me explain that I'm not placing myself as the judge of whether the person's actions were right. Perhaps they were wrong by any reasonable person's standard or their behavior toward you was very hurtful. So I'm not talking about the validity of your case against this person. I'm assuming your position is based on your judgment or feelings--either of which I'm taking at face value as a valid representation of what actually happened. Yet I'd still say your grumbling was wrong. Without necessarily meaning to you have brought a third person into your dispute--they one you grumbled to. This is never right. We must take the first step to calmly and gently reach out to the other person to learn what was in their heart. Otherwise, you've judged their heart without giving them a chance to explain their actions to you themselves. If manifesting the love of God is one of your aims, I strongly urge you to consider these words. Think about it and more importantly, pray about it--bring to bear the love of God upon all of your relationships.

What's the point of life?
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What's the point of life? Is work or our life's labor anything other than a means to provide for us or our family? It's a fact that within a few generations any personal achievement is forgotten--regardless of its present importance to ourself or others. The constraints of the time and society we live in limit our earthly position or status.
Some have made intellectual wisdom or the pursuit of pleasureful experiences their aim. Yet all must realize that the insatiable nature of pleasure and the limitlessness of knowledge ultimately make them pointless. No one can seriously doubt that acquiring wisdom is more profitable than giving in to passion. We are limited by our mortality. Even the wisdom gained through life's experiences is generally lost to future generations. So what is the way forward to a meaningful life? What is the point of our existence? It is this: We all must find our God-breathed purpose. Once found, we are called to walk in this purpose or vision. Then we must cherish each moment--seeing the walk for what it is--a gift for ourselves and others. Let us eat, drink, and live as if all we have is a precious gift received directly from "the hand of God."

Our actions speak.
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Our actions speak. We have a right to look at what another treasures, not in a judgmental fashion, but with an understanding that what one treasures, or at least what one appears to treasure, has deep meaning. Yet instead of looking at others, I suggest you take some time to suspend your judgment of others and yourself to take a look inward. Examine for yourself to "see" what it is that you treasure. This is a glorious exercise that I'm certain God will use for your good. Today, His intent is for you to revelationally see and know that your current treasures provide an accurate window into the nature of your heart.
Let's begin by using the grid of the old children's game, "animal, vegetable, or mineral." Ask yourself, "Do I treasure an animal (human or otherwise)?" To do this, suspend evaluating the implications of your meditation. Right now I'm asking you only to record them. Do this for the entire grid and then write down your answers. Now put your journal away. Let some time pass, more than a day and less than two weeks for the most important part needs some incubation time. Now you're ready for the the crux of the matter. Take what you've written and ask yourself, "Do the animals, people, or things that I treasure occupy a more valued place in my heart than God does?" I'm certain you'll come up with a few. We all have them. Yet for this to be really valuable, we need a more accurate window--to be able to know with certainty that we treasure someone or something more than God. The window is your actual behavior. The heart has a fearsome ability to deceive so oftentimes our actions--what we've actually chosen, done, or have as possessions--are a truer reflection of our heart than our meditation or perception of our own feelings. Objectively, take a look at what you've done from the vantage point of another person looking at yourself. Take what you've found and add to it confession, repentance, and prayer. "Lord, take my confession, my failure to live in a manner that is worthy of You. Here the cry of my heart and forgive. Take away the evil and restore to me what is good--the true good, that which comes from Your heart. Amen."

Old dreams must die.
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Old dreams must die. There comes a time in our life when we must regard as "dead" some of the dreams, aspiration, and hopes we had as a young person. By this I understand that it's healthy to realize that you've come to the end of what it is naturally possible for you to accomplish in some areas of your life. Of course there is a human sadness, a grief, that accompanies this dying to the goals that you once thought were the everything of your existence. Yet this is a normal part of getting older. Generally, by the time a person reaches 35-40, their principal youthful goals should be realized or they're probably not going to happen. There is a resignation to this that is good.
Yet we are encouraged to, "Arise from the dead." Arise" means: Take the initiative to do something. While the visions and ideals of the past belong to their own era and need to become "dead," there is never a time when Spirit-breathed vision, calling, commission, and mission are impossible. In fact, it is a divine imperative of life that we live continually in inspired vision. God imparts the power that causes us to literally and figuratively "arise from the dead" and do the impossible thing. Yet God-breathed initiatives and actions belong to the spiritual man, not the soulish one. Your thoughts, emotions, and will can never supply the necessary power to arise. Believe that this is the way forward for you. Yet God has asked you to bear the responsibility for action. Take the initiative to enter into His presence and receive fresh life: Arise from your sleep. Leave the domain of what is dead and move forward to the land of life in Him.

Be still from speaking and still from doing.
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Be still from speaking and still from doing. Sometimes the situation calls for no action on our part but rather the absolute determination not to do. When this is motivated by a prompting from God, you can be sure His desire is for you to enter the quietness of His care. To cease from doing in the face of an apparent need crying out for decisive action expresses the paradox of the spiritual walk. Yet it is exactly what may be demanded of us. You see, God is after our heart. And sometimes the test of action/inaction cuts to the core struggle between our soul and spirit. Often we're conditioned to rise to a challenge by trying to improve things ourself or join with others to solve a problem. Perhaps today your situation is one in which God is calling you to lay down your talent, your gift, your skill, and even your action because He desires the best part of you. O' Lord send your peace and let the quietness of your rest come.

Trusting and doing.
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Trusting and doing. God continually challenges us to include a deep look at the spiritual side of every situation and interaction. When we view things from a human standpoint alone we, in effect, have closed our spiritual eyes making it impossible for the wisdom of God to be brought into the situation. God then leaves us to solve our problems alone. Typically an action follows that reflects our own "read" of the situation. I've found that this type of doing may also betray a lack of trust that God can or will supply what you need in your situation. However it's also a reality that God's plan always involves people hearing from Him and then doing the actions He calls them to. So it is not the doing that God is against but the doing without hearing and trusting that He is the one who both supplies and brings to completion what He has called us to.

Why do people hate?
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Why do people hate? Jesus predicted that the world would hate His followers as they hated Him (Jn. 15:18). I've generally found this to be true. Though the average person who doesn't hold to a fixed spiritual belief usually doesn't consciously hate the believer, he can easily be stirred up to profound hatred. All it takes is the trigger to be strong enough. Once they are made to feel that their freedom or rights are in jeopardy, they'll usually jettison their liberal stance toward the believer. Don't mistake their seemingly neutral stance; for it's merely a barometer that you're not much of a threat--their perception is that you don't have the strength to "inflict" your will upon them.
It's not far to travel from hating a follower of Jesus to hating a person because of their skin color, ethnicity, physical features, or creed. Someone said that we all have a beast laying dormant within us. Evidence the sad truth of this that has been played out in countless wars and genocide over the ages.

Stay in the light.
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Stay in the light. At the beginning of our spiritual walk we possess a special grace to hear God's voice. It seems as if God's light shines upon us continually and effortlessly. This healthy and free interchange between God and man should be our normal daily experience. Yet it's certain that for most this "honeymoon" period ends too soon. Unless we add the discipline of a regular daily devotional time, it is inevitable that most soon slip back into the soul's nature of separation from God. Soon it becomes impossible to distinguish the soul's tug from the promptings of the Holy Spirit. We become as our drives and impulses dictate. The only way is to remain in the light--taking and staying in our place before God. That is why He has called us to be "sons and daughters of light." Let us grab hold of this truth and exhort all to understand it. One thing more: If we walk too far away from the light of God it can be very difficult to find our way back to Him. "See" Him while it is still day and you'll be free from the limitations of the night.

Faith in a principle or a person?
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Faith in a principle or a person? Some combine their faith with some principle, even an admirable one such as non-violence, that brands and identifies them for all to see. While the pursuit of a life and world without violence might be an admirable goal I can't help but feel that it may take one off-course spiritually. I've found that this sort of thing occurs in people who come to faith after a strong commitment to some profession or agenda. Prior to surrender to God, they live and breath this first love until God comes into their life. Yet these highly disciplined and principled people may run the risk of not escaping the bondage of their roots. Could it be that combining their new-found faith with long-held commitment to principle reflects an immaturity of faith and a reliance upon creed? Are they first a crusader of cause and second a person of the Spirit?
Are you too a prisoner of the past--your ideas, identity, dreams, and goals? Can you or should you forsake all elements of your past life or do you believe it's fine to embrace some of what your inheritance, experience, and knowledge has gifted you with? In time, I'm convinced that eventually a kind and loving God restores in a new, purer state that which He finds useful for our eventual service to Him. Yet I also know that unless this comes by way of God's forge--Him shaping us into His tool by red-hot obedience, that even formidable talents will accomplish little of lasting significance.