actual, real, lasting substance

Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain. - 1 Cor. 15:58

Bryan Chapell (Holiness by Grace):
This side of heaven we will not see how most of our small acts of kindness, or even our great acts of courage that are unnoticed or misunderstood, fit into God’s eternal plan. But we walk and act in... the faith that such actions are eternal, because God promises this is so.…
Knowing the eternal implications of our actions enables us more and more to live for heaven’s effects rather than for earth’s approval.
A gentle touch offered to a crying child on the street, an angry word withheld, the willingness to lose a business deal for integrity’s sake, uncomplaining participation in the dreary routine of dishes and diapers, a smile offered to a harried clerk who has rung up the wrong bill – each unnoticed act of righteousness remains eternal and, as a result, is worthy of our efforts.
The Christian walks through the world with a hidden smile, knowing that by God’s grace each act of love and sacrifice is eternal though the world cannot see it. As we see our world through the eyes of Scripture we know that each day and every moment is lived for eternity and, thus, that no righteous act is fruitless and no sacrifice is vain. 

So good! There is actual, real, lasting substance behind that "hidden smile" experience of depending on the Lord & walking in the good works he has prepared for each day, even in the dreary unnoticed ones. This motivates me to keep looking up to Christ and pressing on with both contentment and anticipation. Sweetness here.

Thank you, dear Father, for how you continue to fill out more of the picture of what is meant by the here and now. Thank you for showing me more of the answer to why you delay our entrance into heaven, that there is actual purpose for life on earth now - the greatest of which is to get started on our quest of knowing and loving you even before we get to do so for eternity in heaven. Eternity starts now. This time does count. Love you, Lord. You are good. 
 

Leave it in his care, and seek to love.

 

If we genuinely trust in God's sovereignty, we ought to trust him enough to leave certain things in his care - even and especially personally painful things. 1 Corinthians calls us to bear all things, believe all things and hope all things about one another. - Tim Challies*

So good, yet so hard to do. So glad to have a great and mighty God who is bigger than all my struggles and will lovingly grant the grace I need each day.

Waiting on the Lord with personally painful things looks like trusting that my God is...

great.

mighty.

sovereign.

just.

holy.

caring.

loving.

gracious.

kind.

I will wait on the Lord. Strength will rise. "Little ones to him belong; they are weak, but he is strong. Yes, Jesus loves me."

Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends. - 1 Corinthians 13:7-8

There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. - 1 John 4:18

And waiting on the Lord looks like allowing my faith to be tested and proved genuine, evidenced by obediently walking in the good works God has prepared for me even in the dark times (James 2:14-26). And I do believe the greatest, and sometimes most difficult, good work is truly loving others. How can I love? Because He first loved us. "We love because he first loved us."

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. - Hebrews 12:1-2

* In CJ Mahaney and Difficult Days, posted today

photo: torn up baseball I found on the hill in midst

of construction for our church building 8/6/11

Do good; He will keep you strong

Speak Truth

But you, O Lord, are a shield about me,

my glory, and the lifter of my head.

- Psalm 3:3

Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. - Hebrews 4:14-16

Now unto the King who reigns over all / And never changes or turns

Unfailing justice, unfading grace / Whose promises remain

Yes, Your promises remain

The heavens ring / The saints all sing / "Great is Your faithfulness"

From age to age / We will proclaim / "Great is Your faithfulness / How great is Your faithfulness"

Everything changes, but You stay the same / Your word and kingdom endure

We lean on the promise of all that You are / And trust forevermore

We will trust forevermore

From generation to generation / You never fail us, O God

Yesterday and today and tomorrow / Until the day You return

-Matt Redman

Oh Father, use my ransomed life

In any way You choose

And let my song forever be

My only boast is You

- Jordan Kauflin, All I Have Is Christ

recorded on Looked Upon

For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known. So now, faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love. - 1 Corinthians 13:12-13

photo: shadows in our kitchen, 9/20/2008

My Role and God's Love

For the body does not consist of one member but of many. If the foot should say, "Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body," that would not make it any less a part of the body. And if the ear should say, "Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body," that would not make it any less a part of the body. . . . But as it is, God arranged the members in the body, each one of them, as he chose. If all were a single member, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, yet one body (1 Corinthians 12:14-20).

And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith (Galations 6:9-10).

Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things (1 Corinthians 13:4-7).

Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. . . . There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love. We love because he first loved us (1 John 4: 7-11; 18-19).

Pray for Ian

If you have never checked out the Pray for Ian blog, I urge you to do so.

Although we had many mutual friends beforehand, I met Ian in the spring of 2006, when he and his friend David came to our church young adult meeting at the Plank home. Then in May, he lead my "family group" at New Attitude (the first one I had been at). I still remember many of the people in that group, and it was one of the best family group experiences out of the five I've had. Much of that was because of Ian's leadership and infectious zeal for Christ. During that summer he interned at Haverstick Films, and we got to know him here in Lancaster. He attended Crossway Church while away from his home church in Indiana, PA.
Then one October day that same year, my friend Kiera gave me a call - I can remember exactly where I was. Ian had been in a severe car accident and they were asking everyone for their prayers. I remember walking around Millersville University campus in shock early that week. He was on the very verge of death. God chose to spare his life. But life changed from that moment on for Ian, and so many of his family and friends. God's weaving a beautiful story in their lives, one that points heavenward to the treasure of Christ.

So again, I strongly urge you to go to their blog. Follow it from the beginning. It could undoubtedly be published as a book one day. Ian, Larissa, Steve, Mary, and their family, friends, and church family are a blessing to the broader Church of Christ. They have opened up their lives in the blog these past few years, sharing with us the anguish and joys of enduring faith through trial after trial.

How sweet it will be to rejoice along with them by our Savior's side!

For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known. So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love. - 1 Corinthians 13:12-13

photo: David & Krista's wedding, 2010

victory and labor

I read the following this morning, and it stood out to me and was/is so sweet to my soul.

The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain. - 1 Corinthians 15:56-58

God gives us the victory through Christ. What freedom, rest, and joy. And I can work in life knowing my labors are not in vain because He has already won the victory and is fighting on my side - Christ has me and Christ is continuing to intercede for me. Great is his faithfulness.

photo: Conestoga House and Gardens, 2010

Consider, and Boast in Christ

For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, so that, as it is written, "Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord." - 1 Corinthians 1:26-31

So let no one boast in men. For all things are yours, whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or the present or the future - all are yours, and you are Christ's, and Christ is God's. - 1 Corinthians 3:21-22

photo: Tuscany, Italy 2007

casting cares

My mom encouraged me to write down the following thoughts, which I briefly shared with her yesterday. So I made use of my journal, and now I'm making use of my blog. I like this progression. I trimmed down/edited my journal entry to share here.

God has pointed out to me in the past, and present, how I can try to take upon myself others' burdens and be their "savior." I must not do this. I need to deflect and cast their cares unto God, and not walk around weighed down by everyone's difficulties. That is not true care and compassion. True care and compassion is pointing them to their Savior and then trusting that He will work in them, not being anxious for them.

Here is a connection that has become more clear recently:

Not only should I not take others' burdens on myself, but I should not put my own burdens on myself either, especially those areas that I can do nothing about. They belong to no one but God. God has called me to steward well my time, finances, relationships, etc.. He calls me to this because they are not my own, but his. I am not my own, but his. There is responsibility in that; I cannot use anything to gratify the desires of my flesh. But there is much freedom in that, because won't God take care of his own? Yes! Absolutely. How freeing.

Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20

But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Matthew 6:30

photo: Burano, Italy (near Venice) 2007