Heartlight Articles - Two Minute Meditations

Lost and Found

phil@heartlight.org (Phil Ware) — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0600

Our son, Zachary, was not quite two years old. I had just taken a preaching position at a new church in Austin. One Wednesday night after we had visited with a lot of folks, Donna and I both looked up and Zach had just vanished. The lights were off in every part of the building except the foyer where we were standing. Donna and I looked at each other and at the couple with whom we were visiting and we all had this stricken look of panic!

Where would a little kid go in a dark church building? Nowhere! No little kid would wander off into a dark, creepy, huge, unfamiliar space like that. The other couple took off to look outside the building. We were all panicked and feared that he may have gone out to the parking lot or wandered into the very busy street. Both of these were horribly dangerous options that we couldn't even bear to imagine! They looked outside and Donna and I tore through the building calling, looking, and hoping against hope to find our lost boy.

Then Donna peaked in a classroom with a small window that allowed in a little outside light. There, calm as could be, was Zach. He was singing and playing with toys, totally unruffled by the darkness, separation from his parents, and their panic-stricken expressions. Relief, joy, and celebration all flooded over us. Zach was missing for only a very few minutes, but our fear and panic made it feel like an eternity. We were thrilled and overjoyed to have our little boy back in our arms!

Our story with Zach pales in comparison to the recent news stories of abducted children being reunited with their parents. I cannot begin to imagine the anguish those parents faced as they waited for years, never knowing what happened to their children who were not only lost to them, but also had vanished without a trace. Hearing stories of their reunions has touched my heart and caused tears to run down my face. Yet their stories pale in comparison to the brokenhearted Father of grace who came searching for us -- you and me, his lost children -- by sending Jesus to show us his love.

God's story is a story of searching love as he yearns to find his lost children, so it is no wonder that Jesus used the image of finding a lost sheep so frequently.

Jesus came to find God's lost sheep. (Matthew 10:6; Matthew 15:24)

The Father doesn't want any to perish, but rejoices at finding each lost sheep. (Matthew 18:10-14)

The shepherd's great joy at finding the lost sheep. (Luke 15:3-7)

Jesus came to seek and to save lost sheep -- like Zacchaeus. (Luke 19:1-10)

Jesus is God's message to let us know how desperately the Father wanted to find us, to reach our hearts, and to bring us home and have a party.

Jesus' most famous apostle, Peter, humbly rejoiced and reminded early followers of Jesus that each of them had once been a lost sheep:

For "you were like sheep going astray," but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls (1 Peter 2:25 TNIV).

Each follower of Jesus -- even you and me -- has been brought home to God, with the angels of heaven rejoicing and the Father of glory wanting to throw a party.

How can we not celebrate with great joy that we have been included?

How can we not seek and reach out to those who have wandered away from God?

How can we not rejoice when God's lost ones come home to the Father of grace and the Great Shepherd of the sheep?

Read Luke 15:1-32 and then use the following questions for your personal reflection and group discussion in your LIFE groups, small groups, Home Gatherings, and house churches. I'd also love to hear from you on my blog about your lost and found experiences: http://thephilfiles.com

What is the most important thing in your life that you've lost, then rejoiced when you found it?

Have you ever lost a child (or a friend) in a crowd and feared something bad had happened to them?

How was this situation resolved?

Were you able to rejoice when the person was found? What did you do to celebrate?

Who are people in your life that you can help shepherd home to God?

Who is one specific person God has put on your heart that needs to come home to God?

What can you do to help others know about the love of God?

Why do you think it is so hard for many of us to celebrate and have a party when God's lost sheep come home?

Have you ever found yourself, or someone else you know, resenting those who have been away from God but who have been brought back home?

How do we help these folks, and ourselves, let go and rejoice like God does with the angels of heaven when his lost children come home?

Phil Ware is minister of the Word at Southern Hills Church of Christ in Abilene, Texas. For the past 10+ years, he has also been co-editor of HEARTLIGHT Magazine. For more details, click
here.

Website: Southern Hills Church of Christ

Promises Kept!

phil@heartlight.org (Phil Ware) — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 00:00:00 -0500

I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep (John10:11 ESV).

We have all sorts of little sayings to emphasize that we are telling the truth and we really are going to keep our promises:

"No brag, just fact."

"Just the facts, ma'am."

"Let me be brutally honest"

"Now truthfully ..."

"I want to walk the talk."

"You can take it to the bank."

"Let me be brutally honest!"

And a bunch more if we wanted to list them.

While Jesus had a way to emphasize the importance of something he said, when it comes to promises, the Lord advocated that we simply tell the truth the first time without elaboration or oaths (Matthew 5:34; James 5:12). Our lives really prove the value of our words, and Jesus wanted his life to speak clearly and loudly about his faithfulness: faithfulness to both God and to us.

Jesus claimed to be the Good Shepherd, and The Good Shepherd lays down his life for his sheep. This was so important that he said it in slightly different ways five times in one setting (John 10:11-18). However, the ultimate test of a shepherd is whether he lives for himself or for his sheep -- if he truly lays down his life for his sheep in both big and small ways.

Jesus proved himself to be a faithful shepherd by what he did and how he did it!

Jesus gave up the protection and perfection of heaven for the flaws and mortality of human life (Philippians 2:5-11).

Jesus prepared his closest followers for his absence even when wrestling with his impending death. He lovingly spent time with them and prepared them for his absence and promised them his ongoing presence through the Holy Spirit, the Comforter (John 13:1-17:26).

Jesus paid the ultimate price by dying on the Cross and was raised from the dead to release us from the tyranny of sin and death (Mark 10:45; Romans 4:25).

Jesus spoke these words of promise, "I lay down my life for the sheep" (John 10:15), then proved his word true by laying down his life every step of his journey with them.

But why is this important? Why make such a big deal about it?

Today, two reasons seem very important to me.

First, we can trust the glorious promises of Jesus because he proved himself faithful in the promises he paid the awful cost to fulfill. Since he was willing to give up heaven to come to us and give up his life to save us, why would we ever doubt his promises to bless us and bring us to the Father?

Second, Jesus shows us the heart of real leadership. Leadership "Jesus' style" is not about being served or finding status or exercising power. Leadership "Jesus' style" is about setting an example, living our lives to bless others, and giving up our lives to help others find God, hope, and heaven. Anyone who leads in the footsteps of Jesus should not be surprised that leadership requires us to lay down our lives for those we lead as we follow the Master's example!

Jesus did more than say he loves us: he has proven his love by his actions. And because his love has been proven, we can trust his promises to be with us and to bring us to the Father. No brag ... just fact!

The following questions are for your own reflection and may also be used in small group discussion or house church settings. I would also love to get your feedback on my blog: http://tinyurl.com/hl102909

What are your favorite promises of Jesus?

Why can you trust these promises to be true?

What do they help you look forward to experiencing with God in the future?

How do they help give you reassurance in difficult times?

Why do you think we tend to forget Jesus' promises when we are going through times of trouble?

How does Jesus' proof of his faithfulness to the hard and painful promises give us assurance that he will keep the glorious promises?

What can you do to help some other believer hear and accept the promises of Jesus?

Phil Ware is minister of the Word at Southern Hills Church of Christ in Abilene, Texas. For the past 10+ years, he has also been co-editor of HEARTLIGHT Magazine. For more details, click
here.

Website: Southern Hills Church of Christ

A Really Inconvenient Truth

phil@heartlight.org (Phil Ware) — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 00:00:00 -0500

How nervous was he?

I really don't know, but my guess is that he was extremely nervous. God had chosen him to share a really inconvenient truth with the most powerful man in his world. In fact, this man in power had killed other men for less. So I can visualize Nate with sweat on his upper lip, his palms clammy, a catch in his throat that he couldn't quite clear, and his tongue an oversized cotton ball with a throat as dry as dust. He knew the stakes -- his life or the king's character. Nate's job had forever ramifications for him and for the king and his kingdom.

The king had a reputation for having a heart for God, but when he blew it, he blew it big and bad and ugly. And this was one of those times. So as Nate cast about for a way to confront the king, the Lord led him to a story -- a story close to the heart of God and hopefully close to the heart of the king. Nate must have prayed that the king hadn't become so enamored with the palace and power that he had forgotten his roots, his heart, and the integrity he had so carelessly thrown away for a season of power lust. Nate tried to clear his throat one more time and began:

There were two men in the same city -- one rich, the other poor. The rich man had huge flocks of sheep, herds of cattle. The poor man had nothing but one little female lamb, which he had bought and raised. It grew up with him and his children as a member of the family. It ate off his plate and drank from his cup and slept on his bed. It was like a daughter to him.

One day a traveler dropped in on the rich man. He was too stingy to take an animal from his own herds or flocks to make a meal for his visitor, so he took the poor man's lamb and prepared a meal to set before his guest.

Nate didn't have to wait for a reaction. The king responded immediately!
David exploded in anger:

"As surely as God lives," he said to Nathan, "the man who did this ought to be lynched! He must repay for the lamb four times over for his crime and his stinginess!"

Nate silently thanked God for guiding the story to the perfect place in King David's heart. He looked the king in the eye, and without hesitation or flinching at just the right moment, Nate said, "You're the man!"

You probably recognize the story from the prophet Nathan's rebuke of King David's sins of adultery with Bathsheba and of the murder of her husband, Uriah (2 Samuel 12:1-7 MSG). Both were a betrayal of David's power and position. Even worse, they were a betrayal of God, who chose David because of the "integrity of his heart" as a kind shepherd to be the shepherd of his people (Psalm 78:70-72 NKJV).

David, the shepherd king, was chosen because of those shepherd-like qualities -- qualities that were near to the heart of God, who described himself as a tender shepherd:

He will feed his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms, and carry them in his bosom, and gently lead the mother sheep (Isaiah 40:11 NRS).

This same David gave us the comforting and beautiful Shepherd Song that has comforted many of us in our times of greatest loss, heartache and trail:

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures.
He leads me beside still waters.
He restores my soul.
He leads me in paths of righteousness
for his name's sake.
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me (Psalm 23:1-4 ESV).

So when Nathan has to confront David, what does he do?

He tells him a shepherd's story -- a story near to the heart of God and near to the heart of David's experience. The story hits its mark and David is convicted of his sinful abuse of his power and position as well as his betrayal of his role as a shepherd for God's people (Psalm 51:1-17).

Unfortunately, we live in a day when the images of a good shepherd are almost completely lost on us. But if we listen, if we open our hearts, we can still feel the pull of the powerful metaphor of a shepherd's watchful, tender, powerful, loving care with his flock. We can also be reminded of how awful, how debilitating, it is for God's people to settle for less than real shepherds with "integrity of heart" -- leaders who smell like sheep because they have lived among them.

God's leaders must have as their goal to lead like the Great Shepherd David describes in his famous psalm. It's not about the size of the flock or the reputation of the flock, but it's about the flock being sheep that have been led to abundant life by their shepherds (John 10:10), sheep who lack no good thing (Psalm 23:1).

So as you look for leaders to follow in God's family, go back to David's famous of description of God as our Shepherd (Psalm 23:1-4) or Jesus' description of himself as the Good Shepherd (John 10:1-18). Then ask yourself; does this shepherd smell like the sheep? Do I see the qualities of the Good Shepherd in this leader?

And if you want to lead God's people at any level -- because shepherding is not just a role, but it is also a mandated style of leadership in Scripture regardless of your position -- are you following the Good Shepherd to learn to bless others? Are you doing the things in the lives of others that lead them to recognize your shepherding care? Can people describe your leadership being done with "integrity of heart" as a shepherd? Do you go out ahead of people and when you call, they follow you? Are you feeding them, giving them rest, restoring their spirits, giving them assurance in difficult times, and walking beside them in tough times?

God is looking for people with shepherding hearts to step into the lives of the flock and guide them to better things, better resources, and better care. Let's not settle for less than real shepherds for God's flock!

Here are a few other questions to consider as you think about the issues of shepherding in your life. I would love to get your feedback on my blog -- http://tinyurl.com/hl102209 -- or you can use these questions for your own growth or in a small group Bible study as well.

Why do you think the image of a shepherd, as a leader, is so important in the Bible?

Why is it used to describe God so frequently and intimately?

Who has been the shepherding leader in your life -- whether the shepherd was an official leader or not?

For whom can you be a shepherding leader?

What trait of God as Shepherd blesses you most?

Phil Ware is minister of the Word at Southern Hills Church of Christ in Abilene, Texas. For the past 10+ years, he has also been co-editor of HEARTLIGHT Magazine. For more details, click
here.

Website: Southern Hills Church of Christ

Drop the Rope!

phil@heartlight.org (Phil Ware) — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 00:00:00 -0500

Google or Bing the words "tug of war rope breaks injuries" and you will get to some crazy and even gruesome stuff -- injuries caused both by people wrapping the rope around their hands or arms and also caused by the rope breaking. Of course, there are some advertisers claiming to provide ropes for injury free tug-of-war contests as well as references to medical people criticizing tug-of-war as a dangerous, unnecessary, and accident-prone exercise.

So, why do we find ourselves so frequently engaging in tug-of-war debates in Jesus' family of faith? You know what I'm talking about, those "either-or" debates about things that are good, helpful, and spiritually encouraging?

Over the last few weeks, from at least five totally unrelated people, from the web and in private discussion, the subject of mission trips versus service trips has come up. Two different people, one online and one in person, asked a question similar to the following: "I had a minister tell me that service trips were okay, but 'preaching the gospel' trips were much more important. What do you think?"

So do I join the tug-of-war? And if I join the tug-of-war, who is going to get injured when the goal is to win an argument over two good things and someone gets caught in the rope on the losing end? And if I join the tug-of-war, aren't I pitting myself as a rival of the group who is on the other end of the rope whether my side wins, loses, or we draw?

Sorry, I can't get on either end of this rope! I can't tilt the balance one way or the other. I believe these two must go together, not be pitted against one another. Calling folks to obey God without demonstrating the compassion of God is falling very short of who Jesus was and what Jesus calls us to be. Being compassionate without sharing Jesus, the moving force behind our compassion, is not going to offer people a lasting solution to their deepest problems. Let me illustrate this with two perspectives we gain from Matthew's Gospel.

Example 1: How Jesus' ministry is Described

Matthew twice emphasizes that Jesus' ministry involved both ends of our rope:

Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people (Matthew 4:23 TNIV).

Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness (Matthew 9:35).

For Jesus, it was not "either/or," but "both/and"! Read the stories of Jesus in the Gospels. He performed miracles, he cast out demons, he cared tenderly for people, he touched the untouchable, he welcomed sinners, and he did so because he loved people. There wasn't a hook in his motives. He wasn't being nice to manipulate them to some point. He was displaying God's love to them. At the same time, Jesus spoke openly about the need for repentance, about obeying the will of God, and following him as Lord. He practiced what he preached and preached what he practiced!

There is simply no way to separate both of these two crucial parts of Jesus' ministry: there is no tug-of-war and there is no "either/or"! When the heart of who we are and what we do is to love God and love our neighbor, then we are going to share the truth of God and we are going to demonstrate the compassion of God. If we don't, someone is going to get hurt when the rope breaks or one side or the other wins the argument!

Example 2: Experiencing Immanuel

Matthew's Gospel calls Jesus' followers to experience Immanuel, God with us. He emphasizes that this happens in at least four ways:

Through the story of Jesus' time on earth (Matthew 1:23).

Through radical and authentic community (Matthew 18:1-20, esp. vs. 20).

Through sacrificial service to those in need (Matthew 25:31-46, esp. vs. 40).

Through crossing cultures to form Christ in others (Matthew 28:18-20).

Jesus is our ultimate expression of Immanuel. Jesus prepares his followers for his physical absence by emphasizing that they will experience his presence, serve him, and have him go with them as they do both -- demonstrate God's compassion and communicate God's message.

Rather than trying to get everyone polarized over mission trips versus service trips, evangelizing versus serving, proclaiming the Gospel or practicing social justice, why don't we put down our rope? I may be simplistic, but shouldn't we be about BOTH caring for others as Jesus did AND sharing with others what Jesus did and how we should respond to him?

The following questions are for your personal reflection or discussion in a group setting or house church. I would also love to get your feedback to the article or the questions on my blog:
The Phil Files

Why do you think it is so easy for us to get into these religious tug-of-wars instead of caring and sharing with those outside our spiritual family?

What is missing on a service trip in Jesus' name when folks don't look for opportunities to share the story of Jesus?

What is missing in a mission trip if folks preach and teach in Jesus' name, but don't serve others as Jesus did or treat others along the way as Jesus did?

Which is harder for you, sharing the story of Jesus or caring for those in need?
Why is one harder than the other?
What can you do to grow in both areas, but especially in the area of weakness?
What can we all do to ensure that our efforts in mission trips and in daily life include both caring and sharing?

Phil Ware is minister of the Word at Southern Hills Church of Christ in Abilene, Texas. For the past 10+ years, he has also been co-editor of HEARTLIGHT Magazine. For more details, click
here.

Website: Southern Hills Church of Christ

Riders in the Storm

phil@heartlight.org (Phil Ware) — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 00:00:00 -0500

For once, I was excited to go see my doctor. Headed into my yearly physical, I had dropped about 25 pounds from the year before and felt great. I couldn't wait to hear what my friend and doc had to say. At least I thought I couldn't wait!

My doc said, "Hey Phil, you look great. How did you lose the weight?"

I explained and we shared some chitchat. Then, while looking at my neck and feeling my lymph nodes, he said, "So what is that?" About that time he punched around at the bottom of my neck in the little soft spot and I flinched as a twinge of pain shot through me. Then he said, "Oh wow, there are three of them!"

This is not what I had expected to hear! I had three small masses that he could see and touch. I could feel a twinge when he poked on each of them. I went from feeling proud and great, to feeling startled and worried, in a matter of minutes. To be honest, I don't remember anything else about the results of that physical except for the end.

My doc said, "These feel perfectly round, so I'm hopeful they are simply cysts."

Then I asked the dumb question, "So if they are not cysts, what else could they be?"

Not a good question and certainly not one he could answer. The sky was the limit on "what else could they be?" We both knew what I was really asking. I was a public speaker. The cysts were near my vocal chords and at the base of my thyroid. For anyone, this would be a scare, but for someone who spoke as his primary livelihood, well, let's just say everything was up for grabs in my heart!

The doc's answer was evasive, but better than if he had given me the long list of possibilities for "what else could they be?"

"Let's not speculate at this point. I am going to schedule you for an ultrasound and also a thyroid nuclear x-ray. These cysts are small and feel perfectly round, so I'm not all that worried about them; I think they might even go away on their own.

While the doc's words were good, this is what I heard, "Oh wow ... three of them ... ultrasound ... nuclear ... worried ... probably ... might?"

I trusted my friend. I believed that he was probably right, but I couldn't help but hear the echo of these fearful words in my heart as I tossed and turned several nights before I took the tests and received the results.

There have been many other storms in my life since that doctor's visit, and nearly all of them have turned out well when I've finished riding out the storm and come to the calm waters on the other side of the storm.

All of us who find ourselves as mortal bags of bones, blood, and skin have to be riders on the storm at different moments in our lives. The real issue in those moments is what we allow our focus to become during the storm. What sounds do we hear and what sights capture our gaze? What do we do when fear overwhelms us and we've grown tired of fighting the storm? How do we know if Jesus is with us when we can't see him and it appears he is far from us?

The early followers of Jesus faced storms like we do -- theirs may have even been worse than most of us have faced. For them, an event in the life of Jesus was told and re-told to help them find comfort and keep faith in their storms.

Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, but the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.

Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. "It's a ghost," they said, and cried out in fear.

But Jesus immediately said to them: "Take courage! It is I. Don't be afraid."

"Lord, if it's you," Peter replied, "tell me to come to you on the water."

"Come," he said.

Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, "Lord, save me!"

Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. "You of little faith," he said, "why did you doubt?"

And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, "Truly you are the Son of God?" (Matthew 14:22-33 TNIV).

What made this story so powerful to Jesus' early followers was that Jesus had just demonstrated in the feeding of the 5,000 that if his followers would bring him their limited resources and their inability to deal with big problems, then he would make them more than sufficient to face the challenge (Matthew 14:13-21). But like us, they could quickly forget and lose their focus and their faith. Like us, they could listen more to the wind and watch the rolling waves, quickly forgetting the loving concern of their friend, Jesus, who had the power to come to them during the storm and then bring them to safety out of the storm.

At some time in each of our lives, we are all going to find ourselves as riders in the storm. How are we going to handle them?

What are some of the storms you have faced in your life?

So when you were in your storm, to whom did you turn for help?

Did you trust Jesus to come and meet you in your storm even though you weren't aware of his presence at first?

Will you look to Jesus in your future storms instead of focusing on the winds and the waves?

Will you take risks to find Jesus in your storms, even if those around do not?

And if you fall in your storms, will you cry out to Jesus to save you?

Do you think it is sometimes necessary to go through storms to discover that the presence of Jesus in your life is real?

My prayer for you is that this story from Jesus' life will become more than just a story for you. I pray it will become a truth that shapes your future as you face your storms and seek to follow Jesus!

While the questions above can be used for your study and application of our key passage, or can be used in small group discussion of the passage, I would love to hear your answer, your take, on Jesus coming to you during the storms of your life and bringing you safely home. Let me hear from you on my blog: http://tinyurl.com/hl20091008

Phil Ware is minister of the Word at Southern Hills Church of Christ in Abilene, Texas. For the past 10+ years, he has also been co-editor of HEARTLIGHT Magazine. For more details, click
here.

Website: Southern Hills Church of Christ

Beyond the Slogans

phil@heartlight.org (Phil Ware) — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 00:00:00 -0500

Those of us in the community of believers pull out several sayings when folks face hardship and troubles. The truth behind these sayings is powerful and comforting. Yet we frequently use them when we don't know what to say to folks facing hardship, loss, deep disappointment, and grief. We don't intend for them to be throwaway slogans, but they can become that if we use them indiscriminately.

"I'll be prayin' for you!"

Few things are more important than intercessory prayer for someone who is hurting. Yet this statement can feel like a throwaway slogan when the wounded friend doesn't know for sure that we are actually praying for them and doesn't know what it is we are praying for them. To keep this from simply being a throwaway slogan, we can actually place our hand on our friend and pray for them, especially for the Holy Spirit to bring comfort and strength as we ask for God's presence to be with them during their time of sorrow, pain, or grief. We can also let them know that we will pray specifically for them at a certain time each day or on a certain day of the week. Suddenly, the slogan becomes a partnership of grace -- a commitment to support them regularly in their struggle to regain their hope and balance in life.

"Well you know, God works everything out for our good."

This is an incredibly powerful promise when placed in the overall context of the message in which it is found. On the other hand, these words can also feel like a command to hurry up and be happy given by someone whose life is fine while the wounded person feels his or her life is in ruins. Yet when placed in the rich vein of God's grace and of the promise of God's never failing presence in our lives through the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:32-39), this promise is powerful, transformational, and hopeful:

We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.

In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for God's people in accordance with the will of God.

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters (Romans 8:22-29 TNIV).

Notice several powerful truths found in these few verses.

We live a broken existence in a broken world that groans with pain awaiting its redemption. This will not change until the day of Jesus' return and we are ushered into a new existence where the fractures of our fallen world are caught up in the glory of our revelation as God's perfected sons and daughters. This is the reason God saved us, but we have only received the first taste of the glorious future and we wait in hope for its full dawning.

As God's sons and daughters, we've been given the Holy Spirit to live within us. In our time of waiting for glory to dawn, the Holy Spirit blesses us in many ways. When we voice our deepest longings to God -- some of which are too deep and mournful to even be put into words -- the Holy Spirit takes what is in the deepest recesses of our hearts and presents these longings, feelings, concerns, wounds, and sighs to God. We don't have to worry about our words being appropriate or reflecting all of our longings, we only need to point our hearts to God in prayer and the Holy Spirit brings these longings and requests to God aligned to our Father's will. Wow! What powerful reassurance!

In the context of our broken world, our broken hearts, and the Holy Spirit's work through our prayers, we are reassured that God is at work in our lives. The Spirit takes our brokenness along our honest prayers to the Father, who promises to work in this brokenness to bring our eternal good. Our call before the Lord is to love him and to live for his purpose. As we do this, the Spirit transforms us to be like Jesus. In the darkest times in Jesus' life, God worked eternal glory, ultimate vindication, and brought us to himself as his redeemed children. In much the same way, God promises to work in our lives to bring us to himself so we can share in his glory.

As wonderful and glorious as life can be, it is still part of a broken world subjected to decay and death. Yet even in its worst moments and our most catastrophic events, God has promised to be at work in us, to be present with us, to hear our deepest cries, and to work in the heartbreak of the moment to bring us to glory. More than a slogan, this is a lifestyle transformed by grace and bound to the hope we have in Jesus.

The following are questions for your own meditation, for use in small group Bible studies, and for your comment. I'd love to hear your take on this subject and the questions that follow: http://thephilfiles.com/2009/09/30/dangerous

Why do we feel like we have to say something more than "I love you and will stand with you!" when someone faces tragedy, grief, and loss?

What are other more meaningful things that we can do besides offer folks slogans?

Do you think some of our slogans are intended to defend God when folks are hurt, angry, or feel abandoned by God in a crisis?

What should we do when folks feel this way toward God?

How can we help them in ways more important that talk?

What do you consider to be the most meaningful promise found in Romans chapter 8?

Does it help you understand our disasters to be reminded that we live in a broken world crying out for deliverance from its bondage to decay?

Why is it important that the Holy Spirit intercedes for us regarding matters that are too deep for words?

How are the promises of Romans 8:22-29 given power and meaning by the Christ hymn in Philippians 2:5-11 and the example of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane (Mark 13:32-42)?

This is part of a series of messages called, He's Still Got the Whole World in His Hands:

Messages in the series:

Ain't Nothin' New (9.24.09)

Pray Till Peace Comes (10.01.09)

Sure Hope in Uncertain times (10.08.09)

What's In Our Hands? (10.15.09)

Special thanks to Stephen Jacobs for the artwork. Please request permission before using artwork.

Phil Ware is minister of the Word at Southern Hills Church of Christ in Abilene, Texas. For the past 10+ years, he has also been co-editor of HEARTLIGHT Magazine. For more details, click
here.

Website: Southern Hills Church of Christ

Ain't Nothin' New?

phil@heartlight.org (Phil Ware) — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0500

The LORD'S lovingkindnesses indeed never cease,
For His compassions never fail.
They are new every morning;
Great is Your faithfulness.
"The LORD is my portion," says my soul,
"Therefore I have hope in Him" (Lamentations 3:22-23 NASB).

We call the problem many things: dying with boredom, stuck in our rut, captured by the predictable, the daily grind, our fixed routine, the relentless cycle, the suffocating sameness, another lap on the treadmill of life, the endless pattern, being lost on the merry-go-round, or living the same ol' thing. No matter what we call it, there are times when life feels unchangeable. What will happen is what has happened. We can't escape it. We can't change it. We are bound to repeat it. We even have the words of Scripture to give voice to our stuck condition:

What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun (Ecclesiastes 1:9 TNIV).

When this predictable sameness involves loss, grief, heartbreak, illness, pain, or "a long run of bad luck," then the impact of this sameness on our heart, our spirit, our psyche, and our faith can be devastating. Joy is drained out of each day. Despair and depression rule our lives. Hope is lost. The will to live, or least the will to live with purpose, is sucked from our spirits and our souls turn brittle and dry as dust.

So how do we survive such times? How do we move beyond our rut so that it does not become our never-ending grave? After all, isn't that what a rut is: a grave without ends?

Over the years, several proven spiritual commitments have proved to be a blessing to folks who found themselves trapped in circumstances bigger than their ability to alter. These are not color-by-number "quick fixes" for tough times, but they are spiritual disciplines that have been practiced through the ages that brought blessing, change, and peace to those who practiced them.

Tell God Stories

One of the reasons God gave us the incredible treasury of the Bible is for us to tell the stories of our people and our heavenly Father who has been at work in us. Stories of relentless despair through which God works his great grace remind us that God changes things in the lives of ordinary people like us.

Read the Old Testament books of Ruth, Esther, and Daniel to see how God did amazing things in times when people felt helpless and had lost their hope. Remember the story of the miraculous catch of fish where Jesus changed the lives of Peter, Andrew, James, and John -- and thousands after them -- forever (Luke 5:1-10). Remember the story of a church caught in the relentless and ongoing fear of persecution and how God turned the church's greatest enemy into its greatest advocate with the conversion of Saul (Acts 9:1-22). These are our stories. This is our God. One of the reason God gave us these stories is to help us remember and to help us expect that the Almighty can do what no one else can do, even more than we can ask or imagine in us and through us (Ephesians 3:14-21).

Praying the Psalms

Most of us pray when things are tough, at least at first we pray then we often give up. Yet when we look at those prayers, frequently they are about what we want changed in our lives. "Please help ... please fix ... please give ... please heal ... please ..."

Clearly we are to pray what is on our heart. When we look at the prayer book of the Bible, the Psalms, we are given honest words, angry words, hard words, imploring words, and even anguished words to speak to God. This great storehouse of prayer should become our habitat for times both hard and great. The Psalms remind us that we can be gut honest with God.

At the same time, the Psalms teach us to pray with thanksgiving, praise, joy, and expectation even in hard times as we pray honestly before God. The Psalms remind us that the goal of our spiritual journey is not prayer or changing our circumstances, but it is God -- to be in the Father's presence, to be shaped by our time with God, and have our hearts lifted by times in the presence of our Creator. When we spend time with God using the Psalms, we learn that we can devote ourselves to prayer being both watchful and thankful as we honestly share our hearts with God (Colossians 4:2).

Join with Others on the Journey

In an era of big churches and lonely people, we must remember that the journey of faith is primarily a journey of friends and family -- a fellowship caravan of travelers. The wise man's words are still true:

Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If they fall down, they can help each other up. But pity those who fall and have no one to help them up! Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken (Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 TNIV).

Jesus sent his followers out in pairs, not alone (Mark 6:7). The apostle Paul always traveled with several companions (Acts 16:1-6). Jesus' presence is with us in special ways when two or more of us share together in prayer, worship, or even a common meal together (Matthew 18:20; Luke 24:13-35; Acts 2:46).

For those who are alone or feel abandoned, such a blessing seems too good to be true and too hard for them to find. But as we move out of a focus on our needs and our loneliness, and begin to focus on serving others for their good, not ours, incredible things happen. Fellowship and friendship are established. Whether it's becoming part of a church and finding a place to help, volunteering with Big Brothers or Big Sisters or some like organization, or volunteering to help at a hospital, as we move outside the circle of our needs to bless the lives of others, God brings community, purpose and even joy to our lives. Jesus said it this way: "It is more blessed to give than to receive" (Acts 20:35). As we give and invest ourselves in others, we find a new community is formed and a new fellowship is begun.

Often when I share these three spiritual trajectories for people to live in their own lives, they are frustrated that these are not quick fixes. I will confess to you that these are not magic beans that sprout overnight and give you a stairway to heaven. But, I can assure you, these are the tried and true practices of the ages. They have sustained others like you and me, and those who faced far worse circumstances than most of us can imagine. And, these have opened up the hearts of God's people to see that our Father really is the God of new things (Isaiah 43:19), that our Father can make our world fresh and new again by remaking us (2 Corinthians 5:17), and with each day, we can say, "This is the day which the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it" (Psalm 118:24). He's still got the whole world -- even our little piece of it -- in His hands.

The following thoughts and questions are for your personal reflection, use in a Home Gathering group, or in small group discussion. Feel free to share your reactions to this article or to the questions on my blog:
http://www.thephilfiles.com/2009/09/23/please-deliver

What is your favorite "God story" -- a story about God being at work in the lives of everyday people in Scripture.

How did God "showing up" in their life change the situation?

What is your favorite "God story" in your life?

How did God "showing up" in your life change you even if the situation didn't immediately change?

Think through the prayers you've prayed recently:

Were you honest with God about your current situation in life, your struggles, your sins, and your frustration?

Did you praise God for Who He is and what He has done in the past?

Did you thank Him for the good things and the blessings in your life?

Why do you think it is so important to be honest about our emotions in prayer with God?

Why do you think the Bible emphasizes that praise and thanksgiving are so important in prayer?

Who is a friend you could share the deepest struggles of your heart with?

If you don't have that kind of friend, who would be blessed by having you be this kind of friend to them?

What group would benefit from you being a part of their team -- what volunteer group at church, in the community, at the hospital?

This is part of a series of messages called, He's Still Got the Whole World in His Hands:

Messages in the series:

Ain't Nothin' New (9.24.09)

Pray Till Peace Comes (10.01.09)

Sure Hope in Uncertain times (10.08.09)

What's In Our Hands? (10.15.09)

Special thanks to Stephen Jacobs for the artwork. Please request permission before using artwork.

Phil Ware is minister of the Word at Southern Hills Church of Christ in Abilene, Texas. For the past 10+ years, he has also been co-editor of HEARTLIGHT Magazine. For more details, click
here.

Website: Southern Hills Church of Christ