A Light Bulb Moment!

Have you ever had one of those “light bulb” moments – an “A ha!” moment? As a classroom teacher, I lived for those moments – when, all of a sudden, some idea or concept that I was trying to get across to my students was suddenly understood by at least one of them. I remember one of those days when teaching grammar, and I could tell by the blank stares on their faces that they were not “getting” direct objects. The ship was sinking fast! It seemed so simple to me – why couldn’t they understand? A direct object is a noun or pronoun following the action verb that receives the action – how many times was I going to have to say that?

Then it suddenly occurred to me to approach it a different way. So I used the simple sentence of “John hit the ball,” and asked “What did John hit?” Almost in unison, the students (at least those who had not completely abandoned our sinking ship) replied, “the ball.” I shouted, “That’s the direct object!!!” Smiles swept over their faces as they finally “got” it. From then on, they could usually find the direct object with little trouble. Those smiles were like light bulbs lighting up that classroom. They felt the excitement of figuring something out, and I felt the excitement of a teachable moment – for them and for me.

Well, I had one of those experiences as I was reading the story of Rebekah found in Genesis 24-28, it happened, the light bulb came on. Rebekah was a “fixer” – just like me! But here’s the real “A ha,” – being a fixer is being a worrier! I had already realized that being a fixer is not necessarily a good thing; it is basically seizing control from God. But what hit me so hard is the fact that the attitude and act of trying to fix something is a cover-up for worrying. If I am not worrying about that situation, I am not trying to fix it. Get it?

So, am I to sit back and let the world go on around me without doing anything? No, not for a minute. God calls us to be initiators but not fixers. What’s the difference? An initiator is one who gets the ball rolling; she sees a need or problem and takes action. Okay, I hear your minds working. If she takes action, isn’t she trying to “fix” the situation? If you are a “fixer,” you are taking matters into your own hands – helping God out, so to speak.

That’s what Rebekah did. God had already told her that His plan would be fulfilled through Jacob, but when that didn’t seem to be working out (at least, in her time table), she took it upon herself to see that it was done. That insatiable desire to be in control and fix things led her to deception and eventually robbed her of the very joy she was working to protect – Jacob. She died not seeing Jacob for many years. Her intentions were good, but she acted on her own. The consequences of her actions have rippled through history into the very present by way of the conflicts between the peoples of the Middle East.

We need to strive to be an initiator – one who sees a need and takes action. However, the action of an initiator is tempered by the Lord Himself. He calls us to be initiators, to take action, but the action He calls us to take is to cast our worries and anxieties on Him, and let Him be the fixer!

• ...casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you...1 Peter 5:7

Wow! Is that freeing or what? I don’t have to fix things! He will – if I give it to Him and let Him be free to work. I just have to approach the situation in a spirit of prayer and thanksgiving and stand back and watch God handle it!

So, what have I learned? I want to be an initiator and not a “fixer.” When confronted with a difficult situation, I want to approach the Father with it and then take whatever action He calls me to take. He may call me to watch and wait as I pray, or He may call me to put feet to my prayers. I just need to be sure He’s in control of what I do.

God Still Performs Miracles!

Today I am writing from a very personal vantage point, so this post may be a bit different from my previous ones.

Currently, I am sitting in an ICU waiting room in San Antonio with my sister and other family and friends. My niece's husband collapsed yesterday morning while working out at his local gym. Mike and Sheri and are wonderful, godly young people who have four children and a full life. Mike is a dermatologist; Sheri, trained as a Nurse Practitioner, has been a stay-at-home mom raising their precious kids. They are parents to three young boys and a daughter whom they adopted from China three years ago. Mike is active with his boys' sports activities, checks on his parents, and tends to his medical practice. The entire family is active in their local church and have an alive, growing relationship with Jesus.

According to video from the fitness center, Mike was unconscious for up to five minutes before CPR was started. It took five shocks from the paddles before a faint heartbeat was picked up. After being flown to San Antonio, he began having seizures which lasted until late last night. All tests came back negative, and answers were few. He was non-responsive to stimulation or voice commands. Needless to say, his condition was extremely critical and very bleak when I left the hospital late last night.

As I drove my sister to San Antonio yesterday and then sat in the waiting room with friends and family, I found myself praying, but I knew only the Lord knew what I was saying - I didn't even know. Remember the scripture that says that the Holy Spirit prays for us when our words are only groans? Well, that is what He was doing, and I knew that my gibberish was somehow getting through. And when my precious niece was draped over her husband's motionless body hooked up to all kinds of modern technology, I groaned, and He prayed!

This morning as I was alone in the hotel room, I took my Bible and it opened to Psalm 24:8 - "Who is the King of glory? The Lord, strong and mighty; the Lord, invincible in battle" As I read those words, my groanings turned into words and a weird peace came over me. The kind of peace that surpasses human understanding. The kind of peace that only God can give.

Not long ago, I wrote a post about what to do when life looks bleak. Everyone, regardless of spiritual condition, will encounter bleakness. For some it seems to endure forever, for some it comes in seasons, and for some it is fleeting. The question for all of us to ask ourselves is what do we do when the bleakness comes? Do we turn inward and withdraw like a turtle? Or do we turn outward and lash out in despair? Or do we turn upward to the Savior and let Him wrap His arms around us? Let me say here that if you have never nailed down your personal relationship with Jesus Christ, now is the time to do so. We are not promised tomorrow. In fact, we are not promised the rest of today! Seek someone whom you know to have that relationship and visit about your own. Or read the box on the left  that tells you how to have a personal relationship with Jesus. Don't wait!

I arrived at the hospital around 10 this morning to some much needed good news. Mike had begun moving his arms and legs! Later, he smiled when Sheri spoke to him! And later, he began to to speak a few words - even calling out his sons' names! Within a couple of hours, he said he wanted to play baseball!

My friends, God still performs miracles, and I am privileged to witness one firsthand! By mid-afternoon, the doctors were talking about how bright the future looks. Can you believe that? That is the question I've been wrestling with these past couple of days. So I'll put it to you: can you believe? do you believe, will you believe in the Lord who is strong and mighty? When circumstances tell you "no," will you still believe?

When our world is shaken, we need to know what our action plan is. Will you turn upward and let your groanings be heard by the Lord, strong and mighty?

Please understand that I know that my weak groanings alone are not the reason for the miracle we are experiencing. I cannot begin to count the hundreds of people, many of whom do not even know Mike and Sheri, who have been pleading their case before the Father. When the body of believers comes together in like mind to Him, what power and blessing it brings!

Lastly, I know that Mike is not of-the-woods yet. The winds of life can change in an instant. But whatever the outcome, believers need to know that the Lord's will and purpose is omniscient - beyond human understanding. And if His answers are not what we asked for, it is still going to be okay. As our relationship with Him grows deeper, our understanding and embrace of His will grows deeper as well.

And lastly, lastly, to God be the glory in all things for great and mighty is He, our Lord.

Let's Get Smart!

Growing up in the late 60's and early 70's, one of my favorite TV shows was Get Smart, a comedy featuring a bumbling spy known as Maxwell Smart and his spy side-kick, Agent 99. Max is best known for the telephone hidden in the sole of his shoe. I guess one of the purposes of the show was to relieve some of the anxiety of that Cold War era.

Spies have always played an important role in history. Basically, they have fulfilled one of two roles - secretly getting the lay of the land, so to speak, or infiltrating the enemy to gather intelligence.

Moses sent in a group of spies to get a look at the Promised Land before they were allowed to go in and claim it. They needed to know what they were going up against. Moses chose a man from each of the twelve tribes, excluding the priestly tribe of Levi. The account of their mission is found in Numbers 13-14.

The spies spent 40 days surveying the entire land and even brought back some of the bountiful fruit they found. They reported that the fruit was only a sample, that the land "certainly does flow with milk and honey..." In other words, it was all that had been promised and more! But here's the kicker. Nine of the eleven said, "Nevertheless, the people who live in the land are strong, and the cities are fortified and very large; and moreover, we saw the descendants of Anak there." (The descendants of Anak were a race of abnormally large people - giants like Goliath.) They went on to say, "We are not able to go up against the people, for they are too strong for us...we will be devoured..."

Now, this is the land that God promised Abraham generations before. And He said He would give them the land flowing with milk and honey. So, something is not adding up!

Well, there were two of the spies who did not agree with the other nine. Caleb and Joshua. In Numbers 14, all of the people of Israel began grumbling and complaining to and against Moses and Aaron, and even saying they were better off in Egyptian captivity. In the midst of that chaos and their fear, those two men stood up and pleaded with the people to remember the promises of God and the many provisions He had accomplished for them. They said, "If the Lord is pleased with us, then He will bring us into this land and give it to us...only do not rebel against the Lord, and do not fear the people of the land, for they will be our prey."

On one side, we hear the nine voices of fear, and on the other side, we hear the two voices of faith.

Isn't it the same for us today? We sense where God is leading us, what He wants us to do, who He wants us to share Jesus with, but we are conflicted by the voices of fear and the voices of faith. And many times, just like in the account of the Israelites, the voices of fear seem to out number those of faith, and fear is a human reaction that is fanned by peer pressure.

The Intercession Factor...

One of the privileges and responsibilities believers have is to intercede on behalf of others with the Father.

An intercessor is one who goes between two or more parties to plead the case of one of those parties. One example of that in our culture is a lawyer. A lawyer goes before the judge and pleads the case of his client. He is the client's representative, his spokesman. Another example is when a person, usually a relative, has the power of attorney or medical power of attorney for another. The holder of the power of attorney can represent or speak on behalf of the other. In the case of medical power of attorney, that holder may "intercede" with physicians to insure that the person's end of life wishes are carried out.

Intercession is a powerful role and an important role. Just think, what if a parent or sibling asked you to be his/her spokesman and to inform family, friends, and physicians what his/her desires are when he/she cannot speak for himself/herself? What a heavy responsibility! But what an honor that the person chose YOU to speak for him/her!

Isn't that one of the things the Father accomplished by sending Jesus to this earth? Jesus became an intercessor for humanity, but also on an individual basis. Jesus is our go-between! Through Him, we have confident access to the Father - the creator of all that was ever created.