Articles by Russ Lawson at Heartlight

Dead by Midnight?

rlawson@wclo.net (Russ Lawson) — Sat, 12 Apr 2008 00:00:00 -0500

It's a sobering thought, but what if you knew that your husband or wife, or son or daughter, or sister or brother, or mother or father, or best friend or neighbor, were going to be dead by midnight? What would you do, what would you say, how would your priorities change? Would your business be less pressing, your and their spiritual condition more important?

Many of us have been in that situation, where death has come unexpectedly to someone we love. In fact, death almost always comes unexpectedly, doesn't it? Not many people die fully prepared for the occasion. There are always, things to do, people to call, letters to write, a conversation which needs completed, some last thing which we wish to accomplish.

I remember one scene in the movie "Pollyanna," where the town minister is preaching to the congregation and his sermon is "Death Comes Unexpectedly." He is trying his best to frighten the congregation into living more spiritual, more pure lives, because they were only a breath away from Satan claiming them. Think about it, should fear be our motivation for living right before God? Should fear be our motivation for working on our relationships?

Og Mandino, the motivational speaker, has said:

Beginning today, treat everyone you meet as if they were going to be dead by midnight. Extend to them all the care, kindness and understanding you can muster, and do with no thought of any reward. Your life will never be the same again.

Jesus said it even more succinctly and powerfully:

Do for others what you would like them to do for you. This is a summary of all that is taught in the law and the prophets (Mathew 7:12 NLT).

What did Jesus show us about "doing for others" in his life? He loved us so much, even when we are at our worst. that he was willing to give his life that we could live with him forever.

Yes, treating others as if you might never get a chance to walk with them or talk with them or share with them ever again is a good way to approach life. Not though, because of fear, but because Jesus gave us the example of what relationships should be. Notice what Jesus repeatedly said -- these are just two examples he shared shortly before his death:
"A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another" (John 13:34).
"My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you" (John 15:12).

Dead by midnight? Hmm, any relationship come to mind which you need to work on? If you take Jesus' approach out of love and not fear, "Your life will never be the same again."

Russ Lawson is a former missionary to Africa and minister in Ohio. He now works with World Christian Literature Outreach and writes a weekly email devotional, Messages from the Heart. For more information about Russ, click here.

Website: Messages from the Heart

One Phone Call

rlawson@wclo.net (Russ Lawson) — Sat, 08 Mar 2008 00:00:00 -0600

I had someone close to me who was arrested not long ago. This person's vehicle had broken down and he was along the side of the road when a police officer stopped to help. The officer did a routine check on this person's license and found that he had an outstanding traffic violation about which he had forgotten -- a ticket he had intended to pay, but had put away, misplaced, and forgotten. A notice of a court date was sent, but he misplaced the letter, and forgot once again. The officer gave him an opportunity to call someone and tell them of the situation, so he chose to call me.

This all happened on a Friday, and the police told me it would be a simple thing to deal with. It wasn't. The legal system couldn't get this person before the judge that day, and since it was a Friday, the courts were closed the next two days. This person ended up spending three days locked up because he forgot something -- something that he considered "not that important" at the time.

I was reading Scripture and ran across the story of the rich man and the beggar Lazarus (Luke 16:19-31). Do you remember what happened? The poor beggar, Lazarus, lay outside of the door of the rich man's house every day begging for scraps of food. The rich man ignored him. They both died, with the rich man going to "a place of torment" and the beggar going to "a place of paradise." The rich man now becomes the beggar -- begging "father Abraham" to give him some relief. Abraham says that this is not possible, so the rich man asks Abraham to send the beggar, Lazarus, back to warn his family. Father Abraham basically replied, "No, they have to realize what is important for themselves. They have the Scriptures and the teachers and the preachers; they need to listen to those God has already sent to them."

When I read this, I realized that the rich man was not so different from my close friend. The rich man forgot what was important -- serving God and those who are in need! He may have had very good intentions, but just never got around to making God and needy people a priority in his life. Then, when he least expected it, he was "incarcerated" in that place of torment. Basically, when he realized there was no hope of parole, no early release, that his was a life sentence, he begged for one phone call (figuratively) to warn his five brothers; but it was not allowed.

Let me ask you, have you forgotten what is really important? If you were in the rich man's place, who would you call? Who would you want to avoid making the same mistakes you made?

Let me suggest that just like the rich man, we only get one chance at life! Unlike the erroneous message of some television programs, once you are dead, all connection with this earth is ended. There are no second chances to make things right or to help your loved ones to change their lives. The Bible tells us, "And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment" (Hebrews 9:27 NASB).

So if we need to help someone in need, or need to change our life's priorities, or if we need to help someone else change theirs, we had better do it now, while we have the opportunity.

My prayer is that we will all awaken to the reality of NOW, because it's all we have!

Website: Messages from the Heart

The Question That Matters Most

rlawson@wclo.net (Russ Lawson) — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0600

"Grandpa," announced young Christopher, "there's something I don't understand."

"What's that, Christopher?" asked Grandpa Russ.

"Well, according to the Bible, the Children of Israel crossed the Red Sea, right?"

"That's right," said Grandpa.

"And the Children of Israel beat up the Philistines, right?"

"That's, right."

"And the Children of Israel built the Temple, right?"

"Again you're right," said Grandpa Russ.

Christopher continued, "And the Children of Israel fought the Egyptians, and the Children of Israel fought the Romans, and the Children of Israel were always doing something important, right?"

"All that is right, too," agreed Grandpa Russ.

"So what's your question?" he asked. "Well Grandpa, What were all the grown-ups doing all that time?"

Hopefully you can chuckle at the above story, or at least smile about it, because we understand that "The Children of Israel" was a description of the Israelite nation. But, this little story sometimes illustrates the level of questions we hear from adults also.

I never cease to be amazed at the areas of question that some folks argue about. I believe that some of the folks I have come into contact with in the past 40 years or so really like to argue more than search for answers with an open heart.

The apostle Paul gave this instruction to the young preacher Timothy:

Don't let people waste time in endless speculation over myths and spiritual pedigrees. For these things only cause arguments; they don't help people live a life of faith in God (1 Timothy 1:4 NLT).

I would suggest that our time would be much better spent asking questions that really matter, such as, "Where do I want to end up after this life is over?" and "How do I get there?" or even, "What does God expect of my life?" If we concentrate on those questions, the rest of the important things in life will fall into place.

You have the ability to choose: "endless speculation" over things for which there are no answers, or questions that really matter. I would recommend that we pay heed to the old adage when it says, "Think twice; ask once." You may prefer the more modern admonishment that says, "Put brain in gear before engaging mouth."

You may be surrounded by many doubts and questions about things in your life or things in our world, but are they really important? Are you more interested in arguing or in searching? In the book of Acts, we meet a jailer in the city of Philippi. He asks Paul and Barnabas THE MOST IMPORTANT QUESTION any of us can ask: And he [the jailer] brought them [Paul and Barnabas] out [of the prison], and said, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" (Acts 16:30).

How about you, have you asked that question? Check out the answer the jailer received and how he responded (Acts 16:31-34). That may be the answer you are looking for in life.

Website: Messages from the Heart

God's Middle Name

rlawson@wclo.net (Russ Lawson) — Sat, 23 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0600

Children are always a source of wonder to me; they see things in such a different light than we adults. My sister, Janet, shared this following exchange between her and her 6 year old grandson Mason. They were in the car going somewhere and Mason and his sister Sarah were talking about God. Out of the blue Mason said, "Mamaw, What's God's middle name?" She said she talked with him a while about some of the names used to describe God in the Bible, but didn't know if she satisfied him or not.

When she told me about this I immediately thought that she should have told him it was Andy. Perhaps you've heard the story about the little boy telling his mama that he knew God's name and that it was "Andy."

His mama asked him, "How do you know God's name is Andy."

The little boy said, "Because that's what it says in the song!"

"What song," she asked.

He replied, "The one we sing at church. It says, 'I come to the garden alone while the dew is still on the roses. Andy walks with me. Andy talks with me. Andy tells me I am his own.'"

Well, who can argue with logic like that! (Apologies to C. Austin Miles, the writer of "I come to the Garden Alone"!)

What is really wonderful is the simplicity of the way children approach God. As an adult have you ever wondered how to address God. If you listen to the prayers in your church, it's normally a very formal "Our Heavenly Father ..." or "Our Father who art in heaven ..." There is nothing wrong with addressing God in that way, but children want to know God more personally. They are trying to figure out just who he is and how he fits into their world.

As adults, we can sometimes overlook, or perhaps sometimes are afraid of a personal relationship with God. We may fear him, or maybe it's more that we deeply respect him, but often we don't see him as the loving Father he really is! If we are ever going to have peace and comfort in this life, somewhere along the line, we are going to have to come to know God as someone who cares for us -- our loving Abba Father (Romans 8:15-17). I'm not saying that we should show disrespect for God, but how do you view him? Can you talk with him as a loving father?

Peter writes to encourage early Christians facing persecution with these words:

So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and in his good time he will honor you. Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about what happens to you (1 Peter 5:6-7 NLT).

God really cares for us! Sometimes, however, it takes a child to make God personal to us. How about stopping and having a word with your Father who is in heaven, the God of the universe, and "give all your worries and cares" to him!

Website: Messages from the Heart

You Know You're Getting Older When ...

rlawson@wclo.net (Russ Lawson) — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 00:00:00 -0600

Getting older, or maturing as we sometimes call it, seems to be a constant source of worry to some folks. Yet, no matter how much they worry, they can't stop it from happening. We can sometimes slow down some of the effects of aging with diet, exercise, etc., but we can't stop it.

Of course one of the things we as a people seem to fear most is losing the power to think clearly or remember things. I got a real chuckle out of the following little story.

Because my mother had a habit of losing her cell phone, I bought her a clip for it so she could attach it directly to her belt. A few days later, I walked into my mother's home and found her standing in the middle of the living room, halfway dressed. That didn't strike me as odd so much as the fact that she was holding her pants to the side of her head and speaking into them.

"Don't look at me that way," she yelled. "The phone started ringing and I couldn't figure out how to undo this stupid clip!" (Author unknown)

If you are laughing, then you probably are relating to the story.

All of us are getting older, our world fights against it, they refuse to acknowledge it, but very few embrace the aging process. God's word, however, communicates a different idea concerning getting older. Moses spoke for God when he commanded, "Show your fear of God by standing up in the presence of elderly people and showing respect for the aged. I am the LORD" (Leviticus 19:32 NLT). We also find this in God's book of wisdom sayings: "Gray hair is a crown of glory; it is gained by living a godly life" (Proverbs 16:31).

I, like many, don't consider myself old yet, even though the State of Ohio recently sent me a membership card to the "Golden Buckeye" club. I do not, however, fear getting older, because I know it is part of life. I pray that I can continue to age and keep my ability to think and function, but even if I can't, I can look back and know I have tried to serve my God to the best of my ability. After all, isn't that all he asks of us?

You most likely have heard the saying, "I'm not getting older! I'm getting better!" I don't know if I am succeeding with my efforts, but at least I'm trying daily to do better for God. I pray daily for wisdom concerning my service to and relationship with others. How about you? As they say, the only alternative to getting older is death! I'm ready to go when the time comes, but am willing to put it off as long as I can to serve God here on this earth!

I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body. Convinced of this, I know that I will remain, and I will continue with all of you for your progress and joy in the faith ... (Philippians 1:19-25 TNIV).

Website: Messages from the Heart

Human Nature?

rlawson@wclo.net (Russ Lawson) — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 00:00:00 -0600

Often in my writings I refer to "human nature" or "our human tendencies" in some form or another. Often that "nature" is presented as a weakness or a bad thing. But is it really bad?

Stop and think about what human nature really is all about. God created us. He made us what we are, with the abilities we have. Is that really a bad thing? Can human nature be inherently bad when God said that he created human beings in his image? (Notice how clearly the Bible declares this truth both before and after the Fall!)

Then God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth" (Genesis 1:26-27 NASB).

This is the book of the generations of Adam. In the day when God created man, He made him in the likeness of God. He created them male and female, and He blessed them and named them Man in the day when they were created (Genesis 5:1-2).

For in the image of God He made man (Genesis 9:6).

For You formed my inward parts; You wove me in my mother's womb. I will give thanks to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Wonderful are Your works, and my soul knows it very well (Psalm 139:13-14).

With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the likeness of God; from the same mouth come both blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be this way (James 3:9-10).

Our human nature often opens the door for us to be involved in sin doesn't it? It sometimes allows us to put ourselves in the path of temptation even when we know better. Unfortunately we say, "Well, that is just human nature." But that's not the "human nature" God made in His image. That is what the Bible calls "the flesh" (Romans 7:21-25).

Let me suggest to you that "human nature" as God intended it is not a bad thing! Human nature is the God given power to make choices. That is part of that which makes us in "the image of God." We are not robots; God wants us to think and make choices and come to him and love him because we choose to, not because we are forced to or don't know any better.

Some choices are good, some are not. One of my favorite scenes from the movie "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade" is the place where he finally enters the room where the Holy Grail, the "cup of Christ" (as defined in the movie), is located. The bad guy forces his way in and is given a cup which his assistant thinks is the real thing. He drinks from it and shrivels up and dies. The old Knight Protector (who is there) observed, "He chose poorly." Then, "Indy" chooses a simple old battered cup and drinks: he survives and the old protector says, "You have chosen wisely."

From the beginning of time humankind has made poor choices. Eve chose to believe a lie and eat of the tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, followed by Adam who also chose to ignore God's commandment and eat (Genesis 3:1-15).

We may at times think that life would be easier if we just weren't presented with so many choices. God, however, had more faith in us than perhaps we do ourselves. He still believes in us and desires that we make the right choices. If you wonder what he thinks about us and our choices, notice what the apostle Peter has to say:

The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9).

We can choose to leave the past and come to repentance. Look at how Paul describes how the Corinthians had left their bad choices and their bad past behind:

Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God. Such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God (1 Corinthians 6:9-11).

Our challenge is to not let the "flesh" dominate our choices. Then, even if we have chosen poorly, we must not let ourselves live in the past -- in the sin that we chose. Just as our "human nature" allows us to choose poorly, it also allows us to choose wisely -- to choose Jesus, to choose repentance, to choose to live as those created in the image of God.

Human Nature! We all have it: the challenge is to choose wisely!

Website: Messages from the Heart

I Never Make Misakes

rlawson@wclo.net (Russ Lawson) — Sat, 12 Jan 2008 00:00:00 -0600

Have you ever read that one saying that seems to perfectly sum up your life? I did this past week through the avenue of email. Someone sent me an email with various sayings on it and this one special one was the one which stood out above all the rest as applying to my life. It read simply: "I never make misakes!"

That little saying is perfect for my life, because it shows my inability to get some things right no matter how hard I try or how simple they seem to be. It goes beyond the mistakes in spelling and grammar you often find in my writings; I have trouble getting things right in almost any area of my life.

I remember one of the situations from the old television comedy, "The Odd Couple." In this particular scene that I often remember, Oscar had a gambling problem. He had lost most of his money to a friend in a "friendly" game of cards. The friend really didn't want the money, he wanted to help Oscar. So, he told Oscar he would give him a chance to win all of the money back. Oscar said, "OK, what do you want to bet?"

The friend said, "I'll bet you all of your money that you can't type your name correctly in ten seconds." Oscar was smiling from ear to ear! He was a professional writer and had typed his name thousands of times. Oscar sits down in front of the typewriter and tries to type his name and fails to get it right. His friend offers him another chance and he blows it again, then another chance and he still can't get it right.

You see, that is me! I am Oscar in that story! Like you, I try. I really do try to do things in the best possible way. However, sometimes no matter how much I try I just can't do it. Each morning I pray that God will lead me and give me the wisdom to recognize his leading. I pray that he will give me wisdom to make the right decisions in my daily life and in the areas where my life touches the lives of others.

The truth is that I do make mistakes! In fact, it seems that if you or I were keeping account, I would have more mistakes than positive successes.

You may be like me, but I hope you do a better job at life than I do! If you are like me, you may be wondering, "What's the use? Why even try? I make mistakes! I say the wrong things. I do the wrong thing! I have the wrong thoughts and I tend to keep account of those things in my own heart."

A couple of passages come to mind regarding this kind of struggle. The apostle Paul talks about how he longs to do the right thing and live by the law of God. Yet, no matter how hard tries, he fails:

Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin? Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord. So you see how it is: In my mind I really want to obey God's law, but because of my sinful nature I am a slave to sin. So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. For the power of the life giving Spirit has freed you through Christ Jesus from the power of sin that leads to death (Romans 7:24-8:2 NLT).

The apostle John wrote something powerfully similar in his first letter:

If we say we have no sin [never make a mistake], we are only fooling ourselves and refusing to accept the truth. But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from every wrong (1 John 1:8-9 NLT).

Along with these Scriptures, let me point out that realizing that we are all bound to have weaknesses is not an excuse to stop trying to do what is right. It does not justify our intentional involvement in disobedience to God's word. John also writes:

If someone says, "I belong to God," but doesn't obey God's commandments, that person is a liar and does not live in the truth. But those who obey God's word really do love him. That is the way to know whether or not we live in him. Those who say they live in God should live their lives as Christ did (1 John 2:4-6 NLT).

This is the bottom line: No matter how badly you mess up trying to live for God, no matter how many mistakes you make, God will forgive you if you are truly trying to obey Him.

You may not even be able to type your name without making a "misake." But God so loved the world -- including you -- that Christ, His Son, died to save you. How much incentive does that give you to hang in there and try a little harder? If you are like me you can say, "I never make misakes"! And even as you say it, you know that it is God who makes it true!

Website: Messages from the Heart

Marking Time

rlawson@wclo.net (Russ Lawson) — Sun, 06 Jan 2008 00:00:00 -0600

Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is (Ephesians 5:15-16 TNIV).

Our world is concerned with -- almost obsessed with -- time. Days, hours, minutes and even seconds are watched, counted and accounted for in our modern world. Calendars are an important part of our lives also in our modern world. We keep track of days, special days, holidays, birthdays, anniversaries, work days and weekends. I wonder however, how really important it will all prove to have been in the end?

As we are still in the beginning of new year, I wonder how important the marking of this period of time is in the vast scheme of the universe. When my wife and I lived in Africa we had to learn how to look at time differently. We had to learn again that people were more important than time! We knew this, but our 21st century American time management, work ethic, says that time -- almost always -- is more important than people.

We can try to deny it, but stop and think about all of the schedules to which you adhere. This past Sunday evening, we were in our congregation's gathering for our regular evening worship and study period. We begin at 6 p.m. and at 6:07 no one had gotten up front to begin the meeting. People shifted uncomfortably, coughed, cleared their throats, and looked around to see what was holding things up. You see, someone was supposed to do something and nothing was happening.

When we lived in Africa, the church meeting would not begin until every member they were expecting arrived. Some of the folks might walk 10 miles to get to the meeting, and they sure didn't want them to miss anything just because we were trying to keep a time schedule. So we often would drink another cup of tea and visit a little longer, maybe discuss bible questions someone might have, but no one got upset because things didn't start on time.

We became so disengaged from the clock and calendar that we often really didn't realize what period of the month it was. American holidays could come and go, and we were unaware of them unless reminded by someone. Our time revolved around Sunday as the Lord's Day, and we worked all of our other commitments around that priority. This was one of the hardest lessons for us to learn on our arrival to Africa, but it didn't take too long because it was the common practice with those we lived with daily. We have had a difficult time readjusting to the American Culture whose values are completely different when it comes to time.

I would suggest that just perhaps we need to stop and evaluate how important time is to us versus how important the people are that we come into contact with in our lives. People are always more important than marking time.

The Scripture is full of stories about people and time, just notice a few. There is the story of Paul making a point to be in Troas on a Sunday waiting for a week, just to partake of the Lord's Supper with the church there (Acts 20:6-7). Perhaps you remember a story relating long winded preachers, speaking until midnight found in (Acts 20:8). Or perhaps, you remember the story of a church rejoicing after midnight, because one of their members had been restored to life (Acts 20:10-12). And, of course, there is the most important story of the Savior who waited three days to rise from the grave, crushed the power of Satan, and gave us eternal life! (Acts 10:38-40)

All of these stories tell us that God, his commandments, and his people are more important than anything else in the universe. So, the next time you start to get nervous because things are not going according to "your" schedule, remember that in the long run, it's not all that important. God and others are more important than anything else.

Website: Messages from the Heart

Human Interface Device

rlawson@wclo.net (Russ Lawson) — Sat, 08 Dec 2007 00:00:00 -0600

My computer keyboard at my office had been giving me a little trouble, so I decided to change it. I dug out my favorite old keyboard from home and brought it to my office to use. I plugged in the keyboard and a message popped up that I don't recall ever seeing before. The message said, "New Human Interface Device."

I had never thought of a keyboard as a "human interface device," and was somewhat surprised to see this description. I guess however, from the computer's perspective, it is. I have external cooling fans, an external hard drive, a mouse, a phone synchronization cable and a printer. All of these devices except for my mouse are considered "hardware devices." These things don't require any input from me to operate them. The keyboard, however, is another matter entirely.

With this "human interface device" (my computer keyboard), I directly input my thought and feeling to the computer. I can communicate with people who literally live all over the earth. It allows me to add "human qualities" -- my thoughts, ideas, and input -- to a mechanical device.

That's really not so different from what Jesus does for us, is it? Jesus coming to earth was God adding a "human interface device" to his connection with humankind! Jesus brought the human part into the relationship. Jesus provided us an "interface," a way to understand and communicate with God in a way that we can understand and know that God understands -- of course God understands everything, but Jesus' coming assures us that he understands from human experience.

Paul reminds us of this profound truth:

Your attitude should be the same that Christ Jesus had. Though he was God, he did not demand and cling to his rights as God. He made himself nothing; he took the humble position of a slave and appeared in human form. And in human form he obediently humbled himself even further by dying a criminal's death on a cross (Philippians 2:5-8 NLT).

John helps us understand the greatness of this truth in his gospel when recounting the conversation between Jesus and the apostle Philip.

[Jesus said] "Don't you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father"(John 14:9 NIV).

Jesus' claim in this verse reinforces the claim John made about Jesus in the beginning of his gospel:

No one has ever seen God. But his only Son, who is himself God, is near to the Father's heart; he has told us about him (John 1:18 NLT).

Jesus provided us the "human interface" with God! He has given us the ability to talk to God and understand a relationship that was beyond our understanding. He not only translated it all into things we can understand, he also demonstrated God's love for us.

Let me suggest, if you are having trouble relating to God that you go back and "reboot" (restart) the relationship by looking closely at the Son as we see him in the pages of the New Testament -- read especially the Gospels, the books of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. For now, I'll stop using this "human interface device" -- my keyboard -- in hopes that you will spend time with the better model.

Website: Messages from the Heart

My Strength Is in the Lord

rlawson@wclo.net (Russ Lawson) — Thu, 29 Nov 2007 00:00:00 -0600

When you speak of strength you really have to be specific. We often speak of physical strength and spiritual strength using the same words. How do you define strength? Someone has defined strength in this way: "Strength is the capacity to break a chocolate bar into four pieces with your bare hands and then eat just one piece."

That is a humorous definition because so few people have that kind of strength. However, what most people really want is the strength to live and deal with the problems "daily living" brings to us. Of course, we all know that the only way to receive this strength is to give up our lives for God. It comes when we finally understand that we are only living a temporary life here that DOES NOT LAST. Our strength comes from the Lord when we stop trying to fight our battles on our own, and then allow God to lift us up and protect us.

When is the last time you really turned your life over to God? When is the last time you cried out to him and said, "I can't do it on my own, I need your strength!"? King David knew the secret of finding strength in the Lord. He wrote, "The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge. He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold" (Psalm 18:2).

The great servant of God, Isaiah wrote, "Trust ye in the LORD for ever: for in the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting strength" (Isaiah 26:4 KJV). A modern translation puts it this way: "Trust in the LORD forever, for the LORD, is the Rock eternal" (NLT).

When we can do that, we are like the house that withstood the storm Jesus talked about in his famous parable (Matthew 7:24-27). We are grounded and built upon God as the "firm foundation" of our lives.

David put it this way: "The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and I am helped. My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to him in song" (Psalm 28:7 NIV). When is the last time you burst into song because of the Lord's blessings in your life or in realization that the Lord of the universe cares for you? You can do it anywhere at any time, I started singing praise songs this morning on my drive to work. Why? It just felt like it, I wanted to praise God!

I know that concept may be a little foreign to you right now -- you may not feel much like singing. You may have the weight of many problems on your heart. However, as the wisdom of the old folk proverb says, "Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass, it's about learning to dance in the rain." You may not feel much like dancing either, but how about trying to sing a hymn of praise or worship to God? No one has to hear you except the One who counts the most, our Heavenly Father.

You may look at all these great people of faith we've quoted and want to say, "I wish I could be more like them -- I want to have their faith and their strength!" But believe me, the lives of others are not at all what they appear on the outside. Each of God's great servants had to struggle with some issue, problem, or challenge that we wouldn't wish on someone else. The secret of these servants, however, is that they do a good job of either hiding their problems or turning them over to God.

Do you want more strength? It comes only when you exercise. This is especially true when we are talking about spiritual strength. So isn't it time you start to exercise that faith more by trusting to God and letting His strength lift you up! Praise, song, and thanks help us do that! Let's let our strength be found in the Lord!

Website: Messages from the Heart