Reclaiming the Table

Where does your family have dinner on any given night?  If you're anything like us the answer is probably on the couch in front of the TV.  By the end of the day around here we often find ourselves tired and ready to just sit back and relax.  Of course, in our minds, this means on the couch with a good show on while our son plays.  Makes sense, right?  I thought so too.  And then we were offered a challenge.  Our church did a series entitled "The Table."  They pointed out all the different instances of meals being served and eaten together in Scripture.  So many times Jesus met with people over a meal.  Even His final night before being arrested was spent over a meal (The Last Supper/Communion) with His disciples.  The New Testament gives many examples of disciples breaking bread together.  Meals are a time to come together and connect, build relationship, talk, and grow together.  It's not just about the food.  They told us this statistic that really surprised me - 30 years ago the average dinner lasted 90 minutes, today it lasts 15.  We've lost something along the way.  We've grown too busy.  We've become so attached to electronics that we often don't even notice what is missing. It's relationship.  Real, true, honest, face-to-face relationship. 

So here was the challenge - eat at your dining room/kitchen table with your friends and/or family 3 nights out of the week . . . without electronic devices (that includes your phone)!  As intimidating as those piles of papers on the table were, we cleared everything off and gave it a shot. And guess what.  We had conversation.  We shared how our days were.  Our son got used to snacking on his little puffs as he listened to us talk . . . and tried to add his own thoughts.  We talked about our concerns for the future, our joys in the present, what made us smile that day, what frustrated us.  We connected.  And I loved it!  I felt so refreshed.  What I thought would be so draining gave me life! I was excited about our family, excited about the example this was giving our son.  Instead of 3 nights that week we've done it almost every night since.  There's something powerful about giving someone your full, undivided attention, even if it is only for 30 minutes over a meal. 

In our house we have reclaimed the table.  Can I challenge you to reclaim yours?  What is there to lose? Yes, you might miss a TV show, but think of what could be gained.  You can always find that episode online later, but today is only here for a short while.  Don't miss it.

Remember

Immediately the rooster crowed the second time. Then Peter remembered the word Jesus had spoken to him: "Before the rooster crows twice you will disown me three times." And he broke down and wept. – Mark 14:72

Has God ever spoken something to you and then the next day, next week, next year you've completely forgotten about it?  Then something comes up and suddenly you remember everything He said?  I can recall doing that with a calling God made clear to me my freshman year of college.  At that time I felt God was calling me to the mission field, but I also felt certain that I was to finish school first.  I quickly got caught up in classes, majors, and future plans to the point that I forgot this calling.  It wasn't until I was accepted into Regent University's School of Divinity with a full scholarship that I suddenly remembered several years before when God told me I would be doing this.

For a while I wondered how I could forget something that significant for my life.  I found some comfort in the fact that I certainly was not the first to encounter this forgetfulness.  In Mark 14 we find the story of the last Passover Jesus celebrated with His disciples before His crucifixion.  At one point Jesus tells His disciples that all of them will fall away from Him.  It says:

Peter declared, "Even if all fall away, I will not." "I tell you the truth," Jesus answered, "today—yes, tonight—before the rooster crows twice you yourself will disown Me three times." – Mark 14:30-31

That very night Peter denied Christ three times just as Jesus said he would (Mark 14:72).  We might look at this passage and wonder how in the world Peter could have forgotten the words of Christ within the same day they were spoken!  But we must consider this in comparison to our own lives.  Peter had a lot going on.  His friend and Messiah had been arrested, those at the trial were obviously hostile towards Jesus and, in turn, His followers, and Peter was caught in the midst of all of it.  He proceeded without thought as to what Jesus had said.  He was so caught up in the situation and the speed with which life was happening in that moment that he acted without remembering first.

Was that the end of Peter?  Was he from then on forgotten, denied, and rejected because He forgot the words of his Lord?  No!  Emphatically no!  The book of Acts is riddled with the actions and words of Peter.  In Galatians 2:8 he is called an apostle to the Jews.  And let us not forget that he is credited with writing two books of the New Testament!  God recognizes that we are a forgetful people.  Consider this:  the word "remember" is used 166 times in the New International Version.  God is constantly telling His people to remember and even showing them ways in which they can remember:

Whenever the rainbow appears in the clouds, I will see it and remember the everlasting covenant between God and all living creatures of every kind on the earth. – Genesis 9:16

Remember this, fix it in mind, take it to heart, you rebels.  Remember the former things, those of long ago; I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me.  – Isaiah 46:8-9

Perhaps you forgot something God commanded you to do, or not do.  Maybe it was a promise God made to you.  It could even be something God did in your life that you had forgotten about.  Take a moment to ask God to remind you of His word to you.  He is faithful to answer.  And never feel that you are somehow unworthy or rejected because you forgot what the Lord spoke to you.  Again, He is a faithful God, He created you, He loves you, and He still wants the absolute best for you.

But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. – John 14:26

Carrying the Cross

And anyone who does not take his cross and follow Me is not worthy of Me.  ~ Matthew 10:38

Just a week ago thousands of college students gathered in Atlanta, Georgia to listen to amazing speakers, worship as a generation, and ultimately to encounter God in life-changing ways.  Although I was unable to attend this event (Passion Conference 2011), I did listen to the main speakers through online streaming.  One of the overarching themes was living a life that reflects what you believe.  If you really believe that Christ died on a cross to save us from ourselves and without Him we are doomed to an eternity separated from Him, how could we see the people around us who don’t know Him and say nothing?  If we really claim to take God’s Word, the Bible, as the ultimate Truth, how can we watch these people and condemn them to this fate because we are too shy, too fearful, too tolerant to tell them the hope we have in Christ?

A day or two after listening to these messages as I was driving to school, praying, and reflecting all that I had learned, God put this question on my heart:  Who’s watching you?  It was a little confusing at first, but God elaborated on this question and here’s what I ended up with:

I had this image of Christ walking through the streets of the city after being beaten, humiliated, whipped, and now forced to carry His own cross.  As I watched this procession in my mind I was made aware of the crowds that would have watched this scene.  All the people that would have come outside to watch this man, this Christ, come through the town. 

The people stood watching, and the rulers even sneered at Him. . . ~ Luke 23:35a

Christ never denied who He was.  He never denied the power of His Father and He never went back on what He had been preaching even though it would have saved His life.  Because of this people knew Him.  They watched Him.  Crowds would gather around to hear Him speak.  And at His death crowds once again gathered around to watch Him. 

At this time I was reminded that Jesus commanded us as followers of Christ, to pick up our cross and carry it daily (Matt 10:38, 16:24; Luke 9:23, 14:27).  Once again I encountered the question:  Who is watching you?  I realized that if I’m not picking up my cross and following Christ daily, there’s no one watching me.  I’m just another person walking through this life, apparently lost like everyone else.  If, however, I’m carrying the cross with me, I’m carrying the hope and salvation of Christ into my every day, people are going to watch.  They are going to be interested in what I have, what I carry.  And when the time comes I’ll be able to share with them this hope, love, and salvation that Christ died and rose again to give me. 

So I ask this of you:  Who is watching you?  If there is no one then I must ask whether you picked up your cross this morning.  Are you living a life that reflects the life Christ died to give you?

Whatever happens, conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ. ~ Philippians 1:27a

The Pruning Process

"I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful.” ~ John 15:1-2


When trying to help a plant grow it is important to cut off any branches that aren’t producing fruit so that energy can be used to support those branches which are producing. Along the same lines, even those branches that are giving fruit need to be pruned of any dead or dying leaves or offshoots which are not contributing to the growth of the fruit.

Consider this – we are the branches and God is the gardener. Those things in our lives that are not producing fruit will need to be cut off in order to support those areas other areas that are fruitful. These things can be material possessions, a desire to be the best, activities you’re involved with, or a number of many other things. Anything that takes energy and life from those areas of your life that are glorifying God and edifying the body of Christ need to be shed so that you can grow even more fruitful. Ask God to start convicting you about those things that perhaps you need to release from your life. For me it’s movies. I love to watch movies. Movies can be great ways to spark conversation and create connections between people. Unfortunately I had gotten in the habit of ignoring warnings of foul language or violence and would watch the movies anyways, claiming that those things don’t affect me. Honestly, that’s a lie of the Enemy. Those things that you see and hear get caught in your head and are very hard to shake. God began to show me how my watching these movies was in no way glorifying Him or edifying the body of Christ. They need to go. One of my first thoughts was, “But God that’s just too hard! (I’m speaking of this in the midst of the cutting off process so I’m right there with you.) Here’s a biblical example of someone else having this problem of letting go:

Jesus answered, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me." When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth. ~ Matthew 19:21-22

The more we have of something or the more time we spend doing something, the more attached we become to it. This young man was very wealthy so it was particularly difficult for him to imagine having to give all that wealth away. I’ve invested so much time and money into these movies that it’s hard for me to pull them off my shelf and get rid of them or imagine not being able to watch certain movies either on my own or with friends. But when we allow God to cut these things from our life, we get to see an amazing growth in other areas that glorify Him more! And we have the immense joy of knowing that this will be a hindrance removed from our relationship from God. I can just picture God seeing us choose to love Him more than those things and He has a huge smile on His face.

While [Jesus] was in Bethany, reclining at the table in the home of a man known as Simon the Leper, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, made of pure nard. She broke the jar and poured the perfume on his head. Some of those present were saying indignantly to one another, "Why this waste of perfume? It could have been sold for more than a year's wages and the money given to the poor." And they rebuked her harshly. "Leave her alone," said Jesus. "Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. ~ Mark 14:3

The last thing I want to say about this is that people around you may not understand. They may look at you choosing to give away some of your material wealth or choosing to abstain from certain activities and think that you’re crazy! They may rebuke you for the choices you have made, but don’t let it discourage you. This woman, in the eyes of the world, wasted a precious commodity that cost over a year’s wages, but Jesus knew her heart. He knew what she was gaining from giving up that little jar. I can almost picture Jesus turning to people in our own lives that will criticize the choices we make to release those things that are keeping us from a stronger relationship with Him and saying, “Leave them alone. Why are you bothering them? They have done a beautiful thing!”

It may be difficult, but if God is asking you to release something to Him, it’s because He’s got better for you.

(Thank you to my friend Lara Reyna Phillippe for allowing me to use her beautiful picture!)

Blessed

“He will love you and bless you and increase your numbers. He will bless the fruit of your womb, the crops of your land – your grain, new wine and oil – the calves of your herds and the lambs of your flocks in the land that he swore to your forefathers to give you.” Deuteronomy 7:13

In the time between my last post and this I have come to realize even more how truly blessed I am. A bunch of my friends wanted to go to the beach this past Saturday and since my family lives in a beach town I volunteered my grandparents’ house as a place to stay. As twenty people piled into the house and my grandmother continued to offer greetings, food, beverage, and kindness, I was blown away. My grandmother has long been to me an example of a Proverbs 31 woman and this one act of generosity confirmed to me how blessed I am to have her as my grandmother, my confidant, and my role model. She is the woman I strive to one day become.

At the same time I was so impressed with my friends! I would say many college students wouldn’t have much tolerance for hanging out with someone’s grandparents, but my friends were so wonderful talking with them and showing a genuine interest in my grandmother’s stories. The whole time I felt so blessed to have this group of people in my life. They inspire me.

God has really been speaking to me about romantic relationships as well. At this point I have never dated. Considering my childhood it always seemed easier not to get too attached, but as I have grown older this overwhelming desire to be loved and cared for has crept into my daily existence. For several years this desire controlled me – my thoughts, actions, feelings, etc. I was consumed by it. In all of this I still knew that I wanted God’s timing. My daily prayer during this time has been for God to bring someone into my life and to give me patience to wait for the right person at the right time. I still struggle with this very much, but I’m slowly learning that God’s plan is perfect for my life. If I try to make up my own plans now to be happy they won’t even compare with what He has in store for me. I admit this is a frightening thought for me. The thought “what if there isn’t anything better” tends to rest in the back of my mind. “What if He doesn’t have someone for me?” In the same thought, however, I am confident that God would not give me these desires to simply deny them. I do believe, on the other hand, that He is teaching me to lean on Him more completely. That I can and will be satisfied in Him. That I do not need a romantic relationship to have worth or happiness. My worth is found in Christ alone.

“Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and find cloths. Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quite spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight.” 1 Peter 3:3-4