Identity and Fear

Larry’s sermon Sunday on identity is an important one. A couple of years ago, I was still working for my former employer. It was a good job—perfect for a tough economy—stable, good retirement, decent income and benefits, and a fair chance I could work there ‘til the cows came home.

I hit a few bumps when a new boss came on board. For some reason, we didn’t hit it off, which was strange for me since I get along with most everyone. Apparently, this guy was immune to my charms and ignorant of my exceptional intellectual prowess. Go figure.

Soon, fear crept in. What if I don’t make this guy’s grading curve? What if I lose my good standing and reputation? What if I lose my job? It spiraled from there.

God began to challenge me with that still, small voice: “Just who is your provider? Is this job your entire identity?” Around that same time, doors began to open for me to freelance, something I always said I wanted to do. Now that the chance presented itself, I was shocked to realize how much identity and security I found in my position—and how hard it was to let go.

Then a friend shared a remarkable story. An executive coach who works with top CEOs all over the world, my friend told of a time when she found herself working for a particularly difficult boss. Eventually, she was miserable and had to make a choice. She approached her boss and said something like this: “Listen, if you believe my time here has run its course, I’ll say my goodbyes. No hard feelings. But if you feel I still have something to offer this company, I would like to stay.” Then she added, “But I will not work for you.”

I gulped when she told me that. How could she be so blunt? She said, “Because I know who my provider is.” She stayed with that firm, and she got a new boss. Remarkably, they valued her honesty, but she was ready to leave if it had worked out otherwise.

When we know that our provision and affirmation come from God, fear loses steam. If our identity depends on careers, reputation, or image, we can’t risk losing those things to such moments of honesty with others or even with ourselves. Likewise, in those times when we have no choice but to stay, even when we are unfairly treated or unvalued, we can survive knowing our worth is not derived from what we do. It is a huge lesson. A lifetime lesson.

Who do we trust for provision, sense of self, affirmation, or even to justify our existence? If I trust in God, he says I am complete in him—period. I may spend the rest of my life learning to surrender to that truth and to rest in that grace, but I am finding that the more I do, the more fearlessly I can live.

What's Your Portion?

Nothing like a funeral to put a little perspective on life. I attended two this weekend! At both we sang, "Amazing Grace," but one included verse three, often omitted. It's my favorite:

The Lord has promised good to me. His word my hope secures. He will my shield and portion be, as long as life endures.

The Lord is my portion? What does that mean?

In my daily devotional*, today the reading was from the book of Job where Job's wife, distraught over their losses, urges Job to curse God and die. "But Job replies, 'You talk like a foolish woman. Should we accept only good things from the hand of God and never anything bad? So in all this, Job said nothing wrong." (Job 2:8-10)

Diane Ebel**, writer of this devotional, says "There are many people who look at the suffering in the world and conclude that God does not exist—and even if he does, they want nothing to do with him. How can you love and serve a God who allows such misery? Job's wife despaired of having a relationship with a God who would destroy her life overnight. She told her husband to abandon his integrity and his relationship with God. Job's response illustrates one of the great truths of Bible: the wise person values the Giver more than the gifts. As common as it is for us to love God mostly because of what he has given us rather than because of who he is, Job shows us that such an attitude is ultimately foolish."

The wise person values the Giver more than the gifts.

If God is our portion, then no matter what our losses or disappointments, we rest in knowing that He is enough. Yes, it takes faith to stand on that. No doubt, we have to remind ourselves--often--that our unfulfilled longings are markers, pointing us to the Source of ultimate fulfillment. But if we hold to this truth that God is our portion, I believe he will show us that he is enough. More than enough, in fact. We have been given God himself, through Christ. What more can we need?

Colossians 2:9-10: ⁹For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, ¹⁰and you have been given fullness in Christ, who is the head over every power and authority.

Romans 8:38-39: ³⁸For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, ³⁹neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

*The daily online devotional I read is called, "Encouraging Words: Daily Devotional for Women." You can sign up for a free subscription at http://www.christianitytoday.com/lyris/subscribe/encouragingwords.html. The devotions are quite short, so it's easy to read one each day, no matter how busy your morning!

**Diane Eble, author of Abundant Gifts: A Daybook of Grace-Filled Devotions

Perspective

Just got back from vacation last week. Nothing like a road trip and time away from the daily grind to give you a little perspective. We were up in the mountains where the air is cool, and somehow those long-range views remind you that the world is very big, and in the grand scheme of things, our troubles are momentary and small. Within the first day or two, I ran across the passage where Jesus tells his followers not to worry. He reminds them that worry will not add an inch to their height or a moment to their days. He also reminds them that "your Father knows what you need." So "seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things will be added to you." In my gut, I knew God was going to talk to me about this, even before we arrived.

I've been working mad hours in the last few months, all out of a sense of obligation because times are tough. It just seemed wrong to turn down any opportunity that came my way when there is no guarantee that another opportunity will arise tomorrow. But this passage and that "still small voice" reminded me of two things. First, I'm not God. It is not my obligation to fix the world. Second, if I refuse to say no once in a while, I am acting as if I believe the world does indeed depend on me and God can't quite be trusted. By refusing to say no, I am also demonstrating that I don't really believe Jesus' words when he says, "The Father knows what you need....Seek first..." There's an element of trust involved when we say no, when we set a few margins around our lives, when we make time to stop and listen to God, to listen to our families, to have dinner with them, to make room for friends or for our spouses. It takes an element of trust to do all of these things instead of simply working all the time as though our existence depended solely on our labor.

Lesson learned. Writer Randy Alcorn once wrote, "What do you need to say no to so that you can say "yes" to the things God is asking you to do?" I know in my "knower" what I need to say no to. Do you?

"I've been really, really good this year!"

Barry and I love to quote this line from the Simpson's. Lisa Simpson wanted a pony, and when her parents tried to dissuade her from the idea, she said, "But I've been really, really good this year!" We are used to the reward system, aren't we? We reward kids when they are good. As adults, we hope to be rewarded with things like a raise, a promotion, or a vacation.

But I wonder how often we carry this mentality into our spiritual lives and think that maybe God owes us something for good behavior. Today, as I was reading more in Colossians and in the commentary, it struck me that all kinds of things--even good things--can trick us into thinking that we have somehow earned the good standing with God that only Christ provides. If we get up every morning and religiously follow a devotional or prayer time, do we somehow feel better about ourselves? If we volunteer in church or in the community, are we tempted to feel that we've been "really, really good"? Heck, what if it isn't even a spiritual matter? Are we tempted to feel just a tad better than others if we follow a strict diet or exercise program? Or how about if we read and study to keep ourselves well informed and educated?

There's a scripture that says, "The heart is deceitful about all things." Seems a bit negative, doesn't it? But then you realize that there really are a thousand ways we deceive ourselves into thinking that we've been "really, really good," and lose our focus on the only one who can make us truly good. Disciplines are important--don't get me wrong. But are we leaning on them in an unhealthy way, or are we taking an unhealthy pride in them? Disciplines are a fitting response, but they don't save our souls.

On Memorial Day, we watched Saving Private Ryan. The film is a potent reminder of the weighty gift of grace. Larry showed a clip from the film on Sunday and noted in his sermon that when the dying captain said to Private Ryan, "Earn this," he imposed a horrible burden on the young man that no one could live up to. I agree. We can never earn the sacrifice paid by those young men and thousands like them who died on the beaches of Europe and throughout the world during WWII. How can you put a price on what they gave to pay for our freedoms? But I think there may be another way of looking at what the captain asked of Private Ryan. I think in a way, he wasn't telling Ryan to earn the sacrifice. I think he was telling him to live a life that was somehow a fitting response to their sacrifice. In other words, don't squander the gift of life and freedom that you have been given at such a great cost. Live a life that matters. Live a life that makes a difference. It's an appropriate response to what you have been given.

And that's the difference. We can be disciplined in many ways--spiritual, physical, intellectual--but if what we are doing flows from an attempt to earn grace rather than from a grateful response to a grace already given, then we don't understand that grace, and we cheapen it. Our disciplines say, in effect, that the sacrifice wasn't enough, and we have to add to it. This seems to be the thing the Colossians missed that Paul wanted to correct. Don't put your trust in your spirituality or in your spiritual or physical disciplines. Put it in the complete sacrifice that has already been made on your behalf--and then go live a life that is spiritually rich and disciplined out of love and gratitude for what has already been done for you, so that you can, in turn, give to others.

On Sunday, Tom spoke about faith. He defined it in negative terms--by the things that faith is not. Faith is not about being certain about the outcome. Faith is not about twisting God's arm to do our will. Faith is not about removing all doubt or fear. Faith is not about wishing for the best.

So what is it? Tom suggested this: Faith is a commitment to trust God. Interesting. It's a commitment--not to trust that all will be ok, nor to trust in our own good decisions or council. It's not about trusting in anything other than the God we have come to know as utterly worthy of our trust.

I re-read the 11th chapter Hebrews where the faith of generations of Biblical characters is reviewed. I noticed, this time, how many times an action verb was used to describe their faith.

By faith, Abraham went...Noah built...Rahab hid the spies...Moses refused his identity and chose the people of God...Joseph instructed that his bones be taken out of Egypt...the people of Israel passed through the read sea...

Faith is clearly about action, even in the face of very uncertain circumstances. So isn't that just foolishness? If our faith were in our own wisdom, strength or character, it would be foolish indeed. But our faith is in a God who has proven his character to be unshakable. He has shown us his perfect justice and his unsearchable love through the cross. He has earned our trust, though He didn't need to, and he has also demonstrated his love, though we didn't seek it and often don't return it. Our faith can be a bold action verb because He is there to catch us, to walk before us, to live within us. There is nowhere we can go where He is absent. Faith is never foolish when the object of our faith is Christ.

Psalm 91:4 "His faithfulness will be your shield and rampart."

Still reading Wiersbe's book. He's focusing now on the part where Paul defends his ministry and his right to speak into the lives of the Colossians. (Col. 1:21 - 2:3). Interesting, isn't it, that even in Paul's day there were spin meisters? They likely used Paul's imprisonment to cast doubts about his character. Nevermind that he was in prison precisely because he was a faithful minister of the gospel who would not compromise for the sake of his own comfort or ease.

Let's face it. Suffering is not something any of us would choose, but Paul's amazing commitment to the gospel demonstrates that he fully understood and joyfully embraced the implications of his choice. If his own suffering meant that the gospel was being shared and people's lives were being changed, Paul counted it an honor that he was chosen for the task.

Wiersbe writes, "There was a time when Paul had persecuted the church and caused it to suffer. But now Paul devoted his life to the care of the church. Paul did not ask, as do some believers, 'What will I get out of it?' Instead he asked, 'How much will God let me put into it?'"

What a timely word in a world where people "church shop" to find the church that "meets their needs" or makes them comfortable or has just the right kind of music or the right minister. Paul would not have understood that way of thinking. Nor should we.

Big Smile for the Day

This has NOTHING to do with Colossians, but it's brilliant and it will make you smile.

Watch this!

Preeminance not Prominance

I'm continuing to read Warner Wiersbe's insightful commentary on Colossians. The more I read this short letter from Paul, the more I love it and find new treasures. Paul's goal was to make sure the Colossians knew without a doubt that in Christ they already had all that they would ever need for life and for salvation. He warned against those who would make Christ into just one important spiritual leader among many.

He isn't prominent. He is preeminant.

The word "firstborn" crops up twice in Paul's description of Christ's role and place in the scheme of things. In the culture of the day, a firstborn son had the right to all titles, land rights, inheritance, and authority from his father. It is in this sense that Paul uses the word. God calls Jesus the "son of my love" and declares that he is preeminant in all creation and among those raised from the dead. He is exalted just as a "firstborn" son is--complete with all the authority that the word suggests, except his inheritance is all power, all authority, all creation. Paul wanted to be sure the Colossians understood the "enough-ness" of Christ. We need add nothing more to the word and person of Christ. He is all. Amazingly, he calls us his "friends" and has willingly taken up residence within us. The more we understand the magnitude of what God has done in Christ, and the more we appreciate the willingness of Christ to humble himself on our behalf, the more irresistable He becomes. Wiersbe tells a fascinating story of D.L. Moody, which I will quote here because it was so good:

In 1892, the World's Columbian Exposition was held in Chacago, and more than 21 million people visited the exhibits. Among the features was a "World Parliament of Religions," with representatives of the world's religions, meeting to share their "best points" and perhaps come up with a new religion for the world.

Evangelist D. L. Moody saw this as a great opportunity for evangelism. He used churches, rented theaters, and even rented a circus tent (when the show was not on) to present the Gospel of Jesus Christ. His friends wanted Moody to attack the "Parliament of Religions," but he refused. "I am going to make Jesus Christ so attractive," he said, "that men will turn to Him." Moody knew that Jesus Christ was the preeminant Savior, not just one of many "religious leaders" of history. The "Chicago Campaign" of 1893 was probably the greatest evangelistic endeavor in D.L. Moody's life, and thousands came to Christ.

Take aways

It has been a while since I've been able to post because of the job situation, but yesterday I spent some time reading and I thought I'd share some take aways. I read both in Colossians and from a book by Warner Wiersbe called Be Complete, which is a commentary on Colossians. Just a few random thoughts from both:

I was struck by this statement, which defines faith according to Scripture: "Faith is not mental assent to a body of doctrines, no matter how true those doctrines may be. Faith is not emotional concern. Faith is commitment to Jesus Christ." Did you catch that? Commitment. Not belief in or respect for Jesus Christ. Commitment to Jesus Christ. There's action in this.

The next statement that stood out to me expounds on this idea. Wiersbe told about a missionary who was translating the Bible and struggled to find the right translation for the word "believe." He finally got it. It means "to lean your whole weight upon." So faith is about not just about believing or hoping for good things from the Universe. It's about staking your life on Jesus Christ, leaning your whole weight on him, committing fully to him.

The other thing that struck me as I read was Wiersbe's discussion of "false teachers." He noted that false teachers always work where there is already an established group of believers. Their purpose is to entice people to follow them and their new and better revelation. Weirsbe says, "We are not to make disciples for ourselves, but for Jesus Christ."

My devotion reading this morning said something similar. It comes from Corinthians:

"He will keep you strong to the end so that you will be free from all blame on the day when our Lord Jesus Christ returns. God will do this, for he is faithful to do what he says, and he has invited you into partnership with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord." —1 Corinthians 1:8–9

1st thing that jumps out at me: GOD WILL DO THIS for He is FAITHFUL. (Ah, what a relief!)

2nd thing: "Partnership with Jesus Christ" Wow. What a thought!? Partnership? In what kind of business? In the business of reconciling the world to himself, of course. That's a pretty amazing thought, isn't it? How am I participating in his work? AM I participating? What am I doing as his partner to redeem the world, to bring hope, to set people free, to care for the poor, the widow and orphan, and to show his love to others?

Epaphras got this. Otherwise, there would have been no Colossian church. If he were like these false teachers, he would have stayed in Ephesus, where he had worked with Paul, and worked on building his own kingdom in Paul's absence. He was a partner with Jesus. And his heart was all about keeping the focus on Jesus. He wanted to be sure the Colossians continued to lean their whole weight upon Jesus--and nothing else. It's a good caution, isn't it? Is our leadership all about getting people to follow us--or to follow Christ?

Practicing Prayer

Tonight was full of great discussion, lots of laughter, and just the right medicine to get us all through the week. (The carrot cake didn't hurt either!) I thought it might be good to recap a few of my take-aways from our discussion tonight on Paul's prayer for the Colossians. Here they are, in no particular order:

Be Quiet
I can't really "acknowledge God in all my ways" if I'm not still long enough to listen for His leading.

Be Attentive
Don't stress about remembering to pray for others. Rely on the Holy Spirit to prompt me how to pray and who to pray for.

Be Rightly Focused
Prayer is not about getting God to do something for me. It's more about getting MY mind rightly focused on the One who is the source of life itself. It's about letting go of my tendency to run ahead of God or, worse, to BE God!

Be at Rest
When I ask God for wisdom, or patience, or endurance, or whatever--I can trust in HIS strength at work in me to see those prayers realized. In the same way, praying for others is about entrusting them into God's capable hands and acknowledging Him as sufficient.

Be Aware
Ask God to show me where he is at work, and then prepare to be surprised.

How about you? Did you take away anything different?

Seeing Past the Dark Clouds

So today I was thinking about the economy a lot, which is kind of weird because I'm not much of a worrier. But this really doesn't look good. The news started out this week with a story about Citibank's execs purchasing a new jet with bailout funds. (Are they serious!?) And then there was more news of job layoffs. Today I heard a story about the Prime Minister of Iceland (Iceland!) stepping down because of unrest over their economy, which, of course, they blame on the U.S. You can't help but wonder, "Wow, are we going to make it out of this, or have things changed forever?"

I remember when Barry and I were so poor we could barely keep the electricity on. There were days when we'd look at each other and say, "For all we know, these could be 'the good old days.'"

I don't mean to depress anyone. I'm just trying to keep things in perspective, but the ultimate perspective for me is to remember that "kings and kingdoms" come and go, but my hope cannot rest in any of that. I heard a great sermon on the radio tonight about the Old Testament prophet Daniel. Daniel lived through four different kings and two empires, and he understood, perhaps because he lived through those reigns, that those kings were mortal and limited. But Daniel's God--our God--is neither. Good to remember in a week full of dark-cloud headlines.

Joyful Endurance? Isn't that an Oxymoron?

In Paul's letter to the Colossians, he says that he is praying that they will have great endurance and patience while also giving "joyful thanks to the Father." Paul wrote this letter around the same time he wrote to the Philippians, a book known for its emphasis on joy. In that book, Paul wrote, "Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!" So there's a pattern here of joyful patience and grateful endurance.

Ok, wait a second. This from a guy who had been beaten more than once; blinded; shipwrecked; forced to run for his life more than once; imprisoned--several times; brought before authorities to defend himself, several times; often worked full-time on top of his work as a minister so as not to undermine his message. To top it all off, he wrote the letters to the Colossians and the Philippians from prison (again!) in Rome where he knew the odds were against ever leaving. And he's saying to "give joyful thanks," to "rejoice in the Lord always"?

Is he serious? I don't know about you, but I'm definitely not that good!

My natural response to all of the above would be just about anything BUT joyful or thankful. Words like "ticked off," "scared beyond belief," and "ready to check out" come to mind.

But Paul does not leave us hopeless. He reminds us that the power to endure with joy does not come from within. You don't have pull yourself up by your joy britches. (whew!) In fact, the verse following his mandate to "rejoice!" in Philippians carries an important clue. "Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near."

It's all Him! He's doing the work. In 1 Corinthians 15:10 Paul says, "...His grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them—yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me." Similarly, in Colossians, Paul prays that the Colossians will be "strengthened with all power according to his glorious might." (my emphasis).

Don't despair if joyful endurance is an oxymoron to you and you think, "I can never do that." We can't. And we don't have to! We just have to ask God to do that in us, and we have to let go of our own agendas long enough to let him.

Isn't that just the best news you have heard all day? I don't relish the idea of tough times, but I'm encouraged to know that if God wants me to get through them with joy and thankfulness, He has the power to do that in me.

Inaugural Hope

Today was full of the fanfare and hoopla that accompanies our nation's presidential inauguration. It was just like other inaugurations, but then again, it was different because of the historic precedent that it represents. Never again will this be a country where a person of color has not occupied the highest realm of authority. No matter how you voted, it would be difficult to NOT join in the celebration on some level. Our country should be proud of the peaceful transition of power--once again a model of democracy in action.

Not to put a damper on the day, but I did have one thought about hope, which was so much a part of the theme of today's festivities. Indeed, the air fairly sizzled with the hope that people are placing in President Obama. I find it concerning because I don't think anyone can live up to the incredibly high expectations riding on his shoulders at this point. In my other blog today, I wrote about why I can support Obama now, even though I didn't vote for him. (You can read that entry here if you're interested.) There are practical reasons we should support our president when we can, but there is a spiritual reason as well. I can support Obama because my hope is not in him. This week, our study will focus on hope. Where do we find hope? How do we sustain it? I can tell you this much--hope is not to be found in either political party or in any candidate. Even the best leaders are flawed. They must make daily decisions with incomplete and imperfect information. Sometimes they get it right, but just as often they don't. I respect Barak Obama's intelligence and compassion. I believe he'll do some good things for the country, and I believe he'll make mistakes, but I will pray for him and support what I can because my hope is not in him. My hope lies in the Rock of Ages, whose character is flawless, who makes decisions based on perfect knowledge and eternal wisdom; whose throne is founded on mercy; who is described as the Good Shepherd, the Morning Star, and the lover of our souls. As the old hymn says:

My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus' blood and righteousness
I dare not trust the sweetest 'frain
But wholly lean on Jesus' name
On Christ the solid rock I stand
All other ground is sinking sand
All other ground is sinking sand

That's something to bet your life on. Where is your hope?

Complete in Him

I just posted a little story on my other blog that really goes with this study. I thought you all might like to take a peek. See you all tomorrow! (I'm bringing chocolate.) Click here if you want to see the other post.

Jesus, AND....

I heard a woman speak not long ago about our insatiable need for more. More ANYTHING. Our desire for more usually leads to our less attractive moments in life. We don't get what we want, or we don't get something just the way we want it. So we pout, have a fit, allow tempers to flare, give someone a piece of our mind, quit, go silent, storm out, lash out, cut people off--you name it. Our bad behaviors, in other words, always stem from our desire for more--especially more of our own way.

Because we've all exhibited the above behaviors at some point, we have offended God who is characterized by perfect love. Like any wayward and disobedient child, we deserve our heavenly Father's just anger and correction, but who can withstand the anger of an eternal God? Still, if He really is perfect love, He can't exactly wink at our sins and sweep them under the rug. So...what to do? Enter Jesus. Our Father God, in a wisdom we will never understand, reasoned something like this: I will step in and take the judgment that my children deserve on myself. I will send my Son to be one of them, and He will bear their penalty and serve their sentence.

If that was all that God ever did for me, would it have been enough? Colossians tells us that the Father "delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love." That alone is pretty huge.

But there's more. We are told that the fullness of God dwells in Christ and--get this--Christ dwells in us.

Wow. That should make us pause.

Beyond the cross, as if that weren't enough, our lavishly generous God fill us with himself. We are complete. He is enough. He is all. We need nothing more, no matter what we are called to do.

In the next few weeks, I hope we all begin to learn what a difference this truth makes in our daily lives. Join us.

Welcome!

This blog is open to anyone, of course, but it is being created specifically for a cool little group of women in Florida who meet weekly to encourage one another through fun, friendship, prayer, and investigating Scripture.  Beginning January 8th, we will be jumping into Colossians, which is where our blog gets its name.  (You have to keep reading to find out how.)  

More coming shortly!  Stay tuned...