What is "Normal?"

“For I the Lord do not change;” (Malachi 3:6)

Social distancing…

Flatten the curve…

Stay-at-home…

Quarantine…

Pandemic…

Self-isolation…

Wash your hands…

Wear a mask…

Lock down…

Stimulus…

Vaccine…

At risk… 

Some are concepts we have heard previously but are only used with varying degrees of frequency, others are new ideas.  Which ever category they fall into for you, I think it can be argued that it is a rare event which will so dramatically changes the language we use on a day-to-day basis.  And now, several weeks into the various reactions to the COVID-19 pandemic, there is a question that is becoming more and more common, “When are things going to return to normal?”

“Normal” is of course a fairly relative concept, and does vary some from person to person.  But, in general, when people are asking about things returning to normal, they are wanting to know when things will be like they were before the pandemic.  When most things were predictable to some degree. When you had your daily routines and habits that guided you through your day.  When life wasn’t turned upside down like it has been for so many people around the world.

In searching online for an idea of when things may return to normal, there really is no good answer.  Some “experts” say its close, others say it is months, if not years, away.  If there was one prevailing thought concerning a return to normal it was more along the lines a “new normal.”

Considering the idea of a “new normal” and how things may change got me to thinking about whether or not there is anything in our lives that does not change.  We see change in our lives every day, some minor, some more significant, and that is without taking into consideration the changes we have seen over the last several weeks.  But, is there anything that does not change?

There is only one thing I can think of that does not change –

God...

God does not change!  The world around us can be going completely crazy, and God is still the same.  The same as He has always been, and the same as He always will be.

God was there in the beginning and He will be there in the end:

-       “In the beginning You laid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the work of Your hands. They will perish, but You remain; they will all wear out like a garment. Like clothing You will change them and they will be discarded. But You remain the same, and Your years will never end.”  (Psalm 102:25-27)

-       “Before the mountains were born or you brought forth the whole world, from everlasting to everlasting, you are God.” (Psalm 90:2)

-       “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.” (Revelation 1:8)

God does not, will not, and cannot change:

-       “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” (James 1:17)

-       “For I the Lord do not change;” (Malachi 3:6)

God’s unchanging nature provides an anchor for our souls:

-       “Because God wanted to make the unchanging nature of his purpose very clear to the heirs of what was promised, he confirmed it with an oath. God did this so that, by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope set before us may be greatly encouraged.” (Hebrews 6:17-18)

God’s word does not change:

-       “The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever.” (Isaiah 40:8)

-       “Forever, O Lord, your word is firmly fixed in the heavens.” (Psalm 119:89)

-       “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away.” (Matthew 24:35)

God’s plans never change:

-       “But the plans of the Lord stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations.” (Psalm 33:11)

-       “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.  I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. I say, ‘My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please.’” (Isaiah 6:9-10)

God’s promises never change:

-       “In the hope of eternal life, which God, who does not lie, promised before the beginning of time.” (Titus 1:2)

God’s love is and everlasting, unchanging love:

-       “I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness.” (Jeremiah 31:3)

God is always with us:

-       “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:9)

The Greek philosopher Heraclitus is attributed with saying, “Change is the only constant in life.”  In saying this, he was acknowledging that there are so few things that remain unchanged in this world. This is even more true today than when Heraclitus said this thousands of years ago. Change is inevitable.

Lucky for us, we have an ace in the hole.  An unchanging God!

As you face change in your life, whether it is during our current times of uncertainty, or some other point in life, remember:  

God is always there and He DOES NOT CHANGE!  EVER!

Whatever the world's "new normal" turns out to be.  As Christians, we have no need for a "new normal," seeking and trusting our unchanging God should be our normal.  

Surrender Pt. 2

Isaiah 64:8 – “Yet You, Lord, are our Father.  We are the clay, You are the Potter; We are the work of your hand.” 

It is so important to let God work in our lives.  We need to stop resisting and get out of His way.  The more parts of our life we surrender, the more room we give the Holy spirit to work in our lives.

We can find a number of examples in the bible of people surrendering to God’s will.  Abram left his home and went to an unknown land becoming Abraham.  Moses led the nation of Israel out of Egypt and was God’s instrument in delivering the Law to His people.  David is called a man after God’s own heart.  Esther stood in the gap for her people to prevent genocide.  After being taken away to a foreign land, Daniel stayed true to God and defied the orders of Nebuchadnezzar.  And these are just a few.

Multiple times, Paul calls himself a servant of Christ.  My favorite is in Romans 1:1 in the New King James, “Paul, a bondservant of Jesus Christ…”  The Greek word Paul used here is doulos which is more than just a servant, more like a voluntary slave.  Paul was making it clear he was surrendered to Christ.

Jesus Himself provides a powerful example of surrender for us to follow.  In Philippians 2:6-8, Paul encourages us to take on the same mindset as Jesus: “Who, being in the very nature of God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to His own advantage; rather, He made Himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled himself by becoming obedient to death – even death on a cross!”  

Jesus, second person of the Trinity, surrendered Himself to not only become human (the Creator becoming one of His created) but also willingly surrendered to endure a horrendously gruesome death. And He did it for us! Because of His deep abiding love for us!

We eventually have to ask what kinds of things can we surrender to God? I think Proverbs 3:5-8 gives us some insight. Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him and, and He will make your paths straight.

“all your heart,” “all your ways.”  Interesting word ‘all.’  Rather inclusive of, well pretty much everything.  Not much in the way of wiggle room.  Obviously, there is not enough room here to cover everything but here are a few ideas to consider.

Possessions:

-       Do we really truly own anything? Anything and everything really does belong to God; we are blessed because He allows us to take care of some of it for Him.  Some of us are granted more, some less, but we need to remember to not let these things get between us and God.

-       A personal example: I love to read and I have a quite sizable collection of books.  They cover a wide range of topics from fiction, fantasy, and biography, to science, history, and theology.  And that’s not all.  Several years ago, we had a couple of wild fires, each destroying several hundred homes in and around the city where I live.  This got me to thinking about how I would feel if I lost all my books and I was having a hard time even just thinking about if that were to happen.  It took some time but I have been able to let that go.  It would be disappointing but I cannot let that loss, or potential for loss, stand between me and God.

A Position:

-       Whether it is a career or some sort of social standing, what do these things really bring us.  We get caught up in the position, perks, benefits, our own importance or whatever it is that strokes our ego.  It somehow becomes our identity; it can even start to overshadow our true identity as a Child of God.  This is the much greater position.

Our Plans:

-       The things ‘I’ want to do. It can be kind of selfish when you think about it.  Not that we can’t do some of the things we would like to do but there are many examples in scripture where we are told to put others first, to serve them and to serve God.

-       Sometimes it is not that we aren’t serving God and others, spreading God Word, or bringing glory to God.  It’s in how or where we are choosing to serve.  Are we truly following the path God has laid out before us?  Some people have very specific plans God has called them to follow, some of us it doesn’t always seem to be as clearly defined.  I think it is definitely a good idea to check in with God from time to time to make sure we are still on the same page.

People:

-       There will be people that will always be a part of our life, some will be family, some friends.  Others will simply pass through our lives for some shorter period of time.  You may also experience people that come and go multiple times in your life.  We need to enjoy the time we have with those who become close to us and strive to keep these relationships healthy.  Thank God for those you have in your life; past, present, and future.  Be a blessing to them and lift them up to God.

-       You never know how, when or where you may meet someone who may impact your life, or you theirs.  Keep yourself open to the possibilities and think about how great it will be to spend eternity with them.

-       A personal example:  I met Obednego when I went on a mission trip to Sierra Leone.  He is a pastor that worked with the church there in the city of Bo where we were working.  I don’t know how or why but it was one of those things where you just click with someone.  I really enjoyed spending the little bit of time we were able to share.  I remember the fire he had in his heart for God.  He called me “My Giant” which stemmed from the relative difference in our size.  I was blessed to be able to see him again the next year when I went back for a second trip.  That was several years ago and I don’t know if I will ever see Obednego again in this life, but I do look forward to seeing him in heaven.

Ultimately there is one very specific thing we are called to surrender to God.  Ourselves!  

Then Jesus said to His disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for Me will find it.” (Mt. 16:24-25) 

That really sums it up.  The ultimate surrender.

Isolation

I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)

We are in such a strange time. Never have people been so isolated, not just emotionally, but physically.  In an attempt to minimize the spread of the COVID-19 virus, government officials around the world are instituting isolation protocols of varying degrees.  These vary by country, and in the United States even by state and municipality.  These range from complete lock-down to “stay-at-home” orders to recommendations to protect oneself by avoiding contact with other people, either all together or at least maintaining 6 feet (or 2 meters) distance. Ultimately the result is literally billions of people isolated from each other around the world.

The challenge is that we were created to be relational beings.  From the very beginning God said it was not good for us to be alone, “The LORD God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.”” (Gen 2:18)  Even after man had sinned, God sought him out, “But the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?”” (Gen 3:9)  God has not stopped looking for us and reaching out to us ever since.

An amazing example of just six short verses tells us how much God is there for us in every way. In reading them again I can feel a renewed sense of peace come into my heart.

Psalm 23

¹The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

 ²He makes me to lie down in green pastures;

He leads me beside the still waters.

³He restores my soul;

He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name's sake.

⁴Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil;

For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me

⁵You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;

You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over.

⁶Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me All the days of my life;

And I will dwell in the house of the Lord Forever.

In writing this Psalm, David gives us so much to consider, and he jumps right in with the first verse, “The Lord is my shepherd.”  Everything the shepherd does is to the benefit of the sheep under his care.  Jesus doubles down on this when he tells of the shepherd seeking the one lost sheep to restore it to the flock (Mt 18: 12-14 and Lk 15:4-7).  

David then expands on some of the different ways the Shepherd takes care of us.  Restoration, comfort, rest, abundance, mercy, and righteousness.  And nestled among this truly amazing list of benefits, a simple "You are with me." 

Our not being alone is a promise made throughout scripture. Here are a few examples:

-       Isaiah 41:10 – “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”

-       Matthew 1:23 – “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”).”

-       Joshua 1:9 – “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

 -       Matthew 28:20 – “teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.  And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

-       John 14:16 – “I will ask the Father, and He will give you another helper who will be with you forever.”

-       Matthew 18:20 – “For where two or more are gathered in My name, there I am with them.”

Paul also addresses this in his characteristic and remarkable way:  "For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:38-39)

Unfortunately, isolation is not a new concept for many people.  The elderly, the sick and infirm, the poor, and social outcasts are just a few groups that must endure isolation to some degree or another.  Though some can handle isolation form other people better than others, even that has its limits.  And there is plenty of evidence to show how detrimental long-term isolation can be, ranging from feelings of loneliness or depression, to adverse health effects.  All of the measures being taken and meant for good may only add to the burdens people are already experiencing.

In this time of extreme isolation, take time to reach out.  Take advantage of the amazing options we have in the 21^st century; text, social media, video calls, or even just a good old-fashioned phone call.  Let others know they are not alone.  Even in our own struggles in this isolation, we need to be the salt and light we are called to be.

We may never know the impact it may have on someone through the simple act of reaching out to them.  And I firmly believe that in this simple act of kindness you will find your burdens lifted because God is there with you as well.

I pray for God’s peace to fill your heart and the heart of those you love.  Together we will get through this brothers and sisters!

Surrender Pt. 1

I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. Gal 2:20

Surrender.  It is used in multiple songs we sing at church and most of us have heard it referenced numerous times in sermons and other biblical teaching over the years. There must be something to this. But is surrender straight forward or is it something that is more elusive? 

As I started looking into it, the lack of verses that contain the word surrender left me scratching my head. (Several translations don’t even use the word, of those that do it is more often found in the Old Testament than the New.) Isn’t the idea of surrender kind of important to our Christian walk?  Surrender your life to God and His will for your life and such?

As I started digging, I found that although the word itself is not used; the idea of surrender is actually a common idea theme in scripture.  It’s just a bit more subtle (but definitely not elusive) in the context of scripture.  Which is one of the things I like about scripture, the subtleties you can find when you really start digging in.

First though, what does it mean to surrender?

Probably the most familiar setting of surrender is that of a military force surrendering to another after a defeat on the battlefield.  Another is the idea of a person who has committed a crime surrendering to the police.  Not exactly what I was looking for, yet when I looked up the definition for surrender the first couple entries fit with the above.

Then I found the following:

-       To give up completely or agree to forgo especially in the favor of another.

-       To give (oneself) over to something (such as an influence).

-       The act of yielding one’s person or giving up the possession of something, especially into the power of another.

Now things were starting to click.

Looking at some of its synonyms helped further clarify the idea behind surrender in the scripture.  Here are a few: cede, hand over, give up, relinquish, yield, and submit.  In seeing the list of synonyms, it makes more sense that there have been so many sermons and other teachings that reference surrender. 

Here are some of the ideas I found:

-       Psalm 55:22 – “Cast your cares upon the Lord and He will sustain you; He will never let the righteous be shaken.” This is pretty straight forward and I like the promise that God will be there for us.  That’s pretty awesome!  It gives me a sense of peace knowing that God is there for me. (I have written on this previously.  See Burdens, March 2013) 

-       Along this same line, Jesus tells us to not worry about the various things going on in our life in Matthew 6: 25-34.  Here he assures us that God, who is taking care of the birds and the flowers, will do so much more for us and ends by telling us, “do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself.” (vs. 34)

-       James 4:10 – “Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will lift you up.”  By taking our eyes off of ourselves and focusing on Him we again reap the benefits of our surrender.

-       Matthew 11:28 – “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”  We don’t have to have all our ducks in a row when we answer this personal invitation.  That’s good news!  We can come to Him when we are tired and worn down. And in doing so we find something, rest.

-       Romans 12:1 – “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.”  Surrendering our lives to Him is a form of worship.  When we worship God, we bring Him glory.

-       John 15:5 – “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I remain in you, you will bear much fruit.”  Surrendering our lives will make an impact, an important type of impact as we see in vs. 8 “This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.”  Bringing glory to God is one of the things we are called to do and by submitting to Him and bearing fruit in our actions does exactly that.

-       Psalm 37:4-6 – “Take delight in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord; trust Him and he will do this: He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn, your vindication like the noonday sun.”  To truly delight in God; who He is, His mercy and compassion, in His great love for us. We need to take our eyes off what we want in life so that we can long for what He desires.  If I want to be honest with myself, I have to acknowledge that what I want is not always what is best for me.  But God’s desires for me are so much better that what I can come up with for myself, why would I not want to open myself up for what He has for me?

-       Romans 6:13 – “Do not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer every part of yourself to Him as an instrument of righteousness.”  God wants us to give Him our all.  As we grow in our faith, our level of commitment, our ability to surrender grows as well.  Luckily God meets us where we are and allows us the time to grow.  The determining factor is us.  God is there, and he always will be.  Our growth is determined by how much we focus on Him, how much we surrender to Him and what He has for us in our lives.  Letting go and letting Him work in our lives.

One thing we can see here that we don’t have to have perfect lives to surrender to God.  In fact, when we don’t, and allow God to work in us, wonderful things happen.  The simple act of surrender also brings blessing to us and more importantly, glory to God. You can’t argue with those kinds of results.  It also changes us. Helps us be the person God made us to be.

A.W. Tozer once said, “If we would but quickly surrender to the will of God, we could the sooner begin to enjoy His blessings.”

While talking about surrender at a retreat I attended a couple years ago I was looking at the lyrics to the song Exhale by Plumb. Part of the chorus talks about getting lost in the surrender.  As I considered these words, I started thinking about letting go and getting lost in the surrender, then I had a bit of a revelation.  If I surrender to God, a complete and total surrender to the point of loss of self.  I am not lost at all, if anything I have been found.  Found by the Creator and Sustainer of the universe.  What can compare with that?

Don’t be afraid to lose yourself in the surrender.  God will find you there.