The Only Constant

My dad, a principal at an elementary school, told me recently that many times parents will call him and tell him that their child is upset because he/she does not have any friends at school. My dad then goes and watches them interact with the other kids - and they will be playing on the playground, having a great time. Often, he then suggests to the parents to take the opportunity to talk to their kid about Jesus. How does this connect? Because the loneliness they feel is not because they don't have friends - it is because God is drawing them, and it makes them need Someone/Something beyond the people/friends they are around.

When my dad told me this, it quickened something in me, because I feel the same thing. Sometimes I feel it, and I frantically search for someone to hang out with, or I go through a list of my friends and make myself better because I realize I do have some, or a multitude of other remedies to soothe the loneliness. But I realize time after time, it doesn't suffice.

A.W. Tozer puts it like this: "The man who has God for his treasure has all things in One. Many ordinary treasures may be
denied him, or if he is allowed to have them, the enjoyment of them will be so tempered that they
will never be necessary to his happiness. Or if he must see them go, one after one, he will scarcely
feel a sense of loss, for having the Source of all things he has in One all satisfaction, all pleasure, all
delight. Whatever he may lose he has actually lost nothing, for he now has it all in One, and he has it
purely, legitimately and forever."

For me, many of my treasures are people. And the more I try to hold on, the more inaccessible my relationships seem. But strangely, the more I seek God, the closer I get to people.

I feel like everything in my life right now is pointing to this truth. I am trying to figure out what to do next year with my life/ where to move/ who to be with/ etc. And it is stressful, until I realize that Jesus, as my Friend, will be with me. He is with me now, and He will be with me wherever I am - the only constant. Many of my friends are moving/have moved away, and that's hard, but if I let go, and trust Him with my relationships, I'm ok.

When we are misunderstood, betrayed, hurt, lied to, lonely, scared, etc. etc. , it is, in many ways, Jesus drawing us. And as we come, it is not an end, but an "inception", as Tozer calls it. A beginning. A friendship. And the cool thing about friendship with God, is that He does not just make us feel better. He creates, he renews, he strengthens. He gives purpose, and life, and the ability to give that to other people. He opens doors, gives us dreams, and brings them about.

I have in no way mastered this, and many times for various reasons, I don't choose Him. But I am learning how He calls, and learning to respond. And I will mess up, but He is more faithful than anyone we will ever know. It is a process, as is everything, but He is committed to us. And as we learn to walk with Him, he will make everything else we have, and everyone else we know, all the more enjoyable, because our hearts are not dependent on them, but only on Him, for whom we were created.


Psalm 73:28 "But as for me, the nearness of God is my good..."

The Calling

“…To those who are the called, beloved in God the Father, and kept for Jesus Christ…”Jude 1.

To love the call of God.

Many times we tolerate it, accept it, adhere as best we can to it – but to really LOVE the calling – that is many times overlooked.

I think of the people I respect, love, and aspire to be like, and the thing that sticks out to me is that they really love the calling of God. They have given their lives to it, and they are excited about it. It is not a burden.

The key: to love the One who calls.

The One who calls and says “your sins are forgiven, get up and walk..I will never leave you nor forsake you…I am yours, and you are Mine..” The one who says He never lets a sparrow fall to the ground – and “you are much more valuable than many sparrows.” Such care, such love.

The one who calls and says “you are anointed – I have given you My spirit… I have called you by name… you are set apart, you are holy.” He sends us to the poor, to the broken, to the hurting. He fills us and covers us and sends us in to the darkness. Such purpose.

For the One who calls, is the One who has gone there. He has been in the lowest of places, with the lowliest of people, with the wickedest of people, with the darkest of people – and he loved them, and talked with them, and related to them – and their lives were changed. Because He who calls is Life.

We must be convinced that Jesus Christ is the only hope, that He is worthy, and that He is calling. And if we aren’t convinced, we must search it out. And let us receive His love, and love Him, with an excitement, and with a devotion that defines our lives.

"To him who overcomes..."

"As long as I continue to push out into the world, as long as I continue to stretch my capabilites, as long as I continue to take risks in making my dreams come true, I am going to experience fear."
-- Susan Jeffers

Fear is a natural part of growth, but it cannot be the end. Fear is evidence that we are not staying where we are comfortable; we are pushing the limits, reaching for more. The problem is that fear can be crippling, if we allow it. However, if we can push through it, we become stronger, we reach our dreams, and often, we influence others.

Recently I've been thinking about the situations I will be going into the next few weeks and months. My first reaction: It's too much. Can I go back to sleep? My second: This is necessary. It's not easy, but it's essential if I want to move forward. And that brings me to a final realization: The Lord is with me, I will not fear.
Hebrews 12:2 says, ..." looking unto Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith..." Let us look to Jesus. He overcame his own weaknesses and temptations, the criticism and opposition of the people around him, even abandonment and betrayal by his closest friends. He set an example, beckons us to follow Him, and promises His strength and help. We are called to overcome.

What do you think about having to do in the next year that makes you cringe inside? Is it moving away? Taking on another semester of school? Going deeper in relationships?
Whatever it is, you can do it. The difference between you and those around you who will not make it is that you will keep going when it gets hard. You will not let fear convince you to stay home and sulk. You will overcome.

For practical steps on how to overcome fear, read John Maxwell's recent post: http://bit.ly/gc4H1O.

I've fallen, and I can't get up

Be strong and courageous.
If a righteous man falls in time of trouble, how small is his strength.
The Lord is a tower of strength against the enemy.
Take heart, trust in the Lord. For those who do are like Mount Zion which cannot be moved, but abides forever.
Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength, they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not faint.
Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary.
No weapon formed against you will prosper.
Be strong and courageous.

This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord.

(Joshua 1:6, Proverbs 24:10, Ps 61:3, Ps 125:1, Isaiah 40:31, Gal. 6:9, Is. 54:17)