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Published: 25 March 2022

“Ahhhhhhh”

We live in a very restless world.  When we do get a chance to rest, it sure feels good!  For years I have believed in the rejuvenating assistance of the so-called “power-nap.”  Even if I have had a busy and somewhat stress-filled morning, ten minutes of shut-eye over the lunch hour gives me new energy.  Humans need rest.  We were not designed to function in perpetual motion of body, mind or spirit.  It’s interesting that the invitation of Jesus in Matthew 11:28 is not to a “radical, life-altering experience that will change your life forever and take you to the next level.”  He said, “Come to Me…and I will give you rest.”  In the next verse He further explains that we can find rest for our souls!  Ahhhhhh!  Have you ever been soul-weary?  Worn out?  Striving until your strive is no longer alive?  Have you ever worried yourself to exhaustion?  Have you ever been so angry that you were worn out?  Have you ever caved in to temptation so many times that you were weary of life?  Have you ever worked so hard to be loved that you finally quit in despair?  There is an open invitation of Jesus waiting for you.  He has the life you want in your soul but you’ll have to trust Him for it.  You can’t dabble in His life and trifle with His instructions to see how you like them.  If you’re coming to Him, you’ll have to deny yourself, make the commitment, do what He did, and what He said.  Once you do, you’ll see His life is better than the one you’ve been trying to live without Him.  As we’ll see on Sunday, “there is a rest that remains for the people of God,” and Jesus is the way.  Come to Him.  Please, and find rest for your soul.

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Published: 18 March 2022

“IF”

Perhaps you had to read Rudyard Kipling’s poem in Lit. Class at some point.  Remember the first line?  “If you can keep your head when all about you, Are losing theirs and blaming it on you…”  There are many good lines in the poem and there are people in our culture that would do well to note the character values implied.   I’m not a student of poetry.  I suppose there is something about Kipling’s life or some hidden meaning in the poem that should have him canceled but I’m not that woke.  What I note is the word, “if.”  “If” is notable because it is used often by Jesus and the apostles.  If you have ever read Oswald Chambers (My Utmost for His Highest) you may have noticed that he refers to the “if” of discipleship quite often.  Discipleship always begins with “if.”  Jesus said, “If anyone will follow Me, let him…”  There is no force, coercion or manipulation.  Jesus simply invites people to life.  Most people I know have said no to Him at some point.  A periodic “no” is not the end of one’s life or salvation.  Even saints occasionally decide they know better than Jesus what life is about and how to live it.  How we respond to the “if” of Jesus is a matter of the heart.  If my heart is tender, discerning and open, it seems natural to lean into the One who loved me and gave Himself for me.  However, if little choices of willful disobedience have been left uncared for and unconfessed, my heart gets hard and the “if” of Jesus seems like it doesn’t really matter.  We ignore the invitations of Jesus to our own peril and the state of our heart is affected by our choice.  Have you heard the “if” of Jesus?  How has your heart responded?