A few weeks ago, the Children’s Ministry started a variety of new and exciting programs! Their goal is to bring the message of truth to transform and shape some of the youngest minds of our congregation. Children’s Church brings the Sunday morning message to even the smallest of ears:)
Full disclosure: bringing the bible to a bunch of inquisitive children is no small task! One must be prepared. One must be ready to answer the most outlandish and curious riddles known to man! Like “So… Ms. Kari....did the whale have a room inside of it!?”
There’s a hidden blessing of accountability in all that questioning, if we choose to see it that way. When the children are reaching for answers, it summons the heart and mind of the adult to go deeper into the endless ocean of God’s wonder, grace, and majesty.
Honestly? It makes me a little nervous each week as I go in to prepare. Reading through the lens of a child, I’m looking at details in these classic bible stories and they seem to be hitting me for the first time! It’s like “I don’t remember hearing this at all! Since when did it say that Jonah threw a hissy fit whenever the people of Nineveh were saved? What a jerk! I think my Sunday School teacher left that part out.”
I can name a handful of men and women in my formative years that invested a lot of time in my biblical upbringing. The Sunday School teachers, Wednesday night volunteers, and church camp chaperones. We spoke of the bible often and I’m sure that wonderful things were spoken over me. However, when I really stop and think about my childhood, there’s a lot I don’t remember. Some things do stick out though, and I recall incredible truths, filled with details and information from scripture that brought me to a greater understanding of the Jesus I know and love today.
So maybe the problem isn’t that I didn’t hear all that much about Jonah. Maybe something else got in the way. Of course someone told me all about the wondrous love of Jesus. Maybe it’s just that a lot has been said since then.
For instance, I remember hearing how Jesus wasn’t real, around the time I found out Santa wasn’t real. I recall being at a lunch table in the 6th grade when a close friend made a snarky comment about how “church people are just hypocrites'' and it confused me a great deal. I loved church people! I had friends in high school tell me that I was a prude and a goody goody. It became all too clear that nothing I valued was valued outside the walls of my church. The experiences of Jesus and the bible around me began to shape me from the inside out.
So what happened to the truths spoken over me all those years ago?
Simply put- They got pushed out.
You’re not my friend anymore.
No one’s going to like you if you don’t do it.
If you really loved God, you would stop sinning.
You’re just not my type.
No one cares what you think.
You’re a Jesus Freak.
This is way more fun than some stupid bible study.
The church is a joke. They’re all set in their ways.
Those people don’t love God. Stay away from them.
Instead of opening my bible to combat what I was hearing, I tuned in to every channel where these lies were being spoken. I would rather sing the tune of a popular song than to be made fun of for the melody in my heart.
What are we allowing the world to speak over us? What negative influences are pushing out all the positive kingdom advances of our youth? How has “The Jesus Of Back Then” faded into the background of our lives? How did He go from being the main character in our story to being casted in a supporting role?
I’ll be the first to say it. “Lord, forgive me.”
Good news is all around us in the manifestation of the Holy Spirit in our lives. It ought to be the cry of our hearts that Jesus’ name would ring louder than any sound. Not as a clanging cymbal (1 Corinthians 13:41), but as the majestic and powerful melody that it is. (Psalm 29:1-4) I repent of the things I let push out the goodness of God’s love and lordship over my life. It’s time to take back those years, dig back in, and hold ourselves accountable to recalling what’s really real.
When Jared and I first got married, I thought I knew everything there was to know about him. He wore cool shoes, held a good job, loved Jesus, and seemed to like me a lot :) As for the other details, I figured they’d come naturally. As far as his likes and dislikes were concerned, I was confident I had him pegged.
I soon found out my post-nuptial assumptions were dead wrong. I actually knew very little about my new handsome hubby. In fact, I had more misinformation about him than I realized, which led to one misunderstanding after another. Believe it or not, it all started with a bag of Reese's pieces.
I thought Jared loved Reese's pieces candies. For Christmas, I would put them in his stocking. Anniversaries, birthdays, movie nights, “just ‘cause” presents, … you name it. I’d throw in a box of those chocolate coated peanut butter circles and wait for his reaction. Best wife ever! Or so I thought. One day, he finally spoke up. It’s important to note how difficult it must have been for him to say this. He’s the sweetest guy on the face of the planet but he had finally endured enough.
“Babe. I don’t like these.”
“What do you mean you don’t like these? You LOVE these!” I jested.
“No I don’t. I’ve never liked these.” He used the word never. It crushed me. Inside, I was red-faced.
“But I buy these for you all of the time.” I argued.
“I know you do. And I don’t like them. I like Reese's peanut butterCUPS. Not pieces.”
It didn’t stop there. Over the next several months, it all started to unravel. Suddenly, I was wrong about everything. I thought “What Happens in Vegas” was his favorite movie. Wrong. Watching baseball was his favorite pastime. Wrong. I bought him several flat-billed caps only to discover that he found them to be “too boxy.” Wrong again. He didn’t seem to like anything I picked out for him; I was failing at every attempt I made to move forward.
It’s painful to describe how this made me feel … like a lousy wife, a terrible listener, and an ignorant friend. How could I be in love with this guy when it seemed like I barely knew him? For a time, I started to doubt that we were even supposed to be together.
Instead of taking each of those instances as opportunities for closeness, I chose to walk in the shame and upset that comes from being wrong. These could have been occasions for insight into yet another side of my sweet husband but I allowed it to become a huge stumbling block in our marriage. Rather than embracing this new information, I wanted to have absolutely nothing to do with it. In that season of our relationship, you could have asked me anything about Jared and I would have told you, “I have no idea. Sorry. Can’t help you.”
Fortunately; I had godly friends who helped me wake up, stop moping, and encouraged me to grow closer to my husband instead of grumbling over a B-rated movie and some candy preferences. As luck would have it, I also had an insanely patient husband who saw me fail miserably time and time again and kindly helped me get to know who he really was. As I allowed for space for him to speak, he in turn became more vocal. Truthfully, we began to thrive. I have to say, he grows sweeter with time.
As this season took a shift, I became more confident in engaging with Jared, planning for him, and speaking on his behalf. My “I have no idea,” turned into “Oh, he would love that!” or “I’m not sure, let me ask him.” I’ve gained a newfound confidence as his wife and friend. I can honestly write this with a smile because I know there’s still so much I don’t know about that man, but I now delight in the newness of his ever-changing personality and interests.
Gummy bears. Those are his absolute favorite. Nowadays, I can plan a movie night in which I pick up the pizza (another favorite), buy the candy, and select a movie I think we’d both enjoy. Granted, I’m not always spot on, but I’m close enough. Close enough to love him and appreciate the fact that he loves me even in my unknowing.
Friends, I must confess that the same is true with my relationship with Jesus. Time and time again, I think I have Him pegged and yet, I constantly misstep in my pursuit of Him. I think I know everything there is to know about His word, but I’m painfully mistaken and unsettled as a result. I mistreat His people, misrepresent His word, and misunderstand His heart. Oftentimes, it causes me to grow frustrated because I’ve been in a relationship with Him for so long and yet, I still seem to know very little.
Just as it was with my spouse, the Father is slowly revealing things about Himself that are different than we’ve grown accustomed to understanding. It’s hard to accept in the beginning. But I find that if I can swallow my pride, engage in conversation with Him through prayer, and seek after His heart, I can receive far more than I ever did in fighting for what I thought I knew. Whether you’re brand new to the faith or thirty years in, it is a dangerous assumption to believe that you have God pegged. There will come a time in your life when you’ll be reading scripture, scratch your head, and think “this doesn’t look like You. I have no idea what this means.” The faith-filled life is a constant surrender to the things we don’t quite comprehend. It’s only when I surrender my assumptions that I find peace and confidence in truly knowing Him.
The good news is that our God, while vast and complex, is never-changing and never-failing. To misunderstand Him is an honest mistake. A mistake we have all made. Give yourself a break. Of course you’re not going to understand it all; He’s the one who’s all-knowing! There’s freedom found in the realization that He is bigger, and greater, and far more than we could ever fathom. There is so much about Him that we will never fully understand and those gray areas will only serve to strengthen our faith if we let them. My prayer is that when we feel that gentle correction fall upon us, we would welcome it. We would earnestly seek to dive deeper. We would know Him more.
I leave you with this verse. May it go before you, excite you into seeking more, and guide your heart into depths unknown :)
Love, Kari
When I was a child, I spoke and thought and reasoned as a child. But when I grew up, I put away childish things. Now we see things imperfectly, like puzzling reflections in a mirror, but then we will see everything completely, just as God now knows me completely. Three things will last forever- faith, hope, and love- and the greatest of these is love. - 1 Corinthians 13:11-13
Pray
Lord, help us to delight in our misunderstandings. May it draw us nearer to Your heart. Let the covenant of Your grace in our lives sustain us in the unknowing. In Your mighty and majestic ways, may we find freedom in the lovely realization that we don't have to know it all. Help us to rest in the peace that surpasses all understanding. Amen
Reflect
1. How comfortable are you with things you don't understand? What fears arise when you come across things that are clearly out of your control?
2. How do you feel when someone acts out of character? Does it concern you? Why or why not? Do people in relationship with you feel free to "change" areas of their life if need be?
3. For the following questions, mark your answers on a scale of 1-10.
How well do you think you know God's will for your life?
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
How much of scripture makes sense to you?
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
How much of scripture do you feel uncertain about?
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
4. How do you approach new ideas in scripture? When's the last time you read something that caused pause? How did you react?
Do Something
Speak with your local pastor about some of the things troubling you in scripture. See if they have any resources they could recommend that might help you make peace with these areas of "unknowing".
Get familiar with parts of the bible that are foreign to you. See if you can participate in a book study with another friend or bible study group.
Pray over your concerns. Pray over your doubts. Pray over your fears. Ask others to partner with you in prayer as you admit to the things that are beyond your comprehension. Take delight in them!
Write down areas in your relationships where you are having trouble with someone's sudden change or shift in "who you know them to be". Pray over these things and ask God to give you peace and discernment moving forward.
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.
James 1:5
If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.
Proverbs 3:5
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.
Philippians 4:6
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.
Listen
Bigger Than I Thought by Sean Curran
Endless Ocean- Jonathan and Melissa Helser
How Deep The Father's Love For Us- Austin Stone Worship
I’m scarfing down my third plate of leftovers. Turkey, dressing, broccoli-rice casserole- the whole nine yards that’ll soon turn into 10 pounds. Knee deep in all the carbs and deliciousness commonly known as Thanksgiving Dinner. Except it’s June. Some would say “ew. Way too hot for that.” I would say “ew. Get away from me with that negative energy.”
This has been a dream of mine. To have a Thanksgiving feast for my birthday dinner and my adoring husband made it happen this year. He even cooked the turkey, y’all. It was fabulous. Friends came over with their babies and we had a house full of tiny squeaky giggles. I even attempted to put a football game on, just to help with the aesthetics. ESPN Classics was only showing basketball games. Bummer. Nevertheless, it was a grand time and it did my heart such good to be around my nearest and dearest people.
Sometimes when you’re that filled with joy, you catch yourself caught in some sort of transient state. At least I do. The room seems to slow down around me, like in an alternative rock music video or comedic drama where the character finally comes to some climactic realization. During this birthday dinner, I remember having this thought:
My friendships should outlast me. They should extend beyond myself and ripple outward indefinitely.
Friendship has been one of God’s greatest and latest gifts in my household. For the most part, I’m extroverted and extremely interested in other people, so I’ve been pretty good at making friends for the majority of my life. However, cultivating meaningful relationships in adulthood (juggle that alongside having a spouse and two children) has become one of the harder things to manage. It seems like we’re all too busy to be present. Too tired to have coffee. Too overwhelmed to even say “thanks for asking”. Too caught up in our reasons why we can’t make it happen and missing out on what’s happening all around us; without us.
Most everyone that came out to the house for my birthday dinner knew at least one other person that was in attendance, but we did have a few newcomers or family from out of town. It was a badge of honor to see my local friends spark conversations and ask an uncomfortable amount of questions to these poor new souls, all in the name of love. One newbie that showed up jumped right into it! He chatted with most everyone there and because of his willingness to buy into what was happening, he left feeling full and excited for more! As did we!
Sad to say, I’ve been on the receiving end of that sort of loving pursuit and it definitely takes some getting used to. “Gosh. It was like we were playing 20 Questions! I felt like I was being interrogated!” It makes you feel tense and it's much easier to call that person a weirdo than it is to admit your own insecurities. “What’s wrong with them?”
Shouldn't we desire that kind of love, though? To feel seen in a crowd of strangers? To be pursued despite the fact that you’re not fully known? Aren’t these the things we love so much about having a relationship with Jesus?
It seems we would rather deflect intentional community and embrace solitude. We live in a culture that is shouting for solidarity with the weak and oppressed but we’re only relational behind cell phone screens instead of knocking on a neighbors’ door and inviting them over for a barbeque.
We love that Jesus cares about us, but to experience a stranger starting to show interest in our wellbeing, we think something weird must be going on. Much worse- we find ourselves on the other end of that and face rejection every time we attempt to get to know someone. It’s easier to stay home than to have your friends flake out on you. Been there. Done that. But Jesus designed us to be together.
I hate that we question togetherness so much. I hate that in our society and within our relationships, there’s so much happening on the surface that the deep end seems dangerous. Sure you can swim in the shallow end, but why would you want to? Defeats the purpose of knowing how to swim.
After my birthday, I was swimming in enthusiasm, let me tell you! Not only because of the delightful food aforementioned- but because of the fellowship! One year olds running around getting into toy bins and purses, pushing buttons both figuratively and literally. Mom’s shrugging their shoulders at one another while the men carved the turkey and talked about how spicy the queso was. We played a game called Throw, Throw, Burrito (look it up and thank me later) and people were coming out of shells they didn’t even realize they were in. Belly laughs and cackles could be heard by the neighboring houses. My heart was full.
I can be sure that the friendships I hold with the people at that party will outlast me. I can be sure that no one left hungry. I can be sure that when the doors of my home are open, God’s people go to work and love on the least of these. I can be sure that anyone who didn’t enjoy themselves, misunderstood the meaning of gathering.
Jesus got in people’s business. He came straight into their homes. He didn’t put it on the calendar first. He simply walked in and they wanted nothing more than for His presence to be near them. Jesus put hands on the afflicted. He called on the name of the rich and the proud to follow Him. He sat with money-hungry men who were despised by all and knelt beside lepers that no one would be within three feet of. You’d better believe He asked uncomfortable questions. And yet- here we are. A byproduct of His barrier-breaking love. Thousands of years later, hearing more and more about Him, but looking less and less like Him.
Don’t walk through life hoping that no one talks to you. Be open to new relationships in your life. Let the love of Jesus flow from others onto you. You are not an island. Even if you were, He’d cross the seas to find you. Are you open to being found?
Pray
Jesus, help me to see how You’re pursuing me through others. Help me to reach out and love like You love. Help me to engage in those uncomfortable conversations in Your name. To bring light to dark places and hope to the weary. Help me step outside of my normal to live a life that is abundantly evident of Your influence on my heart. Help me to heal of past hurts or hinderances from bring an asset to Your Kingdom here on earth. Lord, when I do seek isolation to recharge and replenish my soul- be my source and my guide in that rest so that I may be strengthened to go out and share the goodness of your grace once more. Amen
Reflect
What sort of expectations do we set for our friends? Do we want friends that come to our party, fluff us up, and leave others out? Or do we live out discipleship in the midst of having our own needs met? Are you friendships set up in such a way that they will outlast you?
Take careful thought with the verses below and give yourself time to honestly answer each question that follows.
“Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.”- Proverbs 27:17
Are the people that you are in relationship with being sharpened by Christ’s work in you?
"Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.”- James 5:16
Have you ever confessed sin to a friend? Is this something you do regularly? Why or why not?
“Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, so it is with Christ’s body, and we all belong to each other.” Romans 12:4-5
How do you feel about “belonging” to someone else? How does it make you feel to know that God gives you a “special function” in His body of believers?
Do Something
Think of a time when someone made you uncomfortable in intentional conversation. What was at the root of your hesitation to engage?
Call up a few friends and ask: Am I easy to talk to? Am I a good listener? Be open to learning from their answers.
Write down three ways that you could be more approachable and place them in your bathroom mirror or car. Work on these things as you go throughout your week.
Make a list of things that are uncomfortable for you to talk about. Start praying over those things and ask God to help you be more vulnerable with other people in the faith.
Think of someone who needs community in their life. Then think of two or three friends that would pair well with that person. Invite them all for dinner, for coffee, or just an evening hang out in your home (yes, you can do it). See how God facilitates future gatherings. Be open to that.
Further Reading
Read the following familiar stories. Try not to skim through. Really take your time and highlight important details in the conversational style of Jesus through these encounters. What is common in these stories? What’s Jesus’ overall goal in these interactions? What can you learn from this? How can you better minister to others in your life?
John 4:1-44 The Samaritan Woman
John 5:1-15 The Lame Man
Matthew 19:16-30 The Rich Young Ruler
Here are some interesting articles for those wishing to dig further:)
Adventure awaits the Banks Family in 2021! We are now the proud caretakers of our very own Dutchmen pop-up camper! Fully furnished with 90’s geometric shapes printed on the cushions. Complete with cream formica countertops and more curtains and zippers than you could ever dream of! The best part of it all? Absolutely free! A gift from some clients of my husband who decided to reach out and bless us well into the next decade! You have no idea what this means for our little family and how many far-reaching prayers it will fulfill. More time together, the ability to travel affordably, and quenching our thirst for the Great Outdoors to name a few. So many spoken and unspoken prayers. Proving once more, that God is ever clever in His pursuit of His people.
A week ago, my husband rolled it up the driveway on his way home from work. The house we live in has four bedrooms but you better believe we slept in the camper that night! In the driveway. Why?
Because we just got a free camper!Sorry. Still excited.
It proved to be the perfect night, too. Although my daughter would have had us gather ALL of our bedding and bring it downstairs (and she did try to force my goose down comforter through the front door), we had a few quilts and pillows that sufficed. The three of us fell asleep holding hands and thanking the Lord for being so undeniably kind to our family.
Around 1am, my husband and I woke to the camper rocking about; the wind blowing violently through the screens. As far as Colette was concerned, none of this happened. She had sunk like a rock. Jared went to zip the screens back up, but the problem wasn’t caused by the opened screens. Several screens on the far side of the camper were still sealed up. The wind was getting caught inside, tossing the whole structure to and fro. We decided to unzip more screens so that the wind could move through the camper freely.
It was evident to me that the Lord was speaking at this time. He’s pretty methodical in waking me up at odd hours of the night to tell me something special. See? Ever clever, is our God. The Holy Spirit moved me to jot down some notes by the light of the Edison bulbs hanging through the trees.
I wrote: Don’t close off the Spirit. Let Him move freely.
There I was, laying in this free gift after opening up all sides, tucked into my covers, feeling the gentle brush of the wind over my forehead. How can you not feel God’s love in that moment? Like a mother kissing her baby one last time before leaving His room. Never wanting to leave at all. Running her fingers through his hair. Over and over again. Whispering, You’re safe. You’re loved. I missed you. I love you. You’re cared for. I’m not going anywhere.
This is exactly how the Spirit of the Lord shows up in our lives.
The wind didn’t die down after we opened up the camper. It was still stirring around like before. This time, it passed through, over my head and brought great comfort. Like a wave passing over me. Coming and going and coming again. For a while, it continued to keep me awake, even. But here’s the thing...
I knew what it was, I knew it wasn’t leaving, and I had given it room to move.
The Spirit of the Lord desires to awaken the hearts of God’s people. Like a low flying plane stirring gusts of wind overhead, the Spirit of the Lord cannot pass over us without leaving its impact. When our hearts are left unopened, it can feel like a furious jolt of energy passing through. It can seem overwhelming and sometimes disturbing. If we keep those walls up, if we try to close up the sides of our heart that we had already opened, we miss out on the freedom that comes from fully surrendering to God’s love for us. Let us be like watchmen waiting in the night. For when the children of God decide to get up in the middle of our slumber and unzip the far sides of our hearts, I believe the Spirit of God runs freely in our lives and the center of our souls start to settle.
And much like the wind keeping me up that night, once you’ve been awakened over and over again, you’ll learn to rest in it. I pray you find rest in His Spirit and learn to embrace its ever comforting presence in your life.
Your friend in Jesus,
Kari
First meal in the camper: Pasta Primavera
Reflect
1. Consider the following scripture and think about the veil that Christ has lifted in your life. What limitations might you still have up that Jesus is asking you to uncover.
Whenever someone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. For the Lord is the Spirit, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image.- 2 Corinthians 3:16-18
2. Have there been times in your life that the Spirit of God felt more like a stranger than a friend? How did you overcome this? How can you help others to embrace the move of The Spirit in their lives?
Do Something
1. Write down 5 limitations or distractors that limit your interaction with the Holy Spirit. Next, jot down 5 different avenues that the Holy Spirit speaks to you. For example:
Limitation- Insecurity about my shortcomings during worship
Avenue- Music
See here? Sometimes the very places that the Holy Spirit takes hold of us can be some of the most difficult places for us to feel confident in.
2. I'm always amazed at how little I understand about the mystery of this one aspect of The Trinity. Just when I think I've figured it out- I'm reminded of the hugeness of God. All I can do is spend each day with open arms for more of His presence. Set aside time this week to read scriptures and articles regrading The Holy Spirit.
Below, you'll find some resources to get you started.
At the end of the week, ask these questions: How has your viewpoint of the Holy Spirit changed? How does this help you in your relationship with the Father and the Son? How can you begin to share this new perspective with others? How might you ask the Holy Spirit to guide you?
Come Holy Spirit. Wherever I am. Whatever it costs me. Help me to abide in You so that the Father's Name may be great in my life and the Son should shine through me. Help me to recognize areas in which I've attempted to thwart Your work with or without knowing it. Help me to be more open to the heart of my Creator. Speak for me when I'm speechless, move me toward the paths I am to follow, and lead me ever-so gently as I learn to make room for You in my life.
Listen
Literally way too many to list but here are a few with a lot of weight behind them. Listening to them really helps me to overcome distractors in my life.
The front yard has a vendetta against my son. Or is it the other way around? Unsure at this point.
It’s really a love-hate relationship. It’s between them. I try to stay out of it.
My sweet Griffy runs hard. He just started walking at 13 months. Now at 16 months? He’s running! Full fledged. INTO EVERYTHING! Through every obstacle and atop the ever changing surfaces of our little spread of six acres. Plowing through the caliche gravel, sweeping over rock piles, and tumbling down soft beds of grass, my son is running like Forrest Gump kicking his leg braces off for the first time. He thinks he’s got magic legs.
Let’s pray he doesn’t decide to embark on a cross-country trek anytime soon. My Momma heart can’t take it. It’s all fun and games until he eats it on a boulder or face plants near a shard of metal. Trust me. Both have happened.
I’ve grown to watch him with a varying set of eyes:
Terror, Worry, Optimism, Trust, and of course A Mother’s Ever Praying Hope that he’ll make it to his next birthday. I’ve thrown in an optimistic “Whatever” followed by “we’re going to the ER, I just know it.” Each day is a struggle, watching Griffy run around.
One morning while I was visiting with family on the front porch, Griffin took yet another spill and my father in law laughed “He looks like a drunk baby!” Jared had made the SAME OBSERVATION the other day but added “he looks like ME trying to stay on the path of righteousness!” We laughed so hard at that one because it couldn’t have been a more clear picture of how we all look in our pursuit of Jesus.
You ever feel like you’re watching a reel of your own life as you watch your children? It’s like an out of body experience when I see them pretend to fall down and laugh for the thousandth time or show hulk-like frustration over a game of Chutes and Ladders. (sidebar- Please. Someone. Invent a game where my kid always wins because anytime I win, it’s sheer torture)
I see myself when I watch my children, but sometimes I wish I saw more of myself. With all I’ve mentioned about Griffin’s failed attempts at running, it may surprise you that at the forefront of all my fretting- my soul yearns I wish I could run like that.
There’s a passage of scripture in Luke 12 that many are familiar with. “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear” Here Jesus challenges us to look at our lives, to examine His favor on us, and to live as if we believe He means what He says. In addition to naming all of the basic things we get caught worrying about, Jesus adds in verse 30 “the pagan world runsafter all such things, and your Father knows that you need them.”
I must confess that it’s been a while since I’ve run hard after the promises and faithfulness of God. I think I get mixed up with the verse that tells me there’s a prize at the end. I think I look around too much. I think I allow my stumbling to stifle me. I want to run like my son.
God knows what I need, He knows where I’m going, and He knows exactly how many times I’m going to fall down on my way up to where He’s calling me.What if I ran as if I knew that? Can you imagine the ground we could cover if we knew we were covered?
Griffin? He’s just running for running's sake. Sure, at times there’s some sort of aim, but mostly it’s just the pure joy of running that’s fueling his fat little footies around. The other day, he started kicking around a soccer ball. He probably gets tripped up on that soccer ball more times than he actually kicks it. He gets so excited “ik ik” he mutters! I’m gonna kick it Mamma! Splat. Right on his face.
What are your goals in life? What are you running after? What if the plans we made are the very thing getting in the way? What if the target has become the obstacle? I read a devotional a few years back and the sounding message I took away from it was that I am too busy running after the things of God rather than God Himself. I needed to change the way I ran. Even now, I seem to have forgotten that lesson. I need tunnel vision for the presence of God in my life.
The phrase “to run hard” means to press in competition, to urge or press importantly, or to banter severely.
That’s Griffy alright. Bantering severely into a trampled flower bed over and over and over again! Lost in the joy of running hard because running frees him. Running gets him somewhere. Running is life! It terrifies his mother! Simply because I’m not sure how it’ll end and I usually think it’ll end badly! Even still- I want to run just like him.
I imagine that a God that knows my outcome would delight in my journey all the more. May it be my life’s mission to race toward Jesus in the same way. Arms flailing behind me, feet stumbling but never stagnant, running hard after Him each and every day.
Reflect
1. Do you run like Griffy? Why or why not? What are you chasing after? What are you stumbling over? How easy is it for you to get up and try again?
2. Compare the verse found in 1 Corinthians 9:24-27 to the statements made in this week’s blog. According to scripture, what ought to be our aim? How can we re-focus that aim daily?
Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we are imperishable. So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified.
1 Corinthians 9:24-27
Do Something
1. Go out in your front yard and run within your ability. Just get out there and run to your fence and back! Or try around the block. Feel the wind on your face. Can’t run? Go drive with the windows down and be reckless for a little bit. Ask God to breathe life into your dark places and over your worries.
2. Make a list of some areas in your life in which you’d be better served running to Jesus instead of running yourself ragged. What plans have become obstacles for you?
3. Read through these verses on running and jot down what they show you about Jesus and His love for you. Can you think of some more verses to add to this list?
Hebrews 12:1
Proverbs 18:10
Luke 12:30
1 Corinthians 9:24-26
2 Samuel 18:23
Psalms 147:15
Proverbs 4:12
Isaiah 40:31
Listen
Run to the Father- Cory Asbury
Forever Reign- Hillsong Worship
Let It Happen- United Pursuit feat. Andrea Marie
Pray
Jesus,
Help me to feel Your delight in me as I stumble and stagger in my unabandoned pursuit of You. Remind me that you're with me, laughing alongside me. Loving me ever more.
Sometimes, God just has to spell it out for you. In this case, he used my four year old daughter to do just that.
It's okay if you don't play with me.
Unsuccessful for the 5th time this week, I was attempting to prioritize my writing for upcoming devotionals and blogs I had been working on. Coming off of a never-ending few weeks of events: a Six-day-ice-storm power outage, women’s retreat, trip to six flags, daughter’s birthday party, trip to the zoo, family in town, other family in town and now? I was desperate to purge. There aren’t enough outlets at a Home Depot for all the crazy energy I needed to rid myself of. It had been weeks since I felt peace or solid relaxation. Almost all that had unfolded in the weeks before were life-giving (yes, even the power outage), but none of them left me feeling rested.
So when I asked my sweet little girl to play beside me on my bedroom floor while I worked on some writing- her note hit me like a punch in the stomach. It's ok if you don't play with me? Umph. My heart sank like an anchor to my feet.
But as I turned around to apologize, I was met with the most perfect smile this side of heaven.
“Baby, I’m so sorry I’m not playing with you. Mommy just needed a little time to…”
“Mommy- it’s ok.” She placed her hand on my knee, y’all.
“Mommy you’re doing your work and you love that work and it’s making you happy and Mommy that makes me so happy.”
Not sure how you can be this close to God’s goodness and not weep like a baby. She continued with her generous spirit in so many words that I ended up crying right in front of her. She’ll never know how much I needed to see this note, written with the most intentional tiny hands, and the acceptance that came with it, echoing through a royal blue crayon. Without punctuation. Without manipulation or passive aggression. Just a simple “ I see you enjoying yourself and that’s a good thing.”
Don’t you know that any moment I try to take for myself, I think of ten reasons I shouldn’t? Don’t you know that any time I try to take a moment’s rest- I can think of a thousand reasons why I don’t deserve it? In that moment, the enemy would have had me feel terrible that I wasn’t being all things to all people. That I had chosen blogging over my little girl.
You’re so selfish. You’re absolutely going to regret this time you’re not spending with her.
Perhaps during dinner, when I’m frustrated that she hasn’t finished, he’ll remind me “well if only you had played with her, she wouldn’t be acting this way.” Leaving me locked in a shameful state, feeling self-serving, and full of remorse later in my day.
Which is exactly where I need to be if I’m going to be made useless by Satan.
The enemy likes to take cheap shots. To play off the things that are already running circles in our minds, wreaking havoc. I know many fathers in this same cycle. Trying to fill every need at all times. Working long hours, sweating over tight budgets, all to provide for their families that they no longer feel present within. Feeling out of the loop, aloof, and cast aside.
Which is exactly where the enemy would have you rendered useless.
What negative thing are you telling yourself today? How is Satan using that to tear you away from the things that you’ve been called to do? What’s so wrong with taking a moment to remind your children that you were created for a higher purpose? To serve God, to delight in God, and to fill your cup with His goodness. Even if it means a round of golf or a few hours in your bed listening to music, reading, or taking a nap.
Jesus in the flesh— that’s what my daughter was for me at that moment. Jesus telling me “it’s ok if you don’t play with her. She’ll be fine. She was my child long before she was yours. Take a moment to spend time with me and write the things I’m showing you. You were my child long before your were her mother.”
Dear friend- it’s ok if you don’t ________ (fill in the blank). More so, there is no fault in seeking time to work on that which you feel called toward. God places desires in our hearts that need to be pursued, meditated on, and taken seriously. Our identity cannot be consumed with what we’re producing for our families and careers. Slow down. Take a beat.
This Sunday is Palm Sunday and I’m believing in the same hope that Jesus brought as He entered the city of Jerusalem. People thought many things about themselves that day. Father of the Year, Employee of the Month, Best Mom Ever, Redeemed and Forgiven weren’t yet on their radar. They were overwhelmed, overtaxed, and overjoyed at the sight of the Son of David.
“Blessed is He who comes
in the name of the Lord!
Hosanna in the highest Heaven!”
-Matthew 21:9-
He is Hosanna in the Highest. The Hope of our Salvation. The savior we so desperately need. Here today and forevermore. I can’t help but feel the relief of the mother who struggled to put food on the table. The fisherman who didn’t bring in a great cast that day. Or the shepherd that stayed a little too long in the fields, needing more time with His God, leaving more chores for him to do that evening. Finally. Hope for the weary. Yes, Jesusalone is all things to all people. We can rest in knowing that it’s ok that we aren’t.
