September 29, 2010

Someone to Watch Over Me...

There’s a somebody I’m longin’ to see, I hope that he, turns out to be, someone who’ll watch over me... (Someone to Watch Over Me by George and Ira Gershwin)

Hanging on the wall beside my desk is a photo taken by my daughter for a local artists competition. Even though she won with another photo(said the proud father), the picture on my wall is my favorite. She entitled it, "The Guardian."

It is a picture of a statue mounted above the windows that are front and center of The Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina. The statue is a Medieval Knight, the cross of Christ in one hand, the handle of a sheathed battle sword in the other. He stands at the ready to defend the castle against any and all intruders and exists for one reason only: the protection of the inhabitants of the house.

In 19th Century architecture, warriors, knights, and gargoyles were mounted on the window ledges and gables of many structures. Their purpose was to protect all who entered against evil and the spirits of evil. Biltmore is fully equipped with a variety of these protective statues.

Biltmore was a dream of George Vanderbilt's since childhood. Being a man born into great wealth, he wanted to build a modern castle in the Americas. The home took 7 years to built and in 1895 was completed. The floorspace of Biltmore is 175,000 square feet, the size of 88 average American houses and is the largest home in the United States. It served as a Vanderbilt homestead until 1956.

Its architect, builder, and owner was Vanderbilt himself. Vanderbilt was estimated to have a personal worth of over $200 million, which in today's economy would equal multiple Bill Gates'. Yet with all of his wealth, power and status, even a man of the stature of George Vanderbilt felt the need to build a place equipped with someone to watch over him...

...One of the greatest comforts of Christianity is that we have someone to watch over us.

Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you! See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are ever before me. Isaiah 49:15-16

Be strong and courageous, do not be afraid or tremble at them, for the LORD your God is the one who goes with you He will not fail you or forsake you. Deuteronomy 31:6

The LORD will protect you from all evil;He will keep your soul. Psalm 121:7

But the Lord is faithful, and He will strengthen and protect you from the evil one. 2 Thessalonians 3:3

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade—kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God's power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. 1 Peter 1:3-5


Every time I look at Olivia's photo and see the stone face of "The Guardian," I remember that I have a guardian who has promised to be with me always, created me in His image, and through His Son showed me that he would rather die than live without me. He truly is "someone to watch over me."

September 23, 2010

God: The Biscuit Maker (Part 3-The Oven)

The final entry of the "biscuit" series...

When I was a child, my mother used to make biscuits from scratch every morning. She would take real flour and sift it into a pile that looked like a little snow covered mountain. Then she would take two fingers and fashion a little cavern at the top. Lard (yes, animal fat), milk (buttermilk on special occasions), salt, and a generous portion of love were all thrown into the flour volcano, each element unmeasured, but always in the right amounts and at the right time.

Following this, Mom would work the dough together with her hands (she never used a spoon). Then she rolled out the dough and cut it into these huge round "cat-head" biscuits. Subjecting the dough to the crucible of the oven created the best biscuits ever!

Today's subject is: The Oven

Raw biscuits anyone? As much as I have glamorized and over-simplified God's work in making disciples by comparing it to my mother making biscuits, this last step is incredibly important to the process. Fire!

Biscuits aren't biscuits until they have been subjected to the oven...at precisely the right temperature...for exactly the right amount of time. The fire is what purifies them, solidifies them, and completes them. The fire gives them just the right crustiness while preserving their insides as the softest of textures.

God creates disciples in much the same way.

In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. 1 Peter 1:6-7

Christians aren't true disciples until they have gone through the fire. The pressures of life, the disappointments of humanity, and the overwhelming challenge of being able to handle prosperity. God allows us to endure each of these...at precisely the right degree...for exactly the right amount of time. God's crucible purifies us, solidifies us, and completes us. In this process we receive our crustiness, the insight, street smarts, and maturity that keeps us from self destruction. And the fire also preserves the soft texture of our hearts, so that we can serve our world with kindness, compassion, and courage.

And in all of these things He is glorified!

If God truly uses ordinary people and ordinary circumstances to reveal His extraordinary nature, then I honestly believe He was in my childhood home working miracles in our kitchen. I saw God not in the biscuits I consumed, but in a mother's hands that created them with intense purpose, a servant's heart, and unconditional love.

For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. Ephesians 2:10
-JD

September 22, 2010

God: The Biscuit Maker (Part 2-Working Together)

As a continuation of the last post...

When I was a child, my mother used to make biscuits from scratch every morning. She would take real flour and sift it into a pile that looked like a little snow covered mountain. Then she would take two fingers and fashion a little cavern at the top. Lard (yes, animal fat), milk (buttermilk on special occasions), salt, and a generous portion of love were all thrown into the flour volcano, each element unmeasured, but always in the right amounts and at the right time.

Following this, Mom would work the dough together with her hands (she never used a spoon). Then she rolled out the dough and cut it into these huge round "cat-head" biscuits. Subjecting the dough to the crucible of the oven created the best biscuits ever!

Today's subject is: Working Together

And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. Romans 8:28 (NASV)

As long as I live, I'll never forget watching my mother work the dough together with her hands. After the ingredients were added, she'd run her palms through some flour to keep the dough from sticking to her, then she would carefully press, squeeze, and fold the mixture until it was just the right consistency. Then she would force it into a new shape, cut it into discs, or just use her hands to fashion the dough into tiny pieces of heaven.

God does the same thing with us. When you think of the ingredients of biscuits, separately they are truly distasteful. Nobody gets hungry at 10pm and thinks to themselves, "I need some flour...if I just had a little lard, I could make it until breakfast...maybe some baking powder will hit the spot."

Like the ingredients of biscuits, we have individual events in our lives that are distasteful and undesirable on their own. It may be a rebellious child, an unexpected illness, an unfaithful partner, a disloyal friend.

But for some reason, those events shape who we are and in unexpected ways God's hand appears in our lives and works these events together, just like mom worked her dough. He sifts our experiences, folds our heartaches, presses and kneads our shortcomings and disappointments, and like sweet milk, He adds the joys of our lives into the mixture and creates a life that is abundant in Him.

Also, just as Mom never measured her ingredients and just seemed to know the right amounts of everything, God also knows just how much of each difficulty we need and can endure. Not only this, but He also knows when to add sweetness into our existence to keep us from becoming hardened by our circumstances.

No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it. 1 Corinthians 10:13)

The key is submitting to the "working together." The last part of verse 28 is specific that the blessing of God's providence is reserved for those who love Him and are obedient to his call. -JD

September 20, 2010

God: The Biscuit Maker (Part 1-Sifting)

When I was a child, my mother used to make biscuits from scratch every morning. They were incredible little servings of heaven on a plate. These delicacies had everything a growing boy needs to become bigger and stronger than all of the other growing boys his age.

She would take real flour and sift it into a pile that looked like a little snow covered mountain. Then she would take two fingers and fashion a little cavern at the top. Lard (yes, animal fat), milk (buttermilk on special occasions), salt, and a generous portion of love were all thrown into the flour volcano, each element unmeasured, but always in the right amounts and at the right time.

Following this, Mom would work the dough together with her hands (she never used a spoon). Then she rolled out the dough and cut it into these huge round "cat-head" biscuits. Subjecting the dough to the crucible of the oven created the best biscuits ever!

For the next few posts, I'd like to examine God: The Biscuit Maker. How he uses my mother's biscuit making methods to create in us a spirit filled disciple, fit for use in his kingdom.

Today's subject is sifting...

"Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has demanded to sift you like wheat..." Luke 22:31

When making biscuits, Mom would place raw (clumpy) flour into a sifter and bang the side of the cannister until a finer, more usable powder would appear. The flour was made usable by being forced through a mesh-type screen at the bottom of the cannister; separated into its smallest elements and then reunited in the "flour mountain."

For Peter, the sifting process was the same. In a span of less than 24 hours, he declared his unwavering loyalty, received an unflattering prophecy, and denied his master with uncharacteristic cowardice. How ashamed he must have been when, the Lord turned and looked at him after his final denial. (Luke 22:61) I can't think of any disciple who endured the emotional and spiritual beating Peter took during that short span of incredible crisis. This very raw fisher/follower was truly broken down into his smallest parts by being forced through a spiritual screen that would destroy his arrogance forever.

Sifting is an uncomfortable and necessary process for every disciple. God still sifts. Through circumstances we never seek and people we never expect, God allows us to be shaken and screened. It may be the loss of a job, the disloyalty of a spouse, the harsh words and anger of a friend, or an unexpected illness. But God allows this world to sift us, because if he didn't, we would think that what we have become in Him is our own doing...much like Peter. If we allow it, God will make us into something incredible. If we do not allow the sifting, we are destined to mediocrity and spiritual emptiness.

"...and you, when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers." (Luke 22:32)

Just remember, Jesus had no plans for Peter to be sifted forever. He knew that His will for Peter would be manifested in powerful and significant ways. Jesus feels the same way about you. If you want to be a disciple of Christ, and have not been sifted, fasten your chinstrap because its coming. If you are going through sifting, remember two things: It is necessary...It is temporary. Like Peter, you will "turn again," and will be better prepared to strengthen your brothers. That's our calling. - JD

September 16, 2010

Free Flowers...Pick Some!

Years ago, in Columbus, Ohio, I saw a garden that was planted beside a busy intersection. In it were all sorts of colorful flowers. In front of the garden was a sign that simply said, “If you like these flowers, pick some!”

I suppose the person responsible for the garden simply wanted to share with others the things that brought simple beauty to their own life. Nothing brings us more joy than sharing the things we love with others.

In the Bible, I find little gardens of beauty planted in some of the busiest places. Some are colored with hope, some courage, and some strength. So today, I want to share with you a garden that has been special to me over the years. It is planted with faith and colored with fearlessness.

. . . “I am God. . . do not be afraid." (Genesis 46:3)

"Stay with me, do not be afraid . . . you are safe." (2 Samuel 22:23)

"Do not be afraid. . . remember the Lord is great and awesome." (Nehemiah 4:14)

"Do not be afraid . . . for I am with you to deliver you." (Jeremiah 1:8)

"Do not be afraid, only believe." (Mark 5:36)

"Take courage, it is I, do not be afraid." (Mark 6:50)

"Do not be afraid, little flock, for your father has chosen gladly to give you the kingdom." (Luke 12:32)

"Do not be afraid any longer, but go on speaking and do not be silent." (Acts 18:9)

"Do not be afraid, I am the first and the last, and the living One; and I was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore, and I have the keys to death and Hades." (Revelation 1: 17)
. . .

. . . All that’s left to say is: “If you like these flowers, pick some!” - JD

September 15, 2010

Pressed down...shaken together...overflowing

I always enjoy Paul Harvey’s “The Rest of the Story.” I have my own rest of the story…
…When I was 17, my brother and father were killed suddenly in a household accident. After the funeral, my mother started assessing our finances and realized at the time that we only had fifty-two one dollar bills rolled up in a sock. Checking account was empty, no savings account. Fortunately my mother had a job and we had plenty of food in our pantry and freezer, so we weren’t going to starve.
I remember her telling me about the sock, and that she intended to give five of our fifty-two dollars to the church that Sunday as an act of faith. I thought she was crazy. You might think she was too…
…and now the rest of the story! Mom did as she promised and three days later, there was a knock at our door. Standing in the doorway was a man we had never seen before. He exchanged pleasantries with us and then got down to business. He had come to give us a check for $50,000. He stated that my father had a life insurance policy and it was his regretful pleasure to pay it off to us.
Why is this a big deal? Because mom could never find even one cancelled check made out to this insurance company to pay premiums on the policy.
Was this blind luck, mistaken identity, or just a fluke? You decide. But in my heart, I will always know where that money came from...
...I’m not writing this to say that giving to the church will create a financial windfall for you. However, God blesses those who give in faith in ways that we need most. When we put God first, He showers us with blessings … pressed down, shaken together and overflowing. (Luke 6:38) -JD