Beauty for ashes. Isaiah 61:3. It’s not just

Beauty for ashes. Isaiah 61:3. It’s not just a cliché. God never speaks in clichés. Cynical hearts may twist His pure words into a sneer of hypocrisy, but never think that God is the author of contempt. Isaiah 61:3 is a promise, a promise to rebuild what was broken.

Creation is filled with examples in nature that demonstrate spiritual truths like “beauty for ashes.” Volcanic lakes provide some of the most striking photographic images that man can produce. Regardless of how these beautiful lakes come to exist, they have all experienced a “tragedy.” Crater lakes are the result of the volcano blowing a hole into the earth, destroying everything. The initial aftermath is similar to a barren moonscape. Caldera lakes form when a volcano collapses into itself, dingy rock and dusty ash decorating the inside of the bowl. The third type is created when ash, mudflows, or lava flows block existing rivers and streams, and a pool of water expands.

Don’t tragedies happen to us in similar ways? We’re minding our own business and something beyond our control smashes into our lives destroying everything. A fatal accident, a murder, a betrayal, a terminal illness. We live in an empty crater, we find beauty in nothing. Or perhaps we get depressed, a chemical imbalance causes us to spiral downward into a black hole of self-loathing. We collapse into ourselves shutting out the rest of the world. Sometimes, circumstances block our way. We keep climbing over obstacles, only to see we must climb higher. Our forward progress is stymied.

How can life ever be beautiful again? Volcanic lakes are one symbol of God’s promise to rebuild out of the ashes. Rain and underground springs fill the crater with pure, filtered water while evaporation and subterranean waterways prevent stagnation. The wind drops seeds into blackened earth, fertile from trauma. What had been a broken, ruined landscape becomes a breathtaking panorama. The placid, startlingly blue surface of the lake surrounded by lush greenery draws visitors from all over the globe.

Over time, if we allow Him to, God will provide living water to our parched souls. He’ll drop seeds of the Word into the ravaged remnants of our lives. Using the ashes of tragedy, God tends to the fragile shoots poking out of soil no longer clogged with weeds from our previous existence. He continues to pour a river of life into the crater until a crystal clear lake has been created, and He teaches us how to pass on to others that moving stream so we can share in His creation. People begin to ask questions, wanting to know what makes our lives so peaceful and joyful, and we will point to the Savior and tell them, “He brings

 

                 beauty out of ashes.”

No Jelly in the Doughnut

 Did you ever bite into a jelly doughnut and taste only disappointment? It looked so good on the outside, glazed, golden, squeezably soft as you held it between your fingers. That first squishy bite was going to be so-o-o good, and… nothing. No jelly. Just a basic yeast doughnut without the hole. Yeast doughnuts are yummy, too. I love ‘em. But if I buy a jelly doughnut, I’m expecting jelly. I’m disappointed, even angry, if what’s been advertised isn’t delivered.

A lot of people who name themselves “Christian” live jelly-doughnut lives without the jelly.  At first glance, these Christians look genuine as they sit in church Sunday after Sunday. They sat their prayers. They donate to good causes. They abide by the law.  They have long-lived marriages where the couples seem to enjoy growing old together. They spend their adult lives in successful careers, men and women who look forward to the work day and enjoy generous salaries and benefits. They own comfortable homes made possible by those hefty salaries. Beautiful doughnuts on the shelf, baked to perfection and gilded in sugar. But wait. So far, we’ve only observed the glaze on the doughnuts. Take a bite and see what’s inside.

Too often, the jelly is missing. These homes do not know contentment. Disappointment reigns. Members of the family are forever striving for more. More money. The latest fashions. The newest, priciest cars. That next promotion, more responsibilities and more power on the job. Adulterous affairs in the search for more sexual adventures and more “connection” with a significant other.  The more they try to satisfy themselves, the less content they are. The world can rightly ask, “What makes a Christian different from anybody else?” Something vital to the core of the “Christian” is missing. Jesus is missing.

Jesus is the jelly in the doughnut. Sounds like a corny country music song, “You’re the Jelly in my doughnut, the sweet Heart of my dough…” (Sorry. I couldn’t help myself.) But think about it.

Without Jesus, we’re only yeast doughnuts. We may have the glaze. In various aspects our lives may be delicious, but God wants us to have that jelly center. That Jesus center. The Word of God followed by a long line of Biblical scholars teaches us how to find that deep contentment, the life that does not disappoint. They speak of being filled with light and salt and treasure. I speak of jelly centers. When we keep our eyes on Jesus, He pours Himself into us.

Thomas a Kempis said there is nothing sweeter than God and His Word. Guess I’m in good company.

The Hero Stands

Ephesians 6:13

            Nothing rings epic like the Lord of the Rings Trilogy. While I am not a fan who follows every bit of trivia regarding the movies or the books, particular scenes thrill me. One is the battle in the spider’s lair. Frodo the Hobbit lies helpless, wrapped in a cocoon of spider silk. Sam, his friend who sticks closer than a brother, defends him from the spider with light and sword. Bruised and exhausted, Sam does not give up, but presses the fight until he wounds the evil arachnid badly enough to force her retreat. Willing to give his life for his friend, Sam refuses to desert Frodo even as Frodo is driven toward madness in his the obsession with the ring.

Although Frodo is the main character given the responsibility to destroy the ring, Sam is the true hero. In spite of all the magnificent battles and the courage displayed by elves, dwarves, mythical creatures, and men, Sam loves Frodo and will not turn back, will not abandon him to failure. He can’t force Frodo to give up the ring, but he remains nearby pleading for him to do the right thing.

            Ephesians 6:13 tells the Christian soldier to put on the whole armor of God in order to withstand evil, and when you have done everything you can, you stand. Do not retreat. Do not give up. Sam exemplified that soldier. He did everything he could, he refused to retreat, refused to give up. He stood at his friend’s side, and he faced evil even when he was helpless to stop it.

            Am I as faithful to my friends? Do I hold up the light of Christ as I pray for a friend who has turned away from truth and has been captivated by the world? Do I wield my sword of the Spirit to battle evil that would dare touch someone I love? Do I exhaust myself in defending him? Do I remain at her side no matter what? Regardless of my friend’s decisions, have I done everything possible to plant my feet and face the Enemy? Oh, may I, like Sam the Hobbit, be the hero

To Obey or Not To Obey: What’s In It For Me?

Speak to the world regarding obedience to God, and they scoff. America, especially, prides her independence, and this generation wants independence from God’s interference. If self can’t reign supreme, they don’t want Him.

            Anyone who has read the Bible with any amount of attention realizes that if you dedicate yourself to God, life will contain distinctly painful moments as you obey His directives: “Go up to the mountain and sacrifice your son, your only son.” (Genesis 22:2). “Blessed are you when people revile you, and persecute you and say all manner of evil against you falsely for My sake.” (Matthew 5:11). “[By faith] They were stoned, they were sawn in two, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented;” (Hebrews 11:37).   

            Who in their right mind would seek such an existence? My answer: they don’t seek it; they accept it. The blessings outweigh the pain.

           

            Let’s use a limited analogy of a parent’s authority and a child’s choice to resist or submit to that authority.

            Mom tells Johnny to rake leaves today. She will give him twenty dollars for a job well done. Johnny had planned to play football with his buddies all afternoon. He has a few options.

            Johnny Number One grumbles about how mean his mom is. Why can’t he just rake the leaves tomorrow? So what if he gets twenty dollars after the game is over? He’ll miss out on all the fun. He wants what he wants now. If he does the job, he’ll grouse about it the whole time, try to get it done in under an hour which will result in plenty of leaves still scattered all over the yard, and he’ll be lucky if Mom gives him ten bucks. Or, he could leave at game time and take the consequences. Either choice will cause a schism between Mom and Johnny Number One. Nobody will be happy.

            Johnny Number Two can set aside his plans, get out the rake, and try to do a good job. As he works, he’ll gain some satisfaction as the leaf piles grow and grass becomes visible once again. He can relive early childhood and jump in the piles before he bags or burns them. He might get creative and invite his friends to help. The job would get done faster, they could share the reward, and they’d have time to get that football game in before dark. A win-win.

           

            Johnny Number One’s attitude brings no joy to his day; he doesn’t get much reward, if any. All of us start out as Johnny Number Ones. Life on earth brings pain no matter what. Sickness, accidents, family feuds, crime. They happen whether you submit to God or not, but without God at your side, you have to handle it all alone. Some cope better than others, but no one receives heavenly comfort. We often run away from God or resent Him for the problems. We won’t let God get close; we build a wall. We’re not happy.

            We have another option. Johnny Number Two chose to obey and ended up having fun along the way, plus he got the promised reward. When we choose to come to Christ, to accept the gift of salvation, to obey the Master we have chosen, we enjoy blessings on earth as well as the reward of heaven. Jesus inspires joy along the way. Even in the hard times, His close presence keeps us peaceful, feeling safe in soul.

 

            John Piper has written an entire book, Desiring God, dedicated to the concept of: The chief end of man is to glorify God by enjoying Himforever. He calls it Christian hedonism. By pleasing God, you please yourself. Life is sweet and joyful. Heaven is your future.

 

            To obey or not to obey: what’s in it for me? If I spend my life in disobedience, I have the perverse satisfaction of being able to say: “I did it my way,” and I can plod through hard, lonely years with no hope for an eternal future.  If I choose to trust Jesus and bend to His will in obedience, I experience joy unspeakable and full of glory!

           

           

When Will God Answer My Heart’s Cry?

“Those who wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength.” Isaiah 40:31.

I was leafing through some of my older journal entries and came upon the above verse. In 2006, life was filled with so many job demands that I barely had time for family. Something needed to change in how I responded to daily circumstances. I include an excerpt:
“I certainly need new strength. Science fair, field trip to Ohio, field trip to the woods, auction, scope and sequence, lesson plans, grading, helping my students. Having time with my husband. With Jesus. The last is imperative. My husband is next in importance. Then my students. Only after those should the first items on this list get my attention. Deadlines have forced the whole situation backwards! If I wait on the Lord, I can have new strength to handle all this.
But how does one wait on the Lord?”

Life can spin out of control well beyond day-to-day pressures. Tragedies and heartaches occur. Serious problems with no quick, easy solutions grab you and shake you, then dump you in a heap of misery aiming an extra kick every time they pass your huddled form, knees drawn up in fetal position. You beg God to make it all better. Please.
How does one wait on the Lord?

Should I wait as though I’m in a queue at the movies? Or like I’m in the waiting room at the doctor’s office? Look out a window, read a magazine until the Lord calls me for a consultation? Absolutely not. While I wait, I can be active.
If I’m hosting a dinner party, I prepare for the appointed hour. I clean the house, cook a meal designed to please, primp a little. I add finishing touches to the décor so my home is attractive and welcoming. I make everything ready.

Whether I’m seeking new inspiration on how to order my priorities or I need Jesus to remove a huge burden from my life, there are plenty of things to do. I go about the business of serving Him and loving Him. I keep lines of communication open adoring this God who knows my every thought and loves me anyway. He knows my situation, with its mundane issues or its heartbreak, and I trust Him. I regularly share my needs with Him, as well as the needs of others.
He may direct me to act on behalf of someone else while I wait for Him to resolve my own problem. He accomplishes His purposes even as I wait, and when He arrives to guide me, to rescue me out of my trouble, I will be ready to follow where He leads.

I used to keep a little reminder on my desk at work. “Relentlessly eliminate hurry.” Heeding that advice has become a lifestyle habit. I need to be reminded that the same three words can work miracles on my attitude in the hard times. God knows my heart’s cry, He loves me, and He will not be hurried in answering my prayers, but He will help me grow strong.

God knows your heart’s cry, and He loves you. Wait on the Lord. He will renew your strength.

The Treasure Cave, Part 2

Last month, I began the story of Aaron, a destitute man subsisting in a garbage dump until he builds up the courage to explore the Cave that Eats Men’s Souls. At least, that was the story handed down for generations. Admittedly, an ugly beginning, Aaron meets a man inside the cave who shows him how to get clean. Part 1 ends as a new life begins for Aaron.

 

Treasure Cave

Part 2

 

 

Aaron leaned back in his chair and sighed. Never before had he enjoyed the satisfaction of a full belly. In this banquet room, he had sampled perhaps a dozen of more than a hundred choices offered to him. He had cleaned his plate twice. It remained in front of him as clean as if he had never touched it!

The Man who escorted him smiled. “Whenever you’re ready for more, the feast is available to you.”

Aaron could feel nutrients coursing through his body, giving strength where starved weakness had once been his sole identity. He imagined it would take days before he would feel such hunger again.

The Man said, “Don’t wait too long. There is no need for frailty here. Eat when you get hungry.”

Startled by the Man’s ability to read his mind, Adam blurted out a nervous question. “Am I allowed to explore the cave?”

“Certainly. This room is only the first marvel for you to experience.”

No wonder no one ever returned to the garbage dump! What man in his right mind would choose to go back?

Aaron and the Man spent several days exploring the cave. Or perhaps the tour lasted for weeks or months. Time wasn’t on Aaron’s mind. Each room offered several corridors to other rooms, each containing its own beauty and light and banquet table. He saw underground rivers and waterfalls, plant life that bloomed without sunlight, animals who wandered contentedly feeding from the same tables that Aaron visited. He met others like himself, their awed smiles indicating the same amazement as his own.

While Aaron and the Man relaxed on the shore of a crystal lake, the Man posed a question. “Are you willing to go back to your world and tell others about this place?”

Go back? To hunger? To stink? To violence over a scrap of food? To leave this glorious exploration forever?

The Man intruded on Aaron’s thoughts. “No, not forever. You can visit whenever you wish.” He stretched his arms in front of him then spread them apart. “As you can see, there is room for every person who lives in the dump.”

“And I could come back?”

The Man smiled. “This is your home now. Some day you will come back forever. For now, I’m asking you to bring others home on your visits.”

Aaron thought of all the spindly-legged children, the old man who had offered him half of the leftovers in the fried chicken box, even the guy who had slashed Aaron’s hand, his desperation certain that a stranger was trying to grab instead of give.They could also have more than they had ever imagined. He nodded. “I will go.”

They walked down a long corridor. Rounding a corner, most of the cave’s light disappeared. Aaron remembered a similar walk in the opposite direction. They continued away from the light, but the dazzling clean of their clothing allowed them to see. They approached the exit from the cave and the  dim gray beyond. Aaron and the Man stepped outside.

The stench overpowered him. He had forgotten! Piles of refuse rose up in front of them. His heart pounded. He couldn’t stay out here! Aaron hung his head and stared at the ground. What! He was back in his filthy rags! Horrified, he looked to the Man for help. The Man was still clean. What had happened?

“Look beneath the rags,” the Man said.

Aaron pulled his shirt away from his chest. Clean dazzled his eyes.

“You need to look like them on the outside,” the Man explained. “They’ll know you’re different, but seeing the clean is too much for them out here. If they follow you home, they can get clean, too. Tell them that.”

“Where will you be?” Aaron asked. “Will you come with me?”

“Of course. Clean is who I am.” With those words, the Man wrapped him in a hug. With a last affectionate knuckle-rub to Aaron’s head, He walked back into the cave.

Once Aaron wound his way through once-familiar paths, he told everyone he met to head for the cave. He told them of the food, of the wondrous sights, and especially of the Man. Many of the children scampered in that direction as fast as their broken feet could carry them. Others were skeptical.

“You don’t look any different to us,” they said. “Same shoes that are flapping apart, same stinking shirt and pants. Now, you’re just crazy.”

“No thanks,” said others. “We may not get enough to eat here, but how do we know that the dragon didn’t send you out here to lure us to our deaths? No. We’ll stick with what we know.”

“Sure, sure,” said another group. “Head for the cave? Okay.” Then they headed in the opposite direction.

Aaron called after those individuals. “No, the other way. You’re going the wrong way.”

They just waved him off. “We’ll get there.”

Some of his friends even got angry. “So the dump isn’t good enough for you anymore? You think you’re better than us? Don’t kid yourself. You ain’t any different from the rest of us.”

“I know!” Aaron said. “I was no different. But the cave makes everyone different.” They turned their backs. Some even raised a fist or found a stick to chase him away.

A few listened. For many, many years, Aaron slogged through the dump, crisscrossing hundreds of paths, always with the same joyful message. With one or two at a time, he led the way back through narrow trails of garbage and stepped into the cave with them. What a glorious respite!

 One day, when Aaron was so ancient that his bones ached with every step, the Man came strolling up to him as he rested on a pile of old newspapers. “Time to come home,” he said. Aaron’s rags fluttered to the ground. Together, he and the Man bounded over the dump on strong legs, arriving at the cave in an instant.

And they lived happily ever after.

           

           

The Treasure Cave (Part 1)

I have a story for you this month and next. Meditate on it. Enjoy!

Once upon a time a man named Aaron lived in a garbage dump along with a population of other scavengers. Life stank, literally, but they could always find enough scraps of still-edible food to subsist. Miles away, at the furthest end of the dump, stood a cave. Occasionally, a man would gather courage to enter it, but no man ever returned. The rest of the scavengers avoided it, and called it the Cave that Eats Men’s Souls.

Aaron was dissatisfied with life in the dump. Daily, he wandered piles of refuse searching for a bit of banana still inside the peel, candy melted in their cellophane wraps, or scraps of meat on a bone that smelled only slightly rancid. He would stare toward the far end of the dump and wonder…. How bad could the cave be? If a dragon or some such creature devoured him upon entry, then life would be mercifully over; however, if some giant spider sucked blood from his body a little at a time, maybe he should stick with the dump.

The day arrived when he could stand it no longer. Hours of searching had resulted in two withered corn cobs for dinner. If life were slowly squeezed out of his body by a horrible monster, it couldn’t be worse than the hunger pangs slicing his middle in two. He dropped the newest black plastic bag that he had toted around for weeks, and strode through narrowing paths of garbage until no visible lane existed. Still, he did not stop but slogged through ancient, dusty debris which offered no hope of sustenance. Those nearest to his position either watched silently or yelled out warnings, but he didn’t hesitate in his stride, and he didn’t look back.

Arriving at the cave’s entrance, he halted. The opening in the rock was neither large nor small. He could walk in without having to bend down or squeeze through. A dragon would have trouble getting out. Maybe that was why it didn’t bother the scavengers. Aaron took a deep breath, wiped his filthy hands on his filthier pants and walked in.

He entered a narrow passage which became darker and darker the further he moved from the light at the entrance. Scarcely able to see, he bumped into a wall. A dead end? His hands felt the darkness to either side. No! There was empty space to his right. He turned and kept his left hand on the wall as he felt his way forward. After perhaps a hundred yards, he could see a glow ahead, and continuing, he realized the glow reflected off the wall in front of him, but the light source was to the right from another passage.

As he turned the final corner, he entered a cavern sparkling with wealth. Jewels lined the walls and ceiling. Light radiated from above and from several other corridors that branched out from the main room. Not only was Aaron surrounded by beauty, the floor was filled with tables piled with fresh, luscious food! He almost tripped over his own feet in the rush to reach the closest table.

Before he could stretch out one dirt-encrusted fingernail, a hand clamped on his shoulder and spun him around. “First you must be clean.” The man who had prevented his headlong dive into the feast was cleaner than any man from the city where Aaron had been born. His face glowed with clean. His shirt and pants dazzled.

Aaron looked down at his own stinking rags. He shrank from the man’s touch. He didn’t want to ruin this man’s perfection.

Who could get that clean? If he couldn’t eat the tantalizing food until he was clean,Aaron would find some corner in the cave and kill himself as others must have done before him. No wonder people never returned from here.

“Look at me,” the man said.

Aaron raised his eyes, fearful of the condemnation sure to come next.

“Do you want to be clean?”

Impossible hope rose from deep inside Aaron. “Yes.”

“Follow me.” The man smiled and walked toward a door in the wall. Opening it, he motioned for Aaron to enter. A pristine tub filled with clear water waited. A light, sweet scent, similar to aloe, perfumed the room, and soft white towels lay folded on a bench next to the tub. “Get in.”

Aaron stared at him with uncertainty. “But what do I wear when I get out? Just a towel? I can’t put these clothes back on.”

The man chuckled. “The towels are helpful but not necessary. Get in with your clothes on. You’ll see.”

Aaron removed what remained of his shoes and socks and gingerly placed one foot in the water. Deliciously warm. With more confidence he stepped in and sat in the tub. Expecting to see sediment sinking to the bottom and grease rising to the surface, his mouth opened in amazement as everything under the water transformed to perfection.

His cracked toenails were smooth and perfectly formed. The blisters on his feet had disappeared. His pants looked exactly like the man’s! With no further urging, he slid his entire body under the water, even making sure to smooth down every greasy hair so nothing remained above the surface. Holding his breath under the water, he realized that this must be why no one returned to the garbage dump. They all drowned!

He could hear the man speaking to him, voice muffled. “You don’t have to stay down there. Sit up!”

Unable to hold his breath any longer and unwilling to drown, Aaron popped his head up but remained prone in the tub with water lapping at his neck.

“Take my hand,” the man commanded.

Aaron looked at the perfect skin on his hand beneath the water’s surface. Even the scar from the bottle fight was gone. Reluctantly, he lifted the hand and rested it on the tub’s rim. It remained clean and scarless. He looked at the man then back at his hand. He was clean! Without any assistance, he jumped out of the tub, grabbed the towel and rubbed his face and hair. Nothing stained its purity. He was clean! Aaron and the man grinned at each other.

“Let’s go eat,” said the man.

I would be interested in your interpretation of what has happened so far. I hope it’s obvious.

In “The Treasure Cave Part 2:” The man will offer a challenge to Aaron. Find out if Aaron will return to the garbage dump, or why he would even desire to return.