What is Love?

In church a few weeks ago, we were talking about Abraham, and how God told him to sacrifice Isaac, his son.  Can we back up and say that again?

God told Abraham to sacrifice his son.

Can you even imagine that request?  I certainly can't.  But without question, Abraham said yes to God's command.  What faith!  What trust!  I mean, this is Abraham we're talking about.  He didn't think he would ever even have kids--he was over 100 years old when Isaac was born!  Sarah was what, 99?  

And on that note, do you think he told Sarah what he was doing?  Do you think Abraham told Sarah, "Oh, and after you finish cutting up those carrots, do you think we can talk?  God wants me to kill our only son.  But no rush...just whenever you're finished."  (Privately, I feel that there is no way Abraham and Isaac would have set out that day if Sarah had any knowledge about what the plan was...)

So Abraham got up the next day...early.  As our pastor pointed out, why did Abraham get up early?  You know why.  I know why.  He got up early because that's what you do on significant days.  You can't sleep.

Abraham selected a knife.  Again, this is the knife with which he will sacrifice (kill) his one and only son.  I'm assuming he had multiple, but he chose one.  How do you select a knife for something like that?

Abraham packed his bag.  Abraham was a fairly wealthy fellow.  He had servants to pack his bag for him.  He didn't need to pack his own bag.  But Abraham had to do this one himself.  

And out they set.  God's Word says that Isaac asked questions.  How would you answer those if you were Abraham?

"Dad, why is there no sheep?  Are you hiding the sheep?  Is it waiting for us?  What are we going to sacrifice?  Aren't we going up to the mountain to sacrifice a sheep to God?  Where's the sheep?"

That had to have been the longest 3-day hike of Abraham's life.  And when they get to the top of the mountain, Abraham ties Isaac to the altar.  As he raises the knife to kill his son (his only son...whom he loves), God stops him.

"Don't lay a hand on the boy!"  As our pastor put it, never has a knife dropped so quickly.  Never had Abraham felt so incredibly relieved.

Overall, I don't think it was God telling Abraham to give up Isaac that bothered me.  God asks us to give things up--it always has a purpose, even when it's hard.  

I get that.

I think my issue came when Abraham was about to sacrifice Isaac and God told him to stop...and here's why:  God knew Abraham's heart.  He knew that Abraham would give up Isaac for Him.  So why test his loyalties and at the last minute say, "J/k!  Just wanted to see if you would!"?  You know what I mean?

I would walk through fire for the people I love--willingly and without question.  But if I did and then they said something like, "Oh, don't worry--just testing out your loyalties, bro!", I would have a huge problem with that.  I would feel so incredibly betrayed and taken advantage of.

So how did Abraham just go on about his business???

Seriously, I couldn't stop thinking it about it...for days.  I was talking through it with a friend, and I was explaining that I know God is good and loving.  My head knows that.  But my heart was having a hard time reconciling Abraham and Isaac because testing loyalties doesn't feel like "love" to me.  It feels sort of cruel, actually...

So talking it through, we came to a couple of conclusions:

1.  We don't know what Abraham's reaction was--the Bible doesn't tell us.  He may have been positively furious.  But...

2. (and more importantly) sometimes we don't understand God's love because we can't see the bigger picture.  Love isn't always an affectionate feeling (C.S. Lewis, anyone?).  It can feel harsh and almost cruel.  But in the end, it's for our own good.  Sometimes we just can't see that.

I guess where I've landed is, I don't understand why God asked Abraham to do what he did.  But I do know that God is all-loving, and God is all-good.  

All of the time.

A New Chapter

I moved this past weekend.  I moved from the suburbs into the city...and I love it.

I can walk to the park.
I can hear other people outside.
I can hear cars going by.
I can hear the neighbors through the walls (or floors, as the case may be).
I can smell city smells...both the good and the bad.
I can wake up and watch the sun rise over the skyline.

Basically, it's the peanut butter to my jelly.  It is glorious.

When plans to move were first in the works, I was very excited.  I still am.  But it's also a very thought-provoking time.

Moving into a new apartment with two girls and a dog, all of whom I barely (really, don't) know is maybe one of the scariest things I've ever done.  And why?  Because I am a control freak.

We've been talking a lot about fear during the messages at church.  My first thought was, "Well this is so good for fearful people.  Not me, though.  I'm not fearful."  But when I really got to searching, I realized that I try to control everything because of that very reason:  I am a fearful person.  I am scared.  All of the time.

Pete (my pastor) gave a short list of things that scare him.  Here are a few of mine:

• Asking for help (my favorite five words--"I've got it.  Thanks, though!")
• That something I have said/done or will say/do will cause someone to stop believing in my Savior...or to choose not believe in Him in the first place
• Clowns (this is a real thing)
• Becoming financially insecure
• Someday realizing that my time on Earth has been meaningless

And that's the short list.  All of these boil down to one thing, though--I am fearful of the unknown.  So what do I do?  I try to control it...and by "it", I mean everything.  Something Pete said stuck out at me as the core issue that I have.  I do not have a fear problem; I have a faith problem.  I try to control everything because I don't trust that God has it under control (spoiler alert: He does).  So instead of leaving it up to God to determine what is best for me, I bend over backwards to try to control things that I can't control anyway.

So starting today, I give up.  I am going to (attempt to) stop controlling things.  The bottom line is, in the end, God already knows what will happen.  And maybe, just maybe, I will find that I enjoy just living.  Maybe I will find that I enjoy not having to play God...because shockingly, God has that role filled.  Maybe I will be a happier person.  And maybe someday I will realize that God holds me in His hand--a place where no one can touch me.  

One thing is for sure--He has already blessed me in more ways than I can count...including adding two sweet girls and a precious little puppy to my life.

Seasons of the Soul

We all go through different stages of life.  

Some stages are easy - being 6 years old, for example.  You're old enough to dress yourself and think for yourself, but young enough for naps and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.  Other stages are harder.  I mean really, did anyone enjoy puberty?

I guess while I was growing up, I thought it would get easier.  Life would be easier when I could drive.  Life would be easier when I went to college.  Life would be easier when I had my own house, my own job, etc.  But I'm realizing how wrong that thought was.

Growing up isn't easy.  In fact, I would venture to say that it's just as hard as puberty, with its own quirks and queries.  There are different situations to go through, different bridges to cross, different questions to ask.  Perhaps the most painful part of growing, however, is pruning.  And I can tell you firsthand, pruning can hurt.  A lot.

I recently joined a small group of "creative adults".  This group of people is different than any other small group that I've ever been privileged to call myself a part of.  In this group, we ask real questions.  We share about real hurts we have.  We encourage each other.  We do life together.  God has truly blessed my life by putting these people in it.  

Last week, we were talking about Romans 11, and we got on the topic of our lives being pruned by God.  I never really understood what the pruning analogy meant until a few years ago.  One of my sister's friends has a rosebush in her yard, and her dad came over to trim it for her.  He cut a lot off of the bush.  By the time he was done, it looked like he had killed the rosebush.  There was so little of the bush left - it looked dead.  My sister said her friend was furious.  She had this big, beautiful rosebush, and her dad killed it.  The next season, though, the bush grew.  By the time it bloomed, it was bigger and more beautiful than ever before.

I think sometimes that's how I feel with God.  God prunes our rosebush lives, and to be honest, it hurts.  Sometimes it makes me furious with Him.  I want to ask Him, "God, what in the world do You think You're doing?!"  I want to beg Him to stop, to say, "Lord, what are You doing?  I'm dying.  I can't take any more."  Somehow, though, God pulls us through.  And sure enough - the next season brings a bigger and more beautiful rosebush.

Chris Tomlin has a song called "Faithful" that I think says it best:

You are there in every season of my soul

You are there, You're the anchor that will hold

You are there, in the valley of the shadows

You are faithful, God

God is faithful no matter what stage of life we're going through.  He's there through every season.  He has never let me down...not ever.  And if I'm honest, I don't think He ever will.

Blessings

This past Thursday, a very dear friend of my family passed away.  She was fifty-three years old. 

Fifty-three.

As I sit here, my heart is begging the question why.  Why her?  Why now?  Why not after her children are grown?  Why not someone who has lived their life?  Why not someone who was ready? 

Just...why?

I know that God is 100% knowing and 100% powerful.  I also believe that He is 100% loving.  So logically, I understand that there must be a reason for this.  A reason for everything. 

But logic doesn't appeal to matters of the heart.  And the more I thought about it, the angrier I became.  What right does God have to take away such a wonderful woman, mother, and friend?  Doesn't He know?  Doesn't He understand? 

I heard a song on the radio that caught my attention.  It's entitled Blessings by Laura Story.  The lyrics of the chorus are these:

'Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops, what if Your healing comes through tears?
What if a thousand sleepless nights are what it takes to know You’re near?
And what if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise?



As I listened to this song, I could feel my heart softening to the simple truths of these lyrics.  Because the fact is, I am not all-powerful, all-knowing, or all-loving.  I don't understand the things I have never experienced.  I don't know what tomorrow will bring, or even what I will cook for dinner tonight.  And I certainly don't understand why God brings suffering into our lives.  But God knows.  He understands why.  And for a moment, I considered...what if?  What if, Lord?  What if, instead of causing us absolute pain, You are  actually showing even greater compassion?

What if the trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise?

Neighborly Love

Yesterday was a long day at work.  It wasn't bad, just long.  I was supposed to meet up some friends for dinner, but I was just too tired.  My roommate had left for vacation and I planned on just putting on a movie and falling asleep.

And then my phone rang.

The neighbors on the other side of the duplex are two guys that my roommate and I are friends with.  One of the guys isn't moved in yet, and as we all work, the chance to get together had not presented itself. 

As I answered the phone, I have to admit--I inwardly groaned.  Hadn't I just turned down dinner with other friends?  All I desired of the evening was quiet relaxation and a very early bedtime.

It was my neighbor.  He and a mutual friend were at his side of the house and they wanted to give me a tour.  I figured how long could it take?  Sure, I would take a tour.  That could be fun.

He showed me around, pointing out different things.  His almost child-like excitement made me smile.  When we got to the kitchen, he mentioned that they were making a big dinner that night...and insisted I join them. 

We're neighbors now, he reasoned. 

So off they started on this meal, my neighbor and two of our friends.  We had chicken quesadillas, hamburgers, cheeseburgers, salad, noodles and cheese, soup...it was absolutely incredible. 

I cut up lettuce. 

That's it. 

When I tried to do more or asked what they needed help with, I was told to relax--they didn't need help with anything.  And after dinner, they cleaned up and did the dishes. 

I was truly in awe.  On this night when I was exhausted, I was presented with friends, an amazing dinner, and a cleanup crew.  I had to do virtually nothing.

The generosity.  The serving attitude.  A "thank you" did not seem sufficient for the gratitude I felt no matter how emphatically it was said.  As much as I've searched, I have found only one phrase that can sum up my evening:

I am blessed.  Thank you, Lord, for neighbors like mine.

Addicted to Approval

Before anything else, I need to give credit where credit is due: the title of this post was not an original. It was the tile of the message I heard on Sunday. It was so perfect, however, that I saw no reason to use something else.

This post is actually about what I heard on Sunday. At my church, we're in a series called "Empty Promises." We're talking about things we have in our lives that we seek to give us what only God can give us. God has a name for these things--idols. And on Sunday, we talked about the idol of approval.

‎"What I want you to hear - if you don't hear anything else today - is that there is nothing you could do to make God love you any more or any less than He does in this very moment. Nothing."

How beautiful is that?

Nothing we can do will make God love us any more. As believers in the One and Only God, we should be ultimately seeking His approval. And surprise--we have it!

We have so many giants in our lives:

Grades we can't make.
Bosses we can't please.
Deadlines we can't meet.

But we KILL ourselves to try to do all of these things. Why? Because we seek the approval of someone who is not our Someone. We bend over backwards to try to achieve the acceptance and confirmation of the people of this world.

Nothing we do will make God love us any more because He already loves us to the fullest extent! And no matter what we do, we will not lose that.

I needed that reminder--the reminder that God loves me. Because as a human being, I will mess up. I make mistakes every day. Words can not express the comfort in knowing that God loves me in spite of all of my faults. So allow me to quote again:

There is nothing you could do to make God love you any more or any less than He does in this very moment.

Nothing.

A Lesson Learned

I rarely think on the subject of guardian angels.  I'm unsure as to why this is--it isn't as though I believe them to be fictitious characters.  But regardless, they rarely cross my mind.  That is, until certain events happen.

You see, it was raining the other day.  And by raining, I mean pouring.  Being a forgetful college student (as are most college students), I had yet to purchase an umbrella.  As I stared out the window, I debated whether or not to venture into the extreme moisture that was covering campus.  Finally, I came to this realization:  it's only water.  So off I went, walking briskly through the raindrops.

An older maintenance man, whom I had never seen before, saw me walking behind one of the buildings.  He was carrying an umbrella and paused, waiting for me to reach the place where he was standing.  He held out his umbrella a little ways and told me I was welcome to walk under his umbrella with him.  I was touched by his kindness as we walked a little while and made small talk.  What a kind man, I thought to myself.  We went to part ways, as I was going to the music building and he was headed towards the business buildings.  As I went to walk away, however, he handed me his umbrella.

"Take this, and just leave it at the front door of whatever building you go to," he told me.  "I'll pick it up there later."  At first, I protested, seeing how wet it was outside.  After all, it wasn't his fault that I had neglected to purchase an umbrella.  But after a moment, seeing the look in his eye and hearing the tone in his voice, I accepted his gesture of kindness.  I was overwhelmed at the graciousness of this man, whom I did not know from Adam.  He was a true indication that there are, in fact, still people in this world who think of others before themselves.

As I arrived to class, I was deep in thought, pondering what could be accomplished if each one of us had the heart of the man with the umbrella.  God calls us all to be servants to one another; to think of others before thinking of ourselves.  What incredible miracles could we achieve in other people's lives when we're living in accordance to God's commands?

I have not seen my Umbrella Guardian Angel since that day.  But every now and then I think of him, wondering if he knows how much his kindness touched my heart, wondering what I can do to create an impact in someone else's life the way he impacted mine.  Such a simple gesture, such incredible power.

Amazing, isn't it?  How God gives us little gifts in our everyday lives?  Sometimes when we least expect it, He teaches us the greatest lessons through things as simple as an umbrella on a rainy day.