Category Archives: Sacred Mundane

{Yesterday we talked about Why God likes the long way. Here are a few more thoughts today…}

2. The long road produces humility.

Deuteronomy 8:2 says,

“And you shall remember the long way that the LORD your God has lead you these forty years in the wilderness, that He might humble you…”

This is not saying that God humiliates us.  I can’t defend this with Greek and Hebrew, but I believe there is a kind and gentle way that God produces humility in us that is not in the form of cruel humiliation.  I often pray that God would allow me to humble myself but that He would save me from humiliation.  That’s just being honest! I do want to walk in humility but I’d really rather not do something absolutely humiliating to get there.  Anybody else?   When our path is quick and easy we are so tempted to think it was our genius that got us there.  The long road requires us to be desperately dependent on God’s grace and mercy.  It is in His kindness that He chooses to humble us by the long road.

3. The long road reveals our hearts.

There’s more to Deuteronomy 8:2.  It reads,

“And you shall remember the long way that the LORD your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness, that he might humble you, testing you to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commandments or not” (vv2-3). (See also Deut. 13:3, Judges 3:4, 2 Chronicles 32:31)

Now I have struggled with this one, and I’ll admit that just tonight Jeff and I spent the duration of our date night strolling through Bridgeport debating this one question.  God already knows what’s in our hearts.  So why would He need to do something to reveal it to Himself?  Does He reveal it to Himself or to us?

I don’t know.

What I do know is that Scripture is clear that the long road tests us and therefore reveals what is in our hearts, the same way that an exam in school tests us in order to reveal what knowledge is in our minds.  But since our heavenly professor knows all things, I’ll admit I can’t quite wrap my mind around all the ramifications of this.

Suffice it to say that our faith rises so the surface when we are faced with the adversity of a long road (James 1:7). It is revealed as it rises to the surface and it is refined and displayed for us to see, for God to see, for all to see–for His glory.  We may not understand how all that works, but we can agree it does work.

That is at least a little bit of why God likes the long road.

Here’s why it’s ok:: (Other than the obvious reason of God being in charge.)

I’ve often marveled at Noah (57 days on dry land!), Moses, David, all those who endured loooooong slow roads on the way to the fulfillment of God’s promises.  Never do I see them specifically whining or complaining about the waiting or the long road, they just do it.  It’s almost as it isn’t an issue.

Because it’s not.

My parents love to go for road trips together. They’ve often opted to take the long way home, meandering up Hwy 101 or taking a scenic route up to Mt. Hood.  Sure there’s a shorter way. But the point isn’t getting to a destination, it’s just being together.

The moment we get our eyes on our Beautiful Savior the long road won’t bother us. In fact, it will just afford us plenty of time to journey with the One we love.  He is on the road with us.  Yes, we may yearn and long for a promise to be revealed, for that first glimpse of the promised land that God has spoken of so often. But really, God Himself is greater than any promised land. The best part of the being part of the nation of Israel wasn’t getting to live in the promised land, it was getting to live with YAHWEH, the great I AM.

When I get my eyes off God, I become fixated on the end of the road. On “it”. On the thing.  And the road seems excruciatingly long and the wait unbearable. But when I look and realize that the King of Kings is walking this road with me, all of a sudden it doesn’t matter anymore. It’s not about getting there.  It is, in fact, a gloriously scenic road trip with the One I love. Even if the road is curvy (or takes me in circles!), I can rest assured that God is graciously leading me to success, producing in me humility, and revealing the inner parts of my heart as I wait.  He is working all things for my good, but more importantly, He’s with me. And there’s no one I’d rather travel with than Him.

—-

In what way has the end goal distracted you from the Beautiful God who is right at your side?  In what way can you enjoy whatever journey you are on today?

When we lived in San Jose, right after the bottom fell out from under us and we were wondering how one earth we fell off the cliff of God’s will, I remember our pastor from back home said to me, “With God the shortest distance between two points is often a really long squiggly line.”

Speaking of a squiggly line, can you see the red route that the nation of Israel took when God led them out of Egypt and into the promised land?  Doesn’t that help put into perspective what is meant by “wanderings” in the desert. Good grief! It’s a good thing that I can’t seem a pictorial rendition of my own life’s wanderings; I know I’d see the endless red circles and shake my head: God, you’ve got to be kidding me.

I’ll admit it sometimes baffles me when I look at a situation, then see the way God “handled” it. I mean isn’t there a much simpler way?

Why does God so often take us on a circuitous route? Let’s look at a few nuggets as related to the nation of Israel — perhaps a few will apply to where you are today.

1. The long road leads to our success.

Scripture tells in Exodus 13 that

“When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them by way of the land of the Philistines; although it was near. For God said, ‘Lest the people change their minds when they see war and return to Egypt.’ But God lead the people around the way of thewilderness toward the Red Sea” (vv17-18).

So here we see that God knew that no matter what way they took there would be opposition.  Opposition is inevitable. So He chose the path that would force them to keep moving forward–for they had no other option (Remember, He loves it when we run out of options!).  He knew that if they could see a back door, they’d take it and hurry scurry back to captivity as fast as their little sandals could take them.  He chose that route that guaranteed they would stick to the plan.

In other words, it was His kindness that led them in circles. He was, by his sovereign plan, guaranteeing their success. Now, granted not all of them succeeded. An entire generation perished in the wilderness because of their disobedience.  But God’s plan succeeded. Had they gone back to Egypt, then their children and all following generations would not have seen the promised land. But as it was, only those unfaithful died before seeing it–the children, and all the generations after that, did indeed see it.  God fulfilled His promise, and his Kingdom work with the nation of Israel remains today.

{Do you believe that God will take you the long way so that you will succeed? So that you won’t turn back? Can you see how it is His kindness that makes the journey long? Praying this can encourage you today. Thanks for reading.}

I knew it was coming.

My phone rang. I picked up my cell and saw her name. I took a deep breath. Kari, it’ll be ok. It’ll be ok.

“Hey there!”

I love her so much. I knew that it was a heart-wrenching decision for them, to not join us in this new church-planting venture. They had thought they would, but God was clearly leading them in a different direction.  Everything spiritual in me was cheering on their decision. I knew they had earnestly sought Him. I knew they were hearing from Him.  I knew this was best.

But everything fleshly in me wanted to crawl up in a ball on my bed and pull the covers over my head and cry about how alone I felt knowing my dear friend wouldn’t be at my side.

See, I knew sometimes we have to run alone. I knew that not all my close friends would be able to do this adventure with me. But somehow I had inadvertently still put my hope in a few people I saw as “strong,” as “capable.” Somehow the thought that they’d be with us made me feel like everything would be ok.  With this “dream team” of people surely this venture would be a success!

But then God dwindled my “dream team” and sent half of them somewhere else.

Just to be sure I knew the only dream team is the Triune God: Father, Son, Holy Spirit. 

He’s done this before, right? You remember the story in Judges 7. Gideon–a scaredy cat like me–was called to battle, but first God took his army and sent a few of them home.

And by “a few” I mean 99%.

His team went from 32,000 to just 300.  Yes. God sent 99% of the army home, and defeated the Mideoanites with just 1% of Gideon’s original army.

Why?

So they would not boast saying, My own strength has saved me. (Judges 7:2)

So no one else would get the praise.

God wanted to make sure Gideon did not put his hope in numbers, in strong soldiers, in any certain person … except God alone. He dwindled down his army so small that the there was nowhere he could trust except God. So that when the victory came there would be no doubt: That was all God and He gets all the praise.

It’s easy to see this in retrospect, but what if we chose to believe by faith and trust Him in the middle of the dwindling process? When your team is cut in half. When most of your doctors don’t know what to do. When your support system has shrunk. When you look around and wonder where everyone went. When whatever it was that made you feel “ok” isn’t there anymore. 

When God cuts your army by 99% you can rest assured, He’s just about to kick some tails on the battlefield and win a crazy victory. 

 He just wants to make sure that He gets all the praise. 

~

{Where are you feeling alone in the battle today? Does it feel like your support system is suddenly small? Please know that God wants to be your all and wants to be sure that in this battle He gets all the praise. I pray you know His power, love, and tender care for you today! Thanks for reading.}

The most recent thing I’m learning about God: He loves making us run out of options.

He really does. I think it delights Him. Remember last week how God led His people into a corner? Deliberately making them stuck?  In the Rees Howells book I’m reading, over and over God would lead Rees in prayer to go all these different routes, only to prove that no money, no man, and no medicine could truly do the trick. Only a miracle would do. And then, after all options had been tried, every source dried up and every resource exhausted, then God would swoop in and do a crazy miracle, flexing His muscles and proving to everyone watching that He alone is God.

I think He must just love that.

I believe He’s doing that with us too. He just wants to make sure we–and all who are watching–will know that He alone is God and He alone deserves all trust, praise, glory, worship, adoration.

All summer long, while we had a great income and were in a perfect position to buy a house, God had us waiting. We had made an offer on a short sale and were in a waiting period, not looking, not doing anything. Just waiting. Then, our employment ended last week. Yes, we’re employed now by RENEW church but let’s just say we don’t necessarily have any paystubs yet.  No paystubs = no financing. And so just 3 days after our steady income ceased, we hear back from the bank that they are ready to move forward with the short sale deal.

HAHAHAHAHAHA!

Okay, God, we get it: You’re doing things Your own way. 

See, man’s way is to look and see what he already has–how many leaders, how much money, what gifts, talents, abilities, and then attempt something based on what he already has. God’s way is to show His people what HE wants to do and then show us how completely inadequate and ill-prepared and under-resourced we are for the task, and then swoop in with His miraculous power and matchless resources and do His work in His power in His way for His glory.

But in order to get to that really-cool-God-swooping-in-part we have to walk through the all-run-out-of-options part.

You ever been there? Maybe you are there. Remember, God loves to remind us that every other source will leave us empty. Only dependence on Him will yield the fruit of righteousness, faith, love, hope. Only abiding in Him and relying on Him for everything will give us lasting joy.

So just in case you’re in the middle of the all-run-out-of-options part of the story, hold on. Hold onto Jesus, the really-cool-God-swooping-in-part is coming …

{All out of options, with you. Trusting Him, with you. Thanks for reading.}

• The beach day: Exactly what we needed.
• Kids playing for hours and hours and hours with nothing but water, sand, and their amazing imaginations. 

• Curled up under a sleeping bag together, leaning against a rock, watching our two little miracles do tricks in the sand.
• Jeff giving a dozen horsey-rides and AT-AT walker rides.

• Peanut butter sandwiches.
• Peaches that melt in your mouth.
• A day peppered with trials.
• Asking God to make us new.
• Seeing fruit in our kids.
• 8.5 mile run this morn!
• Getting on our knees.
• Trusting Him.
• Feeling so very weak and inadequate, reminded He is strong and more than adequate.
• The last few blackberries.
• A quiet house.
• Clean sheets.
• Clinging to Him.

Growing up, there was an embroidered picture and poem, hand-sewn by my mom and framed in a simple wooden frame. It hung on the wall of our living room. I can still see it hanging there in my mind’s eye. I read it so often it’s etched in my memory. It now hangs in my kids’ bedroom, just to remind me:

Cleaning and scrubbing will wait ’till tomorrow

Children grow up, as I’ve learned to my sorrow

So quiet down cobwebs! Dust go to sleep!

I’m rocking my baby. Babies don’t keep.

And so today, I’m “rocking” my babies … by throwing housework (and 52 bites!) to the wind and driving to the beach. We haven’t seen the ocean at all this summer, and they will only be 3 and 5 this one time!

I pray no matter what your day looks like, you are able to savor whatever it is that will someday be gone. A child, a parent, a glass of lemonade. However profound or however simple, may you enjoy today for what it is — a gift. Happy Friday; Thanks so much for reading.

A common theme in our faith-journey recently has been that God really likes letting us run out of options. He loves leading us into corners and getting us stuck. I’ll share more from our lives next week, but check out this interesting way that God led His people in Scripture:

“Then the LORD said to Moses, ‘Tell the people of Israel to turn back and encamp in front of Pi-hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea, in front of Baal-zephon; you shall encamp facing it, by the sea” (Ex.14:1-2).

First off, God tells them to turn around and go back.  Did God make a mistake?  Of course not.   He’s training them …will they listen?

I often ask Dutch & Heidi to do things at home, just for practice.   There’s no purpose to it other than to train them to listen attentively to my voice–which is an important purpose indeed!

So God tells them to turn around, that they need practice at carefully obeying the voice of the LORD because they are about to take a HUGE step of faith, right?  Little do they know what they’ll be doing tomorrow!

So they turn back and God tells them exactly where to camp. Not just a general area, they are to camp right by the sea. And not just by the sea, but in a spot that corners them by the sea.  They are to face the sea. To look straight into an impasse. Then what happens?

God brings Pharaoh.  And six-hundred of his chosen chariots and all the other chariots of Egypt with officers over all of them.  They all came out.

So, because of carefully listening to the voice of the LORD, the children of Israel are stuck.  Cornered.  Up against the sea with thousands of Pharaoh’s guys coming after them. And the result?

“They feared greatly.” (v.10)

No kidding!  They were scared out of their wits!  They instantly cry out to God and lament, “Is it because there were no graves in Egypt that you brought us out to die in the wilderness?”  No more are they thankful for the miraculous deliverance in the Passover. And understandably. They have been led into a corner and are facing certain death.

But of course we all know what happens. God parts the Red Sea, all the nation of Israel is saved, and all of Pharaoh’s army and chariots are swallowed up in the sea and lost.  In one fell swoop God fights the entire battle for them.

And all they had to do was walk.

Because the real battle had already been won. The battle of obeying God.

What’s the point?  Well, for today the lesson for me is simply that God does indeed lead us into corners. He leads us into circumstances where the only way out is God. There is nowhere to run, hide, fight.  We’re stuck in a corner against the Red Sea. And that is where He loves to flex His muscles, doing what only the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords can do.

Since He created that sea by a simple word, He is able to part it rather effortlessly.

What corner are you facing today?  Where are you stuck? Is there a circumstance that seems hopeless? A situation where you have no options?  Where you throw your hands in the air and say, “I give up!” That’s great.

Obey His voice and stay right there in that stuck spot.

Then look up.

Chances are the waters are just about to part.

Thanks for reading.

Revisiting this, reminding myself what matters:

It’s early but feels late. (Is 6pm too soon to put kids to bed?)

Last weekend was the most physically and emotionally exhausting weekend of my life. I’m tired.

I finish the dishes of the big salmon dinner Jeff didn’t get to eat. Resist the urge to medicate with chocolate. “Ok, bath time, pick up your toys!” Kids scurry, pick up toys. Begin to head upstairs. I look around. These kids must be half blind. Call them back down to get the rest.

Dutch looks around, bewildered. “What other toys?”

Is it a boy thing?

We finish. Head up. An issue of delayed obedience (which is disobedience) demands attention. There are tears. They are tired too.  Bodies are cleaned but washing hair is a war. Little bodies, slippery like fish, are wrapped in towels. I notice the smell. Glance over at the laundry basket. It towers, taunting me. Tomorrow, I tell myself.

They’re just getting settled when it hits — the ravenous bedtime hunger. “May I please have something to eat?” Which from Heidi’s mouth sounds like, “May I peese ‘ave froggy to eat?”  For some reason “something” always sounds like “froggy.”  I remember their non-existent appetite at dinner when salmon was served. Suddenly that appetite has returned with a vengeance. After banana, cheese, and a baggie of tomatoes, they ask for more but I draw the line. I kiss them both and turn toward the door.

Out the door, in the hall, I exhale the sigh of relief, but stop in the hall. My room, the bed, the computer, the escape, it calls. Beckons. Lures. Come, be DONE. DONE. DONE.

I haven’t prayed with them. I haven’t told them how much God loves them. I’ve cared for their bodies but neglected their souls. My flesh is so weak the truth is I just want to close my bedroom door and be done.

I turn around and enter in.

I kneel, curl up beside Dutch and lean in close to his puppy-breath, kiss his cheeks. I pray God’s goodness and favor and blessing and grace over his life, then tell him how much God loves him and I do too.

“Mommy, I love you so much.”

I almost missed this.

Head into Heidi’s room. She’s already heavy-eyed and sucking her thumb, curls spilled over her pillow. I pray. Tell her as well how much God loves her and I do too.

“Mommy I yuv you.”

How could I have considered missing this?

I slide under my covers. Write this. Read a precious email from another tired mom. Close the laptop lid and snuggle down into darkened silent bliss. Close my eyes, yes.

“Mommy!! May I please have more cheese?!”

–

{Happy mid-week, and thanks for reading.}

Revisiting this again this morning as fall comes upon us and school begins… 

~

The battle this morning was very real.

We were sick over the weekend, so we rested. We skipped runs. We slept in. We let the kids snuggled with us, we kept the phones turned off, nothing pressing urging us on.

We slipped into the quiet morning late, sipped coffee, savored the slow pace.

But now we’re home and as I ponder my upcoming projects it’s clear: This will take discipline.

Not just the book, the church-plant, the upcoming women’s retreats. The life. These kids and home and ministry and homeschooling and life, all of it, good and glorious, but all things worthwhile take work and will I work?

Is it worth it?

Yes, I decide it is. So I set the auto-program on the coffee pot. Set myself up for success. Punch in the numbers: 5:00. Sleep.

But when the beeping sounds my body screams. Sleep! Sleep! Sleep!

Within thirty minutes I’ve won the battle, but the body screams throughout the day. Eat! Eat!When I don’t need to eat. Quit! Quit! When I don’t need to quit. Escape! Escape! When I need to engage.

All the screams come from the same source: Self.

It is the same self that screams for attention, screams to get its way, screams when injured or offended, when slighted or overlooked. And Tozer would say that this same self — the one that screams — is what keeps us out, away from the presence of God.

It is, “the close-woven veil of the self-life which we have never truly acknowledged … it is not too mysterious, this opaque veil, nor is it hard to identify. We have but to look into our own hearts and we shall see it there, sewn and patched and repaired it may be, but there nevertheless, an enemy to our lives and an effective block to our spiritual progress” (Pursuit of God, 44).

Poked?

Now he pierces:

“The self-sins are self-righteousness, self-pity, self-confidence, self-sufficiency, self-admiration, self-love, and a host of others like them … The grosser manifestations of these sins — egotism, exhibitionism, self-promotion — are strangely tolerated in Christian leaders … Promoting self under the guise of promoting Christ is currently so common as to excite little notice … To tell the truth, [self] seems to actually feed upon orthodoxy and is more at home in a Bible conference than in a tavern. Our very state of longing after God may afford it an excellent condition under which to thrive and grow” (45-46).

Anyone still standing?

So what do we do?

“[The veil of Self] … can be removed only in spiritual experience, never by mere instruction. We may as well try to instruct leprosy out of our system. … It is never fun to die. To rip through the dear and tender stuff of which life is made can never be anything but deeply painful. … Let us beware of tinkering with our inner life, hoping ourselves to rend the veil.  God must do everything for us. Our part is to yield and trust. … We must insist upon the work being done” (47).

Our part is to yield and trust. I wonder how often I tinker with my inner life, like an old man passing time in his garage, instead of submitting to the Hand of the master and letting Him tear, cut, sew, mend, heal. Perhaps externally it all looks the same.

But one method accomplishes something and one method does not.

I suppose I’d rather choose the path that brings me close to Him. And if my flesh living means my spirit dying I guess I’d rather let Him tear out that flesh. Like weeds. The truth is I’m not sure what that looks like today.

But it will help me get out of bed, of that I’m sure.

{Where is your self-flesh rearing its ugly head today? How can you yield and trust Christ today, letting Him tear as He pleases for our good? Thanks for reading.}

Because it’s worth watching again (and again and again). Enjoy. Happy Labor Day. Jesus gave His all because He wants the rose. He loves you so much; I pray you know that today. Bless you, and thanks for reading.