Category: Spiritual Reflections

That’s a question that children sometimes ask. Does He get tired? Maybe He sleeps with one eye open and the other closed.

Unlike humans, God does not sleep nor does He get tired. He is always alert and ready for anything that is happening in His universe. That’s why we can call on Him at all hours of the day or night.

Psalm 121 has some very comforting words:

“I lift up my eyes to the mountains—where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.

He will not let your foot slip—He who watches over you will not slumber;
indeed, He who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.

The Lord watches over you – the Lord is your shade at your right hand;
the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night.

The Lord will keep you from all harm —He will watch over your life;
The Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.”

What a fantastic promise! If only more humans took care of each other in this way. Looking out for one another so no harm would happen to others in words, thoughts or actions would certainly make this world a lot happier and safer to live in.

While listening to a recent sermon my Pastor gave, he used a word that I had never heard before: de-sin. The dictionary has no meaning for this word so it’s one that was made up but my imagination was piqued by the results of what it could mean.

How simple life would be if we could go into a chamber and be “de-sinned.” All of our weaknesses, our tendencies toward things wrong, our grumpiness, anger, jealousy, bitterness, revenge, laziness — all wiped out by simply walking into a “de-sin” chamber.

The problem with this scenario is that we’d have to walk into the chamber several times a day. Selfishness would be the primary reason that would take us back time and time again. In this consumer age it appears that it’s supposed to be all about me. But in the spiritual life it’s not about me at all but about Jesus, the Father and the Holy Spirit.

I know very few people who, before every thought or action, asks the question “Will this glorify God or me?” Our tendency is to act and think later. But days of asking this question should make it habit-forming as smoking a cigarette would be natural to someone who smoked.

Habits and life tendencies are hard to break. A “de-sin chamber” sounds good to me but since it doesn’t exist I have to rely on the best thing out there which is the Holy Spirit. He’s the best de-sin chamber I know who has fruits such as love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ^ gentleness and self-control. (Galatians 5:22-23)

“Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace.” Romans 8:5, 6

I prefer that life and peace. Come Spirit come!

For who is greater, he who sits at the table, or he who serves? Is it not he who sits at the table? Yet I am among you as the One who serves.  Luke 22:27

The Bible is filled with thoughts on service or serving others that are quite different from what we experience in every day life.  We tend to think of servants as being “low” on the list of jobs that people want to have.

And yet, it amazes me how Christ says He came to serve us. The Creator who didn’t need hands to create this earth came down and chose to serve. I shake my head when I think about it. Some say He was a great teacher and He was. Some say He was a great healer and He was. Some say He was a great friend and He was that too.

But He was also a great Servant — a seldom seen trait in our leaders and “ordinary” people these days. We see cheating, lying, deception, bribery — but service? A rare trait indeed.

Jesus said: But he who is greatest among you shall be your servant.  Matthew 23:11

It’s hard to follow in the footsteps of Christ who came to show us how to do “it.”

Especially hard is serving someone who is ungrateful, wouldn’t you say? Yet many of us are just that — ungrateful. And still He came to serve us.

It requires a certain kind of love to be able to serve as Jesus did and only He can put that kind of love in our hearts. I want it! And the best part is that He is willing to give it to me — it’s mine, and yours, just for the asking.

The phrase “it’s not you, it’s me” is used a LOT by people who are going to end a relationship with another person. In this type of relationship, the meaning is ambiguous and frustrates the “you” person. It basically means “I don’t want to have a discussion about my feelings or what I feel caused our relationship to fall apart.” It leaves the “you” person feeling helpless as there is nothing they can do or say as they don’t know what the problem is.

That’s the human to human side of it. And as some would unfortunately say … it is what it is.

Today, while driving home, I was thinking about the many times that I say or do something wrong and how my actions reflect poorly on the relationship I have with God.

Lifting my head to speak with Him, I audibly said “It’s not you, it’s me.” It struck me how ironic this phrase was in this instance. Everything I do has an influence for good or bad — whether they are thoughts or actions as thoughts lead to actions. And it’s never something that God did wrong but rather my reaction or lack of reaction to something.

Yet God doesn’t change. My reactions, like a spring season, fluctuate — warm and sunny or drenching with rain. But God is constant.

Yet God doesn’t sever relationships with His people but He does allow them to sever their relationship with Him. And whether they choose to walk away because of lack of interest, lack of familiarity, lack of … well, you name it. He allows them to walk away.

But from God’s lips we will never hear the words “It’s not you, it’s me” because He will never desert anyone who chooses to be safe under His care.

“Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you.” Deuteronomy 31:6

When asking “why” to God, He sometimes throws questions right back at us …

“Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation?
Tell me, if you understand.
Who marked off its dimensions? Surely you know!
Who stretched a measuring line across it?

^ On what were its footings set,
or who laid its cornerstone —
while the morning stars sang together
and all the angels shouted for joy?”  Job 38:4-7

Some of the deep questions God asks really have no answers — at least not on this earth. Yet we ask “why” of so many things but especially when things go wrong. In the book of Job, Job thinks he knows the answers but in reality he has no clue. Sometimes things happen and we fail to see any good in it because we have tunnel vision.

“Can you bind the chains of the Pleiades?
Can you loosen Orion’s belt?
Can you bring forth the constellations in their seasons
or lead out the bear with its cubs?

Do you know the laws of the heavens?
Can you set up God’s dominion over the earth?

Can you raise your voice to the clouds
and cover yourself with a flood of water?
Do you send the lightning bolts on their way?
Do they report to you, ‘Here we are’?

Who gives the ibis wisdom
or gives the rooster understanding?
Who has the wisdom to count the clouds?
Who can tip over the water jars of the heavens
when the dust becomes hard
and the clods of earth stick together?”  Job 38:31-38

Yeah. Sometimes it just doesn’t pay to ask “why” but accept what is and keep on living.