CALLED

Last week I joined 6,000 pastors from the North American Division of Seventh-day Adventists for a few days of powerful preaching, practical seminars, and inspiring music. Chelsea and I came away from that conference blessed and encouraged in our ministry and know many of the other pastors did as well. The theme song for the conference was cowritten by Ivan Williams, the ministerial director for the North American Division. The lyrics, in part, go like this: “Who am I? I don’t understand / Why the Great ‘I AM’ would use me in this place. / But here am I / I can feel you now / I can hear you now / And your melody of grace. / It’s hard and steep / There are lonely days and days when I get weak. / But I’m standing here / I’m not going nowhere. / Though I’m unworthy and broken / imperfect but chosen / That’s why I keep going / And all that I know is / I’m only here because I’m called.”

You may or may not be a pastor, but I can imagine that you resonate with the words of that song. God has called each one of us to some form of ministry. But if you’re anything like me, you feel unworthy. The devil often likes to point out our flaws and deficiencies. But in those moments, I think about the call of Isaiah. He felt unworthy and sinful. Yet, God purified him with a coal from the altar, representing the sacrifice offered on his behalf. “Then I (Isaiah) heard the Lord asking, ‘Whom should I send as a messenger to this people? Who will go for us?’ I said, ‘Here I am. Send me’” (Isaiah 6:8). God not only calls you, he also makes you worthy of the call. And you, like me, are standing here, imperfect but chosen. We are called - won’t you answer that call?

Be the Moon

One thing I love about Nashville is the abundance of opportunities to enjoy good music. The annual Country Music Association’s music festival was held this last weekend and Chelsea and I were able to attend a few of the concerts on Sunday. One of my favorites was getting to see Chris Tomlin. He shared powerful songs and stories that really created a worshipful atmosphere. One of the stories he shared was about a question he got from someone after a concert one time: “You talk about wanting to glorify God with your music, but when you’re up front, the spotlights are on you. You’re the one getting the praise and the glory. How can you say that you’re trying to glorify God?” Chris shared that he felt like God gave him the perfect answer: “My prayer is that God makes me the moon. The moon has no light on its own, it simply reflects the light of the sun. Yet it can light up the darkest night.” From that conversation a song was born, with lyrics that partially read: “I wanna be the moon, / up among the stars / Fly around the world / Lighting up the dark at night / I’m nothing without the Son’s amazing grace / On everything I do / If You’re shining on me, I’m shining right back for You / I wanna be the moon.”

What a powerful thought! I think Jesus was trying to say something similar when He told a group of people sitting on a hillside: “You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father” (Matthew 5:14-16). We have no good deeds of our own. But as we let God work through us, we can be the moon, reflecting the light of God in such a way that everyone will praise our Heavenly Father. Won’t you be the moon today?

Headwinds

Last week I made a quick trip to Ft. Worth, Texas, for a wedding. Chelsea’s cousin was getting married and Chelsea had already been out there for a couple of days. Unfortunately, due to camp pitch and camp meeting, I could only break away for about 36 hours. I took off in our little Piper Cherokee 180, affectionately known as Miss Peggy, first thing on Sunday morning. Because of the headwinds, it took just over six hours of flying and one fuel stop to make it to Texas. I took a quick shower, changed clothes, and attended the wedding that evening. The next morning, Chelsea and I took off and enjoyed a tailwind all the way home, making the trip in a little over five hours and one fuel stop, making it home just in time for the evening session at camp meeting. Both flights were relatively uncomplicated and smooth. The winds in Texas, however, were rather strong and gusty. In fact, as we were loading the airplane at the airport in Ft. Worth, we watched another aircraft taking off. Because of the strong winds, it looked like it was barely moving. Obviously, the airplane’s airspeed was probably at least 80 or 90 miles per hour, but its ground speed was much, much less.

As I watched that airplane climb, appearing to nearly hover as it crept forward, I thought about people who we think aren’t making much progress in life. We may assume that they’re lazy or incompetent, but we may not be aware of the headwinds that they are facing. The apostle Peter gives us some good advice: “Finally, all of you should be of one mind. Sympathize with each other. Love each other as brothers and sisters. Be tenderhearted, and keep a humble attitude” (1 Peter 3:8). We may only see a person’s groundspeed, their apparent success at moving forward. But in order to truly follow Peter’s directions, we must also think about the difficulties that people are facing which may be invisible to us. Why don’t you practice sympathizing with and being tenderhearted towards people today?

Treasure

I want to begin with an apology for not sending out an email last week. Wednesday was my first day in the office and that combined with loading, driving, and unloading the U-Haul truck ended up leaving me very little time to think about a devotional. However, this transition has taught me some things about life and spirituality. In particular, I’ve begun to question the sanity of moving. Who came up with the idea that we would live in permanent houses yet pack all of our stuff in cardboard boxes, load it onto a big truck, drive it to where a new permanent house is, unload the truck, and then unpack everything again? I wish that person could have moved my stuff because I think the idea is utterly ridiculous. It does, however, provide an opportunity to evaluate the items that seem so important to us here on earth and it certainly provides some perspective when you see your whole life packed into one truck. Is our stuff really that important?

You know, I’ve heard it said that you’ll never see a hearse pulling a U-Haul trailer. And that’s true! This stuff is temporary - as is our life on Earth. There’s an old song with lyrics that go like this: “This world is not my home / I’m just a-passing through. / My treasures are laid up / somewhere beyond the blue.” Jesus said it best, however, when He said, “Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be” (Matthew‬ ‭6:19-21‬). Where are you storing your treasures? Are they the kind that you need to pack, load, drive, unload, then unpack? Or are you shipping them on ahead to a place where a U-Haul truck is just a painful memory?

We’re Moving - Again!

Next week, we’re moving - again. No one is more surprised than I am. But let’s go back a few years. That’s really where this story begins. Chelsea and I would have conversations about where we saw ourselves in the future. As I thought about it, there was one position that caught my attention: that of conference ministerial director. Here’s why it interested me. The ministerial director is often called the “pastor to the pastors”, and Chelsea and I both have a passion for supporting other pastors and their spouses. But the role also is deeply involved with, among other things, pastoral transitions, equipping and preparing new pastors for ordination, on-going training and enrichment of all conference pastors, and speaking in different churches throughout the conference. All of these are things that I was either passionate about or felt that God had uniquely gifted me for. Fast forward now a couple of years and I get a text from the conference president of the Kentucky-Tennessee Conference letting me know that I am on a list of potential candidates for the role of ministerial director. My initial reaction was shock, followed quickly by wonder and excitement. I felt like everything in my life had led up to this moment - the years of pastoral ministry, my graduate degree in church leadership and management, my passion for training, equipping, and preaching, and even my pilot’s license and owning an airplane. So when, sometime later, I get the official call, I really have no choice but to say yes. And so, next week, we’re moving again - and no one is more surprised than I am.

An oft used promise found in the scriptures tells us: “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope” (Jeremiah 29:11). I know that each one of you has passions and desires that God has placed in your heart. What is He preparing you for? And will you be ready to say yes when He opens that door? Keep an eye open - in my experience, He opens the door at a time when you least expect it.

Forsaking the Assembling

Chelsea and I have been trying to prioritize exercise and healthier food choices recently. It’s really easy to let those things fall to the bottom of our priority list, especially when life gets busy and stressful. But we’re trying to raise our health priorities up a few notches and, while we’re not doing a perfect job, we’re certainly doing better than we have been. We even have joined a group of friends that tries to keep each other accountable to make healthy choices. Now, ask any of my friends, I’m terrible at keeping up with people. You know the character in the movie who says something about someone being their best friend and the other person responds: “Best friend? You haven’t called me in like 10 years!” Yep, that’s me. But I try to check in to the group somewhat regularly and really appreciate the support and motivation it provides.

You know, I really think that’s why God gave us the church. It probably would have been easier for everyone involved if He had decided to just have a personal, individual relationship with people and not asked people to gather together to worship Him. But that’s not what He did. And that’s not what He wants. The Bible tells us that we should “not (be) forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching” (Hebrews 10:25). Church may seem a little outdated, especially in today’s world, but according to the author of Hebrews, its relevance only increases as we get closer to Christ’s coming. So go out of your way to check in with the closest group of believers. You’ll be glad you did.

Locked Doors

Chelsea and I have a habit of locking ourselves out of our house. I usually discover my mistake as soon as I get to my car, grab the door handle, and nothing happens. That’s when I realize that I left my keys hanging up by the door. We have a keypad on the garage door at our current house, which would make you think that we wouldn’t have to worry about it anymore. However, the last time I locked myself out, we had recently moved here and didn’t know the code. Thankfully one of the people I contacted did know the code and my lock-out only lasted for thirty minutes or so. When we lived in Tennessee, we didn’t have a code or a garage door and locking yourself out of the house was quite serious. In fact, the last time I locked myself out of our house there, I was in a hurry and trying to make it to an appointment when I discovered my car door wouldn’t unlock. The only window we had open in the entire house was the kitchen window, which was a good eight or nine feet off the ground and a couple of feet away from the back deck. I ended up climbing onto the deck railing, letting my body fall across the five or six foot gap, opening the window, then squeezing my body through the tiny opening, crashing unceremoniously into the kitchen sink. But I got inside and even made it to my appointment only slightly late.

Do you ever felt like you are locked out of areas in your life or future? Like you encounter a locked door every time you move forward? Or maybe you feel that way in your spiritual life. Like every time you try to make right choices, you encounter a new obstacle or temptation. The apostle Paul gives us some really good news about that: “No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it” (1 Corinthians 10:13). No matter what difficulties, road blocks, or locked doors you encounter, God has made a way of escape. It may only be a tiny kitchen window eight or nine feet off the ground, but He’s promised to help you through it. And with His promise, that tiny window is as large and as accessible as a garage door.

It Was of the Lord

I’ve heard plenty of sermons based on Judges 14:3. That’s the verse where Samson argues with his parents. You see, Samson had seen a Philistine girl who pleased him and he was asking his parents to get her for him. His parents obviously were upset. God had told them that Samson was supposed to kill the Philistines, not marry them. So they asked him why he wasn’t willing to marry someone from their own people. His only response was that this girl pleased him. Now, as I said, I’ve heard plenty of sermons on that verse. But I was reading this chapter the other day and discovered the next verse. It’s one that I honestly don’t remember and one that I’ve never heard talked about. It goes like this: “But his father and mother did not know that it was of the Lord—that He was seeking an occasion to move against the Philistines. For at that time the Philistines had dominion over Israel” (Judges 14:4).

What? That verse really makes no sense. Why would God be in favor of Samson marrying a Philistine? Well, I definitely don’t think that it was God’s plan A. I’m sure that if Samson had followed God’s original plan for his life, it would have turned out much differently and he wouldn’t have died blind and chained to a couple of pillars. But the author of Judges is very clear that God was working in this and his parents just didn’t understand. It turns out that the wedding was a disaster and a lot of Philistines ended up dead in the aftermath, so it proved to be an occasion for God to move against the Philistines after all. Here’s the thing that really jumped out at me: how often do we, like Samson’s parents, put God into a box, assuming that He works in the way we expect Him to work, and limit His power to accomplish His will in spite of the mess we humans make? And if God could work through someone as reckless as Samson, isn’t there hope for Him to work through you and me?

Parades

I enjoy watching parades. I’ve even participated in one. That was when I was a teenager and the low-brass group I played trombone in decided to help represent our church in a local 4th-of-July parade. We all quickly discovered, however, how difficult it is to keep playing a brass instrument for more than an hour straight. One of my favorite parade memories, however, has to be the time we watched the lighted truck parade near my grandparents’ house in Northern California. Every year semi trucks don hundreds of Christmas lights and form a giant parade in celebration of the season. As a young boy, I can still remember the thrill I experienced watching the colorful lights and hearing the rumble of the powerful diesel engines.

There’s another parade that makes every other parade pale in comparison, though. It’s a parade that is described in the New Testament. “They brought the donkey and the colt, laid their clothes on them, and set Him on them. And a very great multitude spread their clothes on the road; others cut down branches from the trees and spread them on the road. Then the multitudes who went before and those who followed cried out, saying: ‘Hosanna to the Son of David! “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!” Hosanna in the highest!’” (Matthew 21:7-9). Can you imagine being in that crowd, praising the King of Kings? This week, we are remembering what happened after that parade came to a close. Those same people who cried out, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” cried out, “Crucify Him! Crucify Him!” How fickle we humans can be. This week, as we remember the sacrifice that Christ made on our behalf, find little moments to praise His name.

A Priceless Gift

I love spring. It’s the time of year when brown fades to green, grey surrenders to blue, and color dots the landscape. Warmer temperatures make it easier and more enjoyable to be outside, relishing in the beauty that nature has to offer. Of course, I’ve discovered that just because the calendar says it’s spring, the weather doesn’t necessarily agree. In fact, just a few days ago, it was blizzarding here in Pittsburgh! But overall, the trend seems to be making its steady climb towards summer. The grass has turned green, buds are forming, and the bushes in the front yard are bursting with yellow flowers. All around me I see the evidences of a Creator who loves me and gave this earth as a priceless gift.

That’s really not something I think a lot about. We talk about how God created the earth and how we live here, but do we think much about the fact that we are the stewards, the guardians, of this planet? In the beginning, as God was finishing up His great work of creation, He said: “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth” (Genesis 1:26). What a wondrous responsibility! As we enjoy the gift God has given, especially as winter gives way to spring, let’s look for ways to take care of it. It truly is a delightful place to live.

An Unfamiliar Place

This past weekend we were in Seattle, Washington, for a wedding. We really enjoyed our time out there seeing family and friends and exploring the city and the surrounding area. One of the challenges, however, was the time difference. Seattle is three hours behind Pittsburgh, so I was ready for bed long before the evening’s activities were over. In fact, because of everything going on, we often were not in bed until 11 o’clock or midnight which would have been 2 or 3 in the morning in Pittsburgh. Returning home has been nearly as difficult. We spent just enough time out there to start to adjust to the new time zone and then we were catapulted 3 hours into the future once again. And now, getting up at 6 or 7 in the morning feels like 3 or 4. So, even though I am in my own home, I feel like I’m in an unfamiliar place because the clock is showing a number my body disagrees with.

The author of Hebrews describes a group of people who also felt they didn’t belong where they were. The 11th chapter of Hebrews has been called the “Hall of Faith” and in it, the author describes the exploits of those who were champions for the Lord. In the midst of their stories he says that these heroes of faith “confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.... Now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them” (Hebrews 11:13, 16). This earth may be our temporary home but it truly should feel like an unfamiliar place. Our home is in that city which God is preparing for us! Aren’t you looking forward to the day when we will go there?

Of Beheading Kings and Loving People

I learned something interesting this last week. The French Revolution was a time in which the people of France rose up against the upper classes and monarchy of France. There were a lot of factors that led to the revolution, although historians are still unsure exactly why it happened. But it did. And this revolution lead to the “reign of terror,” during which 17,000 citizens of France were executed. In 1793, in the same month that Marie Antoinette was beheaded, a mob gathered in front of the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, calling for the heads of more kings. Across the front of the cathedral were the busts of 28 kings. Assuming the busts represented French kings, they tied ropes around them, pulled them off the church, drug them to a guillotine, and beheaded them. The amusing part, however, is that those kings were not French kings at all. They represented the kings of Judah from the Old Testament!

How often do we do something similar. I’m not saying that any of us go out and behead statues of kings but how often do we jump to conclusions about something or someone without knowing all of the facts? Most arguments and fights occur when we fail to understand where the other person is coming from. Jesus told His disciples in the upper room shortly before His crucifixion: “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:34, 35). Let’s try to gather the facts before jumping to conclusions and learn to love the way Jesus loved. This is the greatest way to witness to the world around us.

Airport Reunions

Have you ever noticed the emotions exhibited at an airport? I was in one recently and couldn’t help but notice the different people. There’s usually a level of the terminal for departures, and you notice the people who are being dropped off. There’s often hugs and tears and kisses as the person reluctantly picks up their luggage and walks through the door. But then there’s the level just outside of the baggage claim, where you also discover hugs and tears and kisses. But these look really different and are for completely different reasons. These are tears of joy as families and friends are reunited after a painful absence.

They say that absence makes the heart grow fonder. This may be true. But I also can’t wait for the day when goodbye isn’t in our vocabulary and a joyful reunion is simply a distant memory. And that day will be when the greatest reunion of all will take place. There’s a song sung by the Gaither Vocal Band where the second verse opens with: “You left a group of fishermen / Somehow you left me too.” We may not have had the privilege of walking and talking with Jesus while He was on earth, but we miss Him just the same. And someday soon, the eastern sky will burst open and “The Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first” (1 Thessalonians 4:16). We will be reunited, never more to part. Don’t you look forward to that day?

No More Death

The world is very different today from what it was last week. Last Thursday, Russia launched a large-scale invasion of the Ukraine, beginning a series of responses from the rest of the world. Various countries have provided aid to Ukraine while others have imposed restrictions on Russia. Well over one hundred people have died within the last week as a result of the conflict. And people are scared. There’s a lot of apprehension that this war may turn into something more. Reading the news feels like reading the words of Jesus in Matthew 24: “You will hear of wars and rumors of wars.... For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom” (Matthew 24:6, 7). In the middle of the ellipsis, however, Jesus says this: “See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass” (Matthew 24:6).

Jesus spoke these words as He was describing the world as it nears His second coming. We are not promised peace or safety while still on this earth. But very soon we will get to go home. We will get to go to the place where God says that “(He) will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away” (Revelation 21:4). Looking at the pain and suffering and tragedy all around us makes me long for Him to create that new heaven and new earth. Won’t you join me in praying for those who are effected by this current conflict as well as praying for the day when war and strife will be no more?

The Most Exciting Supper

Have you ever thought about how important food is in our culture? I read something the other day about people having dinner parties without food and it just sounded sad. If we want to meet up with friends or have an important meeting with someone, going to lunch or dinner or even breakfast is a normal way to do it. We socialize, discuss things, and make business decisions while we eat.

I’m really not sure how this started but I do know we’ve done it for a while. In fact, we find the same pattern emerging throughout the Bible. I think of Abraham inviting his guests, which turned out to be Jesus and two angels, to eat with him. I think of David and Mephibosheth, Esther and Xerxes, and of course, Jesus and the many times we find Him eating with people. But the most exciting supper of all is mentioned by an angel in the book of Revelation: “Then he said to me, ‘Write: “Blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb!”’” (Revelation 19:9). The book concludes, three chapters later, with an invitation to each one of us to attend that supper. Won’t you accept that invitation today?

Of Love and Dead Ferns

I’m pretty sure the fern behind me is dead. It’s ok, though, because it lasted longer than I thought it would. We bought it at IKEA shortly after moving here to bring something alive into my office. It has since showed up in my Zoom calls and provided a bumper when I roll my chair back too far. As I look at it right now, however, the leaves have pretty much all turned brown and it’s looking dry and shriveled. I really don’t have anyone to blame for this other than myself. You see, as much as I wanted to take care of it, I’ve kind of failed. I remember to water it every couple of weeks at best and I end up leaving the blinds closed over the closest window because of its glare on my computer screen. So I’ve literally starved it of the two most important ingredients for success. I’ve tried giving it more water and sunshine recently but I’m afraid it’s too late.

This week many of us celebrated Valentine’s Day. It’s a day set aside to show those who are important to us that we love them. It gives us an excuse to give gifts or go out to dinner. This is great, but it’s not something that should be done only once a year. If we wait until Valentine’s Day to say “I love you” or to give tangible expressions of appreciation, then we’re starving our loved ones a lot like I’ve starved my fern. On the night before Jesus’ death, He told His disciples: “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:34, 35). Don’t just show your love once a year. Take care of your loved ones and your relationships will thrive - unlike my fern. Excuse me while I dump some more water on it in hopes it’ll change its mind and come back to life.

A Perfect Score

The other night I was watching the Olympics. The men’s super giant slalom, a part of alpine skiing, was on. The sport basically combines the speed of downhill skiing with the technical turning of the giant slalom. There are a series of gates that the athletes must pass through as they try to make it down the hill as fast as possible. The skiers race down the hill at incredible speeds as they try to win the gold medal. I was amazed at how close the competition was. In fact, the American skier who won the silver medal had a total time only four one-hundredths of a second longer than the Austrian who won and only beat the Norwegian bronze medalist by forty-two hundredths of a second. Those are incredibly close scores!

As I was thinking about it, I started thinking about another prize we are striving for. It’s not an olympic medal but rather the gift of eternal life and a future of dwelling with God! But, much like the Olympics, a little mistake could cost us everything. Even a sin as small as a four hundredth second delay could keep us out of heaven. That seems discouraging, since the Bible tells us that every one of us has sinned. But it doesn’t stop there! “Therefore, as through one man’s offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man’s righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life” (Romans 5:18). Paul, of course, is talking about the death of Jesus through which His perfect life was imputed to us. Because of His death, our score doesn’t count anymore, whether it was 4 hundredths of a second or 4 minutes off. Through Him, we have a perfect score and can win the prize set before us. Won’t you accept that free gift today?

This One Thing

Every two years, the world pauses. All eyes turn towards a common event while a diversity of athletes compete for the gold. I’m talking, of course, about the Olympics. Ever since the revival of the modern Olympics in 1896, only three games have been canceled and one delayed and this weekend, the Winter Olympics in Beijing will begin. Around 2,900 athletes will compete in 109 events over the course of 17 days. These athletes represent the best in their sport. I can’t even imagine the kind of dedication and sacrifice that has led each one to this moment. The hours of training, the opportunities and distractions passed over, the focus solely on the goal: compete and win in the Olympic Games.

As I think about the various athletes and all that it takes for them to make it to the Olympics, I think about the words of the Apostle Paul. He compared his life as a Christian to that of an athlete: “Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:13, 14). As you watch the olympians over the next couple of weeks, ask yourself how you can become more like them. We aren’t training or competing for an earthly medal. We are striving for the prize of the call of God! Isn’t that worth dedicating our lives to?

The Scammer

I read an interesting article in the Washington Post the other day. It told the story of Jean, a 73-year-old retired 911-dispatcher who lives on Long Island. She got a phone call one day from someone claiming to be her grandson. He was in jail for drunk driving and needed help posting an $8,000 bond. Well, Jean knew immediately the person was a scammer because none of her grandchildren even drive! But she decided to play along and see how it turned out. After several phone calls, she told him to have his bail bondsman come to her house and pick up the money. She then called the police. When the man showed up, she handed him an envelope stuffed with paper towels. As soon as he walked away, the police ran after him and arrested him.

Unfortunately, scamming senior citizens is a 3-billion-dollar business for criminals. I’m glad that Jean was able to spot the scam and take at least one of those criminals out of business. These scammers remind me of another scammer, however, who targets all of us. The Apostle Peter put it this way: “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour” (1 Peter 5:8). He may not call you up on the phone asking for $8,000, but he is always just a thought away, whispering suggestions into your ear. Don’t fall for his scams! Immediately call the Heavenly Police for back-up - after all, He’s only a prayer away.

Reflect the Light

I love snow. Over the last couple of weeks we’ve been blanketed by the stuff a couple of times and I’ve been reminded of that fact. Now, if I were still living in Alaska, having had it for four or five months, I probably would be tired of it. But since I’m not, I’ve appreciated the recent snow falls. One thing that I especially like about snow is how it lightens everything up. Even under a cloudy sky (which Pittsburgh seems to prefer this time of year), the snow could almost fool you into thinking it was sunny and cause you to involuntarily pull out your sunglasses. And at night, even when it’s overcast and moonless, any little bit of light gets amplified until you can see as well as if it were dusk instead of midnight.

Looking outside at a snow-covered vista reminds me of something. It’s something Jesus said during his sermon on the mount. “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:16). Now, why would Jesus say that your good works would cause people to glorify God? It’s simple really. You don’t have any good works of your own, and humans are smart enough to know that. The good we have must be coming from another source. We are just like a snow-blanketed landscape. The snow itself has no light, yet because it reflects the light shining on it, it can make the whole world seem brighter. It’s the same with us. We have no light of our own, but as we reflect the light of Christ, shining on our hearts, we can make the world seem a little brighter. Won’t you begin reflecting that light today?