“The Margin of Real Rest”

(By Thor Knutstad)

As I write today’s weekly blog, I am reading the comments of many disappointed people. Adults wanted a day off at home. Kids wanted a snow day from school. Many businesses and schools were closed.  People throughout our region had braced for “Winter Storm Juno” – which was ‘supposed to’ (and let me emphasize SUPPOSED TO) dump a foot or two of snow in blizzard-like fashion over the entire North Eastern United States and here in the Greater Philadelphia Region. It did not. It was a bust. In the words of teens these days, “Fail.”  Actually, “Epic Fail” seems more appropriate. In the throes of expectation and disappointment, here are a few simple observations that I have made today:

 Don’t judge what you and others don’t know.

 People really do want reasons to rest and be at home.

Don’t judge what you don’t know.  The meteorologists got it wrong about the snowstorm. So what?  99.9% of the time they actually get it very right. Maybe the fear and hype of HOW PEOPLE RESPOND to snow shows that they really do want the weatherman to be correct. This was a storm that had a lot of room for meteorological error. And maybe we should be grateful that it isn’t worse. Lives are actually saved without recognizing it. We judge and we blame for what we do not really understand or fully comprehend.  This is wrong and ought not to be. But it’s more than wrong judgment and disappointed expectations.  Many crave something that is treasured, yet not really utilized or lived out.

People want real reasons to rest and stay home.  Rest is something very foreign to our busy, pleasure idolatrous culture. We cannot sit still and just talk, laugh, read or rest.  We leave NO MARGIN for ponder, thought or imagination. Our minds are distracted by an endless array of media, sights, sounds, internet, information, to do lists, social media (yes, Facebook), tablets, movies, games, apps and smart-phones that ALL subtly deceive us into thinking we are connected to others. These tools aren’t evils, and are useful secondary things, until they are abused and distract us from primary things.  When they drive our minds and bodies away from real rest, we crave someone or something to make us rest.  We want something to be done for us because we sinfully (yes, I said that) live in modes of extreme exhaustion and the busyness of “marginlessness” (my new word).  A big snowstorm puts loved ones together with lots of food and laughter and TIME and closes the door on outside activities – ENDLESS ACTIVITIES of BUSYNESS.  The disappointment isn’t just a sign of wrong expectations.  It’s an indicator of the crave of rest.  And remember people – it’s not even February.  There’s still time for snow.  Winter isn’t over.  But make time for the margin of real rest.

What is Jesus Doing Today?

(By Diego Cuartas)

I am getting emotional thinking about what Jesus said in John 17:26, in speaking about his desire concerning his disciples, as He interacts with God, his Father:

“I made known to them your name, and I will continue to make it known, that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and in them.”

Jesus promised that He will continue to make known to you and I the Name of his Father. He also indicates the reason He will continue to do that is so that we will experience the love his Father has had for him. Furthermore, Jesus wants us to get caught up with him in this love he and his Father have going on!

One thing for sure Jesus is doing today is that He insists in making the name of his Father known to us, to you, to me.

Do you find interesting that Jesus wants to reveal the name of his Father to us? Why not go to the point and say he wants to reveal his Father to us? The way Jesus is expressing his intentions is consistent with the way God would be understood in the Old Testament times. The name was a way to refer to the person, the whole person. The name embodied the character of that person. Thus, God would reveal himself through different names.

Whatever your circumstances may be today, you can be sure that one of Jesus' intensions is to continue revealing what his Father is like to you so that you can be rooted in his love.

I encourage you to reflect today about ways in which Jesus is revealing his Father to you in the midst of your situations. Then see if you can connect that to the reality of God's love for you.

For instance, this morning as I was getting ready for the day, I noticed my mind was quickly going to places where I was being critical of several individuals--almost like obsessed with the thoughts that were going through my mind. As I sat for a few minutes and open my heart to God in prayer something happened. I sensed that the Holy Spirit was saying to me "Diego, you are on a dark path right now....let's turn that to praying for those individuals instead." So I did. The Holy Spirit, whom the Father and Jesus have sent to dwell in those who believe, was revealing the compassionate nature of the Father which is contrary to my judgmental heart. In this experience, I was sensing God's love for me and for others. it was beautiful and I am thankful for this God-moment.

May you know God today and be rooted in his love in deeper ways.

YOU WON’T CHOOSE ME

(By Tammy Vaughn)

Recently my band, Dana Isles and Facedown, went to Knoxville, TN to record a six song EP.  When you record a song you tend to hear it over and over again.  As I listened to it over and over again, the words to one of the songs got me thinking about a lot of areas of life and the people in those areas.

The song is called “You Won’t Choose Me.” It is written from God’s perspective of how He (Jesus) pursues us and loves us yet we don’t choose Him.  When I first heard it I thought it was very sad.  In fact, I still think it’s sad because the song does a great job of highlighting how some people simply do not choose Jesus.  Some of the words to the song are the following:

“Many are Called, Called to follow Him but a very few choose to believe

I have chosen you but you won’t choose me

I try, try, try to make you love me, but you won’t choose me,

I can’t stop thinking of you, but you won’t choose me,

I knock, knock, knock and you won’t answer, you won’t choose me,

I just want to tell you that I paid your ransom but you won’t choose me

What more can I do to get through to you

You just don’t realize for you I suffered and died

To prove, I love you.”

This song hits me between the eyes every time.  In fact, I get teased some because I cry almost every time I hear it.  The simple Gospel is that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us.  Since that is the case, why is it that many people choose to reject the things of God, His Word, His guidance, His pursuit of them to follow their own sinful desires?  I mean honestly it had me examining myself to see in what areas I reject the things of God.  

At times, I think it is very easy to reject God and not even know you are doing it, but what I have been saddened by recently is that there are some who willingly choose to reject God’s commands.  Often this is because God’s commands keep them from pursuing what they think they want.  Following God is simply not what they want to do.  Some of the rationalizations are as follows:

• It’s okay to violate God’s commands because I am tired of my life the way it is.
• God can’t really expect this of me because it goes against the grain of what society thinks is acceptable.
• I want to party, live it up gratify my evil selfish desires, after all, God wants me to be happy. Right?

Whatever happened to following God’s commands and honoring Him no matter what our desires are?  I realize it is hard to follow God at times; however, it is the way we show him that we love him.  The Bible says in John 14:15, “If you love me you will keep My commandments.”  We show our love to God by keeping His commandments.  So if we don’t keep His commandments, then we love something or someone else more.

My heart breaks because as I reflect I have realized that many - NOT ALL - but many of the situations I encounter on a day-to-day basis stem from choices being made to gratify self, turning away from God’s commandments and the promises He makes to us as believers in His Word.  The other heart breaker is that there are some that God is chasing and pursuing, yet the response given is to ignore Him.  Flat out reject and ignore Him.  Many wonder why, while they have exchanged the truth of God for a lie, they are living a miserable life.  Often God’s best is given up for insanity- repeated cycles of un-health that do not stop and contain one defeat after another, powerless living instead of powerful ability to live out the calling Jesus has on each of our lives.

The sad part of all of this is that there are consequences for these choices both in the here and now and in eternity.  Often times we are in a mess because of our own choices.  While in the mess we choose to reject God’s commands, making the situation worse or more complex.  It’s frustrating to watch and realize that we each have free will and make our own choices.  God can and wants to help us make the right choices. “He wants to give you power from on high but we don’t choose Him.”

It’s time to reflect on where we are in this.  So where are you?  Are there areas in your life or mine that we reject God?  Are there those around us that are choosing the world’s view or their own sinful desires over God’s desires and commands?  Does it break our heart?  Do we pray for them?  Do we prayerfully confront sin?  The Gospel of Jesus Christ is alive and well, giving power to all that believe.  So let’s live like our lives and others depend on it!

“Choose Me” copyright Dana R. Isles 2011