Sing In The Light » I Saw God Today

Ribbons

Keith — Fri, 07 Jan 2011 15:43:44 +0000

Yesterday I got news that a friend had passed away. Not a close friend, but more than an acquaintance. It is interesting because this morning I am still trying to figure out my reactions. For certain I am happy for him, for I know he was suffering in his battle against cancer. After that suffering is no more. But I am sad because I have no idea of his spiritual well-being. Had he accepted Christ? What opportunities did I miss to share Christ with him, to step out in boldness and ask?

This morning I read this quote -

“Each day comes bearing its gifts. Untie the ribbons.”
– Ruth Ann Schabacher

God, please grant me the eyes to see Your gifts, and the courage to untie the ribbons. Every person that I encounter today is a gift.

And I am reminded of these words from Stephen Grellet -

“I shall pass through this world but once.
Any good, therefore, that I can show to any human being,
let me do it now.
Let me not defer nor neglect it,
for I shall not pass this way again.”
–Stephen Grellet

I Can Share

Keith — Tue, 07 Dec 2010 16:47:23 +0000

This morning I was a bit behind in my work and didn’t get the recycling bins out at my usual time. As I’m working away I hear the clinking of glass and make a frantic bee-line for our recycle bins and rush out the door to see the recycling truck at our walkway. Now, I don’t know about you, but my experience is that the people doing the recycling and the garbage pickup aren’t typically the most social people. It’s early. It’s raining. It’s cold. And, well, it’s garbage. At any rate this gentleman was nice. I asked him if it was going to be a busy day and we talked for a couple minutes about his route. He smiled the whole time and I think he enjoyed the conversation.

Reflecting on that, it reminds me of the words from Tim Hansel in his book ‘You Gotta Keep Dancin’. I know I’ve shared these words before, but I can never read them enough. I need to make more time to share and not always be in a rush here and there. I’m sure the recycling guy that I talked to can’t dilly-dally and talk with everyone on his route, but you know, he made my morning. Maybe I made his.

There isn’t much that I can do,
but I can share my bread with you,
and sometimes share a sorrow, too—
as on our way we go.

There isn’t much that I can do,
but I can sit an hour with you,
and I can share a joke with you,
and sometimes share reverses, too—
as on our way we go.

There isn’t much that I can do,
but I can share my flowers with you,
and I can share my books with you
and sometimes share your burdens, too—
as on our way we go.

There isn’t much that I can do,
but I can share my songs with you,
and I can share my mirth with you,
and sometimes come and laugh with you—
as on our way we go.

There isn’t much that I can do,
but I can share my hopes with you,
and I can share my fears with you,
and sometimes shed tears with you—
as on our way we go.

There isn’t much that I can do,
but I can share my friends with you,
and I can share my life with you,
and oftentimes share a prayer with you—
as on our way we go.

AUTHOR UNKNOWN
from Tim Hansel, You Gotta Keep Dancin‘

Muda

Keith — Wed, 20 Oct 2010 13:45:37 +0000

There might be some research needed on my part to find out if it is acceptable for me to have one of my first thoughts of the morning being of Justin Bieber singing ‘Baby’. Not sure where that came from and I’m still having trouble erasing the image and audio.

More importantly, I also got to thinking about waste. It started out with my recollection of throwing out some old salad yesterday from our fridge. Then I thought about waste from those salad bars in grocery stores. Which expanded to the waste that goes on in groceries stores in general. A lot of waste comes from making sure that you and I have only the finest, freshest produce and groceries. Really, where does all that unbought egg nog go? Those peeps from Easter?

From grocery store waste then I thought about the waste from manufacturing processes. Not just the physical waste that is a byproduct of the endless manufacturing a given product, but also the less measurable waste of time, or motion. The Japanese call it “muda” but that brings up a whole ‘nother discussion for some other day.

Where I ended up was thinking about my spiritual waste. If I could assess all of yesterday, how much energy and effort and time did I use that is of no benefit to the building up of His kingdom? Can I measure that? Would I want to measure that? Would I want to know?

My answer is “no”. What I think of wasted energy and effort and time probably has some merit and validity. Yet I must not underestimate His omnipotence and omniscience. Yesterday I know I spent time in what may have been idle chatter with clients, potential clients, and friends. Maybe God desired that idle chatter to build or strengthen a bond. The time I spent waiting for my dog to decide if he wanted to go out, or if he was ready to come in? Maybe that was a reinforcement of my own patience. Time in the car? The time in front of the TV?

One of the challenges before you and I is to let go of trying to justify not only our actions but also our “wasted” time before God. I’m sure God weeps at many of the things I do that I think are useful to Him, just as much as He is disappointed when I interrupt some of His other, long range efforts that appear to me only as small, irrelevant moments of time, energy and effort. That appear to me to be waste. To be idle moments. The best I can hope for is the ability to discern when and where He wants me. And I can’t do that without daily asking for GRACE and assistance from His spirit, and seeking His Word and the fellowship of saints.

“God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.”
– Reinhold Niebuhr (American theologian, 1892-1971)

But Bieber at 5:00am? Still wondering.

Gladness

Keith — Wed, 15 Sep 2010 13:24:48 +0000

Last night I finished reading a book, ‘Notes from the Dog’, by Gary Paulsen. Second book in a row that I’d read because a dog plays a major part. Second book in a row that has cancer as a main player in the story. That was not intentional. Yet, as I was several pages into the second book, and especially as I finished it, I asked myself why? To my knowledge I don’t have anyone in my immediate surroundings that this topic would apply to (not counting survivors). But I know there was a purpose. Perhaps preparation for somewhere down the line.

The interesting thing about experiences we go through is the we rarely know at the time how God might use them later. Not that I don’t have experiences where in that moment all I can think is “this sucks big time.” Like when my dad’s father passed away; or when I nearly cut off the tip of my finger; or when we put our dog Huey down. Oh, there are many more. (Why are those easier for me to recall than those moments that I never wanted to end? That’s another topic, I guess). Yet God, by His grace, has gifted each of us with the abilities of perspective and reflection and recovery.

FAITH WHEN DARKNESS COMES
by Preston Clark

When the night kneels down by your bed
In the time of your sadness,
Remember O child of the mountains
This word of the law:
The night is the shadow of God
Who made you for gladness,
And your sorrows are less than your strength
Which He foresaw.

May you find strength in God today for your own challenges, remembering that you are made for gladness. We will have moments where our only question is, “really, God, this is a moment I’m going to want to look back on?”. But hear these words from Psalm 31:7-8 – “I will be glad and rejoice in your love, for you saw my affliction and knew the anguish of my soul. You have not handed me over to the enemy but have set my feet in a spacious place.”

GLADNESS! It is not easy, but is the way of our people. Better yet, it is not to be held onto, but to be shared.

Near The Light

Keith — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 14:17:58 +0000

This morning as I was wrestling with whether I was actually ready to get out of bed, my eyes kept looking at a projection on the wall I was facing. There was just enough light from the moon outside that it would shine through the trees and paint a framed silhouette on the wall. Then, when the wind would pick up, not only could I hear the leaves rustling in the trees outside our room, but I could see them dance as well. It was cool.

As I lay there, I was wondering what God was sharing with me. I thought of this and that. Of people to pray for. But I still wasn’t sure those were the reasons for what I was seeing on the wall this morning. So, finally I realized I just was not going to go back to sleep and I got up and started my morning routine. Not that the time in prayer was bad, but I was losing focus as I began thinking of things I needed to accomplish in the hours to come.

At my computer, I read this as part of my morning devotional routine:

“It is no advantage to be near the light if the eyes are closed.”
–Augustine

What? How amazing! It made me realize that if I had not lain in bed this morning, captivated by the “show” on the wall in my room, in most likelihood I may not have spent time in prayer this morning. Or at least I may not have prayed for what I did. And certainly not at the time I did. I May not have spent time in wonder, trying to listen for His desire. I would have been near the light, but my eyes would have remained closed.

What good is it for me to walk through my days and nights, knowing God is near me, but not taking the time to open my eyes and look?

Now, if you were me, you would be asking yourself if the act of looking is “voluntary” or “involuntary”? It’s just the way my mind thinks and desires to learn. I would be curious to know what percentage of our day is spent with our eyes open? When they are open, they look. That is simply what they do, what they are designed for. So I would think that looking would be an involuntary action. However, the act of interpreting those visions would be voluntary. Right?

God gave us lots of things to look at. But each of us must make a decision on what we do with what we see. God is dancing and singing and revealing Himself to me and to you constantly, but I/we have to CHOOSE to see Himself revealed. It’s like those puzzles where you have to find the hidden objects in the photo. They are there, and your eye sees them over and over again as you search. But it is not until you focus your thought that the objects are revealed. Hopefully.

May your eyes and mine be open today to God’s glory revealed. He is there. He is not hiding.

A New Heart

Keith — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 14:51:34 +0000

“May today there be peace within.
May you trust God that you are exactly where you are meant to be.
May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith.
May you use those gifts that you have received, and pass on the love that has been given to you.
May you be confident knowing you are a child of God. Let this presence settle into your bones,
and allow your soul the freedom to sing, dance, praise and love.
It is there for each and every one of us.”
–Teresa of Ávila

This morning I was reading an update from a friend of mine who was blessed to receive a new heart just about 4 weeks ago. While I do not know if he is a believer, it is interesting to read his expression of his thoughts. It is a blessing that he is sharing his gratitude for his new opportunity, and his struggles that someone else lost their life in order to that he may extend his.

I can only imagine, and I pray that my imagination will suffice, what it must feel like to wake up and realize that someone else’s heart is beating inside of your chest.

As a believer, that was a hard sentence to type without pausing. Shouldn’t I know what it feels like, not physically, but mentally? I SHOULD KNOW!

My mind is recalling the visual image from Robert Munger’s book ‘My Heart, Christ Home’. And I am imagining my heart being given over to Christ bit by bit. My heart becoming His. I should know the fullness of having a heart transplant. A spiritual heart transplant! The heart that beats in this chest should not be my own, but His. Is that not the journey that each of us are on, giving our whole heart over to our Creator?

So, I am rereading the quote above, and that fourth line grabs me, “May you use those gifts that you have received, and pass on the love that has been given to you”.

This morning I am reminded that when I accepted Christ, He gave me a new heart. A gift. My brain has been slow to realize this fully and to know what I am capable of with Christ’s heart inside of me. May this day, and each day, be an opportunity for me to grow in knowing what His heart inside of me is can do.

In His service,
Keith

PS… my friend, in his last message, also shared that during the surgery they cut the nerve connecting his heart to his brain, in order for there to be no communication between the brain and the new heart. The nerve may regenerate over time, he says. I wonder if the same thing happens when we accept Christ into our hearts. I can only imagine how much my brain would try to reject the messages coming from a new and radically different heart. And yet, over time I think that communication link regenerates.

Wild Fingers

Keith — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 21:33:02 +0000

You all may find this not the least bit interesting, but I’m going to share it anyway.

I was just writing an email to an individual and as I was typing away I unconsciously typed an uppercase “Him” instead of a lowercase “him” as it should have been. No part of the email I was composing was spiritual, so why would my little fingers type “Him”?

The best thing I could think was that maybe my fingers knew that I needed to take a moment and think about Him. Nothing profound. Just an appropriate interruption to a crazy afternoon.

Okay, wanna hear something equally probably unimportant to you? I was typing the email to an individual named Micah. I didn’t even make that connection until my “typo”. Wonder if I’m now supposed go look at something in Micah now? Okay, so, being wild and crazy I just did a random Google search on Micah and the first thing that popped up was Micah 6:8.

“He has showed you, O man, what is good.
And what does the LORD require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy
and to walk humbly with your God.”

The ways that God moves in our lives to get our attention is nothing less than amazing.

Burning Huts

Keith — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 14:06:49 +0000

This morning I have been continuing to work on a concept for a book that a friend and I have come up with. Part of that process has taken me back many years and has me reading over the ramblings I have had and shared. Wow, words are so powerful because they can have unique meanings depending on where the reader is at in his or her life, and depending on what God chooses to open their eyes to.

Following is something that I came across this morning. It struck me this morning because nearly daily it seems that something will happen to me that goes contrary to my intended purpose. Not talking a catastrophic event here, just a lower case “shoot” or “dang”. And yet, sometimes moments later (if I am lucky), I come to be thankful for the “mishap”. So, like yesterday we were making dinner and were missing a key ingredient. Which meant I needed to go to the store. Shoot! Not exactly in the plans. Yet, as I am checking out of the store I got to see the daughter of one of our friends and congratulate her on her high school graduation over the weekend. Cool! I need to remember that in all things God has a purpose. He has His own timing.

“A lone shipwreck survivor on an uninhabited island managed to build a rude hut in which he placed all that he had saved from the sinking ship. He prayed to God for deliverance, and anxiously scanned the horizon each day to hail any passing ship. One day he was horrified to find his hut in flames. All that he had was gone. To the man’s limited vision, it was the worst that could happen and he cursed God. Yet the very next day a ship arrived. ‘We saw your smoke signal,’ the captain said.”
– Walter Heiby

As I re-read those words for about the fourth or fifth time this morning one word jumps out at me this: prayer. Well, now two things: the man cursed God and yet God still honored his prayer. Sure, this story is probably made up, but I think it is also a subtle reminder to me that God looks at my heart and not my immediate reaction to “tragedies” in my day, in my life.

Distant Kisses

Keith — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 15:10:35 +0000

“You can kiss your family and friends good-bye and put miles between you,
But at the same time you carry them with you in your heart, your mind, your stomach,
Because you do not just live in a world but a world lives in you.”
- Frederick Buechner, Telling the Truth

Wow! Ain’t that the truth. This morning I saw two different Facebook “updates” from two friends that I have that are now in Morocco. They are from two different times in my life, yet it is amazing that we can stay in contact so easily. That’s a little different than what Buechner was talking about, I think. Yet seeing those updates on Facebook reminded me of Buechner’s words that I read in ‘The Shack’ last night.

So this morning I am reminded of all the friends that I carry in “my heart, my mind and my stomach”. Those that are miles or years away, and also those who have passed from this world. They linger inside of me as rays of sunshine, and joy.

Each of us is wonderfully made with a very small degree of transcending time. Not quite the way He does, but still powerful and only by His grace.

May you carry with you today the smiles, smells and joys of someone who is far away.

“Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck,
Write them on the tablet of your heart.” – Proverbs 3:3

Blade of Grass

Keith — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 13:56:11 +0000

“There is not one blade of grass, there is no color in this world that is not intended to make us rejoice.”
-John Calvin

Taking in these words this morning, and some of the things in a bible study lesson, I am reminded of the two things: The Garden of Eden, and Heaven.

The image I have of both is that they were created for one thing: places where you and I can fully glorify God. They are not places like here and now where I am distracted by stuff and weighed down by my own sin. They are places where “every blade of grass is intended to make me rejoice”. Sorry, but that doesn’t happen for me here. Here, every blade of grass is waiting to be mowed. Sorry, but I just don’t see God everywhere. And that is not true fellowship with God as He intended.

So the challenge before me today is to see God in perhaps a place I have not seen Him before.

“Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the LORD God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the LORD God among the trees of the garden.” – Genesis 3:8

I could be totally wrong, but this is a different picture than the one of Moses hiding in the cliff, unable to look at God in His fullness.

For now, let me see the blade of grass for its intended purpose: to make me rejoice in Him.

Keith