Knowing God's Love

Ephesians 3:17b-19

And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge —that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

My daughter will be a sophomore in high school this fall and has been busy lately with a required summer reading list. One of the books she must read is called What Smart Students Know. I found that title intriguing. While other study guides tell you what to DO, this book starts with what you need to KNOW. The presumption is that knowledge is the basis for all action.

It made me think about knowing compared to doing in our walk with Christ. We are eager to serve the Lord and lead others, but first we need to know God. So what do we need to know? For starters, we need to know God’s love.

God’s love is intimate and personal. In love, God created the world, and in love, God created you. God designed and formed you with and through His love. In love, He made you wonderfully. He knitted you together with great intent and boundless love. Because of His love, God knows every thought that is on your mind and every desire that is in your heart. In love, He sent His son to die for you. You were on His mind when He made that plan and carried it through. He did it for you because His love is faithful and trustworthy. God’s love never fails.

There is a certain irony here, though: we are told to know God’s love, but we are also told it is so wide, long, deep, and high that we cannot grasp it! It is infinite – there are not tools to measure it and there are hardly words to describe it. God’s love is so unique, it surpasses our ability to understand it. So how can we know it?

I looked up the word know in the dictionary and found the definition “to perceive with certainty, to establish in the mind, to recognize and distinguish from other things.” I asked myself if I could apply this definition to my knowledge of God. Sure, I have memorized plenty of facts about God, but do I perceive Him with certainty in the circumstances of my life? Is He established on my mind and in my heart? Do I recognize Him despite the situations I encounter, and can I distinguish Him when I am in the midst of trouble?

My life would be different if I focused on grasping the extent of God’s love rather than the extent of my problems. I want to know God’s love, not just as a fact in my brain, but as a basis for all my attitudes and actions. His love is everlasting and beyond comprehension and that’s exactly what I need. We don’t have to have all the answers, we just have to know and trust that He does. And we just need to remember that He always, always loves.

Lord God, You know us and You love us. We thank You for calling us to know You. Through Your word, through prayer, and through fellowship and worship, we come to know You. Lord, reveal Yourself to us and show us Your love so that we know it, recognize it, and never forget it. Thank You that Your love is so amazing that it is beyond our understanding. Let Your love be the very foundation of who we are and the basis for all we do. In Jesus’ name we pray…AMEN.

Experiencing Trouble

John 16:33

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace.

In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

Last Saturday, I ran The Melon Dash 5K in downtown McKinney. The race is held every year in August, and every year the hot weather is tortuous.

Somewhere around the first mile marker, I came up to a man running with his young daughter. The girl looked like she was around seven years old and was putting forth a great effort, but she did not look happy. I wondered if she had been eager before the race began – enthusiastic to go on this journey with her dad – or if instead she had been dragged into it by her father. Regardless, she looked discouraged. I ran alongside of them, smiled, and said (exact quote): “It’s always hard, but in the end you will be glad you did it.” As soon as I said it, I regretted my words. Always hard? What kind of encouragement was that? I had just told a new runner that participating in a 5K would ALWAYS be a problem.

Later, I started to think that however blunt and awkward my words were, maybe they actually were true. After all, if you are a competitive runner, shouldn’t a 5K always be hard? If it’s not hard, aren’t you doing something wrong? And even if you are a little child who isn’t running competitively, isn’t three miles a long way to go?

I thought about what Jesus said to His disciples the night before He died: In this world you will have trouble. Jesus was speaking of something far more serious and enduring than a 5K though. He was speaking of what we would face in a life lived for Him. He gave a certain warning that trouble and difficulty would arise.

But immediately, Jesus followed it with encouragement. He told the disciples and likewise us to take courage, be confident, be certain, and be undaunted. Jesus promised that He has overcome the world; His words, according to the original language translation, literally mean that He has deprived the world of power to harm us.

What do these words mean for us in the midst of our troubles? The very One who overcame death on the cross is able and willing to see you through your problems, no matter how big, enduring, or complicated they are. No matter what you face, He can and will provide peace in Him. You are safe with Him. You are safe ONLY in Him. He has overcome the world. Let’s go to Him now.

Dear Jesus, the problems in my life are not going away and sometimes I see no way out of them. Please help me with what I am facing today. Lord, You said that You give us Your word so that we may have peace. Please fill me to overflowing with Your peace. Remind me that You have overcome the world and that the problems I face are not new to You. Nothing is bigger than You. In your strong name I pray…AMEN.

Running From Problems

1 Kings 19:3-4

Elijah was afraid and ran for his life. When he came to Beersheba in Judah,

he left his servant there, while he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness.

He came to a broom bush, sat down under it and prayed that he might die.

“I have had enough, Lord,” he said. “Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors.”

Running as fast as you can is supposed to be a good thing. If you are a competitive runner, it is a priority; you know that speed plus endurance yields results. The longer you can endure a fast pace, the better your chances of succeeding in the race.

In the case of Elijah, though, running fast was not a good thing. He wasn’t running to train or improve his fitness; he was running in terror because he believed his life depended upon it. An evil person was pursuing him so that she could kill him. Elijah thought he had nowhere to turn, and so he ran.

When I first read Elijah’s story, I have to admit I was a little critical of him. After all, Elijah was God’s prophet and had personally witnessed God’s amazing power in his life. So why did Elijah forget that and take off on this terrified journey? He ran alone in the wilderness, leaving behind any companionship, presumably with no food or water. He ran himself ragged, and only then did he talk to God about his problem.

And then it hit me: why am I critical of Elijah when I typically do the same thing? In the face of my fears, I turn and flee like Elijah did. Even though I have witnessed God’s love, provision, and power in my life, I bolt away from Him when times get tough. I run through the wilderness rather than turning to Him for help. I run until the fear of the situation becomes bigger than the original problem.

What I need to remember is what happened next in Elijah’s story: as soon as Elijah called upon God for help, God sent him an angel to tend to his every need. I need to remember that the God who loved Elijah is the same God who loves me. He is my Father, He miraculously provides for me, and He is bigger than any problem I face. His love abounds; His power has no end; His mercy never fails. God is with me no matter where I run.

God loves and cherishes you beyond what you can even imagine. He wants to draw you into His love, grace, and protection. He seeks to bless you abundantly. Stop running on your own.

Lord God, You alone are bigger than any problem I will ever face. You have the power to rescue me when things seem hopeless. Help me to turn to You first, not last. Help me when my fears become larger than my problems. Remind me of the countless times you have delivered me, and help me remember there are no limits to You helping me again. Forgive me for all the times I forget that Your power is limitless and that You can overcome absolutely everything that threatens me. Open my eyes to the angels You have put in my life that provide for me. Thank You for loving me perfectly and completely. In Jesus’ name I pray…AMEN.  

Being Held by God's Hand

Psalm 73:23-24

Nevertheless, I am continually with you; you hold my right hand.

 You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will receive me to glory.

One of the best aspects of a running community is the companionship. Runners train together, race together, hang out together, and support each other with encouragement and wisdom. Runners understand each other and share in both victories and struggles.

Sometimes, though, in the midst of a group, a person can feel alone. Sometimes when I am going through a personal struggle, I look around at fellow runners, and I think I’m the only one with troubles. I know it’s not true, but I choose to believe it anyway, and then my head and my heart become a breeding ground for envy. I look at people who are better athletes than I, and I wish I could do what they do. I see runners who seem to succeed effortlessly, and I wish I could do the same. Probably the biggest focus of my envy is health: why is it that some runners never have pain or injury and I seem to be plagued by them?

The problem with envy is that it calls into question God’s character, and it makes a judgment about the quality of God’s plans. It pulls the focus away from what I have been given and turns it to what I do not have. The abundant love that God gives me is overlooked when I am envious; envy makes the statement that God’s blessings aren’t good enough until He gives me what another person has. Envy questions whether God actually knows what He is doing. Envy doubts that God understands how to bless me perfectly.

The person who wrote the words of Psalm 73 struggled with envy. He wrote that he looked around and saw others who prospered, and he envied what they had. He focused his attention not on God’s blessings but on how others were strolling through life with ease, never experiencing any trouble.

Envy is destructive, but God reminds us that His grace and faith always prevail. God not only forgives but is willing and able to pull us out of the envy pit. The psalmist says that God is continually with him, holding his hand, guiding him with His counsel. God holds our hands not because He accepts or tolerates our sin but because He knows that we are powerless without Him, and He loves us too much to let go. Continually, God forgives, loves, and guides. Without reservation, God faithfully upholds, guards, and protects. What an amazing gift!

When we try to wrestle free of God’s grip, He does not let us go. So why would I waste time with envy? What else could I possibly need? I am being held by the hand of the Lord God Almighty.

Lord God, I cannot comprehend Your love because it is perfect and beyond measure. Thank You for Your constant forgiveness and love in my life. Thank You for being the source of everything I need. Thank You for turning my heart away from envy and for turning it to You and Your love. Guide me always in the way that glorifies You. In Jesus’ name…AMEN.

Receiving a Name

1 John 3:1a

See what great love the Father has lavished on us,

that we should be called children of God!

And that is what we are!

Shortly after we moved from St. Louis to Texas five years ago, my son wore his Jim Edmonds jersey to school. The kids in his new third grade class did not know my son, nor did they know who Jim Edmonds was. One of the boys read the back of my son’s shirt and began to call my son Jim Edmonds. My son became friends with the little boy, but it took a long time before we could convince him that my son’s name was Joshua!

Names are important. They tell who we are and to whom we belong. Have you ever noticed how important names are in the Bible? Scripture records many instances in which people received new names when God called them. How exciting that must have been for them, but how exciting also for us that we too are given a new name in the Bible. In 1 John, God tells us that our new name is child of God. Through the perfect sacrifice of Jesus, you and I are the beloved children of God.

To grasp what it means to be named child of God, we need to get a glimpse of the significance of God’s own name. Through Scripture, God reveals that His name is not a label, but a manifestation of who He is. God’s name is a power, a shelter, and a saving force. In His name, He spoke creation into being. In His name, death lost its power. In His name, morning breaks every day. New life springs forth miraculously in God’s name. The name of God protects – not just from the things that worry or frighten, but from the forces that can destroy or kill.

God has said it, so we can be assured it is true: He has unending power, and He lavishes, or gives without limit, His perfect love to His children. Why, then, do I choose to face trials alone? Why do I doubt or wrestle with uncertainty? Why do I stumble over obstacles or think that God’s gifts to me are fleeting or temporary? Why am I fooled into thinking that His attention or provision may run out?

Instead, because He has revealed who He is, I need to trust in that love that is lavished upon me. I cannot help but worship and praise that holy name. I must ask Him to take control of the areas of my life where I trust in the power of my own name. I will ask Him to take my eyes off my circumstances and focus on Him. I will ask Him to give the gifts He is so willing to give to me, His beloved: peace, patience, strength, wisdom, perseverance, trust. And you can do these things too, because you are His precious child. He loves you without limit.

Heavenly Father, how amazing it is that we are Your children. You love us with a perfect father’s love. There is not a moment when we are not on Your mind. Help us to remember that we are loved with this kind of love. Open our eyes to see Your love, and then open our hearts and our entire beings to fully and peacefully trust in You for every need. In Jesus’ name we pray…AMEN.

Determining Weaknesses

Psalm 139:23-24

Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.
See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

Sometimes, I just can’t figure out what is wrong with me. Now, I’m sure if I said that around my two teenage children, they would have plenty of suggestions for me, so maybe I should be more specific. As a runner who has dealt with lower back issues, I sometimes have nagging pain, even if I am maintaining a healthy exercise regimen. Sometimes what has worked for weeks or months just stops working, and the pain returns. And I just can’t figure out why.

Recently I talked to a personal trainer about this issue. I was surprised to learn, through a series of simple tests, that I had some major areas of weakness in my legs. I had always assumed my legs were as strong as they could be. After all, I am a distance runner and my legs are full of visible muscles. But though I looked strong, I found out I had some key areas of weakness.

The trainer explained to me that my weaknesses were affecting my mechanics. This imbalance was putting a strain on my back. So how did I feel when the trainer told me I was weak? Honestly, I was thrilled. I had a diagnosis and a series of exercises to correct the problem. And the exercises would not only take away my pain but allow me to be a stronger runner. It was a great learning experience.

All of this made me think about Psalm 139. In it, David asks God to search his heart and to test him. He asks God to look for anything offensive within him and to lead him away from it. I’m often reluctant to pray those words. I’m afraid that God will reveal something to me that I need to give up or ask me to make a change I do not want to make. But then I think how great it was to find the source of my back pain. Finding out and solving a spiritual weakness is even better.

But in Psalm 139, David doesn’t just ask for testing. He begins by contemplating the depth and intimacy of God’s love and understanding. He realizes that God knows every detail of his body and every thought that crosses his mind. He remarks that God knows his thoughts before David even thinks them. He praises God that there is nowhere in all of God’s creation that he can go that would be apart from God. And then he asks to be tested.

I was amazed at the personal trainer’s expertise regarding the human body and his ability to provide me a solution. How much more should I be amazed at God’s knowledge of me and my heart, my being and all my ways. How much more should I be willing to be lead by him in all things and at all times?

Heavenly Father, You created me. You had plans for me before I even existed. Even now, when I am busy doing my thing and forgetting about You, You are with me and know me. Father, show me who You would have me become. Reveal to me Your plans for me and show me where I do not follow You. Encourage me to leave behind anything that separates me from You, and lead me in the way everlasting. In Jesus’ strong name I pray…AMEN.

Being Led By Christ

Psalm 23:1-3

The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures;

He leads me beside quiet waters. He restores my soul;

He guides me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.

If you have ever had an injury, then you are probably familiar with the RICE method of treatment: Rest, Ice, Compress, Elevate. The directions for RICE are as simple as the acronym: do it early and do it often.

The “problem” with the RICE method is that you actually have to do it to see results. If you are like me, you will try to get by without it. Perhaps the most difficult part is the very first instruction: rest. Reducing mileage or temporarily eliminating running is the last thing I want to do. After all, when I set a goal and begin to see results, I do not want to change my course of action. Even if I know it is best for me, I am not inclined to do it. And it’s not just in running, but in other areas of my life. I know what I’m supposed to do, but I do not do it.

If you share this attitude with me, you will find that in the Bible we are compared to something unexpected: sheep. In the wilderness, sheep depend on the shepherd for every need in their lives. Not only does the shepherd graciously give everything to his sheep, he loves them so much he would risk his life for them. The sheep, however, tend to ignore their needs. In fact, sometimes they do not seem to recognize what is best for them. If not led to pasture, the sheep will wander aimlessly. If not made to lie down, the sheep do not rest.

In Psalm 23, David says that Jesus is the Shepherd who makes him lie down in green pastures. Some Bible translations say He lets me lie down, but the original translation is makes, as in “to cause or to render.” David shows that he is prone to stubbornness when he admits that the Lord has to cause or make him lie down in green pastures.

Like David, I too am stubborn. I wander aimlessly but do not look to God for direction. Or when I do, I choose not to go where He leads. Maybe I want to take an easier way out. Maybe I do not want to exercise self-control or practice patience when I am busy pursuing a goal. But what goal do I have that is greater than resting in a green pasture with Jesus? What am I trying to pursue other than letting Christ restore my soul?

Praise God that He unfailingly loves us, forgives us, and is always willing to lead, guide, love, and protect us. His grace never ends and his mercy never fails. No matter how often we wander nor how stubborn we become, nothing will separate us from His love. The Perfect Shepherd is not only willing to lay down His life for us, He already has! Let’s rest in His gracious love.

Lord Jesus, You truly are the good Shepherd. You know my every need, and because I am Your sheep, I lack nothing. Help me to listen to Your voice and Your calling. Help me follow wherever You lead. Forgive me when I stray, and keep me safe always. In Your holy name I pray…AMEN.       

Finding Strength

Psalm 121:1-2

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.

Recently, a running friend posted a good question on Facebook. He cited that old quote what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger and asked when he should expect the “getting stronger” part to kick in. I had to laugh because I understood how he felt. Sometimes the best workouts are the most torturous – they feel like a near death experience!

My friend’s post made me think about training and strength, and how the two are connected. More importantly, though, I began thinking about how God is connected – not just in attaining strength for running but in finding strength for everything in life. Worldly wisdom tells us to look inside ourselves for strength. But is this where God tells us to look for help and strength? Does He throw us into a traumatic situation and say, “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger?”

In Psalm 121, the psalmist looks to the hills – the giant obstacles in his path – and asks where he will find help. Immediately, he answers his question: God. He remembers that God is the one who was so mysteriously powerful in the first place that He made heaven and earth. Why would we trust anything or anyone else?

The psalm goes on to describe the completeness of God’s care. He says that God will never grow tired, inattentive, or busy with other tasks. He will not get distracted. He watches us when we go out and when we come back. He watches us now and forevermore. He is with us, helping us, through all time and distance.

We can take these words not only as a promise but as a warning. Help comes from the Lord alone – do not look for it in other places. Do not think that you are strong apart from God or that you are strong from having been through trying times. Know instead that it was God that got you through those trying times, and He will continue to bear you up now. God helps you not because you have done anything to earn or deserve it, but rather because He loves you perfectly and unfailingly. He is committed to be with you forever because of His grace.

God doesn’t watch from a distance as the devil pursues you. He does not watch the devil attack and think to Himself that if you are lucky enough to avoid destruction, you will be stronger. No, He is with you. And through the Holy Spirit, He is IN you, guarding you, keeping you, helping you, fighting for you. What a great promise! Let’s thank Him for that.

Lord God, thank You that You are indeed our one, true, perfect source of help and hope. Forgive us for looking for help anywhere but You, and forgive us for giving ourselves the credit for the strength You have given us. Remind us of Your perfect care, and help us point others to You as well. In Jesus’ name we pray, AMEN.

Remaining in Christ

John 15:5

“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you,

you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”

Running is a lot of work. Yes, I love it, and it brings a great deal of joy and satisfaction, but I readily confess it is a lot of work. Like other runners, I continually push limits and challenge myself. I want to be faster and stronger. I want to tackle greater distances and overcome areas of weakness.

When I invest all that work, I see results. And because I see a connection between my efforts and my achievements, I apply that discipline to other areas of my life. I work hard on my job, in my house, and on other projects and hobbies. I begin to feel invincible, as if there is nothing I cannot do.

Dedication to a task is great, but sometimes I mistakenly believe that if I work hard enough, I can accomplish anything. And the more I accomplish, the more I believe that the power comes from me alone.

Jesus is very clear about what we can do apart from Him: nothing. In these carefully chosen, honest words, He tells us that we cannot bear fruit or produce anything lasting without Him. He does not say that we will make a few “small gains” or have “a handful of achievements” apart from Him. Instead, He says we can do nothing.

Though I absolutely trust Jesus’ words, I often find myself ignoring them. I forget that God alone has the power, not me. Every part of the Bible reminds me of this truth. In the first book of the Bible, God creates everything by speaking it into being. He says, “Let there be light,” and suddenly there is light. He made everything in this way, and He did it and without me asking for it, without me there, without any effort on my part.

Each day, we need many things for ourselves and our loved ones – peace, patience, hope, love – things that we cannot create. But God can just speak these very things into existence. In four simple words – “let there be light” – God created a life-sustaining property of the universe. And every day is willing and capable to fulfill all the needs of our lives. He promises to do it simply because we remain in Christ. Let’s go to Him now.

Lord God, You give us these words not just as a warning but a promise. You remind us that You alone have the power to supply not only our daily needs, but the things that will further Your kingdom. Help us to look to You alone for all that we need. Thank You for supplying everything and helping us to trust in You for everything. In Jesus’ name we pray, AMEN.