Leave the driving to us...

Amtrak -- the train company -- used to have a commercial that said "leave the driving to us." Your job with them was to get on the train. Of course, you had to pay and follow the rules, but as long as you did and were on the train, you could sit back and relax. The outcome -- where you were going -- was already known.

We all want to quantify outcomes and responses in our lives. Whether we want to know what the answer will be from the city on our architectural plans if done as such, the answer from immigration if we present such paperwork, or the answer from God if we do x, y, and z. We all want to know the outcome to certain inputs. The reality is that at some level we all want to control situations. That's what it really is at some basic level. The need to be in control. To control our lives. And, yet, Proverbs has a much different idea.

In Proverbs 21:31, we are told that "The horse is made ready for the day of battle, but victory rests with the LORD." That is, the final outcome is not in my control. I know that, but I don't like that. I've learned that time and time again. And, yet today, I am reminded of just that. I must make ready, but the LORD determines outcomes. It doesn't mean that we don't prepare, in fact, we are told earlier in a sampling of verses to: do what is right and just, plow ours fields, have plans, be upright, look after the poor, not love pleasure, pursue righteousness, save, give without sparing...to mention a few. Then, the writer says, relax, God is in control.

That seems at first frustrating, but once you think about it you realize that God only asks you to do what you CAN control -- YOU...your thoughts, your actions, your motives. When you focus on the issues you can control, God then says He will take you to victory. So, now, the hard part. We normally don't want to focus on us, we want to focus on results. What is it that God wants you to do? You've heard Him tell you. You know what it is that you cannot escape from being replayed in your mind. Stand up for truth? Pursue righteousness? Pray and ask God what He wants you to do that is within your control and then trust the results to him.

Blessed

I hear all the time that we want "God to bless us." And, so, people pray for God's blessing as if prayer is some magic dust that when sprinkled on top of our lives it can erase all of our behavior. James says that simply is not the case. He says the following on blessing, "But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do." It's real simple, just not easy. Do you want to be blessed? Begin to live out God's principles in your life. It will set into motion the built in good consequences (blessings). Why would God bless an area of your life that you have lived in open opposition to His teachings? Would you bless your child if he lived in open opposition to your desires? No! And, yet, we think we can "force" God into blessing us. Quite silly. Worse than silly, it is insulting. The easiest and most straight forward way to invite God into an area of our life is not by prayer. It's by asking God His opinion on the subject and then agreeing with Him and living by it. I am not suggesting that prayer is not an ingredient. But, let's quit thinking that our actions have no consequences. Do you want to be blessed? Just do IT!

Self Hatred

I know....A strange title to a blog entry. But, I wanted to take a moment to look at what Proverbs says as to whether or not you really love or despise yourself. In Prov. 15: 32& 33 it says, "Those who disregard discipline despise themselves,but the one who heeds correction gains understanding. Wisdom’s instruction is to fear the LORD and humility comes before honor."

I find it interesting that the Bible in so many places talks about the importance of discipline and correction by others in our lives (accountability). And, in this passage, it says that if you disregard discipline you "despise" yourself. It contrasts that with the person that heeds correction and then "gains understanding." It concludes with the reality that "humility comes before honor."

I believe the Bible is saying something really basic. We don't have all the answers. If that is true then, we must surround ourselves with people that will offer correction and discipline in our lives. Of course, to do that you must embrace the fact that you don't know it all and that can only occur in the context of true humility. Here are some basic steps to begin the process of gaining understanding and honor:

1. Admit that you don't know it all. Humble yourself before God.

2. Seek out others in your lives that are trustworthy people.

3. Ask those people to speak into your life. Encourage it.

4. When they do, know that it is not an indictment on you as a person. Rather, it is proof that you are a wise person that loves himself.

5. Pray about what is communicated and ask God to reveal to you whether it is truth.

Do you despise yourself?