Let the Home Fires Burn

Heart Grown Cold Courtesy Google Images

They were inseparable. There was nothing they could do that would scare them away. "Love is blind," everyone said. But they knew better.

Marriage, children, jobs, sickness, financial struggle, triumphs, graduations ... life. Then came the day they looked across the table and wondered who that person staring back really was. 

Sound familiar?

Maybe not. 

But it is a frequent enough phenomenon that even Scripture addresses this in our relationship with the Lord. 

To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: 'The words of Him who holds the seven stars in His right hand, who walks among the seven golden lampstands.

"I know your works, your toil and our patient endurance, and how you cannot bear with those who are evil, but have tested those who call themselves apostles and are not, and found them to be false. I know you are enduring patiently and bearing up for my name's sake, and you have not grown weary. But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent. Yet this you have: you hate the works of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who conquers, I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God," (Revelation 2:1-7 ESV).

I have heard it said that it is normal to have passion burn for the Lord, but it's not sustainable. I have kicked against this as long as I can remember. But on some level, I can understand the sentiment.

The busyness of life beckons, and we run. Whether it's career, family, or ministry, there's always something vying for our attention. It seems to me that we have the option. It's part of our free will.

Slow Fade (Casting Crowns) Courtesy Google Images

There's a song, Slow Fade, that takes its listener down the road of how insidious the death of any relationship happens. This is true of marriage, friendship, and also of our relationship with God. We begin so in love. Nothing will ever separate us. But over time, as we allow things to get between us, we compromise. Each compromise opens the door for another until one day, we are walking away from the one we promised our life to.

Is there anyone familiar to us that we sigh, and think, "They used to be so on fire for God ..." 

It is likely they have experienced disappointment, discouragement, felt they had no one to talk to, and eventually fell into the net waiting, tied up with lies that said things like:

• "God isn't listening."
• "You must have disappointed Him for His back to turn on you."
• "If only you had believed better ..."
•  "You're not fixable."

How often do we go around the mountain of hope and find ourselves saying and doing the things we tried to escape?

I remember a well-meaning church leader telling me their understanding of predestination. It didn't matter how badly I wanted Christ as my Lord. If He hadn't chosen me, I wouldn't be accepted. The hopelessness that dogged my footsteps for several years after that was exhausting.

So let's dispel these lies and breathe fresh hope into our lungs.

Paul struggled. Yes. The man who wrote 2/3 of the New Testament, struggled. His words:

 "Did that which is good, then, bring death to me? By no means! It was sin, producing death in me through what is good, in order that sin might be shown to be sin, and through the commandment might become sinful beyond measure. For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am of the flesh, sold under sin. For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. Now, if I do what I do not want, I agree with the law, that is good. So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me," (Romans 7:13-20 ESV).

His struggle wasn't enough to cause him to give up. Instead, in his letter to Timothy, he exhorted everyone who would follow Christ, "But as for you, O man of God, flee these things. Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hole of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses," (1 Timothy 6:11-12 ESV).

And later, Jude addressed the church, "Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints," (Jude 1:3 ESV).

As we consider the Scripture, we must ask the Lord, "Is there anything in me that holds You at a distance?" It could be unforgiveness, whether it's something we did and can't let go of, or someone else. Either way, we block God's work in our lives when we withhold forgiveness. In a nutshell, unforgiveness is a form of pride. It's in essence saying we know better than God about any given sin and have judged whether it's forgivable. And we are told in Scripture that God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble (James 4:6).

Fallow Ground Courtesy Google Images

Jesus was very clear about this in Matthew 5 and 6.

Contending for the faith is no easy task. It is not passive. In fact, Hosea 10:12 tells us, "So for yourselves righteousness; reap steadfast love; break up your fallow ground, for it is the time to seek the LORD, that He may come and rain righteousness upon you."

Would you say that there are no conflicts? There is nothing sour in your soul towards the Lord or others? Maybe you just feel a numbness, or a distance and don't know why. You remember the days when you were excited to serve and be in His presence. But now?

Oh, it's not that you don't love Him. You do. The demands of life, or the fatigue that accompanies life's busyness has weighed you down.

Whatever the situation, it's been a while since your Bible has been opened or since that place of prayer has seen your shadow. Neglect of any relationship depletes it of life. Even plants respond to our conversation and affection.

There is nothing in life that can live without tender care and attention, including our relationship with God. 

It's going to take work, sweat, and tears. We may get splinters, calloused knees, and hands. Our feet might ache. Our back may feel like it's going to break--it won't.

Jesus told the church at Ephesus, in Revelation 2:1-7, to go back to the first things they did. I heard someone say one of the rules for their marriage, to keep it healthy, was to go back and ask, "What was it that I liked about you?"

Remember those honeymoon days?

What did you do? Why did you decide to follow Jesus? Stir that up. Let yourself remember the beauty of those moments. And breathe again. That's Holy Spirit, refreshing your soul.

Until next time, fan into flame the embers of your soul.

💜 Karlene J 💜

Coming soon: Letters to the Church: Galatians

Not Only Chosen ... Planned

Picked Last Courtesy Google Images

We stood against the wall, waiting. Nervous energy flowed up and down the row of 6th graders. But I knew. No one wanted me. If for no other reason than I was not athletic. This was pointless. The unfortunate classmates stuck with me on their team would pay the price.

We all knew it.

I accepted it. I was overweight. Couldn't run without my lungs pushing my heart into my throat and out through my nose. Hated most sports. Gym class was just a fulfillment of class requirements.

The truth was, it wasn't possible for anyone to actually want me on their team. I wasn't fast enough. Couldn't volley a ball, sink it in a basket, or make it fly across an outfield.

Over the years, an outer shell developed that would protect a wounded and unloved heart from certain rejection. The underlying sentiment ran along the current of wanting to belong somewhere or with a group of people. It was the split between self-preservation and looking for community in the same circle.

Courtesy Google Images

Community is vital to survival in this fallen world. It's part of evaluations in hospitals--whether a person feels isolated or if they have a good support system. And then, at the end of life, even the one who says, "I'm not spiritual," will find it difficult to see a person die without family close by.

I bring this up because every person on earth was planned. The ideas surrounding facial structure, height, hair color (and its thickness), gifts and talents, passions, and convictions were poured into our personalities before the moment of our conception (Psalm 139, Jeremiah 1:5).

Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you; I appointed you a prophet to the nations. (Jeremiah 1:5 ESV) 

Every individual's worth is embedded in the careful planning and imagination of our Creator God. Our identity is wrapped in His careful, intentional workmanship.

He knew, as he formed us in the secret, what our lives would look like, the difficulties we would endure, and the triumphs we would celebrate. He allowed each dynamic to be part of the thing that shapes us, strengthens, and sustains us.

No one wants to see struggle in their life, especially during the storm. If we allow it, we will be able to minister to others around us through our experiences. It's part of the plan. Our purpose. God's design. To draw us to Himself.

You might ask, "Why would God allow me to go through such horrible pain?" Job asked. He lost wealth, family, and health tragically and unexpectedly. His friends told him it was his own sin. It wasn't. His wife told him to curse God and die. He never got that answer, but he did get to know the majesty and beauty of God in the process. And then God restored all that was taken from Job.

We could visit many contemporary stories of tragedy turned to powerful testimony, magnifying the wondrous beauty of God. I am certain every person reading this could share moments of our lives when God used something tragic to bring triumph. Or maybe we're on the way to victory.

The truth is, we have been planned. Our story is part of the process. No victory is won without a battle. No team becomes victorious without rigorous training.

I believe it is possible to forfeit our purpose. We do it by refusing to grow through the process by allowing God to strengthen and mature us.

The Apostle Paul endured many hardships after his conversion from persecutor of the church to author of several letters to the church, in passion and compassion for God's people. He told the Galatians that even his life was planned. "But when He who had set me apart before I was born, and who called me by His grace, was pleased to reveal His Son to me, in order that I might preach Him among the Gentiles ..." (Galatians 1:15-16). 

Knowing that he'd been chosen for this, he encouraged the church. He'd endured beatings, was left for dead, shipwreck, snakebite, and imprisonment. And yet, in Galatians 6 he tells the church, "And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith" (Galatians 6:9-10).

You and I have a vital role to play.

Let's go all in, even when we are tired. Ask the Lord to strengthen us to take the next step if we need to.

Until next time, give God all praise and thanks.  💜 Karlene J  💜