Getting to the Root

The weeds in the cracks of the sidewalk look almost as healthy as they did two days ago when I sprayed them with Weed B Gon Max®. That doesn't concern me as I have used this weed killer before and know that it takes up to fourteen days to do its job. That's because it doesn't just wilt the leaves. It goes down through the plant and destroys the roots, and after that the withering and browning appear above ground. The plant cannot live without an adequate root system.

I've been thinking about how important our faith root system is also. The Apostle Paul prayed that from God's "glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong." (Ephesians 3:16, 17) Our strength as Christians depends on the roots going down deep. If we are content with shallow roots or we permit something to poison them, we lose the ability to give freely of love in our outward life. The "leaves and fruit" wither and die because we are not deeply rooted in God's love.

God's enemy Satan—our enemy too—would try to apply Faith B Gon, Love B Gon, and Hope B Gon to our lives. He attacks us in outward ways, so that the damage can go down, if possible, into the roots where we dwell in God's love. Beware his poison!

MaryMartha

Scripture quotation is taken from The Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. United States of America. All rights reserved.

Art from http://www.sxc.hu/

Give Me This Mountain

"Give me" is often a selfish request. Whether it's a child who has learned that "gimme some" gets him what he wants or the adult who is hoping for his/her gains to come with no personal effort, the expectation is basically self-centered. Even prayers are sometimes selfish, not going beyond "Lord, give me this," and "O God, I want that."

But "give me" can also be a very mature and self-sacrificing request. Caleb's story is told in the Old Testament. The people of Judah came to Joshua, and Caleb spoke to him. "You'll remember what God said to Moses concerning you and me back when he sent us into Canaan to spy out the land. We brought back an honest and accurate report. The companions who went with us discouraged the people, but we stuck to our story because we trusted God. That was the day that Moses solemnly promised me, 'The land on which your feet have walked will be your inheritance, you and your children's, forever. Yes, you have lived totally for God.' Now look at me: God has kept me alive, as He promised. I was forty years old back then, and it is now forty-five years since God spoke this word, years in which Israel wandered in the wilderness. And here I am today, eighty-five years old! I'm as strong as I was the day Moses sent me out. I'm as good as ever in battle, whether coming or going. So give me this mountain [the hill country] that God promised me. You yourself heard the report, that a fearsome tribe of giants was there with their great fortressed cities. But If God goes with me, I will drive them out, just as God said." (from Joshua 14:6-12)

Caleb, even at eighty-five, was not expecting something for nothing. He was ready for war, ready to take on the hostile people in the land, ready to take the walled cities there, no matter what it cost. He was saying, "Just let me at it!"

Do we, when we pray, expect God simply to "give" us what we want? In His mercy, He often does, but sometimes, just as we may deny the whining child's demand, He chooses another way to answer. Sometimes He doesn't lay the desired thing in our hands until we've done battle with the "giant" that is withholding it. Sometimes we cannot just walk in and take over the "walled cities" but have to strategize and to marshal all the forces at our disposal before the answer comes. But like Caleb we can say, "If God goes with me, I will get what He intends to be mine. I am not afraid. I can take this mountain!"

MaryMartha

Art from http:www.sxc.hu/

The Great Reversal

The world is upside down! And hardly anyone knows it.

A great many people equate success with power. They suppose that the way to become powerful—in the home or school, in the business world, or even in the church milieu—is to fight one's way up.

"Get a good education," they say, "whatever you do. Nothing beats the proper training."

"Work hard," others say, "and you'll be successful. Nothing beats good old 'sweat of your brow.' "

"Be prepared to start at the bottom," some counsel. "Nothing beats experience."

And though they would never dare say it aloud, others believe, "Step on a few folks on your way up, if necessary. Nothing beats opportunity."

Jesus had a completely different formula for success. In fact, His definition of success was very different too—not "up" but "down."

-- “You know that the rulers in this world lord it over their people, and officials flaunt their authority over those under them. But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must be the slave of everyone else." (Mark 10:42-44 NLT)

-- "Anyone who sacrifices home, family, fields—whatever—because of me will get it all back a hundred times over, not to mention the considerable bonus of eternal life. This is the Great Reversal: many of the first ending up last, and the last first." (Matthew 19:29, 30 MSG)

-- “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd sacrifices his life for the sheep . . . No one can take my life from me. I sacrifice it voluntarily . . ." On the cross, "He said, 'It is finished!' Then he bowed his head and released his spirit." (John 10:11, 18; 19:30 NLT)

The Apostle Paul, the all-time great among Christians, also understood the upside-downness of the world's commonly-held view. In the press of a difficult circumstance, he asked God three times for relief. Each time, the Lord answered, " 'My grace is enough; it's all you need. My strength comes into its own in your weakness.' Once I heard that, I was glad to let it happen. I quit focusing on the handicap and began appreciating the gift. It was a case of Christ's strength moving in on my weakness. Now I take limitations in stride, and with good cheer, these limitations that cut me down to size—abuse, accidents, opposition, bad breaks. I just let Christ take over! And so the weaker I get, the stronger I become." (II Corinthians 12:9, 10 MSG)

But what about ordinary people like us? The power of which Jesus and Paul spoke works for us too! "The race is not always to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor satisfaction to the wise, nor riches to the smart, nor grace to the learned." (Ecclesiastes 9:11 MSG) Although the Teacher who made this observation concluded pessimistically that sooner or later bad luck comes to all, the truth is this: Everyone has to endure hard things, but only those who know the secret of The Great Reversal can make those difficulties generate power!

MaryMartha

Scripture quotations marked NLT are taken from The Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. United States of America. All rights reserved. Scriptures marked MSG are taken from The Message. Copyright © 2003 by Eugene H. Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group.