God Delights in RIGHT Behavior

I'm excited to share (pass along) a story from someone precious to me. 

Her name is Vivi.  I skype with her every Saturday morning and we share what's great, as well as what's not so great, with each other.  I know she thinks I'm encouraging her (I'm old enough to be her mom) but I must share that her life and her observations encourage me in GREAT ways!


Vivi is studying at University in Germany to be a physical therapist.  She is learning about proper movement and motion and the RIGHT use of muscles, etc.

Last Saturday she told this story:

Vivi said that she's been spending some time in a children's hospital observing children whose illnesses have taken away the ability for them to move properly. 

After much observation, she shared that she had become a bit weary and discouraged watching these children try to navigate.

Then, in an unusual turn of events. she was asked to babysit a visiting sibling of a child who was ill while that child was taken from their room for testing.  So, she sat and watched and played with the healthy sibling.

She shared with me that she found herself DELIGHTING in the movements of the healthy child.  She had been watching so many children who could not move in age-appropriate ways, that watching this healthy child made her heart soar and put a sweet smile on her face.  (She didn't say "sweet smile"; I added that because Vivi's smile is one of the sweetest I've seen).

It was in that moment, Vivi shared, that she realized a tiny bit of the DELIGHT that God, our Father, feels when He watches us move in a RIGHT way, free from sin.  She felt excited and joyous at the thought that our RIGHT moves could DELIGHT God in much the way OR MORE than she felt watching the healthy child.

Here's the thing:   Sin corrupts our RIGHT movements just as illness corrupts the movements of the children Vivi was observing in that hospital.  And God's heart is grieved when our movements are corrupted by sin. 

What's important?  The children in that hospital did not choose their illness.  They would NOT choose their illness.  They have no choice.  But WE HAVE A CHOICE!  We can choose to walk away from sin, accept the healing protection that a life with Jesus offers, and begin to move in a RIGHT way. 

And we'll feel the joyous DELIGHT of God. 

Peer Pressure

What do you think of first when I say, "Don't give in to peer pressure"?

Your first thought immediately goes to teenagers. Am I right?

Turns out, peer pressure might begin during our teenage years; but it CERTAINLY doesn't end there!

I learned years ago, through the wonders of Myers-Briggs, that my personality type is called ISTJ.  Should you desire, here is more about Myers-Briggs and more about this personality type:   Myers-Briggs ISTJ  I notice here that the ISTJ personality is called the Duty Fulfiller.  I also learn that I have a need to decide based on facts and EVIDENCE.

This precious season of my life, what I am facing right now, brings much peer pressure.  People who are PRECIOUS to me are making decisions that don't match my decisions.  They are making decisions using EVIDENCE that the Lord has simply NOT provided to me.  

It's important to say that those dear to me are not making BAD decisions; they're just feeling led to choose DIFFERENTLY.  Our paths diverge.

The temptation to decide as they have decided, and cling to them because they are precious, is tremendous and overwhelming. 

What is the over-riding voice of this temptation? 

What voice do I hear in my head?  

It sounds like this:  "They MUST know something you don't know!!  You NEED to find out what they know so that you can turn the same direction that they are turning...before it's too late!  Demand their EVIDENCE!"  

The voice carries with it two senses:  one of conspiracy and the other of urgency.  This voice is NOT the voice of my Lord.  Jesus doesn't speak to me this way.  There is an enemy to my soul, who continually lies to me, who speaks this way.

How easy it would be to give in to this voice!  Simple.  Quick.  And, sadly, there would be LOADS of loving support from those around me as I turned to join this small crowd.

But I choose, instead, the way set before me by Jesus Himself.  The difficult way.  Complex.  Slow.  And, sadly, many of those around me might find themselves confused.

This morning, during a short quiet time,  I was reminded why I must choose this way.

In Proverbs 3:3  (just before the famous 3:5 "Trust in the Lord with all your heart..."verse)  we find that Solomon, easily the richest and wisest man to walk the earth to this day (move over Bill Gates), providing this wisdom:

"Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thy heart."

You can read more about this verse here: Proverbs 3:3

My favorite part of the human commentary on this verse is when the commentary writer encourages us to "reckon it as your greatest honour, glory, and beauty, that you steadfastly adhere to these things"  and continues on to say that "nothing makes a believer look more lovely in conversation than a close regard to the truths of Christ, and a constant walking in his ordinances."

At our New Harvest Church there is a steel beam holding up the entrance to the lobby.  These words are cut into the metal of that beam:  Jesus Full of Grace and Truth.  

Hundreds of years after Solomon encourages us to wear grace and truth around our necks like a beautiful scarf for all to see and admire, Jesus arrives to say, "I AM the way and the truth and the life..." (John 14:6)  

Today, as I wrap myself in "mercy and truth" I ask Jesus to provide the determination that I will NOT look to the left or the right (Joshua 1:7) and I will fully depend on Him to provide every bit of EVIDENCE I need to make the decisions that HE ALONE wants me to make.  

All I've ever wanted is that my life would stand in testimony of His Goodness, Mercy and Truth and leave a legacy of loving and following Him.  

Even when those around me are making seemingly "good" decisions that tempt me to join; I will rely on Jesus to provide me with His BEST!

Dogged Determined Devotion

Yesterday and today, I've noticed that I've had more regular thoughts of gratitude about my dog Charley.  

I just love him.  He's special to me because he came to me after prayer as a delight to my heart.  

He's special to me because he once belonged to a friend and mentor, Rose MacAlpine.  

He's also special to me because, in so many ways, he's a good and faithful dog.

On Fridays, because my workweek begins on Sunday, I take Sabbath rest.   Today, I was curling up on the couch to have quiet time and, of course, Charley was absolutely thrilled that he would be able to curl up next to me.  

Then, I forgot my pen.  I got up and, although I told Charley to stay put, he was SO anxious to be wherever I was...he followed me.  After I got settled again and realized I forgot my iPhone.  Before you dismiss this as ridiculous (why does she need her iPhone during quiet time?) know that I subscribe to devotionals that are sent to my iPhone so I can hear the Word anywhere and anytime.  So I went downstairs and, although Charley really wanted to continue his cuddle time on the couch, he followed me...just in case I wasn't coming back.  When I returned, he hopped up ready again to snuggle and nap.  

So, I opened my journal and first asked God what He wanted me to consider today.  And, again, my mind focused on Charley as I felt wonderful gratitude for him.  

I worried that I might be horribly distracted; but then I realized then that it was Charley and Charley's attitude that God wanted me to consider in my heart and mind.

My friend Greg Swan encouraged me to read a favorite book of his, 'Dog and Cat Theology.'  The book contrasts how dogs and cats relate to their owners.   A dog says, 'You pet me, you feed me, you shelter me, you love me, you must be God.'  A cat says, 'You pet me, you feed me, you shelter me, you love me, I must be God.'  The authors Bob Sjogren and Gerald Robison encourage us to consider the God-given traits of cats ('you exist to serve me') and dogs ('I exist to serve you') to challenge our own attitudes about our relationship to God.

So here I am, telling God what I notice about Charley and observing the attitude that God is gently asking me to adopt and embrace.  

Charley is pretty much singularly focused.  He eats and drinks to survive and he does his level best to go outside to poop; (that's another story, entirely) but truly his world revolves around that next moment that he might get to spend with his master.  

Charley is not content to just know that his master exists and is somewhere in our home.  Charley MUST be WITH his master.  

Charley's ideal location is touching his master.  If I am sitting on the couch, Charley does everything possible to be lying next to me.  If I am using the computer, Charley hogs the chair so that he can be WITH me. (Here is a picture of Charley waiting for me to return to my computer time.)  If he gets too warm, he moves a further distance away; but remains where he can see me. 

This is a picture of dogged (yes, pun intended) determined devotion.  

And I must say as I sit here in my chair typing away I feel Charley's breaths become long and full and I observe that being with his master must be the place where Charley feels most peaceful.  I really do think his "joy is complete"  John 15:11

Charley's chief concern in life is abiding with his master.  And when our family is away at work and school, I imagine that he looks forward to the next moment he can abide.  

And now I realize why God would ask me to look closer at Charley.  

I find myself convicted that dogged determined devotion is not always the picture of my life.  

And I praise God that He is patient and kind and shows me these pictures of what my life can be by abiding.  

I remember that I spend a lot of time in "do-do".  Not Charley's kind, but the kind where I run around trying to please God by what I DO for Him instead of waiting for Him to show me where He is and simply being WITH Him.  (see John 15)

Wow.

And what about Charley's master?  What can be observed and recorded as I think about my relationship with Charley?  

I love Charley.  It's a deep love.  Pet owners understand this love.  Those who have not chosen to have pets generally don't understand the depth of this love.  And some who have not chosen to enter into this kind of relationship make fun of this love.  This makes me want to encourage more people to become pet owners.  

I want the best for Charley.  

I smile just thinking about him.  I talk about him.  My friend Jeanette and I trade stories about our Charley dogs (she has a small dog named Charley, too.

When Charley obeys, my smile widens and I say to him "good dog".   It's clear that when I call Charley "good dog" he feels greater contentment.  

When Charley does not obey, I feel disappointment.  I try to clean up the resulting mess. (There is almost always a mess associated with Charley's disobedience)  Sometimes the mess is un-fixable and it serves as a constant reminder of Charley's disobedience; but it doesn't change how deeply I love him.  

Instead, Charley's disobedience makes me want to spend more time teaching him how to behave, praising his obedience and pointing out the peace that results from his obedience. 

I'm grateful that He loves me (His love is DEEP and difficult for those who do not know Him to understand) and I realize how much He wants me to abide with him.  I realize how much I want EVERYONE to know and experience this love.  (see Romans 10:13)

He wants the best for me.  (see Jeremiah 29:11)

I think about how my breathing is short and shallow when I am in "do-do" mode and how I am at "perfect peace" (see Isaiah 26:3) when I am in super close proximity to where God is at work and I am focused on Him, ready to serve. 

And I think about the sweetness of someday being with Him and hearing Him say, "Well done, good and faithful servant!" (see Matthew 25:23)