Two Roads

I've always been a big fan of the poem The Road Not Taken by Robert Frost. I guess the more I experience life, I find it really is all about the choices we make. As believers, we have an intimate relationship with the sovereign God of eternity. This same God has the amazing characteristic of being omniscient--all knowing. He sees through all time and space, which enables Him to have the only true perspective on life and choices.

During the past few years, I have been faced with numerous life changing events: the death of my father, moving back closer to my hometown, looking into buying a house, etc.--not to mention all of the "littler" decisions to be made. There is a point at which it can become very overwhelming. Makes me want to throw up my hands and say, "Whatever!" That's when I'm faced with the real choice.

As believers in Jesus Christ, we are faced with the choice that supercedes all other decisions. This one, although simple, is much harder to flesh out. Every day, with every decision, we have a choice to worry about it, or allow God to be God and let Him handle it (which, by the way, is what we like to call worship). When we worry, we remove Jesus as our focus with whatever we may be worrying about at the time; and realistically, we still can't do anything about it. But when we worship, He remains as our focus, and we can lift the situation up to the ONLY One who CAN do something about it.

Jeremiah 6:16 says, "This is what the Lord says: 'Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls.' "

If we trust and worship...we can rest. We can rest in another promise from Jeremiah:

" 'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek man and find me when you seek me with all your heart.' " (29:11)

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.
-Robert Frost

A Father's Presence

A year ago today, my father passed away. I remember when he was still alive there were days when I would think about him and then there were days when I wouldn't...sadly to say. However, since his death, there has not been a day he has not crossed my mind. Granted, during his life, he made some serious mistakes, but he was always my father. I guess the reason I think of him more often is that the opportunity is gone. Before, I could always call him "tomorrow." The difference is his presence is no longer here. Thankfully, we have a heavenly Father and a Savior who has left with us their Presence--The Holy Spirit. The opportunity to talk with Jesus is no longer an option for us on this earth. However, His Presence is there to be with us throughout all things.

"And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever." John 14:16

The Navigator

My wife and I visited some old friends a few weekends ago. It was refreshing. We were able to reminisce on days gone by and catch up on our lives today. We watched some movies, played cards, and relaxed in each other's company. One night we decided to go out to dinner, and we decided to follow behind them in our vehicle. There was no discussion involving me "taking the lead" on the drive to the restaurant, nor did we feel we should both take different routes to the same location. I guess it was assumed that I had no idea where we were going and that our friends would lead the way. I didn't think much about that evening, until this past weekend.

My wife and I found ourselves in that same city. Only this time, there was no "friend." I had no idea where I was going. I was trying to figure out which lane should I be in? Am I turning onto a one way street? Thankfully, my wife was able to share, ever so subtly, "Honey, you need to stop. It's a redlight." I thought to myself, "Man, I wish we had someone in front of us who knew where they were going." The moment was stressful and intense. If only I could have gone back to a few weeks ago, when I had a personal guide through the town, this day would be so much better. That's when epiphany struck.

I do this day after day after day. I go through life, looking every which way, trying to figure out which way is north. When do I need to turn? Have I gone to far? Should I double back and find a new route? I hope for a guide to take me through the gridlock. The funny thing is...I have one. Jesus says in the gospel of John, "I am the Way...No one comes to the Father except through me." (14:6) He is the WAY!! He is our GUIDE!!

The problem is with all the traffic around, it's all too easy to lose him in the chaos. It doesn't mean he's not there. Many times, I try to find a better "route," and I look down different streets. When I look ahead again, I can't see him and I have to slam on the brakes because I almost ran another redlight. I get panicked. As I slowly go through the intersection, looking intensely for my guide, I see a vehicle slowly merge into traffic ahead of me and I realize that it is Him--patiently waiting for me focus my attention back to him. At the next intersection, he rolls down the window and sticks his head out and says, "Hey, Adam, trust me. I know where we're going and I know how to get there. Enjoy the ride."

Cheeto Cheese Puff

"though the grass withers and the flowers fall, but the Word of the Lord stands forever." 1 Peter 1:24-25

I guess everyone has eaten a cheeto sometime in their lifetime. They're the type of chip that you could eat just one, but what's the point. I mean, once you eat that first one, you already have that powdery cheese "stuff" on your fingers, so you might as well have a few more. Before you know it, half the bags gone. You reluctantly close the other half of the bag and commence the "de-cheez-a-fying" of your fingers, which, for most of us, involves licking, sucking, and scraping that "goo" off with your teeth (gross?. . .yes. . .enjoyable?. . . . .even more so). . . . . . . . . . . hours later. . . . . .you're still working at it. Even days may go by and still IT remains...that strange yellow "cheeto fungus" that accumulates around the nail of your fingers. No matter how hard you try...IT remains. The Word of the Lord is just like this wonderful morsel of cheese. . . . .sort of. You can read His word and it will be enjoyable at the time, but it goes much further than that. It continues to work in your heart, your mind, your very being, long after you put it back on the shelf. IT lingers. IT stays. IT remains. IT stands....forever. With you, for hours, day, even years. If you let it. If you allow this "Bible fungus" to grow in your hearts, it WILL change your life. Guaranteed.

A True Expression

As I was flipping the channels the other day, I ran across a televised worship service. I heard the worship leader say "Let these songs be our worship to You today, Lord." I began to think. My favorite scripture (Romans 12:1) commands us to offer our lives as our spiritual act of worship. It struck me that so often in my life, even though Romans is my favorite verse, I place so much emphasis on the things of my life being given to God in worship, instead of my actual life being given to Him. When I sing a song, in the back of my mind, I'm thinking, "I hope He enjoys this song." When I should be focused on, "I hope He enjoys my life." and then let the song be an overflow from my life. Even though many churches call their music section of the service the "worship" segment, it can be so far from true "worship." When we realize we are not in control of our time here on earth and offer each moment to Him who is in control, then we are able to truly "offer [our] lives" as our "spirtual act of worship." Then, and only then, are the songs we sing, the prayers we pray, the smiles we give, an act of worship. But remember, they are only expressions of worship. They, in and of themselves, are nothing. May our songs be a true expression of the true joy we have in our Lord and Savior as we offer our lives in true worship.

Never Needed. Always Wanted!

Well, I'm in the middle of reading a book and a certain statement struck me. "Because God requires nothing outside Himself, we can know that He freely chose whether to create [or not] and what to create." (Life Answers. Hemphill. pg68) What a wonderful thought. The Sovereign God of the universe, who needs nothing to be made complete, still wanted us. He had the option to not create (and remain complete) or create us knowing, all too well, what was in store. What an amazing display of love!!

I know many times in my life, the things I do are skewed and tainted by underlying motives for what I think I need. Can you imagine how nice would it be to be able to love someone and know that it is a pure love--free from all selfish wants or needs? Moreover, how nice would it be to be loved in that same way? well....WE ARE!!! What security!!

To know His love for us will never change according to mood swings, attitudes, or ulterior motives. This statement really made me think. Someone who doesn't need anything from me and still wants me enough to offer His own Son to be with us, is someone who REALLY wants me alot. I hope and pray my relationship with Him--your relationship with Him--will be just the same....out of love...not just out of need. I pray our worldly relationships will exude those same traits. What a world this could be!

Birthday Wishes

Well, today is my birthday. I turned 27 today. I know I'm not that old in the whole grand scheme of things, but I do feel like it has passed by in an instant. It seems like just a few years ago that I was in high school and then college and now here I am...to Colorado and back...married working in Nashville. I guess it's true, "What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes." James 4:14 Looking back there are so many things that I've done that has molded me into who I am and then there are things that I've done that I wish I hadn't done (watching too much TV for one). But you know, realistically speaking, I'm probably going to go home and watch TV tonight. What makes a person do what he does? Priorities? Environment? Habits? All three, I guess. Tim McGraw has a song called My Next 30 Years where at age 30 he's making some changes in life. Are you at a point in your life where you need to make some changes? Am I? More time with the family or friends? More time to take care of your self? What about more time with the Father? What will make us change? Why not let God move in you (and me) and allow Him to make these changes within us. May we live today for today and take advantage of every moment. "Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." Matt 6:34