This was a piece of casual conversation with a guy I met recently who claimed to be a christian (I do not know him well but getting there). He is completing rehab treatment and hoping for a job full time soon. Try to get hisperspective…and where I fit in??
Me: say, how are you planning on having different habits when you finally move into a place of your own? Him: what do you mean? Me: do you know what the word “trysting”means? Him: No clue. Me:”Do you have a mentor yet”. Him:”Yes, I think so” (and some fill in on his potential mentor)…
I know, I know. I just kind of dive into peoples lives like this. just read on.
Me: “I hope you get a mentor that can help you read your bible and find a good quiet place to meet with God. He talks to you (mostly through the word) and you talk to him and develop and experience a very close relationship with God. Trysting is a place where two lovers meet. This is in part what it means to love God with all your heart, soul, mind and body. You should have a place you meet with God, just you and God.
Him (excited) : I gotta show you this really cool verse I read yesterday. I told my family all about it and they think I’m nut’s because they are not believers. That’s ok, they are just missing out! (picks up phone, finds it quickly and reads it to me) Jesus said this…
“Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink.Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.” John 7:37-38
Him: That’s the coolest verse in the bible. It’s true too!
I walked away with no doubt in my mind that this new believer with tons of life’s baggage had just experienced the same ineffable resurrection power of God in his life that Lazarus did being raised from the dead. He was dead and chained to his drugs and is now experiencing living water in his life and overflowing to those around him.
Do not let anyone tell you that God is not at work in peoples lives today in miraculous and powerful ways.
Gary
PS: please read G.W.’s post on ineffable Power. It’s, well, powerful.
We were camped for one night on an island on big kekekabic lake in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area wilderness. The scenery was beyond what words can ascribe to natures raw beauty. High cliffs and rock areas as large as a small town lined the edges. 100 yards out from the north island side found 180 feet deep of crystal-clear-lake trout fishing water.
The next morning the winds came up as we packed up camp to travel another 7 lakes with portages in-between. The four of us gathered on the island edge to study the fast whitecapped waves between us and the closest shoreline where we planned to go. The stretch of water we needed to cross was in a wind tunnel. We couldn’t see them well so everything looked ok from our island. “I think we can make it” said our young and somewhat experienced canoeist. “It looks doable” said my teen age grandson. We looked at my newly retired neighbor to see what he thought. “I am going with the opinion of the one who has led groups up here over 70 times” said my neighbor looking at me.
Doesn’t look windy at all. Very fast angry deceptive waves out there
I looked at the treetops swaying wildly in the wind and felt the crosswind gusts. we were protected on our side of the island. I have been in this position before and chose wrong. “We have a little less than a mile of wind tunnel that we are crossing by the time we are to the next portage. Each canoe has about a 50% chance of making it without tipping in those waves. Maybe.” I said. “The water is cold enough, so you have about 10 minutes to rescue yourself before your muscles do not work anymore. If one canoe tips the other canoe will want to rescue them. It’s almost impossible to rescue in these waves, then you have 4 people in the water too far from shore to make it. As long as we stay on the island, we have a zero percent chance of tipping. That’s” my opinion ” I said. My Neighbor spoke up, “I’m trusting the experienced opinion”; the young guys nodded yes.
End of a long windy day after high winds and 7 portages.
After a late afternoon meal, the wind died down and the waves were much lower, slower and less angry. The waves were still white-capped when we shoved off. The portage was straight across from us, but the waves were still to big to be side swiped in a canoe. The plan was to go at an angle into the waves until midway across the highest section of waves. When a lull in the wind gusts died down, we would turn the canoe around to angle across the wind tunnel and ride the waves toward the portage.
Even with less wind and smaller waves, we all felt the adrenaline of the rough water and building courage of navigating properly. Thankfully the big waves had turned into big rollers that propelled our canoes forward rather than washing over the end of the canoe. After we made it to the portage, each guy made it known then and later around the fire how grateful we didn’t try to tackle waves three times higher than what canoes could safely handle. “How did you know the waves were so big? They didn’t look big to me. I don’t think I could handle any bigger waves than the smaller ones after the wind died down,” said our better experienced young man. I told him a couple other stories about myself tipping canoes in those kinds of waves and lived to tell.
Nature in the raw is truly ruggedly beautiful. Beyond description. We found a campsite out of the wind. Grateful. God’s handiwork is so awesome and overwhelming that how could we not experience God by experiencing nature? It’s a common misconception voiced around the campfire. Nature settings are like being in God’s 3D art gallery.
God’s clues are so many! One can experience peace in the gurgling brook and the morning sunrise. One’s smallness is real also in the mysterious aura felt around the evening fire as the wolves moan, the frogs croak and a large animal walks in the water. There are (quite sure) a zillion stars out there to be viewed from ones tent site. I love natures clues.
Natures sense of peace is between the storms. God’s peace is in the midst of the storm.
This forest fire died here. It was a big one. I’m glad I was not there as I probably would have “become one with nature”
Visit the wilderness enough and one will experience all that happens in nature. A beautiful sunrise in the east may lure you into the middle of a big lake while the western skies may prepare the storm of the century.I have a hundred stories where “mother” nature does not care about us. But, God cares.
Nature is not tame and from all indications neither is God.
If you want to meet God, in nature or right where you are now, just ask. God will meet us anywhere. He is God and calls the shots. Consider what He has promised in scripture.
“But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” Hebrews 11:6
“And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Romans 10:13
There’s so much more if you care to look it up!
I love getting into nature. I still see it as God’s living room (my thing I guess) and I meet him there but only because I have a relationship with my creator. It’s my most important relationship. We talk and I listen as well. There is much to see, hear and understand. Peace comes from God and not nature, but what a great back drop for allowing God to work on this scruffy specimen of a follower of Jesus. What a great place to fellowship and dine, in God’s living room.
They didn’t make it another year together. Since then, Dad has been dying. Slowly. Dad said it best when mom died, it’s like two immensely strong trees grown together and ripped apart in one of life’s storms.
I mourn for mom in passing. I mourn for dad as important things in his life fall away. He might not fish or hunt again and I mourn. Walking the woods and hunting together is past and I mourn. Eating food is hard and firing up the grill or smoker for dad has lost it’s enjoyment. I mourn that. Enjoyment itself seems to be passing like a salmon arriving at its birthplace to lay eggs and die. There is no more will to fight the currents.
The hardest thing for me is the wilting of relationship. It’s not just dad’s fault. We are turning our heads away from each other viewing the tasks of living another day, week, month and maybe he will make it to Christmas. There is a shadow, a dark cloud in the way of talking deeply with one another and I mourn. Dad has turned his head toward eternity. He is like a farm horse headed to the barn at the end of a long workday. There’s no stopping that horse for anything and it can’t wait to get home to the barn. I’m not ready for that.
Today, I’ll get in the car and drive a few hours to see dad. It’s possible he may have much or little time left. I may have many or few visits left. I don’t know. All I know is that Dad is dying in dozens of ways, and that’s hard. I mourn.
I do take comfort in the fact that dad see’s eternity and there is light. Dad thinks eternities door is cracked open enough for light to spill out. He can almost look inside. He seems to be parked by the door while I want to take him for another boat ride and throw a few casts for fish while we talk. Oh, he can still do that physically but it’s not the same. He wants to see Jesus and hug mom again. I want him to hug me. So yes, I mourn.
This morning, as I drove to see dad, I gave him to God. I let a piece of me die. Oh, he won’t die forever. He is God’s you know. He knows. He always belonged to God as long as I have known him. I will just miss him. After another weekend visit, I will give dad a hug, say “bye for now dad”, you know just in case I need to wait for eternity to see him again.
I stand in dads yard and watch the sun set. What symbolism for my grief as well as my hope beyond this life. Tears come as I quietly whisper “bye for now dad”.
Have you ever tried to take a picture inside with the outside showing? Normally there is glare, too much light and a flash is needed unless it’s dark outside. I actually set up the camera in the living room on a tripod and waited until the light density was similar inside to the outside. A 70 degree difference from inside to outside as it was a snowstorm just ending outside.
It’s February and very nice out… temperature wise.
In september the temperature made it’s way down into the 30’s and it was cold. October made it a little colder. November temperature went down into the teens. December made it down to zero and into a few degrees below zero. this January we found 20 below zero a few times and the beginning of February in the minus 30 below zero range (some saw minus 40’s but you get the picture). What was cold in September is now t-shirt weather. January weather seems warm from February’s view.
Our Spruce tree seems cold as the sun sets. We love our views from the inside
We live and adjust to relativities in so many areas of our lives, not just the weather.
We live and adjust daily without even thinking about it. I have 6 pairs of outdoor boots and combinations of 12 layers of different types of outer and layered coats and jackets. I can stay warm in minus 30 with a wind chill of -60 degrees. A few days ago, I was outside unloading my ice fishing equipment, and I thought “It’s warm out here”; I looked at the outdoor thermometer, and it read -32 degrees. The wind had died down, and it felt warm outside. I called dad mid-January to let him know it was minus 20 degrees. He said, “wow it’s warm there, it’s -42 here”. I just gave my oldest Kentucky daughter a text telling her “it is 40 degrees colder here…must be nice”. She texted back “and I thought 21 degrees was really cold”
Even though it feels warm, it would still be a disaster to stick one’s tongue on the car door handle. There are some things that are not relative. You will still lose part of your tongue if stuck on freezing metal. I have a winter camping story in freezing weather with tin cups for another time. A bad diet seems ok until later in life. Smoking seemed ok for our health a long time ago. We can come up with an endless list of how we live life as relative. Maybe it actually kind of works; until it doesn’t.
A relationship with God is not relative. Sin is not relative. God’s love is not relative. What God says is not open to interpretation anytime or anywhere into eternity. God invites us to step inside and get to know Him. Jesus’ life, death in our place and resurrection made it possible. His Spirit cleans us up inside and never leaves us
I’m getting ready for tomorrow. Another snowstorm coming. Warm weather as it will stay above -10 tonight. Maybe. Tomorrow morning I will also continue getting ready for another tomorrow (someday my tomorrow will be in eternity) as I read a passage from God’s word, pray, reflect and allow God’s Spirit to set my tone for the day. I have a personal relationship with my creator God; it’s real and I am changed. I trust the changes in me are not like the weather outside. Temporary. Relative. To be more like Jesus is reality. Truth. Inside.
I stepped outside and took a 10 second time exposure. Long enough to get cold in my sleepwear.
I watched the moon set before the sun would light the morning. I pondered and identified with the Psalmist.
“You, God are my God, earnestly I seek you; I thirst for you, my whole being longs for you in a dry and parched land where there is no water. ” Psalm 63: 1
I thought of the all the sailors who have been adrift in life boats after losing their vessel in storm or war; often muttering “water water everywhere but not a drop to drink.”
I think often of the happiest people I have ever seen in a third world country and they have nothing.
I think of the change of one’s whole being when they finally understand how much Jesus loves them; enough to die for them. It’s like coming home from vacation and all your plants look dead and they spring to life with water. Only we get “Living Water.”
I ponder how this passion for God in our dry and thirsty land affects my speech, word choices and topics of conversation today and through the week. Will I use alternate swear words? slang? Will I confront or come alongside when differences arise? will I wash the dishes when my wife looks tired even though I have had an 11 hour work day? Will I say a kind word to a harried cashier? Will I live intentionally? Generously?
It’s now daylight. Will I live as a child of light? A delightful sunday morning. I read on. “I will praise you as long as I live, and in your name I will lift up my hands. I will be fully satisfied as with the richest of foods; with singing lips my mouth will praise you“ Psalm 63: 4-5 (even if I don’t know the song?)
To many this would be sacrilege. but to those who have realised they just escaped hell, sacred.
I came a stranger, a visitor and casual observer. I left immersed in wonder.
The place was packed. The air as electric with excitement as a tied championship game in final seconds. Yelling, clapping and (very) loud cheering sounds from young and old alike. God winning. Testimony and story from several teens, twenties and some elderly as they declared hardships and victories before being dunked in an icy water filled cattle tank. Tears and much shaking of heads as memories of who they were “before Christ”. Gods power was evident, powerful, overflowing and permeating. All were participants in this sacred gathering.
Thirty-five quick stories and baptisms before moving on to thirty-two child dedications. The electricity was still there. Clapping, yelling and various carrying on continued as parents gave their kids to God and pleaded with the people to help them raise their kids to Love God. Not a dry eye in the place as a mom gave her child to God. “Before Christ”, Strung out on drugs at life’s bottom she had given away her young child for adoption. Now in her new life in Christ, she was now giving her child to God. A child she may never see again on earth. She desperately wanted to at least see her child in heaven someday.
[Side notes: extremely organized, the youth band was great but their drummer is an alien with six arms I think. How could over 70 events happen with people talking and take only 2 hours? Wow, they didn’t come for the cake afterwards! I still feel compelled to pray once in awhile for the barren mom with purple and pink hair. So this is where my grandkids are being raised…wow]
There was nothing ordinary about this afternoon church service. God wasn’t just “talked about”, God permeated the room and the people with his presence. A sacred excitement. We were there with His Spirit. I could picture Jesus in the eyes of the little kids standing on chairs clapping with glee. The year was 2018. I shall not forget this sacred moment.
Ask God for a sacred moment in your life and church (and by faith carry ear plugs)
Gary
PS: a bit of irony on the backstory. This meeting was held in a nice church building given to this ministry. Seems the church grew old and disbanded from lack of people and funds. This ministry grew out of that church a few years back but was attracting young people that made the church people uncomfortable. Now that ministry is a come-as-you-are church and the old church building given to them is just big enough for the youth ministry. God wins.
The sun was setting, it was close to dark. I was walking to the house after taking sunset pictures that were odd colored when I noticed a bumble bee on a fall flower. I took a full one second time exposure to capture the light and the bee. An OK picture I thought, but I could not see everything. Sometimes we just do not see the whole picture unless we stop and see. Really see.
For the bee this is as good as it gets.
A bee, clinging to a flower when it should have been in the hive. Old, torn wings, badly wounded leg and foot and feeding late into the evening. A bee on it’s last feeding perhaps? We all end up in tough shape if we live a long life.
This is how good it can get…
Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty (John 6:35)
But whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” (John 4:14)
I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment. (Revelation 21:16)
The promise that came to me as I walked into the house: “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest”. (Matthew 11:28)
Luke 19:37 As he was drawing near—already on the way down the Mount of Olives—the whole multitude of his disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen, saying, “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” And some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples.” He answered, “I tell you, if these were silent, the very stones would cry out.”
Isaiah 55:12 “For you shall go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and the hills before you shall break forth into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.
Habakkuk 2:11 For the stone will cry out from the wall, and the beam from the woodwork respond.
It’s a story that needs telling. All anyone can really do is grasp pieces of Aunties story for now. I believe the intricate details will be displayed like a tapestry and listened on seats edges in eternity.
A few months after moving to a strange place with hardly an acquaintance, my wife casually mentioned to me she had an aunt, I had never met, living in the same very small town where we lived. Odd situation, I guess. Auntie didn’t like any of us or care to meet us, but she had cancer and was not long for this world. My wife had never felt any urgency to get to know Auntie until now. “I’m going to visit her starting tomorrow” she announced “and she probably will not want to see me”.
My wife found her address, knocked on her door and when the door opened a crack with a “What do you want?” greeting, she was quick to stick a foot in the door and let Auntie know whose daughter she was, that she wanted to visit and she brought a few cookies. Auntie took the cookies and forced the door shut.
This went on for a few visits until my wife made it inside the door to talk a little longer and visit with one old-cold-bitter women. Seems Auntie didn’t need sympathy, prying relatives, no religious preacher and even rejected her own children half the time.
Auntie had no time for prayer or anything to do with God. She believed that when one dies, that’s it. No after life. No purpose to life. No God. Nothing. “Burn the body and get rid of the ashes” kind of aunt.
In all this, my wife seemed more and more confident that God was pushing her from a weekly visit over time to daily visits by the time Auntie went into the hospital. “She needs someone” my wife kept saying. The nurses drew straws (they actually did) to see who had Auntie duty. Auntie was not a nice lady and even refused to let her grandchildren visit her. She did not know or want to know their names or see their faces. When my wife or her grown children would visit, Auntie would pretend to be asleep in her hospital bed. If they tried to hug her, she would say “You may shake my hand”. My wife would not ask. She would hug her anyway.Gradually her stiffening at hugs became somewhat less like hugging a wooden board.
My wife would sing hymns softly and read Auntie bible passages about knowing Jesus when Auntie would pretend to be sleeping. Some days Auntie would actually talk to her. She still would not let any clergy see her or anyone pray with or for her.
A few days before Auntie died,my wife felt moved to ask her if she could pray for her. Auntie said “I suppose it would be OK”. My wife thanked Jesus for dying for all the things that separated us from God. She prayed the whole plan of salvation as she had been reading to Auntie in the bible. She prayed for Auntie to just believe in Jesus. If she would just believe. When she was done Auntie said something no one had heard from her lips in a very long time, “Thank you”. Then she went to sleep and My wife went home.
The next day some of Aunties kids said to my wife “What did you do to her?” Alarmed my wife said, “I prayed with her, why?” “She is changed-different” they said.
Auntie spent the last few days of her life smiling, thanking nurses and asking to meet her grandchildren. Hugs happened and Auntie was a different person. Auntie never acknowledged praying with my wife or believing in Jesus but there wasn’t any other evidence to explain the complete change from an angry and bitter old dying women to a sweet-little-old-cancerous woman in pain. She actually seemed to be living beyond the pain drugs. She died much happier than she had lived most of her life.
“All I did was do what I felt God was telling me to do” says my wife.
My wife and I thought God had relocated us 300 miles from family, friends and great fishing lakes for a job and better income. Now we are thinking God had far bigger things in mind. It’s very possible that God moved my wife here for Auntie and gave me a job while He was at it.
“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. Isaiah 55:8-9
God’s handiwork is so awesome and overwhelming that how could we not experience God by experiencing nature? It’s a common misconception voiced around the campfire. Nature settings are like being in God’s 3D art gallery. 
