Your God

Don't be afraid, for I am with you. Do not be dismayed, for I am your God.

Isaiah 41:10

Here we go again.  It's January, the time when our thoughts naturally flow toward the future.  What will the new year bring? Will it be better or worse than the last?   Will we experience an unimaginable calamity, or an unforgettable blessing? Or will it just be another average year without major highs or lows? Will I be the person God wants me to be - has created me to be - or will my year be marked by underachievement?

In all honesty, the last question might be the most significant. There is almost nothing we can do to control what happens this year, but there is much we can control about our response.  Too often I repsond out of fear, primarily the fear of failure.  Fear that I will not live up to my end of the bargain.  Fear that I will lead this organization down the wrong path, or that my decisions will cause pain for others.

As we begin this new year, my focus is not on what may or may not happen, but how I will respond. My prayer is that I will experience the peace of God, which is the opposite of fear; that I will trust fully in him through whatever may come; that I will truly believe that he is with me, and that he is my God.  

My prayer for you is the same.  May the God who is ever with you - your God - pour his blessings out on you this year!

What Really Matters

“The Lord’s blessing is our greatest strength.”  Proverbs 10:22 TLB 

Recently I gathered with my wife and children, seven siblings, in-laws, nieces and nephews, cousins, uncles and aunts, current and long-lost friends, and even a few strangers to celebrate the life of our family's patriarch, my dad.  Even at the age of 89, after living a full and productive life, his death still somehow felt untimely.  I was ready, and at the same time, completely unready for him to leave us.  I understand that as a follower of Jesus, he is far better off now than at any time on this earth. But I miss my visits and phone calls with him, his warm smile, and gentleness.  Even as I write, I fight back the tears. 

His loss has made me consider more urgently what really matters in life.  My dad never put monetary gain or selfish ambition above family, and certainly not above matters of God’s Kingdom. How many of us can say the same?  He knew that what really matters in this life is not acclaim or wealth or power, but the Lord’s blessing on a life lived for Him.  Dad did not leave his numerous descendants a large monetary inheritance.  What he left was of far greater importance – the impact of a life lived in service to his King, an example of what it really means to follow Jesus. 

From his meager resources, he continued to support this ministry (and many others) until his death. Perhaps he felt a certain obligation to support ECM, but I like to think that ultimately, he simply felt an overwhelming desire to be a part of growing God’s Kingdom, and partnership with ECM was a good way to ensure that God’s love was shown to the vulnerable and outcast in this world.  For that, he received God’s blessing and was welcomed into heaven by the words we all long to hear, “Well done, my good and faithful servant.” 

Without a doubt, this is what really matters.