The Flood

October 11, 2008 · Filed Under general · Comment 

It’s still a fascinating concept if you think about—God restricting his power on the earth and limiting it through us. What a sobering concept!

Psalm 78:41 says, “Yes, again and again they tempted God, and limited the Holy One of Israel.” Wow, the Israelites tempted God and limited him. They limited God. How was that? Through their unbelief, they limited God.

I was talking to my son the other day about this concept of how God needs us, and how throughout the Bible, God would not do anything unless it was in cooperation with a person. Immediately, my son said, “Well, what about the Flood?”

Hmmm? Good question.

So, I re-read the Flood story, looking specifically for an instance where someone prayed for judgement or some sort of human interaction. Obviously, Noah was found righteous and instructed to build the boat, but did God consult Noah beforehand? Here’s what I found in Genesis:

    But Noah found favor with the LORD. This is the history of Noah and his family. Noah was a righteous man, the only blameless man living on earth at the time. He consistently followed God’s will and enjoyed a close relationship with him. (Genesis 6:8-9).

It doesn’t say specifically that Noah prayed and God responded with the Flood, but it does indicate some human interaction and possible intercession. It says that Noah “enjoyed a close relationship with [God]“. I think it’s very likely that God and Noah were talking about the current state of humanity throughout the earth, and God’s heart grieved that he ever created Man. But, Noah was there, by his side, talking with God.

Even at the Flood, I believe God consulted a human on what to do, and it was through that same man that God saved all of humanity.

When you think about it, if God had not limited himself years ago with the initial creation of Adam, he could have easily wiped out the earth and started over from scratch again. But, he couldn’t. His irrevocable laws and principles were in place already. He chose to limit himself through them.

What does God want to do through you?

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The Crisis God

August 7, 2008 · Filed Under general · Comment 

When I booted up my computer this morning and opened my journal, I realized it has been quite awhile since I really connected with my Father. And thought, Why?

Well, it’s easy—life is good right now. Really good. When I think about all the things that people struggle with—marriage, finances, rebellious kids, sickness, and in-laws, I’ve got it great.

  • My marriage is wonderful and healthy!
  • We’re completely out of debt!
  • Our teenage son is an absolute joy!
  • I’m training for a half-marathon and feel great!
  • I get along with my mother-in-law. Mostly.

Life is good.

And when life is good (and in control), I often just go through my day doing my thing on my schedule my way. I have this impaired sense of, I don’t need God. Life is good.

Rarely, do we call upon the God-who-is-Lord. Rather, we call upon the God-who-is-only-there-when-I’ve-got-a-problem.

Think about it for a moment. How would you describe your prayer life with God? Think of a scale—on one side, the number of times you go to God in a crisis, with a need. The other side is all the times you went to God just thank him, talk to him, spend time with him for no other reason than to just be with him.

I know what my scale would look like, and it’s not pretty. In fact, it’s quite lopsided.

I think about my son and the times he comes to me. Usually, it’s a request for more computer or tv time. Or, he wants to watch a show with me (only because he’s run out of his own computer/tv time for the day). Or, he wants to go to the lake or swimming or over to a friend’s house. Or my favorite, he has used up all his computer/tv time, finished reading all his library books, and he has nothing to do. So, out of boredom, he comes to me wanting to play a game or something.

Boredom. My daddy status is one step below boredom.

Yet, here’s the beauty of it all. My love for him is no less. Even in those times when he comes to me because he has exhausted all of his other options, I still love being there for him. I love it when he comes to me. I enjoy being with him. Sure, it blesses me when he comes to me first, but the fact that he just comes to me is a blessing beyond measure.

I think it’s the same with God. Sure, he loves it when we come to him first—first in the morning, first in a decision, first to be thanked, first in a crisis. But, his love does not waiver when we call out to him as a last resort, when things have escalated beyond our control.

With all the great things going on in my life, I have become more thankful to God. I spend sporadic times throughout the day in simple thankfulness. Just this morning, I was walking our dog, Misty, and saw this beautiful sunrise.

Thank you, Father, for this exciting, wonderful day!

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Created for relationship

August 4, 2008 · Filed Under general · Comment 

I just finished a week-long break from my marathon training schedule. My knees were a bit sore and I wanted to give them time to recover a bit. We’re upping our miles and I wanted to make sure I was ready for the longer distances.

So, early this morning, I donned my “dry fit” shirt and shorts, running shoes and strategically programmed iPod and started back on my running program. It was such a great time! But, something interesting happened this morning. God spoke to me through his creation during my run.

Geese

As I finished my short warm up run and started stretching, I saw this flock of geese fly over me. They weren’t way up in the sky, like when I’ve seen geese before. No, this was a small flock of Canadian geese, and they were only 30 or 40 feet of the ground. It was amazing! They were swooping over the houses in their lopsided triangle formation, but perfectly in sync.

And when I saw them pass over, I had this thought, “Geese instinctively know that they’re created to live and function as a group.”

It was an interesting thought, and immediately I start thinking about how God has created us for relationship–relationship with himself and relationship with others. I mean, when you think about the two greatest commandments, according to Jesus, it’s all about relationship: “You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: Love your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 22:37-39).

You see, we too are created instinctively to live and function as a group. We function better, more efficiently, more effectively as a group. God created us for relationship.

As I started my run, I thought more and more about this need for relationship. As I turned this one corner in my run, I looked up ahead of me, and there they were–all six geese. They had landed in the grassy area of a closed school, and they were grazing off the fresh cut grass. I was pretty surprised to see those same geese from about 20 minutes earlier. And again, another thought, “Not only do that fly together, they eat together. Now, that’s something you can relate to.”

It’s true. I like to eat. And, I enjoy having meals with friends and family. Even in my business, I often have business lunches or coffees, and I enjoy the time of just talking and listening to people. We really are created to live and function as a group.

We are created for relationship.

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Welcome to my journey with God

July 27, 2008 · Filed Under general, purpose/destiny, spiritual hearing · Comment 

This is my story, my journey with God.  For many years, I have chronicled my walk with the Divine, and I want to take some time to share my experience with you.

Can we really commune with the Creator?  Can we hear his voice?  Deeper still, does he even care with what’s going on in our lives?

I think too many people, without knowing it, see a relationship with God like their relationship with their father–distant, disconnected, and unemotional.  For many, there is no real reference on what a perfect father/child relationship looks like.

Yet, he pursues us.  Woos us.  Draws us into an intimate walk with him.

What does that look like?  What is it like to “walk with God”?  Can we hear his voice?  Can we know his will.  Can we really understand what he is saying to us?

I think so.  I believe so.  He has guided my life so clearly, so wonderfully over the past few years.  Is my life perfect?  Uhh, no.  By no means, but I have experienced a touch from heaven, from God. I know that I’ve heard his voice.  And I know that he longs to speak to everyone of his children.

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