Category Archives: Obedience

NO DUMPING

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As jack and I walk through our quiet neighborhood each day, the only sounds are natural ones: blowing evergreens, bird-songs, crickets, Lake Michigan’s waves. Lately, however, the tranquility has been overwhelmed by buzzing chain saws and roaring wood chippers.

Lotsa wood

Tree trimming experts are moving through the area “following the dots” that were painted on tree trunks over a year ago. (Do I understand?) They’re widening air space around electrical wires in an effort to keep them out of harm’s way when storms and high winds cause limbs to fall.

In some cases, entire trees have been brought down but not in the old fashioned way. Although arborists used to shout, “Tim-berrrr!” to warn of a long-falling trunk, today’s workmen take trees down chunk-by-chunk from the top, using sky-high cherry pickers, miles of rope, and men who aren’t afraid of heights.

NO DUMPING PLEASE

Gradually monster-size piles of wood have been left here and there around the neighborhood, waiting to be removed later. This one was humorously deposited at the base of a NO DUMPING sign.

God has a few of his own NO DUMPING signs, hoping we’ll read and heed them, but sadly most of us don’t. One of those is written in especially big letters so we’ll be sure to see it, and it has to do with dumping on ourselves.

Jesus says, “Your sins are absolute trash. Just as garbage that’s left too long in your home gets really vile, sins do the same. They need to be regularly discarded to keep your inner self clean.”

What often happens, though, is we work to clean up all we know is wrong, get ready to give it to God since he offers to haul it away, but then throw it right back into our soul-houses instead. He holds up his NO DUMPING sign, but that doesn’t usually stop us from dumping back into our lives.

Most of us have a desire to obey God’s signs, trusting him to permanently dispose of our sins once we ask for forgiveness. But feeling guilty makes us want to pay for what we’ve done rather than concede that Jesus has already done that for us. To dump it all on him rather than ourselves seems too easy.

Forgiveness of sins ought to hurt more, we think, but therein lies the measureless value of our salvation. Jesus did the hurting for all of us beneath a dumped load of unimaginable weight. For us to continue re-dumping those same sins back onto ourselves again and again is, in a way, refusing to acknowledge what Jesus accomplished on the cross.

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Having watched the tree-cutting activity in our neighborhood for several weeks now, I know the men will be back to remove the pile of wood in the NO DUMPING zone. But am I as diligent in dealing with the sin-debris in my life? And when I am, do I heed God’s NO DUMPING sign or dump it all back to where it came from?

“All the prophets testify about [Jesus Christ] that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.” (Acts 10:43)

Everything We Need

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We often hear Christians say, “God provides for my every need.” How can this be true when we see so much that’s still wrong in this world like poverty, abuse, and orphaned children? What about terminal disease?

Although these questions seem logical, maybe they’re the wrong ones. It might be better to say, “Can we point to situations where compassionate people are helping the poor? Do we see God placing orphaned children into families? Are there avenues of support for people fighting illnesses?”

The answers ought to be rooted in the good deeds of those who want to please God and people at the same time. And isn’t that the definition of godliness?

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Waterford bowl

More than 20 years ago, Nate gave me a beautiful Waterford crystal bowl. It came in a velvet-lined box and included a small booklet explaining the symbols cut into the glass. I don’t know if the Waterford people meant for this piece to be a lesson in godliness, but it certainly could be.

Although the explanatory booklet is long gone and neither the Waterford web site nor my Facebook friends could help me interpret the symbols, here’s one set of possibilities:

  • The heart = God is love (1 John 4:8)
  • The dove = the Holy Spirit (John 1:32)
  • The sun = Jesus, the Sun of Righteousness (Malachi 4:2)
  • The wheat = prosperity (Psalm 147:13-15)
  • The bow = God’s promises kept (Isaiah 14:24)

The heartThe dove

A second option might be to associate the symbols with our basic human needs:

The sun

The wheat

 

 

 

The bow

  • The bundle of wheat could represent food.
  • The sun might signify the warmth of hearth and home.
  • The heart could be the love that all people crave.
  • The dove might indicate our need for inner peace in the midst of tumultuous circumstances.
  • The bow could symbolize the gift of life itself, since the other 4 items tie together to keep us alive.

Maybe the bow simply represents generosity. When I use this pretty piece, I always think of my generous husband. He knew I loved glass and made a point to give it to me, but despite the crystal being beautiful to look at, it’s good in another way, too. If I let its symbols nudge me into the godly behavior of reaching out to meet the basic needs of someone else, it can become much more than just a pretty gift.

“Godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.” (1 Timothy 4:8)

A Wish for Water

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Most people find it peaceful to look out over a large body of water. Even a small lake or a narrow river does something special for us. Because of this, waterfront property is pricey, and limited “front row” lots keep it out of reach for most of us.

Lake Michigan

I live a short walk from the gorgeous vista of massive Lake Michigan but can’t see the water from my house. Homeowners fortunate enough to overlook the lake pay a steep financial premium for it.

There’s another way we all appreciate water, and it has to do with our thirst.

Thirsty soldierI remember a few years back reading the story of a soldier shot down in enemy territory who buried himself to escape capture. A week later, as he was scooped up in a dare-devil helicopter rescue, all he could say was, “Water! I need water!” The soldiers who’d rescued him laughed at his gulping and spilling, marveling at the amount he drank before finally calming down.

Water is precious to us. It’s also priceless, especially if seen through the lens of Scripture.

Water is used as a symbol for several things in the Bible, the most important of which is salvation. Jesus describes himself as the living water, life-giving for those who believe in him. But water in Scripture is also symbolic for other things: cleansing, purification, healing, nourishment, and baptism.

It’s interesting that in all these water-references, God is the one in charge, whether it’s setting water’s boundaries, withholding or sending rain, using water in judgment, or quenching spiritual thirst. He was in charge at the time of creation (as the Spirit moved over the face of the waters) and will be the architect of heavenly waters (creating a river flowing from the throne of God).

Water

We all need water, both the literal kind and the symbolic kind, which translates to needing him. But of course sometimes we end up sampling other “drinks” before we finally realize there’s only one that will thoroughly (and permanently) satisfy our thirst.

Water will always fascinate us: a bubbling aquarium, a fountain, a summer rainstorm, a swimming pool, a cold drink. Scripture describes a heavenly sea like crystal that God intends to make for us one day. I’ve tried to envision such a wonder and am hoping I’ll get to spend time looking at it in the hereafter. But the one important water-fact that had to occur before I would be allowed to see it, was my drinking from the fountain of life, receiving the living water of Christ.

Since I’ve done that, I eagerly look forward to seeing (and maybe swimming in?) the crystal sea. And knowing how grand paradise will be, there will probably even be accommodations for each person who wants a dwelling with a waterfront view.

….no financial premium required.

“To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life.” (Revelation 21:6)