The gift of exchange

Some old adage goes like this:

"When God closes a door, He opens a window".

When I was younger, I didn't appreciate the vagueness, and that the adage was meant as a general sense of comfort. All I could envision was the difficulty of trying to escape from a window where once I could have left from a door. I pictured myself struggling to escape a high window, and falling, most likely, upon exit.

It is funny how adages get slipped into vernacular and become accepted, perhaps mostly without thought. What is even funnier, and sad at the same time, is how the richness of scripture, especially during a trying time, can convey a deeper sense of comfort and nourishment for the soul, if one doesn't mind digging deep. The quick adage, like a cheap food, is substituted for the more ardorous one. The choice between the two is kind of like the difference between eating a taco from fast food, and enjoying a very fine, home-cooked, grilled steak. The steak can be laborious to buy, prepare, and grill---whereas the taco is simply bought; however, the satisfaction, nourishment and taste cannot really be compared.

Isaiah 61:3 is one of those nourishing verses that I offer as a trade for the previous adage in terms of comfort during grief:

God, will do many beautiful things, amongst them:

"(and) provide for those who grieve in Zion-- to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the LORD for the display of his splendor."

Times of mourning are inevitable for us Sons of Adam and Daughters of Eve. Life is full of trials, and sometimes the potential for bitterness can be overwhelming. Mourning is not limited to the loss of a loved ones. Chaotic events, sudden drastic changes of circumstances, illness, and financial stress can also cause excessive grief, amongst other things.

This is why the poetry of scripture can be a powerful comfort in conveying hope during grievous times.

Continuing along the tree analogy referenced previously in another blog, here is the mighty oak of righteousness, and planted by God to display His splendor!

God paints a description of the hope we have to look forward to with the prototype of those who mourn and grieve in Zion with the verse from Isaiah 61:3.

God is going to give those who mourn:

"A crown of beauty for the ashes". Friend, no matter what your ashes look like---there is hope. Ashes vary, by the types of material that they were comprised of and burned previously, but all ashes have a unique characteristic: they are the completely changed leftovers from a previous event. And fire, and burning, can seriously alter ones story.

"The oil of joy instead of mourning". When mourning is spoke of in Job, he tears his cloths, shaves his head, and cuts his body with shards of pottery (Job 1-2), and his friends sit on the ground for seven days with him in his despair. The mental picture is vacuous of hope. Anguish seems permanent. Yet God says He will trade our mourning for the oil of joy. Oil was a symbol of blessing and so much more, in both the Old and New Covenant.  The oil of joy is even more explicit. The mental imagery and contrast between mourning and joy, and ashes(dry) and oil(nourished), are stark themselves.  Later in the book of Job, God blesses Job twice as much as he is blessed in the beginning. God gives Job more children, more flocks, more wealth, and his 'oil of joy' overflows.

Lastly, the "garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair". 

We all know how heavy grief can weigh us down. It is soul-sucking, life-depriving, joy-robbing, and eye-dimming. But it is also a natural human emotion that accompanies many different inevitable life events. Grief is to be expected. Even our Christ wept over Lazarus' death. However, grief is not the end, and our Father prepares new garments for us. 

There is a place for grief, but God has a new garment that He has made ready for us. Let us prepare our hearts also, that we will be ready for the gift of exchange: to be ready to change our mourning to praise when the time comes, as we ultimately display His splendor!

The God Who Saves Trees

Images.

5-18-2014

Sunday morning, around 7:54am. Quiet, still, cool outside. Overcast, but not dark. Just grey skies.

I woke up, made coffee for James and I, and brought his to him upstairs while he was getting ready for the service. 

I went and sat outside, on the next to the bottom porch step in the backyard, and sipped my coffee. I like to sit there instead of the chairs on the porch, because sometimes our neighbors are on their back porch facing our back yard, and it's just awkward. Plus, I'm just a girl that doesn't like being seen.

My mind immediately began to worry, fumbling around half asleep over an incomplete grade in Accounting, turning over the justifiable reasons of how I may defend myself to a professor, when...

I caught myself, mentally. In my spirit, the Spirit checks me, like a turning of the head, angles-- facing a different direction, and He reminds me, all the truths of God-breathed scripture/bread/life that He has embedded in my soul, and I stopped worrying, and began giving thanks. Because thanks and gratitude is the remedy for worry. In my mind/soul, Being quietly checked, I cease the worry and begin:

Thank You, God, for You.

Thank You God, for Your love.

Thank You, God, for my husband.

Thank You, God, for my children.

Thank You God, for this life you have given me. 

This beautiful, quiet, morning. The air, for being so cool. Thank You, God, for such a quiet, cool morning.

And suddenly, like I was in two places, but not, I see an image in my mind/spirit. It's so real, you can almost feel it.

I am looking out from a tree. Like I'm up in the tree, but not terribly high. Perhaps I am looking from within the tree itself. The limbs are strong, beautiful, and free of gnarls, disease spots, or damage. The limbs/bark is the beautiful ash/white/grey, like a birch sort of, or maybe an oak? The branches are full of leaves, like summer has exploded into growth and the lush, green leaves furl out, and it is raining. There is a soft, steady, gentle rain, and water is dripping happily, busy. The rains sounds like a chorus in unison and perfect in step. Beyond the branches, right beside the edge of the shade cast from the tree, is a strong little river. This River is beautiful, full of life, and flowing---coursing merrily by the tree. The tree is nourished and strong because of it. There is such a feeling of life, and contentment; growth and renewal, strength and the future flow happily from this River. The rain is falling, the leaves have water sliding down them and their greenness is so shiny and bright, it looks more beautiful than the most iridescent emerald, shining in the sun. Life, is living, before me.

I finished my coffee and went inside, wondering why I saw the mystery of what I saw, as I got myself and the children ready for church this morning.

Hours later, the children are in children's church, and James begins to lead the service with a prayer, and then the first song of praise is sung. In the middle of the song, the image of the tree comes back to me: cool, green, leaves; rain. The River flowing, strong and happy. Life breathed. In my soul, I gave thanks as I sing the praise song, my heart and soul worshiping our Great and wonderful God.

Songs are sang, prayers made, and then James opens the sermon. We hadn't had time to talk much the past few weeks, out of too much busyness. I didn't even know what he was going to preach about, or even what scripture he was preaching from. I was with the children, rather than the Adult Bible Study the previous Wednesday evening.
James begins the message, and asks us to listen, rather than read, from the passage, as he opens the Word of God. He said close your eyes if you need to, and hear what God says.

Psalms 1:1-3

"Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked,

 nor stands in the way of sinners, 

nor sits in the seat of scoffers; 

but his delight is in the law of the Lord, 

and on his law he meditates day and night. 

He is like a tree planted by streams of water 

that yields its fruit in its season, 

and its leaf does not wither. 

In all that he does, he prospers. (Psalm 1:1-3 ESV)

And then the eyes of my soul were opened, and my heart recognized what He was gently giving me. A gift. An image of a tree, nurtured by the living water of God. Yet, a tree does not produce constantly; it is seasonal. When the season comes, it will yield its fruit. There is much gardening and tending imagery in the Bible; Isaiah 5 has another story of a vine dresser tending his garden--a picture of Christ. 

This is what it can be like in our hearts, as someone has said before I'm sure: the cultivation of the soul. He is tending His garden. The question remains-what kind of fruit will we give when our season is upon us?
Hear:
James' Sermon Sunday morning

The true anchor of my soul

     I spoke with a brother in Christ from our church this past Saturday night, during a welcome home party for a soldier in our congregation who just returned from Afghanistan. He is not afraid of shedding tears. He asked how I was holding up in the recent loss of my step mom. When I thought to myself how I should verbalize this grief, a mental image came to mind. I told this brother, Andrew, how I felt like I was in an ocean of grief, with dark skies, and I was on a small boat in the middle of it, with no anchor, no paddle---just drifting aimlessly since the loss of my step mom. I acknowledged the truth: I know she is in Heaven, with God. That doesn't make me miss her comforting presence any less.

     Andrew's father is experiencing aggressive onset of some sort of Alzheimer's/senility conditions, and Andrew knows his father will pass soon in the coming years. We were both crying: he about his father's deterioration, and me for the loss of one of my spiritual anchors--my step mom. He truly blessed me, like a brother in Christ, because he wept while I wept. Andrew acknowledged and voiced the devastating feelings I experienced with the impact of the loss of one of my anchors, and saw the look on my face which betrayed the turbulence.

     The next morning (Sunday, April 14), right before I woke up, I vividly found myself in a dream of the exact scene of feelings that I described. Lost, in the middle of an ocean. In the boat. No paddle. Same dark skies. Same sense of forlorn...lostness. I felt as helpless as a child without a parent.

But suddenly, a figure appears not too far off. I couldn't describe what He looked like, but I know who He was. Jesus came walking on the water, right up to my boat. He Got in the boat. Then, He Paddled the boat Himself, to the shore. He helped me out of the boat, and Walked with me on the beach and took me to a large rock on the shore. Then, He sat down with me facing the ocean. 

     After that, I woke. As I woke up, it was the strongest reminder to me that He is with me, and will always take care of me, even during the grievous loss. That I am not truly alone. The reminder that He will come get me, at the most trying moments.

I was so excited that I told my children this dream as I drove to church; we were listening to "The Message" station on Satellite radio, and as I relayed the dream, the song "You Won't Let Go", by Michael W. Smith, began playing. I had never heard it before. In the song, he says "You are the anchor for my soul; you won't let go" and he speaks about storms, waves, etc!! The words were amazingly uncanny answers to the stormy feelings that were blindsiding me only the day before. He calmed that storm as well.

     In that dream, Jesus reminded me that He is the true anchor of my soul. He rescues me. He cares for me, and in the song, it was an overwhelming reminder that He truly is there. What an amazing God!!!! While the pain of Mary's loss is still there, it is quieted by this solemn, amazing truth---God sees, and He truly cares, and He will be with me no matter what!!! I was dumbfounded, truly. 

     Later that morning, I suddenly realized this was an answer to prayer. He caused me to remember my heart cry. In the previous Friday afternoon sunshine, only days before, the grief had particularly gripped me and the tears wouldn't stop. Wandering aimlessly in my living room, I stopped near my couch and just told God: I need a demonstration of your love. I need you to really show me, because my heart is so low, so broken. My heart ached, and inside I felt like a child crying continuously. This amazing God showed me over the weekend, through the love of family and friends, and a dream and a song, that He is most definitely there!!

Isaiah 65:24 "I will answer them before they even call to me. While they are still talking about their needs, I will go ahead and answer their prayers!" NLT

Isaiah 61:3 "and provide for those who grieve in Zion-- to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the LORD for the display of his splendor" NIV

Psalms 42:8 "By day the LORD commands his steadfast love, and at night his song is with me, a prayer to the God of my life."

This is another testimony, to Let all know that our God is mighty, and a sure and present help in times of trouble. I pray that I will always speak of the great deeds God has done personally, as a testimony to His unfailing love and steadfast mercy.

If you have never done it, I beg you to ask Him to reveal Himself to you. Then, watch and wait for it.

In honor of Mary Ann Biggerstaff 

Letting you go hungry, to humble you momentarily

Yes, he humbled you by letting you go hungry and then feeding you with manna, a food previously unknown to you and your ancestors. He did it to teach you that people do not live by bread alone; rather, we live by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord. (Deuteronomy 8:3 NLT)

     I have been very blessed during this time of Lent as I read my daily Bible readings and the Bible reading plan from Lent: Mosaic plan as well. There is a strange correlation, not wholly clear but slowly tying together, as the readings from the Old and New Testaments coalesce. God planted the Garden and placed the man there:

"Then the Lord God planted a garden in Eden in the east, and there he placed the man he had made."(Genesis 2:8 NLT).

Later on, after the children of Israel had been in bondage to Egypt for hundreds of years, God seeks out Moses, calls him and commands him to go and tell Pharaoh 

"And they will listen to your voice, and you and the elders of Israel shall go to the king of Egypt and say to him, "The Lord, the God of the Hebrews, has met with us; and now, please let us go a three days' journey into the wilderness, that we may sacrifice to the Lord our God." (Exodus 3:18 ESV)

     Through many signs and miracles, God establishes His power and authority and brings the children of Israel out of Egypt, and to Him in the wilderness where He then tests them. He tests them so harshly that they long for the meat pots of Egypt, apparently forgetting the acerbity of their trials while there.

"And the whole congregation of the people of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness, and the people of Israel said to them, "Would that we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the meat pots and ate bread to the full, for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger." (Exodus 16:2, 3 ESV) 

     At every trial, around every corner, God already had a path and plan laid ahead of time. He provided water every time there was a need: 

"When they came to Marah, they could not drink the water of Marah because it was bitter; therefore it was named Marah. And the people grumbled against Moses, saying, "What shall we drink?" And he cried to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a log, and he threw it into the water, and the water became sweet. There the Lord made for them a statute and a rule, and there he tested them, saying, "If you will diligently listen to the voice of the Lord your God, and do that which is right in his eyes, and give ear to his commandments and keep all his statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you that I put on the Egyptians, for I am the Lord, your healer." (Exodus 15:23-26 ESV).

     Time after time, God proves Himself faithful. 

     Yet the people, not unlike us, were so very dull to learn. Despite turn after turn since before they even left Egypt, God had been with them, listening all along. I can't help but wondering what would have happened in the children of Israel's case, if they had done what God required- to learn to trust and live by every word that comes from the mouth of God, and not simply rely on bread alone for sustenance.

     In my foolish, youthful pride as I read these stories long ago, I used to think that if I saw the plagues of Egypt, if I saw the pillar of cloud and pillar of fire, if I saw the Red Sea being parted, if I saw Manna being rained down and clouds of quail being poured out---I used to think I would have reacted differently and "known better" than to grumble. After years of blundering along in my own mini "wildernesses" though, I have seen with my own eyes how foolish I was to even think that, because I am truly no different than the children of Israel. I'm just as thick headed. And God has been patient, and always proved Himself faithful though He tries my heart. How would I know He could be trusted to provide, if the affliction did not come?

     So, every day, we have a new opportunity to see for ourselves. Though we may not be wandering in a literal wilderness, we face our own trials, and are posed  the same questions. Our reactions, our hearts thoughts---whether we choose to grumble, or pray, can certainly make a difference. He has proved Himself faithful at each instance, whether we speak or complain too soon. 

     Therefore Paul's admonishment, like granite words, echoes the Spirit of what God seeks in us and can be relied on, like standing upon a rock.

"So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal." (2 Corinthians 4:16-18 ESV)

     What we see in the Valley is not the end. Like the Psalmist says, He is leading us through the Valley of the shadow of death. I do not think any of us can begin to imagine what the view will be like when we reach the Mountain top, especially during our afflictions, but take heart.

Like C. S. Lewis says:

"Further up, and further in!"

     

Sometimes We don't even have to ask...

     We grow weary sometimes. My dear Man--my James, who I love to refer to as my Moshe--he grows tired sometimes. He carries the weight and burdens of his job faithfully, and he loves his work, but even Pastors need a day of rest. As either Bilbo or Frodo said, our souls feel thin and stretched out. That's when rest for the soul is called for.

     In the past, we have seen each other get spread thin over the years, when the burdens of life weigh on us, and we both recognize that down time is necessary. Through invaluable advice from some elders a while back, we try to give one another mini-breaks, where one of us watches the kids and the other takes a few days to recharge. The elderly couple we know that taught us this were Christian counselors, and they would take a two week vacation once a year: one week alone, and one week together. While that may seem odd to some, the opportunity for prayer, meditation, and reflection with just yourself and God is tremendous and can really recharge a persons' soul. We don't have two weeks to spare, ever, so we try to take a few days every other year or so. 

     So, this week, during my full time college Spring break, we took the opportunity of no school pressure and I asked him to go away for a few days and rest and recharge. Quite suddenly, I might add. I just knew it needed to be done. My Moshe had mentioned wanting a small break weeks before, so Monday this week we made it happen. I have enjoyed all my downtime with the kids, relaxing and watching them play mostly, and James found a cottage at a Christian retreat center near the ocean that was affordable and hit the road.

     But God. God, our Father, intended much more. The first night he slept in the cottage, and called me the next morning to catch up. The place is beautiful, right beside the sea. He said there was a conference going on, for Pastors, while he's there. Then he mentioned that his back was stiff from the mattress, chit-chatted, and my day was starting so we said our good byes.

     Not much later that morning, he texted and told me that a delivery truck brought in new mattresses and that he would be sleeping on a brand new mattress that night! I laughed out loud when I read it. I don't think he even thought to ask our Father for a new mattress. How many things we don't even think to ask, but there it is. 

     But God. Later on, James is exploring all over, walking, praying and meditating on the grounds, and he meets other Pastors on a pier. They are with a large group of Pastors from Raleigh, who have been annually coming to the same place for many years--to simply pray together for 3 days and worship God. They strongly urge James to come to their prayer and worship time later that evening. James goes, and has the most amazing experience, as men who have been Pastors for 30+ years pray for him and his burdens for ministry. He comes away from it rejoicing, that God sent him there, at that specific time, and that he received such a blessing! 

     "Blessed be The Lord, who daily bears our burden, The God who is our salvation." Psalms 68:19.

Our God is amazing, and the works of His hands are wonderous to behold. He dumbfounds me with His lovingkindness; His love fills my innermost being.

That the Father would touch our hearts so personally, so intimately, as to deliver a brand new mattress for my soul weary husband to sleep on---and have godly, fellow Pastors come along beside him and pray for my Moshe as well----God demonstrates His love as He provides rest for the body and rest for the soul!

     

Puzzles and Purpose

"" "" "8 The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me;
    your steadfast love, O Lord, endures forever.
    Do not forsake the work of your hands."

Psalms 138:8

     Lots of pieces of the puzzle are coming together. I'm excited about what the future holds, even though I would not have a clear plan to articulate if someone were to ask me what's next. The verse from Psalms is an utter reassurance, though, that I do not have to have it all figured out. It's not my plan, after all.

     My recent class assignment was to read Wayne Grudems book "Business for the glory of God". It's an Excellent afternoon reading, if you would like to know more about a different take on a much neglected form of worship. 

     ​Wayne Grudem, in his book Business for the glory of God, masterfully delves into the concept of how business can be used by Christians to glorify God. Immediately, Grudem tackles the obvious by countering the negative, prolific viewpoints on business, and strongly makes the argument that business is not neutral or evil, but rather a morally good activity. In this small but powerful book, Grudem explores many ways that a Christian can utilize business in and of itself to display God’s image in our lives. He challenges the reader, from the first pages in the introduction, that along with the obvious ways to serve God such as “worship, evangelism, giving, moral living, and faith” there is another way, and it is business itself (Grudem, 2003, p. 12). Grudem affirms that aspects of business, such as employment, profit, and the borrowing/lending relationship, are supported by scripture and therefore ordained by God, intended for His creation.

​Grudem admits in the preface that the book was originally a paper with a similar title, presented in 2002 at the Conference for Holistic Entrepreneurs at Regent University Graduate School of Business (Grudem, 2003, p. 9). From the introduction, Grudem has no qualms with dealing with negative viewpoints of business. His first line asks “Is business basically good or evil?” (Grudem, 2003, p. 11). This is bold and necessary, because modern culture does pose this question, and it is often answered negatively. Grudem deals with this immediately. He states “Words like “profit,” “competition”, “money” and even “business” carry negative moral connotations for many people today” (Grudem, 2003, p. 11). Many people are under the misconception that work, while necessary, is only a neutral act in itself, and business scandals such as Enron lend themselves to the idea that business is “inherently” wrong (Grudem, 2003, p. 11).

​After posing the aforementioned difficult questions, Grudem jumps into the concept of people wanting to serve God and bring Him glory with their lives, and proposes that business itself is a way to do those very things. He states “that many aspects of business activity are morally good in themselves and that in themselves they bring glory to God---though they also have great potential for misuse and wrongdoing” (Grudem, 2003, p. 12). In addition to worship, evangelism, giving, moral living, and faith, the author proceeds to list eleven aspects of business,including employment, borrowing and lending, and profit.

Mr. Grudem then guides the reader to see that another way to bring glory to God is by imitating Him and His attributes. God declared that everything He saw and made was very good in Genesis 1:31. We are told by the Apostle Paul to “be imitators of God, as beloved children” in Ephesians 5:1. Grudem ties these scriptural truths together and shows how God’s will can beaccomplished in our “instinctive drive to work, to be productive, to invent, to earn and save and give…” (Grudem, 2003, p. 13). We humans are created in the image of God (Genesis 1:27). As God’s image bearers, we have the potential to take aspects of business, through choices and actions in our lives, and use them to reflect God’s goodness, mercy and love through them. Unfortunately, there is also the temptation, because of our fallen human nature, to use an activity such as business for evil.

​Grudem does not shy away from this fact, but proceeds to challenge the reader in each chapter with a different aspect of business, and how it is good in and of itself, while being honest that it can be used for evil if temptation is given into. Grudem’s declaration, that God created us in a certain way that “we would want to imitate His character” and “that we would take spontaneous delight in seeing reflections of His character in our own actions and in the actions ofothers” is crucial (Grudem, 2003, p. 15). God worked and created the garden in the beginning, and gave the pre-Fall mandate for humans [multiply, fill, and subdue]

​In regards to employment and specifically, negative views on it, Grudem swiftly deals with criticisms such as Marxist philosophy against humans employing other humans by quoting Jesus directly. In Luke 10:7, Jesus said “the laborer deserves his wages”. Based on this statement, Jesus approves of the idea of employees earning and being paid wages. Grudem states that other parables given by Jesus involve masters and servants, and people earning wages for work, thus implying no hint of evil or wrong (Grudem, 2003, p. 31).

Additionally, concerning employment, the author states that the hiring of one person by someone else is also necessary “for greater production of goods” (Grudem, 2003, p. 32). This is a wonderful occurrence that is unique to humans alone. That people, working together, can build, make, produce and create amazing contraptions such as ships, airplanes, steel mills, houses, personal computers and so on, is a God-given ability that brings Him glory. Through employer/employee relationships, both have the opportunity to demonstrate “honesty, fairness, trustworthiness, kindness, wisdom and skill, and keeping our word…” (Grudem, 2003, p. 32).  If this relationship works properly, both parties mutually benefit, thus allowing “love for the other person to manifest itself” (Grudem, 2003, p. 33). This fulfills the second commandment, which is “love your neighbor as yourself” (Mark 12:31). Grudem states the mutual and beautiful result when he says “As in every good business transaction, both parties end up better off than they were before” (Grudem, 2003, p. 33). This is indicative of God’s intentional design in the employee/employer relationship, in that when humans rightly administer the gift of employing someone, His image can be displayed and glorified through love for one another out of obedience to Him and His love.

Earning a profit is another aspect of business that can bring glory to God by displaying attributes of His image. Profit is “selling a product for more than the cost of producing it”(Grudem, 2003, p. 41). It is an indication that one has made a product that is useful and shows that the work invested adds value to materials used. Profit also demonstrates efficiency, because materials used when costs are lower results in higher revenue. In Genesis 1:28, the “creation mandate” to “subdue” the earth states: “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue itand have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth”. Grudem affirms that the efficient use of the earth’s resources fulfills this creation mandate. As humans, if we utilize the earth’s resources in a way that produces something of value to other human beings, we are doing good to others by providing them with this product.

Grudem also establishes how God encourages the exercise of profit through the parable about ten minas in Luke 19:13-17. In this story, Jesus describes a nobleman who gives his servants a mina (equal to three months’ wages) and urges them to “engage in business until I come” (Luke 19:13). After earning 10 minas more, the master exceedingly rewarded the servant who earned a good profit, by blessing him with authority over ten cities (Luke 19:17). Grudem goes on to write that “good stewardship, in God’s eyes, includes expanding and multiplying whatever resources or stewardship God has entrusted to you” (Grudem, 2003, pp. 42-43). He also explicitly correlates that our money and possessions cannot be excluded from the application of the parable, and that they should be used to bring God glory. This demonstrates that profit seeking and resource multiplication is a fundamentally good pursuit.

There is the assumption that profit seeking is a form of exploitation, which Grudem deals with. First, in the aforementioned parable, the servant who did not earn a profit was reprimandedfor not putting the mina in the bank to at least collect interest (Luke 19:23). This demonstrates the expectation of a return from the original investment of the nobleman, who represents Jesus. Second, the entrepreneurial endeavor is full of significant risk. The savvy business person who attempts to invest time, money, skill, and labor to produce a product should be rewarded when it results in an item that benefits the rest of us. Grudem states “it is the hope of such reward that motivates people to start businesses and assume such risks” (Grudem, 2003, p. 44). He also avows that if profit were not possible, people simply wouldn’t attempt such risks, and we would not have these items to buy in our society. Therefore, allowing profit is a very good thing, and itis the reward for the risk.

Finally, another aspect of business that can be used for the glory of God is the subject of borrowing and lending. In Deut. 24:10, the Bible states “When you make your neighbor a loan of any sort, you shall not go into his house to collect his pledge”. Wayne Grudem artfully gives this example as a process of regulation in lending, and reminds the reader that it is a prohibition against taking advantage of the poor. This passage, and others such as Ex. 22:14 and 2 Kings 4:3, demonstrate the assumption that people will borrow things. Grudem goes on to say that the processes of borrowing and lending “are not prohibited by God, for many places in the Bible assume that these things will happen” (Grudem, 2003, p. 69). In fact, Jesus even seems to support the practice (in regards to depositing money to a bank to earn interest) when he states “Why then did you not put my money in the bank, and at my coming I might have collected it with interest?” (Luke 19:23; also Matt. 25:27).

Grudem further describes that lending is a temporary transfer of control of property that an owner chooses to do with assumption of risk. He also explains that act of borrowing offers a variety of choices between using an item and purchasing it outright. These two processes offerthe lender and borrower a variety of choices, which “multiply the usefulness of all the wealth of a society” (Grudem, 2003, p. 70). A valuable reference book at a library can be lent out to 300 people, affording each of them the opportunity to utilize its benefits without buying it. Through microloans, poor in developing countries can borrow money and start profitable businesses and work their way out of poverty.  Consequently, these are just a few ways that the process of borrowing and lending multiply the usefulness of available wealth, such as goods and services, and money, in the world. Through borrowing and lending, God’s wonderful attributes can be reflected by the demonstration of “trustworthiness and faithful stewardship, honesty, wisdom, and thanksgiving” (Grudem, 2003, p. 73).

Wayne Grudem confidently and successfully tackles the subject of how business can be used to glorify God. Fearlessly, Grudem brings up opposing arguments to business used for God’s glory, and refutes them with scripture. He demonstrates, through all the chapters ofBusiness for the glory of God, that the aspects of business, such as employment, profit, and the process of borrowing and lending, are all unique and wonderful ways that we as Christians can spend our lives reflecting the image of God in us. This image, endowed by our perfect Creator in the beginning of the world, challenges us to create, work, accomplish, help, and strive to make this world a better place. Grudem, whose mastery of systematic theology is well displayed, seems to joyfully direct us to not only worship and tithe as a form of praise to God, but to endeavor to go and continue God’s work. He challenges us to use God’s resources well, by reflecting His love in all of our being, and delight in His image as we imitate our Master.

Grudem, W. (2003). Business for the glory of God: The Bible's teaching on the moral goodness of business. Wheaton: IL: Crossway.

New American Standard Bible. (2000). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.​

     

Hope in things to come

     I was five or six years old when sentience kicked in regarding my food sensitivities. I remember going to a birthday party and having cake. We rarely had cake, except at birthday parties, which weren't that often because we lived in a small neighborhood in a small town, with a very small school.  We went to the party, and I ate a piece of strangely sweet cake of the likes that I had never tasted before. Not long after returning home, I was doubled over in pain. My stomach hurt like I couldn't ever remember it hurting before. It occurred to me that the only thing different that day, as I writhed in pain and eventually ended up in the bathroom, was the cake. 

     Not much later, I discovered that buttermilk pancakes hurt me as well. Then cereal with milk. Chocolate milk. Ice cream. Cheese. Muffins made with milk. The cherry yum-yum dessert at the church potluck, which was some heavenly concoction containing cheesecake, cherries and graham crackers with whipped cream? All digestive land mines for me. Some yogurts. Buttermilk waffles. Scrambled eggs with milk and/or cheese. Did you know Doritoes have Romano cheese in them?

     As I grew, my stomach became more sensitive, the pain much harsher, and the consequences worse for mistakenly ingesting any form of milk, except butter. Captains wafers with sour cream and chives. Chocolate chip cookies. Cheese pizza!  Feta cheese. McDonalds Soft serve ice cream. Kit kats. It turned out that pretty much anything and everything I loved has some form of milk in it. More specifically---lactose...which is milk sugar. Then, I had the same experience with Apple juice when I was 15. I haven't willingly drank apple juice in 24 years after that night. I finally came to the conclusion that I can't have heavily concentrated sugar of any sort. And I dare anyone to try and easily find a juice blend today that doesn't have apple juice as a major ingredient. But I digress...

      At first it was really hard to live without these wonderful foods. I would try those pills, which barely worked. Chalked that up to a hyper sensitive gastrointestinal tract. Mistakes were costly. I would eat the wrong thing, perhaps not guessing the ingredients (who knew so-and-so added condensed milk to their mashed potatoes?) I would pay severely for that later on. Question: How many youth groups are there that have pizza parties? Answer: a lot. And so on. When my boyfriend (now husband) & I were first dating, he would order an ice cream cone and eat it with great delight and relish it in front of me, just to tease me. He was great like that (joking). He only did that a few times, to his credit >smiling<

 But all joking aside,  I learned to live with it.

   I learned to work around it. I eat before I go places. After dealing with it for years and years now, I have replaced those things I once thought I could never live without, with new pleasures. Although sometimes it feels like a rather bland diet, it has been a steady progress. Through science, new enterprises, and the burgeoning explosion of new foods, there is now ice cream made out of soy or coconut milk. It's not quite the same, but a good substitute. There is dark chocolate of the most exquisite taste, without milk. And sections of foods in grocery stores that lack milk. Not to fail to mention the exciting world of exotic foods such as Thai, which utilizes many amazing ingredients like curry and coconut milk, also lacking actual dairy.

     My boyfriend-turned-husband, James, has become a relentless seeker of non-dairy delights for me. He goes to the store for the family, and checks ingredients like a modern day Sherlock Holmes/Knight in shining armor for me. Nothing is ever bought by him that is not examined for all forms of milk sugar. He also methodically peruses grocery store shelves seeking items I may like, bringing me home rare treats like Belgian chocolate. I am truly blessed and always surprised by joy at his empathy and kindness now. He's come a long way from the soft-serve ice cream eating tease he once was. I would never try anything new if it weren't for him. But that's another story.

     The children are sympathetic. They solemnly know what I have to deal with, having seen "Mom" get rapidly ill after making a mistake eating milk products. They pray for me. They notice when I pass over a lot of different food groups, serving myself a salad or something else. They also truly know and understand what I have to deal with.

     I've come to use some of those moments to speak about Heaven with them. I love to describe what Heaven will be like, sharing that when we are finally with God, He has a place for us, a home that Jesus Himself is preparing, and everything will be made perfect and new. There will be no more crying with Him. There will be a feast--the Marriage Supper of the Lamb, and we will be made whole and perfect. There will be no more lactose intolerance... And I remind them that while our time on earth may seem long sometimes, in reality, Heaven is eternal, and so we all may suffer some on earth, yet it will not be this way in Heaven with God. They sit and listen, and then rattle off a seemingly endless list of what I will eat when we finally arrive home.

     Which brings me to my new blessing and Ebenezer stone. Last night, we celebrated Fat Tuesday, or the party before Lent. We went to a local resturant and enjoyed a lovely meal as a family. Elias chose to give up sweets for Lent, and asked for milkshakes afterwards. Because we drove in separate cars, I left the resturant to get something from a grocery store after the meal. The rest of the family went to the Cook-Out for milkshakes.

     As I drove to the store, a small part of me wished for a milkshake. I don't often long for milk products anymore. It just is what it is. But last night? I thought hard about what milkshakes used to taste like. The rich creamy taste of cold, sweet, ice cream with all sorts of ingredients. Some of my favorites, as a young child, were Blizzards from the local Dairy Queen, that my Father would get for me. I quickly put the thought out of my head, finished my shopping, and began the drive home.

     As I drove, I wished for something akin to a dessert. Do you ever crave something, yet not know precisely what you want? It was like that. Then a friend texted, out of the blue, and asked if we went to fastnachts. After discovering that it was the German version of the celebration before Lent, my friend offered to bring over some fastnachts cakes. Kind of like a doughnut, but also similar to a funnel cake on steroids, fastnachts cakes are glorious!

     Within 30 minutes, our sweet friends came by our house and hand delivered some of the most delicious cakes I've had in a very long time. They had been over to mutual friends house, and were making rounds celebrating. We enjoyed their company, though brief, and then enjoyed these amazing cakes! It was such a treat and delight! We were very blessed.

     Today, it hit me. Such a small desire last night, to have some kind of dessert. Not even an hour later, my beautiful friends show up with still warm cakes for our family. If these are the kindnesses, and love of God displayed on earth...cakes made before my heart even longed for something I couldn't put my finger on...what must our heaven hold? What has God, who knows our hearts better than we do, have in store for us? I can't even begin to imagine, but I know it is going to be beyond our wildest dreams.

Little things

     A friend, while talking about coffee the other day, said the old adage "It's the little pleasures, that are what life is all about". To me, another one of those little pleasures is seeing the impossible done, recording it, and sharing it with others. 

     I used to say the devil is in the details, but I believe that's just a big lie of the enemy now. Rather, it's our Maker who's in the details, but that just doesn't roll off the tongue as easily as the prior.

     It is always about the details, though. You see, time is a commodity I have so little of, that it's painstakingly, and precariously balanced in our family. The Man was working two jobs. We have a high school student. I home school the two younger children. And oh yeah. I'm a full time college student in my Senior year.

     So, this past week, I was diligently attempting to read 75+ very extensive pages for Business Law-in between soccer practice, car pool duties, groceries, horseback riding lessons, bath times, meal preparation, Prayer meetings, church, home school, and maybe even some exercise. So I toted Business Law with me every where, in the hopes I could tackle chapters 15, 16, & 17 so I could be prepared for the test Monday evening.

     And then, the night before the test was due, I fell ill. So ill, that Sunday evening I lay on my bathroom floor and didn't care because I was out of my mind in pain ill. Monday morning, I can't remember if I got out of bed; my dear 9 year old daughter made coffee for me (I didn't know she could even do that?!?), & I tried to look at those dreaded chapters 15-17, which were not easy reading on a completely normal day, to say the least. My husband had graciously taken the boys to an annual eye appointment at Duke University, so they were out for the day. My daughter cared for me.

     Usually, my habit for studying involves highlighting important texts, rereading the focus concept synopsis's, writing down key words with page numbers for easy reference, and just making sure I read all the material. I tried to do this all Monday, through a state of delirium. Lily made a nice sandwich for herself, and worked on her school work beside me in bed. It was a nice bonding time except for my stomach pains.

     I regained some sense of awareness by Monday evening, and having finished the chapters, sat down in my study to take the timed test before the cut off.  Our tests are due Monday evening typically.  It is a 20 question test that is allotted a time of 60 minutes. Multiple choice and true/false questions. It is thankfully open book, but due to the rigorous amount of material, the professors always strictly admonish us to be thoroughly acquainted with the material before the test, because it's so exhaustive. There are a pool of 200 questions from the material, practically guarenteeing that no two students will have the same two tests, which greatly, if not completely, eliminates cheating. 

     I'm not proud to admit it, but I had made 76 on each of the previous tests, because the material is just a lot to take in. But 76 is a C, and a C passes the class, so this formerly straight A student has just accepted that that is the season I'm in. God gives grace to the humble.

     I took a breath, said a quick prayer, and clicked the link to begin the test.  After only 3 questions and a few minutes had passed, I quickly realized I didn't recognize any of the questions. I didn't recognize any of the key words. Panic set in, momentarily. The countdown clock in the corner, like a bad omen, said 55 min's 27 seconds remaining. My head was filled with uncertainty. Quickly, I thought despairingly to look at the course syllabus. I cleared the books, notebooks, etc from my school binder and furiously flipped to the syllabus, and saw the ghastly truth. I was supposed to read Chapters 10, 11, 12 for that weeks test. I had read the wrong chapters.

     Now, for those of you who think like my husband, and wondered why I hadn't been reading in order anyway, here is the explanation: the book is not a final draft, and is a work in progress, which means the chapters are literally out of order. The professor also picks the assigned readings out of order as well, according to his preference. It makes sense for his progression of covering the material.

     But back to the story. After realizing that I had read the wrong chapters, there was only one thing I could do. I prayed. I prayed earnestly, for a moment, that God would enable and equip me to pass this test. I prayed, against my own disbelief, that I would make a better grade than I had been making, like an 84. Yes. I prayed for an 84. Despite the odds. 

     Then, I quickly thumbed through the book and found chapters 10-12. (I want to say that they were literally *after* chapters 15-17). I looked at the key words in each question to determine what particular topic was being discussed from which chapter. And then I made the best educated guess on each question that I could. I perused each answer and hoped and prayed that I read the tidbits I could find and answer the question as best as I possibly could. When it was all said and done, weary and dog-tired, I submitted the test.

     The cool thing about those kind of tests is that they are submitted and graded automatically by computer, so there is no waiting around. I shut my eyes for a moment, grimacing inwardly but not imagining the worst, and clicked on "show results". 

     I made an 85. Not a 76, like the other tests before. Not an 84, like I prayed. But an 85. Like God was saying, 

"I see ya and hear ya dear girl. Here's what you asked for, & an extra point just to show you I love you."

"As a father shows compassion to his children, so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him. For he knows our frame; he remembers that we are dust." (Psalm 103:13, 14 ESV)

Let our faith be increased. Let those who are weeping, perhaps see, and begin to laugh.