Your Ram in the Thicket

(Reprint of a sermon I preached on October 1, 2006)

The story of Abraham and Isaac is a familiar one to most of us. Most often, it is discussed in terms of Abraham’s faith. It also is an incredible allegory depicting God the Father sacrificing His one and only Son, Jesus. But there is another side to this story, and that is what I want to focus on today.

(Genesis 22:1-2)

Some time later God tested Abraham. He said to him, “Abraham!”

“Here I am,” he replied.

Then God said, “Take your son, your only son, Isaac, whom you love, and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains I will tell you about.”

As counter-intuitive as it may seem, sometimes God asks us to sacrifice that thing which is nearest and dearest to us, even if it is the very thing He promised to give us. This was the case with Abraham and his son Isaac. And just as Abraham's instructions were void of specific details, God doesn’t always give us all the information we need to understand our task. Sometimes we just have to move forward in faith, believing and trusting that God knows what He is doing. 

(Genesis 22:3-5) 

Early the next morning Abraham got up and saddled his donkey. He took with him two of his servants and his son Isaac. When he had cut enough wood for the burnt offering, he set out for the place God had told him about. On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance. He said to his servants, “Stay here with the donkey while I and the boy go over there. We will worship and then we will come back to you.” 

This was Abraham’s first faith declaration: “We will worship and then we will come back to you.” Even though he didn’t have the full picture, Abraham figured God knew what He was doing. Sometimes we need to involve others in carrying out God’s plans, but we can’t always tell them exactly what God has in mind. If we do, we may lose their support, or they may try to talk us out of our obedience.

Notice that Abraham described what he was doing as an act of worship. Our sacrifice must come in the midst of worship, or else we may give it grudgingly. Abraham equated sacrifice with worship. To him, they were inseparable.

Genesis 22:6-8

Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and placed it on his son Isaac, and he himself carried the fire and the knife. As the two of them went on together, Isaac spoke up and said to his father Abraham, “Father?”

“Yes, my son?” Abraham replied.

“The fire and wood are here,” Isaac said, “but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?”

Abraham answered, “God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” And the two of them went on together.

This was Abraham’s second faith declaration: “God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” Again, Abraham did not know what or how, but he knew Who, and that was enough for him. Up to now, no one had questioned Abraham’s actions, probably because of his reputation as a man of faith. Only the curiosity of an innocent child saw that something was missing. But even then, he accepted Abraham’s answer and was satisfied.

Genesis 22:9-10

When they reached the place God had told him about, Abraham built an altar there and arranged the wood on it. He bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. Then he reached out his hand and took the knife to slay his son.

What was Abraham thinking? “He said sacrifice, not circumcise, right? God, do you know what you’re doing? God, I hope you know what you’re doing. What am I going to tell Sarah?”

What was Isaac thinking? “My old man’s really lost it this time. I knew I should have stayed in bed this morning. How sharp is that knife? I wonder if I’ll bleed to death before I’m burned to a crisp. Mom’s going to be fried when she finds out about this!”

What was God thinking? “I know exactly how you feel. One day, that will be my Son. I can’t bear to watch any longer. Quick, someone stop him!”

Genesis 22:11-12

But the angel of the LORD called out to him from heaven, “Abraham! Abraham!”

“Here I am,” he replied.

“Do not lay a hand on the boy,” he said. “Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son.”

Did God change His mind? No, He knew all along that this is how it would end. After all, this was a test He knew Abraham could and would pass. But there was something else God wanted to teach Abraham, and the countless generations to come after him who would read this story. God wanted to reveal Himself as Jehovah Jireh, God the Provider.

Genesis 22:13-14

Abraham looked up and there in a thicket he saw a ram caught by its horns. He went over and took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son. So Abraham called that place The LORD Will Provide. And to this day it is said, “On the mountain of the LORD it will be provided.”

What a “coincidence”! It just so happened that God provided exactly what Abraham needed at the precise moment he needed it. God’s original request for a sacrifice was still in force. He simply changed the object of that sacrifice. The amazing thing about God in this regard is that He always provides the sacrifice that He wants from us. He will never ask you to give Him something that He hasn’t already provided. And He will always replace the sacrificed item with something better.

Abraham thought he was about to lose a son. Instead, he gained his son, as good as dead. Hebrews 11:19 says,

“Abraham reasoned that God could raise the dead, and figuratively speaking, he did receive Isaac back from death.”

Yet God still got His sacrifice and worship. What a deal!

The Bible is full of stories about people who had a need that God provided for at just the right moment. God is always right on time. Sometimes we think that He is late or that He has missed His window of opportunity. But He knows exactly the right time to come through with His plan of provision.

Sometimes He provides in a way that we do not expect. Were there not plenty of acceptable rams in Abraham’s flock back home? Was all this mental anguish really necessary? What was God trying to prove, anyway?

He was trying to prove that, when we step out in total obedience and choose to worship Him instead of questioning Him, He will open up the treasuries of Heaven and pour out such a blessing that we cannot even imagine it.

What is your ram in the thicket? What is that special need you have, that you don’t feel that God has provided for yet? What has he asked you to sacrifice in worship to Him, through faith and total, unquestioning obedience?

God is not a practical joker, or some sick, twisted individual that gets delight in dangling a carrot in front of you to see how frustrated you can get, knowing that you will never get that carrot, now matter how hard you try.

God is a loving Father, who wants the best for His children. But He also wants unyielding devotion and obedience from us so that He can be free to shower us with His provisions.

Philippians 4:19 tells us:

“And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.”

If you’re still waiting for your ram in the thicket, you need to ask yourself these questions in the following order:

1)	Is this truly a need in my life, or is it a distraction from what God wants for me?
	No:	Let it go, you’re better off without it. If you keep pressing God for it, He may give it to you just to teach you a lesson!
	Yes:	Go to question 2.
2)	Am I fully trusting in God’s ability to provide this need, or am I trying to bring it about through my own abilities and strength?
	No:	Know and believe that God is able to do anything better than you can, and if you try to make things happen, you will make a mess that He will need to fish you out of.
	Yes:	Go to question 3.
3)	Have I been obedient in everything that God has asked me to do, without questioning Him or trying to reason through His requests?
	No:	Start walking in obedience by doing what God says, and in faith trusting that He knows what He is doing when He asks you to do His will. He will never ask you to do something that He has not already equipped you to do.
	Yes:	Go to question 4.
4)	Am I operating on God’s timetable or mine?
	No:	Learn to wait on God and remember that to Him, a day is as a thousand years. God is not bound by our clocks and schedules. His timing is perfect.
	Yes:	Your ram is waiting!

Have a blessed week!

Pastor David

Was The Cross Really Necessary?

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him."
John 3:16-17 

A very dear friend of mine has been questioning his faith lately. Actually, that's an understatement. He has so many doubts about what he has been taught by the "church" over the course of his life that he isn't really sure what he believes anymore. Or if he believes anything. So naturally he comes to me regularly with very deep theological questions. 

Having been raised a Roman Catholic, he is always curious to know what the "Protestants" believe about this or that. It appears that the Catholic perception of Protestantism is about as skewed and incomplete as the Protestant perception of Catholicism. Of course, I am no more able to answer for all Protestants than he can answer for all Catholics. But as I ponder his questions, I have come to conclude that there is absolutely nothing that all Protestants believe in common.

In fact, based on my observations of running dialogues in the faith community, it seems as though traditional Christianity has evolved into a very personalized "boutique" religion, where adherents adapt their theology to suit their own personal needs and understanding, as well as mix in practices and doctrines from other non-Christian faith traditions. At the end of the day, when someone says that he or she is a "Christian", one no longer knows exactly what that means. Organized religion has become extremely disorganized.

Thus, whenever I reply to one of my friend's questions, I try to always reinforce the fact that my answer is my best understanding of the information available to my from my studies of Scriptures, regardless of commonly held beliefs by the "church". The older (and hopefully wiser) I get, the more I continue to re-evaluate what I believe and why I believe it. And the more I do, the more I see my theology drifting away from popularly held beliefs and doctrines of mainstream Christianity. I think this is partly due to the fact that mainstream Christianity has really dropped the ball when it comes to properly discipling the believers. Instead of sound doctrine based on thorough Biblical scholarship, most people sitting in the pews today are either fed a constant stream of feel-good sound bites, or bombarded with negative vitriol. Neither does the kingdom of God any favors, and only serves to drive serious seekers away from the church at alarming rates. But I digress.

One of the questions my friend asked me this week was regarding the death of Jesus. In essence, did God have to kill Jesus because He was mad at humans? And if that's the case, why didn't God just kill all the humans instead? Basically, was the cross really necessary? This is a rather common question, especially among those who are trying to make sense of Christianity. On the surface, it doesn't make any sense: God makes a bunch of laws and requires a blood sacrifice as the penalty for breaking those laws; man breaks the laws repeatedly; God gets mad at man and decides to kill His only son as payment for the sins of humanity; now everyone can live happily ever after with God. Uh, yeah. That makes a whole lot of sense. NOT.

The problem lies in our understanding of the sin problem and God's righteousness.

When God originally created humans, He had perfect fellowship with them. But sin entered the picture and ruined that fellowship. God desired to restore that fellowship, and so He established a moral code for His people to follow. Being a righteous God, He required a blood sacrifice as atonement for sin. Being a merciful God, He allowed that sacrifice to be a substitution - people were allowed to offer the blood of animals in exchange for their own blood. But sin continued to separate people from God (as He knew it would), so His ultimate plan of redemption kicked in. He would make the perfect sacrifice for our sins so that we would no longer be caught in this eternal sin/sacrifice loop. Thus, He came to earth in the form of His son Jesus, fully divine and fully human, to die once and for all to satisfy all of the requirements of God's perfect law. Jesus didn't die because God was mad at us. Quite the contrary - Jesus died because God loved us so much. In John 3:16-17 Jesus made it quite clear that He was here because of God's intense love for His creation.

In order for the death of Jesus to be completely sufficient to remove the sin problem that stood between God and humanity, it had to cover all sins for all people for all time. Otherwise, He would have to die over and over again, just like all those bulls and sheep and goats. Once Jesus shed His blood, the penalty for all sin for everyone was paid in full, and we were finally free to enter into an intimate personal relationship with our Creator. Those Christians who continue to throw sin up as a barrier to fellowship with God negate the work that Jesus did on the cross.

Does this mean that everyone is automatically saved since there is no longer any penalty for sin? Not at all. A person still has to believe in Jesus to receive eternal life.

"If you declare with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved. As Scripture says, 'Anyone who believes in him will never be put to shame.' For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, 'Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.' " (Romans 10:9-13)

The problem is, the church has made it unnecessarily complicated to be saved. In fact, ever since the resurrection of Jesus, the religious elite have attempted to repair the torn veil that once separated us from the presence of God. They go beyond repairing it, however, by adding hoops and hurdles and endless mazes filled with rules and traditions. They hold salvation over the heads of their followers like a carrot on a stick; if you do everything right and follow all of the rules, you might have a chance of obtaining your salvation. But if you trip and fall, we'll yank that carrot out of your reach faster than you can say "Beelzebub".

The core theme of the Gospel (and all of Scripture), has always been God's love for His creation. If the Gospel is presented in any other light, it is a false Gospel. People can't be threatened, scared or bullied into salvation. They have to be wooed in with the serenade of a lover pining for his beloved.

Yes, the cross really was necessary. Not because an angry blood-thirsty deity needed to be placated, but because a loving Father was willing to sacrifice His own son in order to redeem a people who could not redeem themselves, no matter how hard they tried.

Have a blessed week!

Pastor David

United in Suffering

"The eye cannot say to the hand, 'I don't need you!' And the head cannot say to the feet, 'I don't need you!' On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor. And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, while our presentable parts need no special treatment. But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it, so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it."
1 Corinthians 12:21-26

Very early this morning, my friend Gary lost his 22-year-old son in an automobile accident. As the details of this horrible event unfolded, I wept for my friend, as did many others. I can't even begin to imagine what Gary is going through right now, other than the thoughts and feelings that he has shared on his facebook page. No parent should ever have to bury their child, especially one so young with so much of his life ahead of him.

Throughout the day, many of our mutual friends began posting about Gary's loss, and people who don't even know Gary poured out their prayers of support and comfort for him. And I began to think about something that the Apostle Paul wrote in his letter to the Corinthian church: when one part of the body of Christ suffers, every part suffers with it. For a little while today, Christians all over the country (and around the world from what I could tell), suffered alongside our brother in Christ.

We may all come from various faith traditions and have our doctrinal differences, but our common bond in Christ unites us as one body, and those differences suddenly disappear, especially during times like this. And I believe that is the way it should be. What unites us should always overshadow anything that might divide us. I don't have to know what it feels like to lose my youngest child in order to know what my friend and brother in Christ is enduring. I know the pain and anguish of losing someone very dear, and that is enough to know that he must be going through a living hell right now. And that brings tears to my eyes and a heaviness to my heart.

Life is short and uncertain, and none of us is guaranteed a tomorrow. Never pass up an opportunity to let your loved ones know that they are loved. You never know when the last conversation you had with someone will be your last.

I pray that the God of all comfort will pour out His Spirit of comfort on Gary and his family during this dark valley, and that one day my friend will find peace regarding his loss.

Have a blessed week!

Pastor David

Letting Go

"Do not be misled: 'Bad company corrupts good character.' "
1 Corinthians 15:33

I'd love to write a nice, cushy, feel-good post this week, but that's not on the agenda.

Sadly, I had to cut loose someone from my life earlier this month. This person (I'll call him "Dudley" since I don't actually know anyone by that name) was someone who was introduced into my life several years ago while I was in a very toxic relationship. Unfortunately, this toxic relationship brought with it a lot of toxic associations. After I ended that relationship to preserve my own sanity and health (physical and spiritual), I had to start the painful process of extracting all of the toxic people from my life that I had acquired as part of that relationship.

Dudley was the last person that I needed to let go. He managed to hang on long after all the others had been lovingly but firmly shown the exit door of my life. Somehow, every time I thought he had just simply vanished into oblivion, suddenly he would resurface and charm his way back into my graces. If you've been around long enough, you've probably had one or two Dudleys in your life. You know the type: they take and take and take and never give back. They manage to suck the life and energy out of you (and your resources if possible), and then make you feel guilty when you have nothing left to give them. I like to refer to such people as social vampires. They bleed you dry and then move on to their next victim.

Dudley came with a disproportionate sense of entitlement. He had a rough life, and therefore decided that the world owed him something. If he had a need, it was the obligation of those around him to provide for that need, without expecting anything in return. And if you didn't give it to him quickly enough or on his terms, he would simply help himself to what he needed.

It was during one of these times, the last time he was a guest in my home, that I finally realized just how much of a taker Dudley was. I literally caught him making an unauthorized withdrawal from my wallet (he would never call it stealing). Rather than make a big scene and risk unnecessary drama, I asked him to gather his things and I drove him back to his home. I used the excuse that his presence was bothering my dog Buddy (it was). Apparently Buddy is a much better judge of character than I - he never liked Dudley from the day they first met.

Once I dropped Dudley back at his home, I discontinued all forms of communication with him. No emails, no phone calls, no texts, no facebook. His attempts to contact me were ignored, and eventually he quit trying after about a week. His early messages feigned ignorance as to why I was ignoring him. I guess he finally accepted the fact that I knew the score, and he had lost the game.

Even though I knew he had taken advantage of me more times than I cared to admit, this was still a hard thing to do. It's been hard every time I've had to cut someone out of my life. I tend to be a fairly private person, so when I take you into my inner circle of friends, I consider you part of my extended family. So when it becomes necessary to remove you from my family, it hurts me as much as it hurts you.

But God never called us to be doormats and patsies. Jesus taught His disciples that they should shake the dust from their feet if they were met inhospitably as they traveled about from town to town. There are times when we have to turn our backs on people that we genuinely care about if they become a hindrance to our well-being, our families or our ministries. It's called tough love. God expects us to use our time, talents and resources where they will produce an abundant harvest. To squander them on people who will produce nothing but weeds and thorns is counterproductive and ineffective. In Matthew 7:6, Jesus said, "Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces."

I don't know what Dudley is doing now, and frankly, I really don't care. He claims to know the Lord (and I believe he does), so I'll let God take care of him going forward. I need to focus on people in my life where I can make a real difference.

If you have a toxic person in your life, you need to give yourself permission to let him or her go. In the long run, you will do both yourself and the other person a favor. By releasing your "Dudley", you free him or her to make some hard decisions about how they are living their life and using people (trust me, if he is using you, he's using others also). Yes, it is hard. Yes, it is painful. But it is necessary so you can have that weight around your neck removed and you can get about the business of living your life the way God meant for you to live it.

Maybe next week I'll write about puppies and rainbows. Or not.

Have a blessed week!

Pastor David

Removing Rocks

"That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the lake. Such large crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat in it, while all the people stood on the shore. Then he told them many things in parables, saying: “A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown."
Matthew 13:1-8

I've been thinking about rocky soil lately. You see, my house was built 63 years ago, and has had many owners prior to my purchase in 1996. At some point, a previous owner decided that it would be a great idea to cover the entire property with black plastic and pea gravel. At some point after that, another previous owner decided that they didn't like the gravel and covered the entire property in topsoil and grass. By the time I purchased the home, the "lawn" had been badly neglected for quite some time, and all that remained was a lot of dirt and weeds, and a few grassy patches that refused to die.

Well, I landscaped the front yard in a quasi-desert motif with some hearty shades trees and numerous flowering shrubs and ground cover, and about 27 tons of rock. The idea was to minimize the amount of maintenance (and water) required to keep the front yard looking presentable.

The back yard was a different story. Shortly after purchasing the house, I acquired a dog, Tabitha. Tabitha was a great dog, and she occupied a place in my home and my heart for 15 1/2 years. But Tabitha spent a lot of time in the back yard, which was still mostly dirt and weeds. Needless to say, much of that dirt found its way into my house. My solution was to start watering the back yard in hopes that the lawn would revive and I would end up with more grass than dirt. My plan worked. It turns out that, given enough water, grass will grow just about anywhere.

But something unexpected occurred. Every time it rained or I watered heavily, all these little rocks would surface. Over the years, erosion had cause much of the topsoil to dissipate, and the gravel beneath would percolate to the surface every time the ground became wet. Eventually I had a very rocky yard, but still relatively grassy, as long as I kept up with the watering.

Fast forward to last year, when I acquired two new puppies, Buddy and Molly. To say that Buddy and Molly play very roughly would be an understatement. Their mode of play resembles something you would see on National Geographic during elk mating season. A casual observer would think that these dogs hate each other and are dueling to the death. They leap at each other and impact in mid-air, they throw each other to the ground, and race around the yard like a couple of greyhounds chasing a mechanical rabbit. This goes on for hours at a time, and has taken its toll on the yard. Within the span of about six months, they managed to destroy nearly all of the grass in the back yard, leaving nothing but bare dirt and rocks. And once again, all that dirt finds its way into my home.

So I am in the process of trying to reclaim my yard (and my sanity) be replacing all of the grass in the back yard, one puppy-free section at a time. However, in order to ensure a healthy lawn that hopefully will withstand the rigors of puppy olympics, I am systematically sifting out all of the gravel from the ground so I only have clean topsoil left, allowing the grass to develop a deeper root system.

So yes, I've been thinking a lot about rocky ground lately, as I haul away wheelbarrow after wheelbarrow full of gravel (I think I've already moved at least a ton or more - all by hand). Which brings me to the parable Jesus taught about the farmer.One of the places where the seed fell was on rocky soil. The seed sprang up quickly, but was also quickly scorched and died because it lacked roots. Later in that passage, Jesus tells his disciples:

"The seed falling on rocky ground refers to someone who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away." (Matthew 13:20-21)

He further tells us that the seed that fell on good soil produced an abundant harvest. If we correlate the soil to the condition of our hearts, this provides a valuable lesson. If I want an abundant harvest of God's word in my life, I need to have a heart free from rocks that make it difficult for the seed to grow and thrive. So I began wondering what those "rocks" are that we tend to carry around in our hearts. In Ephesians 4:31, The Apostle Paul mentions some of these rocks:

"Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice."

If we harbor bitterness in our hearts; if we allow rage and anger to control our emotions; if we actively engage in useless arguments and careless speech; if we take joy in making life difficult for those around us, we have rocky hearts, and the word of God cannot take root in our lives. In Colossians 3:8-9, he adds filthy language and lying to the list. Never underestimate the power of the tongue; words rashly spoken can never be reclaimed. Relationships have been destroyed and wars have been started over careless words.

I'm sure there are many other examples of "rocks" in our lives. I know the ones I need to remove. What about you? What rocks reside in your heart which prevent you from fully enjoying the abundant harvest of God's word in your life?

I come from a faith tradition that did not observe Lent, but I know that many believers around the world are currently observing this solemn time of reflection. Perhaps this is the ideal time for us to examine ourselves and root out those rocks that lie just below the surface of our hearts, waiting to pop up and rob us of God's blessings. With every load of gravel that I haul out of my yard, I ask God to help me remove the rocks in my heart that still remain. May we all have pure hearts where the seed can flourish and grow.

Have a blessed week!

Pastor David

Never Abandoned or Forsaken

"The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged."
Deuteronomy 31:8

As some of you may know, I am a volunteer handler for a dog rescue organization here in Phoenix. Every Sunday afternoon, I join my fellow volunteers for an adoption event at a local pet supply store and get the pleasure of working with numerous dogs waiting for their forever homes. Because I am a male, by default I get to hold the big dogs that are too much for the women to handle. Sexist, sure. But I love what I do, and believe that I am somehow contributing to the welfare of these poor creatures. (I still sneak in some cuddle time with the little dogs whenever I can.)

It saddens me every time I hear the story of how we acquired a new dog. Most of our dogs are pulled off of the euthanasia lists at animal shelters and pounds throughout the state. These are the adoptable ones who have run out of time and will be put down if no one claims them. Many of these animals are beautiful, healthy, vibrant creatures with tons of love to give away. I have to admit that I have fallen in love with several of them over the months that I have been doing this work. I would take them all home if I could (and be the neighborhood "crazy dog dude"), but that would not be practical or responsible.

Just last week, we acquired a beautiful 10-year-old female shepherd/lab mix named Aysha. Her family moved to Australia and couldn't take her with them. So, rather than finding a suitable home for their beloved pet, they simply left her behind. I honestly can't even begin to imagine how you decide to abandon your family pet after caring for her for 10 years, as if she was an extra piece of furniture that you no longer require. All she wants is for someone to love her and provide a safe clean environment for her to enjoy for her few remaining years. Sadly, her story is not unlike the stories of many of our dogs, whose owners could not (or chose not to) care for their pets any longer, and simply dropped them off at the nearest shelter, or worse. We have dogs who have been left in parks, parking lots, foreclosed houses. Dogs who never did anything to deserve being left to fend for themselves.

Needless to say, I think about the topic of abandonment a lot as I work with these beautiful animals. Abandonment is actually something very near and dear to me, as I have struggled with lifelong abandonment issues (the details of which I will spare you). One of the most attractive and appealing things about being a follower of Christ is the promise that God will never abandon me. From the early pages of the Bible through the end, God's promise to remain faithful and present with us is repeated. Jesus reassured His disciples that He would not leave them as orphans, but would send the Holy Spirit to abide with them until He returns (John 14:17-19).

No matter what I do or where I go, God's presence is always with me. Even before I gave my life to Christ nearly 29 years ago, I sensed God watching over me. Indeed, there were many times when I placed myself in danger's path, only later to see the hand of God protecting me and preserving my life. If God knows before we are born that we will one day receive the free gift of salvation, then it only stands to reason that He doesn't wait until we make that decision to manifest His presence in our lives.

I love the fact that, in the above passage from Deuteronomy, God precedes His admonishment to not be afraid or discouraged with His promise to never abandon us. If He simply said, "Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged", we would be less inclined to see how that would be possible in light of all the hardships that we face in life. But knowing that He promises to always be with us along life's journey makes it easier to not be afraid or discouraged. In fact, I believe that the times when we are afraid or discouraged are exactly those times that we forget God's promise to never leave us or forsake us. If I truly believe that God is always with me, in good times and bad, in life's darkest moments as well as on the mountaintops, then I cannot allow myself to be afraid or discouraged. The comfort that comes from this reality is priceless.

I don't know if Aysha will find a forever home where she can once again be loved and cared for, or if she will spend her few remaining years in a kennel or a foster home. But I can say with certainty that I know that I have my forever home already secured. I have been chosen and adopted by a loving Father who knows exactly what I need and provides everything accordingly. I never have to worry about being abandoned or forsaken again. My prayer is that you also have this wonderful assurance.

Have a blessed week!

Pastor David

It's Just Stuff

"At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship and said: 'Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked I will depart. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away; may the name of the Lord be praised.' "

(Job 1:20-21)

On Thursday, January 10, while I was attending the opening night of the GCN conference here in Phoenix, my home was burglarized. As I pulled into the driveway shortly after midnight, I immediately felt there was something wrong. As soon as I put my key in the door, I knew someone had been in my house. My dogs were not there to greet me as they usually do, and the deadbolt had been unlocked. Lights throughout the house were on, doors that are usually closed when I am gone were open, and a sense of foreboding overcame me. I opened the back door and called for my dogs, who came running from the far end of the yard. I could tell that they were very upset and agitated.

Once I determined that they were safe and unharmed, I began to survey the house to determine what had occurred. The front part of the house seemed to be intact, but as I moved toward the back of the house, I suspected the worse, and justifiably so. The thief (thieves?) had pretty much cleaned out the back end of the house, taking anything of apparent value that they could carry. My office and bedroom were ransacked. A large empty space on my desk indicated that my laptop, large screen monitor, wireless keyboard and mouse, and web cam were gone. All that remained were abandoned power cords and cables. My digital camera was also gone (I knew I should have downloaded those photos - darn procrastination).

In my bedroom, one of my jewelry boxes was gone, and my jewelry cabinet was completely emptied of its contents. Gone were all of my watches, including the heirloom timepiece that my father gave me on my last visit to see him. My wedding ring was gone, along with all of my cuff links, tie tacks and tie bars, and various other items that I had accumulated or was given over the years. Most of my coin collections had been taken as well. Every closet and dresser drawer had been searched. Even the bedding had been pulled out in an attempt to see if I was hiding anything under the mattress.

Once I called the police, I had about an hour to process the situation before the officers finally arrived to conduct their investigation. By the time they were done, it was nearly 2:30 in the morning, and I was exhausted. All I kept thinking was, it could have been worse, and I was extremely grateful that my dogs weren't harmed. Oddly enough, I slept very well for the remainder of the night with my babies snuggled up close beside me.

The next morning, I felt that I was not in a good frame of mind to return to the conference, and I wanted to do a more thorough assessment of the situation in the daylight and after being a bit more rested. I texted a few close friends to let them know what had happened and why I wouldn't be at the conference, and they all responded with such incredible concern and compassion. As I was praying, I just burst into tears. Not because of the loss I had incurred, but because God has blessed me with such amazing friends. Their outpouring of love throughout the day overwhelmed me.

As I decompressed that morning, I kept hearing this thought in my head - "It's just stuff." I wish I could say that this is the first time I have been relieved of my possessions, but it wasn't. Over the years I have had numerous instances where people have seen fit to help themselves to my "stuff". And each time, I have been reminded that "it's just stuff." The passage from Job quoted above came to mind the other day. Even when faced with total ruin and the loss of everything that meant anything to Job, he still had the attitude that he came into the world with nothing and would leave with nothing, and that God gives and takes away as He pleases. In the end, the only acceptable response is to worship God.

For many years I have tried to maintain the attitude that everything I have belongs to God, and that He just lets me enjoy it for a season. Some seasons are longer than others, and they usually end without any advance notice. I have also observed that God usually replaces the things that go away with better things. But then, sometimes He doesn't replace them at all, a sign that I no longer needed them in my life (this applies to people as much as possessions). So in this current situation, I felt in my heart that maybe this was a way of cleaning the slate. Some of the "stuff" that had been stolen were things that I had been holding on to for too long, and needed to let go. At the end of the day, I still had what mattered most - my peace and my joy.

I resolved that this turn of events would not rob me of my peace or my joy. I quickly determined (and it was confirmed by a trusted friend that very day), that this was simply an attack of the enemy to try to ruin my experience at this conference. So I went back to the conference Friday evening to receive the blessings that I felt God had prepared for me. And I was blessed. Over and over for the next three days I was blessed, and I gladly received it. Those blessings came in the form of some dynamic worship services, but also in the continued outpouring of love and concern from those who knew what had happened. Usually I am the one who is the encourager and nurturer in my friendships; but this was my time to be encouraged and nurtured. God's love for me expressed through my friends was most evident, and extremely humbling.

I try to always see the silver lining in situations, and it's almost funny how the thieves managed to overlook certain items which have allowed me to quickly recover from this incident. I believe that God blinded them to the "stuff" that is important to me. Besides, I still have my home and my babies, and that is enough. God is good all the time.

Have a blessed week!

Pastor David