Get Busy!

(by Lorie Codispoti)

It’s time to get busy … resting!

Sounds like a contradiction of terms, doesn’t it? Well, to borrow a phrase from the infamous Inigo Montoya (Princess Bride), “I do not think it means what you think it means.”

BUSY VERSUS BUSYNESS

Before we can fully embrace what it means to rest, we must understand the difference between being busy (commendable work with purpose) and being caught up in busyness (a precursor to physical, emotional, and spiritual breakdown).

When I was raising my children, life was busy. Crazy busy. My days were filled with everything that goes along with nurturing and caring for young children. Most of the time I would reach the end of my day completely exhausted, yet I was also happily content. Every task had a purpose and I was fully engaged in the mission of mothering. However, on the days I neglected my need for rest, I would wolf into a miserable creature. By nightfall my perspective had skewed, and I found myself thinking life was nothing more than a monotonous cycle of repetitive tasks that had little to no value.

Busy and Busyness are incompatible adversaries. Busy reminds you that everything she does has a purpose; her goals are clear and attainable. She was designed with a rechargeable feature, known as rest, which you can access anytime, day or night. Busyness, on the other hand, is a thief. She’s not rechargeable and her goal is to sap your strength by convincing you that there is no time for rest. She will run you, helter-skelter, and transform you into a ravenous wolf who tears her house down.

SOMETIMES WE NEED A REMINDER

I am, by no means, a gardener, but I have experimented with growing and canning vegetables over the years (which is precisely why I buy them now). I remember being surprised by the need to recalibrate my pressure cooker. The temperature gauge has to be adjusted periodically in order for the cooker to work properly. The cooker has no way of knowing how vital this adjustment is, but the one using it does.

Jesus prioritized the need for rest when He commanded His disciples to “Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while” (Mark 6:31a). This directive reaches the ears of His disciples during a time when they are elated over the amazing fruit of their ministry, yet at the same time deeply grieving the loss of their friend, John the Baptist. 

Contemplate the emotional roller coaster they had to be riding. Then mix in the fact that the crowds kept coming. The needs were so many that Mark records the disciples “did not have time to eat” (vs.31b). They knew the importance of rest because it was modeled for them when the crowds pressed in for more of Jesus and they watched Him “withdraw to desolate places and pray” (Lk.5:16). Nevertheless, it took hearing “come away” from their Lord to convince these men of their need.

We need to stop glamorizing the destructive cycle of busyness and realize that rest is not only necessary, but it’s a mandate given by a Holy God who has prioritized knowing and loving Him over serving Him.

Now, don’t read that wrong. I’m not saying that you should walk away from service and sequester your life away, singing Kumbaya until Jesus comes. What I am saying is that our need for rest is a built-in feature designed for us to know God. And in order to do that we must step away from the pressures of life and allow His Spirit to recalibrate our hearts to Himself. And since kumbaya means “come by here,” go ahead and sing it ’til Jesus comes!

REST IN PEACE

We don’t have to wait until we die to rest in peace. However, we do have to find a way to shed the dead layers of this world’s influence if we want to enter into the kind of rest Christ offers His children. The beautiful thing is that God never requires us to shed the dead without blanketing us with words that layer renewal... “The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life” (Jn.6:63b).

Several years ago, my friend adopted a child whose issues with anxiety peaked during the night hours. The lack of sleep had negative effects on the entire family. Through prayer she felt led to investigate the therapeutic benefits of a weighted blanket. She decided to try it and found that it helped to calm her daughter’s restlessness. Before long the whole family was sleeping peacefully through the night.

Whether you are single, married, raising children, employed, volunteer, or all the above, the ministry God has called you to is both rewarding and exhausting. Refreshment happens when we take the time to blanket our minds with Truth.

The apostle Paul understood this principle when he appealed to the believers in Rome:

“I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect” (Rms.12:1-2).

He identified their need for a transformed mind and warned them about being conformed to the world’s way of thinking.

Do you think the believers in Rome were busy? After all, they were the first generation of Christians raising up the next generation of Christians. I’m sure their mission of “going into all the world and making disciples” felt a bit overwhelming at times.

Paul was well acquainted with the weariness that comes with ministering to the needs of others, but instead of attempting to bolster their reserves with empty platitudes like, “Man up!” or "You've got this!" he calls for them to make a sacrifice.

Huh? “Isn’t that what we’ve been doing, Paul? We’re ‘giving it all we’ve got, and yet, you’re telling us we need to sacrifice?” I can hear the defensive tone in their collective response.

In his article, How Do We Find Spiritual Rest, author, J.D. Greear says, “… the gospel tells us that when following Jesus gets difficult, the answer is not to ‘work harder’ but to ‘rest better.’ Only by learning to rest in Jesus will we have the strength we need to thrive.”

Resting is a necessary sacrifice we all need to put into practice.

CRAVING MORE THAN FISH

If it takes 20 minutes from the time you start eating for your brain to tell you that you’re full, how long do you think it takes for your soul to tell you that your life is full? What signals you to stop running and take the needed time to digest?

I love fish! It’s been a favorite since I was a little girl. My grandparents lived on the Chesapeake Bay in Virginia and every day my grandfather went fishing after work. Eating fresh fish with my grandmother’s cornbread and butter beans was like feasting at Heaven’s table.

Physically speaking, as we age, our metabolism slows down and we need less food than we did when we were younger. Spiritually speaking, however, I have found that as I mature I need to ingest more. As much as I enjoy fish, it doesn’t compare to the Bread of Life and my Savior’s living water. I long to hear His voice, like the disciples did that morning on the beach when He called for them to “Come and eat breakfast.” (John 20:12)

Even though Jesus had miraculously filled their empty nets with an abundance of fish, when they heard His voice, they dropped everything to be with Him. My guess is, that by now they had learned that Jesus could feed more souls with a few fish and some bread than they could with overflowing nets, and that His presents were no match for His presence.

Do you know who burns the candle at both ends? Busyness! She may burn bright for a moment, but her light is frenetic and unsustainable. I suggest you snuff her out and build a campfire next to Busy. She'll wrap you in a blanket of rest, feed you, and give you time to digest the life giving truth your soul needs.

If you can hear the One who created you with a need for rest calling, "Come away!" maybe it's time to get busy... resting!

Dangling With Delight

(by Lorie Codispoti)

“Higher, Daddy! Push me higher!” Our nine-year-old daughter was elated as she soared into the air on the first ride of her new tree swing.

A few minutes before, she was instructed to straddle the rope as her daddy lifted her up on the board. She enthusiastically bounced around as her feet dangled between the swing and the ground. The anticipation of Daddy’s first push sent sounds of giddy laughter echoing through the woods.

This was no wimpy tree swing. Prior to its construction, my husband assured me that careful consideration had been factored into the location of the swing, as well as his articulate planning to connect the perfectly sized board seat to the chosen tree limb with a rope that came with a up-to-500-pound weight warranty.

When my husband builds something, you can count on two things: 1) It’s going to be secure. 2) It will outlast every other model. For this swing it was important that any rider choosing to mount and careen over the embankment do so with unwavering confidence. A thrill ride without the theme park, this swing had the look and feel of something you might read about in The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. For several decades, our kids and their friends enjoyed riding, especially after it got dark outside. (FYI: The swing died after 25 years, but only because the limb gave way in a storm.)

When I reminisce over the sheer delight of our daughter’s first ride, I am reminded of what the Bible says in Psalm 40:8, “I delight to do your will, O God.”

Hmm... Do I? Would “delight” describe how I feel when my spiritual feet are dangling? Personally, I don’t care for the tension between anticipation and anxiety. I want full control over the swing and where it’s taking me, and I don’t trust that the Person coming up behind me is going to push me in the right direction, and not send me spinning out of control into the side of the tree.

Dangling with delight is an acquired skill. Our daughter was able to find joy in those moments of dangling, before her ride, because she trusted in one thing - her father. She felt secure in his ability to provide her with a durable and dependable swing because she knew him.

Isaiah 58:14 says, “…delight yourself in the Lord; and I will cause you to ride on the high hills of the earth…”

When we take the time to delight in our Father, and trust His plan for our lives, it won’t take much for us to jump up on that swing and cheerfully shout, “Higher Daddy! Push me higher!”

CONFUSION

(by Lorie Codispoti)

“I’m so confused!”

In Christian circles, the typical response to that statement tends to be, “Well, God’s not the author of confusion.” (referencing 1Cor.14:33) Obviously that’s correct, but I have to say that for someone struggling with confusion all they hear is a canned, empty platitude. Unless they are a new believer, they already know the origin of their confusion, and the only thing this reminder does is shame them into silence and sever any potential ministry opportunity you may have with them.

Honestly, I’m confused about things all the time. Come on! We live in a broken, self-destructive world that is Hell-bent on recruiting companions to reside with them in their misery. The seeds of confusion are scattered over the landscape of our minds every single day. And while it’s important to remember where those seeds come from, it’s vital that we prevent them from germinating into full blown lies that people pick, bundle into a bouquet, and carry with them to their own funeral.

A man loses his business because he refused to cheat like his successful counterparts.

A family struggles to understand why their mother suddenly left without explanation.

A missionary family completes their training, is deployed, and then recalled because they lost their support.

Sickness and disease kill. The innocent are victimized. People walk away from their faith. Governments are corrupt. Heroes fall.

And the list goes on… and on… and on.

Can you sense the confusion?

Can you relate to the pain?

Many struggle to understand how the fertile soil of their lives can be so forcefully invaded, and why it feels like everything that was beginning to bloom is heartlessly bulldozed and mulched into unrecognizable bits. The view is bewildering. But, hear me when I say this: Confusion is not a sin; it’s the result of sin. It’s a consequence of living in a fallen world. I think we’d be hard-pressed to find a single biblical character who didn’t wrestle with confusion after the fall. Read any of the stories and you will find evidence of perplexed people - confused about their situation, their God, and His word. No one wants to be confused, yet here we are.

Why can’t we resolve the issues of the ever increasing age of confusion we live in? The short answer is that we’ve replaced HE with WE, and when the lens of our circumstance blurs we turn to ourselves rather than God for clarity.

We’ve made huge strides in medicine, yet people still die of sickness and disease. Meteorologists are equipped with state-of-the-art technology, yet severe weather still surprises and destroys lives. Educational opportunities abound, yet illiteracy remains an issue. In a world where safe havens, rehab centers, and counselors exist, homelessness, addictions, and mental illness are on the rise. Despite modern efforts to resolve our problems, they continue to grow like weeds in a garden.

Am I saying we should reject the gifts and trash all our resources? Of course not. I continue to research and employ the medical resources I have been given to improve my health, but if I invest my heart and soul in remediating my condition without consulting God first and foremost, I’ve opted for the poor man’s remedy.

So what’s the answer? How do we exchange confusion for clarity when our circumstances begin to blur life’s lens?

Confusion can take you to dark and sinful places, but it can also drive you to Christ and solidify your faith. I have found these three components of strategic prayer to be critically important when the author of confusion approaches.

POSTURE

“These are the ones I look on with favor: those who are humble and contrite in spirit, and who tremble at my word.” (Isa.66:2)

Coming before the throne of a holy God demands a posture of humility, and there are many Scripture passages we can draw from to assist with posturing our hearts rightly before Him.

Posture involves repentance. (It’s what “contrite” means.) I come before God in humility, but also with a heart of repentance. If confusion has caused me to question God’s love, doubt His goodness, and sown mistrust in my heart then I need to confess those things, repent and receive His forgiveness.

Do you "tremble at My word"? There's a trembling that involves fear, but there is also a kind of trembling that involves sheer awe. When I think about who God is and meditate on His amazing attributes, every part of my being positions itself to bow down and worship the great I Am. I tremble in awe of the One who invites me into His holy presence.

PRESENCE

“I am with you always.” (Mtt.28:20) “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” (Heb.13:5b) “… I will fear no evil, for you are with me…” (Psa.23:4)

In order to express how vital this component has become to my prayer life, I must first confess that there have been times where I could not feel God’s presence, at all. When the pain would escalate to such a degree of physical and spiritual delerium I would cry, “GOD, WHERE ARE YOU? I can’t find you!” It felt like God had completely abandoned me. For the first time, I could relate to Paul when he said, “for we were so utterly, unbearably crushed that we despaired of life itself.” (2Cor.1:8b) I wanted to die. I had full confidence that I’d be in His presence if I died, but none that He was with me in my greatest hour of suffering. What’s wrong with that confused thinking? Well, for starters it’s a lie!

As I walked through those dark places of confusion, Scriptures (like those above) would automatically rise up within me and play over and over in my mind. I had no strength to pick up my Bible and look for them. It was God’s Spirit within me that brought them to mind and continually pushed the replay button. John and I would also sing Scripture songs - some we hadn’t heard or sung since we were new believers, yet we had total recall. I would also think about the lives of those I’ve known and read about, and how they testified of God’s presence in their darkest days. Each reminder was like an infusion of reassuring faith. Practicing His presence when you feel nothing is an exercise of faith - a belief in His promised, abiding presence.

To KNOW that God was with me went beyond feelings, which can ebb and flow with the varying degrees of pain. His presence tethered me to my Savior in a deeper way than I’ve ever known. When I had absolutely no strength to hold on to Him, He held on to me with an unshakeable grip.

POWER

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses…” (Acts 1:8)

God’s presence leads to His enabling power. If there’s one thing that walking through this health trial has taught me, it’s that I am much weaker and more dependent than I ever imagined. As a result, I have a much clearer understanding of my need for the Holy Spirit’s active work in my life.

Take the time to read what the word tells us about the Holy Spirit's all encompassing role as Comforter/Helper, Counselor, Guide and Intercessor (Jn.4:24, 14:26; Romans 8:14; John 14:26; Romans 8:26), how He gifts us for service (Rms.12:6-8, 1Cor.12:1-11), and His fruit production (Gal.5:22-23) in our lives. God’s Spirit is not an impersonal force. Jesus told His disciples that His Spirit would be an indwelling force. That's personal!

Sin blurred our world, and without the Helper to refocus our lens we will never see things clearly.

Two things to remember about God sending His Spirit and empowering His disciples: 1) He came when they were confused, and that confusion compelled them to gather and pray. Prayer activates His power. Confusion should trigger an immediate prayer response … “God, I don’t know what to do; send Help.” 2) We don’t own His power; it owns us. When we cry out for help, God gets to decide how and when to display His work in us. Remember the reason Jesus stated for giving us His power - so that we would be His witnesses (not the other way around). I can be assured (and reminded) that when I call for help, God will answer with power, but He’s the one Who determines what that will look like in order for my life to testify to Him.

This is more freeing than I have words or space to express, but the thing I love about His indwelling power is that I can cry for “help” and God knows exactly what to do, and what He does is exactly what I need. It may come in the form of remembering His word. It might be with the strength to endure, or the ability to recognize His goodness amidst great times of suffering, but it will always come. And when it does it always testifies of the One who sent it.

The next time you’re tempted to respond to someone’s state of confusion by quoting 1Corinthians 14:33 (“For God is not a God of confusion but of peace.”), remember that Paul’s emphasis was not on the author of confusion, but on the God of peace. It might be necessary for you to clarify the origin, but make sure you help them refocus their lens by showing them how to cry out for help. It’s the only way to walk in His peace and testify of His goodness in this age of confusion.

Stamped

(by Lorie Codispoti)

When my husband, John, was a boy he collected stamps. His grandmother traveled around the world and would send him stamps from all the places she visited. Over the course of time he amassed quite a collection. But the thing that connected all of John’s stamps, no matter how varied they were, was his grandmother and the hand written letters that sealed their special relationship and gave them treasured memories.

The idea of pre-paying for a letter to be mailed took off when the first postage stamp was created in 1840. As the value of these little adhesive backed wonders began to increase so did the interest in collecting them. With subjects from Argentina to zebras, one can literally span the alphabet and never run out of interesting material to study. Did you know that you can even design and produce your own postage stamps? You have the ability to customize your stamp using photographs, your child’s artwork, or a symbol to communicate your passion; the possibilities are endless. Today, collectors of all ages and from around the world gather to trade, sell, and share stories of their mutual love for all things stamp related. 

Stamps also tell us something about the designer.

The Holy Bible remains the number one best selling book of all time. It is an anthology divided into two parts: the Old Testament (before the incarnation of Christ) and the New Testament (post Incarnation). Our sacred text comprises 66 books, written in three languages by 40 authors from three continents over the course of 2,000 years. Traditional versions are arranged in a logical order by topic (except for Genesis and Revelation which bookend the beginning and end of time), and chronological versions are arranged by epochs. And, according to BLB Institute, “The books were named after their subject matter, literary style, person or group addressed, or the name of the author.”

So why have I included this interesting bit of Bible trivia in a piece about stamp collecting? Well, it’s not only because I am a bit geeky about the subject, but because the history of this book points to the One who put His stamp of approval on every page within the collection. In ancient times, important documents were sealed with hot wax and stamped with the king’s signet ring. This not only provided authentication, but it elevated the importance and value of the document. Today, our unique signature serves as the identifier that authenticates things like important documents, letters, and artwork. (At this very moment the gallery door of my refrigerator is featuring, for a limited time only, creatively designed works of art signed by my grandchildren. Treasures, every one!)

There are many reasons why the Bible is the sacred text of Christianity, but the main reason that it’s more treasured than any other written work is because the King of all kings wrote this special love letter to tell us of His divine plan to redeem the world from the chaos caused by His arch enemy. The story begins and ends in a garden, and on every page we see the mark of a glorious and holy God who wants us to know who He is so that we will be drawn to love and worship Him.

What if?  

If John’s grandmother wrote to him about visiting every National Park in the United States, describing every detail of her experience, would she be able to fully capture and transfer the beauty and scope of her experience to him? If she sealed each letter with a photographed stamp that focused on each park’s defining feature, would his senses respond in the same way they would if he was standing next to her? No and no! But, what if her letters weren’t meant to be reports of her adventures, but rather, a form of preparation? What if she was preparing him for the day she surprises him and shows up at his doorstep, instructing him to pack his bags for a face to face adventure that will take him far beyond anything she described in her letters? Indeed, what if? 

I submit to you that our lives are a tiny little pixel, lived within the borders of our postage stamp world. While there is beauty to be discovered, it doesn't even compare to wonders we willl experience as we walk with God in the garden to come.  

We live in the tension between the “already” and the “not yet.” 

Listen to what Paul Tripp has to say about this in-between life: “Every one of God’s children lives between the “already” and the “not yet.” Already this world has been broken by sin, but not yet has it been made new again. Already Jesus has come, but not yet has he returned to take you home with him forever. Already your sin has been forgiven, but not yet have you been fully delivered from it. Already Jesus reigns, but not yet has his final kingdom come. Already sin has been defeated, but not yet has it been completely destroyed. Already the Holy Spirit has been given, but not yet have you been perfectly formed into the likeness of Jesus. Already God has given you his Word, but not yet has it totally transformed your life. Already you have been given grace, but not yet has that grace finished its work.” 

“In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed (stamped) with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.” (Eph.1:13-14)

When the veil of eternity is lifted, and the King returns to restore His creation, will your name be among those written in The Book of Life? Only those who have been stamped by the blood of the Lamb will enter into the restored garden and eat from the Tree of Life. When we stand face to Face with our Redeemer He’s going to show us how the things He wrote about in His letter prepared us to enter into a paradise that is above anything we could ever think or imagine.

To Know, Love & Follow

(by Lorie Codispoti)

“Day by day… Three things I pray…”

Who remembers this popular song from the 1972 musical, Godspell? I never saw the musical but the song remains a catchy tune in my head to this day.

The 1970’s may seem like a long time ago, but the origin of these lyrics actually trace much further back. History records that as the 13th century English bishop, Richard of Chichester, lay dying, he wrote this prayer…

“Thanks be to you, my Lord Jesus Christ, for all the benefits which you have given me, for all the pains and insults you have borne for me, 0 most merciful Redeemer, Friend, and Brother. May I know you more clearly, love you more dearly, and follow you more nearly.”(The phrase "day by day" was added when it became a hymn.)

While my thought is that Richard was fixed on the eternity that lay before him, I like the idea of using his prayer as a daily petition that seeks to “know,” “love,” & “follow” Christ. The prayer then becomes part of my desire to be more like Him on this side of eternity.

The other thing I really like about Richard’s prayer is the progression of his requests…

TO KNOW THEE MORE CLEARLY

When we surrender our lives to Christ, exciting things begin to happen in the soil of our hearts. We’re no longer content with vague, generic descriptions of our Savior. We’re no longer satisfied with reading interesting facts about Him, or studying great works of art that depict famous events in His life. Our desire shifts as His Spirit seeds & waters a lifetime quest to KNOW Him more CLEARLY.

TO LOVE THEE MORE DEARLY

As we learn more about who God is our LOVE for Him becomes as dear to us as the life giving refreshment we would find under the ever-blooming, outstretched canopy of a beautiful tree. Love grafts us into Himself, assuring us that the more time we spend under the shade of His glory the more DEAR our LOVE for Him becomes.

TO FOLLOW THEE MORE NEARLY

When a breeze blows through the Master’s garden, it picks up & carries His scent through the air. A believer who has purposed to “know” & “love” the Gardener hears His voice in the wind. It whispers the call to “Come & follow Me!” Our desire is to FOLLOW so NEAR that His fragrance permeates our being & infuses us with His scent.

Dear Lord, three things I pray…

In a world that wants to skew Your image, refresh me with your attributes that I may KNOW you more clearly. In the heat of the desert, lead me to the shade of your canopy that I might be revived & enjoy LOVEing You more dearly. When the stench of sin & death saturate the land, bathe me in Your fragrance so that I not only want to FOLLOW you more nearly, but I want to share your scent with those soaked in the polluted air. May I be reminded that meandering through the garden of Your immeasurable beauty gives me a taste of what eternity will be like in the fullness of Your unveiled presence.

The Main Character

(by Lorie Codispoti)

I may be among the minority here, but I welcome spoilers when it comes to stories. In fact, most of the time I receive a book or movie recommendation the first thing I want to know is how it ends. I’ve been known to START with the last chapter of a book and the last scene in a movie. Perhaps it’s my distain for lousy endings and love for happy ones that motivates this behavior. Or, maybe it’s my curious nature that compels such impatience. The bottom line is I simply must know what happens last, first.

Take the life of Moses, for example. My favorite part of what the Bible tells us about his story occurs at the end of his life. In his last hours Moses charges and commissions Joshua as Israel’s new leader. (Deut.31) Then he composed a song about God’s faithfulness and the consequences of sin, and taught it to the Israelites. (Deut.32) And in his last public act, Moses calls the tribes together and pronounces a blessing over each one. (Deut.33)

As if all of those things aren’t impressive enough, what happens next is nothing short of extraordinary. The Lord instructed Moses to climb a mountain, where God presented him with a panoramic view of the Promised Land. (Deut.34:1-7) In verse seven it says, “Moses was 120 years old when he died. His eye was undimmed, and his vigor unabated.” (Deut.34:7)

Good night, y’all! The man climbed a mountain at 120 years old, with the strength of a young man. And, when he reached the summit, his clear, cataract-less vision beheld a spectacular view of what God had long since promised his people. Is that a wow moment, or what?

Because the Book is complete, we have the advantage of being able to read “the end” of many stories. But, do you know what the real advantage is - the thing that should captivate our hearts from beginning to end? It’s God! It’s everything that God reveals to us about Himself in every single moment of every person’s life throughout the entire book of the Bible.

“The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law.” (Deut.29:29)

The story of Moses is not so much the story of a great man, as much as it is the story of a great God. Moses had no way of knowing how prophetic his life would be, or how God would use every detail as a means to deliver an entire nation and foreshadow the promised Deliverer. He had no way of knowing how closely God planned for his story to parallel Jesus’ earthly life. But God knew! And because of His great love for us, He makes sure we know by giving us His Word. “For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them.” (Romans 1:19)

Look again at the actions performed at end of Moses’ life - only this time let’s shine the spotlight on the central Figure:

~ “The Lord your God Himself crosses over before you…” (Deut.31:3)

God assures Moses that He will go before them. Sin may have prevented Moses from entering into the Promise Land, but it didn’t shut him out of being assured that his life mattered and that God’s plan would prevail. Likewise, God assures us that not even our sin can hinder Him from making our lives count for His purpose.

~ “For the Lord your God, He is the one who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you.” (Deut31:6b)

God not only went before His people, but He went with them and stayed with them. Is there any greater gift than God’s very presence? Jesus went to the cross and was forsaken so that we never have to be. We can be “strong and courageous” (31:6a) because of His ever present presence.

~ “For I will proclaim the name of the Lord; ascribe greatness to our God! The Rock, his work is perfect, for all his ways are justice. A God of faithfulness and without iniquity, just and upright is He.” (Deut.32:3-4)

In the same way that Moses was compelled to sing of God’s greatness in his last hours, our lives proclaim His never-ending perfection and faithfulness. At the end of our story, may our lives also sing of the magnitude of His greatness, and may the sound echo through all generations.

~ “The Lord came… and dawned upon us; He shone forth…; He came… Yes, He loved his people…so they followed in Your steps, receiving direction from you.” (Deut.33:2-3)

Moses introduced his blessing over each tribe with reminders of how God’s great love compelled Him to come to their aid. It is that same love that rescues us from the bondage of sin. Because He "first loved us" we can love.(1Jn.4:19) He came, dawned, & shone forth His Light that we might follow Him.

Moses, God did something marvelous in your last hours on Earth. Despite the sin that prohibited you from entering into the Promised Land, God summoned you to the top of a mountain, so He could show it to you. This amazing display of God’s grace in your life speaks to the depths of His forgiveness and the fullness of His restorative work in our hearts. May we, like you, reach the end of our days with a clear vision to see the beauty of our Promised Land. Because of the One who is both Beginning and End, the last part of our story will be the best part too!

Known By Words

(by Lorie Codispoti)

January 18th is... 

     National Thesaurus Day
     National Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
     National Winnie the Pooh Day

What do these three, seemingly unrelated, “national days” have in common? Words! 

We all use words to express what’s in our hearts.  

There’s a lesser known commonality found among the three people represented by these national days. Each of their contributions were the result of enduring intense hardship.

Peter Mark Roget began collecting words & making lists as a young boy. Throughout his life they served as therapeutic solace for the mental illnesses that plagued his family life. It wasn’t until Roget was in his 70’s & retired from his medical career, however, that his great work, Roget’s Thesaurus, was published.

Most Americans are familiar with the life & work of Marin Luther King, Jr., born Michael King, Jr. Once again we see a man whose incredible contributions come to us on the heels of great suffering. From the time he was a young man it is noted that his voice & gift for persuasive speech were evident. His favorite hymn to sing was I Want To Be More & More Like Jesus, & he often used his words to stymie the physical altercations he encountered in his neighborhood.

Given our current state, this seems an appropriate MLK quote… I still believe that standing up for the truth of God is the greatest thing in the world. This is the end of life. The end of life is not to be happy. The end of life is not to achieve pleasure and avoid pain. The end of life is to do the will of God, come what may. (Martin Luther King, Jr.)

Alan Alexander Milne miraculously survived WW1, but suffered severely with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. This led to him relocating his family to a calm, countryside setting. It was there that he would take long, therapeutic walks through the surrounding woodland (Hundred Acre Wood) with his son, Christopher Robin. The stories that bonded father & son revolved around Robin’s favorite toys (Pooh, Piglet, Eyeore, Kanga, Roo, & Tigger) & became the inspiration for the words penned in one of the most beloved children’s series of all time. 

  ...even though he had a very small heart, it could hold a rather large amount of gratitude. (Winnie the Pooh)

May the hardships we endure in this life serve to fuel our words with the encouragement we need to share with others. Let’s make every word count!

Every Quagmire Needs A Guide

(by Lorie Codispoti)

Have you ever stepped into quicksand? I have.

We were not allowed to play in the marshes behind our grandparent’s house, but the curious explorer in me couldn’t help but wonder what kind of treasures lay hidden in the tall grass. My day of discovery came when curiosity got the best of me & I ventured into the quagmire. I was absolutely convinced that what I was about to discover would far outweigh the consequences of disobedience. I was wrong!

I knew the moment I stepped off the path I was in trouble. The mud was like a living creature who showed no mercy in grabbing my foot & sucking me into the dark, muddy abyss. With much effort I managed to escape, but not before the monster confiscated my shoes & claimed them for himself. To this very day they remain entombed in a watery grave. Legend has it that as the tide recedes you can hear the daily cry of empty shoes calling out for the feet that once filled them. I know, it’s pretty sad!

BEWARE THE TRAP

There’s something very energizing about an enthusiastic visionary, but without a Guide to help them traverse the maze of an uncharted mire, they will, at some point along the way, fall victim to the mud monster.

When someone assumes a position of authority (large or small) there are three critical things they need if they desire to lead well … (1) discernment (developed with experience), (2) self discipline (rooted in conviction), & (3) the integrity needed to stand firm in the face of adversity. Even the most sincere leader can be seduced by the promise of fame, fortune & power.

But it doesn’t have to be that way!

HOLY SPIRIT GUIDE

“When He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will GUIDE you into all truth…” (Jn.16:13)

Like me, you may not have had the benefit of a godly mentor to help you navigate your way as a spouse or parent. You may have lacked the assistance you needed when you assumed a position of leadership… in your church, your volunteer work, or at your place of employment. You simply had a vision & enthusiastically set out into uncharted territory. No one warned you of the monster in the mud.

Quicksand is scary because, at first glance, it appears solid & safe. But if you step on it the ground immediately liquifies under your feet. To avoid contact, an experienced Guide will teach you how to… 1) eye the terrain & recognize the danger zones, & 2) use a walking stick to tap the ground & test before you step.

What a beautiful picture of how the Holy Spirit operates in our lives. He goes before us, both protecting & training us on how to avoid the traps set by our enemy.

King David prayed, “Keep me from the trap that they have laid for me and from the snares of evildoers.” (Psa.141:1)

THE WAY OF ESCAPE

Most of us are familiar with Holywood’s interpretations of quicksand. Think about that horrific scene in The Princess Bride, when our hero Wesley rescues Princess Buttercup from one of the three terrors of the Fire Swamp - quicksand! (Every time I watch that scene I hold my breath until they return to the surface safely.)

The interesting thing that most people don’t know about quicksand is that it won’t swallow you whole; you’ll only sink up to your waist. Nevertheless, one must take certain steps to escape its grip, steps that correlate nicely with those we need to escape Satan’s traps:

- Eliminate excess weight. (“…let us throw off everything that hinders & the sin that so easily entangles.” (Heb.12:1))

- Backstep to solid ground. (“He drew me up from the pit of destruction, out of the miry bog, & set my feet upon a rock, making my steps secure.” (Psa.40:2))

- Keep your head & arms above the surface. (“… he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, ‘Lord, save me.’” (Mtt.14:30))

- Use your resources. (“His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness…” (2Pet.1:3))

- And, the one that requires the most faith - Relax, let go, lay on your back & breathe deep. (“…faith apart from works is useless.” (Jms.2:20))

“Incline your ear to me; rescue me speedily! Be a rock of refuge for me, a strong fortress to save me! For you are my rock and my fortress; & for your name's sake you lead me and GUIDE me.” (Psa.31:2-3)

Our enemy would have us believe there is no escape once we step into his territory, but he’s a liar! No one - even a fallen leader - is beyond God’s reach when they cry out for help.

“Direct my steps by Your word, And let no iniquity have dominion over me.” (Psa.119:133)

THE BEAUTY OF MUD

Can anything good come out of a mud pit? Yes, a thousand times yes! People pay big bucks for mud baths. Their benefits range from drawing out impurities to relaxing & relieving the body of pain.

Much of this life requires navigating your way through a quagmire of unknowns. While it’s important to avoid the quicksand, there are times we step in & begin to sink. The good news is that God doesn’t leave us there. Not only will He rescue us from what our enemy means for evil, but He uses the mud to draw out the impurities that weigh us down.

So the next time the mud monster has you in his grip, let him have your shoes. Jesus paid the price for you to have a beautiful, new wardrobe - & it’s stain resistant!

Trumpet List

(by Lorie Codispoti)

Because I am a natural goal setter, & find immense pleasure in compiling & working off a list, the concept of creating a “Bucket List” is appealing. However, the more I think about it the more superficial the idea becomes. It limits both the scope of the vision & the subsequent rewards.

In his book, Weight Of Glory, C.S. Lewis wrote,

“It would seem that Our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased.”

If my bucket list is comprised of all the places I’d like to visit, all the things I’d like to do, & everything I’d like to acquire before I “kick the bucket” then it feels more like a race to make as many mud pies as I can before the rain comes & washes it all away.

In light of this, I propose a different kind of list - a list whose scope is broadened by each entry & whose rewards are endless. I call it my “Trumpet List.” (1Cor.15:51-53, 1Thess.4:16) The main objective is to “love God with all our heart, soul, mind & strength” so everything on the list reflects that goal.

God’s word houses most of the entries so it’s more like something you sign up for rather than something you compile. For example, I added Psalm 71:17-18 to my Trumpet List when I became a mother (& it remains as a grandmother) … “O God, You have taught me from my youth; & to this day I declare Your wondrous works. Now also when I am old & grayheaded, O God, do not forsake me, until I declare Your strength to this generation, Your power to everyone who is to come.”

Am I trying to discourage you from having a bucket list? No! (I still want to go to Alaska one day.) I want to encourage you to go beyond the superficial. Buckets are temporary containers that hold mud pies in comparison to the eternal rewards that await & follow long past the sound of the trumpet. Don’t let the fleeting pleasures you obtain in the “slum” keep you from enjoying the “holiday at the sea” God has planned.

LOVE (Thoughts on This Advent Pillar)

(by Lorie Codispoti)

Have you ever wondered why God’s LOVE was not something Adam & Eve had to learn about or be reminded of when they lived in the garden, yet God had to put it in writing for us? It wasn’t until His love was questioned & sin separated us from God that we needed to learn & be reminded of His love.

"For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—His eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God." (Rms.1:20 NLT)

Though veiled by sin, our world contains enough external evidence to point us to a loving Creator. His fingerprint is everywhere.

"The heavens declare the glory of God; the sky displays his handiwork." (Psa.19:1)

I’m not much of a star gazer & my knowledge of all things astronomy wouldn’t impress a moon rock, but I have, on occasion, stared up into the night sky in awe of the God who created such a magnificent display.

As I meditate on the Christmas story, I can’t help but wonder if that “star of wonder, star of night, star with royal beauty bright” was something God set in place the day He spoke the heavens into existence (day 4). Was it present before Adam was even created? I think it’s plausible that God fashioned it for a special purpose, long before the fruit even touched Eve’s lips. To think of Him creating this star & then waiting thousands of years to reveal its spectacular light speaks of an unfathomable love, a love that went before us to prepare the way for Salvation to light the darkness in our hearts.

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son…” (John 3:16)

Speaking of the magnitude of God’s love, theologian, Benjamin Warfield, notes that “world” in this verse is referring to intensity, not size. He said, it’s “… not to suggest that the world is so big that it takes a great deal of love to embrace it all, but that the world is so bad that it takes a great kind of love to love it at all, and much more to love it as God has loved it when he gave his Son for it.”

“For I am the Lord, I do not change…” (Mal.3:6)

From eternity past to eternity future nothing about God varies or changes. (Js.1:17) In our world things are constantly changing. As time marches on circumstances vary, relationships ebb & flow, and our bodies break down. Science confirms that our planet is showing signs of its age as well. Scripture tells us (Rms.8:18-25) that the natural world we live in is groaning under the bondage of corruption. (Sin continues to take its toll.) Believers are also groaning as we persevere through the consequences of a broken world. 

Simultaneously, though, we are eagerly waiting for God’s love to reveal another miraculous visitation. Before time began, God had a plan for both of His advents. The next visitation will be the one where the Son of God, the Creator Himself, will “make all things new.” (Rev.21:5)

Look up, church… our redemption is near!

Jesus said, “And there will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars; and on the earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring; men’s hearts failing them from fear and the expectation of those things which are coming on the earth, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. Now when these things begin to happen, look up and lift up your heads, because your redemption draws near.” (Lk.21:25-28)

Because “God is love” (1Jn.4:8), there is a new day coming … An eternal day without doubts or questions. No more wondering, longing, & groaning. Once again, the earth & its inhabitants will bask in the unveiled beauty of His presence & enjoy the fullness of His LOVE forever.

PEACE (Thoughts on This Advent Pillar)

by Lorie Codispoti

“Don’t mess with my pillow!”

I don’t know about you, but my down-feathered cloud of wonder is a critical component to a peaceful nights sleep. To suggest the purchase of a new one conjures up visions of a revolt - feathers uniting & transforming into sword wielding ninjas. To ruffle these guys could be fatal.

Middle eastern shepherds of old were not only nomadic (following the food & water supply), but they were nocturnal, as they had to stay alert during the night watches. A peaceful night for a shepherd was a night when their flock was secured, safe from the prowling predators that lurked in the darkness.

“The announcement of Jesus’ birth comes to those who live out under the stars at night with rocks for pillows and hovels for homes.” (Mark Dunn)

Imagine what it must have been like the night all heaven broke loose. An invasion of encircling light & the voice of an unknown being filled the shepherds with fear. They must have wondered what kind of predator this was & how they would fight it with the weapons they had.

After the angel calms their fears & announces the incarnation of Christ, things get really loud. Luke 2:14 records the sky being filled with a “multitude of heavenly host praising God & saying, Glory to God in the highest, & on earth PEACE, goodwill to men.”

What’s unique about this “peace” is that it’s vastly different from every other kind. (exactly what Jesus said about it in Jn.14:27) A careful look at the peace these angels proclaimed tells us something important: God’s peace is selective. That’s right. The kind of peace announced to this singled-out group of shepherds is reserved for those who will receive Jesus as their Savior & surrender their lives to His Lordship. It is not available to unbelievers.

Christians have something in common with these shepherds. We are among the marginalized & many times persecuted by the world around us. Our circumstances are anything but peaceful, yet God has given us a peace that has the power to “guard our hearts & minds” (Phil.4:7), no matter what circumstance we find ourselves walking through.

And there’s more.

Jesus didn’t come promising world peace. The Prince of Peace, the One who came to reconcile us to Himself, came to pick a fight with the Prince of Darkness, the one whole stole humanity’s heart & mind through sin.

A cushy pillow may be a prerequisite for a restful night’s sleep, but that kind of peace is as temporary as the homes we live in.

(Jesus, like the shepherds, was basically homeless. He referenced his condition in Lk.9:58 when He said, “Foxes have holes & birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.”)

God didn’t give us a pillow, kiss us goodnight & tell us to sweet dream our lives away. He gave us a pair of thick soled shoes for an arduous journey that will lead us to the forever home He’s preparing. (“…as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace.” Eph.6:15)

The peace shoes we’ve been given for this trek aren't for running after the absence-of-conflict kind of peace we waste time chasing. This is a "guard" - a sentinel commissioned as part of the armor given to us to take the “good news” of the Gospel to a lost & dying world. And, like the shepherds in the field that night, Peace is awake & alert, standing ready at a moments notice to charge any predator that attempts to breach His protective barrier. The great Shepherd assures us that, with His peace, no adversary is strong enough to sneak past His watchful eye & remove us from His presence.

“There remains therefore a rest for the people of God. For he who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His.” (Heb.4:9-10)

Put your shoes on & follow the Shepherd of your soul all the way home. I hear that the pillows there provide a peaceful rest like nothing we’ve ever known.