Proclaiming The Goodness Of God

I love You Lord
Oh Your mercy never fails me
All my days
I’ve been held in Your hands
From the moment that I wake up
Until I lay my head
I will sing of the goodness of God

All my life You have been faithful
All my life You have been so, so good
With every breath that I am able
I will sing of the goodness of God

I love Your voice
You have led me through the fire
In darkest nights

You are close like no other
I’ve known You as a father

I’ve known You as a friend

I have lived in the goodness of God

Your goodness is running after, it’s running after me

Your goodness is running after, it’s running after me

With my life laid down,
I’m surrendered now, I give You everything

Your goodness is running after, it’s running after me

Copyright © 2020 Bethel Music-All Rights Reserved 

Letting Go While Maintaining Control

A Parable

It was 2007 and I could tell that he was upset when he walked into the construction company where I worked and he made a beeline to my office. His name was Tony and he was a supervisor and I was his boss.

“Bob won’t follow my instructions”, Tony said as his eyebrows were raised by his wide-eyed look. “I think that we should get rid of him!” he said as he sat down in one of the chairs in front of my desk.

I asked him to tell me what he had done and he went on to explain how Bob (under his leadership) continued to not do what he asked him to do.

Apparently, Bob had blown off some specific instructions that were given to him by Tony, but had actually come from the owner of the company.

He added that he had given Bob a good tongue lashing.

I told him that I would talk with my boss John (who was the general manager) and see what he would like us to do. Until then, I asked him to not talk to Bob because I could see that his anger was still there as he talked with me about Bob.

I left my office and went to talk to John about the situation. He agreed that we should bring Bob in and have the three of us meet to get his perspective.

I went back to my office only to see the supervisor chewing out Bob and adding that he was in trouble since he went up the chain of command.

I asked Tony to come into my office where I asked him why he was talking to Bob since I had asked him not to do so.

Tony said that he was going out the back door when Bob came in, so “I decided to let him know that he was in trouble!”

I told him that John wanted me to set up a meeting with himself, myself and Bob; but not Tony. The plan was for us to get Bob’s side of the story and then talk about following his authority. To fail to do so would result in disciplinary action; including the possibility of termination of his employment with the company.

I asked Tony (again) to NOT talk to Bob about this situation. He could cast it upon me and I personally would handle the situation. Bob said that it sounded good. He made his way out the back door to his truck.

A few minutes later, I needed to get something out of my vehicle so I, too, made my way out the back door.

When I got to the parking lot, Tony and Bob were having a shouting match that was escalating as Tony let Bob know that he was REALLY in trouble. I asked Bob to leave and I asked Tony to please go to my office.

I asked him why he was shouting at Bob when I gave specific instruction to not talk with him.

Tony replied that he was just letting him know that Bob had to come in for a special meeting at which time he was going to get written up.

I asked Tony to wait in my office and went to talk to John.

When I spoke to John about the latest development, he shook his head in amazement and asked me to bring Tony to his office; which I did.

John asked Tony; “Why did you talk to Bob when we gave very clear instructions that we were going to handle it?”

Tony responded that he let his frustration and anger get the best of him. We once again asked him to cast it upon us and that we would take care of it. Once again, we asked him to NOT talk with Bob, then dismissed him as John asked me to stay behind.

John said to me; “Give him five minutes and then check on him, and then get back to me; ok?” I agreed and went back to my office.

Five minutes later I went outside to the workshop off the parking lot and…sure enough, (once again), Bob and Tony were having a shouting match as Tony let Bob know the latest depth of the trouble he was in Bob let Tony that he was mad at him for talking to John and I.

I went back to John to report the latest update. John asked me to (once again) bring Tony to his office for a meeting, which I did. During the meeting John asked Tony how he could ever expect someone to follow his leadership when he wouldn’t follow ours?

Tony made excuses which sounded very similar to Bob’s excuses about why he didn’t have to follow his instructions. We told him that this was unacceptable and it was decided that we were terminating his employment and asked Tony to turn in his keys.

After he was escorted out of the building to make sure that he didn’t run into Bob, John and I met to get our bearings. We stared at each other as we analyzed how Tony’s valid complaint had turned into his departure. 

He let his pride stop him from trusting that we really cared for him and would follow through. He couldn’t see how we were on his side and had his back.

Simply put; he brought his cares to us to take care of; but couldn’t seem to trust us to take care of things…so he kept picking it back up.

Similarly, how often have things gotten worse because we don’t follow the instruction of the Lord?

1 Peter 5:6-7 says; “Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.”

If you cast your cares upon the Lord, why are you still carrying them? Why are you still worried about it? Isn’t it time to do something different?

Another Day In Paradise

“How are you doing?" I asked a friend who I ran in to at a local store.

"Living the dream!" He exclaimed; "It's another day in paradise!"

Really? This is what he dreamed of when he was up all night studying for the finals? This was his dream life and all that it included?

My friend was being sarcastic for his life was marked with many trials such as a failed marriage and bouncing from job to job. His response masked his pain that he was longing for a better life that was filled with supercalifragilisticexpialidocious moments of unending joy!

Truth is, much of life is marked with doing what we need to do: Get up, get dressed, eat, brush our teeth, go to work or do our chores; and at the end of the day we do it all in reverse order and go to bed.

That is how much of our lives go; marked with the occasional outing to purchase groceries and other household items...only to get up and do it all again the next day.

If that isn't enough, throw in the fun tasks such as cutting the grass, shoveling the snow, weeding the garden, taking out the trash, and cleaning the fish tank.

Fun isn't it? Mundane? Boring?  I haven't even added in the trials and hardships that we go through as we live in the real world of brokenness that is so far from the paradise that we long for.

Unfortunately, we stop short and look for approval, validation, and life from things that will never really bring real life and fall short of paradise.

We strive throughout the minutia of our day to get everything that we can possibly want to make this bearable such as tablets, computers, dishwashers, ovens, cars, Roombas, leaf blowers, paper shredders, smartwatches, roof rakes, salad spinners and all of the other modern conveniences  that we need to break up our boring world.

So, we mark our lives by BIG events such as the big holidays, birthdays, weddings, vacations, funerals, graduations, etc. We spend our days planning and longing for the day when we _____________ (fill in the blank).

And yet that isn't really what this life is all about. In fact, many people use their vacation to get away from all that they have by going deep into the wilderness where they can be off the grid and have absolutely no modern conveniences; including running water or electricity.

Real life comes as we pay attention to that heart cry that says;

"this can't be all that there is..."

It is the heart cry from One who put eternity in our hearts that causes us to seek life. 

                 

Life is about just showing up and doing what is on our plates for the day. It is about being consistent and faithful to the items on our agenda for the day. Its leaving room for spontaneous divine 'interruptions' that cross our path.

Life, real life is learning to wake up and be grateful for even being able to wake up. It is looking for and expressing gratefulness in the minutia of this everyday, mundane existence that we call life.

Life comes from the One who Himself wants to give life this side of paradise. He put the heart cry in our hearts for paradise.

Today, at this very moment, He is reaching out to you; calling to you to come to Him because He wants you to have real life. Today. Right now.

His Name is Jesus and He tells us how to get this life in Matthew 11:28:

“Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to Me. Get away with Me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with Me and work with Me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with Me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.”

He is the one who said in John 10:10 that He came to that we may have life (Zoë) and life abundantly (superabundant in quality or superior; excessive, exceedingly, beyond measure, superfluous, vehement).

Sounds like paradise this side of paradise doesn't it? And you can have it each and every day no matter what happens. It is a matter of choosing how you respond to the grace and mercy that awaits you at each and every turn of your day; from the moment that you awake.

Your response to Him is to say "yes". It's not based upon what you have done; good or bad...that is what His death, burial, and resurrection is all about. The Bibles says in Romans 10:9-13:

"...if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.” For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. For “whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” 

Jesus will help you to live today and every day after that in paradise; here on earth and eternally beyond this life.

All Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.