Impromptu Worship

One day last week my nine-year-old friend told me that I’m predictable. Ok, I accept that. No one will ever accuse me of being impulsive or call me spontaneous. But sadly, when I hear the word predictable, I think “translation: boring, dull, stodgy.”

The next day, in the pouring rain, I ran back and forth the length of my driveway with my surrogate niece who’s three. Not bad for “Predictable Paula.” There’s something to be said for those times where we forget ourselves and get lost in the thrill of the moment. What I’ve found to be just as valuable are the times I do this with personal worship.

Last Wed. night after hearing a woman’s testimony at church, I began to worship spontaneously (and silently) in response to her stories of God’s faithfulness to her and her family. This week I had other moments of spontaneous worship where the time and place permitted me to sing aloud my praises to the same God who has shown me such faithfulness. I thought about the times such worship is portrayed in scripture: when David dances before the Lord (and the kingdom) as the ark is returned to Israel; the one leper who returned to thank Jesus for his healing and fell at His feet; Mary breaking the alabaster jar to anoint Jesus before His death. When we choose to respond immediately with praise and gratitude in impromptu worship to God, we’re in very good company. And while I will probably continue to be fairly predictable, I pray that my worship never will be.

Those Less Fortunate

In a novel I’m reading, an older, wealthy woman refers to helping “those less fortunate.” She is a Christian and active member of her church and community. And like all of us who have ever referred to others as “less fortunate,” she means well.

But the term hit me as wrong when I stumbled over it so I began to ask myself who is less fortunate than I and who is more fortunate?  Usually, I equate the phrase with material wealth as most folks do. Yet, we all know money cannot heal a broken heart, comfort a grief-stricken widow, soothe a restless spirit or buy a ticket to heaven.

So here’s what I came up with for my list of “those less fortunate”:

People who cannot forgive. Their hearts grow bitter and angry and they poison those around them.

People who refuse to listen to others. They’re missing out on some interesting stories, some good laughs, and some profound wisdom.

Bigoted people who claim to follow Christ but whose narrow minds and cold hearts push others far from the gospel. 

To round out the list, I’d include the thankless who miss communion with God and others, the selfish who miss opportunities to serve and bless others, and the wasteful who fritter away their talents and resources, squander God’s grace and never achieve His purposes.

My prayer for the week is I do as little as possible to be included on someone else’s list of “those less fortunate.”

Easter's On Its Way

I remember as a child singing, “Hippity, hoppity, Easter’s on its way.” The song is a sweet, innocuous children’s rhyme referring to the advent of the Easter bunny. But the reality of Holy Week is quite different. The days that led up to Easter do not depict a soft, cuddly bunny hopping along a jelly bean strewn path surrounded by flowers and butterflies.

The days leading up to Easter are a grim trip along a winding, dusty road surrounded by a bloodthirsty crowd. The trail ends at Golgotha, “the place of the skull,” and a blood-covered cross where hangs a beaten and humiliated King.

Thankfully, though, that’s just Good Friday. Easter morning does evoke all the childhood joy described above because it is the day of victory when Jesus arose from the grave and tore down the walls which had separated God from mankind since Adam and Eve’s fall. When the stone was rolled away from the tomb, Christ’s final triumph over death was finished and He opened the door to heaven for all eternity. Now that’s worth celebrating!

Breath of Life

Job 33:4: “The Spirit of God has made me, And the breath of the Almighty gives me life.”

Often I have wondered why Jesus breathed on the disciples to impart the Holy Spirit to them (John 20:22). The answer should’ve been obvious, but it took a funeral to help me figure it out.

This past Friday I attended the funeral of a dear friend’s husband and was struck anew how the deceased always looks unnatural. The spark of life with which God imbues each of us is gone and the person looks like a wax statue version of himself. Viewing the body reminds me that until God breathed into Adam, he was mere dust formed together in the shape of a man. And Paul tells us we are all dead in our trespasses until the Holy Spirit breathed life into us (Eph. 2:1-10).

So finally, this weekend, I connected the dots. Just as a body without breath is dead, a spirit without the Breath of the Holy Spirit is also dead. Jesus breathed the breath of spiritual life into His disciples to make their spirits come alive. And so it is with the Ruach Hakodesh, the Holy Spirit, who gives new life to all who trust in Jesus as Savior.

Huddle Up

“And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.” Eph. 6:18

I was never good at sports and I can’t stand football. Nevertheless, I am part of a team: we call ourselves “the warriors.” As part of this team, I recognize the importance of the huddle. It’s within the sacred shelter of the huddle that players receive encouragement, direction, and chastisement.

We have a playbook with rules and guidelines, but often our Coach has to call an audible and we’ve been known to lob more than a few “hail Mary” passes. Whenever life gets tough, I call and email the best players on the team asking for wisdom and prayer. Whenever I experience joy or a breakthrough in a situation, I go to them to tell of what God has done.

He uses my teammates to encourage me and support me and yes, sometimes to even chastise me. I think together we make a good team and I am so grateful to have such a group of prayer warriors in my life.

Great Is Thy Faithfulness

Thursday was my birthday and I had a lot to celebrate. It’s been two years since I hurt my neck and I am still amazed at the miracles God has done. During excruciating pain, He sustained me. When facing the fear of possible surgery, He made another way. He used pain to teach me perseverance and compassion and dependence on Him. And through it all, He demonstrated His great faithfulness and love every day.

So did His servants. My pastor anointed me and prayed faithfully for my healing as did dozens of friends. They called, sent emails and cards, and in so many ways lifted my spirits during one of the most difficult challenges I have ever faced. So this year, I am celebrating the unshakable faithfulness of God and those who love me and believed in His promises.

“Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed,

    for His compassions never fail.

They are new every morning;

    great is Your faithfulness.

I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion;
    therefore I will wait for him.”  Lamentations 3:22-24

Invest Wisely

I get so excited each January at the prospect of a new year full of promise. Each year God gives us 365 days to spend any way we wish. He gives each of us 24 hours a day to work, to dream and to share His love. Yet we complain often “there just aren’t enough hours in the day.”

God says there is. He says not to worry about tomorrow, but to focus on one grace-filled day at a time. He says: “be anxious for nothing.” He also tells us what to do with His gifts. “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matt. 6:19-21) Jesus is not just referring to money, but to our time, talents, and energy, too.

How do you store up treasure in heaven? 1. Make God’s work a priority. “Seek first the kingdom of God” and support it with tithes and offerings. 2. Love others. “But if anyone has the world's goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God's love abide in him? Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.”(1 John 3:17-18) 3. Live like Jesus who embodied God’s admonition in Micah 6:8: “He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” Investing in the work of God, who is faithful and generous and merciful, is the wisest investment you can make in 2014.