Life-Guard

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The shrill sound of a whistle rang out over the jubilant screams of children splashing delightedly as the lifeguard dove in to save a teenager slipping silently under the surface of the water.

Moments earlier I had overheard the would be drowning victim joke with his buddies about not knowing how to swim as he ascended the tower to a short waterslide that dropped thrill-seekers out for a 15 foot free-fall before they splashed into 12 foot deep water.

Even though the unfortunate incident could have been avoided if the young man had obeyed the rules of the pool posted at the bottom of the ladder advising only strong swimmers to attempt the slide, the lifeguard did not hesitate to save him.

That’s what Jesus does for all of us.

He knew we would continue to break the rules, yet He did what was necessary to save us.

There have been times in my life when I’ve found myself drowning in my own sin and the shame and guilt that accompany it. I was floundering helplessly. Consequences of my less than righteous choices weighed me down. The more I struggled and strained to save myself, the more exhausted I became.

Until I realized that Jesus is my Life-Guard.

You may not see Him, but rest assured that He is every bit as real as the vigilant lifeguards slathered in sunscreen perched upon their towers at every beach and pool around the world.

Lifeguards are highly competent and ruthlessly trained to place the safety of the swimmers in their pools first, but even they are cautioned against becoming victims themselves. Yet Jesus sacrificed Himself for us. He became the victim so that we would never have to suffer that fate.

Even when our own choices or the actions of others put us in danger, He is the only one powerful, righteous and loving enough to save us.

We must cease our struggling and surrender to the only One capable of returning our feet to solid ground.

We must cease our struggling and

No matter how many times we find ourselves floundering He is faithful to rescue us.

It is much more difficult to save a person who is flailing about wildly. Instinctively, drowning victims are likely to attempt to save themselves by pushing their rescuer under. We cannot push Jesus away and expect reach His promised land, instead we must rest in His loving arms as He pulls us to safety.

We cannot do anything to save ourselves. In fact our very attempts to do so, are contrary to our profession of faith in what He has already accomplished. Anything we try to do on our own reveals a lack of confidence in His sacrifice.

The more we take on for ourselves or our friends, the less room we leave for Jesus to do His saving work in us and others.

The desire can be overwhelming to help people we love when we see them slipping under, but we should remain cognizant of the fact that only Jesus can save. We can, however, throw them a life-saving device by providing them with loving messages of The One who has already done all that is necessary for their salvation. We can encourage them to stop their exhausting efforts to save themselves and instead cling to Jesus.

Are you being pulled under by the weight of sin, guilt, shame, sadness or grief? Are you worn out from trying to keep your head above water? Do you know someone else who is? I pray that the picture of Jesus as your lifeguard will bring you the hope you need to surrender to Him.
Dear Heavenly Father, I thank you that you are the guarder of my life, that in Your arms I can cease struggling to save myself and rest in Your promise of salvation. Help me to remember that even when I continue to make a mess of my life, You are faithful to rescue me time and time again because You love me. In Jesus’ most Holy and Precious Name, Amen.

“Come to me all you who are weary and heavy burdened and I will give you rest.”
Matthew 11:28

Linking up today with some other fantastic ladies who are writing about “what you don’t see” at Suzie Eller’s #livefreeThursday! Click on over and check out what they have to say!

Running on Empty

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Are you running on empty?

Have you been running yourself ragged for so long you don’t remember what it’s like to have a full tank?

I run the kids to school, music lessons and baseball practice. I run to the grocery store, my appointments, board meetings and volunteer events. I run to bible studies and lunch with friends. Sometimes, I even run to the gym to “run” on the treadmill. Usually, though, I run out to the park near our house so I can walk around the lake.

As I approached my favorite thinking spot near the water’s edge Monday morning, I realized how accustomed I am to operating on empty.

I’ve spent countless hours walking around this lake in the past year blissfully unaware of just how low the water was until I finally saw it filled to capacity. My usual driftwood perch is completely submerged and a trail that once seemed to tower above the water’s edge is impassable. It is now green and lush and seems to be teeming with vibrant wildlife.

It took record-breaking downpours to restore the lake to its optimal level.

Sometimes I forget how empowering it feels to be full. I comfortably operate in a constant state of weariness, dry and brittle, susceptible to cracking because I haven’t filled up adequately. We pour ourselves out into others, but feel guilty taking the time to refuel. Sometimes we even wear our weariness like medals of honor around our necks, proud of how much running we accomplish.

Occasionally, I let myself get so dry that the smallest inconvenience or mishap has the potential to become catastrophic because I have nothing left in reserve from which to pull. In these times, I need to flood my soul with His Word and Love. Unfortunately, taking the time and attention required for such a task can be inconvenient at best or impossible at worst. So, I just keep running.

It isn’t until I wind up completely run down that I feel I can justify making time for my own well-being.

I’m not talking about taking time out for a pedicure, stealing a nap or getting lost in a good book.

I mean being filled with the Spirit of God. We first receive His Spirit when we came to know Him as our Savior through our baptism, but the struggle to die to self and be filled with Him is ongoing.

I can get so busy running I forget it is not my serving or doing, but rather my resting in God’s promises and provision that restores me. If we let the needle hover around the empty mark we aren’t helping anybody. We cannot give what we don’t have. I’ve found, too, that when I reach rock bottom, I am likely to do more harm than good.

Refueling our souls is not a luxury, it is the only way to prepare for the race of life and all the unexpected twists and turns that come our way.

I find I am much more prepared for each day when I have spent time in prayer and study of His Word early. A quote attributed to Martin Luther says, “I have so much to do that I shall spend the first three hours in prayer.” While I rarely have three full hours to devote to daily prayer, I can tell a difference in the rhythm of life when I have spent time with God. It cannot be a cursory flip through the bible or a check-the-box prayer, though. I must humble myself before Him and ask His Holy Spirit to speak to me through His Word.

Weekly we can fill up through the Word and Sacraments He prepares for us as we meet in fellowship in His house. God created the Sabbath for us. Don’t skim over that. He created it FOR us. (Mark 2:27) It was never intended to be one more thing for us to add to our to-do list. He longs to use the Sabbath to refresh and refill us with His Word and His Holy Supper. As my Pastor said this past Sunday, this is where He meets us each week to exchange our burdens for His peace and rest.

Occasionally, I find it necessary to spend extended periods of time immersed in His presence. Though they can be logistically challenging, spiritual retreats are a great way to flood my soul before draining seasons and to replenish what I have poured out into others. Time away from my regular routine spent reading and studying His Word, praying, and journalling are all methods I employ to reestablish healthy levels of the Spirit in my life.

Often we don’t realize we have been neglecting ourselves until we are running on empty. I encourage you to take a few moments right now and honestly assess the fullness of your soul. Do you need a daily drip, weekly infusion or a record breaking flood to restore healthy levels?

Being filled with the Spirit is the only way to ensure you can keep on running!
Dear Heavenly Father, Thank You for filling me with your Spirit. Help me to honestly assess how full of Your Spirit I am and then lead me to empty myself of my fleshy tendencies and make room for Your Spirit. Continuously fill me so that I can overflow again and again. In Jesus Name, Amen.

“Then He said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.”
Mark 2:27

The Jesus I See in You

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I was seated in a hard chair against the wall in the waiting area during my sons’ music lessons when the text from my husband came.

I couldn’t stifle the gasp when I read it was time to euthanize our faithful family dog.

A sweet woman moved purposefully over to my side when she noticed my distress. Without hesitation, she bowed next to me with an arm around my shoulders and began to pray with me. I felt compelled to explain that Hannah was a dog not a person, but she persisted in petitioning our Lord for His comfort to surround my whole family in this time of suffering.

She spent much of the next hour chatting with me and looking at pictures of the dog I had adopted 15 years ago when I was first stationed at FT Hood. This sweet fur-baby knew me before my husband, was there when he proposed, helped us welcome home our children, and traveled around the world with us.

My dear husband brought her home from the veterinarian’s office Friday evening so we could say our final farewells and spoil her with some bacon. Then, he and I returned with her early Saturday morning to be there as they ended the pain and misery caused by cancer that had invaded her body.

On Memorial Day, I really struggled with mourning a dog when so many great heroes of this nation were being honored for their ultimate sacrifices. We told only our family and a few close friends about her death over the weekend, but I waited until Tuesday to make a more public announcement.

That is when I saw the Jesus in all of you.

The encouraging words streaming in through texts, phone calls, and facebook comments have eased my pain. Friends told funny Hannah stories they remember from when we were once stationed together. Fellow dog owners validated the pain I feel and the family member status of my girl. Many offered sympathy for my loss. Those who have also lost beloved pets extended empathy for my grief.

Your compassion for me in my sorrow is proof that God cares about us when we hurt.

As we are moved by the Holy Spirit to love and care for each other we become the hands and feet of Jesus working out God’s purposes here on earth.

As we are moved by the Holy Spirit to


Jesus had compassion on so many during His earthly ministry: the weary multitudes without anyone to lead them in the truth (Matthew 9:36), the sick He healed (Matthew 14:14), the hungry He fed (Matthew 15:32), the blind men whose sight He restored (Matthew 21:34), the man with leprosy (Mark 1:41), the grieving widow whose only son had died too soon (Luke 7:13). “He groaned in the spirit and was troubled” at the sight of Martha and Mary mourning the death of Lazarus (John 11:28-37).

Jesus’ compassion for people preceded the majority of His miracles.

When we are moved with compassion as Jesus was we can be a part of healing the sick, feeding the hungry, comforting the hurting and teaching the lost. It may not look quite like the miracle it did in Jesus’ day, but I’m sure it feels the same to those who are on the receiving end of the Jesus in you.

To the patient who is healed by an experimental treatment your donations funded.

To the Mom who can feed her children because you dropped off canned goods at the food bank.

To the hurting person who feels a little less alone knowing you understand their pain.

To the person who’s salvation is secured because you shared Jesus with them.

To whom can you show a little bit of the Jesus in you today?

 

Dear Heavenly Father, I thank You that You are a God of compassion, for the example Your Son gave us and for the people around me who have shown me the Jesus in them this week. I pray that You would guide me to boldly show others compassion the way Jesus did. In His Holy Name, Amen!

 

“I will show compassion to others because my Savior first showed compassion to me.”
1 John 4:19

Linking up with Suzie Eller and her friends today with the prompt “The Jesus You See in Me.”

Finding Control in Chaos

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Every couple of years the Army awards a contact to a moving company that will come and pack up all our worldly possessions and move them to the next place we will call home.

As with many business transactions, the winner is usually the lowest bidder.

We have been overwhelmingly fortunate with the majority of our moves, but as you might imagine, sometimes quality suffers when moving companies try to make a profit on what the government is willing to pay.

On our last move, I actually accomplished what I typically only dream of doing before the packers arrive - I organized the toys. All of them. Sure, I paid my children good money to help categorize the small pieces into colorful fabric bins and collect the art supplies into a single plastic keeper, but it was well worth every penny to have created order where there was previously chaos.

By day two of packing my nerves were frazzled from being held hostage inside a house that no longer felt like mine while listening to overly loud music contrary to my usual genre mingled with the near constant cacophony of crinkling paper and packing tape as it was violently ripped from the roller, torn by the perforated cutting edge and smoothed over the edges of the boxes. As I maneuvered through the maze of brown cardboard monitoring progress that afternoon I came face to face with every control-freak’s nightmare.

I turned to peek in the toy room just as one of the packers dumped a red fabric bin of once sorted super-hero figures into a large box where dinosaurs and match box cars and rubber balls were already settling. A quick scan of the room revealed that the damage was complete. This was the last of 18 fabric bins he undoubtedly packed in the same haphazard manner.

I felt like the air had been knocked out of me.

Sometimes more significant events in life mirror this scenario. Just when we start to think everything is going according to plan, some person or situation comes along and upends our orderly existence.

Miscarriages, illness, accidents, deployments, lay-offs, natural disasters, children’s antics and even mean-spirited and inconsiderate people conspire to shatter any illusion of control we may have once entertained. Suddenly, things which are truly out of my control invade and reign supreme.

What we choose to do next is critical.

I could have demanded the packer open all those boxes, resort the toys into their respective bins and pack them just as I had. I could have read him the riot act. I could have threatened to call his supervisor. I could have screamed and shouted a stream of obscenities that would have made a sailor blush to vent my frustration. Any of those responses would likely have caused him to walk out of the house never to return. My entire move would have fallen prey to a prolonged bureaucratic battle. By attempting to regain control of the situation I would have caused more damage.

What I did was breathe deeply, which may have sounded more like a sigh of resignation, and walk away.

In reality, our reactions are the only aspects of most situations over which we exercise any real authority. By that, I mean we choose whether we will allow our flesh or the Holy Spirit to guide our responses.

To have self-control I must freely relinquish all authority over my reactions to the power of the Holy Spirit. Only He can keep me from becoming out of control when faced with things that are beyond my control.

Will you allow your flesh to lead you toward anger, fear, doubt and hopelessness or follow the Holy Spirit’s prompting to respond in love, peace, faith, and patience? (Galatians 5:22-23)

Find control in chaos by submitting to the Spirit.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, I am so thankful that You are in charge of the universe and I am not. Forgive me when I try to manipulate situations according to my own agenda. Help me to recognize that you are in control, to subdue my natural response and to submit to the power of Your Holy Spirit as I respond to situations that are out of my control. Amen.

 

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering,
kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.”
Galatians 5:22

“For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.”
Romans 8:14

Today’s post was based on Susie Eller’s prompt for her weekly #livefreeThursday blog link-up. Be sure to click over and see what others are saying about the prompt “out of my control.”

I’m also linking up with my COMPEL friends today.

I worked hard on my Sticky Statement in this one… Can you find it?