That’s not a good thing. We’re called to worship.
“But the time is coming—indeed it’s here now—when true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. The Father is looking for those who will worship him that way” (John 4:23 NLT). One way we worship is by investing our God-given talents, skills, and gifts. As the “Parable of the Talents” suggests, we are to use well what we have been given. Jesus shares this story in Luke 19:11-27. A master gives ten servants a sum of money. The master soon returns, calling upon three servants to report on the money he told them to invest. One servant earns ten times as much, causing him to be blessed by his master even more. Another servant earns five times as much, causing him to be blessed even more. And then, there’s the last servant. He’s afraid of the master, so he hides his talents and earns nothing more than what the master initially provides. As a result, he loses everything he has. So, yeah, we worship Jesus by being productive with the resources He has placed in our hands. Notice how worry can get in the way. The third servant is so worried about the master’s response that he refuses to invest his talents. He can’t worship because he’s afraid. Turns out, Jesus is the master. You and I are the servants. And we have each been given talents, skills, and gifts to invest for the Kingdom of God. Our Master is on a trip [in Heaven], but He will soon return. How are you taking care of the talents He has entrusted into your hands? I believe we serve a productive God—a God who desires His children to give their absolute best in whatever He’s called them to do. But sometimes, we do too much in an effort to do enough. “As Jesus and the disciples continued on their way to Jerusalem, they came to a certain village where a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. Her sister, Mary, sat at the Lord’s feet, listening to what he taught. But Martha was distracted by the big dinner she was preparing. She came to Jesus and said, ‘Lord, doesn’t it seem unfair to you that my sister just sits here while I do all the work? Tell her to come and help me.’ But the Lord said to her, ‘My dear Martha, you are worried and upset over all these details! There is only one thing worth being concerned about. Mary has discovered it, and it will not be taken away from her’” (Luke 10:38-42 NLT). Martha is so worried about her responsibilities that she misses an opportunity to worship Jesus. I find it strange that these two examples from scripture are complete opposites. One of them is about a servant who doesn’t do enough. The other is about a girl who does too much. Yet both the servant and the girl seem convinced they’re doing what’s right. But in both instances, worries are withholding worship. Are you the servant or the girl? What’s withholding your worship to the Father? If you’re the servant, you’re worried about messing up. Fear is holding you back from God’s plan for your life. Maybe you’ll be late for work. Maybe you’ll mess up an assignment. You refuse to serve at church because you’re afraid of putting yourself out there. So you do nothing. Your worries withhold your worship. If you’re the girl, you’re worried about not doing enough. Perfectionism is preventing you from experiencing God’s perfect peace and freedom. Your family is suffering because you’re spending too much time at work. It takes you an hour to complete a job that should take ten minutes. Why? Because you’re more focused on what you can do for Jesus than what He does for you. So you think too much and get nothing done. And if you do get something done, it’s likely with the wrong heart. Your worries withhold your worship. Either way, you’re not reaching your fullest potential in Christ. Either way, worries withhold worship. How much more could you worship Jesus if you didn’t worry? “It’s a re-run. You’ve seen this a thousand times!”
Yeah, but a thousand times isn’t enough. Not when it comes to the blessings of God. Not when it comes to the time He saved your soul. Healed your body. Made a way. Protected you from a car wreck. I’ve probably watched a re-run of that episode a hundred times since last Saturday. But it’s good for me. It awakens me. When I hear the “crash” and see the glass I realize just how good and loving my God is. “Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the LORD forever” (Psalm 23:6 NLT). God is always pursuing me with His love and goodness, so there’s always a re-run being made. But the word “pursue” stands out to me. I wonder if David uses this terminology because of his consistent struggle of being pursued by his enemies? I mean, consider some of his other Psalms. “My future is in your hands. Rescue me from those who hunt me down relentlessly. Let your favor shine on your servant. In your unfailing love, rescue me” (Psalm 31:15-16 NLT). “Lift up your spear and javelin against those who pursue me. Let me hear you say, ‘I will give you victory!’” (Psalm 35:3 NLT). I’ve written a lot about enemies recently. For David, they’re often actual people. But your enemies may be struggles, hurts, hangups, and temptations. What enemies are pursuing you? “For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 6:12 NLT). But there’s someone else pursuing you. His name is Jesus. David realizes this. He says, “Make their [the enemies’] path dark and slippery, with the angel of the LORD pursuing them” (Psalm 35:6 NLT). Enemies may pursue us, but so does our God. Do you ever find yourself in the rut? Times when you are completely and utterly depressed? Days when the enemies seem to catch up with you? I find myself here quite often, so I need reminded of the God who pursues me. Even though enemies try to chase us down, Jesus is pursuing us with unrivaled love. When I read Psalm 23:6, I gather a love pursuit. God wants to pursue me all the days of my life with goodness and love. And then, when all is done, I will live with Him forever in eternity. Maybe you, like me, need reminded of this cycle. Maybe there’s doubt in your heart. Will God really provide? Will God really do what He promises? Is there really something to hope for? Will He come through for me…again? Do yourself a favor and re-run the goodness and love of Jesus in your mind. Re-run the moment He saved your soul. Re-run the time when He healed you. Re-run that day when He rescued you from a car accident. Re-run the memories of Jesus outrunning your enemies. He pursued you then. He’s pursuing you now. And He always will. Then one day you’ll enter into His glory and find your complete victory from the enemies chasing after your soul. “Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the LORD forever” (V. 6). Let’s do a little re-run of this summer series. Re-evaluate the simplicity of who Jesus is. Re-identify who you are in Jesus. Rest in Jesus’ presence. Allow Jesus to restore your soul. Redirect your decisions to honor Jesus’ name. Rediscover Jesus’ presence in the valley. Reconnect with Jesus while your enemies surround you. And get a refill of the only thing you really want—Jesus. Just Jesus. Now, let’s re-run His goodness and love over and over again, knowing that we’re living in a moment that will soon become yet another re-run. All because Jesus pursues us. Praise you, Jesus. You’re pursuing me. My coffee pot has a “max fill” line. Many facilities have a “max seating capacity.” It’s a world of limits and restrictions. But God doesn’t pay attention to those.
I’m so glad because I can’t ever get enough of Him. Neither can the Samaritan Woman. She comes to a well, ready to fetch some water. And Jesus is sitting nearby. Check this out: “Jesus replied, ‘If you only knew the gift God has for you and who you are speaking to, you would ask me, and I would give you living water’” (John 4:10 NLT). Now, let me pause for a second. It’s important for you to know that this woman doesn’t recognize Jesus. She doesn’t know who she’s talking to. “‘But sir, you don’t have a rope or a bucket,’ she said, ‘and this well is very deep. Where would you get this living water? And besides, do you think you’re greater than our ancestor Jacob, who gave us this well? How can you offer better water than he and his sons and his animals enjoyed?’” (V. 11-12). Oh, the struggles of humanity. This woman is just like me and you. Do you see it? Jesus offers her life. But she doesn’t understand the source. Instead of looking for spiritual fulfillment, she’s looking for physical fulfillment. “Jesus replied, ‘Anyone who drinks this water will soon become thirsty again. But those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life’” (V. 13-14). Turns out, the woman desires this water. I mean, who wouldn’t? She wants to be filled-up with Jesus. But first, “‘Go and get your husband,’ Jesus told her” (V. 16). “‘I don’t have a husband,’ the woman replied” (V. 17). “Jesus said, ‘You’re right! You don’t have a husband—for you have had five husbands, and you aren’t even married to the man you’re living with now…’” (V. 17-18). You’re so right, Jesus. Nothing in this world fills me up. Relationships don’t. Drugs don’t. A career doesn’t. Success doesn’t. Not religion. Not six men. I always become thirsty again. That’s why I want more of You—the water that truly fulfills me. Jesus says, “Anyone who is thirsty may come to me! Anyone who believes in me may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, ‘Rivers of living water will flow from his heart’” (John 7:37-38 NLT). Verse 39 goes on to explain what Jesus means, “(When he said ‘living water,’ he was speaking of the Spirit, who would be given to everyone believing in him. But the Spirit had not yet been given, because Jesus had not yet entered into his glory.)” Before Jesus ascends to Heaven, He reassures His disciples of the coming Holy Spirit. He says, “And now I will send the Holy Spirit, just as my Father promised. But stay here in the city until the Holy Spirit comes and fills you with power from heaven” (Luke 24:49 NLT). Since then, Jesus has gone to Heaven. The Holy Spirit has come. Today, Jesus wants to fill you with His Spirit. “And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love” (Romans 5:5 NLT). “But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control…” (Galatians 5:22-23 NLT). In order to get more of Jesus, we need more of the Spirit. We need His anointing. Psalm 23:5 says, “…thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over” (KJV). Asking for God’s anointing is asking for His will to be done through your life. It’s surrendering control to a God who can do more through you than you can do through yourself. It’s the difference between what you can do on your own and what you and God can do together. Ephesians 3:20 says, “Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us” (KJV). That power is the Holy Spirit. And because of Him, Jesus can fill our lives beyond the brim of our cups. Maybe you feel empty. But I guarantee you aren’t full enough. Do you need a refill? One of the joys of writing a column is receiving feedback from the community. It’s a blessing. But I’m beginning to notice something. Nearly every time someone encourages me about my writings, he or she speaks three words: “Keep it up.”
I find this interesting. But writing isn’t the only activity for which I’ve been told to “Keep it up.” The coach tells me to “Keep it up.” So do my teachers. And my parents. I mean, I’ve been told to “Keep it up” a hundred times throughout my life. Chances are, you can say the same. Why? Because it’s so easy to give up. Think about it. Do you ever feel like giving up? Maybe your job. Maybe on your family. Maybe you feel like giving up on the possibility of ever overcoming a struggle. You’ve tried everything. But therapy, nicotine patches, and internet filters haven’t done the trick. Maybe you’re tempted to give up hope. You’re starting to think the cancer will never go away. The family member will never be saved. The bills will never get paid. Or maybe, just maybe, you’re close to giving up on God. Well, this column is just for you…and me. I probably don’t need to tell you this, but we live in a distracting world. There’s always something fighting for our attention. Attempting to take us out of the moment. Trying hard to make us afraid. Worried. Anxious. There’s always something to take our minds from one thing to another. Got distractions? I do. But I like to call the majority of my distractions by another name—enemies. Now, I don’t want you to misunderstand me. Let’s say you’re washing dishes. All of a sudden, your kid throws a bouncy ball into the sink. That’s a distraction. But I’m not calling your kid an enemy. No, but what comes to your mind? What comes through your mouth? How do you respond? Negative thoughts, words, and actions are enemies in disguise. I mean, am I the only one who ever gets distracted from God’s will because of the enemies fighting for my attention? Hey Isaiah…you’re stupid. Hey Isaiah…I told you it wouldn’t happen. Hey Isaiah…you can’t do anything right. Hey Isaiah…why are you even trying? Hey—ugh! You see what I’m saying? These aren’t mere distractions! They’re attempts from the enemy to take you off course. “The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy…” (John 10:10 NLT). And these enemies just happen to be distracting. David writes, “Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies…” (Psalm 23:5 KJV). What a beautiful picture. In a distracting world, we must reconnect to the source—our Shepherd, Jesus Christ. While our enemies—fears, worries, anxieties, and struggles—surround us, Jesus wants to prepare a table. A table with two seats. One for you and one for Him. You see, it’s really easy to give up when we lose focus. So here’s our Shepherd preparing a table to teach us the importance of focusing on Him. Yeah, enemies still swarm you. The table lies within their presence. But your focus is on the One in front of you—Jesus. And when your eyes are on Jesus, it’s hard to give up. The Bible says, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne. Think of all the hostility he endured from sinful people; then you won’t become weary and give up” (Hebrews 12:1-3 NLT). Take a seat. Look into the eyes of your Savior. While enemies surrounded Him, He never lost focus of that joy awaiting Him—the salvation of your soul. He’s never given up on you. Why should you give up on Him? “But I am trusting you, O LORD, saying, ‘You are my God!’ My future is in your hands. Rescue me from those who hunt me down relentlessly” (Psalm 31:14-15 NLT). Just keep your eyes on Jesus, refusing to focus on the enemies surrounding you. Fears. Anxieties. Struggles. Sins. They don’t stand a chance against our God. So keep it up! Shadows are dark shapes that appear on a surface when someone or something moves between the surface and a source of light.
You are the surface. Your situation is the obstruction. God is the light. Behold, there’s a shadow. But you’re made to live in light. Not darkness. You’re made to walk in sunshine. Not shadows. “This is the message we heard from Jesus and now declare to you: God is light, and there is no darkness in him at all” (1 John 1:5 NLT). So let me get this straight. Any time someone or something stands between you and God, you walk through a shadow. Keep that in mind. Today, God wants you to rediscover His presence in the valley because He’s closer than you think. David writes, “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death…” (Psalm 23:4 KJV). Have you ever found yourself in the valley? You know, the dry seasons of life. Depression runs rampant. Brokenness is the norm. Worries. Hurts. Fears. Sins. Struggles. Does the list ever end? Valleys are inevitable. Nobody is exempt from facing difficulty. It’s a fallen world—a world that lies in death’s shadow. You see, ever since Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden, death has cast a shadow on humanity. Why? Because sinful people cannot stand in the presence of God. So now all people—yes, including you and me, are naturally born into sin. As a result, we are separated from God by a big shadow called death. What causes this shadow? The obstruction called sin. But thankfully, “When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners” (Romans 5:6 NLT). “This includes you who were once far away from God. You were his enemies, separated from him by your evil thoughts and actions. Yet now he has reconciled you to himself through the death of Christ in his physical body. As a result, he has brought you into his own presence, and you are holy and blameless as you stand before him without a single fault” (Colossians 1:21-22 NLT). If you accept Jesus, death’s shadow cannot separate you from God’s presence. After all, Paul says, “And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:38-39 NLT). Situations may surround us, but shadows need not cover us. Remember, any time someone or something stands between you and God, there’s a shadow. But the closer you stay to the light, the harder it is for shadows to cover you. After talking about the valley, the Psalmist continues, “…I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me” (Psalm 23:4 KJV). Oh, the peace of knowing God is near. I mean, if someone is within reach of God’s rod and staff, they’re pretty close to Him! Today, the relationship between God and His people is restored because of Jesus. In other words, God is near to those who accept His Son. “So we are lying if we say we have fellowship with God but go on living in spiritual darkness; we are not practicing the truth” (1 John 1:6 NLT). Here’s my message to you today. When you find yourself in the valley… when you encounter difficulty… when the struggles try to take over, practice the truth. With Jesus, there’s no reason to live under a shadow. With Jesus, you’re children of the light (see 1 Thessalonians 5:5). Look at your circumstances with the right perspective. Do you see the situation or the Savior? Do you see the struggle or the strength? The obstacle or the opportunity? God is near. There is light. Step out of the darkness! “But if you refuse to serve the LORD, then choose today whom you will serve. Would you prefer the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates? Or will it be the gods of the Amorites in whose land you now live? But as for me and my family, we will serve the LORD” (Joshua 24:15).
Joshua takes a risk after leading the Israelites into the Promised Land. But choice is risk, and God made you to make choices. Yeah, you’re right. Many things are beyond your control. You can’t choose your family. But you can choose your friends. You can’t choose the cards you’re dealt, but you can choose how to respond to the cards that come your way. How many decisions do you make daily that affect your situations one way or another? For better or for worse? Although there are many things you can’t choose, God gives you the freedom to choose a whole bunch of things in your life. Joshua understands this. His heart aches for them to make the right decision. To serve the one true God. To remember how good God is. And honestly, that’s my heart for you. I want you to seek God for yourself. Hopefully, these weekly columns touch you in profound ways. There’s nothing I want more than to see a community set on fire for Jesus Christ! But like Joshua, I realize my limitations. No matter how much I try, the choice is yours. No matter how much your family prays for you, the choice is yours. Despite any and all efforts to convince people of their dire need for Jesus, I can’t change people. I can’t re-wire brains and convert hearts. Only Jesus can do that. But whether or not He does is up to you. For the most part, we are creatures of choice. I hope you agree. But just in case you don’t, consider the following poem God has recently spoken to me: I choose. What’s important to me and what’s not important to me. What matters and what doesn’t matter. How I spend my time and with whom I want to spend it. I choose. I decide. When I want to quit and when I want to persevere. The things worth fighting for and the things out of my control. How much I want to apply myself and the means upon which I accomplish it. I decide. I determine. How much of my life I give to God and how much I keep to myself. The extent of my surrender or the measure of my fear. How much I trust the One who is able and realize I am unable. I determine. I judge. The people around me or the strength of my own relationship. How far they are from Jesus or how close I am to Him. The speck in their eye or the log in my own. I judge. So… I choose. To rest in His sufficiency and quit trying to be enough. To get away from law and focus on love. I choose. I decide. To walk with the One who foresees my future. To trust in His work without seeing it sooner. I decide. I determine. That I’m living in freedom. I’m walking in victory. In Christ, there’s no power in Hell able to stop me. I determine. I judge. There’s something ahead. Can’t you see it? Get out of that bed. It’s a revolution of love. A provision of peace. A hill of hope. People breathing grace through their nostrils. A world shaken to its core by the gospel. There’s Love. Joy. Peace. Patience. Kindness. Goodness. Faithfulness. Gentleness. Self-control. I judge. You see, life is tough sometimes. Unfortunate things happen. Families break apart. Careers go down the gutter. You often feel unloved, unable, and worthless to the world around you. Why? Because of the things you can’t control. The things beyond your pay grade. The things you only wish you could decide. Despite all of the things you can’t decide, you have a handful of decisions to make each and every day. Decisions, decisions…I know! But guess what? You don’t have to be alone. God wants a part in your decision making. The Psalmist writes, “…He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to his name” (Psalm 23:3). Joshua says you have a choice to make. Right now. And whomever you choose to follow is sure to determine your perspective, lifestyle, and destiny. May you choose God? The choice is yours. “He restores my soul…” (Psalm 23:3 ESV).
The Hebrew word being used for “restore” is shûb, meaning “turn” or “return.” Then, there’s “soul.” It’s a translation of the Hebrew word nephesh. The definition? Well, in Psalm 23, it’s defined as “the life of the individual.” But it also relates to a variety of other English words—for example, “mind.” According to my dictionary, a single word in our language doesn’t give it justice. Your life is so valuable—so deep, amazing, and beautiful—that it’s nearly impossible to define the deepest part of who you are with a single word. Therefore, let’s go back to the four words quoted from Psalm 23:3. After studying some Hebrew, it means something like this: “God turns, or returns, my life.” Whew! Maybe that’s a column within itself. You see, I typically shy away from sharing much on the original Bible languages. However, I feel as if this week’s topic benefits from the research. Remember, God turns, or returns, my life. Do you need God to give you life again? Alright, sure. Maybe you’ve never lost your breath. Your heart still beats. You’re still alive. Just because you’ve never died physically doesn’t mean you’ve never died spiritually. And if you’re anything like me, I need God to “turn” or “return” my spiritual life. But how? Another translation of the Hebrew word shûb is “repent.” In 1 Kings 8, Solomon is praying to God. The Ark of the Covenant has just been placed within the new Temple, and he uses shûb as he pleads, “If they [God’s people] sin against you—and who has never sinned?—you might become angry with them and let their enemies conquer them and take them captive to their land far away or near. But in that land of exile, they might turn to you in repentance and pray, ‘We have sinned, done evil, and acted wickedly.’ If they turn to you with their whole heart and soul in the land of their enemies and pray toward the land you gave to their ancestors—toward this city you have chosen, and toward this Temple I have built to honor your name—then hear their prayers and their petition from heaven where you live, and uphold their cause” (1 Kings 8:46-49). Notice that Solomon speaks of turning—shûb—toward the presence of God. At this point in history, it’s the Temple. But Jesus has made a new way for us to approach the Father. “By his death, Jesus opened a new and life-giving way through the curtain into the Most Holy Place” (Hebrews 10:20). God does the work. He turns, or returns, my life. But I’m learning that you and I have a part to play in this beautiful picture called restoration. In the 1 Kings 8 story, Solomon desires God to forgive His people. But here’s the catch—only if they shûb to God. Only if they “turn” from their sins. Their patterns. Things that sidetrack them from the bigger picture. Any concept, activity, or thought that’s displeasing to God. So let’s tie it all together. Don’t miss this! If you shûb to God, God will shûb your life. If you turn to God, God will turn, or return, your life. If you choose to repent of your sins, God will restore your soul. I find myself thinking about the mind when I consider the first part of Psalm 23:3. Thoughts become actions, so I believe you can relate to what I’m about to say. My mind needs turned toward God. Why? Because of the patterns I often find within my brain. You see, we all have patterns. Work patterns. Eating patterns. Clothing patterns. But thought patterns have recently been predominant in my life. And there’s a problem with my patterns. Indeed, they have a tendency of bypassing God. How? Because I focus on x. Then y. Then x. Then y. And in the process, I often lose sight of God. That’s why we must become kingdom minded. We must forget any pattern keeping us from seeing Jesus. We need to focus—to turn—toward Him. After all, “We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus…” (Hebrews 12:2). Just Jesus. It’s your turn—shûb to God. Then, it’s His turn. He will certainly do as the Psalmist writes—turn, or return, your life. It’s an exception, I know, to the “re—” rhythm. But certainly not to life. If you desire to come closer to God, rest is unavoidable. It puts a fresh spin on the imagination. It creates a wider perspective. Rest. Rest ensures ample opportunities. Collect your thoughts. Enjoy nature. Drink some coffee. Find the energy required to continue. But most importantly, rest is a taxi to the presence of God. Jesus often rests throughout scripture. Take a look. “Early the next morning Jesus went out to an isolated place…” (Luke 4:42). “But Jesus often withdrew to the wilderness for prayer” (Luke 5:16). “One day soon afterward Jesus went up on a mountain to pray, and he prayed to God all night” (Luke 6:12). “As they sailed across, Jesus settled down for a nap…” (Luke 8:23). “One day Jesus left the crowds to pray alone. Only his disciples were with him…” (Luke 9:18). “About eight days later Jesus took Peter, John, and James up on a mountain to pray” (Luke 9:28). “Once Jesus was in a certain place praying. As he finished, one of his disciples came to him and said, ‘Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples’” (Luke 11:1). Is it just me, or does Jesus pray almost every time He rests? I mean, no wonder the disciples are so curious. Jesus shows us a valuable lesson: rest never excludes God. If you desire real rest, deliberately seek the arms of your Father. All too often, however, I fill my weariness with more self-discipline. I believe God wants me to try harder and do more. If I just push a little harder, I ponder, things will work out. But Jesus shows me otherwise. Let’s focus on the second verse of Psalm 23. It reads, “He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams” (NLT). Your heavenly Father isn’t always commanding you to work. He willingly provides rest to His tired children. God probably isn’t shouting, “Do more.” No, if anything, He’s trying to say, “Do less.” Actually, God doesn’t just recommend you rest. It’s not a preference. Not an option. No choice. How do I know? Another translation of Psalm 23:2 says, “He maketh me to lie down…” (KJV). Maybe you think something like this: “God wants more from me. He’s always demanding this or that. More Bible reading. More prayer. More time with family. Yada, Yada.” But according to Psalm 23:2, God’s demanding you to do one task—rest. In the imagery of the Psalm, it’s lying in the grass or walking alongside a trickle of water. For you, it may be taking a nap or sipping some tea. Then again, I enjoy walking. But lay in the grass? Remember the lesson Jesus teaches us about rest? That’s right, prayer. Five of the seven instances I share involve prayer. The power of His rest isn’t as much about a place as it is about the presence of His Father. Often times, however, routines develop. Methods are formed. People prefer to rest differently. That’s cool. Just don’t forget to rest with God. Don’t get so caught up in a morning Bible study that you forget the purpose. Refuse to live a checklist. It’s not about going through motions. God isn’t about to smack you because you missed Sunday School last week. Many routines are good. Bible readings are fantastic. Sunday School rocks. But it’s not about those things. It’s about Jesus. Just Jesus. In His approach, Jesus shows an important truth: the who supersedes the how and where. Sure, Jesus has a routine for rest. Luke 21:37 says, “Every day Jesus went to the Temple to teach, and each evening he returned to spend the night on the Mount of Olives.” But it’s not merely about the location—or even the method—of His rest. It’s about who He seeks in the process. Be sure to rest with Jesus today—your Shepherd. Let His redemptive love swaddle you. Real rest cannot happen outside the presence of God. Jesus himself claims, “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…” (Matthew 11:28-30 MSG). No exceptions! Water drips from the leaves of a tree, landing on the pages of my journal.
The grass gently sways to the rhythm of the wind. Birds sing in the background. If God can provide their needs today, He can certainly provide mine. After all, “Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are? Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?” (Matthew 6:26-27). Whew! What a relief. “By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence” (2 Peter 1:3). Every resource. Every talent. It’s there. You lack no connection or opportunity. God is withholding nothing from your life—at least, nothing you need to serve Him during this season. It’s no wonder David says, “…I have all that I need” (Psalm 23:1 NLT). If God has provided everything I need to follow Jesus, there shouldn’t be anything else I want, right? Well, let’s take a look at another translation: “…I shall not want” (KJV). I don’t know about you, but I want many things. A Jeep Renegade. Martin guitar. M&M Blizzard. So there’s a big difference between what I need and what I want—sure, when it comes to materialistic desires. But more importantly, when it comes to my identity. I want to be skinnier. Smarter. Better. Like him. Like her. Can you relate? Yet Psalm 23:1 tells me “…I shall not want” (KJV), for “…I have all that I need” (NLT). Although God doesn’t always give us what we want, He always provides us what we need to build His kingdom in our own unique ways. We must learn to be content with whatever God has placed in our hands, as well as the platforms He has called us to embrace. I’m not gifted at mechanics. My hands don’t work well with a hammer. Please don’t ask me to paint on a canvass, fix dinner, or usher. I’m not made to accomplish those things, so I lack the resources I need to complete them. But sometimes, I can force it. Last week, I told you why I’m writing about “re—” words. I need to come back to Jesus and be closer to Him again. Why? One reason is because I forced things for way too long. My friend and I worked together on a chemistry lab several weeks ago. Because I’m not wired for scientific endeavors, it was an extra difficult task. But sometimes—more often than not—you must do things you don’t want to do! So, yeah, I expected to put forth more effort than normal. That’s only fair. But trying your best and forcing an identity are two totally different things. As time passes, my friend begins to notice my forced efforts. I act out of character. I worry about trying hard enough. But my friend—although worried—isn’t acting as crazy as I am. Why? Although he tries really hard, he doesn’t force it. After all, he’s made for this. It comes more natural. I bet that’s why Jesus says, “…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” (Matthew 11:28-30 MSG). God didn’t make you to force an identity. This week’s word is re-identify. In order to come closer to Jesus again, we must know both who we are and who we’re not. Not only has Jesus—our Shepherd—given us everything we need to be ourselves, He has reconciled humanity back to God. Check it out: “Once you had no identity as a people; now you are God’s people. Once you received no mercy; now you have received God’s mercy” (1 Peter 2:10). Therefore, my identity is found in Jesus. The better I know my Savior, the better I know myself. I matter. I have everything that I need. How? Just Jesus. The same is true for you, so don’t force it. Psalm 23 holds a special place in my heart. Why? A couple of reasons. First of all, it happens to be my great-grandpa’s personal favorite. Even though he’s with Jesus today, my family compares me to him. I look like him. Play the keys like him. And, of course, I often find myself similarly attracted to words.
So there’s the first reason, but here’s the second: it leaves me speechless. On Wednesday morning, I open my Bible to the beloved scripture and begin reading. Before too long, I sit speechless on my porch. The breeze blows. The sun shines. l feel closer to God than I have for a long time. And that’s exactly what I crave—His beautiful presence. In fact, even as I write this, my soul longs for that perfect peace. I’m addicted to Jesus. “As the deer longs for streams of water, so I long for you, O God” (Psalm 42:1). There’s nothing I want more than the presence of my Shepherd. You see, over the past couple of months, I’ve struggled heavily with anxiety and burnout—namely because of my overloaded schedule. And the consequences have been detrimental to my relationship with Jesus. I crave Jesus. Nothing else. No church service. No book. No song. No religion. Nope. None of that. Just Jesus. I’m going to seek Him like crazy. I’m believing for God to demolish my anxiety and burnout. I want to be close to Him again, don’t you? For the next several weeks, my column will be addressing several different “re—” words. Why? Because I need this prefix—one that means “again” or “back.” As David Dunn says, “I wanna go back to ‘Jesus loves me this I know.’” This week, the “re—” word describing my pursuit is re-evaluate. Let’s study the first five words of Psalm 23. “The Lord is my shepherd…” (V. 1). It’s a simple statement with a profound meaning. But when you find yourself truly seeking Jesus, only the simple things matter. When you sense your foundation crumbling, Jesus takes the forefront of your mind. Just as ungodly people run to God when catastrophe strikes, so I run to Jesus when life looks shaky. Why does it look shaky? Because my relationship with Jesus is lacking. So here I am, running to the one I’ve fallen from. But it’s not just sin that separates people from God. Sometimes, it’s a prison cell full of doubt. I’ll let Matthew tell the story. “John the Baptist, who was in prison, heard about all the things the Messiah was doing. So he sent his disciples to ask Jesus, ‘Are you the Messiah we’ve been expecting, or should we keep looking for someone else?’” (11:2-3). Uncertainty strikes. Doubt looms. Here’s one of the Bible’s greatest men wondering, “Jesus, are you really who you say you are?” But it happens—you know, when humanity is distanced from the Savior. When there seems to be a chasm between you and Jesus. When you, like John, want to be close to Jesus once again. So you ask the simple question and hope the best. Remember, we are re-evaluating. It’s question time. One of the reasons why people struggle with burnout is because of unmet expectations. And let me tell you, John’s expectations are certainly not met. I mean, he prepares the way for Jesus! Now, instead of joining in the success of the Gospel, John sits in a prison cell. It’s like the introductory figure being kicked-out of the conference upon introducing the keynote speaker. Like me, John seeks Jesus like crazy. He begins by re-evaluating the identity of Christ. Jesus responds by describing the amazing miracles being performed by God’s power. Then, He says, “God blesses those who do not turn away because of me” (V. 6). Have no preconceived idea of what your life should look like. Instead, ask yourself a question. “Am I who I’m supposed to be, doing what I’m supposed to be doing, where I’m supposed to be doing it?” There’s no better way to begin a quest back toward Jesus. Start with re-evaluation, and let the simple things cause you to smile again. |