A Fantasy Life

Fantasy is a word that has been hanging around my mental space.  I can’t shake that word so I guess it’s the Spirit prompting me to get back to writing.  What provoked that word in my gray space is all the hype I’m seeing and hearing about Fantasy Football.  I mean, networks, websites, podcasts, even magazines all about this cultural obsession with this thing called Fantasy Football.  They form leagues, have drafts, and each week they see how “their” players performed, and in some magical way, determine if their teams won or lost that week.

Me?  I’m an active college football fan and I am so excited that College Football begins this week.  (Roll Tide!)  Real teams gather on the gridiron.  Real players who have been practicing and honing their skills go face to face.  Real coaches who have been instructing players and working out the game plan put it on the line to see if they are prepared for this clash on the turf.  And I admit, I don’t understand this obsession of this alleged sport of football based on something that is not real.

But it has nudged me into thinking of other types of fantasies; fantasies that some people try to get through this thing called life.  Think of it from this definition of that word “fantasy“:

a supposition based on no solid foundation

And I look at my culture and I realize that so many are trying to live, cope or simply survive on a supposition that has no solid foundation.  And I weep!   Many have a Fantasy Family.  Instead of providing moral guidance, parents choose to be friends.  Kids affections are bought.  And to maintain this facade, it’s ad infinitum debt all to maintain this supposition without a foundation that they are a family.

There’s Fantasy Church, where people define the church rather than to be defined BY the Body of Christ.  Regular gathering for study, worship and fellowship once meant every week.  Now we are being told that regular means once every 3-6 weeks.  Worship is defined by entertainment value.  Preaching is formed by the latest cultural values.  Those who attend expect to be the consumers of what the church produces.  Fantasy!  A supposition that has no solid foundation.

There’s Fantasy Purpose in life.  People give in to and pursue what the culture says is our true purpose.  People live for money, status, sexual identity, politics, football and the list goes on ad nauseam.  Purpose is rooted either in selfishness or in identities given to them by the culture.

And the list of other “fantasies” goes on.  And “life” has become a fantasy.  And for many, it’s become more of a nightmare fantasy, and for others?  Life seems just an empty pipe dream.  So they turn to the fantasy world to escape the vain and empty things.  So what is the alternative to the Fantasy Life?

God, the Creator of Life, never designed this life to be a dread, a drudge and a dead-end.  In Luke 12:22-32 (NLT) Jesus gives us the Truth about life:

²² Then, turning to his disciples, Jesus said, “That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food to eat or enough clothes to wear. ²³ For life is more than food, and your body more than clothing. ²⁴ Look at the ravens. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for God feeds them. And you are far more valuable to him than any birds! ²⁵ Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?²⁶ And if worry can’t accomplish a little thing like that, what’s the use of worrying over bigger things?

²⁷ “Look at the lilies and how they grow. They don’t work or make their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. ²⁸ And if God cares so wonderfully for flowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you. Why do you have so little faith?

²⁹ “And don’t be concerned about what to eat and what to drink. Don’t worry about such things. ³⁰ These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers all over the world, but your Father already knows your needs. ³¹ Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and he will give you everything you need.

³² “So don’t be afraid, little flock. For it gives your Father great happiness to give you the Kingdom.”

The key to unlocking Life is first to come to the realization that, in Jesus’ own words, “For life is more than food, and your body more than clothing.”  Some of you may be thinking, “Well, duh!  Tell me something I don’t know!”  There is a second step that comes out of Verse 32–“So don’t be afraid, little flock. For it gives your Father great happiness to give you the Kingdom.”  It’s living in the Gift of Kingdom Living.  

God designed and created life to be lived in deep, caring and loving relationships.  As family, friends, neighbors, community, and even with strangers.  And these relationships take on meaning and give us purpose when we live them the way HE lives in Relationship with us.  It’s through Self-Giving.  It’s about caring more about others than self.  It is about helping, encouraging and inspiring others.  This Life is no fantasy and it’s not just another pipe dream.  It’s life as God designed it.  So walk with Him.  Listen to Him.  Talk to Him.  Lose your self, your sense of self-importance.  Lose your fears, your sense of worthlessness.

Make God happy–accept Life as He designed it to be–lived faithfully in relationship with Him, with others, and with yourself.  And don’t forget….

Love God with all your heart.  Love others the way Jesus loves you.  And make sure all the glory goes to Him!

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Not All Good Things Must Come To An End

Well, it’s time to pack up and leave.  I wouldn’t call it graduation day from this special classroom, but then again, maybe it is.  Graduation means that one has learned the required curriculum and is now ready to apply the lessons.

Well, everything that we brought is packed up, leaving nothing behind that we didn’t bring.  Well, minus the foods we consumed.  We packed nothing that was here.  Well, except some sand.  It seems that no matter how much you shake, some of that pesky sand will stay with you.  And here is the final exam, which I passed.

The lessons I discovered here at the beach, are still true in Fayette, Alabama.  What I soaked into my mind and heart about the Truth of God on the beach, is still the Truth in Fayette.  And the faithful God who revealed His Heart to me on the beach, still longs to reveal that Heart to me wherever I am.  I do not have to be in some special place to hear God’s heart.  Every moment of every day contains something to see about God–His Heart and His Desires for each of us.

So, I carry this with me–some sand and the truth that to see and hear God, I only need to be ready–to open my eyes, my heart, and my mind.  This doesn’t mean I can give up our vacations, excuse me, our spiritual retreats.  For like Jesus modeled, we need times apart from the ordinary routines in order to find that time of cleansing and refreshing.  I prepare to go home–but like those Wise Men who found the Christ-Child, I go home a different way–because I am a different person.  I am a different person because I made the decision to seek and listen to The Master Teacher.

Classes aren’t really over.  It’s just the location of the classroom has changed.  And thought the classroom changes, the Teacher remains.  If I ever doubt this, I’m sure I will find a grain of beach sand somewhere in the car, in my home–and I will remember that God still has much to teach me.

Love God with all your heart.  Love others the way God loves you.  And make sure all the glory goes to Him!

Cleansers!

Well, time for my daily class assignment:  What did you learn yesterday?  As the day began I was looking forward to it.  But now?  I admit that it is a bit more difficult than I imagined.  Has that ever happened to you?  Something you thought you could do, easily do, but out of nowhere it became difficult.  Truthfully….I don’t like difficult.  Thinking about what to write was as blank as this graphic.  So what does one do when preparing for test time?  You review your notes.

Set up the beach canopy–check!  Cooler with drinks–check!  Beach towels–check!  Beach chairs set up–check!  Bag with snacks–check!  Reading materials–check!  Sunscreen and applied–check and check!  Feet buried in the sand–check.  What next?  Sitting in the shade of the canopy, looking at the scene graciously provided for us by The Creator.  Listening to the sounds of waves and birds.  When we were a bit warm, going into the Gulf to cool off, floating on the gentle waves.  Then a southerly breeze came in helping to keep us cool.  A couple of naps between finishing that book.

Where’s the lesson?  WHAT’S the lesson?  What am I forgetting?  And it finally hit me.  There was that moment I realized my mind was totally blank. (Please, no comments from the monkey gallery!)  And there were other moments when my mind was blank….cleansed from everything.  No thoughts about writing, the churches, my Dad, my own grief from Mother’s recent death.  My mind has been cleansed.  Think of it as a computer reset.  Cleansers–that’s the lesson.

There are cleansers for the face, microwaves, ovens, bathtubs, commodes, even this thing called a colon cleanse (now try to get that image out of your mind!).  My Father knew what I needed on that day–for my mind to be completely cleansed–to set aside all my thoughts–just to be me in the presence of my King and Creator!

The blood of Jesus cleanses our hearts, but what can cleanse our minds?  The mind is more complicated and delicate matter.  A few sentences back I mentioned “colon cleanse”–how many of you still have that image in your mind?  If we try to get some thought out of our mind, say a certain song or a colon cleanse, it only seems to linger and grow roots.  And should we cleanse our minds of all thoughts, what will we replace them with?

I’m thinking about a story Jesus once told found in Matthew 12.  A man seemed to have rid his mind and heart of a demon.  The demon went looking for another home.  Failing to find one, he returned to that man.  Found the home of his heart and mind cleaned but unoccupied.  So he goes and gets 7 buddies and moves right back in.  And the point is???  Once your mind is cleansed, make very sure that it is immediately occupied with God’s presence.

When I had my mind cleanse, I did it intentionally in His Presence.  The result was that He rearranged some thoughts and replaced others.  Along with that process, He provided me with balance, perspective and wisdom.  And I urgently needed that to happen.  So when your thoughts overwhelm you, when you mind resembles that junk closet, take the time to be in His presence.  No agenda, no asking, no searching for answers–just alone with Him.  As you as prepare for this cleansing, and before you begin, make the decision to ask Him to sort it all out.  Add this “cleansing” process to your regular spiritual disciplines.  Allow it to be a part of your spiritual disciplines.  Balance, perspective and wisdom–all are gifts found only in His presence.

Love God with all your heart.  Love others the way Jesus loves you.  And make sure all the glory goes to Him!

Excuse me now, I hear the bell for the next class to begin.  And I am ready for it, more than when this week began because I now have His balance, perspective and wisdom.

What Happened To Being Friendly?

Good morning.  I want to share something I learned from God’s classroom at the beach.  Yesterday the Holy Spirit excitedly whispered in my ear, “Did you notice that?”  And I replied, “Well, yes I did!  It’s wonderful that personal smiled and said to me ‘Good morning!’  You don’t see much of that in the ordinary world.”  I didn’t know that person.  Didn’t know where they were from, what their politics were, what their social status was, and I didn’t even know what college football team they supported.

It was the norm to see people smiling, saying hello, good morning, good afternoon.  and making conversation with strangers.  One man pointed out to us that there was a small stingray near us and informed us that he also saw a couple of jellyfish.  Normally you would not see this type of interaction between complete strangers.  But in that moment, that location, there were no strangers.  Simply people sharing that bond of being at the beach

We went to Lulu’s, a well known local eating establishment, last evening for seafood.  You know you can’t go to the beach without eating seafood.  We went early to avoid waiting in line.  There were several people who had our same idea.  There were lots of conversations going on.  Smiles were everywhere and lots of laughing.  It was then that I noticed 1 table, a family it appeared to be.  There was not much talking….no smiles….looking almost miserable in a place full of smiling, friendly people.  They definitely did not fit in with the rest of the crowd.  I wondered if they had brought their own misery with them, instead of leaving it at home.

We were in an environment that was counter-cultural to much of normal living–the exception being that one family.  Typically one doesn’t encounter this type of friendliness in the ordinary every-day world.  People rarely look others in the eye, smile or engage in casual conversation.  They tend to be more guarded, even suspicious of others.  And here is the question that has rooted itself in my heart and mind:  Why aren’t people as friendly in the ordinary world as they are at the beach?

Now mind you, that I’m not accusing these friendly beach-goers as being unfriendly the rest of the time.  Hopefully they are, but if you examine the ordinary world you do not see kind of friendliness this happening.  Many are like that family at Lulu’s that was a stark contrast to the rest of that environment.  Cold, reserved, disconnected from the world that is around them.

Why?  Perhaps it is suspicion that causes us to keep others at arm’s length.  It could be fear–fear that the other person will somehow take advantage of them.  What ever the reason, we tend to be more protective “out there in the real world”.  And here is where there are many moments for the Kingdom Witness–to share a smile and be friendly because we are followers of Jesus.

Why were people so quick to flock to Jesus?  I think it must have been His smile and friendly personality.  I do not believe that Jesus looked anything like He is portrayed in “official” church art.  He looks at times too sad, too mad, and way too weak.  Would you really want to be in the presence of Sad or Mad or Pathetically Weak?  Don’t think so!  I believe Jesus looked more like artist Stephen Sawyer paints Him.  Check him out on his website:  www.art4god.com

In this suspicious, unkind and manipulative culture, we need to be more like Jesus.  And it all begins with being kind and friendly.  Being distant and rude requires little talent and no effort.  It’s everywhere.  But…a warm smile….a good morning….a timely thank you…holding a door open for another person….letting someone go ahead of you in the check-out lane…leaving your quarter in your shopping cart at Aldi’s….and best of all, listening to people and taking the time to know them without judging them.

What happened to being friendly?  Nothing.  Being friendly is still out there.  Unfortunately it seems to be reserved for special places, like the beach.  What if we, who claim to be followers of Jesus, would do what Jesus did when He walked on His Creation as one He created?  Smile and be friendly.  The times Jesus was mad was when He had to deal with the really religious people, or with people who simply wanted Jesus to entertain them.

One of the things I am absolutely enjoying in our new appointment is the setting:  rural, small town Alabama.  Friendliness and kindness are seen more often.  Who among us wouldn’t agree that our culture needs to change–radically change.  Change happens like measles spreads in schools–one person to another person.  Would you really like to be more like Jesus?  Do something that Jesus did?  What if you decided that your part of the world is as friendly as folks at the beach?  Perhaps what would happen would be that unfriendliness would look as out of place as that family at Lulu’s.  It’s easy to make it happen–smile, be friendly, engage in conversation, listen, and get to know others.  I leave you with Proverbs 15:30 (NLT)

A cheerful look brings joy to the heart;
good news makes for good health.

Now, if you will kindly excuse me, I need to leave.  The bell has rung for class to begin.  And The Teacher doesn’t like for us to be late.  Might miss something, ya’ know.  Now get out there, Followers of Jesus and be friendly!

Love God with all your heart.  Love others the way Jesus loves you.  And make sure all the glory goes to Hi

Learning From The Tide

So far this has been a great Spiritual Summer Retreat.  Some may call it a vacation, but for me, it’s been a time of refocusing on God in my life.  Some of the things that have happened to me this year have been, well, challenging.  Truthfully, I let some of those things get the best of me.  My life has been off-kilter.  So God is using this time for me to get my “kilter” back.

This morning got me to thinking about The Tide.  No, not the greatest College Football Dynasty ever, but the “other” Tide.  No!  Not the laundry detergent either!  The ocean tide is a lesson I’ve been rediscovering in this time of retreat.  I am not certain John Wesley would agree with me, but the beach is a means of grace for me.

The Tide happens every day because the water is being influenced by outside forces.  Technically, it’s being influenced by a single source, gravity.  And the gravity that affects the Tide comes from 2 sources.  Do you know that they are?  Did you guess the moon?  Very good class.  Now, what’s the other source of gravity?  Did you say the sun?  Correctamundo!

The Tide in a particular area is determined by its position in relation to both the moon and the sun.  This gravitational pull determines whether the Tide is high or low.  And these gravitational forces come from outside our planet.  It is a force that is unseen, yet it produces a noticeable effect.  And here’s the lesson that this Tide is teaching me.

We are under the gravitational pull of another influence; whether we realize or not.  This force impacts how we think, what we say, what we do, and even why we do it.  They change the shape and direction of our life.  Either for good–and unfortunately–for bad.  Think back to the effect of the ocean Tide.  The ocean tides have a positive impact on marine life.  It also determines the best time for fishermen to catch fish.  And who doesn’t love a good seafood dinner?

But unlike the oceans that have no choice but to be affected by gravity, we do have a choice.  Remember that the ocean Tide is influenced at one time by the sun, and at a different time by the moon–it all depends on their location.  We choose which gravitational pull influences us–in any and all situations of life.  We all face situations which we did not cause–but our response to that situation–it is influenced by which outside source of power we live under.

Allow your life to be under the “gravitational pull” of the Holy Spirit.  Remember what Paul wrote in Romans 8:5 (NLT)

Those who are dominated (think about the tide) by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled (think about the gravitational forces on the oceans) by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit.

More than thinking about the things that please the Spirit, it is about the impact of those thoughts and how they change the ways we think, speak, act, and why we do what we do.  That’s called MOTIVE.  Like the oceans are being influenced by the power of gravity from either the sun or the moon (and never both at the same moment), you are being influenced by some power that determines your journey.  Unlike the oceans that have no choice, you do have a choice.  And remember that line from the climatic scene in the movie “Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade”–“Choose wisely!”

Love God with all your heart.  Love others the way He loves you.  And make sure all the glory goes to Him!

Now excuse me, but the classroom beckons me.  I wonder what the Tide is doing?

A Lesson From The Pelicans!

God is a Great Teacher; the best ever.  I say this because He uses so many “styles” and “ways” of teaching the lessons we need in order to be equipped to live life the way it’s designed, by Him, to be lived.  In my journey, He has used our children, grandchildren, TV commercials, billboards, signs, and even my own life experiences.  Not just my good experiences, but especially the not-so-good experiences.

I have found, and continue to find that the world around me is God’s Classroom where timeless treasures and wisdom await my discovery.  This week is no exception.  We are on our annual summer spiritual retreat–at Ft. Morgan Beach.  Nothing like having the toes in white sand while listening to the waves to help us recharge our spiritual batteries–unless it’s at a cabin in the Smoky Mountains in the Fall.  God uses nature to teach me something about Grace and Life in His Kingdom through the pelicans.

I noticed them yesterday, and remembered other times when they would be in search of something to eat.  As they would be gliding over the water, they suddenly folded their wings and dived into the water–like an old World War 2 dive bomber.  No reluctance.  No hesitation.  Head long as fast as they could go into the water.  They saw their next meal and went after it with abandon and no hesitation.  I’ve never seen a pelican pull up out of that dive.  Not to say it’s never happened; I’ve just never seen it.  Watching them yesterday and thinking about seeing it happen so many times, it got me to thinking about what it should mean to us as followers of Jesus.

Here’s the Lesson He is teaching me:  We, as followers of Jesus, should pursue our purpose of bringing the Kingdom of God into hearts and lives with the same abandon as those pelicans pursued their meal.  When a pelican spotted a fish, it folded its wings, and without hesitation, pursued that fish.  What if we, when we see someone in need of life and God’s love, in desperate need of the Good News of the Kingdom, surrendered without hesitation, to reach out to them with the love that has reached out to us?  It seems that we are so good at excuses of why our effort will not make a difference.  And in those moments when we do let go, we find a reason to pull up at the last moment in fear that it won’t make a difference.

Here’s another thing I noticed about those pelicans.  Sometimes they were successful in catching their prey, and sometimes they weren’t.  And when they weren’t successful, they took to the air and tried again.  What if those pelicans decided, “Well, I missed that fish, I might as well give up.”?  They would starve; so they get back up and try again–with the same abandon and commitment as before.  And this is our lesson as followers of Jesus.

Any sense of reluctance or hesitancy on our part, needs to be surrendered to Him, and without focusing on will we be successful or not, we follow the example of Jesus.  Who dived headlong into our broken messes as one of us–from heaven to earth–in order to fulfill His purpose of redeeming us from our sins and transforming us into the life we are created to live.  Knowing that some of us would accept this new life and some of us would reject this life, He came anyway.

We need to abandon–give up–our reluctance to pursue this life of total surrender to Jesus and the purpose of the Kingdom of God.  Pelicans teach us how–fold back those wings and dive headlong to the water–with the love and compassion that Jesus shows us.  And if we fail?  Do what pelicans do.  Get back up and go at it again.  Not every attempt ends in failures.  Just ask those pelicans!

“²⁸ So we tell others about Christ, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all the wisdom God has given us.  We want to present them to God, perfect^[a] in their relationship to Christ.²⁹ That’s why I work and struggle so hard, depending on Christ’s mighty power that works within me.”  (Colossians 1:28-29 NLT)

Love God with all your heart.  Love others the way Jesus loves you.  And make sure all the glory goes to Him.  Now, please excuse me, it’s time to go back to the Beach Classroom.

Was Shakespeare Right?

I’m referring to Juliet’s sadness of heart when she said, “What’s in a name?  That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.”  I know it’s a romantic tragedy play, but today I would engage those famous words in another context.  I would write it this way:  “What’s in a name of a church?  Doesn’t it’s true nature always reveal itself?”

I have a habit of reading church signs–both the name and those cute little messages.  One of my favorite “cutesy” is “Honk if you love Jesus.  Text while driving if you want to see Him.”  And names–it seems every community has a “Calvary”, “Bethlehem”, “Grace”, “Faith”,  and “First”.  I’ve also seen several “Corinth” named churches.  Really?  Do you know what was actually going on there?  Why not just name it “Charles Manson”?

I’ve also seen “The Church of The Divine Metaphysical Reality” (what happens there???), and one of the more interesting ones, “First ******** (I’m leaving out the name of the Tribe to protect the innocent) Church, Number 2”.  And I noticed one that read:  “Little Hope Church”.  Please, understand I’m not belittling or making fun of that church.  The road is named “Little Hope Road”.  Perhaps this explains the name of that church; I certainly hope so.  But what kind of person would name a road “Little Hope”?  The Body of Christ is a place for Mega Hope, not Little Hope.  Perhaps I am the only one who notices this bit of incongruence.  But it got me to thinking:  What if those truth in advertising laws applied to church names?  Here are a few I’ve come up with, along with their appropriate Mission Statement:

The Church Of We’re Better Than You

Where the Mission is to develop our sense of moral superiority

 

The Church Of The Sanctimonious

It’s all about the show and not about the action

 

The Church Of The Judges

Faithfully fulfilling our task of telling others where and why they are wrong, wrong, wrong!

 

The Church Of The Preacher

Providing The Best Preacher Out There For Your Entertainment

 

The Church Of The Comfortable

From seating to your conscience, our name says it all:  Making you comfortable

 

The Church Of Wearing The Sunday Best

Because everyone knows you can’t worship God in jeans and flip-flops

 

The Church Of The Culture

Studying our culture with intensity so that we can better change the Bible to fit the Culture

 

The Guilt-Free Church

That’s right, if you think it’s right for you, then it’s right for you

 

The Church Of The Circle

Where a small and elite group runs everything so you don’t have to worry about anything

 

The Cookie Cutter Church

Working with all our energy to make you just like us

 

The Church Of The 50’s

Faithfully Doing What The Church Used To Do

The Church Of The Professionals

Providing staff to do the work so you don’t have to

The Church Of Apathy

Who cares about mission and mission statements

 

The Church Of YOU

That’s right, it’s all about you and never about others!

 

The Church Of God Wants You Wealthy!

Providing live feed from Joel Osteen every week

I could just go on and on.  What about you?  If you have a “Truth In Advertising” church name, feel free to share it in the comments section.

No Runs, No Drips, No Errors Attitude

Last week I was thinking about all the places I’ve lived.  In my Tribe, most churches provide the pastor with a home.  We call it a “parsonage”.  Most churches seem to have the attitude, “It’s just the preacher’s home.  It doesn’t need much upkeep.”  And it seems to me that some of my colleagues have the same attitude by how they treat, and leave the parsonage for their successor.  I remember what one Bishop said every year, “When you move, move.  And take the dog and piano with you.”  Obviously they weren’t listening because I’ve inherited everything from rusty bicycles to used auto parts.  But that’s not me.  Over the decades I have spent considerable time, effort and $$$ to improve its appearance.

This is a “before” picture of a door I once repainted.

I do not know who attempted to paint this door and I do not want to insult anyone, but it is a very poor job of painting.  It had runs, drips and errors, lots of them.  I spent over an hour trying to sand and scrape all those runs, drips, and errors before I added the paint.  Had I not done that, then those runs, drips and errors would have still be there.  The paint I would add would not have removed them, it would have just added another layer.  There was no attempt to do this job with excellence.  It seemed to be just an alleged attempt to paint without caring about the result.

Here is something I’ve recently learned at the feet of the Holy Spirit.  Many who claim to love Jesus is that while they do “their best” AT church, they don’t put much effort into doing “their best” IN the ordinary days.  I’ve come to realize that this lackadaisical attitude toward the ordinary things is a symptom of a deeper spiritual problem.  That problem is living without the desire for excellence in everything, all the time.  I’m not talking about being a Rembrandt at painting doors.  It’s simply desiring that whatever we put our hands to doing, that it be done with great care and the desire for it to be good.

When we don’t do ordinary things with the desire for excellence, it becomes a habit in the spiritual things.  The cancer of mediocrity has spread from the workplace into the body of Christ.  Though we could never repay Jesus for what He did for us on the Cross, we should have the desire to be thankful for that Sacrifice by honoring Him through our commitment to a (if you will allow me to borrow a baseball image) “No Runs, No Drips, and No Errors” attitude in the ordinary things of life.

In Colossians 3:23, Paul spoke into how Disciples of Jesus were to live in the unjust system of slavery.  He wrote:  “Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people.”  But there is an application beyond how those who were slaves should live.  It can and SHOULD be applied to everyone, everyday, and every situation.  Think it doesn’t matter what we do in an ordinary day?  Take a moment to read, meditate and analyze Jesus’ parable about The Talents in Matthew 25:14-30.  Every task before you is an opportunity to break free of mediocrity into the life that God expects, even demands, from all of us.

One of the very best ways one can give witness to the transforming Grace of God is to do everything as if we were offering a gift to God; because we are whether we realize it or not.  I’m not taking about perfection–but excellence that produces something you can take pride and joy in offering it to God.  Your workday, your house cleaning, your painting doors, would you feel comfortable in offering it to God?  God accepts all that we offer Him when we desire to do it with excellence.

Remember Romans 12:1 and from The Message it goes like this:

So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. 

At the end of the day, remember:  No Runs.  No Drips.  And No Errors.

Love God with all your heart.  Love others the way HE loves you.  And make sure all the glory goes to HIM!