Monday Musings – PJ's Monday Musings

Monday Musings: What’s your story?

Last week, I went to Chicago…

And, I saw lots of different people with lots of different stories.

Young and old.

Rich and poor.

Black and white…

And everything in between.

We all have a story.

A story of where we’ve been…and where we’re going.

A story of who we’ve been…and who we want to be.

A story of what we’ve lost…and what we hope to find.

A story of when our life changed…and when it might change again.

A story of how we became who we are…and how we want to be better.

A story of why we think we exist…and why that matters.

We all have a story that is our unique story.

But, at the end of the day, we are all image-bearers…

Created by a God who doesn’t make mistakes.

Loved by a God who can save you from anything (including yourself).

Forgiven by a God who sacrificed his greatest love to pay for your sin.

Cared for by a God who knows your needs better than you know them.

Rescued by a God who does impossible things every day.

Accepted by a God who knows what it feels like to be rejected.

If you have a personal relationship with God, this is your story.

If you don’t have a personal relationship with God, this can be your story.

So, what’s your story?

Monday Musings: Are you waiting well or wasting time waiting?

Let’s be honest…no one likes to wait.

Waiting in line.

Waiting on hold.

Waiting for that Amazon delivery.

Waiting for things to go back to “normal.”

Waiting for the LORD to come back.

Waiting…waiting…waiting.

Seems like we have two options whenever we find ourselves waiting.

We can either wait well or waste time waiting.

Take waiting in line for example…

In today’s culture, it’s easy to default to pulling our phones out of our pockets and wasting time scrolling through our social media feeds or playing a quick game of Solitaire (or whatever) while we wait.

In that moment of waiting, our phones become like a barrier to those around us…like little a “stop sign” that says “leave me alone.”

And, in that moment, we need patience to wait well.

We might even need a little bravery and courage to talk to the people waiting with us…or to silently pray for them.

(And really this can be applied to all of the different ways and times we find ourselves waiting…not just waiting in line. Waiting is a part of everyday life.)

The point is we can either waste these days of waiting or we can choose to wait well.

These days of waiting require patience, bravery, and courage…and the confidence that we will see the LORD’s goodness in the land of the living.

So, let’s make these days of waiting count and not waste them.

How will you choose to wait today?

Monday Musings: waking up with a case of the anxious Mondays

Woke up today with a bad case of the anxious Mondays.

It’s often what happens when I wake up before my alarm goes off, and my mind starts going through the day (and the week) in front of me.

As I was lying there in bed with the anxiety levels rising, I remembered a dream that I had just had that night.

(I know…super random. But just hang with me for a sec.)

I was in the ocean on a boogie board…and this huge wave was starting to form a little further out from where I was paddling.

And, I realized in that brief moment that I had to stare at the wave that it was either going to come crashing down on me…or I was going to ride it.

If you’ve ever been out in the ocean on a surfboard or a boogie board or even just body surfing, you probably have experienced the difference between a wave crashing down on you and catching one perfectly.

When a wave crashes down on you, it’s a helpless feeling.

You just end up getting thrown around in every direction until the wave decides it’s done with you.

Needless to say, it’s not a good feeling.

But, when you catch a wave perfectly and you are riding it the way a wave is meant to be surfed, it’s an amazing feeling.

The chaos the wave creates is still there, but it doesn’t affect you the same way it does when it’s crashing down on you.

Instead of feeling like you’ve been stuffed into a washing machine, you feel like you’re flying on water…which is probably why surfers risk so much to find the perfect wave.

Anyway, back to the dream.

I had two choices in the brief moment I had staring at that wave.

I could either sit there and do nothing and let it crash down on me…

Or, I could start paddling as hard as I could and try to ride it.

When you put it that way, it’s an easy choice…right?

So, I started paddling and paddling and paddling, but also bracing myself for that wave to come crashing down.

And, the next thing I knew…

I was riding the wave.

Even in the midst of so much force and power and water crashing around me, I was in the perfect spot to ride it out…and it was strangely peaceful.

Okay, so what’s the point?

Life is a lot like being in the ocean trying to catch a wave.

Sometimes, those “waves” come crashing down on you, and sometimes you find yourself riding the “wave.”

This morning, I had a choice to make.

I could either sit there and let the wave of anxiety that I woke up with come crashing down on me…or I could start paddling.

I chose to start paddling.

I started remembering specific promises of God that help me when I feel anxious.

I prayed through Philippians 4:6-7.

I spent time reading God’s Word.

And, the next thing I knew…

I was right where I needed to be…riding the wave, so to speak.

The day is still in front of me.

I still have anxious thoughts about the week.

But, they’re not crashing down on me anymore.

And, I’m starting my Monday in peace.

If you’re like me, and you woke up today with a bad case of the anxious Mondays, you can either sit there and do nothing…or you can start paddling.

Here’s a couple of verses to help you start moving…

⁶Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. ⁷Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7

3 You will keep in perfect peace
    all who trust in you,
    all whose thoughts are fixed on you!
⁴Trust in the Lord always,
    for the Lord God is the eternal Rock. Isaiah 26:3-4

When what you are looking for feels like a never-ending game of “hide & seek”

Presence and Power.

For me, those two words are the simplest and strongest daily reminder of my need for God…for His everyday presence and power in my life.

Over and over again in 2020 (and now 2021), I have witnessed God’s presence and power both in big, headline-grabbing ways and in small, more subtle (and personal) ways.

Over and over again, I have experienced His presence and power in the form of things that we all need, but can’t seem to find in anything (or anyone) else.

Here’s just the beginning of a list of things that we all need and are looking for right now…

We all need hope…and He is the God of hope. (Romans 15:13)

We all need peace…and He is the God of peace. (Philippians 4:6-7)

We all need comfort…and He is the God of all comfort. (2 Corinthians 1:3-4)

We all need grace…and He is the God of grace. (Ephesians 2:4-7)

We all need wisdom…and He is the God of wisdom. (James 1:5-8)

We all need love…and He is the God of love. (1 John 4:7-8)

We all need strength…and He is the God of strength. (2 Corinthians 12:8-10)

I could go on, but the point I’m trying to make is this…

God’s everyday presence and power is real and we all need it.

Just stop for a second and think of all the ways we’ve been looking for these things outside of God just in the last twelve months…

We’ve looked for hope in our government.

We’ve looked for peace in our coping mechanisms.

We’ve looked for comfort in our personal idols.

We’ve looked for grace in our relationships with those who disagree with us.

We’ve looked for wisdom in our memes and social media feeds.

We’ve looked for love in our love of self.

We’ve looked for strength in our individualism and independence.

The bottom line in all of this is that when we look for these things outside of the everyday power and presence of God, we will never find what we are looking for.

And, our lives end up being like a never-ending game of “hide & seek.”

God’s everyday presence and power is real…

It’s real in the form of hope, peace, comfort, grace, wisdom, love, strength, and so much more.

What do you need today…what do we all need today?

You need God’s presence and power…and He’s not hard to find.

You just have to look in the right places.

“Seek the LORD while you can find him. Call on him now while he is near.” (Isaiah 55:6)

“¹²In those days when you pray, I will listen. ¹³If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me. ¹⁴I will be found by you,” says the Lord. (Jeremiah 29:12-14a)

When God’s Everyday Grace Finds You

Grace.

Been thinking about that word since we sang about it in church yesterday.

“Your grace finds me” is the line that got me.

Last week, I was reading in the book of Exodus and I came across some verses that kind of got me too…

²³After a long time, the king of Egypt died. The Israelites groaned because of their difficult labor, they cried out, and their cry for help because of the difficult labor ascended to God. ²⁴God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob.

²⁵God saw the Israelites, and God knew. (Exodus 2:23-25)

God heard.

God remembered.

God saw.

God knew.

And, God’s grace found the Israelites when they needed it the most.

I don’t know about you, but I needed to hear that last week and yesterday and today (and most likely tomorrow and the day after that and the day after that and…well you get my point).

God’s grace finds me.

So, here’s all I have to say…

Whatever your circumstances are today, God’s grace finds you.

Whatever your feelings are today, God’s grace finds you.

Whatever your temptations are today, God’s grace finds you.

Whatever your pain is today, God’s grace finds you.

Whatever your fears are today, God’s grace finds you.

God’s grace finds you today and every day because He hears you, He remembers His promises to you, He sees you, and He knows you.

Today might be a day where you need to hit the “pause” button or the “refresh” icon of your life and pray this prayer of David as you wait for God’s everyday grace to find you where you need it the most.

Dear God…

Incline your ear, O Lord, and answer me,
    for I am poor and needy.
²Preserve my life, for I am godly;
    save your servant, who trusts in you—you are my God.
³Be gracious to me, O Lord,
    for to you do I cry all the day.
⁴Gladden the soul of your servant,
    for to you, O Lord, do I lift up my soul.
⁵For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving,
    abounding in steadfast love to all who call upon you.
⁶Give ear, O Lord, to my prayer;
    listen to my plea for grace.
⁷In the day of my trouble I call upon you,
    for you answer me. (Psalm 86:1-6)

Monday Musings: where are your questions leading you?

Ah Monday morning…

So much is swirling around in my head right now as I try to focus on one thing to write about…to muse on.

I give up.

There’s just too many questions to focus on just one…

What is truth…or true when I turn on the news or scroll through my social media feeds or talk to my neighbor down the street?

What is normal…is it really just going back to the “good ol'” days of 2019?

What is freedom…is the freedom we really want tied to politics, religion, or personal preference (or is it all of the above)?

When will this pandemic go away?

When will people learn to disagree without making the people they disagree with their enemy?

When will I be able to work in a coffee shop again? (okay, maybe that’s not as big of a question as the rest, but I’m still asking it)

What will the people living in 2070 say about the people living in 2020?

When is Jesus coming back?

What are we as Christians supposed to be learning from the coronavirus, the recent elections, and anything and everything else that’s creating division in our country?

What is God thinking right now?

Does He have a plan or an end game for all of this?

Are we living in an intense (and in some ways, unprecedented) season of suffering as Christians in America or is it discipline…or both?

Is God pulling out the weeds right now…or is Satan sifting us like wheat?

You see, I’ve got lots of questions with no easy or clear answers…and I’m guessing that you do to.

And we both have to choose where those questions will ultimately lead us.

This morning, these questions led me to Romans 11, where Paul says…

³³Oh, how great are God’s riches and wisdom and knowledge! How impossible it is for us to understand his decisions and his ways!

³⁴For who can know the Lord’s thoughts?
Who knows enough to give him advice?
³⁵And who has given him so much
that he needs to pay it back?

³⁶For everything comes from him and exists by his power and is intended for his glory. All glory to him forever! Amen.

The truth is, I may never understand the answers to all my questions…

But, I know a God who does.

And that is good enough for me on a Monday morning.

Attitude Check: what our attitudes are really telling people right now

Attitude.

Been thinking a little bit about that word lately.

So last week, I decided to type in “attitude quotes” into my Google search bar to learn a little bit about people’s perceptions of “attitude” and how it impacts our lives.

“Attitude is everything,” is one of the more common viewpoints out there. And, even though it’s kind of an oversimplification of how our attitudes impact our lives, there’s a lot of truth in that statement.

Our attitudes really do impact not just our lives, but the lives of those around us. Two historical figures have summed it up this way…

“Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference.” – Winston Churchill
“Weakness of attitude becomes weakness of character.” – Albert Einstein

Turns out that our attitudes matter…a lot.

Especially as Christians.

It was Paul who wrote in Philippians 2:5…

“You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had.”

If you go back and read verses 1-4 of that chapter, you’ll find examples of what having a Jesus’ attitude looks like. Paul says things like…

Stop being selfish (v3)

Stop trying to impress people (v3)

Be humble (v3)

Start thinking of others as better than yourself (v3)

Stop being proud (basically all of verse 3)

Stop doing only what’s best for you (v4)

Start paying more attention to the interests of others (v4)

Okay, so here’s the deal.

Our attitudes as Christians matter…A LOT.

The people around us (think your family, neighbors, coworkers, friends, etc.) are learning from us. Among other things, they are learning how we react and respond to the things going on around us (good and bad)…in our communities, in our nation, and in our world.

And, our attitudes (and the reactions that go with them) are giving people either a good and positive view of who Jesus is or one that makes Jesus look petty, selfish, arrogant, and condescending.

Clearly, these are difficult, divided days that we are all living in.

Right now, the division and disagreements we have are centered primarily on politics, race, COVID-19, and the economy.

But, even if/when these issues fade away or get resolved, there will be other things for us to divide and fight over. And the people around you will always be looking to you to see how you react and respond to them.

So, ask yourself, what is your attitude telling people right now?

Is your attitude helping people see what having a Jesus’ attitude looks like?

Are you pointing people to Jesus these days or are you just pointing fingers?

Attitude may not be everything, but our attitudes as Christians say a lot.

May we be a people who have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had and consistently point people to Him.

Even when…especially when…it’s hard.

We are all image-bearers…and why that matters in a divided country.

Divided.

In last week’s Monday Musings’ post, I suggested that that will be the one word that best describes the year 2021…

But, it doesn’t have to be that way.

We now enter a week that started yesterday with churches all across the country pausing to recognize “Sanctity of Life” Sunday.

Today, as I write, many people in our country are pausing to remember the life and legacy of Martin Luther King Jr.

And, just two days from now, our country will inaugurate a new president and vice president to lead us for the next four years.

Depending on things like your race, politics, religion, socio-economic status, and even family background, each of these days probably mean something different to you.

And, because of this, these days (and this week) may end up only highlighting the division that you already sense and feel in your heart toward those who think or look or act differently than you.

But, it doesn’t have to be that way.

Because, regardless of all that divides us, we all have one thing in common.

We are all image-bearers.

All of us have been created in the image of God.

From the moment of conception, we are His image-bearers.

Whatever the color of our skin, we are His image-bearers.

Whatever our political or socio-economic status, we are His image-bearers.

Whatever our religious beliefs (or even lack of them), we are His image-bearers.

Whatever our family background and history, we are His image-bearers.

We could go on, but the point is this…

We are all born image-bearers of our Creator God.

But, we are also all born broken image-bearers in need of a Savior.

The good news is that God knows that and sent His Son into the world to save us…to redeem us in our brokenness and to give us life to the full. (John 3:16-17 & John 10:10)

The bad news is that the devil knows that too and is doing all that he can to steal and kill and destroy the lives of God’s image-bearers. (John 10:10)

Behind all that divides us in 2021 is a battle far greater than the one’s we wage over race, religion, politics, or anything else.

As Paul says in Ephesians 6:12, this battle is not “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.”

We live in a culture right now that has convinced us that those who don’t agree with us are our enemies.

(The polarization and division we see/feel in our country is a product of that).

But this week, I am reminded again that the real enemy of all of us isn’t walking around in human skin.

The real enemy of all of us is the one who has convinced us that it is okay to steal and kill and destroy the life of the unborn image-bearer.

The real enemy of all of us is the one who has convinced us that it is okay to steal and kill and destroy the dignity of another image-bearer simply based on the color of their skin.

And, the real enemy of all of us is the one who has convinced us that it is okay to hate other image-bearers just because they think or act or look differently than we do.

The truth is, we are a divided, image-bearing people.

And, if there was ever a time (and a week) where we need to put into practice the words of Jesus in Matthew 5:44, this is it.

May we be image-bearers who don’t just love the image-bearers that love us back.

And, may we also be image-bearers that are always pointing other image-bearers to Jesus.

⁴³“You have heard the law that says, ‘Love your neighbor’ and hate your enemy. ⁴⁴But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! ⁴⁵In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven. For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust alike. ⁴⁶If you love only those who love you, what reward is there for that? Even corrupt tax collectors do that much. ⁴⁷If you are kind only to your friends, how are you different from anyone else? Even pagans do that. ⁴⁸But you are to be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect.” (Jesus in Matthew 5:43-48)

Monday Musings: An Inauguration Day Perspective from Jeremiah 17

Inauguration Day is coming soon here in America.

And that’s good news for some and bad news for others (depending on your point of view).

If the one word that best described 2020 was “angst,” it seems like the one word to best describe 2021 will be “divided.”

Nowhere has that been seen more clearly recently than in politics, but the reality is, we are a divided people in many ways…politics yes.

And…also things like religion, race, gender, and economics (just to name a few).

Not to mention all of the things we argue and debate and divide over on social media…but that list would be too long to include here.

(And probably too divisive…)

In all of these things, it’s easy to justify our own opinions and belittle or even condemn the opinions of others.

It’s easy to “throw hands” on our social media feeds as we debate and argue and unfriend each other over whatever argument we believe is worth fighting for (and losing friends over).

It’s even easy to sit back and say/do nothing…to choose to not engage with the debates on any level.

But we don’t always do that with the purest motives either.

In times like these, we all need wisdom from the LORD.

So, whatever your opinion is of our country right now…

Whether you are looking at Inauguration Day as a fresh start or the beginning of the end…

As the product of an ongoing conspiracy or the voice of the people…

Regardless of your stance on anything political, hear these words from Jeremiah 17…

This is what the Lord says:
“Cursed are those who put their trust in mere humans,
    who rely on human strength
    and turn their hearts away from the Lord.
⁶They are like stunted shrubs in the desert,
    with no hope for the future.
They will live in the barren wilderness,
    in an uninhabited salty land.

⁷“But blessed are those who trust in the Lord
    and have made the Lord their hope and confidence.
⁸They are like trees planted along a riverbank,
    with roots that reach deep into the water.
Such trees are not bothered by the heat
    or worried by long months of drought.
Their leaves stay green,
    and they never stop producing fruit.

⁹“The human heart is the most deceitful of all things,
    and desperately wicked.
    Who really knows how bad it is?
¹⁰But I, the Lord, search all hearts
    and examine secret motives.
I give all people their due rewards,
    according to what their actions deserve.”

In a country that is clearly divided right now on so many levels, we need to remember that our trust cannot be in mere humans (v5).

But rather, our trust must always be in the LORD…our hope and our confidence must come from Him (v7).

Why?

Because when we choose to put our trust in men, our hope is misplaced at best and will ultimately ruin us (v6).

Because it is the LORD who searches all hearts and examines secret motives…

He is the only One with the power and authority to give all people their due rewards, according to what their actions deserve (v10).

And, this is true for everyone.

For the media.

For the politicians.

For the protestors and anti-protestors.

For me and you.

May we all be a people who trust in the LORD in 2021.

May our hope and our confidence come from Him and Him alone on this upcoming Inauguration Day.

And, may we never stop producing the kind of fruit that will last far beyond the kingdoms and political powers in place in 2021 and beyond.

Monday Musings: the greatest gift you can give this Christmas season

Tis the season.

Christmas is now less than three weeks away, and I think we could all use a little holiday cheer.

As many of our work parties, family gatherings, and other Christmas traditions are being impacted by the spread of the coronavirus, we all need to double-down on giving the greatest gift we can give to each other and to the world.

Love.

But, not just any kind of love.

Love is such a misunderstood concept in our culture today. Just like everything else in the world, it has been corrupted by sin.

Love is love…or at least that’s what people believe these days.

But, at the core of that belief is a very narcissistic view of life. Basically, love is whatever we want it to be as long as it makes us feel good.

Love is love is love of self.

And, that is definitely not the kind of love this world needs right now.

What this world needs is the kind of love that will last forever.

A love that is patient and kind…especially with those who think differently than we do, and who we disagree with.

A love that is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude…especially when we share our thoughts and opinions on social media.

A love that does not demand its own way…especially when decisions are made that we don’t like or think are unreasonable.

A love that is not irritable and keeps no record of being wronged…especially when we are at home with the people we love the most.

A love that does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out…especially when we have the opportunity to point people to Jesus, who experienced the ultimate form of injustice for us because He loved us more than He loved Himself.

A love that never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance…

This is the kind of love that the world needs right now.

This is the gift that we all need.

May we be a people who love well this Christmas season, and give the greatest gift that we possibly can to a world that desperately needs it.

“Three things will last forever-faith, hope, and love-and the greatest of these is love.” (1 Corinthians 13:13)