Think for a minute about the food and drink you consume on a daily basis. You hopefully eat three well balanced meals, with maybe a small healthy snack here and there to boost your energy. There are all sorts of calculations to determine the proper daily estimated energy requirement (calories) to maintain a healthy body and lifestyle. There are four main variables that go into the calculation: sex, age, weight, and activity level. You should check with your doctor or nutritionist to determine your recommended calorie intake needs.

In addition to eating properly, we need to keep our bodies hydrated by drinking water. Using several reliable resources, my hydration requirement is 96 fluid ounces per day. Most experts consider “water” to be any beverage without alcohol, sugar, and to some degree, caffeine. Even though caffeine is a diuretic, meaning it causes you to want to urinate, certain (unsweetened) caffeinated beverages like coffee and tea can in fact have a net hydrating effect.  

But regardless of your level of food or drink intake, you need to keep replenishing your body in order to function and maintain proper health. You eat breakfast and by lunch, maybe even by 10 AM, you are hungry again. By dinner time, you are again ready for a good meal. You drink a cold bottle of water that soon gets absorbed into your cell membranes and bloodstream, i.e., it gets used up, so repeated drinks of water are needed to keep your body temperature regulated and your organs functioning efficiently.  

Our bodies convert the food and drink we consume into energy that helps keep us running like a well-tuned machine. Just as our bodies need filled with food and drink to stay healthy, our souls also need to be filled to stay healthy. And just as we sometimes ingest unhealthy things into our bodies, we also sometimes try to fill that hole in our soul with all the wrong stuff. The hippies used to profess all they needed was “sex, drugs, and rock n’ roll” in order to be satisfied and fulfilled. Today we often try to fill our emptiness with all kinds of things, some healthy, some not so healthy. But regardless of what it is, that stuff we substitute for God, while for a fleeting moment might provide us with satisfaction, it soon leaves us “hungry and thirsty” again.

In Ephesians 3:19, the apostle Paul prays that the faithful in Jesus Christ will be “filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.”   

We read these words in Romans 15:13 – “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”

And Jesus, in a conversation with a Samaritan woman at a well, tells her – “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become a spring of water welling up to eternal life” (John 4:13, in context, 4:1-26).

So, today, I encourage you (and me) to get the proper intake of food and drink, exercise regularly, have adequate periods of rest and sleep AND to ask Jesus to fill you with His presence, through the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:11), allowing you to be filled to overflowing with the fullness of God. Just as your body needs replenishing every day, your soul leaks and needs filled again and again too, so, never stop asking!

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Not too long ago we purchased an outdoor gas fire pit that needed to be assembled. It came with step-by-step instructions, and while those instructions were straight forward and clear, there have been other instances when the instructions were not helpful or so confusing that by the time I was done putting whatever it was together, I was completely frustrated and feeling not too good about my competence in following instructions and putting things together. Have you ever been there? When we buy something, we want it to come with both easy to follow assembly instructions and a detailed user’s manual. 

We tend to live life by that same method. We want rules, formulas, systems, and step-by-step instructions. We want a plan, a manual, something that tells us what to expect. We want two plus two to always equal four. However, we sometimes fail to follow the instructions that will give us our desired outcome. Think of the mess you would have if you ignored the directions when baking a cake. Builders use blueprints when building a house for a reason. A few years ago, I had prostate cancer surgery. Imagine what might have happened if the surgeons had not used the proper surgical protocols, techniques, or instruments, and just “winged it” once they had me cut open..  

Religion is often nothing more checking off boxes, following a prescribed plan. It is works-based, often creating do’s and don’ts not even found in scripture. While religion is about rules, following God is about a relationship. It is about a Person and not a plan; it is grace-based. Following God is about allowing the Holy Spirit to lead, guide, and direct your steps, no matter how unpredictable or out of compliance with your well laid out step-by-step instructions it might seem. It may help to have plans, but when following God you cannot hold onto those plans too tightly. Here is what we read in Proverbs 16:9 – “A person’s heart plans his way, but the LORD determines his steps.”

The fifth chapter of Paul’s letter to the Galatians ends by contrasting works of the flesh with fruit of the Spirit. The second to last verse reads this way – “Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives” (v.25). To experience true Kingdom living, you cannot turn your faith into a formula. You need to be responsive to where the Spirit might be leading you. When Jesus called his first disciples, He did not give them a list of rules or step-by-step instructions of what to do beforehand, He simply said “Come, follow me.” (Matthew 4:19).

So today, will you commit, or re-commit, to allowing the Spirit to guide your path (Psalm 32:8)? Doing so will take you places that rules, formulas, systems, or step-by-step instructions never will!

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If you are like me, you aren’t a fan of changes in direction. I am not a fan of detours. They mess up my plans.

Close your eyes for a minute and picture this. God has been tugging at your heart for some time. You sense Him calling you in some new direction; maybe a new job, a new city, a new relationship, possibly even into ministry. Maybe the “new” is letting go of something. You pray about it, mull it over, seek wise counsel, pray about it some more, weigh all the pros and cons, and listen for God’s small still voice to confirm it. At first you were hesitant, it would mean some big (and scary) changes, but once you finally got your head and heart wrapped around the plan, and you were ready and you jumped in with both feet. You have a nice neat plan all laid out for how it will go; it all fits together like a puzzle with no missing pieces.

But not so fast! Out of the blue, God changes your plan and instead of turning left at the next intersection, He tells you to keep driving and He will tell you when to turn. You say, “Wait a minute God, that’s not what I signed up for. I signed up for (you fill in the blank) and now You are asking me to do something totally different. I’m not sure I really understand.”

Now picture what Joseph, the earthly father of Jesus, must have felt like. In Gospel of Matthew we read that he was engaged to a young woman named Mary. One day she comes to him and tells him that she is pregnant, even though she is still a virgin. And not only that, she tells Joseph that this baby was conceived by the Holy Spirit. Joseph’s head was likely spinning, full of doubt, full of questions. After hearing the news Joseph was making plans to divorce her but soon an angel appeared to him in a dream and told him it was all true and in Matthew 1:22-23 we read this – All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”).

The story goes on to tell us that “When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and he took Mary home as his wife. But he did not consummate their marriage until she gave birth to a son. And they gave him the name Jesus. (vv. 24-25)

So here we have Joseph with his nice neat plans for marriage and “living happily ever after” turned totally upside down when God first tells Mary, then Joseph, that they will be the parents of the Savior of the world. Talk about a change of plans!

Several years ago, Robyn and I saw our “happily ever after” plans change when God told us that after six years of blood, sweat, and tears, we were to close the church we had uprooted our life to plant. While we didn’t understand then, and aren’t sure even now of the reason, we know that this is all part of God’s perfect plan. Were we sad and disappointed? Of course. Do I feel like I failed? With each passing day less and less so, but yes, feelings of failure still ooze out from time to time. Right now, with current life circumstances, and with my propensity to struggle with self worth issues, I find myself battling those very thoughts. Just being honest.

However, bigger than any of those feelings is our faith – a faith that, despite pieces seemingly missing, trusts God knows where all the pieces fit and that He is putting together a beautiful puzzle, piece by piece by piece, one not missing a single piece!   

How do you respond when God changes your plan, when the puzzle seems to be missing pieces?      

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Most of us like parties. Who doesn’t enjoy a good birthday party, graduation party, holiday party, costume party, neighborhood party, or a tailgate party!

Parties are supposed to be fun and joyous events, and most are. But many of us also go to another kind of party. When we feel burdened, sad, heavy hearted, frustrated, discouraged, dejected, or disappointed, we often go our own party. Let’s just call this party what it is, a pity party. We wonder “Why me?” or “Woe is me” and we spend excessive amounts of time and energy feeling sorry for ourselves and whining about how unfair life is. These kinds of parties never fix anything, they only tend to spiral us down even more. These kinds of parties tend to cause us to focus on the clouds and not the reality of the sun’s constant existence. 

I have found that going to a different party – a singing party – is a much better party to go to! For me, and I am confident for you too, when I sing, I find it hard to be anything less than joyful and happy. I am sure the people around me have a different thought as they hear me singing, such as last night at the gym. But you know what, I really do not care. I love singing, whether it is secular songs or songs of praise to God. Singing soothes my soul.

And the Bible seems to put a high value on singing too. There are over 175 references to “sing” or “singing” in all of scripture. I used the NIV to research the number, but other versions have similar numbers. In Psalms alone, there are close to 70 references. Let me give you four verses:

Psalm 13:6, I will sing the Lord’s praise, for he has been good to me.

Psalm 57:7, My heart, O God, is steadfast; I will sing and make music

Psalm 96:1, Sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth.

Psalm 100:2, Serve the Lord with gladness; Come to him with joyful singing.

An elixir for pity parties can often be singing to God; the God who invites us to pray (Philippians 4:6); the God who hears our voice and listens to those prayers (Psalm 116:1), the God who offers us rest in the midst of our burdens (Matthew 11:28-30), the God who brings hope into hopelessness (Isaiah 40:31), the God who gives strength and provides peace (Psalm 29:11).

Have I mastered this “party” thing yet? Absolutely not, from time to time I still find myself wallowing in the mud of pity, but more and more I try to break out in song when I need a change of perspective. I encourage you to try this singing thing too. However, just be warned, people will look strangely upon you as you walk through the aisle at the grocery store singing your favorite song. In fact, you might even hear over the intercom, “Manager needed in Aisle 4.” But just keep singing, it becomes contagious!

So, when the sky is cloudy or your perspective is gloomy, jump out of the mud, shower off, grab your iPod or listen to your favorite music streaming service, and sing sing sing! Singing probably won’t change the situation, but it will surely change your outlook, it will help you see the sun behind the clouds!

Grammy Award winning jazz singer Ella Fitzgerald said this about singing, “The only thing better than singing is more singing.”

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Do you know what extends from the Bering Sea to the Strait of Magellan and helps to determine the flow of watersheds in North America? If you guessed the Continental Divide, often referred to as the Great Divide, then you are correct. This elevated terrain begins in Alaska and winds its way eastern through Canada before entering the United States in Montana, then zig zags southward to New Mexico. From there this divide enters Mexico and makes its way to the all to the southern tip of South America. This divide separates the water basins that flow into the Pacific Ocean from those that drain into the Atlantic Ocean.

At one point along the Great Divide, known at the Triple Divide Peak, located in Glacier National Park (Montana), two continental divides converge, and from this point, waters flow into three oceans – Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean via the Gulf of Mexico, and Arctic Ocean via the Hudson Bay – thus making it the only place in the world where from one location waters drain into three oceans.

There are several smaller divides in North America, one of which that follows the Appalachian Mountains and determines which watersheds drain directly into the Atlantic Ocean from those that exit via the Mississippi River. And you might have heard of the Saint Lawrence Seaway; well, it generally follows another smaller secondary divide. (It is the Laurentian Divide that converges with the Continental Divide to create the Triple Divide Peak referenced above.)      

Not only are the drainage of rivers and streams separated by the Great Divide, we live in a world that too is Greatly Divided. We live in a world that does an awful lot of talking but very little listening. We don’t seem to agree on anything, in fact, we don’t even agree to disagree any longer. Instead, we live in a world of “I am right, and if you disagree with me, then frankly, you are wrong.”

What if each of you reading this post made it your goal to be (or become) a bridge builder; someone who helps opposite sides cross a divide? What if the goal of every interaction, every dialogue, was to have a relationship with the other person, rather than prove a point, or to simply be right? Truly listening to someone, hearing their story, has a way of bringing people together, even people of very different backgrounds, cultures, and beliefs.

And if you consider yourself a follower of Jesus, being a peacemaker comes as part of the deal. In His most famous teaching, the Beatitudes, one of the things Jesus said was – “Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God” (Mt. 5:9). The apostle Paul says this, found in Romans 14:19 – “So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding.” There is a real connection that occurs between people when peace is pursued. The psalmist writes this – “Steadfast love and faithfulness meet; righteousness and peace kiss each other” (Ps. 85:10).

So, my challenge to all of us – in this great divide of a world we live in, what can you do to build a bridge, to join that which has been separated by some great divide? What can you do help turn greatly divided into greatly united?    

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Do you eat a healthy and well-balanced breakfast? Many doctors and nutritionists consider breakfast to be the most important meal of the day because it breaks the overnight fasting period and replenishes your body with essential nutrients to give you energy throughout the day. What you eat, or don’t eat, for breakfast often affects what and how much you eat the rest of the day.

A little trivia – do you know why it is called breakfast? The word breakfast literally means “breaks the fast” that occurred during your period of sleep.

Are you the least bit curious as to why the noontime meal in called lunch? Lunch is a relatively new concept, and it is an abbreviation of the word “luncheon,” which is derived from the Anglo-Saxon (Old English) word nunchin, meaning “noon drink.”

Okay, your interest is piqued, so how about the origin of supper, or it is dinner? During the 18th and 19th centuries when society was primarily an agrarian (agricultural) society, the main meal, called dinner (“to dine”) was eaten at midday, which would give the farmers a boost of energy for the afternoon. A smaller evening meal, called supper, meaning “to sup,” often consisted of light soup that had cooked throughout the day. As societal norms changed, and as people began working away from home or the farm, it became hard to have the main meal at midday, so a smaller meal became the norm for midday and the main meal shifted to the evening.      

At our house a typical weekday breakfast consists of cereal and fresh fruit with soy milk or a bagel with cream cheese, banana, water, hot tea or coffee. Just as eating a healthy breakfast fuels your body up for the day, spending time with God each morning is also critical to fueling up your soul for the day. In Psalm 5:3 we read, “In the morning, LORD, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and expectantly wait.”

Elsewhere in Psalms we find these words – “Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days” (Psalm 90:14). To my knowledge, this is the only psalm uniquely attributed to Moses. Jesus knew the importance of spending time alone with God in the morning – “Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed” (Mark 1:35).

So, today I ask – Are you starting your day off on a good note, eating healthy and spending time with God? To borrow the tagline from the General Mills cereal Wheaties, now that is “The Breakfast of Champions.” 

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