Have you ever tried calling the toll-free customer service hotline that comes on the packaging of the product? You usually get satisfaction, right? Sure, there are companies out there that still pride themselves in customer service and repairing or replacing broken products, but for the most part, the focus seems to be on making the product, and what happens after that, well, oftentimes you are on your own.

When you look around at nature, are you awestruck by its beauty? Do you ever wonder how and why it all works so well? To borrow from the lyrics of the song “Redeemer” by Nicole Coleman-Mullen – “Who taught the sun where to stand in the morning, Who told the ocean you can only come this far, And who showed the moon where to hide ‘til evening, Whose words alone can catch a falling star?”

We know from the first verse in the first book of the Bible, Genesis, that God created the heavens and the earth. God not only created everything in the heavens and on the earth, but today He still cares for all of His creation. This is quite contrary to much of what we are accustomed to for the products and services we buy and use.

Psalm 104 is a beautiful narration of how God cares for and sustains all that He has made. I encourage you to read the entire psalm. Here are just two verses – “You make grass grow for cattle; you make plants for human farming in order to get food from the ground, and wine, which cheers people’s hearts, along with oil, which makes the face shine, and bread, which sustains the human heart” (vv.14-15).

God’s goodness is evident in the diversity of all that he has created, He still cares and sustains all that He has created, and if you hear nothing else, hear this, despite what might be going on around you, or in you, God is in control. Job 12:10 says this – “In his hand is the life of every creature and the breath of all mankind.” The apostle Paul, in Colossians 1:17, writes this – “He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.”

When life breaks down, in you and around you, you can turn to God and know that He will always answer the phone, and you will never hear “Please call back between the hours of 8 AM and 6 PM EST” or “Sorry, your product is out of warranty.”

So, today, regardless of the condition of your employment status, your finances, your health, your marriage or friendships, your aging parents or your children, or the world around you, you can know without any doubt that God is big enough to create and sustain everything in the heavens and on the earth and He is caring enough to number the hairs on your head. (Matthew 10:30, Luke 12:7)

I will end with a few more lyrics from Nicole-Coleman Mullen’s song – “The very same God that spins things in orbit, Runs to the weary, the worn and the weak, And the same gentle hands that hold me when I am broken, They conquered death to bring me victory, Now I know my redeemer lives, I know my redeemer lives, Let all creation testify, Let this life within me cry I know my redeemer, He lives.”

You can have complete confidence in the Creator! He holds all things together.

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Much of the country has been locked in a prolonged heat wave, with the temperatures and humidity at times oppressive. Earlier this month, the Earth recorded its hottest day since records began. Just walking to the mailbox requires hydration. Oh, how those cold beverages quench my thirst. What does Jesus promise when we are thirsty?

Let’s turn to a story in the New Testament to answer that question. The Festival of Tabernacles (Sukkot) was one of the three pilgrimage festivals (Passover and Pentecost being the other two) for which adult Jewish males were expected to make pilgrimage to Jerusalem. This festival was festive and celebrates the fall harvest. It has also come to commemorate the provision of God during the forty years of Jewish wilderness wandering after the giving of the Torah on Mt. Sinai.

The seventh chapter of John’s gospel begins with Jesus’ brothers inviting him to join them at the festival, in order to do mighty works and become more widely known. Jesus denies their request (7:1-9). He later goes in secret. While there, the text gives us two teachings by Jesus (vv.15-24, 37-39). These teachings are followed by debate among the people (vv.25-31, 40-44) and plots against Jesus (vv.32-36, 45-52).

If you are so inclined, click here to read the entire chapter.

Today, I want to dive into the second teaching – On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’” Now this he said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were to receive, for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified (37-39).

According to written Jewish tradition (Mishnah), water was an important part of Sukkot. A priest would draw water from the pool at Siloam and carry it back to the temple, pouring it out on the altar. Sukkot comes at the beginning of the rainy season. In ancient agrarian societies, people’s livelihood was dependent upon the rain needed for the fall harvest. 

So, here we have Jesus on the last day of the festival, announcing that those who believe in Him will gush forth with rivers of living water. The thirst-quenching drink offered by Jesus is one of permanence. While many modern translations use “heart” in v38, the Hebrew word is koila, which literally means “belly.” This belief in Jesus is not just something superficial, skin deep. Instead, it is visceral. And He promises that those who thirst from deep within, from their innermost being will flow rivers of life-giving living water.    

How thirsty are you today? Will you drink … and drink … and drink some more?

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In the age in which we live there is an endless supply of places to look for information. You can download apps to your smart phone and or other handheld devices that give endless sources of information. Google and other search engines provide lists of websites that match your search criteria. Bookstores are full of books that address the topics in which you are interested. Ask a question on social media and you are likely to get replies from many “experts.” Talk show hosts pontificate on a variety of subjects, some of which they actually have knowledge of. Family and friends can be of immense help to us if we would just ask. Sometimes even if we do not ask, those same people give us their two cents.

The challenge comes not from finding enough places to look for information but from being able to know which are reliable and which are not. Is the answer based upon fact or is it just an opinion? Is there credible evidence to back up the data? What is the source of the information? Has this information been “time tested” or is it some new theory? Is it based upon current trends or something from fifty years ago? These are all questions we need to ask when trying to gain insight or knowledge of a particular topic.

With so many available sources of information, deciphering good information from bad information gets increasingly challenging. Ask ten people and you are likely to get ten different answers. Sometimes that information changes minute by minute, hour by hour, day by day.

It is true that as we grow and mature, our understanding sometimes changes, causing us to see things differently than we had in the past. That is different than what is so seemingly prevalent today – with so many so-called experts and so many agendas trying to be advanced, I sometimes find myself confused and struggling to know what to believe. It is as if I am trying to navigate the forest in complete darkness, continually bumping into trees, rubbing up against poison ivy, twisting my ankle on the uneven ground, walking in circles, never getting too far. Maybe today you feel the same way.

We do however have one source of information that is always consistent, always reliable, always dependable, and always true. This source always has your best interest in mind. That source is God. You can find the answers to living life the way it is intended to be lived both by going to God directly and by reading His Word as found in the Bible.

In Proverbs 2:6 we see this about God – “For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.”

Psalm 119:105 says this about the Bible– “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.”

When we read the Bible under the Inspiration of the Holy Spirit it becomes alive and active (Hebrews 4:12). The words on the page invite us in. We begin to be transformed. We begin to see life and truth as God sees them. Next time you sit down to read your Bible, ask God to open your mind as you read, and see what happens!

Saint Ephrem of Edessa, a fourth-century Syriac Christian said this of reading the Bible for the first time – “I read the opening of this book and was filled of joy, for its verses and lines spread out their arms to welcome me; the first rushed out and kissed me, and led me to its companion; and when I reached that verse wherein is written the story of Paradise, it lifted me up and transported me from the bosom of the book to the very bosom of Paradise.”

So, I ask, are you asking Jesus for what He is ready to give? Are you allowing His Word to rush out and kiss you? Are you allowing His Word, His light, to illuminate the dark?

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You might be old enough to remember the days when gas stations, then called filling stations, were not self-service pumps at a convenience store. Instead, they were full-service for your vehicle. The attendant, who also probably had grease under his or her nails from working on a car in the garage bay, came to your car to “service” it. They cleaned your windshield, checked your fluid levels, put air in your tires, and asked how much gas you needed. The response often was – fill ‘er up! If you wanted a soda, they brought you one of those, ice cold from the dented and rusty soda bottle ice box inside the station. And long long ago, before the introduction of self-starting engines, these same attendants also manually started your re-engine with a hand crank.

What is the one thing every internal combustion engine needs to operate? Of course, you know the answer – gasoline. The price of gasoline fluctuates all the time and if you are like me that price usually goes down the day after you filled up your tank. Without fuel, the engine simply does not work. Just as we need to fill our automobile up with gas for it to operate, we need our souls regularly filled too, otherwise our internal tank begins to run on fumes before eventually becoming totally empty.  

Today I offer the verses below as a prayer for you. God wants nothing more than to strengthen you through the love of Jesus Christ and by power of the Holy Spirit so He can dwell deeply within you.

“For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge – that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.” (Ephesians 3:14-21)

So, today, and tomorrow, and every day thereafter, will you allow God to fill you up and do the immeasurable in your life? And are you also willing to pray this “fill ‘er up” request for someone in your life as well as for yourself? Imagine the ripple effect it would have if we all asked God for more of His presence and His power in our own lives and in the lives of those around us!

Fill ‘er up!

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Wisdom is a precious commodity. Everyone wants it. Not everyone has it. Even to the wisest among us, it is sometimes elusive. We spend lots of money and expend lots of time and energy in search of wisdom, but still regularly come up short.

Having wisdom is important for navigating the treacherous roads of life. Socrates taught that wisdom begins with wondering; admitting our own ignorance. Thus, finding the proper source of wisdom is of paramount importance. The Bible tells us that human wisdom (failing to admit our own ignorance) is foolishness – “Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you thinks that he is wise in this age, he must become foolish, so that he may become wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness before God” (1 Corinthians 3:18-19). And since God is the creator of all wisdom (Proverbs 1:7, 8:22-31, 9:10), it seems prudent (wise) to tap into his wisdom above all other sources.

In Proverbs 1:20-33, Solomon, offers a warning against disregarding or despising wisdom. The passage begins (vv.20-21) with wisdom personified in the streets, markets, city gates. This suggests that wisdom is readily available to every person and not just to the scholarly. In v.22, wisdom offers a complaint, asking “How long will you not listen to me?” Three types of people are asked this question – simple ones (naive), scoffers (mocker, cynical), fools (stupid, silly). Continuing, an invitation is offered (v.23), in the form of a conditional clause. Something like this – if only you would respond, then I (wisdom) will gush forth to you.

The next section of this passage (vv.24-27) throws up a warning. If wisdom is repeatedly disregarded by someone (remember “How long?” in v.22), then the deserved justice is that wisdom laughs and mocks at their distress. Wait? What? God laughs at me? How can that be? I think v.28 explains the warning clearly.  It as if wisdom says it is complete absurdity to continually choose the foolish way of life when wisdom is there for the asking – “Then they will call upon me, but I will not answer; they will seek me diligently but will not find me.”

Solomon goes on to warn of the consequences to those who hate knowledge and do not choose fear of the Lord (v.29) and ignore wise counsel while continually despising wisdom’s reproof (v.30). Here is what we read – “therefore they shall eat the fruit of their way, and have their fill of their own devices. For the simple are killed (ruined) by their turning away, and the complacency of fools destroys them;” (vv.31-32).

And lastly, those who heed wisdom are contrasted with the simple, the scoffers, the foolish – “but whoever listens to me will dwell secure and will be at ease, without dread of disaster” (v.33). Note: This language talks of peace and security, not the avoidance of trouble,

So, today I ask, are you in a constant search for true wisdom but never seem to fully grasp it? We need to look no further than to God. That is not my simply my promise, it comes straight from scripture – “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given to him” (James 1:5).  

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Right now, as you look ahead, do you feel uncertain about the future? Maybe it is one big thing that weighs heavily on you. Or quite possibly, it is simply the shaky ground that this volatile world wobbles upon that has you feeling unsettled.

We often employ many techniques, even at times trying to bury our heads in the sand, to lessen the uncertainty we feel. But’s let’s be honest, none of those ways work too well. For a few minutes, a few hours, many even a few days, we feel better, but soon, that anxiety, those burdens, the uncertainty, once again keeps us awake at night.  

Let me offer what I believe is a better solution. One that promises a better result. It first requires you to put your trust in Jesus, giving Him control in your life.

It then requires giving Jesus access to every aspect of your life, unrestricted entry into every room. Oh my, you say. Yes, every aspect. And trust me, that takes practice and more practice and even more practice. I am still working this one out in my own life. God has much to say about this subject. Let’s dig in.    

“Submit yourselves therefore to God, Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you” (James 4:7-8a). And, in v.10 we read – “Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.”

So, we are called to trust (submit) ourselves to God, turn from the world – this does not mean isolation or living in a bubble – and, in return, God draws close to us.

Let’s keep digging. 

“Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties upon him because he cares for you” (1 Peter 5:6-7).

When you see a verse begin with “therefore,” you need to ask, “what is it there for?” It requires reading the previous verse(s) to get the context. In this case, v.5 ends like this… “Clothe yourself, all of you, with humility toward one another, for ‘God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.’”  

It is also important to understand what “casting” means. The Greek word used in v.7 referenced above means “to throw upon or to place upon.” The implication of that is a game changer. We are to cast our burdens, place our burdens, throw our burdens, upon Jesus, and NOT take them back. It implies a permanent exchange!

Now let’s dig even deeper. “Clothe yourself.” It is an infrequently used phrase that refers to a slave putting on an apron before serving his or her master. What I see being inferred here is that we are to imitate Jesus, who humbled himself by putting on an apron before washing the feet of His disciples (John 13:1-17). And why humility? Because, throughout scripture we are told that God’s provision of grace is to the submissive (humble) and His opposition is toward the proud. We read in Proverbs 3:34 – “Toward the scorners he is scornful, but to the humble he gives favor.”

So, right now, load up your hook with your anxiety, your burdens, your nagging uncertainty, admit your need (humility) for Jesus to be in control of your life (submit), and cast your line into the water, permanently giving that anxiety, those burdens, that uncertainty, to Him. As we often are, we are prompted to ask why. Why give it all over to Jesus? Maybe let these two passages be your answer –

“Cast your burden on the LORD, and he will sustain you” (Psalm 55:22).

And, also, right now, Jesus is whispering these hopeful words in your ear – “Come to me all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls” (Matthew 11:28-29).

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