This weekend you might be planning to do some work around your house to get it ready for that Memorial Day picnic you are hosting. On the list are both putting down some new deck boards as well as mulching and planting flowers. You’ve checked the forecast; it looks like gorgeous weather. Sunny but not too hot.

Before you begin, you stop and your local lawn and garden store. It is jam packed with people buying flowers and plants, topsoil, mulch, decking materials, new weed whackers, anything and everything needed to do some work around the yard to get it ready for summer.

While you are hammering away on the deck, your spouse is busy in the flower beds. Regardless of the work you plan to do, you need tools, and not just any tools, but the proper tools, to complete the project. Your toolbox is filled with hand tools and power tools while the wheelbarrow has a trowel, shovel, soil cultivator, hoe, dibber, and the flowers to plant. If you are a gardener, you know what a dibber is. (If not, then Google it.) 

All around the neighborhood people are hard at work. You see several neighbors planting flowers and filling wheelbarrows with mulch. The sounds of lawn mowers and pressure washers fill the air. Somewhere nearby, someone is cooking burgers on their charcoal grill and boy does that make you hungry.

Having and using the proper tools and implements helps make the job easier. You make them work for you. We often view the Bible in that same way; we see it as some sort of spiritual toolbox. We want to take things out of Scripture and make them work for us, just like those carpentry or gardening tools. However, we do not use Scripture, but, instead, God uses Scripture to change us and carry out His will and His plan in and through us.

The process of becoming more like Jesus means that we come before God, who becomes present to us in and through the Bible. And, it is through His Word that we begin to be transformed. Hebrews 4:12-13 tells us that the Bible is what we are to use to calibrate, measure, and judge our thoughts and attitudes. We read, “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all of creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account (NIV).” (When I was in Vineyard’s ministry school, this was the first verse we had to memorize. It emphasizes the transformative nature of God’s Word, and in my opinion is pivotal to how we approach and understand scripture.)

In The Message, the contemporary rending of the Bible written by Eugene Peterson, Jesus’ words found in John 5:39-40 reads like this – “You have your heads in your Bibles, constantly because you think you’ll find eternal life there. But you miss the forest for the trees. These Scriptures are all about me! And I here I am, standing right before you, and you aren’t willing to receive from me the life you say you want.”

So, are you allowing God to use His Word to continually retool and remanufacture you?

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Think back to your childhood. One evening you and a friend were lying out in your backyard in the damp green grass looking up at the starlit night and dreaming about the lives that were ahead of you. You had visions for a wonderful life, filled with health, happiness, and prosperity. You had this idyllic view of your future, one that was extremely happy, peaceful, and charming. You had no place in those dreams for cancer, unemployment, divorce, addiction, death of a spouse or child, stress of dealing with aging parents, or any of the other challenges that we all have in life. Every one of your dreams would come true, and you would live happily ever after. You remember those childhood dreams, right?

You invited Jesus into your life and with that you thought that the difficulties and failures of your past would be a thing of the past. You listened to others who shared their story of how Jesus made their life so much better. Somewhere along the way you got the false impression that anchoring yourself to Jesus would mean smooth sailing, no more rough seas or gusty winds.

But today you look at your life and it just seems to be one new challenge piled upon top of another, and you find yourself becoming disillusioned, discouraged, frustrated, maybe even hopeless. At every turn you seem to face another detour. The dreams you had for life, well, you have stopped dreaming and right now you simply just want to hang on and ride out the current wave without taking on more water. You find yourself questioning your faith and asking, “Why me, Jesus? What did I do to deserve this?”

Jesus Himself tells us that life is full of trials and tribulations. In John 16:33 He says that “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

In 2 Corinthians 4:8-9 we read these hopeful words – “We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.”  

Martin Luther, who began the Protestant Reformation, is reported to have said these words on his deathbed – “These pains and troubles here are like the type which printers set; as they look now, we have to read them backwards and they seem to have no meaning or sense to them. But up yonder, when the Lord prints us off in the life to come, we will find they make brave reading.”      

So regardless of what you feel like, or what your life looks like, God is still faithful and caring for you. He is in control and is working out your life in a way that, looking back, will all make sense one day. God sees the “big picture,” while we on the other hand only see as far as our eyes allow us to see. 

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I am reaching back into the archives today. In this frenzied world in which we live, where stuff comes at us from all angles and at breakneck speed, where what was yesterday no longer is today, where there is just no time to quiet our souls, it seems appropriate to re-post this earlier writing. Maybe you need this reminder today. I know with all that is going on, my chaotic and exhausted brain sure does need it.  

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Do you have too much to do and not enough time or energy to get it all done? Most of us, maybe all of us if we are honest, would answer yes to that question. We work ourselves to the bone, often neglecting proper diet, exercise, rest, and sleep, soon finding ourselves worn out and unproductive. I don’t know about you, but I find it difficult to have much needed quietness and rest. And even when I am seemingly quiet or at rest, I am not truly quiet or at rest. Does any of that sound familiar to you?

Not only do we need down time to refresh and recharge our body and mind, our soul need rest as well. Our culture regularly tells us, sometimes subliminally and other times in not-so-subtle ways, that we need to be busy all the time, that idleness is laziness, that idleness is weakness. However, Scripture tells us there is great benefit in times of quietness and rest. In Isaiah 30:15 we read these words – “In quietness and trust is your strength.”

The classic novel Moby Dick written by Herman Melville gives us a wonderful example of the importance of being productive when we need to be productive and being idle when we need to be idle. If you are not familiar with the story, let me quickly summarize the storyline of the book. It revolves around a wandering sailor named Ishmael and his voyage on the whaling ship “Pequod,” commanded by Captain Ahab. On a previous sailing voyage, an elusive and ferocious white whale named Moby Dick destroyed Ahab’s boat and bit off his leg. The story is narrated by Ishmael and tells us of Ahab’s pursuit for vengeance against Moby Dick.

In the chapter titled “The Dart,” the Pequod is in hot pursuit of the whale. This chapter gives us insight into the activity that is taking place on the deck as the captain and his crew rapidly sail out into the raging sea to kill the whale. The entire crew is focused on the task at hand, tensions are high, and by all indications, there is a lot of energy being used, even being wasted.

One member of the crew is charged with killing the whale. That person is the harpooner, and Melville tells us that even when the harpooner is exhausted, he is still expected to “drop and secure his oar, turn around on his center halfway, seize his harpoon from the crotch, and with what little strength may remain, he essays to pitch it somehow into the whale.” Melville goes on to say this, “No wonder, taking the whole fleet of whalemen in a body, that out of fifty fair chances for a dart, not five are successful.” And finally, Melville gives us his reason for such a low success rate, “If you take the breath out of his (harpooner) body how can you expect to find it there when needed most!”

On most whaleboats, the harpooner is actively helping the other crew members, but on Ahab’s boat, the harpooner is relaxed and quietly waiting. The chapter ends with these words; words that speak loudly to us (or at least to me) in this go-go-go culture – “To ensure the greatest efficiency in the dart, the harpooners of this world must start to their feet from out of idleness, and not from out of toil.”

So, make it a priority to balance the rhythms of work, play, and rest in your life. Doing so is not only wise, but also healthy, and it will help “ensure the greatest efficiency” in carrying out your God-given purpose for being on this earth.

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Music has been around since the beginning of time. Archaeologists have uncovered flutes made of clay and ivory that date back tens of thousands of years. In the 1950s, clay tablets containing what is thought to be the oldest known piece of music, “Hurrian Hymn No. 6,” an ode to the Canaanite goddess Nikkal, were excavated in Ugarit, Syria. On Christmas Eve in 1906, transmitted from Brant Rock, Massachusetts, Reginald Fessenden played “O Holy Night” on the violin in what is thought to be the first radio broadcast containing music.

In 1952, a music performance show began as a local program in Philadelphia, hosted by Bob Horn. When Horn ran into legal problems in 1956, the show got a new host, a clean-cut twenty-six year old disc jockey by the name of Dick Clark. Within a year, ABC picked up the local show, rebranded it as American Bandstand, and began broadcasting to a national audience.

When the television studio moved to a new building, one without a studio large enough to accommodate the show, it was forced to move from Philadelphia to Los Angeles. After taking over for Bob Horn, Dick Clark was the show’s only host, which ended its run in 1987. The show then ran in various forms of syndication for another two years, before finally going off air on October 7, 1989, with Dave Hirsch hosting the final season.  

The first song played when American Bandstand debuted to a national audience on August 5, 1957, was Jerry Lee Lewis’ rockabilly version of “Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin On.” The last performer on the show when it ended in 1987 was Laura Branigan. And in between those bookends, the Beastie Boys were AB’s first censured performer.

Needless to say, music and singing are a big part of our lives. We listen to music as we workout, while house cleaning, in the car, at concerts, wedding receptions, and most any other time and place, appropriate or otherwise. Music is about us, about how it makes you feel. Music often transports us back in time. Every time I hear “The Lion Sleeps Tonight” by The Tokens, I immediately go back to that first kiss with my then girlfriend, now wife. There is a genre or a song that speaks to every one of us. Since the first note was played, music has made us feel good. Sadly, today there are also genres that seem to invoke violence, hatred, discord.

There is one genre of music however that is not about us. This music is about the One it is being sung to. Worship music is intended not to make us happy, but rather, it is the love song of our hearts sung to God. We are transported into the presence of God through worship music. Music birthed from hearts hungry for God. The question isn’t “Did I like this song?” Instead, the proper question is, “Did God like it?”

John Wimber, founder of the Vineyard Movement, who was himself a musician, stressed that worship is not about us but about God. We are not “getting something” from worship, it is us giving to God, because he is worthy of our praise.  

The scriptures are filled with references to singing to God. Psalm 95 begins this way, “Oh come, let us sing to the LORD; let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation.” And the first verse of Psalm 96, “Oh sing to the LORD a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth.”        

So, I ask you today, is your “singing” heart of worship focused on you or upon the One worthy to be praised? Changing your focus really does make all the difference!

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We are a society that does not like waiting. Whether it is in line at the grocery store, at the drive-thru window, or at the security checkpoint at the airport, we just don’t like to wait. We are a microwave society; we want to push a few buttons and in one minute the meal is ready to eat. Even as those sixty seconds ticks off, we are antsy; we stand there tapping our foot as if to be saying to the microwave, “come on, hurry up!”

When we are waiting, it seems like time crawls along at a turtle’s pace; that slow deliberate speed. Yesterday we had a snapping turtle meander through our grass, on its way to the pond behind our yard. It certainly didn’t seem to be in any hurry. While snapping turtles won’t break any speed records on land, they swim substantially faster, up to five to six times faster than their walk.  

Or how about this – you look at the clock and it reads ten minutes before three in the afternoon and after what seems like hours you look again, only to see that just ten minutes have passed. Every one of us struggles with some level of impatience; it is just in our DNA.

We often have those same “hurry up” demands of God. We ask Him for something, and we often, if not always, want instant results. And we tell Him what we want and when we want it. But God uses two things to grow our faith – pain and waiting. Not only that, God’s timing and ways, they are perfect. He knows what we need and when we need it. We find these words in Ecclesiastes 3:11, “He has made everything beautiful in its own time.”  Elsewhere in Scripture, we are told, “This God – his way is perfect, the word of the LORD proves true; he is a shield for all those who take refuge in him” (Psalm 18:30).

By nature, I am not a good or patient wait-er. But having said that, as I continue in my faith journey, I am learning how to wait well, wait on God. I have seen time and time again the benefits of waiting on God’s timing instead of letting my impulsive nature kick in and do things in “Dave’s timing.” 

The Bible is filled with verses on waiting, and the benefit of waiting. In Psalm 27:14 we read, “Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD.” In Micah 7:7 we see, “But as for me, I watch in hope for the LORD, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me.” God’s faithfulness is good to those who wait on him, “The LORD is good to those who wait for him, the soul who seeks him” (Lamentations 3:25).

King David gives us this, his personal experience of deliverance, “I waited patiently for the LORD; he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand. He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear the LORD and put their trust in him” (Psalm 40:1-3). Notice David says that his renewed faith and confidence will inspire and encourage others as well.

So today, wait for the Lord. His timing is always perfect, even if from your limited perspective it seems as if He is crawling at a turtle’s pace!

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We are a world that is in perpetual motion. We run full bore from the minute we climb out of bed until the moment we collapse back into bed at night. Then once we climb back into bed at night we roll around and find ourselves not able to sleep; our bodies are exhausted, but our minds are still racing, thinking of a million things. Cell phones are never out of arms reach. Even weekends and vacations are of no help; we take our work and our technology with us wherever we go. And social media, oh my, it consumes, wastes, huge amounts of time and energy. Stillness is just not in our DNA.

Even though I have slowed down my pace, both due to aging and the cognitive deficits from my stroke, I am still guilty of letting the challenges, busyness, and chaotic nature of life interfere with my need for stillness, for quietness, for solitude. Last night my wife and I had the privilege of attending a concert that was mostly worship music. It was just what the doctor ordered for both of us. As I sat with my eyes closed, singing (badly, I might add), worshipping, it allowed me moments to experience God’s presence. In those moments, an overwhelming sense of peace and contentment resided in my soul.

Then, at home, as we settled into bed, and as my brain tried to settle itself, some of my favorite “be still” verses came to mind…

As the Israelites feared being killed by the Egyptians as they stared out at the intimidating Red Sea, Moses told them – “The LORD will fight for you, and you have to only be silent” (Exodus 14:14). 
 
In Psalm 62, the psalmist shows a strong resilience in the Lord, for rest is found in Him – “For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from him. For he alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress: I will not be shaken” (vv.5-6).
 
Living in a world filled with greed, rampant abuses of power, and suffering, Psalm 37 offers these comforting words – “Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him; fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way, over the one who carries out evil devices” (v.7).
 
God himself says this in Psalm 46 – “Be still and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!” (v.10).
 
What if each and every day we made Psalm 131 our own. It expresses King David’s walk with God, in which he has complete contentment because of a life fully submitted to, and trusting in, God. Here is that Psalm, which is only three verses – “O LORD, my heart is not lifted up; my eyes are not raised too high; I do not occupy myself with things too great and too marvelous for me. But I have calmed and quieted my soul, like a weaned child with its mother, like a weaned child is my soul within me.” 

There are mornings when the golf course pond behind our house is perfectly still. I just love that image of stillness; the beautiful reflection of trees cast upon a still pond’s glassy surface.

So, I ask… On a daily basis, are you purposefully carving out time and space to be quiet and still with God.

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