When we moved back to Pennsylvania, the farmhouse we lived in for a few months had no office space, so I did most of my writing at the kitchen table. Every day as I wrote, one of our cats would very patiently wait for me to pet him. He just sat in the windowsill, in no hurry to go anywhere, simply waiting and waiting. When I got up, he got up, following me wherever I went. When I sat back down, back up into the windowsill he went. Just waiting. And to this day, when I sit at our kitchen island and write, he still waits for me to pause and pet him, sitting in the chair next to me, just purring, just waiting and waiting and waiting.

Anytime we walk toward our kitchen, both our cats run over and sit there and wait. Waiting for us to open the pantry and give them treats. They will just sit there and wait and wait and wait. I could learn a lot from the patient waiting of our two cats.

In 2016, the Chicago Cubs beat the Cleveland Indians in seven games to win baseball’s World Series, which ended the 108-year drought for the Cubbies. Not only did winning the Series end that long drought, it also put to rest one of the longest running superstitions in professional sports. According to legend, in 1945, Chicago’s Billy Goat Tavern owner William Sianis brought his beloved pet goat to Game 4 of the World Series at Wrigley Field. Because of the goat’s odor, he was asked to leave the ballpark, and upon exiting, allegedly shouted, “Them Cubs, they ain’t gonna win no more.” The Cubs, who were up two games at the time, ended up losing Game 4, going on to lose the best-of-seven series, four games to three, and thus, “The Curse of the Billy Goat” was born.

Cubs fans had waited and waited for a championship, and they were tired of waiting. I imagine many of them had given up waiting, thinking the Cubs were destined to never again win baseball’s highest prize. Regardless of what you have been waiting for, I think you will agree; we are not a society that waits very well.

For some of you, you too are in the midst of a long dry spell, and you wonder when it will end. Or maybe you have been praying for something for what seems like an eternity, but so far, no answer from God. Or at least not the answer you hope for.

Usually when we think of waiting, we think passive, sit back with feet propped up, and wait – “I will wait until it stops raining to go outside.” But waiting on God is anything but passive. In Psalm 27, David expresses that waiting on God involves trusting (vv.1-3), seeking (4-6), and praying (7-12). And the hopeful psalm ends like this – “I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD” (13-14).

“I wait for the LORD, my whole being waits, and in his word I hope” (Psalm 130:5).

So today, even if it seems like you have been waiting and waiting and waiting, maybe patiently, maybe not so patiently, know this: “The LORD is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him” (Lamentations 3:25).

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We all know people who are unavailable and often unapproachable. You know, those people who are seemingly too busy or too distracted to listen to you. For many people, you need to get written onto their calendar, usually in pencil so it can be changed, months in advance, just to get a few minutes in the same room, or these days maybe video conferencing, with them.

My first academic advisor in college had office hours from six to seven in the morning, two days a week. And not just that, if I wanted to meet with him, I needed to make an appointment, by coming during those two hours he was in his office to schedule the meeting. There was no emailing or texting in those days. One time I finally got a few minutes with him, and entire time he was grading papers while I was talking. So, the message he seemed to send – I am really not too interested in meeting with you.

On the other hand, my college head football coach had an open door policy. Anytime Coach was in the office, his door was open, he was available, and no matter how busy he was, if I sat down in front of his desk, I had Coach’s undivided attention. I do not always get it right.

When someone wishes to talk to me, I try hard to be available and give them my undistracted attentiveness, but I am sure there have been times when I too, like my first academic advisor, appeared as if I was either too busy or not really interested in what they had to say.

While it is often hard to get people to listen to you, let alone give you what you might be asking for, we have a God who is always open for business. Early in His ministry, Jesus was on a hillside teaching those who came to taught, in what is called the Sermon on the Mount, found in Matthew Chapters 5-7. One of His many teachings that day was really an invitation to approach God with your needs. This went against the norm of that day; kings and rulers were not approachable without first being invited. In Matthew 7:7-8, Jesus says – “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks, it will be opened.” 

If you are a savvy Christian, then you probably are thinking, “Oh no no no, that ask-seek-knock thing, it comes with a lot of caveats” Yes, while it is true that we do not get everything we ask for and we can abuse or distort that invitation to ask-seek-knock, the thrust of Jesus’ message is that we have a God who is approachable and responsive. And yes, our requests do need to be in alignment with “let your will be done,” but again, the thrust of what Jesus is saying is that we have a God that invites us to commune with Him. Jesus is sitting on the hillside teaching the rule, not the exceptions.  

The three verses that follow the ones I just referenced tell us – “Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!” (vv.9-11).

So, today, take Jesus up on His invitation to ask, seek, and knock. God invites you into His office every time you come! He always has an open door policy. And in the midst of that interaction between you and your Heavenly Father, let Him work out what is and isn’t in His will. Based upon my experience, I have confidence that you and He can sort it out.   

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When I was growing up, the boys in our neighborhood used to try and catch each other’s shadows. We weren’t too successful. When you move, even just slightly, the shadow that is reflected onto the ground changes both in length and size. And if you stand completely still, your shadow will still constantly change as the sun’s position moves across the sky. The further away that the object creating the shadow is from the surface of projection, the larger the shadow. The length of a shadow is proportionate to the light source’s elevation angle.

Shadows and reflections are the opposite of one other – shadows are formed on a surface when an object blocks a light source whereas reflections are created when light bounces off a surface. Shadows are usually black in color and rarely beautiful, while reflections have rich color and are often vibrant. Think of your body’s dark shadow projected upon the ground in contrast to the beautiful reflection of trees cast upon a still pond’s glassy surface.  

No two shadows or reflections will ever stay the same; they are forever changing. Life is the same way; it is ever-changing, even if you stand still. In contrast to never-ending change in us and around us, we have a God who never changes. The theological word for this is immutable, which is defined as unchanging over time or unable to be changed. God Himself tells us that He does not change. In Malachi 3:6 we read, “I the LORD do not change.” We find these words in Hebrews 13:8 – “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.”  

And in James 1:17 we are told, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.”

There is another image of shadows that brings great comfort; that being God’s protection – “He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, ‘He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust’” (Psalm 91:1-2). 

Those who call Jesus Lord and Savior, thus turning their faces toward God, have a spiritual blind spot removed. A blind spot created by sin. A blind spot that keeps separated from God. The apostle Paul describes this separation, this lack of understanding, as a veil over our hearts (2 Corinthians 3:12-15), but then he offers us good news – “But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is removed” (3:16).

Furthermore, Paul goes on to offer this promise – “Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit” (3:17-18).

Solomon, the writer of Proverbs, and the wisest man to ever live (1 Kings 3:1-15; 4:29-34) wrote this in Proverbs 27:19 – “As water reflects the face, so the heart reflects the person.”

So, while you cannot avoid change, you can cling to and rest in the constant shadow of the ever-faithful, never-changing God; the same God who created you in His image, who loves you, and who wants nothing more than to be your rock and your protection as life shifts all around you. And the more we cling to God, the more He changes us, the more we begin to look like Him, and the more we reflect His perfect and beautiful image to the world around us!

God invites you, and he invites me, to draw near(er) to Him. . Whether for the first time, or as a recommittal, will you move toward God right now?

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When is the last time you said to yourself that you have too much – too much money, too much love, too much success, too much time, etc.? I am sure most of you have never said that, not even once. But on the contrary, many of us see ourselves as not having enough. You say if I only had more money, more friends, more time, more energy, more influence, more education, and maybe even more trust in God. You see yourself as not having enough. We limit what we do because we don’t think we have enough. We don’t think we have what it takes. We feel under-supplied, under-funded, and under-trained. We convince ourselves that we just don’t have enough.

As I continue to recover from a stroke, I have real thoughts as to whether or not I will have “enough” neurological capacity to do the things I still want to do in life. It is a reality that I am not able to function in some areas of my life at the level in which I did before my stroke. But it is also true that if I allowed myself to buy into my “not enough” feelings, those feelings could become excuses for not doing those things I want to do. And maybe worse yet, not fulfilling the plans and purposes God has for me.      

While the culture often tells us that we don’t have enough – isn’t that the underlying theme of most advertising – God, on the other hand, tells us that in and through Him, we will always have enough. You are probably familiar with a story found in all four Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John) in which five loaves of bread and two fish feeds a very large crowd. We are told the people ate until they were satisfied, and that there were leftovers. This story, while it does involve a miracle performed by Jesus, more directly points to the source of the miracle more than the miracle itself – it points to Jesus as being both our source and our provider. 

There is a similar story found in the Old Testament in which the prophet Elijah has an interaction with a poor widow who barely has enough flour and oil to make bread for herself and her son. Elijah instructs this widow to make him a small loaf of bread and then to go home and make a meal for herself and her son, promising that the jar of flour would not be used up and the jug of oil won’t not run dry.  

This woman was probably very confused, worrying about the scarcity she sees, yet she went away and did as Elijah told her. The story tells us they all ate for many days (v.15). Pretty cool, right! Well, the story does not end there. Here is what we read in v.16 – “For the jar of flour was not used up and the jug of oil did not run dry, in keeping with the word of the LORD spoken by Elijah.”

Did you get that? There was flour and oil left over! What at first appeared to be not enough, then looked to be just enough, was in fact more than enough. 

(To read this story in entirety: 1 Kings 17:8-16.)

What does all this mean? It is about trust and obedience. This story is really nothing more than when you say, “I can’t do that,” God says, “Yes, you can!” It is about looking to God, through His Son Jesus, as your endless source and your faithful provider.

God wants you to offer everything you have, and everything you are, to Him, even if it is nothing more than a handful of flour or little jar of oil.

Where do you need God to make your not enough into more than enough? What He did for the widow He can do for you too! So, today, will you trust God’s promise of “more than enough” rather than your “not enough”? It starts just as it did for the widow… “And she went and did as Elijah said” (v.15).

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With the official end of summer upon us, many people have headed to the beach for their last summer hurrah. It is good to be prepared when you go to the beach, so, in addition to sunscreen, hat, beach chairs, extra fluffy towels, cooler filled with beverages and snacks, and reading material, one more piece of important beach-gear is needed. A beach umbrella.

 Over the years we have learned a great deal about beach umbrellas. They need four things to do and be what they are intended for – keep you shaded from the hot sun and protected from the ultraviolet rays. First, the umbrella itself should be at least 6-1/2 feet in diameter to give you adequate space underneath it. Second, it needs a roof vent for stability; to keep the umbrella from turning inside out in gusty conditions. Third, the pole should be at least 1-1/4 inches in diameter and be made of sturdy aluminum. This will help it not to bend in those gusty winds.

And lastly, maybe most importantly, you need a solid anchor that screws into the sand to keep your umbrella securely fastened in the ground. Having an umbrella that is properly anchored into the sand allows it to do what it is intended to do. No matter how big or how pretty your umbrella is, it is of little value if you are constantly chasing it down the beach.  

If you have those four things, your umbrella will keep you protected. It is strong. It is beach-worthy.  

Not having a beach umbrella at all might be fine on certain days, but when the sun is its hottest or your skin begins to turn lobster red, even the smallest of umbrellas would have been a good idea. Even an umbrella not meeting my four beach-worthy criteria is better than no umbrella at all. Any is better than none.    

I see faith having a correlation to beach umbrellas. Not having faith in Jesus might be fine when everything is perfect, but when the heat is on or life beats down on you, let me speak to you from experience, faith is needed. Any faith at all. Faith properly anchored. Faith that isn’t constantly blowing down the beach.  

Having a strong faith does not necessarily mean big faith. It sometimes only requires faith as small as a mustard seed, then allowing those small things God has planted in our lives to become significant works of the Spirit. In Matthew 17, when the disciples could not cast out a demon, they asked Jesus why they could not do so. Click here to read the interaction between Jesus and his disciples. While most modern translations do use “little faith” to describe the faith of the disciples in this context, what Jesus was rebuking them for was at that moment their faith had been tested and it came up short. In other words – unbelief.

And having this strong faith, anchored in Jesus, a spiritual fullness in Jesus, is just what we read in Colossians 2:6-7 – “So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.” 

Is your faith beach-worthy or will it blow away at the first hint of breeze? Does your faith protect you from the harmful elements or does it just look pretty? Even small faith, as small as a mustard seed, will be of great value.

Note from Dave: Thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to read my writings. I will be taking a few weeks off from writing as a way to rest, relax, refresh, and recharge. In the meantime, if you are so inclined, you can check out my Archives page to find all my past writings.

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As we celebrate the Labor Day holiday, do you know its history and purpose? According to the U.S. Department of Labor website, “Labor Day, the first Monday in September, is the creation of the labor movement and is dedicated to the social and economic achievements of American workers. It constitutes a yearly national tribute to the contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of our country.”  

There is debate as to whether Peter McGuire, cofounder of the American Federation of Labor (AFL) or Matthew Maguire, who was secretary of the Central Labor Union of New York, first proposed this holiday to celebrate the labor force. Again, according to U.S. DOL, the form of the celebration was to be a street parade followed by a festival for the recreation and amusement of workers and their families. The first Labor Day holiday was celebrated on September 5, 1882. Oregon was the first state to make Labor Day a state holiday and in 1894 President Grover Cleveland made it a national holiday.

Here is a little-known bit of information – In 1909, the AFL designated the Sunday preceding Labor Day to be Labor Sunday, a day “dedicated to the spiritual and educational aspects of the labor movement.” It was meant to be a day for churches to pray for workers and to raise congregations’ awareness of issues of injustice surrounding workers’ rights and wages.

Now that you know the history and meaning of Labor Day, let me shift gears and focus on a verse found in John Chapter 6 – “Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on him God the Father has placed his seal of approval” (v.27).

First, let me say what this verse does not mean. It is not saying that you are not to work hard to earn a living for you and our family. This is not a verse advocating laziness or sloth. In fact, in 2 Thessalonians 3:10 the apostle Paul says this, “For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: The one who is unwilling to work shall not eat.”

Then what exactly is the verse telling us? What it does say is that you are not to focus upon your ability to work for anything more than meeting your “earthly” needs, because your job (or your ability to earn a living) can be gone in the blink of an eye; it can “spoil.” Jesus is telling us that we are to put our faith and trust in Him for meeting all our needs, including our ability to work and earn a living. Later on, in that same section of scripture Jesus says this, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty (John 6:35).” To read this story in its context, I encourage you to take a few minutes and read John 6:25-59.     

So, this Labor Day, as you celebrate the social and economic achievements of the American workforce, remember this – take a break from your hard work, celebrate your success and accomplishments, and most of all, rely on Jesus for your strength, prosperity, and well-being.  

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