Streams in the Desert

Streams in the Desert

Thou remainest (Heb. 1:11).

There are always lone hearth-fires; so many! And those who sit beside them, with the empty chair, cannot restrain the tears that will come. One sits alone so much. There is some One unseen, just here within reach. But somehow we don't realize His presence. Realizing is blessed, but--rare. It belongs to the mood, to the feelings. It is dependent on weather conditions and bodily conditions. The rain, the heavy fog outside, the poor sleep, the twinging pain, these make one's mood so much, they seem to blur out the realizing.

But there is something a little higher up than realizing. It is yet more blessed. It is independent of these outer conditions, it is something that abides. It is this: recognizing that Presence unseen, so wondrous and quieting, so soothing and calming and warming. Recognize His presence--the Master's own. He is here, close by; His presence is real. Recognizing will help realizing, too, but it never depends on it.

Aye, more, immensely more, the Truth is a Presence, not a thing, a fact, a statement. Some One is present, a warm-hearted Friend, an all-powerful Lord. And this is the joyful truth for weeping hearts everywhere, whatever be the hand that has drawn the tears; by whatever stream it be that your weeping willow is planted.
--S. D. Gordon

When from my life the old-time joys have vanished,
Treasures once mine, I may no longer claim,
This truth may feed my hungry heart, and famished:
Lord, THOU REMAINEST THOU art still the same!

When streams have dried, those streams of glad refreshing--
Friendships so blest, so rich, so free;
When sun-kissed skies give place to clouds depressing,
Lord, THOU REMAINEST! Still my heart hath THEE.

When strength hath failed, and feet, now worn and weary,
On gladsome errands may no longer go,
Why should I sigh, or let the days be dreary?
Lord, THOU REMAINEST! Could'st Thou more bestow?

Thus through life's days--whoe'er or what may fail me,
Friends, friendships, joys, in small or great degree,
Songs may be mine, no sadness need assail me,
Lord, THOU REMAINEST! Still my heart hath THEE.
--J. D. Smith

Toys into Tools..... by Shawn McEvoy

Toys into Tools
by Shawn McEvoy

From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.Luke 12:48

With the start of football season this month, I've heard the phrase, "to whom much is given, much is required" used a lot... and that's a good thing. A great thing. Athletes, profiled on sports shows, have been given chances to explain how they are using their celebrity and money to help mankind, or even spread the gospel.

One prominent football player was interviewed about wanting to use what he's been given as a platform to further the Kingdom of God. His goals were reminiscent of the parable Jesus told about the difference between faithful and unfaithful servants, stewards of the kingdom. Faithful servants are to be about their master's will, not doing their own thing, not squandering what they've been given. They realize how much they've been granted, and understand there are punishments awaiting those who knowingly disobey (and even for those - albeit less severely - who unknowingly disobey. Seem harsh?).

I enjoy verses like our main verse today, where a concept is repeated synonymously for effect. The Bible's wisdom literature is ripe with this structure, and Jesus makes use of it here. The phrase "Everyone who has been given much" is echoed by "the one who has been entrusted with much," and "much will be demanded" becomes synonymous with "much more will be asked." It drives the point home.

We often hear the first part of this verse quoted, and it works fine by itself: "To whom much is given, much is required." That concept even works well in the secular world, so much so that non-Christians quote it, perhaps without even knowing it's biblical in origin, and superhero movies use it as a thematic element.

But this week, after seeing and reading those profiles of Christian athletes, I re-read the verse in its entirety, and it opened up a new level of meaning for me.

Generally, when I think of things I've been "given," or "gifts," I tend to think of presents, possessions... toys, even. Things that are mine. Things I can hoard, break, forget about, get tired of, use for personal gain, waste, sell, or lose. Some things we are "given" include salvation, spiritual gifts, genetic gifts, talents, financial blessing, testimonies, family, forgiveness, love, and more.

Now, does your perspective shift at all if you think of those things not merely as "things given," but as "things you are entrusted with"?

For me, the ante gets upped. There's a new level of seriousness. The steward who has faith must, by definition, be faithful.

My toys, as I grow up, must become my tools - the things the Master has given that He expects will be used to build and further His Kingdom.

Intersecting Faith & Life: What gift have you been entrusted with that you are still just playing with? Or hiding? Or wasting? Knowing the Master's will, decide what you would say if He returned today to find you not busy at Kingdom work. Then decide one way you can use what you have been entrusted with to edify others this week. You may not have the platform of a professional athlete, but you've been given all the requirements necessary to do the job assigned to you.

Jesus’ Word to the Wrongly Accused..... By Lynette Kittle

Jesus’ Word to the Wrongly AccusedBy Lynette Kittle

Set a guard over my mouth, Lord; keep watch over the door of my lips - Psalm 141:3

Have you ever been wrongly accused? Or had lies spoken or written about you, ones causing you to feel angry, ready to respond by verbally exploding and tearing apart the untrue words?

Social media is all about speaking our minds. It encourages us to “tell it like it is,” to “speak our minds,” to defend ourselves by “setting the record straight.”

However, Scripture gives us a better way of addressing insults and lies, urging us to, “Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone” (Colossians 4:6).

God's Word tells us Jesus' reaction to being wrongly accused: “When they hurled their insults at Him, He did not retaliate; when He suffered, He made no threats. Instead, He entrusted Himself to Him who judges justly” - 1 Peter 2:23

When we are wrongly accused, we’re encouraged to ask God to, “Set a guard over my mouth, Lord; keep watch over the door of my lips” (Psalm 141:3).

Whereas the world tells us to “let it all out,” Scripture directs us to use self-control before speaking. Unlike quick, snappy comebacks, Proverbs 10:11 explains how the mouths of the righteous are to be a fountain of life, meaning: rather than putting people in place, our words are to speak life to those around us.

Practicing self-control doesn’t mean we won’t ever confront or address what was said about us. But implementing self-control gives us an opportunity to calm down, weigh possible long-term outcomes from our words, and decide on the most effective way to address a situation.

Self-control also offers us the option of saying nothing in response. Even though today’s culture pushes us to respond quickly, Jesus modeled another way to react. He chose to say nothing in response, and leave the situation in God’s hands. As Matthew 27:12 describes, “When He was accused by the chief priests and the elders, He gave no answer.”

Jesus said in Matthew 15:11, “What goes into someone’s mouth does not defile them, but what comes out of their mouth, that is what defiles them.”

So, where do we find self-control for our words? Galatians 5:22,23 tells us, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law” (Galatians 5:22, 23).

Galatians 5:25, assures us if we live by the Spirit, we’ll be able to keep in step with the Spirit. So like Christ displayed self-control with His words, we can apply it to our speech, too.

2 Peter 1:4 explains that we can become partakers of God’s divine nature by choosing self-control to be at work in our lives, helping to guide our responses (2 Peter 1:6)

Have you been wrongly accused? Do you feel the urge to offer a scathing comeback or set the record straight? Take time today to think through a godly response to your pain, and before you respond, pray for the one who hurt you.

A Prayer for God to Heal a Broken Friendship..... By Anne Dahlhauser

A Prayer for God to Heal a Broken Friendship
By Anne Dahlhauser

“If an enemy were insulting me, I could endure it; if a foe were rising against me, I could hide. But it is you, a man like myself, my companion, my close friend, with whom I once enjoyed sweet fellowship at the house of God, as we walked about among the worshipers.” - Psalm 55:12-14

Conflicts are fertile ground in which relationships can grow deeper.

Recently, I had the gift - yes, the gift - of a season of awkward dancing and miscommunicating with a friend. We needed to focus on completing a task together, but we came to the work table hunched over with the weights of baggage, insecurities, fears, and distrust. As we worked, sensitive nerves were pressed and tensions rose to the point of nearly abandoning the task completely. Nearly.

But neither of us took the exit ramp, praise God. We stayed in it and willed our feet to stay pointed toward the benefit of the doubt.

Friends, what if unconditional, Jesus-love - the kind that secures the insecure, that heals the distrust, that covers shame, bandages hurts, and lifts off years of baggage - what if that kind of love is birthed from conflict-induced pain, not despite it?

So, raise the white flag. Choose grace. Ignore the exit ramp, and stay standing on that fertile, hopeful ground of loving relationships in God’s family. No good works, embellished with stick figures and I-love-Jesus-hearts, can distract a heavenly Father from the reality of His children leaving conflict unresolved. For the sake of His kingdom come and His will be done, let’s choose grace - uncomfortable, self-sacrificing, pride-swallowing, thorn-bearing Grace.

Lord, today I come to you hurting. This wound from a friend is almost more than I can bear. I feel broken hearted, and I want justice. Lord, I know that justice is not mine to give, so I come to you open-handed. Here is the friendship that has wounded me so much, Lord- take this hurt from me, help me feel your peace and your love toward me now.

I don’t want to extend grace. But I know you have been so gracious toward me- all my life you have lavished grace on me as I’ve sinned against you. Help me be humble. Help me see my part to play. Help me give grace and love toward my friend.

Soften my friend’s heart toward me now- let them return grace to me too.

In Jesus’ Name, Amen.