Day 330 – Are you a believer, or a follower?

Having a Heart in a Sometimes Heartless World

Scripture focus: Do what you’re told so that you’ll have a good life, a life of abundance and bounty, just as God promised, in a land abounding in milk and honey. Deuteronomy 6:3 The Message

“When I wrote Walking with God, one of the things I was hoping to make clear is the difference between being a believer and a follower of Jesus Christ. The follower is actually asking God what he is up to, where he is leading, inviting God into the details of life in order to align with his heart, his will.” (John Eldredge, October 2008 newsletter)

As adults, my children decide whether to believe or follow of their family system of origin. For example – Pete and I exercise just about every day – and our children have watched us do this since the day they were born. All of them believe in the benefits of exercise. They like it that when we help them move, we can lift the heavy stuff. Each has commented on how spry we are in comparison to their friends’ parents. They believe that our commitment to exercise helps us stay fit. But are they followers? Our children could believe without following. They could enjoy the knowledge and benefits of having reasonably fit parents, but choose for themselves the couch potato life.

Our choices reveal whether we’re believers or followers. Our daughter gets up early and goes to aerobics, always takes the stairs (never the elevator), loves kickboxing and relaxes with Pilates. She asks me questions about my latest exercise regime, and we compare notes. Our son goes to the Rose Bowl and runs every day – or hits the beach. He does push-ups and sit-ups every night – just like his dad. When our youngest gets stressed, he hits the treadmill or throws a lacrosse ball against the house. Our children follow us in this area of our life.

“…while we are, on one hand, the children of God, we have not really become the children of God until we are one heart and one mind with him. It helps me to make sense of good people I know who say they believe in God, or even love Jesus, but they don’t really seem to be changing in any noticeable way. Their personalities are pretty much the same as they were ten years ago; their lives look pretty much the same. They have not abandoned God. But they have not really pursued their own transformation, either. They don’t seem to be any closer to loving what he loves, meaning what he means, don’t seem to be seeking the same ends.” (John Eldredge, October 2008 newsletter)

In a family, to the extent that its members hang together – loving the same things, seeking the same ends – there’s a tight connection and bond. Children grow up to be sons and daughters. (We could spend weeks talking about whether or not this is good news or bad – but that’s not the subject for today!) It’s the same in the kingdom of God. If all that I believe is true – that God made me uniquely, he has plans and purposes for my life, he’s equipped me for a special grand epic adventure – and all I do is believe this truth, I may find myself feeling restless, frustrated, and “not quite right.” Believing this to be true, and not experiencing its reality on a daily basis would be horrible.

But when I follow – ahhh, there’s a difference. It’s the feet that march my belief into “being” – becoming the person who indeed, not only believes these things about God and self – but actually lives them. This is when we find ourselves unleashed. It’s the good life. May you march toward your own grand epic adventure today!

Recommended reading: Daniel 3 and Psalm 104 in the morning; 1 Peter 5 and Psalm 105 in the evening

Copyright 2008 NorthStar Community

Day 329 – Week 48 – Off the leash

Having a Heart in a Sometimes Heartless World

Scripture focus: Christ has set us free to live a free life. So take your stand! Never again let anyone put a harness of slavery on you. Galatians 5:1

Today I spent some time taping for one of our teaching DVDs. We took a road trip and shot footage in front of tall walls and on top of them too! Along the way, we met a lady who was agitated, paranoid and out of touch with the reality our team was experiencing. (I wouldn’t dare to judge which of us were sane!) Anyway, she was restless and unsettled. In losing touch with her world, she finds herself in a dangerous place. Blowing winds, ducks, street signs – all seek to destroy her. She’s not the only one restless! Many in our country are fretting over economic issues, global conflicts and a host of problems that leave us unsettled.

John Eldredge writes an interesting commentary in his recent newsletter when he says…”It seems that until we align ourselves with what God is up to in our lives, we are forever straining at the leash, unsettled, restless, sometimes feel as though God is not helping us, at other times feeling like we are fighting him. All the plans we make, the desires we hold, all that we spend our energy on is headed in some direction or other; we have something in mind. Sometimes I just want relief; sometimes I am angling for a happy life; sometimes I am simply trying to survive. It all seems amiss, and this passage explains why [he’s referring to the George MacDonald quote that is written out in Day 328 of this devotional series]. I may be a son, but I am not living like it.

Children live on a metaphorical parental leash. As parents, we know the immaturity of our children, and so we must protect them from dangers that they cannot see. Babies sleep in cribs because parents need to know they’ll stay there until morning. Toddlers are carried or hold their parent’s hands crossing streets. Third graders aren’t given driving permits. These are leashes. They are there to protect the young.

However, as children grow into sons and daughters, they’re no longer bound by a leash to their parental units. My adult children make their own life choices now. They choose how they spend their money, where they want to live, and what jobs they take. They pick their own dates and will decide someday who to marry. My children and their spouses will determine whether or not to make me a grandmother and if so, how many times. My husband and I have no votes in these choices – and that’s as it should be.

But Pete and I hope and pray that while they were leashed, we provided them with an environment that nurtured each of our three children’s true, God-created identities. We didn’t leash them to limit their opportunities or withhold the good life. We created an environment that was developmentally appropriate and in keeping with their maturity. We felt that we had a job to do so that when they were unleashed, they would be equipped to run toward their big dreams skillfully. I believe that this is what God is doing for us, too.

Sons and daughters eventually choose whether they want to be believers or followers (more on this distinction in tomorrow’s devotional) of their parents. And in terms of our spirituality – we face this same decision with our heavenly Father too.

Recommended reading: Daniel 1 and 2 in the morning; 1 Peter 4 and Psalm 103 in the evening

Copyright 2008 NorthStar Community

Day 328 – Week 47 At A Glance

Having a Heart in a Sometimes Heartless World

Scripture focus: And then take on an entirely new way of life – a God-fashioned life, a life renewed from the inside and working itself into your conduct as God accurately reproduces his character in you. Ephesians 4:24 The Message

What better summation of this week than The Message translation of Ephesians 4:24?

If we want to discover a life characterized by satisfaction – stuff has to change. This won’t be easy.

It’s exciting to think about a new way of life – until we realize that gaining this new life will require letting go of the old one. We won’t get to continue to live with a high foolishness factor. We’re going to have to learn how to live within the limits of God’s divine will. Did you get that one? We’re going to have to learn how to live within the limits of God’s divine will.

We won’t find a satisfying life while living like a bully or a cheat or a thief or victim. We won’t find the good life living like bad boys and girls.

It’s hard – learning how to change how we think, feel, and do.

But there will come a moment when all your hard work will pay off for you. It’s no telling when or where it will happen. An opportunity to love like God, to care about the things he cares about – will present itself. And you, in spite of your natural inclinations, will choose wisely. You’ll live like God.

And let me tell you – there is nothing sweeter on the face of this earth than participating in a God moment.

May you experience a God moment this week that allows you to live out your true, God-created identity!

You have completed 328 days of a 366 day journey. Way to go!

Recommended reading: Ezekiel 47 and 48 in the morning; 1 Peter 3 and psalm 102 in the evening

Copyright 2008 NorthStar Community

Day 327 – Just Like Dad Did

Having a Heart in a Sometimes Heartless World

Scripture focus: Mostly what God does is love you. Keep company with him and learn a life of love. Observe how Christ loved us. His love was not cautious but extravagant. He didn’t love in order to get something from us but to give everything of himself to us. Love like that. Ephesians 5:2 The Message

In John Eldredge’s latest news letter, he speaks of the relationship between a father and child as he quotes George MacDonald. It speaks far more eloquently than I ever could about the subject of yesterday’s devotional.

“To be a child is not necessarily to be a son or daughter. The childship is the lower condition of the upward process towards the sonship, the soil out of which the true sonship shall grow, the former without which the latter were impossible. God can no more than an earthly parent be content to have only children: he must have sons and daughters – children of his soul, of his spirit, of his love – not merely in the sense that he loves them, or even that they love him, but in the sense that they love like him, love as he loves. For this he does not adopt them; he dies to give them himself, thereby to raise his own to his heart; he gives them a birth from above; they are born again out of himself and into himself – for he is the one and the all. His children are not his real, true sons and daughters until they think like him, feel with him, judge as he judges, are at home with him, and without fear before him because he and they mean the same thing, love the same things, seek the same ends. For this are we created; it is the one end of our being, and includes all other ends whatever.” George MacDonald, Unspoken Sermons, chapter “Abba Father!”

We will discover our most satisfactory living, not by getting our way, but by allowing God to have his way with us. If we allow this refining and transforming process to occur – here’s what we can expect:

= We will learn to love like God.

= We will think like God.

= We will feel like God.

= We will judge as he judges.

= We will be at home with God.

= We will be without fear before him.

= We will love the same things as God.

= We will seek the same ends as God.

“For this are we created; it is the one end of our being…”

May you find your satisfying life today!

Recommended reading: Ezekiel 46 and Psalm 100 in the morning: 1 Peter 2, Psalm 101 in the evening

Copyright 2008 NorthStar Community

Day 326 – Satisfaction Requires Effort

Having a Heart in a Sometimes Heartless World

Scripture focus: Watch what God does, and then you do it, like children who learn proper behavior from their parents. Ephesians 5:1 The Message

Now this is tough, but true: we don’t pick what satisfies us, ask God to deliver it, and then receive the package like a gift from Santa.

The satisfying life is the learned life. It’s the experience of learning by watching. We watch what God does, and then we do it. That’s how kids learn.

So when Jesus came and did what God did – we learn some amazing things.

Jesus didn’t come to break a bunch of rules, but to fulfill the highest objective of those rules. So we follow him. We obey our earthly authorities – not because we always agree with the rules, but because Jesus said – “respect your earthly authority.”

When Jesus says love and pray for our enemies – this is uncomfortable, but necessary. And we get with our community and try to figure out what the heck that heavy duty command means.

God also instructs us in parenting, marriage, finance, employer/employee relations, and a host of other principles we’re learning how to practice in all our affairs. But remember – we’re learning to follow, not to avoid punishment. There’s a difference. Followers follow because they love their leader. Fearful people try to figure out how to live in a way to avoid punishment from those they feel have the “power” to condemn. That’s compliance.

We follow because that’s what kids do – they follow their dad. They do it because they love their daddy and want to grow up to be like him. They do it to fulfill their destiny.

Recommended reading: Ezekiel 44 and 45 in the morning; 1 Peter 1 and Psalm 99 in the evening

Copyright 2008 NorthStar Community