Category Archives: Living Well

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Listen (Part 2) – Discipline

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He who neglects discipline despises himself, but he who listens to reproof acquires understanding. Proverbs 15:32

During my recent drive to New England and back, I was rounding a curve in the road using the passing lane.  A semi in the right lane put on their turn signal and proceeded to cut me off.  I was a bit irritated until a few moments later I saw that there was another vehicle in the breakdown lane.  The curve in the road blocked our view until the last moment.  The vision of the car seemed to be God’s way of adjusting my attitude about the driving of others.  Granted, I was a bit road weary and tired of being cut off by vehicles significantly exceeding the average speed of traffic.  However, in this case, I had made assumptions with limited information and errantly responded accordingly.

Discipline, rebuke, correction, constructive criticism, punishment, etc. are words that usually make us uncomfortable because the remind us of our fallibility and sinful nature.  Another challenge is that the person seeking to change our behavior is also fallible.   Consequently, the nature of our relationship usually determines how well we listen and whether or not we modify our conduct.  How we respond will also have an impact on that relationship.  The same is true of our bond with our Heavenly Father.  When He chooses to discipline us, we need to refrain from judgments about His goodness and love that undermine our relationship as we have very limited information.  Rather we ought to accept His guidance gladly by focusing on His motivation, goal and character.

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Listen (Part 1) – Instruction

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To set the tone of the post

Listen, my son, and be wise, and direct your heart in the way.  Proverbs 23:19

I have just returned from a trip that included driving 2,000 miles.  I was a bit apprehensive about the traveling that far alone as I didn’t really feel well.  This was compounded by the fact that recently Satan seems to be raising many doubts and fears.  However, as I look back, not only did God sustain and protect me, but He was also speaking to me.  Throughout the trip, He was working to reshape my thinking through instruction, discipline and reassurance.  The elements were all there, I just had to listen.  Most certainly I heard and understood the messages provided through the sermons that I listened to while driving; however, it took a near accident at the end of the trip to really get me to notice how much God had been speaking to me throughout my travels.  Honestly, I’m not sure I have gotten it all, however, over the next three posts I’d like to share how God used each of these to mature me in my faith.

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Blessed Endurance

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Further encouragement

We count those blessed who endured. You have heard of the endurance of Job and have seen the outcome of the Lord’s dealings, that the Lord is full of compassion and is merciful. James 5:11

Yesterday was a beautiful day so I went for a run.  While I managed to endure to the end, it wasn’t easy for several reasons. In addition to my normal health concerns, a couple of weeks ago, I had a respiratory infection that has left me with a nagging cough.   I have asthma and forgot to use my inhaler before the run.  I also have a knee that isn’t always the most cooperative as well as a wart being treated on one foot that can be uncomfortable.  I could go on, but you get the idea…there were obstacles that had to be endured to finish running the course.  Today it turned cold and rainy causing my body to ache significantly.  Further, it was one of those days when fatigue and lethargy set in.  Today’s form of endurance had a different nature, but was endurance nonetheless.  In fact, every day seems to require a fair amount of patient endurance.  I must accept undesired changes in my lifestyle and abilities as my body often seems to be my worst enemy.  It can be rather trying at times.  However, each day I do my best to: stand, run the race, endure with grace, and to live well.  Some days that goes fairly well while others see limited, if any, success.  I struggle daily to endure because of God’s involvement in my life.  From my perspective, here are three of the many encouragements to endure.

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Help – The Gift of Service

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Picture of Christ Helping Peter's Family

When Jesus came into Peter’s home, He saw his mother-in-law lying sick in bed with a fever. He touched her hand, and the fever left her; and she got up and waited on Him.  Matthew 8:14-15

This week celebrates the 93rd anniversary of my mother’s birth; the 98th anniversary of my father’s birth; and the the 73rd anniversary of their marriage.  Yes, they packed it all neatly into one week…with Mother’s Day thrown in for good measure regularly.  As I take time to remember them and what they meant to me, I am grateful for them and thankful that they pointed me to Christ from the time I was born.  Further, I am grateful for what they taught me through example.  A significant gift that they each exhibited regularly was their servant’s heart which caused them to be helpful and compassionate in a variety of circumstances.  It is a desire that was passed on to me.  As I prepare to make a lengthy drive to visit and help my mother-in-law, I am reminded of the honor and privilege it that it was to help my parents and my father-in-law at the end of their lives.  Now I have the opportunity to assist Ma as well.  When we help others whether through acts of service, encouragement, teaching or some other form, it is a blessing to both parties. 

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Rest

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Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, “Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.”  Mark 6:31

Going into this week I knew that it would be busy with obligations to family, friends and to you as readers.  I’m also trying to get yard work done early so that I don’t get so far behind that I wear myself out trying to get it all done before I do some traveling or get so stressed that I inflict stress on my wife.  In fact, I had so many tasks on my mind that I forgot that I was supposed to get my grandsons off of the bus Monday.  (They were safe as their parents have great neighbors; their parents kindly extended gracious forgiveness to me.) There was no room in this week for allergies, a sinus infection, a cold or whatever I have come down with.  I already struggle with my normal health concerns and I just don’t need another layer of illness, but there it is and I’ve been battling it for three days.  Even worse, when I thought it was getting better, I decided to work in the garden for an hour or so.  It was probably not the wisest choice as I have asthma and am allergic to dust, pollen and grass.  The point is that I didn’t listen to my body and tried to do everything…now I’m falling short and this isn’t the post that I started working on.

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Looking Good

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Looking Good portrait

Cast your burden upon the Lord and He will sustain you; He will never allow the righteous to be shaken.  Psalm 55:22

As I was going into the groomer’s shop this week to pick up our dog, our groomer was going to her car and looked at me but didn’t acknowledge me.  Later when she came back into the shop, she apologized for making me wait and stated that she thought I was a teenager using one of their parking spots and admitted that she was frustrated that a non-customer might be using their allotted parking space.  Given my age, salt and pepper hair, and a few extra pounds, the thought of me looking more than 40 years younger was laughable, but I took the “win”.  In her defense, I had on a hat, sun glasses and gym clothes making her quick glance less than informative.  Similar misconceptions may arise for those of us with invisible illnesses.  It can be challenging when people make assumptions regarding our health based on how we look.   When we make the effort to attend events and do our best to look good, others often fail to understand how ill we are, how difficult daily tasks can be, or how challenging it is for us to engage in social activities.  Those struggling with grief or various trials may face some of the same challenges with respect to the understanding or expectations of others as their struggle is not readily visible.  Even those with visible disorders may be challenged by the expectations and assumptions of others if they strive to present a strong demeanor.  Consequently, the phrase “you look good” can quickly crush our spirits.  This was certainly true for me for many years until I was shown a more biblical perspective that involves the impact of God’s sustaining grace.

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Divinely Placed

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Painting of Esther with King Ahasuerus

The LORD has made everything for its own purpose, even the wicked for the day of evil.  Proverbs 16:4

“Right time, right place” is a phrase commonly used to indicate good fortune.  Conversely, “wrong time, wrong place” is often used to describe an unfortunate outcome or tragedy.  Both of these imply coincidence, luck, or fate rather than direction at the hand of our sovereign Lord.   When it comes to God’s sovereignty and planning, people readily accept that our Creator is directly responsible for placing us in circumstances that we view as a blessing or useful service to God and man.    However, there is a great reluctance to include the difficult circumstances in life as God ordained placement, equipping, refinement, or calling home.  To put it another way, God is often seen as decidedly directing blessings, but assuming a reactionary role in trials.  Nevertheless, while God does not perpetrate evil, He resolutely creates each person, actively directs the course of their lives and decisively places them to accomplish His purposes.    Therefore, as the verse above indicates, we (both God fearing and wicked) are all created with purpose and equipped accordingly and Esther was no exception. 

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Christ Our Savior

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Picture of the Cross of Christ

Jesus spoke these things; and lifting up His eyes to heaven, He said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify Your Son, that the Son may glorify You.  John 17:1

Once again the celebration of Easter is upon us.  This often entails Palm Sunday, Good Friday and Easter services that include special choral numbers and solos.  While I have participated in the past, appreciate the artistry, and do not doubt the faith or the worship of those involved, I’m not a fan of those services.  I much prefer more quiet times of worship that offer opportunities of introspection, a greater understanding the sacrifice of our Savior and of God, or a call to draw near to God in unified worship.  It’s not that I am opposed to celebrating Easter, it’s just that I prefer to do it by focusing on the need for salvation, the reconciliation that Christ’s sacrifice provides, the broader scope of redemption, and the glory of God.

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Contentment Chosen or Abandoned

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Picture of Irish coast

Our soul waits for the Lord; He is our help and our shield.  For our heart rejoices in Him, because we trust in His holy name.  Let Your lovingkindness, O Lord, be upon us, according as we have hoped in You.  Psalm 33:20-22

When Marie and I first moved to Chattanooga, we lived on Lookout Mountain.  With respect to the greater area, it was known as the place where “old money” lived; that is, those with established wealth resided there.  While not everyone was wealthy, there were plenty of large houses and mansions as well as expensive cars.  Consequently, when we purchased a home, we chose to move into the valley which not only allowed us to purchase a better home for less money, but also made it easier to be content with what God had provided for us.   While I recognized at that time that coveting and the resulting lack of contentment were weaknesses of mine, God has used the various trials of life, especially my illness, to teach me about contentment and that it is, in fact, a choice.  When it comes to that choice, there are three options that can cause us to readily abandon contentment: entitlement, anger, and worry.

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