I've Arrived!

I had such a sweet, tender encounter with Jesus when I was eight-years-old at a Christian youth camp. I remember it so well. We were singing “Kumbaya” and “I have decided to follow Jesus” around the campfire. The camp director invited those of us to raise our hand if we wanted a personal relationship with Jesus. I did. I believed. I received. I became a follower of Christ and our love story will continue through all eternity.

My sweet and tender story pales in comparison to the Apostle Paul’s (formerly called Saul) conversion story and experience. Paul had been persecuting Christians. A light from heaven blinded him and he heard the voice of Jesus saying "Saul, why do you persecute me?" We know the rest of the story where he came to believe in Jesus and became the notorious apostle who wrote nearly one-third of the New Testament.

So what did my young 8-year-old experience and St. Paul’s Damascus Road have in common? Like that song, we decided to follow Jesus. We could almost hear the choirs of angels singing in unison “You have arrived!” Now our lives were changed for so much good. We’re God’s, so NO problems. We’re born again, so LIFE will be a bed of roses. We know the truth, so NO more mistakes. God’s got our backs, so NO longer will people annoy us. Easy, peasy Christianity! Let's do this!

And the well-seasoned soldiers of faith say “Oh my dear, you have such a great imagination!" It is much more like being on an elite training team, like learning to be a Navy Seal (not that I really know what that is like – except for the movies where they nearly die from the training). There are grueling tests and drills. There’s an arch-enemy who wants, more than anything, to cause us to cave under the mere weight of it all. There are loads of bone-tired days and wrenching hard work. There is sweat, grit, and perseverance. It almost seems like we picked the wrong team to be on!

Oh, but there are so many reasons to say “WHY NOT?” There is heart. There is passion. There is dedication. There is vision. There is comfort. There is joy. There is peace. There is unexplainable love. And, I wouldn’t have it any other way, because, no matter what – with Jesus, there is always hope. Jesus delivers BIG TIME. Not just for eternity either. I confess there are times I need a deliverer right this minute! Jesus holds me. He relieves the pressure. Jesus is so…good. He surpasses easy. He is that good. And, so, our battle is good.

It makes us warriors. As crazy as it seems, our battles are good for us. They are conqueror-makers. It’s hardly about arriving, but all about journeying to touch the hem of His garment, pouring a bottle of perfume on His feet, reaching out to touch the nail scars in His hands. It’s grabbing hold of His hand and never letting go. It is walking in His footprints and sometimes letting Him carry us when we’re worn and tired. We become the most radiant and dedicated warriors ever. Deep in our hearts, we know, what He’s given us, is truly – the very best. When we understand that, we really have ARRIVED!

Are We Behaving Wisely?

Typically, we use the word, misbehaving, when it comes to the way our children act up. But, I'm sure you will agree that we have been inundated with "misbehaving" adults lately, particularly in the political arena. But, that's them, what about us? We faith-talking, Bible-toting, cross-wearing, Christ-following people are being watched by those in our sphere of influence. They scrutinize us and the life we live at home and outside the home is one we cannot afford to compromise or lose. Like David, we need to BEHAVE ourselves wisely. Take a look at his example:

We first hear about David` as a shepherd boy keeping watch over his father's sheep. Then we read about him being anointed by Samuel to become king one day. Soon he started serving King Saul in a musical capacity and though he still tended his sheep, when Saul called for him to play his music, he showed up. Not long after that, he defeated the Philistine giant, Goliath.

That conquest was greater than only killing Goliath. When the Philistines saw that their leader was dead, they ran in terror. That's when the Israeli armies ran after the Philistines, killed them all and plundered their tents. Not only were their enemies defeated, but they took home the goods and treasures with them.

The crowd's victory cheers went like this "Saul has slain his thousands, but David, his ten-thousands." From that point on, Saul's jealousy made him bound and determined to kill David, but all his attempts were foiled. This leads me back to my main point in today's post. In 1 Samuel 18:5, we read "So David went out wherever Saul sent him, and he BEHAVED wisely." Verse 14: "And David BEHAVED in all his ways, and the Lord was with him." In Verse 30, "David BEHAVED more wisely than all the servants of Saul so that his name became highly esteemed."

David did the right thing when the wrong thing was done to him. He could have become arrogant and self-serving when he received all the acclaim, but he BEHAVED well. He could have taken revenge on Saul, but he BEHAVED well. He BEHAVED well even when he carried a lot of responsibilities. As David behaved himself wisely he earned the respect of the people of Israel and even the servants of Saul. He served patiently and faithfully and he was noticed and respected for that.

Our country is in desperate need of Godly leadership. We need those who will live a life of integrity before God and others. Integrity is not just measured by who we are in public, but who we are in private when no one else is around. Integrity and character are doing the right thing when no one is watching. As followers of Christ, we should BEHAVE ourselves in such a way that it pleases and honors God. Shouldn't we, in every situation, be men and women of integrity? Shouldn't we consistently be asking ourselves: "Am I behaving well in this situation? Am I making a difference in the world around me? Do we hear God saying about us "She/He behaved wisely." If not, shouldn't we make it a priority to start NOW?