by Keith Miller | Christian Living, Weekly Devotional
Keith, a lot of my friends talk about being “blessed” all the time when something good happens to them. Recently a neighbor felt “blessed” because her husband got a raise. And last month a friend at work said she felt blessed because no one was hurt in a car wreck she was in. But Jesus said we’re blessed when we’ve just lost that which is most dear to us—things like that. So… what does being blessed really mean for a Christian?
Good question. I wrestled with that one for years because I came to God because I had already lost a lot, and already was at the end of my rope! Feeling terrible, I finally said, “Lord, just tell me straight. What good news do I have to share about being blessed when I’m at the end of my rope?”
And then my answer came. One morning I was stunned to read about Jesus’ telling his disciples to consider themselves blessed when they “lost what was most dear,” when they were “persecuted,” or even “at the end of their ropes.”—as if these tragedies were actually God’s delivery vehicles for sending us His blessings?
Ridiculous!
Then reading through all the beatitudes in Matthew 5, I saw…and my world changed. “Wow!” I thought. “Maybe the best news I can bring to an anxious world terrified of failure, personal rejection, and loss of loved ones is this: As I’m surrendering my life to Him—with all my failures and broken relationships—the Lord is giving me the courage, honesty—and willingness—to face, and walk through some of the most difficult problems this world has to offer, with my eyes wide open! And for me that has been wonderful news.
Before now, it hadn’t crossed my mind that the willingness, honesty, courage are the blessings from God I didn’t know to request. Yet they turned out to be doorways to the understanding and love I’ve always longed for.
Lord, thank you. Your “blessings” are Good News indeed when it comes to spiritual maturity—even if they sometimes feel a little like sandpaper. Amen
“You’re blessed when you’re at the end of your rope. With less of you there is more of God and his rule.” Matthew 5 (The Message)
by Keith Miller | Christian Living, Weekly Devotional
Keith, I am so over-committed that I wake up often on the verge of panic. The problem is that I’m a minister and can’t even find the time to pray anymore. It seems like I’m swimming like crazy but the shore is getting farther away. Have you ever had this experience? If so what did you do to get back on solid ground?
Oh yea, periodically as a new Christian, I wanted to help people and to be a part of everything Christians were learning or doing that appeared to be God’s will. But before long I had made more commitments than my calendar could possibly hold. I cut down on sleep, exercise, and play time with my family. But things got more and more chaotic, until one night I woke up in a nameless panic, staring with saucer eyes into the predawn blackness. I began thrashing around in my mind for solutions that didn’t involve failing or being shamed by having to admit I couldn’t fulfill all my commitments. Thoroughly revved up, I jumped up to another frantic day of jockeying appointments, meeting deadlines, and short-changing my family—promising that I was almost caught up. But something told me that wasn’t true, and in addition my frantic life was far from Jesus’ “peace that passes understanding,” but though I felt guilty giving up projects that seemed so “Christian”, I felt like I was about to drown—and the shore was getting further and further away.
My stomach was in a knot, my chest tight, my mind a buzzing bee hive that had been upset. As I tossed up a “please help me” prayer and lay down on the floor to do a few token sit-ups, a bizarre memory flashed on my inner screen—an old newspaper story: Before dawn on a cold December morning, three duck hunters in waist-high rubber waders—were thrown into the icy black water of an unfamiliar lake when their small flat-bottomed boat capsized. Thrashing around in the dark trying to swim ashore, all three drowned. The article said the accident was particularly tragic since the water where the boat capsized was less than five feet deep—but the men didn’t know. Had they not panicked, but simply put their feet down, they could have waded out.
*
I shook my head, smiling at my own blindness. I’d been struggling so frantically to take over Jesus’ job and save the world that I’d almost gone under, when all I had to do was stop, be still, and let my full weight down on God.
So I did—right then. And when I did that, I saw clearly that I am not God and I made some calls and cancelled some things. I’d been participating in and out of a need to be more than I am.
“Be still and know that I am God.” (Psalm 46:10 RSV)
Lord: Thank you that even when we’re in our worst messes you’re love is always close enough to stand on—if we will just quit thrashing, remember that You are God, and let our feet down!
by Keith Miller | Christian Living, Weekly Devotional
Keith, I go to church every Sunday but during the week I seem to rush from one activity to my next appointment. How can I find God during the week?
After several busy years of public witnessing and teaching as a new Christian, my spirit turned gray. I felt less and less intimate with God. One day, as I read the dramatic account of the judgment day scene in Matthew 25, I got a simple picture about how I might spend more intimate time getting to know Jesus.
The “Son of Man” Judge/ King divided the judgment day crowd into two groups: the sheep (the good guys) on his right and the goats (bad guys) on his left. He told the sheep they would be with him forever because they had cared for him, clothed and fed him, and visited him. The good guys said, “Sir, we don’t remember doing any of that for you.” The Judge replied, “Oh yes, when you did those things to a specific person who was overlooked or ignored, you did them to me.”
Then to the goats he said, “Get out you worthless goats. You didn’t feed me when I sas hungry, or care for me in any real way.” The goats objected, “When did we see you hungry, thirsty, sick or imprisoned and not respond?” The Judge replied, “When you didn’t do those simple things for someone overlooked or ignored, you overlooked and ignored me!”
Jesus seemed to be saying to me that morning, “Keith, I’m with you Sundays at church. But during my work week, I live with people who are poor, lonely, sick, imprisoned, or feeling marginalized—especially any such people who are at the end of their rope. If you want more intimate time with me between Sundays, that’s were you can find me.”
Soon after that, I visited a friend in the hospital, dying of cancer. As I listened to him share his experience of dying, I began to picture Jesus sitting inside my friend, cradling his heart. I could almost see the Lord smile and mouth the words silently, “Keith, I’m glad you came…I’ve been waiting for you.”
“I’m telling the solemn truth: Whenever you did one of these things to someone overlooked or ignored, that was me—you did it to me.”
Matthew 25: 40 (The Message)
Dear lord, thank you for offering us on the job training for heaven with you…learning your quiet ways of loving the little ones you died for. Amen
