Insights From Ireland: Behind the Story

This is part two of a three part series on my mission trip to Ireland. Read part one here. Read part three here.

Insights From Ireland: Behind the Story

Scripture

“Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds!” -Luke 12:24

Jacob's Card

Thoughts

“Leaving that which is familiar and comfortable … recover the loss of our heart and with the intimacy, beauty, and adventure of life with God.” –The Sacred Romance (John Eldridge)

I felt drawn to Ireland for continued growth in my journey, for more intimacy with my Father in heaven, thus being able to share this wonderful adventure with others. However, there is always more to a story. I needed to be drawn out of my comfort zone. I needed to see how committed I was to my faith and my willingness to share it with others. I needed something within me to come awake. I wanted to be like Peter and actually get out of the boat and into the water. Here are some of the “behind the scenes” stories that I didn’t share in Part 1.

Before “holiday” (which is what a lot of countries in that area call vacation), I was asked if I had made any plans for our time off. I hadn’t, so a group from my team invited me to go with them. Little did they know that my birthday would fall during this time. We traveled to Galway where they had already made arrangements to stay. I hadn’t booked a room and the Inn had none available (sound familiar?). One of my team members suggested four times to keep asking if a room had become available. The first three times – nothing. On my fourth and final attempt – a last-minute cancellation had occurred and unlike Mary and Joseph, a room became available for me at the Inn. God provides. Sometimes it takes patience and perseverance to see it happen. Even though I hadn’t planned ahead, God did. This helped me to lean on God even more than before.

Three days later – it was my birthday. Once again, I hadn’t planned anything. That morning, I confessed to the team that it was my birthday. From there, we visited the Cliffs of Moher, I was taken to a pub where someone bought me a beer and I was given a birthday card from my friends. The card had a picture of dentures sitting in water and a fish bowl with a fish saying, “Smiles a lot but doesn’t say much, does he …!” I still have the card (pictured above). That let me know that while I didn’t always feel comfortable talking, my smile said quite a lot. It was a great birthday, seeing a wonder of God’s creation, talking and laughing with friends – and oh – I also received my birthday spanks! I was surrounded by people willing to help make my day special and in the process, it became special for all of us.

Now for the big story. I had mentioned in Part 1 about the lady in her 60’s. We knocked on her door and she immediately said, “I don’t have time to talk to you. I am taking care of my elderly mother.” However – she left the door wide open. She invited us in and really wanted to hear what we had to say. She told us her story and her current situation. Feeling God kicking me in the butt – I opened up to this stranger and told her about having a brain tumor at the age of five, being told I had three months to live. Her expression changed as she said, “You do understand the struggles I have taking care of my mom.” Her brothers and sisters didn’t want to take care of their mother so the responsibility fell solely on her. I asked her why she felt she needed to be the one to take care of her mom. Her reply was, “Well, my mom took care of me when I was little, gave me a roof over my head, clothes on my back and food in my mouth. I want to do the same for her.” I explained to her that God wanted to do the same thing for her and her mom, through faith in His Son, Jesus Christ. As we began to leave, we asked if we could pray for her and her mom. She happily agreed. As we said our goodbyes, Kenny (our Team Leader), reached out to shake her hand. I got up to do the same. This woman threw her arms around me and gave me a kiss on the cheek. I didn’t know how to respond, so I took my cue from my birthday care and simply smiled. While Kenny and I were walking down the street to the next door, he looked at me and said, “Now we know why Jesus sent his apostles out two-by-two.” I became the butt of a joke for the rest of the summer, but I learned that behind every door is an opportunity that could lead to something wonderful.

With every story, there’s always more than meets the eye. I hadn’t planned on how to spend my time off. What transpired was better than I could’ve planned myself. I hadn’t planned on sharing my story with an almost-elderly woman taking care of her very elderly mother. What transpired spoke to both of our souls. Look a little closer and you’ll find that whatever story you’re in, it’s part of a much bigger story unfolding. This is where we’ll pick things up in Part 3.

Imagery

“I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For” -U2

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O_ISAntOom0

Caption: Even though we know our destinations, we need to keep searching for opportunities to share along the way.

Insights From Ireland: The Story

This is part one of a three part series on my mission trip to Ireland. Read part two here. Read part three here.

Insights From Ireland: The Story

Scripture

“The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, ‘Abba, Father.’” –Romans 8:15

The band, Abba

Thoughts

In 2002, I spent two months in Ireland as an intern with World Harvest Missions. Even 10 years later, my experiences still help shape my faith. Here a few reasons why.

Upon arriving in Dublin (three days late due to an airlines strike), I settled in at Kinlay House for two weeks. During this time I went through orientation and cross-cultural training to prepare me for the remaining six weeks. Then I traveled to Greystones (not to be confused with the castle of GraySkull) where I spent another two weeks. The first week was spent studying the book of Galatians, which led us into Sonship. This training pierced my heart and I came to a deeper understanding of who I really am – a son, not an orphan. I had the privilege of being discipled by Josiah Brancroft, who is now the head of World Harvest Missions.

I realized through this that I had so much fear inside, fear that I hadn’t ever acknowledged to myself. I was able to voice my fears to my brothers and sisters. As we were praying, one of the Irish leaders shared this verse – Romans 8:15. She personalized it and said to me, “For you, Jacob, did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of Sonship. And by him, you cry, ‘Abba, Father.’” I also learned that I cannot hide my feelings behind a wall of fear because if I do, I am sinning against God. I allowed God to start knocking this wall down, leaving a pile of rubble at my feet and opening me up to receive others’ love that Christ shows through them. This wall had served as a deflector shield, keeping people out. With this wall in rubble, I could now go out in the strength of my Father – not in my fear.

We interns were divided up into teams to go out into the community to share the Gospel. My team went door-to-door for two weeks in Westport to meet people, share Christ and offer a local opportunity for Bible Study. Lots of doors were closed in our faces, but a few were willing to hear what we had to offer. One door, in particular, ended up being providential. A lady in her 60’s answered the door and was too busy taking care of her elderly mother to talk. So—she kept the door open. This open door led to an amazing encounter that I’ll share in Part 2. One of the things I learned from this encounter is when we choose to keep knocking, God will open the door. I shared things with her that weren’t on the “normal” evangelical script. The result was definitely abnormal.

Overall, not many people seemed responsive to hearing the Gospel but a few weeks later, we heard that there were two people who called the local pastor we had partnered with, inquiring about the Bible Study that would begin that fall. With evangelism, I learned it’s more about what God wants to do, not the way we feel people should respond. At least two people were open to accepting Christ as their Savior who wouldn’t have been had we not been obedient to share.

From Westport, we moved onto Achill Island, with a population of about 4,000. At the time, there were only seven evangelical Christians on the entire island. While there, our job was to pray that God would open hearts and change lives. Ross Ryan, the church planter on Achill Island, prayed with each of us with the hope that we would leave the island weeping for the lost and that God would give us a picture of what hell would look like. I prayed then, as I still pray now, that God will continue this work in me and in the church community. I found my fear turning into something so much more powerful—a passion to reach those who don’t know the love of Christ.

Shortly after arriving back in the states, I received an email from a World Harvest apprentice that I worked with in Ireland who described perfectly what Ireland is like: beautiful, green and picturesque—ugly, empty, dry, barren and dangerous. There is more to this place than meets the eye. The same is true for our own homes, neighborhoods and communities.

This is why I titled this work, “Journey From Fear Into Faith.” I’ll expand on this more in Parts 2 & 3.

Pix From Ireland

Kindlay House

This reminded me of when Jacob was running from Esau. He used a stone for a pillow. This is where I slept for a week – although no one was chasing me, except maybe – God.

High Tower

Scripture tells us that a high tower is a safe haven. When the Vikings invaded, many people fled to this very tower.

Old Church

Caption:This church in Glendalough was built in the 1800’s. This is where the Book of Kells was written over 1,000 years ago. It is an illuminated manuscript Gospel book in Latin.

Dublin

Caption:The streets of Dublin – very busy and lots of pubs.

Jacob & Warrior

Caption:While riding bikes, we ran across this Celtic warrior. I still have no idea what he’s pointing at.

Countryside and stone walls

Caption:This is the image a lot of people think of when someone mentions Ireland.

Cliffs of Moher

Caption:Ireland is completely surrounded by water. These are the Cliffs of Moher. This is where I spent my 24th birthday.

Babble

Scripture

“So the one who boasts must boast in the Lord. For it is not the one commending himself who is approved, but the one the Lord commends.” –2 Corinthians 10:17-18

Thoughts

“De do do do, de da da da . . .”

The Tower of Babel was built by a king who wanted to make a name for himself. God saw into his heart, and said “I don’t think so.” The people were building this monument to themselves to call attention to their own abilities and achievements instead of bringing glory to God. While we may not be trying to build a tower that reaches to the heavens, we still “babble” in our ways today.

We often think of babbling as baby talk. When a newborn speaks, there are no words – just sounds. It’s cute, funny and entertaining, but if that baby never learns to speak a language, the babbling can become frustrating and concerning. Even though we grow up and learn to speak so people can understand us, too many of us keep the “babble” as part of lives. It’s like changing a baby’s diaper. The reason we change a diaper is so that the baby’s skin doesn’t get irritated, knowing the baby will mess him or herself again. Often times, we allow horrible talk, lies, gossip, slander and other messes come out of mouths. We know we need to “change” this, but we just keep making messes — that only One Person can really clean up …

Our understanding of ourselves and the world around us is finite. We are limited to the information we can absorb and understand. God has an infinite understanding of us and the universe. This means that when He speaks – we should listen. The source of our babble is pride. When we try to fix our own pride, we end up feeding it. Think about it, “I was able to deal with my own pride through my own efforts so that I am no longer arrogant about my own abilities and achievements.” It doesn’t work this way. For your pride to be “fixed,” you need someone who sees more and knows more than you do. God doesn’t want to tear you down. He wants you to see how much more value you can add to life by living for something beyond yourself.

So how can we learn to stop babbling?

God is God. I am not. Jesus is the only one who can help me tell the difference every day. We are broken and hurt people, which can cause us to heap brokenness and hurt on others. However, we have been given the invitation to …

Let all who thirst, let them come to the water
And let all who have nothing, let them come to the Lord
Without money, without price
Why should you pay the price, Except for the Lord
“Come to the Water” by John Foley

God never babbles. When He speaks, it’s because He knows what’s best and wants to share it with us. When you choose to listen to God’s Word and communicate His Truth, the babbling not only stops, butit is replaced by words that are uplifting and life-giving. If you ask me, we need a lot more of this and a lot less babble. If this were to happen within and through God’s Church, this world would be in a much better place.

Imagery

Babbling can be entertaining.

We can’t build a Stairway to Heaven no matter how hard we try.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BcL—4xQYA

What we try to build without God can easily be knocked down.

Rain

“May he come down like rain upon the mown grass, like showers that water the earth.”
–Psalm 72:6 (NASB)

I love the rain. I love the smell of it. I love watching it cascade from above down to the ground – covering everything. I can usually tell when it’s going to rain and I look forward to it. Rain can be very refreshing. The song Ripple (by the Grateful Dead) states: “Reach out your hand, if your cup is empty. If your cup is full, let it be again. Let it be known, there is a fountain that was not made by the hands of man.”

“You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You have anointed my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”
–Psalm 23:5-6 (NASB)

You can pour a glass of water and it tastes good and refreshing. But if I sit that cup down and come back a week later, it’s no good. Why? Because it’s stagnant. For water to remain fresh, it needs to be moving. If I am not moving as an individual, I am no good to anybody. I can become stuck, not allowing constant refreshment to fill my heart, mind and soul. When this happens, not only is the thought of rain appealing – it becomes a necessity.

“The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters.”
–Psalm 23:1-2 (NASB)

When the Israelites were in the desert, God provided manna from heaven. He “rained” on His people what they needed – but not always what they wanted. When we seek out “refreshment” from the wrong sources, it may seem good, but it doesn’t fill us. That kind of rain actually drains us. Only God knows what will fill our hearts and souls with what we NEED.

“Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it.”
–Matthew 7:13-14 (NASB)

We all have a path to follow. The road is for your steps alone. Seeking heavenly rain will help nourish, refresh and encourage you to keep walking forward, to keep moving. One travesty of life is a person’s choice to stop traveling the path, never seeing what lies ahead. Too many of us settle for a lesser path, seeking “refreshment” from sources that drain us and deter us. God wants something so much more for you – and He will send His rain to provide what you need, when you need it . . . so you can take the road less traveled. However – you need to ask Him!

Without God’s rain, I would not be able to continue in my walk with Him. His rain fills my cup, not the fountain made by the hand of man. Through all of the challenges I’ve faced, God has faced them with me and He has showered on me what I’ve needed. It hasn’t always been easy. I’ve asked lots of questions along the way. However – I know where my path leads and I am determined to get there. Thank you God for sending your rain!

Imagery

I just love this clip:

“I always like walking in the rain because no one can see me crying.” –Charlie Chaplin

“Some people feel the rain. Others just get wet.” –Bob Marley

Masks: Taking Them Off — Part 3 of 3

This is part three of a three part series on masks. Part one was about why we wear masks. Part two was about why we keep them on.

“You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.”
– Matthew 7:5 (NIV)

The mask blurs our vision so that we cannot see things clearly. We are more judgmental with the mask on. We need to be willing to take off our masks before helping others take theirs off. This is how we help each other, not hurt one another. Like the image below, you may find faults with this woman if you met her however – you need to know – this is my grandmother. If you choose to judge her, you’ll be met with a much different narrative from me. Every person you judge is a person who’s loved.

“You, then, why do you judge your brother or sister? Or why do you treat them with contempt? For we will all stand before God’s judgment seat.”
– Romans 14:10 (NIV)

Sometimes, the reason we judge others or see others in a different light is because we’re really seeing ourselves. It’s much easier to point out faults in others than to admit to faults ourselves. We make others the scapegoats for our misgivings. Why do we do this? What good comes from tearing someone else down? In the manner in which you judge, you will be judged. On the flip side, in the manner in which you love, you will be loved. Like the image below, power is found in taking off our masks and impacting others in small ways. This helps to keep the mask off.

“For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.”
– John 1:17 (NIV)

The next time you hear the devil whispering in your ear that you deserve judgment and condemnation, so what? I know someone who not only endured this, but conquered it. That person is Jesus Christ. Where Jesus is, so I will be also. Like the image below, with Jesus, no matter what the circumstance, we can dance freely.

“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.”
– Galatians 5:1 (NIV)

You are no longer a slave to fear. Be a slave to much greater things – the pursuit of righteousness, acceptance, love, forgiveness. Yes – you probably deserve judgment. Yes – you probably deserve condemnation. However, God’s love for you is bigger than His hatred of sin. God wants to free you, not condemn you. Jesus chose to accept you, not deny you. Like the image below, the chains have been broken. It’s up to you whether or not you choose to live in this freedom or place the chains back around your neck.

“Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.”
– 2 Corinthians 3:17 (NIV)

The chains are off. Jesus has crushed the head of our greatest enemy. Satan has no power over that which Jesus has authority. The more you live in the freedom of Christ, the more free you become. The more free you become, the less Satan’s voice can even get to your ears, let alone affect your thoughts. Taking off the mask can be hard. Keeping it off can be even harder. Truth is, we get so comfortable with the mask on that we sometimes fear the unknown of taking it off. How will people react? Will I know what steps to take? Who will reject me? Who will accept me? Even though the road may seem unclear, one thing is certain – there is freedom in taking off the mask. Like the image below, taking off the mask leads to an uncertain path, but that path leads us closer to God and God promises to direct our path.

Imagery:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W0hFhBjceGs]

Masks: Keeping Them On – Part 2 of 3

This post is part two of a three part series on masks. Part one was about why we wear masks. Part three is about taking our masks off.

Scripture

“You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to human traditions.”
–Mark 7:8 (NIV)

Thoughts

Putting on a mask is easy. Over time, it can become part of who we are. If we’re not careful, taking off the mask becomes what is needed for us to move forward in life and thrive…yet taking off the mask becomes seemingly impossible to do.

We become jaded.

With the mask, we hold onto our own views, even at the expense of ourselves or others. We become inwardly grown, wanting to believe what we already think or feel compared to allowing others to speak life into us. We would rather believe the lie within us than accept the truth presented to us. Being jaded, people can become afraid of you. They see what you don’t, yet they learn that you don’t care to see what’s right in front of you. Your mask starts to repel people. Those that stick around are conditioned to treat you based on your mask. If you’re really effective – you’ll even help others become jaded, too.

We become self-inflated.

If you put too much air in your tires, what happens? If you over-inflate a balloon, what happens? If you inflate yourself with too much hot air – or the things that don’t really matter – you’re head, your heart, your emotions and your sanity will explode. When you’re self-inflated, you can begin to live in constant fear of your bubble being burst. You start to fear that if “anyone finds out,” your whole life can explode in an instant.

We create a different sense of reality.

By wearing a mask, your reality exists in only one place – your mind. True reality takes a backseat to the one you’ve created. The false reality that you stare into when you look in the mirror day after day will get you in more trouble than just about anything else. Your mask will compel you to believe, think, act and behave in order to protect the mask above everything else. It will cause you to do things you wouldn’t normally do. An extreme case is the Newtown shooting. Most of us never go this far, but living a false reality will inevitably lead to harm.

We become more comfortable in the mask.

Your mask becomes a false safe haven. This is where you’re comfortable. When the lights go out, cockroaches run all over the house. When the lights come on, they scatter. Like cockroaches, you can become more comfortable keeping things in darkness than exposing them to the light. The danger here is this – If you’re more comfortable in the dark, you’ll never know what else is lurking right around you. It will remain hidden from you until it overtakes you! Do you really want to take this chance?

So – what do we plan on doing about the masks we wear? We can either keep them on and experience what the mask brings, or we can begin the journey of taking them off. This is where we’ll pick things up with part 3.

Imagery

Aerosmith sings about being jaded.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rw5C63blrMg

When we become overly self-inflated, only one thing can happen.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AKQKE0JfXtA

“So you think you can tell heaven from hell, blue skies from pain…” –Wish You Were Here, Pink Floyd

Can you really tell what’s real or what’s not through the eyes of the mask? Listen to this and let me know what you think.

Masks: Why We Wear Them – Part 1 of 3

This post is part one of a three part series on masks. Part two is about why we keep masks on. Part three is about taking masks off.

Scripture

“There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known.”
–Luke 12:2 (NIV)

Thoughts

“Pay no attention to the man behind the curtain.” –from the Wizard of Oz
Often times, we feel more comfortable standing behind some sort of curtain or mask. We feel like there are things we need to hide or keep secret. We allow others to see some of who we are, but not everything. By wearing this kind of mask, we stop being real. Taking off the mask means being willing to take an adventure where the outcome is uncertain. It may seem scary. It won’t be easy. But let me ask you a question – What do you gain by keeping on the mask?

“Who is that masked man?” –from The Lone Ranger
Keeping on the mask shelters us from the rest of the world. This may not be bad, but it could keep us from getting to know people and keeping others from getting to know us. We keep masks on sometimes for good reasons. The Lone Ranger used the mask to help people, but it didn’t define who he is. The mask was a part of him that allowed to act differently than when the mask was off. In real life, this isn’t what happens when we keep the mask on. We were designed for something greater. Any mask we wear lessens this purpose and magnifies a much lesser one.

“A man is least himself when he talks in his own person. Give him a mask, and he will tell you the truth.” –Oscar Wilde
If I’m wearing a mask, I can tell you anything I want and feel safe. I get to define the mask. I become inwardly focused, not outwardly focused. This means that all of my interactions are more about ME than anyone or anything else. In trying to build anything worthwhile, it needs to be more about US, not me. Our focus needs to be in the right place. How can we talk about anything real if a lot of what I’m adding to the mix is fake? Over time, this won’t work. If we continue to be fake with others and ourselves, we become fools. We need to create a strong bond. This cannot happen if one person is bonding with a mask or persona that isn’t authentic. Want an example? How about most of the romantic relationships teenagers get into with each other. Girls wants love. Guys want something else. Girls are willing to do anything for love. Guys are willing to do anything to get something else. They break up!

“A mask tells us more than a face.” –Oscar Wilde
It’s a heart issue! The heart can be deceitful and can become a mask. The mask can, and will, take over the longer you wear it. The very things you seek to hide or keep secret become who you are. The mask no longer hides … it starts protecting the very things you want to hide and allows them to fester, grow and take control. Like breaks on a car (or just about anything else for that matter) – if they aren’t checked and kept maintained, they will give out when you need them the most. If you don’t monitor your heart and keep it maintained, it will deteriorate and give out when you need it the most. In essence, the mask begins to kill your very being.

“In my brokenness, imperfection, and sin, He whispers three holy words: ‘You are Mine.’” –Margaret Feinberg (The Organic God)
A mask is, essentially, a lie. When lies are allowed to fester, grow and take control – the mask turns into something more difficult to simply take on and off. The lies get bigger. The mask becomes a big part of who you are. The mask begins to control you. (“I’ll get you my pretty, and your little dog, too!) You, then, become controlled by the lies YOU created. No matter how dirty or messed up you get, you can always be cleaned up – or redeemed. However, this is not something you can do on your own.

We wear masks for a lot of different reasons. To choose to take off the mask is difficult. This is nothing compared to what the mask can do if you keep it on. This is where we’ll pick things up with part 2.

Imagery

One of the most famous masks of all time!

Sometimes, we need to travel through the darkness and be willing to shed the masks we wear to figure out where we’re supposed to go:

Our masks are often centered around the wrong person or pursuit, which can cause a Landslide.

What the world needs more than your mask is your True Colors.

Taking off the mask might be difficult, but you’ll get to the point where you’ll want to remove it anyway.

Closer to the Burning

Scripture

“For our ‘God is a consuming fire.’” –Hebrews 12:29 (NIV)

“Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you.” –1 Peter 4:12 (NIV)

Thoughts

This thought all started when I listened to the song, “Closer to the Burning” by Steven Roach. This thought really clicked within me after having my right temporal lobe removed in August 2011. If you ask a silversmith when he knows something is ready to be taken out of the fire for good, his response will be along the lines of, “When I can see my reflection, I know it’s ready.” When it comes to how God wants to use us in this life, He knows we’re ready when He can see His reflection in us. To get there, we need to draw close to His all-consuming fire. We need to draw closer to the burning.

There are many scriptures that tell us about the fires of God. To name just a few, God first spoke to Moses through a burning bush. A fire guided the Israelites by night. God’s people burned sacrifices to Him. When Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego refused to worship the gods of King Nebuchadnezzar, the king ordered the furnace to be heated seven times hotter than usual and have them thrown in it. They left the furnace without so much as a mark. This story teaches us something very important.

There is a heavenly fire and an earthly fire. Earthly fires often look harmless or even fun. Heavenly fires often look unappealing and different because we’ve either never experienced them before or feel they will suck the fun out of life. How can you tell the difference? Two ways. The first way is the dangerous way – to hop into the fire. Drawing closer to earthly fires, you will get burned – sometimes to a crisp. Drawing closer to heavenly fires, you will become purified and refined. It may not always feel good. You might not like the process. The only way to truly reflect God’s character and Word is for the impurities within us to be dealt with – like the process a silversmith uses to purify metal. The second way is to know ahead of time which fires are which. The only way to know this is by knowing God’s heart, character and Word. He tells us which fires to walk through and which ones to stay away from. Our sin is what gets burned in God’s fire. We usually don’t like this part. However, it is our hearts, minds, souls and spirits that get burned in earthly fires. Often, we want to keep our sins safe within us while still experiencing the promises of God. This usually leads to death – discomfort, separation from God, bitterness. No matter how dirty we get, God can always clean us up.

I can remember singing the song “Sanctuary” during a church service. I raised my hands and with tears rolling down my cheeks, I felt the warmth of God’s Presence. In that moment, I was able to worship God with all my heart and His fire filled my soul. I didn’t want to go to work after that – I just wanted to stay where I was. On the flipside, if someone wanted me to go somewhere I know I shouldn’t – even if it’s for a good reason – I would be choosing to play with earthly fire. The chances of me getting burned increases when I choose to play too closely to earthly fire.

In Exodus 35:3, regulations stated that there are to be no fires made on the Sabbath. No work at all was to be done and the penalties were harsh for breaking these regulations. God wants to be our Light, our Warmth, our Provider. If we choose not to allow Him to purify and refine us, we cannot experience His full goodness. God doesn’t want you or I to get burned. But – He does want to purify and refine us for His good and perfect will.

So how do we draw closer to the burning, without getting burned?

We need to constantly run after Him, even though we’ll walk through trials as part of the journey.

We need to constantly worship Him, even though we won’t always feel like it or feel it does any good.

God needs to be our focus, like training for a race.

God needs to be our destination, like reaching the finish line of a race.

Unlike the one finish line you reach in a race, it’s about the journey, not the destination. God isn’t just waiting for you at the finish line. He’s running the race with you! You can run into God’s open arms as part of the journey every day and in every way. And – if you don’t feel like you can get entirely to Him on your own, God will run toward you as well to pick you up.

You will experience one fire or the other. Which “burning” will you choose?

Imagery

“There is more land to be taken
There are more nations to be shaken
There’s more praise to be given
There are hearts to be awakened
And I don’t plan on stopping
No – not until we’ve gotten
Everything You died to give.”
-From Closer to the Burning by Steven Roach

In Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark. Indy and Mary were spared from being burned when the Ark of the Covenant was opened. They had enough respect for God and awareness of their own imperfections that they knew they weren’t worthy of gazing into the Presence of God. The others wanted to gaze upon the contents of the Ark for selfish and personal gain. They got burned.

In The Matrix, Neo could choose to stay in darkness or be liberated – the red pill or the blue pill. Choosing liberation doesn’t mean a carefree, problem-free life. However, it is a life built on truth – eternal Truth.

“The road goes ever on and on down from the door where it began. Now far ahead the road has gone, and I must follow if I can pursuing it with eager feet, until it joins some larger way.” –J.R.R. Tolkien from The Hobbit.