My Navigator

Over the past four years I have relied upon the Navigator on my phone for driving directions around the greater Portland area. For the most part I find this an indispensable tool, however, there are times when I do not follow the instructions, rely upon my instinct, and follow my own way. I drive ignoring the calm, emotionless voice on my phone encouraging me to “make the next u-turn”, or “recalculating”, or questioning if I “want to continue with navigation”. At times I have suffered the consequences of relying upon my instinct rather than trust my Navigator.

Last week while driving through downtown heading South, I ignored the clear instructions through the maze of one-way streets, trolley cars, and the Max toward the freeway, instead I relied upon my own way, a short-cut to beat the traffic. “Ha”, I scoffed as I evaded the heavy traffic streets. I whistled as I zipped through downtown. As I reached the point of access onto the freeway, I realized my access had been changed and now I was headed toward another highway without an opportunity to “recalculate”, “take the next exit”, or “make the next u-turn”. My whistle dried up. With a scowl, I hunched over the steering wheel as I drove several miles before the next off-ramp, backtracked and finally entered the freeway with a 5 mile detour, heavy traffic worse than downtown and wasted time. Unfortunately I have relived this experience many times with the various results of backtracking, dead ends, one-way streets or cul-de-sacs. Several times even my Navigator gave up on me and quit.

This reminds me of the goodness of God. God is good. It is not just his outward character it is his nature. His being is good, perfect and holy. He is just, merciful, longsuffering in patience, and compassionate, and He instructs each of us in how we are to live and conduct our lives in goodness. For us goodness is to know what is right, trust God’s instruction, and follow His course even when we are not sure what lies a head.

The Lord is good and right; he points sinners to the right way. – Psalm 25:8 NCV

God is my navigator through this maze of life with one-way streets, blocked access, dead-ends, construction, detours, accidents ahead, etc. When I listen to His calm, compassionate voice, trust in His instruction and obey I find myself on the right way. When I ignore Him, trust my instinct or think I know better that’s when I get lost, side-tracked, and stuck in an embarrassing and frustrating situation. Fortunately for me, now humbled and repentant, God is longsuffering and merciful and recalculates a route to get back on the right way. God is good and I am glad He is my Navigator.

Getting Older

I am getting older. Well we are all getting older as each minute passes by, but I have the annual marker that officially states I have aged another year, my birthday. I remember as a kid being excited about my birthday, having a party with friends, opening presents and as a teen it meant I could get my driver’s license or to vote for the first time. However, today I wouldn’t mind if we let the birthday counter skip a couple of years so I could stay at…well, 30 wouldn’t be too bad. The problem is we often feel or see the aging affects on our body. I don’t like it. Where there was once muscle it is now squishy, where there was quickness is now sluggishness, where there was endurance is now stopping to catch my breath, where there was get-up-and-go there is now sit-still-and-veg. Even my clothes are aging, not only in style (still stuck in the 80’s), but also in their climbing numbers.

This year I have come to the reality that something needs to change in my lifestyle for better health and wellness as my doctor nods his head in agreement. Since January I have discovered God’s principles of care, provision, protection and instruction for my physical and emotional health found throughout the O.T. and N.T. As a church family we engaged in a 13 part teaching, God’s Health Care Plan. At times I was amazed at the simplicity of God’s instruction, and how today our nutrition science backs up the daily and long term benefits of such. Like drinking more water will clear skin, promote better digestion, decrease appetite, reduce headaches, and can even protect our body from chronic diseases. Seriously though 8-10 cups a day seems like a lot of water with a lot of pit stops. I need to work on that one. The major areas were nutrition, exercise, portion control, and Divine intervention, the building blocks of instruction given by any physical trainer or nutrition coach.

Some great ideas have sprung from our study on this practical topic each one of us need to know. Many of us signed up for No Fast Food February, a pledge to seek healthier alternative choices instead of the convenience and habit of fast food for a month. We have others who will commit to the ten day Daniel Fast, based on events that unfolded in Daniel chapter 1. A time to seek God’s intervention, will or intimacy by an inner desire expressed through an outer discipline. Daniel made this request to the guard over him and the three Hebrew men groomed to be in the Babylonian King’s service.

“Please test your servants for ten days: Give us nothing but vegetables to eat and water to drink. 13 Then compare our appearance with that of the young men who eat the royal food, and treat your servants in accordance with what you see.” – Daniel 1:12-13

As you read the story, God honored Daniel’s request of obedience with health, knowledge, wisdom, spiritual gifts, and favor. After three years the King found none equal to them, and with ten times more wisdom and understanding than the other advisors. The rest of the story of Daniel and his friends are some of the most dramatic events in Hebrew history.

As for me, the beginning of 2011 has been a life altering reflection to align my lifestyle with God’s wisdom in regards to my physical and emotional health and wellness. Basic changes really, but ones that will put me on the path of God’s best for me as my years add up with strength, endurance and a little more get-up-and-go. I am proud of you. Those who are making similar lifestyle changes not just to lose weight or fit into certain clothes, but to align your daily lifestyle with the timeless principles God has already given for your own good.

Super Testimony

Super Bowl XLV is coming on the back of a blizzard in Dallas this Sunday. This football championship game has grown through the years to an unofficial American holiday. Friends and families travel and get together to watch the big game, share tail-gate foods, and cheer, cry, or yell with each pivotal play. Even non-football fans join in and make the Super Bowl the most watched televised event of the year. In the midst of all the pre-game hoopla, the half-time show, commercials, and the game on the field, I am grateful for some remarkable men who unashamedly let their love and devotion for Christ shine bright on the largest stage in America.

I think of Kurt Warner, quarterback for the Rams and Cardinals, while holding the Vince Lombardi Trophy in 1999 he gives a shout of praise and thanks to God for the nation to see, or during their loss to the Steelers in 2009, millions watched Kurt lead his team in huddle prayers before the game, during the game over an injured player, and even afterward with members from both teams. I also think of the quiet testimony of coach Tony Dungy, who led the Indianapolis Colts to a Super Bowl XLI, who has influenced thousands of young men to make a commitment to Christ, and to live lives of integrity. Last year’s Super Bowl winning QB, Drew Brees of the Saint’s has had the opportunity to share his testimony of receiving Christ in his life. All three have lived the ultimate guys dream to play or coach in the biggest sporting event of the year, and yet while the bright spotlights of America’s largest stage was directly focused on them, they have redirected that focus to God, Christ’s love and forgiveness in their life, and the strength they have found in following Him. Giving glory to God where they are at.

I think of a couple of questions for us: What is the stage that God has placed you on? When the spotlight is on how do we respond? Do we fully engage the opportunity God has placed before us to influence others for Christ? We may not have millions watching us hold up a trophy, pray on a field, read about our testimony, or speak at Christian conferences, but we have stage of influence while sitting in a classroom, working beside another, caring for family, and any interaction with neighbors and friends. Sometimes I think we become aware of the spotlight, straighten our shirt, clear our throat and do our best, however, I think most of the time we are not aware of the spotlight and miss opportunities of influence. If we were fully aware that throughout our day, the spotlight was on, and the stage we are standing on is exactly the one God has prepared for us, then we would fully be the living testimony of Christ’s love and power for all to see.

We all know of the Apostles who had an influence on the big stage: Peter, James, John and Paul, but another stood on his small stage and influenced his family, friends and the early church with just one statement of affirmation by the Apostle John.

Demetrius is well spoken of by everyone—and even by the truth itself. We also speak well of him, and you know that our testimony is true. – 3 John 12

Only a handful will stand on the podium, lift high the trophy, and proclaim thanks to God with most of America watching. For the rest of us, God has given us our stage to influence our world just the same. Do your friends, pastors and family affirm your living testimony like John declared of Demetrius? I hope so, for both you and me that they see us giving glory to God where we are at with a Super Testimony.