But You remain the same...

A while ago I read an article that contained pictures of an abandoned hotel in Croatia.  Below are a few pictures of how the hotel looked in 1984-5 when it was still in good repair.





After the Croation War of Independence in the early 90's the hotel lay in ruins from attacks during the war.  The article showed pictures of the once beautiful hotel in its now damaged and scarred state.


                                                                                                        



What struck me as I looked at these pictures was not the destruction that had taken place inside this beautiful hotel, but the glory of God that was displayed in the beauty of its surroundings.  I was reminded of the fact that even though the world that we live in is constantly changing, God remains the same.  Psalm 102:25-27 says, "In the beginning you laid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands.  They will perish, but you remain; they will all wear out like a garment.  Like clothing you will change them and they will be discarded.  But you remain the same, and your years will never end."

No matter what the circumstances or the trials, God will always remain the same faithful and loving God.  God never changes!

A Remarkable Love Story (by Leslie Ludy)

This story is taken from Eric and Leslie Ludy's book When God Writes Your Love Story.

Lieutenant John Blanchard stood in Grand Central Station, oblivious to the crowd bustling and scurrying around him.  With a racing heart, he fixed his eyes on the big clock towering overhead.  It was almost time.  At six o'clock, he would meet the girl he thought he loved--but had never met.  As the minutes ticked by, he kept wondering what color her eyes would be and what her voice would sound like when he heard her speak for the very first time.

John's mind drifted back over all that had happened in the past few years ever since his pilot training days in Florida at the beginning of World War II.  He fondly recalled his memorable visit to a library on his day off, when he'd picked up a book and started thumbing through the pages.  His eye had immediately been drawn to the beautiful and insightful notes someone had written in the margins of the book.  He found himself wishing he could meet this mysterious person who seemed so kind and wise.  He flipped to the front of the book and saw a name:  Harlyss Maynell, New York City.

On a whim, he decided to try to find her.  Hurrying out of the library, he tracked down a New York City phone book and looked up her address.  His heart skipped a beat when he saw her name and address listed in the phone book.  "Well--what have I got to lose?" he decided.  He wrote her a short letter, telling her how he'd found her name and expressing how much he appreciated the ideas and insights she'd expressed in the margins of the book.

He never really expected to hear from her.  And the day after he wrote the letter, he was shipped overseas to fight in the war.  But, to his amazement, she replied.  Her letter was forwarded to him overseas.

He remembered how her letter was just like the notes she had written in the pages of the book--gentle, kind, full of grace and wisdom.

He wrote to her again.  And soon they began corresponding.  All throughout his time as an Air Force pilot during the war, Harlyss's letters brought him joy and comfort in the midst of darkness and fear.  Each time he flew over Germany and heard the bombs all around him, he never knew if he would make it out alive.  He confessed his fears to Harlyss, and she encouraged him with scripture and to look to God for strength.

As they continued to write, John began to realize that he was falling in love with this amazing woman named Harlyss.  He wrote, "Please send me a picture of you," but she replied, "No, I won't.  Relationships are not built on what people look like."

Still, he was intrigued by her and longed to meet her in person.  John was elated when he found out that he could finally return to the United States on leave.  He wrote to Harlyss and asked if he could meet her in New York and take her to dinner.  She arranged to meet him on the day of his arrival at Grand Central station at six p.m. underneath the big clock.  "You'll know who I am because I'll be wearing a red rose," she told him in her letter.

At last the day had come, John fidgeted nervously as the clock struck six, his eyes glancing this way and that.  Suddenly, he caught a glimpse of a beautiful young woman in a pale green suit walking towards him, a coy smile on her face.  Her blonde hair lay back in curls from her delicate ears, and she had sparkling blue eyes.  She was one of the loveliest women John had ever seen.

Excitedly, John started toward her, entirely forgetting to notice that she was not wearing a red rose.  As he looked at her, she tilted her head teasingly, "Going my way, soldier?" she said.  John took a step closer to her.  And just then he saw another woman standing directly behind the girl in the green suit, with a bright red rose pinned to her coat.  It was Harlyss Maynell--the woman John had been waiting to meet for the past two years.  His heart sank.  She was a plump woman, well past forty.  She had graying hair tucked under a worn hat.  Her thick ankles were thrust into low shoes.

The girl in the green suit was walking quickly away.  John had to make a choice.  Should he follow after the beauty who had just spoken to him?  Or stay and face Harlyss Maynell?

He made his decision, and did not hesitate.  Choking back disappointment, he turned to the woman and smiled.  This would not be love, but maybe it would be something even better--a precious friendship for which John would always be eternally grateful.

"You must be Miss Maynell," he said kindly, extending his hand to her.  "I'm so glad you could meet me.  Will you join me for dinner?"

The older woman's face broadened into a smile.  "I don't know what this is all about, son," she replied, "but you know that young woman in the green suit who just went by?  I met her on the train.  She asked me to wear this rose on my coat.  She said that, if you should ask me to dinner, to tell you she's waiting for you in that big restaurant across the street.  She said it was some kind of a test."

Standing Against the Tide

I came across this quote by John Stam (a former missionary with China Inland Mission) a while back and thought it was a great challenge to Christians to stand up for the things they know to be right!

"Shall we beat a retreat, and turn back from our high calling in Christ Jesus; or dare we advance at God's command, in the face of the impossible?...  Let us remind ourselves that the Great Commission was never qualified by clauses calling for advance only if funds were plentiful and [there is] no hardship or self-denial involved.  On the contrary, we are told to expect tribulation and even persecution, but with it victory in Christ."                            - John Stam

Don't be afraid to stand against the tide of things and ideas that our culture tries to push on us and tell us are right.  God's word is clear about what things are acceptable for a Christian to do and what things are not.  If you ever wonder if something is okay for a Christian to do, look in your Bible.  The Bible is the ultimate road map of life for the Christian, and without it we will become completely lost in the world's ideas!  Romans 1:16 says, "I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes."

"Christian" Gossip

A group of ladies gets together for coffee every once in a while and they "catch up" on the news about their lives.  They all attend the same church and have generally the same circle of friends, so there are lots of mutual acquaintances.  After they have been chatting for a while, the conversation suddenly turns "spiritual" as people begin to share "prayer requests."  A few ailing parents and rebellious kids are mentioned, but the ladies ears start to perk up when one of the ladies begins to talk about a family from their church.  She describes the family as "struggling," and "going through a hard time," and finishes her monologue with, "We should really be praying for them."

Have you ever witnessed a conversation like this?

The word gossip is defined in the dictionary as, "Idle talk or rumor, especially about the personal or private affairs of others."  According to this definition, the ladies in the story above are gossiping about a family from their church.  But, it is important to be aware that not all sharing information about people is gossip.

A church was having some disagreements one time and there was a lot of gossip being spread about people.  In the midst of a discussion about gossip at one of their church meetings a lady stood up and said, "Well it isn't gossip if it's true!"  This woman's words reflect the attitude that a lot of people have towards gossip.

Clearly we cannot categorize every conversation we ever have that in any way relates to people not present as gossip, because it isn't all gossip.  In order to understand gossip, let's take a closer look at the heart that accompanies gossip...

Pride - We all have some personal pride, and we all have a desire for other people to think well of us.  If you are talking about someone in a way that makes you look really good, be careful!  You may be gossiping!

Jealousy - Sometimes we say nasty things about people because we are jealous of them.  Commandment #10 says, "You shall not covet."  Not only might you be gossiping, but you are breaking one of the Ten Commandments.

Self-righteousness - I think we all probably have moments when think things along the lines of:  "I am so much better than that sinful person!"  Sometimes that attitude comes out in our words and the things we say about other people.

Tear Someone Down - Ever wanted to talk really nastily about someone just for the sake of hurting them?  That is definitely gossip.

Attention for Self - A lot of gossip stems from a desire to get attention for one's self.  It is always fun to have the biggest and best story to tell, but that doesn't necessarily make it the right thing to do...

This is not an all-inclusive list of the motivations behind gossip, but it is a spring board for you to use in your own personal evaluation of the conversations that you have with your friends and family.  Ephesians 4:29 sums up our discussion of gossip and gives some great guidelines for evaluating your conversations.  It says, "Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen."

Worthy of Respect

We all know those few girls that we label as "flirts"--the ones who walk into a room and immediately identify their "target" by calling loudly to him, playfully hitting him, playing with his hair, squeezing onto the couch next to him--you can fill in the blanks here, I am sure you have seen this happen before.

Here's some food for thought:  If you watched a recording of your actions during any given day, would you call yourself a flirt?  I would guess that probably each and every one of us has had our moments like this, and we usually look back on them with embarrassment and hope that no one noticed our actions.

Here's a question for you:  Why is it that so many Christian girls go around flirting with the guys in their youth groups (schools, churches, etc.) and then practically in the same breath tell all their girlfriends that they are looking for a guy who will "respect me?"  Doesn't it seem a little strange to you that when you compare the actions with the words of these girls, they don't match up?

What does the Bible have to say about being worthy of respect?

1 Timothy 3:11 says, "...Women are to be worthy of respect, not malicious talkers but temperate and trustworthy in everything."

Uh oh...  You mean that we don't just get to sit around and day dream about having husbands some day who will respect us?  Wait a second, you mean I actually have to do something?!  The Bible is pretty clear that we are to be "worthy of respect."  I guess we might have to do a little work this time...

How does one become worthy of respect?

Let's go back to that girl we labeled a "flirt."  Do you think she is worthy of respect?

1 Timothy says that we are not to be "malicious talkers."  In today's English, that means don't gossip!  Be a trustworthy person.  Just because you hear something interesting about someone else doesn't mean you have to repeat it.  As women it is especially tempting to want to stay updated on every detail of everyone else's personal lives, but sometimes it is okay to be content and know that it isn't necessary to have all of that information.  (There will be a post about the sin of gossip coming out later this month...)

The passage above talks about a woman worthy of respect being "trustworthy."  If someone is trustworthy, you know that you can tell them your deepest, darkest secrets and they won't think any less of you.  A trustworthy woman can keep a secret.

What kind of secrets does a trustworthy woman keep?

A trustworthy woman keeps secrets about herself.  She doesn't flaunt her body to those around her by wearing immodest clothing.  She doesn't allow everyone to know her deepest longings and desires.  There is a mystery about the trustworthy woman because she guards the deepest and most intimate parts of her.

A foolproof formula?

Please be warned that the advice shared above on being a woman worthy of respect is not a foolproof formula for getting a husband (boyfriend, etc.) who will respect you.  On the contrary, it is a challenge to you to take these steps to becoming a woman who is worthy of respect.  Are you willing to accept the challenge?

Making Time for God

Do you ever get to the end of the day and realize that you didn't think about God once?  Maybe you missed your devotion time that day or you never once thought to pray to Him about that tough situation you are facing.  Does it ever feel like God gets forgotten in the busyness of daily life?

How do we make time for God?

I am proposing an attitude check to get us on the right path.  Christian author and speaker Leslie Ludy once said, "Stop trying to fit [Christ] into your life; instead, build your life around [Him]."  Maybe it seems like God doesn't fit into your life, but what if we made God the ultimate focus of our life and let all of the other little details fall into place around Him?  Let's make God be the foundation and the reason behind everything that we do and stop trying to fit Him into a little tiny hole that we have created in the midst of all of our daily activities.  Is God the focus of your life, or are you trying to squeeze Him into the moments in between activities?

How do you make God the focus of your life?

In her book, Authentic Beauty:  The Shaping a Set-Apart Young Woman, Leslie Ludy writes, "When we are passionately in love with our Prince, we put Him above all else--not just in theory, but also practically, in every moment of our day-to-day lives.  We do not live for the applause of heaven.  Our longings are not for people's approval but only for more and more of Him.  We are marked by an effortless, unshakable strength that is found in the presence of our perfect Lover."  The Bible tells us to "Set your hearts on things above where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.  Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things."  (Colossians 3:1-2)  Making God the focus of your life is a daily struggle to keep your eyes on Him and not to get distracted by the things of this world.  It is a conscious choice to hand the "reins" over to Him and allow God to guide your decisions and to be the ultimate authority of your life.

What are practical ways that we can make time for God?

Life happens, and people get busy, so how do we still make sufficient time for disciplines like prayer and Bible study?  Start with a simple evaluation of the time you spend on various activities.  Keep a record of approximately how much time you spend at school, sports, surfing the internet, on social media sites, watching TV, hitting the snooze button...  You may be surprised at the amount of time that you are spending on "unnecessary" activities.  Don't get me wrong, I am not saying that any of these things are inherently wrong, but it is good to evaluate what our priorities are.

Once you have taken a look at the amount of time that you are spending on various activities, start to think about which one (or ones) you could cut back on so that you have room in your schedule for God.  If you aren't willing to cut back on an activity or hobby that is eating up your time in order to spend time with God, you should probably reevaluate how much importance you are placing on that activity--anything that we put above God or higher than God is called an idol.

A warning:

I understand how hard it is to find time to spend with God in the busyness of daily life, but time in the Word and in prayer is vital to a relationship with Jesus and cannot be neglected.  If it is neglected, the relationship will become stagnant and the Christian will stop growing in their faith.  At this point, the Christian is at increased risk of being tempted away from their faith because they are not spending time investing in it like they should be.

Don't let yourself become that Christian!  Make time to spend with God!  I can guarantee you that spending time with Him will be more rewarding in the long run than whatever you have to give up in order to do it.

Meditations on Lamentations...

The book of Lamentations is a collection of five poems of grief that the author uses to express his grief over the impending captivity of Israel.  Though the grief of Lamentations is as deep and heavy as any ever recorded, hope lies at the bottom.  The author does not say "Cheer up!" to himself or anyone else.  He mourns passionately and fully.  But in mourning he looks to recovery.  The author expresses the full and dreadful horror of what he has seen, and he gives God full responsibility.  Yet, remembering that the Lord is a loving God, he counts on God to heal Israel's wounds.  This time of mourning will be followed by another time, a time to dance.  As you read the following passage, take a few moments to think about how it can encourage and challenge you in your walk with God.  The questions following the passage are designed to bring encouragement and challenge where needed.


"I remember my affliction and my wandering, the bitterness and the gall.  I well remember them, and my soul is downcast within me.  Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope:  Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail.  They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.  I say to myself, "The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him."  Lamentations 3:19-24

This passage offers hope to the afflicted.  How might God be offering you hope through this passage?

Does the passage give you confidence in God's unfailing and faithful love even during trials?

The passage says, "The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him."  Are you finding your contentment in the Lord, or are you looking elsewhere for it (things, pleasure, relationships, etc.)?

Great is Thy faithfulness! Great is Thy faithfulness!
  Morning by morning new mercies I see;
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided—
    Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!
(Intro adapted from the NIV 2011 Student Bible.  Great is Thy Faithfulness, words and music by William Runyan and Thomas Chislom.)