Making Much of Him Forever

I am reading John Pipers book, "Don't Waste Your Life". In it he says, "Jesus said to Paul in pain-and to all of us who treasure him more than pain-free living-"My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness" (2 Corinthians 12:8). Many professing Christians would get angry at this design. They might even scream, "I don't care about your power being perfected! I am in pain! If you love me, get me out of this!" that was not Paul's response. Paul had learned what love is. Love is not Christ's making much of us or making life easy. Love is doing what he must do, at great cost to himself (and often to us), to enable us to enjoy making much of him forever. So Paul responds to Christ's design,"Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions and calamities. For when I am weak then I am strong" (2 Corinthians 12:9-10.

Piper is causing me to ask myself some questions. I encourage you to ask yourself these questions as well.

Do I treasure Him more than pain free living? If the answer is yes, then what should my response be when he allows pain into my life?

How can I let Him make His power perfected in my weakness?

Do I believe my pain is a result of His love for me? In my pain am I making much of Him? Could I do it forever even if the pain intensifies?

Am I content with my weaknesses and my hardships? Does my attitude show it?

My pain and your pain came at a great cost to God! He will not waste your pain. Let Him perfect the purpose in it. Trust Him. Do your part by making much of Him in the midst of it. Don't waste your pain and suffering! Take up your cross and follow Jesus. He knows the way home!

Vertical Vision

I struggled emotionally through most of yesterday. I felt sad and irritated a good part of the day and yet I couldn't really put my finger on what was causing me to feel this way. I was shopping at Costco to get Betty (my mother-in-law) some things she needed. I called Taryn to see if she and mom would like something to eat. I ordered the chicken bake, churro and vanilla ice cream they asked for and then headed to the car with all of this in my hands fighting back tears. At that moment I desperately wanted to be "normal". I don't want to fight cancer for the rest of my life. I want to be able to eat whatever I want and not worry if those choices could ultimately lead to cancer coming back. The weight of battling cancer came flooding in to my heart once again. Along with it came the weight of teaching, parenting, our finances, trying to keep up with my home and yard and being a care giver.

After dropping the groceries off, Sewell and I headed to the stadium for the Call Event. It was a great time as the people of San Diego gathered to cry out to God to intervene in this upcoming election, especially for the passing of Proposition 8. Even though it was an encouraging time I felt overwhelmed with sadness as I reflected on how far our nation's heart has turned from God. I got up this morning wanting to be free of the weight that rested so heavily on my heart yesterday. The word "vertical vision" came flooding into my mind. God gently reminded me that yesterday I had forgotten to LOOK UP. Psalm 121 says:

"I lift up my eyes to the hills-where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.
He will not let your foot slip-he who watches over you will not slumber;
indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.
The LORD watches over you-the LORD is your shade at your right hand; the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night.
The LORD will keep you from all harm-he will watch over your life;
the LORD will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore."

As I lift my eyes to the Lord, and take them off my circumstances, he promises to help me. He doesn't sleep on the job. He watches over me. He will give me give me shade from the heat of the journey. He will take care of me all day and all night. He watches over my life-every detail. He will do the same for you. Today, no matter what you face, or how much stress is in your life, choose VERTICAL VISION. When you do, everything changes. I know it did for me. I can be thankful that I am healed of cancer and my lifestyle changes will give me great health even when I'm in my 90's. All this hard work will not only benefit me, but my family. I know there is a bigger picture in all of it. Horizontal vision keeps us focused on what is here and now, not what is to come. Trust God for His plan and purpose in all the pain, stress, and struggle.

My mother loved puzzles. No matter how difficult, or how many pieces the puzzle had, my mom could always figure it out. She just kept focusing on the picture on the box. She would patiently pick up each piece, compare it to the picture on the box lid then try to place it where she thought it should go. If it didn't fit, she would lay it aside and go to the next piece. I never saw a puzzle my mom could not complete no matter how many thousands of pieces it had.

God knows where every puzzle piece fits in your life. Keep trusting Him to put it all together. Someday when you get to heaven I believe you will finally see the picture on the top of your puzzle box. Every trial, every pain, every hardship, every struggle will be part of the breathtaking scene before you. Cling to this hope with Vertical Vision!