ready or not, here i come

Okay, I admit it. I’m a nerd.

There are lots of reasons to reach that conclusion, but it’s a reference to the fact that I’m an unofficial birdwatcher. Oh, I don’t take binoculars or a field manual on my walks in the park, but I do enjoy spotting birds and trying to figure out what they are.

More than that, I just enjoy watching them do whatever it is they’re doing. And their chirping and song-making makes me smile and helps lower my blood pressure. And that’s a good thing for a Type A Personality like me.

This morning I watched several robins bathing in the creek. One-by-one they’d walk down to the water, wade out a little bid and then do their splash routine. Who needs a shower head when you’ve got wings to get the water where it needs to go?

While that was entertaining, so were the woodpeckers in the trees above. I love watching them walk up and down the sides of trees, seemingly defying gravity. And I never cease to wonder how they can peck so violently and not rattle their tiny brains and then stagger around in pain.

My hunch is most of you aren’t nerdy like me. You probably think birds are okay—maybe even more than okay—but you certainly don’t consider yourself a birdwatcher like me. Shudder!

I hope you are a watcher, however—not of birds, but of Christ.

You see, Jesus told us He’s coming back, and for us to anticipate it and be ready for it. And, yes, to even watch for it.

"Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning, like men waiting for their master to return from a wedding banquet, so that when he comes and knocks they can immediately open the door for him. It will be good for those servants whose master finds them watching when he comes. I tell you the truth, he will dress himself to serve, will have them recline at the table and will come and wait on them.

It will be good for those servants whose master finds them ready, even if he comes in the second or third watch of the night. But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into. You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.”1

I know, I know. This is a long passage and Christ says some strange things. We won’t take the time to explain everything—it would take too long. Instead, just focus on the underlined portions.

This is Christ’s main point: “I’m coming back and you need to be watching and you need to be ready for it.”

So, are you ready? That is, are you living a holy and godly life and serving Jesus to the best of your ability? Are you ready for your master to return?

You don’t need to be a bird-watching nerd like me. But you do need to be Christ-watcher. He’s coming back and it could be any moment.

Are you ready?

“It will be good for those servants whose master finds them watching when he comes.”

1  Luke 12:35-40

money & worry

I don’t love money. I really don’t. But I sure do wish I had more of it.

Can anybody relate?

I’m tired of driving a 16-year-old car, wearing clothes from Goodwill, and wondering how in the world we’ll ever be able to retire. Memo to my kids: Can mom and I live in your basement?

I don’t love money. I really don’t. But I sure do wish I had more of it.

Can anybody relate?

Of course you can. Who among us hasn’t fretted over money and wanted more of it? If you claim that you haven’t, well, you must not be human.

Naturally Jesus says something about this topic. It’s a long passage, but it’s rich in content and application. If you’ve never read it, you’re in for a treat.

"No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money. Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes?

"Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?

"And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?

"So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”1

There’s so much here I could write forever, but won’t. For the sake of brevity let’s just make three observations:

1.      If we worry about money and the things it buys (i.e., food and clothes), then we’re devoted to it vs. God. May be hard to swallow, but true. Read the first three sentences again.

2.      Worrying—about money or anything else—has absolutely no value. None. God will provide what we need, when we need it. When we worry and don’t trust the Lord to take care of us, we have little faith.

3.      The solution to worry is seeking Christ’s kingdom and righteousness. Putting our complete trust in Jesus ensures we will be devoted to God vs. money.

Once again I find myself in an embarrassing situation. It sounds as if maybe there’s a sense in which I do love money sometimes, where I am devoted to money instead of God. I obviously have some issues when it comes to trusting the Lord as much as I should. Maybe you do, too.

If so, here are three suggestions:

1.      Read what Jesus says at least a few more times. Let it get in your head—really get in your head. We’ve barely scratched the surface on what’s there. Really good stuff.

2.      Memorize verse 33. “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” Having this verse at your disposal will help ward off worry when it comes. And if you’re like me, it will come.

3.      Join me in this prayer. “Heavenly Father, please forgive those times when we worry about money and the things of this world. When we do that, it means we’re not trusting you enough. Please help us seek first your kingdom and your righteousness, knowing you will provide us what we need. Thank you in advance for answering this prayer. Amen.”

Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?

1  Matthew 6:24-34

P.S. Praise God! We received a much-needed check in the mail today from a supporter of my ministry just before I posted this entry. How’s that for a timely example of God providing for His people?! “Am (I) not much more valuable than (the birds of the air?)” So are you.