Travel Reflections

"For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few that find it." Matthew 7:14

This is the verse that kept ringing in my ears on Sunday as I sat in the airport in Denver, waiting for my connecting flight to Grand Rapids. Hundreds upon hundreds of people around me - waiting to board, getting off planes, standing in lines for coffee, pushing strollers, standing where the seats were no longer available.

I imagined myself stepping into the walkway between the gates and raising my hands and saying in a loud voice, "Excuse me, excuse me...does anyone in here love Jesus?" The reason I imagined it is that many times when I do impulsive things, I picture it in my mind first before I decide to do it. I really thought about it, but then the image of people panicking while I was trying to quiet the room, as if I would have been something to be afraid of, and then the image of me being tackled by security and air marshals kept me from enacting my public poll.

But, I do know what the Word says. It says that few find the road to life.

Few.

In an airport that packed and busy, there would be few believers present.

How about here in Western Michigan? Are we the virtual Promised Land? Are there more than few who know the Lord?

Well, we act like everyone knows Him - that's why we're not more evangelistic. And most certainly, everyone goes to church, so they must be on the narrow way, right?

As we prepare to launch the church in Spring Lake (29 days and counting!), this verse gives me motivation. People need the Lord. Our message is not going out in vain to a well-church, already saved community. I am not going to be fooled by the number church-goers, nor will I be discouraged by those who don't think Western Michigan needs another church. I know that the fields are vast and the mission is needed.

I'm excited to walk this narrow road and squeeze through this tiny gate with those whom God has ordained would walk with me. But after my reminder of how large the world really is this past weekend, I am also sobered to the calling.

So, I have a question for my readers. Why is the way so narrow and the gate so small? What do you think that means?

Thanks for your input...

Paul's Thorn in the Flesh - My Prayer Request

"Because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, for this reason, to keep me from exalting myself, there was given me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me--to keep me from exalting myself! Concerning this I implored the Lord three times that it might leave me. And He has said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness." Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ's sake, for when I am weak, then I am strong." II Corinthians 12:7-10

I don't often use my blog for prayer requests. Bottom line, I am not comfortable making this about me at all. I honestly desire that my musings be directed at the One who took my place. But I'm breaking one of my rules this afternoon, because His Word has been ringing in my ears and I want to share this with you.

I love how Paul points to his thorn in the flesh and declares - twice - that it's there to keep him from exalting himself.

Speaking at a women's conference can be a prideful thing. I have spoken locally and around the world and I have to admit, I really have nothing to share, if not for the goodness of God. There is nothing in me that would draw a crowd, save His love and the heart to encourage sisters in their walk.

That being said, the Lord actively desires that I walk in humility. When I attempt to teach in my own strength, it will always turn disastrous. But when I recognize my weaknesses, it is then that He is strong.

Well, friends...I'm pretty weak right now. I rarely get sick but when I do, it's usually when I can't afford it. Now, I've got this sinus/throat/headache thing that most of you have had and I'm really not feeling sorry for myself because I know this will pass.

The problem is that tomorrow morning I need to get on a flight to Montana to speak at a women's conference on Saturday. I feel sorry for those gals because at the moment they are not getting a very pretty package from Western Michigan. But all day I have heard the words, "I am well content with weaknesses...for when I am weak, then I am strong." So, truth be known, I'm actually excited for this weekend, because in my weakness, God will show up in a big way. He will make it so much more about Him, because His message will come from one who is weak.

So, here are my prayer requests for the weekend - please pray for the women who are coming to the conference. Pray that they would hear from the Lord and be able to see past His mouthpiece. Pray that their hearts would be moved to change as they draw closer to the Lord and enlarge their understanding of Him. Thank Him for continually reminding me that His power is perfected in my weakness and for His humbling grace that will allow me, in a lesser state, to impart truth from His Word, all for His glory. And pray for Carolyn, who is traveling with me to lead worship for the conference - an added blessing in a travel companion!

Dave has told me that he wants us to plan less and pray more. So I'm asking you to help me with this, and I fully expect to have a wonderful story of God's grace and sense of humor when I return home.

Thanks...

A Sure Thing

"Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you." Luke 1:28

And there you have it.

A lifetime guarantee.

When Mary heard these words, she couldn't figure out what kind of greeting that was - she was favored? The Lord was with her? Shortly thereafter, her questions were answered and she moved forward in God's plan for her life.

By the way, this greeting is not unique to Mary. As a child of God, it is your greeting as well.

Let me break it down for you. Mary was chosen by God and His continued presence would give her what she needed to be the woman God had called her to be, because when God calls, He also empowers. A lifetime guarantee. Same with you - God's Word is clear that He chooses and empowers, all the while indwelling. A lifetime guarantee.

Oh, but Kristen, are you comparing my call with the call for Mary to be the mother of Jesus?

Granted, to hold the Son of God in your arms and care for Him as a baby and a child is a huge privilege and a very high calling, but don't forget, you are a child of the King, as well. And you have a high calling - to bear fruit, to glorify your Father, to preach the gospel to those around you, to serve the body of Christ with your giftedness, to love your husband and raise your children in a godly home.

Mary didn't have it easy. She was pregnant before she was married, she had a difficult birth situation (come to class tomorrow to find out more info on that!), she had guests show up hours after delivering, she was given heart-breaking prophecies, she was given gifts from wisemen, she watched her Son be embraced and rejected, she listened to His teaching and watched His miracles, she saw her Son wear Himself to a frazzle, she watched her Son die a horrific, painful death of a criminal, she saw Him resurrect, and she fervently spread the news of His resurrection power with the apostles as they planted churches with the gospel of Jesus Christ.

How did she do all this?

She must have been an incredible woman.

Well, in actuality, there is only one reason she was able to have the life she lived:

Because the Lord was with her.

Remember, with God, nothing is impossible. He empowers us to the task that He calls us to. He never gives us anything we cannot handle and He has promised to be with us always, even to the end of the age.

Have you ever felt that what God was asking you to do was just simply too much for you? It might be to forgive someone, or to share with someone, or maybe it's as simple as to submit to someone. Remember, the Lord is with you - you can do this. He never asks anything of you that doesn't flow from the very character of who He is, all the while promising to be with you and to enable you to accomplish His will.

Technically, our guarantee carries into eternity, but I couldn't find an "Eternity Guarantee" picture on Google Images, so this will have to do. So, let's not take the presence of God in our lives for granted. Let's focus on it, be thankful for it and take advantage of it - stop making excuses and start living the life He's called us to live.

Glory Thief

I am reading through a book with a few friends written by Paul David Tripp called "Instruments in the Redeemer's Hands." Actually, I've read it before, but I needed another round and I'm bringing friends with me. The book is a great tool to remove the fear of coming alongside others and helping them in their time of need. Too often believers shy away from a counseling role in others' lives because they feel unqualified. This book explains how the call to come alongside is one for the body of Christ, not just trained professionals.

In chapter two, Tripp battles against the concept that the Word is a book of to-do lists that fix everything. When we study the Word in this way, we are trying to use the Word to serve the one we really love above all: ourselves. Rather, the Word as a whole points to a God-centered world, where our lives have been designed to bring Him glory, because it's His story. So instead of studying scripture to relieve the stress of my sin-encrusted world, I should seek the scriptures to find my identity in God's story. God is not sanctifying me so that I can have a better life and be in the center of the stage, but He is forming me into His image to bring glory to Himself.

Granted, God's principles work and do make life better. But having an earthly perspective is not the grand scale that God works on. He has an eternal perspective and gives us glimpses of glory when we set our eyes on Him and our future with Him in eternity. As Tripp says, "We were made for His glory, and we are called to display His glory in everything that we do."

He goes on to explain that sin has "made us glory robbers." The truth of this statement made me pause. Am I really a theif? Am I stealing from God? I know that sin steals from God, but me? Really?

Of course, you know the answer. Sin is bad, but I can't blame "sin" for my choices and my actions, as if it were an outside force. I am not simply affected by sin. I am a sinner. It's who I am.

And because I'm a sinner, I'm a glory thief. I want to be the center of my world. That's why when someone hurts me, I become indignant and angry. When things don't go my way, I battle until something changes. When people need help, I step in, valiantly, waiting for the pats on the back and the cheering crowds to recognize how great I am. I've stolen the glory from God and applied it pathetically on myself.

How sad.

Then Tripp wrote something that provided hope and relief. He said, "The Redeemer has come so that glory thieves would joyfully live for the glory of Another. There is no deeper personal joy and satisfaction than to live committed to His glory. It is what we truly need."

Amen, and amen! Without the Redeemer, I would continue to battle for that center stage glory, and never be satisfied with my accomplishments, because sin is never satisfied. But since the Redeemer has come, He has given me power over sin, to be able to see life with an eternal perspective and give me something worth living for - God's glory! Something truly satisfying - something I was created to do.

So, I have written on a 3x5 card and taped to my computer a statement: Don't be a glory thief. It is a good motivation checker. Is it my story or is it His? An honest answer to that question will be the start of a whole new life.