Transitions

Exodus 1:8 says, "Then a new king, who did not know about Joseph, came to power in Egypt." That verse explains the historical catalyst God used to transition his people from Egypt to the land he promised their ancestor, Abraham. The transition from Egypt to Canaan stood as the defining transition for the Israelites—what the Bible refers to as the exodus.

I'm sure God didn't ask the Israelites to collaborate on his transition plan; they would never have agreed to the terms. A new Pharaoh, who did not know Joseph, ascended to the throne and things became very difficult for God's people. Here's how Exodus 1:11-13 describes it, "So they put slave masters over them to oppress them with forced labor, and they built Pithom and Rameses as store cities for Pharaoh. But the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and spread; so the Egyptians came to dread the Israelites and worked them ruthlessly."

Rather than making things easier, God allowed them to become much harder; the people labored to build cities under increasingly difficult standards. There are at least two parts to this story that deserve reflection:

1. God allowed the Israelites to endure increasingly difficult times, but he did not allow the difficulties to wear them down or thin them out. In fact, because of God's providential care for his people, the added difficulties caused them to increase in strength and thrive all the more. It's certainly not the way they would have chosen to thrive, but God used it nonetheless. And there's at least one reason I think God chose to prosper his people that way.
   
2. God used the difficult circumstances to prepare the people to leave Egypt. If the Israelites had prospered in Egypt, they would never have left. As it was they whined (what the Old Testament calls grumbling) about the favorable conditions in Egypt—as SLAVES!

Boy would I like to think things have changed since the Israelites left the land of the Pharaohs, but I know they haven't. Transitions are no easier for me than they were for those chosen slaves. As long as I'm comfortable, I'm content to stay right where I am. And as long as I stay right where I am, I will never get to the place God wants me to be—the place of his blessing.

What does that mean? It means as long as I know I'm where God wants me to be, I can trust that he will provide the added strength I need to prosper me through the difficulties. I can trust that He is using those difficulties to prepare for the journey to my next destination. I can rest in the knowledge that He has a plan and has the understanding, power, and patience to make it a reality.

Monsters?

My father-in-law recently discovered he had some monsters in his house. Thankfully he had his camera in hand.

Postscript: This is actually a recessive gene that run's in Keri's family. Please don't mention this as they are a bit sensitive about it.

Fearless Giving

Last Sunday I preached a sermon on fearless giving from 1Kings 17. One of the members of the congregation sent me the following sermon, which illustrates the point so well. Thanks, Don.

I was working the FDA in Dallas sometime in the late 1970s. I’d been sent to Hidalgo a little border crossing near Harlingen Texas. I was sampling strawberries during the day then bundling them up and putting them on a plane at the Harlingen airport. One night I got to the airport and I noticed two Mexican nationals at the Southwest ticket counter. The older Mexican was in a wheel chair. They were having a problem. I asked the counter clerk what the problem was. Turns out they had flown for Mexico City to Harlingen but didn’t have a ticket to finish their trip to Houston. They had money but it was pesos and no one would take their pesos. I was done working so I thought I’d try and help them. The guy in the wheel chair had polio. I had a mild case of polio when I was in 5th grade so I had real empathy for this guy. Neither Mexican spoke English and I didn’t speak Mexican. I had the counter clerk tell the younger Mexican that I would take him around and try and find someone that would exchange his pesos for US currency. I started right at the airport with Mexicana Airlines, the Mexican National Airline. They WOULDN’T take the pesos!! I was incredulous. At that time the peso was fluctuating a lot no one wanted those pesos. I took the guy into Harlingen to every business that I could find open. No one would take those pesos. At this point you are maybe thinking I was being some kind of saint – I wasn’t. All along I had the cash in my pocket. At that time the government gave us a cash advance for our room and board. I had the whole thing right there in my pocket. Finally I couldn’t stand it. I took the younger Mexican back to Mexicana Airlines. I told the lady behind the counter that I would make the exchange. I asked her to calculate the exchange rate based on today’s exchange rate pesos for dollars. I can clearly remember after I exchanged my dollars for his pesos that I had $8.00 American left. I gave them to the two Mexicans so they could get something to eat. Now I had a pocket full of pesos and I owed the motel. We didn’t have a credit card and I didn’t have a check. That night I didn’t sleep. I was at the Harlingen bank when they opened. I rushed in and handed over the pesos. All along I was praying that God would let me have enough money to pay for the motel room, I could eat when I got home. That particular day the peso’s value was up and I actually ended up with $20 more than I had given the two Mexicans. All along God was prompting me to make the exchange. I was too much of a coward to do it until there was no other option. You might think I am quicker to listen to God, I’m not. But I’m working on it.

The Patriarchs

This was a post I posted to our church's Bible-reading blog (here). I have been reflecting on the story of the Patriarchs and heard someone make a comment about how depressing it was to read the stories of these dysfunctional people. I realized that so many times the only way we know to read the stories of people's lives are as examples to either imitate or avoid. But the story of the Patriarchs is so much more than that.

Some times it's difficult to see the forest for the trees and the same is true when reading the Bible. Take the Patriarchs (Abraham, Isaac, Jacob), for instance. While each of them display some admirable qualities, they also display some qualities that are less than exemplary:) Among other things, all of them are truth-challenged and none of their families seem to be quite...functional. So let me offer you a bigger-picture way to look at the Patriarchs.

The story of the patriarchs is a story of providence. The Bible records the family line of God's promise, showing why some where chosen and others were not. Abraham's promise was passed on Isaac, not Ishmael, even though Ishmael was his first born son (according to ancient custom, if a man did not have an heir by his wife, he could take one of his son's through a concubine to pass on his family's inheritance--in other words, Ishmael was a legitimate option). Then Isaac has two sons, Esau and Jacob. Although Esau was the clear choice because he was older, God did not choose Esau (what sort of person sells his birth-right for the soup du jour?). And then Jacob has a passel of children, the oldest of which was Reuben (not the sandwich), then Simeon, Levi, Judah, and so on, down to Joseph and Benjamin. You might think the line of Levi would be chosen to continue God's promise, but no. Then you might think Joseph would be the line of God's promise. Wrong again. Judah was chosen, the fourth son and someone with his own issues.

But through the ups and downs of this family--through their brokeness and triumph--God raised up a family who eventually gave birth to King David, and then after King David, our Lord, Jesus (thus the phrase, "the Lion of Judah"). Yes, the story of the Patriarchs is a story of providence--God's ability and resolve to work out his plan of salvation in the midst of the drama of our lives. As you read the story of the Patriarchs, take comfort in the fact that God can and does work his redemptive plans in the midst of broken people, as long as those broken people are willing to put their trust in him.

Happy reading!

Savor The Day

We've all heard the Latin phrase, "Carpe Diem," which means, "seize the day" or something like that. I don't have anything in particular against the idea of seizing the day, but I think sometimes we talk about it in terms of getting things done, going for broke, pursuing our dreams, etc. Now I don't really have anything against that either, but sometimes the effort required to seize a day means that we have little strength left to savor the day. Seizing the day usually means that we're trying to get to another level or achieve another goal sot that we can savor some accomplishment out there in the future.

And then there's life, which throws a never-ending stream of curve-balls. And sometimes we get to savor the the things we have seized, but sometimes things turn our differently. Sometimes our plans change. Sometimes we are not able to seize quite what we thought we could. Sometimes we confront difficulties we could not have imagined. And when we get too busy seizing, we can often forget to savor the wonderful things God has given us right now. None of us are guaranteed another day, so it's important that we seize and savor all at the same time.

My children have helped me see this more clearly. There are things I want to do, things I'm trying to accomplish, dreams I have of savoring this milestone or that. But I will never get my kids again at this age, in this place, at this time. I will never have Keri again at this point in our lives. I will never be at this place, with these people, the way I am right now. And that means while I fully intend to seize what God has put before me, I also pray that He will bless me with the ability to savor what I have right here, right now.