Dear God, I Just...

I’m relatively new to the “world of prayer”. It’s only in the last year that I’ve made a point of trying to spend time in prayer every day. I’ve read a few books on prayer but when I pray and when I listen to others praying I’ve noticed something that none of the books seem to mention. There’s this little word that weasels its way into our conversations with God. A recent blog post called “What Words Need to be in the Christian Dictionary” from Jon Acuff’s, “Stuff Christians Like” blog caught my eye and set my brain whirring with curiosity. Towards the end of the blog he mentions the word, “just”. It’s a word that I’ve noticed over and over and over again in prayer – mine and other people’s, and now here’s someone else singling it out, so perhaps I’m not the only word nerd out there wondering what’s up with the use of this word in prayer.

What does it mean? Well, for the grammar geeks out there (of which I’m one) it can be an adjective or adverb and actually has thirteen different definitions listed in the dictionary. But what does it mean when we use it in prayer? Does it add anything to the meaning of our prayers? When I think back over times I’ve heard it used and times it’s slipped unheeded out of my own mouth, typically it’s in the adverb form meaning “only” or “merely”. So what are we really saying when we say “Heavenly Father I just ask you to ...” or “I pray that you would just...”. Try substituting the words “only” or “merely” for “just” and see what meaning you end up with. 

In his book “Too Busy Not To Pray” Bill Hybels makes a thought provoking comment. He asks if we really think about what we say to God. He goes on to point out a great example – asking God to bless the food we’re about to eat.  How frequently do we ask God to use a plate of food swimming in artery clogging grease to strengthen and nourish our bodies.  What are we asking? Does it make any sense? Do we think carefully about what we say when we talk to God? Bill Hybel’s point is well taken...is God going to take a plate full of eggs, bacon and hash browns that have been sauteed in bacon grease (my favourite Saturday morning breakfast) and prevent it from damaging our arteries?

Do we really think about what we are saying when we absent-mindedly toss in the “just” word? Are we actually limiting God by using this word? Perhaps I’m making too much out of this but I’ve been noticing the word more and more in my prayer time and in churches. Like the cat that playfully tortures the mouse my brain is fixated on this word. What do you think? Does the word “just” have any significance in the life of our prayers or has it simply become the “um” of prayer time; filler while we think about what to say next?  Please feel free to post your thoughts and comments below.

Jonah 4 - Extreme Forgiveness

The last few blog posts have focused on the book of Jonah. We've seen various themes running throughout including rebellion, anger with God, repentance, and God's mercy and grace. Much of what God offers to us is "extreme" and hard for us to comprehend. Phillip Yancey touches on this in his book “What’s So Amazing About Grace?”. He actually refers to the “SCANDAL of grace” because we do nothing to earn grace, it is simply given by God.  Why is that so hard for us to understand? We're accustomed to living in a world where nothing is free, but that's not the case with God's grace. Christ already paid the price so we can live as forgiven people.

In chapter four of Jonah God teaches us about extreme forgiveness. He asks some pointed questions that slice straight to the heart of the matter - who are we to question God's right to offer forgiveness, and who are we to withhold forgiveness from those around us? If we take time to contemplate these questions we find ourselves forced to examine our motives, thoughts and interactions in our personal relationships. Take some time today to think about these questions - are you withholding forgiveness?  Click here to view the entire video devotion.

Jonah 3 - Nineveh A City On The Edge

Repent is a word commonly used in Christian vernacular. Typically you won't hear it applied in life outside of the church. Even within the Christian community it can be a word that isn't very popular. Perhaps that's because many people aren't really sure of what it means or perhaps they do know what it means but don't like the implications.

The dictionary identifies the word "repent" as a verb that means, "to feel sorry, self-reproachful, or contrite for past conduct". But it doesn't end there. It goes on to include the following statement in the definition, "to feel such sorrow for sin or fault as to be disposed to change one's life for the better". To repent isn't just to feel sorry about something you've done and then continue doing it. True repentance involves coming to a place in your life where you simply cannot live with your actions any longer. It generally involves humbling ourselves to the point of being able to see our wrong doing and identify it for what it is. It may include confession and it probably involves apology. It can be a painful and messy act. So why would you want to repent?

When we begin to live with lies or wrong doing in our lives something inside of us changes. A part of our hearts become hardened. It's a slow, gradual process, but if it continues in one area of our lives soon it will permeate into other areas. One little lie here, one there - all seems harmless. Helping ourselves to extra pens, or sticky notes, or tape from the office for our own personal use seems harmless, afterall the company can afford it. Slipping the odd personal expense onto the company's expense account seems harmless.  All of these things desensitize us to being truthful in the larger areas of our lives. When we start to live with bigger lies in our lives we find we can't be completely honest with our friends and family. Our world shrinks because we have to be careful what we say around people. We become isolated within our lies and a part of our hearts shrivel up as we live with the guilt that begins to consume our minds. Coming to a place of repentance frees us from the prison walls that we erect inside our minds. It lifts a burden from our shoulders and we are free to enter into relational fellowship once again with the people around us. We are freed from guilt and are able to step out with confidence, secure in the knowledge that we are forgiven!

We've examined Jonah's repentant heart in chapter two of the book of Jonah in the Old Testament. Now let's watch and listen to see what it looks like when an entire city comes to repentance.  Click here to view the third in the video devotion series on the book of Jonah.

Jonah Part 2 - A God of Second Chances

Welcome back to Jonah Part 2. Click here to continue with the devotion series on the Old Testament book of Jonah. Find out what we can learn through Jonah's experience of being swallowed by a whale - an experience the rest of us would definitely like to avoid!

Jonah - Rebel Running

Here we are two weeks into the New Year and I realize I've been very lax in my blog posting! I want to share some thoughts on the book of Jonah with you, so over the course of the next few weeks I'll be posting links to a series of video devotions - one on each chapter of Jonah. Click on Jonah - Rebel Running to hear encouragement from the first chapter of this short book in the Old Testament.

"It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like"...STRESS!

As I write this I’m sitting in the Comox airport waiting for a flight that will take me to Edmonton after a week long vacation on beautiful Vancouver Island. I’ll arrive in Edmonton around 5:00 this afternoon and then get up at 5:30 the next morning to drive back to Calgary for a meeting early Monday afternoon, drive out to Sunshine Ski resort for a late afternoon meeting, and then drag my body, screaming in protest from the time difference, back to Calgary to meet my step-daughter for dinner before she has to drive back home to Manitoba. Tuesday morning I’ll mount a protest as I drag myself out of bed to the sounds of Christmas music emanating from the radio fixed on Shine FM, blast myself awake with a scalding hot shower and get on the road for Lethbridge for the day. Sound familiar? Maybe not the travel schedule but you can probably relate to the early morning and action packed days.

I look around at the people in the airport, watching the pre-Christmas hustle and bustle. Children wearing red santa hats and people holding bright bouquets of flowers anxiously mill around the arrival lounge, waiting with anticipation to be reunited with their family and loved ones for the holidays. On the departure side security is buzzing with activity. Travelers with carry on packages fidget impatiently in long lines, waiting their turn to practically strip down and pass through metal detectors, pat downs and explosive swab tests. I study the nameless faces as they pass by, yes “it is beginning to look a lot like”...wait a minute...what’s that I see etched deep into travelers’ faces and hidden behind forced smiles? Perhaps not “Christmas” as the song says, but...yes...that’s it...STRESS!

It’s less than a week before Christmas. Have you found yourself over the last week or so staying up late at night to decorate the house, bake the traditional Christmas goodies, shop for gifts, wrap presents, clean the house, prepare for guests, or any other number of chores we feel need to be done before we celebrate Christmas? It’s so easy to get caught up in “Christmas mania” and forget what the season of Advent is really about—a quiet time of reflection and preparation. Not preparation for dinner, or preparation for family, or preparation for gift giving, but preparation to welcome a tiny baby, the Saviour, Jesus Christ, into our hearts. In our busy lives we lose focus of this real reason for the celebration of Christmas and instead become hamsters on the perpetual wheel – always running but getting nowhere!  Christmas celebrations have become more challenging than ever with blended families, step-parents, step-children, step-grandparents, in-laws, out-laws, immediate family, visitation schedules and everything else that piles in on top of us.

I hope this will be a gentle reminder to me and to anyone reading it that the decorations DON’T need to be perfect, the house DOESN’T have to be immaculate, the baking DOESN’T have to get done and we don’t NEED all the gifts.  December 25 will arrive whether the house is decorated or not. The birthday of our Saviour and King will come regardless of whether all the traditional baking is done. Don’t miss the real reason for Christmas. Don’t miss the awe and wonder of what happened in a stable some two thousand years ago. “She gave birth to a son...wrapped him in a blanket and laid him a manager…” Luke 2:7 “The angel said, don’t be afraid. I’m here to announce a great and joyful event that is meant for everybody, worldwide: A Saviour has just been born in David’s town, a Saviour who is Messiah and Master…” Luke 2:10-11. Amen!

The Easiest Snack Mix Recipe...EVER!

A couple of weeks ago I had the pleasure of meeting a lady who is a woman after my own heart sharing my love of baking and experimenting with new recipes. She shared with me what I am convinced is the absolute, EASIEST recipe in the world for a snack mix!!! No baking required, 10 minutes start to finish and very little clean up required. Tastes great, easy to make, low stress, what else could you ask for in a Christmas snack recipe! The hardest part of this recipe is finding a large brown paper bag (yes this is part of the recipe)!  Check your local grocery store to see if they'll bag your groceries in paper rather than plastic. (If you're in Calgary check out the Calgary Co-op)  So here's the recipe...

CRISPIX STUFF

1 box Crispix cereal (or Shreddies if you prefer)
1 box mini Ritz crackers
1 bag cheddar Fishie crackers
1 bag pretzel sticks
As many peanuts as you want...or none if you wish (I used almonds and macadamia nuts)
1 envelope Hidden Valley Ranch Original Dressing Mix (dry) - find it in the salad dressing aisle
1/2 cup vegetable oil (you can use a little less if you like)
2 - 3 tablespoons dill weed

There are no rules to this recipe - use any combination of ingredients you want in whatever combination you like.

Here's the fun part...put all the cereal, crackers, fishies, pretzels and nuts in a large brown paper bag. Pour oil, ranch dressing mix and dill weed directly into the bag. Close bag and shake for a few minutes (good way of taking out frustrations, too). 

You can store the snack mix at room temperature or if you want to keep it for a long period of time put it in a container in the freezer. It's just hard to not eat it all at once!!