Branching Out

For Christmas, my husband gave me a piece of very special artwork painted by our friend Monica Wood.  It‘s a pair of canvases which, when hung together, make a complete picture. The painting is entitled “Branching Out.” The canvas on the left depicts a fragile, flowering branch reaching upward. Hung alone, this painting wouldn’t be very interesting. But the canvas on the right, which is hung slightly lower, shows the rest of the limb to which the little branch is attached, and on that tree limb sits a pair of bluebirds. The painting has a soft wash of colors in the background, and the brilliant bluebirds do seem to make a sweet and loving couple. Now, I’m partial to bluebirds because bluebirds are often used as a symbol of happiness. But it wasn’t the bluebirds that drew me to the painting when I first saw it.  Rather, I loved the way the two canvases fit together. It reminded me of the verse in John 15:5: “I am the vine, you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.”

If the branch is disconnected from the vine, it will soon die, because all of its nourishment and strength come from the vine.  But if it stays connected to the vine, it will grow and flourish and reach higher towards the sky. The little bluebirds of happiness may even hop up and build a nest there. I’m reminded that if I want to be fruitful, if I want to do anything of lasting value, if I want to live a happy, productive life, I have to abide in the True Vine.

Since I’ve been struggling with serious illness, I’ve given a lot of thought lately to the way I spend my time. Being sick has reminded me that our days on earth are numbered, and I feel an urgency to use my time wisely, not only because I want my friends and family to have good things to say about me at my funeral, (though I have certainly thought about that!) but mostly so that in the end the Lord will say to me, “Well done, Thy good and faithful servant.” I don’t mean to be morbid, and I don’t expect to die any time soon, but I realize that none of us is guaranteed that we will be here tomorrow. We must “look carefully then how (we) walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil.” (Ephesians 5:16)

“So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.” Psalm 90:12

There are a lot of things on my Bucket List that I hope to achieve in my lifetime,--- goals I wish to accomplish before I die. Recently the Lord has been teaching me a couple of things about those goals. First of all, if I try to accomplish anything in my own strength, it’s not going to happen. I need to stay connected to Him, to draw from His supernatural enabling power. I need to rely on the Holy Spirit for wisdom in the choices I must make and for strength to succeed. Otherwise, I’ll be like a severed branch, soon to wither.

Second, if I’m abiding in the Vine, my goals are His goals. My purpose is not to promote myself or to gain praise for myself. My goals should be to call attention to God and to be a blessing to others. 

“Abiding in Christ” can seem like such a nebulous concept. So what does “abiding” look like, in practical terms? Of course, it means staying connected through prayer----praying about every decision, praying for wisdom, praying that He will give direction. It means taking the time to be quiet and listen to the still, small voice speaking to my heart so that I’ll know what’s right for me.  It means studying the Bible so that I’ll be familiar with His goals, so that my heart will desire the things He desires. 

 Beyond that, I think it’s a mindset; I am not an individual floating through life on my own, seeking to please myself. I am part of a bigger plan, an eternal plan. My life has eternal purposes. And also, I’m part of the body of Christ; I’ve been gifted so that I can serve the body.

If I’m abiding in Christ, He’ll show me how to use those gifts to bless others and glorify Him.  If I were, for example, writing or singing or painting or dancing, it should be with the intention of bringing delight to God and displaying God’s majesty to the world. If I’m hostessing or organizing or decorating or cooking, my primary wish should be that others would be blessed.

In using my gifts and seeking to accomplish great things, there are two pitfalls I need to avoid.

The first pitfall is the tendency to want to accomplish things so that I can achieve personal success.  In the Christian life, it’s not about me; it’s all about Him.  When I present my body as a living sacrifice (Romans 12:1), that means I’m committed to living for Him.  That means I’m willing to be a servant, to perform tasks that don’t get any kudos. Sometimes, to accomplish His kingdom purposes, He calls me to be the support team, to be the prayer warrior, to be the behind-the-scenes worker who doesn’t get any attention. I need to be OK with that.

Can I confess something? I know that God is the Potter and I am the clay---I’m familiar with that Biblical analogy---but sometimes I don’t want to be an ordinary clay pot. Sometimes I’d rather be the beautiful vase. I see people who are immensely gifted, who are front and center stage, who are “beautiful vases.”  I compare myself to them, and I see myself as not measuring up.   I have a little bit of Spiritual Gift-Envy. I’m aware of this tendency, and I constantly confess and realign myself to God’s goals. I remind myself that “It’s not about me.” I need to pour my heart and passion into whatever task God gives me to do.

“Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.”  Colossians 3:23

The other pitfall is the tendency to refuse to use the gifts He’s given. Sometimes it’s because of laziness or selfishness. I might know that I have a particular ability-let’s say it’s teaching-, but when I hear that request for volunteers, even though I feel the prompting of the Holy Spirit, that inner voice that says, “This is something you should do,” I might I turn a deaf ear. Sometimes, it’s fear of failure and lack of faith that keep me from using a particular gift. Or maybe I feel that nudging in an area where don’t feel particularly gifted, such as hospitality or administration. (After all, just because I don’t think I have the gift of hospitality, that doesn’t mean that God doesn’t expect me to be hospitable.) But I don’t want to “go out on a limb” and get stranded there! That’s when I need to remember that the One who calls me is all-powerful, and His grace is sufficient for me. 

II Corinthians 12:9 says, “But He said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”  Great things can be accomplished by a soul that is totally relying on God’s strength and power.

      

                                                        

In her book, Your Beautiful Purpose, Susie Larson says, “But never for a moment think that you can accomplish great things apart from God.  And yet, live expectantly knowing that nothing is impossible with Him.”

“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” Ephesians 2:10

This year, I am branching out! I want to be like that little twig in the painting, reaching for higher and loftier things, straining upward to achieve the purpose for which I was called. I believe that happiness and joy will take residence in my life as I stay connected to the Vine. I am spending more time in prayer and in the Word so that I can derive power and spiritual nourishment from the Lord. As I go about my day, I’m going to be aware of God’s presence and His plan for my life. I’m going to be open to opportunities to use the spiritual gifts He’s given me. I’m going to lay aside my fears and begin some new endeavors, by His direction, in His strength, for His glory.

Questions to consider:

1. Is there a time in your life where you were called to be the behind-the-scenes person?

2. Is there a time you can recall when God called you to do something that was outside of your comfort zone?

3. In what direction is God calling you to branch out today?

The Joy of the Lord is My Strength

 In my guitar-strumming days, I used to enjoy playing and singing a Twila Paris song entitled “The Joy of the Lord is My Strength.”  It was an upbeat song with a catchy tune, performed with lots of country music-style twang. The lyrics had something to do with walking by faith and not being afraid, but I always found the title perplexing. To me, joy and strength were two totally different characteristics. I could understand how a person could be joyful AND strong, but I couldn’t quite grasp how joy could BE strength. 

Fast forward a couple of decades to a time in my life when I really needed strength…..a time when I was weak from battling health problems. I needed emotional and spiritual strength to fight the fear that comes with illness, and I needed physical strength to overcome the nausea and pain brought on by my illness. At the time, the pastor of my church was preaching from the book of Philippians, which teaches us that we can have joy in all circumstances. My circumstances were certainly not joyful, but I learned that I could still find joy in my relationship with the Lord.

My illness required major surgery, and for a couple of weeks after I was discharged, I was housebound. On Sundays I grieved because I couldn’t go to church.  Since I couldn’t attend church, I watched the service on line. Sitting on my sofa, I sang the worship songs along with the choir, and for a few brief moments, I forgot that I was hurting and simply praised.

When I was able to return to church and choir practice, I did so with a renewed appreciation of the privilege of corporate worship. There is something special about joining with other like-minded believers, enjoying their fellowship, hearing God’s word and singing His praises.

I was uplifted. My spirit soared as I sang each chorus as loudly and clearly as I could. I delighted in hearing my voice blend with the voices around me. I was thrilled to be among God’s people once again.  These were the people who prayed for me, sat in the waiting room of the hospital, brought me meals, texted and emailed to check on me. It was a joy to be with them in person again. It was a joy to be in the Father’s presence, to feel His Holy Spirit in that room. I completely forgot my aches and pains.  I laid aside every fear or worry and instead focused on our awesome God.   I felt strong. The joy of the Lord was my strength.

Nehemiah Chapter 8 tells about a gathering of God’s people, too. God’s people were returning from exile, and under Nehemiah’s leadership, (despite opposition), they had rebuilt the walls of Jerusalem. The people gathered into the square to listen Ezra and Nehemiah read from the Book of the Law of Moses.  The people listened attentively as the Scriptures were read and explained, and then they prayed and worshiped.  The people wept as they heard the words of the Law.

“And Nehemiah, who was the governor, and Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, ‘This day is holy to the Lord your God; do not mourn or weep.’ For all the people wept as they heard the words of the Law.  Then he said to them, ‘Go your way.  Eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions to anyone who has nothing ready, for this day is holy to our Lord.  And do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”  Nehemiah 8:9-10

 Perhaps they wept because they recognized how often they had failed to keep God’s commandments.  But Nehemiah and Ezra entreated them not to weep but to celebrate, to focus not on their sins but on the greatness of God. They were to rejoice, and in rejoicing, they would find strength to complete their task. Sometimes it is appropriate to grieve and to mourn our sins, but for the Jews this was to be a time of rejoicing.

When we’re joyful, our difficulties don’t seem so insurmountable.  Our work doesn’t feel like drudgery. Merriment lightens our load.

Proverbs 17:22 says, “A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.” It’s good to laugh. Laughter has therapeutic value. 

When I was sick, I found it was important to keep things in perspective and look for the humor in my circumstances. A good laugh would cheer me up. Well, actually, right after having abdominal surgery, I found that a hearty belly laugh was painful, but even then my husband and I could make a joke out of the pain.

“Hey, did you hear the one about….,” and he’d begin to tell a joke.

“Don’t make me laugh! It hurts to laugh!” I’d say. I couldn’t help smiling, but I did try to repress that belly laugh.

I tend to be serious-minded.  For a long time, the concept of rejoicing in all circumstance was an idea that I couldn’t quite grasp. I think I confused it with stoicism; that is, when life was tough, I thought God meant for me to steel myself and say through gritted teeth, “I’m rejoicing.”  But I’m learning that God actually does want us to laugh and celebrate, even when trials come our way. That doesn’t mean we have to be happy ABOUT our trials. (As in, “Oh, great! More pain! Bring it on!) But in the middle of our pain, we can still find reasons to celebrate, while we trust that God will use our pain for greater good. 

So I’m learning to lighten up and rejoice. Here are a few things that helped me find that Happy Place:

1.       Music.  Singing and music bring me joy. When I’m down, if I listen to Praise and Worship Music and begin singing along, my mood changes.

2.       Mindfulness. Choose to focus on what is good instead of what is wrong.  Philippians 4:6-7 tells us not to worry about anything, but to pray about everything.  Prayer is the remedy for worry, and Philippians 8 gives us the “vitamins” that help keep us spiritually healthy and worry-free: After we pray and entrust God with our problems, we should let our minds dwell on what’s RIGHT, not what’s wrong. We should focus on what’s TRUE, instead of listening to the damaging lies of the enemy. We should meditate on the LOVELY things, and we have only to look at creation to find many lovely things to appreciate. If there is anything WORTHY of PRAISE, ---and of course there are many praiseworthy things---we should let our minds dwell on these things.

3.       Jokes. Finding humor in my situation helped to lighten the load. It helps if I don’t take myself too seriously, if I can laugh at my problems and mistakes. I’m learning to change my image of Jesus, too.  I used to picture Him as stern, or even sad (after all, He was called the Man of Sorrows), but now I imagine him as joyful. When He said, “Rejoice and be glad,” He probably had a smile on His face.  (I found some smile-starters by doing a Google search for “Christian cartoons.”)

4.       Joyful people.  Let’s face it; some people are just more upbeat than others. Some people are natural cheerleaders. They remind me that God is faithful, that even though life may be tough right now, things will get better. When I’m down, I seek out these cheerleaders. They make me laugh, and that’s good medicine!

Habakkuk said,

“Though the fig tree does not bud

And there are no grapes on the vine,

Though the olive crop fails

And the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen

And no cattle in the stalls

Yet I will rejoice in the Lord,

I will be joyful in God my Savior.

The Sovereign Lord is my strength;

He makes my feet like the feet of a deer;

He enables me to go on the heights.”  Hab. 3:17-19

Could Habakkuk really rejoice if everything around him were to come crashing down, if he lost his livelihood, if he had no food on his table? How could he endure it? Would there be a smile on his face--a genuine, spontaneous smile? Would he still laugh and joke and sing?  Would he be partying?

  Now that I’ve experienced firsthand the joy of the Lord, I believe I know what Habakkuk meant when the said, “I will be joyful in God my Savior. The Sovereign Lord is my strength.” He could look at his circumstances and say, “It’s all OK.  I have a relationship with the God of the universe, and He is in control of everything that is happening.  My troubles are only temporary. One day, God is going to make everything right. He gives me strength for whatever comes my way. He enables me to rise above my circumstances.”   And that’s a happy thought. The joy of the Lord is my strength. When I am joyful, I feel strong. 

Rejoicing in Him,

Margaret

Here’s a link to Twila Paris singing “The Joy of the Lord”:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eLOSZ7NwMlY