Christmas Presence

Merry Christmas everyone!

I want to apologize for not posting lately. The last few weeks of the semester were brutal, and it got to the point where I simply didn't have energy to plan for and write a blog post, even if I had time. Thankfully, I finished the semester and survived with plenty to think about.

I couldn't begin to list all the ways God has provided for me this semester, not only in school but at work and at church and at home. He has given to me abundantly, far more than I could have imagined to ask. But probably the biggest way He blessed me was through my family.

Between working most of the day and taking night classes three times a week, I was almost never home. I missed a lot of time with them, and often the only time we could connect was when I was recharging over the weekend, and even then I had mountains of homework to do.

The wonderful part is that, even though I was pretty absent all semester, my family still loves me. The fact that I didn't have much time to catch up didn't take away from our relationship. Even on weeks when I was only home to eat, shower, and sleep before tackling the next day, they didn't treat me as though I was just taking advantage of their food and hot water; they gave them to me because I'm part of the family. And through the whole semester, as I worked hard for good grades, they assured me that they would love me no matter the results.

The reason I bring this up is because my parents were a model of God to me this semester. No, they aren't perfect, but they have given me a glimpse of what God's love for me is like.

Some days, devotion time just doesn't happen. It's a nonstop day from when your alarm goes off until when you set it for the next morning, and the only interaction you have with God is asking for something. I'm not saying this is how it should be...but it happens. And on those days, we often feel guilty because we know that we're supposed to spend time with God. But here's the truth: God desires to spend time with us because He loves us, but He won't stop loving you because you fail to spend time with Him. He knows you're weak, and He loves you anyway. Give Him your time, not out of obligation, but out of overflowing gratitude and love. And even if you have a dry spell, remember that He'll be right there when you come back.

On top of being busy, we're also very needy. Aside from the regular needs, like oxygen, that God supplies us continuously, we need a lot of things: strength to get through a rough day or peace to ride out life's next storm, or a new job or relationship. Sometimes I look at all my blessings, all the ways God has answered prayers I didn't even make time to pray, and I wonder when He's going to get tired of blessing me. But then I realize that if my parents, who are human, could give me food and shelter and love (and occasionally chocolate) without asking anything in return, then a perfect and holy God could too...not because of anything I have to offer, but because He loves me.

And I don't have anything to offer. I am human, and as such, I am prone to failure. If God's love was based on my performance, He would have left me a long time ago. Thanks be to God that it is not! His love, like His grace, is offered freely, with no contingencies, no strings attached. If only we could remember this, we would be free to spend our lives glorifying Him and spreading His kingdom, instead of always stressing about being perfect. I spend so much time worrying that I'm going to disappoint God; but He will never be so disappointed in me that He'll give up on me.

I guess that's what I've learned this past semester: Even when you've done nothing to deserve it, God cares for you and blesses you beyond your imagination, because He loves you. If you've been anxious about whether He still loves you after all the ways you've failed, let me assure you: He does.

How can I be so sure?

We were rebels and criminals and every kind of horrible when God looked at us and decided that He wanted to make us part of His family. If He could love us at our worst enough to send His only Son to take our punishment so we could become His children, then you can never do something that can separate you from His love. (Romans 5:8, Romans 8:38-39)

This Christmas season, stop trying to earn God's love and start basking in His Presence. Because that's what Christmas is about: God coming to Earth to demonstrate His love for us.

Stop Worrying about this Election!

Ready or not, today is the day that America decides who is going to be our president for the next four years.

Don't worry, I'm not going to add more stress to your day. Actually, I'm here to try to make it a little better.

Look, this election has been hyped so out of proportion that it feels like we're voting not on who is a leader of one country but on who is going to be the supreme ruler of the world for eternity. Thank goodness that second position is already filled (by God, Who is perfect, by the way).

So if the position of Supreme Ruler is already filled, then any other position, no matter who fills it, has to ultimately answer to that Ruler. The Ruler might allow these temporary leaders to act with the desires of their earthly hearts in rebellion against Him, but He will not tolerate treason forever. Any leader who acts in treason will be held accountable (as will any other traitor who has not accepted the pardon offered by Jesus).

Granted, that justice might not come in time to really help. (Ask the Israelites, who suffered through a bunch of terrible kings and queens and captors and Pharaohs and probably wondered each time if they were still going to exist by the time that leader was gone.) At least, it may not seem that way.

But if God really is the Supreme Ruler, then no lesser ruler can do anything outside of His domain. In fact, the heart of any king/pharaoh/president is like water in God's hand, and He can turn it wherever He will.

So if you're feeling anxious, take some time to sit still and cast your cares on God. He will not change after the results come in tonight. He will not change in January when our president changes. He has been faithful and constant all this time...He will not change now. He will not have less control, and He will not be less good or loving, regardless of the results.

I encourage you to silence your worries. Worry is a display of lack of trust in God, as if you doubt that God will take care of us if the election (or anything else) doesn't go our way. I invite you to let go of the anxiety and to let God do what only He can do.

And I ask you to spend time in prayer about this world. Pray for each candidate, each citizen, and that our hearts will turn to God and seek Him.

Rest in the peace God will give you when you place into His hands everything that you have no control over anyway.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I've written a lot about this country and this election. While you're up waiting for the results, instead of chewing your nails and worrying, ask God to give you peace and then check out some of my other posts:

To an Uncertain Nation

He's Got the Whole World In His Hands

Not in this World

#WhatReallyMatters

God Bless America

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

If you take one thing away from this post, take this: God is on the Throne, and (as cliche as that may sound) there is nothing that can ever take us away from His love and plan for our lives. Even if everything gets terrible, He will still be with us. Take comfort in that tonight.

But if I Don't Have Love...

A few weeks ago, I made a comment about how many people I had on my list of people I don't really want to deal with. As soon as I made the comment, I realize how un-Christ-like that was. Would Jesus have a list of people He didn't really like? No way! He would love them.

I mostly forgot about that, however, until a few days ago when For King and Country's song "Proof of Your Love" came on the radio. It's essentially 1 Corinthians 13 set to music, so the content wasn't new (and I've heard the song dozens of times), but something about that time made me just sit and listen to the words.

[If you've been reading my blogs for a while, you'll notice that most of my "epiphanies" or whatever you'd like to call them tend to happen when I'm listening to music. That's just how I am, so roll with me here.]

The song (and Paul, in 1 Corinthians 13) starts off by talking about all the amazing things that a person might be able to do. You might be a powerful speaker. You might be the most generous and giving person in history. You might have the kind of faith that can move a mountain.

I mean, who wouldn't want to be able to do all of those things?

But here's the thing...no matter how strong or smart or spiritual you are, it means nothing if you don't have love.

Hold up there, Paul. Are you really saying that all my good deeds and all my faith and all my gifts mean absolutely nothing if I'm not loving?

Yes. That's exactly what he's saying.

You see, when Paul wrote this chapter, he knew that Christians would get caught up in following all the rules that Jesus had given them. They--like the Pharisees before them--would miss the whole point of Christianity by getting bogged down in trying to look like a "good Christian".

If Paul's words aren't enough to sway you, then check out what Jesus said was the greatest commandment:

“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.” (Matthew 22:37-40)

What Jesus is saying here is that none of the rest of the Law (which is extensive) matters at all if you don't love God and you don't love others. Most of the Law was made up of rules to enforce these (for example, "do not murder" is a law that we wouldn't need if we all truly loved each other).

So do you think loving people is important to God...and therefore to us? You bet!

I began to search my own heart and mind about this, and without much searching I realized that I had a bad attitude toward so many people. And I thought about it: if Jesus could forgive and love someone who put Him on a cross and who still fails Him daily, I can love the person who bugs me or who wasn't nice to me.

What does that look like? Well, loving people has to start with your heart. Get your heart right with God and ask Him to give you strength to love even the unlovable.

Then go out and actually do the hard thing and love people. Maybe it's as simple as smiling at someone because they're another one of God's creations. Or maybe it's going up to someone who makes your life difficult and finding a way to make their day better. Maybe it's being intentional about building others up: not only complimenting them to their face, but genuinely honoring them. Or maybe it's just squelching your tendency to think and talk badly about someone.

Look, I know this is a high calling. It seems impossible. Believe me, I go into my day saying, "I wonder how I can be loving to someone today," and before I can even walk into the door, something is already bothering me or someone I don't like is there or I'm just too busy and distracted.

But if this is the second greatest commandment ever, don't you think we should take a little more time and effort? After all, I would hate to go through life, having done so many good and amazing things, and hear at the end that it all means nothing because I didn't have love.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

I've talked about love several times in this blog, so if you're new to the page and would like to catch up on those, here are a few of the links!

If You Love One Another...
Team Playing
#WhatReallyMatters

You Are Not Your Own

I was listening to the radio tonight and they read this verse:

 Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body. (1 Corinthians 6:19-20)

When I heard "You are not your own, for you were bought with a price", I started thinking. If I belong to myself, then every decision I make is going to be for my own benefit because, after all, I'm the one I answer to. Even if I do something for someone else, ultimately, my goal is for the good deed to come back around. All my plans are going to be with my best future in mind. Even if I have to step on other people. 

But this verse says that I am not my own. I don't get to make the calls on my own life anymore.

Coming from someone who struggles with control, this is not an easy statement. I don't belong to myself? I'm not in charge of my life? But what if whoever is in control doesn't take me where I go, doesn't have my best interests in mind?

Under most circumstances, these questions would be completely valid. But this is not most circumstances. This is Jesus, coming to earth to take our punishment and die and rise again to bring us into eternal life. This is the Jesus who loves us enough to save us. And now that we've been bought from our sins, all we must do is follow Him.

Yet, we still get up every day, make our breakfast (or not, if you prefer), go to school/work, see friends/family/people, and hopefully eat a few times before we go to bed. During the day, we make decisions regularly just to get us through our day, and rarely do we ever think about whether what we're doing is pleasing to God. We just go about our lives and try to make them as comfortable as we can.

Friends, if we belong to Christ, shouldn't our lives reflect that? Shouldn't our everyday decisions and attitudes scream the love of Jesus to a broken world?

Don't get me wrong: it's easy to snap back at someone who says something mean to you; it's hard to return a kind answer. It's easy to hold a grudge for a day or two until the offender straightens back out; it's hard to forgive someone who doesn't deserve it. It's easy to have a bad attitude, or to entertain a sinful thought, or to ignore an opportunity to show love; it's almost impossible to keep a godly mindset as we walk through a day in a sinful world.

But that's what Jesus is here for: He came to save us from our sins. He'll give us strength to overcome even our worst habits and addictions. His Spirit can prompt us to become more holy, as He is holy.

In order to do that, however, we have to give up control. Brothers and sisters, it's time for us to be bold! It's time for us to stop living like Christians when it's convenient and living like the world when it's not. It's time for us to realize that we are not our own...God has bought us with a great price and we belong to Him.

It's Really Real

Tonight, in one of my classes, my professor showed us a real company's real financial statements, which we've been learning to do for fictional companies for the sake of learning how. She assured us that these things we'd been learning about did in fact exist in the real world. It brought a little bit of perspective to the class as we realized that the things we were doing as exercises we might one day be doing in real life. The moment when you discover that something you've encountered only in theory actually exists in reality is a very surprising moment for two reasons: 1) You find yourself surprised that the thing is really real and 2) You're surprised that you hadn't yet acknowledged that this thing was really real.

I think we do this a lot with God--and with most of Christianity as well. It sounds nice in church and stuff: love, be holy, obey, don't worry, and so on. Good stuff of course, all of it. But the second we walk out those doors, we don't give it much thought because of Sunday lunch and Sunday afternoon naps and Sunday evening church/youth group/more naps, and then before you know it it's Monday morning and your work/school week has already left you behind and all your focus is directed toward catching up. Maybe we remember to thank God for our food and to do all our "good Christian" routines, but honestly, the reality of God is absent from our lives.

I'm talking to myself here too when I say that the excuse "Life gets in the way" is not acceptable. God gave you life--not just this temporary life on earth, but eternal life in Heaven--the least you can do is spend some of it with Him.

But I don't really think the problem is that we don't have time. I'm not going to be one of those people who says, "If you have time to watch a 45 minute show on TV, you have at least 15 minutes to spend with God." Yes, but that doesn't help.

Why?

Because that show is here and now and present and real. So what if it's about unrealistic people and settings and superpowers? When I pull Netflix up, the show is right there and I get my satisfaction immediately and tangibly.

But when I sit down to have quiet time, it feels a lot more like me just studying about God and thinking thoughts about Him and being able to check that off my list of things to feel guilty about not doing. He certainly shows Himself to be real through answered prayers and all kinds of amazing things. But sometimes, I sit there and wonder when I'm going to feel Holy Spirit Fire...and I never do. I wonder when the weariness I pick up from just trying to keep up with my crazy life will be satisfied in the rest He promises, but I wake myself up from almost dozing off instead.

So what's the problem? I think we talk about God so much that He ends up being more of a topic we talk about than a Person we talk to. I think the reality of how much God loves us hasn't sunken in with us yet. I think we've missed all the importance of Grace.

What's the solution?


I don't have one. Truth be told, this is something I'm working through right now. Trying to transform my head knowledge of God into something beyond the academic level is hard for me. Having a relationship with Someone I can't see isn't something that I understand how to do.

But thank God that it's not about what we do! He doesn't meet us half-way; He comes the whole way to meet us where we are.

So if you're dragging along through life and you need to feel God with you, first of all, realize that I don't have the answers. But I know Someone who does, and I'm confident that He'd be thrilled to make Himself more real to you.

No matter how long it's been since you've dedicated time to God, you can always start now.

Not in This World

My candidate, if elected, will save this country, and then the world. The political views of my candidate are going to revolutionize our personal lives as well as our global standing. If you'll just vote for my candidate, every problem will be solved.

At least, that's what I tell myself during election year. "Vote for my candidate because if you do the world will be saved! But vote for the opposition and you'll doom the world forever."

Let's face it: This year, the choice seems much more dire than it has in recent elections. It appears to be a question less of the "right decision" and more of the "less wrong decision". Frankly, I don't think there is a human on this planet who could fix our world.

"On this planet."

No. No earthly leader could hope to be the solution to all our problems.

That is why we do not put our hope in earthly leaders.

 Plain and simple.


     Put not your trust in princes,
         in a son of man, in whom there is no salvation.
      When his breath departs, he returns to the earth;
         on that very day his plans perish.

      Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob,
         whose hope is in the Lord his God (Psalm 146:3-5)

 

 I've been thinking about how hopeless everything feels, but then I remember that we're not supposed to be counting on fallible humans to save us...because humans cannot save themselves. That is what the Gospel is all about. That is why Jesus had to come. Because if we could save ourselves, we would not need a Savior.

 

Jesus is bringing His kingdom to earth. It is already here and growing, but it is also still to come. And until it comes, we will continue living in this fallen world. But that doesn't mean that we have to keep our hope here.

Our hope is not in this world. If you put it here, it will let you down. But history has shown us that God cares for his people, whether they are ruled by a King David or a King Ahab, whether they are commanded by Pharaoh or by Joshua, whether they are united under a king or scattered in exile.

That doesn't mean that we don't vote or try to make any impact on our nation. Even when the Israelites were in exile, God told them, 

"seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare." (Jeremiah 29:7)

 Even though we are not technically in exile, we know that this world is not our home. So we treat it like our place of exile while we wait for the kingdom to come. And we take care of it. But we do not keep our hope here.

 So don't despair at the seeming hopelessness that our world offers. It is not meant to be our source of hope. We are to put our trust in Jesus and the salvation only He can bring. This is not our home; we are meant for another world. But until that kingdom comes, we pray on behalf of the world we are given.

He's Got the Whole World In His Hands

We live in a broken world. Sometimes we can forget about it for a little while, but after the tragedy-filled weeks we've just gone through, it would be next to impossible to forget. Every day, I see flags waving from half-mast, brightly-colored symbols of the sorrow gripping our world. "When will it all get better?" I wonder. "Can it get better?"

I recall the days when I was an optimistic middle-schooler (I know, I know, not really that long ago), tracking the politics of the country and excited to one day wear the "I'm a Voter" sticker. I followed and analyzed candidates, anticipating the day I would add my vote to millions of others' and make my little difference in the world. Sure, nothing was perfect then--far from it--but it seemed that the flags were more often at full-mast than not.

The other day, an adult apologized to me for the world their generation is passing down to mine. And I had to laugh because I and my generation really are inheriting a world like none before. Not necessarily worse. But very different.

And that scares me.

If I stop and think about it, a feeling of helplessness begins to overwhelm me, and I start wondering if there's another continent out there for us to discover. With those feelings comes anxiety about the future, both near and far. Anxiety about what kind of world I'm going to graduate in, get married in, raise children in. November's elections aren't getting farther away, and four years sounds like a very long time.

See? It's easy to get anxious if you give it enough thought.

But the other day, in my devotional, I studied Philippians 4:6-7. The next day, it came up on one of my "Verse of the Day" notifications (a clear sign that God is trying to get something through to me).

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

I stopped and reread it and then broke it down for myself.

"Do not be anxious about anything" 
I looked up the definition of anxious so I could understand exactly what Paul was saying not to be.

Anxious: experiencing worry, unease, or nervousness, typically about an imminent event or something with an uncertain outcome

 Paul says do not be anxious because we do not have an uncertain outcome.  Jesus has already secured the victory. Our mystery is His history. We don't have to be uneasy about uncertain outcomes because our outcome is certain. It may not be the way we want it to be but that doesn't mean God hasn't already provided for it.

I then took a look at the context. Just before this verse, Paul writes, "The Lord is at hand." That is why we don't have to be anxious. God is nearby. He is not far away tending to the "big stuff" or just absently watching us destroy His creation. He is "at hand" and ready to help us when we cry out to Him.

And that is what He tells us to do. He tells us to give Him our requests...and our concerns and our fears and our anxiety. Then, once we've given him our requests, He can replace our anxiety with His perfect peace. Peace that surpasses all understanding.

Knowing that the outcome of November's elections and whatever comes beyond that is in God's hand takes a burden off of us. It's not our job to save the world, or even to patch it together until Jesus comes back (can I just say, "Come, Jesus!"). It's our job to love our neighbors and our enemies and take the Gospel to the nations. But we can't do that if we're constantly anxious about what tomorrow holds.

Take your troubles to God and be ready to thank Him for His peace surpassing all understanding.

#WhatReallyMatters

In the past few months, I think we have seen more tragedy than in any other time, if not in my lifetime, then certainly since 9/11. I don't have to recount them for you. You would have to be trying very hard to be completely oblivious to everything that has been happening. I've been wanting to write a good response to it since Orlando, but it's taken me a long time to collect my thoughts. Because truly...how can I respond? I mean, I'm a middle class college student whose biggest concerns should be getting good grades and finding free pizza. Yet my news feed is full of tragedy after tragedy, shootings and accidents and bombings and worse.

How can any of us truly grasp the depravity our society has sunken into? The other day, I caught myself on the verge of hopelessness, begging Jesus to come quickly because I simply couldn't see the light at the end of this darkness. And I still can't. Frankly, some of the stories I read make me want to find a hole and hide in it.

But that's no way to live. It's just a way to not die. And God calls us to more than just surviving until we die. He calls us to be the light of the world, the salt of the earth, the hands and feet of Christ, and much more. We can't just hide from it all.

The other tendency I have is to draw a battle line. "These are the good guys" and "those are the bad guys." But when we draw a line between one group and another, we also draw that line between love and hate. You can disagree with someone and still love them. You can't pit yourself against them and love them.

So when I see all those posts about whose side somebody is on or who they dislike or whatever, it just breaks my heart further. I don't care what side you're on politically or what hashtag you associate with. My human opinion cares, but none of that matters. Like it or not, you and I are still neighbors, and Jesus said the second commandment--guys...the second most important thing we can do in our entire lives besides loving God--is to love our neighbors.

And even if you choose to make me your enemy, guess what. I still have to love you because Jesus said to love my enemies too!

And taking up arms against the people you disagree with does no good, because we do not wrestle against flesh and blood (or hashtags) but against the forces of evil that we can't see or touch.

There is so much more that I could say on this topic, and I hope to write more soon, but for right now, ask God to help change your mindset from one that sees enemies to one that sees lost souls in need of a Savior. The world doesn't need more of your opinion, your politics, your candidate, your laws, or your hashtags.

It needs to see Christ's love.

And that is what matters.

God Bless America

God Bless America!

Right?

Before I get into this, I want to get one thing out of the way. It's going to be hard to hear, but most of you probably already know this:

America is NOT God's chosen nation.

That said, I believe we should pray that God will bless America (or whatever nation you live in. Most of this post will relate to any nation on earth). But we shouldn't pray that because America is something great that deserves God's blessing. We should pray as Abraham did for Sodom,

"Will you indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked?...Far be it from you to do such a thing, to put the righteous to death with the wicked, so that the righteous fare as the wicked! Far be that from you! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do what is just?” (Genesis 18:23,25)

Humanity is corrupt. Let's face it: there is no nation on earth that deserves God's favor. He would be justified in wiping us all out. But there are a few of us (well, more than a few) who have been bought with Christ's blood. And for that (and the promise He made to Noah), He spares the world. For the lost who will yet be found, He spares the world. For the prayers of the righteous, He spares the world.

So asking God to bless America exclusively and only because "In God We Trust" is printed on the money that we actually value more than God is a little ignorant. Especially if we refuse to actually do anything about the corruption in our land.

What can we do to bring our nation closer to God?

First, we can pray.

If my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land. (2 Chronicles 7:14)

 Friends, if Christians (forget everyone else for now) prayed fervently to God for their nation's healing, God will hear and He will heal. That alone is something you can do easily. Pray alone. Gather brothers and sisters to pray. They will not go unanswered.

Second, you can reach out to your neighbor. Spread the Gospel wherever you go, and strive to leave each life you touch better than it was before. (I know these are hefty responsibilities, but I can't go into how those are done in this post).

Third, exercise your rights and privileges as citizens. In America, we can contact our representatives and senators about issues that are important to us. We can petition peacefully. And we can vote.

Voting is an interesting (and sometimes touchy) topic. I don't want to get too political, but this is important.

Very often, we find ourselves bemoaning the state of the country, be it in regards to taxes or moral values or just in general. While this is understandable, there are measures we can take to make some of those things better: electing leaders to represent our interests. But we can't get good leaders into office unless we vote for them.

If you are over 18, you have no excuse (if you're not 18 yet, hang in there. It won't be long). Get out to the polls and vote. Don't vote by party: research each candidate to see which one best represents your values.

Notice that I said best represents. I did NOT say, "the one who represents every single thing you believe in perfectly and at all times." You won't find one...unless you run for office. Sometimes we are forced to choose between two bad things. But, as my dad says, if you get to pick who is going to hit you with a stick, at least you can pick the one that's not going to hit you as hard.

This may seem like a small thing, but in a nation where we have the freedom to choose our leaders, we should take every advantage of this. It doesn't matter if you disagree with a few of a candidate's beliefs; better to vote for a candidate who doesn't suit you perfectly than to not vote and allow a candidate brashly opposed to God's values to win.

In case this sounds too political and not spiritual enough, here's the Word of God on the subject:

When the righteous increase, the people rejoice, but when the wicked rule, the people groan. (Proverbs 29:2)

 If we can keep the desperately wicked out of the White House, we will have done our part in being stewards of the nation God has made us citizen of.

At the end of the day, however, none of the candidates will succeed in "fixing" everything. Only God can do that.

Put not your trust in princes,
    in a son of man, in whom there is no salvation.
When his breath departs, he returns to the earth;
    on that very day his plans perish.

Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob,
    whose hope is in the Lord his God (Psalm 146:3-5)

Our human, sinful leaders will fail us. And it's going to look bad. But God has given us peace in knowing that He is in control. We can take comfort in that.

But as long as we have the power to make a difference, then let us do so...united as God's chosen people. Then--and only then--can God truly bless America.

Choosing Forgiveness

Earlier today, I happened to be watching the VeggieTales retelling of Joseph, "Little Joe," and besides a boatload of childhood nostalgia, I was struck with a deep thought.

If you recall the account from Genesis 37-47, Joseph's brothers sold him away from his very comfortable life as favorite child of his father Jacob (Israel). He became a slave in Egypt, was wrongfully imprisoned, interpreted the Pharaoh's dream, rose to second-in-command over all of Egypt, and ultimately saved Egypt and the surrounding civilizations from total starvation during the years of famine. We can draw many lessons from Joseph's life, and there are plenty of good ones out there already.

But I want to discuss one aspect that really hit me while watching it.

Joseph had every right to remain bitter toward his brothers. They had literally ruined his entire life. Think about a time when your siblings did something that seemed unforgivable. You'd have to agree: Joseph had it much worse. If ever there was a circumstance when just about everyone would agree that someone had a right to hate their own family, this is it.

Of course, once he got over the homesickness and adjusted to life as Potiphar's slave, Joseph actually thrived. He did the best he could with what he had, and he gave God the glory. Everything he did, he did with God first in his heart, even to the point of being wrongfully imprisoned. But then of course, he is lifted to a great life as the second most powerful man in Egypt where he could use his gifts to save the nation.

So his life turned out pretty good, especially for a guy who was sold into slavery as a spoiled seventeen-year-old. At this point, onlookers might comment that he should be grateful to his brothers for putting him on the path to greatness.

But what they would forget is that he suffered. For years. And years. All because of his brothers' envy. We aren't told what he was thinking as he was dragged around the country with slave traders. We don't know what he whispered during the lonely prison nights. We can't see whether his heart was forever scarred by the betrayal of his own family.

Years. No matter the outcome, could you forgive someone who had caused you years of agony?

Yet Joseph did.

He knew that God had taken what his brothers' meant for evil and turned it to good (Romans 8:28, . In fact, He had taken the worst intentions and worked them out for the very best. But even knowing that is only a tiny step toward forgiveness. After all, regardless of what God turned their actions into, they still meant him harm. And that's what hurt most of all.

But Joseph forgave them anyway. He saw their repentant hearts and gave them forgiveness in probably the most beautiful display of mercy until the Cross.

I realized that there are people in my life that I hold bitterness toward. People who hurt me years ago that I still resent. Names that make me upset just to hear.

Then I look at where I am now. I have an amazing church where God is using me, wonderful friends who constantly point me to God, and a great job and university. Honestly, I just about have it all when it comes to being blessed beyond measure. And I know that hurts from my past have molded me and guided me along paths that I didn't foresee in my wildest dreams. People who excluded me made me think of others and try to include them. People who showed me what bad friends are enabled me to see who good friends are. Friends who turned out not to be friends prompted me to break away and find a new set of friends who are more than I could have asked for.

So really, I should thank them, right? After all, whatever harm they intended me, God used for good. Instead of losing, I've actually gained much more from the path that I've ended up on. So why is it so hard for me to forgive?

Because it hurt. Sure, I'm fine now. But I had long days and weeks and months of loneliness and hurt that won't just go away when things get better. And that is something that I'm going to have to really work through with God.

Is there someone that you're still holding bitterness toward? Is there someone who hurt you and you just can't forgive?

Maybe now is the time to ask God how you can begin to forgive them. It won't happen overnight. If you're anything like me, it'll be a daily struggle. But evil wins if you harbor bitterness in your heart. Forgiveness sounds complicated, but really it's very simple: let it go.

Love Your Neighbor

So we've had some major work done on our house and it ended up that our entire yard was torn up. Currently, we have virtually no grass and I don't think we've thought about our bushes in months. Our yard is basically a big mess and we haven't had time or energy to put it back together yet.

Well, I came home from work yesterday and our next door neighbor was in the front yard trimming our bushes. She stayed several hours, tidying up our front yard and advising us on our other plants. And in the past she's mowed our lawn countless times and she and her husband have been incredibly kind to us in the two years that we've lived here.

In fact, they have been the perfect example of the neighborly love that Christ commanded...except for one thing: They're not believers.

Now, how many of you Christians out there would drop what you were doing to help your next door neighbor with yard work? How many of you would do innumerable acts of kindness with no desire of being repaid?

"Well, I'm busy."

Admit it, you just said that. And I get it. I'm busy too. I have work, school, and church to balance on top of any social life that I still have. I barely have time to help in our own yard, much less someone else's.

But we are seriously missing the mark here. Jesus commanded us to love God and to love our neighbors. Of course He meant that we are to love anyone in our path, but I imagine that He would emphasize that our geographic neighbors are a great place to start.

And yet here we are, being served by our neighbors who don't love Jesus.

This is not a post about how it's better to be a nice non-believer than to be a mean Christian. Please don't take that away from this.

This post is about why I even had to say that! Brothers and sisters, this is one of those "You only had one job" moments! "They will know we are Christians by our love." Where is our love?

Don't get me wrong: it's great to go on mission trips or to go to the next town and do a Bible camp or to serve the Body in church. But if we are not loving the people around us, we are failing miserably! We get so wrapped up in our own drama and pharisaic ideas of love and service that we completely miss the heart of the issue.

The world doesn't need your theology. It doesn't need your fancy PowerPoints. It doesn't need your catchy worship songs. It doesn't even need your outreach materials and service projects.

The world needs to see the love of Christ reflected through us.

There's a song by Casting Crowns called "If We Are The Body" and it shows how we as Christians are so caught up in our own "goodness" that we neglect loving those who don't fit the "Christian" profile. It points out that, if we are the hands and feet of Jesus, then we should be doing what Jesus would have been doing.

I know it isn't practical and it isn't easy. But we have a duty to reach the lost world, and we're not going to reach them with projects and programs.

We'll reach them by our love.

Giving UP

If there's one characteristic that really defines some of my greatest struggles, it's the battle for control. I wouldn't say I'm necessarily a "control freak", but I do like things to be my way in my time. If someone gives me any amount of control over something, I'm going to take it and make sure it's done right.

After all, if you want it done right, do it yourself. 

I've discussed the idea of control before multiple times, but I've always wanted to cover it in the context of earthly circumstances. 

You see, whenever there is something that I want, I always try everything in my power to get it. I wear myself out trying to make things happen.

But ultimately, I end up frustrated because I don't always get what I want. And that's hard for me.

I think that the biggest thing God has had to teach me over and over is that I don't have control. I'm not God and I can't always have my way. I have no right to demand that my wants get fulfilled.

Time and time again, I've set my heart on something and focused every effort on achieving that. And those things aren't bad things! One time I wanted to witness to a friend; another time I wanted to be part of a worship team. And none of the other desires were bad. But they kept getting denied and I got frustrated.

After trying absolutely everything I could think of, I gave up. Several times, I would just be sitting on my floor or my bed and say, "God, if you don't do something, this isn't going to happen." It was hard, but I had to give it to God and let go.

Do you know how hard it is to let go of something you want more than anything? 

I would love to tell you that every single time I've done this, God has given me the desires of my heart in ways far more amazing than mine. And in some cases He did. But not all of them. Sometimes I was disappointed.

This is something that God has been teaching me--and I regret to say that I have not been learning well--over basically my whole life. You would think I would eventually figure out that I can be so much more relaxed when I leave everything in God's hands. But that's probably a battle I'll be fighting my whole life. 

In my devotion time earlier this week, I came across this verse: 

Unless the Lord builds the house,
    those who build it labor in vain.
Unless the Lord watches over the city,
    the watchman stays awake in vain. (Psalm 127:1)

I've read this verse dozens of times, but something about it struck me differently this time. I realized that, if what I want is not in God's will for me right now or in my way, nothing I do will make it happen. I can work my tail off and still get nowhere. Unless God's blessing is on it and unless His Hand is in it, my efforts will be in vain.

Is there something you're holding too tightly? Is there something you're determined to force through? Is there a desire or goal you can't let go of?

I encourage you now, as hard as it is, to let it go. God's hands are far more capable than ours. He can see down the road to what's best for us. Give it up to God and trust Him to work for your good, even if it doesn't go the way you wanted. It's another part of walking not by sight. You won't regret it. 

Fear of Failure

With finals week just around the corner, the concept of failure has become much more real to me. (I'm not doing badly, but the possibility is still there.) No matter how well I've done this past semester, my score on one test could definitely damage my grade. I know that my family wouldn't disown me for making bad grades, but I wonder if I could live with myself. I tend to set high standards for myself and then I hold myself to them. When I don't measure up, I don't even need anyone else's disapproval to feel disappointed.

But I have high standards for myself even outside of academics. I expect myself to be the good Christian girl that I think God expects me to be. I have a list of things not to do and I stay away from those. I try to do good things and love people and not get grumpy when I'm hungry. And if I thought God was disappointed in me, I would be crushed.

I had a conversation with a skeptic of Christianity a few days ago, and he made the comment about how Christianity seemed to be about a lost cause, as if we know we can't succeed in following God's law from the beginning so we are defeated from the start. And he's not wrong. From conception, we are corrupted, rebelling against God from our earliest moments. Only through rebirth and sanctification are we able to combat our rebellious tendencies.

So what does that mean for us?

We've already failed. Adam and Eve failed, and their failure has passed to us.

But God chose to save us while we were still sinners. While we were still failures. While we were still in open rebellion against Him. We cannot fail so badly that He will be disappointed in us. He's seen us at our worst, yet He still gave us His best.

More than that, He knows that we cannot succeed. This side of Heaven, we are not capable of perfection. So He arranged it for us. He sent Jesus to live a perfect life, to die a sacrificial death, and to be raised to glory again so that our failures could be redeemed.

But it gets even better: God loves us and wants the best for us. He knows we are weak. And it breaks His heart. But that's what the cross is for

God sees our failures, but He loved us so much that He gave up His perfect Son so that we could have eternal life.

You can never fail so badly that God will stop loving you. Salvation is for those who come in faith. Don't despair. God loves you.

This is the Day

I've never been one to rush off to the next stage of my life. I was content to wait and enjoy life until I turned 13, got my driver's license, graduated high school, and everything else I have yet to do. I try my best to enjoy the time I have because I know I'll never get it back.

But the other day, I was walking to my car (a long way, by the way) after leaving class. And I realized that I wasn't enjoying the walk or the weather or any of it. I was just walking as fast as I could to make the time spent not doing something important as short as possible.

We talk a lot about wasting time. Don't watch YouTube for hours on end. Don't play games on your phone. Don't read anything that doesn't build you up. Don't just sit around not being productive.

And I don't disagree. I actually have a to-do list app on my phone so that, on days like today, I can see how much I still have to do so that I can feel overwhelmed and stop wasting time. Don't get me wrong: I waste a ton of time on things that really don't matter at all. (That's something God is having to work on in me)

But if you enjoy doing something (as long as it isn't taking the place of something you actually need to be doing), is it really a waste of time? Are there better things you could be doing than watching YouTube? Of course! But there is nothing wrong with enjoying even meaningless entertainment for a short amount of time occasionally.

Honestly, I think the bigger waste of time is when we are walking from the building to our car, driving to our next appointment, or counting the hours until the next thing we're going to do. God made every moment, so why do we enjoy some and discount all the rest?

This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. (Psalm 188:24)

I see this verse hung as decoration in a lot of kitchens to be a reminder to take every day as a blessing. And when the sun is shining, your family and friends are around you, and your shoes feel great, it's not hard to rejoice. When something exciting happens, it's easy to say, "Thank you God for this day!" (That is, if we remember to do so.)

But what about the boring days. I'm not even going to talk about the bad days...what about the everyday, mundane, boring days? You get up, brush your teeth, go to school or work, come home, eat dinner, and go to bed so you can do the same thing tomorrow. How do we respond when absolutely nothing of circumstance happened today?

The first step is just to realize how much time you're not enjoying. I occasionally catch myself so wrapped up in where I'm going that I didn't notice any part of my drive. Or I'll be so bent on getting to my next class (which I'm already going to be early for) that I don't slow down and enjoy the sun and the wind and the feeling of walking.

And it make me sad, because then I wonder how many days of my life I have wished away over years of driving, walking, and waiting for something exciting to happen.

God's not just there in the mountains and valleys. He's there every single day, every single moment. Remember that rainy Sunday afternoon when all you wanted to do was take a nap? He made that. Remember that morning when you actually got out the door in time and the roads were just a little foggy? He made that day too. Remember the night when the moon was so bright and the sky so clear that it was almost as bright as day? God made that!

// I like this translation of the verse because it demonstrates that we have to make a conscious choice to be joyful in every day. It isn't something that just happens.//

















Take some time today to stop moving. Stop rushing. Stop wishing your life away. Look beyond the surface and see the beauty in the mundane. Not only will life get less boring, but you might actually begin to enjoy it.

Spiritual Fitness

For a long time, I kept trying to get into exercising. I wasn't sure if I wanted to work out at home or go to a gym or take a class, but I knew I needed to do something. I would try different places, but I didn't do very well because I didn't have much muscle strength in the areas we were working. So I would give up, realizing that I needed to get stronger before I could go work out.

Finally, a friend dragged me to a fit class and, although it was hard and I couldn't do everything, I could almost feel myself getting a little stronger. And then it hit me: I don't go to a fit class to show off my strength that I already have. I go to fit class to get stronger. I'm not supposed to be perfect when I go in. Strength will come in time, but I have to go and work for it.

Now, in case you're thinking, "That's great and all, Jenna; but where exactly are you going with this?"

Just hang in there. I'm getting to the point.

When I was younger (probably close to 10), I was seriously considering joining the church and partaking in the Lord's Supper. I went through not one but two Communicant's Classes (basically, they taught what it meant to be a Christian and what it meant to take communion) and my pastor even came over to talk to me for a while. I can't even tell you how many hours my dad and I talked about it.

But I always came back to the understanding that I wasn't ready. After all, before you can take the Lord's Supper, you have to examine your heart and see if you are unrepentant for any sin. I don't think I ever had this conscious thought, but I always had this mindset that, if I did something wrong, God was going to zap me as soon as I walked out of church. I kept waiting, hoping that one day I would be good enough to take communion.

I was twelve when I stopped short. Wasn't that the entire point of the Lord's Supper? Doesn't it exist BECAUSE I'm not perfect?

It seems so simple, but it took many years for me to reach this point. I'd always known about God, and I've been in church almost every single Sunday of my life. But when it came to understanding grace, no one could just teach me. I had to come to that realization myself.

I officially joined the church not long after I understood this, and I celebrated with my church that day because I had finally discovered the center of Christianity: grace.

I've talked about Ephesians 2:8-9 before, so I won't go into it in too much detail, but this verse summarizes my understanding of grace.

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.

All my life, I had been trying to figure things out myself, trying to make myself perfect; but it was no different than me not wanting to work out because I wasn't strong enough. It's grace--and only grace--that saved me. There's nothing I can do to save myself. But God will give me strength to be more like Christ as I commune with Him. He doesn't expect me to be perfect now. He expects me to have faith and let Him save me.

Just like going to fit class, partaking in the Lord's Supper doesn't require me to already be strong. All I have to do is come in faith.

And isn't that amazing? Isn't grace amazing?

To an Uncertain Nation

If uncertainty wasn't in the air before the US Presidential primary today, it is certainly here now. Regardless of who you voted for, the next Commander in Chief is still unknown. You might already know if your preferred candidate has won or lost, but maybe you're not happy about the results. Or maybe you are...and now you have to worry about the November election.

Wherever you stand, I know that you must be experiencing at least a little anxiety over the future of our nation. That's understandable.

But it also indicates that our trust is misplaced.

Put not your trust in princes,
    in a son of man, in whom there is no salvation.
When his breath departs, he returns to the earth;
    on that very day his plans perish.

Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob,
    whose hope is in the Lord his God (Psalm 146:3-5)

If your hope is in your favorite candidate, in the next president, or in the next Supreme Court Justice, then it is in the wrong place. Each of those people will live a little while and then die. Sure, their actions will affect us now and down the road, but ultimately, who is in control here?

 The king's heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord; he turns it wherever he will. (Proverbs 21:1)

Look: no matter who gets into office, God will still control them as if they were drops of water in His palm. None of these candidates can do anything outside of God's plan.

It's scary sometimes to think about where our nation is headed. And for all I know, we could get wiped out within the next four years. But ultimately, God is on the throne. I know it's very cliche, but it's only cliche because it's true. God reigns sovereign. Nothing is out of His control. And He is the King of kings. Do you think that our country will fall if He ordains it to stand?

Or do you think that our nation will stand when He has determined its downfall? Maybe God will use this election to put into office a president who will destroy us. But even then, will He be less sovereign? Will His plan cease from being carried out? And will He not hear the cries of repentance from the citizens?

Friends, whether or not you live in America, you live in a world that is corrupt and dying. It won't last forever. Jesus is coming back (Hallelujah for that!).

But He's not here yet. So until then, we have to be good stewards of what He's entrusted to us. One of those gifts is the freedom to vote. Even if you didn't vote in this election, plan on voting in the next one (you have several months to get ready for it).

More than that, however, remember that, regardless of the outcome, God is still God. And God loves us and wants what is best for us. All things will work together for our good.

I'll leave you with this reminder, just in case you're still anxious:

Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!” (Psalm 46:10)

Change of Plans

A friend once told me, "If you ever want to make God laugh, make a plan."

If this is true, God must find me hilarious...or just a sad case of stubbornness.

I make plans (read: I, a fallible and finite created mortal, cook up half-baked ideas that hinge on speculations and wishful thinking) all the time, every day, ranging from what I'm going to do this afternoon to what I'm going to do in five years.

But here's the problem with making plans: things don't always go according to plan.

Here's an example: I had planned to write this blog post earlier today and about a different subject. I ended up cramming my day so full that I barely had time to study for my test tonight, much less write a blog post that, while it is important to me, does not help me keep my GPA up.

That is just a small-scale example, but if we're honest, we make plans every day that go wrong. I don't need to give you examples because you could come up with ten right now as you're reading this post.

The Bible has a lot to say about making plans, so before I say any more, let's look at some of the things God says:

The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps. (Proverbs 18:9)

 For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. (Jeremiah 29:11)

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)

I think you get the point. God has made plans for us since way before the world existed and He's going to take us through them one step at a time.

But this can be hard to remember when your plans get changed. I mean, if my life doesn't go the way I planned, you may feel sorry for me and quote Scripture to me, but it isn't the same as when you plan to get this job or go out to eat with that person or wake up on your first alarm and those things don't go the way you wanted. Especially with the big, life plans like college majors and careers, a change of plan can redirect your entire life.

And that's frustrating. We have an idea of how we want things to happen and when and where and with whom. We set off on our man-made path. Suddenly a door closes in our face and we're angry. "Why did you let that door shut?!" we ask God. "It was going to be perfect!"
But then, and often in ways that we barely notice (and thus give Him no gratitude for), God brings us to the door He had chosen for us.

I have a tendency to run towards a bunch of these metaphorical doors and see which ones slam in my face and then go through whichever one is still open. And while it theoretically works, it's also a little reckless.

Wouldn't it be better to spend so much time in prayer with God that we know where He's directing us so we don't have to experience rejection from all our failed plans? After all, He has planed for us far more abundantly than all that we ask or think or can possibly imagine (Ephesians 3:20). His plans for me sound a lot nicer than mine.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that, no matter how good you think your plan is, God can (and often will) change it to align with His will. The sooner we not only accept this fact but embrace the beauty of having our lives planned by the God of the universe, the easier it will be for us to walk in the calling God has laid before us. We won't be able to see ahead in this path, but that's okay because we're walking by faith...Not By Sight.

#CagedNoMore

If you've known me very long at all (or at least followed me on facebook!) you've probably noticed that I'm passionate about ending human trafficking, the modern day slavery that holds about 27 million men, women, and children captive around the globe. One of the best ways to fight it, besides prayer of course, is to spread awareness about it.

I could give you a bunch of facts about it, but honesty you could read them for yourselves in my previous post about trafficking. Today, I want to spotlight one way to raise awareness.

 

Caged No More is a movie about human trafficking. Don't worry; I won't spoil it! But I want to tell you about it. (You can visit the website and view the trailer through the link above)

This movie, created by the co-producers of God's Not Dead, was well-done. Casting, dialogue, musical score, acting, emotion...it had it all. It wasn't very preachy, and although it was a little fuzzy on a couple of details, the message couldn't have been clearer. So you could say it is a "good" movie.

But it isn't "good". It isn't "great". It's absolutely heartbreaking.

At one point in the movie, you realize that one very innocent girl is about to be sold into sex trafficking. I considered fleeing the theater so I wouldn't have to see it unfold. I stayed, and I'm glad I did; but this movie really cuts deep. I watched the documentary Nefarious:Merchant of Souls a few years ago and it was horrific and sickening (still, very well-done and worth the watch), but Caged No More is different because you will connect to just a few characters and you can imagine yourself or your friend or your sister in one of those situations and it hurts.

Regardless, I encourage you to see this film and support it. It won't be in theaters much longer so don't wait too long! Knowledge is power, and this film gives you knowledge...and beyond that, it delivers a passion to do something about human trafficking.

***HOWEVER***

This movie is NOT for everyone. Although it deals with such dark subject matter, there is very little graphic content. But it is a very intense movie, not just from the suspense, but from the whole concept. So, look at movie reviews such as this one to see if you and/or your family can go see it. (Comment below or contact me if you're not sure...I'll try to help!)

If you are only vaguely aware of human trafficking, or if you have friends who are, then this is a good movie to see. It exposes you to just a small facet of the global and diverse evil. Understand, though, that the method depicted in the movie is only one of many ways that slaves are acquired, and that much of this can be happening in your own backyard. 

I strongly encourage you to go see this movie. It will impact your life. Once you've seen it, spread the word about it. And most importantly...pray. Pray for the victims. Pray for those who enslave them. Most of all, pray for a change of heart in the men who create a demand for slaves; once the demand is gone, the supply will be free.

_________________________________________________________________________________

If you want more information on human trafficking (what it is, how to help, where to learn more) or want to ask about Caged No More, comment below and or contact me through social media (Not By Sight's facebook page ) and I'll do my best to help!

Let's be the generation that puts an end to slavery once and for all!

#cagednomore

The Cool Sins

"Is there anything you're struggling with that you want me to pray about?"

~~ "Well, I've really been struggling with being impatient for God to work His plan in my life."
~~ "Actually, yes. I'm constantly tempted to doubt God's power to solve my problems."
~~ "Pray that I would be more diligent in my prayer life."

We've heard (and probably given) those and dozens of other similar prayer requests whenever we or a small group leader ask that question. The question is innocent enough; but the truth is, we're too afraid to be honest and vulnerable. It's not that those struggles aren't valid--they certainly are--but they are merely the "right answer" to the question.

After all, as Christians, we're not supposed to struggle with temptations to lie, cheat, hate, or lust.We don't give a second thought to sins of laziness or gluttony...as long as they're not coupled with alcohol or drug addictions. We think you're a saint if you can admit your selfishness...as long as we can turn around and praise you for your service in the church that makes you appear selfless. Worry is okay...we all do it and there's not much you can do about it anyway. We find it easy to overlook a girl and guy sleeping together, but the judgment comes down if a guy does the same thing with another guy.

WHY?!

Why do we do this? Why do we justify some sins and condemn others, almost arbitrarily? Why are some sins "cool" to confess...while others, if you admitted that you struggle with them, will get you shunned? Why are some sins overlooked while, if you struggled with one in the past, even if you've overcome it now, you are a "second class Christian"?

The only answer that I can come up with is human nature. Humans have been comparing themselves to each other since there was more than one human. But we don't just want to compare: we want to come out on top.

Cain and Abel is a classic example. Cain compared his gifts to Abel's, and instead of blaming his own heart condition for God's rejection of his offering, he took it out on Abel.

Think about the prodigal son and his brother. The older brother condemns the prodigal son for all of his terrible sins, but in his arrogance and judgment, he is in fact the worse of the two, because the prodigal son asked and received forgiveness.

I could come up with more examples, but you get the point. Like the Pharisees of Jesus' time, we like to pick and choose which sins are "okay" and which sins will get you stoned (well, we don't stone people anymore...). The Pharisees knew they could handle keeping the Sabbath holy, so they made that a rule: no working on the Sabbath. At all. Period. They knew it would be easy not to kill anyone; so don't murder. And on and on they went: obey the laws and everything will be fine.

What they didn't understand was that every single one of them had sinned. Even if they'd never gotten drunk or committed adultery or killed anyone or worked on the Sabbath or blasphemed God's name, they were still sinners. They didn't love those they didn't agree with, they didn't care for the disadvantaged, they only made sacrifices when it would bring them glory.

But are we any different? "Oh sure, I'll serve in church. Just make sure everyone can see me serve food/lead worship/run sound/stack chairs." "I'll pray for us! I have the perfect words to use!" "Jesus said to love your enemies, but He didn't mean that girl who talks behind my back or that guy who picks on me all the time."

The worst part about having a distinction between "bad sins" and "okay sins" is that, as long as we're within the realm of "okay sins", we can feel good.

How wrong is that? Jesus clearly said, “No one is good except God alone." (Mark 10:18)

Look, I don't care that the only sins you've ever committed are "cool" sins; YOU ARE NOT GOOD. You are a SINNER. You need GOD'S GRACE.

Maybe you know that. Maybe you feel tremendous amounts of guilt for your sins. As hard as I'm sure that is, you're closer than the rest of us. The prodigal son knew he had to be forgiven. He came back to the father and asked forgiveness, and his slate was wiped clean. If you are saved by grace, then you don't have to feel guilt anymore. You're clean and free.
But the older brother saw no need for forgiveness. He'd been the perfect son.  But he needed forgiveness just as much as his younger brother.

If you relate more to the older brother, know that you're not alone. But also know that it's not okay. It's not better than the prodigal son. Before forgiveness and grace, both brothers would stand on equal ground.

Friends, if you were a prodigal son or daughter, then I am glad you are home. But for the older brothers and sisters...we are in a dangerous place. Satan will attack us with temptations not to murder or adultery but to apathy and numbness. In order to fight him, you have to recognize that you are not good; that you are in fact hopelessly wicked. Until we get there, we can't make progress.

No sin is "cool". We ALL need God's grace. And God gives it to us unreservedly.