Power in Small Packages

A book called God’s Supernatural Power (author: Bobby Connor) discusses how the west “super-sizes” everything—not just food, cars and cereal packages, but people, too. Bobby accurately describes how the church creates “super-saints,” and how we try to calculate where we are spiritually, gauged on what these “super-saints” are doing or not doing. (Sounds an awful lot like idolatry, doesn’t it? And yet, almost all of us have done it with one leader or another.)

As I was reading this, I began to think of people I actually know (not from a distance, but up close) who are nicer, kinder and more loving than many of these super-saints. For example, I’m fairly sure Billy Graham is a pretty normal guy when he’s not doing stadium events. In fact (having read some of his books), it turns out that he thought he was no one special when he was launched internationally as someone who could turn a crowd of drug-using, promiscuous young adults into weeping, repentant ones.

But when you think about it, Billy’s not the one who actually did this; it was God Himself—working through a “clay pot” (2 Cor 4:7) no bigger, smaller or greater than any of us. David is a Biblical hero who started out pretty much the same way. The youngest of many brothers, he was overlooked by his own father when the prophet Samuel came looking to make one of the boys God’s chosen king. Though David was a lowly shepherd, smaller than the rest of his siblings, God plucked him out of the pasture and thrust him before a giant, armed with nothing but a slingshot and some stones. Pretty unimpressive, huh? But he became a king who’s frequently cited in God’s Word, and revered by many cultures and generations.

Then there’s the most notorious Person in the Bible—the King of Kings and Lord of Lords—who actually deserves all of the adulation we could possibly give. But how did the Father present Him to the earth? Did He come on a massive golden chariot, covered in multi-colored robes with gemstones all over them, surrounded with gigantic angels trumpeting His arrival (surely the way religious leaders expected!) to all of earth’s inhabitants? This has to be the determining example. God chose to send His only Son—the Victor of all battles—as a completely vulnerable infant to a now-shamed young woman (because of her out-of-wedlock pregnancy) and an earthly father who just wasn’t too sure about the whole thing (and who can blame him?).

The point is, God truly does use the weak things of this world to confound the strong and the foolish things to confound the wise (1 Cor 1:20, 26-29). I fit in both categories, and am guessing most of you feel the same way, most of the time. Yet this same God Who created the heavens, earth and everything in them, wants to use us to do His bidding—to feed the hungry, heal the sick and raise the dead. He said He’s given us His glory (John 17:22), which I personally think is extraordinarily remarkable. I mean, who did He hang out with when He lived here—the famous priests, rulers and entertainers? Nope, it was the uneducated, the poor, the laborers, the unnoticed ones—much like you and me.

I believe He wants to change our western mindset so that we stop supersizing things and people, and allow Him to be the only One Who deserves this kind of adoration. He wants us to step up to the plate and be the David’s, Mary’s and Billy’s—no matter our age, occupation, IQ, gender or denomination—emulating the Lord of Hosts, as He is the best Example, isn’t He?

This only applies, of course, to those who believe that the Bible is His Word and that His Son came to save us from eternal death by dying on the cross for our sins. But if that’s you, then you have Christ, the Hope of Glory, living inside of you, empowering you to do anything He asks. All it takes is total dependence and relational-connectedness to the Source of life itself.

And if you haven’t yet discovered the reality of knowing the humblest King Who ever walked the earth, I highly recommend it. This relationship isn’t just for the purpose of making sure we have an eternal destiny, but for living now as ones who are power-packed with His loving kindness and miracles that abound as we speak life-words onto a planet whose future is almost present.

The Journey’s Guide

Following after God often seems like being in an enormous maze (like I once saw in England). From the upstairs window of the castle, one could easily see the way out of the myriad of stopping and starting paths, but from inside the maze, it seemed like an overly-tall jungle with no end. Our Father easily sees the path we’re on and is more than happy for His Holy Spirit to guide us through. But if I’m standing in the middle of it and have my cell phone turned off so no one above can call me, nor can I call them, then I’ve cut myself off from the only external source able to help. Is that not what I do with the Lord when I determinedly fix my eyes on a course which I can only see in a myopic way—like a horse with blinders that is constantly surprised when something sidles up beside him unexpectedly and which only knows the way to go as its driver guides it with the reins? Instead of seeking the only One Who can help me, I often focus on trying to do things by myself.

I’ve recently had a long period of seeking His face and the course He has for me, and this is exactly how it felt. Not yet being completely on the other side of the maze, but confident that I’m closer to the exit than I was a few months ago, I’m beginning to realize that my dependency on Him has increased the way a blind person’s hearing and other senses are radically altered after the eyesight disappears. What was once just background noise becomes quite meaningful when crossing a busy parking lot. And a coffee shop’s almost negligibly attractive smell, to the sightless becomes the directional source to follow when meeting a friend at the restaurant next door. This is how it feels to follow God as our relationship with Him deepens, isn’t it? Making decisions based on our own or someone else’s good ideas is no longer an option. We first go to the One we love the most to seek His opinion and counsel.

I’ve often heard mocking words spoken of those who ask God what outfit to wear, but I’ve begun to realize that most people who have drawn very near to Him aren’t necessarily asking His advice, but are merely having an active conversation—much the same as a wife to husband or vice versa. “Honey, should I wear my grey slacks with my pink or blue top?”

“Oh, you look great in the pink one—wear that!”

It’s not some dramatic encounter, or a plea for counsel as much as it’s simply an affectionate desire to know the other’s opinion and desires. This is how He wants us to interact with Him, isn’t it? Was Moses not like this? How about David, Joseph (of the many-colored coat, or even the stepdad of our Messiah), Mary, Deborah, etc.? Did they not commune with the Lord and talk to Him as one who is intimately close—like a very dear friend, spouse, child or sibling? This deep relationship removes the independence from those who are prone to finding the path alone, and causes the self-reliance to transform into a lovely relationship of interdependency. As I depend on the living God for help, He deigns to let me help Him!

As I’ve oft-traversed these life mazes—often without seeking Him, and finding myself to be quite lost, mixed up and unable to move forward—I’ve begun to realize that my circumstances are designed to drive me closer to my Beloved. And I don’t think this is meant to be temporary, but something He longs for me to grow in as I walk out my life on this strange planet. Truly, He’s closer than a friend, than a prayer, than our skin—because He dwells inside of us—isn’t that just the most extraordinary Truth?!

Helping God

When a mother is getting ready to make cookies, her three-year-old comes tearing into the kitchen, muddy footprints trailing behind.

“I want to help, I want to help, plllleeeaaaasseee, Mommy!!!” he screams.

A loving smile turns up her lips as she gazes upon her progeny, so desirous of being part of what she’s doing. Knowing that he will make a far bigger mess, dropping chocolate chips on her freshly-mopped floor, pouring flour all over the counter, and breaking more eggs than she actually needs, she sweeps her son into her arms and says, “Of course, dear, I’d LOVE for you to help me!”

A few years later, Mom is making cookies again and her 10-year-old bounds up the stairs as she yells out, “Don’t bring the mud up with you!”

This time, he quickly kicks off his shoes and runs in, asking, “Are you making cookies? Can I help?”

Now he can actually do a few things that are helpful, but still, the benefits are greatly outweighed by the extra cleanup afterwards. But Mom still says, “Sure, honey, you can do the measurements, okay? That’ll help you with the fractions you’re studying!” she smiles encouragingly.

At 15, her son clomps into the kitchen as his Mom is cleaning up. “Mom, can you make cookies? I could sure use something to munch on right now.”

Seeing that her son needs to talk, she begins pulling out cookie sheets and ingredients. “Sure, Son. Let’s chat while I throw them together.”

Finally, at 22, the son strolls into the kitchen, his arm wrapped around the waist of his new wife. “Mom, is it okay if Rebecca makes some cookies?”

Grateful that they want to be in her kitchen, she says, “That would be wonderful. I’m just finishing the dishes, and I’d love some time together. Why don’t I help you find everything and we can hang out as you cook, Rebecca?”

So often, aren’t most of us are like the first couple of examples when we think we’re going to “help” God do something? We come plowing in, arms and legs flying, making a mess of things, and He joyfully greets us, and enthusiastically lets us join Him in His work of loving the world to life.

As we mature, He lets us do more and more, always joining us because He loves our company so much. However, we never get better at Him than anything, just more skilled at doing different tasks. But the love that must abound in our relationships, in our efforts, in our own hearts for Him must continue in order for whatever we do to be effective. He embraces everything we do because He’s such a loving Father, but He truly doesn’t need us—He simply enjoys having us alongside Him as companions (even though He’s always far more skilled than we could ever be!). When we pray for the sick, walk someone through His Word, showing someone how to find hope in Him, or just want to sit and talk with Him, He’s always present, always enthusiastic about our desire to come close and “help” Him—even when our own desires are to see results, to enjoy the outcome, to show Him what we’ve done. Like the 10-year-old who spilled flour everywhere, eggs dripping off his now-stained-shirt, his mom cleaning up after everything he does, we emerge saying, “Look what I did!!!” when all the while, we were only “helping” our mighty Father by just coming alongside Him in what He was already doing—in His incredible power and incomparable love—trying to keep up with Him, hoping to impress an already doting Father.

His Simplicity

Though His book foretold it, the virgin birth didn’t fit the theology of the Pharisees.

Coming as an infant wasn’t a good enough image for a King;

They wanted pomp and splendor, decrees for their nation to glorify the priests.

But You came in humility, clothed with rags and born in a shelter.

The only ones who knew were those who brought you to life,

and those our Father prophesied to through the stars.

Those who studied Your Word didn’t recognize You.

In fact, they opposed You because You were too kind, too full of grace.

Their desire was for a despot who would overthrow their nation’s enemies.

And Your desire was—and is—to overthrow the enemy of their (and our) hearts.

Your kingdom doesn’t look like their understanding,

So they rejected it—then and still.

But You spurn them not.

You intercede for them—those You called Your people—

And those who came under Your cloak, as Ruth did with Boaz.

You are our Kinsman Redeemer, the One sent to save the world.

Your robes are humble and unattractive in appearance to our eyes.

But we cannot see the splendor that heaven does,

For our eyes are not yet fully opened.

The sound of heaven is intensely busy, some preparing for the arrival of many,

While others shine their battle dress and sharpen their weapons for the coming conflict.

There has never been a war like the one looming ahead…

How extraordinary that You have called the weak things of this world—

Your servants—to confound the wise.

How utterly fantastic that You have changed our name from “servant” to “friend,”

From outcast to chosen child.

 

Yet You are the real Sign and Wonder. 

The knowledge of You is what we seek and what our hearts cry out to grasp.

For Your magnificence is not obvious to the theologians,

Nor is Your power and glory yet manifesting in predictable ways.

But Your love is what overwhelms and transforms us.

Its strength is far greater than any weapon,  

And far more expansive than that of any nation.

Your love is sheltering, yet pushes us onward to do great things.

It is inspiring and undergirding, overwhelmingly full of grace

And fulfilling strategies that not even the greatest scholar of Your Word can predict.

Your love is the royalty that we seek, the power that we long to know.

Your glory is filled with it and Your kingdom breathes it.

No one can escape it except through death,

Which You already fulfilled so we can receive life for eternity.

Reveal Yourself, oh King, to the learned as well as to the simple.

Show the priests and wise men that You are far beyond their minds‘ reach,

That You reveal Yourself to children and Your plans to Your Beloved.

Dissolve our independence so that me may run to you,

Falling on both knees in deference to Your greatness.

Let us no longer hold others back by the limits our understanding places on You;

Help us to spur one another on to know You more and more.

Pull Your children close,

So that we may gaze upon Your splendor, wonderful Messiah!