Tension in the Kingdom

Tension. Just the sound of that word causes my neck and shoulders to tighten and my jaw to clench. Most of us steer clear of it at every opportunity. However, I’ve been noticing how many different tensions exist in the word of God and the kingdom of God! There are principles that seem polar opposites and pull against one another causing tension.

Love and truth
Kindness and severity of God
Strength and weakness
Wisdom and simplicity
Persistence and humility

It’s the last grouping I want to focus on: persistence and humility. Which do we need more of to be a disciple of Christ? Which exemplifies true Kingdom living? Of course, the answer is both, but how can they exist together in harmony in our spirits?

Herein lies one of the greatest mysteries of Kingdom living. When opposing forces pull us apart (i.e., the need to persist in a given way and the need to humble ourselves and surrender), we can become caught and “taut” in the tension. There is potential for great conflict within us causing divided thinking and great conflict with others causing subsequent division. But there is also potential for SYNERGY where the outcome of both forces working together brings something greater than the sum of both parts. So how do we harness the grit, determination, and tenacity of persistence with the meekness, deferential submission, and egolessness of humility?

I believe the answer lies in listening to the Holy Spirit and doing what He says at any given moment. It also lies in the practices of leveraging and integration. If we can leverage the best of persistence with the best of humility, they can begin to integrate and work together in us, transforming our character to be audaciously humble. Here’s an example from Christ’s life in Luke 9:51-56 (NIV):

“As the time approached for him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem. And he sent messengers on ahead, who went into a Samaritan village to get things ready for him; but the people there did not welcome him, because he was heading for Jerusalem. When the disciples James and John saw this, they asked, “Lord, do you want us to call fire down from heaven to destroy them?” But Jesus turned and rebuked them. Then he and his disciples went to another village.”

Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem. That term “resolutely set out” is the Greek word estērisen, to set fast, i.e. to turn resolutely in a certain direction, or to confirm. That is determination and persistence. And when the Samaritans in the village did not welcome Him and provide lodging, rather than call fire down from heaven to destroy them, He and His disciples simply went to another village. That is meekness and humility. Both persistence and humility worked together in perfect synergy. As Christ leveraged the best of both, He committed Himself to His sacred purpose—to lay down His life in Jerusalem at the cross. The pathway there was altered slightly by choosing another village to go through, but it still got Him there.

In moments of tension in the Kingdom, it is easy to justify bold, brazen action in our striving toward ambitious goals, even God-given goals. However, if we stay the course even when the pathway is shifting, our purpose remains the same. It remains sacred. We may have to take a previously unforeseen path, but we will complete the mission. And that is the Kingdom of God…in people…on earth.

Pray with me: Jesus, You are not distracted by any setbacks placed before You. Ignite in me the flame of your steadfast, persistent spirit so that I may follow You in Your kingdom. And when I am rejected, help me turn away and humbly move on as You do.

The Women at the Cross

The women at the cross
the women at the cross
the women at the cross
gazed at the broken Body
of our Lord.

The women wept openly;
the women bowed so low.
The women beat their breasts.
Oh, what woe; oh, what woe!

The women stayed as close,
as close as they could dare.
The women would not leave;
His suff’rings they would share.

The women waited long;
they sighed with every groan.
They watched Him breathe in pain
as if it were their own.

The women of the cross,
three Marys and Salome,
prepared anointing spices
bought with their own money.

Today we still stay close;
we do not walk away.
We will not turn aside
from the broken Body.

The women of the cross
the women of the cross
the women of the cross
will see the resurrected,
holy Body of our Lord!

“And a sword will pierce your own soul too.” Luke 2: 35b

Descent from the Cross, detail
Pontormo, Jacopo da, 1494-1556

Troubled

Have you ever put a large load of laundry in the washing machine and have it shake, rattle, and roll? If so, you know what “troubled” means! That machine is not going to settle down and run smoothly until the load is readjusted, balanced, or perhaps lessened. Likewise, we ourselves sometimes need to “offload” some of what we carry. These are troubling times.

The Greek word “to trouble” is tarássō, meaning to put in motion, to agitate back-and-forth, or shake to-and-fro. It can mean to set in motion what needs to remain still or at ease. It’s means to agitate, causing inner perplexity from getting too stirred up inside. Hmm, sounds like my overloaded washing machine!

When He was on this earth, Jesus Himself knew what it was to be agitated in heart and spirit. The same God/Man who said, “Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid,” (John 14:27b NKJV ) was Himself troubled. “When Jesus had said these things, He was troubled in spirit, and testified and said, “Most assuredly, I say to you, one of you will betray Me.” (John 13:21 NKJV)

The same one who declared, “And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled…” (Matthew 24:6a NKJV) was deeply distressed when the time of His death was drawing near. “Now my soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour. Father, glorify your name!” (John 12: 27,28a NIV)

Jesus’ response when he was deeply troubled was to surrender even more fully to His Father. Likewise, we can also surrender our overburdened minds and souls to Christ, our great High Priest, who sympathizes with our weaknesses. (Hebrews 4:15)

Like overloaded washing machines, our souls will not function well when carrying loads too heavy for them. We are not wired for the barrage of news we hear every day. Paired with our everyday personal and relational anxieties, it can all become too much. If we have exposed our souls to more angst than we have the mercy to carry and the faith to intercede for, we need to let it go. We can carry a portion of the burdens of this world but not the whole of it. We’re not built for it. However, what we CAN carry is His glory and shine brightly in this dark world, as we cry out, “Father, glorify Your name!”

Pray with me: Father, I surrender every heavy load to you today. Help me to carry only what You have assigned for me and let go of the rest. Enable my heart and mind to be readjusted so that I can be free to carry Your glory.

If You Water It, They Will Come

~ a children’s story ~

Finnegan the frog was parched. His wily tongue, usually darting in and out, was stuck to the roof of his mouth. Everything around him was bleached and brittle. No rainwater was to be found. Even the bubbling brook was nearly dried up. There were no mud puddles in their usual places. Even with his super high jump, Finnegan could not reach the birdbath where his bird friends were noisily splashing.

“Excuse me,” Finnegan croaked, “but do you know where I could find some water on my level?”

His feathered friends blinked as they stared down at him. Clancy the cardinal chirped up, “Don’t you know about the vegetable garden?”

“How can vegetables produce water?” the frog sputtered.

“No, no!” laughed Finley the house finch. “The vegetables don’t give us water, silly! It’s the old woman, who waters the garden every morning,” he proclaimed pointing his right wing in the garden’s direction.

Like a flash, Finnegan wasted no time hopping in the general direction of Finley’s pointed wing. “If I don’t find water soon, I’m doomed!” he cried. Sniffing the wind, he thought he picked up a whiff of damp earth, spurring him forward.

Arriving to the garden patch, Finnegan wondered with amazement, “It looks like a party is going on here!” The vegetables were bright green, red, and yellow standing out in stark contrast to the scorched grass surrounding the area. And the garden was full of birds! They flitted in and out, disappearing momentarily among the green beans, bell peppers, and cherry tomatoes. Cardinals, sparrows, robins, and finches with little mincing steps danced like fairies in and out of the garden. Tiny droplets of water lingered on the plants washing over the birds’ feathers. “Wow, it’s a splash pad!” Finnegan laughed.

Finnegan’s thoughts were interrupted by a deep, melodious voice, “If you water it, they will come.” Turning quickly around, Finnegan came face to face with a wee, old woman squatting down at his level.

“H-h-h-ow do you know frog language?” he gasped.

“Oh, I know all the animal languages,” she chortled. “I’ve been watering this garden for hundreds of years. I’m on assignment by Creator God, who taught me your language.”

Clearing his froggy throat, Finnegan managed a tiny, “Oh!” He felt so small and insignificant next to the old woman.

“Go ahead, jump on in,” she invited.

And with that, the frog leapt in a single bound right next to a ripe, rosy-red tomato still glistening with water droplets in the morning sunlight. A big, fat drop of water landed smack-dab into his wide-open mouth, and he swallowed it in a single gulp. Then another and another fell rapidly onto his tongue, which fell free from the roof of Finnegan’s mouth.

The frog could hear laughing coming from the old woman, who was joined by a chorus of birds all around him. And Finnegan joined in the revelry with his new-found friends in the Garden of Life.

“The Lord will guide you continually, giving you water when you are dry and restoring your strength. You will be like a well-watered garden, like an ever-flowing spring.” Isaiah 58:11

Influenced

“Then suddenly, looking around, they no longer saw anyone with them except Jesus alone” Mark 9:8 HCSB.

Influencers. They are abundant. And each one is vying for my attention and a chunk of my time in hopes of obtaining another follower.

I don’t think anyone intentionally means to follow so many influencers, but we pick them up, one by one, as we mindlessly (and sometimes intentionally) scroll and stroll through our days on social media. Likewise, I don’t believe we intentionally determine to replace the Holy Spirit with people we don’t know on our social media feed. I for sure didn’t. But it is too easy to turn to other voices when they come so plentifully and effortlessly every time we look at our screens. And before we know it, we can substitute these voices for the voice of Jesus.

Many of these influencers are Christians – pastors, prophets, counselors, writers, and speakers. Each one touting their particular message. 10 Ways To Find Peace. Jesus Is the Chat GPT of Our Souls. The Best Use of Your Short Life. How Not To Implode Like the Titan Sub. Preparing For the Coming Shaking. I rotate through my favorite voices, comparing notes, and trying to hear what God is saying.

In Mark chapter 9, Jesus leads Peter, James and John up a mountain by themselves to be alone. He is transfigured in front of them. Elijah and Moses appear with them, and they’re talking with Jesus. Peter is afraid and doesn’t know what to say so he blurts out, “Let us make three tabernacles: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”

And immediately, a cloud came down and a voice came from the cloud saying, “This is My beloved Son; listen to Him!”

Who has our ear? It’s easy to be focused on and influenced by other people. Of course, teachers are gifts to the Body of Christ, and we need them! But we can become so concentrated on the life and teachings of others that we start building “tabernacles” for them in our minds. And most of them we don’t even know personally. They are simply images and voices on our screens. We don’t have real relationships with them.

What if suddenly we turned off our phones and saw no one with us but Jesus alone? Is His influence enough? Is the still, small voice of the Holy Spirit sufficient?

Jesus said, ”…his sheep follow him because they know his voice” John 10:4b NIV. Perhaps we need to unfollow the other voices for a season and tune into His alone.

~ Janet Mueller, writer
~ photo by Nathan Dumlao, Unsplash

I Pledge Allegiance

The United States of America is no longer united, and the Land of the Free is forfeiting our freedoms day by day. But it still beats living in any other nation of the world. Never take it for granted!

Don’t siphon off the privileges for your own benefit without stepping up to the responsibilities of being a citizen of this great land. Freedom is a privilege not afforded to many other peoples.

Our nation has a story that is marred with many horrific chapters…but so do we as individuals. We don’t delete those parts nor do we capitalize upon them, but we rise to the challenge of living above them — of living a changed life.

I believe the best way to approach changing our nation is from the place of ownership — in other words, identifying yourself as a member of this great union. If you place yourself as an outsider or a judge, you will never have the influence you could have as one who is a card-carrying, dues-paying member.

I was born an American. I did not choose it. That is why I liken my citizenship to the United States of America to infant baptism. Every child who is baptized as an infant at some point needs to make their own choice to follow Christ. In like manner, I believe every American citizen, who did not choose their status, needs at some point to “pledge their allegiance” to the United States of America.

By doing so, we distinguish ourselves as members of a great but flawed union, as well as pledge ourselves to work by every means possible to affect change for the good. Everyone who benefits from their membership in this society ought to also pledge responsibility to it as well.

I say this as one whose primary allegiance is to God and His Kingdom that has no borders. But that Kingdom has come primarily in the hearts of people, not in a physical way…yet. And so for now, we have nations. Nations with distinguishable borders. Nations with God-given destinies. This one I am proud to call my own.

I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands.

Poppy

In honor of L. Bert Earl, my father-in-law, who would have been 108 years old today! One of the kindest men I’ve known.

His hands were massive
as was his heart.
Broad was his grin and
a pipe – his counterpart.

His speech was slow and
gentlemanly were his ways.
He loved his Mary, and
their children he praised.

His arms swaddled you,
and in his firm embrace,
you closed your eyes…
You were home safe.

(En)Courage

When our souls are exhausted and we’re running on empty,
we seek courage.
When we feel timid, incompetent, ill-prepared, and unqualified,
we crave courage.
When we agree to do something we’ve never done before,
we cry out for courage.
When we are going down for what we think is the last time,
we need courage.

The Free Dictionary says that courage is:
The state or quality of mind or spirit that enables one to face
danger,
fear,
or vicissitudes
with self-possession,
confidence,
and resolution;
bravery.

And so we look inside,
and look around,
and look up
and ask, “Where IS this courage
and how can we get some?”

First of all, know that courage is not the absence of fear.
It’s being scared,
worried,
unsure,
and yet still finding a way to do
what you really want to do,
what others need you to do,
or what you believe God is calling you to do—in spite of all that fear.

Secondly, know that our heavenly Father is the God of all courage!
He personified courage when He created man with free will
and the power to receive Him or reject Him.
He demonstrated courage when He sent His only Son
to be ultimately separated from Him and die for us.
He will not deny us courage when we ask Him for it;
He is more than willing to share His bravery.
He is our greatest cheerleader!
If we are not hearing cheering, we’re not hearing from heaven!

And after we are infused with bravery,
whether for the short term or the long haul,
it becomes part of our soul and our story.
This gives the ability and authority to offer it to others and
endow them with life-giving courage.

Got courage? Give some away.
Need courage? Ask for encouragement from God and others.
There is more than enough to go around!

Some simple (but not always easy) ways to grow in courage:

Be honest with yourself.

Ask for help.

Do something new.

Take a risk and invite someone to join you on your adventure.

Speak up for yourself.

Attempt the thing your heart is calling you to do, but your mind says you can’t.

Tell the truth when you would rather lie.

Tell your story — the good, the bad, and the ugly. Being vulnerable leads to courage.

Do the right thing, even in the face of opposition.

Do the loving thing, even if you don’t get a response.

Tell someone what Jesus has done for you.

Then the one who looked like a man touched me again, and I felt my strength returning. “Don’t be afraid,” he said, “for you are very precious to God. Peace! Be encouraged! Be strong!” As he spoke these words to me, I suddenly felt stronger and said to him, “Please speak to me, my lord, for you have strengthened me.” (Daniel 10:18,19 New Living Translation)