Lane Ends, Merge Soon

The other night, my wife and I were driving home, when we came up to a long backup, due to construction. I knew it was coming though, for several miles before the actual merging of the lanes, it was hard to miss the orange construction signs saying, "right lane closed ahead". So I merged over early.

Now, I'm the kind of guy who's always hated it when cars stay in the lane all the way up to the last minute, forcing their way into the front of the line. I also think they should be pulled over for doing so, treated like one who didn't see the change in the speed limit. I mean, it's not like they didn't see the warning signs ahead of time! And if they actually didn't, the bright yellow, flashing arrow pointing left, should've tipped them off. But yet, they still continue down the closing lane.

At the same time, though, I'm also the kind of person who's happy to let somebody in if they put on their turn signal (Ask and you shall receive). So I'll back off from the car in front of me to create enough space for somebody to merge in, should they choose to do so. But what amazes me is that, for instance, today, I gave enough room for 2 cars to merge in, but instead, everybody continued down the closing lane. Even as we approached the end, still nobody took me up on my offer to let them in, as if they were hoping to find a "better" place to enter. But the longer they prolonged merging over, the closer they got to not getting in at all, or smashing into the barrier at the end.

Well, as this is all going through my head, I realized the comparison with God's grace and salvation. See, Jesus revealed many times that He's the only way to Heaven, as well as the fact that the end is coming very soon. In other words, the lane we're traveling down is ending soon, and we need to merge over into His. He even gave (and continues to give) us signs along the way.

There's only One lane into which we need to merge, and the merging space is narrow. So Jesus opened up some space, so to say, and continues to wait for and invite people to accept His offer to merge in. But like with the traffic, many don't want to accept this simple offer. They want to continue on their way to the very end, maybe even trying to find a "better" place to enter.

So they ignored all the signs, rejected the simple invitation to safely merge, and continued until the end down the closing lane. Not very wise, or safe, is it?

So you're driving a car down this road...which "car" are you driving? Have you already accepted Jesus' invitation to merge into the space that He's opened up for you, or are you one of those who continues to reject it, hoping to find a way in on your own, or still searching for a "better" way? If you're the second, be careful that you don't wait too long, or you may instead end up not getting in at all, or smashing into the barrier.

The invitation remains open until the end, but do you really think it's wise to prolong it?

---Andy :}>+-

Secret to Success

Who doesn't want to be successful?

The world gives us different ways on how we can be successful. There are even tons of self-help books available to guide us. But everything is all about self-empowerment. Perhaps you have been told to "work hard", "focus on your dream" or "be passionate about what you're doing" and you will be "successful". But even with all these guides, our quest for real success ends up meaningless, and success seems to be something too far to obtain.

The truth is, God has already revealed to us the secret to become successful:

"Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go. Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful."

(Joshua 1:7-8)

Joshua, Moses' successor, had the BIG task of leading the Israelites into the Promised Land. But even with such a big task, God encouraged and gave Joshua a foolproof way to become successful: "meditate (on the Book of the Law) day and night so that (he) may be careful to do all that are written in it."

Have you been trying hard to be successful in life? What are some of the ways that you've been told to accomplish this goal? Though there are tons of self-help books available to guide us, they all talk of "self-empowerment". Perhaps it's time to make a paradigm shift, and view success not around yourself, but around God. For God says that then, and only then, will you truly come to know what it really means to be "successful".

- Andy & Lulette

Take You Back

After our wedding, my wife and I spent a 4-month honeymoon down in Florida among family. And since times down there were slow in the job search, we had ample time to spend at the assisted living facility with our Grandma, whom we rarely get see otherwise. We were hesitant at first, for it was an hour drive, but soon we were talking on the phone every week, and visiting every other.

After moving to Virginia, we agreed to call Grandma every Sunday. But as our weeks became busier, our calls soon became less frequent, sometimes only once a month. We’d keep saying, “We need to call Grandma,” and “let’s call Grandma tonight,” but plans don’t always come to pass as we’d like.

But then, the other day, Grandma called us! We put her on speaker phone so we could all talk together, almost as it was when we were sitting next to her playing Scrabble. And at the end of our conversation, she reminded us that we may call her any evening and/or weekend, and we agreed that we need to call her more often.

Frequent communication is needed for a strong relationship, whether it’s among friends, family, or God. When we let schedules and fatigue get in the way, we begin to long for that fellowship. But when to find the time?

The other night, I’d noticed that it had been a couple weeks since the Lord and I had had a good quiet time together. I mean, I’d pray and talk with Him several times a day, and He’d communicate to me ideas for devotions and lessons, but that’s “business”…we needed time to actually sit, talk, and listen. As I brushed my teeth that evening, I said, “Lord, I’m really tired…we can have a quiet time tomorrow.” But He didn’t want to wait until tomorrow, so He pulled me, much like a child who wants so badly to show you something, and I followed. It was really great talking with Him like that, and much needed. And when I got up to sleep, I was reminded that we need to do this more often. But our conversation wasn’t finished, for in the morning, He put the song “Take You Back” by Jeremy Camp, in my brain, and caused me to get stuck on a few verses. I’d like to share the lyrics of this song with you:

The reason why I stand, the answer lies in you.
You hung to make me strong, though my praise was few.
When I fall I bring your name down, but I have found in you, a heart that bleeds forgiveness, replacing all these thoughts of painful memories. But I know that your response will always be:

“I'll take you back always
Even when your fight is over now (x2)
I'll take you back always
Even when the pain is coming through (x2)
I'll take you back”

You satisfy this cry of what I'm looking for.
And I'll take all I can, and lay it down before, the throne of endless grace now, that radiates what's true.
I'm in the only place that, erases all these faults that have overtaken me…but I know that your response will always be:

“I'll take you back always
Even when your fight is over now(x2)
I'll take you back always
Even when the pain is coming through(x2)
I'll take you back”

I can only speak with a grateful heart as I'm pierced by this gift of your love.
I will always bring an offering. I can never thank you enough!

You take me back always
Even when my fight is over now (x2)
You take me back always
Even when my pain is coming through(x2)
You take me back (repeat these 5 lines twice)

It’s not hard to take for granted that Jesus will always take us back, nor is it difficult to take His grace for granted, but when we don’t spend that quality time with Him regularly, painful memories and dwellings will only continue to distance us from the One who can grant us the needed freedom…even as we’re fighting, and even as we hurt, we must allow Him to erase and replace that which is distancing us from Him…for regardless of anything, we need to know that Jesus will always take us back.

---Andy