#adventurePalawan

Fine snowfall turns the view into an almost exclusive picture of white. Heaps of water in it’s fluffy form line every road and balloon on random places in yards where the wind decided the snow should collect. I am thankful I am at home and don’t have to venture out through the most wintery snap so far in Michigan’s cold season.

My mind scampers back over the trend of numerous recent conversations: 

“So.. where are you going?”

Me: “I am going to Palawan in the Philippines.”

Get mental picture of slightly bulging eyes. “Wow. Never heard of it. When do you leave?”

Me: “February 5”

An even more incredulous look. “What is it that you’re gonna do again?” 

Me: I am scheduled to go there for a few months to help with medical evacuation flights, and to do anything else I can to be helpful.”

“Why?”

It’s a valid question. Why am I doing this? Too often the rationale for our actions is not based on the most appropriate research, thought, motive, evidence, or purpose. Why—it’s a question that gets at the core of a thing. It asks in a single verb, what would otherwise take paragraphs: have you thought this through? Have you done your research? Have you planned it thoroughly enough? What about your education and future? Do you want to leave the security of a job? Would you rather live without western comforts and the ease of the familiar? What can you do over there that you cannot do over here? What is your motivation?

Many things could motivate. Adventure for one. If this was it, I certainly wouldn’t be the first one drawn to service for such a reason. An element of adventure does exist in doing things you’ve never done and going places you’ve never gone, but what happens when you’ve been there and done that? Countries can be visited in a matter of days; hearts can take much longer to reach. 

Experientially, I have been led to believe that the only motivation with solidity to it comes from outside ourselves. It can be found in the promises and commands of God, and in a settled conviction of His will. It works in a faith that obeys the word of God no matter what may come. Other motivation tends to make a flop of things. 

What I’m after: 

To learn. 

To grow. 

To be a channel of blessing. 

These may be good, but there is something deeper when it comes to a stimulus. At the very core of motive rests either the law of life or the law of death, unselfishness and love, or selfishness and want. Here is both the dichotomy and the beauty: those who lose their life for the sake of Jesus, will find it. Matthew 16:24-25. What is given is preserved, those who die to self may live in Christ. 

As I begin my journey to Palawan, will you join me in seeking a source of motivation, a why, that comes from Above? Will you choose the surrender in which is victory? Will you lose your life in the furrow of the world’s need, so that you can find it again? What is your why?

#adventurepalawan #reflections #hereswhy

Morning Prayer

Make me Lord, a sunbeam,

A little ray of light

Doing everything I can,

To make my corner bright

Polish please, the mirror,

That should reflect your face

Making Jesus clearer,

In this, my lowly place

Turn my eyes to Jesus,

Full, enfaced to Him

No one, or thing distracting,

To make the picture dim

Let me die this morning,

That Christ alone might be

Living, shining, serving,

In little sunbeam me!

Stay Close to the Light

Stay close to the Light,

And follow His lead,

Because in the night,

His guidance we need

Stay close to the Light,

When questions arise,

The way, truth, the right,

May come as surprise

Stay close to the Light,

-Our Savior and Friend-

Or wander we might,

In tide or in trend

Stay close to the Light,

For safe is His way,

His lamp, it is bright,

While near it we stay

Stay close to the Light,

Yet, faith must still grow

In trusting His sight

For what we don't know

Stay close, my dear friend, to the Light!

The Potter's Plans

I know that there are those anticipating my blogged updates from the other side of the planet and the other hemisphere...but I am still north of the equator, this side of the pond. Nevertheless it is due that this dusty blog come out of the coma it went into when yours truly plunged into the deep end of nursing school.

God does not see as humanity sees. (Amen?!) He doesn't plan like us either. Why would you? If your vision was not limited to time and space, and your plans had creative power, why formulate any idea only within the box of here and now? It wouldn't make sense. After all, what kind of plans would we devise?

What kind of plans would we devise,

Who have but mortal minds and eyes?

Who cannot see the greater scheme,

Nor conjure an immortal dream?

How would we plan from day to day

(When we cannot discern the way

That circumstances often take)

And not be left to our mistake?

Whose thoughts can think beyond this realm?

Whose arm can handle his own helm?

Whose goals are broad enough or high 

As His whose stars still trace the sky?

Could we record the sands of earth?

Or figure out the code of birth?

Could we design our very breath?

Or somehow stop the work of death?

Then how do we suppose we may,

Now orchestrate ourselves our way

And from a human point of view

Contrive a life that's worth debut?

How can we think that if we could,

We'd work things out just as they should,

Preventing all the bumps and rain,

And getting all we reckon gain? 

Do we forget that One whose heart

Has held us from the very start,

Whose fingers fashioned us -the clay,

Is also Potter of each day?

Do we now think that in His hands

Our life's in danger at His plans?

When every turn the Potter makes

Produces what He undertakes?

This is the One who's Authored life,

Who knows the controversies' strife,

Who walked this earth in Heaven's will,

From manger to Golgotha's hill

This is the One whose love would dare,

Almighty bonds to cut and tare,

And God from God Himself to break,

In my behalf, for His love's sake

Then how can we not trust to Him:

The future which we see so dim;

The turns beyond finite repeal;

When they are of the Potter's wheel?

And can we not discern and tell,

That He who "doeth all things well",

Does not forget His chosen clay, 

But purposely leaves it to lay?

That through each change the Potter's hand,

May work out that which He had planned

And one day to His Father bring,

A vessel fit to serve the King.

Philippians: 125 Purpose

“And having this confidence, I know I shall abide and continue with you all for your furtherance and joy of faith;” Philippians 1:25

Life is a trust too holy for selfish use. 

There's a reason to get up in the morning.

Heaven gives that purpose.

And lives that purpose.

•   •   •   •   •   •   •

And lives that purpose.

There’s a purpose to be living;

There’s a challenge to fulfill;

And it always takes relinquishing

Our own deceitful will.

For we live to serve our Savior-

As His very hands and feet.

So that in all of our behavior

Heaven’s joy might be replete.

And yet this purpose practically,

Is high and deep, it’s true.

For in serving Jesus faithfully,

We’ll serve our brother too.

Philippians: 120 Hope

“According to my earnest expectation and my hope, that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but that with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ shall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death.” Philippians 1:20

With faith in what God’s doing,

And peace with what He’s done,

We can have this expectation-

That He’ll finish what’s begun.

Surrender is essential

For Christ to work His will,

But in yielding all to heaven,

Heaven can our hope fulfill.

What greater aspiration

Than this can there be found?

That Christ in me be magnified

And praise to God resound.

If this remains our longing,

Our aim, and confidence,

Then Christ and God that cannot lie,

Our hope will recompense.

So you see, the Savior’s working

Is both to will and do.

And when our hope is set on Him

It surely will come true. 

Philippians: 119 Cooperation

“For I know that this shall turn to my salvation through your prayer, and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ.” Philippians 1:19

“This shall turn to my salvation” -

It will come to bear good fruit.

It will work a reformation

In the branches of the Root.

But notice though, the means by which

Our crucibles have blessing

It’s “through your prayer” that there’s a switch,

And through the Spirit’s giving.

We see cooperation here:

That man is linked with Christ.

And then salvations’s gift draws near,

For self is sacrificed. 

Philippians: 114 Zeal

“And many of the brethren in the Lord, waxing confident by my bonds are much more bold to speak the word without fear.” Philippians 1:14

It’s not a question of cost. The spark of zeal, burning in one soul candle, can light the wicks of many.

Because...

There’s something to live for, and Someone to die for.

There’s a mission to give for, and heaven to strive for.

The highest of goals— the saving of souls

And the glory of God is what we’re alive for.

My friends, take this vision, the gospel commission,

And mark with decision your highest ambition

That souls will be saved and God will be praised,

For life or for death, let this be your mission. 

Philippians: 113 Freedom

“So that my bonds in Christ are manifest in all the palace, and in all other places;” Philippians 3:13

The world was bound in chains of sin,

With no hope of release.

All earth was darkness, and within

There was no trace of peace.

Then to our rescue came God’s Son,

Though bound Himself with chains.

And yet He freed us, every one,

With mercy that constrains.

For Christ was bound with higher bands—

The bands of freest love,

Yet chose to let them bind His hands,

Which proves He rules above.

And we may know this freedom rare,

That true submission holds.

For through Christ’s bondage we may share

The freedom love unfolds.

Philippians: 111 Full

“Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.” Philippians 1:11

I’ve been an empty pitcher,

All drained and dusty too,

For trying to get fuller,

Has only cracked me too.

A cracked and broken vessel—

What good thing can it do?

But God has something special,

In mind for me and you.

God made us to have fulness,

Up to the very brim.

He wants to right our chaos,

And fill us up with Him.

But He can’t pour His treasure

Where something else resides.

For vain and empty pleasure

Will fill, and crack the sides.

Then idol after idol,

Surrender them to Christ.

And this, alone is possible,

Through what He sacrificed.

And as we yield those prizes,

He’ll mend our shattered cup,

And give us sweet surprises,

For He will fill us up.

Philippians: 101 Submission

“Paul and Timotheus, the servants of Jesus Christ, to all the saints in Christ Jesus which are at Philippi, with the bishops and deacons.” Philippians 1:1

…the servants of Jesus Christ… 

What gave Paul and Timotheus, Abraham, Moses, David, Solomon, Job, Jacob, Daniel, John, James, Epaphras, and Peter, distinction as the “servant” of God? Is it any coincidence that these, among the strongest leaders for Heaven, are called servants?

Moses, the meekest man on planet earth; Job who trusted God, though he should be slain at His hand; Abraham who obeyed, not knowing the way that he went, and  who yielded to the command of God, though it should cost him everything. As in Hebrews, time fails to tell of them all. 

Their lives speak of submission: of bold acknowledgement that God is great, and I am not; of full surrender to the only One worth surrendering to; of simple, genuine obedience. It’s a sermon of subservience born of love for God —any other motive of action would have melted in the fire of their afflictions. The power of their lives was not from within. Their leadership did not begin with public posts and google+ counters. The strength of these giants grew out of quiet submission in the audience chamber of the King of kings. 

It is no different now. Submission is the foundation for leadership; subservience to God, prerequisite to greatness. Service, in fact, is not optional. Every choice we make carries with it the signature of the one we serve. 

Who is that for me? Or for you? Who is your master? Who has your thoughts? Who has your desires? Who has your talents? Who has your heart? Whose are you?

My prayer is that we would be the submissive servants of Jesus Christ.

Simple Song - Unfathomable God // Part lll Prerequisite to Power

My God is so great, so strong and so mighty,

There’s nothing my God cannot do.

Nothing. This defies defeat. Reason, sight, gravity, all come to a crashing halt before the God of the impossible. He makes beautiful the things which are not. He finishes what He began. He is not limited by our limited comprehension of Him. 

He moved the sun backward…

…and made it stand still

He made water pile up on itself… 

... and an axe to float

He made people to walk on a lake... 

...and He fed thousands with one person’s lunch

The sun may appear to have set in your life, but God can make it move backward.

Life may seem to be drowning you in it's tide, but God made dry land in the middle of a sea, and iron to swim in the Jordan river.

If your heart is a gaping hole and you cannot satisfy it’s hunger, remember that God who fed thousands with one lad’s lunch, can feed one with the resources of all heaven.

There’s nothing my God cannot do...

This is hope enough for me. 

But He waits. Hungering as only a Father can for His child's heart, He waits. With longing, knowing that He has the satisfaction for every heart cry of humanity, He waits. For an invitation. A choice. A decision cast in the solitude of the soul. A surrender laid deep and whole. A simple word in answer to a simple question.      Will you let Me be your God?

In one word.

Yes.