The Reality of Water

When we look at water, most of the time, we don't stop and think about how intricate and interesting the liquid is. A small drop can be shattered into smaller droplets even with the slightest touch, yet an entire body of water slows you down when you crash into it. It looks smooth when sitting in a glass cup, but can drown a small dog when crashing down a ravine. This is water, and we take for granted just how interesting it really is. The same liquid that runs gently down your throat when you are thirsty could also sink a ship in the middle of the sea. Then, in the blink of an eye, the heat makes this form of precipitation disappear in a flash...only to appear another day.
Yet, what is most miraculous is what happened when the Lord made it. Genesis 1:2 says, "Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the spirit of God was hovering over the waters."
In this simple verse, there is a lot of detail. It sounds like a narration done by Morgan Freeman in a hit Hollywood movie. The earth was empty at this time, but the protection of God himself was over it; the waters were filled with the presence of the Holy Spirit before man walked the earth.
When I am near a body of water, the image never flees from me. I watch the mist rising in the morning, and the waves ripple toward me during the day. At this time, I realize the true power of the water in its collective form. Quiet, pure, and smooth, the water was filled with the Holy Spirit long before ancient wars, conquerers from long ago, and modern cities were constructed. Now that this image is in my mind, nothing else seems to replace this idea that God placed himself upon the surface of the water. It is astounding! Truly amazing!
But, the news gets better. God expressed his love by creating man, and soon enough man was filled with the Holy Spirit. "Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit..." Acts 4:8 says. Now, 2 Timothy 1:7 encourages us with these words: "For the spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love, and self-discipline."
Whether past, present, or future, God has blessed us with his Holy Spirit. Remember the Holy Spirit and how it has been God's gift to us since Genesis 1:2 - the beginning of existence. While initially the Holy Spirit "hovered over the waters," it now sets our hearts ablaze as we use our lives to glorify God.
The disciples, as they transformed lives from city to city, they were filled with the Holy Spirit (Just read the Gospels) all the time. It is clear the Holy Spirit rests within us, and while the waters first played host to this form of God, we have been blessed to be used by the Holy Spirit as well.
"Then God said, 'Let there be light,' and there was light.
Isn't it ironic that it mentions God saying, "Let there be light," after his Holy Spirit resided on the surface of the waters? Now the Holy Spirit resides in men, and we can be a light to the world (Matthew 5:13). Connection? Indeed. First, God places the Holy Spirit on the water, then creates light and light was formed. Then, God places the Holy Spirit in men, and now we can be a light to the world as God placed light on the earth.
So, lets not have an attitude that limits the Holy Spirit to the waters, but let us be a light to the world that goes far beyond the boundaries of the sea. Let us live as if we do have the Holy Spirit leading our every step. Let us be a light that rises out of the darkness and fills the empty spirits and souls of the world.

Coffee is Not the Cure

Ever have those moments where you are so physically tired that you cannot do a thing about it? 6:30am and you know you need energy, but even coffee can't do the trick? It happens, and no matter how hard you try to muster up the strength to keep yourself from falling apart, you still do. What is interesting is the connection made between a coffee veteran and the liquid itself; the content is swallowed, yet no result is seen. The legs still give up when you least expect it, the eyes still double blink in order to stay focused, and the mouth takes longer to stretch when a yawn develops; all of this occurring with coffee in the system.
How do you remain faithful when your body tells you otherwise? How do you fight the temptation to let the flesh rule over your soul?
Well, the life of a Christian certainly takes work, and Satan can quickly find his way to the control panel when the body gets tired. But, this fatigue we speak of is the very reason we must continue living every moment intentionally. We must strive to be faithful, trying our best at whatever God places in front of us.
It is not our coffee guzzling that keeps us awake, although it does bring us that emergency boost we look for each morning. It is our every-moment effort to be faithful in every moment of our lives. Whether serving at work, at home, or anywhere else, it is our service to God that brings us joy, if we are sincere in our serving. And, in all honesty, the difference is there. If you haven't done a lick of gardening in your life, suddenly you find yourself loving it because you have trained yourself to have joy in serving God, with or without coffee.
The idea is to be faithful, even if being faithful is the most difficult commitment. For if you remain faithful, not only will you being loyal feel great, but you will be obeying a command that God has set before us: "Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God's grace in its various forms" (1 Peter 4:10). We must use every moment as an offering to God, recognizing that our faithfulness is the only thing we can give back as gratitude for the salvation he has given to us - and continues to offer.
Remember 1 Peter 4:10 whenever you feel the Devil deceiving you to do things for your benefit. Remember that we are always given the opportunity to glorify God as servants.
Faithfulness is the cure to a tired, fatigued life, and it certainly beats any form of coffee or energy supplement.

An Audience for our Audience

For the theatre people out there, I'm sure you know what I mean when I say, "out front."
For anyone who is not theatre material, out front is theatre lingo for 'the audience.'
"Know your audience," my father would always point out. The more he reminded me, the more evidence the was to back up what he said. Life is all about 'knowing your audience.' Everything you do involves people. If you work in a closed-off cubical in the corner of the building, you still have your boss to submit to, customers to e-mail, co-workers to socialize with. Everything you do involves people. Without them, life would be lonely and pointless. In fact, we are called to have an audience. The Old Testament refers many times to the fellowship offerings and 1 Corinthians 1:10 says, "I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another in what you say and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly united in mind and thought."
Everywhere we go, we see people and interact with them. The power of people is evident because community is crucial. We need each other, someone to relate to, someone to understand us. Loneliness is a major fear because we are wired to breathe amongst each other. We are wired to talk, listen, understand, and cope with each other.
Have you ever worked with someone, or been around someone you just wish was not in your life; then they go and you miss them? Sometimes that happens to me. Then, when the person is no longer in my life (for any reason), I miss them. I wonder why. Why do I miss that person? I think.
Then it dawns on me. I miss them because, in some way or another, they contributed to me being in fellowship with someone. I miss them because they made a difference in my life, whether it be positive or negative, good or bad. This brings on the idea of one making a difference for another, whether intentionally or by accident. To be safe, say you are the annoying person. Somehow, you made a difference in the life of the person you annoy. "Making a difference" seems to always have a positive connotation, doesn't it? But should it? If a man bumped into you, making you spill your recently bought coffee and scorching you, and walked away without apologizing, he would have made a significant difference in the way you thought, felt, and even behaved that day. Sure, it is negative, but it still involves making a difference.
The fact is, we yearn for fellowship with each other because we make a difference in each others' lives. You have a chance to be influenced or be the influencer. Your day has the possibility of making a difference (hopefully good) in someone's life - the same being said about that 'person' making an difference in your day.
We all want that. We are all inspired by that. We look in the mirror and tilt our chin up, saying, "I am the difference-maker." Yet, our soul quietly whispers, "I hope someone changes the course of my life."
Yes, we all have an audience. This audience is the people around us, the people we work with, the students we teach. Your audience is the line of customers you are about to serve. You are the host to those willing to listen to your story. You have an audience.
But, even if you lived in a boarded house that refuses anyone dying to interact with you (or make a 'difference' in your day), you still must interact with those around you. It is a necessity. You want food? Cash deposit? Car wash? I'm sorry, but you will have to let someone know so they can help you. Gru, from Despicable Me, cannot escape a social lifestyle. Sanctus Real sings about the lifestyle we need.
True. We need each other, but I believe we were not just given an audience for the sake of fellowship. Proverbs 29:26 makes it clear that men seek an audience with a ruler, but only the Lord provides the justice. See, we look for people to be our audience so often, and to a degree, they are. We are called to be salt and light, so our audience certainly is the world around us. I do believe our audience of the world is part of the picture, but there is more.
We have an Audience of One.
Maybe that is just it. Our worldly-inhabitance provides us a social network with no extra charge, but this social exchange with the world might be a reminder of the social interaction we are made to have with the Father. We need Him like we need our fellow human friends to sell food at a good price, deposit our paychecks, and give our vehicles a good scrub. Our sincere desire to have an audience is predicated by our desire to be in a relationship with God the Father.
To take it a step further, Jesus tells the Devil, "worship the Lord your God and serve him only." He is our audience, and we are to serve him faithfully. Yet, we should know our worldly audience for our Audience of One. We should come to know who we are serving and serve them for God.
Bluntly speaking, let your light shine among others, but let it shine among others for God's glory and honor. You are to serve men for God. Therefore, you have two audiences, but your main focus is your Audience of One.
Timo, from the Hollywood Hit, Coach Carter, sums it up perfectly: "And as we let our own lights shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others." God provides the wattage, we turn on the light, and we serve others for His glory.
We can show people Christ's love as servants of Christ.
The world is your stage. So, "your on set," as they say.
"Out front, out front!"