Month: July 2023

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Challenges From God: Following His Sometimes Awe-Inspiring, Sometimes Awkward, Sometimes Easy, Sometimes Frightening Plan

This photo shows the front of end of a kayak in a river rapid. The kayak tilts to one side. There are trees in the background.
When the river tips over our kayak, God remains with us and plans to rescue us.
Jeremiah 1:7–8 (NIV)—But the Lord said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am too young.’ You must go to everyone I send you to and say whatever I command you. Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you and will rescue you,” declares the Lord.

When I travel, I avoid certain activities. Kayaking, because I’ve tried and failed at it twice. Ziplining, because I’m afraid of heights. Diving, because I can’t breath through a snorkel tube, let alone whatever breathing apparatus diving requires—not to mention I sink like a rock in water.

I choose whether to do these activities on the basis of my feelings, both physically and emotionally. By not doing them, I feel safe and calm, which is important to me.

Yet these challenges don’t compare to those to which God calls us. At times, God calls us to situations we’d rather ignore even though we’d rather feel safe and calm. Perhaps God calls us to reach out to a friend even though we’re socially awkward. Maybe he plants the seed of an overseas mission trip in our mind when we’re afraid of flying. Possibly he asks us to give more generously than our budget allows.

Scary? Yes!

Uncomfortable? Absolutely!

But God doesn’t call us to watch us squirm in discomfort. He calls us because he handcrafted a plan for us, a sometimes awe-inspiring, sometimes awkward, sometimes easy, sometimes frightening plan. When God calls, and we answer yes, he promises us his presence. He stands with us, and he wants to rescue us in his time.

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God Rebuilds on Top of the Ruins

This photo shows stone ruins, with an upward angle showing a blue sky.

Jeremiah 30:18 (NIV)—“This is what the Lord says: “‘I will restore the fortunes of Jacob’s tents and have compassion on his dwellings;the city will be rebuilt on her ruins, and the palace will stand in its proper place.’”

I love visiting ruins, standing between four incomplete walls and looking up to see blue sky. Ruins tell a tale of the past, what once was. The bones of ancient churches sit abandoned in the countryside. Concrete gazebos covered in vines stand in the middle of forests. Castles crumble beside lakes and oceans. The remains of these structures signal an end.

For God’s people, ruins came with a promise of a new beginning. In Jeremiah, God promised the rebuilding of Jerusalem on top of the ruins. The ruins became the foundation for the new city where the people would sing songs of thanksgiving and rejoice, and where the people would receive honor and respect. The ruins promised a final restoration in God’s Kingdom.

I am privileged to serve a God who rebuilds on the ruins rather than leaves them to the forces of nature. He stabilizes the bones of the structure. He strips away the vines and overgrowth from walls. He sweeps away the crumbling pieces. He builds a stronger and more beautiful future on top of the past.

This photo shows the ruins of an old church with fields and trees in the background.
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Basking in the Warmth of Prioritizing God

This photo shows a sunset over the ocean with a tree in the foreground. One branch of the trunk forms a C-shaped curve around the setting sun.

Haggai 1:7–8 (ESV)—Thus says the Lord of hosts: Consider your ways. Go up to the hills and bring wood and build the house, that I may take pleasure in it and that I may be glorified, says the Lord.

I have a confession: When I’m on vacation, I often forget to pray, to study my Bible, or to read a devotional. I pack devotional books or plan to read my Bible as soon as I wake up…but the ocean calls, the tour leaves at a specific time, or wildlife snatches my attention, and I promise myself I’ll do it later. Later never materializes.

Even in a time of rest, it’s important that we make God a priority. Building up the Lord’s house is a full-time job with glorious benefits. God takes pleasure when we include him in our travels. He wants to join us on our journeys. But more so, he wants us to remember to put him first, to honor him. He doesn’t want our excuses; he wants us to experience his greatest blessings—and we experience his greatest blessings when we prioritize our relationship with him.

So…new plan for vacation: put my well-meaning thoughts into action and bask in the warmth of knowing I prioritized God (perhaps while basking in the sun on a white sand beach). I pray you do the same in a destination of your choosing!

This photo shows a sunset over the ocean with rays light bursting from behind a cloud.
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Spiritual Refreshment and Travel

Proverbs 11:25 (NIV)
A generous person will prosper;
    whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.

Proverbs 11:25 (ESV)
Whoever brings blessing will be enriched,
    and one who waters will himself be watered.

Proverbs 11:25 (NKJV)
The generous soul will be made rich,
And he who waters will also be watered himself.

When I think about refreshment in relation to vacation, I picture myself soaking up the sun while lounging on the beach, frozen fruit-flavored mocktail in hand and audiobook playing in my ears. Or I ponder collapsing at the peak of a mountain hiking trail and soaking in the view, knowing I completed the three-mile hike and survived, and now I needed to rest before the trek down.

I think everyone needs this type of refreshment. For me, the beach offers the ultimate in relaxation and hiking gives a sense of accomplishment.

But, I admit, I am guilty of forgetting to refresh my spirit while traipsing around new places. The views claim my attention. The yummy donuts and ice cream beckon me. The museums and sites fill my brain with information that I promptly forget after the vacation ends.

So how do I, as a traveler, refresh my spirit while on an adventure? Devotionals, Bible reading, and prayer, yes. Another answer lies in Proverbs 11:25. It is in the moment at the beachside bar when I have an opportunity to bless another and refresh my spirit.

Did I treat the staff with respect? Did I say please and thank you? Did I give a generous tip? Did I act in a godly manner, a manner that may bless another and, in turn, refresh my spirit?

Perhaps my kindness lifted the worker’s spirit after an encounter of the not-so-nice kind. Maybe my tip helped the worker to pay their grocery bill. Possibly my review, later in the day, on a website, earned a worker a raise or a promotion.

I may never know the blessing I bestow on another. And that’s okay. Yet, when I travel, I have to act with intention in my words and actions toward others. In this way, I partake in spiritual refreshment.

All that said, I close with this (slightly silly) analogy: Like a fruity mocktail satisfies physical thirst, a positive review, a kind word, a generous tip, an upbeat attitude quenches spiritual thirst.

This photo shows a beach chair sitting in the sand, under a palapa.
This photo shows the town of Glenwood Springs, Colorado, from the top of a mountain hiking trail. The sky is blue with a few clouds and there are mountains in the distance. The town is nestled in a valley.