I’ll Offer My Heart

Each year many of us are enchanted by the idea of making New Year’s resolutions.  Whether we strive to lose weight, spend more time with our kids, or patch up that strained relationship, January reveals our highest motivation to try new things and improve on the old.  But come December, many of us find that we run out of steam to complete our resolutions somewhere around March.  At our church, our worship team leads us in a beautiful song called “The Stand” by Hillsong United.  Some of the lyrics include, “What could I say, and what could I do, but offer this heart, Oh God, completely to You?”

And then it hit me.  Could one line from a song encapsulate any and every resolution that we might list and hope to check off the following year?  What could be more important this coming year than to offer your heart to God?  We celebrated his birth during Christmas, and everything it represents-His life, His love for us, and His sacrificial death.  Have you offered your heart to God, accepting His gift of eternal life and the Holy Spirit to guide you?

For those of us who have made that initial step of faith, inviting Jesus into our heart as our personal Savior, we know that our relationship with Him does not stop there.  It is a good practice to ask ourselves, “Have I surrendered all of my heart, every day?  Am I holding anything back from the Lord, or have I offered something to Him that I’ve now revoked?”

Often times, our New Year resolutions are about trying to “fix” things in ourselves that can only come from filling the void with Jesus.  Only He can be a perfect fit.  Is there anything on your resolutions list that, at its very core, could not be resolved with offering your heart and soul to the Creator God and reestablishing a direct path from your heart to His?

The rest of this inspiring song says this: “I’ll stand, with arms high and heart abandoned, in awe of the one who gave it all. I’ll stand, my soul Lord to you surrendered; all I am is yours.”

What do you need to surrender today and in the coming year?  Consider offering your whole heart, surrendering it into the hands of a Savior who has proven trustworthy, and then watch his miraculous power at work in your life.

As One Who Believes

One of our favorite holiday movies as a family is The Polar Express, starring Tom Hanks.  It tells the story of a young boy who doubts the existence of Santa Claus and is, therefore, not experiencing the full blessings that the Christmas season can bring.  He is unchanged and unaffected by the importance of Christmas because of his doubt.  One night, he is whisked away on The Polar Express, a train headed straight for the North Pole, where he meets Santa and his elves, and along with having the adventure of a lifetime, he comes away a believer, forever changed.  I’m reminded of a similar story in the gospel of John, chapter 20.  Thomas, often labeled “Doubting Thomas,” has just been told about Jesus’ miraculous resurrection and, as much as he wants to believe, he remains, so far, unchanged and unaffected by the power of the resurrected Christ.  In verse 25, Thomas says, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe it.”

So often I find myself shouting into the Bible, “Thomas, believe!  He really has risen.  His power is real!”  But do we not all struggle with doubt just like Thomas at some point in our lives?  Do we not say things in the quietness of our minds that reveal our doubts?  Jesus, are you even real?  Can you really breathe life into this hurting relationship?  God, by your power, can you really provide the food and pay the bills when we do not have the money?  I don’t know, God.  Sure, there are stories in the Bible of your miracles, but what kind of power do you really have in my own, seemingly insignificant, life?  I . . . I am just not sure I can believe. . .

Where are you in your belief?  Are you like the young boy in the movie or doubting Thomas from the Bible who finds it difficult to believe outside of sight?  Are you saddled with unbelief, unaffected by Jesus Christ, the man who was born quietly, died sacrificially, and whom we honor today?  Or have you embraced the Savior and therefore, the transforming power of the Christmas story-the baby in the manger, the Christ on the cross, and the Spirit at work in your life?  There is something very special about Christmas, but it goes beyond the playful anticipation of Santa Claus and his presents or the parties and eggnog.  These are nothing compared to the “surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord” (Philippians 3:8).  There is nothing quite like celebrating Jesus’ birthday as a member of his family, as one who has put his “hope in the living God;” this, “Savior of all men, especially of those who believe.”

What kind of Christmas will this be for you-one of doubt, or as one who believes?

Merry Christmas from those of us here at Standing on Truth!

The World is Searching for Something

Yesterday, another Hollywood actress lost her life.  Brittany Murphy died at the young age of 32.  There are reports coming out that she may have dabbled too heavily with illicit drugs and also possibly suffered with body image issues.  She was, from many’s perspective, dangerously thin.  These kinds of demons, if the rumors are true, seem to plague many people these days, especially those in front of the cameras.

This news, however, has not seriously derailed the public’s obssession with Tiger Woods, and his growing list of alleged mistresses.  His wife and 2 young children will forever be affected by this athelete’s actions and poor moral choices.  Was the money, adoration, and seemingly ideal family not enough?

All of this makes me wonder. . .what is the world searching for, that they keep turning to drugs, destructive fame, fortune, and promiscuous sex, to find? 

It was St. Augustine who wrote the words, profoundly true for our time and all time, “You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in you.”

I can’t know the exact circumstances of these two recent tragedies in the news, but I suspect that our culture, as a whole, is restless. . .and will continue to be until we all find rest in the Lord who created us for a relationship with Him.

When a Choice Becomes a Regret

I’m finishing up a Karen Kingbury book right now about a fictional high-school couple who, when faced with an unexpected pregnancy, chose abortion.  It has really caused me to think about some things.  As a pro-life advocate, and as someone who has peacefully protested abortion in various ways since I was a young girl, I think often of the pro-life/pro-choice debate from a political standpoint.  As a financial contributor to crisis pregnancy centers, I think often of the good that these centers are doing and want to do everything I can to support those ministries.  But as someone who has never faced a pregnancy that I didn’t want, I confess that I too rarely think of the women after their abortion and how they may be suffering and what I can be doing to support them, as a sister in Christ or as one who knows about a “peace that passes all understanding” in Jesus.  Kingsbury’s book has helped me to ponder this.

As a culture, we are engaged in a battle for life. . .for the sanctity of life.  And there is nothing that will deter me from standing up for those babies and putting my voice to use for them.  I will never waiver in my belief that this is not a matter of a woman’s right to her body, but a baby’s right to life.  But in addition to this passion of mine, I wonder if the women out there who have had abortions, and are now suffering regret, guilt, and pain as a result, know without a doubt that pro-lifers are also there to comfort and not to condemn.  Speaking for myself, I understand that many abortions take place on young, naive, scared girls–ones who may have been deceived about what exactly was growing inside of their womb.  Are we getting our message out to these women–the message of Jesus’ love and forgiveness, rather than judgment and condemnation?  Are they suffering in silence, missing their child, drowning in guilt?

Today my heart goes out to those young girls or older women who have experienced abortion and are now living in regret.  There are post-abortion healing ministries that operate for the very purpose of directing hope and healing to those women.  I will pray today that any one that needs that comfort and love will find it through a local crisis pregnancy center, and if you are not yet ready for that step, allow me to share with you something you may not hear everyday, and I’m sure the Enemy tries to deny:

“Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering” (Romans 8:1-3).

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:28-30).

“In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace” (Ephesians 1:7).

I pray that every time I fight for that unborn baby’s voice to be heard, I also remember the woman who may have made a regretful choice, and now needs to feel love, from Jesus and others, more than anything.