Think on Good Things

Sickness has once again plagued the Alexander family. We've been dealing with it now for four days, which is why I'm a bit behind in posting. I'll get caught up soon, though. Thanks for your patience!

Day 218: Matthew 12
When I was growing up, my parents instilled in me many values. They taught me about God and the Bible. They taught me about good sportsmanship--to congratulate others when you lost and to have a good attitude about it. They wanted me to see the importance of education and reading and writing and arithmetic (that arithmetic never did amount to many skills for me, though--even though I wish it had). They also taught me the value of having good friends, watching "wholesome" movies, and not being around people who did things that were against my morals.

I knew then that my parents were right, and so, basically, I was a prude. I didn't go far with guys. I didn't go to parties, bars, or clubs. I didn't curse or swear. I didn't do drugs, have sex, or drink. I still had my own flaws, of course, just not these behaviors. And I'm glad I didn't do these things. I had a lot of friends doing them, and I saw how harmful this behavior could be on them. They were too close to guys who wouldn't be there the next week. They were ruining their brain cells, their intelligence. They became depressed and lonely. I felt sorry for them. But I didn't engage in these behaviors.

Don't get me wrong. There were some things that I really wanted to do and experience. But for some reason, I just didn't do them (I guess I thank the Lord for this). I was often seen as a prude (which was a negative concept) or a fuddy duddy or an old fogey. But I also had a great group of friends who weren't engaging in these behaviors either. So I felt all right.

Like I said earlier, I still had my own battles to fight. I sinned daily. I lied and stole and cheated on numerous occasions. And I learned something from my friends who battled these more visible behaviors. Although everyone knew that (s)he was a drug addict or that (s)he slept around with everyone, these people had something that I didn't have: they were honest. They didn't lie about who they were; rather, they were honest about it and let the whole world see who they were--warts and all. And either people liked them or they didn't. These friends of mine taught me many valuable lessons, and this was one of them.

But what we all had in common was that we were far from perfect. Jesus says in Matthew 12 that the mouth speaks what is already in the heart, so it's important to ponder and think about good things. Peace, love, faith, forgiveness, hope, repentance, salvation, redemption, grace. Thinking on the things that matter help identify who we are. I once heard a preacher say, "What comes out of the mouth is produced in the factory." I like that metaphor, and each day, I try to live life meditating and thinking on good things. Yes, evil and sin and depression and loneliness and all these other bad things exist. It's not that we shouldn't think about these things--we should try to help people who are struggling. But for ourselves, when we are trying to regroup and get refreshed and find rest, we should look to Jesus. He is the ultimate good thing, and he will allow our hearts to become more and more pure--no matter what we've done in the past.

Thank you, God, for good things.

What's Done in Secret...

Day 212: Matthew 6

Over the past several years, I have become more and more interested in spiritual disciplines and how they form people to be more Christlike. We are all familiar--at least in name--with the disciplines of fasting, praying, and Bible study. But there are others that are less familiar. One spiritual discipline that fascinates me is that of secrecy. Secrecy as a spiritual discipline isn't about keeping someone's secret. Rather, it has to do with doing good deeds in secret--without telling anyone about them. So often, we are motivated to do good by our own selfish desires. We give to the needy--publicly--so that people will see it and know what we've done. We make announcements or we are honored by organizations for our giving. We give--and we are recognized for it.

But this spiritual discipline of secrecy isn't about being recognized; it's about doing things for others without anyone knowing about it--even the person for whom you've done it. This spiritual discipline can be considered one because it takes discipline not to share with others good things you have done. If you mow your neighbor's lawn because it needs to be done, you want your spouse to know. Or if you provide food for families in need, you may do so out of desires that are not so pure. Sure, we try to have good intentions--we are helping people. But when we practice the discipline of secrecy, we can see how so many of our intentions--especially good ones--are actually based on selfish motivations.

In Matthew 6, Jesus addresses this discipline of secrecy when he talks about giving to the poor and when teaching on how we should pray. I challenge all of us to practice doing things for others for their sake rather than ours. This discipline is one way to learn this lesson.

Daniel: A Man of Faith and Commitment

Day 191: Daniel 9-12

The book of Daniel ends with many different prophecies Daniel delivers and shows us what a great prophet and man Daniel truly was. He lived a life of faithfulness and commitment. He was a faithful and obedient servant to God for all of his life, and his name lives on as one of the greatest prophets that has ever lived. I haven't really ever thought of Daniel as a prophet, and maybe he's not thought of that way by theologians and historians. However, he does deliver prophetic visions to the nation, telling the people that they can be assured that although they are in captivity, God is still working among them. What a wonderful message. What a wonderful way to live a life--telling and proclaiming the news about God. What an amazing life Daniel lived.

Wondefully Made

Day 132: Psalm 139-142

Think about the person who knows you the best on this earth. Maybe it's a spouse or a significant other, a parent or a friend. This person, although they know you better than anyone else in this world, probably still does not know everything about you. There may be a secret you keep from him or her. Or maybe this person just hasn't discovered everything about you yet. Or it could be that you aren't fully yourself around certain people. Regardless of the reason, no one knows you completely. Not even yourself, probably.

But there is one who knows all aspects of you--the good, the sinful, the scary, the inner you. And that is God. Psalm 139:1-6 says, "O Lord, you have examined my heart and know everything about me. You know when I sit down or stand up.You know my thoughts even when I’m far away. You see me when I travel and when I rest at home. You know everything I do. You know what I am going to say even before I say it, Lord. You go before me and follow me. You place your hand of blessing on my head. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too great for me to understand!"

God knows us--our innermost self that we don't want people to see because we don't think they'll like it. And yet God, wow, he loves us in spite of all our flaws. He loves us because he made us; he knit us together in our mother's wombs. He has made us wonderfully and beautifully. And it's wonderful to rest in the assurance that God thinks good thoughts about us. He loves us! And he knows us! Wow, what a paradox.
  
God is proud of the people he made. He loves us. He loves us. What assurance we have in Him.

God Is So Good

Day 125: Psalm 105-110

I am amazed with all the good that God does in this world. Literally, amazed. God does so much good for his people. He is constantly saving and redeeming us, taking us out of the pit and into a world of freedom. He brings hope to the hopeless, strength to the weak, and peace to the frightened. He is a wonderful God, an awesome God. There is no one like him. In Him, we can have hope, and He alone is the source of our salvation. I am so glad for God. I am so thankful for Him.

"God Intended It for Good"

Day 13: Genesis 46 to 50

Today has been a good day. The congregation welcomed us warmly, and we enjoyed meeting many people this morning. Shane preached a fantastic sermon about the Christian imagination and tied this idea of “imagine” into the book of Ezekiel. The sermons will be available online soon at www.nccoc.net. This first one was really good.

While Peyton got to go to the nursery during the worship service, Elizabeth had to sit with me during the service since Northcrest doesn’t have children’s church. For her first time sitting there the whole time, she did almost all right, and that’s being kind to her. For those of you who know Elizabeth, you know how she is literally ALWAYS talking. Well, church service was no different. I came prepared with snacks, books, and crayons, but this still wasn’t enough to keep her occupied. Poor thing! She’ll learn how to be quiet, I’m sure. I’m looking forward to that time, so I can pay 100% attention to Shane’s sermons! I’m glad they’re available online. ;)

As we begin this new job—and I say “we” not because I do the preaching or anything but because we see congregational and community ministry as “our” ministry—I am prayerful yet anxious about what’s to come.

I’m sure Joseph never thought his life would turn out like it did. He probably expected to be a shepherd for his entire life just like his brothers. He expected to be near his father, his mother, and his brothers. But he was not. God had different plans for Joseph. Joseph was put in charge, second only to Pharaoh, and took care of the people during the seven years of famine. He grew close to God, and he listened to God’s calling. javascript:void(0)

I want to look back on our ministry as Joseph looked back on his life. While his brothers sold him into slavery and meant to harm him, Joseph has a different perspective about what happened. He tells his brothers, “Even though you intended to harm me, God intended it for good, in order to preserve a numerous people, as he is doing today.” (Gen. 50:20)

God knows what He’s doing with our lives. He knows what he’s doing with yours, and he knows what he’s doing with mine—even when we are unsure of what that might be. As my family begins life in this new ministry context, I am praying that God intends this experience to be for good so that we can preserve a numerous people. I hope he will use us in the same way he used Joseph. I pray the same for you, dear reader.

New Beginnings: He Saw That It Was Good

Day One: Genesis 1-3


I’m nervous about getting started on this project for some reason. I’ve been procrastinating all night wondering, what will I write? What will I say? What do I have to add to this conversation that scholars, disciples, theologians, and ministers have been engaging in for centuries? What ethos do I have for writing on such a subject? To be honest, I don’t know.

All I do know is that I feel a tugging to do this. Maybe it’s the Holy Spirit pushing me to do it. Maybe it’s my own guilt at not having read the Bible in so long. Maybe it’s because I want an outlet to share my thoughts and writing really helps me recognize what I think. Or maybe it’s for some purpose other than what I can know right now. Who knows?

I’m going to get started now. I’ll begin at the beginning: Genesis 1:1.

When God created the world, life began.

Beginnings. New beginnings (Is that redundant?). Genesis is the beginning of God’s story unfolding on earth. The word “beginnings” makes me think about the change. Our world changes, and because of that, we all experience new beginnings. That’s inevitable. I think it’s what we do with these new beginnings that matters. How do we deal with transitions and changes in our lives? How do we deal with new beginnings? When God saw the new beginnings he had created—light, earth, seas, vegetation, day and night, living creatures, and humankind—he viewed them as “good.” How often do we think about our new beginnings as being good? Maybe we are excited about the opportunities that will come with our new beginnings. We can have a fresh start. We can do things differently this time. We can learn from what we didn’t like about the last place we were in and seek to alter the outcomes this go around.

Coupled with the excitement, though, comes some grief. Grief over what we’re leaving behind and nostalgia for times past. At least it works this way for me. Maybe it’s old friends. Or a home. Or a church. Maybe it’s a job that you really like or fear of the unknown. I do think there’s a sense in which new beginnings can bring grief for what was before. In spite of God viewing his creation as good, I wonder if he felt any grief about losing the Trinitarian relationship that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit had established. Maybe he did, especially after Adam and Eve had sinned. It is an interesting thing to think about, though.

Right now, I am embarking on a new beginning. Not only am I beginning this task of reading and reflecting on the Bible in a year, but I’m also moving soon to a new town where my husband will be starting a new preaching job. I will be keeping my job where we are now and commuting back and forth each day (about 45 minutes one way). I’m experiencing both of those emotions right now—excitement and grief. Excitement over what’s to come…the unknown…and all the new changes that come with moving and beginning a new job. But I’m also grieving. I’m grieving over leaving the place we now live. A city that I love. Neighbors that are some of our best friends. Great schools. The familiar. Mostly, though, I grieve over giving up something that has become very dear to me over the past three years—church planting. I’m sure I will speak more of this later, but for now you can know that my husband and I planted a church and after a year and a half we have decided to move on to another ministry context.

While I may be grieving over a lost church plant, I’m also excited about gaining a new church and anticipating this new beginning on which I’m embarking. I’m most looking forward to having a church family that we can serve, love, and share our lives with. I also look forward to building new friendships and being in a place where my children can grow in the Lord. I know that God will use this new beginning for good. It may not be “good” in the sense that I think of the word, but he will use the times in my life—in your life—“for the good.” To sharpen me. To mature me. To call me to a deeper faith. In looking back over the past three years, I can see he was doing this all along.

I hope that you will share a story about one of your “new beginnings” and reflect on how God has used or is using it for “good.”