Hold On For God's Best

Life can be a little bit shopping for an antique oak table. Let me explain...

About a month ago, Becky and I did a road trip out to the Midwest. We traveled with money in our pockets hoping to find an antique oak dining room table- a table we'd been envisioning for the Bryce Mountain house. After foraging through a dozen or so shops from Ohio to Minnesota, we struck gold. The shop where we ended our search was in a lazy river town appropriately named 'Stillwater'.

Entered the house of timeless treasures, we immediately came upon a beautiful oak table. I thought we'd end up ferrying the piece back to Ol' Virginia until we decided we'd move further into the bowels of the old building. Up on the third floor, back in the corner, we discover that the musty old place had a half dozen more tables- some were in much better condition than the first table we saw and most were more to our liking.

An experience like this is a good reminder for me. Sometimes I settle too soon- stopping short on my search for true treasure. Sometimes I envision a thing that will satisfy but it is less than what I might otherwise have if only I knew what was really out there. And finally, the best things of the greatest value have been out there waiting for us- for a long time.

Everybody's Got A Hungry Heart

Bruce Springsteen joined the sages when he penned the words: "Everybody's got a hungry heart." But how does the heart recover when love seems lost forever, when hope is gone and dreams are shattered on the floor? Time and sleep pave the way for new days to come and new loves to be born. Yet only with time does such a truth become known to the heart that feels its most precious love lies stillborn. 

Hungry hearts like hungry lion cubs lie in wait for the mother’s return. She carries the kill, bloodied and bruised, to her little ones that feed with a fury lest any surrender his part to another. And so hungry hearts feast on whatever is presented- getting their fill but rarely the reward of true satisfaction. 

This is why I would prefer to sing of the deepest love one can know- a love rarely enjoyed, precious beyond words and comprehension- "love divine, all loves excelling." Only God can truly satisfy the famished human heart. This is because the heart was made for God. The heart's home- it's destination- is God alone. Yet, like the cub when mother comes, we must open wide to feed lest we fail to get our fill. When other loves lie stillborn, faith must rise to God if love is to be born in and through us.

Biblical sages and ancient saints would proffer this bit of wisdom: Feed furiously like a hungry cub on the grace of God and you'll get abundant love your heart longs for- not simply the fleeting, lesser love Springsteen and lovesick sages routinely sing about.

Your Spiritual Garden

Our spiritual lives can be likened to a garden. What kind of garden are you cultivating? Isn't it true that we have much to do with the nature of our garden even though God is the only one who can really cause life to flourish?

Consider Three Gardens (like three different people):

The Trellis after Part 2: "Designing Your Trellis."

The Private Garden: Closed to the public- reserved just for God; the rest of life has little to do with what takes place in this garden- "Public Not Allowed."

The City Park: Open 24/7 to the public; always busy with few resources for maintenance and starting new plants; God occasionally shows up in the crowd but it's hard to make out his voice.

Gated At Times But Also Open to the Public: A well-maintained garden; special, private gatherings with God take place; when the soul has had its fill of solitude, feeding, conversation, and renewal, the public is welcome to come and enjoy the beauty of this ever-growing, ever-changing garden.


I just finished a series of two messages at Oakbrook Church. The series is called: "Your Trellis." If you'd like to take a fresh look at your Spiritual practices, go to the following link and spend some time on your garden.  God bless you.  http://www.oakbrookchurch.org/download/

Roller Coaster of Life

The iPhone has a crazy app called "Roller Coaster." The app simulates the wild, visual experience of one of my favorite amusement park rides. 


Life can be a bit like being on a constant roller coaster- the ups, downs, all arounds, and ups again. It's true of stock markets, politics, human emotions, you name it. Even love has it's twists and turns along with it's highs and lows.


History and human nature suggest that things probably won't change much as time goes on. Perhaps it is best just to sit back, throw our arms up in the air (giving thanks to God that we're alive) and enjoy the wild ride.


If you have an iPhone, you might consider downloading the app as a spiritual 'therapy tool'. The next time you're little coaster car takes a hard right turn or begins a nasty descent, play with your little app and be encouraged that what goes down usually goes up again- and there are a few wonderful pauses in the ride when the car actually jeaks backward- moments provided for catching one's breath.