Lee Wilson – NorthStar Church Blog

Digging Deeper: More Than Sorry

Lee Wilson on April 26, 2024

12 Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. 13 Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. 14 Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony.

Colossians 3:12-14 (NLT)

MORE THAN SORRY

Every Friday night, my family gets pizza and ice cream and watches a movie together. As people “from the 1900s” as my 8 year old says, we have a fondness for 90s and early 2000s movies and we try to share those with our boys when we can.

One of the movies I remember watching with Deanna when we were dating was an old Ryan Reynolds movie called Just Friends. It’s a comedy in which Reynolds plays an executive at a record label and is charged with the care of a top client and prima donna (played by Anna Farris).

In spite of her immense success and fame, Farris’ character is a terrible singer and songwriter. She writes this short song where she sings “Forgiveness….is more than saying sorry.” The song shows up repeatedly and comically throughout the movie and we still reference it with humor to one another today.

When we started this new series at NorthStar, we examined Paul’s letter to the Colossians in which he calls us to “forgive one another as Christ has forgiven you.” (3:13) So, essentially, she’s right…It IS more than saying sorry! In fact it is a call to persistence for any believer, a relentless pursuit to forgive.

The call to forgiveness is echoed throughout the New Testament (Matthew 6:14, Ephesians 4:31-32, Matthew 5:38-48) and is ultimately modeled in Jesus’ death on the cross.

While we see it embodied, it is not easy to put into practice. Jesus discusses the nature of wrongdoing, repentance and forgiveness and it prompted questions with his disciples. In Matthew, He was asked by Peter how many times he should be willing to forgive someone if they repent. “As many as seven times?” Peter asked, to which Jesus responded, “I do not say to you seven times, I say to you seventy-seven times.”

This was Jesus’ way of saying to stop counting and limiting your willingness to forgive someone. Where there is contrition or repentance, we are to offer forgiveness. That means when you do battle with kids or have a world-class argument with your spouse, at the end of the day we still have to meet repentance with forgiveness.

When you harbor resentment or anger against someone, it can actually be clinically bad for you. According to John Hopkins Medicine, lingering or “chronic” anger can put your body into fight or flight mode, elevating your stress levels, while “forgiveness calms stress levels and leads to improved health.”

This should come as no surprise, given the creator of our bodies embodies forgiveness himself. As Mike Linch says, the cup of bitterness is meant for someone else and yet you drink it yourself.

The examples in the scripture are numerous, including Joseph’s forgiveness for his brothers (Gen 45:4-8), David’s forgiveness of Saul (1 Samuel 24:1-15) and Jesus’ prayer for those that tortured him (John 23:33-34).

Exploring the boundless nature of God’s love for his people does not make it easier to forgive when we have been hurt, but it does make it necessary.

So be kind, show love and remember, forgiveness is more than saying sorry!

Lee Wilson and his wife, Deanna, have been NorthStar Church members since 2010. They are parents to Everett, Henry and Roselyn. Lee is passionate about sports (Go Braves, Go Dawgs) and has the pleasure to serve on the worship team as a bassist.

Digging Deeper: Demonstrate Your Love

Lee Wilson on April 25, 2024

2 Samuel 9:1-7 (NLT)

DEMONSTRATE YOUR LOVE

In our message this past Sunday, we learned that King David demonstrated love to Mephibosheth by restoring to him the lands that belonged to his grandfather, and by giving him a seat at the King’s table. The act of loving kindness is significant because Mephibosheth does not have the means to repay the gift-giver.

Giving gifts can be a unique thing, based on who you are giving it to. I learned early in my relationship with Deanna what kind of gifts she likes, and I also learned if you get her a gift she doesn’t like, she has no problem telling you! Christmas is not for the faint of heart in the Wilson house.

I got her a necklace from a jewelry store while we were dating. It was a nice necklace, considering what I had available to spend at the time, and I hoped she would like it. When I bought it, the jewelry store included this random photo album to go with it. I didn’t know what to do with it, but I decided to fill it with pictures of us and include it with the necklace.

When Christmas came, the necklace was a side note, and the photo album induced joyful tears. To this day, over 15 years later, I have no idea where that necklace is, but I can show you the photo album right now, as we still have it. It was a reflection of what is the most meaningful gift for her – quality time. The picture and memories associated with them made Deanna happy, and that influenced every gift I have gotten her since.

Meaningful gifts can have a profound impact on us because it is a reflection of the heart of the person giving the gift. We learn something about David based on the way he treats Mephibosheth – it is revealing of his character and his heart.

Romans 5:8 says that God demonstrates his love for us that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us (ESV). This incredible atoning sacrifice brings us as believers into eternity in the presence of the Lord, the ultimate source of our hope and joy. This is the very bedrock of what we believe as Christians.

John was so humbled by the sacrifice of our savior that he writes, “Beloved, what manner of love is this that we should be called the children of God?” (1 John 3:1). To be counted among the righteous in the presence of God is a humbling thought indeed, and one that can reveal to us the character and nature of the God we serve, for in his love we have been given a gift impossible to repay.

This notion of God’s love was captured by Pastor and Author John Macarthur in a message he gave on God’s Love:

“Scripture does give us reason to proclaim that God is a God of love. In fact, in 2 Corinthians 13:11 He is called the God of love. And in 1 John 4:8 the Bible says God is love. There’s no question but that this is truly an attribute of God. This is part of the fabric of His spiritual essence, His being. And it is a much celebrated attribute, because along with it comes goodness and kindness and mercy. Those are the evidences and those are the elements of expression that find their origin in love.”

May we soak in these words and in the incredible gift of God’s love.

Digging Deeper: Taking Initiative

Lee Wilson on April 24, 2024

2 Samuel 9:1-7 (NLT)

TAKING INITIATIVE

This past Sunday, we learned that one of the ways we show kindness is when we take the initiative. When King David learned about Mephibosheth, he took the initiative to seek him out and to provide him with lifelong blessings.

Kindness in the form of initiative can look a lot of different ways. It can look like providing charitable giving of your time and resources, it can look like calling your mom out of the blue just to chat, or it can take on a much more dramatic form as it did for Richard Rowland Kirkland.

Kirkland served in the Confederate Army during the Civil War and participated in the Battle of Fredricksburg. After a failed assault by the Union Army on Mayre’s Heights, dozens of troops lay on the battlefield wounded or dying, and many of them were crying for the same thing: water.

After the agonizing cries persisted, Kirkland took action, approaching his Commander, Joseph B. Kershaw, saying, “General, I can’t stand this.” Initially, Kershaw forbade Kirkland from helping, but he later gave in.

So Kirkland rounded up every canteen he could find and headed out to the battlefield. The Union army initially thought he was trying to plunder their dead and took fire, but after seeing that he was supplying the injured on both sides with water, all firing from either side ceased. Once it became apparent what he was doing, cries from all over the battlefield for water erupted, with Kirkland providing relief.

The courageous and compassionate acts of this 19 year old soldier earned him the nickname “The Angel of Mayre’s Heights” and immense respect from both sides of the conflict. Just one year later, Kirkland would suffer a fatal wound in battle, with his final words being, “tell my pa I died right.”

While many qualities can be observed on the pages of history in battle, honor is among the most compelling. While taking the initiative to approach his commanding officer and making an appeal of compassion, Kirkland was able to set an amazing example of kindness for everyone there. God tells us to love our enemies (Matthew 5:44), and I am not sure there is a better example given than what Lieutenant Kirkland provided us.

In this remarkable example, we learn about the importance of taking the initiative to do what is right. King David knew it was right to take care of Mephibosheth, and Lt. Kirkland knew it was right to show care for the injured and dying soldiers – regardless of loyalties. James actually warns us that if we know what is right, and choose not to do it, that we are committing sin (James 4:17).

This type of loving kindness is what we would hope for if we were on the battlefield, wounded. Can you imagine? Staring up at the sky wondering if your next breath might be your last, in agonizing pain and just hoping for some water to drink, hoping for somebody brave enough to approach the General and ask if they can help you.

Jesus tells us very plainly that whatever we want someone to do for us, we must do for them (Matthew 7:12). This is the Golden Rule. So don’t hesitate. When you see someone in need, have the courage to take initiative and be kind.

Digging Deeper: The Promise Keeper

Lee Wilson on April 23, 2024

8 Mephibosheth bowed respectfully and exclaimed, “Who is your servant, that you should show such kindness to a dead dog like me?” 9 Then the king summoned Saul’s servant Ziba and said, “I have given your master’s grandson everything that belonged to Saul and his family. 10 You and your sons and servants are to farm the land for him to produce food for your master’s household. But Mephibosheth, your master’s grandson, will eat here at my table.” (Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.) 11 Ziba replied, “Yes, my lord the king; I am your servant, and I will do all that you have commanded.” And from that time on, Mephibosheth ate regularly at David’s table, like one of the king’s own sons. 12 Mephibosheth had a young son named Mica. From then on, all the members of Ziba’s household were Mephibosheth’s servants. 13 And Mephibosheth, who was crippled in both feet, lived in Jerusalem and ate regularly at the king’s table.

2 Samuel 9:8-13 (NLT)

THE PROMISE KEEPER

This past Sunday we examined the topic of kindness, looking at it through the lens of David’s kindness to Mephibosheth. We defined kindness as “an act of love spurred on by genuine care for another person,” and what David did certainly embodied that.

David was the former enemy of Mephibosheth’s grandfather, Saul. To say Mephibosheth was astounded when the King decided to not only show him kindness, but to treat him as one of his own, would be an understatement. David was not just surface-level nice to Mephibosheth; he showed genuine care for him.

Why did David show this kindness? For the sake of his friend, Jonathan (Mephibosheth’s father). David was grieved to learn that his dear friend had perished in battle and lamented the event (2 Samuel 1). When he learned of the last living relative of Jonathan, he wanted to show him love and kindness.

As we learn, Mephibosheth was crippled, and when he and King David met, he was scared for his life and uncertain what the future may hold for him. It would have been reasonable for him to be prepared for execution given the tense relationship of Saul and David.

Given this tension, he fell to his feet and “paid homage” (2 Samuel 9:6) to the King, prompting David to shock him with the blessings he had planned when he said, “Do not fear, for I will restore to you all the land of Saul your father, and you shall eat at my table always. (2 Samuel 9:7)”

In response to this kindness in verse 8, Mephibosheth says, “What is your servant that you should show regard for a dead dog such as I?” For he could provide no real value to the King given his crippled state.

There are remarkable parallels between this relationship and our own relationship with God. For in Christ, we are shown ultimate kindness and love in spite of our rebellious history. In spite of this, Romans 5:8 tells us that “God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (ESV)”

Just as David fulfills his promise to Mephibosheth to care for him in the honor of his father, Jesus fulfills his promises to us in the honor of his father. So what kind of promises does God make to his followers?

He promises that all things will work to the good for those who Love him (Romans 8:28), he promises to comfort us in affliction (2 Cor 1:3-4), he promises to give us strength (Isaiah 41:10), he promises us freedom from sin (1 John 1:9), he promises that nothing can separate us from his love (Romans 8:38-39) and literally thousands more.

Scripture also tells us that God will keep the promises that he makes to his people. Hebrews 10:23 says to “hold to the confession of your hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.”

What wonderful hope and assurance we can take from these words! God loves us, keeps us and is faithful to us. As a believer in Christ, this is a crucial part of our daily walk, according to Billy Graham:

“God has never promised to remove all our troubles, problems and difficulties…but God has promised, in the midst of trouble and conflict, a genuine peace, a sense of assurance and security that the worldly person never knows.”

Just as Mephibosheth did, we can count on our King to keep his promises and give us a seat at his table.

Digging Deeper: The Calling of the Chosen

Lee Wilson on April 22, 2024

Colossians 3:12-14 (NLT)

1 One day David asked, “Is anyone in Saul’s family still alive—anyone to whom I can show kindness for Jonathan’s sake?” 2 He summoned a man named Ziba, who had been one of Saul’s servants. “Are you Ziba?” the king asked. “Yes sir, I am,” Ziba replied. 3 The king then asked him, “Is anyone still alive from Saul’s family? If so, I want to show God’s kindness to them.” Ziba replied, “Yes, one of Jonathan’s sons is still alive. He is crippled in both feet.” 4 “Where is he?” the king asked. “In Lo-debar,” Ziba told him, “at the home of Makir son of Ammiel.” 5 So David sent for him and brought him from Makir’s home. 6 His name was Mephibosheth; he was Jonathan’s son and Saul’s grandson. When he came to David, he bowed low to the ground in deep respect. David said, “Greetings, Mephibosheth.” Mephibosheth replied, “I am your servant.” 7 “Don’t be afraid!” David said. “I intend to show kindness to you because of my promise to your father, Jonathan. I will give you all the property that once belonged to your grandfather Saul, and you will eat here with me at the king’s table!” 8 Mephibosheth bowed respectfully and exclaimed, “Who is your servant, that you should show such kindness to a dead dog like me?” 9 Then the king summoned Saul’s servant Ziba and said, “I have given your master’s grandson everything that belonged to Saul and his family. 10 You and your sons and servants are to farm the land for him to produce food for your master’s household. But Mephibosheth, your master’s grandson, will eat here at my table.” (Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.) 11 Ziba replied, “Yes, my lord the king; I am your servant, and I will do all that you have commanded.” And from that time on, Mephibosheth ate regularly at David’s table, like one of the king’s own sons. 12 Mephibosheth had a young son named Mica. From then on, all the members of Ziba’s household were Mephibosheth’s servants. 13 And Mephibosheth, who was crippled in both feet, lived in Jerusalem and ate regularly at the king’s table.

2 Samuel 9:1-13 (NLT)

THE CALLING OF THE CHOSEN

Ever since I was little, I have been fascinated by animals that are dangerous. I love learning about them, whether it’s watching Shark Week or old Steve Irwin videos where he’s free handling a black mamba, one of the world’s most dangerous snakes. I just can’t seem to get enough.

Speaking of dangerous snakes, we have several in our state in the form of pit vipers like Copperheads and rattlesnakes. The Timber Rattlesnake, or Canebrake, is, in my opinion, the most beautiful one. It has a vibrant yellowish gold stripe down the center of it’s back and unmistakable black bands that circle its body. It will shed that skin 4-12 times a year, leaving behind a stern warning to hikers and path-walkers alike.

We’ve been looking at Paul’s letter to the Colossians, and in Chapter 3 he is discussing putting on a new self in Christ. This is the Christian’s way of “shedding skin.” While the snake sheds its skin multiple times, the act of shedding our worldly skin lasts a lifetime as we are sanctified in Christ.

When we get to verse 12, Paul says we are to ”Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience. (ESV)” So as God’s chosen people, we are to “put on” or act out these traits. That is his expectation of us.

In his Look at the Book study, pastor John Piper discusses this verse and mentions the importance of “knowing and feeling what it means to be chosen, Holy and Loved.” He says the very thought that we are chosen by God should “stagger” us. The same God that created the universe, who sent the flood, who parted the Red Sea, who sent his son to the cross – that God chose YOU.

The insinuation by Piper is that we are called to embody these traits of humility, patience, kindness, etc, but that we will not feel the weight of that command and achieve it until we resolve to understand that we were singled out by God as his chosen people, Holy and beloved.

We are to be Holy, and we are set aside to by God to be as such. In John 15:16 Jesus says explicitly “You did not choose me, but I chose you…”

God chose us. In spite of everything you’ve ever done or will do wrong, he chose you. He loved you anyway.

Now with this incredible act, we are called to put on a new self, one that is compassionate, kind, humble, meek and patient (Col. 3:12). We have a higher calling because we have been appointed by the creator of the universe and are destined for an eternity in his presence. Our journey to perfection will not be complete until we get into the presence of Jesus, but we are chosen to be different in our time on earth.

Sometimes we mess up and fall short. It’s like when my son is playing baseball and I tell him, “Sometimes you strike out, and sometimes the other guy catches the ball. You don’t always get a hit.” Sometimes we miss in life. But the great Hank Aaron said, “Whether I was a in a slump or feeling badly, the only thing to do was keep swinging.”

So feel the weight of your calling. Wake up every day and fall to your face and thank God that he chose you as his eternal child. Pray for the strength to live out his commands, but do not lose heart when you fall short. Even the greatest ballplayers ever have slumps. As the Hammer said, the key is to keep swinging.

Digging Deeper: Trust Carries Us Through Suffering

Lee Wilson on January 12, 2024

38 Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. 39 And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to his teaching. 40 But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.” 41 But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, 42 but one thing is necessary.5 Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.”

Luke 10:38-42 (ESV)

TRUST CARRIES US THROUGH SUFFERING

As we learned about Martha and Mary this week, we have seen repeatedly how differently they treated the situation of Jesus’ visiting their home. While Mary sat and soaked up his words, Martha complained that she should be helping her prepare for the guests, to which Jesus replies, “Martha, Martha, you are worried about many things (Luke 10:41).”

Worrying about the wrong stuff instead of listening to the Lord, now that sounds too close to my life. It is normal to worry, to feel anxious, but when does worry become sinful?

According to Dr. John Piper, all the time. Answering a question about it on his podcast, he said “Worry or anxiety is a sin. God wants us to trust his sovereign, all-wise, all-good, all-providing, all-protecting, ever-assisting care. This is a trust issue.”

Trust is hard when it means we must forfeit control. We all want to feel “in control” in our lives as much as possible. Yet the older we get, the more we are forced to face the fact that we control much less than we would like to admit.

God tells us repeatedly to trust Him in the face of trouble (Proverbs 3:5, Joshua 1:9, Jeremiah 17:7-8, John 14:1, etc.). Sometimes He tells us that by putting us in impossible situations, stripping us bare of any notion of control and forcing us to our knees in desperate hope and prayer.

My wife, Deanna, and I faced such a situation with our first child.

When we were 36 weeks into an up-to-that-point “normal” pregnancy, Deanna received a phone call and we had to go in for terrifying news – our daughter, Roselyn, had a Congenital Diaphragmatic Hernia (CDH) and faced grim odds at life following her birth.

We were crestfallen. Our first child, the first grandkid of the family, might not survive. For the next four weeks we met with specialists, sought opinions from doctors all over the country and even debated trying to make a trip out of state to have her delivered at a hospital that might be better suited for such a high-risk birth and a surgery thereafter.

I scoured the pages of scripture daily, searching for whatever hope and truth I might be able to cling to in the words of God. And one night, weighing all of these tenuous options, a verse reached out and spoke to me from Hebrews: “So do not throw away this confident trust in the Lord. Remember the great reward it brings you! Patient endurance is what you need now, so that you will continue to do God’s will. Then you will receive all that he has promised. (Hebrews 10:35-36 NLT).”

I was reminded, clearly, that I wasn’t in control. We have no choice but to trust in those moments because we are trying to seek his will, not our own. Patiently enduring until the end so that we can receive his ultimate promise – eternity in his presence.

We tearfully prayed at Roselyn’s bedside for every day of her life, and after 22 days she passed into eternity. We found a song, through a friend, called Though You Slay Me by Shane and Shane, and the song resonated deeply with us and was played at her service. Finding its roots in Job 13:15, the chorus goes like this:

Though You slay me
Yet I will praise You
Though You take from me
I will bless Your name
Though You ruin me
Still I will worship
Sing a song to the One who’s all I need

We listened to the song over and over, and in the online version there is a break and a snippet from a sermon by Piper is played where he talks about suffering. Preaching from 2 Corinthians 4:17, he insists that every second of anxiety, pain and suffering that we feel this side of Heaven is “working in eternal weight” to produce Glory for the Kingdom God. It all matters and it all counts.

It’s not easy to walk with the pain we all carry, like that of child-loss for us. We have to come to the cross for any chance at finding meaningful and lasting peace amidst this fallen and sinful world. For in this world we find trouble, but Jesus has overcome this world. (John 16:33).

Digging Deeper: Remember God Cares for You

Lee Wilson on January 11, 2024

Luke 10:38-42 (ESV)

REMEMBER GOD CARES FOR YOU

Being a dad is the best thing I get to do each day. Our two boys are full of energy and life and bring much to joy us. Their personalities are so different, as happens often with siblings, and as a parent the differences breed an even greater depth of adoration.

One thing they both do frequently, though, is ask for help. My older son likes playing Mario Kart, and when he gets stuck on a hard level he quickly calls for dad to help! My younger son loves Legos, but he hasn’t quite mastered the construction process, so what does he do? “Dad, help!” I am not as good at Mario as I used to be (I still haven’t lost to him, don’t worry), and I am no Lego “master-builder.” So when I help my kids, the results often produce painstaking errors before resolution.

These inconsequential problems my kids face serve as a good model for how we behave. When we get faced with tough situations as Christians, we look skyward and say “God, help!” And that is a good thing! God wants us to bring our troubles to Him. Peter says “Cast your anxieties on him, because he cares for you (1 Peter 5:7).”

The fact that God cares about us is quite humbling. That feeling alone provides spiritual sustenance when I remember it. The problem is that when I am facing anxious and troublesome moments, it is difficult to remember!

When we examine the story of Martha and Mary (Luke 10:38-42) this week, we see Martha asking for help, much the way my kids do. As she feverishly works, she demands Jesus to send Mary in to help her (with an audacity I can only hope to attain). As Jesus tenderly rebukes her, we are reminded that Mary’s eagerness to find the words of Jesus are a great example for us.

When we face moments of trouble, we want the quick fix, just like Martha. However, in many instances the Lord chooses to teach us through patience or suffering. In these moments, we must remember the many promises of the Lord and trust that He’s got us, even if it’s not in the timeline we would like.

The Psalmist reminds us to “Cast your burden on the Lord, and he will sustain you; he will never permit the righteous to be moved (Psalm 55:22).”

There might be pain, there might be anxiety, there might be misshapen Lego projects, but the Lord promises to sustain us if we will turn to Him. For “God is ever true to his promises (1 Cor 1:9),” so if He promises to sustain us, then He will.

Just trust him.

Digging Deeper: Is Comparison Robbing You?

Lee Wilson on January 10, 2024

Luke 10:38-42 (ESV)

IS COMPARISON ROBBING YOU?

As someone who enjoys presidential history, I relish the chance to read biographies and anecdotes about our leaders of the past. Probably my favorite President is Theodore Roosevelt. Raised in a Christian home, Teddy was devout in his faith his whole life.

Teddy understood the importance of biblical study, saying “I ask that the Bible be studied for the sake of the breadth it must give to every man who studies it.” He is easily one of the most quotable Presidents our nation has had, producing countless refrains in our common lexicon today.

Here is one often attributed to him that you may not know: “Comparison is the thief of joy.”

As we studied in Luke this past week, we found the disparity between sisters Martha and Mary as Jesus taught in their home. Their reactions produce a clear picture of two distinctly different kinds of behavior. Mary sat and soaked in Jesus’ words, while Martha hurriedly tried to prepare food and clean for the guests. In Martha’s annoyance, she got so busy comparing herself to Mary, suggesting that it was “unfair” (Luke 10:40) that she was doing all the work while Mary sat and listened.

Our lives place us in constant situations of comparison. Especially in America, a country where resources abound, we can easily get wrapped up in trying to keep up with the Joneses, until (as Mike Linch likes to say) you realize your neighbor is Chipper.

This is exactly what Teddy was hinting at – when we compare ourselves to others, just as Martha did, we allow that disparity to steal our joy. We can muster up feelings of inferiority or superiority quite quickly, and lose site of the blessings we have right in front of us.

Sometimes the comparisons run far deeper, as we see others blessed in ways that we are not, manifesting in good health, or perhaps financially. This discontentment is indeed a thief of joy and can seep into our spirits and fester into bitterness. This is ripe ground for the enemy to plant his seeds of doubt and despair within us. The antidote, for us, is the belief in our savior Jesus Christ.

We must always remember that our joy is not linked to things like finances or health, but in the hope of eternity in the presence of God.

In Lamentations, Jeremiah speaks greatly of the afflictions facing Jerusalem after its fall at the hands of the Babylonians. Chapter 3 quite literally opens with “I am the man who has seen affliction…” (Lamentations 3:1, ESV).

Yet Jeremiah comes back to the Lord and his goodness: “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul,
“therefore I will hope in him. (Lamentations 3:24, ESV).”

We face the temptation to compare ourselves and our situations to others, and we can get lost in despair when lying in those pits. It is a natural part of the human condition.

In those moments we must remember, as Jeremiah did, that the Lord is our portion and cling tightly to the joy found in Christ. For the contentment we find in him transcends the doubts and troubles we face in this world. The author of Hebrews reminds us to be content with what we have because “he will never leave us or forsake us. (Hebrews 13:5, ESV).”

Don’t get caught up comparing yourself to others, for it is a fruitless endeavor. Instead, focus on the joy and contentment you find in the love of Jesus. Only in him can you find true joy.

Digging Deeper: The Downfalls of Distraction

Lee Wilson on January 9, 2024

Luke 10:38-42 (ESV)

THE DOWNFALLS OF DISTRACTION

Marveling at the wonders of modern technology is easy to do these days. The technology we each hold in our hands, perhaps as you’re reading this, is itself remarkable. The advances in our present age offer limitless entertainment and communication and have given way to new ways of working and completing our daily tasks.

With all of these new gadgets and gizmos comes a bit of trepidation. With each new app, phone, computer, self-driving car, etc., we can become distracted. Routines get altered for convenience and at times we can lose meaningful moments due to our incredible distractions. These distractions often take us away from what matters most, and the warp-speed nature of our modern schedules breeds anxious feelings.

We need to press pause and be intentional about our relationship with Jesus. Paul tells us in Romans, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” (Romans 12:2, ESV).

We have to fight the urge to clutter our schedules and limit our distractions, despite what the world tells us we need. We don’t need to get a new phone, or a new car, or those new Jordans (even though I really want them); we need to renew our minds by spending time with Jesus. Our anxious clutter can be resolved by this intentional erosion of our “busy-ness.”

In the 90’s action movie The Rock, John Mason (played by Sean Connery) is talking about his special forces experience and notes “I was trained by the best, British Intelligence…but in retrospect I would have rather been a poet, or a farmer.”

This simple life he references is something that tugs at our hearts. We weren’t meant to be so distracted and busy. We fill our calendars with meaningful intent, feverishly working in appointments, practices, homework, meals, parties and meetings all in one day, all the while trying not to dirty our superhero capes.

This is how Martha felt when she jumped at the opportunity, along with her sister Mary, to have Jesus and some followers in their home. As Jesus spoke, Martha was hard at work preparing to serve the guests, getting annoyed with her sister for not helping as she sat at the feet of Jesus and listened. Then, when Jesus rebukes her (Luke 10:41) he noted she was “anxious about many things.”

She worried too much! Instead of being distracted and anxious (like Martha), we need to take a deep breath and return to the throne of our King (like Mary). Whatever we have in front of us – worrying us, distracting us, nagging at us – we need to set it aside and sit in the presence of Jesus.

In Colossians 3:2 Paul says to “Set your minds on things above, not things on Earth.” The apostle is pleading with us to have the right perspective on our daily schedules.

Is your heart set on what is above? Are you making a schedule that prioritizes the Lord?

Trust in him and make time for him – DAILY.

Digging Deeper: The Antidote to Anxiety

Lee Wilson on January 8, 2024

Luke 10:38-42 (ESV)

THE ANTIDOTE TO ANXIETY

Anxiety. That word alone carries connotations and emotional responses for all of us when we see it. It has permeated our society at alarming rates, affecting all ages and leaving many to ponder its causes and potential treatments for it. According to one study by the National Institute of Mental Health, roughly 31 percent of U.S. Adults experience clinical anxiety in their lifetime. We are all familiar with it, and many of us have experienced it.

We learn that Martha experienced it, too. When Jesus had joined Martha and Mary in their house, we see some angst from Martha. She felt like her share of the serving workload was imbalanced and unfair as Mary sat and listened to Jesus speak. But in Jesus’ response to her request for assistance, He didn’t simply say that Mary was doing the right thing by listening to his words; He first noted that Martha was “anxious and troubled about many things (ESV).”

Anxiety can have that affect on each of us. We lose patience, feel upset or depressed and can even lash out in irrational ways. So, what should we do when we recognize these symptoms in our hearts? From the lips of our Savior himself we are told to do as Mary did: sit and listen to His words.

RC Sproul, when preaching on this passage, said that “while Martha was grousing, and complaining, and feeling annoyed at her sister, Mary was basking in the presence of Christ.”

Sproul also noted that when the Lord rebukes Martha for begrudging her sister, that he did so “in the most tender fashion,” as one dear friend would do to another. When he addresses her “Martha, Martha” that name repetition is a clear sign of Jesus’ affection towards her. He recognizes that what is happening in her heart isn’t about Mary at all, but rather a manifestation of her inner turmoil.

In correcting her, the Lord simply says that Mary has chosen “the good portion.” When you are faced with anxiety, will you choose the good portion? Will you bask in the presence of Christ? That is the only way to truly find peace.

In the gospel of John (14:27), Jesus promises each of us peace: “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.”

So instead of worrying, instead of begrudging, instead of being overwhelmed, fight with all of your might to bask in the presence of the Lord and his words. He cares about you, and he promises us peace if we will trust in him.