Everywhere I look there are ads. They pop up on my computer, fill my email inbox, gobble up space in my favorite magazine, fill my mailbox, interrupt the program I am watching on TV, and clutter the landscape along the roads I drive. And it isn’t just my eyes they try to capture. They bombard my ears on every radio station and most music streaming and audio podcasts as well.

Each ad tries to sell me something or persuade me to try or accept something or someone. Each offers a promise for something they believe I will want or that they try to entice me to want.

What is a promise anyway? The dictionary offers definitions for the word when it is used as a noun as well as when it is used as a verb. As a noun it means: “a declaration or assurance that one will do a particular thing or that a particular thing will happen.” When the word is used as a verb, it means “assure someone that one will definitely do, give, or arrange.”

Most of us come face-to-face with promises when we are very young children and our faith in the promise is sure, but we quickly discover that the word promise doesn’t mean a lot to many who promise us something. It tempts us to make promises we are not wholly committed to keeping as well.

Depending on what we experience from childhood onward into adulthood, we are often skeptical about any promise offered us. Trust broken early on childhood promises makes trust harder to give another time.

We would like to believe a promise, but it becomes increasingly difficult. Some of the promises nudge us to try trusting in the product or person one more time, but even with prayers and fingers crossed we sometimes are once again disappointed. Then we can chide ourselves for believing the promise.

Once upon a time “a man’s word was his bond” or so we have heard. Commitments were kept and often sealed with various symbols or even a handshake in more recent times. This principle’s origin goes back to the 1500’s when merchant traders made agreements before written pledges were established.

We might wish this principle were still valued today, but we would need to then abide by it as well. It can often be easier to exact a promise than to make one we are wholly committed to. If you need proof of that, a recent check on divorce statistics or headlines about broken contracts by big companies and enterprises will provide it.

Unfortunately, our experiences with promises has an impact on promises made regarding our religious faith. When someone I can see and even do a background check on is not trustworthy to keep a promise, how can I trust an unseen God to believe the promises He makes?

But you see we can actually do a lot of background checking on God as well. The Bible offers multiple centuries of history in the stories we read that are often confirmed by historians like Josephus that support the view that God is a promise keeper. If we do not read the whole of the texts and gain the context and study the meaning, we might risk arguing but that would be to our detriment since the evidence is on his side.

God sealed his pledges in covenants over and over again in various ways and means. Some are still able to be seen today with our own eyes such as when a radiant rainbow arches over the sky to remind us God has promised to never destroy the world again by means of a flood.

The greatest of God’s pledges was the blood covenant of the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross so those who believe will never die and live forever in eternity with Him. Our challenge is to risk believing in the promise by faith and to study God’s history to know the truth of his character.

As I was driving to church recently, the words of an old hymn came to mind. I recall it being sung often in the little country church where I grew up. Some of you might know it well also. Its title is “Standing on the Promises.” As with so many of those hymns heard and sung often while I was growing up, the words can come to mind even though I may not have sung the song in many years.

The words of the verses and refrain of this one are these:

Standing on the promises of Christ my King, 
Through eternal ages let His praises ring, 
Glory in the highest, I will shout and sing, 
Standing on the promises of God.

Refrain:
Standing, standing, 
Standing on the promises of God my Savior; 
Standing, standing, 
I’m standing on the promises of God.

Standing on the promises that cannot fail, 
When the howling storms of doubt and fear assail, 
By the living Word of God I shall prevail,
Standing on the promises of God.

Standing on the promises I now can see 
Perfect, present cleansing in the blood for me; 
Standing in the liberty where Christ makes free, 
Standing on the promises of God.

Standing on the promises of Christ the Lord, 
Bound to Him eternally by love’s strong cord, 
Overcoming daily with the Spirit’s sword, 
Standing on the promises of God.

Standing on the promises I cannot fall, 
Listening every moment to the Spirit’s call 
Resting in my Saviour as my all in all, 
Standing on the promises of God.

I am often curious about the one who penned the words of a hymn and if you look at this one by composer Russell Kelso Carter (1849-1928), you will discover the words reflect his personal experience. His history is one of an outstanding student and athlete who committed his life to Christ at the age of 15. Later he would become an instructor and then an ordained Methodist minister, but he didn’t stop there and ultimately became a medical doctor.

At the age of 30, Carter was diagnosed with a critical heart condition and faced imminent death. His response was to kneel and pray, asking God to heal him, but also promising God that no matter how He chose to answer that prayer he would forever consecrate his life and service to the Lord.

God chose to answer that prayer with healing and gave Carter a healthy heart that allowed him to go on living for another 49 years. In an article by Lynda Schultz in Thrive about this she writes as follows:

“In the end, Carter came to the conclusion that healing was God’s choice to make and that God also chose the instruments through which that healing, if granted, would come. His hymn was a personal testimony to his faith,”

Lynda Schultz in Thrive

What is the personal testimony of our faith today?

What promises are we standing on?

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It can be so easy and simple in a time when it seems few of our values or beliefs, our principles, or traditions, are shared commonly with others. Our perceptions happen in a split second as do our judgments. It makes the world of communication more complex and difficult than it may once have been. Perhaps this season of speedy modes of communication has fueled much of it. A text or post on social media can happen quickly and sometimes on impulse without checking spelling or much thinking.

In another era when letters and notes were penned as the most common form of communication, it slowed the process down and usually the writer reread what was written before sending it off to the receiver. That once happened more often with email when it was new to us. Then we wanted to be sure it said what we meant and how we meant it more often. Now we are prone to react to whatever is impacting us.

The results are evident everywhere as we misperceive, get hurt or offended, and are then tempted to react all over again. We get baited to then become defensive and justify ourselves without much consideration of what we may have shared that got that reaction and it starts long before we learn to read or write.

A child is playing in the backyard and the neighbor child who used to come over ignores our invitation to join her on her swing set. The child might be tempted to think the neighbor child doesn’t like her any more without realizing the other child did not hear her or that they are going to be leaving with a parent soon and can’t come this time.

This can be a great opportunity to help a child consider other options than might first come to mind if we take the time to talk them through the situation. The result might help them next time to not take something as a personal rejection and learn a tool that can be useful all through life. It may take a few extra minutes but be worth so much for the next time it happens.

Sometimes not saying anything gets interpreted as something the child or we as adults didn’t mean at all. It can happen in so many ways. Someone shows up late for our party and we can be tempted to feel slighted with no awareness of traffic, a possible flat tire, or a dozen other things that may have happened. After all, isn’t the world about us?

Once upon a time, we operated more commonly on something called “the Golden Rule” which posits that we should treat others as we would want to be treated. It seemed to serve us well for quite some time but rarely is it quoted or spoken of now. The Golden Rule, known also as the Ethic of Reciprocity, was arguably the most consistent, most prevalent, and most universal ethical principle in history.

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Writers of the famed Encyclopedia Britannica tell us the origin of this principle:

“Golden Rule, precept in the Gospel of Matthew (7:12): “In everything, do to others what you would have them do to you. . . .” This rule of conduct is a summary of the Christian’s duty to his neighbour and states a fundamental ethical principle. In its negative form, “Do not do to others what you would not like done to yourselves,” it occurs in the 2nd-century documents Didachē and the Apology of Aristides and may well have formed part of an early catechism.  It recalls the command to “love the stranger (sojourner)” as found in Deuteronomy. It is not, however, peculiar to Christianity. Its negative form is to be found in Tob. 4:15, in the writings of the two great Jewish scholars Hillel (1st century BC) and Philo of Alexandria (1st centuries BC and AD), and in the Analects of Confucius (6th and 5th centuries BC). It also appears in one form or another in the writings of Plato, Aristotle, Isocrates, and Seneca.”

How and when did we leave all this behind? Perhaps that is not so important as the consequence of losing it little by little in the modern era when we also seemed to slip away from studying history and all it could do to help us navigate the present and avoid some mistakes in the process.

It is noteworthy that even though its origin in scripture that ties it to Christianity and is often referred to in that context, that it was universal across many faiths and cultures beyond that and earlier than that. Some scholars take it back as early as 2040 and 1782 BCE or to Greece in 400 BCE.

As recently as 1988, George H.W. Bush laid out a vision for a “kinder and gentler nation.” How far nations and the world have moved from such a vision, but even in small ways we could perhaps impact our corner of the world. We could listen longer and ask questions before leaping to conclusions and remember that every opinion we have is not a universal accepted one. Without giving up our own beliefs, we could seek to understand before seeking to be understood as Stephen Covey reminds us in his principles of being effective as a person.

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It starts in small ways that are actually big by being less critical of someone else and how he or she does something for you. It can begin by noticing the haggard look at a checkout counter and thanking the clerk for helping you and offering a smile instead of never even seeing him or her as a person not so different than you may be.  It can happen when you slow down long enough to hold open a door for a busy mom, an older person, or just anyone at all. It only takes that long to make a difference if we will choose what would bless us and bless someone else.

It may not mean others will follow you if you adapt your consideration in such ways, but it will demonstrate your character and it is the one you are responsible for and will be judged by others on.

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Storms. 

We read about them at all times during the year as they happen in various parts of the world. They often grab headlines for the damage they cause, and the trail of destruction left in their wake. And they come in all different sizes and types. We often only hear of the worst ones or the ones in our area or nation so that it can be easy to forget how many occur simultaneously without seeming connected.

Just this week beyond hurricanes, torrential rain and floods, desert dust storms and more happened in one part of the globe or another as well as hail and heavy snow elsewhere. Fires ravaged other areas and volcanoes and earthquakes rumbled here and there. One could think the earth is more turbulent than we imagine on idyllic sunny days with gentle breezes and moderate temperatures.

A few among us are fascinated by storms and watch in amazement as lightning pierces the sky and thunderclaps roar. Some storm chasers throw caution to the wind to explore these mighty moves of nature. Each one of us has our own experience with storms to tell. I have always been aware of their power and lack of predictability or control.

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As a child growing up in an older farmhouse, you would find me huddling under the covers when severe weather and storms shook the farmhouse windows and lit up the ceiling of my bedroom. On the worst of nights, I would often creep into my parents’ bedroom and the safety of their bed rather than standing awestruck in front of the window. 

These were not hurricanes or typhoons or cyclones but to a child a midwestern thunderstorm with possible threat of tornadoes can create as much fear and concern. The safety of my parents’ arms was the reassurance that held me fast in the midst of them. All these years later as an adult, severe storms can trigger similar feelings.

Reading in Matthew 14 we see the impact of a severe storm for the disciples of Jesus that reminds me I am not alone in those feelings. They had just had a powerful demonstration of the miracle of feeding the 5,000 and Jesus was going to take some time alone. The disciples were to get in a boat and row across the sea to meet Him when a heavy storm blew up. Even these men who were hearty fishermen in some cases had fear grip their hearts as they fought unsuccessfully to move the boat toward the shore. 

Then they saw a figure on the sea approaching them. It stirred even more fear out of uncertainty of what or who this was. Their surprise is evident when Jesus announces it is He they see but even then, they can hardly believe it. Peter, of course, needs to have proof and asks that if it is truly Him, to invite Him to come walk on the water to meet Him while the seas churn around them and the skies remain black and full of the turbulent wind. If we look at the disciples, few of us are surprised that it is Peter to shout out this idea.

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I cannot imagine that and harder still to think that He didn’t consider asking Jesus to quiet the storm first. Jesus invites Peter to come and when Peter asks Him to clarify it is Him, what does he hear in response? It isn’t the words Jesus or the Lord but rather I AM, the same words God used to announce himself to Moses. 

The miracle unfolds and Peter steps out and all seems to start out fine until he focuses on the storm. It is then he begins to sink and calls out to be saved in the midst. We see no evidence the storm abates until Jesus helps Peter into the boat and joins the disciples there and subdues the storm with his command.

Most of us have heard that story many times. So many storms can come into our lives of types not related to the weather that create similar feelings of fear, dread, and concern. They come as losses of jobs, someone we love, an unexpected diagnosis, chronic pain, and so much more. What do we look at then? What do we ask for if we pray?

If we are honest and open, it is often the storm that becomes the focus and what we pray will end with the best outcome we can imagine. But recently, our lead pastor reminded us of a truth we less often look at. We have never been promised we will not face or endure all manner of storms in our lives. In fact, we were told they would come, and suffering would often be a part of them. But we were promised that I AM would be with us in the midst of the storm and actually in us if we believe. He is the focus instead of the storm, even if the storm does not cease.

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It reminded me of a woman I met and knew well during the last months of her life as she battled her own storms and left me her last journal when she left the storms ravaging her body for the peace and joy of the arms of her heavenly Father. 

Look at the words she wrote to remind me of what she learned in the storm:

“Storms and boats! Ever in a storm? The waves are crashing, lightning is flashing, and the boat is rocking! Feel alone? Well, we aren’t! Jesus has promised to be in the boat with us! He’s promised to bring calm to the waves. At times though, I sure feel alone! But God’s promised – He’d never leave us, never forsake us (Heb. 13:5).

We think He’s not even in our boat – yet He’s there! Have you ever stood up in a boat? Just standing up makes us rock the boat all the more! Yet, if we wait and trust in Jesus, He is sure to calm our storm, steady our boat and keep us from drowning!  

An anchor works best in a storm. It is our safety line in our seas of turmoil and crashing waves, it’s our footing on shaky ground – our lifeline! Our lifeline to Father-God!”

You may be in the midst of a storm right now. Where is your focus? 

You are not alone even if the storm rages on. He is there with you. He promised!

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For those of us who enjoy going to a museum, what draws us there? It could be the works of a particular artist we appreciate, the style or type of art that is on display, the era that the museum pieces represent, or any number of reasons. Perhaps the less obvious reason is that we can be fascinated by the stories the art tells of not only the artist but also the subject created and what era it represents. Those who love visiting museums will often be seen standing or sitting without distraction focusing on a piece of art and few are rushing from room to room or display to display.

This type of behavior itself is unusual. We are oftentimes interested in a story and yet are challenged to stay focused on it. Sadder still, we take little notice to our own story that is being added to day-by-day, moment-by-moment that shows we are present in the story because we are so distracted by the smartphone in our hand. This one little device has stripped too many of us with being present in not only our own story but also the BIG story we have all been a part of since the beginning of time.

Recently, my husband and I were enjoying dinner at a restaurant that was also the choice of dozens of young high schoolers celebrating their fall homecoming. Each girl, couple, or group came through the door dressed in every color of sequined dress you could imagine with shoes boasting six-inch heels in colors to match. Some guys came with a tie or flower matching the dress of his date. Some of those who entered were giggly, uncertain, and unaccustomed to the attire that was too short, too tight, or too cool for the very chilly night as well as the protocol of a restaurant that required reservations and a modicum of decorum. Others had a bit more confidence as they strolled in and walked to the person at the reservation podium.

It was a special night for these revelers and the first homecoming celebration for some. Most were clearly headed for a dance somewhere after dinner. And nearly everyone was having a hard time being fully present in the story of the evening they were living in. Each carried a smartphone he or she was staring at instead of enjoying a friend or the restaurant. And if we are not present in these moments, how can we figure out how to live out our own story and grow to understand more about who we are? These devices can and will tell us how much time we spend using them each day or week, but most of us ignore that. But perhaps that’s where we need to start to pay attention to how much time we have spent staring at a screen instead of reading a book, visiting a museum, noticing the beauty of the sunset or the shape of the moon as it pops over the horizon.

Every museum has a curator and the task charged to them is to select, organize, and look after items on display to convey the story being presented. A curator knows there is limited space so they must assess what is most important and precious. Perhaps we each (no matter our age) need to become curators to keep in mind that we are finite, and time is slipping through our fingers every day without us noticing much until we are aging and recognize how much less time is ahead of us in this life. Maybe we do less of this all along because we cognitively know we have limits, but emotionally we really aren’t eager to look at limits or recognize their value. We want to experience so much, do so much sometimes.

“The good life doesn’t come from the ability to choose anything and everything; the good life comes from the ability to choose good things by setting limits.

Limits are where freedom is found. We don’t need unlimited choices; that actually limits our ability to choose well. We need a limit on our choices, which actually empowers us to choose well.”

Justin Whitmel Earley

In Justin Whitmel Earley’s book, The Common Rule: Habits of Purpose for an Age of Distraction, he suggests we use those curator skills to stop our fascination with our devices and other things that do not allow us to be fully present in our own story unfolding each moment.

When did you last enjoy savoring moments choosing an actual book in a library or that bookshop you used to visit? You used to love browsing and looking at all the stories full of adventures that were waiting for you to open the pages and enjoy. When was the last time you took a walk to simply enjoy the beauty around you instead of to gain the number of steps you needed or get the exercise you wanted to get in that day? Those walks (if we get them done) are needed, but too often they are hurried with little notice of the colors of the sky, the cloud formations, the breeze caressing our cheek, the sounds that the birds or leaves are making, and so much more. Why do that? Because our hearts and souls are refreshed and replenished with the beauty around us. Our Creator’s handiwork is everywhere if we take time to be present and see and hear it.

Since none of us are likely to throw away our smartphones or other devices, we need to consider how we curate (select) what we take in from them and how much time we spend with them.

“An art gallery has limited space on the wall, so its curator creates shows to make the best use of that space according to a vision of good art. I suggest we have a vision for good stories, and we curate accordingly.”

Justin Whitmel Earley

How can you grow a vision for a good story and curate for it this week?

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In 2005 movie screens around the world brought the epic Narnia tale by C.S. Lewis of The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe  to life. For many persons it was their first exposure to this story beginning in WW II  when the bombings in London resulted in many of London’s children being sent outside of the city to the homes of countrymen and women where they could escape the unceasing bombs. This is where we meet the four Pevensie children, Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy, the main characters in the story.

The four siblings say goodbye to their mother and the memory of their father and move to the large home of a professor, Professor Digory Kirke, whose life and home are not at all accustomed to children. The children have a hard time finding things to do and be quiet as to not disturb the professor and soon fall prey to the ire of his housekeeper. On the one day they decide to play hide and seek in the large home, a new adventure begins as Lucy (the youngest) hides in a large wardrobe that opens in the back of many fur coats and takes her into the world of Narnia.

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Like most good stories and movies we can be drawn to some characters more than others and Lucy’s delight in discovery and sweet kindness to the unusual creatures she meets in Narnia is easy to love. Peter and Susan, the oldest, are not unlike many oldest siblings. They have lost some of their playfulness and are trying to watch out for Lucy and Edmund in the absence of their mother and we know that can bring about more than a few challenges. Edmund struggles the most from the outset of the story in London and can seem less likeable as he tends toward grumpiness and not being quick to obey any rules.

If you know the story, the siblings of Lucy don’t believe her story of the wardrobe and Narnia and Edmund is especially unkind to her about the story but then tries to discover it himself and ends up falling into Narnia in his envy of Lucy’s adventure. But here the tale exposes how his anger and envy leads him into trouble when he meets the witch (the self-appointed Queen of Narnia) who captivates him by showing him attention and offering him treats, most especially Turkish delight that he requests.

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Edmund has no clue that he is being enticed by the evil the witch intends and how the flaws in his character are perfectly suited to her desires to draw all his siblings into Narnia after he exposes the truth there are other children. Her schemes and his love of Turkish delight result in telling the witch many things that give her what she needs to know to reign indefinitely in Narnia. 

Edmund’s anger and envy lead him to betray them all over time as the witch promises Edmund he can rule with her and eat endless Turkish delight. His choices lead all his siblings and the wondrous creatures of Narnia still alive into perilous situations and great sorrow.

If you know the story, you know that they meet Aslan whose life becomes a sacrifice for theirs and he puts the witch’s cruel ways to right after he first confronts Edmund’s betrayal and lies.

C.S. Lewis writes not only an epic fantasy story but points to so many things we can see in our midst if we open our eyes and look more carefully first at ourselves and then the world around us.

We can hope we are much like Lucy who discovers beauty and brings joy and kindness wherever she goes and easily trusts and follows Aslan and believes in him. But sadly we can be prone to not be so unlike Edmund. We can feel left out or less than from any number of things and seeds of anger and envy  left unchecked can take us into dark thoughts and places. Too often we can reach a place where that internal warring bursts out and the lust to have what we believe others have takes over. 

When that happens all that the enemy desires to use us for can happen without much thought. We lash out in hurtful ways, sometimes subtle and other times much less so. We tell lies both small and big to try to get a position with others without realizing we are first of all lying to ourselves. We care not for others and can be tempted to take what is not ours no matter the cost. 

It can be easy to dismiss what may be brewing inside of us because we may know it is not good but the “Turkish delight” can tempt us beyond what we can imagine. We can come to believe nothing else will do but to have whatever it is to ease the undealt with pain inside of us.

Violence comes in many forms. It starts with small seeds that can grow to a point where we can destroy others and ourselves. Too often we miss those small seeds yet seem to see them easily in others. Let us all beware of “Turkish delight.”

“Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another”. Galatians 5:26 ESV

“For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every evil practice” James 3:16 ESV

“So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy, and slander”. 

1 Peter 2:1

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