God of Sunsets

Psa 8:1-5, 9 NLT - [1] For the choir director: A psalm of David, to be accompanied by a stringed instrument. O LORD, our Lord, the majesty of your name fills the earth! Your glory is higher than the heavens. [2] You have taught children and nursing infants to give you praise. They silence your enemies who were seeking revenge. [3] When I look at the night sky and see the work of your fingers-- the moon and the stars you have set in place-- [4] what are mortals that you should think of us, mere humans that you should care for us? [5] For you made us only a little lower than God, and you crowned us with glory and honor. ... [9] O LORD, our Lord, the majesty of your name fills the earth!

I drove back into Birmingham this evening. The last of the sunset draped over the bottom horizon between the sky and trees. The sunset illuminated the clouds, soaking them in orange and gold. I couldn’t help but think of God. Truly the psalmist was right when he proclaimed “O LORD, our Lord, the majesty of your name fills the earth! Your glory is higher than the heavens.” Nature’s beauty can completely overwhelm you when you stop to consider its author. The power and asymmetry mixed with mystery and wonder reveal the greatness of our God.

This is something we don’t stop to do enough. It’s quite amazing how many people walk through the world every day without even stopping to look at the wondrous night sky, arrayed with jewels of worlds billions of miles away. God is incredible! We don’t give Him enough credit for what he does. Nature can be a powerful worship experience. It is a time of meditation; a time of worship between us and God. We should all take the same attitude as the psalmist: “When I look at the night sky and see the work of your fingers-- the moon and the stars you have set in place--what are mortals that you should think of us, mere humans that you should care for us?” Stop and think about it: the universe has billions of planets and stars, and yet God cares enough about you to listen to your prayers as simple as helping you find a parking spot or help a troubled friend or coworker.

Go through your day remembering to reflect on God. Use nature as a mirror to our souls. It will reveal that the God who makes a different sunset every day also is making you, little by little, into something beautiful.

“Where He Leads Me I Will Follow”

Gen 12:1-5 NIV - [1] The Lord had said to Abram, "Leave your country, your people and your father's household and go to the land I will show you. [2] "I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. [3] I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you." [4] So Abram left, as the Lord had told him; and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he set out from Haran. [5] He took his wife Sarai, his nephew Lot, all the possessions they had accumulated and the people they had acquired in Haran, and they set out for the land of Canaan, and they arrived there.

There tend to be three categories of people in regards to change: those who resist it because they see it as an impediment, those who embrace it without question because they see it as a step forward, and those who accept only that change which they see as a step forward. Typically, it is those older who we think of as less accepting to change. So it is surprising that we see Abram accept it blindly. This is why he is known as “the father of faith.” Abram’s story reminds us that we serve a God who is constantly asking us to change. He is a moving God, and we must move with Him.

Let us look at Abram’s journey. Abruptly, after introducing Abram into the genealogical record of the table of nations, we see God commanding Abram to “Leave [his] country, [his] people and [his] father’s household and go to the land [the Lord] will show [him].” This is not a small request. Rarely do God’s requests seem to be small, yet we must follow Him. He has a purpose too great for us to comprehend, and in that purpose lies blessings for us. The Lord promised to “make [Abram] into a great nation” and “bless [him].” He “[made Abram’s] name great” and made him “a blessing.” Though the blessings of the Lord are not always so obvious at the time, I have never finished my journey without experiencing them. I know of no man who has followed God to the ends of the earth and then said, “Twas a bit less than I expected.”

So we must follow the Lord wherever He leads. His voice is guiding us, just as it guided Abram. Will we, as Abram, take all we have and follow the Lord to the land He has promised?

A Watchful God

A Watchful God

Psa 146:5-10 NLT - [5] But happy are those who have the God of Israel as their helper, whose hope is in the LORD their God. [6] He is the one who made heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them. He is the one who keeps every promise forever, [7] who gives justice to the oppressed and food to the hungry. The LORD frees the prisoners. [8] The LORD opens the eyes of the blind. The LORD lifts the burdens of those bent beneath their loads. The LORD loves the righteous. [9] The LORD protects the foreigners among us. He cares for the orphans and widows, but he frustrates the plans of the wicked. [10] The LORD will reign forever. O Jerusalem, your God is King in every generation! Praise the LORD!

Psalms 146 reminds us of an important truth: that our God watches out for the world. So many times we forget He is here. We see and hear of unlimited violence on the television and radio. We are told our world is crashing down, and that Jesus will come soon. But so quickly we forget of how He has helped the hands of the broken. He has crushed the nations who wage war against His saints. He has fed the poor, aided the widows. The Lord “frees the prisoners.” He “opens the eyes of the blind.” He “lifts the burdens of those bent beneath their loads. He “protects the foreigners among us.” He “cares for the orphans and widows, but frustrates the plans of the wicked.”

So quickly we forget that the Lord is watching over this world. He is watching over His children. God does not throw in the towel too easily. We are like rebellious children whom He is wrestling into submission. He knows just what is needed to turn us back to Him.

Knowing this, we should receive joy and hope. It is tempting for us to give up on the world, to deem it hopeless, though it is in such desperate need of saving. Souls have yet to be won to the Kingdom. Each individual is precious in the eyes of God, and the Lord desires each one to be redeemed. So He watches. And watches. And He acts. How does he act? He acts through the actions of His children. The Lord’s hands and feet are not bound by the celestial sinews of an infinite force, but are knit together by the souls of men and women willing and ready to do His will.

I wonder, do we act knowing the Lord is looking down on His creation? Psalms says, “Happy are those who have the God of Israel as their helper, whose hope is in the LORD their God.” God is our helper: this should bring joy and hope to us. If, as the Psalmist describes, “He is the one who made heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them. He is the one who keeps every promise forever,” then can He not keep His promise of protection for His children? Can He not keep creating each day? You know, Genesis 1 may have mentioned that day six was the last process involved in the physical creation of the world, but day seven never ended. There was no “evening and morning, the seventh day.” God’s creation has shifted to the lives of individuals spread across the face of the earth. He creates hearts, and He watches them from above. Amen.

With love in Christ,

Austin Aldrich

What Christmas Means for Us

What Christmas Means for Us

Mat 4:17-20 NLT - [17] From then on, Jesus began to preach, "Turn from your sins and turn to God, because the Kingdom of Heaven is near. " [18] One day as Jesus was walking along the shore beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers--Simon, also called Peter, and Andrew--fishing with a net, for they were commercial fishermen. [19] Jesus called out to them, "Come, be my disciples, and I will show you how to fish for people!" [20] And they left their nets at once and went with him.

The Christmas message is all about Christ’s gift of salvation to the world. But salvation involves so much more than simply being saved. Salvation is a complete revolution. It is the complete death of the old self and the new birth of the new man. From the Gospels we gather this truth. The Gospel of our Lord does not end at Matthew 2 or Luke 2—it continues onwards. In Matthew 4 we see where we fit into God’s plans. Redeemed man not only receives eternal life, He receives an eternal mission: the ministry of God. Simon and Andrew are called to their ministry by Jesus. They are called to “Come [and] be [Christ’s] disciples, and [He will show [them] how to fish for people.” They respond as God’s children must respond: they leave their nets and follow Him.

Just as Christ was called away from the manger and into His ministry, He calls us into our ministry. The word “ministry” has changed meanings over the past few years to imply pastoralship. That is not at all what the Biblical meaning implies. Each of us have a ministry to the Lord. He has knit in each of us a purpose for which the Kingdom of Heaven will be strengthened. It is difficult to think that we can impact the Kingdom of God, but we can. Indeed, we must. As receipients of salvation, we become proclaimers of salvation. Our spiritual gifts to the Lord are used to proclaim the Good News all around the world. Christmas means that the gift God gave to us bears more gifts. It bears the gift of fruitfulness. May we be fruitful Christians. May we live as people of purpose and enlighten the world from its darkened state into the glorious light of the Gospel, which began so humbly in the manger. Amen.

With love in Christ,

Austin Aldrich

A Star is Guiding Us

Mat 2:9-11 NLT - [9] After this interview the wise men went their way. Once again the star appeared to them, guiding them to Bethlehem. It went ahead of them and stopped over the place where the child was. [10] When they saw the star, they were filled with joy! [11] They entered the house where the child and his mother, Mary, were, and they fell down before him and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasure chests and gave him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

In this digital age where bits and bytes are bountiful, one of the most useful inventions has been the GPS(Global Positioning System). Originally developed for the Army during Desert Storm, the GPS has become a household name, guiding travelers all over this vast country of ours. After having just moved into Birmingham, I’ve found this little device to be one of the most useful pieces of technology I have. Today I made a wrong turn and got lost. All I had to do to get back on track was press “Home,” and listen to the device tell me which way to turn and what street to turn.

It’s nice having someone to guide you. I’m sure glad our Heavenly Father decided to guide us. Surely the prophet Isaiah was correct when he prophesied that “the people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned” (Isaiah 9.2). Like lost sheep, we have received the salvation through our Lord, Jesus Christ. This season we celebrate His entrance into that world. His entrance marks the beginning of an eternal age, an age where “God and sinner are reconciled” (Hark the Harold Angels Sing). It is truly an age where we are guided daily by the hand of a living God.

The wise men certainly experienced the Lord’s hand upon them. Through their coming, they perhaps delayed Herod long enough for Joseph, Mary, and the Christ-Child to escape to Egypt. You see, God has a plan for us. He guides us to accomplish His will in us. His purposes are our primary reason for being here on this earth. Yes, each one of us has been assigned a special task by our Creator: a purpose for which we can only imagine. Like the wisemen, a star is guiding us. The star of the Holy Spirit is upon our vision. We can see it from afar, burning brightly often, and dimly at other times, but always there. If we will only follow the star, our Lord can have His way: we can awake each day knowing that He is accomplishing His Holy plan through each of us. The plan extends from the wise men to us today. Will you be a part of it? Amen.

With love in Christ,

Austin Aldrich

Wrestling with God

Gen 32:24-30 NLT - [24] This left Jacob all alone in the camp, and a man came and wrestled with him until dawn. [25] When the man saw that he couldn't win the match, he struck Jacob's hip and knocked it out of joint at the socket. [26] Then the man said, "Let me go, for it is dawn." But Jacob panted, "I will not let you go unless you bless me." [27] "What is your name?" the man asked. He replied, "Jacob." [28] "Your name will no longer be Jacob," the man told him. "It is now Israel, because you have struggled with both God and men and have won." [29] "What is your name?" Jacob asked him. "Why do you ask?" the man replied. Then he blessed Jacob there. [30] Jacob named the place Peniel--"face of God"--for he said, "I have seen God face to face, yet my life has been spared."

The story of Jacob wrestling the mysterious “man” or “angel” depending on the translation has baffled scholars and readers of the Bible for centuries. One interesting indication we receive from the text lies in the clue of Jacob’s appeal that he will “not let [the being] go unless [the being blesses] him.” The concept of the blessing parallels back to Genesis 25, where Jacob deceives his father and brother into selling Esau’s birthright. Furthermore, this is evidenced by Genesis 32’s mention that Jacob’s tribe was preparing to meet Esau’s. Is there more to this struggle than is immediately obvious? Was this man even perhaps Esau, considering Genesis 25’s description of “the two children struggl[ing] with each other in [their mother’s] womb.” We don’t know the answer to these questions, but the question itself brings up a matter perhaps more relevant to the story than the identity of the mysterious wrestler: Jacob was struggling with God.

Whether this fight was a sort of trial from God for Jacob’s deception regarding his birthright, or the initiation of God’s covenant promise seen in its first physical form and reflected by the physical struggle between man and God, we see a valuable lesson: man often struggles with God. Indeed, we “wrestle” with God. Our human nature drives us towards the natural desires, but God wrestles us away from them. All of us as Christians have felt such a fight with God. The curious thing is that we can win: by submitting to His will. Jacob’s blessing comes not simply in the proclamation of His father Isaac, but here in Genesis 32, where Jacob earns his birthright. He learns something that night that earns him the name that shall go on for thousands of ages: Israel.

The question that we have to ask ourselves is, are we willing to submit to God when He wrestles with our hearts? When our desires collide with His, will we keep pressing against Him, or submit to Him? The Holy Spirit’s call upon our hearts is stronger than we can imagine, yet Christ will let us neglect it. Let us not neglect it, beloved. For the will of God is always right. We can never beat God in a wrestling match—His outcome will always be fulfilled. Just as He had His will with Jacob, so He has His will for you and me. May we obey Him today! Amen.

With love in Christ,

Austin Aldrich

Listen with Your Heart

Listen with Your Heart

1Sa 3:7-10 NLT - [7] Samuel did not yet know the LORD because he had never had a message from the LORD before. [8] So now the LORD called a third time, and once more Samuel jumped up and ran to Eli. "Here I am," he said. "What do you need?" Then Eli realized it was the LORD who was calling the boy. [9] So he said to Samuel, "Go and lie down again, and if someone calls again, say, `Yes, LORD, your servant is listening.' " So Samuel went back to bed. [10] And the LORD came and called as before, "Samuel! Samuel!" And Samuel replied, "Yes, your servant is listening."

When I was younger, I strongly desired to hear the audible voice of the Lord. Of course, looking back, I now understand that the Lord’s direct, audible voice is not sound produced from some heavenly throat, but a gentle or firm tug on the heart. There are some examples of the audible voice of the Lord, but very often we must learn to listen with an instrument better than our audible nerves sending signals to our brains. We must learn to listen with the heart.

In 1^st Samuel, the Lord makes his first appearance to Samuel. When does God speak? When the boy least expects it—while he is trying to go to sleep. That is often how God speaks, isn’t it—when you least expect it. A constant and convenient voice of the Lord would indicate that such a God is no more than a convenient human invention to bring order and stability to the natural world. He would be a magical wish-granter, delivering our every desire based on a simple prayer that we “feel” is God’s voice.

Christians must learn to be strong in matters of the heart. Listening with the heart involves the innocence and responsiveness of Samuel. Notice that when the Lord calls Samuel for the 4^th time, Samuel replies "Yes, your servant is listening." How we need to learn such submissiveness and commitment! More often, we say, “Speak, Lord, I’m listening, but this better be good.” We would rather hear the Lord’s proposal and then decide if we want to act based on the difficult surrounding the circumstance. As we grow in the Lord, this is usually quickly followed by a firm burden of guilt. This is the voice of the Holy Spirit calling us. What a loud voice it is! When God calls, He shouts in whispers. His voice could not be heard by the man standing closest you on the subway, but it clashes in your mind louder than a thousand pots and pans all crashing to the ground at once. We are compelled to do the Lord’s will.

How do we obtain such an ear for the Lord? By learning to listen. By being ready as Eli told Samuel to be. The Lord has a message He wants us to bring, just like He had for Samuel. That message is vital to the mission of God and His kingdom. Will you learn to listen, and will you respond? Amen.

With love in Christ,

Austin Aldrich