Wherever you go in life, you will find signs. Some contain mistakes, others confusing messages and a few will make you laugh. Yet, there is one that is profound, Beyond Redemption.
God sent redemption to his people; he has commanded his covenant forever. Holy and awesome is his name! – Psalm 111:9
If you have ever visited Niagara Falls, this sign serves as a final warning. At the point of no return, where help can not arrive soon enough, the sign Beyond Redemption has been placed. Just as the Niagara River plummets 325 feet before it flows north to Lake Ontario, this sign assumes death is inevitable.
In whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. – Colossians 1:14
Today, individuals consume, drink and eat things which will harm their bodies. Subsequently, nearly every package contains a warning label, usually describing a worst case scenario, especially if you suffer from this or that. In view of the frailty in this life, please consider the redemption offered by life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ before you reach a point of no return.
If you believe everything happens for a reason, then my first full time teaching position after college was a blessing in disguise. Tucked away in the Monongahela National Forest, I spent the Spring Semester of 1993 counseling, teaching and tutoring junior high students who were considered career underachievers. The learning never stopped, continuing through breakfast, lunch and dinner. My only true break was for 40 minutes, from 12:20-1:00 pm, Monday thru Friday. Titled 20/20 Time, students and teachers spent 40 minutes in solitude either on a hillside, in the valley or along the banks of a stream. The goal of this exercise was to spend 20 minutes reflecting and 20 writing. To my amazement, I developed a love for journaling; eventually inspiring 12 songs that formed my first album, A Simple Confession.
For those of us who love food, eating is like a race to see who can devour a meal the fastest. Yet, for businessmen, savvy entrepreneurs and relational individuals, meals are maximized to get work done, explore new opportunities or develop permanent meaningful lasting relationships. Prior to the rise in youth sports, families spent 30-60 minutes a day at their kitchen table talking . Now, some households eat out breakfast, lunch and dinner, working meals around busy schedules. Although hunger is a natural part of the body, appetites can vary from delicacies to worldly obsessions. Realizing this truth, Jesus introduced a new concept for his listeners to digest, “hunger and thirst for righteousness,” Matthew 5:6.
The Psalms of the Bible illuminate how to hunger and thirst after righteousness. Beginning in Psalm 1:1-3, the author compares this type of individual with an evergreen, a tree that stays green throughout the year. Known as conifers, the key to this tree is its root system. When planted near a creek, river or stream, daily nutrients are widely available. The spiritual dimension to this analogy can be found in Joshua 1:8, where meditating on the Bible day and night results in a similar outcome. Therefore, if you want to maximize your own meals, start by consuming the Word of God before every breakfast, lunch and dinner. If this concept takes ahold of your heart, soul and mind, then will resemble the tree in Psalm 1. This leads me to the chorus from one of the first songs the Holy Spirit inspired me to write, Psalm 1.
“I want to be the tree, down by the river”
“I want to be the tree, down by the bank”
“I want to be the tree, that walks and talks like Jesus”
“Reaching out for nourishment by staying in God’s Word.”
The expression “you are what you eat” is nothing new. Nor is practice what you preach. However, the prophet Hosea brought me something fresh and poignant this morning. According to Hosea 9:10, you become a mere image of that which you worship.
If you study time management theories, you will stumble across the Pyramid Theory, which attempts to break each day into 24 one hour time slots. Since the average individual sleeps roughly 8 hours a day, every person has 16 hours to invest their time. If work consumes another 8-10 hours per day, people may only have 6 hours for their own personal use. Thus, how you treat these precious hours will reveal your character, interests and priorities.
Israel had wasted their free time indulging in self gratifying practices during the days of Hosea. This decision caused most of the Jews to become like grapes rotting in the desert heat. As a result, their hearts shifted toward corruption, radically transforming their lives. Instead of dedicating their bodies to the God of Abraham, most desecrated their flesh to shameful idols. Looking into a mirror, their witness became just as vile as the images they worshiped.
Today, golden calves have been replaced by the internet, television and twitter. While Jesus calls people to go into the world to tell others what God has done for you, Mark 5:19, the real question is, are you living in this world or of the world? When people look into your day planner, where are you investing your time? Do people see Jesus living in you or in something else center stage? May the month of March serve as a transition, a restoration project to erase sin from your life by allowing Abba Father, to mold and shape you into the precious image of Jesus his son, 2 Corinthians 4:1-6.
ExpressYourself4Him 