I have been struggling with several areas of technology lately.  It just seems like one piece of equipment after another fails me in some way, or some avenue of using technology like the web doesn’t work like it is supposed to.  And that irritates me!  If I’m not careful I can get grumpy and out of sorts when these things happen.

Actually, that happened to me the other day here in the office.  I was trying to do something online with our staff, related to our website, and one thing after another didn’t work right.  Either the wireless network would go away, or the site I was working on didn’t respond like it should, or other things just would not work like it should.  And that kept me from being able to do some things with staff that we really needed.  I got completely frustrated and did not keep calm and just carry on.  Today I have tried to ask everyone I could to forgive my attitude during that meeting, for being so upset and letting it show and affect the atmosphere in the room.

So, I have been thinking and praying about all of this, and the Lord reminded me (as I was leading a Bible study at church last night) that when I lose my cool or let something like technical glitches upset me, it is because my focus is off.  The reality of my life, in Christ as a believer in him, is that HE has to be my peace.  I can’t just depend on him to give me peace when in my flesh I want to get upset.  I have to let Him BE my peace no matter what my situation, and no matter what is, or isn’t, working like I want it to.

Paul said in Ephesians 2:14, “For he (Jesus) himself is our peace…”  That means to me that not only is Jesus my peace in regard to my sin that has been removed and the dividing wall between me and God has been torn down.  It means that my peace all through life has to be found in my relationship to Jesus, rather than whether my situation at any given moment is “good” or not, “pleasing” or not.

In my struggles with technology or any other area of life that is not what I hoped, and not all I would like, I am learning again that if I keep my focus on Jesus I can be at peace within.  Jesus promised us that he was giving us peace that is deeper than worldly experience.  He said, “Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. (And listen to this) Your heart must not be troubled or fearful.” (John 14:27, HCSB)

Okay, I give in, and I give up – I am going to once again turn myself over to the Lord Jesus Christ who lives in me by his Spirit.  I am going to once again make this decision to let Him be my peace, and let His peace reign in my life.  I know it is a choice I have to make over and over again, but it is not something I can do.  He must do it in me, and in you.  What I am deciding again is to let Him be to me, and in me, what He already is — My Peace!

Thank you Lord.

As we start the new year it is usually a time of reflection, and for some “resolutions”.  I gave up on resolutions a long time ago, they just don’t seem to have value in the long run, and they are usually the same things year after year that never really materialize.

Rather than making resolutions, when I reflect on the past year, life in general, and what the future may hold, I just would instead recommit myself to things that I already know are needed in my walk with Christ.  And in so doing, I am just reminding myself that God’s “divine power has given us all we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness” (2 Peter 1:3, NIV).  And I am asking God to just continue his work of transforming me into the likeness of Christ he wants.

Last year I had a saying, or motto, that I used anytime I/we faced some kind of challenge that we had no control over, and/or that there was not an immediately apparent way around it or to deal with it.  I would simply say, “It is what it is.”  And there is some truth in that – some things are just what they are, and in reality there is not much you can do to change it.  I don’t see that as fatalistic, just realistic.

Now, Peggy (my wife) didn’t receive the statement that same way, and warned me not to see life as it just appears, but to see it through what God can do even when it doesn’t appear to be changable.  And she is, of course, right.  Even when things seem in reality to be just what they are without a way to change them, we do serve a God for which nothing is impossible.  So, I decided I needed another motto for the coming year.

And, over the holidays, talking to Peggy, Chris & Amber (our son and daugher-in-law) I was provided with the idea for that new motto.  As we were discussing some things and I said “it is what it is”, Amber reminded us of something I had konwn in the past but forgotten.  When England was under attack in WWII and were being shelled by the Nazi’s the British government developed a poster with an encouragement to the people of Brittan.  While the poster was printed it was never widely distributed, but copies of the posters were found in a warehouse years after the war and the motto became more famous.  When they faced the shelling of the enemy citizens were encouraged by the poster to “Keep Calm and Carry On”.

So, that’s it.  My new motto for the New Year is simply, “Keep Calm and Carry On”.  And you know, I believe there is good biblical foundation for living life that way.  Life is full of challenges and problems that WE have no control over, and we are assaulted with them over and over.  And, the truth is, sometimes we create hardships for ourselves by bad choices and giving in to the temptations of sin all around us.  But we are assured by God’s Word that we who are in Christ are held in relationship to him, not by the perfection of our performance, and not because we won’t ever face a difficult situation or problem, but rather by the strong hand of a God that will never leave us or forsake us, and who holds on to us by the power of his grace.

I have been going through personally, as well as with our office staff, at the beginning of this New Year the 23rd Psalm.  What an encoruagement those words from God are in days like we live in today!  Do you remember those great words of hope and promise that come to us by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit and the pen of David?  Look at them again, “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.” (NIV)

You see, it doesn’t matter what causes the dark valleys that we pass through in the journey of life – outside problems, or personal failures.  The Shepherd is with us!  And his rod of correction will bring us through when we fail, and his staff of deliverance will rescue us from what seem like perilous realities.  So, I am choosing this New Year to focus on the Shepherd of my soul and life who has promised to provide for me, guide me, and deliver me safely toward his goal for my life, no matter how things appear around me.

Would you join me? If so, rememeber, Keep Calm and Carry On – our Shepherd will always see us through to the other side.

Sometimes we are tempted to think of life and ministry in separate categories and compartmentalize them into each area of our living.  Its like we think sometimes we are “on duty” and other times not. I have learned over the course of my life that it just doesn’t work that way.  A recent trip to visit Peggy and her family in Oklahoma reminded me of that truth.ow

Peg’s family is going through some challenging times as they navigate the way of aging parents needing new levels of assisted care, including some in differnet care facilities and varying levels of care.  Visiting with those family members, wheher it was at the house or in a care facility requires of us “living ministry”.  Those family membera desperately need us to be both family members and ministers.  In fact, what comes back into focus for me is that I am really a family minister.  Both at the same time!

And that is how it is in the ministry, we are always ministers no matter where we are or who we are with.  We must be people who are always on duty as representatives of our Lord to people, and ready to intercede for people to our Lord.  And that means that everything we do and say must be consistent with our professed faith, because others are always watching.  And we never know when some random conversation will turn into a witnessing or ministry opportunity.  I had the opportunity to witness this week to family members, and to minister to them out of my experience, and to show them while I am far from perfect I am commited to Jesus.  And they noticed.  Not everyone believed yet, and not all was put into perfect healing or outcomes.  But they consistently thanked me and appreciated my words and touch and help.  And along the way we moved closer to eventual needed decisions.

Don’t ever forget – ministry is. full time role in life and is impossible to separate from all of everyday life!