An epic celebration

Pretty much everyone in the known world is aware that my Dawgs won the Rose Bowl Monday night.  As my son said from Pasadena, it was epic. Still is. I wasn't there in Pasadena but the celebration extended from coast to coast. (OK so maybe the state of OK wasn't joining in but everywhere else was!) Dawgs everywhere. Unparalleled excitement. This is big, y'all.

When the game ended - and I could breathe once again - we needed to celebrate. We needed to share our joy and to be with our peeps. So we headed to UGA's campus...to ring the chapel bell. All Dawgs know that's how we commemorate victories - we ring the bell and let the whole world know, in case anyone missed the ESPN report. Tradition says that the bell must clamor and clang at least til midnight, except when we beat arch rival Georgia Tech.  In those times, we peal that bell all night long!!!!

It was exhilarating to be there with so many of our people. To stand in line, cheering and clapping and celebrating together.  The TV cameras showed up (yes, I was on air) and we shouted, clapped, hugged, and cried. We took our turn tugging on the rope, posted pics to social media and ran around, still celebrating. We bought cookies at Insomnia, became close friends with total strangers, and kept celebrating. Over and over, we heard the sentiment - "this is the greatest celebration ever!"  Yes, my son, it was indeed epic.

I didn't take a poll or anything but I am sure that the most intense celebration comes from those who have matriculated at UGA, specifically those who have endured the disappointments and discouragements of heartbreaking defeats. Although there is room at the Dawgs table for anyone who wants to be there (and we welcome you ALL!! GLADLY!!), those of us who hold UGA student IDs (past or present) feel the lows a bit more intensely and therefore the highs, a little more jubilantly. We understand in a more personal way, I suppose.

Sound judgment finally persuaded us to head home.  Even so, we could not contain our excitement. I don't know when my mind finally allowed sleep to overtake my body! Celebrate!

I love my Dawgs. I love my peeps and I love it when they are happy with my Dawgs. I love that we get to be excited about how well my Dawgs have done. It is right and good to celebrate these well-earned successes.

As much as I love them, though, as much as I join in these celebrations, I know what some of my celebration-partners don't know. This might indeed be an "epic celebration" but it doesn't hold a candle to what goes on in Heaven every time someone enters a relationship with Christ, turning from darkness to the glorious Light. Talk.About.A.Party!  THAT, my friend, is what an epic celebration is!

In the Gospel of Luke, chapter 15, we see this celebration referred to in verses 7 and 10 -

 Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.

 Just so, I tell you, there is joy in the presence the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”

Jesus describes the earthly rejoicing that ensues when something precious is lost so as to convey to us the exuberance in Heaven over every soul that comes to Christ. I would imagine the heavenly equivalent of UGA's chapel bell clamors and clangs all through the skies, while saints clap and cheer and dance and shout. 

And, for what it's worth, I believe with all my heart that it's God the Father, Jesus the Son and all the saints that are doing the rejoicing in the presence of the angels. While I am sure the angels are pleased and glad - just like the UGA fans that never went there to school are glad for our wins - the angels have no knowledge of what it means to be redeemed.  They have never been in need of salvation, never have lived in darkness and without His marvelous light, never not known the Most High God.

Those who have themselves experienced redemption can rejoice with an intensity, a depth, a joy that otherwise cannot be known.

If Jesus tarries, one day I'll be in Heaven when this kind of celebration ensues. I hope I get to stand close to Jesus and high five Him as I learn of a new brother or sister. In my sanctified imagination, I see myself cheering and crying and dancing...and I hope He'll turn to me and invite me to ring that chapel bell.  Epic, my friend. Definitely Epic.

Looking out for Number 1?

Do not merely look out for your own personal interests but also for the interests of others.  Philippians 2:4

The verse is familiar. The concept is, too. But the actual application is often as foreign as it could possibly be. When the rubber meets the road, we are too often just plain selfish.

 It seems that the way to be happy is to please ourselves. To pursue the fulfillment of what makes us happy. To have what we want. To do as we prefer.

But the truth is, that path leads to misery, not joy. Pleasing ourselves is like an insatiable monster who keeps demanding to be fed...the more you feed it, the more it demands. And the gladness that seemed to be promised never comes.

What's the solution?

The verse does not tell us to completely abandon our own interests. We are still to feed ourselves, get enough rest, replenish our minds and spirits and hearts, We can still enjoy the good gifts from our Father.

Just not to the exclusion of the interests of others!

The Greek word that we translate "look out for" literally means " to aim for, to seek as a goal". When I think about it that way, it seems to me that what Scripture is urging us towards here is a mindset. Do we set as a priority the meeting of our own needs above those of others? Or are we willing to trust God to supply what we need (including time for replenishment!) and make it our aim to see that the needs of others are prioritized?That, dear friends, is a key to JOY. The happiest - most JOYFUL - people are the ones who give and serve.

What is God like?

The heavens declare the glory of God,

    and the sky above proclaims his handiwork Psalm 19:1

Ever wonder what God is like?  Maybe you even wonder if there is one!

Look up.  See for yourself. 

Examine the skies.  Their expanse.  Their beauty.  Their unsearchable heights. 

In the daytime.  The skies cause us to open our eyes wide in appreciation.

At night.  They take our breath away.

The glory of God declared. 

His works displayed.

Too majestic for words.  Too mysterious for explanation.  Too wonderful to ignore.

Worthy of all our praise.

Today at noon.  Tonight before bed.  Go look up.  See for yourself.  The glory of God.

The walk of faith

For we walk by faith and not by sight 2 Corinthians 5:7.

Practically, how do we walk by faith?  Well, first let’s look at what it means to walk by sight.  Walking by sight means that I am governed by my emotions (or hormones!) or my circumstances.  To walk by faith is the antithesis of that – my behavior is not dictated by what I feel like nor what is happening around me.  Instead, I obey what His Word tells me to do…I am controlled – empowered – by His Spirit within me.  The life of faith is one of obedience.  To Him.

Trust – be confident – that He is at work within you, perfecting you, at work around you to accomplish His plan.  He wants us to be whole even more than we want it for ourselves! 

What is He speaking to you about today?  When you quiet your heart before Him, what is He telling you to do?  To share a good word with a neighbor?  To forgive someone who has wronged you? To give generously? To cease from a certain activity, even if it’s not a sinful one? To reconcile with a family member or a friend?

It seems counterintuitive but when we walk by sight, we are unsteady, weak, uncertain and easily thrown off course.  But when we walk by faith, we are sure, confident, strong, and effective.

The "why" of our blessings....

“What a blessing!” “I am so blessed”. We toss that idea around about everything from a promotion at work to a new car or a healthy report from the doctor.  Certainly God is generous to us and often gives us so many wonderful gifts of His grace for us to enjoy. But we would do well to understand His purpose in the blessings He bestows. That very well might change how we steward them…

In Genesis 12:2, God tells Abraham “I will make you a great nation and I will bless you. And make your name great and so you shall be a blessing.”

Instead of seeing God’s generosity as something for us to enjoy or even as a sign of His preference towards us, let’s view blessings like our good health and our material prosperity as a means to bless others. May we be like the church at Corinth whom Paul commended because “at this present time your abundance being a supply for their want.”  Rather than being a place where blessings stop for self-consumption, may we be a vessel through which God pours His gifts out to others.