Attention Passengers: A Parable* of Grace

"...in accordance with his pleasure and will— to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace..." Ephesians 1:5-7 (NIV)

The usual airport din seemed to hum even more loudly with the throng of holiday travelers. Even after such a long day of teaching, Jen's characteristic optimism and cheerfulness were undiminished. As she and her husband Dave waited to board their plane, they talked about how glad they were to be headed back east to see their families. It was getting late, and Dave's main objective at that point was to get out of California in one piece.

"Attention passengers," the flight attendant's saccharine voice interrupted Dave's thoughts, "this flight has been overbooked and we are looking for anyone willing to exchange their tickets for travel vouchers and $100 cash for a later flight."

Jen's ears immediately perked up and she tossed a hopeful glance toward Dave. Wordlessly, he refused by shaking his head. Understanding her husband's desire to get back to Wisconsin as they had already planned, Jen didn't argue. Fifteen minutes later, the flight attendant addressed everyone again.

"Attention passengers. We still have no takers. We are authorized to offer compensation in the amount of $300 for anyone willing to exchange their tickets."

The thought of a few hundred extra bucks in the bank account was an attractive one. More insistently this time, Jen attempted to convince Dave to switch their tickets to a later flight. Still Dave was adamant. He reminded her that his parents were already expecting them to arrive on this specific flight in a matter of hours. Jen resisted the urge to pout. She knew Dave was just being practical, and that was one of the things that endeared her most to him. Even so, it was difficult not to think about how that windfall sum of money could be put to good use. The PA system's microphone crackled to life once more.

"Attention passengers, we are offering a night's stay in a downtown San Diego hotel, in addition to six hundred dollars in travel vouchers good for any future travel arrangements, for anyone willing to exchange their tickets for this evening's flight."

This time, without a moment of hesitation, Jen snatched Dave's plane ticket right out of his hands as she bounded to her feet and practically sprinted to the flight attendant's desk. Even Dave unequivocally agreed: Six hundred dollars plus a accommodations in one of San Diego's nicest hotels was too good to pass up. Their families were just going to have to wait one more night to see them for the holidays!

A few years have passed, but Jen still recalls with vivid detail how much fun they had that night in an all-expenses paid hotel overlooking the San Diego Bay. The fabulous steak dinner they enjoyed at the hotel's restaurant were indeed a savory treat for them. Perhaps the best part was that the travel vouchers enabled them to make two additional trips from California to Wisconsin that year, with room to spare, financially speaking.

Perhaps the reason why some people don't take advantage of the opportunity is that it all seems to good to be true. There's nothing hidden in the gift of grace. It doesn't expire. It's not only available during certain times of the year. It's difficult to imagine why, in consideration of all that we stand to gain from the free gift of grace, more people don't bound to their feet like Jen did to accept the offer. All we really have to do is be willing to change our itinerary and go along with God's plan instead of our own. The conditions we need to satisfy in order to be deserving of such a gift are rather simple, really. The flight has been paid for, there's beautiful room with a view reserved just for us. All we need to do is show up.

***

*Special thanks to my Sisterchick, Jen, whose real life experience was the inspiration for today's story. All I really did was pass it along.

Love, Honor, and Obey

Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord. For the husband is head of the wife as Christ is head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. Husbands love your wives just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her. --Ephesians 5:22, 25

When my husband and I were engaged, we took deliberate efforts to ensure that we were laying the groundwork for a godly marriage and a Christ-centered home. This included our selection of wedding vows that would be used in our wedding ceremony. Because marriage is an earthly illustration of Christ's headship over the church, my husband and I elected to use the phrase "love, honor and obey" for my part of the vows. By repeating the word "obey" in front of a roomful of witnesses, I was cementing my commitment to my husband and publicly acknowledging him as head of our household.

Many so-called "liberated" women balk at the idea of submitting to anyone, particularly the man whom they have chosen as a husband. They equate submission with oppression and fail to see the freedom that lies hidden within such an onerous word.

Submission, in the Biblical context described by the apostle Paul in his letter to the church in Ephesus, is a beautiful thing. Whether a man or a woman, each is able to find peace by relinquishing control to someone who always has the other person's best interests in mind. For wives, this means to your husband. For husbands this involves caring for your wife and leading her in a lifestyle that submits to Christ. In my own marriage I have been so blessed by the ways my husband takes care of me. Because he knows I am trusting him enough to follow obediently, he is careful to make wise decisions about how and where he leads me.

Certainly the concept of love, honor and obey does not only apply to married people. As the apostle Paul points out, the church is Christ's bride. This means that all church members--married or single--are called to submit to his Sovereign headship. Again, submission in this context is not oppressive. In fact, submitting ourselves to Christ is the most appropriate and loving way to respond to His gift of salvation.

God's only Son, Jesus willingly left His position beside His Father to come to us on our level. He allowed Himself to be stripped of His heavenly glory in order to become human. He died so that we may be forgiven. For this we cannot pay Him back, nor does He expect us to. He does not demand that we love and honor Him for what He did--He did it whether or not we chose to believe Him. However, isn't it reasonable for us to look at what He has done, the promises God made and kept, and decide that He truly is worth believing?

The greatest way for us to love Christ is to love Him for who He is while being thankful and mindful of what He has done. We love Him by obeying Him--submitting our selfish ambitions to Him, knowing that following the path He has chosen for us is far better than anything we might stumble upon alone. There is freedom to be found in our willingness to love, honor and obey a God who loves us unconditional.

Owies on the Inside

But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions--it is by grace you have been saved. --Ephesians 2:4-5

As I was returning to my car upon exiting the grocery store the other day, I overheard a young child ask her mother what the blue lines and the funny picture painted on the ground (i.e. handicapped spaces) were for. The mom answered that the funny picture was a drawing of a wheelchair and that people who are in wheelchairs need to be closer to the door of the store. She continued to explain by saying that not everyone who is disabled is in a wheelchair. She told her daughter that people have "owies on their insides" and those people may park in those blue places too if they have that same funny picture on their license plate.

The woman's remark about people having "owies on their insides" really stuck with me. I thought about how true that is, not just in a physical sense, but in a spiritual one. The condition of all humanity is such that we are born with natural sin.

Some people like to believe that even though we are sinful creatures, we can somehow make up for our shortcomings by earning God's favor. They think that if we do enough nice things for other people or live a basically "moral" life, then God will overlook our failure to be holy. This way of thinking is by and large the basis for other religions and their moral/spiritual requirements. People of that mindset think their good deeds or actions are the equivalent of a handicapped placard in the spiritual sense--by hanging their morality from the rearview mirror, they get to park closer to the entrance of heaven.

This way of thinking, although not uncommon even among Christians, is unbiblical. Our sin renders us unable to enter God's presence. As sinners we are more than just disabled. Yesterday our pastor quoted on of Covenant College's professors as saying that "we are not basket cases; we're casket cases." We do not have a disablity because of our sin, we have a complete inability to come to God on our own. We are dead in our transgressions. Pardon the expression, but Professor Stephen Hawking* stands a greater chance of competing as a rower in the next Olympics than we do of getting into heaven without God's mercy.

It is only through Christ that we are relieved of our sinful condition. Our "owies on our insides" are not just treated on a symptomatic level. Our inside owies manifested as horribly painful wounds on Christ's body as He hung on the cross at Calvary. The death we should have experienced as punishment for our sins, was endured by Jesus. Because of his great sacrifice, because of God's great love, we are made alive with Christ. It is by grace we have been saved.





*before ALS had dramatically affected him, Stephen Hawking competed on Oxford's intra-mural coxing and rowing teams.

Day of Infamy

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.--Ephesians 6:12

64 years ago our country endured the largest peace-time attack at the hands of Japanese forces. It was a Sunday morning, and no one was prepared. The loss of life was utterly devastating, and for that reason December 7th, 1941 is known as "The Day that Will Live in Infamy." More than half a century has passed, but we are still mindful of the sacrifice that was made by our service men and women who were stationed at Pearl Harbor at that time.

Whether we are fighting on foreign soil or attempting to enforce homeland security, we need to remain in a constant state of preparedness. This applies even more so to our spiritual lives. There is a battle going on that is greater than we can even imagine, and the stakes are high--as high as they come.

The power struggle between God's kingdom and that of the Adversary is ongoing. The longer we wait to make a commitment to side with righteousness, the longer we remain vulnerable to spiritual defeat. As with any battle, this is not for the faint of heart. The enemy will use any means possible to get us to draw back in fear. We need to remain strong. We need to cling to the promises of God and believe that no matter how many exhausting battles we need to fight here on earth, the enemy cannot possibly win.

Christ has already fought the ultimate battle for us. He has conquered death. Being welcomed into God's kingdom at the end of our struggle with flesh and blood is our reward for choosing to follow Jesus at all costs. The sacrifice made by Jesus on our behalf is of greater magnitude than anything we have seen or experienced in the wars fought throughout the world.

Salvation, not Scrutiny

And you were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possessions--to the praise of his glory. --Ephesians 1:13-14

Getting caught up in a performance-driven mindset is very easy, especially since we live in a world where ambition is recognized and rewarded. Consider the hit reality show "The Apprentice." Individuals compete in the fast-paced business world in order to earn a coveted, posh position as one of Donald Trump's high-level executives. Each person much successfully execute a series of grueling, pressure-laden tasks well enough to keep from being fired. The tension amongst the group is continually thick, and emotions tend to run high. Week by week the number of contestants dwindles until finally, one last competitor is welcomed into Mr. Trump's world with the phrase "you're hired."

The large majority of us may never find ourselves in the midst of that particular type of pressure situation. However, many Christians still manage to grow weary and tense, thinking we need to accomplish a certain number of tasks in order to have a meaningful or recognizable identity. We think that in order to matter in the sight of God, we need to function in spiritual hyper-drive. We scrutinize our perfectly acceptable behaviors thinking that we should be pressuring ourselves to work harder at being a Christian.

We forget that God's approval and love for us is not task-oriented or performance-based. To belong to His family, to be welcomed into His presence requires only simple faith. By believing in the message of the cross and professing faith in the saving power of Christ's blood, we are given the right to become God's heirs. Through the unwarranted gift of grace, we are accepted as God's sons and daughters.

What I like most about God's plan for me is that I didn't even have to sign up, wait in line, or fill out an application for the opportunity to be considered by Him. None of us has to audition for the gift of grace. God does not evaluate us on an individual basis and then determine if we are worthy of His blessings. In fact, none of us is worthy, yet He chooses to love us unconditionally. Because I already belong wholly to Him, I don't need to put pressure on myself to be some sort of "super-Christian" in order to get His attention. I am awed by the fact that God called my name even before He laid the foundations of the earth. Before He painted the first sunrise or taught the stars how to shine, He saw me and loved me.

Dancing Through a Minefield

In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding. --Ephesians 1:7-8

One of my colleagues and I frequently discuss matters of faith, philosophy and spirituality. We are always candid and respectful of each other's personal beliefs, even when they vary wildly. On the way to work this morning I was praying that God would give me His words and speak through me if such a conversation took place today. I should have known to be careful what I ask for from God! This morning I had one of the most challenging and rewarding conversations of my Christian life.

It started out as a basic discussion of the practices of the Jewish faith and the differences between the views held by Orthodox and Reformed Judaism. Before long I was defending my personal beliefs and explaining why Jesus had to die. My co-worker said he had always heard the expression that Christ dies for our sins, but he wanted to know what that meant. The challenge before me was this: how could I explain the concept concisely without watering down the truth? How could communicate in a way that pointed to the reality of Christ and the consequences of choosing to reject Him?

By the grace of God, I rose to the challenge. Something told me that a quick run-through of "The Four Spiritual Laws" was not going to provide a satisfactory answer. Since the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, I didn't think that a collection of New Testament verses was going to hold much validity for someone who doesn't believe in the infallibility of the gospel.

I explained the need for Christ's death on the cross, and that His death and resurrection was the once and final sacrifice to make us blameless in the eyes of God. The follow-up question was one that I have often wondered about myself. If Christ's death was a one-time event, don't Christians abuse the privilege of being saved and then continue in their sins? What's the motivation to keep living blamelessly?

The motivation to live a life as blameless as possible comes from the realization of the magnitude of what Jesus' death and resurrection means. Because we have been given the free gift of grace, our lives should exemplify a heart of gratitude and an attitude of humility. Consider the following example:

Suppose I was in need of a heart transplant and was place on the waiting list for a donor. In order for me to be given a new heart and continue to live, someone else must die. Once I have received the new heart, I am expected by doctors to carry on a healthy lifestyle. How preposterous would it be for me to take us smoking once I got a new heart? Or what if I decided to eat bacon, eggs, sausage, hash browns, biscuits and gravy every morning? What if I decided not to take the prescribed anti-rejection medication? Doing so would not be consistent with an attitude that is grateful. Nor is such behavior indicative of appreciation for being given a second chance at life.

This analogy made sense to my co-worker (who also has a tendency to speak metaphorically.) I know that anything I said this morning was purely Christ working through me. Such conversations have the potential to be spiritual minefields, but when I let the Holy Spirit do the work, I'm able to dance through them without blowing apart my own faith of mortally wounding my relationships with those who aren't Christians.

For My Next Trick...

But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive in Christ even when we were dead in transgressions--it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus --Ephesians 2:4-6

Every now and then my job affords me the opportunity to get away from my desk and participate in some outdoor field work. A couple weeks ago, I had a field assignment at Camp Pendleton. It was an uneventful week for the most part, but an encounter with some wildlife gave me a good story to tell and certainly a lot to think about.

The pipe extended about 4 or 5 feet straight down. There are the bottom was a helpless young rabbit, obviously exhausted and starved. One of my coworkers and I set to work with two long poles, essentially trying to maneuver the fluffy creature out of the hole. Using the poles much like giant chopsticks, we coaxed the rabbit higher inch by inch until finally it was within arm's reach.

Before the rabbit had time to react, I plunged my hand down the hole and grabbed hold of its ears. I fully expected it to scream or at least struggle. Once I set it down on the pavement, it stood there for a moment, likely dazed and confused from the whole ordeal. I gently nudged the frightened rabbit to encourage it to hop away. With three great leaps it bounded through the chain link fence and back into the safety of the nearby vegetation.

For the remainder of the day, my nickname was "rabbit savior."

Ever since that day, I've thought a lot about how similar we are to that rabbit. We are more than just exhausted and starved--each of us is dead in our sins. We are stuck at the bottom of a vertical pipe with no possible way to save ourselves. God wants to rescue us, but since He cannot look upon sin, we remain just out of arm's reach. However, God mercifully provides us with a way out and a means to bridge that gap between the bottom of the chasm where we are and where He sits in glory. God sent His son, Jesus, to be our Savior.

Because Jesus is both human and divine at once, he is simultaneously connected to the humanity of earth and the divinity of heaven. Jesus reaches down to grasp hold of our ears with one hand while pointing to our place in heaven with the other. Like the rabbit in the pipe, we have no means of grabbing hold of anything. When Christ extends grace to us, He is the one doing all the work. This is part of His power and glory. If we were able to save ourselves somehow, the magnitude of the work done on the cross would be severely diminished. In fact, it would be nullified.

I don't usually go sticking my hand down holes that contain wild animals--I'm accident prone enough as it is! In this particular instance, I'm glad that God found a way to teach me a valuable object lesson in order that I may better understand the reality of salvation and what it means that I was dead in my sins.

Beach Wear and Battle Gear

Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. --Ephesians 6:13

Growing up, I participated in a long-standing summer tradition, "Wednesday Beach Day". Preparing for a day at Huntington beach was probably more complex than it needed to be, but that's just how we did things. My mom would pack an ice chest full of snacks and water to fend off fatigue and dehydration. We loaded our beach bags with magazines like "Brio" and "Reader's Digest". We piled the car full of boogie boards, lounge chairs and beach blankets, and wore our swimsuits under our t-shirts and shorts. This of course was not all we wore. The item of most importance to any beach-going Dutchman was our SPF 50 sunscreen (my mom jokes that she buys hers at the Dutch bakery). Add to that our beach hats, sunglasses, coverups, and dry underwear for the ride home, and you've got yourself a full-blown beach day.

It's a little bit ridiculous how much stuff we dragged along to the beach, but we were convinced that we needed every last article. As a Christian I sometimes find myself doing the same thing--I make a simple task difficult. I shy away from doing anything until I've gathered up anything I think I might need in order to survive in an unsaved world. There is one area however where it's utterly important that I have all the equipment I need. There's no room for shortcuts when it comes to preparing to set foot on the sands of a spiritual battlefield. When we put on the full armor of God, we are not dressing for a day at the beach.

Instead of sunscreen for protection from ultraviolet radiation, Christians need to cover ourselves with the shield of faith which will extinguish the fiery arrows of the evil one. Instead of flimsy flip-flop sandals, we must fit our feet firmly with the readiness of the gospel. More than a mere sunhat and sunglasses, we need to secure our helmet of salvation. There won't be much time for reading on this beach, unless you've got in your hands God's word, which is the sword of truth.

That certainly sounds like a lot of equipment to lug around, but sometimes, in fact, most times, a Christian's life isn't a day at the beach. However, if we are well prepared and well equipped, God gives us the strength we need to survive when we are fitted with the armor of God. We are geared up to be on the winning side of the world's most important war--the war against good and evil. When the battle is over, that's when we will fully appreciate our days in the Son.

Adopted Into God's Family

For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will--Ephesians 1:4-5


Even as I'm writing this I'm laughing at myself because I never in a million years thought that I would use a family pet to illustrate a Biblical principle.

Last October my family, for whatever reason, decided they wanted a chihuahua. My mom and my sister came home from the local animal shelter with what I consider to be one of the homeliest little creatures God ever put together. When they first brought "Spike" home , he was quite sick and needed some serious attention from a vet. Spike is now healthy and strong and has made himself at home at my parents house. Oddly enough, I think Spike knows he's safe there. He knows his needs will always be met. When he hears someone calls his name, he eagerly goes running down the hall, knowing that whoever it is who called him will be there to pet him or give him a little treat.

I realize that it's somewhat silly to personify a dog in such a way, but doing so helps me demonstrate how it is to be called by God and then adopted into His family. God does not choose us because we are particularly worthy. He doesn't take pride in calling us his sons because of any of our external characteristics or personal achievements. God adopts us because he knows we need a good home. Even in our weakest, homeliest state, he calls our names, takes us into his arms and welcomes us into his family.

Today's verse mentions that God adopts us according to His pleasure. That does not mean that he adopts us merely to treat us as pets or playthings for a certain time and then discard us when He finds something better to do. When He adopts us according to his pleasure, it means that He has so much love to give that it makes Him most happy to be able to extend that love to us. He delights in us as His children. He loves us in ways we will never completely understand.

God also knew that we needed to be protected from the world. He adopted us so that we may at least have a fighting chance against the evil things out there that would threaten to dishearten and destroy us. I know families who have adopted children not only to fill a longing in their own hearts, but to be able to give opportunities to those children who would otherwise become just another statistic. In my opinion, those people who adopt are my heroes because they are clearly demonstrating the kind of love that God has for us--they sacrifice, give and love on a level that most people can't understand.

My parent's dog couldn't care less that he was adopted. Besides, pet adoption pales greatly in comparison to the adoption of children. I may never know personally the struggles, the triumphs, the joys and pains that are part of life for adoptive families, but I know the blessing of having been adopted into God's family. The life I have because of Him is incredible, even when it isn't particularly fun. I hope I never take for granted my status as a child of God.

A Higher Standard

For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight.—Ephesians 1:4

Be holy and blameless—sounds easy, right? Wrong! I don’t know about you, but I am a far cry from being holy and blameless. (Just ask my husband.) Can any of us hope to live up to the standard of perfection that God decrees?

Because of our humanity, each of us is naturally sinful. Left to our own devices, we cannot possibly make the right decisions or keep our wits about us when the pressure is on to live a life that is pure and blameless. Whether we like it or not, most of the time we make the wrong decision and push ourselves farther away from living a perfect life as God intended. Is there any hope for us? Are we just doomed to keep messing up and making bad choices? Despite our multitudes of imperfections and failures, our situation is not hopeless. God offers us hope in today’s verse.

He chose us. He saw us in our state of self-serving sinfulness even before we were capable of speech. He examined us carefully, including our flaws and imperfections, and decided to pluck us off the shelf anyway. In choosing us, he gives us the opportunity to become far greater than we were in our original state. God chose us to be holy and blameless. Knowing that God sees such incredible potential in me is a very affirming thought! What’s even better is the knowledge that I don’t have to rely on my own abilities in order to become holy and blameless.

God will not leave us on our own for awhile and then come back to check that we've been doing well at living blameless, pure and holy lives. God chose us to be his children in spite of the fact that we sin constantly. He knows and sees every stupid thing we've ever done, and every stupid thing we will do...and he loves us anyway. The next few verses of the first chapter of Ephesians tell about how he sent Jesus to pay for our sins because he loves us so much.

When Jesus died on the cross, he took upon himself all of the ugly sins committed by all of mankind throughout history. He took on the punishment that should have been ours. He took on the punishment that should have been mine. To me, that is a sobering reality. I find it nearly incomprehensible that all I have to do to be made into a completely new person is believe in Christ's death and resurrection. That is the life to which God has called us, the life for which he chose us. God has designed us in his image.

Does my faith in Christ make me perfect, holy or blameless? Hardly! I will still do stupid things and I will still sin on a daily basis. I can’t change the fact that I am human and have Adam’s original sin built into my DNA. The change that happens is in the way that God sees me. By taking on Christ’s righteousness, I become clothed in the garment of his perfection. When I repent of my sins, God gives me a clean slate each time.

God chose us to be holy and blameless. We cannot do that without the saving power of the cross. God sent his son Jesus, and he sent the Holy Spirit to work in our lives to convict us when we sin. Living blameless, pure, holy lives without focusing on God is impossible. Make him real in your life. Ask him to give you strength to avoid situations where you know you're going to falter. Even when you are overcome by your own sinful tendencies, be assured that God still loves you and is standing ready to offer a second, third, fourth...ten thousandth chance. He has chosen us to live by a higher standard, and enables us to live up to it.

Patching Holes

I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith...and that you may have power... to know that this love surpasses knowledge--that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. --Ephesians 3:16a, 19

I used to work at an air quality research lab where we did a lot of experiments using large Teflon bags. We would fill the bags with clean air, then add a few chemicals like the ones that create smog, and watch what would happen. Part of my job was to construct the bags using a heat sealer (sort of like the way that bags of potato chips are sealed). If the temperature wasn't exactly right for the thickness of the edge of the bag, the seal wouldn't be completely effective and the bag would leak and our experiment was compromised.

My least favorite part of my job was when I had to find a tiny hole in a leaky bag. The holes were never obvious. The sealed edges, for all intents and purposes, looked completely fine. There was no quick way to find the hole, and it often took hours to find and patch it. Most frustrating were the times when multiple holes existed and we would waste valuable time experimenting with a bag that was still leaking.

Sometimes, an aspect of our life develops a hole in it. We can't readily identify where the hole is, or even if it is a single hole, but we know it's there. We begin to see our sense of self-worth deflating, albeit slowly, all because of a tiny hole that hasn't been patched. The mere thought of searching for the leak can be exhausting, but it is far better to put the effort into finding it now than risk wasting time in a losing battle against a deflating life.

Without God in our lives, we may be able to keep up the appearance of being whole, but eventually we will begin to deflate. Before long, we will be spiritually empty. We can keep telling ourselves that we will be happy and complete if we could just have a bit more money in the bank account, or if we could just find that special someone, or if we could just climb high enough on the corporate ladder. Those things are all fine, but they don't offer lasting happiness. Eventually we will still deflate to the point of emptiness.

Some people believe that we are all created with a God-shaped hole inside of us and that there is nothing on earth that can fill it up to make us whole. The fullness of the measure of God's love is more than we could ever hope to understand. God offers us so much more than anything the world has to offer. Only by beginning a life with Christ can the hole in our lives be filled. However, that doesn't guarantee that our life may not have holes in other places. A vibrant, growing relationship with God not only makes finding the other holes in life easier to identify, but it can give us the necessary equipment to effectively and permanently repair the hole.

Wedded Bliss

For this reason a man will leave his father and his mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh. --Ephesians 5:31

November is "Celebration of Marriage" month, a campaign largely influenced by Focus on the Family. The goal is to promote healthy marriages and cultivate deeper, more meaningful marriage relationships. Although I have been married for just over a year, I am already seeing how God uses marriage to teach us about himself and the kind of love he extends to us, his church--his bride.

I think it is nearly impossible for anyone to understand exactly the kind of connection that is made between husband and wife when they are united as one flesh. Before I got married, I read dozens upon dozens of books on the subject; I researched what Doctor Dobson and Focus on the Family had to say about marriage. I pumped my family members for insight into how I could be a good wife. As valuable as all that was, it paled in comparisson to the real life aspects of marriage that greeted me on my first day as a married woman.

Until you have experienced it for yourself, I think it is nearly impossible for anyone to understand exactly the kind of connection that is made between husband and wife when they are united as one flesh. It is completely awe-inspiring the way that God has designed us to cleave with another human being, forever changing our emotional, physical and spiritual identities.

The following is a poem I wrote several months ago as I was flipping through our wedding album and reliving the experiences of that incredible day.

"A Wedding Song"

All my life I've dreamed of this moment.
Standing here today I know I'm blessed.
Full of joy,
I'm contented
beyond all words.
God knew that we should be together.
Side by side through all life's ups or downs.
Rich or poor
Sick or well
forsaking all the rest.
He put us here to share our love
and in his arms we know
We're home.

So this is what it is to be yours.
This is what it means to belong
Heart and soul,
mind and body--
all of me.
Now I understand the word 'forever'
Nothing else on earth can compare
To your love,
Your selfless giving
and your warming touch.
I know I've found my place with you
and in your arms I know
I'm home.

They say 'home is where the heart is'
so my home is here with you.
As of now, our lives become as one--
I'm now yours.
You're now mine;
Just as God planned it
In each other's arms
We're home.

A Battle Unlike Any Other: Remembering 9-11

Today's post originally appeared in the email version of Verse of the Day on September 11, 2001

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. --Ephesians 6:12

Today marks an historic day for our nation and the world. Undoubtedly you have all seen or heard reports of the terrorist attacks on the East Coast. It seems unreal that our country is experiencing this kind of horror and pain. I was encouraged tonight to hear President Bust quote Psalm 23 in his address to our nation. Several people had made outcries against President Bush for beginning his presidency with prayer; I'm sure that Christians and non-Christians alike will agree that we are now in a time of urgent need of prayer. I am thankful that God gave us a leader who knows the value and importance of prayer.

Today's events may cause us to lash out in anger at the people responsible for the attacks, and I anticipate an increased intolerance of people of middle-eastern origin. It is important for us to remember that today is, just as Presiden Bush said, a result of evil. There is a great war being waged not only between countries, but in the hearts of people around the world. The enemy will no doubt use these circumstances to make people turn their anger toward God and perhaps even blame God for allowing such terrible things to happen.

God is in control, especially in the midst of all this chaos and horror. Our nation has been called to prayers, and that is exactly what the Christian community must do. This is a battle against the forces of evil in this world. It is not a political battle, nor is it an issue of race. It is God versus Satan, plain and simple, and God will ultimately wins. As a nation we are hurting and grieving for our loss, but even though we are walking through the valley of the shadow of death we will fear no evil!

What may seem overwhelming and difficult can be battled out with God on our side. The end of Ephesisans 6 describes how we can prepare ourselves for battle. As we put on our armor, we must continue to pray in all occasions as it says in Ephesians 6:18. We need to remember that although the things of this earth, our flesh and blood, may be affected by the physical battles we wage, the real war is in the spiritual realms. God is with us and we will ultimately be on the winning side of the war when we put our faith in him. Evil may rule for a time, but in the last days, it will be annihilated. I pray that we will not grow discouraged in the mantime, but will continue to draw strength from God.

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To those families who lost loved ones that tragic day, know that the entire country feels your loss. To those who now fight courageously and overseas, we thank you for your sacrifice. To our country's leaders, we pray that God will guide your decisions. May God bless America.