The Day After

Dear Reader,

This is definitely a post where you will see the whole "living conundrum" title in action.

Last night, as you know, was election night. While it was not a Presidential Election year, this one carried significant weight throughout the country. For my home state, Oklahoma, this was a big year. Our two-term governor was term limited. The Office of Lieutenant Governor became an open seat, too, because the current officeholder left her post to run for Governor. Our Attorney General ran for Governor as well. So, that was an open seat. Numerous State House and Senate seats were up for grabs. Some were clearly going back to the incumbent, and some were going to have new blood in them.

It was, to borrow a colloquialism, "Bloody Tuesday." Republicans in my home state not only won, they won big. Incumbents who thought they could pull off a win lost and lost by large margins. It was embarrassing. Democrats should be embarrassed. Yes, Oklahoma has become a hugely Republican state. It is so red, that even I, Dear Reader, could be considered, **gasp** a "liberal".

That's beside the point. Here's my first of two points, and then I'm finished. First, I want to implore Democratic leaders in my state to finally come up with a plan and execute it. A quote from Haley Barbour in USA Today hit home. He said, "Four years ago Republicans controlled just 22 governorships. The fact that we've already reached a majority tonight is a testimony to the four-year plan our governors and staff developed and executed." Do we, as Democrats, have something like this? I know that I need to become more active, but shouldn't this be in place already?

We need a plan, not just on a state-by-state basis, but on a national level. I know that Will Rogers once said, "I am not a member of an organized political party. I'm a Democrat." While funny, it's a sad truth. To Chairman Kaine, and Chairman Goodman, let's get a message that we can all share. Hopefully we can turn the tide in 2012.

Finally, I know that I need to accept defeat in humility and grace. I need to follow Hebrews 13:17, which says that I need to pray for my leaders and submit to their authority. I pledge to pray for the new leadership, that God would give them guidance and wisdom to lead us. These next four years will be tough for all of us. I hope that we can all work together and not lay at the feet of partisanship.

"All successful people have a way of proving their worth every day without having to let everyone know; no boasting-they just get results."

Dear Reader,

Which parts of John 15:1-17 fascinate you? Which parts scare you?

Two In One Day? Why Not?

Sometimes you just have to declare things in a public forum.

I am blessed to have such a wonderful support system. From my family to my friends, I am amazed at how God puts them all in my life. Whether it's an e-mail asking how I'm doing, or one who calls "just because", God moves me to tears of joy and happiness. Today has been certainly infinitely more than I could ask or think of! Paul said it best when he declared his love for the Philippian church as he said, "I thank my God upon my every remembrance of you." (Philippians 1:3).

"When It Don't Come Easy"

Have you ever had one of those weeks that everything seems to explode in your hands? Does it feel like you have had a week of Mondays? That's what it's been like this week for me.

Little things have gnawed at me. I haven't done well enough at work this week to say that money is being made. I have missed quiet times this week. I've been lax about getting things done around my house. My relationships have suffered this week because I've been to wound up in myself.

I got a phone call this week that really sent me into a tailspin. It made me question who I am personally and professionally. In addition to the phone call, I've had a rough time at one of the schools where I teach. I am concerned about both items, because my thoughts and emotions were not grounded in the Word. Ephesians 4:32 was not part of my thought process with either incident.

How do I get through these lapses in relationship? How do I refocus? First, I heard a song on my iPod this morning that really struck home. It's by Patty Griffin. It's called, "When It Don't Come Easy." The chorus reminded me of who God is and that he's always there. The chorus says:

But if you break down,

I'll try to find you,

If you forget my love,

I'll try to remind you,

I'll stay by you,

When it don't come easy

Sometimes I see things crumbling and forget that God is there in the midst of the circumstance, whether good or bad. Even in all of the swirling disappointments and depression this week, the reminder this morning that he'll stand by me when it's not easy uplifted me. Biblically, here's the best reminder:

God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging. Selah

There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God, the holy place where the Most High dwells. God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day.

Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall; he lifts his voice, the earth melts. The LORD Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah

Come and see the works of the LORD, the desolations he has brought on the earth. He makes wars cease to the ends of the earth; he breaks the bow and shatters the spear, he burns the shields with fire.

"Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth." The LORD Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress. Selah

Reflective Thinking

The last few weeks have been particularly joyous for me. I celebrated a six-month anniversary with my girlfriend, Rachel last Saturday. Facetiously, the date was easy to remember because it coincides with my birthday. I know, I'm a guy. Anything to make things easier in the relationship department, right?

One of the keys that has improved our relationship has been a greater emphasis on bible study and prayer. A few weeks ago, I read in a One-Year devotional about Colossians 1:9-14. The author, Gary Chapman, suggested using this as an intercessory prayer for your loved one (okay, he said spouse, but let's not put the cart before the horse just yet. I'm learning to "walk slow"). So, Rachel and I spent a week praying these verses over each other. What a difference! During that time, we both refocused on scripture. She's begun here winter bible study at First Baptist Shawnee, and I've been involved with some students going through the book of Galatians. Furthermore, I think our "Parade of Churches" is over. At the last church we visited, we heard a sermon about John 15, where Jesus says, "If you remain in me, and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish and it will be given to you." (John 15:7) While it is not a promise of prosperity, it is a promise about bearing the fruit found in Galatians 5:22-24.

Also, I was challenged to be more an encourager for Rachel. That has also given me a renewed desire to search the scriptures because I've got a goal to find scripture that provides encouragement for Rachel. I find that as I do that for her, it motivates me to set my, "mind on things above and not on earthly things". (Colossians 3:2) It never ceases to amaze me at how faithful God is to his children when we intentionally involve ourselves in scripture.

Lastly, Dear Reader, I invite you to pray Colossians 1:9-14 over someone God brings to mind for you. Do this for a week, and I guarantee that you will see a difference in their life and in your life. Here it is:

For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light. For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

"We ask You to push back
The horizons of our hopes;
And to push us in the future
In strength, courage, hope, and love.
This we ask in the name of our
Captain, who is Jesus Christ."— Sir Francis Drake

Conviction

These questions are from a blog post entitled: 13 Questions to Diagnose Your Idolatries from Tyler Kenney at Desiring God:

1. What do you most highly value?

2. What do you think about by default?

3. What is your highest goal?

4. To what or whom are you most committed?

5. Who or what do you love the most?

6. Who or what do you trust or depend upon the most?

7. Who or what do you fear the most?

8. Who or what do you hope in and hope for most?

9. Who or what do you desire the most? Or, what desire makes you most angry or makes you despair when it is not satisfied?

10. Who or what do you most delight in, your greatest joy and treasure?

11. Who or what captures your greatest zeal?

12. To whom or for what are you most thankful?

13. For whom or what great purpose do you work?

"New"

I've started on new ventures over the past few months. To start, I'm finally kicking off my new law practice. I've opened up an office in Oklahoma City. I am excited about the opportunities God will present that will allow me to invest in the lives of people in the community. My practice will mainly focus on immigration, estate planning, and business consulting. Now that I have an office, I feel a sense that things are becoming more permanent in this area of my life. It is amazing what happens when one feels secure and that things are moving in a forward direction.

Also these past few months have seen some ups and downs for me relationally. I was engaged to be married, and then that dissipated. I have now been seeing a young lady who challenges me to apply lessons learned from other relationships and learn new lessons on a continual basis. I am motivated on a moment-by-moment basis to reflect on my motives, maintain discipline, and to remain on a constant path forward as the head of a dating relationship. While we are two humans trying to understand each other, I am amazed at how God shows us that he is in control, that he is gracious, and that he calls us to live a life pleasing to him at every turn.

I have also been challenged spiritually. It has not been an easy road. It has definitely been a Romans 7 kind of journey over the past few months. This turmoil, this struggle, this...well...I don't know how else to describe it, has produced a greater knowledge that God is holy and that God delights in his children and that he is gracious and compassionate, as he declared to Moses as he passed by, "Then the LORD came down in the cloud and stood there with him and proclaimed his name, the LORD. And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, "The LORD, the LORD, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness..." (Exodus 34:5, 6 NIV) What a great God!

While I've met some setbacks, I've had opportunities to rejoice with others as they celebrate victories over sin. It's been a joy to connect with my family in closer bonds since Grandpa Bewley's death. I think the intentionality (is that a word?) we have been displaying since April 6, 2010, has been nothing short of miraculous. God is good. I've also been able to see folks come to the Lord and accept him as Lord of their lives, and then declare their decisions in baptism. It has truly been a blessing.

Father, thank you that you let us live life. Father, teach me to live as one who clings to your word with my whole heart. God, I want to be the man that is close enough to be guided by your eyes, as the Psalmist declared in Psalm 32:8.

Meditation--How to Approach It

There's not a set way to approach meditation. However, it does seem that meditation has some general components to it that I think are helpful. The scripture to review here would be 1 Kings 19:10-18. This is where Elijah is in a cave at Mount Horeb. Remember that Elijah looks for God in an earthquake, in the wind, and in a fire. But, scripture tells us that God is not in any of these things. Yet, when Elijah is finally focused, he hears the still small voice of God. Amazing, no?

There are three points here that help me to understand how to approach meditation. I want to show that if we STOP what we're doing, LOOK into God's word, and LISTEN to what God is saying, we'll be on the right track. Let's get a closer look at these steps:

Stop What You're Doing

Elijah got to Mount Horeb and spent the night. He had traveled for 40 days and nights as God had directed him to do. God got him to a place where he could be still. Just as God declares in Psalm 46:10, we need to be still and know who our God is. So many times we get caught up in the hurry and speed of life. Yet, "God works for those who wait for him". (Isaiah 64:4)

This lesson has not been easy for me. But, I have had to learn that being still and waiting for God is an active process. I watched the new Karate Kid movie last week, and there was a profound thought that being still does not mean that you do nothing. It's the same principle in meditation, going to a quiet place may mean slowing to be with God, but we do not check out of the process. Christian meditation, as Foster puts it, is not an emptying of ourselves. Rather, it's a filling up as we slow down to be with the God of the universe.

Look Into God's Word

While on the mountain, God asked him what he was doing there. Elijah complains and keeps the focus on himself. Then, he looked for God in big things. We do that sometimes, too, don't we? Yet, Elijah learned a lesson here -- keep on looking because God is not always in the big things. He learned focus.

We gain focus and perspective when we open God's word. Sometimes we do get the profound answer. However, I have found that I may not understand what I'm learning from a particular scripture until I've chewed on it for a few days and experienced it. The Psalmist understood this in Psalm 119:6, 15, and 18. My favorite part of that passage is verse 18, where the Psalmist says, "Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law."

Giving God's word concentrated attention means that we may read the same passage continually for a time. We definitely need to work on memorizing passages. Involving ourselves in God's word is a blessing that far too many miss because we're too busy with "life". Paul tells us to set our mind on things above in Colossians 3:2. When we set our minds and look intentionally into God's word, we are able to hear that still small voice that helps us to, "lean not to our own understanding," and see that when we acknowledge him, "he will direct our paths."

Listen to What God Is Saying

Finally, once we've stopped, once we've looked intentionally in God's Word, and we are ready to listen.

Elijah attempted to find God in the big ticket items--the earthquake, the fire, and the windstorm. But, as scripture tells us, God was not in any of those things. Instead, it was in the still small voice.

I love that scripture is full of references to God speaking to people. We see that he met Adam and Eve in the cool of the day. He met Moses in the burning bush and on top of the mountain. He met Elijah on Mount Horeb. He spoke to Samuel as a child. He uses his word and his messengers throughout scripture. My favorite scripture though, is found in Amos 4:13, "He who forms the mountains, creates the wind, and declares to man what is his thought, who makes the morning darkness, and treads on the heights of the earth-- the LORD God of hosts is his name!" Psalm 33 tells us that God who spoke and the earth was created, the God who breathed and the stars fell into place. This is same God who wants an intimate relationship with us. We just have to be available!

Well, there you have it. Stop, Look, and Listen. Pretty easy, right? Not really. We have to be intentional about our pursuit of him. May God bless you as you diligently chase after him. I hope this helps.

Meditation: What It Looks Like

As Richard Foster says, meditation is the ability to hear God's voice and obey God's word. How does this happen? We do this through prayerful rumination upon God, his Word, and his world by, “making the words of the bible personal by memorizing them and repeating them, with deep and simple concentration, 'from the heart'". Let's unpack these elements, so that we can gain a greater understanding of how this all looks.

First, let us discuss the hearing and obeying. 1 Samuel 3 details for us the ability of Eli to know when God was speaking and to hear the voice of God. Also, someone look at 1 Kings 19, where Elijah gets to the place where he can hear the still small voice of God. The great thing is that we serve a God who is still in the business of speaking to his people.

Second, let us park on the word “ruminate”. Merriam-Webster defines it two ways. First, it says, “to go over in the mind repeatedly and often casually or slowly; secondly, to chew repeatedly for an extended period.” Read Joshua 1:7, 8. What do you understand here? We see that God commands that book of law is to be on their lips. In essence, they are supposed to be able to chew on God's word and regurgitate it to their children. Look also at Psalm 34:8. The bible tells us to taste and see that the Lord is good. As we chew on the Word, we get to experience the different "flavors" of God. Does that help in our definition of meditation? Have I made this too insurmountable? Stay with me, please.

Lastly, how do we make the word personal? Read Psalm 119:11. The writer says, "I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you." We hide in the innermost place--our heart. It needs to invade our lives in all aspects.

I hope this helps. I don't know if I have given you stuff for discussion. I thank you for letting me start the conversation. I want to hear your thoughts. Stay tuned for the next installment -- how to approach meditation.

Thoughts on Meditation, Part One

A couple of weeks ago, I was blessed to share some of my heart about meditation. It was an honor to initiate conversation about the spiritual disciplines at our three-day retreat in Davis, Oklahoma. I'm hoping that these next few posts help someone else. There's a lot to chew here. I just want to open the dialogue. Blessings.

When you think of the word “exercise”, what comes to mind? Words like, “working”, “sweaty”, and “drudgery” all come to the forefront, don’t they? Yet, we also know that exercise produces benefits to our bodies. The Mayo Clinic gave some benefits that included: Improved mood; improved sleep; combating chronic disease; and weight control. One of the final things they talked about with exercise is that it can be fun! We all know there are benefits to sweating. Hard work can produce some incredible results. Does anyone watch the Biggest Loser? Look at their results. We can apply this physically, but we also need to learn to apply this to our spiritual lives as well.

First, let’s get our definition of a spiritual discipline. Richard Foster, in his book Celebration of Discipline, defines a spiritual discipline as, “An intentionally directed action by which we do what we can do in order to receive from God the ability (or power) to do what we cannot do by direct effort.” What does that mean? What part does God play? What part do we play?

Second, we have to understand that these disciplines are not merely for behavior modification. However, as we grow in Christ, our behavior will change. As Dallas Willard stated, “The aim of disciplines in the spiritual life—and, specifically, in the following of Christ—is the transformation of the total state of the soul. It is the renewal of the whole person from the inside, involving differences in thought, feeling, and character that may never be manifest in outward behavior at all. This is what Paul has in mind when he speaks of putting off the “old man” and putting on the new, “renewed to resemble in knowledge the one who created us”. (Colossians 3:10)

How does all of this work? Exercise. Discipline. Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 9:24-27, “Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. So I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air. But I discipline my body and keep it under control, lest after preaching to others I myself should be disqualified."

The first way we do this is by renewing our minds by meditating on scripture. Paul writes in Romans 12:1, 2, “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect."

Here’s how we are going to lay out our time. I want to walk through with you what meditation looks like, how to approach it. Finally, if we all want to dialogue here, let's work on the application together.

If I have any readers, would like to read some thoughts on meditation? I just taught on it at our church retreat.

Saying Our Last Goodbyes

My grandfather, Wilburn O. “Buck” Bewley, 84, was born January 23, 1926, to Elmer and Elva Bewley in Atkins, Arkansas. He married my grandmother, Daphene, on October 4, 1947. He died April 6, 2010, at his home in Chandler, Oklahoma. He was a husband, a father, a grandfather, a friend, a mentor…and so many other things to all of us.

He’s been a leader not just for the immediate family, but also for an extended family. That leadership reached beyond merely telling people what to do and how to do it. It showed in the gentle way that he smiles when you enter the room. It came in the teasing you received when he wants to get a rise out of you. For me, it sometimes appeared in moments when they were least expected—in the truck feeding cows, watching a ball game, or listening to him tell a story about his past. It is leadership earned through giving and getting respect, a listening ear, or a word. This leadership arrived from experiences that shaped him over his lifetime. It came from the, sometimes, harshness in tone. Yet, it always came from a place of love.

I compiled a list of a few memories a while back. This list was of things learned from Grandpa Bewley. There were many things that were good. Things that could be summed up in phrases like “love much” and “listen more”. In receiving tidbits from others, it showed that he cared down to details—like teaching you how to take a fish hook out with a pocketknife, telling you to, “play that one”, or giving you opportunities to do things you would not normally do with anyone else.

He had a style that was uniquely his. Whether it was a suit on Sunday morning, or coveralls through the week while he worked with Uncle Gary on the farm, he always had a way about him. I can remember teasing him one time about a hair that was out of place, and he reacted like a teenager—getting in front of the mirror and combing it down like it could be the end of him. While he was in the hospital, he even made sure I had my coat and tie done right. He always wanted to look his best, but he always wants you to look your best, too.

I remember the meticulous ways he cared for his family. As we sat around the table a couple of days ago, I heard how nearly all of his brothers and sisters, and in-laws stayed at his house over the years, even when he had four children of his own to feed. It was when he opened his home to grandkids when we would, in his words, “just come to eat my groceries.” It was when he took the time to help you understand what buying a home really meant and the intimation that he never thought he would own a brick home—let alone two. It was the prideful look in his eyes when his grandchildren achieved milestones in life—graduations, marriages, or jobs. It was in the moments at Christmas when you could see him survey his house with a fatherly pride because it was crammed to the hilt with people.

He never wasted words. If there was something to say, he always had the right way to say it. His timing was spot on every time, too. Whether it was a critique or a compliment, he knew exactly what to say and when to say it.

I will always remember him as a spiritual mentor. Our conversations we would have during the times we spent feeding cows or in the house will always be treasured. We would cover everything from free will to marriage. He always wanted to insure that we were in church. He worried about the spiritual health of his family. There were times I remember talking to him about things happening with others, and he would try and go visit because he knew that if no one would else would tell them about Jesus, he needed to go.

Jackie Robinson once said, “A life is not as important except in the impact it has on the lives of others.” My grandfather impacted so many lives because he loved people, as they were not and as they should be. He is a man who was consciously aware of and fully available to God and to others. I will miss him sorely. Yet, I can take heart because the one who is in him is greater that things of this world. I know that he is among the worshippers singing to God without pain. I know that he is singing praises to God without worry. I will always count it an honor and a privilege to say that Buck Bewley was my mentor, my friend, and, most of all, my Grandpa.

"To say that 'the righteous (or just) shall live by faith' does not mean that they live by blind and irresponsible leaps in total absence, or even in defiance, of knowledge. It does not mean that the "just" live in a state of ignorance or stupidity." Dallas Willard, Knowing Christ Today

Let's see if this works again.

Four Steps

I hope that I'm living these steps out in my life. I have picked up Thomas Kelly's book, A Testament of Devotion. They are four steps to what the author calls, "the obedience of the second half." That line is derived from a quote from Meister Eckhart, who said, "There are plenty to follow our Lord half-way, but not the other half. They will give up possessions, friends, and and honors, but it touches them too closely to disown themselves." I hope that these steps characterize my life:

1. Grab hold of God's vision for your life.

2. Obey NOW

3. If you slip and stumble and forget God for a moment -- get back up and start again.

4. Submit to God.

Dear Reader,

If you're there, then say a prayer for me. I'm feeling down at the moment. However, I do find comfort in Paul's words in 2 Corinthians 4:5-12. He wrote: "For we do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake. For God, who said, 'Let light shine out of darkness,' made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that his life may be revealed in our mortal body. So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you."

What I'm Learning

Yes, Dear Reader, I do exist! I have not moved, expired, retired, quit, or disappeared. Quite the contrary! I'm alive and well. And, I have learned a lot about myself.

As you know, the season of Lent began last Wednesday. And, I must admit, I have to get back on the horse with what I chose to forsake for the 40 days. Yet, the experiences I've had just in the last six days have been worth more than I could dare to ask or hope for.

To start, I began with Psalm 139:23-24, "Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!" This prayer can be dangerous, as God desires to show us the garbage so that we can draw closer to Him. I also have been reminded on a daily basis of Matthew 23:25, 26, where Jesus declares, "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and the plate, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. You blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and the plate, that the outside also may be clean." I received practical application of these verses over Christmas when I saw a coffee cup at my grandparents' house, and how my Grandmother has to use undiluted bleach to clean the cups. I have been reminded at how self-indulgent and greedy I am for wanting, whether explicitly or implicitly to be considered "clean" when I'm really stained and cluttered on the inside and in need of the undiluted word of God to cleanse me. Yet, God is faithful to forgive me of my sins when he brings them to the surface (1 John 1:9). Amen!

I haven't been anywhere in the word as much because these verses keep circulating in my mind. However, I recently downloaded a song that has become the perfect prayer for me during these last few days. It's by an artist that I've recently found named Justin McRoberts. The song is from an EP from a few years ago. The song is called, "More Than Anything." It's beauty is found in its simplicity and poignancy. Here are the lyrics:

Father forgive me for thinking only of myself


Make mine a heart that clings to You

Father unbind me from every secret sin I hold

Make mine a heart that says to You

Lord I want to be Yours

More than anything

More than anything in this world


I want to live in love with You.

At some point, I really need to blog about the last few months and how I've learned a lot about God, others, and myself. Reader, I would love to hear your thoughts, too.