Where Are Your Stretch Marks?

Yes, I had the nerve to bring up stretch marks!... But not the ones you think. I'd like to engage you into a little deeper thought. In case you didn't know, I usually find spiritual analogy in just about anything :)

Question(s): When was the last time that you truly went out of your way to help someone else?You know - got out of your comfort zone, threw convenience to the wind, and really went the EXTRA mile, no matter how exasperating the process was. When was the last time you didn't pause to psychoanalyze or critically judge another person's outer package and just delved into your compassion, followed the Holy Spirit's lead, and produced what, to the that person, seemed like a miracle, but to you was just a mere unconditional act of human kindness?

Personally, I've been on both sides of this proverbial coin - as the stretcher and as the reacher (if you will). Neither position feels good at first. When my lifestyle conditions were up, I have to admit I wasn't always as conscientious about other peoples' plights as I should have been. As the reacher, I often lamented about the times that I wasn't as sensitive as I should have been. Why? Obviously, it's easier to relate when you can feel the pain. That's a shame. But I thank God for my time as a reacher (and the pain) because now I realize that God loves stretch marks! It means that our minds are not focused on what it costs us to give, but what we gain by giving. It means we not only trust Him for the return, but also for the means to meet the need, even if we don't quite know how it's all going to play out. He loves to see us trust him enough to shove our egos and pride aside and actually do the work of the kingdom. At the center of God's daily agenda is people. It always will be. And if we are going to conform to the image of His Son Jesus, the needs of others is going to have to become paramount to us too.

I believe that if the world is confused and can't distinguish us from themselves, it's probably because they don't clearly see our identification badges - STRETCH MARKS. Jesus said it like this:

"This is how everyone will recognize that you are my disciples - when they see the love you have for each other" ~ John 13:35 (MSG)

Let's take a lesson from The Good Samaritan (Luke ch. 10) and purposefully, habitually stretch ourselves. Those who are reaching are reaching for Jesus. Will they find Him in you?

Roll Away the Stone

I'm always amazed at the tapestry of humanity. Each of us enters this world specifically blueprinted with the solution to someone else's problem. The trick is to get us to realize it. And that's really not hard to do. Just open your eyes.

To illustrate this point, I'd like to put a spin on a familiar bible story. Remember when Jesus arrived at the tomb of his good friend, Lazarus, amidst a throng of mourners and wailers?

John 11:38-39

³⁸Jesus, once more deeply moved, came to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance. ³⁹"Take away the stone," he said.

Isn't it interesting that with all the power He was just about to display, Jesus told someone else to roll away the stone for Lazarus? I think that this points to the possibility that God fully intends for us, in some way, to be an active agent in one another's miracles. He doesn't expect us to do what only He can do, but He does expect us to desire a stake in the outcome.

How often do we cheat one another out of a possible breakthrough just because we're focused more on what we can't do than what we can do? Better yet, who is it that may be holding the key to your turnaround, and instead of just trusting God with what they have to offer, they remain content on the outskirts of your situation?

Thank God for those who take the blind leap into obedience and trust. They are the ones who have the awesome honor of taking part in the greatest miracles! I challenge you today to take a fresh look at the people you're connected with right now and do an inventory of the needs they have. Don't just pray for them; seek an answer. Then take the next step and ask God what He wants you to do to roll away their stone. Don't worry. He'll never ask you to roll a stone that is stronger than you are. You'll be surprised at what you suddenly become aware of that's already at your disposal. Sometimes what we consider trivial or inadequate is just the thing someone else may need at that time.

John 11: 41-44

⁴¹So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, "Father, I thank you that you have heard me. ⁴²I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me."

⁴³When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, "Lazarus, come out!" ⁴⁴The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face.
Jesus said to them, "Take off the grave clothes and let him go."

I Want To Believe

Faith is a funny thing. Or should I say, my faith is a funny thing. Why is it that no matter what phenomenal act God just recently performed in my life, as soon as some unexpected challenge arises I start doubting Him - AGAIN! When am I really going to start trusting Him like I should?

There's a song from Kirk Franklin's The Fight of My Life cd called "Help Me Believe" and I think it truly epitomizes what it feels like to want to get off the rollercoaster of doubt and unbelief when you face prolonged or unexpected struggles. For me, the chorus says it all:

Help me Believe

Can I believe

Let Me believe

I wanna believe

I'm no good on my own, please give me another chance

Its hard to believe in what I can't see

To give you my will cause you're what's better for me

You can look in my eyes and see I wanna believe, believe, believe, believe

It puts me in the mind of someone who had a similar conflict in his own life. The gospel of Mark tells of a grieving father whose son was bound by a deaf and dumb spirit that had constantly been trying to kill him since he was a small child. Can you imagine watching your son or daughter writhing in relentless pain and you are helpless to do anything to stop it?

Hearing about Jesus and his power over demonic spirits, the man brings his son in hopes of finally getting the help he needs. But when he gets there, Jesus is nowhere to be found. Only a few of his disciples are there, and they prove to be no help at all. I can imagine the despair that probably started to drift over his once-hopeful heart. Then, suddenly, Jesus arrives on the scene! The boy's father recounts to the Lord all that he has been through up until that point and then he makes a statement that totally contradicts all the painstaking effort he's made to get help for his boy: "If You can do anything, do have pity on us, and help us." (Mark 9:22 AMP). I can almost see Jesus looking back at the man, disturbed by his statement. What do you mean "if"? As if to say, Don't you know this is the God of the Universe you're talking to?

In his impressive, omnipotent fashion, Jesus eases the man's doubts by telling him that "all things are possible to him that believes". I love the way the Amplified Bible puts the man's response because it's the way I see myself reaching out to God while I'm fighting the good fight of faith:

At once the father of the boy gave [an [k]eager, [l]piercing, inarticulate] cry with tears, and he said, Lord, I believe! [Constantly] help my [m]weakness of faith! (Mark 9:24)

Just like that father, I too am desparate to get to a place where I just simply BELIEVE GOD! Believe His love for me. Believe His infallible integrity towards me. Believe that His will truly is better for me. But even this I cannot do without His help. I need His power to charge my faith up, not to just believe in Him, but to believe Him.

Which brings me to another point...

Did you know that suffering (for doing what God told you to do) is actually a form of worship? Well, it is. (See I Peter ch. 2). So that makes me think very soberly about how worship is handled in my daily life. Yes, it's easy for me to see myself as a worshipper when I'm dancing, singing and praising the Lord in church service or when I'm jamming to some good Israel Houghton or Fred Hammond while driving my truck. But do I really consider myself giving God worship when I'm standing in faith during a time of adversity? Just this morning I read something in an e-votional by Anita Carman, Founder of Inspire Women that deeply challenged my perspective on this:

"In our suffering, let us offer it to God as our way to worship Him. He gets to decide if we will worship Him with our abundance or if we will worship Him with our suffering. Oh the freedom to give up dictating to God the kind of worship we will give Him."

I thought to myself, "Lord, have I really been doing that?" Could it be that I have only been seeing worship as a "warm fuzzy" for me instead of a truly unselfish, heartfelt gift from me to a loving Father? Far be it from me to ever think that way again!

If I'm learning nothing else along this journey, it's that sacrifice authenticates true love. For years I've known that God is my friend. But am I really His friend? Do I love Him enough to trust what He tells me, even if I don't understand it at first? Do I really love Him enough to face the rejection when I'm doing all I can to be obedient to His will?

Time will tell. But as I stated before, I want to believe that I do and that I will.

How about you?