The Gurleyman

January 11, 2012
by Chris
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Favor and Isaiah 61

Reading Isaiah 61 this morning, I am refreshed by the already-but-not-yet nature of the poetry. In the Gospels, Jesus quoted verse 1 and the first part of verse 2 and declared that they had been fulfilled. The favorable year of the Lord had begun! But what about the rest of verse 2? And the other verses?

Those we–you and I–get to hope for with confidence and smile toward with anticipation. Freedom and emancipation will come! The cry of this year’s Passion Conference in Atlanta, Georgia, will be fulfilled. God’s justice will wait no longer when the day of Isaiah 61:2b and following arrives. Yes, Lord!

I particularly love Isaiah’s concluding metaphor as he likens it to the preparation of a bridegroom and bride. My day is only 66 sunrises from now and I’m giddy! Simply put, I can’t wait! How much more for the wedding of the Lamb and the reception to follow?!? Righteousness, joy, and gladness will rain down–oh, what a day!

Thank You, Father, for Your promises, especially those intricately wrapped up in a single passage. You’ve delivered on part of it already, which shows us Your guarantee to complete the rest. How we love You, Father!

November 27, 2011
by Chris
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Leading and Loving

I’m only just beginning to learn two lessons that will take me the rest of my days to study. Both are humbling and require ultimate surrender. Both are grave and yet good.

Leading. This weekend I started discovering that leading means to follow. I am wholly inadequate to lead the godly woman with whom the Lord has graced my life. As with most things, my natural reaction is to attempt it in my own strength and through my own efforts. Most things that I’ve desperately desired have been easy…until this.

The key is that I’m not just leading a woman in the trivial affairs of this world–I’m leading her into the image of Christ. “Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish.” (Eph. 5:25-27)

To lead my beloved to Christ, I must first be pursuing Him. Never in all my days has my time with Him been more critical. The only reason we should marry is to better glorify the Lord and to reflect His love for the Church. If I do not lead Sue (and myself) to Christlikeness, I fail. And my self-dependence won’t work here. I either know my Lord and have relationship with Him, or I don’t. Father, draw me to Yourself. Jesus, show me Your love. Spirit, awaken my heart and stir deep affection for You. To lead is to follow.

Loving. Or rather, being loved. The other thing I began to grasp yesterday and today as I saw myself falter in leadership was that I didn’t know how to be loved. Love, agape love, unconditional love, means that nothing I can do changes it. I can’t fail badly enough to invalidate it. It isn’t fickle and it doesn’t change its mind. Agape is what the love of my life has given me. But I didn’t get it. I doubted it and I doubted her when I thought that my weakness in leading would shake our foundation. How wrong of me!

Sue has given me the greatest gift I could ever receive–the same as and that which Christ gave–unconditional, undeserving love. When I question it, I challenge the ultimate source, my Lord. He gave us this love for each other, and I am only prideful when I think she might revoke it while I wouldn’t. She has poured grace upon grace out to me, and I see Jesus in every day I experience her love.

To be loved is to trust. Trust Sue’s love, but more than that, trust our Father’s love. He will hold our hearts steadfast and keep us united as we walk in His light. “if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin” (1 John 1:7). Our fellowship is Jesus and we know from Romans 8 that nothing can separate us from the love of Christ. So it is with His love for one another inside of us. Nothing can separate us. When doubt or fear try to sneak in, I can and will rest on that promise, the promise made by my Father with whom there is no shifting shadow. I trust Him, and I trust Sue.

This is only the beginning. As Andrew Peterson said in his song, Dancing In The Minefields, “It was harder than we dreamed, but I believe that’s what the promise is for.”

November 9, 2011
by Chris
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The Proposal

…The next day, Tuesday (yesterday), Susie and I were looking forward to a low-key, non-planning, relaxing date night. Or at least that’s what I told her. During a few hours in the middle of my workday, I drove up to Linda’s house where so much of our story had unfolded, and I prepared the kitchen for the evening ahead (I had arranged the week before with Linda to use her house for this momentous event). Several roses surrendered their petals to cover the counters and others mounded into a pile for me to dust the tile floor before we walked in that night. Chocolates, tea lights, and votives took their places amidst the flowers, and a small set of daisies stood watch to one side.

The soloist of this romantic symphony, though, was a pink box, crowned with a small tapestry with special significance, and wrapped by a faint blue ribbon. Within the box lay five white foam poster boards decorated by gummy bears and chocolates to tell Susie of my love for her and set the stage for the question (on the last piece). The ring would remain in my pocket until that moment. Of lesser note, my iPad was set to one side with several songs in a playlist to give ambiance and dancing music, and my iPhone would hold the role of videographer to capture the event (under the shade of a plant on the counter).

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November 9, 2011
by Chris
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Our Story Thus Far

In Psalm 37:4, David says, “Delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart.” It took me nearly 28 years to truly make the Lord my delight and to surrender all of my wishes to Him, but when I finally did, it was worth it.

This year in June, the Lord helped me surrender my longing since childhood to be married. He brought me to the point where I said, “Lord, I’m willing to go wherever You want to take me, and though I believe marriage is Your will for me, I have no guarantee that it isn’t 20 years hence, so I’ll step forward, put my ‘yes’ on the table, and go to the peoples with Your glory.” That began the journey with a long-term sending organization to take the gospel to unreached peoples in the Middle East.

Then in September, I was blessed to go to the other East (Asia) to engage with university students and share the wonderful news of God’s grace through Jesus Christ. One of our trip leaders was a certain young woman named Susie. Throughout the trip, beginning in the airport stateside, the Lord seemed to cause our paths and conversations to harmonize, even though we each were honestly trying to set this unexpected drama aside so as not to be distracted on our mission (the Lord was so good to make that possible, though my journal entries were packed with my heart’s wrestlings over this godly girl).

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November 1, 2011
by Chris
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November Day

On this day of November,
I hope you remember
The love that we share,
That ’twill always be there.

And tho sickness may come,
Or a storm rages on,
Still we have a strong shelter,
For the Lord is our helper.

For this path weaving ‘head,
Side by side we will tread,
Wrapped in covenant love,
Sent from heaven above.

So go forth in this day,
As the lily doth sway,
Beautiful and free,
Knowing I loveth thee.

October 31, 2011
by Chris
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Blessings and Raindrops

Sometimes in life, we ask God to lead us, to speak through others, and we truly want Him to answer. But when He does, and what we hear is different than what we hoped, or perhaps exactly what we feared, we struggle to see His blessings. The Lord spoke. He chose to give direction. That should be encouraging…

Why is there an ache, then, instead of joy? Is it that the expectations under which we took shelter didn’t stand up to the storm? And in the downpour, have we forgotten the Father’s love, which is “way too much to give us lesser things”?

Perhaps we transfer the rejection of our hope to a rejection of ourselves. Yet we are not abandoned. He is faithful even when we are faithless, and He has promised never to leave or forsake us.

In the Psalms, the Lord is called a “strong tower” and one in whom we can find shelter under His wings. With Him being so big, both the tower and the wings always seemed to be large and strong but impersonal. In those wings, though, can you see the care of young chicks tucked tightly into the soft feathers underneath, warm and safe? And within the fortress, might there be a hearth and fire with a rug before it on which to curl up and rest?

If we could see the new life and warm rays on the other side of the storm, the thunder and cold would be easy, or at least easier, to bear. The Lord chooses disappointments, tears, and nights, though, to build our faith and nudge us to lean on Him. He won’t give us lesser things. He loves us too much for that.

‘Cause what if Your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears?
And what if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You’re near?

What if my greatest disappointments
Or the aching of this life
Is the revealing of a greater thirst
This world can’t satisfy?

And what if trials of this life
The rain, the storms, the hardest nights
Are Your mercies in disguise?

~Laura Story (Blessings, excerpt)

October 17, 2011
by Chris
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Three Words

How can three words mean so much,
More than gift, glance, or even touch?
Getting close, ‘could be the place?
Nearer still, one lovely face.

And so it was when silence broke,
Astonished, surprised, ‘nearly choked.
Could it be, those words so dear?
A dream? For real? Are we here?

At that the dance began anew,
Twirling, spinning, forever true.
Hearts to heaven, amazing grace,
Reflecting each, our Father’s face.

Now continue the journey on,
Quilling, inking, our new song.
Perfect love casts out fear,
And only joy evokes a tear.

‎”Oh, magnify the LORD with me,
and let us exalt his name together!”
~Psalm 34:3 ♥

October 9, 2011
by Chris
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Agape

When love the Father gave to us,
And through Son’s side the spear was thrust,
It did not then depend on us,
His will was why He died.

As foll’wers of the sacred cross,
And sharers in the worthy cost,
We dare not count our lives as lost,
If in Him we abide.

For then give we the gift of love,
With ne’er a string attached above,
No sacrifice too great my dove,
All this agape cried.

And now go forth into the day,
In worship, trial, work, or play,
For this I hear the Savior say,
The Spirit be your guide.

“In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us. By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world.” ~1 John 4:10-14

“We love because he first loved us.” ~1 John 4:19

October 3, 2011
by Chris
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Lily

If flowers of the valley catch the Father’s eye,
And never He misses a tear we cry,
Then constant He watches the path we take,
And leads us unfailing each step we make.

Once treading I saw a scene so bright,
A lily entranced in the Savior’s delight.
‘Ere floating she went, uplifted by grace,
Radiance and splendor, reflecting her face.

Into this ballet He ushered me,
Enraptured and speechless and without plea,
‘Save one to remain and play a part,
Surrendering all, indeed, my heart.

“Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.” ~Matthew 6:28b-29

Never Once

September 30, 2011 by Chris | 0 comments

Standing on this mountaintop
Looking just how far we’ve come
Knowing that for every step
You were with us

Kneeling on this battle ground
Seeing just how much You’ve done
Knowing every victory
Is Your power in us

Scars and struggles on the way
But with joy our hearts can say
Yes, our hearts can say

Never once did we ever walk alone
Never once did You leave us on our own
You are faithful, God, You are faithful

Never once did we ever walk alone
Never once did You leave us on our own
You are faithful, God, You are faithful
You are faithful, God, You are faithful

Scars and struggles on the way
But with joy our hearts can say
Never once did we ever walk alone
Carried by Your constant grace
Held within Your perfect peace
Never once, no, we never walk alone

Every step we are breathing in Your grace
Evermore we’ll be breathing out Your praise
You are faithful, God, You are faithful
You are faithful, God, You are faithful

Driving north last night to meet my brother for dinner, God was lighting up the sky with His power. Is there anything in all creation that cries out like fire arcing the heavens? I gave thanks. My brother’s visit was a pleasant surprise all by itself and then the bolts came to brighten my world that much more.

Matt Redman’s 10,000 Reasons album has been the theme of this fall thus far. The title track, also known as Bless The Lord, ushered in our young adults’ retreat over Labor Day and streamed on to Asia with our team ministering there. Since returning and especially today, the theme song has faded to Never Once.

In beautiful fashion, it looks back to the Lord’s unceasing presence through our histories. Reflecting, we see Him now, though we sometimes despaired in the moment. Then on that foundation, we kneel to consecrate the active battlefield. The war is not over, but we are not abandoned. We have joy because the Lord of hosts is with us. And we declare that never once did we ever walk alone.

Scanning the horizon, we know that our greatest challenges may lie ahead. The darkness is foreboding, but there’s also light. “For with you is the fountain of life; in your light do we see light” (Psalm 36:9). Our legs may get knocked out from under us, but we will kneel. And when that too is taken, we will worship prostrate. If at last our heads are surrendered, then we will truly be victorious–we will be home.

The journey is long. With earthly vision it can seem impossible. But with heavenly eyes we see our Father running. He comes with blazing speed and carries us through the conflict. We are safe in His arms. And in the intermediate pastures and meadows, we bask in His warmth, rejoicing in His grace, until the storm returns and we are held again.

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