Inside Out

By Cheri Cowell –

Today I met a friend for lunch and through our conversation she learned that I indeed wore a southern belle gown and big picture hat for my wedding. For proof I pulled the picture from my purse. As she looked at the picture she said, “Funny, I didn’t picture you as the southern belle type.” To which I replied, “You’re right. I guess I was filling a role I thought I should play.” Come to think of it, I have played many roles in my life that were not accurate reflections of my inner self. Jesus can see beneath the surface and calls us to be who we really are.

The Pharisee had invited Jesus into his home, but Jesus knew that the man’s heart (his motives) were not pure. In Luke 11:39, we read that in order to reveal truth to the man, Jesus spoke of the inside and outside of a cup. True giving comes from what is inside, He tells the man, implying that his invitation to Jesus to dine with him was not given from a pure heart. He was just playing a role. His true character was revealed. Are you living a role that does not accurately reflect your true character? Jesus is more interested in lives lived from the inside out, and gifts given from a pure heart.

When Jesus had finished speaking, a Pharisee invited him to eat with him; so he went in and reclined at the table. 38 But the Pharisee was surprised when he noticed that Jesus did not first wash before the meal.39 Then the Lord said to him, “Now then, you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness. 40 You foolish people! Did not the one who made the outside make the inside also? 41 But now as for what is inside you—be generous to the poor, and everything will be clean for you. (Luke 11:37-41 NIV)

PRAYER: Father, Thank-you for tenderly revealing my inner self to me so that I can live a life that is clean from the inside out. Help me to clean the cup from the inside so I may accurately reflect Your image to the outside.

New Year and a New You

By Cheri Cowell –

Statistics tell us 90% of Americans will make New Year’s resolutions. Sadly, 50% of us will have abandoned our goals by the end of January. Of those still holding on to hope, only 50% will be realized. So, why do we continue this tortuous ritual?

Perhaps it is the hope that this year we will make better choices. This year, we tell ourselves, will finally be the year we turn that corner, flip over the new leaf, and begin again.

In another ritual, during ancient days, the standard or flag was carried into battle by one sworn to uphold all that the emblem signified, even to the point of wrapping his body in the banner before the fatal blow should the safety of the symbol no longer be secured.

In the same way, Christ was God’s standard-bearer to the world. His standard is the measure by which we are called to live.

Are the goals you’ve set for 2013 based upon His standard or someone else’s? Are God’s goals part and parcel of your own goals? Are serving the poor and disadvantaged part of your goals? Is time in God’s Word scheduled into your calendar? If you’re not sure, you may want to make one of your goals to spend some time getting to know your Standard-Bearer better.

When we know His ways, we’ll know our way.

PRAYER: God, I declare today that You alone are my Standard-Bearer. Help me to align my goals and priorities in 2013 so they reflect Your standard, Your goals, Your heartbeat.

“He saw that there was no one, he was appalled that there was no one to intervene; so his own arm achieved salvation for him, and his own righteousness sustained him. He put on righteousness as his breastplate, and the helmet of salvation on his head; he put on the garments of vengeance and wrapped himself in zeal as in a cloak. According to what they have done, so will he repay wrath to his enemies and retribution to his foes; he will repay the islands their due. From the west, people will fear the name of the LORD, and from the rising of the sun, they will revere his glory. For he will come like a pent-up flood that the breath of the LORD drives along” (Isaiah 59:16-19 NIV).

God and Dr. Suess

By Cheri Cowell –

I love Dr. Seuss! At Universal’s Islands of Adventure theme park there’s a whole section dedicated to Seuss-ville. The Cat in the Hat ride tells the story of Thing 1 and Thing 2 and the destruction they create while Mom is gone. They do all the things Mom told them not to do and create a big huge mess while doing it. Then they hear Mom coming, and in a flash clean everything up just in time for her to walk through the door.

I believe we like that story so much because each of us harbors that rebellious spirit. Even though we know what to do, we choose to continue to disobey and do things we know we ought not to. We play this sort of cat and mouse (no pun intended) with God, hoping we can clean up our messes just in time for Him to walk through the door. It doesn’t work that way in real life, and we know it.

This is one of the scriptures that the popular “Left Behind” book series is based upon. Don’t get caught up in the details of this passage. God is not giving us “hints” so we can figure out when to expect Him. Jesus makes the point that life will seem to be going on as usual when His Second Coming will take place. Will we be rushing around trying to clean things up, or will we be ready?

“But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left. “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come” (Matthew 24:36-42 NIV).

PRAYER: Thank You, God, that You will indeed return at the perfect time. Help me to be the faithful servant; ready, taking care of Your people, not seeking self-serving pleasures. Then help me become someone You can safely put in charge of “all Your possessions.”

God’s Workout Plan

By Cheri Cowell –

Most of us have some form of health goals for the New Year. It seems that every other commercial on television is about losing weight or getting healthy. I’m told that gym memberships increase by over 60% the first six weeks of the year, but decline to their normal numbers after that. Just this week I heard a fitness expert say we need to spend at least three hours each week on some form of physical exercise, and double that if we want to lose weight. He said that for most people, simply walking more is a good place to start in order to create an exercise habit that will stay with us throughout our lives.

How many of us have similar goals for our spiritual exercise? The goal of living longer, being healthier, and possibly looking better this time next year propels us towards making these lifestyle changes. But what image or goal is going to drive us to make the commitments needed for our spiritual exercise?

Each of us has the job of discovering how we can labor and strive for the kingdom of God. Some of us will labor this year by working on a particular area of weakness, some by surrendering an area of life to God, and still others by seeking more of God’s face and less of His hand.

And what will we get when we do this? We will experience the hope of the Living God, who will give us the desires of our hearts. Strive and labor on God’s workout equipment and He will provide the “body” in Christ you are looking for.

PRAYER: God, thank You for never allowing my work to go unnoticed or unheralded. Help me exercise more consistently on Your workout equipment so I may be all You need me to be in the body of Christ.

“But reject those myths fit only for the godless and gullible, and train yourself for godliness. For “physical exercise has some value, but godliness is valuable in every way. It holds promise for the present life and for the life to come” (1 Timothy 4:7-8 NET).

Sharing the Gift

By Cheri Cowell –

My husband loves to shake the boxes under the Christmas tree and try to guess what they are. It is a lot of fun when he is so far off base. I feel as if I’ve done my duty when I can trick him into thinking about one thing when I’ve actually bought him something else.

It is not much fun, however, when he guesses correctly. What is the fun of giving a surprise gift if there is no surprise? One year when Randy was a little boy, he guessed his gift correctly and his brother picked up the gift and walked out the front door with it. “What are you doing?” he asked in bewilderment. “You guessed it so I’m taking it back,” was the reply.

Fortunately, we don’t have to worry about God returning His gift. Yes, we already know what it is, but it doesn’t change for us the excitement that builds knowing we are getting the best Christmas gift we could ever receive.

The Jewish people should not have been surprised when they finally received this gift. Some, like Mary, recognized it right away. Mary knew the Scriptures, and had probably prayed each night for the Messiah to come and save them from their oppression. Little did she know that she would play such an important role in the giving of this gift to the world. We know the gift that is coming, and we, as well, have a role to play in sharing this gift with the world.

So shake some packages, get excited. The greatest gift is ready to be shared.

PRAYER: I praise You God for the planning that went into the giving of this precious gift. Thank You for the hundreds and thousands of people who played a role in passing this gift down through the ages so I might receive it. Thank You for trusting me to be a part in sharing this great gift with others.

“Then Isaiah said, “Hear now, you house of David! Is it not enough to try the patience of humans? Will you try the patience of my God also? Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel” (Isaiah 7:13-14 NIV).

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