ddykema5@gmail.com

Feb

2021

It’s Bigger than Flannel Graph

I started reading the book of Exodus for my daily devotions last week. I love the stories of the Old Testament. They are real and authentic people going through real and authentic challenges, difficulties, and hurdles. Too often we relegate these Old Testament narratives to “flannel graph” stories. As kids we would go to Sunday school and sit in front of the flannel graph board and listen to the Sunday school teacher tell us the Bible story as we watched her/him put the flannel graph pieces on the board. I appreciate all the time and effort that every Sunday school teacher put into preparing their lessons. I learned so much from them.

However, has it ever seemed that the Bible characters weren’t real? It was just a nice story, but it’s not applicable to me.

Joseph is such a giant in the faith, he must have had something that I don’t have. There is no way that if I went through all that he went through that I would be able to say “you meant it for evil, but God meant it for good.” (Gen. 50:20). What about Daniel or Job? They endured so much, they most certainly must have had something that I don’t have.

Actually, we have so much that they don’t have. They didn’t have a copy of the Bible, yet we have it in its entirety. They couldn’t look back and see all that Christ did for them while He was on the earth culminating in His death and resurrection. So we actually have it better than they did.

Job went through horrendous suffering without having the written word of God and he was still able to say, “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away, blessed be the name of the Lord.” (Job 1:20, 21).

So what can we learn from the Old Testament? First, we must appreciate that the Old Testament narratives are stories with real people going through real struggles, just like us. Their lives were filled with difficulties and daily challenges that resulted in daily hardship. Not only that, they didn’t have the modern conveniences that we have today. They didn’t have running water and grocery stores or cars and computers with internet. We have these things going for us.

We also have the inspired Word of God in our hands. Many of us have multiple copies of God’s Word. We have the words of God in a written form that we can read and memorize and meditate on. Do we see this as one of our most valuable treasures or do we take it for granted? The God of the universe wanted to make sure that we had His Words so we could read them and live by them. What a special treasure that is for us today.

In this magnificent Word of God we have multiple examples on how to live. We have encouragement from these saints. When you begin to talk to someone that has gone through a similar life struggle as you, doesn’t it provide encouragement to know that they have been through what you are going through and they have made it through to the other side? We have this same scenario in God’s Word.

So when you struggle, go to God’s Word. See how the narrative plays out and see what they chose to do in the midst of the trial. They didn’t have something you don’t have, you actually have something they don’t have.

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:1, 2)

Jan

2021

This is the Day that the Lord has Made

Have you ever prayed the same thing for a really long time and then realized that just maybe your prayer may not line up with Scripture, at least the intention of your prayer did not?

One of the things that I have prayed for my kids and husband and quite honestly anyone is to pray that they have a good day. My idea of a good day is to have nothing go wrong in their day. The world’s idea of a good day – No problems. No struggles. No trials. No heartbreaks. No dilemmas they couldn’t solve. No sadness.

Is that God’s idea of a good day?

I keep thinking about Psalm 118:24 “This is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it.”

Every day that we have is a gift from God. Even in the midst of this pandemic, no matter the day that God gives us, it is the day He has made for us. Even if I have a flat tire, it is a good day that I should rejoice in because it is the day that God has for me. Even when I have to cancel or change my plans because of the virus, it is still the day that God has for me.

I needed a change of perspective in my prayers. Every day that I wake up is a gift from God. Every day that He allows me another breath is a gift from God. Each day that I can serve someone else and show them the love of Christ is a gift from my heavenly Father.

So when my new puppy is difficult to manage, God has a reason for that. When I face decisions in life and am not sure what direction to go, God also has a reason for that. When people in life are not always easy to get along with, God reminds me to seek Him and seek to minister to them as He would.

I am sure you could make your own list, but each event in life that happens is not something that takes God by surprise. Even though we may not look at the events that happen in life as good, God always has a purpose and a plan that will not be thwarted and will bring Him glory.

As we face a new era with a new president and his leadership, we must not forget that even these days are days that God has made, we must rejoice and be glad in them. These days in our country as a Bible believing and Bible following Christian will be a challenge.

Will we rise to the occasion and take a stand for what is right, what is true, and what is honorable to God?

How we take a stand will set us apart from those who violently take a stand. No situation takes God by surprise. Each is an opportunity for us to represent our Savior and Lord. As we see each day as an opportunity to share the love of Christ knowing that each situation may not be the one we would pray for as being good, God saw it as necessary to bring about His ultimate plan.

May you view each day as the day that God has made for you. Rejoice and be glad in it. Let your neighbor see, let you family see, and let your coworkers see that no matter the circumstances you will rejoice in the God who ordered your day.

Jan

2021

Is the Fear of Man the Best Thing for You?

“Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe.” (Proverbs 29:25)

Last week, we looked at what a snare is. It is a trap that either ends very poorly or else it ends without us being able to move. We looked at two things that are in actuality the fear of man, but we like to label things that are sin in a way that makes it seem more palatable to us. We talked about peer pressure and over commitment last week.

This week we will talk about a few more things that we would consider to be “the fear of man.”

People Pleaser

Being a people pleaser – This sounds pretty tolerable to us. We just want to make other people happy. What could be so wrong as to make someone else happy? After all, doesn’t the Bible say we are to serve others? So trying to please others has to be a good thing. How would it fall into the category of “fear of man?” Have you ever done something so that the other person doesn’t get angry at you? Done whatever was necessary so you didn’t get yelled at? I have. The problem is that the cycle never ends. Rather than serving the other person, I am helping them to serve their idolatrous lusts. We talked about this topic a few weeks ago. “When someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness.” (Gal. 6:1). Our duty before God is to serve others, but not to assist them in their sin. Being a people pleaser is similar to peer pressure.

We do something because we want to be accepted by the other person. We have in essence placed our value into the hands of the other person. We see ourselves as only having value if the other person or the “in” crowd gives us value. It is easy to see how this traps us and is also very exhausting. The “crowd” has an opinion that changes, so our value also changes. Not only is it a snare, but is also very unsettling. We also talked a while ago about our identity. If your identity is rooted in who God says you are rather than in what everyone else thinks, the fear of man will no longer be an issue.

Self-Esteem

Self-esteem – How many of us have either said or thought, “I have low self-esteem?” Low self-esteem usually means that I think too highly of myself. I’m too self-involved, I feel I deserve better than what I have. That one really stings. In other words, we are getting our identity from what others are thinking of us. Since it seems that others do not think too highly of us, than we feel poorly about ourselves. Do you see how this is a snare, a trap, a hindrance in our life. Our focus moves off what our identity in Christ ought to be and on to what our identity is according to the world, our culture, the people we surround ourselves with, or even what we see on T.V. and social media.

Decision Making

Decision making – Do you make your decision based on what others will think of you? Do you second guess decisions because of what others might think? Are you afraid of making mistakes that will make you look bad in other people’s eyes? This looks like the last two that we have looked at. You are probably getting an idea of what the fear of man is now.

So what are you going to do about this? What do we do when we find ourselves so wrapped in what others think and try to “unwrap” ourselves? Look at Christ. Fear God. What does God say about who you are? What is identity in Christ? Focus on this rather on what everyone else in the world is saying about you. Look at what you have to give to others, not what you are going to take from them.

Be who God made you to be and claim your identity in Christ. That will give you a confidence that you have been looking for that always seemed to be out of reach. You are who God says you are in Christ. Nothing more and nothing less.

Jan

2021

What is the Fear of Man?

“Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe.” (Proverbs 29:25)

Have you ever considered what the fear of man is? We talk about trusting in the Lord and fearing the Lord quite often in our everyday Christian and church circles, but do we talk about the fear of man?

What exactly is the fear of man? This verse says that the fear of man is a snare. Do you know what a snare is? It’s a trap. A snare is usually a noose type structure that is meant to catch its prey either by its foot or around its neck. Around its foot would cause it to not be able to move but still be alive. A noose, well we know that doesn’t ever end well.

So what is the fear of man that it either causes us to be unable to move or possibly ending very poorly? Here is a list of all the things we use in our current culture that are really the fear of man. I will try to explain them as I go so you understand the connection.

Peer Pressure- Most of us know what peer pressure is and have even seen its effects on people. We dress a certain way. We say certain things. We do things because our peers are doing it. We try to “keep up with the Jones.’” Generally, these things are not beneficial to us or to those around us. Can you see how peer pressure can be a snare that ends in entrapment? Someone who begins to drink alcohol and drinks with friends begins to notice the draw of wanting more. No longer is drinking a thing to do with friends, it becomes a way to cope with the stress of life. This can lead to addiction and even death. This may be an extreme example of peer pressure, but what about the pressure to share a secret that you know because you are with a group of people that is gossiping. Not wanting to be left out, you also share a secret that would hurt the other person’s reputation or character. Now you have damaged someone else and have drug them into the snare of your weakness of peer pressure.
Over Commitment – do you say “yes” when wisdom would indicate that you say “no?” How many times have you said “yes” to something at work or at church because you wanted to make sure everyone thought highly of you. I love the thought “when you say ‘yes’ to one thing you are saying ‘no’ to something else.” When my children were young, I would say “yes” to so many things. They were always good things, but in saying “yes” to all of those good things it took a toll on our family. Now I try to get input from my husband, daughters, parents, or friends before saying “yes.” I spend time in prayer regarding my decision first and foremost. I don’t want to commit to something because I want others to think highly of me, rather I want to commit to things because they would use the talents and abilities God has given me to serve others and glorify God.

In my effort to keep these posts something that is a quick read, I must conclude here and tell you to tune in next week. As you ponder these two points this week, remember that when we fear man it is a snare, but when we fear God it will keep us safe. Would you rather be in a trap that will restrict you or cause terrible consequences or fear the God of the universe who wants to keep us safe?

Jan

2021

New Year, New Resolutions

And so begins a New Year with all the hopes of things being different. Everyone hopes that somehow because we are in a New Year that Covid-19 will somehow have only been a bad dream and we will all wake up from our 9 month sleep and find the world as we knew it. Only, that is not the reality of our world. Covid – 19 is our reality and just like 9/11 changed our lives, so Covid-19 has changed our lives. We must accept these changes and learn to adapt to them rather than be controlled by them.

That is the hard thing about this virus, we all in some way or another are controlled by it. We can’t go into a store without a mask (at least here in Michigan). Kids can’t go to school as they normally did. Children cannot visit their elderly parents in an assisted living, nursing home, or other congregate living like they once could. Visitors in the hospital must be limited. The list is endless.

So in some respects we are controlled by the virus, but I propose to you that it all honestly is a mindset. When I go into a store with the requirement of wearing a mask, I don’t think I am being made to do this. Rather, I am thinking that I am doing this out of respect for others. “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” (Matt. 7:12). Whether I think masks work or not is beside the point. The point is that we have a responsibility to treat others with respect.

I have purposed that my mindset is to respect others.

So, what things have you purposed for your New Year’s resolutions?

My biggest resolution this year is connection. Covid-19 has made it very difficult to connect with people as we once did. I love to entertain, and this year my entertaining has been very limited. Actually, non-existent. Even some of the things that we tried to plan had to be cancelled. I bet many of you have experienced similar things. So my goal for this year is to do a better job at connecting with people, but being creative with it.

I rarely pick up the phone to call anyone just to chat. I always have a purpose in my phone calls. I figure that if I am in the middle of something when someone calls than someone else must be too. Also, with the advent of text, most of us just text. That way we are not interrupting anyone. However, the connection isn’t the same. It’s better than no connection, but still not the same.

So my first resolution is to call people just to chat. So as to be conscientious of people’s time, we’ll only chat for 10 minutes or so.

My other way I have already been trying to connect with people is to go for walks with them. I have lived in a few different places in my life, and every time someone from the area I used to live in posts a picture of somewhere they have walked I always think, “I’ve never been there.” So that doesn’t happen here where we currently live, and have only lived for 4.5 years, I have been trying to go to different trails and walk them with someone. Every walk has been an adventure. Sometimes they take longer than I had planned, but the memories and the scenery are treasures.

Since Covid-19 has changed the landscape of our lives, I think the goals we establish for 2021 should take that into account.

Make some goals. Share them with me. And ask me how I am doing. Too often I get too busy with tasks and I lose sight of what is really important, and that is people.

Only 2 things last forever: God’s Word and people. We would be wise to invest our time in both.

Happy New Year!

Jan

2021

Six things to consider before buying a home

When you are buying a house that you plan to make your home, there are a few things that you should consider before making this purchase. It is generally the largest purchase that anyone will make during their lifetime.

There are six things you should consider before making this large purchase.

1. Maintenance: Every home will require time and money for upkeep. Be sure to check out the roof, the windows, the foundation. Will the deck need to be stained or refinished? Will the driveway need to be sealed?

2. Yard Work: The flower beds are beautiful and the yard is beautifully manicured when you go look at the home, but it does not get this way without some time, money, and hard work. Is that something you are interested in doing? My son-in-law is allergic to much outdoors. That could be you and you need to consider how you will maintain your yard once you purchase your home. Don’t forget the winter months when the snow starts to accumulate. I often look at driveways and have told my kids more than once “I don’t want to drive up that one in the winter.” Consider all seasons.

3. Homeowner’s Associations: Some subdivisions have them others do not. Some have a gentleman’s’ agreement association. We have one of these where we live. It covers our road since it is a private road. Be sure to ask these questions and know the answers before putting in your offer.

4. Inspections and testing: This is helpful so you know what you are buying. Many older homes will not meet the 2021 building codes, so be sure to remember these things as you are looking through your inspection. A home that has a well and septic will have separate inspections that will be done at the seller’s expense but with the inspection report provided to you. If you have a question ask before purchase. It is always a good idea to have as much knowledge as possible. Remember no house is perfect.

5. Commute: What is the distance you are willing to drive in order to get to where you want to go? When we moved to this area, I had to get used to longer distances to get anywhere. Now when I go back to where we used to live, I feel a little claustrophobic. I certainly enjoy the space we have here in West Michigan.

6. Environmental Noise and Lighting: Stop, look, and listen. Maybe the road doesn’t bother you. Maybe the high traffic-area will not be a concern for you.

None of these points may be deal breakers, but they are definitely something worth considering. If you are considering purchasing a new home, please PM me or give me a call. I would love to help you welcome in the new year with a new home.

Dec

2020

Which is

Over the course of the last two years, I have been training to become a certified Biblical Counselor. During this training process, I have read many books, memorized Scripture, and been mentored by a wonderful and wise man and woman. During this process of training, the Biblical principle that has convicted me the most is that of idolatry. I have always thought of idolatry like the idols in the Old Testament. As mentioned in Exodus 20:4 “You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or the likeness of anything that is in heaven above or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.” Today in America, I don’t think there are too many people that are carving images out of stone and bowing down and worshipping them or sacrificing to them. I always thought of idolatry in modern day America as worshipping your car, or money, or some other treasure that you valued highly.

I felt pretty good about myself because even though I really like my car and my house and even my bike, I didn’t worship them. I never bowed down to them. I didn’t sacrifice anything to them. I didn’t pray to them. I always knew in my heart that if I had to get rid of any of the things in my life that I might consider to be treasures, I knew that I could still be content without them. I wasn’t an idolater. I loved God more than I loved anything else, but then I started to understand idolatry in a whole new light in our modern day world. Then the conviction began to take place.

Colossians 3:5 says, “Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire and covetousness, which is idolatry.” Did you catch what this verse says is idolatry? Covetousness. Covetousness means to want what you do not have. Does this mean that if you are hungry and want a hamburger and you don’t have it in your home and you have to go to a restaurant to buy it, you are coveting? NO. What about if you want a hamburger for supper and your spouse who usually prepares all the meals serves chicken instead and you get angry with them for not having hamburgers, are you now coveting? Yes. What you want has caused you to sin.

So often we exhibit emotions that God would call sin and these emotions lead back to something that we want that we do not have. Our emotions that come out of us are a peephole into our thinking. We talked about the tie between our emotions and our thinking a few weeks ago. When the emotions of anger, bitterness, anxiety, worry, and woe is me, others would be better without me, perfectionism, control, etc. begin to show up in our lives, we must realize that there is thinking that is unbiblical and many times this unbiblical thinking has developed into an idol.

So when we start to exhibit emotions such as anger, worry or anxiety, bitterness, etc., we must examine our hearts and find out what it is that we want. I John 2:16 tells us “For all that is in the world – the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and the pride of life – is not from the Father but is from the world.” So how could we put this verse into more concrete idols that we might have in our hearts that we have begun to hold dear to us? Here is a sample list.

1. Security
2. Affection/love
3. Attention
4. Satisfaction
5. Comfort, refuge, ease of life
6. Joy, happiness
7. Approval

Have you ever wanted any of these things so much that you have sinned to try to get them? In America, we feel like we deserve life to be comfortable and easy. We are willing to sin in order to get that comfort and ease. How often do you feel inconvenienced when what you want your schedule to look like only to have it interrupted by a broken down car, or the kids interrupt our quiet time and we get angry at them for bothering us, or how much Covid has interrupted and inconvenienced our lives. So you may not be bowing down and worshipping your car, but you may be worshipping comfort and ease. Are you sinning in order to get what you want?

Take some time to think about what it is that you want. What emotions frequently exhibit themselves? How would others characterize you? Now what is it that you want that is causing those emotions? That is probably your idol.

Remember Exodus 20:3 “You shall have no other gods before me.”

Let’s celebrate Christmas this year truly worshipping the Lord who came to earth for us, rather than trying to worship the idols in our lives that never bring true peace, hope, or joy.

Dec

2020

Glory to God

Purpose, we all want to have it. We all want to know that our lives have meaning and that we are not just on this earth to exist and then die. The dictionary definition of purpose is “the reason for which something is done or created or for which something exists.” During this Christmas season, I think many of us find purpose in buying presents for others, or giving to charities, or donating our time to help at a local food bank. What happens when Christmas is over and all the benevolence that we feel during this time of year disappears? What happens when the Christmas spirit is gone and we begin to get lost in the dreariness of January? The joy of the Christmas season lifts many of our spirits. We have all struggled with the doldrums that this pandemic has brought us and many have embraced the joy of the Christmas season earlier than normal. I have seen many houses decorated for Christmas earlier than normal.

Once Christmas is over and the dreariness of January sets in, how do we keep that Christmas spirit alive? The pandemic will not be over. It will take some time to get the vaccine administered.

How do we keep the joy and happiness that Christmas brings in our daily lives? We must look at Scripture to understand our purpose. If the Christmas spirit only comes out of us during the Christmas season, than we have not truly understood our purpose.

“Everyone who is called by my name,

whom I created for my glory,

whom I formed and made.”

(Isaiah 43:7)

As believers in Jesus Christ, we have a singular purpose: to bring glory to God. That’s it. What brings us joy is not the circumstances that affect our daily lives: the kind of car we drive, the house we live in, who our friends are, a smooth day at work, etc. Our circumstances do not affect our joy. Knowing that our purpose in all situations is to bring honor and glory to God brings us joy.

No matter if we are sick with Covid or in quarantine because of exposure, if our car quits working, or we lose our job, we should be seeking to bring glory to God in any of these situations. What is your response to the hard times? What is your response to the good times?

If you are a garbage collector, unemployed, or the CEO of a company, the joy you experience needs to come from bringing glory to God in all situations.

There are so many stories of people who went through times of terrible heartache and loss and rather than feel sorry for themselves, they chose to bring honor and glory to God in the midst of the trial.

After Job’s trial he said, “I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted.” (Job 42:2).

After Joseph’s trial he said to his brothers, “You meant it for evil, but God meant it for good.” (Genesis 50:20)

Will you be faithful and give God the glory in the little things, knowing that this will bring joy? Or will you always be striving for the next external circumstances to bring you joy? There is nothing in our lives that God is not aware of. There is not one thing in our life that He did not orchestrate for our good and His glory. Can we be faithful in the small things like Joseph and glorify God through them or will we choose to be like Naomi looking at the circumstances of life and changing our name to Mara which means bitter.

What is your purpose? To bring glory to God no matter the circumstance or wait for your circumstances to be perfect so you can derive happiness from them? You do have a choice.

Nov

2020

“I Hate Covid”

“I hate Covid!” I received this text from one of my daughters recently. How many of us have had similar thoughts and sentiments? The disruption to people’s lives and their incomes is something we cannot fully wrap our heads around event though we have all lived through it. We all have our own opinions regarding what the government should and should not be doing. We all have different opinions regarding what they can mandate and what they cannot. We all have had different and varied responses over the course of this long and drawn out virus. One day we are complicit and the next day we are over it all.

So when these thoughts and feelings creep up into our thoughts and hearts of “I hate Covid!” What should our response be?

First, we must remember the most important thing about this situation and that is God is Sovereign. That was my first response to my daughter. I think the person from Scripture that we can find the most comfort in through difficult times is Job. At the end of the trials he went through he said to God, “I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted.” (Job 42:2). God has a purpose in all things and we need to trust His purposes even though in our human minds they do not make sense. God’s purposes are much greater than ours. We must also remember, that nothing takes God by surprise. He knew all about this virus before it even appeared.

Over the course of the last 6 years, we have raised 4 puppies for Leader Dogs for the Blind. When we get those puppies at 7 weeks old, they are sweet and cute and cuddly. Yet, they have so much to learn. I know what their purpose is as I train them, but they do not understand their purpose. What they understand is if I sit, I get a treat. If I walk nicely on the leash, I get a treat. They function based on the rewards they receive. I know their purpose, so I train them and treat them accordingly.

God also has a purpose for each of our lives. The more we desire to submit to His will and learn what He has to teach us, the better we are to be “conformed to the image of His Son.” (Rom. 8:29). None of us like trials and tests. No one wants to go through a hard time. One of our puppies did not respond as well to the training as she should have. She resisted often the training that she needed to participate in and because of this resistance she was career changed from her original purpose to one of being someone’s pet. Her purpose at birth was to be a Leader Dog for the Blind, but because of her resistance to training her purpose changed.

God has a purpose for each of our lives. “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” (Eph. 2:10). The question is will we willingly submit to His plans and purposes or will we turn from God to try to follow after what we deem to be a better plan?

Second, we must remember to be thankful for all things. “Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” (I Thess. 5:18). This was my other reminder to my daughter. Be thankful. I reminded her of all the blessings she has experienced because of Covid. I think we can all think of something to be thankful for because of Covid.

As hard as this never ending Covid saga is, we must remember two things:

God is Sovereign
Be thankful for all things

I hope you have a Happy Thanksgiving and remember to be thankful for all things and thank God for His sovereignty.

Nov

2020

You’re just a water bottle waiting to be squeezed

Last week, we considered our emotions and looking at the cause of them. We determined we needed to ask ourselves a few questions to get at the bottom of what we are feeling.

“What am I thinking? What do I want?”

When emotions surfaced this week, did you consider them and ask yourself these questions? Once you did ask yourself those questions, did you figure out what you were thinking or wanting? Then did you evaluate those thoughts and desires as to whether they were God honoring or self-serving?

We have multiple situations that come into our life every day. Each of these circumstances squeezes us to see what is in our hearts. Just like when you squeeze a water bottle, what comes out? Water. So when the circumstances of life squeeze us, what comes from our hearts? Our emotions are a sure indicator of the person that we are. Our thoughts are an equally sure indicator of the person we are.

“As a man thinks in his heart so is he.”

(Proverbs 23:7)

Here’s the thing. We have a choice.

A circumstance happens. We have a thought, whether we realize that thought or not. Then we have an emotion. Then we respond.

Here’s my real life situation that happened this week. I hope you can relate.

I was cleaning our basement. I had the shop vac that I designated for just the basement to get all the bugs and cob webs and clean between the rafters. Then I had my upright vacuum to vacuum the rest of the space. My husband came downstairs and said, “You have the shop vac down here, what do you need the upright down here for too?” Here’s what I thought, “why is he always doubting me, especially when it comes to cleaning?” My emotions were ones of frustration and even a bit of anger for his comment. So my words followed suit. “Why are you always doubting me?” Rather than this response, I should have kindly and patiently explained to him what I was doing with both vacuums. Seems like a small and even petty thing, but I want you to understand this concept. I was focusing on me and allowing my selfishness to come out.

Multiple circumstances come into our lives every day. Every day, we are squeezed to see what is in our hearts. What comes out of our mouths or in our actions betrays our thoughts which are exhibited in our emotions.

“Guard your heart with all diligence, for from it flows the springs of life.”

(Proverbs 4:23)

Every day, we must guard our hearts. When I think of a guard, I think of one who is dressed for battle and always on the alert for danger that may come. Do we dress ourselves every day for battle? We have been given battle gear as stated in Ephesians 6, but we must put it on. There is a requirement for us.

Our hearts and our thinking are so susceptible to our selfish desires. What I want does not always line up with what glorifies God. We may even be harmlessly in the basement serving our family by cleaning the basement of all the dead bugs and cob webs that seem to accumulate relentlessly down there, when all of a sudden a simple comment found me focused on me. I had spent that morning reading my Bible and praying. I had spent time riding my bike and quoting verses that I have been memorizing. All recipes for putting on my armor. Yet, there was a gap in my armor, and it showed up in my response.

I must relentlessly pursue Christ. I must always be looking to Christ and what He has done for me. I must be keeping my eyes always on the cross, not on myself.

I want to always be in the mindset of John the Baptist, “He must increase, but I must decrease.” (John 3:30).

ddykema5@gmail.com

It’s Bigger than Flannel Graph