The Olympians

Sochi 2014. It's happening. Here we are, along with the rest of the world. All these nations, all these countries, we meet in this one event that somehow connects with everyone, regardless of race. These are the Olympics: raw talent mixed with years of blood, sweat, and tears. This is what athletes dream about. This is what they work all their lives toward. This is where people's climaxes are reached. This is where people's lives are shattered.

This is where the human race determines the best of the best, ignoring all the rest. This is where they ignore all the hours, days, weeks, months, and years that were spent in preparation. No medal = no matter. They're all talented, no doubt, but their faults are highlighted above all else, and they are awfully penalized for every little mistake. Eyes are peeled for slips, much more than for the strengths. The trips, falls, and crashes are replayed over and over, shown to the world nonstop, forgetting the rest of the otherwise-flawless performance. We focus on the bad.

That's a prime example of what happens when we follow the example of the third servant in Matthew 25. 

14 ~ Again, the Kingdom of Heaven can be illustrated by the story of a man going on a long trip. He called together his servants and entrusted his money to them while he was gone. He gave five bags of silver to one, two bags of silver to another, and one bag of silver to the last—dividing it in proportion to their abilities. He then left on his trip.

I have no talents. I have no gifts. I can't do anything . . . God can. He has chosen to given me His talents and His gifts- and He's chosen to give specific gifts and talents to every single human on earth, just like the servants in the parable. Otherwise stupid, incapable, weak creatures, he personalized with gifts of wits, speaking, writing, creativity, singing, dancing... athletic abilities- and much, much more.

I'm sure you know the parable. If not, it's found in Matthew 25:14-30. Basically, the first servant invested His money. This otherwise broke, unemployed servant was entrusted with five bags of silver, the second servant was entrusted with two, and the third with one.

The first and second servant went straight to work, investing the money and working to earn more for when their Master would return. They are the people who understand that their 'talents' and 'abilities' are NOT theirs to keep. They are the people that understand that to loiter around, letting these gifts waste away, is not the right thing to do. These are the people who seize opportunity, take risks, give much, and use their God-given talents to further His kingdom.

In verses 21 and 23, after the Master learns of the wonderful results that the first two servants had with His entrusted money, He gives them equal praise. Even though they were entrusted with different amounts, and the first earned more than the second, the amount was of no matter. They both received the incredible words of the Master: "Well done, my good and faithful servant. You have been faithful in handling this small amount, so now I will give you many more responsibilities. Let’s celebrate together!" The only thing that mattered to the Master was that they do their best to use their gifts for His glory.

Then, there are those like the third servant... which was everyone at one point, until we figured out that our gifts were not really ours to keep. He buried his money to keep it safe. He was shy, he was hesitant, he thought his portion was useless and pointless, so he hid it. Sound familiar? 

Even people who appear to be using their abilities well, like many renowned artists, singers, performers, and athletes, could be much like the third servant. For a billion gold medals that are not won in God's name are a billion worthless medals. Every accomplishment, every certificate, every practice, every spoken word that is not executed with the intent of glorifying God... is worthless.

The Master calls this man a 'wicked and lazy servant,' but it does not end there.

29 ~ To those who use well what they are given, even more will be given, and they will have an abundance. But from those who do nothing, even what little they have will be taken away. 

Gifts and talents that go to waste without accomplishing a single thing for God's kingdom are sadly very common. We all have gifts, but I know for myself, many of those are growing dusty, or are being used for meaningless reasons. We need to grasp that these gifts and talents and possessions do NOT belong to us- God is lending them to us, for the purpose of making the most of them!

This is why we are God's servants! This is why Paul is a slave of Christ! This is what it means! 

It's been quoted a dozen times on this blog already, and it'll be quoted a dozen times more. 

Matthew 6:19-21

Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. 

Cuddles

Waaaaaay back in the 'olden-days'.... or about five years ago, I was really into writing songs. I guess I just loved the satisfaction of coming up with a heart-rending melody, and putting in the poetry I had imagined over a previous stroll into the canola fields, or during a jog down to the train tracks.

Sometimes, these days, as I am showering or cleaning alone, a song of mine from earlier years will pop into my head. And sometimes, like today, the lyrics I had written without much thought so many years ago, suddenly have such depth and meaning to my present relationship with God- it's amazing!

I remember writing this song from the perspective of God- or rather, my interpretation of it. I can't remember it having any amazing, impacting revelation on my personal Christian walk at the time, but now, looking back on the words, it all has much greater meaning. In fact, as I was humming it to myself trying to remember those words I had come up with years ago, it brought me to tears.

Run into my open arms

I've been waiting here for you

It's been so long, you've been so lost

and I've really missed you.

It's been years since you last said a word to me,

You've pushed me out of your life!

I could wait for all eternity . . .

but you don't have that much time.

That was the chorus. I believe I titled the song, "Prodigal Son." I was inspired by Brian Litrell's "Welcome Home." I just loved the picture of a son who had been gone for so long, squandering his possessions and savings and ruining his life, and coming home thinking he would be a disgrace to his Father. The response still chokes me up. That picture of a Father with tears of joy in his eyes, sprinting down the street to embrace his little boy who he's been dying to see. 

And so it is with God. He could wait for eternity for us to come back to Him, but we don't have that much time. We have a miniature stretch of years in the grand scheme of history. How much of that miniature stretch is spent in our loving Father's arms? My answer would be: NOT ENOUGH.

Sometimes I like to curl up on my bed, and just imagine the literal arms of God wrapping around me like a small child. It is such an amazing, comforting picture. I forget about that image throughout the day- only praying when I feel obliged to. But God is our Father- our perfect Father! Of course He wants to hear from us, He wants us to be vulnerable and share whatever is on our hearts, He wants to know our troubles and weaknesses. In our weaknesses, and only then, can we look up and see the strength of the Almighty.

2 Corinthians 12:9 ~

But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, 

for my power is made perfect in weakness." 

Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, 

so that Christ's power may rest on me.

It saddens me to know that God is always beside me, eager for me to turn to Him and tell Him about my troubles. Not facebook, not friends, not my journal, not my music, Him! He's waiting with open arms thinking, "Oh, is she going to see me? Guess not.... oh, now? Is she going to pray? Is she going to read my love letter? No, she's just going to sleep again." I can just feel His sighs. He knows that the way to fulfillment and happiness is through Him, and He longs to see us happy! So imagine how troublesome it is for Him to see us waste our chances at peace and rest and love so often?

I've been writing blog posts for over a year now- but I don't want to just write blog posts. Sometimes I get the feeling that I'm writing posts about someone I don't even know. It makes zero sense. I want to be writing about my best friend, my Father, my Savior. I want to be writing about my Lord and my God, someone who I spend most of my time with. That's not happening as of now, but I so badly want it to.

It's crazy how easily I forget that the most amazing moments in my life were those moments I spent alone in prayer, or those moments when I took the time to kneel and worship, or those moments I took to explore God's word. I've had so many of those beautiful moments, and though the stress and worries in my life were still there, they were completely drowned out in those moments.

People buy magazines, look for tips on the internet, and get psychiatric help to try to find a moment like that. We have the answer, and we hardly use it! I have the answer sitting right beside my bed, and it still takes effort to put into practice! I often go to bed, tossing and turning for hours, worrying over tests or exams or pains or friends, when the opportunity to get a great big hug from the God of the Universe is always there.

Matthew 18:12-14~

"If a man has 100 sheep, but one of the sheep becomes lost, then the man will leave the other 99 sheep on the hill. He will go to look for the lost sheep. Right? And if the man finds the lost sheep, the man is happier about that one sheep than about the 99 sheep that were never lost. I tell you the truth. In the same way, your Father in heaven does not want any of these little children to be lost."

The story of the prodigal son still manages sometimes to leave me curled up on my bed, crying like a baby. 

But you know . . . maybe those moments when we make ourselves vulnerable and weak are the best moments to be cradled by the Everlasting Arms.