Power of Suggestion

Why else would you play…really? Sure you play for fun, friendship, practice, experience…but if you’re not trying to win, what are you doing? Sorry, that was my competitive side coming out…a little ugly, I admit. But in today’s world of 12 year-old Olympians and personal trainers for Pee-Wee football players, that same sentiment seems to be spreading.

In the world of organized competitive sports, the phrase “play to win” means more. It doesn’t just denote your intentions, it’s also a statement of demeanor. When you play to win you’re active, aggressive, and determined. You attack, and you (insert sports idiom here, I prefer “go for the jugular” or “take the kill shot”). But there’s a different kind of play: playing not to lose. Read more

There are a lot of things that we have to do every day. Wake up, brush our teeth, eat, drink, go to the bathroom, watch TV…etc. Sometimes the every day stuff gets so time consuming and, well, blah, that we just trudge through it and never think about the One who makes the everyday possible.

I have too many days that are just average. Nothing good happens, nothing bad happens; these are days that aren’t uncommon in any way. Well, I guess they’re uncommon in their commonness. On those days it sometimes seems that I forget to think about God. I know what you’re thinking: I work in a church, how could I not think about God? OK, I think about Him. But that’s more in the way you think about your teacher when you’re doing your homework. Or about your boss when your filling out a requisition form for pens. And I pray, but on those days it seems like an “Oh, by the way, thanks for all the stuff” prayer. I don’t like those days. Those “everyday” days.

But I learned that those days don’t just go away. It’s not as though they happened on their own. They happen because I try to skate through. Just get to the end of this one, so the next one can start. But I can’t do that. Few things that are worthwhile come to us without any work—even something as simple as a good day. I can’t just hope that each day is extraordinary rather than ordinary. I have to make it so.

“If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.” (Luke 9:23) For the longest time I had no idea what it meant to take up your cross. I understood the concept of crucifixion, and a number of people, such as Peter and Andrew, took up their crosses in that manner and followed Christ. But it was an adverb that got me all messed up: “Daily.” Am I supposed to get crucified day after day?

The short answer is “no”. As I see it, to take up your cross is to do the hard thing because you love Him. Every day you decide to drop the habit, make the change, step in front of the Poser and really remember God. Every day you say, “Christ defeated death, so that I could have life, and I’m going to live my life to the full.” That’s why he came. He said it himself in John 10:10. Remember, the difference between ordinary and extraordinary is that little extra. Cheesy, I know, but if you give that extra every day, every day could be extraordinary.

God is in the room.  It’s an amazing revelation.  Considering the overwhelming feeling of separateness many of us feel when we think of God, it’s incredible to realize that He’s in the room, and He’s waiting for us to notice Him.  What could be more comforting?

Unfortunately, when most people hear that God is in the room, all they can think of is their behavior.  “Uh-oh, I’d better be careful. Don’t want to sin while God’s in the room.”  Even more unfortunate is that the message people are usually trying to convey when using the phrase is the same.  “Remember that God’s always there next time you get angry or tempted.  You don’t want Him to see you doing that.”

Is that the way it really is?  Is God just sitting in the corner taking notes when we screw up?  Is our relationship with God based on our good behavior?  Is the way I talk to my friend or father or son the most important thing to think about when I realize that God is in the room with us?

To take a phrase from Paul, “Certainly not!”  Behavior shouldn’t even be on my radar when I realize the presence of the Holy One.  Neither should fear, or anxiety, or self-consciousness, or insecurity.  Do you know why?  Because God is in the room.  He can comfort us endlessly, and all we have to do is turn to Him.  He’s standing right behind us with his arms open, waiting for the embrace that will fill us and Him alike with joy.

God is in the room.  He’s always there.  He’s there to tell us it’s ok.  He’s there to tell us we’ll do better next time; to tell us that a low grade doesn’t mean low worth, and a high grade doesn’t mean superiority; to tell us that winning isn’t everything, and that the tie goes to the sinner; He’s there to tell us that we’re forgiven.

Maybe if we remember that God is in the room we’ll stop worrying about our ineptitude and start basking in his glory.  If we remember He’s right there next to us we’ll know that we don’t have to be deep in prayer to experience his presence; we don’t have to be in worship to worship; we can be with Him in everything we do.  He sees all of our small successes: the temptation resisted, the kind word shared.  He knows us, He’s with us.  God is in the room.