Author: Christine Wyrtzen

Needing Constant Attention

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The fear of the LORD teaches a man wisdom, and humility comes before honor.  Proverbs 15:33

An arrogant man boasts because he wants to be honored.  He is not content to live his life quietly with integrity.  He fears that he might forfeit recognition if he removes himself from the center of everyone’s attention. He feels desperate because He believes he needs others’ respect to survive.  The irony is, those who react politely to his self-centered stories aren’t really honoring him.  Their good manners blind him and their good etiquette impedes his spiritual growth.

God says that real honor will come to us another way; the way of humility.  Modest people are uncomfortable with honor when it’s conferred on them.  They immediately insist that it’s misplaced.  As a recording artist, I’ve played with a good number of professional musicians over the years.  I have noticed that the more gifted the musician, the more humble they were.  The truly great artists were less sure of their performance and offered to play it again and again until they felt they got it right. They looked for the flaws in their performance in order to serve you well.

What gets complicated is when I know enough scripture to fake humility. I discover that I can still be in the spotlight if I’m known for being humble. How tricky the soul is! I adopt a posture such as this… “I come from such simple beginnings but for some reason I don’t understand, God has chosen to bless me!”  My pride has a voracious appetite and there are all sorts of creative ways I can appear self-effacing in order to take care of my fragile ego.

The closer I walk with Jesus, the clearer it becomes: every other kind of honor is empty. The applause of people will never satisfy—it is inconsistent, fragile, and gone in a moment. But the honor of Christ lasts forever. His pleasure is the only measure that matters. When I know He is delighted, I need nothing else.

Teach me, Jesus, to crave Your pleasure above all else. Strip away the disguises of pride until I live for Your smile alone. Amen

The Yoke of Religion

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They tie up heavy, burdensome loads and lay them on men’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to move them.  Mattthew 23:4

As a young monk, Martin Luther confessed that he didn’t love God, he hated Him. He felt that he just couldn’t please Him. Luther beat himself, fasted for days, slept outside in the cold, and all because He felt the guilt of his own sin. He couldn’t sleep at night because he thought, “Can I possibly do everything that God requires of me?” His mentor told him that confession is to bring relief to those burdened with guilt, not add more. But Luther was so bound up by a religious yoke that, though he confessed constantly, he found little relief. While some around him made their complete confession in just a few minutes, Luther would go on for hours. It’s a reminder to me that perceived holiness is often driven by forces other than an affection for Christ.

If I suffer under a religious yoke, I have a nagging feeling that I’m not good enough. I have no peace. I don’t feel forgiven. I keep myself insanely busy to dull the ache of unworthiness.  I need to impress God with overachieving. Really, I am the older brother in the prodigal son story who kept all the rules but was probably only looking out for his own inheritance. He felt his father owed him; which is easy to believe if you’re a rule keeper. When hard times come, accusations follow.  “God, how could you? After how good I’ve been?”

If I labor under the yoke of religion, I believe that my good behavior proves to God that I’m really a good child. I forget that I am not bound to the law; Jesus already fulfilled it. He annihilated every reason I believe I have to perform.  He gave me His righteousness and made it possible for me to rest in my salvation.

If I suffer under the torment of a religious yoke, how do I escape it?  By repenting of self-exaltation and for minimizing the power of the cross. This is where Martin Luther ended up – believing that he was saved by faith alone – not by works.  In the silence after my surrender, the cross speaks louder than all my labor, whispering that Christ’s mercy holds what my hands could never earn.

Quiet my striving and anchor me in Your finished work.  Amen

Testing. The Subject We Avoid.

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After these things God tested Abraham and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.” Genesis 22:1

I’ve spoken with three women, just this week, who believe God is testing them. He’s led each of them into the wilderness and the pain and pressure seem unbearable. Whether I am a new Christian or a seasoned believer, a time of testing challenges my view of God and how He loves His children. How can He say that I am the apple of His eye yet test me with pain? Can it really be that the resulting faith is so valuable that the testing is really a loving act, not a cruel one?

Abraham was told to sacrifice his own son on an altar. It’s inconceivable that God would ask such a thing, isn’t it?  So, I’m letting my unrest stand this morning. Questions are good. And though I already know the end of the story, Abraham didn’t. Like him, when testing comes, the pain that comes with it unearths the hidden things of my heart. What can stay conveniently veiled in good times erupts under stress. Lies and accusations abound when I may be unaware such things exist in my own soul. Perhaps this is one of the ‘gifts’ testing offers.

I’m jumping into the deep end of the pool. There are no shallow answers. Abraham was torn by his love for God and his love for his son. They appeared to be mutually exclusive. We can feel the tension without it eroding our faith. We can dare enter the story.

If you are in the middle of testing, it’s okay to allow your own questions to surface. God will lead us through the minefields and the experience will be profitable, not only to us, but to the people we encourage on the other side..

Lord, I want You to speak to me through this story. Only Your voice, Lord. Reveal Yourself and give me the treasures of the darkness. Amen

What Your Name Means To You

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Everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made.  Isaiah 43:7

Oftentimes, the meaning of someone’s name holds great spiritual meaning.  It’s something we can grow into.  I believe God often handpicks names, especially if parents were prayerful.  Names so often seem to fit the child.

When Eve gave birth to her second child, he was named Abel. The meaning of his name suited his destiny. ‘Abel’ means ‘breath or vapor.’ As his life story unfolds, his life is brief, just a vapor. He is to be the first martyr for the Christian faith and will be remembered in the great hall of faith chapter in Hebrews.       

In a loving and stable home, a girl named ‘Joy’ will be a bubbly child, full of sunshine. A boy whose name means ‘man of faith’ will grow up to have spiritual grit.  He will go on to overcome daunting challenges. But if the home is a wasteland, filled with pain and destruction, Satan will ensure that the child grows up believing the exact opposite of his name. The girl named ‘Joy’ will be overtaken by depression. The boy whose name means ‘full of faith’ will face affliction that causes him to live in fear.

Can God change our story, our nature, and our name? Consider Naomi. Her name meant ‘pleasant and agreeable,’ and for a while, she probably was. Then her husband uprooted her and their two sons and moved them to Moab. Afterward, Naomi watched all three of them die. Her story took on bitter overtones, so much so that she renamed herself Mara, which means bitter. That wasn’t the end, however. God redeemed her name as well as her story. He used a Moabite woman, from a godless nation, to reanimate her mother-in-law. Ruth made one brave decision after another and, after marrying Boaz, filled both their futures with joyful laughter.

God is a God of new names. He gives a new identity to anyone willing to follow Him to the land of blessing. It’s not an easy journey, as it involves a complete shift in mindset. But great significance will come to those who believe that God will do it for them.

God, You can re-write the plot of anyone’s story at any time.  Anything tragic associated with my name can be transformed into something with holy meaning, filling my heart with joyful singing.  Amen

Abba’s Place

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Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. Isaiah 43:1

There’s nothing worse than being parented by someone who is not a good person and one who, ultimately, has it in for me. Every decision made on my behalf has questionable motives. But, there’s nothing better than belonging to Abba.  He sincerely loves me. Every decision made on my behalf is for my benefit. With Him, I can breathe, not worrying about whether or not He will change His mind about me. There was no honeymoon stage.  It started well and it will end well.

Some kids live every day in fear as fickle parents demand performance for the privilege of living at home. Others exist in a marriage where an unstable spouse turns love off and on like a faucet. You never know what mood you’re going to encounter in the morning. Belonging to a master in either of these settings feels like a prison sentence.

Oh, but daughter of God, you never need fear belonging to Abba. He counted the days till you chose Him. He loved you before He made you. You were valuable to Him even when you didn’t love him back. He paid with His Son’s life to make belonging to Him possible. Once His, you’re always His. Once He loves, He always loves.

Finally, you and I have a place to belong that is wonderful. No matter how out of step we are with our world, we know where to go home to feel better. No matter how much we may not fit in with our families, we are at home in God’s family. No matter what powerful person may have rejected us in this life, we have another life that is more real and permanent than this one here. God calls us by name and he tells each of us, “You are mine.” He is a jealous God and that jealousy can be trusted because it is holy!

The spiritual orphan feels alone, trying get her needs met the best way she can. Each day is ‘good’ or ‘bad’ depending on who loves her or who doesn’t. She wanders from person to person ~ looking for a place to belong. She peeks into the windows of seemingly happy homes and dreams of living there. Ah, but she has a home in God. Nothing can shake loose the terms of her adoption and spiritual birthright.  Heaven’s legal papers were permanently signed with red ink.

At my new birth, Jesus gave me His hand and drew me from exile. His voice pierced my soul and He brought me to His Abba Father. The effect was thunder. The call was a whisper.

I am Yours and You are mine!  I will forever speak of the wonder of belonging to You. Amen

When The Call Makes Me Stumble

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So the honor is for you who believe, but for those who do not believe, “The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone,” and “A stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense.”  I Peter 2:7-8

Jesus can sometimes be the One who makes me stumble. When my preconceived ideas of Him are shattered and He does not appear as I think He should, my ability to believe is tested to the core. I can be very opinionated about issues concerning Him; that He should deliver when He allows pain, provide comfort when He convicts, and intervene when He restrains Himself.

He can also offend me. His teachings often clash with my nature and default ways of thinking. When I believe I should take a certain course of action that seems right and sensible, He instructs me to go in what appears to be an opposite direction. When I feel I have reached a plateau, Jesus can deliver a blow with His words that makes me realize I’ve only just begun the journey.

It is easy to believe Him when my heart feels safe with Him and His teachings make sense to me. But what about the many days when He asks me to do something difficult, when following His lead feels unsafe and unwise? What then? Will I stumble and get offended, or work through my doubts to obey?

Stumbling is certainly a dynamic as I sort out Jesus’ chosen path for me.  While I don’t yet know all it entails, I am asking for the grace to hear and then obey.  Whether His call on my life makes sense or not is irrelevant.  Whether I am initially offended by what He suggests is also irrelevant.  When all is said and done, when the wrestling period is behind me, I am determined to follow His voice even into the face of a storm.

Unbelief is still a temptation.  Don’t let me stumble over You, butstand in You.  Plant my feet on every Word of Your mouth.  Amen

 

The Cost Of A Life On Fire

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Never let the fire in your heart go out.  Keep it alive.  Serve the Lord.  Romans 12:11

When I read the biographies of great saints, whether biblical or historical, I’m always wide-eyed over their passion. I want what they had. God’s hand was on their shoulders and the fire of His Spirit went wherever they went.  He propelled their movements. 

Have you found yourself longing, even aching, to burn with a purpose that transcends what is earthly?   While that would be wonderful, there is a cost to embrace.  

  • You may be in a marriage where faith has divided you.  Your home has hung together but perhaps that’s because you’ve toned down your Christianity.  You’ve made the puzzle pieces fit together by compromising your passion.  The cost for a life on fire will be that the puzzle pieces will no longer fit.  You will be out of sync (until your spouse embraces Christ and engages in the same journey).  You will obey Jesus instead of obeying your fear.  
  • You may have a group of lifelong friends.  Down deep, you’re aware that you don’t really fit like you used to but they don’t know it yet. You’ve played it safe by not letting your love for Jesus and His kingdom ooze out in conversation.  You might fear that if you pursue the disciple’s life of passion, you will be alone, peculiar to your friends.  Following Jesus might mean starting over with new relationships. We must keep company with others on fire.
  • You may be afraid of personal change.  You don’t know what you will be like if you give yourself completely to God.  It feels safe to stay the same.  It’s scary to become what you’ve never been before. 

One thing is for sure ~ our new lives will cause some heightened reactions, much like the resistance the disciples experienced.  We will be like Moses, faces on fire, causing those who are repelled to look away and those who are attracted to draw near.  We will be like Stephen who delivered his testimony with a sword, igniting the crowd to stone him.  I will be as the eleven disciples who challenged the god and philosophy of this world, marking themselves as ones who aligned with Jesus. 

One thing is sure.  Living this life is impossible without proper fuel.  Serving God will fizzle because the cost feels too expensive.  Make a decision today with your eyes wide open.

I love you, Jesus, and I have a passion to see You glorified.Make my life a burning bush.Amen

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Singing Through Our Tears

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The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it.  John 1:5

Our enemy knows that God is Light.  He was once an archangel in heaven and saw the brilliance of the glory of the Father.  For much of eternity, he trembled and led the angels in worship.  He bowed in worship and led others to do the same before his appetite for power and autonomy corrupted him.  

Since Satan knows that Light overcomes darkness, why does he wage all-out war to wear out the saints?   And he shall speak great words against the most High and shall wear out the saints of the most High.  Daniel 7:25

  • Doesn’t he know that God’s children will tap into the ‘surpassing power of God’s greatness to all who believe?”  (Ephesians 1:19) 
  • Doesn’t he know that we are well aware that victory over him was declared at Calvary?  
  • Doesn’t he know that we have read the scriptures, and we celebrate that Satan was paraded, in defeat and humiliation?  (Colossians 2:15) 
  • Doesn’t he know that we put on the armor of God?  (Ephesians 6) 
  • Isn’t he aware that Paul calls it the ‘armor of Light’?  (Romans 13:12) 
  • Hasn’t he learned that we are aware of both our powerlessness in the flesh but our invincibility in the power of the name of Jesus?

Yes, he knows!  But he counts on the fact that, in times of distress, we will not stop to take stock of what is true about God, about His provisions and His promises.  He’s counting on us caving into overwhelming feelings.  He knows how hard it is to exercise faith in the throes of pain and distress.  He knows that our instinctive reactions in an emergency are emotions first, then thoughts.  He knows that by wearying us with battle after battle, we just might succumb to disillusionment and distrust in our Father.  What is the alternative?  

To believe that hardship is an opportunity to flex new faith muscles.  It is possible to sing through our tears.  When drowning under the sea of trouble, we will rely on the surpassing power of God’s greatness.  We will don our armor and put on Christ.  We will take the Light of the world into our fears, into the darkness of unbelief, into the chasm of sleeplessness, and into the worst of our ‘what ifs’ to discover that our foundation in Christ is solid as a Rock.  

The world shakes, but You, Lord, are unshakeable.  Amen

A Humble Beginning

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The deep love of Jesus, the kind that makes no earthly sense at all, is what compels me to write each morning.  My spiritual journey didn’t have a pretty beginning. I was never a little orphan girl, all dressed up and on good behavior.  I was undesirable.   I was lost before I was rescued.  Here’s how Ezekiel captured it. 

On the day that you were born, your umbilical cord was not cut, you weren’t bathed and cleaned up, you weren’t rubbed with salt, you weren’t wrapped in a baby blanket.  No one cared for you.  No one did one thing to care for you tenderly in these ways.  You were thrown out into a vacant lot and left there, dirty and unwashed – a newborn nobody wanted.  And then I came by.  I saw you all miserable and bloody.  I said to you, lying there and helpless and filthy, “Live!”  I took care of you, dressed you, and protected you.  I promised you my love and entered the covenant of marriage with you.  I, God, the Master, gave my word.  You became mine.  Ezekiel 16  THE MESSAGE

The ‘field’ is Satan’s ‘field of the unwanted’.  Newborns aren’t treasured in his wasteland of a kingdom.  He wants them because he doesn’t want God to have them.  They are dirty trophies, uncared for, bloody, un-swaddled, and languishing.  He will raise them on filth, a degrading kind of diet for those who will never know one moment of nurturing until they are rescued by LOVE.

Look at the intervention.  God saw the births.  Saw the discarded newborns, unable to do one thing for themselves.  Their umbilical cords were still uncut and rotting.  His reaction was not revulsion; it was compassion.  He spread His cloak over them, wrapped them up, and called them His.  “Live!” He spoke over them.  

This is the Gospel.  These were my beginnings.  God did it all.  Even though I was raised in a respectable, church-going family, presumed goodness begged to get in the way of seeing myself as a daughter of the darkness, in need of a Savior.  Unless I embrace the truth of who I once was, I will never respond with the depth of love that is possible for me to feel and then to express in worship.  This is what it is to be a Daughter of Promise.   

The Pen God Set On Fire

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Beloved, while I was making every effort to write you about our common salvation, I felt the necessity to write to you….. Jude 3a

Has God ever redirected your life? You thought you were headed one way, in a predictable direction. You weren’t ready for a divine interruption.

I’ve been in ministry long enough to have God change my teaching plans just moments before stepping onto the platform. If I were an adventurer by nature, which I’m not, I would find it easier to flow with the urges of God’s Spirit.  As one who likes predictability and order, I can strain against the loss of control when God asks me to go another direction on the spot.  But at 71, He’s done it enough times that I’ve had some practice.  With history in my rear-view mirror, I trace His faithfulness and the miraculous fruit of holy spontaneity.

Jude started his letter to the whole church, intending to write about the glories of the Gospel message. As he began to write, God made him aware of the threats against the pure Gospel: those who would add to it, those who would delete from it, or twist it to advance their own causes.  What initially was a praise-filled letter about Christ’s message turned into a call to defend something so precious.  He started with an encouraging message but was redirected to take on a tougher, more confrontational tone. His original words might have inspired.  But this word was meant to convict. Jude was ready to commit his pen to a gritty piece of literature for the glory of Christ and the advancement of the kingdom.

I just came across this John Piper quote. “My prayer for you is that your life and your ministry take on a radical flavor. A risk-taking flavor. A gutsy, counter-cultural, wartime flavor to make the average churchgoer uncomfortable ~ a strange mixture of tenderness ~ a pervasive summons to something hazardous and wonderful ~ a saltiness and brightness, something like the very message of Jesus.”

I just wrote this out and put it on a card.  It’s propped up on my desk.  I believe it coincides with some place God is taking me. It’s not yet defined.  But wherever it is, I will stand on the tenets of the faith ~ fueled by the power of the Holy Spirit.

I will follow You even when You call me to something so radical it is out of my comfort zone.  Amen