Mileage Matters

A car's lifespan is measured by mileage rather than years. My lifespan should be measured in the same way. I bought my 1993 Subaru Loyale when it was fourteen years old. That doesn't mean too much when you're buying a used car. If the odometer would have read 1310 miles the car would have been categorized as "new." Since the odometer actually said 131,000 miles, the car was "used." Now a used car, is by no means useless.

That same odometer rolled over to 196,000 miles last week. Today the oil was changed and it received a little "tender loving care." What happened between 131,000 and 196,000 miles? Did "The Silver Bullet" sit in the garage? Was my little station wagon gently going to the grocery store and picking up a gallon of milk? Were the windshield wipers cracking and peeling because of the fan in front of the treadmill?

No stinking way! This old car has carried me up and over mountains. Unintentionally chased tornadoes across rolling farm land. Shivered through an exceptionally cold winter night in North Dakota. Rallied through mud puddles. Transformed to a bed and breakfast for a transient ski bum. Hauled Icelanders, Kiwis, and Swedes up the ski hill road. Moved college kids from apartment to apartment. And despite a few clanks, bangs, and a rattle and hum, this old car has been a sanctuary where God has filled a life with memories, joy, and a love for life.

Does an old car just magically continue to run? No. Routine maintenance keeps it healthy. Simple steps are taken to keep things in working order. Sometimes an extensive repair causes stress, lost time, and an empty wallet but in hindsight, it's worth it. When the Subaru was 17 years old, it never looked better. The hatch back was delicately embraced with a beautiful arrangement of stickers. The new roof rack increased it's storage capacity. But some things under the hood were looking sketchy. An overwhelming number of dollars were spent, parts were replaced, and some tears may have been shed; but new life was breathed into an old body.

When I was 17 years old, the miles were beginning to take their toll on me. I know I sound like that guy down the hall in the nursing home, but I'm for real. Satan had deceived yet another teenage guy growing up in a comfortable Christian home. While my outer appearance, actions, and reputation said one thing, lies filled me up inside. Pornography and masturbation were rotting me deep to my core. At the same time I still looked appealing to the world. Gossip, slander, and jokes that broke hearts faster than they showed love flowed out of my mouth. On Sundays that same tongue shaped words that sounded like the poems of the Psalmist. Activity filled my weeks, leaving little time for routine maintenance. It was time to check the oil, replace some parts, and put new life into an old body.

God used normal humans to show me what was going on under my hood. I was looking shiny and ready for the road, but disaster was bound to take place. Rather than allowing me to blow a head gasket, crack a block, or burn all of my oil; God used the knowledge I had from a Christian K-8 education, the routine of church and youth group, and the desire to be friends with many people to give me a complete overhaul.

Have I been fixed up to sit in the garage? No. Has the Master Mechanic done some free work that has allowed me to have more adventures than I ever imagined? Yes. Do I require routine maintenance, the occasional oil change, and a new part now and then? Yes. Everyday is a new day. God fills my tank free of charge. I just have to show up. I don't know how many miles God will let me drive with Him, but I can't wait to see where He takes me!

Take time to "look under the hood" today. Ask God to show you what you need to let him repair. Let Him fill your tank for free.

Love Love Love

I've been thinking all week about love. I keep asking myself "what is love?"  1 Corinthians 13:4-7,13 says "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres... And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love."

I've been trying to figure out how to love people. How do I love people? How do I love my family? How do I love my friends? How do I love my co-workers? 

I've failed to help a friend in need because of my selfishness. I've watered love down.

I've said that I cared or love people but haven't backed those words up with actions. I've made love flippant. 

I've said I love food or clothes or a movie. I've thrown love around casually.

I've spoken carelessly, harshly, unkindly and unfairly. I've forgotten to love altogether.

What is love? 

1 John 4:9-10 "This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. "

What is love?

I think love has become a word used to describe feeling, but when the Bible talks about love it is an ACTION! 

I can say I love my brother, but that means nothing if it isn't backed by actions. This morning my brother asked me for a ride to the bus stop because he was running late. My reaction was not instantly willing or kind. If I gave him a ride, I would have to leave earlier than normal for work, which meant less time to get ready. I gave him a ride, not because I wanted to, but because I love him. Love was in the act of giving him a ride. I can tell him I love him every day, but I would fail to love him, if I didn't put that love into action.

This is love: 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres."

The Bible says that love is greater than faith. "And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love." (1 Cor 13:13) 

Let that sink in for a moment. Love is greater than faith.

What does that mean for us?

Faith is believing, but love is put into action.

"If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing." (1 Corinthians 13:1-3)

How will you put love into action in your life?

A New Key

Nearly two weeks ago, in our "quiet" little town of Beulah, ND, the high school received a bomb threat. Praise the Lord no bombs were found, the threat was not executed and the students remained safe. As a safety response/precaution, the school district had the entire school re-keyed. That means new locks on every door, many new keys - and a busy Beulah Lumber (& Lock Service!).

While I don't know enough to re-key a lock, I have been taught the craft of making new keys. Despite the gitters I get before I begin, it's a fairly simple process. The key-making machine has two key holders - one on the left side for the old key being copied, one on the right side for the brand new key - the key that is cut away to produce an identical copy of the old key. Once the keys are securely locked in their places, the switch is flipped, the saw turns on, and the keys are brought up near the saw. One thing I learned early on in the key-making process is to not look at the key you are cutting. Keep your eyes on the first, old key as you push down the length of the key. Let the saw cut its way through the new key, carving it to match the old key. Taking your eye off the old key and looking at new will often cause a mistake. Only when you are completely finished - every groove cleanly cut - can you turn off the machine, remove your new key, and compare it to the first key.

As I was engrossed in making approximately 25 keys last week, I was struck by the thought of how similar we are to those keys. Jesus is that first key - the initial one that we, the new key, are being copied into. For those of us being copied to be like Jesus, it's not always an easy process or a pain-free one. Difficult times come, but as the Word promises us, these difficulties are often for our good.

". . . He disciplines us for our good, so that we may share in His holiness. All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness." (Hebrews 12:10-11)

During such times, we don't know what the end result will be. All we know is that we're being cut, and that it hurts. But the Lord will not give us more than we can handle (1 Corinthians 10:13) and He is with us during our trials (Hebrews 13:5).

No matter what your circumstances are, trust Jesus. Cling to Him. Keep your eyes focused on Jesus, He is the author and perfecter of your faith (Hebrews 12:2). The Lord has something incredible in mind - He is making you more like His Son, Jesus Christ. What an image to be copied into!