Uplift Life

4/8

“The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.”

Numbers 6:24-26

Have you ever heard this before?
It’s called the “priestly blessing” and is often found at the end of certain kinds of worship services or times of prayer.
These words get this title because the Jewish priests were commanded by God to give the people this blessing.
Modern practice states people of the Jewish faith should say this blessing daily.
Daily you guys.
And honestly – I think they have the right idea.
We need this blessing daily.

And I think we need it in two ways:
First, for us.
This blessing is a reminder of God’s promises that we can draw on each day.
Promises that have already come true!
We don’t need to ask God to be with us – God IS with us.
We don’t need to ask for God’s grace – God has already given us grace.
We don’t need to ask for peace – God has brought us peace. (remember last week?)
Sure, we can ask God for those things when we are feeling their lack, but God isn’t just sitting waiting on your request.  All of this has already happened.
My two favorite parts of this blessing are “barak shamar” and “nasa panyim” which we translate as “bless and keep” and “turn his face toward” respectively.

First, “barak shamar” – blessing and keeping. You could translate this as bless and protect.  So yes God blesses us, but God goes a step further, and makes it ongoing – blessing that protects us and continually blesses us.  I just love that.

And second – “nasa panyim”  – turn toward.  As I’m an image-driven person, I love the picture of God literally turning toward me.  Giving me full attention.  Creating the fullest intimacy possible.

Oh man.  Just close your eyes and picture it with me.  

So if you’re feeling down today, if you find yourself struggling – remember these promises.
God is blessing and protecting you. Even when it doesn’t feel like it.
God is looking at you and covering you with grace and mercy.
And if you need to hear these promises – ask someone to say them over you.

 Or hear me saying it now:
May the Lord bless you and keep you.
May the Lord make his face shine on you with grace and mercy.
May the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.
(if you want it live, call me – I’ve got you)

Lastly, if we’re feeling pretty good, we most likely know someone who isn’t doing as well.
Say this blessing for that person today.
Right now.
Even call them or send them an email.
Be an uplifter today.

“Peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid.”

John 14:27

“Peace Be With You.”
You’ve heard it before.
Maybe at church.
Maybe to begin or end a prayer or conversation.
Peace.

We don’t always realize that this phrase is given to us by Jesus.
Not some ancient Christian church people, not a theologian or pope, but Jesus.
And Jesus says these words of peace at pretty key times in his ministry:
When Jesus is predicting his death to the disciples, he reminds them “peace I leave with you”
When the disciples are hiding out, huddled in a locked room because they are afraid of what might happen next, Jesus comes into the room and says “my peace be with you.”
And again, when a risen Jesus meets some disciples on the road, he says “my peace be with you”

The key word in each of these instances is “my.”
Peace is a gift from God.
Jesus says point blank to his disciples – you guys, I don’t work like the world works.  What I give is different than what the world gives.
Peace is not found in all those places we try to look for it.
It’s not found in relationships.
It’s not found in possessions.
It’s not found in our health or well-being.
Peace is found through and with God.

It’s a gift.
Already given.

Does your life seem peaceful today?
Does it feel calm and quiet and restful?
Or does it feel chaotic and panicked and fearful?

“Do not let your hearts be troubled”

It seems to be the times when the disciples are the most fearful, the most troubled, the most anxious, that is when Jesus appears and gives them peace.
Like they just needed a reminder.
Hey guys, hey – remember me?  You’ve got this.

The more I think about this, the more I think that trust and peace go hand in hand. Because God has already shown up. God has already said those words to us.

Peace be with you.

YOU.
Not that other guy over there, but you.
And not because of something you did or didn’t do, but simply because God is a God of peace, and you are a chosen and beloved child.  

That’s it.
Those disciples needed the reminder of God’s peace in their most anxious moments.
And so do we.
So here it is.
Jesus is reminding us today to trust.
Trust that God has already given us the peace we so desperately need.

Hey guys, hey – remember me?  You’ve got this.
So do it.
Give yourself a break.

The God of all peace will meet you where you are.

“Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times in all ways. The Lord be with all of you”

(2 Thessalonians 3:16)

“Do not fear, for I am with you, do not be afraid for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my victorious right hand.”

Isaiah 41:10

There are a lot of things to be afraid of.
I feel like every day there’s another thing that is added to the list.
Guns. Aging. Cancer. Terrorism. Elections. Mental Health. Fear of the unknown.
Just those are enough, but unfortunately they are just the start of a very long list.

Today is Good Friday.
It’s a day that can seem pretty hopeless.
A day that lets fear gain a little ground.
Because for the disciples of Jesus, seeing him on that cross was the definition of hopelessness.
They could not believe what they were seeing.
And they were scared.
They were afraid they’d be killed as well.
They were afraid that they had missed something, maybe they had followed the wrong guy…

We feel this way too sometimes.
When life gets scary.
When it seems like fear is winning the day.  

This scripture from Isaiah is one of the many times in scripture that we hear the phrase “Do Not Fear” or “Do Not Be Afraid.”
Isaiah knew that on those dark days, sometimes we need the reminder that God has got us.  When we think we’ve lost the battle, we need the reminder of who will win the war.  God’s got this.
God’s got YOU.
Giving you strength, giving you help, holding you up when you cannot do it yourself.
God’s got you.

You may have heard this saying before:

I love it.
I don’t know if it’s true or not- I haven’t gone through and counted.
But I don’t think it matters…
I truly, truly believe we need a daily reminder to not be afraid.
So start here with this one from Isaiah.
Memorize it. Say it out loud to start your day.
Print it out and look at it as often as you feel afraid.
And remember that no matter what it is that we fear, God is bigger.
That no matter how large and overwhelming our fear feels, God’s love is more.  

Let’s be honest – sometimes our fear feels pretty huge.
Sometimes it feels like the only option.
Sometimes it feels like it’s won the day.
But unlike the disciples, we know how the story ends.
We know that Christ rises in a few days.
The tomb will be empty.
Love will ultimately conquer death.
Fear may have us today – but love gets the last word, the final say.
Love wins.
Love always, always wins.

Amen.  

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding.  In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.”

(Proverbs 3:5-6)

If you’ve ever visited my office, you’ll see this verse on my wall.
It’s the first thing I see when I open my door each work day.
That’s no mistake.
I really believe this is the most simple and most difficult thing we are called to do as followers of Christ.
And for me, it’s something I need to be reminded of daily.

Trust in God.  

But this verse doesn’t just say trust in God but trust in God and NOT in myself.
“Lean not on your own understanding.”
I love the way the paraphrase Bible “the Message” says this verse: “don’t try to figure everything out on your own.”
Oh man.
That’s so hard.
I like to put my trust in a lot of other things besides God: friends, family, doctors, nurses, teachers, preachers, my own health, technology, money, stuff…
And they will all fail.
Even ourselves.
We want to trust ourselves more than anything.
I think I know everything.
I want to believe I have all the answers, that I can do it myself, that the way I see the world is the right way.
But it’s not.
God calls us to put our trust in God first.
So what does that look like, exactly?
“in all your ways acknowledge him”
Here’s where knowing a little Hebrew gets fun.
The word “ways” can also be translated as paths, journey, or course of life.
The word “acknowledge” can also be translated as perceive, find, recognize, or discern.
That changes this verse so much for me:

In all your paths find God.
Recognize God on your course of life.
Discern God as you journey.

We already know God is with us, that God doesn’t leave us.
But sometimes we’re like those horses with blinders.
We are so stuck looking one way (our way) that we forget to look for God. We forget to trust God.  God is there. We just … miss him.    

Lastly, this verse ends with a promise “God shall direct your paths”
Again, the Hebrew here makes this promise even more significant – because direct can also be translated as make smooth, or straighten, or lead.
When we put our trust in God, when we stop relying on things that inevitably fail us or let us down, God makes whatever journey we are on straight.
When we decide to do the impossible, to take off the blinders of the way we think things should be, God is there, leading us with love.
It doesn’t mean all the bumps in the road go away, but it does mean God is helping us navigate them.  And God is bigger than any bump or curve or detour our paths might take us on.  

So try it.
Put this verse where you need to see it.
Let it be a daily reminder to look for God in your world and trust that God is with you, loving you, and leading you on your way.

Amen.

Need inspiration for getting this verse in front of you?  Google Images is always a great place to start, or create your own. Take a picture and tag me on fbook or instagram!

“Moses’ father-in-law replied, ‘What you are doing is not good. You and those people who come to you will only wear yourselves out. The work is too heavy for you; you cannot handle it alone.”

Exodus 18:17-18

Ok, I admit at first glance these two verses may not seem all that uplifting – but I promise, they really are. Really.  Because Jethro (Moses’ father-in-law) is doing some truth speaking here, and it’s a message we all need to hear.

Stop trying to do it on your own.
Do you need me to say it again?

STOP TRYING TO DO IT ON YOUR OWN.  

See, Moses was trying to help everyone.
He was trying to do it all.
He wasn’t a bad guy, he had great intentions.  He didn’t want to burden anyone else, so he just took care of things on his own.
And it was killing him and frustrating those around him.
His father-in-law comes for a visit, and offers some advice to his exhausted son: Stop. Just stop.
I love it.
Jethro doesn’t sugarcoat things at all here.
He doesn’t say “I see what you’re trying to do here Moses, and that’s really noble of you, but…” Nope.
He bluntly says that what’s happening is not good for anyone and it needs to stop.

We’ve all been there.
We’ve all been Moses.
Trying to do it all.
Trying to be everything to everyone.
Trying to make sure everyone is happy.
Trying to take care of others when we need someone to take care of us.

Well Jethro and I are here to tell you to stop.
Let it go.
This is where the uplift comes in.
Because when you ask for help, when you invite others into your life to share in your burden, you are lighter.

I promise.

And that’s the gift, the pure gift, of being a part of a community of faith.
We never, ever, have to do life alone.

Never.

When we are good, when our faith is strong and our experience of grace is overflowing; there is always someone next to us who needs our support. Who needs to be held up.
We are created to be in community.
So stop doing it alone.
Stop holding it in.
Stop bearing your grief, your illness, your struggles, anything that is weighing you down – by yourself.
It is not good.
I repeat: It is NOT GOOD.  

So today if you are feeling weak, if you are the Moses in this story – my prayer is that you say yes.
Say yes when someone asks if there is anything they can do.
Say yes when someone asks if they can pray for you.
Say yes when they ask if they can bring you a meal.
Say yes when someone asks if you need to talk about it.
Say yes if you need a hug.
Say yes if you need to be distracted.

Just say yes.

Jethro reminds Moses in verse 22 that “that will make your load lighter, because they will share it with you.”
In 2 Corinthians (vs 14) Paul says that “your abundance may be a supply for their need.”
If you are good today,if you are feeling strong and loved in abundance, then be Jethro for someone else. Help someone carry their burden today.
Offer to make them a meal,
sit and be with them,
bring over ice cream and movies,
drive them to an appointment,
pray for them and with them… whatever they need.
Remind someone that they are not alone, that they never ever have to do life alone.
Because it’s true.
God has promised we’ll never be alone.
And then God gave us himself, and then gave us to each other and told us to get to it.  

So let’s get to it.

“I love the Lord, for he heard my voice; he heard my cry for mercy. Because he turned his ear to me, I will call on him as long as I live.”

Psalm 116:1-2

This is another one of those Psalms that, if you have time, I’d recommend reading through.  It’s a song of rescue and healing, and trust in the midst of fear – and who doesn’t need that?

The first two verses are about God hearing us – which I think we all know deep down is true, but sometimes I think we forget to talk to God in the first place.   

When you have a problem, or something or someone is getting you down, where do you go first?  

To a friend? A spouse? A confidant?

How often do you mull over something internally until you are exhausted or it affects you mentally and physically?

We do this all the time.  

But this psalm reminds us that God hears us.

God has claimed us and named us and will listen.

“God has turned his ear to me”

What a phrase this is!

You know that moment when you think you hear something and say “shh, listen!” and then you tilt your head, or turn it towards the sound so you can hear it better?  

That’s what this psalmist says God does for us when we speak.  

The word “turned” in Hebrew is “natah” which means turn, extend, incline.

Isn’t that a beautiful image to have of God?

Turning his ear toward us to better hear what we have to say?

So say it.

Don’t hold back.

Are you stressed about something?  

Is there something in your life that is bringing you grief or anxiety?

Tell God all about it.

Vent, cry, yell, hurt, ask for help.

Bring all of it to God.

Because God has promised to hear us.

God hears our prayers, our fears, our anger, our joys, our sadness and our anxiety.  

God hears it all, and God can handle it all.

There is no grief or anger or stress that is bigger than God.

There is no illness, anxiety, or fear that God can’t take.

Trust that when you talk to God, you are heard.  

God is listening, so speak.  

No flowery language or “right” words needed.  

Just be you. Be honest.

And God will hear you, and be with you.  

“And if we know that he hears us – whatever we ask – we know that we have what we asked of him.”  (1 John 5:15)

“The Lord your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing.”

Zephaniah 3:17

I simply love this verse.  You may recognize the lyrics if you’ve been at a band-led worship service in the past ten years or so, but it’s a stunning verse, just packed full of promises.  

And I mean really full:

God is with you

God will save you

God delights in you

God loves you

God rejoices with you

Look at them all!

This is a verse I wish everyone had memorized, because there is not a day that goes by where we don’t need at least one of the promises in it.

Promise #1:

The Lord your God is with you

God is with you, all the time and in every circumstance.  

You are not alone.  

That promise by itself is pretty awesome, but God doesn’t stop there.

Promise #2:

God is mighty to save

There is nothing that God can’t redeem.  

There is nothing bigger than God.  That’s why the word “mighty” is used here.  God can save you from anything.

God is bigger than any cancer, any sickness, any heartache, any grief, any difficulty.  God is mighty to save.  

Then, as if that weren’t good enough – Promise #3:

God delights in you.

God loves you so much he can’t help but be delighted by what you do.  

You know how people go all mushy over babies and puppies? That’s God delighting in you. Ok maybe not the best example, but when God looks at you and sees a beloved child – God is delighted.  

And then Promise #4:

God will quiet you with his love.  

When you are in full-on panic mode, when your anxiety has reached a level that is almost not do-able, think of how much God loves you and let it quiet you.  The love of God (that is bigger than anything) covers you, and brings you peace. What a promise.

And last but not least, Promise #5: God is rejoicing over you with singing.  

You know how sometimes you hear a song and it just perfectly describes how you’re feeling even when plain old words just can’t?  Yeah.  God too.  

God loves you so much that he breaks into song.  And sometimes, I think the only thing we can do is sing it right back, with this one:

Savior, He can move the Mountains,

our God is Mighty to Save,

He is Mighty to Save.  

Promises everywhere today.  

Hear them, feel them, trust them.