Pictures of Life

Stories are full of pictures.  Pictures we either take through our phones, cameras or in our minds.  Those pictures remain.  Memory might fade, but those pictures remain.  The great thing about actual pictures tell of a story that would often be forgotten.

A concert attended, a memorable trip overseas, a birthday party or a day out with someone you love.  Pictures record silly moments, cute moments, and proud moments.  They tell of our lives, what we did, where we went, the journey behind and the path ahead.  They are there to tell us who we are and who we are becoming.

Funny how we often forget what a picture can bring back to mind.  Remember the last time you where in the basement and pulled out the old box of photos and unexpectedly spent the next 2 hours pouring over memories.  What joy, what fun, what a great life!

Yet I bet there are some photos you run across that you wished never popped up again.  In the facebook world they are “Crops” or “Croppies”  Photos of you and someone else you broke up with or since have lost that relationship.  You like the picture of you so you “Crop” out the other person.  They are apart of your story, but something that you would rather forget and never mention.

Well what if I told you that there is meaning in that mess.  Yep, God has the ability to REDEEM!  That’s a cool and fancy word for He can bring meaning to ANY mess we get ourselves into.

“But God will redeem me from the realm of the dead…”  (Psalm 49:15)

All those “Croppies” you have, yep each and every one!  But you and I have to do something, we have to be willing to be honest with ourselves and put God first in our decisions.  We have ask the question “should THIS be apart of my story?”  

Do that for the next 50 years and “Croppies” or not you will be proud to tell the story you have lived!  Lets live great stories….lets tell great stories…stories of redemption!

“Let the redeemed of the Lord tell their story— those he redeemed from the hand of the foe,…” (Psalm 107:2)

Narrow Minded!

Enter through the narrow gate!  What?  Really? In today’s American society anything with the world “narrow” in front of it communicates “STAY AWAY!”  We don’t want restrictions or regulations that limit our choices.  We don’t’ want to be narrow-minded, we want to be open-minded.  We want the open freedom of a vast array of many possibilities.  Yet the call remains over our souls and our very lives…. “ENTER THE NARROW GATE!”

These words are the very words of Jesus Christ.  Recorded in Matthew chapter 7 verses 13 and 14, He states, “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.”

Only a few find it, funny how even in our wide open, anything goes society many critical parts fall right in line with Jesus’ words.  I think of the military and the elected Special Forces.  I think of doctoral programs and doctors in particular. Firefighters, policeman, you got the idea.  People that choose to pay now and play later.  They entered the narrow gate and we are glad they did!

These are people that run into the middle of all it all.  They don’t hide behind the safety of city walls.  When things are at the worst they are at their best.  They are that way because they did not think they could have it all!  They are that way because they lost it all and gained something else.

In the like, any journey with God starts with this statement from Jesus.  You have to surrender your life, lose it all, pay the price of pride through surrender and let God take full control.  People that start with this first step continue onto an epic journey that could not be scripted in the slightest.  Make no mistake in God an epic journey awaits, but are you willing to enter the narrow gate on that first step?

According to Jesus few actually do.  I am praying that you are the few!

(Ephesians 1:11)  “In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will,”