My new friend

I have a new friend. I obsess over her. She’s the first thing I think about in the morning. She’s the last thing I think about before I go to sleep. I constantly think of her good qualities. I crave communication with her. Everything fun I think about, I think “would she enjoy doing that with me?” She inspires me to be better in everything I do.

I felt like that about someone else once. When my relationship with Jesus was new, I obsessed over him. He was the first thing I thought about in the morning. He was the last thing I thought about before going to sleep. I constantly thought of His good qualities. I couldn’t get enough conversation with him. Everything fun I thought about, I thought “would he enjoy doing that with me?” He inspired me to be better in everything I did.

What happened? Did He change? Did He become less amazing? … less inspiring? … less fun? No, and it took a new interest to show me that.

I’ve rekindled by relationship with my Savior. He’s usually occupied the number one position in my life, but now our relationship has grown and is experiencing a new fervor that it was missing before. My new friend is amazing, but the best thing about her is that without even trying, she brought me back to a better relationship with my friend that sticks closer than a brother, Jesus Christ.

Unique Situation?

Ecclesiastes 1:9-10 (NLT)
History merely repeats itself. It has all been done before. Nothing under the sun is truly new. 10 Sometimes people say, "Here is something new!" But actually it is old; nothing is ever truly new. 11 We don't remember what happened in the past, and in future generations, no one will remember what we are doing now.

When we are in a bad spot, it's not uncommon for us to think that our situation is unique. We feel that no one has ever been through anything this bad before, that we are being exclusively persecuted.

Solomon said that there is nothing new. I'm sure he wrestled with a flaky cell phone battery when he was on the side of the road with a flat, right? Probably not. But the notion of being stranded without communication was certainly not new. Even though every situation has not been exactly duplicated, the concepts are not new. Relationships, difficulty with taskmasters (bosses), a lack of resources when they are needed are all models on which there are millions of variations.

The Bible's ability to deal with these concepts makes it a timeless book. When you go through a tough situation, the Bible has a solution to the concept of the problem that can be extended to your specific situation. Search for it!

What a Mess!

Rom 8:28-29 (NIV)
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

Is your life a mess? Are things not lining up for you the way you planned? Everything is going wrong. Nothing is going right. Plans have fallen flat. In your life, chaos and destruction reign. The worst part is that no one seems to care.

Does this sound familiar? You aren’t the first to feel like this. What’s the solution? The answer can be found in a tapestry. A what? A tapestry. A tapestry is a heavy woven cloth with a rich design. Many are absolutely beautiful. They are like intricate paintings in vibrant varicolored thread. Some have delicate designs that are evidence of true artistry. Some are like portraits. Others have bold panoramic views depicting heroes defeating their foes. Their designs are as varied as the artisans who created them and the materials they used. As diverse as these magnificent works are, they all have one thing in common. From the back, they look like a mess.

That’s right. From the back a tapestry is a mangled chaotic muddle of thread. There are knots and frays and loose ends. The color combinations can be nauseating and seem to have absolutely no coordination. It looks unorganized, unplanned, and unappealing. From the back, a tapestry looks like a rainbow threw up in a cement mixer. If advertised from the back, no one would buy a tapestry.

But that’s not how tapestries are made to be viewed.

Your life is a work of art like a tapestry. Right now it may look like a terrible, unplanned, disorganized mess, but there is a plan. You’re life is being woven together with artistry by a master artisan. He sees your problems. He knows your concerns. Best of all, He cares for you and loves you deeply. He is making sure that every thread of your life is placed exactly right, so your life will be a magnificent work of art, unique and unmatched in value.