Not a Hobby By Cortney Donelson

Source: www.wallpaper4god.com

Joshua 1:8 (NIV)

“Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.”

It’s time to come clean.

I am a serial hobbyist.

I take pleasure in hobbies so much that I try a new one out every couple of years. In my youth, I played the piano and tried my hat at dancing and synchronized swimming. My favorite childhood hobbies were gymnastics, softball, and finally tennis in high school and college. When injury prevented me from continuing with tennis, I picked up golf. There was the stint with boxing – I even secured my own heavy bag, gloves, speed bag, and private lessons. That hobby lasted a couple of months. I have also had short stretches of infatuation with acoustic guitar, cycling, P90X, and kayaking – although I plan to try guitar lessons again when my kids are full time students. Currently, I have my eye on stand-up paddle boarding.

As I list all this out, I have to laugh. The laughter soon turns to conviction. Is there a soul hole I am trying to fill with all these hobbies? Why don’t they last? I am not sure I have the answers yet.

Thankfully, regardless of what I do to fill my hours, there has been one unvarying source of fulfillment.  The object of my continuous love and attention since my junior year of college when He called my name and rescued me from myself and this world’s pitfalls and loneliness is Jesus. With each erratic twist and turn of life I have felt Him by my side. In fact, the moment I gave my life over to Christ, I did not find just another passing fancy to fill my time or any misguided need for success – I found something eternal.

Every spiritual journey has ups and downs, times when our commitment to follow Jesus and build our relationship with Him waxes and wanes. Yet, through every one of my lows, Jesus never gave up on me. I may have turned from Him for months at a time, foolishly trying to do life on my own, but those relational lapses of mine never changed how He felt about me. He continued to pursue me. It’s what He does. In fact, I guarantee you that He is pursuing you too.

Jesus called me back to Him with His Father’s Word first and foremost. As a new – and even seasoned believer – reading the Bible was a challenge. I wondered if I was doing something wrong. I just could not understand much of what I read. Several sections even bored me. Gasp! And, having the ability to apply it to my life? Well, that was beyond my capabilities.

However, as I grew in my relationship with Jesus through trust and prayer, God’s Word became alive. With each passing year, more and more passages started to make sense. Messages jumped off the page and into my walled-off heart. During Bible studies, God spoke to me through the stories of the characters, and I began to relate with many of them.

So, despite the initial challenges, I persevered. I kept at it until finally I reached a turning point. Now when I pick up my Bible there is anticipation about what I will find within its pages. Beth Moore once told a filled-to-capacity stadium that her Bible is the sole thing she cannot go one day without. It was not her husband, a morning cup of coffee, or her work inspiring others for God’s glory. It was God’s written Word. I was moved that day in that hot stadium, and I prayed I would reach that kind of love for the Bible. I am getting there – oh so close! 

During one horrific season in my life, when my world was crashing down around me, all I could do was open the pages of His Word and soak in His promises. Nothing else mattered – not food, not sleep … certainly not any of my hobbies. God’s Word saved me from the depths of despair, from the loss of all hope, and from making huge mistakes when my flesh screamed at me to give up. I surrendered all right – I surrendered to the command given in Scripture: Joshua 1:8 says, “Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.” Our “Book of the Law” is the Bible. I don’t know about you, but I could use some blessed prosperity and God-ordained success. And, during that difficult time in my life, I found both in the pages of my Bible.

I know as I delve into new hobbies and others fall by the wayside, there is one thing that will remain. There is one obsession that will never dim and that is soaking in God’s Word. This relationship with Jesus that is fueled by God’s Written Word – this life-changing, power-supplying, always thrilling, and death-defying relationship – is certainly no temporary diversion. It’s my life. It’s who I am. And, I could not be who I am without meditating and acting upon the divinely inspired scriptures of the Bible.

Matthew 4:4 (NLT)

But Jesus told him, “No! The Scriptures say, ‘People do not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.” (Deuteronomy 8:3)

Prayer –Thank You, Father God, for Your Word. It is absolutely alive and sharpens my faith and my hope on a daily basis. Thank You for the promises, commands, mercies, and love that pour out of the Bible as we sit with You.  In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

© 2013 As A Clay Jar. All rights reserved.

I Just Don't Have the Shoes* By Cortney Donelson

Matthew 7:2 (NLT)
“For you will be treated as you treat others. The standard you use in judging is the standard by which you will be judged.”

Source: Unknown

There is a well-known adage that says, “To understand a man, you must first walk a mile in his shoes.”

This saying has been around for generations. No one quite knows for sure who coined it, although many give credit to the Native Americans. In fact, the original quote uses the term moccasins instead of shoes. 

This popular saying even influenced the author of a famous classic book. "You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view - until you climb into his skin and walk around in it," was spoken by Atticus Finch in “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee.

The message is well-intentioned. I grew up learning this very lesson. It does deter some unfair criticism and coaches us to hit the pause button and attempt to appreciate things from a different perspective. Frequently, I have tried to put myself in another person’s “shoes” in order to find understanding for decisions that had been made or actions that had been taken by others. Guess what? It often propelled me into trouble...

The phrase “to walk in another’s shoes” means to step outside your own point of view and see a situation from someone else’s perspective. Unfortunately when we aim to do this, there is the possibility that we will make some dangerous assumptions.

God created us uniquely. We each have our own personalities, experiences, thoughts, biases, opinions, and gifts. We value different things. We have different tastes. We see the world through our own two eyes and no one else’s. And, thank God we do! Our differences help us think creatively, overcome obstacles, avoid boredom, and generate innovative solutions. I usually value our differences. God cherishes them.

From the day we are born, each of us is being shaped by our experiences and environment. Our opinions, tendencies, perspectives, and decisions are steered by our entire life history. When we “walk in another’s shoes,” we are viewing one specific situation or decision that has been made, and we evaluate this decision through our lenses, with our backgrounds, our successes, our hurts, and our failures. We are applying our life story to another’s decision. I believe this leads us down the path of judgment because our assumption is that this individual’s life story should have shaped him the same way we were influenced by our own.

It is precisely because of our diversity that I think the quote below is much more appropriate and can have a greater impact on our lives:

“We can never judge the lives of others, because each person knows only their own pain and renunciation. It's one thing to feel that you are on the right path, but it's another to think that yours is the only path.” - Paulo Coelho

I contend we can never truly climb into someone’s skin, step into their shoes, or know all of who they are or what makes them tick. We live in our own current realities, shaped by years of experiences and our one-of-a-kind DNA. In trying to step into someone else’s reality, we might just be creating more misunderstanding ...  inserting our unconscious biases as we attempt to walk in their shoes.

I hope you hear my heart here. By no means am I saying that trying to understand another’s perspective is wrong. It is good ... extremely good! Where I go wrong is when I add my own judgments to those perspectives without understanding the fact that we cannot fully appreciate another’s reality. Many times, I try to understand someone else’s actions but simply cannot do so. And, when I can’t, I consider their behavior “wrong.”

It is important for me to note here that I only refer to behaviors, actions, choices, and words that God Himself does not categorize as wrong. God’s Word does not prevent us from calling sin what it is – sin. In fact, He wants us to call that out – not in condemnation, but in love. I only refer to matters of opinion and actions not otherwise sinful in nature.  

Therefore, I for one am going to work on withholding judgment and thinking someone is wrong just because I put myself in his shoes and did not see something the way he did. I pray I also remember not to take their actions and words personally. Those things come from their life stories, not mine. For me, this is especially true when I am interacting with other brothers and sisters in Christ. We are all part of one body.

Biblically, we are directed not to judge others ... ever. For, if we do judge, according to Matthew 7:2, God will judge us using the same standard. As I thought about that verse and its relationship to that old Native American adage, I realized that I cannot judge someone’s motives fairly ... and I desperately want God to judge me fairly. So no matter what others say or do, I cannot truly understand their perspective just by “walking a mile in their shoes.” I would have to walk a million miles in their shoes ... over the course of their entire lifetime.

I just don’t have the shoes for that.

Prayer – Father, thank You for the hard but loving truths in your Word. Thank You for our diversity. I pray I refrain from judging someone’s actions or words based on my own unique reality, for I would never want to be judged by that standard myself. Jesus died for us so that the chasm separating us from You could be bridged. And for that, I am forever grateful. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

*Note: This devotion is a newer version of one I wrote over a year ago. I felt led to share it again. As I prayed through and updated it as the Spirit led, I realized it was me who needed to hear it and soak in the message. Of course, I pray it touched you as well. - Cortney

© 2013 As A Clay Jar. All rights reserved.

King of Kings By Cortney Donelson

Revelation 17:14 (NIV)

^“They will wage war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will triumph over them because He is Lord of lords and King of kings—and with Him will be His called, chosen and faithful followers.”

king [king]  noun

·         a male sovereign or monarch; a man who holds life tenure, and usually 
     by hereditary right, the chief authority over a country or people

·         (capitalized) God or Christ

Source: www.benmanley.org

I have been missing the power in one of Christ’s names. King of kings was easy to skim over. In my mind’s eye, I simply saw opulent men from the distant past – ones with crowns and robes. I pictured strict or wealthy rulers with little relevance to life now … my apologies to our friends across the pond. I assumed Jesus’ title of "King” was merely a historical term used in keeping with the time when God’s inspired pages of the Bible were scripted. After all, kingdoms were the governing, social, and economical entities of long ago; today they seemed to me to be merely figureheads – rich in tradition and influence, but certainly not in power.

I was so wrong!

A few months ago, one of my devotions paused on Jesus’ name of “Wonderful Counselor.” Then, a few weeks back, God pressed the title “King of Kings” into my heart. He wanted me to realize I was missing a significant part of my relationship with Jesus. So I did some much needed research on our King of kings. Revelation 17:14 says:“They will wage war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will triumph over them because He is Lord of lords and King of kings—and with Him will be His called, chosen and faithful followers.”

The title of king differs from that of leader, president, prime minister, or any other title for a ruler because a king has a hereditary right to be in charge – a birthright. When Jesus made His innocuous appearance as a newborn in a filthy stable, He rightfully became King of His people. When Mary stared into the precious face of her baby, she was also admiring our future chief authority, because God sent His son to be born both fully man and fully God to rule over all. Other worldly leaders are voted into power or, in some instances, they take over according to their own will. Jesus’ holy position and radical truth were not up for votes. They were His at birth, and they will be His through eternity.

Other leaders, such as prime ministers and presidents, do not have true followers. They have fans and supporters. A true follower gives up his own goals and ambitions for the values and vision of the king. People align themselves with other types of leaders based on their current beliefs and values. In contrast, followers of Christ choose to die to themselves and align with His radical vision, giving up their own.

Back when kingdoms dotted the Earth’s landscape, followers would die for their kings. However, Jesus’ sash will not say “king.” It will say “King of kings,” according to the Book of Revelation.  People have died and will continue to die in His name and for His cause, and – more amazingly - He died for us. That kind of lavish love for His people makes Him the King of all kings.

Finally, prime ministers and presidents are not worshiped - at least not in the spiritual sense. When we worship, it is more than showing honor and respect. Worship is submissive, extravagant admiration and deep adoration or acts of reverence. Martin Luther described worship this way, “To gather with God's people in united adoration of the Father … ” Luther added, “(Worship) is as necessary to the Christian life as prayer.”

As I pray and give praise to Jesus, God wants me to genuinely understand whom it is I am worshiping.  I am adoring the King of kings. Never again should I avoid showing my extravagant admiration or, even worse, hold back out of anxiety over what people may think of me. I want to be on my knees. Better yet – I want to be prone with my face on the ground in a deep and impassioned act of reverence.

People who do not worship are swept into a vast restlessness, epidemic in the world, with no steady direction and no sustaining purpose. - Edmund Clowney*

Jesus has many names. When Jesus returns on His white horse with those names scripted across His sash, I want to be sure I understand to whom it is I have given my life. I do not want to miss any aspect of this amazing king – our King of kings.

Prayer – Father God, thank You for Your son and all the different ways we can love Him. You knew we would need the Wonderful Counselor at times. You knew we would need the King of kings during other times. You provided us with the Lord of all lords, the Friend, the Lamb, the Redeemer, and the Savior. I pray we don’t miss any part of what makes Jesus worthy of all our worship and praise. In Jesus’ many names, I pray. Amen.

 * The late Edmund Clowney was a theologian, educator, and pastor who became a prolific writer, authoring several books, bible studies, and articles until his death in 2005. 

© 2013 As A Clay Jar. All rights reserved.

Audience of One By Cortney Donelson

Romans 12:2 (NIV)

“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is — his good, pleasing, and perfect will.”

My mind is being transformed...

In this society, we, the heirs of Christ’s labor, are met with the same temptations, rejection, and loneliness that Jesus Himself experienced before nearly everyone in Jerusalem convinced a hesitant Pilate to crucify Him. Yet, all that did not stop Jesus from approving God’s will. In Matthew 26:39, Jesus prays, “…My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.” Even though He knew death was coming, Jesus lived for an audience of One.

The first obstacle in the renewing my mind is my wanting so badly to conform to this world. The temptation I fall prey to time after time is the comparison temptation. I will be honest and tell you that sometimes I look at others and wonder, “How do they do it?" The it is any area where I feel as if I am losing in that selfishly silly comparison game. How do they … buy the new car, build the new deck, manage three kids in different activities, work full-time, exercise five days a week, get the promotion, walk the dog regularly, save more money … you name it, I have compared it. The pattern of this world seems to be this: acquire a good education, secure a high-paying job, grow a happy and well-rounded family, send said children to elite colleges and universities, and retire early as the next generation accepts your high-paying job.

I have to ask myself why? Is the answer that this is what others are doing? Is that a sufficient reason? Are people finding joy in this pattern? Am I?

The second dilemma I face in renewing my mind is where I place my focus. I grew up looking for others’ approval, whether it was my parents, teachers, coaches, or friends. After a while, I learned to set my own lofty expectations, ones that always seemed focus on success. Until my mid-thirties, my goals were aligned with the patterns of this world: graduate with a master’s degree, secure a high-paying job, start a family of mini-mees, raise them “right,” and retire “happy.” I found little joy living with this focus. I lived with the feeling that something was missing. Actually, it was more than that: I felt I was not doing what I was created to do. In my innermost parts, I knew that life had to be more than this simple-minded pattern that propels all of us toward the grave. I wanted a life filled with joy that propelled me to an eternity in the Hands of my Father.

Source: www.gospelfitchallenge.com

In my mid-thirties, God poked my heart hard enough for me to truly understand what it meant to surrender all – surrender the pattern of this world, the one that was fast-tracking me to a life of loneliness, stress, and selfishness. God was beginning to transform me. Rather than a legacy of success, I suddenly wanted to leave a legacy of living in God’s will. My former audience of parents, employers, friends, and neighbors dwindled down to just an audience of One – God.

Do you know what happened? The comparison game ended. My focus changed. Joy sprung up from within. My purpose was clear. My legacy was forever altered. My mind continues to be renewed.

The founder of Campus Crusade for Christ, Bill Bright, has this on his gravestone: “Slave for Jesus.” Now that is a powerful legacy to leave! You can’t get more in tune with God’s will and perfect plan than living as a slave for Jesus. Bill Bright not only founded a national ministry affecting millions for God, but he also played an integral role in the production of the Jesus film in 1979. According to The New York Times, Jesus is likely the most-watched motion picture of all time. The Jesus Film Project states that Jesus has been viewed more than 6 billion times (including repeat viewings).

That is what I want. I want to live for an audience of One. I want to talk, act, think, pray, serve, eat, work, volunteer, raise my kids, and live my one and only life for something bigger than any earthly accomplishment. My successes will die when I do. I want my legacy for Christ to live forever as purpose-driven and joyful change that was brought about while doing life for God and impacting others for His Kingdom. Maybe you want that too?

Prayer –Thank You, Father God, for Your perfect plan. Help me live according to Your purposes for me. Thank You for Your truth, and remind me that no earthly comparison will move me toward You. Rather, grant me a servant’s heart for Your glory. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

© 2013 As A Clay Jar. All rights reserved.