Tag: God's love

Posted in Family, forgiveness, friends, Grace, gratitude, Integrity, life, love, loving others, prayer, Scripture, sovereignty of God, spiritual battles, thankful, Trials

Beautifully Broken

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

For He raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with Him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus. So God can point to us in all future ages as examples of the incredible wealth of His grace and kindness toward us.” Ephesians 2:6-7

Beautifully broken. It sits on the top shelf in the kitchen of our Airbnb. When it was born, probably somewhere in China, it was an attractive clay pot with a small neck and two small handles, one of each side. It began its journey with the Taylors in our home and when we started up our Airbnb, somehow and for some reason, it went to live there. Well, one day we received a text message from one of our guests. She let us know that she had bumped the clay, and it had fallen and broken into several pieces.

She was very sorry and even offered to pay for the piece, but we told her not to worry about it. We appreciated her letting us know. After she left, we went over to the Airbnb and there on the counter was the shattered pot. While there was a very large hole in one side, a large chunk of it was still in one piece. My first thought was to repair it but that lasted about two seconds. My wife Judy and I decided it was best just to let it go.  But then…we looked again.

We discovered that when the pot was laid on its side, it no longer looked like a broken pot but rather an ancient piece of pottery. It was then we moved it to the top shelf, carefully laid it on its side and allowed it to now play a new role. It went from a rather cheap piece of imported pottery to what appeared to be a valuable antique. If my memory serves me right, more than one person has commented on our valuable piece of pottery.

It’s amazing that the pot became more beautiful in its brokenness…something that the Japanese discovered a LONG time ago (late 15th century). They call it kintsugi, where broken pottery is repaired with gold, making it more beautiful than before. The pieces are carefully put back together and then the cracks are filled with gold or gold paint. Instead of hiding the imperfections, they choose to call attention to it—and it is indeed beautiful.

Now watch this. In a similar way, God’s grace doesn’t just patch up our weaknesses, our brokenness, rather He transforms them into our most compelling testimony. We become; we are trophies of grace. Paul describes it this way in Ephesians 2:6-7, “For He raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with Him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus. So, God can point to us in all future ages as examples of the incredible wealth of His grace and kindness toward us.” How about that. For all eternity, God will point to us and declare us trophies of this grace.

So rather than hang your head in shame over your imperfections…embrace them. They’re not flaws to be hidden, but opportunities for God’s power to be displayed. In your weakness, His strength shines brightest. Like the kintsugi, we are testimonies, our stories are stories of His marvelous grace. So, lift your head, child of God, because “He’s got this.”  Bro. Dewayne

Posted in Family, food, friends, gratitude, life, loving others, missions, Scripture, thankful, travel

Same Words, Different Melody

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

When He saw the crowds, He had compassion on them.”  Matthew 9:36a

It was familiar but not.  One of the highlights of our trip to England a couple of years ago was the opportunity to experience so many things that were similar to life in America but at the same time different.  After all, we all spoke English, but our English and the English the Brits spoke was just a little different.  More on that in another story.  We both drive cars but on different sides of the road.  They drive on the left (who knows why) and we drive on the right because…we are right.  We like (love) ice in our drinks, and when we ask for ice, they look at you like, “What?” Crisps are potato chips and flats are apartments.  Like I said, we both speak English but not quite the same.

Another thing I enjoyed while I was there was attending worship.  I am a Christian who happens to be a Baptist.  The church I attended there was Baptist too and while it was the same, it was different.  They didn’t have offering plates…they used these little bag things with a pole attached.  It was like a fish net but was made of cloth instead of netting.  One of the things we really loved…and wished we could import…was the fellowship time at the end of the service.  After the last prayer, instead of rushing out the door to the nearest restaurant or appointment, everyone gathered at the back of the worship hall and just visited.  There were some light refreshments but mostly people just talked.  How novel.

One thing that was a little different was the songs that they sang.  While some were familiar there were several that were totally new to us.  So, I was glad when the song person said we were going to sing, “When I Survey the Wondrous Cross.”  That is a wondrous (pun intended) song and one of the older hymns that I enjoy singing.  As the instruments, a piano, flute, and guitar began to play the introduction…something wasn’t quite right…not familiar.  And soon, very soon, I realized that while I knew the words, I certainly wasn’t familiar with the melody. How about that?  Same song, same words, different melody.

So, I jumped right in and worked my way through the unfamiliar melody motivated by the beautiful familiar words.  And even with the different melody, the words carried me into worship.  And just about then it hit me.  In life, church or no church, we can come together and do life.  We may walk or dance to a different tune but still can be carried by the same message.  Wouldn’t it be a better world if we realized that we are all created by the same God and the things that make us different are not a weakness but a strength?  Wouldn’t it be a better world if we were not driven apart by skin color, or our heart language or the social economic station we are in life?  Let me tell you. It.Would.Be.Better.

Of the thousand things that I love about Jesus, one of the best is that He loves people.  Period.  When He lived here, He just saw people as people.  Some might have been more broken than others, but He loved them all the same.  One time a bunch of people met Him on the shore as He got out of a boat.  I’m sure there were all kinds of people there that day but all He saw was people and the Bible just says He had compassion on them.  He loved them.

If you are a Jesus follower, or even if you are not, why not follow the example of this lowly man from an obscure part of the world?  Why not set out today to see people as people…and love them regardless?  Even if they look different, speak different, believe differently or, gulp, vote differently than you…why not just love them?  If you happen to be a Jesus person, well, I’m sure that is something that would make Him smile…and if not well…He probably would smile anyway.  Accepting people as people isn’t easy but with a little help from the One who made us…anything is possible.  In other words, He’s got this.  Bro. Dewayne

Posted in Family, fear, forgiveness, friends, Grace, gratitude, life, love, loving others, Scripture, thankful

Trash Day

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are.” 1 John 3:1

So long trash.  Some years ago, a friend introduced me to the Gmail calendar.  It was a game changer and life saver.  Back in the day most pastors carried a little pocket calendar wherever they went.  Unfortunately, it just wasn’t my thing.  And, invariably, someone would tell me something and I would not have a calendar, nor a piece of paper nor a pen or pencil.  I would really try to remember all this important stuff but well it just didn’t work.

Well, one day my friend told me about the Gmail calendar.  I already had a smartphone, but I just hadn’t been introduced to the Gmail calendar app.  Then, one we met, and it was love at first sight.  With the Gmail calendar I can instantly add things to my calendar.  Joe is having surgery. Check. Personnel meeting Tuesday at 6pm. Check. Don’t forget Judy’s birthday.  Double check.  On and on the list goes and while the system isn’t perfect…it works so much better.  All that important stuff has a much better chance of not being forgotten. Thank you, Gmail.

Another cool feature of this calendar is that you can set a reminder for something every day, week, or month.  You can even schedule things for next year.  One of the things that I have set up on my calendar is the reminder to carry the trash to the curb.  You see, our trash guy comes early Monday morning, so we really need to set it out early…like the night before early.  Well, every Sunday evening I get a reminder to put the trash out. More than once that reminder has saved us from a week of too much stinky trash.

Speaking of trash…isn’t it amazing just how much trash we generate? I know for two people we seem to make a lot.  Several times a week I must take the trash out of the kitchen and to the big trash and then out to the curb on Sunday nights. Usually, of course, the trash is just trash. Potato chip bags, coke cans, plastic water bottles…you know…trash.  Of course, there is the stinky stuff too. Meat wrappers, old veggies, scraps…you know…stinky stuff.  It is never hard to throw any of that away…it has to go.

Sometimes, when we are cleaning out this or that, we toss out sorta-kinda, good stuff.  An old glass or two, a figurine with a chip or two, or maybe a slightly broken lamp…you know…semi-good stuff. It might be useful to someone but not to us so out it goes. As I cruise around town, I am amazed at the stuff people throw away.  They are often things people paid a lot of money and they are discarded…no longer wanted or needed.  Like I said, sometimes it is amazing.  You wonder, what caused the discard? Outta space. Taste changed. Leftover from the last move.

Well, I don’t always get it but there is one thing I do get, and I am grateful.  I am so glad that God doesn’t have a trash day.  And more than that…I am glad that He will never, ever throw me away like so much discarded trash.  You see, every one of His kids are valuable to Him.  He doesn’t just value the ones who always seem to get it right…He values all of them. More amazing than that is the fact He is just waiting to add to His family.  And, once you’re in…you’re in.  There is a cool verse in the Bible that says, “See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so, we are.” Wow. How awesome is that?

If you are a Jesus follower, a person who said, “yes” and asked and received God’s forgiveness by believing in His Son, you never have to worry about trash day.  He will not, and I repeat, will not, kick you to the curb. If you haven’t made that decision yet, what are you waiting for?  God loves you and can’t wait for you to join the family.  You don’t need to get better, you just need to come and when you do…well, welcome home.

So, you might want to check out the Gmail calendar…it sure helped me.  And be sure and check out God…He loves you a lot and won’t let you go.  Oh, and as you do life, you will find Him always there for you just waiting to let you know that…He’s got this.  Bro. Dewayne

Posted in Family, forgiveness, Grace, gratitude, life, loving others, prayer, Scripture, thankful, Trials

The Sparrow and the Big, Fat Chick

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

But God showed His great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners.” Romans 5:8

I had to look twice. The other morning my wife Judy and I were sitting on our patio chatting, drinking coffee, and enjoying the morning. It is one of those things you can do when you are retired. Just a few feet away from the patio is a bird feeder. It is a poplar stopping off point for quite a variety of birds and we enjoy listening to them sing and watching them have breakfast. As I was watching that morning, a bird, somewhat larger than the rest pulled up and parked in the bush in my neighbor’s yard. Besides his size, I could tell that he was a little bit different than the rest. He seemed to have a difficult time balancing on the limb and he was constantly fluttering and fluffing his feathers.  I figured out that either something was not quite right with him, or he was a very young bird. It turned out to be number two.

Before long, he fluttered to the ground, half landing and half crashing, right beneath the bird feeder. While there were several birds on the ground, all much smaller than him, one particular sparrow played close attention to him. What happened next was amazing.  The large, not quite grown up half chick would occasionally flutter his feathers and I noticed it happen to happen when this little sparrow was nearby.  He fluttered and then he opened his mouth much like a baby chick in a nest.  To my amazement, the little sparrow picked up a seed from the ground and hopped over and fed the big, fat chick.

At first, I thought it was some sort of coincidence, but it wasn’t.  Time and again, he would flutter, open his mouth and the sparrow would feed him. Well, I was just amazed so I had to find out what was going on.  It turned out that the big, fat chick was in fact a baby cowbird and the sparrow was…well, an adopted momma sparrow. As I read about the cowbird, it turns out the Momma cowbird, when she is ready to lay her eggs, doesn’t build a nest.  The cowbird is a brood parasite, meaning that it lays its eggs in nests of other species. A female cowbird quietly searches for female birds of other species that are actively laying eggs.

Once she has found a suitable host, the cowbird will sneak onto the resident bird’s nest when it is away, usually damaging or removing one (or more) eggs and replacing that egg with one (or more) of her own. The foster parents then unknowingly raise the young cowbirds, usually at the expense of their own offspring. And here’s the great mystery, the other mother would come back and for whatever reason “adopt” the new eggs as her eggs and raise them as her own. Even though the eggs were different sizes and colors didn’t seem to matter. And wait for this, even when the eggs hatched and it was obvious that the chicks didn’t belong to her, she still cared for them and raised them.  I know…it makes no sense. The obvious didn’t change her caring for the one or ones who didn’t belong. Amazing.

Do you want to hear something even more amazing?  What about a God who willingly cares for a creation that clearly doesn’t deserve to be cared for?  What about a God who loves the most unloving and despite the obvious fact this creation is so much unlike Him and yet He cares?  What about that.  Well, that is Gospel story.  God, even though we totally did not deserve it, sent His Son to die so we could live—so we could be part of His family.  Now that is a mystery, but it is a mystery I love. It seemed crazy that the sparrow raised and cared for the big, fat chick but this crazy love of God for us is even more amazing.

If you find yourself abandoned and alone in this big old crazy world, just remember there is Father who wants to adopt you into His family like that sparrow, only better, He will never leave you or forsake you.  Don’t you worry—He’s got this.  Bro. Dewayne

Posted in Family, food, friends, Grace, gratitude, life, love, loving others, Mother's Day, Mother's Day, priorities, Scripture, Southern born, sovereignty of God, spring, thankful, Trials

Remembering Momma

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also praises her: Many women have done noble deeds, but you surpass them all!” Proverbs 31:28-29

Well, it’s time. Enter Mother’s Day…a day to celebrate our mothers, our wives and other ladies who have poured their life into our lives, but time can make that harder.  Let me explain. You see, time can be a bane and a blessing. It is difficult to live with but we sure can’t live without it and as we get older, it can begin to fuzz the brain and our memories. Things that at one time were vivid and clear become a midst and sometimes disappear into the fog.

That seems to be true of so many of my childhood memories—my Momma memories. Things that I am sure were so valuable, so definitive at the time, are now simply not there. I am sure that is the case with my memories of my parents as a child. When that happens, I simply fill in the gaps with hints and clues from the things I do remember. As the pieces come together, it quickly becomes obvious that my Momma was one of my anchors and a huge blessing in my life.

As I scan the landscape of my childhood, as I piece the pieces together, I realize that I had a really good childhood, and it was largely because of my parents and in particular, my mother. As the baby of eight, by the time they got to me, two things were obvious: they had it down to a science, and I was pretty spoiled.

Because of our finances, we didn’t get everything we wanted (not by a long shot), but Christmas, birthdays, and usually even ordinary days were special. Momma was often the one who made that happen. She was a stay-at-home, hold the fort down, mom and was always there when I needed her. Perhaps you have heard of a Swiss Army knife.  It is one crazy invention where a simple pocketknife becomes an all-purpose, whatever you need tool. And that describes Momma. Whatever the occasion she was there for us…for me. Well, truth be known, while she didn’t wear a habit like Mother Teresa or a nurse’s uniform like Florence Nightingale or banish a sword like Joan of Arc, in my eyes she was that and more.

I wonder how many times I was sick, and she became Doctor Momma?  On so many occasions I can remember her pulling me into her lap and holding me. On one particular occasion, when I was over five and under ten, I was very sick— fever, nausea, and a young body that felt like it had been beaten.  I know now it was probably the flu and probably contagious and yet there she was in our old rocking chair, at two in the morning, cradling me and holding me.  That was Momma.

Sometimes Momma put on her Leonardo da Vinci hat and showed a designer flare. I can remember as a teenager I had a rather new pair of jeans—ordinary to some—valuable to me. I was horseback riding one day, and the horse cut a corner too sharply and ran me into a pole, ripping my jeans right above the knee. Bummer. My Momma simply cut the legs off the jeans where they were torn, put in some bright red cloth, and sewed them back together. There you go…good as new, and since it was the 70’s, it made a statement. I had a one-of-a-kind pair of jeans.

Two or three times a day Momma always put on her chef’s hat. A couple of years ago I made a thoughtless and inaccurate comment about Momma’s cooking not being “the best in the world.” Can someone say, “Dumb?”  Can someone say, “Really?” No, Momma was a great cook, and my waistline still proves it.  She had the amazing ability to take the ordinary and make it extraordinary. To me, her chicken and dumplings and blackberry dumplings were both legendary.  Oh, and did I mention her fried corn beef hash?  No, Chef Momma was amazing…and we loved her for it.

Yup, my Momma was amazing and the longer I live the more I realize just how blessed I was to have her.  It has been said that men often marry women like their mothers.  Well, that at least helps to explain the amazing wife that God has given me.  In so many ways she too is that wife, that mother, that grandmother that so many wish they had.  I don’t have to wish…Judy is my wish come true. Someone once said that a person who has one good friend in their life is blessed.  Well, without going any further than my home I know I have had two—Momma and my precious wife Judy.  Thank You, Lord…a bunch.

Remember, there is no such thing as perfect Momma’s but a lot of us have been blessed with great ones. At this time of year when we celebrate Mother’s Day, if Momma is still around, be sure and let her know how much you appreciate her.  And if she isn’t…well, be sure and thank the Lord.  And one more thought…be sure and thank your wife, for all she has done. Guys, trust me, we would be lost without them.  Oh, and do remember this, there is a God who loves you more than your Momma ever could or did.  It’s good to know that no matter what…He’s got this. Bro. Dewayne

Posted in Family, forgiveness, friends, gratitude, life, love, loving others, pride, school days, Scripture, Southern born, Trials

Washer Hoses and a Dose of Oops

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

And above all things have fervent love for one another, for “love will cover a multitude of sins.” 1 Peter 4:8

It’s an old, old story…at least for we Taylors.  As the baby of our family, I came along toward the tail end of so many good memories.  Daddy and Momma had eight kids in all.  They had five, apparently needed a break, and then decided to have three more. Well, I’m not sure how much it was a decision as it was a fact of life…no pun intended.  There were plenty of tales in the Taylor household but like I said, some happened before I came along.

Daddy and Momma started out with three boys.  From everything I know, they were all rough and tumble and that’s just the way it was.  Well, apparently, one day things got a little out of hand.  More on that in a few minutes.  What you need to know now is that one day my Momma went out to use her washing machine and made a startling discovery.  Someone had cut the hoses to the machine and the natural suspects were the three older brothers.  I’m not sure why they were suspects unless that was part of their rough and tumble motif.  I can’t verify it, but I would suspect that at some point, Momma said, “Just wait till your father gets home.”

Well, eventually he did, and Momma told him what had happened.  He lined the boys up for a time of interrogation.  They assured him that while they were rough and tumble, they weren’t stupid—there was no way they cut the hoses.  Well, Daddy didn’t buy it.  He was sure that they did.  I’m not sure how long they were in the “police lineup” but eventually Daddy said if no one would confess they would all get punished…and they did.  I don’t know if it was a switch or a belt, but they got a spanking.  Case closed.  Daddy was sure they wouldn’t be cutting anymore hoses.

Well, the only problem was this—they didn’t cut them in the first place.  Several days later, one of their rough and tumble “friends” confessed to the deed.  It turns out in their rough and tumbling the “friend” had gotten mad and decided to get a little revenge so…he cut the hoses.  When word got back to Daddy, he called a meeting of “the boys.”  Again, I wasn’t there but I heard it went something like this.  “Boys, I found out you didn’t cut the hoses to the washing machine—your “friend” did it.  Now, at this point in the story it would seem logical that Daddy would at least attempt to apologize for the undue punishment.  That didn’t happen.  Instead, he said something like this, “You probably needed the spanking anyway.”

I know, you’re thinking, “What! That’s not right.  It’s not fair.” But don’t be too quick to cast judgement on my Daddy.  The bottom line is he should have apologized, but that was a different time, and we don’t know all the details.  Sometimes it is hard for people to apologize…even when they are wrong.  Can you identify with that?  I know I sure can. Often the words, “I’m sorry” just couldn’t find their way off my tongue. And if you are a member of the human race, you have probably experienced that too.

Here’s what I do know.  My Daddy was a good man, but he wasn’t a perfect man.  He, like me, made mistakes.  When I heard this story a long time ago, honestly, we probably all laughed.  Later, I’m sure it made me think and I came to this conclusion. Instead of judging him for a lapse of judgement in a moment of time I decided to go with what I knew to be true.  My Daddy loved them, and he loved me and that was simply enough.  I was willing to let love cover a multitude of sins.  I know God’s love has sure covered a big multitude of my sins…and I am grateful for that.

The big take away is this.  If you find someone has cut your washing machine hoses the most likely suspect probably doesn’t live in your house—possibly but not probably.  But more than that—always remember we are recipients of a whole pile of God’s grace, and we should be willing to extend a little.  Forgiveness is not for the person you’re forgiving—it is for you.  A heart willing to forgive is a happy heart.  And, when you find yourself against a rock and hard place trying to forgive someone who hurt you…just remember your Heavenly Father is an expert at forgiving and trust me, “He’s got this.” Bro. Dewayne

Posted in Family, friends, Grace, gratitude, life, love, loving others, missions, prayer, Scripture, sovereignty of God, thankful, travel, Trials

Early One Morning

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

Looking at the man, Jesus felt genuine love for him.” Mark 10:21

The end is a strange place to start.  My wife Judy and I spent a couple of weeks in England and Scotland.  The first part was God stuff, good stuff and the second part was Sabbath stuff, good stuff. But all things come to an end, and it was time for us to head home.  On our last night there we booked a hotel near the airport because we had an early flight.  It was indeed close, but it still required us to take a short ride on the Tube (aka the subway…not the kind that makes sandwiches but the kind you ride on).

So, we walked the short distance to the station and there was the train…we were right on time.  Even though it was 5:30 am, there were still plenty of people on the train, and we all looked strangely alike.  We all were wearing comfortable clothing suitable for traveling and we all had a variety of baggage.  We went to one end of the train car…the only place where there were seats… and grabbed one. It was there that we noticed that not everyone was alike…and not everyone was traveling.

I don’t mean to be harsh but as soon as we sat down, we noticed an unpleasant smell. It was like someone had lost their cookies and it wasn’t cleaned up properly. It was about then that I noticed a man slouched and sound asleep in a seat kinda across from us. At first, I thought he was going to the airport and to work but as I looked closer, it was obvious that he was homeless. His clothing was deeply stained and even his skin was darkened by too many hard days and times.  As I looked…I was grieved.

I can honestly say there was no judgement when my gaze found him.  There was no judgement when I realized he was the source of that unpleasant odor. What there was can best described as sadness, as empathy.  As I studied his weary body and stained backpack, and clothing three things came to mind.  First, this meager life he was living was all that he would have here. He would never have the plushness of my comfortable American life.  Second, I realized that if he slipped into eternity very few would care. There probably would be no family, no funeral, no nothing.

The last thought was this.  That God, the same God that loves me, loved him. The same Jesus that died for me, died for him. He was infinitely valuable to the One who created him.  All of that is true for him and it is true for every person we see…whether wandering aimlessly the streets of Harrisburg or living comfortably in one of our finest neighborhoods.  God loves everyone—the same.

He was still asleep as we departed the train, but I can still see him there.  I truly hope that one day he finds Jesus…the one Person who can change his present and his future.  I hope that for you too.  Everyone needs Jesus.  So, regardless of your station in life know that there is Someone who cares.  Know there is Someone who, no matter what we are facing, is big enough, strong enough and caring enough to declare, “I’ve got this.” Bro. Dewayne

Posted in Family, friends, Grace, gratitude, life, love, loving others, priorities, Scripture, sovereignty of God, thankful

Masterpiece

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things He planned for us long ago.”  Ephesians 2:10

I’m not much of an art fan but with that said, sometimes I am just amazed.  That amazement peaked when we recently visited the British Art Museum in London.  Admittedly, some of the pieces made me wonder how they made the cut, but others left me speechless.  Some of them were so detailed they resembled a photograph rather than an oil painting.  Add to that the fact that they were hundreds of years old, and the term “jaw-dropping” comes to mind. One thing is sure—the art is as varied as the people who paint it.

To me it is hard to believe that Picasso and Rembrandt are both considered masters.  Both are held in high acclaim and yet they and their work are totally different.  Picasso’s later works, at least from this art critic, appear to have been drawn in a kindergarten classroom.  Amazingly he didn’t always paint this way.  In his early years he was a masterful realist in his work.  What happened?  I think he got bored and went artistically berserk.  And people now love it.  Notice that word “now” because “then” they didn’t. His masterpieces became masterpieces mostly after the master had died.

I frequently find myself thinking about how incredible it is that according to God…and because of God…you and I are a masterpiece…a true work of art.  In case you missed it, the scripture reference is Ephesians 2:10 “For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things He planned for us long ago.”  Isn’t that just an incredible thought that the God of the universe holds His children—you and me—in such high regard?

Now it is only because of God!  It certainly is not anything that we have done…not because of any of our own merit–it is just amazing grace. Sometimes people will say you are “a work of art” and you just know it isn’t exactly a compliment.  It is like Picasso’s work –not exactly a masterpiece—in my eyes anyway.  With apologies to his fans, I just can’t figure how he became famous for his artwork.  I know beauty is in the eye of the beholder but I’m just saying…

I know sometimes maybe our lives look more like a Picasso than a Rembrandt but just remember–often–beauty is in the eye of the beholder and in this case that is God.  When Jesus comes and gives us new life, we become this beautiful new creation.  The great part is that His opinion is the only one that matters.  It doesn’t matter what your spouse says, your kids say, or even what you say.  Nope, in Christ you are a masterpiece because God has declared you so.

One thing I know is that we must determine who we are going to listen to.  Will we listen to the worse critics of our life…those whose spiritual gift (they think) is demolition or the One who died for us?  Hmmmm….not too hard of a decision, is it? Why is all this so important? Because as we understand how God views us, we begin to live as the masterpiece we are.  We begin to live and understand that we are created in the image of Creator God and He thinks very highly of us.

Not once has God ever taken a masterpiece off the wall of His gallery of grace and declared it unworthy or junk.  Never has, never will.  And the reason is simple.  We are who we are because of Whose we are.  We are what we are because He has made us so and He just doesn’t make mistakes.  So today, rest in the declaration of your Dearest Father that you, yes-you, warts, and all, are a masterpiece.  Rest in the full assurance that even if your life looks like a Picasso, His grace can rearrange the squares and make you a Mona Lisa.  How? Because He’s got you and He’s got this. Bro. Dewayne

Posted in Family, forgiveness, friends, Grace, gratitude, life, love, loving others, prayer, priorities, Scripture, sovereignty of God, thankful, Trials

Rooms

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

Don’t be like them, for your Father knows exactly what you need even before you ask Him!” Matthew 6:8

I read it…and I just didn’t like it.  We live in a house with what seems like a lot of rooms.  I heard Pastor Andy Stanley say that we know we are blessed because we even have rooms for our cars.  They are called garages.  I suppose my favorite room is the kitchen because that is where my wife Judy cooks our delicious meals.  She is a very good cook, and I am a very good eater!  My second favorite room is my home office or, you could say my, “Man Cave.”

While it is true that it is where I do a lot of my studying and writing, its walls are full of memories.  The walls are filled with different things and all of them spark different emotions and memories.  Over here is a map with red pins that shows all the places where Judy and I have travelled. Over there is a shotgun that belonged to my Daddy. On another wall is a picture of me and group of friends praying for a man in Africa.  And finally, on two other walls are two large pictures—one is a print of a family in their southern yard just living—playing and working. The other is a beautiful mountain scene that we purchased during our time in Germany so many years ago.

Rooms can be very special for various reasons.  I was reading this week and by way of illustration a writer told a story of a young boy who had a dream that he was in heaven.  Someone showed him a room filled with cars, boats and other toys but piled on the other side of the room were arms and legs and other body parts.  I know…it sounds gruesome. When the boy asked his guide what it meant he was told that they were answers to prayers that people never prayed.  I guess it makes for a good story but honestly—I didn’t like it.

“Why” you ask?  Well, the idea that the God that loves me and cares for me would let me walk around blind or crippled only because I didn’t ask just doesn’t work for me.  I mean He loved me enough to send His Son to die for me…for the whole world…and then would allow His kids to remain broken and lame only because they didn’t ask just doesn’t work.  Oh, and then, Jesus said that He knows what we need even before we ask.  No, I think God is an opened handed, loving Father who cares for us.

Of course, I also believe that prayer is far more than a wish list.  I believe the scriptures teach about prayer being more about fellowship and an intimate relationship between God and His children.  Prayer isn’t about changing God’s mind or persuading Him to do this or that.  No, prayer is about changing us…to believe…to trust…to love the One who made us.  I know there are a lot of scriptures in the Bible about prayer, but we only get a clear picture when we put them together. Like a giant jigsaw puzzle comes to life when all the pieces are in place…so it is with prayer.

Well, I don’t think there will be those kind of rooms in heaven but if there were…I know one I do think would be there.  And that room would be a gallery of pictures of all the things our Dearest Daddy did for us that we never even knew about.  It would be a room filled with unnoticed miracles, love notes, and blessings and it would have to be a big room because He is a busy God…loving, blessing, and caring…for each of us.

I’m grateful for the open-handed love of our great God.  If we take the time to pause and look, we will see more and more of what He does for us every day.  Judy and I are learning that so often joy is in the journey, and do you know what?  I am learning that the power of prayer is in the intimacy, the relationship that can only come from time spend together with the One who made me…made us.  Oh, and when we are talking, and I’m sharing my concerns, I just know He is there listening and sometimes whispering…telling me not to worry because, “He’s got this.”  Bro. Dewayne

Posted in Family, forgiveness, friends, Grace, gratitude, life, love, loving others, missions, prayer, priorities, Scripture, sovereignty of God, thankful, Trials, wisdom

What’s Your Worth?

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only Begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” John 3:16

Well, it happens every fall and that year was no exception…we got to pay the first installment on our property taxes. There is a first installment because there is a second installment and there is a second installment because taxes are well, really steep. All this reminds me of something that came in the mail a year or so ago and it was from the tax guy—the assessor to be specific.

They told me they had driven by my house, and they really liked it—a lot.  And, since they liked it so much, they thought it was worth a lot more than they had previously thought.  A whole lot more.  They blessed me with a reassessment and the grand prize was I got to pay more property taxes. Yay.  Well, not really but it did give me a great opportunity to learn about how much God loves me.  Here’s what happened.

If you have been here before you probably know my day job is being a pastor. It is something that I really enjoy.  My favorite thing is sharing THE story but also sharing stories.  I love to take big truths and present them in a way that anyone can grasp them.  I think that is what Jesus did and I figure if He did it I should too.

A while back I was sharing the story from the Bible how four guys take this paralyzed guy to see Jesus.  When they got there, the house was stuffed with people.  There was no way they were going to get in.  So, they decided to take this guy up on the roof, dig a hole in the roof and then lower him right in front of Jesus.  It was crazy, it was radical, and it was different, but they believed two things.  They believe that Jesus could heal their friend and that the friend was worth the effort.  We all could use friends like that.

They began to haul this guy up the ladder to the roof.  Can you even imagine how difficult and challenging that was?  I mean how do you keep a paralyzed guy from falling off his mat while climbing a ladder?  Well, somehow, they pulled it off.  When they got to the top, they began to remove the thatch first and then break apart the mud and tiles.  After they had made a hole big enough to get this guy through—they lowered him down and He landed right in front of Jesus. I bet there was more than one person who wondered what in the world was going on. I bet too some people were grumbling about tearing up a perfectly good roof to get some poor, paralyzed guy in front of Jesus. I mean if he had been some rich guy maybe, but a nobody? And that’s what rang my bell.

You see to those four guys and to Jesus—this guy wasn’t a nobody—he was a somebody.  He was worth way more than a hole in the roof.  In fact, through the eyes of Jesus every soul if incredibly valuable, including yours.  And that’s when the reassessment thing came into focus. Remember, when the tax folks drove by my house they liked what they saw and they increased my assessment.  Their assessment really only means I get to pay more taxes.  It really doesn’t tell me what my house is really worth.

You see, I learned a while back that anything you or I own—our house, our car, is worth only what someone is willing to pay for it. That’s the bottom line.  So, here’s the deal.  God drove by your soul, my soul and assigned a value to it—what it was worth to Him and what He was willing to pay to redeem it.  Do you know what that was?  Well, we find it in the Bible.  It says, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only Begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.  Get that—everlasting (as in eternal) life.  God’s assessment of our value to Him was the life of His very own Son.  He allowed His Son to die on a Roman cross because He counted us as somehow worth it.  He just loved us that much.

Well, the end of the story for the paralyzed guy was pretty amazing too.  Jesus first calls him Son—not worthless, not broken, but Son. Then He forgives the guy’s sin—not what he wanted but what he needed—and finally, He tells him to stand up, take his mat, and go home.  Three seemingly impossible things but with Jesus, as you can probably guess, nothing is impossible when He shows up. The guy jumps up, takes his mat and leaves as the crowd is standing in disbelief.  They said they have never seen anything like that—and they hadn’t. The key thing is that the guy had to not only believe but also act on what he believed and each one of us must do the same.  We must believe that Jesus is Who He says He is and can do what He says He can do.  When we believe that—we are forgiven, and God becomes our Father.

Truth be known, I wasn’t too happy about my reassessment, but I was glad it taught me a new way to look at how much God loves me…and you.  When we are down on ourselves, when all I can see are failures and warts, when I want to give up and quit, I remind myself that my Heavenly Father thinks I am worth a lot. You see, I’m also learning that His opinion is the only one that matters. So why not take a rest in Him today.  Because you know—He’s got this. Bro. Dewayne