Tag: London

Posted in life, loving others, Scripture, travel

God’s Love for All: Lessons from a Train Journey

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 a 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 Grace, gratitude, life, Scripture, thankful

Masterpiece

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

 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.”  

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 pictured above–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, Grace, gratitude, life, love, loving others, missions, prayer, priorities, Scripture, thankful, Trials, wisdom

Don’t Let the Door Close

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

And the Lord said, My spirit shall not always strive with man.” Genesis 6:3a

It was going to be close. It is something that happens more often than we think.  We are in a building…a tall building…the kind that has an elevator. We are in a hurry, and we look across the lobby and see the door is standing open…as if waiting for us. What a blessing, what a time saver.  We pick up our pace a bit and just a couple of yards from the door, it closes and begins its journey upward…without you. Does this ring a bell? Or maybe the scene is a city bus waiting at the stop and again you think, “What perfect timing” until you hear the airbrakes release and see the door close, and you are left behind in a cloud of stinky diesel exhaust. Yuk.

One of my favorite travel memories was when we were on a mission trip passing through London.  We hopped onto the tube (what British folks call their subway) and were sitting passively waiting for the car to move.  Suddenly, our team leader jumped up and indicated we were to follow him.  Just as he got to the door, it began to close, and he threw himself into the gap, blocking the door from closing. It turned out we were on the wrong train and his selfless action allowed us to jump off and get on the right train!

Sometimes closing doors are just an inconvenience…like elevators, busses, and subways but sometimes it can have a much larger, more dangerous consequence. I’ve long believed that whether it is about a relationship with Him or a change of course in our lives, God opens and closes doorways for us.  I’ve seen this happen in church.  People will wake up one day and decide to start going to church again. They get dressed, drive to wherever, and walk through the door. To their surprise they like what they find and hear and leave wondering why they ever left. They regularly attend for the next few weeks or months and then suddenly they don’t. What happened?

When people rediscover the reality of God, He usually calls them to some sort of decision. It might be a first-time relationship or a return home.  Even folks who regularly attend might find themselves drawn to a new and deeper relationship with their heavenly Father but here is the big truth. In both cases, if the person fails to act, often the door closes…the fire cools…the passion dissipates and suddenly and sadly, an opportunity is missed.

There is a verse tucked away in Genesis that says, “And the Lord said, My Spirit shall not always strive with man” and while the context is not perfect, the truth is. God calls all of us at one time or another, but He doesn’t call forever.  When you feel God talking to you, I hope you and I both will have the wisdom to respond. Whether to come home for the first time or for the hundredth time, when He is speaking, we should be listening…and responding. God is so patient with us, but He does expect us to respond and that is always a good idea.  You see, no matter what or why He is calling we can have the assurance that it is for our good and that means…He’s 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, life, loving others, missions, Scripture, travel, Trials

Dropping the Baggage

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead.” Philippians 3:13b

Baggage…it is a fact of travel and a fact of life.  Our team of four checked in at the airport and gladly gave our baggage to the agent at the desk.  One by one, our bags, as varied as the people who packed them, were weighed, and given up.  And honestly, we were glad to do so.  With our baggage handed over, our journey, our travel experience was a lot easier.  When you give your luggage up, you always wonder if you will see it again.  These days, the airline (at least the one we flew) sent us a text letting us know everything was safely onboard the plane.  Nice.

Well, we landed in Atlanta and waited just a while and soon it was time to board the plane for our final leg of our journey…the one that would take us all the way to England.  Sure enough, a message let us know our bags were onboard and would make the journey with us.  That is always a good feeling.  A little over seven hours later, it was time to land and sure enough our bags were there, and we took an Uber to the hotel.  Well, the next leg of our journey was by train, so we had to walk a little and take the tube (the British word for the subway—not the sandwich shop) to the train station.  As we left our hotel, we had our first personal experience with our luggage.

You see, this time there was no one to take our luggage—except us. Some of us had smaller bags, some had baggage so large we nick named it “the beast.”  There was a variety of smaller backpacks and whether all of them had wheels or not, they were a necessary hassle.  If it wasn’t for the fact that it is a common sight in London…I’m sure we would have looked quite comical. But we pushed and pulled, lifted, and dragged, squeezed through tight tube gates and balanced all of this on the narrow steps of several escalators.  Oh yes…it was fun.

Well, the good news is, we made it.  We made it all the way to our destination and when the time came, we made it all the way back home…well almost.  Turns out the beast got left by the airline in London, but it did arrive several days later.  Because I am a person who likes to prepare, I watched several travel videos to learn about England and also how to travel.  The guy in the video made one point very clear. When you pack, remember that everything you decid to take with you, you will have to push, pull, drag, and carry along the way.  And you know what…he was exactly right.  I was very glad that my bag was one of smaller and lighter ones (32 pounds, thank-you) and my backpack was too. I was glad that at the last minute I did indeed determine I didn’t need the kitchen sink after all!

Well, we all know that baggage is part of the travel deal but baggage is also part of this journey called life.  Along the way, we pick up things, some our fault and some no fault of our own at all, and we find ourselves dragging it through life.  A difficult childhood, a broken heart, a bad financial decision, or romance decision and on and on it goes.  Baggage…we all have our fair share.  But here is the good news.  It turns out that even if we can’t totally ditch all this unwanted baggage, we can at least lighten the load.  And often, it begins with two small words—letting go.

You see, we can’t undo what others have done to us and short of some sort of a miracle we can’t forget either but there is something we can do.  We can choose to refuse to allow the baggage to weigh us down.  We can determine to what extent we give the person or the event space in our lives today.  We can let it go…we can largely leave it behind.  It will probably involve some forgiveness—whether it be someone else—or yourself. I really love the place in the Bible where Paul, who had tons of baggage, some he made and some others gave him, simply says he chose to forget.

Just for the record he wasn’t talking about actually forgetting but rather choosing not to allow the baggage of the past to impact his today. That was something he could do and something we can do.  And when we do…we are going to find out that life is a lot easier when we are not weighted down with yesterday’s baggage.  So, what do you say? Why not let today be the day we drop the bags of the past and sprint toward what lies before?  On our journey, we would sometimes help another person with their bags, and I am glad I can tell you that God is just waiting to help us with our baggage too.  Don’t you worry. He’s got this.  Bro. Dewayne