Rich Dixon, Author/Speaker
 www.relentlessgrace.com

What happens when there’s no light?

Last evening I sat in the dark with nearly two thousand people. As we passed the flame from candle to candle, the room took on a warm glow. Then, in unison, we raised the candles and proclaimed:

YOU ARE THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD

That’s exactly what happened in that obscure stable more than two thousand years ago. A world of darkness suddenly experienced true light. Shepherds cowered before the dazzling glory of the angel. Magi journeyed to an unknown destination, guided only by their faith in a single light.

Darkness dispelled—that’s the Christmas Gospel, the good news behind the wrapping paper, football games, and family gatherings. Even in lives burdened by sadness, illness, financial struggles, and loss, the darkness can only be temporary.

A room, a life, a world, languished in darkness. And then, in an instant, that darkness retreated before the Light.

That Light brought hope, love, and the promise of a new beginning.

And a room, a world, and your life and mine, emerged from darkness and into the marvelous light of God’s grace.

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Rich Dixon, Author/Speaker
 www.relentlessgrace.com

“Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going.” [John 14:1-4]

What’s the ultimate adversity?

One week before Christmas, adversity may boil down to long lines at the mall or difficult weather conditions for holiday travel. My wife’s scrambling to prepare for a party and receiving little help from a spouse who’s glued to the keyboard—that’s adversity. But I’m thinking along the lines of something a bit more elemental.

One of my best friends is dying.

It’s not the Christmas gift we hoped for, but there it is. The conclusion of a courageous battle with a terrible enemy finally approaches, and we’ll soon have to accept the loss of his physical presence in our circle.

Death doesn’t fit nicely into the Christmas story. Birth and lights and gifts proclaim a priceless promise of hope and beginning. Tinsel and glitter prompt smiles and celebration. Christmas isn’t the time for sad farewells.

Except …

My friend has been on a true journey to faith over the past couple of years. His struggle to reconcile old wounds and personal failure has been replaced with an understanding and acceptance of healing grace. I know that Jesus lives in his heart.

So I grieve the impending loss of a friend and the pain of his family. I’m sad for the large circle to whom he’s been mentor and courageous example. I cry for the empty space his passing will leave in so many lives.

But next week I’ll celebrate the event that assures me he’s approaching a new beginning rather than an end. I’ll hold the paradox of sadness and joy in my heart. I’ll trust that God will help me experience them fully, mix them with grace, and give me His peace.

I pray that each of us, in the midst of life that isn’t always happy, can discover the spirit at the heart of a truly Merry Christmas.

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. [John 14:27]

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Rich Dixon, Author/Speaker
 www.relentlessgrace.com

And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” [Luke 2:8-12]

What’s the point of Christmas?

I know, it’s about Jesus and glad tidings and all of that, but we all know the REAL focus of Christmas is … presents! Take away shopping, shipping, and Santa, and what’s the point? Without tinsel and trees, Christmas is reduced to a tiny baby born to poor parents in an obscure village under questionable circumstances.

Sarcasm aside, gifts really are a central element of Christmas. Yesterday I wrote about the gifts of the Magi and asked, What Are You Giving Jesus For Christmas? But if I’m completely honest, the real issue isn’t what I bring. The true gift of Christmas is one I can only receive.

The enormous gift of Christmas is so incredible that it was announced by an angel and celebrated by a heavenly choir. “Don’t be afraid. I’m here to proclaim something wonderful, a gift of peace and joy to everyone in the world.”

I thought about the priceless elements of the angel’s pronouncement: Jesus, salvation, forgiveness, freedom, sacrifice … It’s the most incomprehensible Christmas list ever composed, but it can be compressed into a single word: grace.

Jesus stepped down into the darkness of a silent night and brought us the marvelous light of His grace.

The question that remains is, will we accept it? Since you can’t put grace in a box, tie a bow around it, and rip open the wrapping paper on Christmas morning, what does “accepting it” mean?

It means letting go of the sense of guilt and regret. Simply put, Jesus lived and died so we could experience freedom from the nastiness that threatens to drag us back into darkness. We accept His gift when we acknowledge and live in the light of undeserved forgiveness.

It means trusting that the God who created the universe can create something good and wonderful from our mistakes and pain. God is bigger than our circumstances. Even when we see no way out and nothing positive that can ever arise from the ashes of tragedy, God can transform tears into triumph.

It means taking seriously the promise of a new beginning. It means accepting His invitation to give hope another chance.

Obviously, the gift of grace means much more than my meager list, but these might be a good place to begin.

The gift of grace is bigger than we can imagine. We don’t deserve it, but Jesus thought it was a gift worth dying for.

How can you intentionally accept the gift of grace this Christmas?

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What Are You Giving Jesus For Christmas?

10 Ways You Can Enjoy An Intentional Christmas

Christmas In The Hospital

Rich Dixon, Author/Speaker
 www.relentlessgrace.com

Yesterday I asked a question: Who Else Wants To Finish Strong?

The question referenced my 2009 resolution about Living Intentionally and proposed the notion of an Intentional Christmas. After I posted the article and listened to feedback, I decided to be a little more specific about what I meant.

“Intentional” simply means making conscious choices about my attitudes and how I invest my time and energy. I hear a lot of talk about getting “caught up” in the holiday hustle—that’s the opposite of intentional.

So how can we finish the year by enjoying an Intentional Christmas? Here are a few thoughts.

Take a bit of time each day to think about the Christmas story. I’m a big fan of journaling, so maybe a Christmas journal would help. Try to take a purposeful journey to Bethlehem, whatever that means for you.

Play Christmas music, and stop occasionally to listen. Let the music remind you that the universe celebrated and glorified God [Luke 2:13-14] on that holy night.

Ponder a nativity scene. Let your mind travel back to that night. Immerse yourself in the surroundings. Perhaps you might choose a specific character and try to imagine his/her thoughts and feelings. Let yourself experience the paradox of a common event in humble surroundings that literally changed eternity.

Try this multiple times with different characters. Talk with someone, or write in your journal, about how that character’s perspective is unique and distinct from the others.

Place every gift you give or receive at the foot of the manger. The first Christmas gifts were treasures, carried a great distance at great personal sacrifice and risk. [Matthew 2:9-11] Purchase, give, and receive with that mindset.

My personal commitment is to avoid any sense of “obligation.” As I shop and choose, I want to release the sense of “getting it done” and imagine treasures placed on the floor of a stable.

Some other possibilities:

• Give a gift that doesn’t involve money. Offer the treasure of your time and help to someone who’s struggling.
• Give a gift to someone you don’t know. Make it a reminder that the Magi followed that star to worship a complete stranger. 
• Give to someone who will be completely surprised. Perhaps this is an opportunity to mend a broken fence and reach out in love to an adversary. 

Share your thoughts about Christmas with someone. Sit down over coffee with different people over the next few weeks and have a real conversation about Jesus’ birth. If you’re doing a journal, record what you discover.

Put some small object somewhere that’ll remind you of Jesus’ birth. I’ve placed a small star near my computer where I’ll see it several times each day. For some reason, this year I’m intrigued by the journey of the Magi (Matthew 2:1-12), and I hope to read and learn about their search for an unknown child. Perhaps I need to make my own pilgrimage during this month.

Make some Chrismons. If you don’t know about Chrismons, you can google the word. This web site explains a pretty simple Chrismon project. This might be a cool family or small group project that could become a yearly tradition. Hang the on the tree, decorate the house, or give them as gifts. Do a little research and discover unique symbols, and use them as journal or conversation starters.

If you’re counting, you’ll note that I’ve missed my promise of “10 suggestions.” That’s intentional, designed to illustrate the last point.

Don’t allow others’ expectations become your obligations. You know what I mean—December quickly becomes “the holiday season” with its hurry and hassle. Even the fun stuff can become items to check off the list before rushing to the next task.

Busyness prevents reflection and contemplation. It’s the enemy’s tool, a subtle way to take our eyes off the star and distract us with tinsel and lights and parties and cooking and shopping and …

More than anything, an Intentional Christmas means deciding and choosing based on principles. Being intentional isn’t always easy, because it means setting priorities that may conflict with “the way it’s supposed to be.”

Please don’t try to do all of the things on my list. Maybe you shouldn’t do any of them. They’re just one guy’s thoughts. I’m sure you have better ideas, and I hope you’ll share them with others as a comment at the end. Perhaps you’ll contribute the wisdom that’ll help someone you’ll never meet to enjoy a more Intentional Christmas.

After they had heard the king, they went on their way, and the star they had seen in the east went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh. [Matthew 2:9-11]

What’s your thought about a way to make Christmas a bit more intentional?

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Living Intentionally

Rich Dixon, Author/Speaker
 www.relentlessgrace.com

What’s your personal theology?

A while back, I started a personal project. I wanted to identify one hundred scripture passages that form the core of my theology. I think we’re each accountable tor knowing what we believe, and I thought this exercise might help me crystalize my thinking.

I thought I’d share the first part of my list. They’re in no particular order or priority, except for #1 which is my life verse. See what you think.

1. 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. [Romans 8:28]
2. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. [Romans 8:38-39]
3. For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. [John 3:16]
4. And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him. [1 John 4:16]
5. But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. [1 Peter 2:9]
6. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. [John 1:1]
7. The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. [John 1:14]
8. “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” [Matthew 11: 28-30]
9. It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. [Galatians 5:1]
10. And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. [1 Corinthians 13:13]
11. Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. [1 Corinthians 13:12]
12. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. [Galatians 5:22-23]
13. In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. [Genesis 1:1]
14. Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” And they divided up his clothes by casting lots. [Luke 23: 34]
15. “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.” [Matthew 4: 19]
16. The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. [Psalm 23:1]
17. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. [Psalm 23: 4]
18. “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. [John 10:11]
19. See, I am sending an angel ahead of you to guard you along the way and to bring you to the place I have prepared. [Exodus 23:20]
20. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland. [Isaiah 43:19]
21. Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty. [John 6:35]
22. “Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.” [John 8:11]
23. But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you. [Matthew 5:44]
24. When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” [John 8:12]
25. “I tell you the truth,” Jesus answered, “before Abraham was born, I am!” [John 8:58]
26. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. [John 13:14]
27. I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. [John 15:5]
28. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. [John 15:13]
29. Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written. [John 21:25]
30. You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. [Matthew 5: 14]

Obviously, the list is incomplete. I’ll share the rest later, but what are your reactions?

Do any of these surprise you?

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Take My Yoke Upon You

All In

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Rich Dixon, Author/Speaker
 www.relentlessgrace.com

How much does it cost?

I read an article this week that estimated the cost of raising a child to age eighteen. According to a study, the average parent will spend about $250,000 just to get a child to the point where they can incur really serious debt for college.

The writer speculated whether this data would have serious impact on family planning decisions. I don’t think it will, and her question reminded me that we frequently set goals or commit to obligations without really considering the costs.

We claim the freedom Jesus conveys, but we forget sometimes that being His apprentice carries a price. Following Jesus isn’t free.

Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them he said: “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters—yes, even his own life—he cannot be my disciple. And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple.

“Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Will he not first sit down and estimate the cost to see if he has enough money to complete it? For if he lays the foundation and is not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule him, saying, ‘This fellow began to build and was not able to finish.’

“Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. Will he not first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand? If he is not able, he will send a delegation while the other is still a long way off and will ask for terms of peace. In the same way, any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple.” [Luke 14:25-33]

Jesus employed hyperbole to make a point; He certainly didn’t teach that we ought to literally “hate” anyone, but He was clear that God’s Kingdom involves a radically altered set of priorities.

So what does it “cost” me to follow Jesus? I thought it might be interesting to list at least a few lines in my own itemized price list.

• Revenge. Instead or retaliating when someone hurts me, Jesus tells me to forgive when it’s the very last thing I want to do.
• Superiority. I want to be right, win the argument, and crush inferior ideas, but Jesus reminds me to keep my eyes on the concerns of His Kingdom and to avoid foolish quarrels over foolish things.
• Power. Rather than demanding that others meet my needs and fulfill my desires. Jesus tells me to adopt an attitude of humility and service.
• Control. When I demand the right to establish my own rules and follow my own path, Jesus says, “Obey God.”
• Judgment. I want punishment for those who break the rules, but Jesus says it’s not even my place to judge.
• Attention/admiration. When I want others to know what a good guy I am, when I desire extra credit for all of the wonderful things I do (J), Jesus tells me to do my good deeds in secret.
• Security. While I worry about the future and plan for every contingency. Jesus tells me to trust that God will provide.
• Ownership. I worked for it, I earned it, and it’s mine—and Jesus reminds me that I’m just a steward, that none of it belongs to me.

My incomplete list mostly reminds me that I’ve done little to demonstrate that I’m willing to pay the price of discipleship. My debt increases moment by moment along with awareness that I’ll never be able to pay.

I desire to do better, but I already know I’ll fail. I can’t possibly meet the standard. I can talk about surrender, but I’ll never achieve it. Following Jesus carries a price tag that I’m unable and unwilling to pay. I might as well just give up. It’s hopeless.

And as soon as I acknowledge that I can’t meet the requirements, He reminds me that He already paid the price on my behalf. That’s the wonder of grace—amazing grace, Relentless Grace, unmerited, infinite grace.

It’s not hopeless, because He knew the cost of obedience and surrender, accepted it willingly, and settled my debt. He went to the cross so we could receive the benefits of an apprenticeship we can’t possibly fulfill.

Two questions: First, what would you add to my list of costs? Second, what’s your response when you realize that He paid the price for you?

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Take My Yoke Upon You

All In

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Rich Dixon, Author/Speaker
 www.relentlessgrace.com

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” [Matthew 11: 28-30]

What do you think Jesus wants you to do?

I’m not thinking of specific choices like whether to have pizza or turkey for lunch (I don’t think He cares). But in terms of overall life choices and directions, what do you think He wants? There are probably a lot of answers to that question, but I’m thinking of one right now that I’ll bet nobody else mentioned.

I think He wants me to quit. (It’s okay if you’re surprised.)

The scripture above is one of the most well-known passages in the bible. It’s a source of comfort to folks who are buried under the weight of illness, despair, and impossible expectations. But it’s even more comforting when we understand the historical context.

A Rabbi’s “yoke” was his teaching, interpretation, and application of the Torah. A student or disciple who followed the Rabbi took on his yoke, meaning the sum of requirements for fulfilling the Law as taught by that particular Rabbi. The symbolism is clear; a teacher’s yoke represented the obligations and sacrifices—the “burdens”–required of his followers.

Jesus makes a related reference when He says of the teachers of the law and the Pharisees, “They tie up heavy loads and put them on men’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to lift a finger to move them.” [Matthew 23:4]

When Jesus claims that His yoke is easy and His burden is light, He’s setting us free from the legalism, the man-made rules, and the cultural expectations that “experts” are so quick to impose. He’s telling us that following Him doesn’t involve a complicated theological code and a long list of difficult requirements.

His “yoke” is much simpler and easier. He wants us to stop all of that nonsense and focus on Him and the things He values.

Jesus wants me to quit so much of the harmful, irrelevant striving that imprisons me behind self-constructed walls of failure. He asks me to stop:

• struggling to earn the forgiveness He offers by grace.
• stumbling under the weight of regret and shame.
• trying to conform to cultural expectations about behavior and relationships.
• worrying about money, appearance, and status.
• dragging around a misguided sense of guilt over sins for which He already atoned.

Every one of us carries the scars of an imperfect past. Perhaps it’s an addiction, or unwise choices, or abuse inflicted by someone else. Perhaps it’s your own fault or maybe it’s not. Our enemy tells us that we have to cling to the pain, seek revenge, or live in fear and guilt.

And Jesus says, “Quit.”

If you’re suffering under these kinds of burdens, listen again to Jesus’ simple invitation. Imagine Him standing before you with hands extended in love. Hear His words spoken softly in a voice of perfect compassion, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

He’s the God of a new beginning. You’re free to stop pretending and hiding in your self-imposed jail, because God knows about every moment of your past. He loves you so much that He sent Jesus to shatter the prison walls. You’re free to rest.

When Jesus was asked to state the most important commandment, the first word He uttered was, “Love.”

That’s His yoke. That’s what He wants you to learn as you walk in His footsteps.

It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. [Galatians 5:1]

What’s Jesus asking you to quit right now?

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Four Questions For Broken People

Rich Dixon, Author/Speaker
 www.relentlessgrace.com

Have you ever looked out an airplane window at night?

I flew across most of the U.S. last night and received a glimpse of daily life from a different perspective.

At one point I noticed a small cluster of lights, obviously a small town isolated in a sea of blackness. I thought about the people in that town. Each light represented an individual life focused on its own pain, joy, struggle, and triumph. I imagined conversations and arguments, urgent tasks and quiet evenings.z

I wondered if any of the lights represented a person in turmoil. Was someone contemplating a divorce, wondering how they’d pay the mortgage, or grieving a loss? Did a parent worry about a child’s illness or unfortunate choices?

I wondered whether someone in the cluster of flickering lights searched for God, longed for His presence in a season of despair. Did someone slump on weary knees whispering a desperate plea for relief or cry out in anger to a seemingly absent God?

As that small collection of lights receded, another appeared on the horizon. I felt the temptation to dismiss the petty squabbles and pains, to somehow call for a broader perspective from which our daily trials seem trivial and insignificant. I wanted to tell them to step back, see their small dots of concern in the context of a larger picture. I wished I could show them that everything’s okay, the world still moves along, and frankly that their isolated little light really isn’t such a big deal.

Then I wondered about God’s perspective. If those tiny individual lights seem trivial from a few thousand feet, how inconsequential must they appear to the One who holds all of it in the palm of His hand? While I see a few dozen miles from my window, He sees the entire universe and all of time at once. He watches from a truly eternal perspective I cannot even imagine.

In His eyes, my light is a blink in time. I’m here, and then I’m gone. Why would He care about my self-centered, momentary worries? The cluster of lights that’s so important to me is a single flash of absolutely no consequence.

I’m grateful that God doesn’t see it like that.

He doesn’t sit above and watch dismissively as we place our struggles at the center of the universe. He doesn’t hover above in His celestial private jet and scoff at our flickering spots of light. He doesn’t dismiss our individual trials as temporary and unimportant in the grand eternal plan of the kingdom.

Instead, He lands the plane. He climbs from the glory of heaven and walks with us. He hears every cry, feels every hurt, comforts every desperate soul. Even the dimmest, most isolated light matters to Him so much that He sacrificed His Son to redeem it.

God does ask us to take a bigger view and try to see from a broader perspective. Jesus continually instructed His followers to think in terms of His kingdom and live in a manner that transcends daily, worldly concerns. He knew that our human lives are a small blip on the eternal radar.

We are not human beings on a spiritual journey. We are spiritual beings on a human journey. Steven Covey

He also knows that we can’t do it. We can’t see it from His point of view. Even when we try, our biases, limitations, experiences, and desires get in the way. He understands that our tiny cluster of lights is the center of our universe, even when we don’t want it to be.

So He lands the plane and walks beside us. He trades the spotlight of heaven for the dim light of a human life. And, even more, He does what we cannot. He lives as a man with eternal perspective, a man who truly understands that His true calling is service and obedience. He pays the price we can never pay.

We can never see our lights from His point of view, but we can know that He understands. We can know that He sees and cares intimately about every one of our lights. And we can know that His desire is for that light to shine brightly and eternally.

I’ve tried to hide my own light. I’ve wandered in darkness so intense that I was sure not even God could see me. I’ve been certain that my light didn’t matter to God or to anyone else.

Through all of that pain, He refused to give up on me. Jesus walked beside me in that darkness and carried me over some especially rough spots. He wept with me, hurt with me, and loved me when I wasn’t very lovable.

Your light matters in an intensely personal way to God.

My friend Dick Foth was once asked to explain the Christian message in simple terms. He said:

Jesus left His place, and came to our place. He took our place, so He could take us to His place.

Why Would He do that for you and me? Because our lights matter more to God than His own Son.

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The Strength To Be Gentle

Rich Dixon, Author/Speaker
www.relentlessgrace.com 

A few days later, when Jesus again entered Capernaum, the people heard that he had come home. So many gathered that there was no room left, not even outside the door, and he preached the word to them. Some men came, bringing to him a paralytic, carried by four of them. Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus and, after digging through it, lowered the mat the paralyzed man was lying on. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” [Mark 2: 1-5]

Does Jesus surprise you?

I’m always amused to discover something new in a familiar story. As a quadriplegic, I’ve read this story from Mark many times. But recently I encountered a new twist that impacts the notion of new beginnings.

I’ve always wondered why Jesus responded initially by telling the paralytic that his sins were forgiven. I don’t think that’s why his friends carried the man to the roof, dug a hole, and lowered him into the room. I think they believed Jesus would heal the man’s body.

In the years following my injury, I begged God for physical healing. I sincerely believed He could mend my injury with a single touch. I pleaded, I cried, I bargained, and I screamed in the darkness. “God, please heal me!” I didn’t understand why He ignored or denied my prayers.

After years of frantically trying to get God to give me what I wanted, I finally heard His response and realized that He offered what I really needed. I finally heard Jesus patient voice saying, “Rich, your sins are forgiven.”

Beneath the broken body, God saw my broken heart. He knew that depression and regret comprised the walls of my prison, and that freedom could only be found in His forgiveness and grace.

The religious leaders in the crowd around Jesus understood.

Now some teachers of the law were sitting there, thinking to themselves, “Why does this fellow talk like that? He’s blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?” [Mark2:6-7]

Jesus claimed authority reserved for God alone. They might dismiss physical healing as illusion, but Jesus’ offer of forgiveness threatened the foundations of their superficial religiosity.

Immediately Jesus knew in his spirit that this was what they were thinking in their hearts, and he said to them, “Why are you thinking these things? Which is easier: to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up, take your mat and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins . . . .” He said to the paralytic, “I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.” He got up, took his mat and walked out in full view of them all. This amazed everyone and they praised God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this!” [Mark 2:8-12]

Jesus healed the man as a sign of His authority, but first He provided what the man truly needed—forgiveness and a full, free heart.

I suspect that most of the audience—then and now—missed the point. They were amazed and praised God because a paralyzed man walked. I wonder if any of them understood that the man’s freedom didn’t depend on a healed body.

That’s why I keep telling this story. I am not thankful for the struggle of my injury. I don’t know why it happened. I still believe God can heal me, and I don’t know why He doesn’t. Those are questions for greater minds than mine.

But I do know that my freedom and hope aren’t founded on my physical circumstances. Jesus helped me out of the darkness and into His light with a simple message, “Rich, your sins are forgiven.”

That’s what SetFreeToday is all about. It’s about something much more important than this world’s temporary troubles. It’s about Jesus, and the freedom, forgiveness, hope, and new beginning He offers. We’re not prisoners of the past.

You’re free. Take up your mat.

What’s a new beginning you need today?

Did you enjoy this article? Please leave a comment, visit my website, and/or send me an email at rich@richdixon.net.

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“There is something new every day if you look for it.”  –Hannah Hurnard

“Be alert, be present. I’m about to do something brand-new. It’s bursting out.  Don’t you see it?”  –Isaiah 43:19a

Finally I could stand my confinement no longer. After a full Saturday of writing, housecleaning, and catch-up with longstanding projects, I flung open the front door, breathed in the uncharacteristically cool-for-late-August St. Louis air, and proclaimed to my family, “Stop what you’re doing and grab a jacket. We’re going apple knocking!” I had received notification several days earlier from my favorite Illinois orchard that the Jonathans were ready to pick. And I was ready to pick them! Ripe for adventure, I deserted my duties and bolted for the car with my family.

The ride was lovely. The pastoral river road followed the mammoth Mississippi which unfurled like sliding silk. Occasional small waves ruffled by motorboats splintered the water into shards of dancing diamonds.  Our spirits danced as we anticipated the joyful camaraderie we’d celebrate, as together we plucked great globes of ruby fruit, crisp and succulent—taking those first luscious bites, sweet juice drizzling down our chins. We would fill our bags to overflowing and cart home our crimson cache, soon to be transformed by deft hands into pies, crisps, cakes, and cobblers.

But anticipation turned to disappointment when we discovered that the apple orchard was closed. The worker explained that I had misread the notice and that the orchard would open the following weekend. “But,” he added with a grin, “if you travel down the road a little farther, you’ll see signs leading to our competitor.”

Ah, what a difference a few miles can make. We had no idea that this “new” orchard existed.  We had never looked beyond the old one. Not only did we pick our beloved Jonathans, but mouthwatering Honey Crisp and Golden Delicious, as well, along with plump peaches and bulging blackberries. Our bags did indeed burgeon. As an extra surprise, this orchard boasted a market stocked with homemade apple butter, apple cider, caramel apples, honey, sauces, and a host of other taste-tempting treats.

On the way home we encountered another surprise. As was our custom, we stopped at a restaurant in a small river town just before crossing over the Mississippi back into Missouri, to purchase a big pan of “blonde” brownies, the moistest, chewiest, densest sweet imaginable.  Sheridan and I ran from the car and were crestfallen to find a “closed” sign on the cafe window. Undeterred, however, I tried the door and was thrilled to find it unlocked. Even though the cashier was counting the day’s earnings, Sheridan and I begged to buy some brownies. “Oh, I’m sorry,” she relayed. “I sold the last batch about a half hour ago.”

With that, my usually shy daughter asked to speak to the owner.  I was a bit embarrassed, but wasn’t quick enough to stop her. Within seconds the owner appeared, and Sheridan pled, “Could we please, please have your recipe for blonde brownies?” Much to our amazement, the gracious woman asked us to draw up chairs to a table and recited the entire recipe from memory as I scrambled to take dictation. She even divulged two important secrets: “You must bake the brownies for exactly twenty minutes, no more, no less, and they’ll turn out best baked in a ‘granite’ pan.” One could tell this was not a pitch to sell her wares, but the meticulous attention of a master baker to her tools. I told Sheridan to run outside where her father was waiting in the car, to ask him if we could buy a pan for $19.

Within minutes, she ran breathlessly back into the restaurant. “Sure, Daddy will take it.” The compliant restaurateur rang up the sale and we ran out, pan in hand. As Michael pulled out of the parking lot with his left hand on the steering wheel, he held out his upturned, empty right hand to me.

 ”What’s up?” I queried.

“Give me a brownie, please.”

“What brownie?” I inquired.

“You bought a whole pan of brownies. I’d like one now, please.”

“No I bought a brownie pan.”

“What?!”

“A granite brownie pan.”

“Are you kidding? I thought you were buying a pan of brownies!”

“No, I asked Sheridan to ask you if we could buy a brownie pan.”

“We paid $19 for an empty pan? I figured with the going rate of individual brownies that $19 was a great deal for a whole pan of them. But a pan? You have to be kidding!”

“Well, Mike, I did ask; and you are missing the point. Not only do we have a special brownie pan, but the owner gave me the original recipe, so we can fill the pan as often as we like!”

Ah, expectations. That day, we expected only Jonathans and got a cornucopia of sumptuous fruit. We anticipated baked brownies, and got an empty pan . . . but we’ll look forward to making the world’s best brownies ourselves as often as we dare to indulge in them.

On the ride home, as I mulled over the day’s events, they flowed like a river of journal-writing metaphors. which I hoped to explore when I got home. I began to ponder . . . How often do I pin my hopes on specific expectations, only to be disappointed because they’re not met in the precise ways that I desire or anticipate? Despite my disappointment, am I alert and “present” to look for something brand-new, something bursting out of the ordinary, that God has prepared for my delight, just around the corner, just around the next bend in life’s road? Will I stop to appreciate it or just speed by? Am I constantly putting out my upturned palm or empty brownie pan expecting God to fill it with His abundant blessings, or am I asking Him what my part is in baking blessings that please Him and delight others? Faith without works is dead, and I need to ask God how to use the ingredients He’s given me to create a life that nourishes others and sweetens their hearts. I determined then and there not to put God in a box or all my brownies in one pan. I submitted to my master Creator-Chef, realizing that when I have eyes to see–to really look for Him and His ways and a willingness to relinquish my disappointments to Him–He will lead me to new things, wonderful things, far beyond my wildest expectations.  And how thankful I am for my journal, the perfect place to consider and capture God’s blessings.

Your Invitation . . . Explore these questions in depth in your journal: What are times when God has not fulfilled your deepest expectations and dreams? What was the result? How did you feel? How did you respond? What difference has it made in your life? As you look back, what new things, better things did God do in your life despite that He hadn’t met these old expectations? How did He “work your disappointments together for good”? (Rom. 8:28) Will you consider emptying your heart of biased or personal expectations? Will you let God be God and do what He does best by fulfilling your heart’s desires with His dreams for your life? Will you allow Him to fulfill your life far beyond your limited expectations, nourishing and satisfying your soul with indescribably sweet blessings? Draw an empty “brownie pan” in your journal to symbolize your heart, emptied of your willfulness and preconceived, limited expectations. Also write about ways God is showing you to do your part in “baking” a life of faith and blessing to others.

© Lynn D. Morrissey. Permission to reprint any or all of this material is required.