You ARE what God says about you! Psalm 3

The Rieves are plagued. We have a disease that runs through our bones. We believe, no our being assumes, everyone WILL like us. From the first introduction we attempt to work our magic, cast our spell to secure a good impression. Failure is not an option. We will be liked, because we are likeable. 

This really sets us up for serious disillusionment. If the Bible is clear about anything it is that sin dwarfs our ability to love. That means others are not only not going to like us, but they will take advantage of us, and dream of ways to avoid if not bring harm to us. When the harm of another collides with the assumption of our likeability, we act the way we feel, namely as if the sun forgot to shine. We act as if the most unnatural thing is occurring when in fact it is quite the opposite. Because of our broken nature we will be unliked, even by those that should love us. 

We see this in David's life. When he wrote this Psalm he was being hunted like a dog by Absalom his own son, and his son's army. "Hunted," is not an exaggeration for Absalom wanted to kill David. This is surprising in and of itself, but what is even more surprising is that David never mentions this. Instead of complaining to God or confessing the sins of his son, he goes to God for deliverance. He allows the hate of his son to drive him to God as his deliverer. 

He even goes to God with his desire for his enemies to be struck on the jaw and for the teethe of the wicked to be broken. How many family meetings have we held in which we struck our wicked offenders on the jaw and broke the teethe of those that had the nerve to hurt us? How many times have we assembled to confess the sin of others, leaving little to no room for mercy? We, unlike David, loose sleep as peace evades. Isn't there a better way?

There was a leprous man who went to Jesus and this was his plea, "If you are willing, make me clean." This man was in a life or death situation, yet he puts his life and death in Jesus' hands. It seems to me David is doing the same. He is not stewing in anger, but swimming up from the bottom of deep hurt propelled by the hope of deliverance, not by God, but in God. God is his shield, not altered circumstances. 

When we have God, we have enough. His love is better than anyone's acceptance. His faithful presence to shield and renew us is life itself. Time spent leaning deep into Him, confessing His love is life even if all else is death. So, no matter what others are saying about you, you are what God says about you. And you need to agree and say with David, "To the LORD I cry aloud, and he answers me..."

The Power of a Kiss - Psalm 2

I remember the first time I kissed your mother (I know, the last thing you want to think about). A kiss is powerful. It takes a lot of bravery to lean in, especially the first time, and hope the kiss is reciprocated. Rejection is our biggest fear and one that could easily materialize in the pursuit of a kiss. Yet, she reciprocated and fear of rejection turned into life giving acceptance and love.

The Psalmist tells us that the world can be healed through a kiss. Every problem we have, so says he, can vanish through attraction, pursuit, risk, faith, the actual leaning in and embrace. He tells us that the Son is waiting and He will reciprocate. Most of the world will choose to live in anger, resistance and the stubborn demand for God and others to kiss them, but we are invited to lean in and kiss "the son."

It will be easier to not kiss the Son. It is easier to be stand offish with God. To live in our self pity, anger, resentment for how the day is not going, dwelling on how much better everyone else's life seems. It is easier to long to rest in the kiss of boy/girl. That is good, but it is only good because it shadows a true kiss, the kiss of God. It is absurd, unthinkable, but He literally invites us to the vulnerability and intimacy of a kiss. To lean in, trust and kiss. Kiss with the faith that he is waiting, longing, and desiring us.

So, lean into the One who never grows cold in His love for you, for He is waiting. He is pursuing you through whatever you are going through, for that He has made clear.  The only question is, "Will you lean in, give up, risk and kiss Him?" When you do you will hear the sweet whisper, "You are my son/daughter, today I have become your father." For this Father loves us with the same passion he has for his Son. That is gospel truth and it is truly good!

Much love,
dad

New Allegiance - Psalm 1

Your a Bulldog now and I guess I am too. I guess I am kinda shocked at how easy my conversion has been from Razorback red to "State" maroon.  I even wore an MSU shirt to work out in yesterday at the "Y." This may not seem like a big deal to you, but maybe I underestimate the impact my fanaticism had on you. As a little girl you may remember your dad, on certain Fall Saturdays, yelling and screaming at the TV thoroughly convinced my full bodied support was Samson like strength to the runner's legs, as if stopping would be like cutting the hair of the aforementioned. Yes, I probably underestimate the impact my victory dances or the agony I suffered at a Razorback loss had on you. To say I delighted in the Hogs is to understate the reality. I meditated on the roster, stood and sat with them through thick and thin.  I was loyal to the end.

Yet, there I was, at your, our, new school's Barnes and Noble starring at an Addidas "Dawg" shirt thinking of myself wearing it at the tailgate party already planned for the first home game. I'm already studying the players, getting familiar with the traditions, and even the thought of ringing a cowbell is not near as offensive nor strange as it once would be.

What has happened? Some may argue loyalty follows money. "Where your money goes, your loyalty goes." Well, we will spend a lot of money in Starkville over the next four years, but it is not the money that has made my conversion, it is you. You are the reason for this change in me. Just as I came to respect LIberty Universtiy becuase of Whit (maybe a more noteworthy conversion worthy of penning some thoughts at some point) and just as I grew to love the Colorado State Rams (much easier because I had never heard of the Mountain West Conference), my loyalties have shifted. You see, what you love is what you obey and I love you.

 The Psalmist says that the one who is blessed, and I love that word for it means so much more than happiness or joy, but more of a deep abiding satisfaction and stability, is the one who meditates on the law of God day and night. That sounds impossible, doesn't it? If you had told me several months ago that blessedness was becoming a "State" fan, I would have resigned myself to a life of pleasure with the "Hogs," rather than the blessedness of "Statedom." However, the one who has my heart has moved and my obedience, what I meditate on has moved with her.

The Psalmist doesn't just say, "meditate on THE LAW." Who can do that? That is as foolish as reading Leviticus before bedtime. You will only wake up defeated full of a heart of guilt that you have fallen asleep on God. But you would not have fallen asleep on God, but on laws separated and removed from Him. 

The Psalmist says, "...his delight is in the law OF THE LORD and on HIS!!!!! law he meditates day and night." Before God gave Moses the 10 commandments, literally the sentence before the first commandment, he said, "I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery." That is a game changing btw and much more than a btw. What God is doing is giving them, us, the power, the strength and the key to obedience before giving the laws defining obedience. You see, we were not created to be able to obey apart from someone getting our heart. We have all tried it and we fail every time without fail. Why? Because love always precedes true obedience. Thus, God wanted Isreael to remember that they were dead men/women living. They were slaves being hunted and pursued by their well armed and trained oppressor cornered at the banks of a sea. He wanted them to remember that, precisely at that point, God directed Moses to lift a stick up in the air, pretty ridiculous and that is the point, and watch Him be their salvation. He delivered and rescued them and that rescue was to become the fuel for conversion, for later revival when the joy of conversion faded, and the power for new life kind of obedience.

You have heard enough of my sermons and had plenty of conversations with me to know where this is going, but it is good every time, right?  God has done the same for us! "God demonstrates his own love for us in this, while we were still sinners, Christ died for us (Rm 5)!" To remember this is to obey. When we meditate on this, in the face of our current and Whole Foods organic produce fresh sin, the last night, this morning kind of sin, something happens in our hearts that moves to our actions.  Our loyalty changes for our Lover wins us!

This first Psalm is the key to it all for you will have all kinds of opportunities to stand and sit with sinners. You will be tempted by people whose lives seem to be attractive, but who are really as unstable and frivolous as the stuff that blows off a head of wheat, chaff. It is more than just isolated moments of temptation, but it is almost as if there is a strong current that wants to rip you off the bank and take you with it. It is nothing new, but the wounds it inflicts will be new. Thus, you must plant your heart by a different stream, the stream of God's love for what you love, you will obey.

Finally, all this addresses not just college but life. He uses the metaphor of a tree firmly planted by streams of water. That is the goal, a beautiful end product, not temporary survival. His goal is not fun for today, but blessedness for life. He wants to put you on a path of growth that ends strong. Oh it is tree that will have experienced its storms, but it is a tree that will have survived because of where it was planted.

There is nothing easy about this. It is lonely some times. There will be times you will not want to live this and you will not. But come back to Psalm 1 and remember. Come back to Psalm 1and fall in love with God to the point that He has your heart! A God whose commands are high, but whose commands are obeyed only through His love, a love for sinners like you, like me. May God give us grace for today to that end and Go Dawgs!

Speaking into the New Beginning

Your mother and I just dropped you off at college. The longer I'm a dad and a husband the more I'm forced into submission. Somewhere along the way a boy is convinced to believe that being a man means being in control. Well, it is a lie. I am not in control else you would be in your bedroom, curled up in your bed reading a book and at some point you would come downstairs and talk me into watching some chick flick and eventually going to the store to get you chocolate. Instead, you are in a dorm room watching movies with your "RA" and your new friends. I'm not in control. I'm submitting to God's ridiculous design of pouring my life into one that I will have to let go. It is life and death and somehow it is good. It doesn't feel good today, but I must submit for I know, deep down, He IS good.

I have felt this day coming for sometime, about a year in fact. I almost began this blog a year ago in an attempt to get you ready for college. However, demands on time and lack of discipline and probably being afforded more time with you collided to make it all so impossible. But you are gone now, so I must write. As God spoke into the chaos of nothingness, I want to speak into the hurt, of my own heart, to prepare you, me, us for what's ahead.

I want to use the Psalms as the centerpiece for I don't have many words of wisdom, but I know One who does. The Psalms were the worship book of God's people. The thing that gets me about them is how their different composers seemed to be forcing themselves to worship when they were lonely, depressed, afraid, really sorry, or just captivated by the beauty of a God that met them when they were lonely, depressed, afraid or really sorry. I'm not sure if college will ever lead you to these feelings, but I have a hunch it will. I do because, remember, I'm not in control. He is in control and his desire is to get your heart, not make you safe. He is a better daddy and I'm only as good as my ability to lead you to Him.

One more thing before we begin. I want to speak into mom's life as well. I thought I was going to have to rip her off you yesterday.  It was like trying to pull your fingers apart after super glue has set. You can do it, but not without pain and a bit of lost skin! And even another thing, my hope is that your sisters will read this and know that I'm speaking to them as well. Long story short, it is a family affair!

A few disclaimers. I can't promise I will write every day. 3-4 times per week is probably more realistic. I don't know if I will hit every Psalm and who knows I may even stray from them into other parts of the Bible. Feel free to share this blog. It has saddened me to see how many comments from girls are posted on FB when I write something sweet on your birthday. However, we all long for a father to speak lovingly to us. It is what makes us human and why the gospel story is so life giving. But it will be to you, to mom, to whit and ash and b when he gets old enough and his brother...you get the point! I love and miss you and look forward to what this year will bring!

Dad