Dale Cresap's blog

Are you familiar with the concept of playing with a stacked deck? The assumption in a card game is that the cards are dealt in a random order. Arranging the cards in advance violates this principle. Can you extend this principle to life? Do you see the events of the universe and the circumstances that affect your life as basically random, or ordered by divine intent? As with the cards, it may be hard to say from a single hand or event. But if things consistently fall in your favor does it become harder to attribute them to random activity? I stack the deck for everyone. Blessed are those who know this.

Does it disturb you to read in my word that you are called to pick up your cross and carry it? I had my own to carry, and my cross was unique in relation to the one you are asked to carry, but as you may recall from the story, even I had help in carrying my cross. How much more will you receive all the assistance you need in this difficult task. The purpose of your cross is not to burden or oppress you. It is to remind you of your destiny for you too will be resurrected. And the assistance that you get in carrying your cross is to remind you that you are not independent or sufficient in yourself.

How do you evaluate your fellow believers? Is church attendance the primary standard? You are not to forsake the assembling of yourselves together, and my church is correctly referred to as my body. These things are made clear in the epistles. But other things are given more emphasis in the gospels. The message of loving your neighbor is emphasized throughout the Bible. Church attendance is highly regarded by those who attend church, but loving your neighbor is highly regarded by everyone. Church attendance is important. If you go there and learn to love your neighbor that is even more important.

My disciples objected when I wanted to wash their feet. I told them that if we did it now they would understand it later. Have you ever done things intuitively that you didn’t understand conceptually until later? The paradigm of your age is rationalism, by which you figure everything out before you act. You have done this, but you have also seen how it doesn’t always work. Do you think yourself into a new way of living? Who has ever done this successfully? But if you follow me in obedience, even with regard to things you don’t yet understand, you can live yourself into a new way of thinking.

The Bible uses the term ‘the world’ to mean several different things. It means the creation, that was declared to be good. But when the Bible tells you to be in the world but not of the world, it is referring to something else. The modern term that captures this concept of the world could as well be expressed as ‘the system’. Have you ever heard this term used to describe the activities you see around you and the way of thinking that gives rise to them? But you have the mind of Christ to have a new way of thinking so you can be in the world but not of the system, but rather of the Kingdom of God.

Are you content? My word teaches you to be content with what you have. Someday you may have more, but contentment is always now, in the moment. It is never looking forward and saying, I will be, when or if. It is also never looking around for comparison to what others have, for there will always be those with more. A wise king in Proverbs asked me for the food convenient for him, for either too much or too little would be less than the optimal best. Have you seen situations in your own life where more would make things worse instead of better? Ask me for this discernment to facilitate your contentment.

Do you like lemonade? Lemons are sour. But lemonade without lemons is just sugar water. This is just one example of the many combinations of sweet and sour from the culinary world that people find appealing. What about real life? Do you expect life to be always comfortable and pleasant? But you find that life includes strenuous and trying experiences as well. My word does not regard these as abnormal. They too are part of my benevolent plan for your life. Just as lemons and sugar combine to make a refreshing drink, so the blessings and favor I bestow on you combine with your difficulties and trials to transform you into my likeness.

Are you thankful for gravity? You may not have given the matter much thought. What child has not dreamed of floating above the earth? And those who have just fallen and injured themselves are probably not grateful for the universal and inescapable effects of gravity. Yet it is gravity that holds the earth’s atmosphere and water, so without it all life would quickly cease. It is a force you have to deal with and may have occasional unpleasant consequences, but like all of my creation it is overwhelmingly good. So be thankful for the air you breathe, gravity that retains the atmosphere and keeps you from being adrift, and my presence with you which is as real as these.

Do you like to receive gifts? Do you like to give them as well? It is more blessed to give than to receive. In both cases do you think that no money should change hands? I have given you skills and abilities you may use to serve others. You may be paid for the performance of these things as you earn your living, or you may not. You may think of it as a gift either way. Do you look at your job as a way of giving a gift to those you serve, wait on, or provide for? If you do so it shifts your perspective of your work from mercenary necessity to transcendent service, even as I taught my disciples to serve rather than be served.

Are you familiar with the story of Mary and Martha? Does your mind automatically conclude that Mary is good and Martha is bad? That is incorrect. Martha was serving me, after all. It isn’t like she was idle or causing trouble. And it wasn’t for this that I gently chided her. It was when she tried to enlist my assistance to compel her sister to help her. Good works are still good and commendable. You have your own assignments, and others have theirs. No man (or woman) can serve two masters, so other people cannot serve me and you. Be content to do the work I have given you, which is not too much for you, and let others do theirs.