The North Woods
For the past two weeks, my family and I enjoyed a nice break in the North woods of Wisconsin, about 2 hours north of Green Bay. We stayed at a small cabin that used to belong to my grandfather and now belongs to my mother. My Uncle Dean has been up there with my dad for fishing trips. I have been going there since before I remember; 57 years now. It's always been a place of rest for my family.
The cabin sits on Timm's Lake, a 30 acre fishing lake that used to belong to my mother's grandparents before they lost it during The Depression. There are a few small cottages and a handful of year round residents that dot the shoreline around the lake. There's even a small beach across the lake that my kids absolutely love!
Now even though we were on vacation, we didn't take a vacation from God. And it really wasn't that hard to do in a place frequently referred to as 'God's Country'. So as we swam in God's lake, and we looked for God's painted turtles, the North woods gently gave me…
I. A reminder on priorities
At the cabin we don't set an alarm; we don't have any set schedule – we just get up and see what the weather allows. We have a little more time to sit still, to breathe - to think. Many of the day's regular pressures are temporarily suspended and things slow down. Of course we're still chasing kids around and cooking and cleaning and dealing with laundry and minor repairs up there. - The geography changes but not the daily chores. But the major difference was that I didn't have to say goodbye to my kids each day and head off to the office.
Don't misunderstand, the Bible teaches that God does place a high value on work – we were created to work, to serve, but work is not the entirety of your life, despite how it may feel sometimes. Trying to find that balance between work and rest is always a difficult tension. But spending some time away helped remind me of God's greater purposes. We are called to work hard and to earn our keep and to be generous with what God provides us with – but just working for a paycheck is not our purpose.
Jesus said these words regarding a believer's relationship with work and money…
Matthew 6:25-34 (NIV)
Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? (26) Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? (27) Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?
(28) And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. (29) Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. (30) If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? (31) So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?'
(32) For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. (33) But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. (34) Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
Jesus wasn't saying 'don't work', but not to worry about all of the things work provides – because ultimately they all come from God. Jesus is making a distinction between those who follow Him and, what He called 'pagans'. And that's not as much a pejorative term here as it is a descriptive word to show the comparison. We are to work – but our trust needs to be in God to provide for us.
And another reminder that I received…
A. Respect family
When God created us, it was His design for us to live in families. Now of course as circumstances change over our lifetime they frequently dictate changes in our families – like someone heading off to college... But family relationships are important to God. There's a reason the Church is referred to as 'The Family of God' and we're called His children. When we're baptized into Christ, we're adopted into his family.
There are many verses that talk about family relationships, but as I was able to spend more time with my family, this passage came to mind…
Psalms 127:3-5 (NIV)
Sons are a heritage from the LORD, children a reward from him. (4) Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are sons born in one's youth. (5) Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them. They will not be put to shame when they contend with their enemies in the gate.
Living and relating with family is not always easy – but God gave us these special relationships for a purpose. And God placed you into the family that He did, in the time that He did, in the role that He did for a reason; for His purposes! And you are called to learn those purposes by submitting your will to His and serving your family. Family is important to God.
And as I said, circumstances change – we start out a child and many become a parent, or even grandparents - our roles change. …And we even find that life can throw us curve balls and loss in our families.., but we also find that family is not always just determined by biology. We know that very well in my family.
Don't take your family for granted, or your role in your family. Make time for your family, pray for and with your family! You are there for a reason, so don't let other priorities take you away too much. And one of the most important things is to…
B. Lead your family
Our first week, we actually had a signal and live streamed most of Sunday's worship service. The next Sunday I couldn't get any signal at all. But when we could watch, it was really nice sitting as family and singing and listening to my brother preach. And this passage from Joshua came to mind. It's after many of God's people had simply gotten lax and ignored their commitment to God. And Joshua challenged them saying…
Joshua 24:15 (NIV)
But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.
Joshua took a stand for God with his family. He took his responsibility to lead them for God seriously, no matter what anyone else was doing.
- We often talk about the man as the spiritual head of the household, how ultimately it's his spiritual responsibility to set a Godly example for his family and to lead them for God. But leading is not only his job. I can try all I want to set that Godly example, but the reality is that my wife spends much more time raising our kids than I do. And I'm blessed that she's doing such a great job. Sometimes to her own detriment - but I think we've all seen that's kind of God's special design for mothers.
Everyone has a role in leading their family, in pointing their family to God. And the voice of encouragement or wisdom won't always come from 'the leader'. Everyone has been given gifts and the ability to minister in their own way. And being family – you can say things with a conviction that others outside of your family may not be able to get away with. Love your family enough to speak to them about Jesus.
Circumstances will change, but the family relationship does not. I will always be my children's father – even when they're adults. My spiritual responsibility as their earthly father does not change. Now as adults they may choose to ignore me, and that will be their choice – but my responsibility does not change. It's not an overstatement in saying that their eternal destiny, and their children's, and perhaps even their children's eternal destiny is massively affected by my spiritual leadership and by my willingness to lovingly, boldly and frequently speak the truth about Jesus to my family.
… And there's something else that vacation can bring. - Getting away from the ordinary routine helps you to see things from…
II. A greater perspective
One of our family's traditions for years has been visiting the Pine Mountain Ski Jump in Iron Mountain, Michigan. At 176 feet tall, it's one of the highest man made ski jumps in the world. The top of the jump is nearly 600 feet above all of the surrounding landscape, giving the jumpers the same view that they would have if they were standing on top of a 60 story skyscraper. On a clear day, from this view at the top of the jump you can see about 30 miles. Now I didn't take this picture, I prefer to take my pictures at the bottom of the jump looking out.
But can you imagine jumping off of that on a pair of skis...? No, thank you. Standing on the top of this mountain gives you a great perspective. But as great as this view is, there was something else that gave me an even greater perspective.
Another place we've visited for years is 'Dave's Falls', in Amberg, WI. The background to the slides this morning is from there. I've been going there for years to hike the trails and have family picnics. But I learned something just a few years ago that I never knew - why it's named 'Dave's Falls'. They added a marker explaining that a logging river boss named 'Dave Frechette' lost his life trying to clear a log jam in 1881. The falls are named after him. Over 130 years ago, a man went to work, just like every other day – but he didn't come home. We never know when our time on this earth is up.
There's a truth that we forget when we get busy with life and everything around us…
A. Life is short
It's not my intention to be depressing – but that's a reality that we sometimes forget as we set our priorities. Are we more focused on just preparing for our retirement years than we are for what comes after that?
In the book of Luke we find Jesus' words in Luke 12:16-21 (NIV)...
And he told them this parable: "The ground of a certain rich man produced a good crop. (17) He thought to himself, 'What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.' (18) Then he said, 'This is what I'll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. (19) And I'll say to myself, "You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry."'
(20) But God said to him, 'You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?' (21) This is how it will be with anyone who stores up things for himself but is not rich toward God.
I don't know if 'Dave the logger' had plans for his retirement, but I can guarantee you he didn't plan on dying that day in 1881. None of us know when we're done here – are you ready? Are you satisfied with the legacy you would leave?
You can retire from your vocation, from your paid job, but not from your calling. You never retire from being a Christian. Are you satisfied that you have done everything that God intended you to accomplish? Have you reached those He wanted you to reach? Is your relationship with God where you want it to be?
One final lesson from the North woods; up there we have something we call…
B. 'Cabin clean'
We are now blessed to have running water and even a shower at the cabin. We didn't used to. We used to jump off the dock and suds up and call it good. But even now with a shower, our 'standards of clean' are a lot lower up there. There's no AC and you're frequently putting on bug spray or sunscreen or getting all smoky by a campfire; a daily shower seems almost pointless. When we'd get ready to go into town, we'd ask, 'Are you Cabin clean?' 'Clean enough for vacation…' I only shaved twice while we were up there.
Based on your surroundings you kind of adjust your standards of what you consider clean. That sort of 'cabin clean standard' can also apply to our spiritual lives. We compare ourselves to the world around us and figure, 'Well, I certainly look clean enough – it could be a lot worse…" But we forget that we have been called to a higher standard.
1 Peter 1:14-19 (NIV)
As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. (15) But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; (16) for it is written: "Be holy, because I am holy." (17) Since you call on a Father who judges each man's work impartially, live your lives as strangers here in reverent fear.
(18) For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, (19) but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.
Since life is short and you never really know when your time is up – are you as clean, as holy as you would like to be when you face your Heavenly Father? And you will face Him. And this is not about putting you on a guilt trip for you to be 'good enough' to earn your salvation. It doesn't work that way – we are saved by grace! But I'm encouraging you to examine yourself, your holiness – I'm encouraging you to be holy not for the sake of salvation, but because of who your Father is!
Be holy because of 'to whom' you belong! You are not your own! Jesus gave His life for yours, so that you could be washed clean. Are you living in such a way as to reflect that holiness in your life?
So What?
Are your priorities God's priorities? Have you taken the time recently to look at those things? Are you spending your time on things that will have a lasting impact? Are you making the most of the short time that you've been given?
Picture what eternity might look like for your family without your influence? ..Have you made an impact? Have you influenced your family for Jesus? Now – look at the flip side – picture eternity, picture what Heaven might look like for your family if you stand firm for Jesus? Picture all of those you love in the presence of God's greatness and love for eternity because of your encouragement and your willingness to speak to them about Jesus?
Life is short. We don't always get as much time as we'd like to sit and reflect on the many directions our lives take us. Take this opportunity – make the time – to stop and look at your life. This life is not all there is, but eternity is based on what you do in this life. Jesus Christ is THE only way to Heaven. Do you live every day like you believe that truth? If not – I'd suggest you find your own 'North woods' to do a bit of reflection. And – talk to your family about Jesus – today!