In my life, I have known a few mean people. People who were angry and wounded and who wounded others. My natural reaction-stay clear, avoid contact, keep a safe distance. I want as little encounter with these people as is possible. I'm afraid of what they might do to me. 

There it is again: fear. 

What would it mean to my life as a Christ-follower if I project upon God my experience of these wounded and wounding people? Among other ramifications, this projection would make unlikely my willingness to encounter God. 

A little word study is essential. Webster assigns two definitions to fear. "An unpleasant often strong emotion caused by anticipation or awareness of danger." Synonyms for this definition of fear include terror, dread, horror, trepidation, apprehension. This fear can be either friend or foe because it can both lead you to the Savior and it can paralyze and isolate you. 

Webster's second definition of fear is "profound reverence and awe." Synonyms for this fear include respect, worship, admire/admiration, to hold in highest regard.

Yes.  And, Yes!  These two definitions - awareness or anticipation of danger and profound reverence and awe - both apply to God. 

Remember Lucy and Mrs. Beaver's encounter of Narnia fame?  In hearing about Aslan, Lucy, shaking a little in her boots, asks, "Is he safe?" Mrs. Beaver replies, "Goodness no. He's not safe. But he's good." Lucy rightly assessed that to come face-to-face with Aslan was to encounter Danger. Mrs. Beaver, on the other hand, knows that encountering Aslan is to come face-to-face with Goodness and Love.

You enter a familiar room where a kindly grandfather is seated in an old and overstuffed chair. The room is lit by the soft warmth of a low burning fire and bears an aroma of peace and safety. He welcomes you and smiles benevolently upon his daughter's daughter, his son's son. You approach, settle yourself at his knee. His giant and strong hand enfolds yours while you rest your head and surrender your heart into his embrace.

This is not a bad image of God[1]; but it is an inadequate one. Fearing God, as in anticipating danger, is wise. He is The Holy Wild,[2] the transcendent Creator of the universe who stretches out his mighty arm to bring justice and righteousness to the earth. The second definition - profound reverence and awe - must go hand-in-hand with the first. "The fear of the Lord (profound reverence and awe) is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding" [Proverbs 9:10].

Poor Isaiah, in the midst of a perfectly fine repose, writes of a sudden awakening.

In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted, and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him were seraphs, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. And they were calling to one another:

"Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory."

At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke.

"Woe to me!" I cried. "I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty."

Isaiah knew that he was in trouble. Because of his sin, Isaiah was in grave danger in the presence of the Holy. 

Then one of the seraphs flew to me with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar. With it he touched my mouth and said, "See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for."

Encountering the Living God should make us afraid! God is holy and righteous and just and I know myself to be a sinner in need of mercy. So, how can I be certain that my sin, which is desperately grave, can be erased by God's forgiveness and the consequence I deserve can be replaced by the grace I do not deserve? The answer: Jesus! In him, because of him, through his work of salvation on the cross, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

Jesus is for us what Isaiah's burning coal was for him, and more. In Jesus, salvation history has its fulfillment; those who receive Jesus Christ experience the same grace that Isaiah received - guilt is removed, sin atoned for and intimate fellowship with God is available. 

"Let us then approach God's throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need" (Hebrews 4:16). Enter the throne room, and approach the One seated on the throne whose "train fills the temple"? Yes. Approach with confidence, not with fear, because Christ Jesus, our great high priest, has ascended to the Father's right hand saying "she's one of mine," and "he bears my name" while his Spirit intercedes for us before God. And all of this was accomplished because God loves us.

This gift from God, this mercy that does not give me what I deserve but that embraces me and welcomes me - a beloved daughter - is one side of a coin. The two sides: the love of God and the fear of God. "The Christian is constantly confronted by the task of overcoming the motive of fear by that of love. Over and above the motive of fear, faith which is active in love, appears at the nerve-centre of Christian conduct in the NT (Gal. 5:6). The NT presents a tension between fear and love. In a paradoxical way they exist together."[3]

Encountering God is dangerous. It's dangerous because He wants to love you. He wants to give you what you need to become the woman or man that He created you to be. He wants to strip away the false and write Truth on your heart. He wants you to know Him as He is-holy and enthroned as well as present to you as Comforter and Lover of your soul.  

Encountering God is very scary and very sweet. It is the only path to life in abundance.

Jesus came to us, lived among us face-to-face, to show us the Father.  Take the risk-tell God that you are willing to experience a face-to-face encounter of Grace. 

Next time... I'm going to tell you about my two-year old daughter, a purple snowsuit, and my deepest, darkest fear.  (But, don't be afraid.  It has a happy ending!)

©2008 Vine, Vision & Voice
Nancy R. Buschart

[1] "On that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you. They who have my commandments and keep them are those who love me; and those who love me will be loved by my Father, and I will love them and reveal myself to them...Those who love me will keep my word, and my Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them" [John 14:20-21, 23 NRSV]

[2] Mark Buchannan, The Holy Wild: Trusting in the Character of God (Sisters, Oregon: Multnomah, 2003).

[3] The New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology, Vol.1. Colin Brown, ed. (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1975), 624.

This morning I conducted an impromptu survey here on the second floor of the admin building at Denver Seminary. The question, "What are you afraid of?" yielded answers that, I believe, reflect a universal condition - we are all afraid.

Spiders, snakes, the dark and heights were frequent answers. Other answers included scary people, unfamiliar situations, and "traveling in countries where I don't know the language." Being alone was mentioned more than once. One person hesitated, then replied, "I'm afraid of hurting."

I have a VVV lesson on fear titled, "Ghosts, Goblins, Tornados, Terrorists and Other Frightful Things." It's a good lesson because everyone can play this game: to name one's fears is an essential step toward becoming the man or woman that God created you to be.

There are degrees of fear. There are "silly" -- yet, not so silly -- fears (ghosts and goblins-"things that go bump in the night"); there are "out there" fears that happen to other people (tornados and terrorists). Then, there are "in here" fears.

These "in here" fears are awful monsters. Superstition says, "Don't talk about them, because they might come true." I'm going to go ahead and "tempt fate" by naming some of these terrorists:

Fear is a motivator. The Three Questions posting for August 5, "Fear, My Friend" suggested that fear can motivate us to declare our need for God; fear can lead us to the Savior. Fear can indeed be a spiritual friend. Even the above list of fears can be friends that lead us to the Father.

However, our deepest, "in here" fears are not friends when they are left unspoken. They increase in power as they are left alone and unchecked. Subconsciously at work, our fears can become the decision-makers of our lives. "When our fears dictate all our actions, we can become paralyzed and incapable of thinking clearly or living faithfully."[1]

When my fears reign, who is my God? He is small, smaller and less powerful than my fear. He is weak, uncaring and unconcerned about the fears that possess me. He has left me alone to battle the life and death struggle of fears that seek to annihilate my ability to stand. Rarely do we admit that this is how we view God. It's that dichotomy between what we know cognitively to be true and the truth that we are enacting in our lives. Fear kills faith!

When my fears reign, who am I? I am isolated. I am buffeted by the wind and waves of a cruel world that seeks to defeat me. I am unloved, unprotected.

When my fears reign, how am I living? I panic-sleepless nights are spent envisioning the worst case scenario. I settle for what is safe and live in frustration at the gulf dividing reality from God-given dreams. I try to ignore my fears by staying so busy that I don't have time to think about them. I project responsibility for my inaction on others rather than facing the fear that is deciding my course. Living in fear means I am not living in faith, hope and love; I don't trust.

When I turned forty, seemingly the moment I turned forty, I found it difficult to focus my eyes to read. Letters blurred and the needed distance between page and eyes increased. I went to the optometrist and, sure enough, it was time for bi-focals. When these new lenses arrived I was amazed by their effect-letters on the page were once again crisp and legible.

When we are looking at our lives through the lens of fear, all is lost. No focus upon Truth is possible. But, when the dissatisfaction of living a fear-controlled life motivates us beyond fear, there is One waiting and ready.

We need to ask ourselves which is greater: our fear or our God?

If the honest answer is "our fear," then we need an action plan that will provide us a necessary lens adjustment.

If our fear is greater than our God, then we don't know the God of scripture very well. Knowing Him is to know that He is greater than anything that could befall us. Knowing Him is to know that He loves us, never, ever leaves or forsakes us, and will companion us, strengthen us, and comfort us in every situation. We don't trust what we don't know. We won't trust God with our fears if our god is false.

The Word is a weapon against fear. Learn it and live it. Philippians 4, familiar and oft cited, is an active response to fear that acknowledges our need for God.

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!

Lord, I praise you even though I am afraid. I remember your faithfulness of the past and rejoice that you are faithful in the present and the future.

Let your gentleness be evident to all.

Quiet the spinning in my heart and my mind.

The Lord is near.

I cling to the truth that you are with me.

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

I am anxious, terribly anxious. I can't overcome my fears just by willing myself to do so. I give my fear of ___________ to you. Give me what I need to surrender all to you. I even want to thank you in the midst of this because I know you are with me to comfort me and that nothing and no one can pluck me from your care.

And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Lord, I long to receive your peace in this situation. Peace seems impossible to me, it makes no sense at all. In Christ, I cast all my cares on you.

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable -- if anything is excellent or praiseworthy -- think about such things.

Lord, keep my mind out of the gutter of fear-filled existence. Remind me, by your Spirit, to think more of you and less of my fears.

Isolation nourishes our fears. We may even believe that no one else fears as we do. This is a nasty strategy of the evil one. Name them. Share them. Let the church be the Church-to encourage one another on to love and good deeds.

I know that these words go against popular wisdom, but the bottomline is that you will not be able to conquer your fears. Small or large, spoken or unspoken, fears will always be a part of your daily life. The choices we make in response to our fears are a significant part of the faith journey that leads us into ever deepening intimacy of relationship with God, in Christ, through the Spirit. To some degree, our fears will remain and will return. However, when we focus our attention upon the One who is True and Right and Pure, when He becomes the lens through which we live and understand life, our fears lose their power and the precious peace of God prevails.

"Fear can keep us up all night long, but faith makes one fine pillow."

Who is God?
Greater than all my fears put together! Kind and gracious Companion in fearful times, Author of peace that passes understanding

Who am I?
Often afraid

How am I living?
"Lord, keep my mind out of the fear gutter! Help me surrender my fears and insecurities to you."

©2008 Vine, Vision & Voice
Nancy R. Buschart

[1] A Guide to Prayer for all who Seek God, Rueben P. Job and Norman Shawchuck, eds (Nashville: Upper Room, 2005), 185.

Frightened, insecure, facing unspoken and unknown challenges. Imagination going wild. Excitement, glitz and glam. Fish out of water. Can't do it on my own!

This was the context of my faith conversion. This tension was an opportunity brimming with eternal significance. A life or death moment. A ‘yes' response to this escalating internal turmoil is a celestial moment when the heaven's rejoice as the grace of God transforms human tension into eternal life.

So, what happened? A dramatic moment of repentance expressed and redemption received? No, nothing so theologically astute. I cut a deal with God. I told the Creator and Sustainer of the Universe that I would give Him my life if He would companion me in my fear. And, He did.

I have always felt a bit embarrassed about this. No Four Spiritual Laws followed by a prayer dethroning self and coronating Christ in my heart. Who do I think I am? Who do I think God is?

I feel better about this save-my-skin, fox-hole bargaining, though, when I read history.

Martin Luther's conversion story is very different from mine, and also, in some significant ways, quite similar. Martin was bright, very bright. He began his study of law at age thirteen and finished both bachelor's and master's degrees in record time. (A bit slower, it took me ten years to finish my M.A.) One day in 1505, young Luther was walking on the road to Erfurt, Germany. As a violent thunderstorm engulfed the sky, a streak of lightening terrified Martin when it struck the ground nearby. "Help me, St. Anne!" Luther screamed. "I will become a monk!"[1]

God used Luther's up-close experience of the awesome power of nature to bring young Martin into monastic life. Monk Martin Luther's study of the Word subsequently led to the Protestant Reformation.

Several centuries later, at some point during World War II, someone said, "There are no atheists in foxholes." A foxhole was used as a place of attack and retreat during battle. It was a hole big enough for the body and the weapon of a soldier. Safe, sort of. Vulnerable, completely. Courageous, remarkable. Afraid, unimaginable. Supposedly, in this context even those who claimed to be atheists uttered "foxhole prayers." It is easy to imagine the content of these prayers. "Save me, O God." "Get me out of this and I'll..."

I have heard it said that a Christian shouldn't pray "foxhole prayers." One who knows what to do should be embarrassed when faced with the consequence of disobedience. That embarrassment says, "Shame on me. I deserve this."

‘Blessed are those who know they need God.' This paraphrase from the Beatitudes' "poor in spirit" [Matthew 5:6] is at the core of growth in Christlikeness. No one knows more keenly his or her need for God than one who is faced with real, life-altering fear. Regardless of whether the fear comes from disobedience, from circumstances, or from a lightening bolt, fear can bring us to the Father. Fear that compels us into the arms of the Sustainer of the Universe and the Lover of our Souls is good. It is the mercy of God inviting us out of ourselves and into life-sustaining relationship. It is the gracious wooing of One who loves us as we are - weak and afraid.

So, here are some thoughts for those who are afraid and for those who walk with others in their fear.

Don't despise small beginnings or unorthodox pathways. God knows the sincerity of the heart from which the promise has emerged. Cutting a deal with God may not be irreverent; it may be authentic surrender.

Don't be a fixer or a tension reliever. Shielding or enabling others to withstand the force of fear may also deflect the merciful gaze of the God who loves others even more than you.

The next time fear grips you, let it lead you to the Savior.

The Three Questions for today-

Who is God?
Kind and gracious Companion in fearful times, Author of peace that passes understanding

Who am I?
Often afraid

How am I living?
"Lord, help me surrender my fears and insecurities to you."

©2008 Vine, Vision & Voice
Nancy R. Buschart

[1] "Christian History & Biography: 131 Christians Everyone Should Know" http://www.christianitytoday.com/history/special/131christians/luther.html, www.ChristianityToday.com; Copyright © 2008 Christianity Today International

They are all here!

The photographers were outstanding. The man that had a photograph of a still-winged hummingbird drinking nectar caught my eye. I had just taken a series of hummingbird photos that were a total blur! Another photographer had a stunning photo of three perched eagles that he said he had taken in Alaska in winter -- at that time of year, the eagles are hungry and cluster together.

The jewelers -- one woman had stunning pendants of "picture jasper," a stone that she said no longer exists in nature. The exhibitor that gets the ‘most unique' award was the young couple that framed butterfly wings in sterling silver. This enterprising couple is engaged in a cooperative effort with a butterfly research station in South America. These butterflies live only a few days. When they die, they are sent to Wisconsin to be made into jewelry and sold to North Americans with part of the proceeds going back to the butterfly research station in South America. Another jeweler makes beautiful bobbles out of the glass that rolls onto shore along Lake Superior in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. She said that she walks the shore daily during the winter months, but not during the summer. It takes the violent waves of winter in the U.P. to bring these polished fragments of glass to this creative beachcomber.

One carver makes amazing things out of antlers. He carves and then paints eagle heads in the antler. I asked him to describe where he was when this idea first came to him. He said he was in a gas station in Wyoming when he learned that native Indians have been carving eagles in antlers for hundreds of years. He said he thinks he now does more eagle antler carvings than anyone else.

One furniture maker patiently, carefully strips the bark of birch trees and applies that bark to the surfaces of dressers, tables, headboards. Then she cuts small pieces of willow branch and applies these into shapes of leaves, loons, and more onto the birch bark surface. Hard to describe; magnificent to behold; a painstaking and love-laden artistic endeavor.

There were two thoughts that followed me through Artarama.

First, there really is no end to the creative process. Human beings will never come to the end of the possibilities of what can be done with the natural material around us combined with the God-given ingenuity and skill to make beauty out of what is available. We must expect and anticipate new things. We must guard and value creative endeavor in ourselves and in others.

Second, I was aware of an inclination toward a critical nature. Someone is always awarded "best of show" and the seasoned, sophisticated professionals, as well as the first-time beginners, are there to compete for these awards. When walking up and down the aisles where one potter after another is showing her wares, it is natural to prefer one style above another. But, from the standpoint of the artist, I am aware of how vulnerable one can be. Like the Lake Superior glass jeweler, most of these artists work their craft during the cold Northwoods winters. They immerse themselves in developing creative ideas and in bringing these ideas to life during the weeks and months of winter. Then, summer art shows are the time to try to sell these personal expressions of beauty and creativity.

Excited and nervous to share themselves and their art with the world, by 8:00 a.m. the morning of the show they set up their tent within the eight-by-ten foot space assigned to them. After each one is set up and ready for business, each artist begins to look around at the others gathered. Comparison begins. Comparing ourselves and our abilities to others is the single most deadly rabbit trail that anyone can follow. It kills the creative spirit within us and it devalues the unique creative gift and ability granted us by the Creator of creativity.

One conversation made this deadly comparison game clear at Artarama. A young woman had a small booth of her beaded jewelry. Although people were walking by, she was alone. As I stopped to view her work I acknowledged the beauty of her delicate and simple designs. She thanked me and lamented that because the trend seems to be "big" and "bulky," her work was not getting much attention. "Yes," I said, "but there will always be a place for delicate things like you create." As I left, I thanked her for her contribution to beauty.

Who is God?
Creator, and author of human creativity

Who am I?
Created creative!

How am I living?
Lord, let me be all that you created me to be

Talk to me about your own creative process. I'd love to hear from you.

©2008 Vine, Vision & Voice
Nancy R. Buschart

On a calm, clear day the reflected image is stunningly mirrored.

On a windy day, the water's surface is rough and the reflection, distorted. Yet, even when the ominous sky is steely gray and the water is rough with waves, there remains a hint of shadow that the eye and the imagination can discern to be reflection.

It is not a natural inclination to look first for the reflection. The eye usually perceives the cloud, the trees -- the true thing -- first. Then, if awake and aware, the mirrored image eventually becomes a part of the self-conscious. But, sometimes, the reflection itself leads to the true thing. Color or movement in the water may catch one's attention drawing the mind and the eye to attend to the true thing.

When I muse over these reflections, words of scripture inevitably come to mind. Are the reflections seen in the mirror of the lake metaphors for God's word that it might make sense in my heart?

Jesus, the perfect reflection of the Father. Jesus is the clear-day, calm waters reflection of the Father. No turbulent, troubled mirror there. How does my understanding of Jesus as the perfect reflection of the Father square with my beliefs about God? It's often easier to identify with Jesus -- to like him, trust him, to believe that he likes me! -- than with God the Father.

Yikes -- stopped short by Jesus' blunt rebuke! He sees through the Pharisees' façade of righteousness. The attempted deception fails and what is in the heart reflects from the inside out. Words tell much about the condition of the heart. What we work to hide is never really hidden; it is reflected in our attitudes and interactions with others.

Centering Prayer, a contemplative practice, focuses upon centering one's heart and mind on Christ. An image used here likens the soul to a muddy lake with stirred and murky waters. One is to imagine the murky waters settling to the bottom of the lake. As the waters clear so does the pray-er experience increased clarity of mind and heart and the deepest needs of the soul can be clearly identified.

It takes time for murky, stirred water to clear. And, it takes time for the soul to settle down. Martha was cooking for a crowd. She needed some help in the kitchen, someone to share the decision-making-chicken or beef? Jesus tells her that she is "worried and upset about many things" [Lk 10:41].

I identify with Martha. Sometimes the to-do list expands out of control. We get overwhelmed and lose perspective. This is one reason for taking a vacation, a retreat, an afternoon away. Studying the reflections on the lake is an important spiritual discipline. Taking time away, what I see reflected in the water settles the stirred and troubled waters, which are anxious about many things, of my own soul.

Reflections are wonderful. A phenomenon of creation for which I am deeply grateful. They indicate aliveness, the inhale and exhale of existence. They are a result of the presence of the "true thing." And, they draw us to acknowledge and interact with the "true thing."

But, they are only reflections. There will come a day when we will see "face to face!" What is known now of the One Who Is True is like the reflection in the water -- even on the clearest, calmest day the water always distorts what it reflects. It is always turned around backwards and it always bears resemblance only. Exact detail cannot be reflected in the mirror of the water. Enter faith, hope and love. Because of these, through these, abiding in these, I wait for the coming of the One Who Is True. No longer reflected in creation or revealed in his word, then I will see him "face to face." That will be a good day!

Who is God?
Known in part, reflected in all of life

Who am I?
One who knows in part, but is even now fully known

How am I living?
Studying hard to see clearly

I invite you to respond with your own musings, questions and connections about reflections and the One Who Is True.

©2008 Vine, Vision & Voice
Nancy R. Buschart

"You aren't reading." My husband was right. I haven't been reading-bound-paper-and-ink-type reading. Haven't read my Bible, devotional works, non-fiction, novels, not even a newspaper.

I'm on vacation in Wisconsin's North Woods. We come every year to this place: a little cottage in the woods on the edge of a crystal lake where Creation sings and trees "clap their hands." Heaven on earth!

For the 27 years that I have been coming here, I have experienced this same phenomenon. I can't read for the first several days that I'm here. Picking up a book and focusing my attention on its pages is impossible. My most meaningful devotional practices lose their draw on my soul. During these days, I used to be confused by this, thinking "My prayer life is the pits and I'm an emotional dwarf."

However, several years ago I began to understand that something good, something holy, is taking place. It is not that I cannot read or that I have lost ground toward emotional maturity; rather, I'm being emotionally and spiritually refreshed by reading a different kind of text. I am drinking deeply of the glorious text of creation and I am drawn into the arms of the Creator.

For the first week or so I can scarcely close my eyes; don't even want to blink. My senses are acutely awake in this place. So much to see, hear, smell, taste and touch.

"The heavens declare the glory of God."
" Heaven and earth are filled with His glory."

I see God in nature. Can't get enough! The macro: the woods, the lake, the sky. The micro: individual tiny white daisy, dragonfly, fish, bird, a leaf turning silver then green in the breeze. The sounds: chattering chickadee, screeching eagle, tapping woodpecker.

I can see and hear the wind in this place. I watch the breeze start to trouble the surface of the water across the bay and anticipate the moment the coolness will touch my face.

I'm crazy about the birds here. When we first arrive, one of the first things to do is to set up the bird feeders. I have thistle seed for the finches and chickadees, black sunflower seeds for the nuthatches, suet for the Downy, Hairy and Red-Headed Woodpeckers, and, of course, sugar water for the hummingbirds. Then I have to wait for these to find this new source of food. The first hummingbird makes me giddy.

There's an earthy smell here that I love. Pine trees, decaying leaves. The rich scent of the cycle of life.

The birds in the water are especially captivating. Last year the loons nested and hatched one black puff-ball chick. No successful nest for this summer, but all still comes to a standstill when the loons come to fish in the bay. This year the mergansers have a full brood of nine young!

I can get a little intoxicated by it all. I want to show my family, and anyone who will join me, the majesty and wonder. My daughter, Meredith, recently remarked that sometimes it's most entertaining to watch mom watch the loons.

This craziness is not new to me. I am in good company. The psalmist experienced this strange phenomenon before me.

Sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth...
Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad;
Let the sea resound, and all that is in it.
Let the fields be jubilant and everything in them;
Let all the trees of the forest sing for joy.
Let all creation rejoice before the Lord, for he comes. [Psalm 96: 1, 11-13]

Today the liturgy of the church we attend here included the hymn "This Is My Father's World." The text, written by Malthie D. Babcock (1858-1901), is wonderful to me.

This is my Father's world, and to my list'ning ears all nature sings, and round me rings the music of the spheres. This is my Father's world; I rest me in the thought of rocks and trees, of skies and seas; his hand the wonders wrought.

This is my Father's world; the birds their carols raise; the morning light, the lily white, declare their maker's praise. This is my Father's world; he shines in all that's fair. In the rustling grass I hear him pass; he speaks to me ev'rywhere.

This is my Father's world; oh, let me not forget that, though the wrong seems oft so strong, God is the ruler yet. This is my Father's world; why should my heart be sad? The Lord is king, let the heavens ring; God reigns, let the earth be glad!

The profound impact for me of all this creation glory is an attitude and perspective adjustment. God is God. I am not God. He possesses the wisdom and the sovereign power to sustain all that is. And, yes, evil and injustice "seem oft so strong," but "God is the ruler yet." I can rest. I can trust.

As I write this, it is Sunday evening-just between dusk and dark. I'm sitting on the screen porch facing the lake. Between myself and the water are a few trees - maple, pine, oak - and one solitary deer. She is sensitive to my presence; her ears perk and turn toward my every movement and sound. Her tawny body is becoming increasingly silhouetted against the graying color of the water. Still, I'm looking, listening, watching. As dark approaches, I'll soon allow myself to cease looking, although the sounds of the night increase at this time.

I am brimming with thankfulness. For this place, for the privilege and gift of being present to all that is present here. For the legacy of my husband's family that valued this and struggled to provide a place where family could gather to enjoy each other and the Father's world. For the refreshment that comes by being in the presence of trees that clap, birds that sing, eagles that soar, water that glistens, and skies that amaze with ever-changing glory.

Who is God?
Creator and Sustainer of all that is

Who am I?
A lover of the Father's world; one in need of perspective adjustment and emotional refreshment

How am I living?
Help me, Lord, to be awake and attending to your living Word around and within me

(c) 2008 Vine, Vision & Voice
Nancy R. Buschart

Exactly! Questions, the ability to ask them of ourselves and the willingness to hear and respond to them from others, are essentials to growth in Christ. The psalmist asked a rhetorical question saying, "Who can discern their own errors?" [Ps 19:12] He knew we all need a little help to know when we start to follow a rabbit trail that leads us away from the path to Christlikeness. The Holy Spirit is our guide. He, who never leaves us on our faith journey, sees when we take our eyes off of Jesus to consider an interesting alternative path. He pricks our conscience with an internal tap on the shoulder and asks, "Do you really want to go there?" "Is this the right choice?" "Nancy??!!"

The Spirit can be ignored. And, as we get really good at neglecting His internal tap on the shoulder, we can also actually believe that He isn't tapping any longer; He isn't guiding me! Left to ourselves, or so we think, we can become pretty depressed and even cynical about this whole "spiritual journey" stuff.

Christ's Spirit is speaking and guiding each of us--a wooing, inviting Voice calling us to the "abundant life" that Jesus died to give us. Sadly, many of us do not hear the kind Voice of the Spirit. Rather, we are living a spiritually impoverished existence hearing instead "do more," "fly right or else," "you are too broken to be healed," "earn the right to belong," and/or "your sins are so egregious, so terrible, that you need to be punished before you can be loved." If left unchecked, these "guiding" voices are able to perpetually deter us from the path and rob us of vital and vibrant relationship with the Father, Son, and Spirit.

The Spirit also speaks to us through other human beings. We need each other. We are "created for community." If we are willing to listen and receive their guidance, our mentors and spiritual companions and friends can also serve us by tapping us on the shoulder and asking us good questions that will set us back on the path to God through Christ.

So, what questions does the Spirit ask us, should we ask ourselves, and should we be asking of others?

I believe there are three foundational, spiritually guiding questions. I have been using them for years in mentoring and spiritual direction relationships, and they have been guiding questions for me as I have written and taught others in spiritual formation. They are simple, yet complex. They are safe, yet dangerous. They are diagnostic, yet demanding. They are:

Who is God?

Who am I?

How am I living?

Asked properly, there are actually two questions within each question.

Who do I believe God to be? And, Who is the God of Scripture, the self-revealed God in Jesus Christ?

Who do I believe myself to be? And, Who has God created me to be; Who am I IN Christ?

How am I living in response to who I believe God to be and myself to be? Is it congruent with who God reveals Himself to be and with who I am in and through Christ?

In case I've lost you, here are some examples of possible honest answers to The Three QuestionsTM.

Who is God?

Santa Claus, a giant vending machine in the sky

Who am I?

A good girl/boy, rightfully deserving of good things

How am I living?

"Equation living" meets hard times. I'm disappointed in God, disappointed with my life. My response may be to work harder to win God's approval or to reject the entire God-thing.

Who is God?

Angry, punitive, a giant Fly-Swatter in the sky waiting to squash me like a bug

Who am I?

Fearful, always looking over my shoulder

How am I living?

I live my life expecting punishment for my mistakes. I have little true joy or peace.

Who is God?

Loving and Kind

Who am I?

Unlovable because of my past, undeserving of kindness or compassion

How am I living?

I know cognitively of God's Love but am not one who dwells within God's Love.

Who is God?

Far away and uninvolved in my life

Who am I?

Alone to be and to choose as I will

How am I living?

"Let's eat, drink and be merry." I live a "what ever" life. I'm here on Sunday, but after church ... I live it up, I kick my dog, I ignore my kids, ...

Who is God?

Sovereign, Creator and Sustainer of the Universe

Who am I?

A control freak

How am I living?

I assume that God has given me carte blanche over my life, my choices and my reactions to others. I can ignore God for a time, eventually engaging in a war of the wills -- God's will versus my will.

Who is God?

Merciful. "As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us." Ps 103:12

Who am I?

Forgiven, washed whiter than snow even though I am "the worst of sinners.

How am I living?

I no longer live under the shame of my sin. And, the mercy I have received is the mercy I extend.

Who is God?

A servant of all. "The Son of man came to serve..."

Who am I?

Selfish, self-centered, my life revolves around "me"

How am I living?

"He must increase, I must decrease." Lord, make me a servant, humble and meek, help me to lift up those who are weak. And may the prayer of my heart always be ...

Who is God?

Suffering Servant who left us an example that we might follow in His steps.

Who am I?

Afraid of pain, suffering and death

How am I living?

Do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that is taking place among you... 1Peter 4:12 And do not be afraid either. As the Father was present to the Son, so will the Father, Son and Spirit be present to me to strengthen, comfort and give peace that passes understanding.

Simple, yet complex. And, dangerous! Within these questions, God is shining a flashlight into the incongruencies between our beliefs and our actions. This is always uncomfortable. Painful. Vulnerable. And, although God knows what all our incongruencies are and knows what we need to become congruent in heart and mind, He is also gentle with us, patient to give us only what we can receive at any one time.

But, He also requires us to change. If we are to grow in Christ likeness, if we are to become who He created us to be, if we are to fulfill His Kingdom purposes for us during our short span of days, we must become humble before Him, surrender our will to His will, and obey His loving claim upon our lives.

This is important work that needs to be accomplished within the body of Christ. The context for this work is always a context of love. God's love for us means He won't leave us alone, but continues to woo and invite us to Himself through the Spirit. Likewise, when we ask these Three Questions of one another, our motivation needs to be one of love. If one, motivated by revenge or selfishness ("selfish ambition or vain conceit" [see Phil 2:1-11]), were to shine the diagnostic light of the Three Questions onto another's soul, great injury would result.

And so, the Light needs to first and foremost shine onto my own soul, my errant beliefs, and my selfish actions.

"Lord, shine your search light onto my own heart. Test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting." [Ps 139:23-24]

This blog is going to be a place where I ask The Three Questions of my own life and of the world around me. I hope that it will provide you with food for thought and perhaps even encourage you to consider where God may be asking you to grow.

I will write about a wide range of topics, things that interest me, my hobbies and obsessions. You'll know me as an avid gardener and bird watcher, as an amateur photographer and a Doodler. I'll be reading God's revelation of Himself in Scripture and in creation and drawing "so what's?" from these observations. You'll know me, too, as a wife and mother, as a corporate chaplain, as a musician, as a spiritual director and a teacher of spiritual formation.

I won't be providing you with a lot of hard and fast answers. I hope to provide you, though, with a friendly tap on the shoulder and a question or two to consider. I'll be eager to hear from you, too. And, you may have a question to ask of me. But please, ask in love. Always, in Love!

©2008 Vine, Vision & Voice
Nancy R. Buschart