A Norvell Note

Vol. 20 No. 35 | August 27, 2018

The team needs you to be the best coach ever. Your boss needs you to go above and beyond your job description. The kids need you to be super mom. Your spouse wants you to read her mind. Your church wants you to be fully involved in every program.

By the time the week ends you’re exhausted, only to wake up and realize it’s time do it all again.

One of the characteristics of Jesus that constantly amazes me was His ability to be and do what everyone needed Him to be and do.

When people needed compassion, He had plenty of it.

When people needed firm teaching, He taught with authority.

When people needed to know they were loved, He loved them lavishly.

When people were hungry, He fed them.

When people needed to be forgiven, He forgave them.

When people needed a Savior, He died on a cross.

When people needed hope, He rolled the stone away and came out of the tomb.

All those things He did while He walked the earth, and all those things He still does.

Why? Because He loves us, and He wants us to do the same. He wants us to love like He loves.

We love because he first loved us. Because He loves us we can love others. (1 John 4:19)

We cannot do everything and be everything that Jesus did and does. Our human tendencies are often more powerful than His Spirit that dwells within us. But, we can do one thing well and consistently as Jesus did. We can love people like Jesus did. Let’s do that.

This week let’s just love like Jesus loves and see what happens…

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A Norvell Note                                                                Vol. 20 No. 34 | August 20, 2018

What is it like for you when you are not ‘in the know’?

You are on group message and you realize that you’ve missed a part of the conversation and have no idea what the others are talking about.

You are the new member of a team. You don’t know the inside jokes or understand the historical references.

You are in a meeting and stepped away for a moment. When you come back, the conversation has shifted and you’re clueless about the topic being discussed.

You walk up to a group of friends who are engaged in a lively conversation. You stand awkwardly by them for several minutes totally unaware of what they’re laughing about…wishing you could be included.

You are new to the neighborhood and unfamiliar with the community services and organizations. What is the system for garbage pickup? Who has the best internet service? Are there any reputable and affordable mechanics, local cleaners, and lawn care professionals? What is the best donut place? What coffee shop has the best coffee?

Until you are there for a while, you don’t know. You’re dependent on neighbors, friends, and community veterans to get answers to your questions.

Not knowing is hard. It can make you feel alone and isolated. It can be confusing, frustrating, and even dangerous. Even if it is not essential for you to know, you still want to.

Some prefer not to know the evil things that go on in the world. Some say ignorance is bliss and believe if you ignore problems, they will take care of themselves. But that rarely happens. So, I prefer to know.

I have often thought about how Job in the Old Testament must have felt when he became the subject of Satan’s cruel game. “Why is this happening? What am I supposed to do and feel as I watch everything important to me crumble? God, I don’t know what is going on, but I trust You.”

In the end Job still didn’t completely understand everything that had happened to him, but he did learn more clearly that God is aware of everything that happens to us, is loving and kind, and does not need our opinion on how he handles the events of life on the earth.

God understands our needs and desire to know about the important things in life. In John 14, Jesus said this:

“You know the way to the place where I am going.”

Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?”

Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.” (4-7)

In chapter 16, verse 33 he said:

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

And then in chapter 17, verse 3:

“Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.”

It seems to be that the whole purpose of God sending His Son to earth was so we could know Him. God wants us to know Him. “If you really know me, you will know my Father as well.”

There are many things you may never know. Many of them are of no consequence. But there other things that you need to know or you will be missing out. Not knowing God is one of those important things. In fact, there is nothing more important.

I hope you know Him. If you do know Him, I hope you are growing in your knowledge of Him. If you do not know Him, I hope you will come to know Him. If I can help with that, please let me know.

“Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.”

Listen: Jesus Let Us Come to Know You

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A Norvell Note                                                                   Vol. 20 No. 33 | August 13, 2018

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases,
his mercies never come to an end;
they are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.
“The Lord is my portion,” says my soul,
“therefore I will hope in him.”^[1]

I have read and sung those words hundreds of times and they never get old. I suppose it would be impossible for them to get old based on the truth stated in them…

“His mercies never come to end; they are new every morning.”

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases.” The Lord’s love is steadfast. That means it is solid, strong, and consistent. The Lord’s love never ceases. In relationships we have to be careful with the word never. “You never say you love me.” “You never show me respect.” Using the word in those situations help make a strong point, but it is likely not accurate and puts the other person in a no-win situation.

When the Lord says, “My steadfast love for you never ceases.” He means it never ceases. We may do some crazy, knuckle-head, awful things, but His love for us never ceases. We may act selfish, unkind, and unmerciful, but His love for us never ceases. But we can carry that thought as we go through the day, when we lay our head on our pillow at night…The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases.

And if we need a little more assurance, we can add these words:

“Great is your faithfulness.” His faithfulness, not mine. “His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning.”

Every morning we have a new supply of mercies from God. His mercies, compassions, kindnesses, sympathies, and generosities never come to an end. Every morning we wake up to the reality that God still loves us, and He has a never-ending supply of mercies. We must strive to start our day with that thought, and it might change the way we move through our day.

The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, therefore I will hope in him.” The Lord is my everything, my all, He is all I need. How could I ask for more? Because of who He is, I would put my hope in Him. He will love me with an eternal love, greet me every day with an endless supply of mercy, and show me that He is all I need, so naturally He is where I will hope.

You may recognize the reality of these truths this week when you…

…randomly run into a friend from another city while you are out to dinner.
…wake up in the morning to the comfort and familiarity of your home…on and on…
…hear the laughter of a child.
…listen to the falling rain.
…take a breath…then another.

Whenever and wherever you experience them, thank Him for His mercies that are new every morning.

To order Until Hope Returns click here Order the Book.

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^[1] Lamentations 3:22-24, New Revised Standard

Vol. 20 No. 32 | August 6, 2018

“I hope to do better.”

I wonder how many times I’ve said that phrase?

…when explaining that I’m having difficulty with a new responsibility, after failing to keep a promise to a friend, or admitting I’ve not completed a task I’d committed to doing.

“I hope to do better.”

I wonder how many times I’ve said that to the Lord?

…when confessing I’ve not been the person I want to be, when I’ve not kept promises I’ve made to Him, or when I’ve committed the same sin again.

…when frustrated with and disappointed in my lack of consistency in reading the Word, praying for people, showing kindness and love, being gentle, and spending time alone with Him.

“I hope to do better.”

I wonder how many times the Lord has heard this from all of us?

A couple of stories come to mind that demonstrate how we all struggle with the desire to do better…to be better.

The first takes place in the temple.

Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: “God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.”

But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, “God, have mercy on me, a sinner.

“I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” (Luke 18:10-13, NIV)

The second takes place in the courtyard near the temple.

At dawn he appeared again in the temple courts, where all the people gathered around him, and he sat down to teach them. The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group and said to Jesus, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery.In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?”

They were using this question as a trap in order to have a basis for accusing him. But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.”

Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground.

At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. Jesus straightened up and asked her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?”

“No one, sir,” she said. “Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin. (John 10:1-14, NIV)

The way the Lord praises the Pharisee’s confession, I believe He is saying, “I know you want to do better. I believe you. And, I love

Jesus’s response to the condemned woman seems to be saying, “I know you want to do better. I believe you. And, I love you.”

Usually, when I say, I hope to do better, the words are accompanied with feelings of remorse, regret, and guilt. But when I read the two stories above, I’m reminded that I can do better. I am encouraged by the realization that the Lord believes I want to do better and that I can. He offers His help and reminds me of His undying love for me.

So now, when I say I hope to do better, I say it with confidence that I will do better.

Thank You, Lord, for all the opportunities You hear my confessions and remind me that You love me, and that with Your love and guidance, I will do better.

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A Norvell Note © Copyright 2018 Tom Norvell All Rights Reserved

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