Author: Jon Harris

After a quick transition to a new job in a new state with a new company along with plans to eventually move overseas, this last month has given me a lot to look forward to, and it has also inspired me to pause and reflect. Today’s reading is on Philippians 3 and this verse stood out in particular in reflection of the spiritual mentors/influencers in my life:

Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us. (Philippians 3:17)

Since I was a kid, my mom prayed for me to have friends, mentors, guides and role models influencing my spiritual journey in a positive way. As a result, whenever this prayer is answered, I praise God for what he’s done and thank him for my mom and her countless prayers and dedication.

Many of us have people we look up to or consider heroes in this life. I’m a sports fan, not a fanatic, so while I respect and admire those at the top – I don’t really follow these people and I’d never consider purchasing a jersey with someone else’s name on it. Famous actors/actresses, and even musicians are not that exciting to me… I’ll enjoy the contributions to the arts, but I won’t seek to imitate or follow these folks closely, if at all.

Those who do inspire me are the strong, bold, influential, successful, yet humble and self-aware leaders who live out their faith both outside and inside the workplace. The ones whose priorities are in the right order and encourage/support others to prioritize the same; loving God and loving people. My friend Duane exemplifies all of these attributes and is worthy of imitation through his imitation and submission to Jesus Christ. While I’ve tried to verbally share with him the impact he’s had on my life, he certainly doesn’t know the depth. Thank you Duane!

I challenge our readers to consider the following by thinking of those who have influenced your spiritual journey for the better:

1. There are people observing our behavior and we likely have far more influence than we realize. What can or should we do about this? Are we living a life worthy of our calling?
2. Who are the most spiritually influential people in your life? Have you thanked them properly? Do they have any idea how much they mean to you or of the fruitful results of their actions?
3. What are the behaviors (known or unknown to others) that should not be imitated and are we seeking repentance? Can we, like Paul suggest that people imitate us?

Father God, thank you for putting people in our lives who pray for us, who lead by example and who boldly proclaim the gospel of salvation through your son Jesus. May our eyes be opened and affixed firmly on you to recognize your work, your plans, your will, and your ways. We repent for acting as though our ways are better. Give us the courage like Paul states (in Philippians 3:14) to “press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” Amen.

The sermon titled Abrahamic Covenant from Sunday 6/18/17 at Eastview Christian Church hit so close to home, I really thought someone asked pastor Mike to share a sermon for the Harris family.

Today’s reading link:  Galatians 3

This is a story of faith going back to Abraham in Genesis 12, and still applicable to us today.

So then, those who are of faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith. (Galatians 3:9)

For over a year, our family has talked about the potential for us to move to Michigan. We have discussed the likelihood that my job would be changing and there would be new opportunities elsewhere for our family.

As we started to sense the probability of a move start to increase, our conversations became a little more serious. With this seriousness, reality started to settle in and that caused me to become uneasy.

Our life in Bloomington/Normal, Illinois is good; it is comfortable. My commute to work is an easy 12 minutes (15 minutes with bad traffic!), I’ve had a successful business there for over 12 years, our house is cozy and in a great location, we have friends we love and who would do anything for us (I just got tears in my eyes because this is so true), and now more tears… words cannot describe our love for Eastview Christian Church and our eternal gratitude for what God has done through the preaching, teaching, and love that abounds there.

Our boys are happy, they have super nice friends, a wonderful school, they’re enrolled in an affordable, phenomenal music program where they’ve learned to play the cello, and they have a multitude of opportunity when it comes to sports.

Why would we leave this comfort and goodness? The answer lies in God’s plan for us; not just the Harris family, but all of us. God has plans. We do not always know the plan, but he is calling each of us to himself, to his son.

The following verses were at the heart of the 6/18/17 sermon:

Now the Lord said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” (Genesis 12:1-3)

Abram was seventy-five years old at the time, and in the sermon pastor Mike shared that Abram was probably comfortable where he was. This reminds me of a lot of us being comfortable but then God calls to mission trips, serving opportunities, career changes, small moves and big moves.

What did Abram do after God called him? He went. “So Abram went, as the Lord had told him” (Genesis 12:4a). Abram went out of obedience and faith. God is a promise maker and promise keeper and he will never leave us.

Pastor Mike also shared that if we knew the timing and the exact plans God has, we’d likely shove God aside and say “I’ve got this” (I can say amen to that because of the many failures I’ve experienced when trying to take over). When I try to control the outcome, it typically results in frustration, anxiety and disappointment. When I give it all to God; both fear and hope, no matter the outcome from an Earthly perspective, the Heavenly rewards outweigh everything.

Lord God, we praise you for loving us first. For the grace and mercy given though your son Jesus Christ. Thank you for the work of your Holy Spirit; may we continue to see your hands in all of our experiences. May we have faith, inward and outward, that reflects your mighty power. I give you control God. Take my sinful pride, I’ve achieved nothing without you. Let me see you in the good times and bad times. Do not let me forget how you’ve saved me. Amen.

The word beauty immediately sparks many images in my mind.

There are the typical images many of us would first mention… The Grand Canyon, sunrises, sunsets, a starry night, a bride walking down the aisle, etc.

When meditating further on “beauty”, more extensive thoughts come to mind… a solid marriage, the smell of a baby’s forehead (I could write a book on this), a soaring bald eagle (I finally was able to see one fairly close just two weeks ago… mind blowing!), the sound of a waterfall, a hug at just the right time, string instruments played together with precision and grace, a swimmer exhibiting a perfect stroke gliding through the water…

As we set our focus on words like beauty, power, wisdom and truth (attributes of God) I see this as an act of worship when the mindset gives the glory to our creator, the creator of all good and beautiful things, our mighty God.

With this, as we intentionally take beauty in, it is a conscious act. Sometimes we can have beauty right in front of us, but if we don’t notice and actively consume the beauty, it is as though it is hidden and we miss it.

Today’s reading link: 2 Corinthians 3

I see a parallel in today’s chapter with taking in beauty as opposed to beauty almost being hidden. As I share Jesus with “future” believers, I often sense a response that tells me they just don’t see it. These are typically intelligent and wise people, however it seems like the beauty of Christ is hidden much like how the following verses refer to a veil covering their hearts, thus hardening their minds.

But their minds were hardened. For to this day, when they read the old covenant, that same veil remains unlifted, because only through Christ is it taken away. Yes, to this day whenever Moses is read a veil lies over their hearts. But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. (2 Corinthians 3:14-16)

Jesus’ perfect life was marked by beauty, and even his death while gruesome, was beauty because of what it represented. Further, what greater, more beautiful act can one commit than to defeat death?

Father God, we are all sinners and that sin separates us from you. Show us our selfish and wrong ways so that we may repent in the name of your son Jesus, and what a beautiful name it is. Lift the veil from those who do not yet know your son as lord of their lives. Show us opportunities to share your love, grace, mercy, truth, and beauty. Amen.

How many times per day do we inquire about the price of something? Morning coffee, an on-the-go snack, fuel for our vehicles, a car wash, lunch with a friend, groceries, the electric bill, that cool new shirt, pants, jacket, etc. at our favorite clothing store, etc. In general, we are conscious of the price we pay in exchange for goods and services.

for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body. (1 Corinthians 6:19b-20)

Today’s reading link: 1 Corinthians 6

I’m without my family for several days and this time alone has presented the opportunity for spiritual renewal, reflection, some loneliness, and even some crying out to God as I seek His will where my will is clearly in the way.

This morning’s reflection is filled with the thoughts of my wife’s smile and the many reasons why I married her. She is a part of me; we are one. My love for her is deep.

I think of my children; their silliness, some of the unexpected things that they say or do and how much joy they bring to this home. My love for them is deep.

When we take a step back to reflect on the love in our lives, what we would do for these people, how deeply we feel for them, and how important they are to us it is a feeling like no other. They are our beloved.

All of this leads us to the cross. Jesus was and is the son of God. Not only did Jesus sacrifice his own life, it was the plan of his loving father for him to be sacrificed. Jesus was beloved in the eyes of his father.

and behold, a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.” (Matthew 3:17)

When I think about how much love I have for the people in my life, I can hardly fathom the agony of the cross; God observing his son being beaten and tortured as a sacrifice for our sin. There has been, nor will there be any greater price paid for anything, ever. Thank you Jesus. Amen.

This week’s post is in memory of my sister Marne’s father in law, Benjamin Dharmaraj who went home to be with the Lord on May 5th, 2017. Benjamin was first and foremost a follower of Jesus Christ and if you’ve met him or his family, you’d likely know that this verse very much applies to them:

But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” (Joshua 24:15b)

Benjamin was a devoted husband; having faithfully, lovingly and intentionally kept his marriage vows until the very end. He was a father, a grandfather, a best friend, and much more.

I did not know Benjamin well but I have some glimpse into his impact on his family and my family. He raised a son Ajit, who would become my brother in law; a perfect match for my sister, and that has been evident since the two fell in love many years ago.

Benjamin’s wife Renuka shared with me that the two of them were born and raised in Christian families, however she said it wasn’t until the late 1990s that “God got a hold of them”.

They were attending a non-denominational church, learning and growing and then decided to be baptized out of obedience to the scriptures. Renuka shared this is when they really started growing in their faith; she also shared her belief that praying for others and others praying for them made a significant impact.

Meditating on Romans chapter 9 this week and thinking about the rich heritage in the Benjamin family, the theme of this verse kept hitting me:

What shall we say, then? That Gentiles who did not pursue righteousness have attained it, that is, a righteousness that is by faith; but that Israel who pursued a law that would lead to righteousness did not succeed in reaching that law. (Romans 9:30-31)

Any of us who pursue the law or traditions out of the sake of tradition can miss the righteousness, the gift, and the joy of knowing Jesus through faith.

Benjamin’s family has a rich tradition, a legacy, but their deep rooted faith was evident this week. With the mourning of the earthly loss, there has been joy and acknowledgment that Jesus is King, and through his death on the cross, there is hope and promise of an afterlife with our Father God in Heaven.

Our prayers continue for the family of Benjamin.

The remainder of today’s post was written by my sister Marne as a reflection in her time of grief.

Grieving is like an invisible wind whose predictability blows neither here nor there. One never knows when it is coming or how powerful its strength will be. A certain fragrance or a sound of laughter, an unrelated event or a gesture of a stranger can suddenly ignite grief’s presence into such force that it tosses the victim into the eye of a storm and dangerously lands them in the unknown to pick up the shattered debris.

Grief has an element of creativity. It is often brought on spontaneously and is unstructured. It colors one’s life like a canvas of unexpected shadows, designs, paths of light or jagged lines. It seems like a mistake, or even a highly dangerous medium to explore, and yet it has an intriguing beauty at it’s very core.

For in our despair, we are not left without hope. In our emptiness, we are not left alone to sort through the brokenness. In our doubt, He is still trustworthy. In our pain, we are never without His love. Jesus has never abandoned us in any circumstance, in the past, present or whatever is to come. Because of His rich love for us, we look ahead with confident expectation of His goodness, mercy and loving kindness.

We look forward to His creativity and how He masterfully designs everything to work together for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose.

We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves. (2 Corinthians 4:7 NLT)

“That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever. (2 Corinthians ‭4:16-18‬)

One of my favorite leaders lives by a really great saying, “let’s catch people doing things right”. How uplifting this is in a world where we can easily criticize or be criticized. This theme gives freedom from worrying about mistakes and instead gives freedom to try new things, to turn from an attitude of fear into one of anticipation of good things to come. Freedom from fear brings life to innovation and creativity, and enables us to experience joy that we were meant to experience.

We recently went to our fourth grader’s “student led” school conference. The focus was on accentuating the positive and building on his strengths. He had guidelines to lead us in the conference, but it was his to lead. He showed us his test results, shared what he believes are his strengths, and what he is working to build. We wouldn’t typically refer to him as someone bursting with pride or exterior confidence, but today he was bold and confident, yet humble as he quietly conveyed his progress so far this year. The model is setup to build, not tear down, and it was successful. He was caught doing things right.

Today’s reading link: Acts 10

In our reading today we find two devout men who separately experience a vision from God. The two visions are tied together and are part of a great purpose; to share Christianity with the Gentiles.

Our God is not some lightning throwing bully waiting for us to mess up; he is a loving God, seeking relationship with us, seeking for our hearts to turn to him as father, and to his son Jesus for salvation from our sins that separate us from God. He is the ultimate example of one who is looking to catch us doing things right.

but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him. (Acts 10:35)

The thing that caught my attention in this chapter was the description of Cornelius. This  reminded me of Carol’s recent post where she brought Peter’s transformation to our attention. Early on, Peter was a fan of Jesus, but as the earlier chapters in Acts describe the events that occurred when he “finally got it”, he became on fire for Jesus.

As for Cornelius… Acts Chapter 10 verses 2 and 22 refer to Cornelius as devout, one who feared God, a generous giver, in continuous prayer, upright, and well spoken of by the whole Jewish nation.

Peter and Cornelius had their hearts and actions right with God, they were caught doing things right, and that is why I believe they received such great visions and callings. Their prayers, and the way they lived brought them into close fellowship with God, and in both situations after the visions they took immediate action.

Today I want to close with a reflection on Good Friday and paraphrase Acts Chapter 10 verses 38-43. Would you read this slowly and meditate on it?

Jesus lived on this earth, did good things, and healed people. Regardless of his goodness and love, he was brutally tortured and hung on a tree until death. His accusers thinking they had defeated Jesus were dead wrong. Jesus came back from the dead; he defeated death, and commanded us to share this story so that everyone who believes in him will be forgiven.

Here are the actual verses in full. Consider the paraphrased version as you read through and meditate on these sharp and precise words from Peter.

He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. ³⁹ And we are witnesses of all that he did both in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a tree, ⁴⁰ but God raised him on the third day and made him to appear, ⁴¹ not to all the people but to us who had been chosen by God as witnesses, who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. ⁴² And he commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one appointed by God to be judge of the living and the dead. ⁴³ To him all the prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.” (Acts 10:38b-43)

The prayer wasn’t for rescue; I was neither afraid nor worried. The theme of the prayer which I fully believe was guided by the Holy Spirit was for humility, and that I’d keep my mouth shut; to really think before I spoke, no matter what was said. Two attributes that I admit to struggling with.

The prayer was for a conversation that was slated to be about concerns ended up being accusations, and had I not been so shocked by what was said, I might have laughed because of how well the prayer had prepared me. In my experience, accusations typically have some element of truth, however the accuser is typically blind to something; whether that be their own misgivings or some truth in the matter that was overlooked or not revealed.

Prayer and communication with our Heavenly Father is so important for our daily lives. It can and will prepare us for every situation, praise God for that. Consider the prayer of Jesus in yesterday’s reading from John 17. He knew his time had come and he was deeply in prayer with The Father. We need to model our daily lives after Jesus; to pray in all things, at all times.

Caitlin’s post from yesterday rightly pointed out that while we live in this world, we are not be of this world. The world would have told me to “fight back” or “win the argument” against the accuser however in that conversation I felt the strong power of the Holy Spirit and my prayer being answered. Remaining silent at that time was the right thing to do as I sensed that the accuser had no desire for the revealing of truth, or for introspection.

Today’s reading link: John 18

My situation was nothing compared to what Jesus was faced with as he was betrayed and accused. Jesus was and is perfect in every way (and I am not). He stood accused by people who wanted him dead (hopefully no one wants me dead).

Jesus was on trial for his life by people who should have been praising him and falling at his feet (which some were only days before). Instead, he was falsely accused and to make matters worse, his accusers opted to free a known criminal instead of him. Jesus knew The Father’s plan and he willfully submitted to it with our sins in mind.

Thank you Jesus for your perfect model of prayer, submission, and humility that we may live abundantly with you in eternity. Amen.

Today’s reading from Luke 15 includes the parable of the prodigal son in verses 11-32. Please be sure to read the full chapter; there are several excellent lessons for us here.

While out for a family dinner this weekend, we challenged our boys to try some new foods. Preston, our picky eater (and picky does not do the situation justice) tried a green bean.

It was an impressive ten year streak, but it was time to end. There were cheers and lots of praise, smiles, and laughs. You would have thought he’d solved a complex math problem or that we were celebrating a stellar report card… nope; one green bean consumed by one small human who cannot be forced to do anything he doesn’t want to do, no matter how hard one tries.

Preston’s older brother is our foodie. He tries new foods all the time, and on this particular evening he tried a couple new foods. I thought we gave him a lot of praise, but he begged to differ. “Why did you have so much celebration for Preston trying just one green bean? I try new foods all the time. It’s not fair!”

I’m sure Peyton was right in that there was more celebration for his brother who took the more drastic step as opposed to himself who did something more usual. It was similar for the prodigal son’s brother. The prodigal son was lost and broken; a slave to sin, but he repented and that is enormous cause for celebration.

The prodigal son’s brother was a rule follower; perhaps a pleaser who only followed the rules out of obedience and tradition. We can see a hardened heart here in that when the prodigal son came home, his brother’s focus was on himself.

But he was angry and refused to go in. His father came out and entreated him, but he answered his father, ‘Look, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command, yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your property with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him!’ (Luke 15:28-30)

The father in this story, responded much like our Heavenly Father likely would.

And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. It was fitting to celebrate and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.’” (Luke 15:31-32)

I love sharing the personal story along with the Biblical parable because I see God’s truth and loving hand in both stories. With Luke 15 fresh on my mind this past weekend, I saw many different story lines in my life in a different light. The Holy Spirit was guiding me to repentance and bringing me closer to himself; it showed me how much God wants our hearts, not empty following with the hope for a reward. It also reminds me that it is risky to compare our own faith or behaviors to that of others. It renewed my spirit because the more I seek God’s presence, the more I find Him.

You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. (Jeremiah 29:13)

Dear Readers, I believe that God is in every story in our lives; He is the real story, the beginning and the ending story. Would you consider the many stories going on in your life today and pray for God to reveal himself to you? Pick up that Bible of yours, read it, then let God’s truth and the Holy Spirit do their work. What is he asking of you today? When you see him, would you consider writing about it and sharing it with a friend or even on this site?