Jimmy Gunn

A Real Page Turner

Re:Verse passage – Psalm 19:1-14 (day three)

¹⁰They are more desirable than gold, even the finest gold. They are sweeter than honey, even honey dripping from the comb.

The Gunn kiddos are currently on spring break this week, and our week began with a favorite activity … a trip to the library. It is now Wednesday, and many books have already been read from cover to cover (even the long ones!). As I talked to one of my kids about the third 300+ page book they have read this week, the subject of how they could read that many long books so quickly came up. Put simply, these books were being read at every available moment of the day from waking to sleeping. The desire to read from a new book was so great a thing that it was the driving activity for the beginning of our break.

When was the last time you read the Bible like that? When was the last time you read the Word of God as if reading it for the first time, pouring over the words as if you could not get enough? Can you point to the last time you have desired His words more than the finest things, or thought them sweeter than anything you can imagine? I hope that your answer is that it was recently. For me, I was a little convicted today in reading these words again, understanding them anew. May we all desire the laws and words of the Lord as if tasting them for the first time!

Foolish

Re:Verse passage – Psalm 14:1-7 (day three)

¹¹ The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds; there is none who does good.

The overall theme of this Psalm is that the world is full of people that do not believe there will be any accountability for their actions (no God). These foolish people live in a way that serves themselves, rather than in a way that serves the Lord. They have turned their backs on following the Lord, choosing again to serve their own desires. In reading this, it is easy to write these people off and to think that I (we) have done a pretty good job of following the Lord in all that He has commanded.

But aren’t we all guilty of choosing ourselves over God every day? Aren’t we guilty of falling into the traps of sin, forgetting briefly who we are and who we are supposed to follow instead of our own selfish desires? The Apostle Paul reiterates this fact in his letter to the Christians in Rome when he reminds them that all of us have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. We are all fools, at times, choosing our own way instead of following God.

As we read this community lament for the world around us this week, be sure to check your own heart, as well. May we not be foolish, but instead, follow the Lord in all that we do!

So That…

Re:Verse passage – Psalm 30:1-12 (day three)

¹¹ You turned my lament into dancing; You removed my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness, ¹²so that I can sing to You and not be silent. Lord my God, I will praise You forever.

Throughout the Bible, God uses the metaphor of new clothing to signify change in us. The Psalms and prophets are full of this imagery; Paul writes of it often in his letters; and John talks of it in Revelation. It helps us understand just how different we are when we follow God and give our lives fully to Him.

Here, David uses it to describe how God turned what was once broken into the exact opposite. David uses this imagery to describe just how far he had come with the Lord and invites others (us) to reflect on how God has changed their (our) lives. But, he doesn’t end there. In this Psalm, we are reminded that God changes us so that we can sing for joy and not be silent. We are changed so that others may know and see the goodness of the Lord and come to know Him as a result. We are rescued so that we can praise the Lord and glorify His name.

Reflect on the new set of clothes God has given you. You were given those so that you could praise His name and share His story of redemption and goodness.

Come and See What God Has Done

Re:Verse passage – Psalm 66:1-20 (day three)

⁵Come and see what God has done; he is awesome in his deeds toward the children of man.

The story of God is meant to be shared. Here, the Psalmist sets the example of inviting others in closer to know and experience the goodness of God. These words are a reminder to us that God’s people, both then and now, are the bringers of His light into this dark world so that others may come and see that the Lord is good. His message is not for us to keep it to ourselves, but to eagerly share what we know to be the wonderful thing it is to know Jesus as our savior.

Our story (no matter how grand or insignificant in our own eyes) is meant to be shared because it points to the One who loved us and gave Himself for us. You were important enough to God for Him to send Jesus to take your sin punishment. Your family members, friends, the stranger you meet on the street, the checker at the grocery store, the parent you talk to at school functions were all important enough to God for Jesus to die for them. How can we not share the awesome thing God has done for us?

Share your testimony. Share how God has saved you and transformed you. Share how He makes an impact in your life. Share the awesome deeds of your Father in Heaven so that others might know Him, too.

Who in your life this week are you going to invite closer to see what God has done?

Worth the Cost

Re:Verse passage – Matthew 25:14–30 (day three)

²⁵And I was afraid, and went away and hid your talent in the ground. See, you have what is yours.

Following God is going to cost us something. We see that here in Jesus’ parable as he describes the efforts the first two servants did to double the master’s talents. We are not sure what they did to double the talents, but I am sure that it cost them in some way, shape, and form (time, energy, personal resources, etc). On the other hand, as we see with the third servant, the money does not double if just left alone.

I am most aware of this “cost” in my parenting. God has given my kids to me and Ashley to steward well. Each day that we have with them is filled with “teachable” moments where I can show them God’s Way. Now, I can choose to be vigilant and be a good steward of that time with my kids and family, which often costs me something (time, energy, etc.), or I can choose the easy, lazy way out (and sometimes do). The lazy way is a selfish way to live. It puts “me” at the forefront instead of God. It puts “me” over whatever God has entrusted to me.

Sin leads us to choose “my way” instead of God’s way. However, following God and choosing the “cost” is worth doing over the lazy (sinful) way. As you read through this scripture during the week, ask God to search your heart for where you have chosen the lazy way out of following Him instead of the way that might cost you something. How is God calling you to steward what He has entrusted to you?

…As If It Meant More

Re:Verse passage – Genesis 1:26–31, Romans 8:18–22 (day three)

²¹that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God. (Romans 8:21)

The Chronicles of Narnia has always been one of my favorite book series. On an almost daily basis, I am reminded of how C. S. Lewis describes heaven, or the new Narnia, in his book, The Last Battle. Lewis attempts to describe the new Narnia as if someone was looking at a beautiful scene of nature in a mirrored reflection of what was truly behind them. They could see a reflection or a copy of what was true, but not the true scene itself. He goes on to write:

The difference between the old Narnia and the new Narnia was like that. The new one was a deeper country: every rock and flower and blade of grass looked as if it meant more. (The Last Battle, pg. 162)

Romans 8:21 reminds me that the nature here on this earth that I love so much to be in is not the way that God intended. God’s creation, too, was subjected to the ripple effects of sin after the Fall. As a result, we see God’s creation as a faded reflection of what He truly meant it to be.

I long for the day when we get to see God’s Creation in the way He intended. Not merely a corrupted version, but the vibrant, beautiful, and very good Creation that God made when it, too, is saved from the effects of sin. May we be found as good stewards of His Creation until we see it meaning more!

A Starting Point

Re:Verse passage – 2 Corinthians 8:1–9, 2 Corinthians 9:6–11 (day three)

⁵and this, not as we had expected, but they first gave themselves to the Lord and to us by the will of God.

In verse five, Paul reminds his readers that before the people of the Macedonian churches gave anything, they first submitted to God and to His will. If they did not start there, I am sure that their giving might not have been so noteworthy or commendable. They first submitted to the Lord and to the work of the Church, allowing God to use them fully for His glory.

The Lord points out here through Paul’s letter that He does not care about the size of what we give. He cares about the attitude of our heart when we give. The churches in Macedonia were commended as an example of how God’s grace abounds and makes up for human limitations that arise (2 Corinthians 12:9). The churches gave faithfully despite their circumstances, and God blessed them with abundant joy.

In trusting and relying on God, the Macedonian churches also allowed for God to provide for them in such a way that they could give beyond their ability. I am by no means a math genius, but I do know that, typically, finances/resources in usually must be greater than finances/resources out. God’s math does not work that way! When we fully trust and rely on God with our finances and resources, it makes room for God to be glorified even more through His provision and work in us.

Now, here’s the tough question for us: where is your heart on giving to the Lord? Have you submitted fully to Him or does a part of you hold back?

On Purpose, For Purpose

Re:Verse passage – 1 Corinthians 12:4-11, Romans 12:4-8 (day three)

⁷A demonstration of the Spirit is given to each person to produce what is beneficial:

One of my favorite Vacation Bible School lessons for our kids came a few years ago with Spark Studios. Our main point that week was that we are created by God on purpose and for His purpose. It is a lesson I find myself repeating to my own kids and to the kids of our church as often as I can. Each of us, adults included, needs to be reminded that we were made by God on purpose. Everything about us was meticulously thought through and intricately designed to make us, us. Nothing about us was an accident or a rush decision. That includes the gifts and talents that God has given us.

We are to be good stewards of these gifts and talents. It does not honor God or His working in us to sit on the side and never figure out how to use the talents and gifts that He purposely instills in us. Paul reminds us of this also in Ephesians 2:10. We were created in Christ to do good works, which He prepared ahead of time for us to do (paraphrased).

Today, take an assessment of your gifts and talents. Are you using them to be beneficial to the Kingdom of God? Are you using them for good works that glorify your Creator and point others to Him? Do you need to step off the sideline and utilize your gifts and talents differently?

Out of Apathy

Re:Verse passage – Ephesians 5:15–17 (day three)

15Therefore be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, 16making the most of your time, because the days are evil.

I have an hourglass on my office desk that serves as a reminder to me to put into practice what Paul is saying in this verse: “Make the most of your time.” Now, I don’t turn it over and time out the tasks I do or even really use it, but it serves as a reminder that I have a finite amount of time that God has given me on this earth. The hourglass is a call to action for me. It is a visible reminder that I cannot be apathetic about the time I have but must be wise with how I use it.

This call to action permeates everything about my life. I cannot be apathetic in my time as a father but must be diligent to lead my kids with the “teachable moments” of our days. I cannot be apathetic with my time as a husband but must engage in loving and serving my wife in whatever ways those situations call for. I cannot be apathetic about my time as a worker but must manage my time appropriately to accomplish the tasks that need to be done.

This list could go on and on, but the point is the same. God calls us to be diligent in following Him with our time. It is a call out of apathy into action. What areas of your time need to be redeemed from apathy today or this week?

Reference Point

Re:Verse passage – Psalm 24:1-10 (day three)

1The earth is the Lord’s, and all it contains, the world, and those who dwell in it.

The Psalmist begins this psalm with a declaration that the Lord is sovereign over all things. That’s a great place to start anything. It orients our reference point to the fact that everything belongs to God, and we are simply caretakers and stewards of that which He has given to us for our time on this earth. If everything the earth contains belongs to Him, then we actually own nothing. We tend to think of stewardship in terms of money, but it is so much more than that. We are called to be good stewards of many things, and I am excited to dive into this together.

As we collectively orient our stewardship reference point on this declaration of God’s sovereignty, may we remember well that our purpose is to glorify the Lord with all that He has blessed us with. God has called us to be good stewards of our time, relationships, finances, all of creation, our talents, our bodies, and so much more. The list could go on and on. Today, spend time orienting yourself to the frame of reference that everything is already God’s, and that you are simply a steward of what He has given to you. Is there anything in your life that needs confession and redemption back to His purpose?