Eyes to See // Micah

Before he was an apostle, Paul pursued his own way and blindly chased a deity of his own making. Consumed with zeal, yet deprived of sight, he eventually found himself rooted on a path, standing sword drawn, directly opposed to the real God. How does that happen?

While you and I hopefully will never literally square off with Christ, we can find ourselves so consumed with our vision for life that His way is lost on our path. Indeed the father of darkness would have all men rummage through life sightless.

It was not until Paul fully yielded to the light of Christ that the blinders fell off. It was then that a clear line of sight emerged from the fog of self will.

Like Paul, we gain real perspective by submitting our hopes, dreams and desires to Jesus. If we want God’s vision to guide our walk we must release our need to "have it our way" and ask the Light of the World for Eyes To See.

Acts 9:5 “Who are you, lord?” Saul asked. And the voice replied, “I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting!”

Acts 9:9 “He remained there blind for three days and did not eat or drink.”

Acts 9:12 “I HAVE SHOWN HIM A VISION of a man named Ananias coming in and laying hands on him SO HE CAN SEE again.”

Acts 9:22 “Saul's preaching became more and more powerful, and the Jews in Damascus couldn't refute his proofs that Jesus was indeed the Messiah.”

- Micah McElveen

Short but Smart // Micah

When we treat something like it will always be there we tend to grow apathetic and entitled, which generally results in mismanagement. When we realize the finite nature of a substance we begin to get more serious about the best use of it, after all, we reason, "it won’t be around long."

As it pertains to time, when we realize it is our most valuable non-renewable resource, we are encouraged to better steward it. Realizing life is short and that we don’t, “get time back,” helps us be more intentional about using it well the first go round. Life experience has made this a serious personal pursuit for my family. My wife and I periodically ask four inventory questions in view of time. The answers help us in our efforts to continually recalibrate so we may “invest" instead of “waste" our lives.

What does God value? We are ultimately here for His glory and find answers from Him in His Word. How did Christ invest His life on earth? We live to complete His mission and have His example on display in the gospels. Do my actions align with my beliefs? We need occasional "gut checks" to make sure our values are well formed and our behavior aligned. What needs to change? We commit to adjust resource allocation for the next period of time in light of gaps or strengths we have uncovered.

When we lay these questions over our home, work, civic and church roles we set ourselves up to maximize what are ultimately short periods of time. After all we can’t really change the fact that “life is but a vapor.” We can however choose to live Short But Smart lives.

Psalms 90:12 “Teach us to realize the brevity of life, so that we may grow in wisdom.”

- Micah McElveen

Light Break Through // Micah

Night time was the worst. Laying awake in ICU, I vividly remember desiring death. I could not feel my toes yet my body was consumed by intense pain. I could not still my mind as it chased the fears of permanent paralysis. A dark fog brought on by chronic pain, the rigors of 6 hrs a day rehab, and lost dreams descended over my view to the point I lost sight of light all together. As a bleak outlook filled my heart, my soul, waxed thin like butter sparingly spread over brittle bread. In the belly of that valley I was so pressed down that it seemed there was no ability or reason to get up. On October 9th, 1996 I broke more than my neck, my spirit all but shattered and hopes hues faded.

Hope is a powerful force and when the light of its rays fade from sight we lose a substance core to life itself. It is in those times more than ever we desperately need to awaken to the truth, that even when grossly obscured, light will never be overcome by darkness. We need to believe that even if we can barely find a ray, it is there. And if kindled, the flicker will become a flame that will drive the darkness away.

More and more these days we are told the tale that darkness is superior, inevitably pervasive, and that indeed in the end it will prevail. But the Creator Of Light, the true light of the World Himself promises that light will remain and will ultimately overcome every shadow of darkness. When faced with darkness we are not called to manufacture light but instead to uncover it. Upon finding the light we are invited to run to it, to walk in it and expose others to its radiance.

If you told me then, what I know now, that one day I would look back and say, “I am thankful for that fateful day and the valleys that chased it,” I would have called you crazy. But I, for one, can testify to the power of a Light Break Through.

Psalm 18:28 “You light a lamp for me. The Lord, my God, lights up my darkness.”

Psalm 36:9 “For you [Lord] are the fountain of life, the light by which we see.”

John 1:4-5 “The Word [Jesus] gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it."

- Micah McElveen

Created For Wonder // Micah

As the father of a very curious, highly risk tolerant, 2 yr old boy I have been relearning the beauty of wonder. To Arrow, the world is a playground and each morning a new opportunity to ride its slides and test its swings. Again and again, the corners of his mouth turn up and his eyes sparkle as he tastes, touches and sees things that delight him. I have formed a daily goal, to have his eyes catch mine in a moment of wonder.

When you think about it, we really are born curious and designed to experience life walking through the doors to which that curiosity leads. Curiosity begs, "What does that taste like? What would this feel like?" Upon enjoying, wonder says, "Now that one was a winner." On this journey, we call life, wonder surfaces when our senses are lit up by discovery.

Yet, along the way, most of us tend to find this orientation slipping from our view. In the grind, this substance rich essential is crushed beyond the point of recognition. We lose sight of thriving and exchange it for just surviving. Sin and weights drown out, stifle and pervert this God born posture. Life, indeed, tends to knock the wonder out of us.

This is a travesty, as wonder is a key to unlocking joy, and joy in God is "our strength." Wonder is a lynchpin for genuine worship. Wonder reminds the soul that though we walk in a broken world we live before a perfect God. It whispers, "Though the fall ushered in a world of bad, God made all things good and is 'making all things new.'" God gave us the capacity to interact with His goodness in a way that transcends the mess and allows us to be moved to the core. God intended that we be so deeply impressed that awe would flood our souls. He designed it all in such a way that we would come to points where the most natural thing to do is, stand jaw dropped, convinced that The One behind whatever we just experienced must be indescribable.

I believe with all my heart that our great God and Savior desires us to interact with His goodness in a way that leads us to see His greatness. In the end, He reminds us of what He intended from the beginning when we remember we were Created For Wonder.

Psalms 34:8 "Taste and see that the Lord is good. Oh, the joys of those who take refuge in him!"

Job 37:14b "...Stop and consider the wonderful miracles of God!"

Psalms 77:14 "You are the God of great wonders! You demonstrate your awesome power among the nations."

Psalm 145:5 "On the glorious splendor of Your majesty, and on Your wondrous works, I will meditate."

- Micah McElveen

Divine Appointments // Micah

Have you ever went somewhere for one reason only to find another dominant purpose emerge?

It was late by the time I arrived at the home of this "young in the faith" Haitian staff person. He had lived a very hard life, suffered deep and intense physical and spiritual trial and had spent more of his life nearly dying than actually living. Through the ministry, he and his household had come to know Christ and had begun experiencing powerful renewal. As the candles flickered low and the evening wound down I surveyed their one-room house a final time, as if to memorialize the low lit scene. I thanked them for their hospitality and got up to leave when something in the corner caught my eye.

"Why," I asked "is their now 4 pairs of feet sticking out of your bed?”

This recently homeless man smiled, and in a very calm unassuming tone simply responded, "through Vapor Ministries God has taken care of my family, so we felt God would have my family take in these two orphans. We prayed that God would provide for us and have committed to show His love to others in need."

I slipped into the cover of darkness quickly as my eyes began to fill. As I sat in the still of that evening my heart nearly burst until overflowed and poured itself out through substance rich tears. Here I was before a brother barely on his feet yet serving from His knees. I had come to encourage and teach yet left having being blessed and instructed. That night a more weighty and transformative truth was expressed inside the tin walls of that home than what could be found in a stack of well formed sermons. What a privilege to sit at the feet of a new Christ follower who was preaching the Gospel with His life and teaching me the Christian Faith in the most compelling ways.

I left resolved to move into mission with greater sensitivity and predetermined surrender to the work God is up to in divine appointments.

I John 3:16-17 "We know what real love is because Jesus gave up his life for us. So we also ought to give up our lives for our brothers and sisters. If someone has enough money to live well and sees a brother or sister in need but shows no compassion—how can God’s love be in that person?"

Proverbs 16:9 “The mind of man plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps."

Psalm 37:23 “The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, And He delights in his way."

- Micah McElveen