Pay attention to this prayer of your servant that I'm praying day and night in intercession for your servants, the People of Israel, confessing the sins of the People of Israel. And I'm including myself, I and my ancestors, among those who have sinned against you. Nehemiah 1:6 (MSG)

Several years ago, my daughter came to me and requested a special audience. There was something she  needed to talk about. We sat down in the living room and she began to weep. Through her tears, she blurted out a confession of a bad choice she had made a few months before. She fell apart as she shared what she'd done. It was obvious her guilt had been eating away at her soul.

I wasn't shocked by what she'd done. I wasn't angry with her. She needed no punishment. Her guilt and guilty conscience had obviously done a number on her. Her entire being was twisted up into a knot of shame. I was proud of her for admitting it. I watched as she slowly felt the freedom that comes when we unload our soul.

I find it interesting that Nehemiah confessed his shortcomings before he requested God's favor with the king. There is something powerful in confession. Confession is spiritual chiropractic, bringing our center core back into proper alignment with God. It helps keep our personal requests and gimmes in their honest, proper perspective.

A good reminder from Nehemiah today: Before I request – confess.

Creative Commons photo courtesy of Flickr and emelio labrador

A plague of locusts, cleaning out the neighborhood and then flying off. Your bureaucrats are locusts, your brokers and bankers are locusts. Early on, they're all at your service, full of smiles and promises, But later when you return with questions or complaints, you'll find they've flown off and are nowhere to be found. Nahum 3:16-17 (MSG)

I must warn you that I've been on a rant in recent weeks, and when I read the verses above it was like pulling a scab off the wound. In my profession, I help companies measure and improve their customer service, Therefore, I get really incensed with retailers, contractors and merchants who conduct their business just as Nahum described. They're great on your initial call or visit, wanting your business and setting high expectations that they'll take care of you - but then the promises of follow-up are broken. "I'll call you tomorrow," they say, and you never hear from them.

I find it fascinating that, among the list of ancient Nineveh's great offenses, the prophet Nahum lists poor customer service. And yet, it makes sense. The manner with which we serve others, in business, in community, or in family, speaks to the heart issues of integrity, honesty, selflessness, and proven character.

And, as I point the finger at others, there are three pointing right back at me. I can't really look at the service speck in the eyes of others without considering if others might accuse me of the same offense.  How well am I serving my family, my friends, my co-workers, my clients and my community?

Creative Commons photo courtesy of Flickr and wongjunhao

The juggernaut's coming! Post guards, lay in supplies. Get yourselves together, get ready for the big battle. Nahum 2:1 (MSG)

Last week I helped my daughter paint the walls of what will be her, and her new husband's, apartment. We are down to four months before the big day, and I'm observing her prepare for her new life. She's in the homestretch. I have spent nineteen years trying to prepare her for this step, and each day I find myself going through a mental checklist of things I want to make sure she knows. I want her to be ready.

I've noticed a consistent theme through God's entire message as I've journeyed through it. It's the same message in the beginning of today's chapter."Get ready! Be ready! Prepare yourself! Don't be surprised!"

As a father trying to repeatedly drill wisdom into both my daughters' heads and hearts, I have a new appreciation for God's repetitive message. I want my daughter to be aware and self-aware. I want her to be wise and discerning. I don't want her walking into her marriage and the rest of her life blindly and foolishly. I hear God whispering the same theme to me as I walk into this day:

"Wake up, kid! Get ready. I'm at work in you and all those around you. There's more to what's going on and what's coming ahead than you can possibly imagine! Open your eyes. Open your ears! Prepare your heart!"

God is good, a hiding place in tough times. He recognizes and welcomes anyone looking for help, No matter how desperate the trouble. Nahum 1:7 (MSG)

Wendy and I were in a tattoo shop earlier this week. I was getting a tattoo (my third). Wendy was having some touch up done on hers. We spent about three hours there, and it was a blast to sit and take in the culture. It was a great place and the guys in the shop were fun to be around. And, on top of it all, Jesus was there.

Don't misunderstand me. It definitely wasn't a "Christian" tattoo parlor. We witnessed some very interesting things. Nevertheless, God's presence was there. I sensed it all around me. Holy Spirit was at work in the lives of the artists. Despite what many of my friends would consider the rough appearance of the people and the place, Jesus was not absent. The thing I love about Jesus, was that He could be found in the craziest places hanging out with the most colorful, even unsavory, people.

I get frustrated with Christians who want to limit God to only being present, available and active in their prescribed and confined space. To a much lesser degree, I get frustrated with people who live outside that space, and believe them. How sad that there are people who think God would never accept them, love them, or help them, because those recognized as "God's people" generally never accept them, love them, or help them.

God, help me not to limit you, nor limit my love for anyone – ever.

  "I admit it. I was the one. I babbled on about things far beyond me, made small talk about wonders way over my head." Job 42:3 (MSG)

I loved the house in which I grew up on Madison Ave. in Des Moines. To my childish perceptions, it was a mansion. My private bedroom upstairs was huge (of course, my brothers had the really cool room with drawers that were built into the wall). We had a shower! We had a laundry shoot, a fake fire place with a light that made plastic logs look like they were on fire, and a play room with foosball and ping pong!

It's interesting to look back at your childhood from middle-age. There was so much about my world that was far beyond me. The "real world" was way too big for this little midwest boy's perceptions. A few weeks ago when Wendy and I were on vacation in the Ozarks, the private bathroom attached to our room had a shower with three shower heads and two little water jets. You had water shooting at you from all sides. As I showered in luxury that week, I thought of my parents and four kids growing up in a house with one bathroom, and that shower outlined with painted cinder block, and a jerry-rigged shower curtain next to the washing machine in the basement. In my wildest dreams I wouldn't have imagined a double-wide, multi-headed shower in my own private bathroom next to my bedroom.

It's a good lesson, really. When I was a child, my perspective was so small in comparison to the larger world. Now, as an adult I must, like Job, remember that my perspective is still painfully inadequate to grasp all that God sees, perceives, plans, knows and understands.

If you can't hold your own against his glowering visage, how, then, do you expect to stand up to me? Who could confront me and get by with it? I'm in charge of all this—I run this universe! Job 41:10-11 (MSG)

Over the past 20 years, few books have held me on the edge of my seat as Into Thin Air, John Krakauer's first-hand, riveting account of the tragedy on Mount Everest in May of 1996. I listened to Krakauer reading the book on audio tape as I drove late one night on a business trip. Arriving at my destination, I sat in the parking lot of my hotel for over 90 minutes and finished listening to the book.

There is something fascinating about man versus nature stories. Whether it's journeying to the moon in Apollo XIII, trying to make it to the South Pole with Scott, or climbing Mt. Everest with Krakauer, it's fascinating how we push ourselves to the limit to explore the vastness of nature. It's equally fascinating how we are tragically reminded, time and time again, how frail and impotent we are in the face of nature's unbridled power.

That's really God's message to Job in this litany about the Leviathan. Isn't it interesting how we have such great fear and respect for the power of nature (don't forget your sunscreen), but give little regard to the power of the almighty God who created it?

Creative Commons photo courtesy of Flickr and bartmani

God addressed Job next from the eye of the storm… Job 40:6a (MSG)

Although it seems a long time ago already, last week's vacation was really good for me. Our trip to London back in March was exciting and adventurous, but the time change, culture change and hectic schedule left me feeling tired and worn out. Last week was an easy pace. We were surrounded by good friends and enjoyed great conversation. We had leisurely meals and spent hours each day relaxing in or by the water. I felt my physical, spiritual and emotionals batteries slowly recharge.

One of the interesting things I've discovered on this "chapter-a-day" journey is how God speaks to my heart at different places and different times in different ways. In the previous chapters, God spoke to Job in the midst of the storm. Even in hectic, fast paced times of life God has things to say to us, and things for us to learn. But, there are also those blessed "eye of the storm" moments when everything seems to still. In the quiet peacefulness there are things God has to whisper to our souls, if we will only choose to listen.

As Jesus said, "Those who have ears to hear, let them hear."

God, give me ears that are open to what you have to say in both the storm and its' eye.

Creative Commons photo courtesy of Flickr and Apidya

Are you the one who gave the horse his prowess and adorned him with a shimmering mane? Job 39:19 (MSG)

As God goes through his litany of wonders from the animal kingdom, I landed on his description of the horse. Last week, my wife and I went horseback riding. I've only been on a horse a handful of times in my life, and it had been years since I rode one.

Even yesterday, as I was driving, my mind went back to the hour I spent on Cisco. What a powerful animal. It's a bit intimidating to put your foot in that stirrup and climb into the saddle. You hold the reins and you're technically in control, but there is an odd sense that this majestic animal on which you sit could throw you off and squash you like a bug in a heartbeat.

We've become so used to machines in the past century. People used to use birds to send messages. Now we have phones. People used to interact daily with cows and chickens and goats to eat their daily meals. Now we drive to a grocery store, take food from the refrigerator, and buy it with a plastic card. Farmers used to depend on oxen and horses, now they use tractors and combines.

Modern marvels are wonderful. I'm glad to have them. Nevertheless, I wonder if we've lost something, spiritually, when we traded God's creation for man's invention.