The body of Christ is in need of repair. It's been "banged around and scarred," kicked about and scraped raw, and by whom? The very members of the body, that's who! The fingers claw at the eyes, and the teeth grab the flesh of the arm. Yes, the most precious presence on this planet is in danger of self-destruction. The enemy doesn't even have to lift a finger against us. In fact, he parades unabashedly in front of the throne of grace, claiming, "Not me, God....nope, not this time...I didn't do it."
Sadly the Father turns away, tears stinging His eyes, because He knows it's true. His hope for the world---Christ living in us---has become a joke in the spiritual realms. "How long?!" He cries, "How long must I strive with man? When will he ever listen to my Words and heed my voice?"
We glide in and out of our days as if there were no direction from God necessary. We seldom spend any time with the Father in joyful communion until we want Him to do something for us. And still, like the perfect parent He is, He continually responds to our cries, knowing all the while that as soon as we get what we want, we'll turn aside again...until we need Him. It's a very convenient relationship.
But, I wonder...when will He get what He wants from us? In His Word, He has outlined His expectations for us, individually and as a collective Body...the Body of Christ, His beloved.
Micah 6: 8 "He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God." Nothing hard to understand about that.
Here's a cut-and-dried list of what He doesn't want to see in us:
Proverbs 6: 16-19 "There are six things the Lord hates, seven that are detestable to Him:
haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil, a false witness who pours out lies, and a man that stirs up dissension among brothers (in Christ)."
When Jesus was asked which of the "rules" was the necessary one to live by, a man answered, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, AND Love your neighbor as yourself." Jesus responded, "You have answered correctly."
I wonder, at what point in the history of mankind, these words were disavowed. I wonder when it happened...when did we decide that God didn't really mean anything He said to us or about us. I wonder when we decided that it would be okay with Him if we just did whatever we wanted to without even consulting Him or asking what His will was in a situation. I wonder when it was that we convinced ourselves that as long as we got whatever we wanted, it didn't matter if it was what He wanted for us.
If I am reading His Word correctly, it is my understanding that everyone in the Body of Christ should be working together to make good things happen for each other. When someone steps up-to-the-plate of responsibility and tries to make things better, when did it ever become okay to try to destroy them? How can that attitude or behavior ever reflect God's Spirit of Love, perfect Love?
There is mischief afoot in the Spirit these days. And the enemy of our souls is not the perpetrator. We have drifted so far from God's Word that we are making up our own rules as we go along. We claim that what we do is right, but we are not being truthful with God or ourselves when we have not even asked God what He thinks! We just say, "God, this is what I want you to do!"
Well, my Book says that is not the kind of prayer that God can or will answer. In fact, James said it this way: (James 4: 15-17)
"You ought to say, 'If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that.' As it is, you boast and brag. All such boasting is evil. Anyone then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn't do it, sins."
How far we have fallen. How disappointed the Father must be. Perhaps He will give us another opportunity to become humble before Him, seeking His will and not our own, and listening to His voice, and obeying...being kind and helpful to one another and always walking in love with all the members in the body.
I hope so. God deserves that kind of love, respect and loyalty from us...that we would always do His will and make it first and foremost in our lives.
And now, dear ones, I leave you with this reminder:
"The wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness." (James 3: 17-18) And that is what God is most concerned with: our righteousness in Him!
Live righteous!
Friday, June 13, 2014
Wednesday, May 14, 2014
here come the sheep
Back in the day, while teaching remedial classes in summer school, I thought it was important to make it as fun and memorable as possible. After all, who wants to be stuck in the classroom during the summer while everyone else was at the park or the pool!
Since it was necessary to accomplish a great deal of work in a limited span of time, being creative was a major challenge. Since my task included getting the students a step closer to grade-level (especially with reading/comprehension) skills, I was determined to make learning more fun and less stressful.
I found that the best tactic was to go back, all the way back, to a level that they were comfortable in. Often, that placed us at very low levels. Thank goodness, there is no shortage of particularly wonderful children's literature to glean from.
One of my favorite author/illustrator teams was Nancy E. Shaw and Margot Apple. Their "Sheep" books were so valuable for beginning readers. And once the children were engaged, the sky was the limit! Oh! What great memories! But, I digress.
There were several titles in the series, but my favorite will always be "Sheep in a Jeep."
"Beep! Beep! Sheep in a jeep on a hill that's steep."
Can you predict what might happen next?
"Sheep in a Shop" / "Sheep on a Ship" / "Sheep Out to Eat" ... well, you get the picture.
I was thinking of these wonderful stories, when a profound thought hit me. According to the Word, we are the sheep of the Lord's pasture. That's significant...to be His sheep. Because, one day there will be a reckoning, a division will take place. The "sheep" (those who will spend eternity with Him) and the "goats" (those who will not) will be separated for eternity. What a thought. In the meantime, we are here, and life here is not always rosy. It's downright hard to always walk-the talk.
Oh, we're okay with being the sheep, but sometimes we get a little distracted, and our adventures take us away from the long-term plan. Like the sheep in the stories, we do what sounds like fun, but then we realize there are consequences to our choices...and it seems that the more reckless or foolish the choices, then all the more dire, are the consequences..
To complicate things, someone is always 'watching' us, as if waiting for us to mess up. Theses days there is a very real chance that whatever we are doing could be 'captured' and transferred to social media without our knowledge or permission. I'm not saying that we are to go off and hide in a cave somewhere, I'm saying that the choice will always be yours...that's the way our God rolls...so when you think you need a diversion from the straight-and-narrow, take a good hard look at the consequences, there is a reason the "jeep (is) on a hill that's steep." The road we travel is not easy, it's hard. Traveling carefully will cause you to arrive at your destination, safe and sound. Ramrodding your way along the path, on the other hand, will most certainly lead to consequences that you might not be prepared for. Life is a garden of delight, it's supposed to be, so have fun, enjoy all that God is doing for you, and whenever you have a choice to make...choose wisely, my friends.
Beep! Beep! Here come the sheep!
Since it was necessary to accomplish a great deal of work in a limited span of time, being creative was a major challenge. Since my task included getting the students a step closer to grade-level (especially with reading/comprehension) skills, I was determined to make learning more fun and less stressful.
I found that the best tactic was to go back, all the way back, to a level that they were comfortable in. Often, that placed us at very low levels. Thank goodness, there is no shortage of particularly wonderful children's literature to glean from.
One of my favorite author/illustrator teams was Nancy E. Shaw and Margot Apple. Their "Sheep" books were so valuable for beginning readers. And once the children were engaged, the sky was the limit! Oh! What great memories! But, I digress.
There were several titles in the series, but my favorite will always be "Sheep in a Jeep."
"Beep! Beep! Sheep in a jeep on a hill that's steep."
Can you predict what might happen next?
"Sheep in a Shop" / "Sheep on a Ship" / "Sheep Out to Eat" ... well, you get the picture.
I was thinking of these wonderful stories, when a profound thought hit me. According to the Word, we are the sheep of the Lord's pasture. That's significant...to be His sheep. Because, one day there will be a reckoning, a division will take place. The "sheep" (those who will spend eternity with Him) and the "goats" (those who will not) will be separated for eternity. What a thought. In the meantime, we are here, and life here is not always rosy. It's downright hard to always walk-the talk.
Oh, we're okay with being the sheep, but sometimes we get a little distracted, and our adventures take us away from the long-term plan. Like the sheep in the stories, we do what sounds like fun, but then we realize there are consequences to our choices...and it seems that the more reckless or foolish the choices, then all the more dire, are the consequences..
To complicate things, someone is always 'watching' us, as if waiting for us to mess up. Theses days there is a very real chance that whatever we are doing could be 'captured' and transferred to social media without our knowledge or permission. I'm not saying that we are to go off and hide in a cave somewhere, I'm saying that the choice will always be yours...that's the way our God rolls...so when you think you need a diversion from the straight-and-narrow, take a good hard look at the consequences, there is a reason the "jeep (is) on a hill that's steep." The road we travel is not easy, it's hard. Traveling carefully will cause you to arrive at your destination, safe and sound. Ramrodding your way along the path, on the other hand, will most certainly lead to consequences that you might not be prepared for. Life is a garden of delight, it's supposed to be, so have fun, enjoy all that God is doing for you, and whenever you have a choice to make...choose wisely, my friends.
Beep! Beep! Here come the sheep!
Tuesday, May 6, 2014
schizofreakea
It seems like the Body of Christ is really under attack these days. The enemy is hard at work trying everything he can to discourage us and cause us to be hopeless and helpless.
Given the urgency of his task against us, I believe that we must be on the very doorstep of something great.
Whatever you are trusting God for...KEEP THE FAITH. Do not give up, do not back down. Help is on the way. You have His Word on it! "Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not." (Jeremiah 33:3 - KJV)
These days we seem to be easily distracted from our mission in life...to love God, enjoying His presence in our lives as we daily strive to serve Him better. I'm going to take a little liberty here and paraphrase some thoughts from Thomas a Kempis. He said, 'As long as everything is going well in our lives, we are happy with God and His decisions for us. But, just as soon as an adverse circumstance develops, we slip back into our old selves, where doubt, fear and unbelief are our masters.' There's a bit of truth in there. We feel safe in our level of faith when all is well. But, I wonder...is that kind of thinking/living really kin to absolute faith?
Faith is defined as "...being sure of what we hope for and certain of what is not seen." (Hebrews 11:1 - NIV)
I can't see the sun on a cloudy day, but I am absolutely certain that it is still there!
Just remember, when there was nothing at all, anywhere...God used faith, alone, to frame the worlds. (v3)
That must be why it is so important to Him that we exercise our faith, strengthening it, stretching it. We are also reminded that, "without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him." (Hebrews 11:6 - NIV)
You see, He wants us to be like Him, having so much faith (trust) in His workings in our lives, that we cannot entertain thoughts of failure. Do you think, for one instant, that God did not believe something was going to happen when He said, "Let there be..."? That's the same kind of faith He wants us to have.
But, that's really hard, isn't it? The reason may be due to the way most of us were raised. We are taught that nobody is going to do it for us; we must pull ourselves up by our own bootstraps, etc., etc. And hard work is normally a good thing, but only when we enjoy what we are doing so much that it doesn't even seem like work at all. And only when we are not consumed with getting more and more stuff, instead of looking around to see where we can help another fellow-traveler on this path below.
After all, we are all just trying to get home again.
So, what's the deal? Why do we panic at the first sign of adversity? Why do we 'freak-out'? It seems a little unstable and wavering to be fine with God when everything is going our way, and then turn to spineless jellyfish when things get tough. Clinically, that sort of presto-chango is pretty much schizophrenic, don't you think? We seem to be living out our lives with dual personalities. Faithful Servant vs Freaked-Out Worrier.
I am going to refer to this condition as: Schizofreakea! And the good news is, there's a cure for it!
When the Hebrews were going through desperate times, historically they were instructed to, "Remember!"
The rules have not changed, not in thousands of years. When the enemy threatens you, don't shrink back in fear, as "those who have no faith," instead, Be Bold in your stance. Start recounting all the many times God has shown up and delivered you when you thought all was lost. There's still hope, and as long as there is, we have an obligation to live by our faith.
He still rewards those who seek Him diligently. (Hebrews 11:6) It's okay to come crying, just come as you are. Allow Him to carry that weight for you. For, "which of you by worrying, can change anything?" (see Matthew 6:25-34 - NIV)
Get rid of schizofreakea today! Don't waver in your faith. Tell Him what you need; thank Him for loving you enough to take care of it, and let it go...let it go.
Given the urgency of his task against us, I believe that we must be on the very doorstep of something great.
Whatever you are trusting God for...KEEP THE FAITH. Do not give up, do not back down. Help is on the way. You have His Word on it! "Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not." (Jeremiah 33:3 - KJV)
These days we seem to be easily distracted from our mission in life...to love God, enjoying His presence in our lives as we daily strive to serve Him better. I'm going to take a little liberty here and paraphrase some thoughts from Thomas a Kempis. He said, 'As long as everything is going well in our lives, we are happy with God and His decisions for us. But, just as soon as an adverse circumstance develops, we slip back into our old selves, where doubt, fear and unbelief are our masters.' There's a bit of truth in there. We feel safe in our level of faith when all is well. But, I wonder...is that kind of thinking/living really kin to absolute faith?
Faith is defined as "...being sure of what we hope for and certain of what is not seen." (Hebrews 11:1 - NIV)
I can't see the sun on a cloudy day, but I am absolutely certain that it is still there!
Just remember, when there was nothing at all, anywhere...God used faith, alone, to frame the worlds. (v3)
That must be why it is so important to Him that we exercise our faith, strengthening it, stretching it. We are also reminded that, "without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him." (Hebrews 11:6 - NIV)
You see, He wants us to be like Him, having so much faith (trust) in His workings in our lives, that we cannot entertain thoughts of failure. Do you think, for one instant, that God did not believe something was going to happen when He said, "Let there be..."? That's the same kind of faith He wants us to have.
But, that's really hard, isn't it? The reason may be due to the way most of us were raised. We are taught that nobody is going to do it for us; we must pull ourselves up by our own bootstraps, etc., etc. And hard work is normally a good thing, but only when we enjoy what we are doing so much that it doesn't even seem like work at all. And only when we are not consumed with getting more and more stuff, instead of looking around to see where we can help another fellow-traveler on this path below.
After all, we are all just trying to get home again.
So, what's the deal? Why do we panic at the first sign of adversity? Why do we 'freak-out'? It seems a little unstable and wavering to be fine with God when everything is going our way, and then turn to spineless jellyfish when things get tough. Clinically, that sort of presto-chango is pretty much schizophrenic, don't you think? We seem to be living out our lives with dual personalities. Faithful Servant vs Freaked-Out Worrier.
I am going to refer to this condition as: Schizofreakea! And the good news is, there's a cure for it!
When the Hebrews were going through desperate times, historically they were instructed to, "Remember!"
The rules have not changed, not in thousands of years. When the enemy threatens you, don't shrink back in fear, as "those who have no faith," instead, Be Bold in your stance. Start recounting all the many times God has shown up and delivered you when you thought all was lost. There's still hope, and as long as there is, we have an obligation to live by our faith.
He still rewards those who seek Him diligently. (Hebrews 11:6) It's okay to come crying, just come as you are. Allow Him to carry that weight for you. For, "which of you by worrying, can change anything?" (see Matthew 6:25-34 - NIV)
Get rid of schizofreakea today! Don't waver in your faith. Tell Him what you need; thank Him for loving you enough to take care of it, and let it go...let it go.
Friday, April 25, 2014
o.e.t.k.b.
I am often amused when I hear young parents say to their little ones, "You need to act your age!" Being pretty good at estimating the ages of small children, I would guess that they are acting their age...exactly.
Children, after all, are not miniature adults...they are children. And childhood should be fun, exciting, full of wonder. Of course, it is a time for growing, as well. And they will, in due time. In the meantime, let them be children.
As the beloved children of God, we are afforded a reasonable time for growth and maturation in the faith. And then, at some point, we are expected to start growing up in that faith. Peter put it this way, "Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind. Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good." (I Peter 2:1-2) It's okay to start out as a baby...we all do, but we should be growing along the way. If we have not put aside those things that are harmful to us, that Peter mentioned, we are not growing quickly enough. We are not acting our spiritual age.
Sometimes, we simply slip and fall back into an old way of doing things...B.R. Before Redemption. But, with the Holy Spirit to quicken us, we cannot stay in that state or condition for very long. It's just too miserable. Like a baby who is ready for solid food, nothing else, not all the milk in the world, will satisfy that hunger. We have to get back to the table, where the good food is spread before us. Peter listed the things that stint our growth. And I might add that his is a short list, but still it encompasses major categories.
So how will we know when we are ready to grow-up spiritually? Well, I think I might know the answer to that inquiry. Mama had a phrase that she used when she was attempting to make that very point. No longer did she say that I needed to act my age. Instead, she said (calmly, but firmly) six little words that stung like a wasp on sun-burned skin. "You're old enough to know better."
I think that is exactly what Jesus whispers to me, "Don't do that. You're old enough to know better. Don't say that...it's unkind, and you're old enough to know better." What He is telling me is this: I don't need to be concerned with what others are doing and saying. I am at a place in His mercy and grace that I know better. I have experienced the depth of His unfailing love time and time again, and I'm too big now, to act like a fool. We will always be growing in grace. And that maturity must be evident in our daily choices, if Christ is to be glorified through us.
We can start out slowly...one thing at a time. For example, let's begin to really think about what we say. The 2/3 Rule is a good measuring tool. Just before blurting something out, take a moment to examine it by these standards...
1) Is it true?
2) Is it kind?
3) Is it necessary?
If it doesn't meet the 2/3 rule (two of the three should easily apply), then DON'T SAY IT!! Why? Because, you're old enough (in Christ) to know better!
Achieving spiritual maturity in a godless world will never be easy. These days we are concerned with everybody's rights except God's. (paraphrased from a quote by Dr. Billy Graham) He has the right to expect the redeemed to behave accordingly. We are not under the curse of the law any longer; we have chosen to live by a higher standard...the standard of Love, and it's time to grow up.
After all, we're old enough to know better, so let's start acting our age!
Children, after all, are not miniature adults...they are children. And childhood should be fun, exciting, full of wonder. Of course, it is a time for growing, as well. And they will, in due time. In the meantime, let them be children.
As the beloved children of God, we are afforded a reasonable time for growth and maturation in the faith. And then, at some point, we are expected to start growing up in that faith. Peter put it this way, "Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind. Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good." (I Peter 2:1-2) It's okay to start out as a baby...we all do, but we should be growing along the way. If we have not put aside those things that are harmful to us, that Peter mentioned, we are not growing quickly enough. We are not acting our spiritual age.
Sometimes, we simply slip and fall back into an old way of doing things...B.R. Before Redemption. But, with the Holy Spirit to quicken us, we cannot stay in that state or condition for very long. It's just too miserable. Like a baby who is ready for solid food, nothing else, not all the milk in the world, will satisfy that hunger. We have to get back to the table, where the good food is spread before us. Peter listed the things that stint our growth. And I might add that his is a short list, but still it encompasses major categories.
So how will we know when we are ready to grow-up spiritually? Well, I think I might know the answer to that inquiry. Mama had a phrase that she used when she was attempting to make that very point. No longer did she say that I needed to act my age. Instead, she said (calmly, but firmly) six little words that stung like a wasp on sun-burned skin. "You're old enough to know better."
I think that is exactly what Jesus whispers to me, "Don't do that. You're old enough to know better. Don't say that...it's unkind, and you're old enough to know better." What He is telling me is this: I don't need to be concerned with what others are doing and saying. I am at a place in His mercy and grace that I know better. I have experienced the depth of His unfailing love time and time again, and I'm too big now, to act like a fool. We will always be growing in grace. And that maturity must be evident in our daily choices, if Christ is to be glorified through us.
We can start out slowly...one thing at a time. For example, let's begin to really think about what we say. The 2/3 Rule is a good measuring tool. Just before blurting something out, take a moment to examine it by these standards...
1) Is it true?
2) Is it kind?
3) Is it necessary?
If it doesn't meet the 2/3 rule (two of the three should easily apply), then DON'T SAY IT!! Why? Because, you're old enough (in Christ) to know better!
Achieving spiritual maturity in a godless world will never be easy. These days we are concerned with everybody's rights except God's. (paraphrased from a quote by Dr. Billy Graham) He has the right to expect the redeemed to behave accordingly. We are not under the curse of the law any longer; we have chosen to live by a higher standard...the standard of Love, and it's time to grow up.
After all, we're old enough to know better, so let's start acting our age!
Tuesday, April 22, 2014
looking for a garden
It's springtime. The time of the singing of the birds has begun. I enjoy being outdoors during this time of the year. It makes me wonder what it was like to walk in the Garden of Eden with the Creator of the universe.
As He walked there, communing daily with His most prized creation, man, the Father must have been overjoyed at all He had done. You would think that it would have been "enough" for mankind. But, we all know the story...man wanted more. And he still does.
We chase after fulfillment everywhere except where it truly is. Man has fallen. And, how great was his fall!
Just imagine, walking in the cool of the day...not a hasty on-a-mission walk, but a short, sweet meandering, taking time to marvel at every creature, or flower, or sound, or color...that kind of walk. And if that weren't enough, God walking with us. Laughing and talking about the day. How could we ever bear to leave such a place?!
Well friend, let me tell you something. God missed us; He missed us more than we missed Him, and one day, it was just too much. He had to do something to bring us back. He loved us that much. And while the Garden of Eden, itself, is forever gone, He created something even better. He's made it possible for each of us to walk with Him every day...He's making our hearts a beautiful garden. He made a way to come back home to Him. Jesus, His precious Son, is the gateway to our own garden with God.
Never again will we be cast out. Jesus walks with us; He never leaves.
He loves us more than anything.
I wonder if we will ever be able to comprehend such love and affection...so great that even the angels wanted to know more about it. (I Peter 1: 12)
The world that God imagined for us, was physically ruined as a result of the fall. Nothing will ever get it back. But, we can...every one of us...have a supernatural relationship with the Lord of the Universe. It's so easy. All we need to do, is look to Jesus as the author and finisher of our faith...the great exchange: my all for His all! From that moment, there is nothing that can separate us from the hand of the Lord. We remain in His love, as He builds a beautiful garden from the ashes in our old stony hearts. And that is where we will find Him...every moment of every day. For, "where your heart is, there is your treasure!"
Today, as we celebrate what is left of our beautiful earth, let us not neglect the garden of gardens. Stop flirting with the ways-of-the-world and spend more time with the One who sings over you. Thanks be to God for the peace that passes all earthly understanding. It's always sunny in this garden...the only rain is gentle and sweet upon the face. The storms are all far, far away...they aren't allowed here. Come aside and sit in the Garden of His mercy, grace and unfailing love. Listen, don't you hear the sound of the singing...run, run into His open arms...and rest awhile.
As He walked there, communing daily with His most prized creation, man, the Father must have been overjoyed at all He had done. You would think that it would have been "enough" for mankind. But, we all know the story...man wanted more. And he still does.
We chase after fulfillment everywhere except where it truly is. Man has fallen. And, how great was his fall!
Just imagine, walking in the cool of the day...not a hasty on-a-mission walk, but a short, sweet meandering, taking time to marvel at every creature, or flower, or sound, or color...that kind of walk. And if that weren't enough, God walking with us. Laughing and talking about the day. How could we ever bear to leave such a place?!
Well friend, let me tell you something. God missed us; He missed us more than we missed Him, and one day, it was just too much. He had to do something to bring us back. He loved us that much. And while the Garden of Eden, itself, is forever gone, He created something even better. He's made it possible for each of us to walk with Him every day...He's making our hearts a beautiful garden. He made a way to come back home to Him. Jesus, His precious Son, is the gateway to our own garden with God.
Never again will we be cast out. Jesus walks with us; He never leaves.
He loves us more than anything.
I wonder if we will ever be able to comprehend such love and affection...so great that even the angels wanted to know more about it. (I Peter 1: 12)
The world that God imagined for us, was physically ruined as a result of the fall. Nothing will ever get it back. But, we can...every one of us...have a supernatural relationship with the Lord of the Universe. It's so easy. All we need to do, is look to Jesus as the author and finisher of our faith...the great exchange: my all for His all! From that moment, there is nothing that can separate us from the hand of the Lord. We remain in His love, as He builds a beautiful garden from the ashes in our old stony hearts. And that is where we will find Him...every moment of every day. For, "where your heart is, there is your treasure!"
Today, as we celebrate what is left of our beautiful earth, let us not neglect the garden of gardens. Stop flirting with the ways-of-the-world and spend more time with the One who sings over you. Thanks be to God for the peace that passes all earthly understanding. It's always sunny in this garden...the only rain is gentle and sweet upon the face. The storms are all far, far away...they aren't allowed here. Come aside and sit in the Garden of His mercy, grace and unfailing love. Listen, don't you hear the sound of the singing...run, run into His open arms...and rest awhile.
Tuesday, April 1, 2014
I hear chirping
"Let heaven and nature sing!" It's not just a phrase from the wonderful old Christmas carol, "Joy To The World." "All nature sings, and 'round me rings the music of the spheres..." another reminder in the words of a great old hymn, "This Is My Father's World." It's true, nature is at its best in the springtime. Everything seems vibrant and alive again, and that's the plan. Yes, nature sings.
And so begin the days of late evenings, sitting on the porch, listening to crickets chirp. Their unique song is peaceful and has a musically calming effect, particularly after a long and stressful day.
However, I have also noticed that if you take that lovely chirping out of its natural environment, it becomes a nuisance. For example, a cricket in the bedroom at night is annoying...it disturbs my rest. And even if I was sleeping soundly, it still wakes me up. What then? Well, there are two options:
1) Ignore it, or
2) Get up (out of my comfortable and warm bed), find the source of the noise and do something about it!
In my lifetime, there have only been a few occasions when a cricket took up lodging in my bedroom. But, its persistence always paid off! I got up, found it, caught it, and put it outside...where it belongs. Now, mind you, I didn't kill it, ever, just put it outside. It was disturbing me, so I did something about it.
And that got me to thinking:
Often, when God wants to get our attention, He creates a "disturbance in the force," as it were, and we are faced with the same options: ignore it or do something.
For example, when He brings someone to my mind, I try to stop, immediately, and pray for them. There is something they need that He can give. I want them to have it, so I ask...for them. You may never know the extent of the problem they are facing, you just know that our Heavenly Father cared enough to disturb your well-being and whisper, "Your brother/sister needs you." He doesn't "need" us to accomplish His will, but this is how He chooses to bless US, by our obedience to His soft, tender call.
If we want more of His blessing in our lives, perhaps it would be good to pay attention to the soft chirping that disturbs our normal routine. Just like the little cricket, it's not that loud...just loud enough to notice, but then, what? The choice is always there...ignore or do something.
It's not just a passing thought...God really means it when He whispers, "Call this one, send a note to that one, pray for this family, take her to lunch; don't shut Him out...Get up! Do something...anything!
There's a reason we hear "chirping." It's the sound of the good life!
And so begin the days of late evenings, sitting on the porch, listening to crickets chirp. Their unique song is peaceful and has a musically calming effect, particularly after a long and stressful day.
However, I have also noticed that if you take that lovely chirping out of its natural environment, it becomes a nuisance. For example, a cricket in the bedroom at night is annoying...it disturbs my rest. And even if I was sleeping soundly, it still wakes me up. What then? Well, there are two options:
1) Ignore it, or
2) Get up (out of my comfortable and warm bed), find the source of the noise and do something about it!
In my lifetime, there have only been a few occasions when a cricket took up lodging in my bedroom. But, its persistence always paid off! I got up, found it, caught it, and put it outside...where it belongs. Now, mind you, I didn't kill it, ever, just put it outside. It was disturbing me, so I did something about it.
And that got me to thinking:
Often, when God wants to get our attention, He creates a "disturbance in the force," as it were, and we are faced with the same options: ignore it or do something.
For example, when He brings someone to my mind, I try to stop, immediately, and pray for them. There is something they need that He can give. I want them to have it, so I ask...for them. You may never know the extent of the problem they are facing, you just know that our Heavenly Father cared enough to disturb your well-being and whisper, "Your brother/sister needs you." He doesn't "need" us to accomplish His will, but this is how He chooses to bless US, by our obedience to His soft, tender call.
If we want more of His blessing in our lives, perhaps it would be good to pay attention to the soft chirping that disturbs our normal routine. Just like the little cricket, it's not that loud...just loud enough to notice, but then, what? The choice is always there...ignore or do something.
It's not just a passing thought...God really means it when He whispers, "Call this one, send a note to that one, pray for this family, take her to lunch; don't shut Him out...Get up! Do something...anything!
There's a reason we hear "chirping." It's the sound of the good life!
Thursday, March 6, 2014
that did a lot of good
If I cast my mind back, way back, I can remember things I heard as a child. Sometimes, a recollection occurs at the oddest times. For instance, recently and for no apparent reason, this phrase just popped into my head, "Well...THAT did a lot of good." Now mind you, when I first heard this, I was much too young and inexperienced with language to understand sarcasm, much less appreciate it. But, as time went on I was able to make a connection with the phrase and the fact that something had just "gone-wrong."
Example:
Mama had cleaned and scrubbed us right down to our shoes, and we were ready for Sunday School. As she herded us toward the car, she may have noticed that someone had deliberately tromped through a mud puddle, instead of around it, and she would exclaim, "Well, that did a lot of good!" At some point I realized that she meant her effort, not the puddle.
And so it seems that from time to time, our best efforts are thwarted, and made to no avail. Eventually, we might even question why we try anymore. This feeling can be directed at circumstances or relationships, the feeling is the same, nothing is working right, it's all gone-wrong.
Well, if you have ever experienced something like this, you're not alone. Paul, the apostle...not the Beatle, once said that he was the "least likely to succeed," because of what he had done in the past...he had recklessly persecuted the church. He thought that he would never get away from who he had been. But, then he added this powerful revelation, "But, by the grace (unmerited favor) of God, I am what I am, and His grace toward me WAS NOT IN VAIN." (I Corinthians 15: 9,10)
Did you get that?! The grace of God in our lives is an investment that He is not willing to risk a loss on. We are who we are, with all of our shortcomings and imperfections, and that will never change.
What WILL change, what MUST change, is how we see ourselves through His eyes...an investment of His grace. And THAT did a lot of good! By His amazing grace, we were saved, ransomed from the fall, and we will live forever with Him one day.
So, when you get discouraged, and you sometimes will, just remember that nothing we do of or for Him is ever in vain. We may not even see the fruit from our efforts, but we must not think, "Well, THAT did a lot of good." Just trust and obey. We are not responsible for the outcome, just the obedience required. Always do your best...and leave the rest...up to HIM!
Example:
Mama had cleaned and scrubbed us right down to our shoes, and we were ready for Sunday School. As she herded us toward the car, she may have noticed that someone had deliberately tromped through a mud puddle, instead of around it, and she would exclaim, "Well, that did a lot of good!" At some point I realized that she meant her effort, not the puddle.
And so it seems that from time to time, our best efforts are thwarted, and made to no avail. Eventually, we might even question why we try anymore. This feeling can be directed at circumstances or relationships, the feeling is the same, nothing is working right, it's all gone-wrong.
Well, if you have ever experienced something like this, you're not alone. Paul, the apostle...not the Beatle, once said that he was the "least likely to succeed," because of what he had done in the past...he had recklessly persecuted the church. He thought that he would never get away from who he had been. But, then he added this powerful revelation, "But, by the grace (unmerited favor) of God, I am what I am, and His grace toward me WAS NOT IN VAIN." (I Corinthians 15: 9,10)
Did you get that?! The grace of God in our lives is an investment that He is not willing to risk a loss on. We are who we are, with all of our shortcomings and imperfections, and that will never change.
What WILL change, what MUST change, is how we see ourselves through His eyes...an investment of His grace. And THAT did a lot of good! By His amazing grace, we were saved, ransomed from the fall, and we will live forever with Him one day.
So, when you get discouraged, and you sometimes will, just remember that nothing we do of or for Him is ever in vain. We may not even see the fruit from our efforts, but we must not think, "Well, THAT did a lot of good." Just trust and obey. We are not responsible for the outcome, just the obedience required. Always do your best...and leave the rest...up to HIM!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)