Let me give you the definition of "faith"..."Strong belief; trust; confidence. " All of us who have ever entered a church have heard one sermon or another about just have "faith"...if we just hold onto our "faith"....it (whatever) will come about if our "faith" is strong enough. It is not only in church...I know you have been told this if you have shared any kind of adversity with most any christian. Have you ever been out of a job..."give it to the Lord, have faith, He will bring you a job". What about if you or someone close to you has been ill..."claim it, have faith and God will heal him/her". Maybe you are single and desire a mate.."tell him you want and mate, stand on faith and He will bring you one".
If this has never happened to you then maybe this post is not for you but it is something that has laid on my heart a long time...it has happened to me and plenty, and I think God has given me some direction to share. I believe in the above statements but the problem I have and see is that there is one detail left out.
I think we have been innocently led to believe in the happening of things, of our prayers being answered, instead of in the power of God to have his will come about. Let's take any of the fore mentioned trial and adversities for example. Does having "faith" mean that we ask the Lord to bring another job, healing, a mate for life, ect.. and then expect that He will. Not entirely...as a christian, we are suppose to believe in the power of God to do anything, we can bring that petition to Him, but there is more. This is were the "faith" comes in....we are suppose to pray like the example in John 26:39, "Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, 'My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.'
Jesus has given us the perfect example of the way our "faith" should have us believe. We are not "strong in our faith" if we offer our petitions and then expect that what we have asked for is going to be given. The real test of faith is being able to, yes, have a strong belief that all is possible through Christ. But we have to also believe with all our hearts, minds and souls that His plan for us, His knowledge of what is best for us, His perfect will is the most important aspect of us being His creation, of us belonging to Him, and of us trusting that our vision is so finite we have to rest completely in His will. Every thing we are, every minute of our lives, every person we meet, every job we have, everything in this life plays into the perfect plan of God. Our lives play either directly, or indirectly depending on how we respond to God as our maker, but it is not ours...this life is not about what we want or think we need...it is about fullfilling God's perfect plan. And God is the only one who really knows what that plan is, which way the path goes, and He is the only one who really, fully understands it all. Each new day is a gift to us...a new day for us because of His will, another day for us to attempt to walk in His plan, to play out a part of His will for us.
Another point is, that if we do not understand that we can and are suppose to bring our petitions to the feet of our Lord, but don't understand that we should want and continue to rest in His will that we are setting ourselves up as a playground for Satan. If we believe in asking and receiving based on "how much faith we have" in the requesting part, bringing and asking for our request, then what happens when what we ask for doesn't coinicide with God's will and that request is delayed or even denied. I know of people that this has happened to. They have questioned their worthiness to God, they have condemned themselves for not being "soldiers of faith", and in some instances have turned away from God altogether. Again, it is right and just to bring our petitions, our requests, our wants, our desires to him....God's word instructs us to do this, but with those last words of John 26:39..."...Yet not as I will, but as you will."
Then what about the scriptures that speak to us about feverent prayers, commited prayers, ect..Well, I think that we do not fully understand God's will, but I know that God does bestowe mercy and blessings on us. I know that as we mature, as more of us is poured out to Him, as we release ourselves for Him and to Him that those actions are blessed by Him. I believe that "his will" is not alway the simple answer of our prayers being answered or not answered but more the hearts, commitment and depth of the relationship with God behind the request, petition or desire. After all He is God and anything is possible for his mighty hands....as our loving Father, though, the answer will play a part in his plan, whether a natural part of His perfect will, because of mercy on his part or because His desire is to bestowe upon us a blessing. I do know that why, for me, right now is not important. For me, I am working on my "faith" being strong and righteous, on being able to ask ALL things in His name, to fall on my face and make my wants, desires, wishes be known but to never forget to loudly profess "Yet not as I will, but as you will"! Please, O loving Father, help me to be a woman of faith, for I want "your will to be done".
"This, then, is how you should pray: "Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, thine will be done on earth as it is in heaven...."
Matthew 6:9a
Tuesday, January 31, 2006
Thursday, January 26, 2006
Being in our lane
The Lord has been speaking to me about something I think He has been bringing to my attention. I pray that the words will come and that it will make some sense to ya'll.
It has come to my attention that there are alot of christians out there that are very burdened. Hang in here with me....just because we are christians we are still going to have burdens...lows, problems, discomfort, disappointments, etc. But what my heart has been sensitive to is alot of people think that there is some kind of finish line that they are suppose to have crossed because they have made that step to bring Christ into their hearts. Becoming a christian, being one for one year, ten years or fifty years means we are still on the journey...the finish line is not in this world, it is after we are gone from here and meet our Father in heaven. This world is the running of the event and not until we reach the arms of our beloved are we done.
Let me explain a little further....I keep hearing people comparing themselves to others and not just acting but talking and apologizing for where they are in their christian walk. I have overheard many conversations lately where the words spoken were "You are such a good christian....wow, i'm still struggling with everything...I don't have a very good prayer time, I don't know how to listen for the Lord, I don't know many scriptures by heart, my faith is not as strong as yours, and everybody's gotten it except me!" Is this Satan attacking these christians to keep them from feeling and embracing God's love for them...is it our clergy's teaching from the pulpit that somehow they are giving the message that there is a finish line here on earth and some of us have crosssed over it.....is it that there are so many christians that can't feel God's love for them that they are constantly condeming themselves...or is it a lack of really understanding what "being a christian" means?
Being a christian means that you believe in Jesus Christ as your personal Saviour, that you understand that Jesus died for our sin (past, present, future) and that you know that through faith you will have eternal life because of the sacrifice and resurrection of Christ. Does this say anything about being in a certain place in your life at a certain time? Does it say that knowing God as your Father, Christ as your Saviour and the Holy Spirit as your guide mean that we are all the same, like some christian Stepford Wives? No, being a christian means that we believe in the sacrifice, resurrection and gift of the Holy Trinity but here on earth, each and everyone of us has a different lane to run our race in. God gives us that lane, expects us to run the race with everything we have, but He is the coach and his methods are different for each one of us. Imagine it in these terms....you can't take the bobsled team from the Virigin Islands and expect their coaching and training to be the same as the bobsled team from the Swiss Alps. Because of where they are from, the age of the teammates, the phyical qualities of each and the expertise of the coach the workout will be somewhat different. One team is starting from scratch...they do not have cold temperatures little less ice and snow...the other team, their enviroment is cold and snow, is probably very well versed in snow sports which gives the coaches a different starting point and a different workout plan (watch the movie, it is great).
It is the same with us as people...everyone, even people within the same family, start out their marathon to heaven in different places. Our backgrounds, our upbringing, our bumps and bruises along the way, our life experiences they all play into how we run the race and where we are at any given moment in our lanes. The diffence in this race is that we are all equal in worthiness to our coach. We all have been invited to run the race and we all have the same coach, and that coach knows us deeply and intimately. He puts us in our lanes, decides on the workouts, and begins the drills. We do have a responsibility....we are to take up the invitation to the event, get in our lane, give the race our best, listen and follow what our coach asks of us.
So, to all of you out there who think that you are somehow behind the pack and that that means you can't finish the race, or that some have a better coach or workout than you, or that your best is somehow not good enough even though you are in your lane following and participating in your workouts and coaches instructions......run to the arms of our coach for a pep talk. You are where you are suppose to be, working with all your hearts, and you have the best coach in the universe and beyond working with you.
It has come to my attention that there are alot of christians out there that are very burdened. Hang in here with me....just because we are christians we are still going to have burdens...lows, problems, discomfort, disappointments, etc. But what my heart has been sensitive to is alot of people think that there is some kind of finish line that they are suppose to have crossed because they have made that step to bring Christ into their hearts. Becoming a christian, being one for one year, ten years or fifty years means we are still on the journey...the finish line is not in this world, it is after we are gone from here and meet our Father in heaven. This world is the running of the event and not until we reach the arms of our beloved are we done.
Let me explain a little further....I keep hearing people comparing themselves to others and not just acting but talking and apologizing for where they are in their christian walk. I have overheard many conversations lately where the words spoken were "You are such a good christian....wow, i'm still struggling with everything...I don't have a very good prayer time, I don't know how to listen for the Lord, I don't know many scriptures by heart, my faith is not as strong as yours, and everybody's gotten it except me!" Is this Satan attacking these christians to keep them from feeling and embracing God's love for them...is it our clergy's teaching from the pulpit that somehow they are giving the message that there is a finish line here on earth and some of us have crosssed over it.....is it that there are so many christians that can't feel God's love for them that they are constantly condeming themselves...or is it a lack of really understanding what "being a christian" means?
Being a christian means that you believe in Jesus Christ as your personal Saviour, that you understand that Jesus died for our sin (past, present, future) and that you know that through faith you will have eternal life because of the sacrifice and resurrection of Christ. Does this say anything about being in a certain place in your life at a certain time? Does it say that knowing God as your Father, Christ as your Saviour and the Holy Spirit as your guide mean that we are all the same, like some christian Stepford Wives? No, being a christian means that we believe in the sacrifice, resurrection and gift of the Holy Trinity but here on earth, each and everyone of us has a different lane to run our race in. God gives us that lane, expects us to run the race with everything we have, but He is the coach and his methods are different for each one of us. Imagine it in these terms....you can't take the bobsled team from the Virigin Islands and expect their coaching and training to be the same as the bobsled team from the Swiss Alps. Because of where they are from, the age of the teammates, the phyical qualities of each and the expertise of the coach the workout will be somewhat different. One team is starting from scratch...they do not have cold temperatures little less ice and snow...the other team, their enviroment is cold and snow, is probably very well versed in snow sports which gives the coaches a different starting point and a different workout plan (watch the movie, it is great).
It is the same with us as people...everyone, even people within the same family, start out their marathon to heaven in different places. Our backgrounds, our upbringing, our bumps and bruises along the way, our life experiences they all play into how we run the race and where we are at any given moment in our lanes. The diffence in this race is that we are all equal in worthiness to our coach. We all have been invited to run the race and we all have the same coach, and that coach knows us deeply and intimately. He puts us in our lanes, decides on the workouts, and begins the drills. We do have a responsibility....we are to take up the invitation to the event, get in our lane, give the race our best, listen and follow what our coach asks of us.
So, to all of you out there who think that you are somehow behind the pack and that that means you can't finish the race, or that some have a better coach or workout than you, or that your best is somehow not good enough even though you are in your lane following and participating in your workouts and coaches instructions......run to the arms of our coach for a pep talk. You are where you are suppose to be, working with all your hearts, and you have the best coach in the universe and beyond working with you.
Tuesday, January 24, 2006
MY TOP 5 PET PEEVES
My friend Bomba tagged me so here goes...
1)Mothers who are in a public place and hollering at their children to "stop crying". If they don't stop crying what are the mothers going to do. Spank them so there is more crying? Continue to talk loud and threaten them some more so everyone knows who is in control?
2)People who see someone they know and then later they make the statement "You know _______________(the person they saw earlier) never spoke!" Well, you apparently didn't speak either. Isn't that the pot calling the kettle black? Who are you.. the Queen of Sheba? Why couldn't you be the one to wander over and make a friendly choice?
3)Speeding....to me it is one of the easiest rules to follow. Just get up in enough time to get where you are going on time. If you are running late, so keep to the speed limit and take the consequences of being late. After a few consequences you will start giving yourself plenty of time. And by the way, I have been driving since I was 15 and have never had an accident or ticket (especially for speeding).
4)This one is another traffic issue (do i need therapy?). It drives me crazy to be behind any vehicle, but mostly trucks, that are carrying something that hangs out the back and it doesn't have a red flag tied to it. How difficult is it to wrap something red around the end of a board that's hanging 10 feet out of the back of your truck. Don't you know that law is for the safety of the other drivers out there. All you contractors, if you will e-mail me, I will send you a torn strip of red fabric to tie on whatever item you will be hanging out of the back of your truck (hahaha, just kidding!)
5)Okay, here is the last one....It really bothers me to go out to dinner and sit next to a group where everyone is drinking fishbowl margaritas or huge pitchers of beer. Who in the heck is driving home? And they always have children with them and they sit the children at a separate table to annoy, misbehave, and ruin a nice evening for anyone sitting around them. So, you have a table full of loud, drinkers who have drunk enough to be over the legal limit and are going to drive home to put other innocent lives in jeopardy, and a table full of uncontrolled, unmonitored children who are ruining everyone else's evening out when they should be at home with a baby sitter watching cartoons. Sorry, this might have been two!
There it is...I tag Mercy Drops and Joy is Strength and anyone else that would like to weigh in.
1)Mothers who are in a public place and hollering at their children to "stop crying". If they don't stop crying what are the mothers going to do. Spank them so there is more crying? Continue to talk loud and threaten them some more so everyone knows who is in control?
2)People who see someone they know and then later they make the statement "You know _______________(the person they saw earlier) never spoke!" Well, you apparently didn't speak either. Isn't that the pot calling the kettle black? Who are you.. the Queen of Sheba? Why couldn't you be the one to wander over and make a friendly choice?
3)Speeding....to me it is one of the easiest rules to follow. Just get up in enough time to get where you are going on time. If you are running late, so keep to the speed limit and take the consequences of being late. After a few consequences you will start giving yourself plenty of time. And by the way, I have been driving since I was 15 and have never had an accident or ticket (especially for speeding).
4)This one is another traffic issue (do i need therapy?). It drives me crazy to be behind any vehicle, but mostly trucks, that are carrying something that hangs out the back and it doesn't have a red flag tied to it. How difficult is it to wrap something red around the end of a board that's hanging 10 feet out of the back of your truck. Don't you know that law is for the safety of the other drivers out there. All you contractors, if you will e-mail me, I will send you a torn strip of red fabric to tie on whatever item you will be hanging out of the back of your truck (hahaha, just kidding!)
5)Okay, here is the last one....It really bothers me to go out to dinner and sit next to a group where everyone is drinking fishbowl margaritas or huge pitchers of beer. Who in the heck is driving home? And they always have children with them and they sit the children at a separate table to annoy, misbehave, and ruin a nice evening for anyone sitting around them. So, you have a table full of loud, drinkers who have drunk enough to be over the legal limit and are going to drive home to put other innocent lives in jeopardy, and a table full of uncontrolled, unmonitored children who are ruining everyone else's evening out when they should be at home with a baby sitter watching cartoons. Sorry, this might have been two!
There it is...I tag Mercy Drops and Joy is Strength and anyone else that would like to weigh in.
Monday, January 23, 2006
Up, up and away
How many of you can relate to the image of a Father raising his son or daughter up on his shoulders to see over a crowd. I don't remember an exact event that this happened to me but i'm sure that is has. Watching the Thanksgiving Macy's Day parade for years, it is an image I have seen many times, a small child on the shoulders of his father, watching over the crowds in front of him, grinning from ear to ear as the festivities roll down the street.
This image came to mind this morning as I was searching scripture. My sister had asked me to make some placecards for a tea her church is having (making handmade cards is one of my hobbies). On the back of all the cards I make I print a scripture...and I came across the following:
I shall lift up the cup of salvation and call on the Lord by name.
Psalm 116:13
It seemed to be very appropriate to put on the back of my teapots.. it is simple and short and yet it has great depth.
What really stuck out to me was the part "lift up". I started thinking about how many times I have crossed those words in scripture. I looked it up in my concordance and found that there are at least 500 scriptures that deal with "lift up, lifting, lifted"...all meaning pretty much the same thing... to cause to enter upward, to bear, to carry, to draw up.
And the scriptures tell us what we are to "lift up" or enter upward... our eyes,our hands, our voices, our heads, our hearts, our minds, our spirits. He commands us to "lift up" to Him our cares and concerns, our love, our devotion, our thanksgiving. And God did alot up "lifting up"..he lifted up winds, waves, rain, cedar trees, living creature, rod and staffs, spears, the ark and nations, angels and the dead.
Do you notice a pattern here? Everything...everything that has been touched by His mighty hand, all of creation, everything we are, possess and desire is to be "lifted up", given back to our Father in heaven. And because he is our loving Father, the same as that father who lifted up his child to see over the crowd, he will "lifted up" our burdens, cares, desires, hopes....He will carry them, He will bear them. As He 'lifts up" our concerns and desires, He "lifts up" us...He draws up near to Him, protecting us, comforting us, teaching us and leading us.
And one last thing that is the most important...the next time you read the words "lift up" let your mind picture a father lifting up his son....the most important Father, the Father Almighty, lifting his son, Jesus Christ, up to and upon the cross. Do not stop the imagery there, envision the son, Christ, lifting up his arms, overflowing with the sins of all.... past, present and future...lifting them up to heaven for gving us the gift of salvation, mercy, and peace.
Jesus said,"This voice was for our benefit, not mine. Now is the time for judgment on this world, now the prince of this world will be driven out. But I, when lifted up from earth, will draw all men to myself."
John 12:30-32
This image came to mind this morning as I was searching scripture. My sister had asked me to make some placecards for a tea her church is having (making handmade cards is one of my hobbies). On the back of all the cards I make I print a scripture...and I came across the following:
I shall lift up the cup of salvation and call on the Lord by name.
Psalm 116:13
It seemed to be very appropriate to put on the back of my teapots.. it is simple and short and yet it has great depth.
What really stuck out to me was the part "lift up". I started thinking about how many times I have crossed those words in scripture. I looked it up in my concordance and found that there are at least 500 scriptures that deal with "lift up, lifting, lifted"...all meaning pretty much the same thing... to cause to enter upward, to bear, to carry, to draw up.
And the scriptures tell us what we are to "lift up" or enter upward... our eyes,our hands, our voices, our heads, our hearts, our minds, our spirits. He commands us to "lift up" to Him our cares and concerns, our love, our devotion, our thanksgiving. And God did alot up "lifting up"..he lifted up winds, waves, rain, cedar trees, living creature, rod and staffs, spears, the ark and nations, angels and the dead.
Do you notice a pattern here? Everything...everything that has been touched by His mighty hand, all of creation, everything we are, possess and desire is to be "lifted up", given back to our Father in heaven. And because he is our loving Father, the same as that father who lifted up his child to see over the crowd, he will "lifted up" our burdens, cares, desires, hopes....He will carry them, He will bear them. As He 'lifts up" our concerns and desires, He "lifts up" us...He draws up near to Him, protecting us, comforting us, teaching us and leading us.
And one last thing that is the most important...the next time you read the words "lift up" let your mind picture a father lifting up his son....the most important Father, the Father Almighty, lifting his son, Jesus Christ, up to and upon the cross. Do not stop the imagery there, envision the son, Christ, lifting up his arms, overflowing with the sins of all.... past, present and future...lifting them up to heaven for gving us the gift of salvation, mercy, and peace.
Jesus said,"This voice was for our benefit, not mine. Now is the time for judgment on this world, now the prince of this world will be driven out. But I, when lifted up from earth, will draw all men to myself."
John 12:30-32
Saturday, January 21, 2006
Tree loaded with fruit
My sister was taking a bible study and they were studying the "fruit of the holy spirit". What they were studying can be found in Galatians 5:16-26. We had a discussion, a lengthy one at that, on whether or not the gifts of kindness and goodness go together. Her leader was discussing that to have one you had to have the other. My first thought was that I have known people who, to me, had been kind but were not what we would call "good". We both had also known what we would refer to as "good" people who did not seem to be very kind.
After some reading and praying the best opinion I can come up with is that they do not necessarily go hand in hand. Each one is a separate gift, thought they do seem to entwine, all coming from being children of Christ and through the work of the Holy Spirit. We can have one of these gifts alive and bearing pretty good fruit but may be having dificultity producing fruit from another of the gifts. The will of the Holy Spirit is for these gifts to be manifested and through our invitation to a life with Christ, we have been set free from sin's power. This does not mean that we won't sin anymore but that we have the power in Christ Jesus to fight that sin. But for any of these spiritual fruits to be active in our lives we must daily commit ourselves to laying aside any sin that is the opposite of the gifts of the Spirit. We must daily comit ourselves to the leading of the Spirit and the growth, blossoming and maturing of these fruits.
I would love to hear some other thoughts on this as it is a very thought provoking subject and I wish to have alot more fruit of the Spirit on the tree of my life. Give some feedback on what these scriptures mean to you....and let us pray for each other that the Holy Spirit will be working to produce a tree that is hanging over with fruit, fruit that lasts into eternity.
Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Galatians 5:25
After some reading and praying the best opinion I can come up with is that they do not necessarily go hand in hand. Each one is a separate gift, thought they do seem to entwine, all coming from being children of Christ and through the work of the Holy Spirit. We can have one of these gifts alive and bearing pretty good fruit but may be having dificultity producing fruit from another of the gifts. The will of the Holy Spirit is for these gifts to be manifested and through our invitation to a life with Christ, we have been set free from sin's power. This does not mean that we won't sin anymore but that we have the power in Christ Jesus to fight that sin. But for any of these spiritual fruits to be active in our lives we must daily commit ourselves to laying aside any sin that is the opposite of the gifts of the Spirit. We must daily comit ourselves to the leading of the Spirit and the growth, blossoming and maturing of these fruits.
I would love to hear some other thoughts on this as it is a very thought provoking subject and I wish to have alot more fruit of the Spirit on the tree of my life. Give some feedback on what these scriptures mean to you....and let us pray for each other that the Holy Spirit will be working to produce a tree that is hanging over with fruit, fruit that lasts into eternity.
Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Galatians 5:25
Wednesday, January 18, 2006
Deep roots
I love gardenia bushes. In our yard area we have planted lots of them. Several times last year we have had to dig up one or two that looked sickly and move them. It wasn't a hard job....the plants were small and the root system not very deep or strong.
Last Wednesday when talking about the Georgia Bulldawgs (there Ton-Ton, that is for you) I made reference to the fans deep rooted love for their team. If the life source of a plant or tree is it's roots, our phsyical life source is our hearts. God's words commands us to love Him with ALL our heart. The way to grow strong, deep roots in plants, as we all know, is to provide the plant with good soil, water, fertilizer, sunshine and tender loving care. The way to grow deep roots in our spiritual life.. to love Christ totally, wholeheartedly, and completely... is to read our bibles faithfully, to go to church to be taught and instructed, to fellowship with other christians to support and build each other up and to have time alone with Christ to pray and listen for his voice.
There are so many things in this life that can be considered "good things"...bible studies, church activities, fun weekends with friends, organized sports, internet(!), music, television... and the list goes on. I read an article once about a man who had a God given ability in the music field. He practiced every day without fault for a minimum of 5 hours. When he wasn't practicing he was in some of the most famous concert halls playing flawlessly. There was only one problem...he was so busy with a "good thing" here on earth that ETERNITY was completely overlooked. He was not a christian. He had never had time for Christ, to honor the one who gave him the gift of music, to build deep roots in his heart with his Saviour for his life in the after.
Even as christians we forget to aggressively nuture our roots. Oh, yes, we pray, read scripture, attend church. But, if you are a gardner you know that a little sunshine, a few sprinkles of rain, and a handful of time release pebbles is not enough. We cannot be satisfied with "good" in our lives. We need to look at our relationship with the Lord past and present, and push past "good". We need to look at our home life, our work life, our life styles and demand not just "good"...not even "better"...we need to accept nothing but "BEST" from ourselves. We are talking about deep roots with our Lord that wll sustain us in times of trouble..in sad times..hard times..times of uncertainty. In the spring, as I stroll through the garden department looking for my time release pebbles I have been known to pass by the Wal-Mart brand...I want the best for my favorite bushes..my gardenias. I head straight to the Miracle Grow...only the best for my plants. I want that for my Lord and Saviour also...not "good"...not "better" but the "best" for the roots that I am growing in Christ Jesus. I want my heart, I want my all, to be strong and healthy...
I want to be deep rooted in Christ Jesus.
Blessed is the man who trustsin the Lord, whose confidence is in him. He will be like a tree plalnted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. I thas no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit. Jeremiah 17:7-8
Last Wednesday when talking about the Georgia Bulldawgs (there Ton-Ton, that is for you) I made reference to the fans deep rooted love for their team. If the life source of a plant or tree is it's roots, our phsyical life source is our hearts. God's words commands us to love Him with ALL our heart. The way to grow strong, deep roots in plants, as we all know, is to provide the plant with good soil, water, fertilizer, sunshine and tender loving care. The way to grow deep roots in our spiritual life.. to love Christ totally, wholeheartedly, and completely... is to read our bibles faithfully, to go to church to be taught and instructed, to fellowship with other christians to support and build each other up and to have time alone with Christ to pray and listen for his voice.
There are so many things in this life that can be considered "good things"...bible studies, church activities, fun weekends with friends, organized sports, internet(!), music, television... and the list goes on. I read an article once about a man who had a God given ability in the music field. He practiced every day without fault for a minimum of 5 hours. When he wasn't practicing he was in some of the most famous concert halls playing flawlessly. There was only one problem...he was so busy with a "good thing" here on earth that ETERNITY was completely overlooked. He was not a christian. He had never had time for Christ, to honor the one who gave him the gift of music, to build deep roots in his heart with his Saviour for his life in the after.
Even as christians we forget to aggressively nuture our roots. Oh, yes, we pray, read scripture, attend church. But, if you are a gardner you know that a little sunshine, a few sprinkles of rain, and a handful of time release pebbles is not enough. We cannot be satisfied with "good" in our lives. We need to look at our relationship with the Lord past and present, and push past "good". We need to look at our home life, our work life, our life styles and demand not just "good"...not even "better"...we need to accept nothing but "BEST" from ourselves. We are talking about deep roots with our Lord that wll sustain us in times of trouble..in sad times..hard times..times of uncertainty. In the spring, as I stroll through the garden department looking for my time release pebbles I have been known to pass by the Wal-Mart brand...I want the best for my favorite bushes..my gardenias. I head straight to the Miracle Grow...only the best for my plants. I want that for my Lord and Saviour also...not "good"...not "better" but the "best" for the roots that I am growing in Christ Jesus. I want my heart, I want my all, to be strong and healthy...
I want to be deep rooted in Christ Jesus.
Blessed is the man who trustsin the Lord, whose confidence is in him. He will be like a tree plalnted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. I thas no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit. Jeremiah 17:7-8
Wednesday, January 11, 2006
Outside appearances
Around here the color red and the breed of dogs called bulldogs are very popular. We live about 1.5 hours from the University of Georgia whose colors are red and black and mascot is an English Bulldog. Pretty much year round you can find red shirts sporting a bulldog picture but during the fall ALL you see is red and bulldog everything. Red flags with bulldogs, red slippers with bulldogs, red shirts with bulldogs....from toilet covers (yes, I did say that) to door mats. The bulldog fans are RED hot. And it is not only about the merchandise. The fans talk about the games all week long. The newspapers are filled with articles on the bulldogs. And don't try to plan anything with a loyal bulldgog fan on a game weekend unless it is going to the game because they won't even think of doing or being anywhere except at the game or watching it in from in front of the television. All this loyality, enthusiasum, and team spirit is displayed for all to see. The hats, the shirts, the jewerly, the flags waving from front porches....all points to a deep-rooted love for their beloved bulldogs.
As christians how much of a RED hot fan of Christ are we? Well, I am sure that the answer is very hot but does the outward actions and outside appearance show to others that you feel the same team spirit as the Georgia Bulldog fans? Do we wear the clothes of joy like the bulldog fans wear their red shirts (smiling while we wait forever in the check-out line)?! Do we offer to others Christ's patience and kindness the same way Georgia fans are quick to give the scores of their last win (assuring the waitress that took forever to bring you more tea that you understand how busy she is)?! Are we as quick to offer forgiveness for a mistake as quickly as our fans forgive the one time the team losses?!
Let me tell you about a very small incident that happened over the Christmas holidays. The Thursday before Christmas I was in Macy's. They had just been putting up signs all over the place.."take an additional 50% off". People were all over these racks and since I was by myself I was not distracted and could hear alot of the conversations going on around me. There was talk that the price scanners were not working right...that the clerks were over charging for the items...that the store should be made to give them these items at the cost they thought they should be receiving. The masses were not very happy (joy)..the talk was certainly not very kind..and certainly not very forgiving to the poor clerks who just wanted the christmas shopping to be over.
I picked up a couple of items, took them to the register, and waited patiently for the clerk to get to me. She was a small woman, very pleasant looking and seemed to be in her early thirties. As I approached the counter I quietly told her that by the racks around the corner there seemed to be alot of confusion. I told her that I was not in a hurry and all I wanted was for her to scan my items and tell me if they were indeed the fantastic price I thought they were. I also told her that she would have no argument from me whatever the prices were. She looked up at me, gave me a faint smile and her eyes whelled up with tears. She said that people had been so impatient, grumpy, and nasty to her that she was physically sick to her stomach. She felt like she was going to throw up at any minute...couldn't stand the pressure...didn't understand why people were so nasty with her. I made a feeble attempt at defending those stressed out, impatient, rude women but more focused on letting her know that she could look busy with me and take as long as she liked. I was not in a hurry. By this time the tears were streaming down her face. I know this sounds stupid but I reached in my purse and dug out a special chocolate candy that I had hidden away (never know when a girl is going to need a piece of chocolate). I offered her the chocolate the whole time explaining how my big sister buys them for us in California and sends them to us for every occasion...how everytime I look in my purse and see one of the candies I think of big sis and it makes me feel close to her (all this talk just to lighten the mood). She unwrapped her candy, popped it into her mouth, smiled and said it was the best candy she had ever had. She also told me she felt honored that she was able to partake of one of the special chocolates. The tears went away and a smile came upon her face. She scanned my clothes and yes, I had some great buys. I purchased the items..the whole time this transformed woman remarking to me how she had never been treated so kindly. She finally asked me how is was that I was so patient and cheerful. This was a good time to share with her that I had a God I loved very, very much and it was through his grace that at this hectic time of year I could be patient, kind, joyful. She said she believed in God and would try to rely on him and call on him more often. As I took my bag, I told her that I would pray for her that day and she promised she would try that herself.
And that what I want for my life. I want what others see in me to stir up awe and wonder..I want my strength on the outside to be explained by what goes on in private, on the inside between God and me. I want people to know I am red hot for Christ. I don't want to miss a chances to spread his love to others. I want the people around me to know that no matter how hard the game, no matter how good the opponent that the winning score will alway be for Jesus. I want my shirt to be the colors of redemption and grace...my flag to fly high with forgiveness...my mascot to be love and kindness.
This is what Hezekiah did throughtout Judah, doing what was good and right and faithful before the Lord his God. In everything that he undertook in the service of God's temple and in the obedience to the law and the commands, he sought his God and worked wholeheartedly. And he prospered. 1 Chronicles 31:20-21
As christians how much of a RED hot fan of Christ are we? Well, I am sure that the answer is very hot but does the outward actions and outside appearance show to others that you feel the same team spirit as the Georgia Bulldog fans? Do we wear the clothes of joy like the bulldog fans wear their red shirts (smiling while we wait forever in the check-out line)?! Do we offer to others Christ's patience and kindness the same way Georgia fans are quick to give the scores of their last win (assuring the waitress that took forever to bring you more tea that you understand how busy she is)?! Are we as quick to offer forgiveness for a mistake as quickly as our fans forgive the one time the team losses?!
Let me tell you about a very small incident that happened over the Christmas holidays. The Thursday before Christmas I was in Macy's. They had just been putting up signs all over the place.."take an additional 50% off". People were all over these racks and since I was by myself I was not distracted and could hear alot of the conversations going on around me. There was talk that the price scanners were not working right...that the clerks were over charging for the items...that the store should be made to give them these items at the cost they thought they should be receiving. The masses were not very happy (joy)..the talk was certainly not very kind..and certainly not very forgiving to the poor clerks who just wanted the christmas shopping to be over.
I picked up a couple of items, took them to the register, and waited patiently for the clerk to get to me. She was a small woman, very pleasant looking and seemed to be in her early thirties. As I approached the counter I quietly told her that by the racks around the corner there seemed to be alot of confusion. I told her that I was not in a hurry and all I wanted was for her to scan my items and tell me if they were indeed the fantastic price I thought they were. I also told her that she would have no argument from me whatever the prices were. She looked up at me, gave me a faint smile and her eyes whelled up with tears. She said that people had been so impatient, grumpy, and nasty to her that she was physically sick to her stomach. She felt like she was going to throw up at any minute...couldn't stand the pressure...didn't understand why people were so nasty with her. I made a feeble attempt at defending those stressed out, impatient, rude women but more focused on letting her know that she could look busy with me and take as long as she liked. I was not in a hurry. By this time the tears were streaming down her face. I know this sounds stupid but I reached in my purse and dug out a special chocolate candy that I had hidden away (never know when a girl is going to need a piece of chocolate). I offered her the chocolate the whole time explaining how my big sister buys them for us in California and sends them to us for every occasion...how everytime I look in my purse and see one of the candies I think of big sis and it makes me feel close to her (all this talk just to lighten the mood). She unwrapped her candy, popped it into her mouth, smiled and said it was the best candy she had ever had. She also told me she felt honored that she was able to partake of one of the special chocolates. The tears went away and a smile came upon her face. She scanned my clothes and yes, I had some great buys. I purchased the items..the whole time this transformed woman remarking to me how she had never been treated so kindly. She finally asked me how is was that I was so patient and cheerful. This was a good time to share with her that I had a God I loved very, very much and it was through his grace that at this hectic time of year I could be patient, kind, joyful. She said she believed in God and would try to rely on him and call on him more often. As I took my bag, I told her that I would pray for her that day and she promised she would try that herself.
And that what I want for my life. I want what others see in me to stir up awe and wonder..I want my strength on the outside to be explained by what goes on in private, on the inside between God and me. I want people to know I am red hot for Christ. I don't want to miss a chances to spread his love to others. I want the people around me to know that no matter how hard the game, no matter how good the opponent that the winning score will alway be for Jesus. I want my shirt to be the colors of redemption and grace...my flag to fly high with forgiveness...my mascot to be love and kindness.
This is what Hezekiah did throughtout Judah, doing what was good and right and faithful before the Lord his God. In everything that he undertook in the service of God's temple and in the obedience to the law and the commands, he sought his God and worked wholeheartedly. And he prospered. 1 Chronicles 31:20-21
Sunday, January 08, 2006
A Special Gift
This year has been a year full of changes for me in many, many areas of my life. Most of the changes have been in areas that haven't seen a lot of change in, at the minimum, a decade or more. One of those changes happened in our church. Our pastor, who had been with us for fourteen years, was sent this year to a church in a small southern town about 1.5 hours away. Don't think for a minute I was better than Job...That I was above raising my hands up to the heavens and crying out to know why this too! Oh, no, not this southern belle. We loved this pastor...we were comfortable with him....we liked the way he led the flock...and we had a history with him. This was the shepherd that buried both my in-laws. This was the pastor that gave both my children their first Holy Communion, that gave them their first priestly confessions, that presided over their Holy Confirmation as young adults. He was our pastor, minister, priest, friend and spiritual Father through many important events and years of our lives. But, by now the realization that change does eventually come has become a reality.....yet, I still find myself battling to accept ALLL these changes. And where does that leave us with our new pastor?! Just keep reading....
Our new pastor is Father Tim Donahue ( thank you Lord that he doesn't resemble Phil Donahue). I have enjoy, even been inspired by his teachings, but yet find myself being a little too critical...watching every move he makes a little too closely...fighting the negative thoughts of already knowing that he can't hold a candle to our previous pastor (who has a reputation for being the cream of the crop). All this going on and Christmas Eve Midnight mass approaching quickly. Midnight Mass, for us, is and has been for years a true spiritual highlight of the year. This special mass, in our very old and historic church always moves me and bring forth lots of emotion. Well, I just knew this year was going to be very different ( and I don't mean to lead you into positive thoughts, mine weren't). Battling a very heavy war with negativity we donned our smiley faces, dressed to the nines (very formal), prayed and head for church. We arrived early to get our usual pew (4 rows from the front, to the right of center isle, on the priests side). Actually, every year the schedule is the same....be at the church by 10:15-10:30..pray until the Festival of Carols at 11:15 (or I least I prayed..seemed my family was a little restless)...then mass starts promptly at midnight and runs to around 2:00 a.m....then we have a 40-45 minute drive home.
I had a lot of time to pray and ask God for something special, pouring out all my cares and concerns (oh, gosh tears and my make-up has to last hours still), just wanting something to lift our spirits. I noticed that there was a new entry in the bulletin...near the end of the mass it read "Pastor's Gift". I shared it with my family and everyone weighted in on what that could possibly mean. Everyone knows priests don't have any money so how could he give us a gift? Maybe we didn't understand the way it was written and he was going to thank us, the congregation, for the gifts we gave him....okay, that had to be it.
Let me cut right to it....we didn't make one right guess. Oh, and by the way, Mass was beautiful and moving and God's presence was real and evident and deep ...it really was wonderful but God had one more blessing in store for us. My friend, Jan, wrote about rest over the weekend and I agree 100% with her. During Christmas (and a lot during the rest of the year) we have trouble finding time to rest....which in turn makes PEACE almost impossible. Yes, most of us are pretty unpeaceful during the holiday season...too busy, plaqued by money worries, stressed out about all the details and responsiblity of the season. And that night at church I was no different...trying to pray but my mind wandering down the list of presents still needing to have tags put on them...trying to focus on the Lord and instead finding my mind calculating how many hours the spiral ham and turkey needed to be cooked....wanting to feel my Saviour's presence but instead feeling panic because I remembered that I had neglected to pick up that last gift for a special friend. I pushed on doing my best to lay down in my spirit and feel peaceful as I prayed, then as we listened to and participated in the carols and then during the mass.
Finally, we were to the point in the bulletin where we had seen "Pastor's Gift"....up to the microphone came Fr. Donahue. He explained to us that he loved us all very much and had wanted to give each of us a christmas gift. Being a biggggg church and him being a man of little means it seemed impossible. So he had really prayed hard...he wanted to give us something. He told us that God had spoken to him and told him that he was able to give us a gift.....God told him to reach out and give us, in the name of Jesus, the gift of PEACE. Fr. Donahue stood humbly before us, sang in acappella a beautiful song to us. Then, after humbling himself before us in song, prayed for the peace of God to engulf us and be poured out over us. Quietly, as the lights in the church were distinguish, Fr. Donahue, by candlelight, made his way to his seat and we all sat in silence for several minutes to accept the gift of peace that was, at that moment, being poured out over us. You could physically feel the power of God's peace being poured out upon you. It was just as if Christ himself had a pitcher filled with peace and was pouring it out upon our heads. You could feel the peace running over our entire body and as it did every part of me started to relax...yielding itself in an incredible way. All the worries, all the combativeness, all the stress, all the negativity, all the discord disappeared. It was all replace with feelings of peace, calmness, tranquility, and serenity. What an beautiful act of giving...what an awesome gift!!! What a pastor!!! And what an incredible, loving, caring, giving Father in heaven...to one who needed it...a faithful caring servant and an all-knowing, deep-caring Saviour. Another Christmas miracle..? You bet!!!
The peace of God, which transscends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Phillippians 4:7
He was pierced for our trangessions, he was crushed for our inqui ties; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we were healed. Isaiah 53:5
Our new pastor is Father Tim Donahue ( thank you Lord that he doesn't resemble Phil Donahue). I have enjoy, even been inspired by his teachings, but yet find myself being a little too critical...watching every move he makes a little too closely...fighting the negative thoughts of already knowing that he can't hold a candle to our previous pastor (who has a reputation for being the cream of the crop). All this going on and Christmas Eve Midnight mass approaching quickly. Midnight Mass, for us, is and has been for years a true spiritual highlight of the year. This special mass, in our very old and historic church always moves me and bring forth lots of emotion. Well, I just knew this year was going to be very different ( and I don't mean to lead you into positive thoughts, mine weren't). Battling a very heavy war with negativity we donned our smiley faces, dressed to the nines (very formal), prayed and head for church. We arrived early to get our usual pew (4 rows from the front, to the right of center isle, on the priests side). Actually, every year the schedule is the same....be at the church by 10:15-10:30..pray until the Festival of Carols at 11:15 (or I least I prayed..seemed my family was a little restless)...then mass starts promptly at midnight and runs to around 2:00 a.m....then we have a 40-45 minute drive home.
I had a lot of time to pray and ask God for something special, pouring out all my cares and concerns (oh, gosh tears and my make-up has to last hours still), just wanting something to lift our spirits. I noticed that there was a new entry in the bulletin...near the end of the mass it read "Pastor's Gift". I shared it with my family and everyone weighted in on what that could possibly mean. Everyone knows priests don't have any money so how could he give us a gift? Maybe we didn't understand the way it was written and he was going to thank us, the congregation, for the gifts we gave him....okay, that had to be it.
Let me cut right to it....we didn't make one right guess. Oh, and by the way, Mass was beautiful and moving and God's presence was real and evident and deep ...it really was wonderful but God had one more blessing in store for us. My friend, Jan, wrote about rest over the weekend and I agree 100% with her. During Christmas (and a lot during the rest of the year) we have trouble finding time to rest....which in turn makes PEACE almost impossible. Yes, most of us are pretty unpeaceful during the holiday season...too busy, plaqued by money worries, stressed out about all the details and responsiblity of the season. And that night at church I was no different...trying to pray but my mind wandering down the list of presents still needing to have tags put on them...trying to focus on the Lord and instead finding my mind calculating how many hours the spiral ham and turkey needed to be cooked....wanting to feel my Saviour's presence but instead feeling panic because I remembered that I had neglected to pick up that last gift for a special friend. I pushed on doing my best to lay down in my spirit and feel peaceful as I prayed, then as we listened to and participated in the carols and then during the mass.
Finally, we were to the point in the bulletin where we had seen "Pastor's Gift"....up to the microphone came Fr. Donahue. He explained to us that he loved us all very much and had wanted to give each of us a christmas gift. Being a biggggg church and him being a man of little means it seemed impossible. So he had really prayed hard...he wanted to give us something. He told us that God had spoken to him and told him that he was able to give us a gift.....God told him to reach out and give us, in the name of Jesus, the gift of PEACE. Fr. Donahue stood humbly before us, sang in acappella a beautiful song to us. Then, after humbling himself before us in song, prayed for the peace of God to engulf us and be poured out over us. Quietly, as the lights in the church were distinguish, Fr. Donahue, by candlelight, made his way to his seat and we all sat in silence for several minutes to accept the gift of peace that was, at that moment, being poured out over us. You could physically feel the power of God's peace being poured out upon you. It was just as if Christ himself had a pitcher filled with peace and was pouring it out upon our heads. You could feel the peace running over our entire body and as it did every part of me started to relax...yielding itself in an incredible way. All the worries, all the combativeness, all the stress, all the negativity, all the discord disappeared. It was all replace with feelings of peace, calmness, tranquility, and serenity. What an beautiful act of giving...what an awesome gift!!! What a pastor!!! And what an incredible, loving, caring, giving Father in heaven...to one who needed it...a faithful caring servant and an all-knowing, deep-caring Saviour. Another Christmas miracle..? You bet!!!
The peace of God, which transscends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Phillippians 4:7
He was pierced for our trangessions, he was crushed for our inqui ties; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we were healed. Isaiah 53:5
Friday, January 06, 2006
Eyes to see hope..
Going back over Christmas I realize what a visual event Christmas is to me. At the onset of November, when the days are short and darkness engulfs us in the early evening, the desire to put up our Christmas tree starts to play in my mind. I spend most of the first weeks of November visualizing the tree that will sit in my living room, covered in tiny white lights that twinkle as their light bounces off the treeand illuminates the room. Only because peer pressure makes me, I hold out for the weekend of Thanksgiving to put out of my mind and into my living room the tree of lights that has been twinkling in my mind for weeks. And as my eyes gaze upon the lit tree, it is always as magnificent as it was in my mind.
The lights are not only beautiful to my eyes, as I gaze upon them, but they take hold of my thoughts and attention. I spend the evenings with only the light from the fire burning in the fireplace and the twinkling of the lights on the tree. It reminds me of the abundant blessings God has bestowed on me and my family. The lights also remind me of his power and majesty. The twinkling brings the outside in and resembles the night sky. What a creator, who can make a whole universe and still care about one little person...me. One can not help but reflect on what it must of been like that one night out of all nights when a king was born to us...for us...for me. A gift that would ultimately be our salvation...would end up the redemption for my sin! As my eyes fix themselves on many nights of twinkling lights I feel a stirring in my soul. The Lord speaks to me thru what my eyes see in the twinkling of miniture lights upon a Christmas tree....shinning words of hope...illuminating the truth of his promises.
I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. Ephesians 1:18-19
To all of you, may you reap in this new year all the peace amd blessings that our Father so eagerly awaits to bestow on us, his humble children.
Happy New Year!!!
The lights are not only beautiful to my eyes, as I gaze upon them, but they take hold of my thoughts and attention. I spend the evenings with only the light from the fire burning in the fireplace and the twinkling of the lights on the tree. It reminds me of the abundant blessings God has bestowed on me and my family. The lights also remind me of his power and majesty. The twinkling brings the outside in and resembles the night sky. What a creator, who can make a whole universe and still care about one little person...me. One can not help but reflect on what it must of been like that one night out of all nights when a king was born to us...for us...for me. A gift that would ultimately be our salvation...would end up the redemption for my sin! As my eyes fix themselves on many nights of twinkling lights I feel a stirring in my soul. The Lord speaks to me thru what my eyes see in the twinkling of miniture lights upon a Christmas tree....shinning words of hope...illuminating the truth of his promises.
I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. Ephesians 1:18-19
To all of you, may you reap in this new year all the peace amd blessings that our Father so eagerly awaits to bestow on us, his humble children.
Happy New Year!!!
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