Man-in-waiting

Luke 2:25-32

I have focused my Christmas mediations this year on these few verses where we meet Simeon as he meets his Lord and Savior. Simeon is a man-in-waiting. He doesn't just pass time as he waits (like we do at the airport), but he "eagerly" waits for God to send the one who would deliver Israel.  He doesn't sit idly while he waits (like we do at the doctor's office). Apparently he has been busy seeking and obeying God, for we are told he was "devout" and "righteous."

As he waited, God began to answer.  First, with the presence of the Holy Spirit, who 'was upon him'. Then with a promise, that he would see the Messiah before he died.  Then with the prompting to be at the right place at the right time. And finally, God put the answer to Simeon's prayers in his own arms.

On what do I wait? How do I wait? What do I do in the waiting? Is the Holy Spirit upon me so I can hear God's promise to me regarding my hope? When the answer comes, am I where I will find it? Will I recognize the answer when it arrives? And will I, like Simeon, take this gracious answer in my arms and lift it up in praise to God?

Experienced Teacher

He [Jesus] was led by the Spirit in the wilderness, where he was tempted by the devil for forty days.  (parts of Luke 4:1-2 NLT) 
For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin.  (Hebrews 4:15 NASB) 

When Jesus taught us to pray, "and lead us not into temptation," (Luke 11:4)  he knew what he was talking about.

Self-protection

I Samuel 17:38-48

Little David first dressed in big Saul's armor. It was cumbersome, heavy, wearying. Ill-fitting. David cast it all aside and went out to face the enemy with five smooth stones and Almighty God. Good exchange.

Sometimes I face the day with the clunky armor of mankind about my shoulders. I put on the things I think will protect me from being wounded by a hostile world. I arm myself with defensiveness, suspicion, selfish ambition. It is a burdensome load to bare to protect myself from the fears and worries of the day.

God invites me to lay that man-made, self-protecting armor aside and instead to pick up five smooth, well-worn, stones -- stones such as faith, truth, obedience, love, and the Name of the Lord Almighty. With these I am ready to go into the day with confidence and peace.

... it is not by sword or spear that the LORD saves; for the battle is the LORD’s...

Adventesimal

This poem was written by our son, Drake (26), and appears on his church's website as a part of their Advent Reflection series. Posted here with his permission.

Standing with my back to the past

I hunch slightly as most wouldn’t notice

We all do:

We maintain—collective—that you are coming

Bringing or sending

Sweet relief in the right hand

Sweeter justice in the other

A dark-grey form in the blackness ahead

Yet too distant, yet worthy of hope

But I suspect—no, anticipate—more:

More bending beneath the yoke of experience

More desperate squinting, ever straining to know

Shivering with uncertainty in the lukewarm air

Surely you are coming [Selah]

Ground beneath, its groans, reverberating

Provoke me to kneel, to steady

Groping blindly the dirt with one hand

Pressing softly my chest with the other

Peace:

I tell myself on your behalf

On your behalf, are you not coming?

Low I remain, fearfully planted

Unsure, unseeing, unable of other—

Lo! I remain:

Spring up, O righteous Jeremiah’s Branch

O living Redeemer of Job

For trembling I here of this clay and this stone

Have naught but to wait for my Lord

-------------
Happy Birthday (yesterday), Drake.

What do you want?

And Jesus stopped and called them, and said, "What do you want Me to do for you?" Matthew 20:32 (NASB) 


The crowd was large. Noisy. Busy.
The men were blind. Desperate. Determined.
Jesus passed by. Merciful. Compassionate.
The men cried out.
The crowd tried to silence them.
They cried out again.
Jesus heard. Jesus stopped. Jesus called. Jesus asked:
"What do you want Me to do for you?"

My world is large. Noisy. Busy.
I am needy. Desperate. Determined.
Jesus is here. Merciful. Compassionate.
I cry out.
My world tries to silence me.
I cry out again.
Jesus hears. Jesus stops. Jesus calls. Jesus asks:
"What do you want Me to do for you?"

Re-do

"Come now, and let us reason together," Says the LORD, "Though your sins are as scarlet, They will be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They will be like wool.  Isaiah 1:18 (NASB) 


When God shows me an area of my life that needs attention,

He does not say:
This is wrong. Revise it.
This is broken. Repair it.
This is a problem. Resolve it.

Instead he says:
This is wrong. Repent of it.
This is broken. Reject it.
This is a problem. Release it.

For in truth, I can't revise, repair or resolve anything.
All I can do is reason with God, who calls to me repent, reject, release.

And then my God reassures, restores, remakes me.

RANDOM #6

Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. 
1 Thessalonians 5:18 (NLT) 

True gratitude of heart and soul
gives thanks for the doughnut ...
and the doughnut hole.

Other "random" blogs: #7  #5,  #4  #3,  #2,  #1

Anticipation

And the Scriptures give us hope and encouragement as we wait patiently for God’s promises to be fulfilled.   Romans 15:4b (NLT) 


This coming Sunday, in the liturgical Christian Church calendar, is the first Sunday of Advent. Advent means "coming" -- and we spend four weeks building our anticipation for the remembrance and celebration of the first coming of Christ.  But during these weeks we also remind ourselves of the coming yet to be -- the second coming of Christ.

God made good on his promise to send a Redeemer. He will make good on his promise to send him again.

Remembering what God has already done (as told to us in the Scriptures, as we have experienced in our own lives) enables us to wait, not in fear or worry, but with hope and encouragement and anticipation as we watch for the fulfillment of the rest of his promises.

Lepers in my world Part 3

A man with leprosy came and knelt in front of Jesus, begging to be healed. “If you are willing, you can heal me and make me clean,” he said.  Moved with compassion, Jesus reached out and touched him. “I am willing,” he said. “Be healed!” Mark 1:40-41 (NLT)

I have to realize that I am both characters in this story. I am the leper. Damaged and deformed. Unable to be a part of the true life because of my uncleanness, I lurk in the shadows hoping no one will notice the rotting places in my soul. But I must take the risk and take my place at the feet of Jesus. Not just one time, but everyday, I must make my confession to Christ: "If you are willing, you can heal me and make me clean."

I am also Christ's ambassador, one he appointed to represent him to the discarded in soul, discouraged in heart, disfigured in body, damaged in mind.  When they see me are they drawn to him?  And when they are, am I willing to respond? Does his compassion for the cast out motivate me to reach out? In what ways can Jesus touch their hearts through the touch of my hands? What words of hope and healing will Christ speak through my lips? 

Read Part One. Read Part Two.

Lepers in my world Part 2

Moved with compassion, Jesus reached out and touched him. “I am willing,” he said. “Be healed!” (Mark 1:41 NLT)  

In response to the leper's request to be healed and cleansed, Jesus willingly does three things:

1) Jesus reached out. In the leper's world people don't reach out. They recoil. People don't move toward lepers, they move away. But Jesus is different. Jesus reached out.

2) Jesus touched him. The holy, holy, holy touched the unclean, unclean, unclean. He didn't just give a glance or write a check. He put his skin onto the leper's skin. When was the last time that leper had felt another's touch?

3) Jesus spoke. He said two things. First: "I am willing." Nothing obligated the Son of God to help this son of man. Nothing, except that Jesus was willing to be "moved with compassion." Second, since compassion prompts action, Jesus says, "Be healed." The power of the Holy God met the weakness of the unclean man and everything changed.


Read part one.
Read part three.

Lepers in my world

A man with leprosy came and knelt in front of Jesus, begging to be healed. “If you are willing, you can heal me and make me clean,” he said.  (Mark 1:40 NLT)

The man's name is unknown. He is just "leper" to us - unnamed and unclean. He approaches Jesus. Really? Aren't lepers supposed to stay out of the way, unnoticed and unseen? What was there about Jesus that emboldened the leper to come to him?

Jesus responds with kindness. He is he motivated from a heart of compassion. Not from arrogant condescension ('poor pitiful guy,' deep sigh, 'I guess I can help') or from duty ('I am a Christian, I have to be nice'), but from a heart broken for the lost, the least, the leper.

Who are the lepers in my world? Do I even see them? Is there enough Jesus in me that they would feel invited to approach me? And if so, what is my response?

Read Part 2.
Read Part 3.

My God...

... marches on the waves of the sea      Job 9:8 (NLT) 
... walks on the vault of heaven           Job 22:14 (NLT) 
... rides upon the wings of the wind     Psalm 104:3 (NLT)
... sits above the circle of the earth        Isaiah 40:22 (NLT) 
... dwells in unapproachable light        1 Timothy 6:16 (NASB) 
... lives in eternity                              Isaiah 57:15 (NLT) 
... abides in me                                  John 15:4-10 (NASB)

The Carpenter

He was a carpenter.
But he cast his net for men on the shores of Galilee.
He was a carpenter.
But he caused the lame to walk and the blind to see.

He was a carpenter.
But he fed the hungry crowds with living bread.
He was a carpenter.
But he opened graves and he raised the dead.

He was a carpenter.
But he died and rose and set me free.
He is a carpenter.
And he builds his holy temple inside of me.

Every Word

"...man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD." Deuteronomy 8:3b NIV

I can't pick and choose which parts of God's word I want to hear or believe or embrace. EVERY word is given as spiritual nourishment. To be healthy and strong I have to take the brussel sprouts as well as the fudge. 

On change

 “I am the Lord, and I do not change." Malachi 3:6 (NLT)

God never changes. He doesn't need to. He is perfect just as He is.

God's immutability is one of the things I love best about Him. The same God who divided the sea for the Israelites to pass through, the same God who enabled little David to bring down big Goliath, is the same God who helps me through obstacles and bring down giants in my life.

And it is also wonderful that I am not immutable. Since I am not perfect I need to be able to change and to be changed. And I can. I can become a better person, a kinder friend, a more loving spouse. Herein is a gift of God to us. We are not the same yesterday, today and forever. Hallelujah!

Call On Me

It was a moment when we received some devastating news. As soon as I could get alone, I cried out to God -- seeking his comfort and his wisdom.  I asked him to take this bad thing and somehow bring glory to His name through it.

Later that day, as I thumbed through the book of Psalms to find comfort, my eyes fell on these words: "Then call on me when you are in trouble, and I will rescue you, and you will give me glory." Psalm 50:15 (NLT).

It was then I realized it isn't only in resolving the problem that God receives glory. He received glory in this situation the very moment I called on him.  Yes, there is a promise to rescue, but the immediate comfort for me was knowing that in turning to God in my time of need He had already answered my prayer for His name to be glorified.

RANDOM #5

God's timing

seemed...

... too soon for unwed Mary

... too late for dead Lazarus

But at "just the right time" Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8 NASB).


Other "random" blogs: #7, #6,  #4,  #3,  #2,  #1

Wisdom from Above

"But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere."  James 3:17 (ESV)

Sometimes trying to figure out what is wise in a particular situation is difficult. But God does give guidance. Here's one of His checklists:

For something to be truly wise it must be:

____ pure

____ peaceable

____ gentle

____ open to reason

____ full of mercy

____ full of good fruit (beneficial outcomes)

____ impartial

____ sincere

Happy, Holy, Healthy

With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints... Ephesians 6:18 NASB

Praying for others...

May they be
Happy, Holy, and Healthy
in
Spirit, Soul, and Body.

Happy in Spirit.
Full of joy.
Happy in Soul.
Full of peace.
Happy in Body.
Full of energy.

Holy in Spirit.
Pure motives.
Holy in Soul.
Pure thoughts.
Holy in Body.
Pure actions.

Healthy in Spirit.
Right understanding of God.
Healthy in Soul.
Right relationships with others.
Healthy in Body.
Right care of self.

Desert life

Exodus 6:2 (NASB) God spoke further to Moses and said to him, "I am the LORD..."

This place in northern Kenya was desolate. The ground was dry and hard. Vegetation sparse. A small crowd gathered to welcome the boxes of booklets on the backs of camels and to dedicate the newly translated Bible portions of Genesis and Exodus. The singing began and the dancing started. Mothers with infants sat under the whispers of shade given by a lone acacia tree.

I looked around at the level land stretching farther than I could see and considered the stories now available in the tribal language. Moses, herding his flock when a burning bush caught his eye. Joseph, left for dead in a pit in the desert. The children of Israel wandering and wandering, year after year in the wilderness. At that moment I considered how I must use my imagination to picture each of those events, but how familiar these stories will be to the camel-herding nomads of eastern Africa. They will know parts of God’s goodness and character that I, from my university-trained, interstate-laddened western perspective, will never quite comprehend.

Later other books of the Bible will be translated and they will learn of David the shepherd and Jesus the Christ. But for now they will know of the God who created the heavens above their heads and the earth beneath their feet. And who travels with them across the deserts of land and life.

The Body...Broken

I took the communion wafer, sipped the wine and turned to return to my pew. Looking around the congregation of people whom I know and love, I saw the body of Christ.  The lady there, digging through a divorce, the young man on the left desperately seeking a job, the great-grandmother in front, diligently praying for her young loved one addicted to drugs, the child born with fetal-alcohol-syndrome squirming in the back. And I am here too, frail, finite, fallen...forgiven.

The body of Christ...broken.  Broken like shattered glass in a multitude of colors and hues and shapes and textures.

"The Body of Christ, broken for you and for many." Could it be in the death of Christ God sweeps up our brokenness along with his Son's broken body, and in the resurrection we see the glorious stained-glass creations He has made from our lives, alive and brilliant as His redemptive grace shines through them?

Ill Fitting

Don't lie to one another. You're done with that old life. It's like a filthy set of ill-fitting clothes you've stripped off and put in the fire.  Now you're dressed in a new wardrobe. Every item of your new way of life is custom-made by the Creator, with his label on it. All the old fashions are now obsolete. Colossians 3:9-10 (MSG) 

My husband has lost over 100 pounds in the last few years. Throughout those months we began to notice that his clothes weren't the right fit anymore. They were made for the body he used to have, not the one he was beginning to have. And now NOTHING fits -- not even the underclothes. Since we haven't been able to fully replace the wardrobe,  he keeps wearing many of the things he always has and  sometimes looks like a child wearing hand-me-downs, several sizes too big.

The Scriptures remind us that we too are changing as we mature in our faith. The ways we used to act or talk or think no longer fit the person we are becoming. And yet often we keep 'wearing' the same 'garments' that we did before we were changed -- but now they are 'ill-fitting.'  They belonged to another person and another era.

Further, we are told that the old garments are not only are ill-fitting and outdated, but they are filthy. Scripture instructs us not to give them away, but instead they are to be burned, so no one else is subject to them. And in their place we are given new garments -- not the store-bought kind, but custom made by the master tailor for our unique new natures.

Related previous blog: The perfect fit

Hidden Gems #2

This is the second blog in which I share with you the 'hidden gems' I have quarried from the Scriptures -- profound truths that are not often preached on or quoted or memorized, but when discovered they have brought great treasure to my life.

Consider these:

Daniel 11:32 b,New American Standard Version:
"...but the people who know their God will display strength and take action."

Lamentations 3:39, New American Standard Version:
"Why should any living mortal or any man offer complaint in view of his sins?"

Psalms 50:21b, New American Standard Version:
God says:  "...you thought that I was just like you..."


Click here to go to Hidden Gems #1.

Growing

Fear of the LORD is the foundation of true wisdom. All who obey his commandments will grow in wisdom. Praise him forever! Psalm 111:10 (NLT) 

You know the experience. You look in the mirror at some point and think, "Wow, I need a hair cut!" Or for some of us the revelation comes through a nudge from spouse or sibling, "Hmm. Time for a trim, eh?" The fact is, you never really s-a-w the hair growing, even though every moment of every day it was. While you were busy tending to the rest of life, growth happened.

Spiritual growth can be like that too. Someday we have an encounter and think, "Ah. I don't get frustrated with that person like I used to," or, "I'm looking forward to reading the Bible these days." Or someone else comments, "You sure seem to be more at peace."

Like with my hair, I'm not responsible for my spiritual growth. The Holy Spirit does that. But it is my job to do the things that encourage growth and to be sure I don't impede it. So, I just as I help my hair stay healthy by washing it regularly, and not putting harsh chemicals on it, for my spirit's well-being I avoid things that stunts its growth -- deterrents like gossip, bitterness, grumbling, isolation, and unbelief. Instead I participate in the things that foster spiritual growth: worship, obedience, confession, service, thanksgiving, partaking in the sacraments.


PS -- Happy Birthday to my precious one whose spirit (and hair!)  is growing more and more beautiful every day.

Not quite dead

So put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you.  Colossians 3:5 (NLT)

My cat brings me dead things. Lizards, moles, snakes, rats.  She brings them to me to demonstrate that she has been the conquerer. She has put to death the pests lurking in my yard.  I tell her I am so proud of her and together we celebrate.

But sometimes she brings me almost-dead things...still squirming, sometimes squealing. It's not pretty and I'm not proud.

And then I have to wonder, what sinful, earthly things lurking in me have I taken to God to say, "Look, victory" only to see Him point out that it is not quite dead.

The waiting room

I sit down comfortably in the familiar chair for the daily appointment. The room is filled with many others I know well. We imagine what things will be like when our problem is solved, our burden lifted, our request fulfilled. We sit waiting quietly, expectantly, with full confidence in the one on whom we wait.

To my left is the prayer about the friend's son struggling with drug addiction, to the right the prayer for my daughter's job needs. I nod across the room at the long standing prayer for a loved one who has forgotten how much he is loved. And here I sit ready to present a few new prayers to join these and others, in the waiting room.

Listen to my voice in the morning, LORD. Each morning I bring my requests to you and wait expectantly. Psalm 5:3 (NLT)

A Re-do

 A Re-do (with apologies to St. Paul).  

 Portions from Ephesians 4:1-32 (NLT) 

Lead a life worthy of your calling,  [WHY? for you have been called by God.] Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy. Let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace. [WHY? For there is one body and one Spirit, just as you have been called to one glorious hope for the future.]

Throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by 1) lust and 2) deception.  Live no longer as the Gentiles do,  [WHY?  for they are hopelessly confused.]

• their minds are full of darkness;
• they wander far from the life God gives [WHY? because they have closed their minds and hardened their hearts against him.]
• They have no sense of shame.
• They live for lustful pleasure
• and eagerly practice every kind of impurity.
• influenced by people who try to trick with lies so clever they sound like the truth.

Don’t be immature, like children, tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching.

Instead, be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ.

Don’t be a thief; quit stealing.

Instead, use your hands for good hard work, and then give generously to others in need.

Don’t use foul or abusive language.

Instead, let everything you say be good and helpful  [WHY? so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them.] 

Don’t lie.

Instead, speak the truth in love. Let us tell our neighbors the truth. [WHY? for we are all parts of the same body ever since you heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from him.]

Don’t let anger control you and don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry. [WHY? for anger gives a foothold to the devil.] 

Instead, be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults. [WHY? because of your love.]

Don’t hang on to

• bitterness,
• rage,
• anger,
• harsh words,
• slander,
• all types of evil behavior

Instead

• be humble
• and gentle
• be kind to each other,
• tenderhearted,
• forgiving one another [WHY? because God through Christ has forgiven you.]

In summary,

Don’t bring sorrow to God’s Holy Spirit by the way you live.

Instead, remember, he has identified you as his own, guaranteeing that you will be saved on the day of redemption.

IF you are

Matthew chapter 3 begins with God's declaration that Jesus is His son.  In Matthew chapter 4 the devil challenges that: "Jesus, IF you are the Son of God then prove it by doing things my way." But Jesus didn't have to prove He was the Son of God.  God the Father had already declared Him to be so. God's word, God's testimony, was enough.

Sometimes I join in the accuser's chorus, by demanding that Jesus prove himself to me.  My verse to that song goes, "Jesus, IF you really loved me you would..."

But Jesus doesn't need to defend his love for me. God the Father has already declared it.  "For God so loved the world that He gave his only begotten Son that those who believe in Him should not perish but have eternal life."

Real Love

My dear children, let's not just talk about love; let's practice real love. 1 John 3:18 (MSG)

REAL LOVE . . .

• is patient and kind. 
• is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. 
• does not demand its own way. 
• is not irritable.
• keeps no record of being wronged. 
• does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. 
• never gives up. 
• never loses faith.
• is always hopeful.
• endures through every circumstance. 
• does no wrong to a neighbor.
• edifies.
• is the perfect bond of unity. 
• covers a multitude of sins. 
• is the more excellent way.

Happy 33rd anniversary to the one who keeps teaching me, by example, what real love really is.

Full

When we think of something being full or filled, it means there is no space left. There is no more room for anything else. We understand that when we say, "I filled up the gas tank" that we put as much gas in the tank as it would hold. It will hold no more. After a meal we say, "I am full" or "I couldn't eat another bite." There is no more space in the stomach to be filled.

Scriptures speak of being filled with various things such as: the fruit of your salvation, the Holy Spirit, all the fullness of God, the knowledge of His will, joy.  If I am full of these, then there is no room for the things that are not beneficial or sinful.

God's House

1 Chronicles 16:28-29 (NLT) O nations of the world, recognize the LORD, recognize that the LORD is glorious and strong. Give to the LORD the glory he deserves! Bring your offering and come into his presence. Worship the LORD in all his holy splendor.

For several weeks Maasai John had been our contact with the local Maasai community as a number of them assisted us and dozens of other families to learn to live in a rural East African setting.
At night the men patrolled our campsite to ward off the leopards eager to hunt the plump baboons that slept in the fig trees towering above our tents. In the mornings, women carried our laundry in tubs on their heads to the stream to wash our clothes, and their children. Toward the end of our time together, Maasai John invited our family and one other to join him and his family for chai, or afternoon tea, in their compound.

The manatta (homestead) consisted of several dung and mud huts with stick covered roofs, forming a circle around an inner corral where a few cattle and restless goats were housed at night. These animals, gaunt and haggard, represented the full wealth and honor of John, his brothers and their families.  We were welcomed with grace and kindness into one of the huts, offered small stools to sit upon and drank together hot tea mixed with smoked milk and cups of sugar.  His wife showered me with shy grins and gifts of beaded jewelry.

Though John spoke English, his family and our family did not speak a common language but we shared a common love -- a love for Jesus and in just a few hours, a love for one another.

As we made our way back to the jeep, John invited us to stop into one more house. This one was made of cinder blocks and cement with a tin roof.  It had several benches and open spaced-windows. This was God’s house. John built it for his family to gather each week to worship God, study His word, and learn to follow His Son.

Shortly after that holy afternoon, I learned that the common perception in the local rural area is that if you are poor, you live in a mud hut; if you are more well-off, you live in a wooden structure; and if you are wealthy, you live in a stone house.And so it was that John had built for God, his King, a stone palace, while he and his loved ones continued to live in their humble huts.

The gentle grace

It is a mighty grace to look at an offense through the lens of forgiveness.
It is a gentle grace to overlook the offense in the first place.

Make allowance for each other’s faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. Colossians 3:13 (NLT)

One year later

1 John 1:4 (NLT)  We are writing these things so that you may fully share our joy.

Today marks the one year anniversary of this blog. The idea to start it came about through the encouragement of others and reflects various gleanings from Scriptures that I have shared with a number of dear-ones through many years, over countless cups of coffee, in various cities and continents.

So here we are, one year and 76 entries later.

There are many online blogs to read -- on many, many different topics, by many creative, wise and insightful folks. But somehow in that mix, you are also reading this one.

Thanks for folding the thoughts posted here into your own thoughts and for making your own comments  from time to time. May the insights we gain together continue to spur us "on to love and good deeds."

On track

Like the rails of a train track, I find staying on these two principles helps to steady me:

Be faithful.  Be thankful.

Being faithful means that in the power of the Holy Spirit, I try to live out my faith with obedience and integrity for the good of others and the glory of God.

Being thankful means that in humility, I acknowledge that all that I am and have is because God and others have given of themselves for my good and His glory.

In the same breath

 "The king asked, 'Well, how can I help you?' With a prayer to the God of heaven, I replied..." Nehemiah 2:4-5a

Maybe this verse could say, "I prayed and replied" or "all in the same breath I prayed and answered." In the moment it took to inhale and exhale, Nehemiah had consulted with God and stood confidently before the King. Now, we know this followed days of fasting and mourning and praying, and quite some time of waiting for the right moment. When that moment came, Nehemiah consulted with God one last time. We don't know what he prayed, but we do see God's answer. The King granted everything (and more) that Nehemiah had hoped for.

The first prayer

Sometimes I wonder if we make knowing God too complicated.
In the end, doesn't it really boil down to what we learned at the beginning
-- in one of our first prayers:

"God is Great.

God is Good."

Because He is GREAT, He is able.   

Because He is GOOD, He is willing.

Maybe that is all
childlike faith

really ever
needs to know.

Good, Pleasing, Perfect

Romans 12:2 (NLT)  Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. 

God's will is good.  God's will is pleasing to Him. God's will is perfect. For all His children, always. 

That means that what God desires for me isn't just good for me. It is also good for others. He won't call me to do something that isn't of benefit to others in His Kingdom. 

In Jesus Name

John 15:16  You didn’t choose me. I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce lasting fruit, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask for, using my name. 

I was teaching a Sunday School class of 80+ year old women. We were talking about what it means to pray in Jesus' name.  Mrs. R. told of the time after her husband passed away and she was trying to get her own credit card for buying gasoline. She was denied because as a home maker she had no work history. In other words, she had no credibility. But her son, a business man, was able to get her one in his name. He had the credibility and she could buy her gas using his name.

When I pray, I come to God on the merits of Christ's relationship and obedience to the Father.  He has the credibility and I may confidently approach God in Jesus' name.

Hidden Gems #1

Within the Scriptures are verses I like to call the 'hidden gems' -- profound truths that are not often preached on or quoted or memorized, but when discovered they have brought great treasure to my life.

Ponder these awhile:

Jonah 2:8,  New International Version:
"Those who cling to worthless idols forfeit the grace that could be theirs."

Zechariah 4:10, New Living Translation:
"Do not despise these small beginnings, for the LORD rejoices to see the work begin..."

 Matthew 22:19, New Living Translation:
Jesus to the Pharisees:"...Your mistake is that you don't know the Scriptures, and you don't know the power of God..."


MORE "HIDDEN GEMS"    And be sure to share your hidden gems, too!

Weaving

Apart from Christ I can do nothing, but His power shows up in my weakest moments. God equips me to do everything He wants me to do. He does this through Christ who is at work in me both to want to and to do whatever serves Him best. Since it is really Him working through me, I can let my 'light shine' around others so they can see what I'm up to, but then together we can give all the glory to God.

Fathering moments

 Celebrating my Father's day

It was a Fathering moment
     when He gave a new, abundant life to me.
It was a Fathering moment
     when the Elder Brother was sent to set me free.

It was a Fathering moment
    when His discipline taught me truth.
It was a Fathering moment
    when His love replaced rebuke.

It was a Fathering moment
     when He embraced this wander-weary child.
It was a Fathering moment
     when He held me close and smiled.

Sacrificial Offerings

2 Sam 24:19-25 tells of the time when King David needed to build an alter to make a sacrifice to the Lord so He would stop a plague. Araunah offered to give David the building materials. David refused with this stunning reply, "I will not offer to my God that which cost me nothing."

I am reminded of the story a Ugandan Bishop related about his congregation being overwhelmed by the generosity of a sister church in America when they sent box-loads of supplies after a natural disaster in Uganda. But later when the Bishop visited the American church he noticed that everyone still had blankets and many clothes. He ended this story by saying, "Though we still appreciated the items, we recognized the donations where not provided in the spirit we had expected. For the providers did not give. They got rid of."

There is a time to 'get rid of' and share from my excess.  But I must not be deceived into thinking that that is an offering to God.

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My puny God

“For the LORD your God is the God of gods and Lord of lords. He is the great God, the mighty and awesome God..."  Deuteronomy 10:17 (NLT)

Forgive me, Lord, that today I lived parts of my day as though MY God is puny, impotent, and mundane. I have dishonored your glory by acting as though you are not able take care of the things on my mind or strengthen me for the challenges of my day.

Each time I worried -- every time I was afraid -- any time I became anxious -- in those moments I forgot that You, O God -- MY God -- are great, mighty, and awesome.

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Flourishing Faith

Sometimes in reading Scripture it is helpful to take a new look at a familiar word.  One I came across recently is the word "flourish".  A quick look in the dictionary confirms my impression:

1. to thrive; prosper

2. to be at the peak of condition
3. to be healthy

"Flourish" brings to my mind a picture of abundance, extravagance, lavishness. I think of a flourishing garden. A flourishing economy. A child flourishing under a kind and skilled teacher.

That quick review of the word prompts three questions for insights into this portion of 2 Thess 1:3 (NLT):     "...we can’t help but thank God for you, because your faith is flourishing ..."

• What does a flourishing faith look like? 
• Is my faith thriving, prospering, healthy, flourishing?
• What have been the situations in which my faith experienced a growth spurt and flourished? [Worth considering: Paul's comment here is aimed at those who are enduring through persecutions and hardships (see also James 1:2-4).]

I'd love to learn of your thoughts on these questions. Please put a note in the in the 'comments' portion below. (see how)
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Perfect Storm

The waves were pounding. The wind was whirling.
Jesus was there, walking on the sea, in the midst of it all.
He invited Peter to join him.
So Peter got out of the boat.
Onto the waves. Into the wind. 
The others stayed in the boat and watched.
But when they saw what happened,
they worshiped Jesus.

How more perfect can a storm be?


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Ways and Means

It is said in Psalm 103:7 that God showed his ways to Moses and his deeds (means) to the children of Israel.  Perhaps those are two different levels of knowing God. 

I can know how someone acts -- the MEANS they use to do things -- by simple observation and casual encounters. But I can only know their WAYS -- their motivation and character -- as I spend time with them and get to know them.

I can be an observer of God. OR I can be sojourner with God. 

Teach me your WAYS, O Lord, that I may live according to your truth!   Psalm 86:11a (NLT)

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ALL things

In Romans 8:28 we are told that God promises to work ALL things together for good for his children.  Ever thought about the word ALL? That includes EVERYTHING. That excludes nothing.  It covers this thing I am going through and that thing I went through and the thing I will face tomorrow.

ALL. whole. entire. full. complete. total. thorough.

ALL. No exceptions, exclusions or fine print.  ALL.


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Withholding Good

Proverbs 3:27 

Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to do it.  (NASB) 

Sometimes the 'good' that I have and can give to others isn't money or time. Sometimes it is words. Words of encouragement, appreciation, support.  May I not act miserly or greedy by withholding praise, but be extravagant and generous in blessing others with kind words today and always.


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Outside of normal

In the eleventh chapter of Hebrews we read a roll-call of Bible characters who believed God no matter what. Their faith led to their obedience to do all kinds of things that are way, way, outside of normal or routine or even reasonable.  Noah built an ark, old, old Sarah had a baby, Abraham nearly sacrificed Isaac. In each instance we read something like:

By faith {name} believed that God keeps his promises and so they obeyed him by {doing something}.

What is it the extraordinary thing God has called me to do that is outside of normal, something that requires my full faith in His faith-full-ness? I have to wonder how an entry in the passage might end if it started out like this:

By faith, Carol believed that God keeps His promises and so she obeyed him by ...


My personal version of Hebrews 11:6 And without faith it is impossible for Carol to believe in God, for when Carol comes to God she must believe that He is and that He rewards her when she seeks Him.

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For Justin

In honor of my first-born's 30th birthday, here is a poem I wrote when he was three, right after we had read the fable of Jack and Beanstalk. (With apologies for the syncretism).

Each day he comes home

with his bag of magic beans.

O Lord, give him good soil

where he can plant his dreams.


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Surprise!

God does things in surprising ways. Each time I am caught off guard by God's ways, I am chagrined to  realize that I thought that He would act in a way I could predict.

But while He always does things in ways I would not have imagined, He also acts in ways so keeping with His character that I know immediately it is His doing.

Who would have guessed God would...

Bring down the giant Goliath by a child with a stone?
Part the sea to provide the way of escape?
Birth His son through a virgin?
Love us while we were yet sinners?

Surprise!



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The perfect fit

God gives us two wardrobes.

One is the wardrobe of royalty. It is how those who are part of the King's household should dress: As those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience...(Colossians 3:12ff). This is what we are to wear when we are connecting and interacting with others in the family of believers.

The other is the garb of a warrior. Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil... (Ephesians 6:11ff). This outfit is truth, righteousness, faith, peace. This is what we are to wear when we are facing the enemy of our souls.

God gives us both wardrobes to fit perfectly for each occasion. But sometimes we wear the wrong outfit. Sometimes when interacting with our brothers and sisters in Christ we try to show off our righteousness, assert our truth and glory in our faith. Then when we come in contact with sin in our lives we indulge ourselves with an abundance of kindness and patience or we make peace with the devil rather than standing firm against him.

SEE ALSO:  ill fitting Blog
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Goodness and Mercy

As a sojourner in life, sometimes I turn around to review my trek thus far. Some of the things in my past are joyous and some are comforting. However, some are hurtful and some are shameful.

But when I look behind me, at my past, what comes into focus are the twin rear guards, Goodness and Mercy. They follow me into the future, they cover my past. God has placed them at the back of the procession of my life so when I turn around and look at the things I have experienced, I see them through the veil of His grace.

 "Surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life..." Psalm 23:6

Overflowing cup

In the 23rd Psalm, verse 5, we read, "my cup overflows."  Or as The Message renders it, "my cup brims with blessing."

I don't offer to God a bucket or a tub to fill. I offer him a cup and He then fills it beyond what it can hold. If I knew he was going to pour that much, why didn't I just grab a bigger cup? Then I would be able to collect more of what he gives, and less would spill out.

Unless of course, the spillage is part of the plan.

What if I offered even a smaller cup; what if it took even less for me to be satisfied? Would there be even more spillage, more to splash out onto others?

Maybe instead of praying as Jabez did, "Enlarge my borders," my prayer should be, "Reduce my container."

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When the Lord is my shepherd

The well-beloved 23rd Psalm starts with an assumption: "The Lord is my Shepherd." It then goes on to describe what life is like WHEN the Lord is the Shepherd. The summary line is, "I have all I need," and then tells us what those needs are:

• rest
• peace
• strength
• guidance
• protection
• comfort
• sustenance
• goodness and mercy covering my past
• life forever prepared for my future.

But what if those needs are not being met? What if I lack these these things?

Honesty then requires this consideration, "WHO is my shepherd?" Because WHEN the Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. I do not want. I don't need a thing. 

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Arming the enemy

When I choose to sin or give in to temptation, I hand the Accuser new arrows for his quiver. I arm him with the very fiery darts he will now hurl at me:  Shame. Discouragement. Fear. Doubt. Lies.

Just Like He Said

"He is not here. He is risen. Just like he said."  (Matthew 28:6)

I guess no one believed him, because no one was hanging around the tomb to welcome him back.

Hmm. Wonder what else He said that they (we) missed?


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Looking in the wrong place

"Why are you looking among the dead for someone who is alive?"  asked the angels to the women at the tomb on Easter morning.

"Why are you standing there staring into heaven?" asked the angels to the disciples at the ascension.

May God send messengers to redirect me when I, too, have fixed my gaze on where I think He should be.

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He doth protest too much

 “I am innocent of this man’s blood,” protests Pontius Pilate.

But despite his denial and self-proclaimed absolution, no one quite got it.

For through the ages,
generation after generation after generation,
the Church has declared
over and over over again
that Christ,
"suffered under Pontius Pilate, 
was crucified, dead, and buried..."


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Barabbas 2

So, Barabbas,

        where did you go
            when the crowd cheered
               and you walked away
                                          free?

           where did you go
               when your life was restored
                     and your crime was excused,
                                            forgiven?

            where did you go
                 when his body hung high
                       and his blood poured out
                                               for yours?

See also: I Am Barabbas
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I am Barabbas

I am Barabbas,

Chosen by the crowd.

He is Jesus,

Abandoned for this hour.

I am Barabbas,

The guilty one set free.

He is Jesus,

Who died instead of me.

See also Barabbas 2
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