Matthew 5:6
"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled."
I have missed posting lately as my life has been especially busy with "stuff". More about that later, but for now, it's crab, that I want to discuss!! If I seem weird, well I am, but I kinda can't help it. My mom is from Maryland, my dad is from California, I was born in England and brought to the states only to be raised in the south. Most summers as a child, my family traveled to Maryland to see relatives. Our excursion, however, always included the best of Baltimore: The Harbour, The Aquarium, The Science Center, Fort McHenry and the Orioles. But most importantly, our trips always included crabs-Maryland crabs, that is!
In Maryland, you eat the center, not the legs of the crab, because that is where all the meat is. And the crabs are covered in seasoning. It's a really big deal. You sit at a table covered in newspaper, with citronella candles all around. You get everything ready before you start; napkins, tools, a drink, everything. Because once you start, it gets messy, but you don't want to stop. Your hands get covered in Old Bay, and as you pull the shell off and expose the meat, the seasoning from your hands coats it. And you eat, and eat. It is a lengthy process, sometimes you get a big lump, but not always. Usually you get little bites along and along, and you don't really get overstuffed, because you are steadily working for the next bite, taking each morsel and savoring it. Do you see where I am going with this, yet?
Some people grill hamburgers and hot dogs to fill up on, and just eat one or two crabs. They either don't want to devote the time or patience to the process, or they just can't stand being messy for very long.
The other most popular way to eat Maryland crabs, is by going to a restaurant and ordering a lump crab cake. I have found myself sorely disappointed over the years, as I have tried many crab cakes that claim to be from Maryland, claim to be "real", and even boast of being "with real, lump crab meat". Here's the problem. In Maryland, the meat is fresh. It is rare to a season, and it is rich. Yes, someone else has done the work, and quite a bit of it, at that. The cakes are nothing but meat. There is some type of invisible, edible glue and maybe five bread crumbs holding it all together. There is no stuffing, no fluff. It is just rich meat, laboriously compiled, and expertly prepared. And only those who participate in crab picking feasts, can appreciate the delicacy of a real Maryland crab cake, for they know the time effort and dedication it took to make just one crab cake.
A friend of mine is flying to Maryland this weekend to receive a degree from a University there. She's never been, and I desperately want her to experience the whole "crab thing". It would just seem a waste if she went all the way there, and didn't get to. She would still think that the crab legs you get from the man with the yellow truck, or the stuffing cakes with a couple threads of "real lump crab" are good. She would still have no idea what she was missing. And I am so sure, that she would love the real thing, if she ever had it!
Lately, with all the "stuff" I've had consuming my days, I feel as if I have settled for filling up on burgers and hot dogs, while only sampling a bit of crab. Because walking with the Lord is a lengthy, involved, messy process, and it takes preparation. But when I commit to it, to seeking the Kingdom of God, and His righteousness, the process is as good as the actual meat I consume. For along the way, I become focused, I experience the joy of the large lumps of meat, while being sustained by the smaller pieces. And I am spending some calories at the same time, so that I am not miserable. There is fellowship in the shared experience and encouragement in seeing others, as they come across those lumps of rich meat.
And Sundays, are like going to the restaurant for the crab cake. That is, if it is the real thing! I find that many churches serve a fluffy, stuffed service, with very little real meat. I am thrilled by God's provision in a church home, where each participant of the service has worked hard to serve the real thing. God's word, whether it is presented in music, sermon, prayer, offering, communion, or ministry, should always be rich and pure. I appreciate each aspect of the service, when I consider, the process it took to deliver it. Many people took time and effort to pick apart God's word. And then, with the help of God, they presented it for my consumption. The meat: Jesus body, broken and given for me.
Have I made you hungry for Maryland crab? That's not a bad thing, but I hope that today, you are hungry for God's rich word. And what's more, I hope that you long for the process of picking it apart and then feasting on it. Church is a wonderful part of God's plan. But if that was all you had, to nurture your spirit...you'd be missing all of the goodness of the process of walking with the Lord. May you hunger and thirst, today!!
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Inheritance and Education
Colossians 3:23-24
"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving."
Psalm 127:3
"Sons are a heritage from the Lord, children are a reward from Him."
This particular post is meant, not to be a politically correct pat on the back, but to be an encouragement to parents for following the will of God in raising your children, particularly in the area of education. There are many options and God has one that is right for your child. So, what does inheritance have to do with education?
Immediately the story of the prodigal son comes to mind. I believe that the inheritance was given based on the love of a parent for his child, not based on the how deserving the child was. The inheritance was supposed to have come after the father died. As we all remember, the son asked for his inheritance early, and then he squandered it all, before coming home to his father, a broken and contrite man.
I think of the heritage we have as Christians, of the reward we will receive at the end of this life. I think of heaven and the promise, that it will one day be my home. My Father has already died and though I don't deserve heaven, my Father loved me and put it in His will for me. But before He hands it over, He means for me to live. I think of the two precious children God has given to me in this life. I am so very, very blessed. They are God's gift to me, regardless of what I choose to do with them. My inheritance is not just eternity but responsibility. I could squander the time I have with my children. I could waste the opportunities I have been given in them, and I would still be a Christian. I would still inherit eternity in Heaven.
But the question is whether or not I will return to my Father empty-handed. You see, what I do in this life does matter. Good works do matter. Many scriptures discuss doing good, to receive an eternal reward. Heaven has already been guaranteed for the Christian. But God poured His Holy Spirit into each Christian, and part of the fruit of the Spirit is "goodness". So just because we did not deserve our salvation or do anything to earn it, does not mean that God did not call us to do good works. He did!
He has called me to do good each day with the reward of my two children. He has called me to love and nurture, teach and train, encourage and correct. And being the complete God that He is, He also provided a manual to follow in raising them. They did, indeed, come with instructions! God's word (both written and implied) holds the answer to any parenting mystery I will ever face, AND it is perfect for my two children. Everything, even their education is addressed.
My husband and I believe very strongly that God instructed us to put our oldest child (the little one is too young) in a public school in our city. The decision was not an easy one for me, as I assumed His will would be very different. So I scoured the Bible looking for any proof that what God had whispered into my heart was true. My questions, one by one were answered. My fear dissolved and peace filled my heart.
Am I saying that public school is God's will for every child? Absolutely not! What I am saying, is that God calls us to work at raising our children as working for Him. That means that we have to start by asking Him what He wants us to do. Maybe His will is for us to home school our children. Maybe His will is for us to put our children in a christian school , or maybe His will is for us to enroll them in a public school. Whatever His will, He calls us to sacrifice. He calls us to stretch and grow. Whatever His will, you can be sure it will include love, instruction, correction and discipline. Whatever His will is for your children, you can be sure it is perfect.
God means for us to do our best for Him in what He has called us to do. I find that I can spend an amazing amount of time on my child's education, and I am not even his teacher. I can invest a great deal into relationships with his teachers, administrators, and classmates. I can invest in the quality of time I spend with him when he is at home. Because it is not about his education or even about how he turns out, but it is about working for the Lord in my roll as a mom. I pray that one day, when I enter into Heaven, what I have done "good" will include parenting my children with all my heart as unto the Lord. I pray that they will be the crown I lay at Jesus' feet.
What is your story?
"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving."
Psalm 127:3
"Sons are a heritage from the Lord, children are a reward from Him."
This particular post is meant, not to be a politically correct pat on the back, but to be an encouragement to parents for following the will of God in raising your children, particularly in the area of education. There are many options and God has one that is right for your child. So, what does inheritance have to do with education?
Immediately the story of the prodigal son comes to mind. I believe that the inheritance was given based on the love of a parent for his child, not based on the how deserving the child was. The inheritance was supposed to have come after the father died. As we all remember, the son asked for his inheritance early, and then he squandered it all, before coming home to his father, a broken and contrite man.
I think of the heritage we have as Christians, of the reward we will receive at the end of this life. I think of heaven and the promise, that it will one day be my home. My Father has already died and though I don't deserve heaven, my Father loved me and put it in His will for me. But before He hands it over, He means for me to live. I think of the two precious children God has given to me in this life. I am so very, very blessed. They are God's gift to me, regardless of what I choose to do with them. My inheritance is not just eternity but responsibility. I could squander the time I have with my children. I could waste the opportunities I have been given in them, and I would still be a Christian. I would still inherit eternity in Heaven.
But the question is whether or not I will return to my Father empty-handed. You see, what I do in this life does matter. Good works do matter. Many scriptures discuss doing good, to receive an eternal reward. Heaven has already been guaranteed for the Christian. But God poured His Holy Spirit into each Christian, and part of the fruit of the Spirit is "goodness". So just because we did not deserve our salvation or do anything to earn it, does not mean that God did not call us to do good works. He did!
He has called me to do good each day with the reward of my two children. He has called me to love and nurture, teach and train, encourage and correct. And being the complete God that He is, He also provided a manual to follow in raising them. They did, indeed, come with instructions! God's word (both written and implied) holds the answer to any parenting mystery I will ever face, AND it is perfect for my two children. Everything, even their education is addressed.
My husband and I believe very strongly that God instructed us to put our oldest child (the little one is too young) in a public school in our city. The decision was not an easy one for me, as I assumed His will would be very different. So I scoured the Bible looking for any proof that what God had whispered into my heart was true. My questions, one by one were answered. My fear dissolved and peace filled my heart.
Am I saying that public school is God's will for every child? Absolutely not! What I am saying, is that God calls us to work at raising our children as working for Him. That means that we have to start by asking Him what He wants us to do. Maybe His will is for us to home school our children. Maybe His will is for us to put our children in a christian school , or maybe His will is for us to enroll them in a public school. Whatever His will, He calls us to sacrifice. He calls us to stretch and grow. Whatever His will, you can be sure it will include love, instruction, correction and discipline. Whatever His will is for your children, you can be sure it is perfect.
God means for us to do our best for Him in what He has called us to do. I find that I can spend an amazing amount of time on my child's education, and I am not even his teacher. I can invest a great deal into relationships with his teachers, administrators, and classmates. I can invest in the quality of time I spend with him when he is at home. Because it is not about his education or even about how he turns out, but it is about working for the Lord in my roll as a mom. I pray that one day, when I enter into Heaven, what I have done "good" will include parenting my children with all my heart as unto the Lord. I pray that they will be the crown I lay at Jesus' feet.
What is your story?
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Death is at Work in Me
2 Corinthians 4:11
"For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that His life may be revealed in our mortal body. So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you."
One of the tools God is using to teach me lately, is a Beth Moore Bible study that I participate in. Those of you who have been through her study on the Fruit of the Spirit- Living Beyond Yourself, will likely remember the video lesson on patience. It went something like this.
There are two kinds of patience. One concerns persevering in a difficult circumstance and is inspired by hope. The other, concerns being patient with difficult people and is motivated by mercy. The one that is a part of the Fruit of the Spirit is- you know it- the one dealing with people. We all have at least one tricky relationship, and you can bet mine has been put to the test lately. Because you see, I am alive, in that I have received God's gift of His son, Jesus, and I have the indwelling of the Holy Spirit-ALL OF IT!!! He has put patience within me, but it must be worked out.
How??? Well, one thing about the Holy Spirit is that we have need in Him because we were called to live this life, in this imperfect, flesh-loving body, in a way that brings glory to God. That is what we were called for. That is why we were saved.
Beth talked about having a relationship that just always seems to bring out the worst in us, and I can SO identify. The relationship I am speaking of is one that I can not avoid. It is necessary, and oh, how Satan uses it to remind me of what is still left of my "old, unsaved, mortal self". I can talk to this person and find a defensiveness and pride, that I thought had long ago been destroyed. I can feel the desire for vengeance and the temptation to hold a grudge. One conversation can consume so much of my mind that I can barely hear my Father's voice.
The good news? Having my sin masked by pleasant, easy relationships, does not keep it from existing. Yet, when it is revealed, when it comes up and out, God can deal with it. I don't know if that blesses you the way it does me, but the idea that along and along, God is changing me, not by taking me out of this sinful world, but by taking the sin out of me, whew!!! I just can't get over it!
One day, because of the presence of this person in my life, God will put to death, the sinful nature that is still very much a part of me. And just think, God may be bringing something to life in that person, at the very same time He is working death in me. Oh what a blessing it is to be a child of God, to have been called for the purpose of bringing Him glory, and to have been given all I need (through His Spirit), to do so.
"For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that His life may be revealed in our mortal body. So then, death is at work in us, but life is at work in you."
One of the tools God is using to teach me lately, is a Beth Moore Bible study that I participate in. Those of you who have been through her study on the Fruit of the Spirit- Living Beyond Yourself, will likely remember the video lesson on patience. It went something like this.
There are two kinds of patience. One concerns persevering in a difficult circumstance and is inspired by hope. The other, concerns being patient with difficult people and is motivated by mercy. The one that is a part of the Fruit of the Spirit is- you know it- the one dealing with people. We all have at least one tricky relationship, and you can bet mine has been put to the test lately. Because you see, I am alive, in that I have received God's gift of His son, Jesus, and I have the indwelling of the Holy Spirit-ALL OF IT!!! He has put patience within me, but it must be worked out.
How??? Well, one thing about the Holy Spirit is that we have need in Him because we were called to live this life, in this imperfect, flesh-loving body, in a way that brings glory to God. That is what we were called for. That is why we were saved.
Beth talked about having a relationship that just always seems to bring out the worst in us, and I can SO identify. The relationship I am speaking of is one that I can not avoid. It is necessary, and oh, how Satan uses it to remind me of what is still left of my "old, unsaved, mortal self". I can talk to this person and find a defensiveness and pride, that I thought had long ago been destroyed. I can feel the desire for vengeance and the temptation to hold a grudge. One conversation can consume so much of my mind that I can barely hear my Father's voice.
The good news? Having my sin masked by pleasant, easy relationships, does not keep it from existing. Yet, when it is revealed, when it comes up and out, God can deal with it. I don't know if that blesses you the way it does me, but the idea that along and along, God is changing me, not by taking me out of this sinful world, but by taking the sin out of me, whew!!! I just can't get over it!
One day, because of the presence of this person in my life, God will put to death, the sinful nature that is still very much a part of me. And just think, God may be bringing something to life in that person, at the very same time He is working death in me. Oh what a blessing it is to be a child of God, to have been called for the purpose of bringing Him glory, and to have been given all I need (through His Spirit), to do so.
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Snobby about my Chocolate
Isaiah 55:2
"Why spend money on what is not bread and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and your soul will delight in the richest of fare."
Last week, I was incredibly busy. You know the kind of "busy" I am talking about. Each day I had several things scheduled back to back, for which, I had several lists. As I was checking through the lists, I had this feeling like I was forgetting something. Not that I could have squeezed in anything else, but at least I could have rescheduled,right? And sure enough, I did forget something on Tuesday. I was so frustrated, because, I really wanted to get everything done, and I wanted to please the Lord in the process. So, Tuesday night, I made a complete list of everything for the week, committed it to prayer, and asked God to help me to have wisdom and discernment, energy and a cheerful spirit for each day.
I went to bed, fully trusting that the days would go by in pleasant haste, and that I would be astounded by God's ability to accomplish so many things through me. I woke up around 3:00 a.m. with kidney stone pain and was up for the rest of the night. I was hurting so badly that I opted to take Aleeve, which makes me very groggy. Then some time around 6:30ish, I dozed and had these little weird "mini-dreams". The one that I woke up thinking about involved Starburst candy and its' point value in Weight Watchers. I joined a few years ago, and was very suprised to find that every little thing that goes into our bodies counts. And if you can only consume 20 points in a day, a handful of M&M's and a couple of Starburst hardly seem worth the points. After all, they don't leave much room for food with actual value. I learned to become quite the snob about what I consume. I just cannot be bothered with cheap chocolate!
As I went through Wednesday and the remainder of the week, I began to weigh each activity as worthy or not worthy of my time. I began to see that little indulgences, such as watching other people's drama on T.V. is a bit wasteful, when all around me there are people hurting, people I can actually help with a kind word or a card, a meal, or a listening ear. I began to see that having my garage spotless is a bit of a waste of my time, when my children are hurting and need some "Mommy time". I could go on and on, but you get the point. We have so many opportunities each day to do good things, and sometimes, we have to choose a couple and let the others go. Because there is nothing wrong with watching the Biggest Looser or cleaning the garage. Sometimes, it just isn't God's best for that day.
"Why spend money on what is not bread and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and your soul will delight in the richest of fare."
Last week, I was incredibly busy. You know the kind of "busy" I am talking about. Each day I had several things scheduled back to back, for which, I had several lists. As I was checking through the lists, I had this feeling like I was forgetting something. Not that I could have squeezed in anything else, but at least I could have rescheduled,right? And sure enough, I did forget something on Tuesday. I was so frustrated, because, I really wanted to get everything done, and I wanted to please the Lord in the process. So, Tuesday night, I made a complete list of everything for the week, committed it to prayer, and asked God to help me to have wisdom and discernment, energy and a cheerful spirit for each day.
I went to bed, fully trusting that the days would go by in pleasant haste, and that I would be astounded by God's ability to accomplish so many things through me. I woke up around 3:00 a.m. with kidney stone pain and was up for the rest of the night. I was hurting so badly that I opted to take Aleeve, which makes me very groggy. Then some time around 6:30ish, I dozed and had these little weird "mini-dreams". The one that I woke up thinking about involved Starburst candy and its' point value in Weight Watchers. I joined a few years ago, and was very suprised to find that every little thing that goes into our bodies counts. And if you can only consume 20 points in a day, a handful of M&M's and a couple of Starburst hardly seem worth the points. After all, they don't leave much room for food with actual value. I learned to become quite the snob about what I consume. I just cannot be bothered with cheap chocolate!
As I went through Wednesday and the remainder of the week, I began to weigh each activity as worthy or not worthy of my time. I began to see that little indulgences, such as watching other people's drama on T.V. is a bit wasteful, when all around me there are people hurting, people I can actually help with a kind word or a card, a meal, or a listening ear. I began to see that having my garage spotless is a bit of a waste of my time, when my children are hurting and need some "Mommy time". I could go on and on, but you get the point. We have so many opportunities each day to do good things, and sometimes, we have to choose a couple and let the others go. Because there is nothing wrong with watching the Biggest Looser or cleaning the garage. Sometimes, it just isn't God's best for that day.
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Peace in Provision
Matthew 14:24, 32
(24)"but the boat was already a considerable distance form land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it."
(32)"And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down."
Matthew 14: 22-32 are verses that have penetrated my heart more than once and in many different circumstances, but this most recent time is the one I want to share today. For it was peace in God's provision that I prayed, and these are the verses that He lead me to. I find it interesting at times, that though I grew up with a strong knowledge of basic Bible stories, I am very deficient in the chronology of the events. And just now, as I was looking in my Bible to refer to these verses, I noticed that the section just previous, is the story of the five loaves and two fish. And the section, just before that, was when the disciples buried John the Baptist. All of this in chapter 14 of Matthew! I am so blown away by how even the sequence of events in history have purpose in my life. All of scripture has meaning and purpose, and even the order of the events recorded has meaning today.
My focus will still be on the part of chapter 14 when Jesus walked on water, but I will refer to the events of the entire chapter. I recommend reading it. I said in the last post, that I was going to tell you more about the illness I have experienced for the past several weeks. It started at the end of October when I had the mumps, then after one day of normalcy, I began to get sick again. For a week, I had symptoms that seemed like appendicitis or maybe a kidney stone, and I became concerned when I didn't get any better. Finally, one night, I became overwhelmed by the pain and the nagging feeling that it might be something requiring medical help. I hated to go to the hospital and pick up lots of germs, if it was just a kidney stone. I figured I could just pass it at home. Plus, the expense concerned me. In fact, that was the main reason for my hesitation. I asked a friend to pray for me to have wisdom about whether or not to go. She did pray with me and later called me back to say that, as she continued to pray on her own, she felt that God was telling her that I should go to the emergency room. She asked me a question that really gave me the courage to go. She asked, "If you had as much money as _________ (a friend with a very good income), would you go?" Then she reminded me that my Father in Heaven owns everything and that He would provide.
For as long as I can remember, I have had to trust God with my finances. At some point, I believed that a college degree would help me to provide for myself, but that was short lived. I became a "stay-home mom" and my husband took a job that pays him only commission. Over the years, many people have questioned our decisions, but God has confirmed time after time that we are doing what He called us to do and that He is our "reliable income".
I did go to the emergency room and learned that I had developed a bacterial infection from having the mumps, and that I had at least 25 kidney stones. Long story short, I went to a specialist, and he scheduled me for surgery to crush the two largest stones. The day before the surgery, after learning the cost, I became very frightened. For six weeks, I had hung on to the promise that My father, who loves me, would provide. I even stepped out in faith and went to a specialist, something I had asked God to provide for the past twelve years. And I marveled that,in my time of great need, He could provide a physician, new to town, amazing in his skill, and with an admirable bedside manner. So what in the mess made me take my eyes off of Jesus and look down at my circumstance? What made me doubt that a father, who could call me out during a storm, toward the refuge of His arms, and give me the ability to walk toward Him, would provide for a surgery bill?
Not what, but who. And he is the same "who" that caused Peter to look at the wind and doubt Jesus. Satan. What is interesting to me is that the wind was always there. Scripture does not say that the disciples were frightened by the wind, but by Jesus. They believed He was a ghost. But Peter, desperately wanted to believe it was indeed, Jesus. He wanted to believe so badly, that he was willing to risk death for Jesus to prove Himself. If Jesus was not who He said he was, Peter would have surely died. But if He was who He said He was..., Oh how Peter needed Him to be!
Verse 24 says that the boat was buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.
Buffeted means to strike and comes from the Greek word: kolaphizo-of the base of kolazo; to curtail, to chastise (or reserve for infliction):-punish; to rap with the fist. Isn't that just what the disciples had been through that day? They had been through great tragedy and loss over John the Baptist and on the tail of that, came the miraculous, yet exhausting sermon on the mount and all that it entailed. And then the storm?!?
I have always been able to see myself in Peter. He is so passionate in his love for Jesus and yet, he is just so darn human! The guy had had enough! He kept the faith through so much and then, in an instant, he shifted his gaze, and began to sink. I can identify. It's not that Jesus hasn't proved Himself over and over. It is just that I am human. And Satan is as real as Jesus. And he strikes over and over. And if faith in Jesus is what sustains me in the storm, Satan will strike my faith.
Verse 32, says that when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down.
When Jesus got into the middle of Peter's circumstance, it ceased to punish him. I found myself saying many times in the past year, "The hits just keep coming." My family experienced tragedy and loss and in spite of our grief, we had to continue facing life. Through it all, I clung to Jesus. But I am human. And it only took a surgery bill to make me doubt. I took my eyes off of Jesus, but He never took His eyes off of me. I cried out for Him to restore my faith and He gave me these verses. He climbed right into the source of my fear and made it stop beating me. He returned my peace-peace in His provision. Scripture shows us that He restored Peter's faith. He provided safety for Peter. He has provided a physician for me and daily, I witness His provision in my finances. He provided forgiveness when Peter doubted and failed, and He does the same for me, for all of us. Most of all, He provided for Peter's salvation and for yours and mine, through Jesus. If He never provided in this life, eternity would be more than enough. But He does provide for us here, as we walk this walk. To God be the glory!!!
(24)"but the boat was already a considerable distance form land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it."
(32)"And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down."
Matthew 14: 22-32 are verses that have penetrated my heart more than once and in many different circumstances, but this most recent time is the one I want to share today. For it was peace in God's provision that I prayed, and these are the verses that He lead me to. I find it interesting at times, that though I grew up with a strong knowledge of basic Bible stories, I am very deficient in the chronology of the events. And just now, as I was looking in my Bible to refer to these verses, I noticed that the section just previous, is the story of the five loaves and two fish. And the section, just before that, was when the disciples buried John the Baptist. All of this in chapter 14 of Matthew! I am so blown away by how even the sequence of events in history have purpose in my life. All of scripture has meaning and purpose, and even the order of the events recorded has meaning today.
My focus will still be on the part of chapter 14 when Jesus walked on water, but I will refer to the events of the entire chapter. I recommend reading it. I said in the last post, that I was going to tell you more about the illness I have experienced for the past several weeks. It started at the end of October when I had the mumps, then after one day of normalcy, I began to get sick again. For a week, I had symptoms that seemed like appendicitis or maybe a kidney stone, and I became concerned when I didn't get any better. Finally, one night, I became overwhelmed by the pain and the nagging feeling that it might be something requiring medical help. I hated to go to the hospital and pick up lots of germs, if it was just a kidney stone. I figured I could just pass it at home. Plus, the expense concerned me. In fact, that was the main reason for my hesitation. I asked a friend to pray for me to have wisdom about whether or not to go. She did pray with me and later called me back to say that, as she continued to pray on her own, she felt that God was telling her that I should go to the emergency room. She asked me a question that really gave me the courage to go. She asked, "If you had as much money as _________ (a friend with a very good income), would you go?" Then she reminded me that my Father in Heaven owns everything and that He would provide.
For as long as I can remember, I have had to trust God with my finances. At some point, I believed that a college degree would help me to provide for myself, but that was short lived. I became a "stay-home mom" and my husband took a job that pays him only commission. Over the years, many people have questioned our decisions, but God has confirmed time after time that we are doing what He called us to do and that He is our "reliable income".
I did go to the emergency room and learned that I had developed a bacterial infection from having the mumps, and that I had at least 25 kidney stones. Long story short, I went to a specialist, and he scheduled me for surgery to crush the two largest stones. The day before the surgery, after learning the cost, I became very frightened. For six weeks, I had hung on to the promise that My father, who loves me, would provide. I even stepped out in faith and went to a specialist, something I had asked God to provide for the past twelve years. And I marveled that,in my time of great need, He could provide a physician, new to town, amazing in his skill, and with an admirable bedside manner. So what in the mess made me take my eyes off of Jesus and look down at my circumstance? What made me doubt that a father, who could call me out during a storm, toward the refuge of His arms, and give me the ability to walk toward Him, would provide for a surgery bill?
Not what, but who. And he is the same "who" that caused Peter to look at the wind and doubt Jesus. Satan. What is interesting to me is that the wind was always there. Scripture does not say that the disciples were frightened by the wind, but by Jesus. They believed He was a ghost. But Peter, desperately wanted to believe it was indeed, Jesus. He wanted to believe so badly, that he was willing to risk death for Jesus to prove Himself. If Jesus was not who He said he was, Peter would have surely died. But if He was who He said He was..., Oh how Peter needed Him to be!
Verse 24 says that the boat was buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.
Buffeted means to strike and comes from the Greek word: kolaphizo-of the base of kolazo; to curtail, to chastise (or reserve for infliction):-punish; to rap with the fist. Isn't that just what the disciples had been through that day? They had been through great tragedy and loss over John the Baptist and on the tail of that, came the miraculous, yet exhausting sermon on the mount and all that it entailed. And then the storm?!?
I have always been able to see myself in Peter. He is so passionate in his love for Jesus and yet, he is just so darn human! The guy had had enough! He kept the faith through so much and then, in an instant, he shifted his gaze, and began to sink. I can identify. It's not that Jesus hasn't proved Himself over and over. It is just that I am human. And Satan is as real as Jesus. And he strikes over and over. And if faith in Jesus is what sustains me in the storm, Satan will strike my faith.
Verse 32, says that when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down.
When Jesus got into the middle of Peter's circumstance, it ceased to punish him. I found myself saying many times in the past year, "The hits just keep coming." My family experienced tragedy and loss and in spite of our grief, we had to continue facing life. Through it all, I clung to Jesus. But I am human. And it only took a surgery bill to make me doubt. I took my eyes off of Jesus, but He never took His eyes off of me. I cried out for Him to restore my faith and He gave me these verses. He climbed right into the source of my fear and made it stop beating me. He returned my peace-peace in His provision. Scripture shows us that He restored Peter's faith. He provided safety for Peter. He has provided a physician for me and daily, I witness His provision in my finances. He provided forgiveness when Peter doubted and failed, and He does the same for me, for all of us. Most of all, He provided for Peter's salvation and for yours and mine, through Jesus. If He never provided in this life, eternity would be more than enough. But He does provide for us here, as we walk this walk. To God be the glory!!!
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
And He shut my mouth up, TIGHT, TIGHT, TIGHT!!
"He who guards his mouth and his tongue keeps himself from calamity." -Proverbs 21:23
No, I have not given up on my walk with the Lord, or on blogging. I have been pretty sick since the end of October (more about that later), and it seems I have slept my life away for the past several weeks. God has been so faithful though, in using this time, (which I consider to be a great interruption and inconvenience) to teach me some things.
I had a minor surgery a week and a half ago, and something very funny happened. It may not seem funny to you unless I tell you a little bit about myself. For those of you who know me well, you will recall a time when I was very hurt by gossip. Thankfully, my Heavenly Father was gracious in using my pain as a reminder to me not to participate in any form of slander. Not that I am perfect. Far from it! In fact, I have found that there are countless opportunities each day, to either please or displease God with words. I know that I can sin in a heartbeat no matter my resolve, or past hurt. So, I have begun to pray that God would "shut my mouth up, TIGHT, TIGHT, TIGHT!" I got the idea from a song that I sang as a child about God shutting the mouths of the lions in the den with Daniel. I figure, He can do the same to me. And oh, how often it is necessary!
Gossiping is not the only calamity that pushes its' way through my lips though. Again, those of you who know me, know that I have the most frustrating ability to say the most stupid things in my attempt to bring someone a measure of comfort. For example; funerals. I have finally decided to just walk in, hug the grieving family member, and walk out. I dare not say a word!
So that brings me to my funny surgery. As I said, it was minor. It was supposed to be outpatient, and since I have had this type of surgery before, I really didn't anticipate any problems. So when I woke up speechless (literally), you can imagine that I was a bit confused, and scared. For several hours, my mouth did not work. My doctor believed that I may have suffered form a stroke, but after several tests and a night in the ICU, the neurologist determined that I had toxic encephalia caused by a reaction to either the anesthesia and/or pain medicine. From now on, my chart will be highlighted to indicate that medicine caused me to loose my speech, though I can't help but wonder...
I wonder, what the mess I was going to say in my groggy state that God refused to let me say. I wonder what calamity He kept me from. And whether or not He closed my mouth for that reason, I may never know. One thing I do know is that I will always remember His ability to do so. And I will forever be grateful for His sense of humor.
No, I have not given up on my walk with the Lord, or on blogging. I have been pretty sick since the end of October (more about that later), and it seems I have slept my life away for the past several weeks. God has been so faithful though, in using this time, (which I consider to be a great interruption and inconvenience) to teach me some things.
I had a minor surgery a week and a half ago, and something very funny happened. It may not seem funny to you unless I tell you a little bit about myself. For those of you who know me well, you will recall a time when I was very hurt by gossip. Thankfully, my Heavenly Father was gracious in using my pain as a reminder to me not to participate in any form of slander. Not that I am perfect. Far from it! In fact, I have found that there are countless opportunities each day, to either please or displease God with words. I know that I can sin in a heartbeat no matter my resolve, or past hurt. So, I have begun to pray that God would "shut my mouth up, TIGHT, TIGHT, TIGHT!" I got the idea from a song that I sang as a child about God shutting the mouths of the lions in the den with Daniel. I figure, He can do the same to me. And oh, how often it is necessary!
Gossiping is not the only calamity that pushes its' way through my lips though. Again, those of you who know me, know that I have the most frustrating ability to say the most stupid things in my attempt to bring someone a measure of comfort. For example; funerals. I have finally decided to just walk in, hug the grieving family member, and walk out. I dare not say a word!
So that brings me to my funny surgery. As I said, it was minor. It was supposed to be outpatient, and since I have had this type of surgery before, I really didn't anticipate any problems. So when I woke up speechless (literally), you can imagine that I was a bit confused, and scared. For several hours, my mouth did not work. My doctor believed that I may have suffered form a stroke, but after several tests and a night in the ICU, the neurologist determined that I had toxic encephalia caused by a reaction to either the anesthesia and/or pain medicine. From now on, my chart will be highlighted to indicate that medicine caused me to loose my speech, though I can't help but wonder...
I wonder, what the mess I was going to say in my groggy state that God refused to let me say. I wonder what calamity He kept me from. And whether or not He closed my mouth for that reason, I may never know. One thing I do know is that I will always remember His ability to do so. And I will forever be grateful for His sense of humor.
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Hope-(Even Following Last Night's Election)-Part 2
I am bursting! I have struggled so much with this second part of "HOPE", because there are so many scripture references, and I have been trying to condense it all . Well, I think I have put everything into a nutshell, but I must do so with the disclaimer, that there is nothing, absolutely nothing I can write in one post that can replace your own exploration of the Bible. And to try to condense it would only create a poor substitute for God's inspired word. So this is only a nutshell of what God is teaching me...nothing more. With that said, let's dig in.
**2 Chronicles 7:14 says, "If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land. "
Let's focus on the fact that Christians are called. Called meaning beckoned and called meaning named-"CHRISTians". Jesus Christ beckoned us to Himself, and He put His glorious name on us!
The thing is, that in light of the recent election, we as Christians have a major responsibility. We can feel very outnumbered and downcast in a country that selected a leader who does not seem to uphold the name under which our country was founded. But as Christians, do we? I know that I have sat in front of my T.V. being entertained by the same sinful agenda that disgusts me about the majority of the American mindset. And that's just a start. Out of absolute fear and dread I have followed the instructions of this verse. Many of you have as well. But let's not stop now, when HOPE seems more frail than ever before.
**Psalm 43:3-4 says, "Send forth your light and truth, let them guide me; let them bring me to your holy mountain, to the place where you dwell. Then will I go to the altar of God, my joy and my delight.
God is the one that sends guidance and brings us to Himself. We could not draw to Him on our own, because our flesh had no awareness of our need and no desire to have it met. He brought us to Himself and this is the HOPE we have.
**Psalm 51:12 says, "Restore unto me the joy of your salvation (again, it is His to give) and grant a willing spirit to sustain me.
Though we do have HOPE, we will certainly need to be sustained during this next season, as our nation faces "change". The following verses clench it for me.
**Isaiah 40:28-31 says, "Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and His understanding, no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who HOPE in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.
This is not prophesy, so please do not read into it, but indulge me while I expand on a few facts I found about our national symbol: The bald eagle.
1.) The bald eagle got it's name, not because it is bald, but because it's head and the very tip of its' tail is white. (The parallel as I see it is of God, in His purity, being the beginning and the end.)
2.)The body of the bald eagle is dark brown. (The parallel to me is that this season of time, when we have turned from God as a nation, is full of darkness. There will be consequences. There will be sorrow.)
3.)The bald eagle was chosen because of its' rarity, and it is becoming extinct. However, provisions have been made to protect this bird and preserve it from extinction. (The parallel here is pretty obvious. As a christian people, we are becoming weak and greatly outnumbered. But God has made provision to strengthen and preserve us.)
4.)The wingspan of the bald eagle is 80 inches. (So, I know a guy that is 6'9" and I am trying to picture him stretched out sideways in the sky. Minus one inch, and that would be it. Pretty stinkin' powerful! Amazing actually!)
If that doesn't excite you or at least give you HOPE, consider the following verses.
**Galatians 6:9 says, "Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up."
**Isaiah 40:23 says, "He brings princes to naught and reduces the rulers of this world to nothing."
There are countless verses about hope and joy and peace. There are also, tons and tons of verses which instruct us in "doing good". Let us not give up Hope! Let us not grow weary! And let us not be conformed to the ways of this world! Take heart!!! God is in control-today, November 5, 2008, just as He always has been and always will be!
**2 Chronicles 7:14 says, "If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land. "
Let's focus on the fact that Christians are called. Called meaning beckoned and called meaning named-"CHRISTians". Jesus Christ beckoned us to Himself, and He put His glorious name on us!
The thing is, that in light of the recent election, we as Christians have a major responsibility. We can feel very outnumbered and downcast in a country that selected a leader who does not seem to uphold the name under which our country was founded. But as Christians, do we? I know that I have sat in front of my T.V. being entertained by the same sinful agenda that disgusts me about the majority of the American mindset. And that's just a start. Out of absolute fear and dread I have followed the instructions of this verse. Many of you have as well. But let's not stop now, when HOPE seems more frail than ever before.
**Psalm 43:3-4 says, "Send forth your light and truth, let them guide me; let them bring me to your holy mountain, to the place where you dwell. Then will I go to the altar of God, my joy and my delight.
God is the one that sends guidance and brings us to Himself. We could not draw to Him on our own, because our flesh had no awareness of our need and no desire to have it met. He brought us to Himself and this is the HOPE we have.
**Psalm 51:12 says, "Restore unto me the joy of your salvation (again, it is His to give) and grant a willing spirit to sustain me.
Though we do have HOPE, we will certainly need to be sustained during this next season, as our nation faces "change". The following verses clench it for me.
**Isaiah 40:28-31 says, "Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Lord is the creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and His understanding, no one can fathom. He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who HOPE in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.
This is not prophesy, so please do not read into it, but indulge me while I expand on a few facts I found about our national symbol: The bald eagle.
1.) The bald eagle got it's name, not because it is bald, but because it's head and the very tip of its' tail is white. (The parallel as I see it is of God, in His purity, being the beginning and the end.)
2.)The body of the bald eagle is dark brown. (The parallel to me is that this season of time, when we have turned from God as a nation, is full of darkness. There will be consequences. There will be sorrow.)
3.)The bald eagle was chosen because of its' rarity, and it is becoming extinct. However, provisions have been made to protect this bird and preserve it from extinction. (The parallel here is pretty obvious. As a christian people, we are becoming weak and greatly outnumbered. But God has made provision to strengthen and preserve us.)
4.)The wingspan of the bald eagle is 80 inches. (So, I know a guy that is 6'9" and I am trying to picture him stretched out sideways in the sky. Minus one inch, and that would be it. Pretty stinkin' powerful! Amazing actually!)
If that doesn't excite you or at least give you HOPE, consider the following verses.
**Galatians 6:9 says, "Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up."
**Isaiah 40:23 says, "He brings princes to naught and reduces the rulers of this world to nothing."
There are countless verses about hope and joy and peace. There are also, tons and tons of verses which instruct us in "doing good". Let us not give up Hope! Let us not grow weary! And let us not be conformed to the ways of this world! Take heart!!! God is in control-today, November 5, 2008, just as He always has been and always will be!
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