Standing at the kitchen sink, elbow deep in suds, I was surprised at my calm.
I could hear the hum of conversation behind the closed door beyond the hall. I knew the voice on the other end of the line was giving the news we'd expected but wern't looking forward to hearing.
Wednesday, August 29, 2012
Wednesday, August 15, 2012
He is at Work
"God is working in you to make you willing and able to obey." Philippians 2:13
Have you ever thought you could change someone else?
If you just tried hard enough... wanted it bad enough for them, somehow it would come about eventually.
I have. It's exhausting. Mostly because it doesn't work, and all it does is leave us frustrated, resentful and ridden with anxiety. That alone should be a sure sign that we aren't doing it God's way.
Didn't Jesus tell us that if we took His yoke upon ourselves it would be an easy yolk... a light burden?
But trying to change those around us is not easy, it's hard. And the burden of doing so is a heavy one.
That's because it's not our job.
The process of transformation in each person is always, only the job of Jesus. He is the Author of each person's faith, He alone is the perfecter. He alone is the one who began the good work in them, He alone will be the one faithful to complete it.
When we stand before him one day, it will be to answer for that which we ourselves have been given. Our life. Our days. Each will give an account for themselves.
Sometimes in our love for those around us we can mistake our anxiety for their spiritual growth as a mark of our spirituality, or our depth of caring. This is a wrong thinking. When the disciples were surrounded by stormy seas, they accused the Lord Jesus of not caring if they drowned. As if him being in a place of rest about the situation showed a lack of compassion or concern. Jesus? Not caring, really? He rebuked them for their fear and lack of faith. (Mark 4)
True spirituality is marked by our ability to entrust the care and growth of those we love into the loving hands of God. Our God, and theirs.
Pray for them, in faith. Speak words of encouragement and life. Yes.
But let us not resort to 'helpful hints', manipulation by guilt, or any other fleshly means to accomplish the holy work of transformation in another soul. It is God's work.
Linking with these great sites today:
Have you ever thought you could change someone else?
If you just tried hard enough... wanted it bad enough for them, somehow it would come about eventually.
I have. It's exhausting. Mostly because it doesn't work, and all it does is leave us frustrated, resentful and ridden with anxiety. That alone should be a sure sign that we aren't doing it God's way.
Didn't Jesus tell us that if we took His yoke upon ourselves it would be an easy yolk... a light burden?
But trying to change those around us is not easy, it's hard. And the burden of doing so is a heavy one.
That's because it's not our job.
The process of transformation in each person is always, only the job of Jesus. He is the Author of each person's faith, He alone is the perfecter. He alone is the one who began the good work in them, He alone will be the one faithful to complete it.
When we stand before him one day, it will be to answer for that which we ourselves have been given. Our life. Our days. Each will give an account for themselves.
Sometimes in our love for those around us we can mistake our anxiety for their spiritual growth as a mark of our spirituality, or our depth of caring. This is a wrong thinking. When the disciples were surrounded by stormy seas, they accused the Lord Jesus of not caring if they drowned. As if him being in a place of rest about the situation showed a lack of compassion or concern. Jesus? Not caring, really? He rebuked them for their fear and lack of faith. (Mark 4)
True spirituality is marked by our ability to entrust the care and growth of those we love into the loving hands of God. Our God, and theirs.
Pray for them, in faith. Speak words of encouragement and life. Yes.
But let us not resort to 'helpful hints', manipulation by guilt, or any other fleshly means to accomplish the holy work of transformation in another soul. It is God's work.
" [Not in your own strength] for it is God Who is all the while effectually at work in you [energizing and creating in you the power and desire], both to will and to work for His good pleasure and satisfaction and delight." Philippians 2:13 Amplified Version
Linking with these great sites today:
Wednesday, August 1, 2012
What I'm Not
What defines you? Here are some things that do NOT define me:
I am not defined by....
what kind of car I drive
how much money is in my bank account
or what people who don't really know me think about me
I am not defined by....
how big or well decorated my home is
how amazing of birthday parties I throw my children
or what stores I shop at
I am not defined by....
being the team mom for my kid's sport
the size and shape of my body
or what brand my jeans are, or purse is
No, these things do not define me.
(And sometimes I have to say it just like that. Big and Bold. If only to myself. Regularly.)
And I try and remember then, what DOES define me, according to God's measuring stick...
How well I love others (John 13:35)
How well I care for the widow and the orphan (James 1:27)
How well I serve the least of my brethren (Matt 25:40)
Some people think that they are defined by how much knowledge that they have acquired, spiritual or otherwise.
But it seems it really all comes down to how well you love.
Jesus commended those who loved with abandon. The woman who poured out the ointment on his feet, all of her best lavished on him with love.
Or the one whom they called sinner, who washed his feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair, of whom Jesus said, "Her many sins have been forgiven - as her great love has shown."
Paul knew how easy it would be for the Christ-follower to get sidetracked, majoring on the minors, forsaking the one command Jesus gave us: Love. And love well.
He wrote in his letter to the church at Corinth:
"
"
I am not defined by....
what kind of car I drive
how much money is in my bank account
or what people who don't really know me think about me
I am not defined by....
how big or well decorated my home is
how amazing of birthday parties I throw my children
or what stores I shop at
I am not defined by....
being the team mom for my kid's sport
the size and shape of my body
or what brand my jeans are, or purse is
No, these things do not define me.
(And sometimes I have to say it just like that. Big and Bold. If only to myself. Regularly.)
And I try and remember then, what DOES define me, according to God's measuring stick...
How well I love others (John 13:35)
How well I care for the widow and the orphan (James 1:27)
How well I serve the least of my brethren (Matt 25:40)
Some people think that they are defined by how much knowledge that they have acquired, spiritual or otherwise.
But it seems it really all comes down to how well you love.
Jesus commended those who loved with abandon. The woman who poured out the ointment on his feet, all of her best lavished on him with love.
Or the one whom they called sinner, who washed his feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair, of whom Jesus said, "Her many sins have been forgiven - as her great love has shown."
Paul knew how easy it would be for the Christ-follower to get sidetracked, majoring on the minors, forsaking the one command Jesus gave us: Love. And love well.
He wrote in his letter to the church at Corinth:
"If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing." 1 Corinthians 13
Can we say, like good ole' Forrest, "I'm not a smart man. But I know what love is."
If we were to strive for this one thing only, to know what love is and do it well, we will have lived a very worthy life indeed.
Defined by love. His love for us. Our love for Him. Our love for others. Period.
Linking today with:
Defined by love. His love for us. Our love for Him. Our love for others. Period.
Linking today with:
"
"
Sunday, July 29, 2012
The Kiss
Relaxing in bed on a Sunday afternoon, half way between sleep and alertness... Too comfortable to even open my eyes though I heard him come in and lie down beside me. His spontaneous kiss came as a surprise. Cool lips that met mine in a unexpected moment of affection. He promptly rolled over and went into his own slumber, the hours of his work week and the emptying of self this morning at the worship service finally catching up and culminating in the glorious Sunday afternoon nap.
I lay there awhile reflecting on that kiss. And the thought came:
God likes it when we love Him like that.
Those unplanned moments of sheer affection.
Sure, He appreciates the methodical, daily devotions (I think, maybe not as much as we think He does?)
And the planned times of prayer.
But oh, how sweet are the times when out of a heart simply filled with love and joy, we attempt in our feeble human ways to show Him how much He means to us.
Sometimes I try too hard. Forgetting I was His Beloved long before I even knew His name, much less how to praise it's glory.
And He loves me still. As much as ever.
A love that runs like a powerful locomotive, a crazy furious storm over me.
Again and again.
It's okay to enjoy this a bit. To take this truth in and hold it and be with it awhile and let it fill me.
To feel the joy of His love for me.
It's like water to all the thirsty places inside me, longing to be filled again.
I find the most life-giving revelations I get are not the new ones, it's the old ones that I've somehow managed to forget.
I'm linking up today with...
I lay there awhile reflecting on that kiss. And the thought came:
God likes it when we love Him like that.
Those unplanned moments of sheer affection.
Sure, He appreciates the methodical, daily devotions (I think, maybe not as much as we think He does?)
And the planned times of prayer.
But oh, how sweet are the times when out of a heart simply filled with love and joy, we attempt in our feeble human ways to show Him how much He means to us.
Sometimes I try too hard. Forgetting I was His Beloved long before I even knew His name, much less how to praise it's glory.
And He loves me still. As much as ever.
A love that runs like a powerful locomotive, a crazy furious storm over me.
Again and again.
It's okay to enjoy this a bit. To take this truth in and hold it and be with it awhile and let it fill me.
To feel the joy of His love for me.
It's like water to all the thirsty places inside me, longing to be filled again.
I find the most life-giving revelations I get are not the new ones, it's the old ones that I've somehow managed to forget.
I'll never grow so old
That I won't need Your touch
I'll never be so strong
That it would ever be enough
I'll never be so sure
Or wise in my own eyes
That I won't humbly come and say,
"I will always need You here with me,
Every new day, each breath I breath.
There is never going to be
Anyone else for me.
Show me how to rest within Your arms
A peaceful place within the storm.
For every moment that I am with You
Feels like coming Home."
Beloved: Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth— for your love is more delightful than wine. Song of Songs 1:2
I'm linking up today with...
Tuesday, July 3, 2012
To Be Kind
The words were on the tip of my tongue. My mouth actually open, when I heard a whisper,
"Be Kind."
My world at home is filled with the noise of four children and a husband that works from home, too. Noise, I am used to. So much so that I've gotten pretty good at tuning it out to focus on whatever task is at hand.
But a whisper... A whisper catches my attention.
My mouth snapped shut, swallowing my words hard. (They did not go down without a fight, but they went down.) Swimming up from memory came the fruit of His Spirit,
KINDNESS
PATIENCE
JOY
LOVE
I did a quick spiritual health check-up and realized it's an attribute that has been missing in me of late.
Kindness doesn't ramshod over others to express itself. Like patience and gentleness, it's one of the quiet graces, the kind not celebrated too often in the world we are sojourning through. And yet, it is a huge part of who God is.
What does kindness look like?
Today, for me, kindness meant holding back words that were better left unsaid. I'm hoping that as I lean in to hear that whisper again this week, I can be teachable. Learning from the God of kindness, what it means to be kind.
I'd love to hear what some of you have learned from God about kindness. Perhaps we can learn together.
"Be Kind."
My world at home is filled with the noise of four children and a husband that works from home, too. Noise, I am used to. So much so that I've gotten pretty good at tuning it out to focus on whatever task is at hand.
But a whisper... A whisper catches my attention.
My mouth snapped shut, swallowing my words hard. (They did not go down without a fight, but they went down.) Swimming up from memory came the fruit of His Spirit,
KINDNESS
PATIENCE
JOY
LOVE
I did a quick spiritual health check-up and realized it's an attribute that has been missing in me of late.
Kindness doesn't ramshod over others to express itself. Like patience and gentleness, it's one of the quiet graces, the kind not celebrated too often in the world we are sojourning through. And yet, it is a huge part of who God is.
What does kindness look like?
Today, for me, kindness meant holding back words that were better left unsaid. I'm hoping that as I lean in to hear that whisper again this week, I can be teachable. Learning from the God of kindness, what it means to be kind.
"But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, he saved us..." Titus 3:4
I'd love to hear what some of you have learned from God about kindness. Perhaps we can learn together.
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