Worship for the Weekday
Hope and Good Courage
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Psalms 146:1-6
Praise ye the Lord. Praise the Lord, O my soul. While I live will I praise the Lord: I will sing praises unto my God while I have any being. Put not your trust in princes, [nor] in the son of man, in whom [there is] no help. His breath goeth forth, he returneth to his earth; in that very day his thoughts perish. Happy [is he] that [hath] the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope [is] in the Lord his God: Which made heaven, and earth, the sea, and all that therein [is]: which keepeth truth for ever:
Deuteronomy 31:6-8
Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the Lord thy God, he [it is] that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee. And Moses called unto Joshua, and said unto him in the sight of all Israel, Be strong and of a good courage: for thou must go with this people unto the land which the Lord hath sworn unto their fathers to give them; and thou shalt cause them to inherit it. And the Lord, he [it is] that doth go before thee; he will be with thee, he will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed. The Lord God goes before us. I’ve come to terms with this truth recently in a rather surprising way! Our son has dealt with some undiagnosed learning disabilities his entire life. At 19 (this year) we finally received a valid diagnosis, and so are able to acquire some services that will allow him to live a full and productive life. My initial response to the situation was not one of joy, though. I was angry and sad—in fact, I was both outraged and devastated that he did not receive the help he should have had while in the school system.
Last week, I met one of my dear brothers in Christ for our annual Christmas “meet at the book store coffee shop” to get caught up on the year past and share plans for the upcoming year. While we were talking I had the revelation that I was being quite sinful in that I was limiting God and his power and doubting his wisdom. I had shared that I was so sad and angry that my son might not have the life he “could have” had if he had of received more help during his school years. Then I posed (to myself as much as my friend), “Who am I to question God?” Further, I shared, “How do I know that God did not intend the exact path for my son that he was on throughout his life?”
Even if the path was not the one “originally” planned for him, God surely will use everything my son has experienced and struggled with and celebrated and use it for his good and bountiful future! I wasn’t looking at all the wonderful qualities my son has, at all the ways he sees the world as a godly and faithful young man. I was discounting God’s ability and desire to overcome whatever obstacles man puts in our way and to turn it into something more, even better, than it might have been otherwise.
These verses tell us not to “trust in man” or to rely upon the wisdom or inherent goodness of human kind. We are rather to lean upon God and his understanding, wisdom, power and will. His knowledge is perfect. His wisdom is without flaw. His understanding far surpasses anything the human mind can comprehend. My son’s hope has always been in the Lord. It is my hope that has faltered and been overshadowed by doubt and fear.
God not only prepares us for our future, he sustains us in our present and transforms our past to equip us to do His good will. If that is not reason for hope and good courage, I don’t know what is. I’ll say it again: God not only prepares us for our future, he sustains us in our present and transforms our past to equip us to do His good will.
My prayer today is that you will Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid. And that you will sing praises unto your God while you have any being.
Mary
Labels: courage, faith, fear, future, hope
The Gift of Grace
Ephesians 2:7-10
We are saved by grace, through faith; this salvation is not from what we do, it is a gift from God; Salvation comes from faith and not by works, so that no one can boast about what they did to get to heaven.
James 2:14, 17
“Dear brothers and sisters, what's the use of saying you have faith if you don't prove it by your actions? That kind of faith can't save anyone. … So you see, it isn't enough just to have faith. Faith that doesn't show itself by good deeds is no faith at all—it is dead and useless.”
Do these two passages seem to contradict each other? In the first passage, we read we’re saved by grace, and not by what we do. In the second, we read that faith without works is dead and useless. Hmmm. So which is the one by which we should live? Which one do we follow? Of course, you know I’m going to say both!
What I take away from these two scripture passages is that first of all, we are indeed saved by grace—God’s grace. We have the unspeakably generous gift of his grace in spite of our inherent sinfulness and propensity to demonstrate all the worse characteristics of humanity. Our faith that we have already received God’s grace and so are assured of a future with him in heaven is borne our by how we live our lives. We are not to ever think we have earned the prize because of our own doing. No, we have won it in spite of ourselves!
So how does the passage from James fit into the picture? We’ve already declared we trust and believe that God’s grace is unconditional—available merely by believing it is so. James addresses what should be our natural response to being saved by God’s grace. Think of the Good Samaritan, think of those from modern times who risk everything to help someone else or to take a stand on an important issue. Think about the person who holds the door for you when your arms are full. Think of allowing someone with 2 items go in front of you in the grocery store because you have a cart full.
We don’t have to be missionaries and live a life of poverty far from home in order to live out our faith. James tells us that it’s wonderful to have faith! God is pleased that you believe his promise! Acting upon that faith is a natural response to our gratitude and joy that we are saved! When we have faith, we cannot help but want to share it with the world!
So let’s review. We have this astounding gift of grace from God, freely given and offered without condition or cost. Our natural response to the gift is to share it with others. Not that we are not saved without sharing it, but that we cannot help but declare God’s unspeakable generosity and mercy. Faith without works means we haven’t fully grasped or embraced the gift of grace. It is so incredible that we just can’t wrap our minds around the why of it. There is no love on earth that equals God’s love for us. That’s the why. God made us to be his. He longs for us. He gave us a no-fail way to get to heaven so we could be with him at the end of time.
Psalm 51:15-1715. O Lord, open my lips, That my mouth may declare Thy praise. 16. For Thou dost not delight in sacrifice, otherwise I would give it; Thou art not pleased with burnt offering. 17. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; A broken and a contrite heart, O God, Thou wilt not despise.
My prayer today is that your faith is demonstrated by your works. And that your works cause others to ask you “why?”
Mary
Labels: faith, grace, praise, works
Seek Poverty
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Proverbs 3:5-6
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.
1 Samuel 17:39
David fastened on his sword over the tunic and tried walking around, because he was not used to them. "I cannot go in these," he said to Saul, "because I am not used to them." So he took them off.
David was preparing to fight Goliath – a “giant” – the representative of a tribe of giants. Of course Saul’s natural instinct was to arm David with his (Saul’s) armor. Saul’s armor would have been extraordinary I’m sure and designed to protect Saul’s life against all forms of attack. David had faith in himself and his own natural abilities, though. He felt weighed down and knew he would be encumbered by the unfamiliar armor.
No, David needed to be unencumbered by man’s tools, weapons, armor and ideas. He needed to trust in God—the God who had given him the expert ability to use that slingshot—and the God he somehow knew had hand-picked him for this task. David didn’t need worldly protection! He had divine protection.
The world is very busy telling us what we need and what we should have. If you watch any television at all you know that there is a pill for whatever ails you. Retail therapy cures all ills and acquiring more and bigger and better things will make your life more enjoyable. Those messages are hard to ignore. Americans live in a bubble, surrounded by those who want us to don man’s armor.
Too often, we heed the advice of the drug companies, the car companies, the furniture stores, the “once-in-a-lifetime, going-out-of-business” sales. We buy a new car, start looking for a bigger, more expensive house, eat fast food-but now it’s healthier-and never seek God and His understanding, His will for us, His desires for our lives.
My husband and I were talking last night about a revelation he had recently. His comment really struck me at the time because of its profundity and it has stuck in my mind since. He said we should seek poverty. Seek poverty. Now isn’t that counter to what “the world” tells us? In truth vast numbers of people living in the world today live in poverty. They live in abject poverty, squalor. They are on the verge of starvation. They literally live in poverty.
But I think my husband was speaking to something a little different. We have learned so well to rely upon God and his understanding in the past year. We have had no choice. Since he lost his job over a year ago, my husband has worked steadily, but in many different part time and temporary jobs in search of the one that was a good fit. Without the regular full time income and benefits, we’ve been forced to evaluate our lives and what is essential to us.
What we have discovered is that in spite of our lack of substantial income, we have thrived spiritually. Our relationship has grown deeper, stronger more spiritual. Both of us now strive to discover what lessons God wants us to learn and how he wants us to apply them to our lives and to our ministry as believers.
I don’t know what the future holds for us. I do know that God has it all under control and has already lain out the path he wants us to follow-individually and as a couple. Sometimes I am impatient. Sometimes I try to don the world’s armor. But it is very heavy and awkward compared to the easy, light burden and yoke of faith.
My prayer today is that you seek poverty. And that you rejoice in the abundance of God’s gift to you—His grace.
Mary
Labels: abundance, faith, grace, poverty
The Voice of the Lord
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Isaiah 6:8
Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I. Send me!”
I was pretty sure I had recently included verse 8 in one of my devotions. In fact, “Here am I” was the title of one of them. I have shared since I’ve resumed my morning posts that I have been waiting and wondering what God has in store for me. I’m rather pleased with myself that I haven’t immediately filled up my calendar with activities to fill the time. I have tried to be intentional, pray and wait for God to reveal and affirm His desire for me and for my life.
That is very out of character for me! I have been impatient and even impetuous in the past. I’ve been investigating various organizations and considering numerous opportunities to serve, but I am waiting . . . and praying . . . and giving the decisions to God. In the past I have incorrectly interpreted verse 8 to mean that I had to be the one who did it all! Save the world single-handedly! I believed I could because I was on the side of God.
What so often happens though when we fill our lives and spend our time on so many activities is that we don’t do a “check-in” to be sure we’re in line with God’s desire and plan. When I pause to allow God to affirm me and what I’m doing, I allow Him to be in charge. Over the past year or so I have stepped back from leadership positions in church and in my community. I felt I needed a break to rest in God and to evaluate where I was in my faith and in my faith journey. It has been very instructive. The earth has actually continued to spin on it’s axis without my micromanagement!
I received a call a couple of weeks ago from a woman who asked me to participate in an activity that I had been interested in for a long time. Since my calendar wasn’t full of “very important” activities, I was able to join a group of people on Saturday to protest gun sales without background checks. Now don’t stop reading! It’s not about gun ownership—it’s about sensible gun laws. Anyway, that’s not the point! The point is I was available. Then on Sunday I composed a poem about gun violence—it came unbidden throughout the day. It came from that creative, compassionate center of my soul that I do not control, but rather obey.
That’s how I know I’m in line with God’s will for me – He takes over and uses my gifts and my abilities to advance His Word, to do His bidding, to add my voice to the noise, to the grinding din that can overpower the still small voice within. Yes, God wants us to step up and be the one who goes for Him. First, though, He wants us to know what we are to do, and how, and when and where!
My prayer today is that you find a quiet place to spend time listening for the voice of the Lord. And that you declare, “Here am I,” when you discover what you are to do, and where, and how, and when.
Mary
Labels: activities, faith, faith journey, God's will, prayer
Come Thirsty
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John 4:25-30-39-42
25. The woman said to him, "I know that Messiah is coming (he who is called Christ); when he comes, he will show us all things." 26. Jesus said to her, "I who speak to you am he." 27. Just then his disciples came. They marveled that he was talking with a woman, but none said, "What do you wish?" or, "Why are you talking with her?" 28. So the woman left her water jar, and went away into the city, and said to the people, 29. "Come, see a man who told me all that I ever did. Can this be the Christ?" 30. They went out of the city and were coming to him. 39. Many Samaritans from that city believed in him because of the woman's testimony, "He told me all that I ever did." 40. So when the Samaritans came to him, they asked him to stay with them; and he stayed there two days. 41. And many more believed because of his word. 42. They said to the woman, "It is no longer because of your words that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is indeed the Savior of the world."
Immediately preceding these verses is the story of the Woman at the Well. She is one of the New Testament figures to whom I most relate. Not that I have had “many husbands” as we learn she has. I relate to her because of her thirst. She represents, for me, that part of each of us that longs for something more than what this world can offer us. She needed hope. She needed to be looked upon as a person of value. She needed Christ! She is each of us.
The story tells us that it was noon or mid-afternoon when the woman went to the well in the center of town for water. Most often women or older children went to the well early in the morning before it was too hot, and in order to have water for cooking and cleaning for the day. This woman was either shunned by the other women or was ashamed and wanted to avoid the sneers and sarcastic asides of the other women and so avoided them.
Of course we know that it was no coincidence that Jesus chose to rest at that particular well. It wasn’t uncommon for the disciples to play a “caretaking” role on Christ’s behalf. They wanted to serve him and do whatever they could to protect and sustain him, so they went to town to buy food while he rested at that well. The woman was so overcome with excitement and astonishment, she forgot why she had even come to that well – or no longer cared. Though she was an outcast, she spoke to everyone she met. She didn’t care what the others said or thought—she couldn’t keep this to herself! It had to be shared!
The surprising thing is that the others believed her. Even though she was a woman; even though she was an outcast; even though she had no right to look them in the eye, they believed her! I imagine they thought she must be speaking the truth since she was defying all convention and disregarding her low status to address them. I’m sure they noticed the change in her face and in her eyes, as well. The sullen, gray complexion and dull, dark eyes were surely to a smooth, warm skin tone and dancing, sparkling eyes! She must have truly met the Messiah! Nothing else could explain the profound transformation.
What about us? We’ve drunk deeply from that well. Do we glow? Do our eyes dance and sparkle when we share the Good News? Are we truly new creatures in Christ? All too often we keep silent so as not to offend or annoy others. Political correctness seems to be the order of the day in the U.S. Be careful not to hurt anyone’s feelings by sharing your religious beliefs. We don’t want to take the chance that someone will think we’re a “Jesus freak” or wacky, or out of touch with “reality.” The message Christ delivered is for everyone. If we truly live a Christ-like life, we couldn’t possibly offend anyone. Nothing we say about Jesus and His message is counter to acceptance, peace, cooperation, understanding or compassion. Jesus stands for hope! Jesus is the incarnation of God’s grace.
I believe that any God big enough to send his son/himself to earth to deliver a message so profound and so radical is big enough to love and accept all faiths based on the principles Christ represents. Some faith systems are much older than Christianity. I think Christ is for those of us who need him. Don’t forget, Christ is God! I don’t think it can be wrong for those of other faiths to worship God based on their history, ethnicity and heritage. We all have the same goal: heaven. Call me a heretic, but I think God can be manifested in many different ways. We all hunger and thirst for Him. I have found Him in the person of Christ. That well is never empty. No matter how thirsty I am, my thirst is quenched each time I read His word and live out His teachings to the best of my ability.
My prayer today is that you come thirsty to the well of living water. And that you offer a cool drink to everyone you meet.
Mary
Labels: belief, Christ, faith, God, Messiah woman
Here Am I!
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2 Timothy 3:1-5
1. But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of stress. 2. For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3. inhuman, implacable, slanderers, profligates, fierce, haters of good, 4. treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5. holding the form of religion but denying the power of it. Avoid such people.
1 Chronicles 16:35
Say also: "Deliver us, O God of our salvation, and gather and save us from among the nations, that we may give thanks to thy holy name, and glory in thy praise.
Year after year I think to myself that surely things can’t get much worse in the world. Year after year I’m proven wrong! I never cease to be amazed at human capacity to destroy and defile not just each other, but everything in our wake. The anger and arrogance, recklessness and blatant lack of awareness of who we are and whose we are is stunning. And year after year we manage to escalate our mindless, soulless disregard for each other and our world to a new level.
Isn’t that the first response to the evening news? Threats of yet another war somewhere in a land far away, the latest escapades of a spoiled and misguided movie star, drought, famine, starvation, earthquakes, bridge collapses, HIV/AIDS, ethnic cleansing, global warming and on and on and on. Do you ever find yourself thinking these must be the last days? Where are the lovers of God? Where are the peacemakers and the healers? What happened to our life?
Well, I have a feeling we haven’t hit rock bottom yet! Sadly, we’re not even close to bottom! So what is our alternative to being victimized and sucked in to the ways of the world? How do we live a life worthy of God’s grace when all around us there is a glaring lack of evidence that it even exists? I think the verse from Chronicles would be a good place to start. Call out to God for our deliverance; our personal deliverance, and the deliverance of God’s world.
There are plenty of reasons to adopt a woe is me attitude. I can understand why so many may be hopeless and disillusioned. At first glance it does appear as if God has left us alone and on our own. That’s why it’s so important to surround ourselves with other Christians. Without a church family and a faith community, we have no place to go, no comfort or reassurance, no hope for the future. Unless we can counter what the world tells us with a reminder of what Christ tells us, we can become hopeless, distraught, afraid and discouraged.
Timothy was written a couple of thousand years ago! And the world is still here. Mankind is still alive and kicking! Somehow we’ve managed to survive. God’s incredible grace has sustained us through the ages. God has sent to live among us today people like Jimmy Carter, Nelson Mandela, medical missionaries and doctors without borders, The Red Cross and volunteer aid workers, prayer warriors and nameless, faceless saints whose names we’ll never know. God’s people are in the world. They labor for His kingdom. They are
doing something to make this world a better place to live in.
We are called to be a people apart. Not separate from the world, but apart from it. We are to live by a higher calling. We are to be the face of God to a fallen and sin-filled world. We are to be the difference. We are to call out to God on behalf of those who cannot or will not do so.
”He has showed you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?”[Micah 6:8] “And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?" Then I said, "Here am I! Send me."[Isaiah 6:8]
The world is calling out for you. Pick a cause; make a donation; say a prayer. Do something. Be the one who does justice, loves kindness and walks humbly with your God.
My prayer today is that you will respond “Here am I!” when the world calls out. And that you give thanks to God’s holy name and rejoice in His praise.
Mary
Labels: drought, faith, famine, grace, HIV/AIDS, justice, kindness, missionary, war
The Secret
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Philippians 4:11-13
11. Not that I complain of want; for I have learned, in whatever state I am, to be content. 12. I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound; in any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and want. 13. I can do all things in him who strengthens me.
Paul was imprisoned numerous times because of his faith. He really knew what he was talking about when he said he knew how to be abased and to face want. He actually rejoiced each time he was persecuted and hungry! Persecution was the measuring stick Paul used to determine if he was doing all he could to advance the message of Jesus Christ! Less is more never applied so aptly than in this man’s life after he was converted!
I’ve never been imprisoned. Although in my youth, during the Vietnam War, I thought it would be cool to be arrested at an anti-war protest. Actually, I still do think that’s pretty cool, but I like my creature comforts way too much now and have some health concerns . . . yeah, I know . . . Paul’s point was that he was living for the next life! This life was just the trial run. This life was intended to prepare us for heaven. Carrying that logic forward, the more hardship, suffering, etc., one endures as a disciple of Christ the less refining is left to be done. More is better in this context.
One thing God revealed to me throughout the past eight months of our adventures in unemployment, underemployment and losing and finding jobs is that money makes a big difference. I don’t mean money makes a difference in whether you live in a million dollar house or a rented apartment. I don’t mean money makes a difference in whether or not you order prime rib at an expensive restaurant or “dine in” at a fast food restaurant. Having money matters when you look to your future needs. Being able to pay your bills is not a “given.” It is a luxury and a blessing. Knowing your future is secure financially is a gift! Yes these things take planning and work. But they are also by God’s grace.
Fortunately, we never dipped below the poverty line. We had savings we could draw on when needed. Many do not have that cushion built in. What I realized is that being in want is really scary. Being hungry is an uncomfortable feeling if you’re not sure when you’ll have your next meal. Being in want is a constant stressor and strain on your relationships and in your life. We realized some other important things throughout these past months. We didn’t have enough life insurance. The main reason for this is that we had both worked for many years for employers who provided at least a minimum level of life insurance.
Now that we are “older” we need more life insurance, because neither of us wants to work until we die at 90! More than that, we realize that is a responsible thing to do. We are now aware that life insurance is a luxury that many working poor, and even middle class workers, don’t have. It’s expensive. We’ve decided to bite the bullet. Being assured neither of us will lose our house or our lifestyle is a tremendous comfort and relief. I didn’t realize that not having that safety net was a “background stressor.”
We knew that our reduced income was a temporary situation. But my eyes were opened to a whole way of living that I didn’t really comprehend before. If you never expect to have enough, or a little bit more than enough, that’s really tough. That reality shapes every decision you make in your life. That is a difficult way to live and I have deep compassion for the working poor on a level I could never really understand previously. I have been given a vision of what the future would look like if we never did find jobs that afforded us a good income. I have spent time reflecting upon what years of joblessness might look like and how it must feel to be on welfare.
We’re evaluating our lives and our lifestyle in a whole new way now. One way we managed our money differently than we would have several years ago is that we never stopped our tithing to our church. We didn’t reduce our weekly offering to our church even on the weeks we had literally no income. It didn’t even occur to us. We never discussed it. A few weeks ago it hit me that we hadn’t even had a conversation about it. It didn’t make me feel prideful or boastful. It made me realize in a very personal and absolute way that God has been providing for us and we
expected that provision. Somehow He has helped us see that our faith in Him is all we need to survive—and to thrive.
Money is not the root of all evil. Love of money is. Lack of money can be, too. Another lesson we have learned is to be content in whatever state we are in.
My prayer today is that you trust in God and His promises. And that you rejoice, knowing you can do all things in him who strengthens you.
Mary
Labels: faith, God, tithing, trials, trust
In Him We Have Our Being
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Acts 17:27-28
God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us. 'For in him we live and move and have our being.'
My household has clung very tightly to the truths revealed in this passage throughout the past several months. ‘For in him we live and move and have our being’ describes and explains how our life has been throughout the past 8 months. To say we’ve been in turmoil and had our world fall apart, built-up, fall apart, built-up . . . well, it’s kind of an understatement.
My husband lost his job in September. He was well-paid and working in an industry he had become quite expert in over the years. A series of circumstances led to his being let go. Not his fault, just the way of the world these days. I didn’t panic. Well, I did panic a little, because I had left my good-paying job several months earlier to pursue my interest in writing on a full time basis. But we remained optimistic and resolute. We continued to trust in God and His provision for us and our family.
Weeks passed. Months passed. I took a part time job and continued writing. Several more months passed. Hot dog! We hit the jackpot. He got a job offer. It was in a brand new arena for him, working as a salesman. Okay. I went back to work full-time while he began his adventure in commissioned sales. We agreed it would only be until he was able to bring his income back to a particular level – not the level it had been, but to a level that would allow us to live modestly but comfortably. We remained faithful, resolute, and completely trusted in God.
This job turned out to be dreadful in every way! “God, we trust you, but what’s the deal?” was an ongoing question raised on high. He stuck it out, certain that there were lessons God wanted him to learn – and us to learn as a couple and a family. Months passed. He continued to search for other work. The job got worse and we began to notice a strain on our marriage. My husband implemented what he calls the “screaming prayer” during this time. ‘GOD, I LOVE YOU AND TRUST YOU BUT I NEED ANOTHER JOB—NOW!” I am certain many of these prayers were more ardent, direct and probably a bit colorful!
Wonderful! A new job! He was very happy, though salary remained substantially less than it had been in September. But it was fun, he enjoyed it, learned a lot, had a great deal of freedom. You name it, he had it going on! Two weeks ago his boss flew into town to tell him the company had decided to “go another route” and that they were letting their regional sales reps go, effective at 5:00 pm on that day. By this time, we were pretty much shock proof. I immediately said I thought this latest job was merely a stop gap to get him out of the toxic job he so desperately wanted rid of. We still kept the faith.
Next Wednesday, my husband starts yet another new job. This one has the potential to bring his salary up to the “last September level.” I’m not quitting my job yet. We’re still keeping the faith. We have learned to seek God and to rely upon him alone through all of this.
We felt we were faithful and faith-filled. The past several months have shown us what it really means to rely upon God and the promise of His provision for us. Throughout all of this we have continued to feel blessed and cared for and cared about.
I write this not to focus on our faith and our trust in God. I write it to offer hope to those who may be experiencing a bump in the road, or a curve in the road, or maybe even a huge earthquake in their previously comfortable, satisfactory life. I write this as a caution to those who have begun to feel self-reliant and self-realized. Don’t be fooled for one minute. Without God, nothing we have in this world, nor anything we do on this earth makes a bit of difference. God is the source of everything. Not man. Not money. Not power or wealth, and certainly not you or me.
It is God and God alone in whom we live and move and have our being. My prayer today is that you never stop seeking after him, and reaching out for him. And that you find him in your coming and going, in your living and your doing.
Mary
Labels: faith, job, work
Fearfully and Wonderfully Made
Psalm 139:14
I will give thanks unto thee; For I am fearfully and wonderfully made: Wonderful are thy works; And that my soul knoweth right well.
This is a copy of a posting I orginally made at orble.com on March 26. Regular readers will realize I have gone from making a daily posting to once or twice a week . . . to weekly . . . to seldom. I don't know exactly what that's all about. Well . . . I guess in all honesty I've been "busy" with the business of living. I told my husband last night that in spite of revelations over the past several weeks, I have refused to succumb to seeking God first AND last. I made a promise to myself and to God, but have broken it over and over again. I know I have suffered physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually because of my disobedience.
Thankfully, I worship a God of second chances, third chances, forty times forty chances. I'm starting over today. Here's where I am -- again!
A little over a week ago (mid-March) I sat in a doctor’s office with some hard-to-identify illness. There was discussion of white count and IV antibiotics and hospitalization. I was alternately stunned, numb, terrified at the thought that I might not be able to live out my life as I had seen it unfolding for me in the past several months.
The ultimate diagnosis indicated a condition that was serious but not life-threatening. The wake-up call, however, was undeniable In the midst of all the testing and poking and prodding I made a promise to God: regardless of diagnosis or prognosis, my life changes today! I realize now that I could only make that promise, more than a promise – a covenant – because God has been preparing me for this lifestyle change for a long time. I had, in fact, begun the preparation before I ever knew I would care or need to know how to accomplish my goal.
My weight is out of control and has been most of my life. While that was not the cause of the illness for which I am being treated, I know it is a symptom of a greater illness—impacting everything else in my life—an illness of the heart.
I had lost weight before only to gain it back – the yo-yo effect everyone talks about and so many have experienced. I know what to eat, how to eat, how much to eat, when to eat and in which combination foods are to be eaten. I know because I’ve read all the books, researched every new and better plan, done all the dieting, and learned all the scientific evidence behind why every diet “works.”
I’m ignoring it all! I’m not on a diet plan now. I’m just eating properly and exercising. I don’t know how many pounds I’ll lose, though that’s not the point. I know I will feel better, have more energy and stamina and creativity. This time it just feels different.
The difference this time is that I have a reason to be healthy and whole beyond my own selfish desire to look better and feel better: to do the work God designed me to do. It is to live out the plan he has made for me. God has indeed been preparing me in many ways for this turning point. Many of the events in my life have served to shape and mold, refine and redefine who I am at my core. God has been busy within me—in my mind and my heart and especially within my soul. So this time things are different.
The difference this time is that it is not about me and what I want and what I feel I’m depriving myself of by not eating the food I am so addicted to, or my eating because of what I feel so deprived of otherwise in my life. This time it is about God’s desire for me to be the person He sees me as. This time, I want to be the whole, healthy, energetic, dynamic person he sees in his mind’s eye – and I cannot be that person with my current BMI, at my current weight, with my current eating habits, and in my current job.
When we talk about needing to set our mind on something – like losing weight or quitting smoking or giving up another addiction – it’s really missing the point. We need to set our hearts on it. We need to surrender our own will and our own desires to God. The past 50 years have borne out the fact that I am incapable of doing what I need to do to be healthy and whole on my own. It is now clear, in no uncertain terms, that God must be the key ingredient.
Vocabulary changes once God enters into the conversation.
“I’ll go to the gym if I’m not too exhausted after work,” becomes “After I go to the gym I’ll have more energy and feel better. I also won’t be as hungry for junk food, and will want healthful foods for nourishment.” Each of us can substitute the vocabulary for his own stronghold and replace it with a new vocabulary that contains God-filled, God-centered words of renewal and rebirth.
This is about more than my desire to lose weight. My weight is the last stronghold in my life, the last vestige of my own attempting to be in charge of myself and my life. I have used food as an excuse to not be the person God made me to be. I don’t even like most of the junk food I’ve been medicating myself with all these years! I am a defiant and rebellious child, petulant and ego-centric.
What is so breathtaking to me is that God doesn’t care how much I weigh. He doesn’t care what I look like. He doesn’t care what clothes I wear, or where I live. He doesn’t love me less because I have built this wall of food addiction around me. He doesn’t try to knock down the wall, because he knows he could at any time. But he hasn’t done so because He wants me to be the one to punch a hole in the brickwork and walk on through to the other side.
Of course, God wants me to be healthy and happy and whole. I don’t speak the truth when I say he doesn’t care. God cares very much. He cares so much he hung on a cross for me. He hung there, by choice, to show me how very much I mean to him. What I meant to say is that God is not distracted or deterred in his love for me by appearances or circumstances.
God cares so much that he wants me to be healthy and whole and to grow into the woman he designed me to be, with a specific purpose and a gift to give the world.
Labels: faith, God, health, trust, wholeness
Lacking in Nothing
John 16:33 These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.
James 1:3-4For you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
These verses in James don’t suggest that we will be lacking in nothing simply because our faith is steadfast and strong. We may lose a job, have a house burn to the ground, a friend or relative could become gravely ill or even die. James is not talking about a lacking in this world. He’s talking about lacking in nothing because of Christ. He's assuring that Christ is our sufficiency, in this world and in the next.
James and John both encourage us not to fret and become discouraged because of our trials and tribulations in this life. Neither of them implies that it’s not normal and acceptable to be sad, to feel pressured, even sometimes a bit depressed. What they are reminding us though, is that everything in this world will pass away and perfection in Christ will be realized in heaven.
This verse from John is one of my “hallmark” verses, one that scrolls at the top of the pages on the website. Christ has overcome the world! Any day I forget that, is a day I haven’t lived into who I am and who God wants me to be. Any day I become distracted by the things of this world, the trials, the annoyances, the really difficult situations, that’s a day I wasted.
There is nothing in my life to complain about. I’ve got it much easier than many others I know personally and vicariously through others and the media. Don’t get me wrong, my family and I have struggles. We’re faced with tough situations on a daily basis, individually and as a family. So if I have nothing to complain about, who am I to lecture?
I am merely one who has been saved by God’s grace, through the gift of Jesus Christ. I have lived for many years believing the words of scripture in my head and wanting desperately to accept them with my heart. Many times I felt God working in me, peeling away, burning off and scraping away everything in me that was not of his making or liking. Countless times I have assured myself, “OK, now I’m done.” I repeatedly convinced myself that I was now going to have a faith life that was pretty routine and easy to maintain and sustain.
That’s where the trap is: believing we are “good enough” now. I often wonder if the chicken and the egg analogy applies to life. We begin to rely upon our own strength and wisdom, something difficult happens, we turn to God, either asking why or begging forgiveness. We draw closer and closer to Him as we turn to Him more and more ardently and intentionally. Our lives seem to improve and we have a stronger faith life. Then we get comfortable again and the cycle starts all over. I sit here today proclaiming I don’t know anything except Christ Jesus, died, buried and risen on the third day. I take courage each day, resting in the assurance that He has overcome the world!
My prayer today is that you confess Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior every single day of your life. And that you let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
Mary.
Labels: Christ, faith, James, John, steadfast, struggles, trials
