God's Love Doesn't Depend on Us

It never fails.  My Ladies II Sunday School Class always inspires me to write. 

This week, we have been reading and talking about the battle between the Israelites and the Philistines in I Samuel 3-6.  These two enemy groups battle many times throughout the book, but in this particular battle, something horrible happened.  The Ark of the Covenant was captured.  Now, that may not sound like much, but when you realize the Ark of the Covenant illustrated God's presence, the horrific reality becomes apparent.  

It all started when Israel lost their first fight with the Philistines. They got the "bright idea" to take the Ark of the Covenant into the next battle with them - using it like a small child would use a rabbit's foot.  They just knew they couldn't lose with God's presence on their side.

The problem is, they had NO business moving the Ark without God's permission.  They were doing something totally on their own, apart from Him.  So, they moved the Ark, and severe consequences erupted...for them and for the Philistines. 

You see, while the Ark of the Covenant remained in Philistine territory, a plague flourished.  Rats, which carried disease (probably the Bubonic Plague) overran the territories, causing the spread of numerous tumors and death.  After seven months, the Philistines had had enough.  They wanted the Ark GONE from their territory...literally.  

It's interesting to note that in all that time, there was no evidence that the Israelites tried even ONCE to win the Ark of the Covenant back.   You would think the people who were saddened by its loss would be desperate to retrieve it anyway they could.  After all, it housed the very presence of God.  So, what happened?  Why didn't they rally all the people they had left to attack the Philistines and take the presence of God back from their enemies?  

Could it be that maybe, just maybe, they realized their sin.  They realized how they had come to mistreat God - how they had come to use Him as a superstitious "Gimme-God," instead of the holy, powerful, jealous God, He is.  Maybe they realized the depth of their sin and decided that they were beyond saving...that God couldn't use them anymore, and so He left them.  

Imagine their surprise then, when the Ark of the Covenant - the very presence of God, Himself - appeared in the midst of the Levite camp.  It came home on the backs of cows sent from the Philistine territory.  I know that sounds strange, but the Philistines didn't want to just get rid of the Ark.  Instead, they wanted to make sure that all this - the plagues, the rats, the tumors - wasn't just a coincidence. They didn't want to just hand over their war trophy without a reason.

So their diviners and prophets hatched a plan to make sure that it was indeed the God of the Israelites who was causing their distress. The trip home for the Ark would have to be an impossible one, apart from the miraculous.  

Suffice it to say, the miraculous happened.  You can read all about it in chapter 6.  The Ark returned home.  That, was enough evidence for the Philistines.  

It was also evidence for the Israelites - evidence that no matter what, God's covenant cannot be broken.  No matter what they did, no matter how they treated Him, God's covenant of love with the Israelite people would not change.  He would always be there.  He would never leave them, nor forsake them.  They would always be His people - period.  

Imagine the joyous celebration - to know that God came back to them, even when they didn't seek Him.  Instead, He sought them.  

That's an incredible thought, isn't it - that God's presence in our lives - isn't dependent upon us.  Even when we don't seek Him, He still seeks us.  He will NEVER leave us nor forsake us...no matter the sin, no matter the fear.  He will remain with us...always.

Thanks, Ladies II.  I cherish the reminder.    

I love You, Father, and am humbled that You would love me, even when I am apathetic towards you. Thank You that You will always seek Your own...me.  I love You, Lord.  

Here I Am

How many times have you called your kids only to hear silence?  For whatever reason, they don't respond.  They might not hear you.  They might be distracted from your request.  They might even be ignoring you.  But then, how many times have you called them and heard the beautiful response, "Here I am."  

Well, over and over again in Scripture, this phrase is repeated by God's kids. God calls, and people reply with these three simple words.  Moses said it, when God called him from the burning bush.  Jacob said it, when God was telling him how to deal with his stubborn father-in-law.  Isaiah said it when God put forth the question, "Whom shall I send and who will go for us?"      

I have often wondered what is so special about this particular phrase.  What does it mean?  

In Biblical times, it was phrase of humility.  It let the person requesting your presence, know that you were ready and willing to participate in their request. It let them know that you were there - available - that you were "all-in."

I wonder what would happen if I used that phrase more often in my relationship with the Lord?  I wonder how much deeper my spiritual life would be...how much more I would know Him...how much more He would speak, if I humbled myself.  I wonder.  

I think I'll try it.  I think I'll try speaking the words, "Here I am," the next time I enter my "prayer closet," with my mouth and my heart.  I'll let you know how it turns out!  

Here I am, Lord.  I am willing and ready to hear from You and follow Your leading wherever that might be.  I love You, Lord.   

Sleeping Soundly

Let me ask you a question.  If you knew you would die the next day, how well would you sleep? Would your eyes close in deep, restful slumber or would you toss and turn, watching the clock, anxiously awaiting the arrival of morning?

Now, let's make the deal a little more intense.  Add to that mournful thought a couple of soldiers chained to either of your wrists and see if that makes a difference.  Maybe their snores would keep you awake, but I don't think that's all that would be holding your eyes open.

Then tell me, how in the world did the Apostle Peter close his eyes in SLEEP the night before he was probably going to be executed by Herod?  The king had already killed James for preaching the Gospel - a horrid action which pleased the Jewish leaders of the day.  Yes, Peter's head was on the proverbial chopping block, and yet, he slept - hard.  As a matter of fact, when the angel appeared to free Peter from his chains, the holy light that filled the room didn't rouse him at all.  Instead, the angel had to poke Peter to stir him back into reality.  What could make his sleep so sound?  What could make Peter sleep like a baby on THIS particular night?

I think I know.  You see, Peter would have had access to the Old Testament, especially the book of Isaiah...Isaiah 26:3 for instance: You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You.  

Peter knew.  He knew that God was still in control, shackles or no shackles.  He knew that whatever happened, it would be okay, whether that meant he was freed or whether he became a martyr. Peter found that "perfect peace," and therefore, sleep came easily for the apostle - even in the midst of serious circumstances.

Now, back to the first question:  If you knew you would die the next day, how well would you sleep? Would your eyes close in deep, restful slumber or would you toss and turn, watching the clock, anxiously awaiting the arrival of morning?  Something to think about, isn't it...in light of what we've just read.

It all boils down to trust.  Do we really, really, really trust Him?  Do we believe that God wants us to be at peace...to be able to sleep, even in the most dire of times?  Our overwhelming response should be "YES, He does."  He is our Heavenly Father, and the One who would never do anything other than what is best.  So, whatever He does, is good...whatever He does is right...and whatever He does is worth our trust.

So, keep your mind upon Jesus and sleep well, my friend.

Dearest Jesus, thank You that I can trust You.  Thank You that as I keep my mind on You, I find perfect peace.     

    

Shadows of Things to Come

That spider was huge! My husband and I sat in the car and watched as this gargantuan-looking creature built its web outside our garage. Normally, I would be horrified. Spiders and I are not on speaking terms...screaming terms, but definitely not speaking terms. This night, however, I wasn't concerned.

First of all, we were in the car. It wasn't like this giant creature could penetrate the windshield of our vehicle to reach its mortified occupant. Secondly, I was with my husband. Surely, he would take care of me...jumping in harm's way to protect me from that creepy, eight-legged, horrifyingly-ugly thing...surely. Lastly, I wasn't concerned, because the spider's size was a little more than exaggerated. You see, we were seeing just an enlarged shadow of a rather normal-sized creature. He was building a web directly in front of our garage light, so the shadow being cast on the garage was daunting, but nothing of which to be afraid.

Merriam Webster gives us this definition of the word “shadow”: An area of darkness created when a source of light is blocked. So really, there's nothing to be afraid of with a shadow. It might look scary and mysterious, but it's simply an area of darkness, nothing more.

With my curiosity peeked about this word, I Googled “shadows in the Bible.” I was surprised at what I found. There were 52 references – 52! One of which, I am sure, you have heard many times. It might even be that you haven't just heard it, you fear it. It's the Shadow of Death.

Sounds horrifying, doesn't it? Sounds like something big and daunting, hanging over our heads waiting for just the right moment to jump onto the windshield of our lives and break through. It's something that we can try and try to escape, but one day, it will find us all.

Yet, it's just a shadow. Did you get that? The thing we all usually fear the most as humans, is just a shadow...that is, for Believers. If you do not know Jesus, then you have every right to be fearful. For you, death is not a shadow, but a terrifying journey of torture and “lastingness.” It will be something that you will never escape. Fear and pain will be your friends and your companions...forever.

If that is your position, I pray that you will do as Romans 10:9 says: “Confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe with all your heart that God has raised Him from the dead and you will be saved.”

Now, that doesn't mean that you just utter those words and pray some prayer of simplicity for your salvation. It means that you confess that you are an enemy of God. Romans 5:10 says, “For if, while we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to Him through the death of His Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!” You can't have friendship with God – reconciliation – apart from Jesus, His Son.

Next, you confess that Jesus is the ultimate Authority over your life – the One who knows what is best, and the One whose life you choose to follow and emulate. You believe, truly believe, that God resurrected Him. You believe that Christ's life and death and life again are a reality. The Bible says that if you believe that - with ALL your heart - then, death will be your friend, not your enemy. You WILL be saved. If you want to know more about this relationship with Jesus, please let us know. We'd love to walk with you through this journey.

And the Good News for those of us who DO believe? Well, as I said, death is merely a shadow. It may be big. It may be terrifying. It may be dark, but it can't hurt you. You will pass through it, only to find that it wasn't some big, scary monster. Instead, it was a beautiful path that brought you to a place of the greatest comfort and joy – a place more spectacular than you could ever imagine.

The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters. He restores my soul; He guides me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You have anointed my head with oil; My cup overflows. Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life, And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. Psalm 23

The Wisdom I Desire

They're everywhere:  How to Lose 25 Lbs. in 30 Minutes or Less; How to Have Your Cake and Eat It Too;  How to Eat a Popsicle and Type a Newspaper Column at the Same Time.  Okay, so maybe the last title only applies to me, but you get the picture.  If you want to know how to do something - I mean, really KNOW how to do it, you can find books and articles in every medium.

But, I've got ONE particular book that is my favorite "How-to" book.  You may or may not be surprised at the answer.  On second thought, you probably won't be surprised at all.  Yes, it is the Bible...and it is IN the Bible.

The book of Proverbs is a treasure-trove of wisdom - of "how to" most everything, except maybe How to Fix Your Dishwasher in Less Time Than It Takes To Wash a Sinkful of Dishes!  It does include, however, how to respond when the book about fixing your dishwasher doesn't work for your model.  :)

I turn to the book of Proverbs often these days - almost every day, as a matter of fact.  It has 31 chapters, so it's easy to just choose the number of the date and begin reading.

I have been feeling a need to grow into this gray hair I am now sporting, so my thirst for wisdom is greater now more than ever.
Because of that, my help for your day (and my day) is to share a little "wisdom" with you from Proverbs.  These chosen passages come from Proverbs 15, because today is, you got it..the 15th.

"A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger," v.1.  How's that for a day starter?  It's a reminder to us that if we want to be more peaceful with those around us, we won't retaliate when attacked.  Instead, we will respond properly and with thoughtful control of our tongue.  That, in turn, will help to calm a heated situation, instead of agitate it.

How about v. 4?  "The tongue that brings healing is a tree of life, but a deceitful tongue crushes the spirit."  How many times has a lie crushed YOUR spirit?  It happens, doesn't it.  So, in light of how that affects us and others, it should be our choice to speak truth and life in every situation, not lies and deceit.

Again, v. 17, "better a meal of vegetables where there is love than a fattened calf with hatred."  Oh how I can relate to this one!  There were many times we ONLY had vegetables grown in the garden. Money isn't everything.  We can work ourselves to death to afford our families everything they desire, but if we lose sight of our love for one another in the process, being monetarily wealthy doesn't matter anymore.

And one more...v. 31-32:  "He who listens to a life-giving rebuke will be at home among the wise."  Yes, I want to be wise.  Yes, I want these gray hairs to mean something, but if I am not willing to accept the kind rebuke of a godly friend, then I will never live up to my hair.

I do have to add that this passage doesn't just say "rebuke."  It says a "life-giving rebuke."  There is a difference.  For instance, if a friend enlightens me to a fault in my life or some sin, and I get angry and refuse to consider his/her discernment, then I will not grow in wisdom.  However, if I listen...if I really HEAR them and understand what they are saying and respond accordingly...wisdom will crown my head in beautiful silver strands, mixed with a touch of static electricity.  

A good dose of Proverbs every day.  I highly recommend it.

God, I want to grow in wisdom.  I want to not just be smarter, but wiser in the things You teach me.  To do that Father, I have to study Your Word and spend time with You.  Call me to Yourself constantly. Don't let my feet wander from You.  I love You.  

Shiny or Shady?

Shiny or shady?  

I know...it's a strange question to ask, but I just couldn't help myself.  You see, there's a passage in Philippians 2:14-15 that's been intriguing me lately.  I even printed it out and taped it to my kitchen window.  One of the main reasons is that I struggle with these verses, so I need the reminder.  Here, I'll let you read them for yourself:  Do all things without grumbling or arguing so that you will prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world.  

Other translations render the phrase "appear as lights in the world," to say that we "shine like stars in the universe." How cool that is.  You know, to shine like a star for Jesus...unless, well...we aren't so shiny.  How does that happen?  How do we as Believers lose our effectiveness - our "shininess" - to those in the world around us?   

It's sadly, very simple: we grumble and argue.

Now, I don't have trouble arguing with people, for the most part. However, grumbling (or complaining, as other translations state), is definitely high on my "fix it" list.  I can complain with the best of them.  "This is bad, and that is bad."  "This can't get any worse, and that has to BE the worst."  "How could that happen, and why didn't it happen earlier?"    

See what I mean?  I can take a perfectly beautiful day and turn it into a miserable one for anyone in the hearing distance of my voice. Hence, Philippians 2:14-15 taped to my kitchen window - eye level - on a bright neon index card.  

I think if I - if we - truly understood the detriment our complaining does to the cause of Christ, we'd stop.  I think if we knew that by murmuring against another brother or sister in Christ, we actually hinder the Spirit's work (grieving the Spirit) within us and around us, we'd stop.  I think if we stood outside tonight, gazed up at the stars and picked out the dimmest one, realizing that we are THAT star to the rest of the world, we'd stop.  

So, let's stop...and then, start.  Let's stop complaining about our service at restaurants and start taking it as an opportunity to look like the servants of Christ we say we are.  Let's stop complaining about our bosses and our jobs and start being thankful that we have both.  Let's stop complaining about our spouses and our children not fulfilling our expectations and start serving them and loving them as Christ has served and loved us.  Let's stop our light from fading, and start polishing up our pointy little arms, so we can shine like the stars He created us to be...for His glory.  

Oh, Jesus, I really want to show people an accurate representation of Who You are here on this earth.  I want to shine for You, so that they can see who You really are...not the shady version...but the shiny one.  Thank You, Jesus.  Thank You. 

Freedom Begins with Focus

"I just can't!  I try and try and try to do the right thing, but it never works.  I am forever doomed to live a life in bondage to sin.  I hate it.  I wish I could be free."

Oh dear friend, you CAN be free.  Jesus has come that we could have life, and life more abundantly.  He conquered our sin, nailing it with Him to the cross - along with its power and influence.  

We just don't believe it.  We think our "sin" is some huge obstacle that cannot be beaten, when in fact, it's already BEEN beaten.  We, as Believers in Jesus Christ, have all the power necessary to conquer the "things" that haunt us.

We are power-filled, literally.  Ephesians 1:18-20 says, "I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which He has called you (not "disappointing life"), the riches of His glorious inheritance in His holy people, and (here it is) His incomparably great power for those of us who believe.  That power is the same as the mighty strength He exerted when He raised Christ from the dead and seated Him at the right hand in the heavenly realms."

Did you see it!?!  Did you see that we have the very power that raised Christ from the dead at our disposal.  So, if we are indeed power-filled, then why can we not seem to conquer our "besetting sin?"

I think our problem is focus.  You see, we focus on the "thing," while trying to conquer it.  We stare it straight in the eyes, becoming more and more powerless the longer our gaze is held.

Then, where should our focus be, if not on the thing we are trying to conquer?  I'm glad you asked.  The answer is so simple, it's easy to overlook.  Our focus should be...get this...our Savior.

Colossians 3:1-2 tells us to "Set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.  Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things."  Again, Paul tells us in Hebrews 12 to "fix our eyes on Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith."  Nowhere in Scripture (that I know of) are we told to fix our eyes on our sin...to focus on the "offending thing," NOWHERE.

My husband shared this story from the pulpit today.  It defines clearly what happens when we focus on Christ.  Read it carefully and really think about what Dannecker was saying:

"Dannecker, the German sculptor, spent eight years in producing a face of Christ; and at last wrought out one in which the emotions of love and sorrow were perfectly blended that beholders wept as they looked upon it.  Subsequently, being solicited to employ his great talent on a statue of Venus, he replied, "After gazing so long into the face of Christ, think you that I can now turn my attention to a heathen goddess?'"  Here is the true secret of weanedness from worldy idols, "the expulsive power of a new affection."

Dearest Jesus, set my affections on You today...and every day.  Change my lifestyle, my habits, my comings and goings to reflect constant contact with You, so that whatever tries to take my thoughts away from You can be seen for what it truly is...unworthy.  I love You, Father.