We are a fragile species: we have an unceasing need for oxygen; hypothermia can claim our lives in minutes; dehydration makes us crazy before it kills us; prolonged sleep deprivation results in mental instability; food is an almost daily need--at least three times a day if we have our way.
The desperate need we are most likely to ignore is our need to stay connected to God. There are needs that God alone can meet and yet we often look in all the wrong places. We sense the vacuum. We are primitively sent clawing after fulfillment only to be repeatedly disappointed.
Oh, there will come the temporary illusion that we have found a refreshing spring welling up to fill the breach and satisfy. but it will never fill us and we will often find it to be a polluted source--but maybe not soon enough to leave our souls un-poisoned.
Desperation will make the compromises easier. Things we never dreamed we'd do will seem to simply "happen."
And God will seem distant and indifferent and shadowed--like a concept instead of a living Spirit. We'll come to feel ill-equipped and ashamed to turn to him. And Satan will whisper that we've ruined or hearts and destroyed all hope of connecting to God again.
God is more loving, more powerful and more gracious than we can conceive. He stands ready to rescue and reunite with us. When we take one step in his direction, he comes the rest of the way to meet us even when we're at our worst.
Psalm 40:2-3
He lifted me out of the slimy pit,
out of the mud and mire;
he set my feet on a rock
and gave me a place to stand.
He put a new song in my mouth,
a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear
and put their trust in the Lord.
Tuesday, October 29, 2013
Tuesday, October 22, 2013
funny thing about the south
I've been in Atlanta for a few weeks now. Is it just me or is everybody's business everybody's business here? I admit I'm given to eavesdropping, but you don't even have to work at it here to learn about "Martha Lynn's falling on the stairs on her way up to the choir loft, bless her heart!"
I was in the check-out line at Publix buying some tonic water. The checker was a woman who was maybe 10 years my junior as was the man waiting to bag my purchase. After scanning my item, she turned pointing my bottle at me and said: "Quinine--you know what else works for leg cramps? Pickle juice!"
"Oh," I replied softly, aware that the others in my line and the lines on either side of me were now aware--if not interested--that I am a leg cramp sufferer. I don't feel ashamed or guilty about my leg cramps, but I'm simply not ready for strangers to discuss them.
This would never happen in Seattle. No one comments on your purchases at the grocery store. Of, course they don't smile or make eye contact either, but.....
"I always just put some salt in my hand and lick it and the cramps go right away and I can go back to sleep," chimed in the rotund bagger.
"Well, I said sheepishly, "we all have so much in common! I may just stick with the tonic water."
"You need to think about the salt. It's always on hand and it works right away! Is that sweet pickle juice or dill pickle juice?" he inquired turning to the checker,
"Dill, of course! It's about the salt. You'd think somebody who recommends salt would know it's about the salt in the pickle juice."
I was holding out my hand for my change, uncomfortable that I had inadvertently pushed my helpers onto the verge of a dispute. People in other lines were paying, claiming their groceries and heading for their cars and I was still smiling stiffly and holding out my hand.
"I think straight salt tastes a lot better than dill pickle juice," the bagger offered.
"Well, have you ever tried it? Don't you like pickles?" She was clutching my change but unaware that I was poised to receive it.
"I like 'em OK in potato salad, but I never drank the juice."
"Well, you oughtta try it," she said turning to me at last with my change. She smiled sweetly as she emptied the coins into my hand. "Good luck with your leg cramps, Sweetie!"
It would not surprise me at all to return to that store and have some stranger approach me while I am examining tomatoes in the produce department. She will inquire without even introducing herself, "How are your leg cramps, honey?" And I will thank her for her concern.
.
I was in the check-out line at Publix buying some tonic water. The checker was a woman who was maybe 10 years my junior as was the man waiting to bag my purchase. After scanning my item, she turned pointing my bottle at me and said: "Quinine--you know what else works for leg cramps? Pickle juice!"
"Oh," I replied softly, aware that the others in my line and the lines on either side of me were now aware--if not interested--that I am a leg cramp sufferer. I don't feel ashamed or guilty about my leg cramps, but I'm simply not ready for strangers to discuss them.
This would never happen in Seattle. No one comments on your purchases at the grocery store. Of, course they don't smile or make eye contact either, but.....
"I always just put some salt in my hand and lick it and the cramps go right away and I can go back to sleep," chimed in the rotund bagger.
"Well, I said sheepishly, "we all have so much in common! I may just stick with the tonic water."
"You need to think about the salt. It's always on hand and it works right away! Is that sweet pickle juice or dill pickle juice?" he inquired turning to the checker,
"Dill, of course! It's about the salt. You'd think somebody who recommends salt would know it's about the salt in the pickle juice."
I was holding out my hand for my change, uncomfortable that I had inadvertently pushed my helpers onto the verge of a dispute. People in other lines were paying, claiming their groceries and heading for their cars and I was still smiling stiffly and holding out my hand.
"I think straight salt tastes a lot better than dill pickle juice," the bagger offered.
"Well, have you ever tried it? Don't you like pickles?" She was clutching my change but unaware that I was poised to receive it.
"I like 'em OK in potato salad, but I never drank the juice."
"Well, you oughtta try it," she said turning to me at last with my change. She smiled sweetly as she emptied the coins into my hand. "Good luck with your leg cramps, Sweetie!"
It would not surprise me at all to return to that store and have some stranger approach me while I am examining tomatoes in the produce department. She will inquire without even introducing herself, "How are your leg cramps, honey?" And I will thank her for her concern.
.
Thursday, October 17, 2013
Bucket List
My husband, Ron, has a creative approach to a bucket list. Whenever we do something fun, he says, "Let's write this on our bucket list and check it off." I love this! We are never fearful that we'll die before we get to the end of our list because there's nothing on it except things we've already done!
Reading about Simeon in Luke 2:25-32, we find that he apparently had only one thing on his bucket list. He knew the scriptures' promises about the coming of the Messiah, and he anticipated that coming with all the eagerness it deserved. Something (the Spirit) urged him to go into the temple courts the same day Mary and Joseph brought Jesus there for the first time.
Simeon took him into his arms and praised God, saying, "Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you now dismiss your servant in peace. For my eyes have seen our salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all the people, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people."
Simeon was dialed in to what really matters. He got it! Having seen the Messiah, he was good to go. All his dreams had come true. He didn't need a trip to retrace the Israelites journey from Egypt to the promised land. He didn't need some award or recognition. He wasn't longing for some prized possession. He just wanted to see Jesus.
But Simeon really saw so little of Jesus--just the baby. Still, he knew the importance of who Jesus was. Before all the miracles, before all the amazing lessons, before the resurrection, before the church--Simeon saw none of the wonderful things we have seen. But he was fulfilled to the point that he was ready to die happy!
The Apostle Paul seemed to have a bucket list, too. Paul's bucket list extended all the way to how he would die and into eternity:
I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.
The longings of these men's hearts challenges us to ask ourselves: what would it take for me to be able to say to God, "You can take me now. Everything I've longed for on this earth has been fulfilled!"
Reading about Simeon in Luke 2:25-32, we find that he apparently had only one thing on his bucket list. He knew the scriptures' promises about the coming of the Messiah, and he anticipated that coming with all the eagerness it deserved. Something (the Spirit) urged him to go into the temple courts the same day Mary and Joseph brought Jesus there for the first time.
Simeon took him into his arms and praised God, saying, "Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you now dismiss your servant in peace. For my eyes have seen our salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all the people, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people."
Simeon was dialed in to what really matters. He got it! Having seen the Messiah, he was good to go. All his dreams had come true. He didn't need a trip to retrace the Israelites journey from Egypt to the promised land. He didn't need some award or recognition. He wasn't longing for some prized possession. He just wanted to see Jesus.
But Simeon really saw so little of Jesus--just the baby. Still, he knew the importance of who Jesus was. Before all the miracles, before all the amazing lessons, before the resurrection, before the church--Simeon saw none of the wonderful things we have seen. But he was fulfilled to the point that he was ready to die happy!
The Apostle Paul seemed to have a bucket list, too. Paul's bucket list extended all the way to how he would die and into eternity:
I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.
The longings of these men's hearts challenges us to ask ourselves: what would it take for me to be able to say to God, "You can take me now. Everything I've longed for on this earth has been fulfilled!"
Thursday, October 10, 2013
Living Beyond Our Dreams
John 15:4, 5
Remain in me and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.
I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.
Never before in my life have I been more humbly aware that I am not the source of the fruit of my life. I am a grateful conduit for the work God has faithfully done over the years.
Philippians 2:13
...for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.
Last Sunday our oldest son, Greg, was appointed an elder in the Seattle Church of Christ. In accepting that responsibility, which is a reflection of his faith and the life he and his wife, Lisa, have lived, he mentioned his childhood memories of coming home from school in the afternoon to study the Bible with me over milk and cookies.
I was surely not looking for accolades, nor any credit for the choices he has made as an adult in serving the church and raising his two children to embrace Jesus and become disciples. but I was so happy for the young families in the audience to know that your children do not just absorb your faith through osmosis. Nor has God appointed our church's children's ministries nor our teen ministries with the task of making believers of our children. God has given that privilege and responsibility to parents--both mom and dad, and even grandparents.
II Timothy 1:5
I have been reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also.
I long for every Christian parent to understand that if they dream of their children making it to heaven, it will take an investment of their own time and energy and creativity and effort to allow that dream to come true. It will, primarily, require that they remain in the vine. Our faithfulness to God is our children's best hope for their own spiritual futures.
Remain in me and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.
I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.
Never before in my life have I been more humbly aware that I am not the source of the fruit of my life. I am a grateful conduit for the work God has faithfully done over the years.
Philippians 2:13
...for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.
Last Sunday our oldest son, Greg, was appointed an elder in the Seattle Church of Christ. In accepting that responsibility, which is a reflection of his faith and the life he and his wife, Lisa, have lived, he mentioned his childhood memories of coming home from school in the afternoon to study the Bible with me over milk and cookies.
I was surely not looking for accolades, nor any credit for the choices he has made as an adult in serving the church and raising his two children to embrace Jesus and become disciples. but I was so happy for the young families in the audience to know that your children do not just absorb your faith through osmosis. Nor has God appointed our church's children's ministries nor our teen ministries with the task of making believers of our children. God has given that privilege and responsibility to parents--both mom and dad, and even grandparents.
II Timothy 1:5
I have been reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also.
I long for every Christian parent to understand that if they dream of their children making it to heaven, it will take an investment of their own time and energy and creativity and effort to allow that dream to come true. It will, primarily, require that they remain in the vine. Our faithfulness to God is our children's best hope for their own spiritual futures.
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