When I was a little girl, we always ended our prayers with the words, "...in Jesus' name. Amen." That phrase used to perplex me, but I always said it anyway, because the adults did and I thought it was good to do what they did. They always seemed to know more - and do things better - than me.
Now that I've been an adult for awhile, I've noted that prayers don't always end that way. A few years ago, someone explained to me that, as a Christian, everything you do and say should already be done and said in Jesus' name. A Christian's life is supposed to be hidden in Jesus'; so, reciting that old familiar phrase is largely unnecessary, for when He becomes your Savior, He also becomes your Lord and Master.
The tenth verse of the first chapter of 1 Corinthians says, "I appeal to you, brothers and sisters,
in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ (emphasis mine), that all of you agree with one
another in what you say and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly united in mind and thought." Because I am struggling to understand my role and responsibility in the lives of some of the people that I know, this verse - and others like it - is becoming quite meaningful to me. There are a lot of people around me who claim to be Christian, but they don't all talk, believe, and think the way I do, and I struggle to understand why that is. I am constantly wondering about all the implications to the question: Is the solution to disunity and division in my hands, or in the hands of others?
I believe that Paul's counsel to the Corinthians is the Spirit's counsel to believers; after all, when we serve the eternal God, it is reasonable to expect His instruction to be applicable for all time. Paul's appeal, inspired by the Holy Spirit, was in done "in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ". I admit that, sometimes, when I talk with people, I do not do so with the thought that I am always an ambassador - a representative - of Christ. When this thought is not in my mind, then it certainly won't be in my heart; when I choose not to think like Christ, I certainly won't love like Him.
I recently had a conversation with an old friend that disturbed me to the core of who I am. I have spent days pondering the implications of our conversation - for her and for me. She doesn't speak or act like a believer these days, but she still makes the claim that she is one. "WHAT?!", you say, "HOW DARE YOU JUDGE HER!?" (I only put that quote in here because I have heard it - or something like it - too many times from people when I make statements like the one before the quote, and so I believe it'll be on people's minds when they read what I am writing.) The tragic reality is: she has let something come between us, and - as long as it remains - we must both keep it there to divide us; we are no longer "perfectly united in mind and thought" on the temporary and eternal issues that we face.
My friend does, says, and thinks things that I cannot agree to, or join in with her on. She has declared herself "free" in a way that I cannot understand. As a sinner, I was an enemy of God; when I became a follower of Christ, I agreed to His terms of surrender so that there could be peace between Him and me. When I live as a repentant saved sinner, I know that He became first the author of my faith, and as we continue in our relationship, He will be the finisher of my faith. I am ever aware that if I choose to live like a unashamed "repeat offender", there will be dire consequences (this is as true now as it ever has been or will be). In the hopes of salvation, I hold fast to the doctrine of Christianity and the teachings of Jesus. I believe that all Scriptures from Genesis 1:1 to Revelation 22:21 are completely true, so all other academic, social, religious, etc. information - without exclusion or exception - should be compared to the Bible for verification and validation not the other way around. I believe that every human life is created in the image of God for the glory of God, and the opposite (that God's life was given in the image of humanity for the glory of every human) is a horrific lie! My friend's appeal in and to the world now is markedly different than it used to be and what/how mine still is; and because that is our way at this time, we cannot both - truthfully - be living "in the name of Jesus". How can we both be ambassadors for Christ when what is true for me is not also true for her, and vice versa? As long as this division in mind and thought continues, it is obvious that at least one of us is not living or loving according to the counsel of the Holy Spirit.
I suppose my struggle to understand how to love God and people as Jesus did may never cease! I worry that I am terribly wrong in how I try to live and love. Perhaps the sum of my actions and thoughts is the reality of who I really am without Him, but I still believe that if I claim to be a Christian, then whatever I do, say, and think "in the name of Jesus" is seen as a reflection of who He
is. Jesus' name is Holy to me, and so the things I do, say, and think should all be with that ever on my mind and in my heart. I believe that if people claim to be Christian, we should live and love to justify the sinless ministry of Jesus and confirm His mastery over our lives; however, what I witness (even in my own life) is ministry which condemns people to be continuously mastered by sin. When our love justifies selfish thoughts and subsequent behavior, I don't see how the struggle to overcome sin can ever be realized; the Gospel of Jesus is that sin can/should/will be overcome.
If it is true that we are to "pray without ceasing", and that prayer is how we communicate with God while here on earth, then I believe our final breath in this life is our final "Amen" to everything we ever prayed about. Our lives and relationships with God and with each other will either be known as having been corrupted or perfected. I desperately want to be known as a member of that purified Bride - the Body of Christ - to be now and forever a child of God; presently and eternally in His service useful for His glory!
Friday, June 15, 2012
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
Because I said so.
"When the centurion heard about Jesus, he sent some Jewish elders to Jesus to ask him to come and heal his servant. When they came to Jesus, they earnestly pleaded with Jesus. 'He deserves to have you do this for him,' they said. 'He loves our people and he built our synagogue for us.'
Jesus went with them. He had almost reached the house when the centurion sent friends to say to Jesus, 'Lord, don’t be bothered. I don’t deserve to have you come under my roof. In fact, I didn’t even consider myself worthy to come to you. Just say the word and my servant will be healed. I’m also a man appointed under authority, with soldiers under me. I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes, and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes. I say to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and the servant does it.'
When Jesus heard these words, he was impressed with the centurion. He turned to the crowd following him and said, 'I tell you, even in Israel I haven’t found faith like this.” Luke 7:3-9
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
When I was young, my father was a United States' soldier, and much of his instruction to me came from that perspective. My brothers and I were often given the answer, "Because I said so", when we would ask why we had to say, think, or do something a certain way. When I was young, most families also used, "Because I said so" in their homes: parents and children understood the value of obedience simply because... I'm older now, and recognize how families and perspectives have changed.
Now, parents are being told that the words, "Because I said so", should (pretty much) be eliminated from their vocabulary, because it devalues a child's sense of self and will impair a parent's relationship with him/her. I am being told to think that when I speak to my children in this manner, it hinders their ability to learn from me. This is sad, not just because it is untrue, but because training children to do as they are told simply out of respect for authority - despite their inability to fully know or understand why - is where faith begins. Tragically, epidemically, it is becoming more and more obvious that our children, and many of this nation's citizens, are now suffering from a severe deficiency of faith.
Every child begins with a mother and a father; because, this is God's design and life (even in its smallest measure) cannot be known without adhering to His plan. For God's glory and in His image, a father and a mother form the protective, nurturing, and guiding authority for the offspring who has also been created to express His glorious image. Unfortunately for families and societies, people have been playing with His plan since its inception; though, all along, it would have been best to strictly abide in it. Getting all creative with God's original design, people have tried to change and glorify what it is to be a family to suit their own plans; however, every change darkens and removes God's glorious image from the family portrait.
One way or another, however, we are all required to submit to the authorities that God has placed over us (regardless of how those in authority submit themselves to God), even from the moment of conception. Parents now can take the life of their unborn, or they can nurture, guide, and protect the life of their child as it begins in the womb until the time their life is taken from them. Choosing the latter for their offspring, parents can and should maintain the authority in their home; this is their responsibility for the parent/child relationship. And, being the intelligent and impressionable creatures that they are, children all have the opportunity to grow wise and in faith, or foolish and disbelieving, depending on how well they maintain the parent/child relationship by submitting to their parents' authority. Submitting their own authority to God, parents will see blessings in their family for generations; rejecting authority - in any measure - within a family insures the opposite of God's blessing.
As a young child, when I heard the words, "Because I said so", (irregardless of the tone and volume used to speak them) I knew that there should be no more discussion from me. I knew that I simply needed to obey; because, by not doing so, something not-so-good would happen to me. When I disobeyed, I found out that, what I knew would happen to me, often did. The older I got, the more my father was able to offer me information regarding the process of how and why something bad always happens to those who are disobedient, as well as show me how and why the most glorious of relationships always endures through obedience. I have discovered that growing in faith in the Kingdom of God works similarly.
Our faith grows or disappears in relation to how well we value God: to seek His glory, His authority, and submit to His ways. The Apostle Paul made disciples for Christ in many places, and gave a lot of instruction on how to continue that kind of work. Teaching the next generation on how to relate to all who belong in the Body of Christ, he said, "Do not rebuke an older man harshly, but exhort him as if he were your father. Treat younger men as brothers, older women as mothers, and younger women as sisters, with absolute purity. (1 Timothy 5:1-2)". Paul understood what it meant to belong to the family of God, and clearly instructed on how every disciple - regardless of age - should view this reality. The purpose of our relationships in our churches is to 'grow up' in Him - in humility and under His authority to speak, think, and act - to glorify our Father.
Though everyone is created in the image of God, not all are able to provide the miraculous blessings of God; because not everyone chooses to humble themselves in submission to the Father's authority, relatively few people ever realize what it is to be a member of God's family. Jesus said, "...Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?' Pointing to his disciples, he said, 'Here are my mother and my brothers. For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother. (Matthew 12:48-50)”. Too often, we actually destroy our faith by falsely believing: it is through being close to someone which enables us to give and receive the greatest benefits of the relationship. Instead of thinking anything like, "You don't know me well enough to tell me what to do", we should think more like, "Tell me what to do, because I see evidence in your life that you obey the heavenly Father". The more we live under His authority, the better we learn to submit to God, and the more mature we become; growing in these disciplines, our humility and relationship gain us the ability to understand the Father and the greater blessings of always being His child.
In the Scripture passage quoted at the top of this blog, the centurion displays the kind of knowledge that faith requires, and Jesus declares the fact that such knowledge and such faith escapes most people (sadly, as Jesus noted, it even escapes God's own people). The centurion fully understood the connection between authority, obedience, and blessing, and it was credited to him as faith. Though he had not been raised under God's Law, as soon as the Roman soldier discovered the One True God, he did everything he could to participate in the miraculous benefits of abiding with Him and His people. In complete humility, he understood that a relatively close relationship with Jesus was not required to receive the blessings of God ("I don’t deserve to have you come under my roof. In fact, I didn’t even consider myself worthy to come to you."). By witnessing - even from a distance - what was gained and lost when Jesus spoke, the centurion simply believed in Jesus: he believed that Jesus was who He claimed to be, and that He was someone he could trust with his life and the lives of those he valued.
Faith, like a person, starts small. With parents' discipline, and a child's humbled submission, individuals gain a good sense of self, but something much more important, too: a sense of belonging. Expecting obedience at the smallest level is a beautiful and glorious thing; it can usher people towards a relationship with Jesus, enabling them to know His blessings and benefits for this life, and throughout eternity!
Jesus went with them. He had almost reached the house when the centurion sent friends to say to Jesus, 'Lord, don’t be bothered. I don’t deserve to have you come under my roof. In fact, I didn’t even consider myself worthy to come to you. Just say the word and my servant will be healed. I’m also a man appointed under authority, with soldiers under me. I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes, and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes. I say to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and the servant does it.'
When Jesus heard these words, he was impressed with the centurion. He turned to the crowd following him and said, 'I tell you, even in Israel I haven’t found faith like this.” Luke 7:3-9
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
When I was young, my father was a United States' soldier, and much of his instruction to me came from that perspective. My brothers and I were often given the answer, "Because I said so", when we would ask why we had to say, think, or do something a certain way. When I was young, most families also used, "Because I said so" in their homes: parents and children understood the value of obedience simply because... I'm older now, and recognize how families and perspectives have changed.
Now, parents are being told that the words, "Because I said so", should (pretty much) be eliminated from their vocabulary, because it devalues a child's sense of self and will impair a parent's relationship with him/her. I am being told to think that when I speak to my children in this manner, it hinders their ability to learn from me. This is sad, not just because it is untrue, but because training children to do as they are told simply out of respect for authority - despite their inability to fully know or understand why - is where faith begins. Tragically, epidemically, it is becoming more and more obvious that our children, and many of this nation's citizens, are now suffering from a severe deficiency of faith.
Every child begins with a mother and a father; because, this is God's design and life (even in its smallest measure) cannot be known without adhering to His plan. For God's glory and in His image, a father and a mother form the protective, nurturing, and guiding authority for the offspring who has also been created to express His glorious image. Unfortunately for families and societies, people have been playing with His plan since its inception; though, all along, it would have been best to strictly abide in it. Getting all creative with God's original design, people have tried to change and glorify what it is to be a family to suit their own plans; however, every change darkens and removes God's glorious image from the family portrait.
One way or another, however, we are all required to submit to the authorities that God has placed over us (regardless of how those in authority submit themselves to God), even from the moment of conception. Parents now can take the life of their unborn, or they can nurture, guide, and protect the life of their child as it begins in the womb until the time their life is taken from them. Choosing the latter for their offspring, parents can and should maintain the authority in their home; this is their responsibility for the parent/child relationship. And, being the intelligent and impressionable creatures that they are, children all have the opportunity to grow wise and in faith, or foolish and disbelieving, depending on how well they maintain the parent/child relationship by submitting to their parents' authority. Submitting their own authority to God, parents will see blessings in their family for generations; rejecting authority - in any measure - within a family insures the opposite of God's blessing.
As a young child, when I heard the words, "Because I said so", (irregardless of the tone and volume used to speak them) I knew that there should be no more discussion from me. I knew that I simply needed to obey; because, by not doing so, something not-so-good would happen to me. When I disobeyed, I found out that, what I knew would happen to me, often did. The older I got, the more my father was able to offer me information regarding the process of how and why something bad always happens to those who are disobedient, as well as show me how and why the most glorious of relationships always endures through obedience. I have discovered that growing in faith in the Kingdom of God works similarly.
Our faith grows or disappears in relation to how well we value God: to seek His glory, His authority, and submit to His ways. The Apostle Paul made disciples for Christ in many places, and gave a lot of instruction on how to continue that kind of work. Teaching the next generation on how to relate to all who belong in the Body of Christ, he said, "Do not rebuke an older man harshly, but exhort him as if he were your father. Treat younger men as brothers, older women as mothers, and younger women as sisters, with absolute purity. (1 Timothy 5:1-2)". Paul understood what it meant to belong to the family of God, and clearly instructed on how every disciple - regardless of age - should view this reality. The purpose of our relationships in our churches is to 'grow up' in Him - in humility and under His authority to speak, think, and act - to glorify our Father.
Though everyone is created in the image of God, not all are able to provide the miraculous blessings of God; because not everyone chooses to humble themselves in submission to the Father's authority, relatively few people ever realize what it is to be a member of God's family. Jesus said, "...Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?' Pointing to his disciples, he said, 'Here are my mother and my brothers. For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother. (Matthew 12:48-50)”. Too often, we actually destroy our faith by falsely believing: it is through being close to someone which enables us to give and receive the greatest benefits of the relationship. Instead of thinking anything like, "You don't know me well enough to tell me what to do", we should think more like, "Tell me what to do, because I see evidence in your life that you obey the heavenly Father". The more we live under His authority, the better we learn to submit to God, and the more mature we become; growing in these disciplines, our humility and relationship gain us the ability to understand the Father and the greater blessings of always being His child.
In the Scripture passage quoted at the top of this blog, the centurion displays the kind of knowledge that faith requires, and Jesus declares the fact that such knowledge and such faith escapes most people (sadly, as Jesus noted, it even escapes God's own people). The centurion fully understood the connection between authority, obedience, and blessing, and it was credited to him as faith. Though he had not been raised under God's Law, as soon as the Roman soldier discovered the One True God, he did everything he could to participate in the miraculous benefits of abiding with Him and His people. In complete humility, he understood that a relatively close relationship with Jesus was not required to receive the blessings of God ("I don’t deserve to have you come under my roof. In fact, I didn’t even consider myself worthy to come to you."). By witnessing - even from a distance - what was gained and lost when Jesus spoke, the centurion simply believed in Jesus: he believed that Jesus was who He claimed to be, and that He was someone he could trust with his life and the lives of those he valued.
Faith, like a person, starts small. With parents' discipline, and a child's humbled submission, individuals gain a good sense of self, but something much more important, too: a sense of belonging. Expecting obedience at the smallest level is a beautiful and glorious thing; it can usher people towards a relationship with Jesus, enabling them to know His blessings and benefits for this life, and throughout eternity!
Friday, May 11, 2012
Climate change
"As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately. 'Tell us,' they said, '...what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?'...Jesus answered: 'Watch out that no one deceives you...Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold..." - Matthew 24:3-12
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
How green are we? How aware of the recent climate changes attributed to that hypothesis which is so-called 'global warming' are our communities? What kind of education should we be receiving to help us accommodate and relate better in this world we have inherited from past generations and are now passing on to our children? Should we make any changes to our behavior in light of recent world altering events related to our current global climate change?
I've noticed some significant changes regarding our world's climate, but not in the way the media and academia portray it. Please don't misunderstand me, I do appreciate our journalists and scientists trying to warn us about mistreating our environment! However, I believe that many of their efforts are short-sighted, because they overwhelming lack vital information regarding our love for our Creator more than for His creation.
Many of us are very familiar with the term 'green with envy'. And some of us are familiar with the fact that God refers to Himself as a "jealous God (found in: Exodus, Deuteronomy, Joshua, etc.)". God's word is very descriptive - often frightening - on how He uses ALL creation to turn us back to Him when He sees us wandering from the path He chooses to walk with us on. Jesus' instruction before His crucifixion, and His words of prophecy in the Book of Revelation, detail how this planet will be destroyed because of humanity's lack of regard - and love - for God.
We must be made aware of the fact that this is an incredibly difficult - yet crucial - time to pursue Godliness. I've noticed that most of our world's leaders now only mention God when they can find some personal gain for it: they do not speak of God to build up their people's faith in Him and His ways, but so that - in accord with his/her agenda- their people's faith can be built up in the one speaking; unfortunately, this is often the case with religious leaders, too.
On the upside of all this, the love that people have for each other does seem to be increasing! I have heard it said that this generation is the most 'cause conscience' generation in decades! I believe that's true, but that can also be one of our biggest problems and the reason why the earth seems to be falling apart. Jesus' words (as recorded in Matthew) were not to warn us about a lack of love for people, but of a severe and global lack of love for God that will be on display at the end of days.
I know that, to many people, what I think and believe regarding the connection of climate change and loving God is ridiculous. At least - in my 'craziness for God' - I'm in good company; apparently, there were quite a few people in Paul's day that thought what he said was foolish, too. According to his writings, Paul also seemed a bit out-of-touch with other people's reality when he attempted to issue warnings - connecting devotion to God with behavior - as he said, "I hope you will put up with me in a little foolishness. Yes, please put up with me! I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy. I promised you to one husband, to Christ, so that I might present you as a pure virgin to him. But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ. For if someone comes to you and preaches a Jesus other than the Jesus we preached, or if you receive a different spirit from the Spirit you received, or a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it easily enough. (2 Corinthians 11:1-4)" Christians need to speak this way more in our world: to help people make true, lasting, eternally beneficial changes in the way we think and behave, so that our love for our Creator is MORE evident than our love for His creation.
Our love for God is made complete when we love Him with our whole body: heart, soul, and mind - only in Christ is this possible - and results in eternal blessing for everyone who overcomes sin! When we love God in this manner, we are then able to love others in the manner that glorifies Him. Jesus did not tolerate sin, he destroyed it in His body. That is the Gospel. The good news for this world is that, in Him, sin no longer needs to be tolerated within us! If we want to change our climate for the best, we have to stop sinning against God.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
How green are we? How aware of the recent climate changes attributed to that hypothesis which is so-called 'global warming' are our communities? What kind of education should we be receiving to help us accommodate and relate better in this world we have inherited from past generations and are now passing on to our children? Should we make any changes to our behavior in light of recent world altering events related to our current global climate change?
I've noticed some significant changes regarding our world's climate, but not in the way the media and academia portray it. Please don't misunderstand me, I do appreciate our journalists and scientists trying to warn us about mistreating our environment! However, I believe that many of their efforts are short-sighted, because they overwhelming lack vital information regarding our love for our Creator more than for His creation.
Many of us are very familiar with the term 'green with envy'. And some of us are familiar with the fact that God refers to Himself as a "jealous God (found in: Exodus, Deuteronomy, Joshua, etc.)". God's word is very descriptive - often frightening - on how He uses ALL creation to turn us back to Him when He sees us wandering from the path He chooses to walk with us on. Jesus' instruction before His crucifixion, and His words of prophecy in the Book of Revelation, detail how this planet will be destroyed because of humanity's lack of regard - and love - for God.
We must be made aware of the fact that this is an incredibly difficult - yet crucial - time to pursue Godliness. I've noticed that most of our world's leaders now only mention God when they can find some personal gain for it: they do not speak of God to build up their people's faith in Him and His ways, but so that - in accord with his/her agenda- their people's faith can be built up in the one speaking; unfortunately, this is often the case with religious leaders, too.
On the upside of all this, the love that people have for each other does seem to be increasing! I have heard it said that this generation is the most 'cause conscience' generation in decades! I believe that's true, but that can also be one of our biggest problems and the reason why the earth seems to be falling apart. Jesus' words (as recorded in Matthew) were not to warn us about a lack of love for people, but of a severe and global lack of love for God that will be on display at the end of days.
I know that, to many people, what I think and believe regarding the connection of climate change and loving God is ridiculous. At least - in my 'craziness for God' - I'm in good company; apparently, there were quite a few people in Paul's day that thought what he said was foolish, too. According to his writings, Paul also seemed a bit out-of-touch with other people's reality when he attempted to issue warnings - connecting devotion to God with behavior - as he said, "I hope you will put up with me in a little foolishness. Yes, please put up with me! I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy. I promised you to one husband, to Christ, so that I might present you as a pure virgin to him. But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ. For if someone comes to you and preaches a Jesus other than the Jesus we preached, or if you receive a different spirit from the Spirit you received, or a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it easily enough. (2 Corinthians 11:1-4)" Christians need to speak this way more in our world: to help people make true, lasting, eternally beneficial changes in the way we think and behave, so that our love for our Creator is MORE evident than our love for His creation.
Our love for God is made complete when we love Him with our whole body: heart, soul, and mind - only in Christ is this possible - and results in eternal blessing for everyone who overcomes sin! When we love God in this manner, we are then able to love others in the manner that glorifies Him. Jesus did not tolerate sin, he destroyed it in His body. That is the Gospel. The good news for this world is that, in Him, sin no longer needs to be tolerated within us! If we want to change our climate for the best, we have to stop sinning against God.
Thursday, May 10, 2012
Who am I hurting?
Yesterday, a friend posted one of those postcard-y-looking things on Facebook. It generated a lot of discussion. The reason? This is what it said, "If you have to make a law that hurts a number of people, just to prove your morals or faith, then you have no true morals or faith to prove."
The illogical circuitous language of that post is almost dizzying! What my friend was trying to say is that he believes God has no business in the business of the United States government. He disapproves of the United States' governments making and ratifying any legal contract with the citizens of this nation which would recognize marriages in this country to be solely male-female unions. The most sorrowful part of all this is that my friend also claims to be a Christian.
I understand what my friend believes. It is the same mind-set that I see and hear play out in front of me over, and over, and over... Basically, it's this, "Because, God loves everyone, the Gospel of Jesus means that we are free to do whatever we want! And, as citizens of the United States we REALLY get to do whatever we want, because our Constitution says that the Church and the State are separate! We are free to follow the laws of God or man in whatever manner we so desire - everyone's choices are only relative to the individual making them, and should be respected - so long as no one gets hurt..." It's a terribly ignorant and foolish belief system; it has invaded and is spreading in our society and in our world like a malignant cancer.
I chose not to participate in the discussion yesterday. My friend has been gnawing on the "Christians and U.S. citizens should just let everyone have sex with whoever they so desire" bone for awhile now, so he's heard enough Scripture as well as the testimonies of others - who know that homosexuality (and other sexual immoral behavior) is sinful and can be overcome in Christ - which should have helped him see more clearly by now. From all I've witnessed from him, there is nothing more I could say that would be of any consequence to him. But, because I find writing rather cathartic, and I'm still extremely frustrated by this brother-in-Christ's unholy and unprofitable pursuits, I chose to write my thoughts today.
The part of his thought process that bothers me the most - as a Christian - is the part where he thinks that by combining God's laws regarding righteousness with our now secularized nation's laws could result in any amount of pain to anyone. How can someone who claims to believe in God think that?
The Bible is replete with information about how the Law is thoroughly beneficial for everyone! Both the Old and the New Testaments are completely filled with instruction on how obedience to God leads to blessing - this truth was the belief system of our nation's founders - so, therefore, the Bible is the basis of our Constitution and government.
I am saddened by the reality that my FB friend - and other professing Christians - no longer care to seek God's favor for his country or my childrens' future in this world. It has always been my experience that those who disobey God always end up hurting themselves and others FAR more than those who live and proclaim His moral standards.
When I began this blog, I looked up some of the key words in the message my friend posted yesterday. The definition of the word "prove" has given me a small measure of peace regarding his agenda. "Prove: to learn or find out by experience (http://www.merriam-webster.com)". I know that there will come a day when he learns that the only ones who are hurt by requiring strict obedience to God's moral laws will be the ones who don't. This gives me only a small measure of peace because, as I continue to impress God's laws on my children and others, I know that I will continue to be misunderstood and hated for my efforts; but, I also know that the day God judges and condemns those who oppose His laws, will be the day that I fully realize His grace and mercy!
The illogical circuitous language of that post is almost dizzying! What my friend was trying to say is that he believes God has no business in the business of the United States government. He disapproves of the United States' governments making and ratifying any legal contract with the citizens of this nation which would recognize marriages in this country to be solely male-female unions. The most sorrowful part of all this is that my friend also claims to be a Christian.
I understand what my friend believes. It is the same mind-set that I see and hear play out in front of me over, and over, and over... Basically, it's this, "Because, God loves everyone, the Gospel of Jesus means that we are free to do whatever we want! And, as citizens of the United States we REALLY get to do whatever we want, because our Constitution says that the Church and the State are separate! We are free to follow the laws of God or man in whatever manner we so desire - everyone's choices are only relative to the individual making them, and should be respected - so long as no one gets hurt..." It's a terribly ignorant and foolish belief system; it has invaded and is spreading in our society and in our world like a malignant cancer.
I chose not to participate in the discussion yesterday. My friend has been gnawing on the "Christians and U.S. citizens should just let everyone have sex with whoever they so desire" bone for awhile now, so he's heard enough Scripture as well as the testimonies of others - who know that homosexuality (and other sexual immoral behavior) is sinful and can be overcome in Christ - which should have helped him see more clearly by now. From all I've witnessed from him, there is nothing more I could say that would be of any consequence to him. But, because I find writing rather cathartic, and I'm still extremely frustrated by this brother-in-Christ's unholy and unprofitable pursuits, I chose to write my thoughts today.
The part of his thought process that bothers me the most - as a Christian - is the part where he thinks that by combining God's laws regarding righteousness with our now secularized nation's laws could result in any amount of pain to anyone. How can someone who claims to believe in God think that?
The Bible is replete with information about how the Law is thoroughly beneficial for everyone! Both the Old and the New Testaments are completely filled with instruction on how obedience to God leads to blessing - this truth was the belief system of our nation's founders - so, therefore, the Bible is the basis of our Constitution and government.
I am saddened by the reality that my FB friend - and other professing Christians - no longer care to seek God's favor for his country or my childrens' future in this world. It has always been my experience that those who disobey God always end up hurting themselves and others FAR more than those who live and proclaim His moral standards.
When I began this blog, I looked up some of the key words in the message my friend posted yesterday. The definition of the word "prove" has given me a small measure of peace regarding his agenda. "Prove: to learn or find out by experience (http://www.merriam-webster.com)". I know that there will come a day when he learns that the only ones who are hurt by requiring strict obedience to God's moral laws will be the ones who don't. This gives me only a small measure of peace because, as I continue to impress God's laws on my children and others, I know that I will continue to be misunderstood and hated for my efforts; but, I also know that the day God judges and condemns those who oppose His laws, will be the day that I fully realize His grace and mercy!
Thursday, April 26, 2012
The myth of safe...
"Myth: a popular belief or assumption that has grown up around someone or something
Safe: unlikely to produce controversy or contradiction
(http://www.merriam-webster.com)"
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Intimacy with another person is a passionate desire rooted in the heart of every individual. At some point in every person's life, the desire for intimacy with God can also be found in each heart. The former is, at least physically, becoming much more easily known in this generation; whereas, the latter is a bit more difficult to realize in these days where deception masquerades as truth.
Reading through the Scriptures gives us a glimpse of how intimacy with God can be achieved. I was thinking about the word "seed" earlier, and how it is used throughout the Bible. A seed is commonly referred to as something that is planted in dirt to, hopefully, grow into maturity and be useful for humanity. Seed is also used as a metaphor of a man's sperm; the idea being that when it is planted in a woman, what is produced will also grow into maturity, and be useful to humanity for the glory of God. In the Book of James (Chapter 1), sin and God's word are both used metaphorically: his testimony is that when sin is allowed to grow, it produces death; however, obedience to the word of God produces much fruit.
As I was pondering the relationship of seed, Scripture, and intimacy with our Creator, the story of Tamar (Genesis 38) came to mind. In that story, Tamar is initially given to the eldest son of Judah, but God kills him due to his wickedness. Then she is given to Judah's next son to produce an heir, but that son didn't like the situation he was put in, and decided that his seed would not be used for the purpose to which it was intended. God killed him, too. Tamar finds herself in a hopeless situation - childless and without a husband - until she devises a plan which ends with her producing 2 sons, as well as receiving a declaration of her righteousness.
Looking at these relationships and situations through the dim light that our world gives today, they may seem odd and confusing; perhaps, though, using the light that Christ gives as a comparison, we can hope to gain a more comprehensive understanding of intimacy and its relationship with righteousness. As we study Jesus' teaching in John 3, we are offered instruction on what it means to have God's Spirit maturing our spirit. He includes a somber look at the reality that even those who should know what He is talking about, still have extreme difficulty understanding the depth of His words. In verse 12, Jesus says, "I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things?"
Too often in our world, God's Word is covered over, masked to the point that it cannot properly penetrate each human heart to implant what it is designed and intended to. When we enjoy the false security of our current situation - not pursuant of transformational change - we behave like Judah's second son. We go through some of the motions of intimacy, but our only real interest is in producing something for ourselves; our selfish nature insures that we will not produce anything capable of glorifying God. When we stubbornly hold on to the comforts of our humanity, the righteousness of God will not be manifested in our life.
I hope that, whoever reads this blog entry, forgives the innuendo of its title. The desire for passionate intimacy with God should never, ever be compared to the kinds of temporary, pseudo-intimate, but wholly physical relationships that are now rather commonplace in our world. Though it would be good to know that those kinds of relationships ought to be relegated to mythology - with their passions rooted in selfishness, they are wholly incapable of producing intimacy which truly satisfies the desires of a human heart; people who are tempted to give themselves over to those relationships would be wise to learn, sooner rather than later, that they will eventually be left with nothing but emptiness - this blog entry is really just an attempt to share the truth regarding misconceptions many people currently seem to have regarding spiritual intimacy with God.
These days, physical barriers hindering the reproduction of humanity are commonly used during times of physical intimacy. These are known to be very effective for insuring that there will not be as many people born - to be useful to humanity and for the glory of God - as the act of physical intimacy is capable of producing. The exact decrease cannot be as certain as the fact that there will still be fewer people growing and maturing. Likewise, we must realize that there are many barriers surrounding us these days hindering spiritual growth. These deceptive practices serve to guard against true spiritual intimacy with God and what would be produced in us - and reproduced by us - if we really desired to know Him with all our hearts.
Safe: unlikely to produce controversy or contradiction
(http://www.merriam-webster.com)"
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Intimacy with another person is a passionate desire rooted in the heart of every individual. At some point in every person's life, the desire for intimacy with God can also be found in each heart. The former is, at least physically, becoming much more easily known in this generation; whereas, the latter is a bit more difficult to realize in these days where deception masquerades as truth.
Reading through the Scriptures gives us a glimpse of how intimacy with God can be achieved. I was thinking about the word "seed" earlier, and how it is used throughout the Bible. A seed is commonly referred to as something that is planted in dirt to, hopefully, grow into maturity and be useful for humanity. Seed is also used as a metaphor of a man's sperm; the idea being that when it is planted in a woman, what is produced will also grow into maturity, and be useful to humanity for the glory of God. In the Book of James (Chapter 1), sin and God's word are both used metaphorically: his testimony is that when sin is allowed to grow, it produces death; however, obedience to the word of God produces much fruit.
As I was pondering the relationship of seed, Scripture, and intimacy with our Creator, the story of Tamar (Genesis 38) came to mind. In that story, Tamar is initially given to the eldest son of Judah, but God kills him due to his wickedness. Then she is given to Judah's next son to produce an heir, but that son didn't like the situation he was put in, and decided that his seed would not be used for the purpose to which it was intended. God killed him, too. Tamar finds herself in a hopeless situation - childless and without a husband - until she devises a plan which ends with her producing 2 sons, as well as receiving a declaration of her righteousness.
Looking at these relationships and situations through the dim light that our world gives today, they may seem odd and confusing; perhaps, though, using the light that Christ gives as a comparison, we can hope to gain a more comprehensive understanding of intimacy and its relationship with righteousness. As we study Jesus' teaching in John 3, we are offered instruction on what it means to have God's Spirit maturing our spirit. He includes a somber look at the reality that even those who should know what He is talking about, still have extreme difficulty understanding the depth of His words. In verse 12, Jesus says, "I have spoken to you of earthly things and you do not believe; how then will you believe if I speak of heavenly things?"
Too often in our world, God's Word is covered over, masked to the point that it cannot properly penetrate each human heart to implant what it is designed and intended to. When we enjoy the false security of our current situation - not pursuant of transformational change - we behave like Judah's second son. We go through some of the motions of intimacy, but our only real interest is in producing something for ourselves; our selfish nature insures that we will not produce anything capable of glorifying God. When we stubbornly hold on to the comforts of our humanity, the righteousness of God will not be manifested in our life.
I hope that, whoever reads this blog entry, forgives the innuendo of its title. The desire for passionate intimacy with God should never, ever be compared to the kinds of temporary, pseudo-intimate, but wholly physical relationships that are now rather commonplace in our world. Though it would be good to know that those kinds of relationships ought to be relegated to mythology - with their passions rooted in selfishness, they are wholly incapable of producing intimacy which truly satisfies the desires of a human heart; people who are tempted to give themselves over to those relationships would be wise to learn, sooner rather than later, that they will eventually be left with nothing but emptiness - this blog entry is really just an attempt to share the truth regarding misconceptions many people currently seem to have regarding spiritual intimacy with God.
These days, physical barriers hindering the reproduction of humanity are commonly used during times of physical intimacy. These are known to be very effective for insuring that there will not be as many people born - to be useful to humanity and for the glory of God - as the act of physical intimacy is capable of producing. The exact decrease cannot be as certain as the fact that there will still be fewer people growing and maturing. Likewise, we must realize that there are many barriers surrounding us these days hindering spiritual growth. These deceptive practices serve to guard against true spiritual intimacy with God and what would be produced in us - and reproduced by us - if we really desired to know Him with all our hearts.
Friday, March 16, 2012
Perspective
The other night, my daughter had basketball try-outs. Among those present was a coach from last year who, at the end of their final game (which they lost), told the girls on her team that, "they sucked". In her defense (a place I never thought I'd be), she called each of the girls to apologize for her remarks.
The other night, I had forgotten all about her apologetic call to my daughter; all I was able to recall were her ugly words to a team full of girls who played to the best of their ability for her and each other. While my daughter waited for her time to go before the line-up of this year's potential coaches, I spent my time texting my husband about how much I disliked the woman whom I continued to glare at. He tried counseling me about what my appropriate response should have been towards the woman who didn't even know I existed. Then, after her time to try-out was over, my daughter came back to me; I called her attention to her previous coach, and let her know about my negative feelings for the woman. My daughter gently said to me, "Mom, she called and apologized." My daughter possessed all the grace, knowledge, and mercy that I should have had. My daughter's words and actions humiliated me in the best possible way.
The other night, I was thinking about what kinds of skills it takes to do well in any given area. As we prepared for another season of practices and games, and of hectic scheduling and taxiing, I wondered about how everything was going to be accomplished.
The other night, I thought about Michael Jordan and Cynthia Ulrich Tobias. Cynthia wrote a book called "The Way They Learn"; in it she included some information on how - depending on your perspective - Michael Jordan could be considered a genius for the way he played basketball. On the court, Michael had the ability to know where the ball, the goal, and every necessary player were - and how to position himself accordingly - so well that when he decided to leave the court permanently, he had become one of its all-time leading scorers.
Many nights I think about where I am and what I am supposed to be accomplishing. I believe that when I know who is on my side, who our opponents are, where our goals are, and exactly what we plan on doing to reach those goals, I am able to adjust myself accordingly. I long to be thought of as some kind of genius, to be part of a team that is undefeated, and to be seen as one who belongs with those whose reputation is intimidating, but that's not how things are for me. I often don't feel very accomplished; too often I think that there is nearly no one on my side, and, at 5-foot-nothin', I'm not all that intimidating, either. I realize, though, it's a matter of perspective.
Tonight I'm thinking about my perspective. The other night, I could only see my daughter's former coach as an opponent, my husband saw her more like someone on the sideline, my daughter saw her as a teammate. In all my activity this basketball season, I see better how I belong to God - truly, how we all do. Humility gives us the proper perspective to be where He needs us to be, then He fills us with every skill necessary to accomplish every goal He creates for us. We need to seek His face, for He watches everything we do; eagerly listen to His voice, for He offers constant encouragement and instruction. His individual discipline and instruction, as well as team building activities, often come through those around me (as it did through my daughter the other night). Every moment we have is our opportunity to work together to ultimately win or lose.
One day, whether we are aware of it now or not, God will give us His final perspective on how well we did with the life He offered us in Christ. For now, it is best to know that His perspective is, though each life is a gift, it is not something to play at; know that He will never apologize for His call in/on our lives.
The other night, I had forgotten all about her apologetic call to my daughter; all I was able to recall were her ugly words to a team full of girls who played to the best of their ability for her and each other. While my daughter waited for her time to go before the line-up of this year's potential coaches, I spent my time texting my husband about how much I disliked the woman whom I continued to glare at. He tried counseling me about what my appropriate response should have been towards the woman who didn't even know I existed. Then, after her time to try-out was over, my daughter came back to me; I called her attention to her previous coach, and let her know about my negative feelings for the woman. My daughter gently said to me, "Mom, she called and apologized." My daughter possessed all the grace, knowledge, and mercy that I should have had. My daughter's words and actions humiliated me in the best possible way.
The other night, I was thinking about what kinds of skills it takes to do well in any given area. As we prepared for another season of practices and games, and of hectic scheduling and taxiing, I wondered about how everything was going to be accomplished.
The other night, I thought about Michael Jordan and Cynthia Ulrich Tobias. Cynthia wrote a book called "The Way They Learn"; in it she included some information on how - depending on your perspective - Michael Jordan could be considered a genius for the way he played basketball. On the court, Michael had the ability to know where the ball, the goal, and every necessary player were - and how to position himself accordingly - so well that when he decided to leave the court permanently, he had become one of its all-time leading scorers.
Many nights I think about where I am and what I am supposed to be accomplishing. I believe that when I know who is on my side, who our opponents are, where our goals are, and exactly what we plan on doing to reach those goals, I am able to adjust myself accordingly. I long to be thought of as some kind of genius, to be part of a team that is undefeated, and to be seen as one who belongs with those whose reputation is intimidating, but that's not how things are for me. I often don't feel very accomplished; too often I think that there is nearly no one on my side, and, at 5-foot-nothin', I'm not all that intimidating, either. I realize, though, it's a matter of perspective.
Tonight I'm thinking about my perspective. The other night, I could only see my daughter's former coach as an opponent, my husband saw her more like someone on the sideline, my daughter saw her as a teammate. In all my activity this basketball season, I see better how I belong to God - truly, how we all do. Humility gives us the proper perspective to be where He needs us to be, then He fills us with every skill necessary to accomplish every goal He creates for us. We need to seek His face, for He watches everything we do; eagerly listen to His voice, for He offers constant encouragement and instruction. His individual discipline and instruction, as well as team building activities, often come through those around me (as it did through my daughter the other night). Every moment we have is our opportunity to work together to ultimately win or lose.
One day, whether we are aware of it now or not, God will give us His final perspective on how well we did with the life He offered us in Christ. For now, it is best to know that His perspective is, though each life is a gift, it is not something to play at; know that He will never apologize for His call in/on our lives.
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Do I behave like the ass?
Awhile back, there was a video being shared on Facebook of a preacher saying it was alright to, "say the f-word in church, in fact, Christians should say it all the time!" He was sensationalizing the word 'forgive'. It seems that, sometimes, a Christian believes he needs to shock people in order to get his point across. Well, I guess I'm doing the same thing tonight...
Recently, I heard someone tell me, "You may know the Bible, but I believe that God can speak through me, too. After all, if He can speak through a donkey, he can do the same with me. Right?" Aside from being mildly insulting to me personally, I've been pondering why his statement continues to bother me. The comment came from another believer who, I am certain, wants nothing more than to do will of God and show His love to those in the world around him. After all, doing what God wants us to do was exactly the topic several of us had been discussing that evening.
Well, I do like the Bible - I like it a lot - so much so that I often passionately say, "I LOVE the Bible!" I love reading it, and teaching it, and talking about it, and thinking about it... But, I know that doing those things won't do me - or anyone else - much good in having a relationship with God, if that's all I ever do; however, I also know that not doing those things will produce the same result. So, I thought about his words in light of the Scripture, the one in which he was referring to in his comment towards me.
The aforementioned donkey belonged to a man named Balaam. You can read what happens between the two of them in the Old Testament portion of the Bible; it's found in the Book of Numbers, Chapter 22. I'll sum it up for you here: Balaam was a man known to be sensitive to spiritual matters and possessed some power with his words. He had been asked, by some influential people from the area where he lived, to say some not-so-nice things to the Israelites. God told Balaam not to go with those people, then He said he could, but warned him to do exactly as He said. Balaam rode along with them on his donkey - thinking everything was alright - when God's anger was stirred, and He came real close to killing Balaam. His donkey saved him 3 times: the first only cost Balaam some embarrassment as he veered off the road into a field, the second cost Balaam some physical pain as he pressed hard against a wall, the third time stopped his forward progress completely.
Although Balaam beat the donkey each time, it was upon the third time that the donkey was given the ability to speak clearly to Balaam. I absolutely love the conversation the two of them have, and the fact that they even have a conversation at all, but I'm gonna try to keep this as short and to the point as possible. The point is: Balaam didn't see the very real danger that was in front of him, but his donkey did and was willing to endure every beating to keep Balaam from getting killed! We are told that the donkey's life would have been spared, but Balaam would certainly have died if the donkey had just done as Balaam desired. When Balaam's eyes are able to see clearly, he asks God's forgiveness and declares that he is willing to turn around and leave the job those people were going to pay him a lot to accomplish.
The story doesn't end there. Balaam's story winds it's way all throughout the Bible: the Old and the New Testament Scriptures. Balaam is condemned by God because, although he pronounces a blessing instead of a curse on those whom God desires to bless, he encourages sexual immorality and disobedience for God's people. The donkey, however, is again praised for his actions (2 Peter 2:16)!
So, in light of all of this, I say, I hope that God's people see and sound like the ass of Balaam, rather than just going along with the wishes of others, or going our own way, or simply THINKING that we are doing what God wants; I hope that we can see clearly the very real danger of God's wrath on those who persist in doing things which do not glorify God, and give clear verbal warning - despite the cost to us - for people to stop! We need to know the will of God, and obey it! And, personally, I can't think of a better way to accomplish this than to diligently study the Scriptures for ourselves, and also get with wise people who can help to explain His Words in miraculous, meaningful ways! I hope, too, that all who read these words don't find them sensational, but transformational.
Recently, I heard someone tell me, "You may know the Bible, but I believe that God can speak through me, too. After all, if He can speak through a donkey, he can do the same with me. Right?" Aside from being mildly insulting to me personally, I've been pondering why his statement continues to bother me. The comment came from another believer who, I am certain, wants nothing more than to do will of God and show His love to those in the world around him. After all, doing what God wants us to do was exactly the topic several of us had been discussing that evening.
Well, I do like the Bible - I like it a lot - so much so that I often passionately say, "I LOVE the Bible!" I love reading it, and teaching it, and talking about it, and thinking about it... But, I know that doing those things won't do me - or anyone else - much good in having a relationship with God, if that's all I ever do; however, I also know that not doing those things will produce the same result. So, I thought about his words in light of the Scripture, the one in which he was referring to in his comment towards me.
The aforementioned donkey belonged to a man named Balaam. You can read what happens between the two of them in the Old Testament portion of the Bible; it's found in the Book of Numbers, Chapter 22. I'll sum it up for you here: Balaam was a man known to be sensitive to spiritual matters and possessed some power with his words. He had been asked, by some influential people from the area where he lived, to say some not-so-nice things to the Israelites. God told Balaam not to go with those people, then He said he could, but warned him to do exactly as He said. Balaam rode along with them on his donkey - thinking everything was alright - when God's anger was stirred, and He came real close to killing Balaam. His donkey saved him 3 times: the first only cost Balaam some embarrassment as he veered off the road into a field, the second cost Balaam some physical pain as he pressed hard against a wall, the third time stopped his forward progress completely.
Although Balaam beat the donkey each time, it was upon the third time that the donkey was given the ability to speak clearly to Balaam. I absolutely love the conversation the two of them have, and the fact that they even have a conversation at all, but I'm gonna try to keep this as short and to the point as possible. The point is: Balaam didn't see the very real danger that was in front of him, but his donkey did and was willing to endure every beating to keep Balaam from getting killed! We are told that the donkey's life would have been spared, but Balaam would certainly have died if the donkey had just done as Balaam desired. When Balaam's eyes are able to see clearly, he asks God's forgiveness and declares that he is willing to turn around and leave the job those people were going to pay him a lot to accomplish.
The story doesn't end there. Balaam's story winds it's way all throughout the Bible: the Old and the New Testament Scriptures. Balaam is condemned by God because, although he pronounces a blessing instead of a curse on those whom God desires to bless, he encourages sexual immorality and disobedience for God's people. The donkey, however, is again praised for his actions (2 Peter 2:16)!
So, in light of all of this, I say, I hope that God's people see and sound like the ass of Balaam, rather than just going along with the wishes of others, or going our own way, or simply THINKING that we are doing what God wants; I hope that we can see clearly the very real danger of God's wrath on those who persist in doing things which do not glorify God, and give clear verbal warning - despite the cost to us - for people to stop! We need to know the will of God, and obey it! And, personally, I can't think of a better way to accomplish this than to diligently study the Scriptures for ourselves, and also get with wise people who can help to explain His Words in miraculous, meaningful ways! I hope, too, that all who read these words don't find them sensational, but transformational.
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
He loves me, he loves me not, he loves me...
When I was a young girl, I remember walking through patches of flowers to admire their fragrance and beauty; sometimes I would pluck bouquets of them from the ground to bring home for my mom or myself to admire there. Many times I would choose just one particular flower from the field, then I'd say the familiar verse, "He loves me, he loves me not, he loves me..." - one petal was removed as each new phrase was spoken - I was always hoping that the last petal would confirm that he did, indeed, love me. I didn't really understand that my efforts with the flower petals were fairly futile back then; I had little comprehension of who "he" even was when I was young.
As I grew older, my understanding of the value of relationships grew as well. At times I became painfully aware of the feeling of loneliness; although I could have been surrounded by family, friends, or even among a crowd, I didn't feel as though I belonged to any of them. Other times I was blissfully happy at home, church, school, the mall, etc. - in every place where I could feel completely comfortable with the people I was around. As I swung through the highs and lows of learning how to relate to people, I began to understand how each person had an impact on my own character development. I learned how to appreciate those who valued me, and cautiously relate to those who didn't. I learned also that those who chose to dislike me, struggled within themselves to recognize the value in other people. I understand that the process of relating to people is a life-long one, and that every moment of the process - just as every person - has eternal value.
People want to believe that they matter, that they have importance. And, if they can belong to - or relate very well to - just one other person, then they can see the value they have in themselves. This belief system is, perhaps, never as blatantly evident as it is during our adolescent years. It is during this time that it seems as though every fiber of our being drives us to find that 'someone special'; really, what we are striving for is the feeling that we are the one who is special to someone else. This feeling is unbelievably delicate - it can be so easily shattered by one word or gesture, either spoken or left out - yet it is so fiercely desired.
It was during my adolescence that my significance was confirmed. God's love taught me to respect the necessary solemnity of physical relationships, so I could not fathom becoming intimately involved with anyone who did not hold to the same Spiritual reality as I did. I had grown up believing that God loved me, so when none of my peers found me attractive enough to pick me out of the crowd, I concluded that He would have to be enough for me. He loved me.
However, the human connection that I so desperately desired still remained, and I hoped that surely there had to be someone with whom I could share a loving relationship with. Through the years of middle school, high school, and young adulthood, I found many guys attractive, and I tried to be attractive (as I could manage) to them, but had little success finding anyone who would return my affection. Each year of misplaced and misguided affection, my reality was that he loved me not.
In my early 20's, I was blessed with a close circle of friends. From that circle grew a bond with the one man who chose to pick me from the crowd. Though our relationship has been known to produce thorns at times, those are not among our most noteworthy features; it is the glory of God's amazing love in, with, and for us that brings beauty to our home! My husband reveals to me the heart of my loving God by using his strong arms to hold and comfort me and our children, his knowledge and faith to guide us, his life experiences to warn us, and his passion and faithfulness to insure joyful times as well as to endure through life's difficulties. As he loves God, so he loves me!
When I was young, I recognized that some flowers were more beautiful than others; some beautiful flowers were more pleasingly fragrant than others; I learned that some bouquets were actually weeds I had gathered, and others were out of well-designed gardens. Being a mom, I encourage the young people I enjoy relating with now, to learn how to admire those relationships which reflect the Glory of God. We must learn how to belong to the most well-designed, most pleasing, fragrant, and beautiful kinds of relationships; so, we will be able to bring such beauty into our homes - to our friends, families, and among the crowds - it is through these kinds of relationships that we are blessed to know who He is and why He loves us!
As I grew older, my understanding of the value of relationships grew as well. At times I became painfully aware of the feeling of loneliness; although I could have been surrounded by family, friends, or even among a crowd, I didn't feel as though I belonged to any of them. Other times I was blissfully happy at home, church, school, the mall, etc. - in every place where I could feel completely comfortable with the people I was around. As I swung through the highs and lows of learning how to relate to people, I began to understand how each person had an impact on my own character development. I learned how to appreciate those who valued me, and cautiously relate to those who didn't. I learned also that those who chose to dislike me, struggled within themselves to recognize the value in other people. I understand that the process of relating to people is a life-long one, and that every moment of the process - just as every person - has eternal value.
People want to believe that they matter, that they have importance. And, if they can belong to - or relate very well to - just one other person, then they can see the value they have in themselves. This belief system is, perhaps, never as blatantly evident as it is during our adolescent years. It is during this time that it seems as though every fiber of our being drives us to find that 'someone special'; really, what we are striving for is the feeling that we are the one who is special to someone else. This feeling is unbelievably delicate - it can be so easily shattered by one word or gesture, either spoken or left out - yet it is so fiercely desired.
It was during my adolescence that my significance was confirmed. God's love taught me to respect the necessary solemnity of physical relationships, so I could not fathom becoming intimately involved with anyone who did not hold to the same Spiritual reality as I did. I had grown up believing that God loved me, so when none of my peers found me attractive enough to pick me out of the crowd, I concluded that He would have to be enough for me. He loved me.
However, the human connection that I so desperately desired still remained, and I hoped that surely there had to be someone with whom I could share a loving relationship with. Through the years of middle school, high school, and young adulthood, I found many guys attractive, and I tried to be attractive (as I could manage) to them, but had little success finding anyone who would return my affection. Each year of misplaced and misguided affection, my reality was that he loved me not.
In my early 20's, I was blessed with a close circle of friends. From that circle grew a bond with the one man who chose to pick me from the crowd. Though our relationship has been known to produce thorns at times, those are not among our most noteworthy features; it is the glory of God's amazing love in, with, and for us that brings beauty to our home! My husband reveals to me the heart of my loving God by using his strong arms to hold and comfort me and our children, his knowledge and faith to guide us, his life experiences to warn us, and his passion and faithfulness to insure joyful times as well as to endure through life's difficulties. As he loves God, so he loves me!
When I was young, I recognized that some flowers were more beautiful than others; some beautiful flowers were more pleasingly fragrant than others; I learned that some bouquets were actually weeds I had gathered, and others were out of well-designed gardens. Being a mom, I encourage the young people I enjoy relating with now, to learn how to admire those relationships which reflect the Glory of God. We must learn how to belong to the most well-designed, most pleasing, fragrant, and beautiful kinds of relationships; so, we will be able to bring such beauty into our homes - to our friends, families, and among the crowds - it is through these kinds of relationships that we are blessed to know who He is and why He loves us!
Monday, February 6, 2012
What's love got to do with it?
I love science! I love witnessing how things act and interact with other things in the natural realm!
I remember being taught in school the value of experimentation. The one thing that I remember most is how important it was to have a "constant" - a "control" - by which to measure: to have something that could/would never change in order to compare every part of all my experiments by.
I am saddened by the reality that, as the Evolution hypothesis has taken root in our education system, verifiable truth is no longer absolutely relevant to many people in our culture. In that hypothesis, there really isn't any control, everything was, is, and always will be transient. It is the foundational belief that whatever may be the "fittest" at any given time, should be the only thing that could "survive" (or could be the only thing that should "survive"). In that kind of environment, there can never be an absolute constant, because the "control" is what is reigning in the moment.
I love the Word of God more and more every day! And, I realize that this is due - in large part - to the failed experimentation in the world around me.
In the above passage of Scripture, Jesus declares Himself the constant for all things and for all times. John recorded (not only in Revelation, but also) in the Gospel which bears his name that Jesus said of Himself, "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life... (John 14)". It is by the Word of God that I confidently measure and compare how everyone/thing acts and interacts, not just in the natural realm, but also in the spiritual one. In Him I "live and move and have [my] being (Acts 17)"; it is only by having His life as my source, that I can realize what He needs changing in order for Him to remain constantly in control.
No part of life should ever be seen as any kind (or aspect) of an experiment - to see how fit any of us are at surviving - knowing only the kinds of lives each person is capable of on their own, or with a little help from others. There are too many people who have gone through life believing that love can be found living like that. The truth is that life should be known as the gift that it has always been - it is a relationship with the One who was, and is, and is to come - and true love can only be found within the boundaries of this relationship.
I love being loved by the One who is Love! This kind of love I can't keep to myself - I want VERY MUCH to help others also live this truthful, loving interaction with God that is both natural and spiritual!
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
...just the messenger
There are a series of television commercials currently being aired; the lead character is a man who has saved so much money on his insurance, that he - supposedly - feels compelled to pass along the his 'earnings' to others. Of course, the beneficiaries of his generosity are surprised and some are thankful! He, however, is quick to point out that he is not the one they should focus on for what they (including himself) have been blessed with, as he says, "Don't thank me, I'm just the messenger."
I've been pondering that mindset for quite awhile now, as I, too, have often heard words of gratitude - of course, not for giving my money away - for saying something that someone else benefited from, but knowing that true wisdom and knowledge are gifts from God. Unlike my little advertising example, I usually take the credit for what I've spoken, and lately I've been increasingly uncomfortable about it.
I want everyone to know the same thing James, Jesus' brother, knew; that , "Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. (James 1:17)". If what I say is good and perfect, then the glory for such insight should be given to God, and I should just be known as His messenger. All glory - thanks and honor - should be given to the One who originates the blessing.
If what I say is less than perfect, then I believe I should receive whatever reward/punishment is due for bestowing those fake jewels on someone else.
I know - just like the reactions on those commercials - it's sometimes difficult to receive what you're being given, especially when you're not sure what you should expect to accept. I suppose, then, it is in everyone's best interest to know every message for what it is: good and perfect, or not-so-good and less-than-perfect, then we could treat the messenger accordingly.
I've been pondering that mindset for quite awhile now, as I, too, have often heard words of gratitude - of course, not for giving my money away - for saying something that someone else benefited from, but knowing that true wisdom and knowledge are gifts from God. Unlike my little advertising example, I usually take the credit for what I've spoken, and lately I've been increasingly uncomfortable about it.
I want everyone to know the same thing James, Jesus' brother, knew; that , "Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. (James 1:17)". If what I say is good and perfect, then the glory for such insight should be given to God, and I should just be known as His messenger. All glory - thanks and honor - should be given to the One who originates the blessing.
If what I say is less than perfect, then I believe I should receive whatever reward/punishment is due for bestowing those fake jewels on someone else.
I know - just like the reactions on those commercials - it's sometimes difficult to receive what you're being given, especially when you're not sure what you should expect to accept. I suppose, then, it is in everyone's best interest to know every message for what it is: good and perfect, or not-so-good and less-than-perfect, then we could treat the messenger accordingly.
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Let's see here...
Awhile back, a video was posted of a little old couple trying to figure out how to work their webcam. They were so cute sitting there - talking, playing, adjusting - working together on a new (to them) form of communication. I feel a lot like that now...
I hope that, soon, this new (to me) form of communication becomes quite natural, as I thoroughly enjoy my vantage point: being in a position of observation and talking about the things I see!
I hope that, soon, this new (to me) form of communication becomes quite natural, as I thoroughly enjoy my vantage point: being in a position of observation and talking about the things I see!
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)