God Grew Tired of Us

God grew tired of us... Powerful documentary about the lost boys of Sudan. What horrors they endured at such a young age. They lost parents, siblings, extended family, friends, and endured it all together. What is miraculous is the attitudes of the 3 young men that were followed on their journey from a refugee camp to living in the United States.

I am grateful for community- those who love me and endure the good, the bad, and the ugly with me. Those who don't listen to other's opinions of me but know me for themselves and love me anyway. Those who I can laugh and cry with me. Those who really listen and really care- those that I listen to and care about.

On the other hand, I am also grateful for the bad and the ugly in life. Situations that hurt and the people who hurt me. Why you may ask? Frankly because those situations and people when viewed as coming from the sovereign hand of God produce perseverance and faith. They also give me perspective that I would not otherwise have. Appreciation for true friends and times of peace are greatly enhanced through enduring the bad and the ugly of life. Experiencing God and His great grace, mercy, and faithfulness deepens my relationship with Him in ways I could not have imagined.

Of Wildflowers and Gratefulness

Taking a thoughtful walk through a broad meadow, a young girl pauses to take in the world around her. As she drinks deeply of it all, a lone wildflower left over from the great burst of spring catches her eye. She wonders at its beauty, its tenacity. Approaching it, she stoops lower to marvel at the wildflower blushing purple. Its lovely face upturned toward heaven, expectant to receive the good gifts it receives every day... the dew, the sun, the breeze, the busy bees. Her thoughts turn to her own life, comparing herself to that one flower.

"God takes care of this flower, will He not much more care for me?"

"Interesting," she thinks, "how this little flower reflects faith and hope. How it has endured to the end of spring, stands alone and still has an upturned face. How beautiful it is, it seems almost grateful. Had I not taken the time to stop and look around me, I might have missed this precious gift. Funny, I had to stoop lower to really see all of this. I wonder if this is the way it works, if stooping lower is the path to gratefulness. Is stooping lower the only way to really see the good gifts? Surely there are gifts I receive everyday just like this flower. Even the gifts this flower receives are gifts that I receive I suppose."

"What is it that scripture says?" She pulls a small bible from her skirt pocket. Turning the pages to Matthew 6 she reads softly to herself, "Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin, yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith!" (v. 28-30)

Humbled by the thought, she sits next to the flower to turn her own face heavenward and bows her heart in grateful praise.

Got Endurance?

"Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.
And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing." James 1: 2-4

There it is, the challenge to consider ALL joy, various trials, testing of faith, the need for endurance. (Note to self...This journey of eucharisteo appears to be uphill- put on your hiking boots and take lots of water!)

Groan... endurance? You mean the act of bearing or suffering; a continuing under pain or distress without resistance, or without being overcome; sufferance; patience? Yes My child

O Lord, without being overcome? Yes My child

I am often overcome, impatient, and resisting Your sovereign hand through various trials. Had you set the bar lower I would have hit the mark at least once in a while.... Let endurance have it's perfect result My child

{Scripture rings so true that we do not think the thoughts that God thinks, we do not operate the way God operates. (Isaiah 55:8-9) }

Endure even when others exclude, accuse, reject, purposefully hurt me? Yes My child

Endure even when the oven breaks, the car dies, the window cracks, the furniture falls apart? Yes My child

Endure when there are interruptions at every turn, distractions, hindrances to progress, setbacks? Yes My child

Endure.... continue under pain or distress without resistance. Yes My child

Wow... do I ever do that? Not on my own.

Oh Lord, You and You only can enable me to endure.
There is one of the greatest graces I can find in this world, add that to my One Thousand Gifts list... not having to endure alone.
I run to Your Word- You are my refuge. (Psalm 5:11; 16:1; 18:2; 18:30; 25:20; 31:19)
I found another grace to add to my list! Firmly in His grip.
Thank You Lord that You are the source of my endurance and the source of my rest. Enable me Lord to count it ALL joy.

Pressing in and pressing on by His grace for another day.

Eucharisteo

Eucharisteo - a Greek verb meaning to be grateful, to feel thankful, to give thanks.

I am on a journey this year to practice eucharisteo in everything. In the latter part of 2010 I realized my desperate need to grow in gratefulness - not just in the good (that's the easier part) but in the difficult, frustrating, disappointing and hurtful things. To be sure I am not alone in struggling to be thankful for these seemingly undesireable things.

Yet I wonder, are they "undesireable"? At first glance yes but upon further investigation the undesireables are actually necessary and even good.

Have you ever considered what it would be like to be blind like the men in Matthew 9:27-31? To have the faith to be healed and then to see for the very first time? Can you imagine how overwhelming that experience must have been?

Or how about Saul (in Acts 9) who was on the road to Damascus fully able to see being struck blind for a time? As he obeyed the word of the Lord he received his sight again.

In both of these cases, the blindness was physical and faith was the key to the cure. I can only imagine how these men were forever changed by the power of receiving their sight. Greater than that, they met with Christ. Their healing was greater than physical, it reached into the depths of their souls.

Blindness is not limited to the physical realm, it is a very real malady in the spiritual realm. Blindness ranges from limited vision to completely eliminating vision. It impairs perspective and our ability to interact with the world around us properly.

On the "undesireable" side we are blind and in need of a Savior, a Healer - yet because of that "undesireable" state we are brought to the "good"- the recognition that we need a Savior, a Healer. Without blindness we risk missing the beauty, the gift of seeing. This brings us to the good side, being given sight and healing to our broken, bleeding hearts and souls. So you see that it is really just 2 sides to the same coin, the "undesireable" and the "good" working together to give us more perfect sight.

What undesireable am I facing today?

How can I "see" the good in it, the healing, the grace, the purpose in it?

For what good is God working all of those difficult, frustrating, disappointing and hurtful things in my life? (Romans 8:27-29)

Am I willing to completely trust Him that He is good and the He will be faithful to complete the work which He has begun in me? (Philippians 1:5-7)

Will I yield to His perfect plan for my life and all that the plan might require? Even (or especially) the "undesireables" ?

I agree wholeheartedly with the apostle Paul when he says:
"Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect, but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus.
Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead,
I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus."
Philippians 3:12-14

Sluggishness and Faith

Hebrews 6: 11-12

11 "And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence so as to realize the full assurance of hope until the end,
12 so that you will not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises."

Beloved friends, as I have been studying Hebrews, the Lord has been opening my eyes, challenging my heart, and teaching me deeper truths. Today I wanted to share some of that with you from Hebrews 6. I pray this will be a great encouragement to you in your walk today and in the days to come.

In this passage the author encourages his audience not to be sluggish but what does that word mean? In the Greek, sluggishness actually means "an inborn sluggishness which makes a person unfit for activities of the mind or spirit". This reminds me of the wrestling match I have with my sin nature to do what is right; my regenerate heart desires to do God's will but my flesh wants to live an easier life. This battle is resonated in Pauls words in Romans 7:15 , "For what I am doing, I do not understand; for I am not practicing what I would like to do, but I am doing the very thing I hate."

Instead of just telling them what NOT to do, he puts before them the example of those who have gone before, those who through faith and patience inherit the promises. That faith he speaks of is confidence in certain divine truths, especially those of the gospel. Yet faith does not stand alone, it is coupled with patience. Patience in this context is is actually self-restraint of the mind before it gives room to action or passion... so I see a forbearance of nature as a lifestyle.

This, dear friends, is the Christian life... active, faithful, patient, focused on God's promises. Our walks are exactly that, they are a walk... an active life, one that is lived out by applying the truth of God's Word to every aspect of our lives. We do not do what we do without purpose, by His grace we demonstrate faith and patience as we hold on to the promises of a faithful, changeless God, One who is not slack concerning His promise (II Peter 3:9).

Be encouraged today, whatever your trial or joy may be... God is faithful, you are firmly in His grip.

~G

Grace - God's gift

Ephesians 4:31-32

"Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you."

It seems that God wants me to learn more about grace... it keeps coming up from different sources. Has God ever done that in your life? He surrounds you with a message or a verse from totally unrelated sources? It's kind of like layers of an onion, He just keeps peeling back the layers to reveal the next one. This seems to be one BIG onion!

Anyway, that has been the case with grace for me lately. The most recent source (layer) came this week in our Sunday adult fellowship class. I am so glad I was there to get the message, Lord knows I have a long way to grow to become a conduit of His grace. Will you walk through this lesson with me? Here we go...

Briefly our teacher pointed out that in verse 31 there was a negative progression.

Step One: attitude = bitterness (resentment) which we allow to fester in our hearts and minds.
Step Two: disposition = anger/wrath here is the first visible evidence of our inward festering.
Step Three: speech = clamor/slander, now the inward issue bursts out like a volcano erupting.
Step Four: action = malice/evil, finally what is in our hearts pours out in a sinful manner.

Next he pointed out that the first word in that same verse is "let". He said that in the Greek it is a passive word meaning that it is done to us, that it is a work of the Spirit to be done to us. Our part is to let it be swept away from us. We must quit clutching to our bitterness which is at the root of the problem.

The encouragement and application came next. He showed our class the godly replacement in verse 32. The most enlightening thing was that the word translated "forgiving" is from the root word grace, he pointed out that "being gracious" was a better translation. The idea being gracious includes forgiveness but is broader. Graciousness is the antithesis of bitterness.

Here are the replacements he listed for us.

1) In place of bitterness display a graciousness of attitude.
2) In place of anger cultivate a gracious disposition.
3) In place of shouting and abusive speech develop a habit of gracious speech.

The reason for this change?
~We are recipients of the lavish grace God manifested toward us in Christ (Eph. 1:7-8)
~We are bought with a price and we are not our own (I Cor. 6:20; 7:23)
~While we were yet sinners, enemies of God, Christ died for us (Rom. 5:8)
~We are to be gracious toward others because God through Christ has been gracious to us (Eph. 4:32)

You see, it is HIS grace given to us in order to pour it out on others in His name and... He requires it of us.

Oh that I would become a free flowing conduit of His grace to those around me, not just to those I love but especially to those who are hard to love. Unfortunately I think I must also fall in the "hard to love" category too which means I need God's grace to be demonstrated toward me by you too. Praise be to God that although with men many things are impossible, with God all things are possible! (Matt. 19:26; Mark 10:27)

Encouragement

Have you ever pondered the vastness of God's sovereignty over your life, my life, your child's life, our state, our country, our world, the universe? It is absolutely mind boggling!

It is a daily discipline to keep my mind stayed on that reality as life changes and times shift in ways I cannot predict. How often lately I have had to keep reminding myself of Who God is and how able He is to handle anything that comes my way. Not only is He able to handle it, He is never surprised by anything... He is not controlled by time or space constraints, He is completely aware of everything, all the time, everywhere AND He controls it all.

God's word tells us:

"The earth is the Lord's, and all its fullness, the world and those therein. For He has founded it upon the seas and established it upon the waters." Ps. 24:1-2

"The Lord sat enthroned at the Flood, and the Lord sits as King forever." Ps. 29:10

"The Lord brings the counsel of the nations to nothing; He makes the plans of the peoples of no effect. The counsel of the Lord stands forever, the plans of His heart to all generations... The Lord looks from heaven; He sees the sons of men. From the place of His dwelling He looks on all the inhabitants of the earth. He fashions their hearts individually; He considers all their works."
Ps. 33:10-11,13-15

My dear sisters, lets walk in the light of truth, God is sovereign and our God reigns. He is more than able - Hallelujah!

New Year - Valley of Vision

"O LORD,

Length of days does not profit me except the days are passed

in thy presence, in thy service, to thy glory.

Give me a grace that precedes, follows, guides, sustains,

sanctifies, aids every hour,

that I may not be one moment apart from thee,

but may rely on thy Spirit

to supply every thought,

speak in every word,

direct every step,

prosper every work,

build up every mote of faith,

and give me a desire

to show forth thy praise,

testify thy love,

advance thy kingdom.

I launch my bark on the unknown waters of this year,

with thee, O Father, as my harbour,

thee, O Son, at my helm,

thee, O Holy Spirit, filling my sails.

Guide me to heaven with my loins girt,

my lamp burning,

my ear open to thy calls,

my heart full of love,

my soul free.

Give me thy grace to sanctify me,

thy comforts to cheer,

thy wisdom to teach,

thy right hand to guide,

thy counsel to instruct,

thy law to judge,

thy presence to stabilize.

May thy fear be my awe,

thy triumphs my joy."

Taken from "The Valley of Vision - A Collection of Puritan Prayers and Devotions"