When They're Only Words

I realized there was something wrong.  I had recited it for so many years yet this time something was different.  I was merely parroting words I had learned in my childhood without thinking.  It's as if they were only words!  

 

How many times have we recited prayers without ever giving much of a thought? I hear children recite "God is Great, God is good" in the sing-song manner they've been taught.  How many times do we recite the Lord's Prayer without ever pondering what we are saying! 

 

You see, words are a passion of mine, and when they lose their significance and meaning...my mind kicks out of neutral and begins to shudder. Therefore, I have issued myself a challenge (feel free to join in if you wish) to write, not type, but take pen to paper and write, the Lord's Prayer in words that explain what it means to me.  I will write it every day for a month. Then I will do the same with another passage I have memorized. And continue this until they are no longer merely words but become a fire within my soul as once they were!

 

Here is my Lord's Prayer:

 

Abba,

Your Name is Holy and Revered,

We are Your Kingdom,

Bring us Your love, grace and mercy as You fill Your Kingdom in Heaven,

Give us everything we need to be Your beacon on Earth each day,

And in Your grace and mercy, don't keep track of our offenses against You in the same way we don't keep track of the offenses of others against us.

Guide us in the way You want us to live and love,

Wrap us in Your protection and keep is in Your Light of Love.

The universe is Your Kingdom,

You are all powerful and filled with Glory,

Reign in our hearts and souls always.

Amen

 

When we merely recite, we forget their meaning.

 

When We Hear "Don't"

 

Be still in the presence of the Lord,

and wait patiently for him to act.

Don’t worry about evil people who prosper

or fret about their wicked schemes.

~Psalm 37:7

 

When I read this verse, three things jumped out at me. Three things that I have a difficult time doing.

1. Be still

2. Wait patiently

3. Don't worry

 

Am I the only one who struggles with this? My bride, and people who know me, can tell you that I may be physically stationary, but I am far from still. My mind is constantly seeking to process all that's being taken in and, as a result, I will fidget. I usually keep a coin or pen or some object handy to occupy my hands, but my mind is constantly processing. Being still does not come easily and there are only a few places I can go where being still seems to become simple.

 

How on earth are we to Wait Patiently for God to act? I am one of those inquisitive people who wants to know how, when, where, what, and why! I will concede that patience is learned (usually from having your patience tested to the point your head feels as though it will explode), and it's a lesson I am still learning. But God's time isn't our time. What I am learning is that God has a plan for me, and it is God's job to get me where I need to be to fulfill that plan. The part that is the hardest to process is the time God takes getting me there. But a wise friend once told me that God might be preparing me for where I need to be or He might be preparing the place for me. God's timing is very humbling!

 

Then there's the whole "Don't Worry" issue. When was the last time someone told you "Don't"? Don't touch that! Don't eat that! Don't look! And what became your obsession? Doing exactly what the "Don't" told me not to do! When God sent His messengers to earth to tell us something, what did they always say? "Don't be afraid!" Why? Because we were afraid? I don't know about you, but I worry a LOT! But God is teaching me, with extreme patience I might add, that I need only do what He shows me to do and He will work the promise miracle of Romans 8:28.

 

Perhaps it is time to step back, be still, be patient, don't worry, and let God do His job!

Live In Peace? Have You LOOKED At The World?

Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone. 

Romans 12:18 

 

I've been doing something that is probably not the best idea...I've been reading the news and seeing all the unrest.  To me, it's as if there are people who just want to be angry and destroy stuff.  Well...that's how the news portrays it.

 

Look at today's verse. We are instructed to do everything we can to live in peace with everyone.  How are we supposed to do that?  Let's look at what the Apostle Paul advises in Romans 12:

Verse 2: "Do not copy the behavior and customs of this world, rather let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think."

 

Verse 3: "...Do not think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given you."

 

Verse 7: "If your gift is serving others, serve them well."

 

Verse 8: "If your gift is encouraging others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have the gift of showing kindness to others, do it gladly." 

 

I urge and challenge you to read Romans 12 and see ALL the ways we are to represent Abba by being different from what we see in the world.  Abba didn't urge His Apostle to write these things simply to fill up a letter.  These things were written for US just as much as the church in Rome.  

No Big Deal?

 

Then a poor widow came and dropped in two small coins. 

Mark 12:42

 

I admit, when I was a child and heard the story of the "widow's mites" I wasn't impressed.  After all, she only put two tiny coins into the offering.  I remember thinking her offering was no big deal.  That is until I was put into a situation where I didn't have much to offer either, then I understood what a real offering she had made!

  

Have you ever thought or told Abba something along the lines of "I really don't have much of anything to offer"?  I have.  It was a lie from the pit and it stank!  The truth of the matter is that Abba gives us what He wants us to offer!  Think about that for a minute!

 

Remember how Jesus fed the 5000 people?  Remember the Disciples gathered 12 baskets full of left overs? All this from sardines and biscuits that Abba made sure the boy had for his lunch.  

 

Take a minute to think about what Abba has provided for you and gifted you with.  To us, it may not seem like anything that would make a difference, but when we turn it over to Abba...miracles happen right in front of us!

 

 

 

 

Revolutionary Prayng!

 I urge you, first of all, to pray for all people. Ask God to help them; intercede on their behalf, and give thanks for them. Pray this way for all who are in authority so that we can live peaceful and quiet lives marked by godliness and dignity.  

1 Timothy 2:1-2 

 

No, this will not be any sort of expression of my personal political views.  Today, I want to merely point to God's truth.  If you read today's verses, you will notice that the Apostle tells us that it is our responsibility to Abba to pray for those who have been put in authority over us.  Notice the Apostle does not say "pray for those with whom you agree" nor does he say "pray for those whom you like."  Paul tells us, as is his fashion, directly that we are to pray for ALL those who have been put in authority over us!

 

In Romans 13:1, Paul spells it out for us: "Everyone must submit to governing authorities. For all authority comes from God, and those in positions of authority have been placed there by God."  Remember, absolutely nothing happens outside of Abba's plan and attention.  Therefore, like it or not, agree with it or not, Abba is the one who put leaders in place.

 

When Paul wrote this, he was chained to two Roman Soldiers awaiting trial. Yet he tells us to pray for those who have been put in authority...even his guards!  When we turn our leaders over to Abba, let Him deal with them.  We have been called to pray, because it is through prayer that change comes...either the situation will change or our perspective will change.

 

Think about that. 

 

It's A Struggle~

"Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor 

and slander be put away from you, along with all malice."

Ephesians 4:31

 I've been struggling of late.  An event occurred in my family over Christmas which brought back to my mind a lot of negative memories from my past.  The more I remembered, the angrier I became.  I know in my heart of hearts that I cannot change anything in the past.  I also know in my heart of hearts that holding onto my anger and resentment is not only sinful, but it also destroys my joy.  This I openly confess: I've been angry and resentful about things I can not change or alter.

Having said that, Abba has reminded me, in His ever so gentle poke between my eyes, that the reason I entertained the anger and resentment was due to my own lack of faith!  In my own weakness, I listened to the whispers of the enemy.  You see, that is one of the ways our enemy works...waits until we are weak and then whispers to us to "remember when...?".

When Oliver Cromwell died and the monarchy was restored, the powers that be were so angry with Cromwell that they supposedly had his corpse exhumed, had it whipped, hung and beheaded.  Why do this to something that was already dead?  The same reason I brought to my own mind those "corpses" of past events...namely because I wanted to. It's just that plain and simple.  I listened to the one who does NOT have my best interests in mind and wants to keep my focus off of the ONE who does.  And I fell right into that pit.

Therefore, I am learning and will continue to learn to leave the past in the past.  Let it go!!!  Turn EVERYTHING over to Abba, and let Him deal with it!

 

God Provides

 And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:19 

 

Remember when Moses led the Israelites through the wilderness for FORTY YEARS?  The Israelites were quite the bunch of complainers...weren't they?  They complained about not having water, so God provided water. They complained about not having food, so God provided manna.  Then they complained about having to eat manna every single day.  It sounded as though they weren't happy unless they were unhappily griping. To be honest, I would not be able to continue providing for that bunch. Yet God provided them with protection for them anyway.  

 

Over and over God provided for these ungrateful people.  Granted, God provided manna instead of a Taco Truck and He provided water instead of iced tea, but God never ever promised that He would grant our every desire, just out needs.  Finally, Moses reminded them of a couple of God's provisions they hadn't gotten around to complain about: "For all these forty years your clothes didn’t wear out, and your feet didn’t blister or swell" - Deuteronomy 8:4. Think about that!  For FORTY YEARS their clothes NEVER wore out! And all the walking they did during those FORTY YEARS, their shoes never wore out and their feet NEVER gave them trouble!

 

You see, God always provided their NEEDS, but not their "wants".  And He does that for us as well! The things we need, He provides!  Shouldn't we focus on being grateful for that?