So This Is What Happened On Christmas

So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son.

John 1:14 

 

Have you ever contemplated what REALLY happened on Christmas?  A baby was born in a barn, put in a feed trough, and shepherds came to visit... We know that story from Luke's Gospel.  But what REALLY happened?

 

Think about this: When that baby was conceived, Jesus left Heaven!  Did you get that? Jesus walked away from Heaven!  Not only that, but Jesus CHOSE to become one of us . And if THAT weren't enough, Jesus CHOSE to live among us!  Jesus left ALL the glory of Heaven, because Abba knew that we need Him!

 

Let me be brutally honest...If we were living in Heaven (the ONLY Perfect Place anywhere), what would your response be to the people of earth?  We may have "holy thoughts" and believe we would do exactly as Jesus did, but my response would most likely be something along the line of "Y'all are on your own."  

 

Aren't you glad Jesus is the one who made the decision?

 
 

Not "If", But "When"

"Be strong and brave! Don’t be afraid and don’t panic, 

for I, the Lord your God, am with you in all you do."

Joshua 1:9 

 

Have you ever wondered why Abba told Joshua to be strong and brave?  Guess what? Abba wasn't speaking just to Joshua!  He is speaking to us as well. 

 

Not only did Abba tell Joshua to be brave and strong, He told Joshua, "See, I have given Jericho into your hand, its king, and the mighty men of valor."  Abba had already conquered and Joshua just had to go in and take the land Abba had already provided.  Joshua didn't have to wonder IF he would win, Joshua knew that Abba had ALREADY won.

 

Isn't this the same thing Abba has done for us through the sacrifice of Christ? Abba has ALREADY won, so we don't have to wonder IF Abba will help us overcome our challenges because He has. Life will ALWAYS bring challenges, if there were no challenges we would have no reason to believe that Abba will ALWAYS give strength to face them!   

Grace? Can It Really Be?

For by grace you are saved through faith, and this is not from yourselves,

 it is the gift of God; it is not from works, so that no one can boast. 

Ephesians 2:8-9 

 

Grace.  It's rather a little word that carries enormous meaning.  Charis is the Greek word for "grace" and it means: "the merciful kindness by which God."  Think about that!

 

We sing:

"Grace, grace, God's grace

Grace that will pardon and cleanse within
Grace, grace, God's grace
Grace that is greater than all our sin"

 

But what does that REALLY mean?

If you're like me, you have wasted years of life. You have made poor choices. Yet God answers the mess we've made of life with Grace!   God's Grace isn't a feeling. It isn't a vague concept. God's Grace changes us! It shapes us! It strengthens us! It will soften our hardest heart! God's Grace drenches us! God's Grace comes after us and takes us from insecure to God secure! 

 

God's great grace calls us to change and then gives us the strength and power to change!

"Tossed or Sheltered?"

He calmed the storm to a whisper
    and stilled the waves.
What a blessing was that stillness
    as he brought them safely into harbor! 

Psalm 107:29-30 

 

I like storms.  Don't ask me why, just accept that I'm weird that way.  Storms tend to stir things up and can make a mess of everything, yet they can also clear away detritus leaving room to build or grow.  

 

The same applies to the storms in our own lives.  When they come, and they will, we can get caught up in them and let them destroy our peace, or we can accept them and let God deal with them. If we choose to let them control us we will worry, lose sleep, complain, get headaches, stomach aches, high blood pressure...all the things we don't need or want.  However, when we turn EVERYTHING over to Abba, we will experience the "peace beyond understanding" because we accept that He has a purpose for allowing our storms.

 

My Grampa once asked me, "How does all your stressing and worry help your situation?".  Honestly, it doesn't.  So why stress and worry?  Because we are listening to the whispers of our enemy who's main purpose is to get us to take our eyes off of our Abba!  We must be vigilant and give Abba everything!  Why? Well, consider this: It's all His anyway! 

Wasted?

 

The end of a matter is better than its beginning;

 likewise, patience is better than pride.

Ecclesiastes 7:8 

 

Believe it or not, I remember my very first day of school. Take a moment so the shock can subside.  The first day of school was rather exciting, but it soon turned into drudgery once the realization set in of how many years of my life would be spent in school, doing homework, and attempting to learn math.  When I finally graduated from seminary in 2005, I realized that I had been in school for most of my breathing days.  But that graduation day felt like a HUGE weight had been lifted from my soul. You see, when you finish something important to you, it is an amazing feeling!  However, when you start...it can be daunting, intimidating, frightening, and even overwhelming. 

 

When we begin life, we are helpless.  We have to learn everything! We have to learn how to feed ourselves.  We have to learn how to communicate with others. We have to learn how to interact with others.  We have to figure out how to earn a living. We have to learn how to maintain relationships. 

 

I have heard it said, "You exist every single day until you die...make every day a day you choose to LIVE!"  The last thing I want anyone to hear me say at the end of my life is "I wasted so much of my life."  When we are patient, and learn all we need to, that is SO much better than storming through life believing we don't need anyone to teach us anything because we already know all we need.

 

LIVE every day of this gift Abba has given you! Carpe Diem!

 

Forgiven? REALLY?

"Though your sins have stained you like the color red,
you can become white like snow;
though they are as easy to see as the color scarlet,
you can become white like wool." - Isaiah 1:18

Have you ever wondered if Abba truly forgives you?  I have.  I have wondered how He could love me so much that He would forgive me and give me another chance to mess things up.  But He does.  God is the God of second chances!

The Psalmist reminds us that Abba loves us so much that "As far as the eastern horizon is from the west, so he removes the guilt of our rebellious actions from us." (Psalm 103:12).  And here's the best part, He does this every single time we confess and ask for His forgiveness!  He loves you just that much...and because of His love, we can love others.

 

How Do We Handle Strife?

 "If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all people."- Romans 12:18

If you've taken a look at the news, our country is in turmoil.  So much anger, hatred, and strife.  If we look ONLY at what's happening, we can easily forget that none of this has taken Abba by surprise.  Jesus told us: "In this world you will have trouble, struggles and strife. But take hope! I have power over the world!" (John 16:33).  Abba knew we would be a troublesome bunch before He spoke anything into creation. 

Now...WE have a choice to make: 1. Take part in the chaos, or 2. Follow Abba's example.  You see, Abba told us to focus on Him and because of that love would fill us and splash onto everyone around us.  Our enemy is doing his absolute best to keep us from focusing on Abba.  When we look at all that's going on in this country and world, we will begin to fear, get angry, and fall right into the enemy's trap.  However, when we continue to focus on Abba and learn to pray for others (in spite of themselves and in spite of ourselves) we will know the peace that surpasses understanding!  

Pray!  Talk with Him! Tell Him EVERYTHING that is on your mind and heart! Empty yourself to Him! And you will find it easier to be a peaceful witness. 

Respect? Even If MY Candidate Didn't Win?

Everyone must submit to governing authorities. For all authority comes from God, and those in positions of authority have been placed there by God. So anyone who rebels against authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and they will be punished. -Romans 13:1-2

When I was in grade school, my teachers taught us about respect.  We learned to respect our flag, respect our country, respect our parents, respect our government (even if we didn't agree with them), respect for our friends, respect for other people.  Why? Because that is what God requires of us!  How many times in Scripture are we told to love others?  How are we to love others? The same way we want to be loved.  

We don't have to agree in order to be respectful.  We don't have to agree in order to be courteous. We don't have to agree in order to be caring.  We don't have to agree!

Do you think Abba is EVER surprised by who gets elected or promoted or put into a position of authority?  Absolutely not. It is our responsibility to respect those whom God has placed in authority whether we like them or not, whether we agree with them or not, whether we like them or not.  And part of that respect is to pray for them!  While we're at it, pray for ourselves that we will be respectful.

Think about that!

 

Overthink Much?

“That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are? Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?" - Matthew 6:25-27

We seem to have a habit called "Overthinking."  But we don't REALLY overthink things do we? 

'Well, perhaps."  "

Wait....not me!"  "

What have you heard?"

"Did someone tell you I was an overthinker? What did they say? How did they say it?"

This conversation would be extremely silly if it weren't true. We DO overthink! Then we begin to worry as the questions come faster and more intense; then we find we can't sleep; we can no longer focus; we become stressed; and eventually...depression and anxiety set in.

 We like to think things through from every angle and every direction until we think we've got it all figured out. Then what happens? All of our thinking blows away like smoke in the wind because what we figured out seldom works out as we thought it would.

Now, let me be absolutely clear as I address the face in the mirror: Overthinking is an IDOL! How? Because we become so incredibly focused on overthinking that we forget that Abba has already put everything in place.  ANYTHING, and I do mean anything, that takes our focus of of Abba is an idol! What do you think about that?

Another word for overthinking is WORRY! Look at today's passage: "Can all your worrying add a single moment to your life?"  Well....can it?  Worry adds nothing to our lives, instead it steals all the joy from our lives because we are so focused by our overthinking that we are blinded to everything Abba has given us.

Ask yourself this question when you are tempted to overthink: "Is Abba big enough to handle your situation or are we too small for Him to be bothered with us?"

 

 

 

Are We Blind?

 Now as Jesus was passing by, he saw a man who had been blind from birth. ² His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who committed the sin that caused him to be born blind, this man or his parents?” ³ Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but he was born blind so that the acts of God may be revealed through what happens to him. ⁴ We must perform the deeds of the one who sent me as long as it is daytime. Night is coming when no one can work. ⁵ As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” ⁶ Having said this, he spat on the ground and made some mud with the saliva. He smeared the mud on the blind man’s eyes ⁷ and said to him, “Go wash in the pool of Siloam” (which is translated “sent”). So the blind man went away and washed, and came back seeing.

John 9:1-7 

 

Yes, I realize today's passage is a mite long, but well worth reading and making a few observations.  

 

First, notice that when Jesus was asked whose sin caused the man to be born blind, Jesus said "Neither this man nor his parents sinned."  This probably stunned the Disciples who had been taught, by the Pharisees, that such ailments were the result of sin.  

 

Second, Jesus knocked them for a real loop: "...but he was born blind so that the acts of God may be revealed through what happens to him."  Now, I can hear it now, "Well THAT'S not fair!"  To us, it doesn't seem "fair," however, God has a purpose for everything and everyone.  This man was born blind so that at this point in this particular moment in time Jesus would heal him, proving that God truly is the one in charge.  When we go through difficult times, God has a purpose for our situation and it's to prove who is truly in charge.

 

Third, notice how Jesus chose to heal the man. "He spat on the ground and made some mud with the saliva. He smeared the mud on the blind man’s eyes." Why did Jesus choose to spit in the dirt, make mud, and smear it on the mans eyes?  Wouldn't His touch be enough?  Wouldn't it be just as effective for Jesus to just tell the man to "Be Healed"?  Think about this: God uses unusual means to create miracles. (Remember the 5 biscuits and 2 sardines?).

 

 

Blinded Mind

Satan, who is the ruler of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don't believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News. They don't understand this message about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God. 2 Corinthians 4:4

Have you ever wondered how people can be so blind sometimes?  Why they can't seem to see the damage and destruction caused by anger, hatred and apathy?  Why they can't seem to see the pain and suffering around them?  And why they can't seem to see anything BUT the pain and suffering around them? 

Let's face it, we live in a world where we have become blinded to the true glory of Christ.  You see, because we have become blinded, we choose not to look for the Light of Christ; we choose not to share the Love that is Christ; we choose not to share...anything.  

Because we have become blinded, we seek out the things that distract us FROM Christ: That new car when the one we have still gets us from point A to point B. That "Bigger and Better Job" because we would rather chase the money than establish our loyalty. We pass by people who need someone to listen, because we're "too busy."  We pass people who are hungry because it's "not my problem."  

Isn't it time we take off our blinders and seek the glory of Christ to share with others?  

 

It's TRUE!

Give all your worries to Him, because He cares about you. Control yourselves and be careful! The devil, your enemy, goes around like a roaring lion look on someone to feast. Refuse to give in to him, by being strong in your faith. Remember, you are not along in your struggles. 

1 Peter 5:7-9

I remember going to the zoo on a class trip in 5th grade.  We saw the bears, who had learned to wave at us when we waved.  We saw the monkeys, who would extremely loud. We stared at the snakes, lizards and various other slithery scaly critters.  We saw the seals, fish, otters and lots of other water dwellers as well.

But I was fascinated by the lions!  They look fluffy and easy to get along with (to my 9 year old mind).  For centuries, lions had be a symbol of ferocious bravery.  They we used in the Roman Coliseum as part of "The Games."  And I thought they were amazing!  Until our guide, who was from India, told us that lions were truly fierce, extremely dangerous.  The lion roars to scare and startle their prey into making a mistake!  Think about that!  When we are tempted...it's usually a split second decision we make that becomes our misstep into sin.  The devil roars, or whispers, or nudges, and we knee-jerk into the slide.

Years later, I heard a speaker at our college Chapel Service say: "We are tempted, but we are NOT compelled!"  He then went on to share James 4:7 - "So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you."  

• We give into temptation when we think we are the ONLY ones enduring hardship and lash out at God.  
• We give into temptation when we have the means to help someone and we choose to be selfish.  
• We give into temptation when we become proud and arrogant thinking we are somehow better than others.  
• We give into temptation when we refuse to forgive (or ask forgiveness). 

We are tempted.......but we are NOT compelled!  Our enemy can NOT force us to sin against God! He can tempt us, but he can NOT force us.

Read this last passage and ponder it, I beg of you:

"The temptations in your life are no different form what others experience. And God is faithful. He will NOT allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, He will show you a way out so that you can endure." - 1 Corinthians 10:13

 

What Is This Thing Called Life?

So teach us to consider our mortality,
so that we might live wisely.

Psalm 90:12

I downloaded the Ancestry app to see who I could find that might be related in some way, shape or form.  The more I dug into my family tree...I realized that my family flower is the goldenrod, the family gem is granite, and the family tree was (and is) full of nuts! 

I remember sitting in my Grandparents' carport shelling peas and listening to the stories they would tell about each other (never about themselves).  One was about when my Grampa went camping.  He set up the tent only to find he was missing a stake. Undeterred, he tied that particular rope to the trunk lid of his car.  All was wonderful!  Until.......Grampa needed something out of the trunk.  When the trunk lid popped open the tent went flying leaving.  I laughed so hard I dropped my Gramma's "pea shellin'" pot and peas went EVERYWHERE.

When I remember to good times in life, a smile appears.  When I remember those whom have passed on, tears come.  And when I find myself getting down, I remember something my Grampa told me: "Too many folks are dead....they just don't have the good sense to lie down."  

When I get stuck in a routine, and can accomplish my routine without thinking...I have become one of those "walking dead" because I have gone to autopilot instead of living!  When we choose to live we will begin to see things we've taken for granted.  We will find that we actually want to be kind, courteous, considerate, and loving to the same people we have ignored or neglected.  

Here's my point: We are created in the very image of Abba.  He has breathed LIFE into us.  If we choose to merely exist...what an insult that must be to Abba.  Especially since His only Son died so we could live!

"Abba, Can You Fix This?"

[Jesus said] "When you pray, don’t be like the hypocrites. They love to stand in the synagogues and on the street corners and pray so people will see them. I tell you the truth, they already have their full reward. When you pray, you should go into your room and close the door and pray to your Father who cannot be seen. Your Father can see what is done in secret, and he will reward you."

Matthew 6:5-6

I remember in Basic Training being so stressed that I asked to speak to the Chaplain, who happened to be Catholic.  I was permitted to go to meet with him during confession.  Not knowing exactly how the Confessional worked, I went with the approach I remembered from movies and television.  I sat in the booth, knocked on the partition and when the door slid open, I said "Forgive me Father for I have sinned."  Imagine my surprise when the voice on the other side of the partition said, "Well, yeah....I know that.  Why else would you be here."  The Chaplain knew I had no real idea what I was doing, but he also knew I was in distress and hurting.  He suggested we go to his office and just talk like "true friends do."  

I learned quite a lot during our discussion.  The first thing I learned...generic blanket prayers DO NOT WORK!  Read that again...generic blanket prayers are mere words thrown up at the ceiling. Yet when I can give Abba specifics that I KNOW are causing me pain, stress and grief, then Abba and I are having a TRUE conversation!  

If you have had truly deep conversations with your best friend, you understand how incredible they are!  THAT is the conversation we must have, not the generic "bless me and help me today," rather "Abba, I am struggling with the loss of my Grampa and Gramma.  You've got them now, yet I still miss him.  Help me accept that and tell them I love them.  Protect me when the enemy whispers doubts and tries to break my heart all over again.  When he does, drag me to You!"  

True prayer is not generic!  True prayer is very specific.  And when I don't know what I need to say, Romans 8:26 "And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words." And when my heart feels Abba move, it's time to ask Him to help me voice to Him what I could not before.

Honestly, I realize this is long.  I hope it will be helpful.

 

"What's That You Have?"

“There’s a young boy here with five barley loaves and two fish. But what good is that with this huge crowd?”

John 6:9

Jesus had been teaching the people and now they were hungry.  The Disciples told Jesus they didn't have enough money to buy food for all the crowd.  Disillusioned, the Disciples told Jesus that there was a young boy with 5 barley loaves and two fish.  Now...I have researched this and, while the boy's lunch doesn't sound like much, it was actually a LOT smaller than we imagine.  The lunch the boy had consisted of 5 barley loaves, each about the size of a biscuit.  The fish were about the size of a sardine.  Now this might fill the stomach of a young boy, but how would it help the thousands of other people who had come to hear Jesus teach and were now hungry.

How many times do we see an opportunity to help others that God has put right in front of us, yet our response to Him is "I don't have what it takes" or "I'm not good enough" or "What do I have to offer"?  God doesn't ask us to wait until we "have what it takes."  God takes what we have to offer and, in His own amazing way, makes it exactly what is needed.  I have seen this happen too many times to think it a coincidence.  Jesus took the tiny lunch, blessed it, and turned that into, not only what everyone needed, but also made sure there were leftovers.  12 baskets full of left overs!  

There will come a time when you are faced with an opportunity to serve, and you will feel overwhelmed and inadequate. If you listen closely in your heart of hearts, you will hear the gentle voice of Abba ask, "What's that YOU have?"  Give ALL to Abba, and you will see His provision!

Music Helps

Whenever the bad depression tormented Saul,

David got out his harp and played.

That would soothe Saul’s spirit,

and he would feel better

as the tormenting depression lifted.

1 Samuel 16:23

 

I don’t know about you, but I like music.  Among my favorites are Vivaldi, Sinatra, Ray Charles, just to name a few.  Music helps me think.  Music helps me feel better when I’m struggling.  Music helps!

 

Look at today’s passage…King Saul was being plagued by depression.  I don’t know about you, but when the King is in a dark mood…..it’s not going to be a good time for anyone.  But King Saul had been told that David was a skilled musician, so Saul sent for him.  When David played, Saul’s tormenting depression lifted.

 

As you know by now, I have struggled most of my life with depression.  There are days when I don’t even want to open my eyes.  There are days, I just want to be left alone.  If you have ever endured true depression, you know it’s not “sadness” nor is it “feeling sorry for yourself.”  It is physically painful!  It can be debilitating and all you want is to escape its clutches.  And music helps!

 

Now let’s jump to another passage where Jesus is talking with a man who had lived for 38 years with a debilitating issue.  Jesus asked him a very pointed question: “Do you want to be healed?”  Now, that might seem to be a rather silly question, but there are implications.  When Jesus heals someone, they are NEVER left the same way there were before.  Why?  If you had been suffering a debilitating condition and you were finally healed, would you still live as though you were still suffering?

 

When God provides us with relief, in whatever form it takes, He expects us to live as truly relieved people.  Music helps us feel better.  Music helps us celebrate life that God has given us (even if you can’t carry a tune).  The musical offering to God that our spirits raise is an amazing gift!

 

"Learning To Quiet Ourselves"

We seem to enjoy being loud and tirelessly moving about. We don't like being quiet.  In fact, we don't trust quiet. However, in our world of noise and volume, God still speaks in many ways and through many people. But mostly, in my experience, God speaks loudest when He whispers to us as we make the time to quiet our soul and listen

"Come to me all you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light." - Matthew 11:28-30

Perhaps it is time we begin to quiet our lives and accept the offer of Christ and take on His yoke, let Him teach us, and help us find rest.  You see, when we quiet ourselves, Jesus teaches us amazing things.
 

Love is NOT Optional

“‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments.”

Matthew 22:37-40

 I have been doing a LOT of contemplating, meditating and pondering lately.  Again, let me stress that I am, in NO way, attempting to make any sort of political commentary. I simply wish to share something God has shown me.

First, look at today's passage.  Jesus reminds us of the very first of the commandments given to us by God. We are to love God with every atom of our being!  We are to be so focused on Him that His love fills us and showers everyone with whom we have contact!  We must be so focused on Him that we see every creation through His eyes!  Every single one!

Second, Jesus reminds us that we are to love others as much as we love ourselves.  This is NOT a recommendation.  This is NOT a request!  This is NOT a "if it doesn't inconvenience you too much" suggestion!  God commands us to love others as we love ourselves.  It is this love that God has for us when He sent Jesus to teach us, love us, care for us, and die in our place!

"But what if they don't love me the same way?"  Did God provide a caveat? Did He offer an exemption?  Absolutely not.  We are to love God so completely that we love others.  I have struggled with loving others, and still struggle with it.  However, God keeps reminding me of His love for me and keeps bringing people into my life that need His love through me.

Love is not optional!

I See the Moon and the Moon Sees Me!

I look at your heavens,
    which you made with your fingers.
I see the moon and stars,
    which you created.
But why are people even important to you?
    Why do you take care of human beings?

Psalm 8:3-4

As I was leaving for work this morning, I noticed the full moon.  It's silvery brightness lit the sky.  Honestly, I took a few extra minutes to stare at God's creation and my mind shifted into "contemplative mode."  

Think about this for a moment: We don't always see the moon.  Some nights we only see part of the moon and some nights no moon is visible. Does that mean the moon, or part of the moon merely vanishes only to pop back in from time to time for a visit?  Now....let's think about how we view God.  Sometimes we can see Him all around us.  Sometimes it's as if He's merely peeking through the clouds at us.  Sometimes we wonder if He's there at all.

Just because we can't always SEE the full moon does not mean the moon has disintegrated in part of in full.  The moon is always there whether WE see it or not.  And guess what?  God is with us whether WE see Him at work or not.  Faith is believing that God is always with us, working everything in the Universe to fulfill His plan for us, whether we see it or not.  

 

Guiding Light

Therefore, so that I would not become arrogant, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to trouble me—so that I would not become arrogant. I asked the Lord three times about this, that it would depart from me. But he said to me, “My grace is enough for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.”~ 2 Corinthians 12:7-9 

 

Life....there will be storms. There will be hail. It will really suck the fun out of existence at times. Anyone who led you to believe that life was easy LIED!!! We get kicked, punched, stabbed in the back, pummeled, and left like roadkill. 

 

There will be times where we will only be able to crawl along because we have been broken.And the biggest lie.........that we believe we are alone in our struggles! If we could handle every situation; if we had the answer to every question; if we were strong enough to make it on our own, we would be boring, alone and so very wrong! 

 

Ever wonder why God allows us to go through so many times of yuck and mess? Perhaps to remind us that we are not self-sufficient; perhaps to get our attention OFF of ourselves; perhaps to help us rely on Him....or all of them. There have been times in my life when I prayed with every ounce of desperation within me for God to "MAKE IT STOP!" and I heard my Grampa's voice remind me "Don't run from Him, run TO Him!" 

 

*When you feel alone, abandoned, as though no one understands...you aren't the first; you aren't the last; and you're not the only one right now.

* When you are so tired of trying that you just want to say, "That's it, I can't do it anymore!" You are not the first; you're not the last; and you're not the only one right now.

* Life is not easy - If it was easy, we'd be SO bored with it.

* Life is not going to go according to our plan - God's plan is far greater than ours every time.

* You are NOT alone! 

 

We are led to believe that admitting we are hurting or struggling is a sign of weakness. Would you rather drown or let someone grab your hand and help you up?

 

God's grace is a gift that is free to us, we cannot earn it, buy it, steal it, or deserve it. God's grace sometimes means letting someone walk with you through the minefield. Sometimes it means someone is there to encourage you and urge you on. Sometimes it means someone sits right with you and lets you cry. 

 

God's gift of grace is sufficient!

Puzzling Pieces

  

And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. Romans 8:28 

We were playing in the garage because it was raining outside, and we knocked a box off the shelf.  When we heard the breaking of plates, we knew it was going to be a bad day for us.  Jim was terrified that his Mom was going to be upset with us.  So we decided the best course of action was to confess it, take the punishment, and get it over with.  We told Jim's Mom what had happened and we apologized profusely.  His Mom looked angry for a what seemed like a month, but then she smiled and said, "You know, plates can be replaced. But I have an idea."  We spent the rest of the afternoon making mosaics from the pieces.

 I have a confession to make...I have trouble, sometimes, trusting that God will work everything out according to His plan.  Why? Because, in my limited ability to understand and see His hands at work, I cannot fathom just how He can possibly put all the broken pieces together again.  I struggle with my own understanding because I want to know what is going to happen, when it will happen, and how it will happen.  And God has reminded me that my struggle is called "Lack of Faith"!

When we look at all that is going on in the world, it's easy to wonder where God is in all of this and when will He step in and make it better.   Well, there's BAD NEWS and there's GOOD NEWS.

The BAD NEWS is we need to stop worrying, stop being anxious, stop wondering when and how God will work everything out.  Why? Because it's GOD'S job to fulfill His promise, not ours.  When we try to do God's job, we will quickly become overwhelmed and frustrated and give up.  God is the one with the plan and has worked out all the intricacies of His plan long before He even put the universe together.  How many times does God tell us not to fear and not be anxious?

The GOOD NEWS is that God has never lied to us or failed to fulfill His promises!  And He's not about to start now. God takes the pieces and puts everything in its place so that His plan will ultimately be the result.  And for that reason, we should praise Him and Thank Him!

Learning Things

Then God said, “Let us make human beings in our image, to be like us. They will reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, the livestock, all the wild animals on the earth, and the small animals that scurry along the ground.”

Genesis 1:26 

 

Then the Lord God formed the man from the dust of the ground. God breathed the breath of life into the man’s nostrils, and the man became a living person.

Genesis 2:7 

 

I love learning!  And while I was on vacation last week, I learned some things, so please bear with me.  Scripture tells us a LOT of information.  Yet it also doesn't give us a LOT of information.  God did that on purpose, I believe.

 

Look at today's verses.  We see that God decided to create us....in HIS image!  Then we see that God breathed life into the nostrils of Adam and he became a living person.  That is what Scripture tells us.

 

But look at what Scripture DOESN'T tell us:

• How tall was Adam?
• How heavy was Adam?
• What color was Adam's hair?
• Was Adam's hair straight, curly, wavy, long, short?
  
• What color were Adam's eyes?
• Was Adam right handed or left handed?
• Did he have a deep voice?
• Did he like to sing?
• Did he whistle?
• Did he laugh?
• Did he cry?
• What were Adam's hobbies? 

The list of things about Adam that Scripture DOESN'T tell us is endless.  Why did God choose not to tell us all these details?  Because they aren't important!  God tells us that we are created in God's own image and we are filled with God's own breath.  THAT is what is important!  You see, we are the ones who look at the trivialities and pass judgement.  God knows every single thing about us, more that even we know about us, and He loves us!

 

Here is my challenge for you and for me: Look at every person you see through the eyes of God! See them as God's child, just like you and I are God's child. Look beyond the trivialities and see them as God sees them (and as God sees you).