“Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead. I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” Phil. 3:13b-14
Throughout the world ancient ruins can be found from civilization to civilization. Our culture has a deep fascination with these ruins as they speak to us from the rubble regarding their past. They tell stories to enrich our imaginations helping us catch a glimpse of their motivations, beliefs and passions.
In an eerie way our past emotional ruins beckon us in the same manner as worldly physical ruins of the past beckon our imaginations. In our own lives there have been takeovers, defeats, building up and tearing down of our hearts. We look back at our circumstances that both wounded and defined us as the skeletal remains still lay scattered upon the landscapes of our hearts. We revisit the grounds in an effort to rehash, reconsider and sometimes resurrect what needs to stay undisturbed. We kneel to the ground and plunder through the rubble knowing nothing will change but resurrected emotions, entitlements, regrets and guilt.
God exhorts us to stay forward focused in both our walk and our faith. Our emotional ruins will never be what they once were and will never provide the community in which God desires us to dwell. Our ruins are abandoned places in our hearts that cannot provide any protection from the elements, and lack stability in its structure. While there is importance in looking behind it is only in recognizing the deliverance and protection God provided through our experiences. God knew the difficulty of “straining toward what is ahead” as He walked the earth in flesh through the body of Christ. The manner in which He suffered was great but necessary for the benefit of each of us experiencing eternal life. He left behind the sins of mankind and strained towards eternal life for each of us.
The base of the cross is a much more life giving place to visit than the ancient ruins of our hearts.
Monday, November 30, 2009
Sunday, November 29, 2009
In the Hand of the Potter
”But the pot he was shaping from the clay was marred in his hands; so the potter formed it into another pot, shaping it as it seemed best to him. ‘Like clay’ in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand, O house of Israel.” Jeremiah 18:4, 6
Back in the day of Jeremiah, clay was plentiful in that region and every household could be found possessing lots of pottery. It was only natural that God used this analogy to instill a better understanding for what He was trying to communicate.
I have heard people say, “God has a lesson for you in this adversity.” Do you ever feel like you are “lessoned out?” That you have been put on that potter’s wheel for one too many spins around the studio? I know I have in the past. There is great truth, though, in God using the experiences in our lives to teach, mold and reshape us. His warm and gentle hands cap our lives creating pressure on the areas of our lives that require the removal of impurities and imperfections. We are all marred and require constant inspection and reworking in the hands of the Master Potter.
The potter has the gift of looking at a lump of clay and visualizing its potential for something unique, beautiful and one of a kind. Its destiny is not realized by sitting on the shelf but by being placed on the wheel and receiving water, motion and applied pressure to achieve its greatest beauty and purpose.
God uses the turning of events to shape His children like the potter uses the turn of the wheel to shape his piece of work. God deems the shaping of our lives as it seems best to Him as the verse states and requires neither our permission nor understanding. If our hearts are not open to His reworking, reshaping and remolding our destiny will never be fulfilled.
Remember, God has the perfect vision in mind for each of our lives and knows exactly what is required to achieve our greatest beauty and His highest glory.
Back in the day of Jeremiah, clay was plentiful in that region and every household could be found possessing lots of pottery. It was only natural that God used this analogy to instill a better understanding for what He was trying to communicate.
I have heard people say, “God has a lesson for you in this adversity.” Do you ever feel like you are “lessoned out?” That you have been put on that potter’s wheel for one too many spins around the studio? I know I have in the past. There is great truth, though, in God using the experiences in our lives to teach, mold and reshape us. His warm and gentle hands cap our lives creating pressure on the areas of our lives that require the removal of impurities and imperfections. We are all marred and require constant inspection and reworking in the hands of the Master Potter.
The potter has the gift of looking at a lump of clay and visualizing its potential for something unique, beautiful and one of a kind. Its destiny is not realized by sitting on the shelf but by being placed on the wheel and receiving water, motion and applied pressure to achieve its greatest beauty and purpose.
God uses the turning of events to shape His children like the potter uses the turn of the wheel to shape his piece of work. God deems the shaping of our lives as it seems best to Him as the verse states and requires neither our permission nor understanding. If our hearts are not open to His reworking, reshaping and remolding our destiny will never be fulfilled.
Remember, God has the perfect vision in mind for each of our lives and knows exactly what is required to achieve our greatest beauty and His highest glory.
Saturday, November 28, 2009
The Slider Rule
“Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” Matthew 7:1-2
Some verses are meant to be experienced with a heavy hand from God as a warning in our lives. There are fewer things in life than the natural tendency to judge the actions of others. We live our lives being a set of balance scales with fulcrums and weight pans as we judge others against our own lives. We load our pan with our own righteousness, heavy on the judgment of others while their pan of unworthiness will never be equal against ours. In precision balances, a slider weight is moved along a graduated scale. The slider position gives a fine correction to the weight value.
Christ is our slider as He determines a better balance for our lives adjusting and aligning our hearts to better approach our view of others and ourselves. He knows that our natural tendency is to be the judge, jury and executioner when dealing with others.
If we do not take steps in guarding our hearts against this tendency we will become off balance in our thinking and out of sorts in our hearts. He will enact the appropriate tension and adjustment in our lives to ensure that our hearts are more balanced on both sides.
The Bible exhorts us to “take every thought captive” and to aspire to the “renewing of our mind.” As the urge to judge others arises, we should remind ourselves of our responsibility to not only remove self-righteousness from our own pan but to place compassion and mercy on the pan of others.
With Christ as our slider, we will be successful in creating that perfect alignment and balance in the scales of life.
Some verses are meant to be experienced with a heavy hand from God as a warning in our lives. There are fewer things in life than the natural tendency to judge the actions of others. We live our lives being a set of balance scales with fulcrums and weight pans as we judge others against our own lives. We load our pan with our own righteousness, heavy on the judgment of others while their pan of unworthiness will never be equal against ours. In precision balances, a slider weight is moved along a graduated scale. The slider position gives a fine correction to the weight value.
Christ is our slider as He determines a better balance for our lives adjusting and aligning our hearts to better approach our view of others and ourselves. He knows that our natural tendency is to be the judge, jury and executioner when dealing with others.
If we do not take steps in guarding our hearts against this tendency we will become off balance in our thinking and out of sorts in our hearts. He will enact the appropriate tension and adjustment in our lives to ensure that our hearts are more balanced on both sides.
The Bible exhorts us to “take every thought captive” and to aspire to the “renewing of our mind.” As the urge to judge others arises, we should remind ourselves of our responsibility to not only remove self-righteousness from our own pan but to place compassion and mercy on the pan of others.
With Christ as our slider, we will be successful in creating that perfect alignment and balance in the scales of life.
Friday, November 27, 2009
Seek and Go Hide
“Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.” Col. 3:2-3
Growing up my family lived on the outskirts of Lancaster in West Manor in the middle of the woods. It was a great place to play Hide and Go Seek with all of the trees and lack of street lights as in most neighborhoods. I was always the first to want to play but usually quickly became bored with hiding or seeking. I don’t really know if my boredom came from laziness or my lack of heart for the game.
To be hidden in Christ we must first be the seeker. We must search for Him in our lives and search for ways that we can exemplify His walk. The more we seek Him the more we will be hidden. The less we seek Him the more the world will be exemplified in our lives. We will determine for ourselves which master to serve, which life to exemplify and which role model to be for our children.
It’s Always Something by the late Gilda Radner contains a disturbing story of a little dog which I will share with you.
“When I was little, my nurse Dibby’s cousin had a dog, just a mutt, and the dog was pregnant…She was out in the yard one day and got in the way of the lawn mower and her two hind legs got cut off. They rushed her to the vet and he said, ‘I can sew her up, or you can put her to sleep if you want, but the puppies are okay. She’ll be able to deliver the puppies.’ Dibby’s cousin said, ‘Keep her alive.’ So the vet sewed up her backside, and over the next week the dog learned to walk…she just learned to walk by taking two steps in the front and flipping up her backside, and then taking two steps and flipping up her backside again. She gave birth to six little puppies, all in perfect health. She nursed them and then weaned them. And when they learned to walk, they all walked like her.”
Our walk will be determined by whomever we seek out to exemplify. Our deficiencies will be hidden in theirs and our limitations will be based on their perspective much like these little pups. We will learn to walk in the same manner for which the world teaches if we do not seek out Christ in this game called life. If we are hiding from Christ and seeking everything in His place we will lose the game. If people are seeking answers from watching our walk they will always have a limp because our walk is not perfect. Only through seeking and walking with Christ as our Master do we have the perfect example of a spiritual walk.
Now that we are all grown up let’s change that childhood game to Seek and Go Hide.
Growing up my family lived on the outskirts of Lancaster in West Manor in the middle of the woods. It was a great place to play Hide and Go Seek with all of the trees and lack of street lights as in most neighborhoods. I was always the first to want to play but usually quickly became bored with hiding or seeking. I don’t really know if my boredom came from laziness or my lack of heart for the game.
To be hidden in Christ we must first be the seeker. We must search for Him in our lives and search for ways that we can exemplify His walk. The more we seek Him the more we will be hidden. The less we seek Him the more the world will be exemplified in our lives. We will determine for ourselves which master to serve, which life to exemplify and which role model to be for our children.
It’s Always Something by the late Gilda Radner contains a disturbing story of a little dog which I will share with you.
“When I was little, my nurse Dibby’s cousin had a dog, just a mutt, and the dog was pregnant…She was out in the yard one day and got in the way of the lawn mower and her two hind legs got cut off. They rushed her to the vet and he said, ‘I can sew her up, or you can put her to sleep if you want, but the puppies are okay. She’ll be able to deliver the puppies.’ Dibby’s cousin said, ‘Keep her alive.’ So the vet sewed up her backside, and over the next week the dog learned to walk…she just learned to walk by taking two steps in the front and flipping up her backside, and then taking two steps and flipping up her backside again. She gave birth to six little puppies, all in perfect health. She nursed them and then weaned them. And when they learned to walk, they all walked like her.”
Our walk will be determined by whomever we seek out to exemplify. Our deficiencies will be hidden in theirs and our limitations will be based on their perspective much like these little pups. We will learn to walk in the same manner for which the world teaches if we do not seek out Christ in this game called life. If we are hiding from Christ and seeking everything in His place we will lose the game. If people are seeking answers from watching our walk they will always have a limp because our walk is not perfect. Only through seeking and walking with Christ as our Master do we have the perfect example of a spiritual walk.
Now that we are all grown up let’s change that childhood game to Seek and Go Hide.
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
In All Circumstances....
“Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” 1 Thes 5:18
How easy it is to give thanks when we are experiencing a blessing in our lives. Our hearts sing and our spirits soar with gratitude and thankfulness. But what about when death steals the life of a loved one, when that spouse abandons his life with us, or when we are riddled with disease? This verse clearly states that it is the will of God to give thanks in ALL circumstances.
I remember a certain day in April, 2008 when I learned this first hand. I went with my daughter and son-in-law to the ultra sound of our little baby. As we learned that the baby was a healthy girl I was thankful but also saddened as I faced the possibility of losing another little girl – my little sister. The day continued as I took my father-in-law suffering with Alzheimer’s to three doctor’s appointments. It was a grueling day as he stayed confused, frustrated with his situation and agitated. As we sat in the doctor’s office of his last appointment I received a phone call from my son at college. His apartment had been robbed while he was in class and his laptop along with other items had been stolen. I began the process required to report this to the police. In the meantime, my dad called to discuss his fear of Beth’s possible death. It was all too much! My father-in-law sat absorbing all of this the way a child watches their parents.
When we got in the car my precious father-in-law summed up my present situation from his perspective. Allow me to share his view with you. “Brenda, have they found a cure for your sister?” I replied no. “Brenda, does your dad still have cancer?” I replied yes. “Brenda, did your son just got robbed?” I replied yes. He turned and looked at me with that simple truth of a child and stated, “Girl, you are shooting dice with no spots!” I realized at that moment how thankful I was for God’s humor and the love He provides through different means.
Later that day on my way to Beth’s I got overwhelmed thinking about all of the challenges and sadness facing me. I began sobbing so hard I could barely see to drive and began crying out to God to remove the pain. The pain was too great to contain within my heart and I knew relief had to come. I heard God say, “Thank me.” Honestly my first response was “For what?” I heard Him repeat the command so I began thanking Him. The more I thanked Him the harder I sobbed but just kept thanking Him for certain things in my life. I called Becki and asked her to pray over me which she did and she prayed a beautiful prayer of deliverance of my pain. The pain subsided and peace returned to my heart.
In remembering that day, I will always know that we cannot control what the dice rolls for us in life but if we give thanks to God in ALL circumstances we place spots on those die ensuring a winning roll.
Have a Happy Thanksgiving and remember to give thanks in ALL circumstances.
How easy it is to give thanks when we are experiencing a blessing in our lives. Our hearts sing and our spirits soar with gratitude and thankfulness. But what about when death steals the life of a loved one, when that spouse abandons his life with us, or when we are riddled with disease? This verse clearly states that it is the will of God to give thanks in ALL circumstances.
I remember a certain day in April, 2008 when I learned this first hand. I went with my daughter and son-in-law to the ultra sound of our little baby. As we learned that the baby was a healthy girl I was thankful but also saddened as I faced the possibility of losing another little girl – my little sister. The day continued as I took my father-in-law suffering with Alzheimer’s to three doctor’s appointments. It was a grueling day as he stayed confused, frustrated with his situation and agitated. As we sat in the doctor’s office of his last appointment I received a phone call from my son at college. His apartment had been robbed while he was in class and his laptop along with other items had been stolen. I began the process required to report this to the police. In the meantime, my dad called to discuss his fear of Beth’s possible death. It was all too much! My father-in-law sat absorbing all of this the way a child watches their parents.
When we got in the car my precious father-in-law summed up my present situation from his perspective. Allow me to share his view with you. “Brenda, have they found a cure for your sister?” I replied no. “Brenda, does your dad still have cancer?” I replied yes. “Brenda, did your son just got robbed?” I replied yes. He turned and looked at me with that simple truth of a child and stated, “Girl, you are shooting dice with no spots!” I realized at that moment how thankful I was for God’s humor and the love He provides through different means.
Later that day on my way to Beth’s I got overwhelmed thinking about all of the challenges and sadness facing me. I began sobbing so hard I could barely see to drive and began crying out to God to remove the pain. The pain was too great to contain within my heart and I knew relief had to come. I heard God say, “Thank me.” Honestly my first response was “For what?” I heard Him repeat the command so I began thanking Him. The more I thanked Him the harder I sobbed but just kept thanking Him for certain things in my life. I called Becki and asked her to pray over me which she did and she prayed a beautiful prayer of deliverance of my pain. The pain subsided and peace returned to my heart.
In remembering that day, I will always know that we cannot control what the dice rolls for us in life but if we give thanks to God in ALL circumstances we place spots on those die ensuring a winning roll.
Have a Happy Thanksgiving and remember to give thanks in ALL circumstances.
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
But In Everything...
“Be anxious about nothing, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And, the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” Phil 4:6-7
I can see so many things through the eyes of experience that I wish I had done differently. When my children were little, like many of you, we tried getting them in the habit of bedtime prayers. I would kneel with them by their bedside and help them recite their list of prayer items to God. We learn early in life to recite prayers, not to experience them.
In hindsight, while we taught them the importance of prayer I really didn’t teach them that prayer was more than just a one-sided laundry list until their habits had already been formed. Prayer is a conversation in which God can reveal things and an on-going relationship in which He responds. I must admit that there are times in my adult life when I am like that child kneeling beside my bed in an effort to check prayer off of my list for the day. Even the definition for prayer seems one sided. The definition for prayer is to implore, to plead, to beg, to ask, to request, to call upon. God’s definition for prayer is more about fellowship, exchange, relationship and revelation.
Prayer is another channel through which God comforts, guides and loves. It is when we can experience His most sacred and divine indwelling. It is where He accepts our offerings before we even lay them on the altar. Prayer is the platform for which intimate exchange is experienced.
I remember reading in my grandmother’s journal that there is no specific prayer time for her for there is constant communion throughout the day. That has become the desire of my heart and has been realized without my awareness. Sunday, as my day began very early I had an awareness of His presence in a powerful way until around 1:30 in the afternoon. It was a very private day experienced only between Father and child. We hung out all day and I was deeply blessed (and worn out). Prayer was more of a state of mind and attitude that day – a day I aspire to repeat increasingly as I grow more in Him.
I have a long way to go in my prayer life but the joy I feel when I am in constant communion with Him is like none other. Don’t just pray but experience prayer.
I can see so many things through the eyes of experience that I wish I had done differently. When my children were little, like many of you, we tried getting them in the habit of bedtime prayers. I would kneel with them by their bedside and help them recite their list of prayer items to God. We learn early in life to recite prayers, not to experience them.
In hindsight, while we taught them the importance of prayer I really didn’t teach them that prayer was more than just a one-sided laundry list until their habits had already been formed. Prayer is a conversation in which God can reveal things and an on-going relationship in which He responds. I must admit that there are times in my adult life when I am like that child kneeling beside my bed in an effort to check prayer off of my list for the day. Even the definition for prayer seems one sided. The definition for prayer is to implore, to plead, to beg, to ask, to request, to call upon. God’s definition for prayer is more about fellowship, exchange, relationship and revelation.
Prayer is another channel through which God comforts, guides and loves. It is when we can experience His most sacred and divine indwelling. It is where He accepts our offerings before we even lay them on the altar. Prayer is the platform for which intimate exchange is experienced.
I remember reading in my grandmother’s journal that there is no specific prayer time for her for there is constant communion throughout the day. That has become the desire of my heart and has been realized without my awareness. Sunday, as my day began very early I had an awareness of His presence in a powerful way until around 1:30 in the afternoon. It was a very private day experienced only between Father and child. We hung out all day and I was deeply blessed (and worn out). Prayer was more of a state of mind and attitude that day – a day I aspire to repeat increasingly as I grow more in Him.
I have a long way to go in my prayer life but the joy I feel when I am in constant communion with Him is like none other. Don’t just pray but experience prayer.
Monday, November 23, 2009
Casting Idols
“All who make idols are nothing, and the things they treasure are worthless. Who shapes a god and casts an idol, which can profit him nothing?” Isaiah 44:9-10
Before I begin this subject allow me to acknowledge that many of you are in an extended period of suffering due to the loss or absence of a spouse. I know that my loneliness is very temporary compared to yours, but all discomfort is relative to what we know.
In the past 30 days, Bruce has not been home more than 5 days at the most due to numerous problems at one of his client’s work locations. I have found myself becoming increasingly discontent and longing for my best friend to return to our life as we knew it and I know that will happen in a few months. Between surrounding myself with family, getting in the Word and listening to inspirational Christian music throughout the day I can usually feel content. However, Saturday seemed different as I was very uneasy and unable to settle myself long enough to approach God.
When the Israelites were tired of waiting on Moses to come off the mountain from speaking with God, they threw into the fire their own personal belongings in an attempt for something new to emerge. “The Israelites had been given everything, yet they refused to be satisfied. They traded in what their hearts could know for what their eyes could see.” Beth Moore, Breaking Free. Yesterday, I decided to go shopping which in the past has been what I have “thrown into the fire creating my golden calf.” This morning I awoke with no profit – I am just as lonely and unsatisfied as I was yesterday. God used the golden calf image to tenderly and lovingly remind me that I have “shaped and cast” this image before and it never provides, comforts or satisfies.
At certain times in our lives, we all shape our own gods in an effort to fulfill a need. Some of us attempt to receive temporary satisfaction through picking up that drink or using that drug. For some it is finding relief in the arms of someone through an affair or gambling to scratch that itch. For me in the past it was spending which always brought me nothing more than additional feelings of alienation and guilt.
An idol is anything for which we seek to comfort us that substitutes God. Don’t shape that god or cast that idol – what will emerge will never be gain compared to what you threw into the fire.
Before I begin this subject allow me to acknowledge that many of you are in an extended period of suffering due to the loss or absence of a spouse. I know that my loneliness is very temporary compared to yours, but all discomfort is relative to what we know.
In the past 30 days, Bruce has not been home more than 5 days at the most due to numerous problems at one of his client’s work locations. I have found myself becoming increasingly discontent and longing for my best friend to return to our life as we knew it and I know that will happen in a few months. Between surrounding myself with family, getting in the Word and listening to inspirational Christian music throughout the day I can usually feel content. However, Saturday seemed different as I was very uneasy and unable to settle myself long enough to approach God.
When the Israelites were tired of waiting on Moses to come off the mountain from speaking with God, they threw into the fire their own personal belongings in an attempt for something new to emerge. “The Israelites had been given everything, yet they refused to be satisfied. They traded in what their hearts could know for what their eyes could see.” Beth Moore, Breaking Free. Yesterday, I decided to go shopping which in the past has been what I have “thrown into the fire creating my golden calf.” This morning I awoke with no profit – I am just as lonely and unsatisfied as I was yesterday. God used the golden calf image to tenderly and lovingly remind me that I have “shaped and cast” this image before and it never provides, comforts or satisfies.
At certain times in our lives, we all shape our own gods in an effort to fulfill a need. Some of us attempt to receive temporary satisfaction through picking up that drink or using that drug. For some it is finding relief in the arms of someone through an affair or gambling to scratch that itch. For me in the past it was spending which always brought me nothing more than additional feelings of alienation and guilt.
An idol is anything for which we seek to comfort us that substitutes God. Don’t shape that god or cast that idol – what will emerge will never be gain compared to what you threw into the fire.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
