Category: faith

I Can’t Say the Lord’s Prayer Without It

When I was in High School, very early in my faith journey, I came across a piece about the Lord’s Prayer. The author is unknown, but the message is timeless and needed.

I cannot say OUR if I live only for myself.
I cannot say FATHER if I do not endeavor each day to act like His child.

I cannot say WHO ART IN HEAVEN if I am laying up no treasure there.

I cannot say HALLOWED BY THY NAME if I am not striving for holiness.

I cannot say THY KINGDOM COME if I am not doing all in my power to hasten that wonderful event.

I cannot say THY WILL BE DONE if I am disobedient to His word.

I cannot say ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN if I will not serve Him here and now.

I cannot say GIVE US THIS DAY OUR DAILY BREAD if I am dishonest or seeking things by subterfuge.

I cannot say FORGIVE US OUR TRESPASSES if I harbor a grudge against anyone.

I cannot say LEAD US NOT INTO TEMPTATION if I deliberately place myself in its path.

I cannot say DELIVER US FROM EVIL if I do not put on the whole armor of God.

I cannot say THINE IS THE KINGDOM if I do not give the King the loyalty due Him from a faithful subject.

I cannot say THE POWER if I fear what others may do.

I cannot say THE GLORY if I am seeking honor only for myself.

I cannot say FOREVER if the horizon of my life is bounded by the things of today.

I haven’t been able to pray the Lord’s Prayer without thinking of this. My prayer is that it will not only impact your praying, but also your living.

What do you know?

Have you ever thought about what your life would be like if you did what you know? Ate what you should. Got the proper amount of sleep. Put your money to work for you. Shopped sales. Used coupons. Exercised more and watched less TV. Spoke words of love and encouragement. Forgave. Reduced stress.

The list could go on and on.

This week my husband and I decided to get back on track with eating more healthily. We’ve taught classes on this, but tend to get lazy with measuring and before we know it seems we’re grazing from sun up to sun down. Then we feeding our depression and it all spirals out of control.

What do you know spiritually that you’re not doing?

James makes a pretty strong statement regarding not doing what we know: If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them. (James 4:17, NIV)

Ouch. That probably isn’t very PC. We shy away from labeling anything as sin. But it is what it is. And here’s the thing about sin: it is the thing that separates us from God.

So what I realized this week is that not making time to read the Word and dig deeper into it is sin FOR ME. I know I need to do that to keep my spiritual life healthy, just like I know eating right keeps my body healthy.

I can’t not do it. (double negative on purpose)

So I’m working on doing a better job at doing what I know–in all the areas of my life. How about you? Rate your balance of knowing and doing and then determine how to improve that score. Imagine how much better life will be…and then just do it.

Pebble In My Shoe

I woke up this morning with a cut on the pad of my left middle finger. It was like a large paper cut and unfortunately, it is my dominant hand. And as is often the case when I get a paper cut, we are into eating oranges and grapefruits: attack of the killer citrus! Owie. No matter what I did this morning I was bumping, brushing against or getting citrus on it.

It’s not a big pain. It’s just an annoying and constant reminder.

Thinking on that reminded me of one of my favorite songs from the musical movie Godspell, “By My Side.”

In case you wondered, here are the lyrics:

Where are you going?
Where are you going?
Can you take me with you?
For my hand is cold
And needs warmth
Where are you going?

Far beyond where the horizon lies
Where the horizon lies
And the land sinks into mellow blueness
Oh please, take me with you

Let me skip the road with you
I can dare myself
I can dare myself
I’ll put a pebble in my shoe
And watch me walk (watch me walk)
I can walk and walk!
(I can walk!)

I shall call the pebble Dare
I shall call the pebble Dare
We will talk, we will talk together
We will talk (chorus) about walking
Dare shall be carried
And when we both have had enough
I will take him from my shoe, singing:
“Meet your new road!”
Then I’ll take your hand
Finally glad
Finally glad
That you are here
By my side

By my side
By my side
By my side

(Spoken- Judas)
Then the man they called Judas Iscariot
Went to the chief priests, and said
“What will you give me to betray Him to you?”
They paid him thirty pieces of silver.
And from that moment, he began to look out for an opportunity
To betray Him.

By my side
By my side
By my side
By my side

[ These are By My Side Lyrics on http://www.lyricsmania.com/ ]

I’ll put a pebble in my shoe, and watch me walk….I shall call the pebble dare.

This song, this entire musical, made an enormous impact on my life, and my faith. The seeds of grace and forgiveness expressed in the story of the woman caught in adultery were planted deep in my heart. Little did I know then how much I would need them as I faced my own stoning moment.

But, why a pebble? Why call it dare?

Like the woman, I want to follow–but there is always a cost to following. I want my commitment to mean something. I don’t want to forget what the grace which enables me to journey with the Savior cost–him or me.

Amazing how much one can learn from a little cut. I still haven’t figured out how I got it. I guess that isn’t as important as what it caused me to remember.


(You can find the story that inspired the song in John 8.)

Breakfast Pause

My spiritual focus for the year comes from John 15 and Jesus’ repetition of the word “meno” to abide.

I’m not usually hungry when I first wake up. Maybe I worked up my appetite taking the dogs out in the frigid cold and then cleaning the snow and ice off my husband’s van. Whatever it was, there was definitely a very large “rumbly in my tumbly.”

I decided to have an English muffin, fruit, and tea. I had to defrost the gluten free muffin. When I pulled it out of the package it was solid like a hokey puck. I had to double the usual defrost time. I opted for butter and honey. I’m not sure where the reference to molasses came from because in my experience honey is excruciatingly slow.

The honey may have seemed that slow because I had already spent forever gleaning the precious and delicious seeds from a pomegranate. Husband had purchased this special treat and he picked a great one. I don’t think I’ve ever had one with more seeds. But more seeds resulted in more work. I started to wonder if I was ever going to be done…ever going to get to eat.

This morning I felt more like tea than coffee, so I put a large amount of water in the microwave to heat, loaded my tea ball with loose leaf tea, and proceeded to steep a large mug of tea. To be done properly the process takes about ten minutes.

Finally, as I bowed my head to give thanks for my meal, I felt that reminding nudge. I confess I was a bit grumbly–can I blame it on the hunger?

I am so used to instant meals. Grab and go. Wolf it down. There’s a time to savor, but that is rarely when I’m by myself.

God’s word to me was that I wasn’t by myself. And I didn’t need to rush. Rushing is the antithesis to abiding, dwelling, to being still.

There’s an old hymn that admonishes “take time to be holy.” Here are the lyrics. You read them and let God speak to you and I’m going to finish my tea. Breakfast may be gone, but there’s still a need to pause…

Take time to be holy, speak oft with thy Lord;
Abide in Him always, and feed on His Word.
Make friends of God’s children, help those who are weak,
Forgetting in nothing His blessing to seek.
Take time to be holy, the world rushes on;
Spend much time in secret, with Jesus alone.
By looking to Jesus, like Him thou shalt be;
Thy friends in thy conduct His likeness shall see.
Take time to be holy, let Him be thy Guide;
And run not before Him, whatever betide.
In joy or in sorrow, still follow the Lord,
And, looking to Jesus, still trust in His Word.
Take time to be holy, be calm in thy soul,
Each thought and each motive beneath His control.
Thus led by His Spirit to fountains of love,
Thou soon shalt be fitted for service above. William D. Longstaff, c.1882

New Year Joy

Good Morning!

I hope you’ll forgive me, but I’m not going to wish you a “happy” New Year. But that’s because I want so much for you.

No, I think I will wish you a Joyous! New Year.

Hair splitting? Perhaps. But I think happiness is an emotion that is determined by the situation or circumstances. While joy is an outlook or perspective that prevails despite the ups and downs of circumstances.

I am basing this line of thinking on James instruction:
Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.  Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. (James 1:2-4, NIV)

Reading this, I wonder if James is referring back to Jesus’ word and giving us a better picture of what Jesus meant: 11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. (John 15:11)

And just what was Jesus’ joy? It was his absolute surrender to the will of the Father: “. . . who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross . . .” (Hebrews 12:2). “I delight to do Your will, O my God . . .” (Psalm 40:8).

There is nothing easy about joy. But without it life lacks so much…and it would appear to be incomplete.

So in wishing you a joyous New Year, I am hoping you will have the ability to face the things life holds for you and see God at work and rest in the promise that you will have everything that you need.

Let there be joy!

Never Leave the Temple

I’ve had a convergence of sorts happen in my life. It’s one of the ways that God gets my attention.

Not long ago a writer friend expressed a desire to memorize scripture in the coming year. I was intrigued with the idea, but it was the text she chose that caught my attention. Her choice: John 15. And the word that jumped out at me from that first was “meno”, abide or remain.

Then our pastor referred to the Prophetess Anna when he gave the children’s story. He talked about how Anna “never left the temple.” (See Luke 2:36-38) It wasn’t that she lived there, but that she was there physically whenever possible and in her spirit she carried the temple wherever she went.

And I began to see my theme forming. My #oneword is meno, abide, remain, dwell. And my #oneverse is “never leave the temple.”

Sitting in the pew, I found myself lost in thought…but not really lost because I began to see things unfolding, the many facets of abiding.

Spiritually I will need to pay attention to the verses that point to praying always, thinking on these things, dwelling.

But it also reminded me of where Paul describes our bodies as the temple of God (1 Corinthians 6:20). I can’t leave the temple even if I want to–and I need to be taking better care of this temple. And therein lies a whole bunch of goals and work for 2014.

So now that you know, feel free to ask me occasionally how things are going at the temple…and I’m sure I’ll find a few things to write about, too.

Restored

Our Sunday School class is studying this book:

The lesson this week was about the healing of the woman with the issue of blood. (See Mark 5, Luke 8)

I started the class by saying we were going to talk about a woman with an issue. They laughed. Then we moved on to talk about how miserable life was for this woman–cut off from all relationship because of the illness that had deemed her unclean for 12 years.

In a very desperate move she travels 30 miles to touch the hem of Jesus’ robe. She makes this arduous trip alone. But that’s probably better. That way she could slip in and slip out.

Or so she thought.

Jesus wasn’t going to let that happen.

She thought she was sneaking up on Jesus. Like Jesus didn’t know where to be for this encounter to occur. Talk to the woman at the well (see John 4) about that one. Remember, Jesus “had” to go to Samaria. Yeah, he did…to meet up with her. And it was no mistake that Jesus was walking down a crowded street right when she was plotting her move.

So before she can slink away, Jesus lets it be known that he was touched. The disciples are like, “There’s a surprise Jesus. Perhaps you missed the crowd?”

But it was a different kind of touch. It was a touch of faith. And while it could have been a touch that left him unclean…it was a touch that drew power from him. And he wasn’t going to let his power be stolen.

He pressed the issue. Who touched me?

Caught. If she thought she knew desperation before…she was in for a huge surprise. Imagine it: everyone in the crowd who had happened to touch her her or anything she touched was now unclean. This could turn ugly really quick.

Instead of running away, she falls before Jesus, tells him the whole story, and then waits for the other shoe to drop. Life had been harsh and unbearable for her. And now, now it might be over.

Instead she hears a word that she never thought she’d hear again.

Daughter.

I wonder if she heard anything else.

Daughter.

A word that denotes relationship. She came for healing and came away restored

Isn’t that just like Jesus? He gives us what we really need.

This has always been one of my favorite stories. But yesterday as I got all choked up when I came to the part about restoration.

I don’t know how your life has been, but I know the preciousness of being restored. And for me it has come in bits and pieces and today brought another piece. And when I read the email that invited me into a deeper level of restoration a voice resonated in my heart.

Daughter.

And I was reminded who was in control. And I wept. And I laughed. And I praised God.

There are many healing miracles recorded in the gospels. And I’m glad. But it’s the miracle of restoration that touches my broken heart. And what’s really cool to me is that is waiting for each of us to reach out in faith to touch him.

Lessons Learned

Before Dorothy can leave the Land of Oz, Glinda asks what lessons she has learned:

I feel a little like Dorothy. This year has been quite a journey. Not all of it has been good. I didn’t reach many of the goals that I set for myself.

Part of me wants to stamp the file that holds this year with a big fat: FAILED!

But is it a failure? What did I accomplish?
1. I finished a job. The woman I provided care for died in November. I was with her right up to the end. I wouldn’t have wanted it any other way.
2. I did some writing. But more importantly I put my book out there and have started the arduous process of editing and rewriting it. I have started a second book. I completed a daily devotional online for Advent and headed up a published Advent Devotional for my church.
3. I have connected with Word Weavers International and am involved in two online critique groups—one of which I’m leading. This has increased my vulnerability and accountability.
4. My husband and I did some major de-cluttering in our home, reclaiming space and rearranging things for better use.
5. I have made a major dietary change as the result of a major illness and subsequent chronic issues that developed. I have been gluten free for four months.
6. I spoke at three retreats and two speaking opportunities scheduled for next year already.

And that’s just a start. So perhaps not reaching my goals isn’t as much a failure as I initially supposed.

Perhaps God had other things planned for me. I can’t say I enjoyed being sick or the residual effects, but there has even been gain in that pain.

So what do I have to look forward to?

I’m not sure completely, but I know that there is much writing to do, a part time job to secure, a writers’ conference to attend, much Scrabble to play with my mother, and weight to be lost—for good!

The rest is grace and gravy…gluten free of course!

Christmas Day

Did you get everything you wanted?

Earlier this week I mentioned “unprayed answers.” I was introduced to this concept by a dear man of God. It has stuck with me and become a integral component of my relationship with God.

When this concept was presented it was linked to “The Confederate Soldier’s Prayer.”

No matter what you received this year…or didn’t receive…my prayer is that you will find this prayer true for you.

A CONFEDERATE SOLDIER’S PRAYER
Author Unknown,
(Attributed to a battle weary C.S.A soldier near the end of the war)

I asked God for strength, that I might achieve;
I was made weak, that I might learn humbly to obey.
I asked for health, that I might do greater things;
I was given infirmity, that I might do better things.
I asked for riches, that I might be happy;
I was given poverty, that I might be wise.
I asked for power, that I might have the praise of men;
I was given weakness, that I might feel the need of God.
I asked for all things, that I might enjoy life;
I was given life, that I might enjoy all things.
I got nothing that I asked for, but everything I hoped for.
Almost despite myself, my unspoken prayers were answered.
I am among all men most richly blessed.

(I didn’t change the original wording…but rest assured when I pray it, the last line reads much more personally: I am among all most richly blessed.)

And amen!

Advent 24: Be Born In Us Today

This is just a little different from the traditionally way we sing this very familiar and special Christmas hymn.

Allow the freshness and simplicity to bring it’s truth home to you in a new way.

My prayer is that the Savior will truly be born in you today.

God bless.