Category: Godly 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.

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 23: Consequences

It has not been a fun day at my house. The grandson and the Pepa locked horns. And a very stiff penalty was levied. The child didn’t think the adult was serious. The adult was unbending. There were many tears, but no true repentance. How do I know? The child blamed everyone else and continued to try and negotiate.

This did not help his case. In fact, I believe it only encouraged the adult to feel that he was right in his decision.

As long as we have been parents, foster parents, and grandparents, we have taught that actions have consequences.

And had to learn it, too. I tried to explain that to the child, but his heart was hurting to much to hear.

If you want to talk about harsh consequences, pull up a chair and listen to Adam and Eve’s story. It was just an apple. And they were unfairly tempted. At least that’s the way they saw it. One bite and not only were they booted out of the Garden, but then there was all that business about work and pain. Talk about harsh. I mean the rest of us have been paying for their poor choice through the ages.

But it’s not like we haven’t been warned. The Word is full of warning, the clearest being: you will reap what you sow.

Sometimes watching a child deal consequences makes it not much fun to be a mom or mema. It’s hard to not want to swoop in and rescue. It was very hard today.

In more ways than I want to try and explain, I have learned how choices result in consequences. But at the hardest point in facing those consequences, I found this scripture encouragement:
As for me, I look to the Lord for help.
I wait confidently for God to save me,
and my God will certainly hear me.
8 Do not gloat over me, my enemies!
For though I fall, I will rise again.
Though I sit in darkness,
the Lord will be my light.
9 I will be patient as the Lord punishes me,
for I have sinned against him.
But after that, he will take up my case
and give me justice for all I have suffered from my enemies.
The Lord will bring me into the light,
and I will see his righteousness.
10 Then my enemies will see that the Lord is on my side. (Micah 7:7-10, NLT)

Try as I might, I couldn’t find anything in the Word that spoke to God removing consequences. I wish, but no. Not there.

What is there is the promise that he will be with me…with you…all the way through.

In the darkest times, he will be there. He will be our light. He hears us. And he will bring us back to the light. And we will see his righteousness again.

And that’s good news to hold onto.

Advent 22: Ask

This year we are doing our Advent Tree with the grandson. It has been a lot of fun. Each day’s cubby holds a riddle/joke (appropriate for a 7yr old and all related to Christmas), a scripture verse, a Hershey kiss and coins.

Each day when he comes over he asks if he can “do the Advent.”

He spent the night last night and before he even turned on the TV he went to the tree. Do you know why Santa has a garden? (Pausing for effect…) Because he likes to “ho, ho, ho.”

Here we are two days from Christmas and he’s just about ready to pop! He just can’t wait. Like any child his focus is on the gifts. We’ve done what we can to fulfill his Christmas list, but inevitably we’ll miss something.

Last night he and I were talking about that very thing. He asked me if I was excited about Christmas. I told him I was but it wasn’t for the same reason as him. We talked more about presents and then I told him I wasn’t excited about presents, that I quit looking forward to presents a long time ago. He stared at me in disbelief.

I told him that I stopped asking for things when I was little because I didn’t get the things I wanted most. It took a while for me to realize why…and I learned it was my own fault.

While I still believed in Santa, I somehow determined that if I told my parents what I wanted it was like telling someone what you wished for when you blew out your birthday candles: if you tell it won’t come true. So my parents never knew what I really, really wanted.

I had not because I asked not.

I’m quite grown up now. I only believe in the spirit of Santa and I’ve let my parents off the hook for a lot of my issues and angst.

And I’ve learned that God wants to hear what I want, what I need. He wants to hear from me. It’s called prayer. And while my life is overflowing with unprayed answers, I find that the Shepherd of my heart wants me to bring those wants and needs to him.

The more I thought about it, the more excited I got about this. Sitting quietly, mulling this over, I realized that this asking thing is not about God withholding. No. It’s about God wanting a relationship. He doesn’t want to be a Santa God who shows up on Christmas (aka: once a year), dropping presents from a sleigh traveling past at the speed of light.

Bette Middler got it all wrong: God is not watching us from a distance. He’s right here with us. That’s why Jesus’ name was Emannuel. It means God with us. Jesus’ own parting words were: Lo, I am with you always. The writer of Hebrews put it this way: he won’t EVER leave us or forsake us.

How’s that for a Christmas gift? Not sure how you’ll wrap it because it’s definitely outside the box.

Advent 21: Controversy

I don’t like controversy. I run away from conflict. I avoid confrontation.

This is a difficult weekend to avoid controversy.

A few days ago, a man of faith, who also happens to be a TV personality, was asked a few questions about his beliefs. I wonder if he felt like he was being set up? The whole thing reminds me of the way that the Pharisees questioned Jesus in order to trap him. The celebrity answered honestly, as he felt Jesus would have wanted him to. And wham, bam, his show was pulled and a well-known family style restaurant pulled all his merchandise.

And the lines have been drawn and people have polarized. Boycotts are planned. Nasty, derogatory comments are being made by both sides of the issue.

It makes me wonder how much of this is pleasing to God? Is he getting any glory out of our pettiness? People who might have been on the edge of faith are repulsed by behavior that should woo them not make them walk away.

But there is the point…when did it happen that I can’t express my faith without fear of offense?

Perhaps that’s the problem…we fear offense.

Go back and read the Christmas story. Read the gospels. Pay attention to Jesus’ words.

He was an equal opportunity offender.

I want to say that Jesus wasn’t intentionally offensive. I’ve tried to write the thought several ways, but I don’t believe it.

Jesus didn’t come to make the people of his day, or ours, comfortable. He stirs things up. He made radical comments and shed all kinds of new light on tightly held traditions. He ate with the wrong people. He traveled the wrong roads. He challenged authority. Controversy, confrontation, conflict seemed to follow him wherever he went.

And it got him killed. But not just him. His cousin John could easily speak to this, if he hadn’t lost his head. He was asked what he thought about the King’s questionable marriage situation and he paid the ultimate price–he gave his life.

No wonder we shy away. Bite our tongues. Swallow our faith.

So Mr. TV personality lost his show. It happens. I know a teacher who lost his job because he always put his Bible on his desk. He kept true to his faith…and fortunately another job came his way.

Maybe that TV show ran its course. Did what it was supposed to do. And maybe God has something else for this family to be doing. Should we boycott that too?

We don’t understand persecution for our faith the way that some do in other parts of the world. Or in times gone by. Jesus seems to want us to be more aware. He actually tells his followers, “Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 5:10).” Peter went on to write: 12 Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. 13 But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. 14 If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. 15 If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal, or even as a meddler. 16 However, if you suffer as a Christian, do not be ashamed, but praise God that you bear that name. 17 For it is time for judgment to begin with God’s household; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God? (1 Peter 4:12-17)

Jesus’ birth was extremely controversial. Consider that the announcement came to shepherds, not the King.

We don’t have to go looking for conflict. It will find us. Sometimes it’s a set up. But however we encounter it. I pray that we faithfully face it and make sure we do all we can to speak the truth in love and glorify the one who is the foundation of what we believe.