Tag: Advent

Borrowing from Tomorrow

“Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. (Matthew 6:34, ESV)

I recently read this thought and it reminded me of today’s verse: If you fill your heart with regrets, of yesterday and the worries of tomorrow, you have no today to be thankful for.

But I liked this one better: Worrying is carrying tomorrow’s load with today’s strength- carrying two days at once. It is moving into tomorrow ahead of time. Worrying doesn’t empty tomorrow of its sorrow, it empties today of its strength.

My mom always counselled me to “neither a borrower or lender be.” I know that’s meant to be a statement about money, but it fits this verse as well.

If we worry about what tomorrow might hold we borrow or bring those troubles into today, and we lend our strength and peace to the one who doesn’t deserve it…the enemy of our souls.

SO instead, let’s live today. Be in today. Find the good in today. Praise and thank God for the gift of this day. It is after all the day which he made…and gave to us.

PRAYER: God of the present. Help us today today to live each moment, accepting them as gifts from you. Amen.

Tantrums or Trust

Therefore the Lord waits to be gracious to you, and therefore he exalts himself to show mercy to you. For the Lord is a God of justice; blessed are all those who wait for him. Isaiah 30:18, ESV

I never threw a tantrum when I was a child. I was too afraid to.

When I became a teenager, I remember stomping up the stairs and slamming my bedroom door.

Tantrums usually happen when we don’t get our way. When we’re sure we know what’s best and it’s not happening.

We get miffed when we have to wait.

But have you ever considered how God feels when we don’t, won’t, or can’t receive his grace?

Today’s verse tells us God is waiting to be gracious to us. He has the gifts, the answers, the guidance, the everything we need…but we’re so busy stomping our feet and demanding our way we aren’t able to receive it.

There is nothing attractive or positive about a tantrum. Especially when an adult is throwing it.

Our blessings will come as we wait on the One who is waiting to give us what we need.

PRAYER: Patient and loving God. Forgive us for the tantrums we throw when we think we know best, or when we are frustrated because we have to wait for what we want. Thank you for not giving up on us, for continuing to wait to be gracious to us. Keep showing us mercy. Amen

Fretting or Still?

 

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Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way, over the man who carries out evil devices! (Psalm 37:7, ESV)

I’ve always been a watcher. I find people fascinating.

But there are times when my watching is not fascination, it’s frustration. It’s filled with fretting.

They have better. Then have more. Why can’t I have what they have?

I begin to whine and stomp like a three year old not getting their way in the playroom.

It’s not a pretty sight. And it doesn’t feel good inside either.

God’s solution: stop it! Still yourself and wait patiently. For him.

I will not get it “right” if all I do is try and wait for the things others have.

That’s not what God is offering.

He’s offering himself. And I am to wait for that…to want Him.

No toy, no gizmo or gadget, will ever satisfy the way He does.

Be still, wait patiently for Him.

PRAYER: God, you offer more than the toys the of world. Still me. I don’t want to fret over them any longer. I want you.

What are you waiting for?

“And now, O Lord, for what do I wait? My hope is in you.” Psalm 39:7, ESV

The world says: Don’t just stand there, do something.

The world warns that if we wait to act the future will be shorter.

The world’s pattern is typically: ready, shoot, aim.

God says, “Wait.”

Henry Blackaby encourages, “Don’t just do something. Stand there.”

Do you know what you’re waiting for?

Do you know who?

PRAYER: God, I don’t want to be doing something or anything just to fill up time. I will wait for you to tell me what I’m waiting for. For only in knowing that will I have any hope of finding my purpose.

Shhhhhh.

For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from him. (Psalm 62:5, ESV)

When I have to wait, I am typically not silent about it.

I can find all kinds of ways to grumble and complain about the waiting. The line’s too long. The Musack is too annoying. I’m wasting time.

I am learning all the grumbling in the world will not make the wait shorter or more enjoyable.

Perhaps if I allow silence into my waiting…if I will quiet my mind, my heart, my spirit…I will hear another voice speaking and assuring me the process is the point.

PRAYER: God who dwells in silence and whispers, quiet me and speak so I can hear.

Wait!!!!

How do you do at waiting?

Me, not so good. I like my instant cocoa and pudding. I count on my microwave. The other night my husband was in a foul mood because he waited over twenty minutes in the drive-thru at Taco Bell.

Over the years, Advent has become a good exercise in self-control; a reminder that I really don’t live in an instant world.

Have you noticed the two separate lines of thinking and behavior as it deals with this season? On the one hand, people complain mightily about how Christmas is creeping further into the year as retailers begin setting up displays as early as September—but then they whine about having to wait for the day to arrive…and be over.

I remember one Christmas our church was going to observe a “strict” Advent. That didn’t go over well. The big beef was having to wait to sing Christmas hymns and songs.

So this Advent, I’m going to purposely focus on waiting. Each day will highlight an applicable scripture passage and a prayer for a specific group who are “waiting.”

I hope you join me and find a blessing as mark the days of this holy season.

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Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. (Pro. 3:5-6, ESV)

The biggest deterrent to waiting is the ability to trust. At the beginning of this Advent let’s determine to grow in our trust of God. He has the big picture in view and our best interests in mind. Test him, he truly is worthy of your trust.

Prayer: God of time who is beyond time and over time, walk with us in this Advent season and teach how to trust…and to wait. Be especially near to those who are waiting for someone they love to come home. 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.

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.