The Cure for My Spiritual Stupidity...

Dear Jesus - Create in me a clean heart and renew a right spirit within me for Thou hast promised!

I've spent HOURS (HOURS I tell ya!) writing a blog post about a subject that is best summed up in a few lines from 2 different authors...  So - I figured - why not just post what they say?

Masters Over Us? Your Time is Short!

Dear Jesus - We just praise You for Your many words to us that speak hope...

What are some 'lords' or 'masters' in your life?  

Here are some in mine that I will NOT be sorry to see go!

Sugar / Sweets / Food Generally

Dissatisfaction / Judgement / Anxiety

Loss / Separation from Loved Ones

Fear

Oh this list could go on!  But it will never truly capture the list in our own hearts.

O LORD our God, masters besides You
Have had dominion over us;
But by You only we make mention of Your name.

They are dead, they will not live;
They are deceased, they will not rise.
Therefore You have punished and destroyed them,
And made all their memory to perish.

Isaiah 26:13-14

Hallelujah!

A Lamb, Some Egyptians, and Moses

Dear Jesus - You are the perfect Shepard.  Help us to know, to understand that in our deepest being - daily...

Moses writes of a rule Jacob defines and that the Israelites knew well.  We would do well to follow this rule in our person lives, our family lives and with all we come in contact.  It goes like this:

And he said unto him, My lord knoweth that the children are tender, and the flocks and herds with young are with me: and if men should overdrive them one day, all the flock will die. Genesis 33:13

I did a bit of Google research on the capabilities of lambs - but it was too much for me.  I'm not a farmer.  I don't even own a pet.  That any lamb survives and grows into adulthood is amazing to me.

In the early years of my marriage - we had a problem, but we didn't know exactly the root of that problem. We could see the evidences of the problem - but we didn't know what the root cause was. So - we periodically blamed each other, got angry, an inevitably the cycle would repeat. 

Then we had a baby.  Otherwise known as CYCLE INTERRUPTUS.  That's my Latin term for - the basket got turned upside down in our family life.

About a year or so ago, we were out spending a lovely day together as a family - when suddenly the PROBLEM popped up.  Rather - I began to get those familiar feelings telling me we were heading down a not-so-happy-path.  The Holy Spirit popped this verse into my head and I quoted it to my husband.  I added, "Honey, let's finish this day STRONG.  Let's go at the speed of the smallest lamb."  Of course, by this, I meant our son.  My husband considered my comments, and we wrapped a nice little bow on our day and headed home.  Got into bed that night - and we both agreed it had been a good, solidly good day.

A few months later - that story repeated with the same results.  The Holy Spirit had revealed the root cause of our problem early in our marriage!  It was our mutual inability to KNOW WHEN TO STOP.  Didn't matter the element to be stopped:  having fun, talking, playing, arguing - in all things we must KNOW WHEN TO STOP.

Today hubby and I were discussing this verse.  The image of Moses came to my mind.  Moses leading the children of Israel out of Egypt.  In that group were Israelite children, lambs, herds and even Egyptians!  All being led by Moses!  So to recap - the group consisted of:

• babies and children of all ages
• Egyptians knowing next to nothing of Yahweh except that He was saving them from plagues
• ex-Slaves
• Bones of Joseph, e.g. a dead man
• Moses - spoken to by God Himself

Wow.  You could not get a group representing a broader spectrum.  Do you want to consider the group by 'age'?  Diverse.  By 'ethnicity'?  Diverse.  By 'spiritual beliefs'?  Diverse.  By 'physical ability to walk or travel'?  Diverse.

Did they all escape Egypt?  Hallelujah!  Even the dead bones of Joseph!

Did they all come into the presence of God?  Yes, well - I'll grant you some of the herds may have been eaten or sacrificed along the way, but the encampment at the base of Mt. Sinai consisted of the same mix.

Did they all hear the voice of God?  Yes!  In fact, Exodus 19 is just an amazing picture of how intensely God yearned to speak face to face with His people.  Exodus 20 finished up God's conversation with His people.  And probably the saddest verse to me is verse 19.  The people couldn't take it.  They could not handle speaking face to face with God.

Here's my today takeaway for my life:

I am called to labor with God who works at the speed of the youngest child, the most ignorant soul longing for Him, and the most gifted with His presence student.  I am part of that group.  I may have started as the youngest child.  Joshua was young when he left Egypt, compared to Moses.  

But here's the lesson - nothing but ME keeps me at that starting point.  

Joshua committed to stay as close to God as he could.  In his life - that was by not letting Moses out of his sight.  In that decision, he too saw the face of God!

The leaders of Israel.  Scary thought.  They dined with God in Exodus 24: 9-11 and yet they died in the wilderness and never saw the Promised Land.  

Moses committed to never letting God out of his sight.  And he SAW THE FACE OF GOD!

Oh dear Jesus!  Thank You that there are no laws of micro or macro economics with You!  Each of us makes a difference to You!  You reward those who seek You regardless of their age, ethnicity, or sin.  You know we were born in sin and You don't hold that against us!  You meet us right where we are!  We praise You for that today...

The Sweet Blessings of Obedience...

How my son Timothy came to be at Tualatin Valley Academy is a story already told. But suffice it to say it was NOT a foregone conclusion that he would attend that school for the 2013-2014 school year.  So why did he end up there?  In the end, the answer is pretty simple – Jesus asked me to send him there and then gave me strength to obey. And I’m so glad I did. This may sound simple – but to me it was a HUGE deal. My BABY! No school is perfect just as no church is perfect – because none of us IN it are perfect. But God IS perfect! And praise the Lord His love is so much a part of who He is that He cannot help but respond tenderly to us – His fallen weak creatures.

Why I Sent My Son to School...

In November 2012, I was sitting in a pew at church when I opened the bulletin and read “Kindergarten Roundup at Tualatin Valley Academy” with January 2013 dates listed. I shut the bulletin. My mind raced, my heart raced. I opened the bulletin again – sure enough the announcement was exactly as I had just read it. I closed the bulletin again.

When I Don't Understand What Jesus Said...

Dear Jesus - Please unstop our ears to hear You as You long to be heard...

John 11 records the story of Lazarus illness, death & resurrection.  Let's take a look and see if we can see ourselves in this story.  I'll omit a few of the verses so keep your eyes on the verse numbers:

Going to Battle Prayer - Part 3 Bootcamp

Dear Jesus - Help us, train us, equip us...

Prayer.  What comes to mind as you read that word?  My mind naturally goes to bedtime prayers, mealtime prayers, prayers of desperation (please HELP!).  This series has included powerful promises and how to use them to bring loved ones, colleagues, neighbors, into the loving embrace of God.  We looked at just a few promises here and here.  However, it is a fair question to ponder:  How does one 'train' in this type of prayer?

The Name (above all names) or the Word?

Dear Jesus - I praise You for Your tender communication that is individual, unique and specific to each of our needs...

2:12 a.m.  I had been awakened from some particularly sweet and peaceful sleep and felt particularly rested.  Hm...  Unusual.

2:30 a.m.  Thoughts have coalesced in my brain over the last 30 minutes and I realize Jesus is calling me to spend some personal time with Him.

You've been around this blog long enough to realize there is no simple realization that happens in my head.  This is no exception.  I purpose to do it.  Then I freak out thinking about not getting enough sleep for the day ahead.  My brain flits back to purposing to spend time with Jesus and I ask Him to help me do it.  I begin to praise in my mind...

Cords - Compare & Contrast

Dear Jesus - Thank You for Your cords of love...

So one day in March, I'm reading Isaiah chapter 5.  And I come upon verse 18 and the word 'cord' strikes a bell in my mind...  Doesn't Jesus say He's drawn us with cords of love somewhere?  So a couple of days later I get a moment and I check it out...

Sometimes, the Goodness of God is Too Much!

This could also be called, WHY SOMETIMES THERE ARE GAPS BETWEEN POSTINGS...  :-)

Going to Battle Prayer... Part 2

Dear Jesus - Please open grant us effectiveness as we work with You to reclaim our loved ones, friends and colleagues...

Yesterday, in Part 1 of this mini-series, we looked at the power available to us through God's Word to reclaim those we love.  I have to say - since I've learned about this, I've had to start asking for more patience.  It has become increasingly difficult to listen to generic prayers!  Have you seen 5 year-old boys who happen upon toy swords?  Those boys immediately know what to do.  They pick them up, aim, WHACK!  No hesitation.

Let's say I'm at a church prayer meeting and someone requests prayer for a loved one.  Then the individual praying says:  Dear Jesus - please save so-and-so.  And in my head I go nuts.  I want to shout - YA GOT A SPAGHETTI NOODLE YOU'RE WAIVING AROUND THERE!  PICK UP YOUR SWORD - GO AFTER YOUR TARGET!

So - uh - pray for me?  (Really, could my need for your prayers be any clearer?!)

The Battle at Work...

Dear Jesus - Today, please recreate our eyes to see our world, our lives as You see us...

Work.  There is a reason that is a different word entirely from the word 'VACATION'!  Ever had a work hassle?  Issue?  Ever been involved or responsible for a project that you could clearly see was headed south and it caused you anxiety?  If not - praise the Lord!  Hopefully my story will prepare you for that eventuality!

So I'm not having fun at work.  Wretched situation.  Fantasizing about time off - ANY time off.  Communication a big fat ZERO.  I'm frosted.  And the Mr. says to me:  We battle not against flesh and blood but against...?  And I think...