Do you ever wonder what God's smile looks like? I've never actually seen it with my own eyes, but my heart will often catch glimpses of it when I read certain passages of scripture. Like this one:
Jude 24 & 25
Now unto Him that is able to keep you from falling,
and to present you faultless before the presence
of His glory with exceeding joy,
To the only wise God our Savior,
be glory and majesty,
dominion and power,
both now and forever.
Amen.
*italics mine
I have this image in my head of my second grade self putting on a pair of roller skates for the first time. Wait, which is scarier -- ice skates or roller skates? Probably ice, but since I never mastered that, I'll stick with roller skates. Anyways, I can remember sitting on the bench with my roller skates on, watching all the kids skate around the roller rink with perfect ease, me being too afraid to join them.
But imagine God calling me, or you, out onto the rink. You have no experience, no coordination, and just a nasty sense of fear plaguing you. But, you take His hand. You become a Christian. He takes you out on the floor.
I don't know about you, but often, I let my faith look like the pitiful picture of me hugging onto the wall, taking timid little steps, possessed by an overwhelming fear of falling down. I am deathly afraid of stumbling into sin, giving way to temptation, or falling into a transgression -- so much so, that I cannot even move.
Guess what? As long as you're holding onto the wall, with both hands even, you're going to fall. Because you're trying to do it on your own ability! But remember that God is at Your side. When you hold onto His hand, He will never let you fall. I think of my dad, the strongest earthly dad I know. Whenever I would start to trip, I could just feel the strength in his arms lifting up my own, helping me get in the groove again. How much more my heavenly Father?
When you're in your Abba Father's arms, He is more than able to keep you from falling.
Ah! Isn't this such a wonderful promise? And not only that, when our work here on earth is done, no matter how many times we think we've blown it or messed up, He will present us spotless, faultless, without blemish before His glory -- with exceeding joy. It is His joy, His desire to make us perfect before His throne, so much so that He will do everything in His power to keep us from falling. Can I get a hallelujah?
I can see the smile on my dad's face when at long last, he can watch me dancing on the skating rink with complete ease. And I cannot wait to see God's glorious, beaming grin when He presents me before the throne as one who has done no wrong. Wow.
To God, who alone is wise, belongs all of the glory and majesty, and all the dominion and the power, now and forevermore. Amen!
* And I would hate for any of my words to distract your reading of this passage. I encourage you to just sit with these verses, meditate on them, and let God speak His own message of hope and encouragement to you. I just thought I would share what they meant to me. But He writes a different story upon each one of our hearts!
10.10.2012
9.15.2012
Just an Observation ...
It is a fascinating thing to have been created in the image of God.
And it is even more fascinating to observe aspects of human nature which reflect that image.
For example, think of your reflexes. I was sitting at my desk doing homework, books piled up in every direction and clutter abounding. It was no wonder that my coffee cup began to run out of elbow room, and ever so gradually, it was shoved to the edge of the desk. Suddenly, the inevitable happened: it slid off the precipice of ebony. In one quick motion of pure instinct and adrenaline, I reached out to catch it. Luckily, I succeeded and avoided staining my bedroom carpet! How marvelous are our reflexes?
Such an instance reminded me of our sweet God. I thought, if I have been created in God's image, with His attributes, and I have this incredible human trait, then He too must have uncanny reflexes, even more so than we do. Then He gave me a visual image in my mind of how quick He is to reach out His mighty hand when He sees me stumbling. When He sees any of His children falling, in an instant, without a moment's hesitation, He reaches out to catch them. And He never fails. Oh, how wonderful to trust a God who keeps us from falling and meeting a destructive end! Praise God for His amazing reflexes!
And what powers that reflex? His love for us.
“For You have delivered my soul from death, my eyes from tears, and my feet from falling.” – Psalm 116:8
Have you observed any human traits that have made you think of the way God works?
Really. Think about it.
And it is even more fascinating to observe aspects of human nature which reflect that image.
7.15.2012
Are You Killing Time?
I hate the times in my day when I have just a little gap of time before moving from one task to the other, or driving from one place to another, whether it is as excruciating as an hour or as frustrating as 20 minutes. But I absolutely hate trying to find things to do to kill time. Those are the times when a smartphone might come in handy (dare I even say it) so I could just surf the web for a little while. For those unfortunate times when I didn't bring a book with me, what else is there to do but twiddle my thumbs or chill in my car? Idle time for me is like pulling teeth.
One afternoon, I was at home, almost ready to drive away to God knows where, and I had to kill about 10 or 15 minutes of time. I groaned as I thought to myself, Well, I can always just log onto Facebook, however pathetic that sounds. But as I reached for my laptop and opened the lid, some kind of supernatural reality hit me. Hard. I can't really put it into words, but all of a sudden, I remembered God.
I remembered that God is always around me.
I remembered that He created the universe.
I remembered that He created me.
I remembered that He loved me.
I remembered that He gave His very life for the idle moments, for the moments that hang in the balance, the moments I need to "kill" -- for in those moments, He desires to speak to me. And vice versa. He rejoices for the moments out of our busy lives when we look around and say, Wow, I have nothing to do, nowhere to go, no one to talk to.
God inhabits those moments.
It is these very moments that we were created for.
We were not meant to stress ourselves out, to make ourselves so busy, to hurry out the door to beat the morning traffic and scurry to make it on time to our 9 to 5 shifts. We were not meant to become glued to our computer screens on social networking sites. We were not meant to be bent over our smartphones all day waiting for a new text, a new facebook notification, a business call, even a message from a boyfriend/girlfriend. So since when did we make these things so important, so consuming of our time?
And I complain about the moments when I have time to kill?! Sounds to me like I've been mercilessly slaughtering time already with these pointless pursuits!
Okay, I'm not saying I need to quit my job, sell my car, ditch my phone, or dump my boyfriend (my figurative one, that is). What I am saying is that I want to start living for the moments I was created for: time alone with my God and Savior, my Maker and Husband, the One who died for the time which I am so anxious to kill.
If I ever have a moment of down-time in my pathetically busy day, I would so love to do what this verse says: "Be still, and know that I am God." (Psalm 46:10)
To do what this verse says is to stop, pause, be still, and remember. Remember who God is. Remember what He has done. Remember that He is great, that He will be exalted among the nations and in the entire earth. Remember that He is omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent. But most of all, remember that God is love. And that's not just a petty cliché. That statement packs a powerful punch. Read His Word, His love letter, and you'll see what I mean.
I want to check my time. I want to live my life the way it was meant to be lived. I want to spend every spare moment I can praising the God of time or engaging in precious, timeless conversation with Him. He is the reason I live, after all.
Are you killing time? Or are you using it for its true purpose?
"And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life ..."
Genesis 2:7
"Know that the Lord, He is God; it is He who has made us, and not we ourselves ..."
Psalm 100:3
"For your Maker is your husband, the Lord of hosts is His name ..."
Isaiah 54:5
" ... Yet I will not forget you. See, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands."
Isaiah 49:15-16
One afternoon, I was at home, almost ready to drive away to God knows where, and I had to kill about 10 or 15 minutes of time. I groaned as I thought to myself, Well, I can always just log onto Facebook, however pathetic that sounds. But as I reached for my laptop and opened the lid, some kind of supernatural reality hit me. Hard. I can't really put it into words, but all of a sudden, I remembered God.
I remembered that God is always around me.
I remembered that He created the universe.
I remembered that He created me.
I remembered that He loved me.
I remembered that He gave His very life for the idle moments, for the moments that hang in the balance, the moments I need to "kill" -- for in those moments, He desires to speak to me. And vice versa. He rejoices for the moments out of our busy lives when we look around and say, Wow, I have nothing to do, nowhere to go, no one to talk to.
God inhabits those moments.
It is these very moments that we were created for.
We were not meant to stress ourselves out, to make ourselves so busy, to hurry out the door to beat the morning traffic and scurry to make it on time to our 9 to 5 shifts. We were not meant to become glued to our computer screens on social networking sites. We were not meant to be bent over our smartphones all day waiting for a new text, a new facebook notification, a business call, even a message from a boyfriend/girlfriend. So since when did we make these things so important, so consuming of our time?
And I complain about the moments when I have time to kill?! Sounds to me like I've been mercilessly slaughtering time already with these pointless pursuits!
Okay, I'm not saying I need to quit my job, sell my car, ditch my phone, or dump my boyfriend (my figurative one, that is). What I am saying is that I want to start living for the moments I was created for: time alone with my God and Savior, my Maker and Husband, the One who died for the time which I am so anxious to kill.
If I ever have a moment of down-time in my pathetically busy day, I would so love to do what this verse says: "Be still, and know that I am God." (Psalm 46:10)
To do what this verse says is to stop, pause, be still, and remember. Remember who God is. Remember what He has done. Remember that He is great, that He will be exalted among the nations and in the entire earth. Remember that He is omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent. But most of all, remember that God is love. And that's not just a petty cliché. That statement packs a powerful punch. Read His Word, His love letter, and you'll see what I mean.
I want to check my time. I want to live my life the way it was meant to be lived. I want to spend every spare moment I can praising the God of time or engaging in precious, timeless conversation with Him. He is the reason I live, after all.
Are you killing time? Or are you using it for its true purpose?
"And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life ..."
Genesis 2:7
"Know that the Lord, He is God; it is He who has made us, and not we ourselves ..."
Psalm 100:3
"For your Maker is your husband, the Lord of hosts is His name ..."
Isaiah 54:5
" ... Yet I will not forget you. See, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands."
Isaiah 49:15-16
7.08.2012
A Little Poem From God's Great Love Letter
I just finished the book of Hosea in my devotions (and I may just read it over again, it was so enlightening!), and I happened to look back at a passage I highlighted in chapter 11. This may be one of my favorite poems by none other than my favorite poet: God Himself. Passages like this remind me that the Bible is one long love letter from God, the lover of our souls. He is by far the most forgiving, gentle-hearted, romantic Person I know.
Verses 3 and 4 of Hosea chapter 11 read something like this (God is speaking):
"I taught Ephraim to walk,
Taking them by their arms;
But they did not know that I healed them.
I drew them with gentle cords,
With bands of love,
And I was to them as those who take the yoke from their neck.
I stooped and fed them."
This is by far the sweetest, most precious piece of poetry I have ever read -- and it was written by God Himself. More than that, it was written for me, His child. It was written for you. It was written for all the children of Ephraim, or Israel, whom He loved and loves to this day so dearly.
I love the tenderness of the image conveyed in the first two lines. Have you ever observed a parent teaching their young child to walk? It is one of the most precious things you will ever see. The parent takes the little toddler by the hands ever so gently, and with a loving voice, coaxes them to take those revolutionary steps forward. How incredible that God does so with us! He is there to help us walk through each new step of our Christian faith, because our little legs can certainly be unsteady sometimes. He holds our arms, guides us, and will be ready to catch us should we fall.
He draws us not with the chains of bondage, but with gentle cords, with bands of love. Have you ever heard language so sweet? This is God's message to us! He is all gentleness and love. And He draws us; He does not force us, screech at us, or use invectives toward us. He takes the yoke off of our neck; He does not put it on. He sets the captives free (Isaiah 61:1) and takes away all of our burdens (Matthew 11:28).
And the craziest image may be in the last part of verse 4: He "stooped and fed them." Can you imagine? The God of the heavens, the Supreme Creator of the universe, the omniscient Being who reigns over all the earth with omnipotence, stoops down on His knees to feed us? The Almighty God humbles Himself by bending down to give us nourishment. What is His nourishment? He feeds us with His love, His Word, His kindness, His mercy ... the list is endless. What kind of God is this? It causes me to remember one of the most touching scenes of humility in the Bible: Jesus washing the disciples' feet in Matthew 13.
Once again, we see this image of God stooping, for Jesus is indeed God manifested as a man. It boggles my mind each time I think that when we look at Jesus, we look into the eyes and heart of God Himself. The God of the universe stoops down at the feet of His disciples and proceeds to wash their dirty feet, feet that had trampled down dusty roads, feet that had stepped in mud, in filth, in sin, in flesh, in carnality. He stooped down and lovingly washed all the grime off, to cleanse them. He wanted so desperately for them to be a part of Him, to be united with Him in friendship, to have His righteousness. So He washed their dirty feet. And He wants to do the same for us each and every day.
God is love -- the pure, unadulterated definition of love. How crazy is that?
What's your favorite love poem from the great love letter that God has written to you?
Verses 3 and 4 of Hosea chapter 11 read something like this (God is speaking):
"I taught Ephraim to walk,
Taking them by their arms;
But they did not know that I healed them.
I drew them with gentle cords,
With bands of love,
And I was to them as those who take the yoke from their neck.
I stooped and fed them."
This is by far the sweetest, most precious piece of poetry I have ever read -- and it was written by God Himself. More than that, it was written for me, His child. It was written for you. It was written for all the children of Ephraim, or Israel, whom He loved and loves to this day so dearly.
I love the tenderness of the image conveyed in the first two lines. Have you ever observed a parent teaching their young child to walk? It is one of the most precious things you will ever see. The parent takes the little toddler by the hands ever so gently, and with a loving voice, coaxes them to take those revolutionary steps forward. How incredible that God does so with us! He is there to help us walk through each new step of our Christian faith, because our little legs can certainly be unsteady sometimes. He holds our arms, guides us, and will be ready to catch us should we fall.
He draws us not with the chains of bondage, but with gentle cords, with bands of love. Have you ever heard language so sweet? This is God's message to us! He is all gentleness and love. And He draws us; He does not force us, screech at us, or use invectives toward us. He takes the yoke off of our neck; He does not put it on. He sets the captives free (Isaiah 61:1) and takes away all of our burdens (Matthew 11:28).
And the craziest image may be in the last part of verse 4: He "stooped and fed them." Can you imagine? The God of the heavens, the Supreme Creator of the universe, the omniscient Being who reigns over all the earth with omnipotence, stoops down on His knees to feed us? The Almighty God humbles Himself by bending down to give us nourishment. What is His nourishment? He feeds us with His love, His Word, His kindness, His mercy ... the list is endless. What kind of God is this? It causes me to remember one of the most touching scenes of humility in the Bible: Jesus washing the disciples' feet in Matthew 13.
Once again, we see this image of God stooping, for Jesus is indeed God manifested as a man. It boggles my mind each time I think that when we look at Jesus, we look into the eyes and heart of God Himself. The God of the universe stoops down at the feet of His disciples and proceeds to wash their dirty feet, feet that had trampled down dusty roads, feet that had stepped in mud, in filth, in sin, in flesh, in carnality. He stooped down and lovingly washed all the grime off, to cleanse them. He wanted so desperately for them to be a part of Him, to be united with Him in friendship, to have His righteousness. So He washed their dirty feet. And He wants to do the same for us each and every day.
God is love -- the pure, unadulterated definition of love. How crazy is that?
What's your favorite love poem from the great love letter that God has written to you?
5.01.2012
Fear
Question: Do you fear God?
There are two basic definitions of the word fear:
First definition:
a distressing emotion aroused by impending danger, evil, pain, etc., whether the threat is real or imagined; the feeling or condition of being afraid. Synonyms: foreboding, apprehension, consternation, dismay, dread, terror, fright, panic, horror, trepidation, qualm.
Second definition:
reverential awe, especially toward God: the fear of God. Synonyms: awe, respect, reverence, veneration.
It's funny--I couldn't help but notice that the first definition is so much longer than the second one. And what words! Trepidation, horror, panic! Most of the time, I'm bound to the first definition of fear. Panic attacks run in my family, so for no reason at all, I can all of a sudden be gripped by an intense, all-consuming fear--and most of the time, that fear really has no basis at all. Fear is a crazy thing. And did you notice the part of the definition that says, "whether the threat is real or imagined" (emphasis mine)? We can be panicked out of our mind over essentially nothing!
But look with me at the second definition of fear. It's so short. And there are basically only four words that describe it: awe, reverence, respect, veneration. So when asked, "Do you fear God?", these are the words that should come to mind.
Have you ever noticed that when you are caught up in the presence of the Lord, whether immersing yourself in His Word, worshipping with abandon, or listening for His voice in prayer, you just feel a sense of ... awe. And often the word awe is paired with the word wonder. You feel as if you have looked into the face of God, and you think, "Wow ...." Yes, complete speechlessness is a common symptom. It's like, "Ah! God! You're amazing!" And in that moment, nothing in the world can penetrate the walls of the tabernacle you have created to worship God.
It's a shame we have abused the word "awesome." We go around all the time saying, "Oh my gosh, that's awesome!" It's our immediate go-to word. But when we look at it closely, the word "awe" is in there. Awesome literally means "inspiring awe." It is an overwhelming feeling of reverence! I cannot think of anything that deserves the feeling of awe like our great God.
The two definitions of fear are inversely proportional to one another. When you are gripped with the anxious kind of fear, you fear God less--or rather, you forget who He is and lose confidence in His character. When you fear the Lord, however, the other kind of fear dissolves. Perfect love casts out fear, as John says in 1 John 4:18. And guess how John defines love? "God is love." I John 4:8 When we become lost in the character of God, when we recognize His greatness, how faithful He is to us, how He delivers us out of every tribulation, we are caught up in the fear of God. And we lose the other kind of fear completely.
I was reading in Daniel this morning, chapter 3. You all know the story. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego refuse to bow down to the giant idol that Nebuchadnezzar sets up in his backyard. Why? Because they feared the Lord God. And you remember what happens when they get thrown in the furnace. A fourth person walks with them in the midst of the fire, causing Nebuchadnezzar to proclaim, "Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, who sent His Angel and delivered His servants who trusted in Him ..." Daniel 3:28, emphasis mine.
Some of you may know that when Angel is capitalized, it usually refers to Jesus Christ Himself. I happened to be reading in my brother's super cool study Bible, and I looked up the cross-references in the margin for the word "Angel" mentioned in that verse. The first one it gave me was Psalm 34:7-8, which states, "The angel of the Lord encamps all around those who fear Him, and delivers them." Ok, that's pretty amazing, I thought. I couldn't help but notice that the word "encamps" was also a word for cross-reference; it took me to 2 Kings 6:17.
Let me set up the context of this verse. So, the king of Syria was planning an attack on Israel, but there was a spy, a "man of God," who kept reporting where the king of Syria would set up camp. Funny thing is, the spy never had to leave his own location. He was a prophet. Yep, that spy was none other than Elisha, and as one of the king's servants described him, "Elisha ... tells the king of Israel the words that you speak in your bedroom." So the king panicked and sent out a massive army to find Elisha so he could stop him for good. So his army "came by night and surrounded the city." (verse 14).
Well, Elisha's servant woke up early in the morning to find a crazy huge army camped right outside the city: horses, chariots, the whole enchilada. So he runs to Elisha and freaks out, "Alas, my master! What shall we do?" (verse 15). I think I'd do the same thing. But Elisha speaks very calmly to his servant in the next verse and basically says, Eh, I wouldn't worry about it. There's more of us than there are of them. Um, excuse me, Elisha? What's that supposed to mean? How do we possibly outnumber them?!
Here's the kicker: verse 17.
"And Elisha prayed, and said, 'Lord, I pray, open his eyes that he may see.' Then the Lord opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw. And behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha."
Bam! Ah! That is so cool! I don't know about you, but I flipped out when I read this verse! It's ... it's ... awesome! That's because our God is awesome. Yes, "the angel of the Lord encamps all around those who fear Him," and this is the picture that God gives to describe that. His angels watch over us all the time. And we have the greatest Angel of all to protect us: Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
Yeah, we'll still freak out every once in a while. We're human. One human trait, I think, that we all share is forgetfulness--especially when it comes to things of God. We become fearful when we forget who God is and all He has done for us. That is why we need to constantly remain in His presence, praying, spending time in His Word, saying once in a while, "God, thank You for who You are. I love you." When we fear the Lord, and behold Him with awe and wonder, He "drives the dark of doubt away," of fear, of anxiety. The fear of God is a beautiful thing.
Do you fear God?
There are two basic definitions of the word fear:
First definition:
a distressing emotion aroused by impending danger, evil, pain, etc., whether the threat is real or imagined; the feeling or condition of being afraid. Synonyms: foreboding, apprehension, consternation, dismay, dread, terror, fright, panic, horror, trepidation, qualm.
Second definition:
reverential awe, especially toward God: the fear of God. Synonyms: awe, respect, reverence, veneration.
It's funny--I couldn't help but notice that the first definition is so much longer than the second one. And what words! Trepidation, horror, panic! Most of the time, I'm bound to the first definition of fear. Panic attacks run in my family, so for no reason at all, I can all of a sudden be gripped by an intense, all-consuming fear--and most of the time, that fear really has no basis at all. Fear is a crazy thing. And did you notice the part of the definition that says, "whether the threat is real or imagined" (emphasis mine)? We can be panicked out of our mind over essentially nothing!
But look with me at the second definition of fear. It's so short. And there are basically only four words that describe it: awe, reverence, respect, veneration. So when asked, "Do you fear God?", these are the words that should come to mind.
Have you ever noticed that when you are caught up in the presence of the Lord, whether immersing yourself in His Word, worshipping with abandon, or listening for His voice in prayer, you just feel a sense of ... awe. And often the word awe is paired with the word wonder. You feel as if you have looked into the face of God, and you think, "Wow ...." Yes, complete speechlessness is a common symptom. It's like, "Ah! God! You're amazing!" And in that moment, nothing in the world can penetrate the walls of the tabernacle you have created to worship God.
It's a shame we have abused the word "awesome." We go around all the time saying, "Oh my gosh, that's awesome!" It's our immediate go-to word. But when we look at it closely, the word "awe" is in there. Awesome literally means "inspiring awe." It is an overwhelming feeling of reverence! I cannot think of anything that deserves the feeling of awe like our great God.
The two definitions of fear are inversely proportional to one another. When you are gripped with the anxious kind of fear, you fear God less--or rather, you forget who He is and lose confidence in His character. When you fear the Lord, however, the other kind of fear dissolves. Perfect love casts out fear, as John says in 1 John 4:18. And guess how John defines love? "God is love." I John 4:8 When we become lost in the character of God, when we recognize His greatness, how faithful He is to us, how He delivers us out of every tribulation, we are caught up in the fear of God. And we lose the other kind of fear completely.
I was reading in Daniel this morning, chapter 3. You all know the story. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego refuse to bow down to the giant idol that Nebuchadnezzar sets up in his backyard. Why? Because they feared the Lord God. And you remember what happens when they get thrown in the furnace. A fourth person walks with them in the midst of the fire, causing Nebuchadnezzar to proclaim, "Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, who sent His Angel and delivered His servants who trusted in Him ..." Daniel 3:28, emphasis mine.
Some of you may know that when Angel is capitalized, it usually refers to Jesus Christ Himself. I happened to be reading in my brother's super cool study Bible, and I looked up the cross-references in the margin for the word "Angel" mentioned in that verse. The first one it gave me was Psalm 34:7-8, which states, "The angel of the Lord encamps all around those who fear Him, and delivers them." Ok, that's pretty amazing, I thought. I couldn't help but notice that the word "encamps" was also a word for cross-reference; it took me to 2 Kings 6:17.
Let me set up the context of this verse. So, the king of Syria was planning an attack on Israel, but there was a spy, a "man of God," who kept reporting where the king of Syria would set up camp. Funny thing is, the spy never had to leave his own location. He was a prophet. Yep, that spy was none other than Elisha, and as one of the king's servants described him, "Elisha ... tells the king of Israel the words that you speak in your bedroom." So the king panicked and sent out a massive army to find Elisha so he could stop him for good. So his army "came by night and surrounded the city." (verse 14).
Well, Elisha's servant woke up early in the morning to find a crazy huge army camped right outside the city: horses, chariots, the whole enchilada. So he runs to Elisha and freaks out, "Alas, my master! What shall we do?" (verse 15). I think I'd do the same thing. But Elisha speaks very calmly to his servant in the next verse and basically says, Eh, I wouldn't worry about it. There's more of us than there are of them. Um, excuse me, Elisha? What's that supposed to mean? How do we possibly outnumber them?!
Here's the kicker: verse 17.
"And Elisha prayed, and said, 'Lord, I pray, open his eyes that he may see.' Then the Lord opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw. And behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha."
Bam! Ah! That is so cool! I don't know about you, but I flipped out when I read this verse! It's ... it's ... awesome! That's because our God is awesome. Yes, "the angel of the Lord encamps all around those who fear Him," and this is the picture that God gives to describe that. His angels watch over us all the time. And we have the greatest Angel of all to protect us: Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
Yeah, we'll still freak out every once in a while. We're human. One human trait, I think, that we all share is forgetfulness--especially when it comes to things of God. We become fearful when we forget who God is and all He has done for us. That is why we need to constantly remain in His presence, praying, spending time in His Word, saying once in a while, "God, thank You for who You are. I love you." When we fear the Lord, and behold Him with awe and wonder, He "drives the dark of doubt away," of fear, of anxiety. The fear of God is a beautiful thing.
Do you fear God?
4.19.2012
If I'm a Christian, Then Why Do I Keep Falling into Sin?
"My iniquities have overtaken me, so that I am not able to look up; they are more than the hairs on my head; therefore, my heart fails me." ~ Psalm 40:12
I'm a perfectionist. So whenever something goes wrong, or not according to plan, or I make a mistake, I become easily distraught. This is especially the case with sin.
Because I'm a Christian, I automatically think that, since I am striving to attain the righteousness of God, I am supposed to be perfect. Of course, I still sin, but not anything too extreme -- it's not like I'm a "transgressor" (*gasp of shock*) or anything.
And yet, like a dog returning to its vomit, I find myself committing the same sin. Again. And again. And again ...
Waking up this morning afflicted with terrible thoughts, realizing that I was falling into the same sin that I have struggled with for a long time (and just when I thought I was making real progress), I fell into despair. When I read Psalm 40:12 in my devotions, I was able to relate to every word. I felt like a hopeless failure, not able to lift her head up, much less look at the face of God. I thought to myself, "How long am I going to make this same mistake? Aren't I supposed to grow as a Christian and overcome these sins? I must not be a very good Christian!"
But, like the faithful Father He is, God spoke these words very clearly to me:
Noelle, being a "good Christian," as you call it, does not pertain the amount of times you sin. Being a Christian is growing more confident in the realization that when you sin, my grace will cover it. Being a Christian is believing in the power of my blood. Being a Christian is drawing upon my grace and mercy each time you stumble. Being a strong Christian is remembering that through my death on the cross, I have taken away the penalty for your sin. This does not mean, my child, that you will not sin. You are made from the dust of the earth. Yet you are filled with my breath, crafted by my hands, and I have redeemed your life from the pit of Sheol.
My love, if you do not believe that my sacrifice has cleansed you from the consequences of sin, though you still stumble, if you do not believe that my grace is sufficient for you, then my death may as well be in vain.
Take heart, dear reader. For those who fall into sin hear God's gospel the loudest and clearest.
When I go about my life without qualm or shortcoming, how easily I can fall into the mindset that I am acheiving righteousness all on my own! When I fall down, I quickly become angry that I let myself trip in the mud again when I was supposed to be so perfect! But when I lie there on the ground, the dirt of sin all over my face, my dear Jesus walks over to my side, lifts me up off the ground, lets his cleansing tears fall onto my face, and says to me tenderly, "My beloved, I alone can cleanse you from your sin." And then He embraces me with His grace, the dirt rubbing onto His own robe.
When you sin today (and yes, you will sin), embrace the gospel message in its entirety. Sometimes as Christians, we forget that the gospel still pertains to us, too. It fuels the very life we live! To forsake the gospel message and its healing power is to forsake Christ.
Remember, fellow sister or brother in Christ, that "it is by grace you have been saved, through faith -- and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God" (Ephesians 2:8), and "the blood of Jesus, His Son, purifies us from all sin" (1 John 1:7). Walk in the light that He is willing to forgive us every time we sin. That's what His sarcrifice was for.
And dance in His never-ending grace.
"... As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us."
Psalm 103:12
"But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more."
Romans 5:20
I'm a perfectionist. So whenever something goes wrong, or not according to plan, or I make a mistake, I become easily distraught. This is especially the case with sin.
Because I'm a Christian, I automatically think that, since I am striving to attain the righteousness of God, I am supposed to be perfect. Of course, I still sin, but not anything too extreme -- it's not like I'm a "transgressor" (*gasp of shock*) or anything.
And yet, like a dog returning to its vomit, I find myself committing the same sin. Again. And again. And again ...
Waking up this morning afflicted with terrible thoughts, realizing that I was falling into the same sin that I have struggled with for a long time (and just when I thought I was making real progress), I fell into despair. When I read Psalm 40:12 in my devotions, I was able to relate to every word. I felt like a hopeless failure, not able to lift her head up, much less look at the face of God. I thought to myself, "How long am I going to make this same mistake? Aren't I supposed to grow as a Christian and overcome these sins? I must not be a very good Christian!"
But, like the faithful Father He is, God spoke these words very clearly to me:
Noelle, being a "good Christian," as you call it, does not pertain the amount of times you sin. Being a Christian is growing more confident in the realization that when you sin, my grace will cover it. Being a Christian is believing in the power of my blood. Being a Christian is drawing upon my grace and mercy each time you stumble. Being a strong Christian is remembering that through my death on the cross, I have taken away the penalty for your sin. This does not mean, my child, that you will not sin. You are made from the dust of the earth. Yet you are filled with my breath, crafted by my hands, and I have redeemed your life from the pit of Sheol.
My love, if you do not believe that my sacrifice has cleansed you from the consequences of sin, though you still stumble, if you do not believe that my grace is sufficient for you, then my death may as well be in vain.
Take heart, dear reader. For those who fall into sin hear God's gospel the loudest and clearest.
When I go about my life without qualm or shortcoming, how easily I can fall into the mindset that I am acheiving righteousness all on my own! When I fall down, I quickly become angry that I let myself trip in the mud again when I was supposed to be so perfect! But when I lie there on the ground, the dirt of sin all over my face, my dear Jesus walks over to my side, lifts me up off the ground, lets his cleansing tears fall onto my face, and says to me tenderly, "My beloved, I alone can cleanse you from your sin." And then He embraces me with His grace, the dirt rubbing onto His own robe.
When you sin today (and yes, you will sin), embrace the gospel message in its entirety. Sometimes as Christians, we forget that the gospel still pertains to us, too. It fuels the very life we live! To forsake the gospel message and its healing power is to forsake Christ.
Remember, fellow sister or brother in Christ, that "it is by grace you have been saved, through faith -- and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God" (Ephesians 2:8), and "the blood of Jesus, His Son, purifies us from all sin" (1 John 1:7). Walk in the light that He is willing to forgive us every time we sin. That's what His sarcrifice was for.
And dance in His never-ending grace.
"... As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us."
Psalm 103:12
"But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more."
Romans 5:20
3.07.2012
When Trials Come ...
Sigh. I love trials, don't you?
Ok, I pretty much sounded like someone whose brain has a screw loose. I mean, who in their right mind likes trials? And truth be told, while we're actually in the trials, we certainly do not.
But looking back at them, oh, how marvelous they are.
Trials and difficult times are not fun. They are certainly not something we all pine for. I think it would be pretty shocking for a Christian to pray, "And Lord, that you would bless me with a hardship, a trial, something that rocks me to my core and brings me to my knees weeping. Thank You!" Yeah. Right. I don't think that would be me.
But I am reminded of a song by MercyMe, in which the lyrics say,
Bring me joy, bring me peace / Bring the chance to be free /
Bring me anything that brings You glory /
And I know there'll be days when this life brings me pain /
But if that's what it takes to praise you /
Jesus bring the rain ...
Oh, what faith! What devotion to God! Would it not bless God's heart for all of us Christians to pray, "God, I don't care what it takes for me to fall on my knees bringing praise and glory to Your Name. Send joy, send peace, but if it be Your will, oh God, send the rain."
It is so true, though, that the result of trials is utmost praise to the Father. After passing through the flames, we look at ourselves and realize that we have been refined -- we shimmer like gold. We become closer to the Father. And we praise Him for it! My dear saints, trials are not pleasurable. At times, they can be downright devastating. But I pray that you will have the strength to endure and the faith to know that something incredibly beautiful will come out of it.
And take heart! For those Christians that go through trials are the ones whom God is using! Like Jesus says in John 15:2, "... every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit." So not only are trials a sign that you are bearing fruit already, but they are a promise that you will bear even more fruit than before!
I think of a young man who somewhat illustrates this point. He was a basketball player on my brother's team in high school, way back when. He was a pretty solid player. He was a decent shooter, but he owned at defense. That was his strength. Overall, the coaches valued his playing, and he was greatly admired by teammates and peers.
When all of a sudden, the worst happened -- and injury to his leg left him completely incapacitated and unable to play ball. For a long time.
I am sure he cried out to God in agony, wondering why he would be left out an entire season due to such an injury. He loved the game so much! And it was because of this passion that he started doing something amazing. He would sit down on the floor of the gym (not in a chair--on the floor)and shoot hoops. With pure arm stength. All day long.
Day by day, the muscles in his arms toughened, he became stronger overall, and his shooting accuracy rose even higher. So by the time he healed up and came back to play, he was unstoppable. He had become the ultimate player. Not only did he still maintain his incredible defense skills, but he had the shooting ability as well -- better than anyone on his team.
It is truly amazing how God can use something like that injury in our lives and make us so much better than we were before. If the young man had not been unable to use his legs and play ball, he would not have sat on the gym floor all those hours shooting hoops, increasing his strength. But because of that, he came back better than ever before and became the star player of his team!
My brothers and sisters, "Count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience, but let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing." (James 1:2-4, italics mine) Ride out the storm. Let God do His work. Let Him shatter the clay so He can build it into something bigger and better. Then you will be perfect and complete, lacking NOTHING. What an amazing promise!
And don't be ashamed if you feel weak, frustrated, or depressed during such a time. We are still flesh. God is still our Great High Priest who sympathizes with our every weakness (Hebrews 4:15). He knows trials are hard! All He wants us to do is to have faith in Him, to not forsake Him, nor forget His love for us.
Believe. There may be pain in the night, but joy comes in the morning. (Psalm 30:5)
"I will bring [them] through the fire, will refine them as silver is refined, and test them as gold is tested. They will call on My Name, and I will answer them. I will say, 'This is My people'; and each one will say, 'The Lord is my God."
Zechariah 13:9
Ok, I pretty much sounded like someone whose brain has a screw loose. I mean, who in their right mind likes trials? And truth be told, while we're actually in the trials, we certainly do not.
But looking back at them, oh, how marvelous they are.
Trials and difficult times are not fun. They are certainly not something we all pine for. I think it would be pretty shocking for a Christian to pray, "And Lord, that you would bless me with a hardship, a trial, something that rocks me to my core and brings me to my knees weeping. Thank You!" Yeah. Right. I don't think that would be me.
But I am reminded of a song by MercyMe, in which the lyrics say,
Bring me joy, bring me peace / Bring the chance to be free /
Bring me anything that brings You glory /
And I know there'll be days when this life brings me pain /
But if that's what it takes to praise you /
Jesus bring the rain ...
Oh, what faith! What devotion to God! Would it not bless God's heart for all of us Christians to pray, "God, I don't care what it takes for me to fall on my knees bringing praise and glory to Your Name. Send joy, send peace, but if it be Your will, oh God, send the rain."
It is so true, though, that the result of trials is utmost praise to the Father. After passing through the flames, we look at ourselves and realize that we have been refined -- we shimmer like gold. We become closer to the Father. And we praise Him for it! My dear saints, trials are not pleasurable. At times, they can be downright devastating. But I pray that you will have the strength to endure and the faith to know that something incredibly beautiful will come out of it.
And take heart! For those Christians that go through trials are the ones whom God is using! Like Jesus says in John 15:2, "... every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit." So not only are trials a sign that you are bearing fruit already, but they are a promise that you will bear even more fruit than before!
I think of a young man who somewhat illustrates this point. He was a basketball player on my brother's team in high school, way back when. He was a pretty solid player. He was a decent shooter, but he owned at defense. That was his strength. Overall, the coaches valued his playing, and he was greatly admired by teammates and peers.
When all of a sudden, the worst happened -- and injury to his leg left him completely incapacitated and unable to play ball. For a long time.
I am sure he cried out to God in agony, wondering why he would be left out an entire season due to such an injury. He loved the game so much! And it was because of this passion that he started doing something amazing. He would sit down on the floor of the gym (not in a chair--on the floor)and shoot hoops. With pure arm stength. All day long.
Day by day, the muscles in his arms toughened, he became stronger overall, and his shooting accuracy rose even higher. So by the time he healed up and came back to play, he was unstoppable. He had become the ultimate player. Not only did he still maintain his incredible defense skills, but he had the shooting ability as well -- better than anyone on his team.
It is truly amazing how God can use something like that injury in our lives and make us so much better than we were before. If the young man had not been unable to use his legs and play ball, he would not have sat on the gym floor all those hours shooting hoops, increasing his strength. But because of that, he came back better than ever before and became the star player of his team!
My brothers and sisters, "Count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience, but let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing." (James 1:2-4, italics mine) Ride out the storm. Let God do His work. Let Him shatter the clay so He can build it into something bigger and better. Then you will be perfect and complete, lacking NOTHING. What an amazing promise!
And don't be ashamed if you feel weak, frustrated, or depressed during such a time. We are still flesh. God is still our Great High Priest who sympathizes with our every weakness (Hebrews 4:15). He knows trials are hard! All He wants us to do is to have faith in Him, to not forsake Him, nor forget His love for us.
Believe. There may be pain in the night, but joy comes in the morning. (Psalm 30:5)
"I will bring [them] through the fire, will refine them as silver is refined, and test them as gold is tested. They will call on My Name, and I will answer them. I will say, 'This is My people'; and each one will say, 'The Lord is my God."
Zechariah 13:9
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