Time, humans take time. We are slow and oftentimes stupid creatures and when we deny God time in our lives, we deny Him the power to change our lives. Ecclesiastes 3 says there is a time for everything. A time to be born, to die, to plant, to uproot, to kill, to live, to cry, to laugh, to mourn, to dance, to search, to give up searching.... to sit down and shut up. We hear in our churches to go out and do, to not be afraid, to learn, to grow, to teach, to blah blah blah and there is nothing wrong with any of those things. But when in all of our going and doing are we spending any time with God? When in our ministry are we intentionally communing with the One who sent us out? Jesus hand chose his disciples intentionally, He taught the lessons that He intentionally at each time and each place. He didn't just throw stuff out there hoping that someone in the crowd would get it. He knew each ear that would hear, each mind that would process, and each hand that would rise in action based on His words. We of course cannot know all these things, we're human. But God can and if we spend time with Him, He wants to tell us. To be prepared is to know the Spirit of God in any given situation. Sometimes we honestly do not have that kind of time and that's why God is God and we are not. But God wants to tell you what He's planning, if we will only sit still long enough to listen.
Showing posts with label questions. Show all posts
Showing posts with label questions. Show all posts
Friday, March 19, 2010
Humans take time
We spend a lot of time talking when we pray. We ask for this and that, we spend some time asking God to help others, and then we start asking things either for ourselves or for our own curiosity. Sometimes we ask God questions about what we should do in our lives or what decisions we should make. Sometimes we wait to ask until the decision really needs to be made and we expect God to answer right then! We say that we believe that everything happens in God's time and it certainly does, but when we wait until the decision absolutely needs to be made to ask God what to do, we are not giving Him or ourselves time. Now God does not need time to process things like we do. He always knows what's going to happen and what decision needs to be made, but the "His timing" part comes in with His timing on when to tell us and sometimes it takes longer because we don't listen! One would imagine that when we ask God a question, we would listen for His answer, but that's not always true. We ask questions and wait for the answer we want, not necessarily the answer we need and when we don't get the answer we want, we stop listening. So God has to bring people and circumstances and whatnot to bring us back around to His way of thinking.
Monday, July 6, 2009
now is the winter of our discontent...
I'm finding myself discontent lately. I didn't know it was happening until recently. I knew something was a little... disconnected, but I didn't know what or why. Now I know. Even though I'm surrounded by friends, family, and people that love me very much, I find myself discontent with the state of my life. Quite frankly, it's a little lonely.
But why? Because I'm not married? Because I'm not in the stage of life I think I should be in? Because I might secretly blame God for keeping me in one place too long and that's apparently a bad thing? Or because I blame myself, as if I had the choice to move on to the next stage of life and I passed it up?
E: All of the above.
I want to be married and I'm not. That's that. I see people who are the next stage of life and I want to be there. I'm tired of the problems that come with my current stage and I'm ready for new challenges. Yes, I do blame God. He's in control, isn't He? This is His show after all. And yes, I blame myself. I've had two distinct opportunities to move on to the next stage of life and I didn't.
But here's the thing about all that: if I'm not faithful with what I have been given in this stage, I won't be given anything new. If I'm not content with God in my current stage of life, I'm not going to be content in the next stage. Yes, God is in control, and He's a lot wiser than I am and He knows that moving me too quickly through life isn't going to turn out well for me. The decisions I've made in the past, I made after consulting a wise counsel and had a peace about them. Blaming myself now for making the right decisions then just seems silly, but you just saw me do it a paragraph ago.
The point is this: we, as humans, are pretty much stupid when it comes to what is best for us. Yeah, we make a right decision every now and then, but statistically, we're not good at running our own lives.
While I have been searching for contentment, the thought of asking God for it hadn't really entered my mind until today. I mean, praying for God to help me be content in Him... it just seems kinda wrong. Shouldn't my own contentment be something I can handle on my own? No, that's the point! We can't handle it! Something as huge as our own contentment, we cannot, nor should we try, to handle!
Here's what David said about it:
Psalm 62:5-8
But why? Because I'm not married? Because I'm not in the stage of life I think I should be in? Because I might secretly blame God for keeping me in one place too long and that's apparently a bad thing? Or because I blame myself, as if I had the choice to move on to the next stage of life and I passed it up?
E: All of the above.
I want to be married and I'm not. That's that. I see people who are the next stage of life and I want to be there. I'm tired of the problems that come with my current stage and I'm ready for new challenges. Yes, I do blame God. He's in control, isn't He? This is His show after all. And yes, I blame myself. I've had two distinct opportunities to move on to the next stage of life and I didn't.
But here's the thing about all that: if I'm not faithful with what I have been given in this stage, I won't be given anything new. If I'm not content with God in my current stage of life, I'm not going to be content in the next stage. Yes, God is in control, and He's a lot wiser than I am and He knows that moving me too quickly through life isn't going to turn out well for me. The decisions I've made in the past, I made after consulting a wise counsel and had a peace about them. Blaming myself now for making the right decisions then just seems silly, but you just saw me do it a paragraph ago.
The point is this: we, as humans, are pretty much stupid when it comes to what is best for us. Yeah, we make a right decision every now and then, but statistically, we're not good at running our own lives.
While I have been searching for contentment, the thought of asking God for it hadn't really entered my mind until today. I mean, praying for God to help me be content in Him... it just seems kinda wrong. Shouldn't my own contentment be something I can handle on my own? No, that's the point! We can't handle it! Something as huge as our own contentment, we cannot, nor should we try, to handle!
Here's what David said about it:
Psalm 62:5-8
5 Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from him. 6 He alone is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will not be shaken. 7 My salvation and my honor depend on God; he is my mighty rock, my refuge. 8 Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge.
David pretty much ordered his own soul to find its rest in God and then told it why God was worthy. David then moves from his own soul to all his peoples souls. Basically, David says "do this, because God will never let you fall." Is that a good enough reason to find my contentment in God? Simply because He's trustworthy? I can honestly say that I have tried to find my contentment in things other than God and have ended up very disappointed and discontent with myself and the world. But shouldn't I find my contentment in God because that's where it really is? Shouldn't I rest in God because I love Him and He loves me? My human heart doesn't always understand that.
Later, David says this:
Psalm 86:11-12
11 Teach me your way, O LORD, and I will walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name. 12 I will praise you, O Lord my God, with all my heart; I will glorify your name forever.
David has to ask to be taught God's ways. He had to ask for an undivided heart so that he could love God as God should be loved and that he could fear God the way God should be feared.
My prayer today is this: that God would see fit to give me this undivided heart so that I can long for the things God longs for in my life. So that I would be able to see how He sees and help people and glorify God the way God should be glorified. I stink of humanity and sin and that hinders me from praising the Eternal God the way He should be praised. But that doesn't hinder me from asking that God make my heart whole so that He can use it for His glory.
I think I'll work on a drawing/painting to illustrate this "whole heart" idea...
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
something new for me
Genesis 18:1-15
The Three Visitors
1 The LORD appeared to Abraham near the great trees of Mamre while he was sitting at the entrance to his tent in the heat of the day. 2 Abraham looked up and saw three men standing nearby. When he saw them, he hurried from the entrance of his tent to meet them and bowed low to the ground.
3 He said, "If I have found favor in your eyes, my lord, do not pass your servant by. 4 Let a little water be brought, and then you may all wash your feet and rest under this tree. 5 Let me get you something to eat, so you can be refreshed and then go on your way—now that you have come to your servant."
"Very well," they answered, "do as you say."
6 So Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah. "Quick," he said, "get three seahs of fine flour and knead it and bake some bread."
7 Then he ran to the herd and selected a choice, tender calf and gave it to a servant, who hurried to prepare it. 8 He then brought some curds and milk and the calf that had been prepared, and set these before them. While they ate, he stood near them under a tree.
9 "Where is your wife Sarah?" they asked him.
"There, in the tent," he said.
10 Then the LORD said, "I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah your wife will have a son."
Now Sarah was listening at the entrance to the tent, which was behind him. 11 Abraham and Sarah were already old and well advanced in years, and Sarah was past the age of childbearing. 12 So Sarah laughed to herself as she thought, "After I am worn out and my master is old, will I now have this pleasure?"
13 Then the LORD said to Abraham, "Why did Sarah laugh and say, 'Will I really have a child, now that I am old?' 14 Is anything too hard for the LORD ? I will return to you at the appointed time next year and Sarah will have a son."
15 Sarah was afraid, so she lied and said, "I did not laugh."
But he said, "Yes, you did laugh."
Some things I never realized about this passage until today: there were three men standing there, yet it says that the LORD came to see Abraham. Abraham bowed before all three and addressed them as one, yet he knew there were three men standing before him because he prepared three loaves of bread. Could this be the second appearance of our three-in-one God? (the first being in the first few verses of Chap. 1). Also, Abraham seemed to understand that all three men were God, all three were his LORD. How did he know this? Did God sit him down and explain triune theology and it just didn't get recorded? We're only in chapter 18 of the Bible and yet Abraham seems to know things he really shouldn't know. How is this possible? Am I reading it wrong? Please, someone smarter than me give some insight.
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Mountain tops versus Valleys
I've heard this saying before: Mountain tops are great, but fruit grows in the valleys. I understand what this means in relation to the Christian walk. I understand that if I never had problems, I would never understand God's power, love, mercy, grace, etc; the same way that we would never understand cold weather if there was never hot weather.
Coming back from this missions trip, I don't find myself on the mountain top like some people, nor am I in the valley like other people. I guess I'm in the foothills. What's that about? What happens in the foothills? Where's the saying for that place?
In going to North Dakota, I was looking for a rest from my ordinary and a chance to serve others and see God working in other people's lives. And in typical missions trip fashion, I learned more about myself than I did anyone else. Sure, I made friends and got to know my current friends better (or at least in a different light), but what about myself? God sent me there, now where's my lesson? Is it selfish to want a personal lesson from God everywhere? I just want to see Him! To be close to Him and to know Him better than I ever have! That's my goal this summer. I want to spend so much time with Him that everything else I could possibly do pales in comparison.
In learning about the Sioux Indians and their traditions and how they currently live their lives, I found that the things they hold sacred are purely for the sake of tradition, there's hardly any heart behind it anymore. The tribal leaders are gone, the Powwows are now just dance competitions, and the children run around with no shoes and no one to care where they are or what they are doing. It was as if all their traditions that were once so important to them and filled with meaning are now empty and only there for the sake of tradition. The meaning behind their traditions has gone. What are my "traditions" and is there still meaning behind them or am I just walking this path because it's the one I know best?
We built a small playground, cleaned the church, mowed grass, planted flowers and a garden full of veggies. We played with the children and we cooked them food. The seeds were planted, and we left Pastor Boots to water and cultivate them.
Before we left, we prayed over Boots. Each person, one by one, came up and put their hands on Boots and prayed over him. He said later that he felt like he had been ordained a second time. There were tears in everyone's eyes. Looking back on it, it feels like we did so very little to actually help. The work of our hands and sweat of our brows can only do so much. Those people are in God's hands. May they accept His mercy before it's too late and they only see His wrath. We gave Boots an offering, I'm not sure how much, but I heard it was close to $500. I know Boots will put it where it is needed most.
1 Tim. 4:13-16 (Message)
"Stay at your post reading Scripture, giving counsel, teaching. And that special gift of ministry you were given when the leaders of the church laid hands on you and prayed- keep that dusted off and in use. Cultivate these things. Immerse yourself in them. The people will all see you mature right before their eyes! Keep a firm grasp on both your character and your teaching. Don't be diverted. Just keep at it. Both you and those who hear you will experience salvation."
Coming back from this missions trip, I don't find myself on the mountain top like some people, nor am I in the valley like other people. I guess I'm in the foothills. What's that about? What happens in the foothills? Where's the saying for that place?
In going to North Dakota, I was looking for a rest from my ordinary and a chance to serve others and see God working in other people's lives. And in typical missions trip fashion, I learned more about myself than I did anyone else. Sure, I made friends and got to know my current friends better (or at least in a different light), but what about myself? God sent me there, now where's my lesson? Is it selfish to want a personal lesson from God everywhere? I just want to see Him! To be close to Him and to know Him better than I ever have! That's my goal this summer. I want to spend so much time with Him that everything else I could possibly do pales in comparison.
In learning about the Sioux Indians and their traditions and how they currently live their lives, I found that the things they hold sacred are purely for the sake of tradition, there's hardly any heart behind it anymore. The tribal leaders are gone, the Powwows are now just dance competitions, and the children run around with no shoes and no one to care where they are or what they are doing. It was as if all their traditions that were once so important to them and filled with meaning are now empty and only there for the sake of tradition. The meaning behind their traditions has gone. What are my "traditions" and is there still meaning behind them or am I just walking this path because it's the one I know best?
We built a small playground, cleaned the church, mowed grass, planted flowers and a garden full of veggies. We played with the children and we cooked them food. The seeds were planted, and we left Pastor Boots to water and cultivate them.
Before we left, we prayed over Boots. Each person, one by one, came up and put their hands on Boots and prayed over him. He said later that he felt like he had been ordained a second time. There were tears in everyone's eyes. Looking back on it, it feels like we did so very little to actually help. The work of our hands and sweat of our brows can only do so much. Those people are in God's hands. May they accept His mercy before it's too late and they only see His wrath. We gave Boots an offering, I'm not sure how much, but I heard it was close to $500. I know Boots will put it where it is needed most.
1 Tim. 4:13-16 (Message)
"Stay at your post reading Scripture, giving counsel, teaching. And that special gift of ministry you were given when the leaders of the church laid hands on you and prayed- keep that dusted off and in use. Cultivate these things. Immerse yourself in them. The people will all see you mature right before their eyes! Keep a firm grasp on both your character and your teaching. Don't be diverted. Just keep at it. Both you and those who hear you will experience salvation."
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Soulmate
Incompatible, it don't matter though
'cos someone's bound to hear my cry
Speak out if you do
You're not easy to find
Is it possible Mr. Loveable
Is already in my life?
Right in front of me
Or maybe you're in disguise
Who doesn't long for someone to hold
Who knows how to love you without being told
Somebody tell me why I'm on my own
If there's a soulmate for everyone
Here we are again, circles never end
How do I find the perfect fit
There's enough for everyone
But I'm still waiting in line
Who doesn't long for someone to hold
Who knows how to love you without being told
Somebody tell me why I'm on my own
If there's a soulmate for everyone
If there's a soulmate for everyone
Most relationships seem so transitory
They're all good but not the permanent one
Who doesn't long for someone to hold
Who knows how to love you without being told
Somebody tell me why I'm on my own
If there's a soulmate for everyone
Who doesn't long for someone to hold
Who knows how to love you without being told
Somebody tell me why I'm on my own
If there's a soulmate for everyone
If there's a soulmate for everyone
'cos someone's bound to hear my cry
Speak out if you do
You're not easy to find
Is it possible Mr. Loveable
Is already in my life?
Right in front of me
Or maybe you're in disguise
Who doesn't long for someone to hold
Who knows how to love you without being told
Somebody tell me why I'm on my own
If there's a soulmate for everyone
Here we are again, circles never end
How do I find the perfect fit
There's enough for everyone
But I'm still waiting in line
Who doesn't long for someone to hold
Who knows how to love you without being told
Somebody tell me why I'm on my own
If there's a soulmate for everyone
If there's a soulmate for everyone
Most relationships seem so transitory
They're all good but not the permanent one
Who doesn't long for someone to hold
Who knows how to love you without being told
Somebody tell me why I'm on my own
If there's a soulmate for everyone
Who doesn't long for someone to hold
Who knows how to love you without being told
Somebody tell me why I'm on my own
If there's a soulmate for everyone
If there's a soulmate for everyone
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
nakedidity
I left my phone at home this morning. Not on purpose, mind you. But now I feel naked, unprepared, and unwilling to face the day outside the walls of my office. I know that people might want to text me, call me, whatever, and I know that there's nothing I can do about it. I can't get those messages or respond to them. I'm cut off. I'm so bothered by it that my left eye is starting to twitch.
What if something horrible happens to one of my friends and they can't reach me, they can't ask me for help because stupid me left my phone plugged into my wall?
What if I need one of them and I can't call them because all of their numbers are in my phone?
What if everything that could possibly go wrong actually does go wrong and I'm helpless in it?
What if I overreact?
Why don't we feel this out of sorts when we miss our daily time with God? Why aren't we bothered to no end that we feel so disconnected from God when we don't pray? Why do we place our communications with people above our communications with God? Our communication with God, and keeping those lines open, is far more important than anything we could possibly say to people or what those people could say to us. We don't feel panicked when we miss our time talking to God... why is that? Why don't we realize how important God is to us? Why don't we overreact?
What if something horrible happens to one of my friends and they can't reach me, they can't ask me for help because stupid me left my phone plugged into my wall?
What if I need one of them and I can't call them because all of their numbers are in my phone?
What if everything that could possibly go wrong actually does go wrong and I'm helpless in it?
What if I overreact?
Why don't we feel this out of sorts when we miss our daily time with God? Why aren't we bothered to no end that we feel so disconnected from God when we don't pray? Why do we place our communications with people above our communications with God? Our communication with God, and keeping those lines open, is far more important than anything we could possibly say to people or what those people could say to us. We don't feel panicked when we miss our time talking to God... why is that? Why don't we realize how important God is to us? Why don't we overreact?
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