Dec 7, 2009 | Baby Photos, Stories, The Good Word
The Bear is in a wonderful stage of firsts right now. It is funny how I feel the need to document all these firsts. We brushed his three teeth for the first time yesterday (in the bathtub), and I was practically jumping over Mark to try to get a good angle with the camera for a photo.
He will probably be taking his first steps sometime soon. I suppose he was aspiring to be a clothing designer at about six months, because he once said the word, “gingham.” Â It seems he has set that dream aside…honestly we’re quite sure it was unintentional but we laughed at claiming that was his first word. The “Dadas” and “Mamas” are in full force right now, but a proper first word is probably coming soon. It is exciting to think about the billions and billions of words someone is going to say in their entire life and actually getting to witness the first one.
I was reading in a couple of different places this morning when I was convicted about my own words. I memorized Ephesians 4:29 quite a while ago (and it was part of my reading again today): “Let no corrupt word proceed outof your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.” I try to let that Scripture ‘filter’ what’s going to come out of my mouth. If you stop before the first word, you don’t have to finish what you’ve started!
This morning, though, I wanted to tell Mark the story of a conversation I overheard at the gym, and although it was completely useless nonsense, and really not a very nice story to retell, I went against that ya-know-in-yer-knower-you-should-hush feeling and proceeded to tell the story anyway.
And then as I was reading in Proverbs later, I came across Prov. 11:13 —
A talebearer reveals secrets,
But he who is of a faithful spirit conceals a matter.
Ouch! That’s clear enough, methinks. I asked the Lord to forgive me for going my own way and letting my mouth run with ungraceful talk, and I am thankful for the clean slate and the fresh opportunity to move forward with grace-filled speech instead.
Every word we speak is an opportunity to build up or to tear down — even if it’s just the tone and attitude we are using to deliver the message. Please, Lord, give me a greater measure of Your Holy Spirit — to direct my steps and my words. And help me to obey!
Dec 3, 2009 | Stories
Have you ever washed anybody’s feet? Have you ever had a pedicure and felt kind of sorry for the people washing yours? I am excited that as a part of our ministry here in South Africa, there’s a lot of footwashing in my future.
Every time I read the story of Jesus washing the disciples’ feet in John 13, I find it so striking. I suppose you might think it just takes lots of humility to be humble. But I think it also takes some confidence to be humble in the right way. Verses 13 & 14 explain that “Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come from God and was going to God, rose from supper and laid aside His garments, took a towel and girded Himself.” And there takes place an event so strikingly beautiful, and so strikingly other-worldly to me: Jesus washes the Disciples’ feet.
A while ago I wrote a post about how contrary the ways of the kingdom of God are to the ways of the world. It is beautiful and intriguing to me, as I understand more and more about how the call to follow Jesus is so contrary to the call to live life the way the world might tell you to. Here we have such an incredible, tangible example of the mindboggling paradigm of our Saviour and King. He’s about to die for the sins of the world. He’s about to be denied by those dear to Him, abandoned in His darkest hour, even betrayed by one of those among them…and what does He do? He washes their feet.
And He explains: “You call Me Teacher and Lord, and you say well, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you.” And a little later He points out that this servant attitude, this love we demonstrate, when we love each other (which is obviously intertwined with serving each other) this is the love by which “all will know that you are My disciples.”
Does He tell us to chase after a bigger peace of the pie? No. Does He tell us to make sure we have enough for ourselves before we even consider sharing with anyone else? No. He says love each other. Serve each other. Trust Me to take care of you.
This holiday season, I want to aim to find myself in God. Can I encourage you to do the same? Find out who you are in God. Remember how much He loves you. Remember that’s why He came. And let that knowledge give you the confidence to be a servant. To be an agent for the love of God to flow into the lives of those who need it. I am confident that you will find it more blessed to give than to receive…and I’d encourage you to give not just out of your pocket, but out of your heart and your time. And not just to those who will give back to you, but to those who might be Peters and Judases in your life. That kind of love is the light that shines brighter than any other, and points to God. Tis the Season.
Nov 23, 2009 | Stories, The Good Word
If you will excuse me, dear reader, I would like to make an addendum to a previous post. I have been thinking a good bit about the law and grace, and the promise of God, and I am continually realising my tendency to move away from the grace of God into a desire to earn His graciousness and approval. Is anybody else in this boat? Wouldn’t you rather work for it?
In the aforementioned post, I talked about how it was a good idea to hush if you have a stinky attitude and don’t have anything nice to say, so that you don’t pass on your grumpymugginness to everyone else. But I’m not sure that’s entirely true. I do think it is a good idea to be thoughtful with your words. It’s wise to be careful about what comes out of your mouth — the things you say really are like the toothpaste that can’t go back in the tube. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be honest about where you are, what you’re experiencing, and if you’re having a hard time.
Lord, please help me to rest in your grace.
If you are anything like me, you might retreat a little bit when times are hard, and put on a happy face so that everyone will think you are fine. (It reminds me of that great Volkswagen commercial with that I’m a Great Pretender song in the background. Have you seen it? I loved it.) Anyway, I can really be a pretender sometimes.
If I’m honest, this is a hard season for me. We’ve just moved to a new country. I thought it was going to be easier than this. I forgot that I moved to Scotland with thirty other people and had an instant friendship circle and a common goal. I made friends at the university quickly and easily. And I was single, so life was flexible, and fancy-free. Things are great here. We’re in a beautiful place, and the Lord has made an amazingly smooth path for us. But still, it’s hard. I’ve traded one set of circumstances for another, completely different. And my heart feels strung out — all over the world. I’ve left so many dear friends behind in Scotland. And my family and friends in the States — I continue to miss them, now even more, as with a greater time difference it’s harder to get in touch.
The way all this ties into grace and the law for me is this: Before there was the law, there was grace, and justification by faith. Abraham simply believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness. Four hundred and thirty years before Moses received those legendary tablets on Mt. Sinai, God made a covenant with Abraham, a promise to bless His descendants, and that through him, all nations would be blessed. So the promise came before the law. And Christ came before I even began to stray from a godly path. Before I could earn God’s love and approval, it was freely given.
What does all that mean? I’ve been reading in Galatians 3 and 4 and here’s what I’m trying to wrap my head around. Grace is available, based on faith, and free. It justifies us by faith, and not by anything we can do. God says His grace is sufficient for us, because His strength is made perfect in our weaknesses. So here I am, admittedly a sinner, and I may struggle to rejoice and find contentment in this new season, and if I’m honest, it’s just hard. But the Good News is, God’s grace is available. And while I am weak, and I feel like I’m failing to deflect the fiery darts of self-pity that would have me consumed with disappointment at another Christmas away from my family, and another week feeling like I don’t have any new friends, praise God that His grace is sufficient. It’s okay to be disappointed. It’s okay to struggle to deal with the way things are going when it’s not your way.
Even more, It is good to be honest about where you are. It is good to be honest with God about how you feel. And sometimes, even if it doesn’t look pretty and perfect, it is good to be honest with others, when life just isn’t a cup of sweet tea for you. It may be a good idea to hush, but it may be an even better idea to speak up, to say, “I’m struggling!” or “This ain’t as glamourous as it looks!” or “Help!” So that’s the addendum of the day. I hope to put on my bathing suit and dive into the sea of God’s grace today for a good long swim. Feel free to grab a cap and goggles and join me.
Nov 20, 2009 | Baby Photos, The Good Word
I was mulling over some verses in Proverbs 4 this morning, and while I’m not sure I have anything profound to say, I just thought I would share.
Wisdom is the principle thing; Therefore get wisdom. And in all your getting, get understanding. Exalt her, and she will promote you. She will bring you honor when you embrace her. (Proverbs 4: 7 & 8 )
I like to think about what it means to look for wisdom. When I think I’ve come across something wise, like, when someone says “I think I should probably do this, or not do that” I often find myself saying “Hmm, that’s good… that sounds wise.” And afterwards wondering… did that sound like a weird thing to say? I like wisdom! I like hearing it! But seriously, there is such a huge emphasis in Scripture on the significance of seeking and desiring wisdom. And it’s interesting to me because we have more information at our fingertips than any previous generation in history…but are we any wiser for it? If I listen to the news or watch TV, I’m pretty convinced that while we’re oozing with information, I’m not sure our wisdom bucket overfloweth as a result.
As I asked the Lord about getting wisdom this morning, I was reminded of two things:
- The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. This reminds me a lot of yesterday’s post…deciding to depart from evil because we fear the Lord, and we don’t think more highly of our own wisdom than we ought to. (If the Lord blesses me with more understanding of the fear of the Lord, which I intend to study up on, hopefully I can come back to you with a series of posts about it, because I don’t think one or two is going to cover it!) And,
- I was reminded of this interesting section of Psalm 119 that used to get me really excited when I was studying at university:
Oh, how I love your law!
It is my meditation all the day.
You, through You commandments, make me wiser than my enemies;
For they are ever with me.
I have more understanding than all my teachers,
For your testimonies are my meditation.
I understand more than the ancients,
Because I keep your precepts. (Psalm 119: 97 – 100)
(Me: Wiser than my teachers? Sign me up!) It seems like the way we are instructed to get wisdom is simple: meditate on God’s Word, His Law, the testimonies of His goodness recorded in Scripture, and then do what His word says. Put into practice the things that you are learning. If you’re learning to ride a bike, someone might take the time to sit down with you and explain the reason the bicycle works…how the pedals push the gears and the gears move the wheels and the steering wheel directs and the brakes slow you down… but eventually, you’re gonna have to put that knowledge into practice to fully understand riding a bike.
In the same way, the wisdom that comes from God is best understood when we study it, think about it, and then live it out. I think that’s why just a bit later in Proverbs 4 it says, “Ponder the path of your feet, And let all your ways be established.” (v. 26) If we move forward thoughtfully and purposefully, considering the teaching of the Lord and His wisdom, He promises to make our paths straight. I suppose there are some questions Google is never going to answer for us. The wisdom, and knowledge and understanding that will set us on the right path come from the Lord. If wisdom’s what you’re chasing after, what you’re pondering, and what you’re doing, expect the goodness of God to meet you.
I saw a great quote on this great blog yesterday that I think might be an encouraging closing:
You learn to speak by speaking,
to study by studying,
to run by running,
to work by working;
and just so, you learn to love by loving.
All those who think to learn in any other way deceive themselves.
– Saint Francis de Sales
If you are looking for wisdom today, I hope it finds you.
Nov 19, 2009 | Stories, The Good Word
Okay. So you guys might think I’ve totally lost it, but I’m going to share this story with you and do my best to explain anyway. Fire away with comments at will!
So last night, we had our mid-week weekend, where we enjoy dinner together and watch a movie and relax a little. I was working on dinner when we realised we didn’t have a movie, and Mark decided to run back out to get one. We were listening to a playlist of music on my iTunes that someone made for me ages and ages ago. A lot of the songs are fun, happy stuff and I was singing along and smiling at the Bear and he was happy. He was still in his highchair crunching crumbs while I was juggling chicken simmering on the stove, veggies roasting in the oven, couscous getting ready to soak. The Bear’s bedtime was approaching so I took him through to his room to get him into PJs and a fresh nappy.
Meanwhile, the next song on the playlist came on. It was a catchy little ditty that was really popular a few years ago, but it had some not so nice language in it, (I had been given the unedited version that wasn’t on the radio). It really wasn’t singing about very positive stuff. I felt like I should go skip the song, but, honestly, I was just kind of lazy, and also thought it was kind of catchy, and I just left it running. The evening went on and as we were enjoying our dinner another song came on, also just … dark. Honestly, I don’t know how else to explain it. It was from an album I used to listen to a lot ages ago, and the more I listened to the lyrics the more I realised how bad it was — it was clearly speaking about the crucifixion, but not in a positive light. Mark and I talked about googling the lyrics in order to figure out what the heck it was all about, but once again, I didn’t get up and change the music.
We enjoyed the rest of our evening (Mark rented Elf for me, which was a very special holiday blessing) and we had a little ice cream and headed for bed. This morning, however, I can only describe it as if the bed woke up on the wrong side of me. I was grouchy and struggling to be nice as we sorted ourselves out for the gym — I know it’s hard to believe, but it’s true. We came back from the gym and it just seemed like one thing after another. I discovered a hole in my new t-shirt…I accidentally dropped our camera (it’s fine, thank you Lord)…things weren’t going my way and I wasn’t handling it well at all.
Finally, I sat down to spend some time in the Word and prayer, and Proverbs 3 was where I started off. I arrived at verse 7 and could go no further:
Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the Lord and depart from evil.
This sort of stopped me in my tracks. What does being wise in your own eyes have to do with fearing the Lord and departing from evil? I thought about it for a while, and felt like the synapses in my brain were beginning to make some new connections.
What I felt like the Lord showed me was that we sometimes think we can handle evil. In our own wisdom, we don’t always think we need to depart from things that really aren’t beneficial to us. In my wisdom last night, I thought, “It’s not a big deal, I can listen to this without it really affecting me.” This might be where you think I’m starting to get crazy, but bear with me.
I am quite sure I sometimes think I have more wisdom than I do. And I don’t always understand the repercussions of my decisions. I know for sure that music that gives glory to God sends the enemy packing. I have been in conferences where there was so much praise happening — people surrounding an auditorium just worshiping and praising God — and the presence of the Lord was almost tangible. People’s lives were being changed. People were being set free from things that they’d struggled with for decades. All because of the glorious presence of God, being welcomed in — where the enemy cannot stand to be, and literally just cannot be. (Light and darkness metaphysically can’t inhabit the same space at the same time.)
So here’s the question. Is the adverse also true? Am I welcoming in the enemy, am I giving place to him, when I listen to music that is clearly not pleasing to God? I’m not speaking about Jack Johnson’s Banana Pancakes — I mean music that is definitely, clearly against the things of God. Am I telling the enemy to come on over and hang out at my place when I listen to music that gives glory to selfishness, adultery, unfaithfulness, and bad relationships? At this point you’re going to have to work pretty hard to convince me otherwise.
The reason I think the two statements are together is this: the Lord constantly warns us to depart from evil. Flee from temptation. Run, you ninnymuggins, run! And I think part of the reason is that we think we can handle sin sinlessly. But who are we kidding? We know there is a spiritual realm, we know our battle is not against flesh and blood — but we don’t know everything that’s going on around us. We don’t know what we’re inviting in. So today, if for no other reason than because the Lord says so, I’m going to be doing some spring cleaning in my iTunes collection. (It is actually springtime, heading toward summer in the southern hemisphere.)
This is the promise that follows:
It will be health to your flesh and strength to your bones.
I’d like to sign up for health in my flesh and strength in my bones! So instead of being “wise” or trying to carefully navigate life on the edge of faith, with one foot in the world for the sake of “relevance,” I’m going to fear the Lord, and depart from evil. Praise the Lord who is so much wiser than I am. Please Lord, direct my steps, teach me to fear You, and to walk in your ways!
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